the regina mom

Update: SUN AND SAHO to continue bargaining

<> Today, through the conciliator, SUN received a message from SAHO indicating they have a revised mandate and are asking SUN to return to the bargaining table. It is our understanding that SAHO will also remove most of their proposals when we return to the table. SUN will not undertake strike action as we permit negotiations to occur.

The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) have voted “decisively in favour of a strike.” The vote found 77 percent of iSUN’s members in support of strike action in the union’s current negotiations with the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO).

“Nurses are tired of seeing patient safety compromised,” said Rosalee Longmoore, SUN President. “They’re tired of working the long hours with no relief in sight. They want their voices heard. And with their votes, they’re sending a message loud and clear – it’s time to get serious about retaining the nursing workforce and recruiting for the future if we are to be able to keep our health care system - and the safety of patients – from deteriorating any further.”

This is an interesting development in organized labour’s struggle against the SaskParty government’s Bills 5 and 6 which have been deemed anti-worker, ant-union and anti-woman. Stay tuned for more!

Well, it is not surprising to this SK citizen that the SaskParty’s MLA for Cut Knife-Turtleford, Mike Chisholm, called the NDP MLA for Moose Jaw Wakamow and the former Minister of Labour, Deb Higgins, a “dumb bitch” in a legislative committee meeting this week. It didn’t surprise me at all. I wish it had.

But no, Chisholm is from rural Saskatchewan where that is just the way women are often treated. Many women, even those who consider themselves feminist, are afraid to speak their minds lest they be ostracized — or worse — by the men in their communities. It’s appalling, to say the least!

And yes, Premier Wall can accept some of the blame for this. His less than convincing response to a videotape featuring racist comments, sexist slurs and homophobic hatred in which he and some of his current colleagues were featured players did little to quell the rampant sexism in the province. And the premier had no choice, given what he did say in response to the video, to accept Chisholm’s resignation as legislative secretary.

But the NDP can assume some of the responsibility for this, too. Had the initiatives set forth by the Saskatchewan Women’s Agenda of the early 90’s been adopted by the government of the day, the very culture of the province would have become a lot less sexist. However, that was not the case. Sexists and misogynists within the NDP were able to get away with writing off the Women’s Agenda as that of “feminazis”, of radical feminists. And today, one of their own, one of the women who withstood all the sexist shit thrown at her, still has to be subjected to it.

Will this be a lesson for the NDP? One can hope, but I doubt it.

Here’s the CBC’s story on the issue.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/saskatchewan/story/2008/05/08/chisholm-mike.html
MLA apologizes after making offensive comment against Opposition member
Last Updated: Thursday, May 8, 2008 | 10:41 AM CT
CBC News

A Saskatchewan Party MLA has apologized and resigned as a legislative secretary after referring to an NDP member as a “dumb bitch.”

Mike Chisholm, the MLA for Cut Knife-Turtleford, made the comment Wednesday in a legislative committee in reference to New Democrat Deb Higgins, who represents Moose Jaw Wakamow.

The comment came just after Chisholm had been complaining about language used by an NDP MLA.

On Thursday, Chisholm told the legislature he had submitted his resignation as legislative secretary to Premier Brad Wall, and Wall accepted it.

“I have no excuse,” he said. “I was wrong and it shouldn’t have been thought or said.” Chisholm will retain his seat and remain in the government caucus.

Chisholm made a reference to Wall’s recent call to MLAs to be more careful about using insulting language.

That followed after a 17-year-old videotape of Wall surfaced showing him at a social gathering making jokes in a Ukrainian accent.

What: Special Anniversary Peace Vigil
Where: Scarth Street Mall, North End
When: Thursday May 8 at 12:00 noon
Who: Making Peace Vigil and all friends and supporters of peace
Why: Celebrating 50 years of the Peace Symbol and 53 weeks (and
counting!) of the Making Peace Vigil

On Thursday, May 8th, a group of Regina citizens will gather to
recognize two anniversaries important to the cause of peace: one global,
one local.

