A step backward for equal rights

The minority Conservative government just announced a large surplus, and yet are cutting programs that have been proven effective and are necessary to help individuals and communities. The cuts by this minority government show its lack of awareness of social issues and reveal its true nature. We now see the real values of the Conservatives. They have chosen to abandon women, youth, aboriginal peoples, minority groups, and those who fight illiteracy and crime. The cuts carried out are not based on the evaluation or the programs’ merit but strictly on ideological choices of the Conservatives.

An example: The Court Challenges program is victim to the $1 billion cutting exercise. This program, reestablished by the Liberal government in 1994 after being scrapped by Brian Mulroney’s Conservatives, provided financial assistance to individuals and groups who pursued legal action to advance language and equality rights under Canada’s Constitution

In fact, it is important for the constituents of Westmount–Ville Marie to understand that this program helped francophones outside Quebec and anglophones living in Quebec defend their language rights in the Charter.

The decision to eliminate the Court Challenges Program will strip minority groups of the ability to challenge legislation that infringes on their rights. This program was meant to support those groups and individuals who can’t afford the costly legal battles that can result when one is fighting for equality.

Canadians enjoy individual rights and freedoms that are among the most clearly defined in the world, but unfortunately equality has not yet been achieved. Our democratic system must support the fight for equality. When rights have been trampled on—be it the rights of minority language groups, religious groups, immigrants, disabled people, same-sex couples, or women—legal recourse must be available to defend those rights. As Liberals, we fundamentally believe that the opportunity to have one’s Charter rights legally recognized and enforced should not depend on the size of one’s pocketbook.

As for the volunteer sector, Canada would be quite a different country without the invaluable contribution of thousands of volunteers. The minority Conservative government cuts have hit the voluntary and community sector with full force. Obviously the social values of the government are not the same as those of Canadians. What does the Prime Minister have against those who give of their time and energy to build a better Canada?



• Lucienne Robillard is the Liberal MP for Westmount-Ville Marie and Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition.