Government budgets can either promote women’s equality or exacerbate women’s inequality...
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Take Action!

We are taking action on what we’re learning through a number of avenues. We invite you to do the same.

Communicate with government

Talking with your elected leaders and other government decision-makers can take many different forms. For example, you can:

→ Write a letter

At the end of our workshops women have a chance to write to their Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) naming their budget priorities. The letter also encourages the Manitoba government to make gender analysis an integral part of the budget process. Take a look at UNPAC’s sample letter that you can adapt and mail. The more specific your suggestions the better. It’s also a good idea to name programs that have worked for you and women in your community. To get the address of your MLA visit Manitoba MLAs.

→ Visit

UNPAC meets regularly with Cabinet Ministers such as the Minister of Finance, Treasury Board, and individual MLAs. Whether or not you voted for her/him, your MLA has a public obligation to represent her/his constituents’ views in the Legislature. Visit your elected representative and let her/him know what your priorities are for government spending and revenue.

The Golden Boy at the Legislature, with provincial politicians during the Manitoba budget
→ Attend a public budget consultation

Each fall Manitoba Finance Minister Greg Selinger organizes Public Budget Consultations in different communities around the provinice. We encourage Manitoba women to attend these consultations. If you are unable to attend or there is no consultation scheduled near where you live, consider filling in the on-line questionnaire or submitting your ideas in writing. For more information visit Public Budget Consultations.

→ Make a presentation or submission on an issue that matters to you

Public input is often sought as governments develop new policy. Anyone is welcome to make a submission. In the past UNPAC has made a presentation to the Employment Standards Branch and a submission to the Minimum Wage Review Board.

UNPAC member Darlene M speaks at the launch of the Alternative Provincial Budget co-chaired by UNPAC and CCPA Manitoba
Darlene speaks at the launch of the Alternative Provincial Budget
→ Use existing resources

Many organizations publish reports and papers that give background information on specific topics. These can be used as lobbying tools. One such tool is Manitoba’s 2006 Alternative Provincial Budget co-chaired by UNPAC and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Manitoba.

A good source of information on women is Women in Canada: a gender-based statistical report published by Statistics Canada. Another good resource is CRIAW’s Women & Poverty Fact Sheet. It’s good to have facts on hand when talking with government or the media. See the Advocacy section of our Women & Economy site for more information on how to engage with government.

 


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Be involved in elections

La Femme Fiscale and the Golden Boy are right there with the media during the 2007 Manitoba provincial election

Elections are an important way in which we can exercise our democratic rights and engage our future elected leaders. Whether you want to organize an election forum, volunteer with a candidate’s campaign, organize a media event or just ask your candidates smart questions, UNPAC’s helpful election primers can help you be involved during election times.

Use the media

The media has a tremendous impact on public opinion, and on government. Art, creativity, and humourare wonderful means of getting media attention and making people think without making them feel defensive. The Femme Fiscale has helped us reach a broad audience in a memorable way. It’s important to use the media not only to educate the broader population but also because governments tend to respond a lot more quickly when an issue shows up in the newspaper or on TV.

Jennifer deGroot is interviewed by CBC
UNPAC Project Coordinator Jennifer deGroot is interviewed by CBC’s North Country in Thompson


Whenever we hold a workshop we invite the local media to attend. If none show, we submit our own article - either written by us or better yet by a workshop participant - to the local paper. This allows the general public to learn more about women’s budgetary priorities and to hear how women in their community are involved.


Below are links to news articles and UNPAC releases:
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Learn more

UNPAC’s “Banging the Door Down: Women and the Economy” video/DVD and our Women & Economy website and resource books provide excellent background information on women’s economic inequality and the need for gender analysis in the budget process.

UNPAC continues to visit communities around the province to facilitate our gender budget workshop. If you’re interested in having us visit your community contact inquiries@unpac.ca. If we can’t come we may be able to share our workshop materials with you. Join our e-mail list for regular updates on UNPAC’s work by writing to us at inquiries@unpac.ca

Learn more about the possibilities of gender budget analysis work by visiting Learn More which features a reading list and websites to check out. Find out more about the Manitoba Budget by visiting Finance Minister Greg Selinger’s Manitoba Budget Backgrounder Power Point presentation.

Tips for UNPACtion!

For more ideas on how to Take Action see our “Tips for UNPACtion” hand-out used in our budget workshop.

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Meet the Femme Fiscale

Our Superheroine - the Femme Fiscale - is our voice for women's equality. Read about her adventures here.