In the spring of 1958, English textile designer Gerald Holtom adapted
the semaphore symbols for the letters ‘N’ and ‘D,’ standing for ‘Nuclear
Disarmament,’ into a striking visual symbol that has since become
synonymous with the cause of peace worldwide.

On Thursday, May 8th, members of Regina’s Making Peace Vigil will mark
the 50th anniversary of the Peace Symbol on the Scarth Street Mall, with
balloons, music, singers, and a ‘Peace Cake’ decorated with the
well-known symbol.

The commemoration of the Peace Symbol’s golden anniversary coincides
with another important birthday: the one-year anniversary of the Making
Peace Vigil itself. Since May 3 2007, vigil participants have assembled
on the F. W. Hill Mall every Thursday at noon–rain or shine, hot or
cold–giving over part of their lunch hour to the cause of peace.

We encourage as many people as possible to joins us for these special
anniversaries. Please circulate this through your own networks.

Peace to all!

We already know that Premier Wall and his SaskParty government do not have the best interests of women in mind. In not creating gender balance on the board of Enterprise Saskatchewan and in refusing to name a Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, he has made it clear that the status of women is not a priority for his government. And that’s sad, because women continue to be paid unfairly in this province. Despite working equally alongside men, women still earn about 70 cents for each dollar a man earns. But, new research shows that if women are in a unionized job, they will earn about 90 cents on the dollar earned by men.

So, what is the SaskParty going to do about that? Well, with the introduction of Bills 5 and 6, women will see no improvements in the pay gap. The legislation, which has been called anti-union and anti-worker can also be called anti-woman; it will negatively impact women in their workplaces.

Bill 5, the so-called Essential Services legislation, will fundamentally change collective bargaining for public sector workers. It is within the public sector that women have been able to secure unionized jobs, jobs which pay women decent wages, and provide for benefits and pensions. With a union, a woman can contemplate supporting a family.

Bill 6 makes union organizing extremely difficult. In industries where low-wage jobs are often filled by women and workers of colour such as in the retail and service sectors, more unionized jobs are needed in order to address the pay gap. We already know that employers aren’t going to voluntarily raise women’s wages; women have been waiting for that for decades to no avail.

But through their unions, women have been able to secure decent — if not yet fair wages for the work they do. It will be a good day for women when employers recognize the value of women in their workplace and actually pay up!

So, today I’m attending the May Day Rally on the steps of the legislature at noon. I’ll be there to remind the government and the opposition that women are people, too!

See you there!

Each of my children went everywhere with me during their first year, including to Cabinet and Opposition lobby sessions, meetings, conferences, you name it! And I breastfed on-demand, leaving the room only when I needed to, not when someone else believed I should!

My children are now 17 and 14 so I am appalled that an attitude such as that displayed by a Saskatchewan Rawlco Radio producer is begin voiced today! What was said is, in some ways, not that big a step away from that voiced by Tom Lukiwski, Brad Wall, Kathy Young and unnamed others in an infamous video recorded 17 years ago! It is an attitude that conveys the idea that women should be barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen, as opposed to in boardrooms, on TV news and in the political eye. What a disgrace for the station! And what a disgrace for our province! Here’s how the producer referenced Amber Jones’, Green Party of SK Leader’s, decision to hold her child during a media scrum:

Here’s an idea for Jones - how about she gets her own priorities in order before she starts worrying about what the government’s should be.

Breastfeeding moms respond:

About 35 breast feeding mothers brought their babies with them to protest a News Talk Radio blog site at the Saskatoon station.

Note the different story in the newspaper coverage:

SASKATOON — Mothering and public life can and should coexist, say moms who held a “mother-in” outside Rawlco Radio’s Saskatoon headquarters Monday.

