OCTOBER
      25,
      2006
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Why
      Should
      I
      Worry
      About
      Cuts
      to
      Status
      of
      Women?
     
    
   
   
    
     
      It
      has
      been
      announced
      recently
      that
     
     
      the
      federal
      government
      will
      cut
      the
     
     
      budget
      of
      Status
      of
      Women
      by
      $5
     
     
      million.
      It
      was
      further
      announced
      that
     
     
      Status
      of
      Women
      Canada
      will
      no
     
     
      longer
      provide
      funding
      for
      equality-
     
     
      seeking
      activities.
     
    

    
     
      The
      first
      thought
      that
      crosses
     
     
      many
      people’s
      minds
      when
      faced
      with
     
     
      federal
      cuts
      to
      a
      program
      is:
      why
     
     
      should
      I
      worry
      about
      this?
      Unable
      to
     
     
      see
      the
      possibility
      of
      direct
      personal
     
     
      impacts,
      many
      people
      shrug
      and
      put
     
     
      it
      out
      of
      their
      thoughts.
      Quite
      frankly,
     
     
      I
      worry
      that
      you’re
      not
      worried
      about
     
     
      these
      cuts.
     
    

    
     
      The
      rights
      and
      privileges
      that
     
     
      women
      on
      PEI
      enjoy
      did
      not
      magically
     
     
      arise,
      nor
      were
      they
      the
      ‘inevitable’
     
     
      outcome
      of
      a
      liberal
      democracy.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Even
      the
      most
      basic
      idea,
      that
      women
     
    
   
   
    
     
      are
      ‘persons’
      was
      not
      a
      certainty
      in
     
     
      Canada.
      In
      1929,
      a
      small
      group
      of
     
     
      Canadian
      women
      had
      to
      go
      all
      the
      way
     
     
      through
      the
      Canadian
      system
      and
      on
     
     
      to
      England
      to
      have
      women
      declared
     
     
      ‘persons’
      under
      the
      law.
      The
      status
      of
     
     
      ‘personhood’
      and
      the
      right
      to
      run
      for
     
     
      political
      positions
      was
      a
      battle
      from
     
     
      beginning
      to
      end
      —
      the
      ‘famous
      five’,
     
     
      as
      they
      are
      known,
      had
      to
      lobby
      and
     
     
      advocate
      for
      years.
      Consider
      this:
     
     
      there
      are
      Canadian
      women
      alive
      today
     
     
      who
      wete
      not
      considered
      a
      ‘person’
     
     
      when
      they
      were
      born.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      LETTERS
      TO
      THE
      EDITOR
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      In
      the
      past,
      women
      who
      wished
     
     
      to
      work
      in
      non-traditional
      fields
      had
     
     
      to
      endure
      ridicule,
      harassment,
      and
     
     
      sometimes
      violence.
      In
      1989,
      women
     
     
      were
      murdered
      for
      seeking
      work
      in
      a
     
     
      non-traditional
      field;
      the
      incident
      was
     
     
      later
      called
      the
      Montreal
      Massacre.
     
     
      Currently,
      the
      glass
      ceiling
      still
      exists,
     
     
      with
      men
      being
      paid
      more
      for
      similar
     
     
      work
      and
      with
      the
      highest
      positions
     
     
      still
      largely
      being
      held
      by
      white
      men.
     
     
      The
      reason
      women
      can
      be
      lawyers,
     
     
      doctors,
      politicians,
      business
      owners,
     
     
      is
      because
      the
      women
      before
      us
     
     
      lobbied,
      marched,
      advocated,
      and
     
     
      simply
      refused
      to
      be
      told
      no.
      What
     
     
      we
      take
      for
      granted
      now
      was
      not
      a
     
     
      ‘given’
      —
      it
      was
      the
      result
      of
      diligence.
     
