“local women offer views on budget”

Central Plains Herald-Leader

April 22, 2006

Budgets are the most influential policy tools of governments, and that’s the reason women from the Portage La Prairie area are gathered for a workshop on the provincial budget.

The March 20 organized by the United Nations Platform for Action Committee (UNPAC), gave women a chance to discuss the NDP government’s proposed budget, which was unveiled on March 6.

“Government budgets affect everyday realities for women, but women’s voices are not adequately factored into the budgeting process,” says Becky Thiessen who travelled from Winnipeg to help facilitate the workshop. “Women need to understand how budgets work and provide creative and constructive input into the process.”

Lack of affordable, quality and safe rental housing was raised as a key issue for women in Portage. Long waiting lists for childcare, lack of public transportation, limited employment options, and small town stigma were also discussed. When basic issues are not addressed, women have a difficult time participating fully in the life of a community.

“If you have safe, decent and affordable housing, everything else will fall into place,” said Leisa Miness of the Canadian Mental Health Association, which hosted the workshop. Her organization spends many staff hours trying to find housing for clients living on tight budgets.

Women’s poverty rates across Manitoba remain alarmingly high. One out of five women live in poverty and certain groups of women such as women living with disabilities, single mothers, Aboriginal women, immigrant women, and senior women experience poverty much more frequently and deeply. In the workforce women still earn on average 27% less than men.

When asked how government can save money, participants felt strongly that a focus on prevention would cost less in the long run.

The budget, once again, favours tax cuts over investing in social programs. Tax cuts tend to benefit men most as they are higher-income earners. An investment in social programs, such as low-income housing, childcare, and social assistance, ensures all Manitobans can participate fully in the life of a community. A budget that reduces inequality makes life better for everyone.

At the close of the workshop participants wrote letters to MLA David Faurschou, encouraging Conservatives to use gender analysis in the development of budgets.

“The most important thing I took away was that every voice can make a difference,” said Nola Young, one of the workshop participants. “The more you understand the issues the more you can work to make changes in areas where you don’t like what the government is doing.”

UNPAC is a women’s organization committed to equality, development, and peace.