About 70 mothers and children attended the event, prompted by a blog post in which NewsTalk 650 producer Tammy Robert commented on a politician’s choice to breastfeed during a press conference. Her entry, entitled Children and the Places They Don’t Belong, created lots of debate after it was posted last week. In it, she criticized Saskatchewan Green party Leader Amber Jones’s decision to include her six-month-old daughter in a media event.

The StarPhoenix used ‘Mother-In’ in the headline’! And the story is more in depth. I love it!

I think the Leader-Post may be publishing the letter I wrote immediately after I read their story.  Watch for it.  It is neither so kind, nor so pretty as this blogpost!

Written by The family of Jolene Cook

Monday, 24 March 2008

Jolene was last seen on Sunday March 9th, 2008 leaving her apartment with a man by the name of Russel Knife…..also know as ‘Diamond Jewel.” It is not like her to go off for days without her wallet, keys, overnight bag, or notifying her family as to where she is going.

If you have any information please contact:
Brad Cook 306 768 3629
Dorren Cook 306 981 4059
or you may contact the Carrot River RCMP 306-768-1200

If you have seen her or know of where she is please let us know…..we want to know where she is………and that she is ok……

Please forward to all your contacts…….That would be greatly appreciated=
…and would also help us alot…….Thank you

It disturbs me that critical services for women are underfunded and that our governments make little effort to provide support to those agencies who have shown, repeatedly, their worth.

Several years ago now, the YWCA came up with a unique way to honour women and raise much-needed funds at the same time. Ever since, an event dubbed Women of Distinction Awards Gala is held and many thousands of dollars are raised to fund vital programs such as that provided by the Isabel Johnson Shelter and the YWCA residence for women.

This year’s event takes place on May 1 and you will find the details here. The list of nominees includes several women I have worked with over the years and I wish them the best for simply being noticed for the work they do, but more importantly, for doing the work they do within our community. Without their commitment, we would notice a signifant gap in our community.

So, get your tickets and let’s hear your applause for this year’s nominees:

The Arts

Martha Cole

Jeannie Mah

Community Leadership & Enhancement

Ingrid Alesich

Holly Nagel

Robyn Betker

Jeanette Gelowitz

Angelica Barth

Barb Dedi

Contribution to a Rural Community

Jo Mader

Cultural Heritage

Camille Bell

Katherine Chang

Tracey Dunnigan

Education

Heather Salloum

Lynn Carr

Keitha Adams

Norma Wildeman

Deb Ash

Entrepreneurship

Donna Bially

January Kardash

Elaine F Burnett

Leslie Charlton

Leadership & Management

Patricia Warsaba

Gail Rosseker

Lifetime Achievement

Elaine Yeomans

Jeanne Perry

Wanda Prettyshield

Science, Technology & Environment

Paule Hjertaas

Kim Dohms

Teamwork

Osteoporosis Canada Regina Chapter

Regina Ecoliving

Friends for Life

Daughter’s of Africa International Inc

Forever Friends of Hope Foundation Inc.

Wellness,Recreation & Healthy Living

Lisa Brownstone

Heather Stevenson

Carla Nicholls

Peggy Martin-McGuire

Young Woman of Distinction

Janet Moleski

Sheenah Ko

Rachel Mielke

Nicole Olszewski

What is it with the Conservatives in Ottawa? They can’t seem to leave women alone, have to keep at it, have continue to attack women’s hard-won rights! Are they afraid of our power or something?

First, they nailed Status of Women Canada which forced the doors of many women’s organizations across the country to close. Then they (with the support of the Liberals) allowed Ken Epp’s wedge issue Bill C-484 to pass Second Reading in the House of Commons. And now the right-wing extremist, Maurice Vellacott, the MP for Saskatoon-Wanuskewin has introduced, for what I think is the 3rd time, his ridiculous Bill-537!

Fortunately, the folks in Quebec have it together! Their National Assembly unanimously condemned C-484 after one of their doctors’ associations condemned it as a backdoor attempt to restrict women’s right to abortion. I fight it incredibly interesting that a province, whose traditions are based in Roman Catholicism, can be so progressive!