    

    
     
      The
      fact
      that
      women
      (and
      men)
     
     
      can
      now
      have
      a
      full
      year
      at
      home
      with
     
     
      their
      new
      child
      is
      due
      to
      the
      hard
      work
     
     
      of
      women
      who
      believed
      that
      it
      was
     
     
      best
      for
      parents
      and
      children.
      The
      fact
     
     
      that
      ‘family
      violence
      is
      finally
      being
     
     
      talked
      about
      is
      due
      to
      the
      hard
      work
     
     
      of
      women.
      The
      fact
      that
      child
      sexual
     
     
      abuse
      and
      sexual
      assault
      are
      no
      longer
     
     
      just
      a
      woman’s
      (or
      child’s)
      dirty
      little
     
     
      secret,
      but
      a
      social
      issue,
      is
      because
     
     
      of
      the
      work
      of
      women.
     
    

    
     
      The
      work
      of
      women
      to
      level
      the
     
     
      playing
      field,
      address
      issues
      of
     
     
      inequality,
      and
      challenge
      sex
      roles
      has
     
     
      had
      an
      incredibly
      positive
      impact
      on
     
     
      all
      women,
      men,
      and
      children.
      For
     
    
   
   
    
     
      men,
      it
      is
      now
      acceptable
      to
      be
     
     
      involved
      in
      primary
      childcare;
      to
      work
     
     
      in
      non-traditional
      jobs;
      to
      show
     
     
      emotions.
      It
      also
      means
      that
      men
      in
     
     
      opposite
      sex
      relationships
      no
      longer
     
     
      have
      to
      carry
      to
      financial
      burden
      alone.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      social
      and
      political
      work
      of
     
     
      women
      is
      linked
      to
      the
      social
      and
     
     
      political
      work
      of
      people
      of
      colour,
     
     
      people
      from
      the
      gay,
      lesbian,
      bisexual,
     
     
      and
      transgendered
      community,
      people
     
     
      living
      with
      physical
      and
      intellectual
     
     
      disabilities,
      people
      who
      live
      with
      issues
     
     
      of
      poverty,
      and
      many
      mote.
     
    

    
     
      These
      cuts
      and
      the
      decision
      to
     
     
      eliminate
      funding
      for
      advocacy
      work
     
     
      will
      have
      a
      direct
      and
      personal
      impact
     
     
      on
      each
      and
      every
      Islander.
      It
      will
     
     
      impact
      on
      the
      ability
      of
      women’s
     
     
      groups
      to
      work
      toward
      prevention
      of
     
     
      sexual
      and
      physical
      violence
      in
     
     
      families.
      It
      will
      impact
      on
      the
      ability
     
     
      of
      women’s
      groups
      to
      work
      for
      better
     
     
      EI
      benefits,
      increased
      minimum
      wage,
     
     
      and
      other
      issues
      related
      to
      work.
      It
     
    
   
   
    
     
      will
      impact
      on
      the
      ability
      of
      women’s
      .
     
    
   
   
    
     
      groups
      to
      advocate
      for
      improvements
     
     
      to
      the
      justice
      system’s
      ability
      to
     
     
      respond
      to
      family
      violence
      and
      for
     
     
      increased
      accessibility
      of
      Legal
      Aid.
     
     
      No
      matter
      what
      aspect
      of
      life
      you
     
     
      consider,
      these
      cuts
      will
      impact
      on
      our
     
     
      collective
      ability
      to
      work
      for
      positive
     
    
   
   
    
     
      THE
      CADRE
      @
      4
     
    
   
   
    
     
      a)
     
    
   
   
    
     
      change
      for
      all
      Islanders
      and
      all
     
     
      Canadians.
     
    

    
     
      A
      lot
      has
      been
      achieved,
      but
      a
     
     
      lot
      remains.
      Next
      time
      you
      vote,
      next
     
     
      time
      you
      go
      to
      your
      class
      at
      university
     
     
      or
      college,
      next
      time
      you
      apply
      for
     
     
      maternity
      /
      paternity
      benefits,
      next
     
     
      time
      you
      hear
      of
      someone
      going
      to
      the
     
     
      Rape
      Crisis
      Centre
      or
      to
      Anderson
     
     
      House,
      next
      time
      you
      go
      to
      work,
      next
     
     
      time
      you
      walk
      down
      the
      street
      and
      feel
     
     
      safe,
      think
      about
      these
      cuts.
     
