Return fire

Today the Star's editorial pages published a letter from Helena Guergis, Minister of State for the Status of  Women. Typically, it was edited for length.

As regular readers know, Guergis has figured heavily in my posts and columns about the anniversary of the Ecole Polytechnique Massacre, mostly because she voted to abolish the long-gun registry which law enforcement and medical groups supported.

I thought it only fair that I reprint her complete letter, unedited here.

In keeping with the Star's policy on allowing readers to have their say, I will post this without added commentary. I've said my piece on this subject. But you may feel free to weigh in.

Here's the letter:

As Canadians observe the 20th Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre, I would like to believe that some things are above partisan politics.   Not everyone shares my view.  Antonia Zerbisias’ recent piece, “Tory ‘girlfriends’ hew to party line on femicide” was appalling.

 We are not “girlfriends,” we are all strong members of Caucus who represent our constituents’ views on legislation, bring in new and effective programs and work alongside our colleagues in parliament.

We will not let our critics stop us from holding important ceremonies.
We will not allow their attacks to deter us from being strong members of Parliament and passing our tough-on-crime agenda.

Our Conservative Government has made many positive policy changes as well, like providing funding directly to grassroots programs that serve hundreds of thousands of women and girls in the communities in which they live.  For more than 40 percent of these groups, this is the first time they have received funding and support from the federal government.

Just last week, I announced that our Government is contributing $1 million to support the establishment of Uniting to End Violence against Women, a project that will help to end violence against women and children by bringing together shelter organizations from across Canada.
In addition to the targeted action within my portfolio at the Status of Women, we are taking concrete steps to protect women across government. Our Government has passed The Tackling Violent Crimes Act that provides better protection for young girls against sexual predators. We are also working to end conditional sentencing for serious crimes such as rape, and recently released a new citizen’s guide which explicitly states Canada will not tolerate barbaric cultural practices that debase and demean women and their role in society. These are only a few of the measures we are taking to deliver safer streets for women and for all Canadians.
While there may be different ways to address an issue, a difference of opinion on policy neither changes our personal commitment to ending violence against women, nor our Government’s commitment to do the same.

Signed,

The Honourable Helena Guergis, P.C., M.P.

Minister of State (Status of Women)

Note: I changed the photo to the haunting image captured by staffer Carlos yesterday.

UPPITY WOMAN DATE: Pale gets in there.

Comments

[skdadl]

There's a message that isn't getting through to the minister.

Nobody protects women like women themselves -- if they have the economic independence to do that. Her government has repeatedly shut down programs aimed at working towards full equality for women -- indeed, they have removed the very word equality from the mandate of her department.

Like most current Conservatives (wow -- do they shame the auld traditions or what?), Guergis is happy to deal with social problems only if she can play Lady Bountiful dispensing "charity" to people she thinks of as victims, of whom she approves only so long as they stay in that role.

Oh, and by the way -- gendered violence never happened in Canada until we started admitting all those "barbaric" immigrants who just don't know how to treat a lady the way Jason Kenney does. (Short quiz: Where else in his little pamphlet does Minister Kenney mention Canadian women?)

[JR Jake]

Let me pose a theoretical "Say you have a group of vehicles produced by a certain company, and over a period of years this model causes more accidents of similar magnitude and type, than others in the industry. (truck vs, 4 door sedan , long rifle vs. handgun) What do you do? You look at causations.

Cause and effect are reliable indicators of underlying etiologies and can be traced incrementally to defective parts, the operator of the vehicle, the climate/street conditions/hazards, etc.

Whenever we have a high incidence of cancers or illnesses next to a power plant, water source, drilling or excavation sites; what do we do? Do we ignore it or do we research it? Do we move people away from those hazardous areas? Multitudes of questions and responses dependent on the parameters and outcome.

In this case, we have to allow our conscience be our guide. If we have the ability to allay a perceived or real situation that creates dire outcomes, do we have a responsibility to perform ouir duty as entrusted servants of the people (constituents)?

Broadsides, what an interesting nickname for a beautiful woman. Do you have a nervous tic, what's with you and those bra straps? Have a great Monday.

