DECEMBER 7, 2006

THE CADRE @ 9

CAMPUS

“Harper Hates Women, Honk if _ you Hate Him.” “Where’s my 29 cents?”

Kent Aitken _ Reporter A small group of

students, professors and local female advocates armed with signs took to the street Thursday, Nov. 23 to protest recent federal budget cuts.

The cuts, among other things, affected the organization Status of Women Canada, eliminated the Court Challenges Program and cancelled National Child Care agreements.

The cuts to Status of Women Canada, a federal government organization which promotes — equality, removed 40 per cent of their administrative budget. This led to the closing of 12 offices and eventually the dismissal of approximately half of the SWC staff.

“A lot of people don’t know about these cuts,” explained Hollye MacKinnon, who organized the protest.

She spent her time Thursday leading approximately 30 people along University Avenue i ktOnt. Ol, “UP Ee, starting chants with a bullhorn and yelling to drivers stopped at the red light what the cuts were doing to women’s rights.

“[We want to] raise awareness, let those concerned get their voice out... I want to see more talk” said MacKinnon.

“A lot of people don’t know about these cuts.”

The protest was small but very vocal. One of the handful of males present, James Morrison, explained why he came out.

“We heard the noise in the soc lab... I agree with [the cause].”

The cuts represent

billions of dollars rerouted from 66 different programs.

Some of the cuts were re-appropriations of budget surpluses and efforts for efficiency. Most of those programs

didn’t concern the students marching Thursday.

However, it was certainly felt by the protesters that some of the cuts carried terrible implications, especially for women and the effort towards equality. Signs

saying “Harper = 5 million dollar cuts to Status of Women Canada”, “Women earn 71 cents for every dollar earned by a man” and “stop cuts to women’s groups” seemed to imply this, although the most eye- catching the skillfully done charicature of Stephen Harper portraying him as the devil.

certainly

was