    

    
     
      None
      of
      what
      we
      have
      has
      ever
     
    

    
     
      been
      guaranteed
      to
      us.
      We
      have
      what
     
     
      we
      have
      because
      people
      worked
      long
     
     
      and
      hard
      to
      get
      it.
      And
      until
      no
      more
     
     
      First
      Nations
      women
      go
      missing,
      and
     
     
      until
      no
      more
      women
      ate
      killed
      by
      their
     
     
      male
      lovers
      /
      partners,
      and
      until
      no
     
     
      more
      new
      mothers
      are
      forced
      to
      keep
     
     
      working
      because
      her
      maternity
     
     
      benefits
      are
      too
      low,
      and
      until
      no
      more
     
     
      women
      are
      paid
      less
      for
      similar
      work,
     
     
      and
      until
      intersections
      of
      sex,
      race,
     
     
      class,
      ability,
      sexuality
      are
      addressed
     
     
      in
      all
      facets
      of
      Canadian
      life,
      we
      are
     
     
      not
      equal.
     
     
      All
      Islanders
      have
      a
      stake
      in
      this.
     
     
      Please
      contact
      your
      local
      MP
      and
     
     
      Minister
      Peter
      McKay
      to
      voice
      your
     
     
      concerns.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Kelly
      E.
      Robinson
     
     
      On
      behalf
      of
      the
      PEI
      Rape
      &
      Sexual
     
     
      Assault
      Crisis
      Centre
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Andie
      Bulman
     
     
      Assignment
      Editor
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      The
      number
      of
      youths
      with
      HIV
      is
     
     
      growing
      at
      an
      alarming
      rate,
      with
     
     
      UPEI’s
      campus
      being
      no
      exception.
     
     
      AIDSPET’s
      Troy
      Perrot,
      a
      community
     
     
      leader
      in
      AIDS
      awareness,
      had
      much
     
     
      to
      say
      on
      the
      subject.
     
    

    
     
      “In
      the
      eighties
      AIDS
      was
      mainly
      a
     
     
      problem
      within
      the
      gay
      community,
     
     
      today
      25
      per
      cent
      of
      new
      diagnosis
      are
     
     
      white,
      middle
      class
      girls
      age
      15-25.
     
     
      While
      awareness
      has
      increased
      within
     
     
      the
      homosexual
      communities,
     
     
      university
      students
      still
      seem
      oblivious
     
     
      to
      the
      dangers
      of
      the
      common
     
     
      residence
      lifestyles.
     
    

    
     
      “University
      students
      on
      P.E.I.
      have
     
     
      unprotected
      sex
      and
      think
      nothing
      of
     
     
      it,
      no
      one
      is
      aware
      of
      how
      widespread
     
     
      sexually
      transmitted
      diseases
      are
      here.
     
     
      Students
      get
      drunk
      and
      have
     
     
      unprotected
      sex
      all
      the
      time.Girls
     
     
      think,
      oh
      I’m
      on
      birth
      control,
      we
      don’t
     
     
      need
      a
      condom
      but
      in
      2004
      the
     
     
      estimate
      of
      HIV
      infection
      in
      Islanders
     
    
   
   
    
     
      HIV
      Hitting
      Campuses
      Hard
     
    
   
   
    
     
      was
      42,
      today
      two
      years
      late
      that
     
     
      number
      is
      around
      250.”
     
    

    
     
      Perot
      is
      especially
      concerned
      with
     
     
      PEI’s
      methods
      of
      HIV
      testing.
     
    

    
     
      “In
      such
      a
      small
      community,
      many
      are
     
     
      uncomfortable
      taking
      an
      AIDS
      test
     
     
      from
      their
      family
      physician,
      maybe
     
     
      their
      mom
      goes
      to
      the
      same
      doctor,
     
     
      maybe
      they’ve
      know
      the
      doctor
      since
     
     
      birth.
      Some
      people
      go
      off
      Island
      to
      be
     
     
      tested,
      others,
      with
      no
      anonymous
     
     
      testing
      put
      it
      out
      of
      their
      heads
      and
     
     
      continue
      spreading
      the
      disease.”
     