[hysperia]

Dear Ms Guergis:

You are appalled by Antonia Zerbisias' column in which she refers to you and your Conservative colleague as Tory girlfriends? I could understand it if you were a bit cheesed off. But appalled? I suggest you reserve such strong language for other things. For instance, I am appalled that your party cut funding to the Women's Legal Education and Action Fund, thus seriously impeding their work to ensure that the women of Canada are equal before the law. I am appalled that your party attempted to interfere with the ability of women in the public service to achieve rates of pay equal to those of men. I am appalled that one of your party members - a girlfriend I believe - introduced a bill to abolish the long gun registry, even though it has been shown to be effective at ameliorating violence against rural women in their homes and that your party then voted for that bill, along with members of other parties. I am appalled that members of your party continually attempt to interfere with the legal rights of Canadian women to obtain abortions. I am appalled that you refused to apologize for the comments of a member of your party, Maurice Vellacott, about the health effects of abortion even though his comments contained disinformation and was patronising in the extreme toward women. I am appalled that your party has done absolutely nothing to ensure that every Canadian woman has access to daycare for her children so that she can work to support herself and them.

It is your behaviour and the actions of your party that is appalling Ms Guergis. I think you ought to be grateful that Ms Zerbisias was as polite to you in her characterization as she was. Frankly, given your weak kneed behaviour as the Minister responsible for the Status of Women, I was outraged that you and your party attempted to ride on the backs of fourteen women murdered for being women as a way to publicize your commitment to women's equality since you and your party have done more than any party in living memory to diminish women's status in this country. That is what is appalling Ms Guergis. Appalling and disgraceful.

Sent to Helena Guergis and The Editor, Toronto Star

[Jim M]

Since the Minister had nothing to say about her vote to abolish the long-gun registry or the reasons she was criticized for it, I think her letter is off topic. Was it a legal holiday for moderators on the day that the Star published her letter? Readers who comment on Star blogs do not enjoy free candy store rules, so why is a Minister getting the kid-glove treatment? All I see in her letter is a thumbs down on the idea of having girlfriends in Caucus and a Ronald Reagan "thousand points of light" speech. (Or was that a Herbert Bush speech?) Not that I think it's wrong to write cheques to other groups who are willing to take action, I just thought that kind of work was a job mostly for people like Lady Diana.

[Jim M]

This is not meant to suggest that the woman heard and/or the woman seen in the following video are like Minister Guergis (just because the Minister did not mention long-gun registry in response to criticism of her vote to abolish same), but obviously there is some kind of common head-cold going around that higher profile men and women, like the Minister, can be exposed to while in the thinner atmosphere of higher altitudes, which they should try to avoid spreading if they are beginning to feel a bit under the weather: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQ0xySe0uRw

[Michael Watkins]

Nothing Ms. Guergis has done in per political life indicates that she places doing the right thing above her lust to gain and remain in power.

Helena Guergis has a history of saying one thing but doing quite another. Once upon a time she helped introduce and voted for legislation that would ban floor crossing, but when David Emerson crossed the floor, she fairly jumped at the chance to become his parliamentary secretary.

She once campaigned in favour of supporting same-sex marriage legislation only to renege on this social promise to win votes in her present, rural-influenced, riding of Simcoe Grey.

My most serious criticism of Guergis is she, like too many weak-kneed sycophantic Conservative MPs and MP wanna-bes, has willingly allowed her brain to be scripted by the back-room communications organ of the party and Stephen Harper himself.

[data rataca]

*shakes head*

Looks like she could have the same 'power problem' as Rahim given those nonsensical answers.

[jackieboy]

It should be constantly thrown in the Tories' faces that the Chiefs of Police support the gun registry. A group which on all other issues is likely to agree more with conservatives than the left. So if it's not about law enforcement with them-what is it? We will see who is who when & if the Tories have a majority government, and the nut-bars & wackos come loudly out of the woodwork. They is the mainstay of the Conservative party.

The Republicans south of the border are busy liquidating moderate voices in their organisation; Harper's party is just a few years behind.