FREDERICTON: The Canadian Union of Public Employees, New Brunswick Division (CUPE NB), is joining the public outcry and asking the Alward government to change its decision to abolish the Advisory Council on the Status of Women.

“We believe that the decision to do away with the Advisory Council is a way to muzzle women in our province,” said Daniel Légère, President of CUPE NB.

“Over the years, the Advisory Council has cried out against injustices and inequities in this province. The Council has done an exceptional job with scanty resources to make sure that the government can’t forget pay equity, childcare services, the place of women in politics, discrimination and violence, to name only a few of its concerns. The Council plays an essential role, and it has been a source of information and analysis on the status of women in the province for the past 35 years.”

“Abolishing the Council to save a few thousand dollars is inacceptable, and it will silence a strong, independent voice for women in the province.”

“Over the past few years we’ve seen Stephen Harper’s Conservative government try to muzzle advocacy and women’s groups like the NB Coalition for Pay Equity and the NB Child Care Coalition by cutting their funding. David Alward’s Conservatives are going even farther by completely abolishing the Advisory Council.”

“The Conservatives’ election platform talked about transparency and made a commitment to work closely with the Advisory Council. This decision certainly wasn’t transparent.”

“The Premier needs to reverse this budget decision and show that he is really listening to people,” Daniel Légère concluded.