Here’s hoping Vellacott’s Bill will not make it beyond First Reading in the House of Commons. The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada / Coaltion pour le droit a l’avortement au Canada,outlines reasons for opposing C-537:

- It’s discriminatory against women (mostly).
- It would decrease access to abortion and contraception, and stigmatize both.
- It’s an abortion restriction that can be used as a wedge to re-criminalize abortion.
- It confuses the definition of “human being” under the CC by defining the term “human life” as including fertilized eggs and embryos.
- The patient’s conscience and rights must be paramount.
- Medical professionals have an obligation to help patients.
- It is broadly worded to the point of absurdity, basically exempting medical personnel from the duty to practice medicine.
- It would force medical institutions to hire personnel who refuse to perform services the institution specializes in - for example, it would force abortion clinics to hire anti-choice staff who refuse to do abortions.
- It would impair the ability of professional medical organizations to regulate health professionals (e.g., if an individual complains to the College about sub-standard care, the physician can say it’s related to his/her religious beliefs).
- It conflicts directly with Harper’s promise not to legislate on abortion.
- It’s a matter for civil law, not criminal law, so cannot be included in the Criminal Code.

Several years ago I served on the Board of Directors of the Regina Women’s Community Centre and Sexual Assault Line. It was an important way for me to give back to the Centre which had helped me come to some kind of peace with my experience of a date rape that had occurred in my late teens. For too long, I had blamed myself, even though I had loudly and clearly said, NO!

It disturbed me when I saw the video featuring Premier Wall, MP Tom Lukiwski, and those anonymous Conservative men denigrating women in the way they did. It bothers me that they have not yet apologized to the women of the province, for the role they have played in promoting sexism and sexist behaviour. And it disturbed me even more, then, when I learned this:

Regina has the third highest rate of sexual assault per capita in Canada (Statistics Canada 2006).

Now, many of you know that I’m not a major fan of Mayor Pat Fiacco, but I’ll give him credit for this:

Mayor Pat Fiacco has proclaimed the week of April 13 to 19 Sexual Assault Awareness Week. It is time to Draw The Line against sexual violence in our city.

The Regina Women’s Community Centre and Sexual Assault Line have organized this event:

A Project to Raise Awareness of Sexual Violence

Bring a t-shirt to decorate to honour yourself or someone you know who has experienced sexual assault

Regina City Hall Courtyard
April 19, 2008
12:00 p.m. — 2:00 p.m.

Sexual Assault affects us all; young and old.

Please come support this event because survivors of sexual assault are someone’s mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, daughter, niece, friend, or even someone’s father, brother, uncle, or son.

Thank you in advance from all of us at The Regina Women’s Community Centre & Sexual Assault Line for sharing this message with those you know and love.

I can be at this event for only a short while as my daughter arrives home from her immersion experience that afternoon (YAY!!!). I’ll hope that this awareness campaign can prevent all of our daughters from experiencing what I experienced when I was just a wee bit older than my daughter is now.

The Ness Creek Music Festival is one of the most family-friendly events in the province. Located in the boreal forest where the air is still clear and on a site that is spectacular, it is a festival to take in! And, the folks organizing it are providing excellent opportunity for young Saskatchewan musicians, aged 13 to 18, to showcase their musical and/or spoken word abilities.

NessGeneration Auditions

WANTED! Young musicians to play the youth stage at the Ness Creek Music Festival

Apr 18 Regina (UofR campus, Riddell Centre)

Apr 19 Saskatoon (Cosmo Senior Centre)

Apr 25 La Ronge (Churchill High)

Apr 26 Prince Albert (Union Centre)

Email ness_generation@hotmail.com to sign up. All ages welcome!! Doors open at 7pm - $3 cover

I’m wishing I was more than just a few years younger! Have fun, kids!