Harper Cabinet Shuffle

I received the following email from Equal Voice this afternoon. Discouraging news, with Harper's 22% women representation in cabinet.

----- Original Message -----
From: National Council of Women of Canada
Date: Wednesday, August 15, 2007 6:29 pm
Subject: [PAR-L] cabinet shuffle
To: PAR-L@LISTSERV.UNB.CA

> *Media Release*
>
> For Immediate release
> Ottawa, August 15, 2007
>
> *National Council of Women of Canada
>
> Re Harper Cabinet Shuffle*
>
> I think we can say unequivocally that Prime Minister Harper is
> definitely not interested in attracting women voters, a
> seemingly
> significant segment of the populace at 52%.
>
> After signing onto CEDAW during the last election, the Prime
> Minister
> has proceeded to abrogate his responsibilities to women and to
> gender
> equality.
> After all the major cuts and changes were made last fall to
> Status of
> Women Canada and to other major programs and initiatives that
> have
> impacted severely on women, does this government need to wonder
> why they
> are having a problem with the female demographic at the polls?
>
> The former cabinet was comprised of only 6 women, and one was a
> Senator. With this shuffle yesterday, the cabinet has even
> fewer
> women. As a Junior Minister, the very able Diane Ablonczy
> will not be
> sitting at the cabinet table, and neither will Carol
> Skelton. Josée
> Verner has been given Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, and
> Bev
> Oda, who did not stand up for Canadian women, has been given
> International Cooperation which includes responsibility for
> CIDA, at one
> time a major player working with NGOs to improve women's lives
> in
> developing countries. Will this change mean a further cut
> in Canada's
> commitment to Foreign Aid?
>
> We are not hopeful that any significant positive changes for
> women will
> be forthcoming.
>
> No matter how many chairs are moved, they are still all at the
> same
> table, with the same message. Women are being shuffled off
> by this
> government.

Read also Susan Delacourt's article in the Toronto Star for more on this.