     
      Susan,
      a
      2nd
      year
      UPEI
      student
     
     
      whose
      name
      has
      been
      changed
      to
     
     
      protect
      her
      indentity,
      was
      diagnosed
     
     
      with
      HIV
      in
      March
      of
      last
      year.
     
    

    
     
      “I
      contracted
      HIV
      from
      my
      first
     
     
      boyfriend
      last
      year.
      We
      had
      been
     
     
      together
      for
      four
      months
      and
      didn’t
     
     
      use
      condoms
      because
      I
      was
      on
      birth
     
     
      control.
      He
      had
      only
      had
      sex
      with
      one
     
     
      other
      person
      so
      it
      didn’t
      even
      cross
      my
     
    
   
   
    
     
      mind
      that
      he
      might
      have
      an
      STI..
      It
     
     
      still
      doesn’t
      seem
      possible.”
     
    

    
     
      Susan
      has
      kept
      her
      diagnosis
      a
      secret
     
     
      from
      her
      family
      and
      even
      her
      closest
     
     
      of
      friends
      believing
      that
      she’ll
      lose
     
     
      everyone
      she
      cares
      about
      if
      the
      truth
     
     
      was
      known.
     
    

    
     
      “T’m
      scared
      to
      tell
      anyone
      because
     
     
      people
      think
      this
      only
      happens
      to
      girls
     
     
      that
      sleep
      around
      and
      are
      reckless,
      or
     
     
      drug
      users.
      I
      contracted
      HIV
      the
      very
     
     
      first
      time
      I
      had
      sex
      but
      I
      don’t
      think
     
     
      anyone
      wants
      to
      believe
      that
      can
     
     
      happen,
      they
      want
      to
      believe
      that
      it
     
     
      only
      happens
      to
      those
      who
      deserve
      it
     
     
      so
      I
      keep
      it
      a
      secret.
      I
      want
      people
      to
     
     
      still
      like
      me.
      I’m
      worried
      that
      people
     
     
      won’t
      want
      to
      go
      see
      movies,
      or
      that
     
     
      my
      friends
      won’t
      hug
      me
      when
      I’m
     
     
      upset”
     
    

    
     
      Susan
      is
      not
      surprised
      that
      young
      girls
     
     
      are
      one
      of
      the
      age
      groups
      most
      affected
     
     
      by
      the
      virus.
     
    

    
     
      “One
      of
      my
      friends
      just
      told
      me
      that
     
     
      she
      had
      sex
      with
      her
      boyfriend
      without
     
    
   
   
    
     
      a
      condom
      because
      he
      said
      that
      it
      feels
     
     
      better
      without
      a
      rubber.
      I
      yelled
      at
      her
     
     
      for
      so
      long.
      Girls
      are
      always
      trying
      to
     
     
      please
      their
      guy.
      That’s
      what
      happened
     
     
      to
      me,
      thats
      why
      I
      have
      a
      death
     
     
      sentence.
      I
      wish
      girls
      would
      think
     
     
      about
      themselves
      first.”
     
    

    
     
      While
      Susan
      is
      still
      very
      upset
      and
     
     
      angry
      about
      her
      diagnosis,
      she’s
      happy
     
     
      that
      she
      and
      her
      boyfriend
      found
      out
     
     
      eatly.
      She
      feels
      there
      are
      many
      out
     
     
      there
      who
      aren’t
      aware
      that
      they’ve
     
     
      contracted
      HIV
      and
      urges
      all
      students
     
     
      to
      get
      tested
      annually..
      _
     
    

    
     
      “My
      doctor
      suggested
      that
      I
      have
      an
     
     
      STI
      test
      whenever
      I
      became
      sexually
     
     
      active
      and
      thank
      God
      I
      listened
     
     
      because
      to
      have
      HIV
      and
      not
      know
      it
     
     
      is
      so
      dangerous,
      it
      puts
      both
      your
     
     
      health
      and
      possibly
      others
      in
      danger.
      !
     
     
      know
      people
      who
      have
      come
      into
     
     
      contact
      with
      different
      types
      of
      STIs
     
     
      and
      have
      ignored
      the
      symptoms
     
     
      because
      they
      truly
      believed
      that
      it
     
     
      couldn’t
      happen.
      It
      can
      happen.”