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| IN THE NEWS February 13, 2004 To Equal Voice Members and Supporters, January 29, 2004: Hi Everyone: Equal Voice continues to grow!! We are close to 300 members and supporters now, with much stronger representation than previously in Western Canada, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces. A number of you, with great credentials, have been volunteering to help. We'll be asking for some specific assistance. PLEASE HELP BY WRITING LETTERS; But right now the best thing any member can do is write to the federal party leaders, or their MP, or the president of their local party riding association, calling for the nomination of more women. Remind them, please, that Equal Voice has a goal of 104 women in 2004--or one third of the House of Commons after the next election. It's not as modest as it sounds: that would mean electing at least 40 more women Members of Parliament this Spring. How different the House would look! What a difference it would make to issues of particular concern to women--child care, home care, pharmacare and, of course, electoral reform so that our politicians will more fairly reflect the face of Canada. TALK ABOUT '104 IN 2004' WHENEVER YOU GET A CHANCE: Members of Equal Voice's steering committee are doing all we can to publicize our "104 in 2004" campaign. Donna Dasko, vice-president of Environics Research, had a half-hour interview with CBC host Peter Mansbridge,on Mansbridge One on One, about which you already know. Donna's also done a half hour on a recent Winnipeg CBC call-in show, and is speaking in Winnipeg on March 5 to the See Jane Run, women's campaign school organized by MP Anita Neville, also an Equal Voice member. Peggy Nash, assistant to the president of the Canadian Auto Workers, was interviewed this month by Les Affairs de la Vie, reflecting, among other things,on Belinda Stronach's bid for the Conservative leadership. I wrote an opinion piece for the Star Jan. 23, saying the media's depictment of Stronach as a blonde father's baby, and the shoving out of Sheila Copps by her own party, are discouraging for women who might consider a political career.Of couse, I threw in a paragraph about Equal Voice and our campaign. We have other invitations to speak in Waterloo, Montreal, Edmonton and Toronto, and will try to keep up the pressure on the parties to nominate women. Please help us by including a few paragraphs about our campaign whenever you get a chance at a public podium. NEW NATIONAL NETWORK FOR MORE WOMEN IN POLITICS: We've recently helped create a new network called the Women's Political ConneXion, or in French, ConneXions politiques des femmes. There now are 40 groups nationwide in the network, joining because they want to see more women elected.(See attached list). This week, 22 of the groups, including Equal Voice, signed a letter I wrote to Prime Minister Paul Martin urging him to intervene personally to ensure that more Liberal women are nominated to stand in the coming election. We'll soon be sending similar letters to the leaders of the Conservatives, New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois. THE TIME IS NOW: Several Equal Voice members are running to be nominated as new candidates in the election. Peggy Nash is seeking the nomination in Parkdale-High Park for the NDP. Jeannie Page for the NDP nomination in Ottawa South. Lida Preyma is seeking the nomination in Etobicoke Centre for the Conservatives. Pia Shandel is seeking the Liberal nomination in Saanich-Gulf Islands. Janice Morrison, also for the Liberals, in BC Southern Interior, Susan Vajdic, the Liberal nomination in Mississauga-Brampton South. There are, of course, many more EV members either seeking nomination, or about to do so, including present Members of Parliament. We'd like to keep tabs on how you are doing. So any EV member who is running anywhere in the country, please send me a note. Rosemary Speirs, chair Equal Voice, rspeirs@equalvoice.ca |