We are the women of courage.  We STAND for what is RIGHT. We STRIVE for what is BETTER and for KINDNESS.  We CARE deeply for and about OTHERS.  We are relentless for what is FAIR – for the TRUTH – and ACCOUNTABILITY.  We seek JUSTICE.  We LEAD.  We are INNOVATIVE.  We are PERSISTENT and TIRELESS.  Yes, we may falter and grow weary – but tomorrow is a NEW DAY.  And we pick ourselves up,  to follow our DREAMS and help others follow theirs.  Our HOPES inspire us.  We are breathless at BEAUTY and NATURE.  We rise and DANCE to MUSIC.  Our FAITH is our STRENGTH.

Join us, ALL people of courage.

Did you know what could make our lives SO HARD, with SO MUCH mental stress?

1.  United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women – December 1993 - Article 3 recognizes key rights of women including rights to life, equality, highest standards of physical and mental health as well as the right to just and favourable conditions of work.

2.   Canadian Women’s Foundation - 2020:  Excerpts from a letter dated April 23, 2020 from Canadian Women’s Foundation and several national women’s groups to the Ministry of Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, as well as to other government ministries to address gendered impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic: “…women are front and centre when it comes to impacts of and response to the pandemic…Special emphasis is needed on the reality that different groups of women in all their diversity and marginalization are experiencing different impacts, requiring specific and targeted responses – such as women with disabilities dependent on caregivers, First Nations, Metis and Inuit women living in over-crowded and substandard housing, racialized women providing care services in precarious employment situations, women who are homeless or have precarious legal status… A key to success is collection of disaggregated data on COVID-19 impacts on different communities and genders.”  [Emphasis added] (See NOTE A.)

See also: 

• Canadian Women’s Foundation Launches Tireless Together Fund in the Wake of COVID-19 Pandemic – April 8, 2020 – Canadian Women’s Foundation.
• The Facts:  Women and Pandemics – Canadian Women’s Foundation. 
• FACT SHEET: WOMEN AND POVERTY IN CANADA – September 2018 – Canadian Women’s Foundation:

3.  YWCA-2016:  “…Our community is stronger when everyone is economically stable…In Calgary, 28 per cent of women hold university degrees, yet women still earn 68 per cent of what men earn, a significant wage gap…The face of poverty in Canada (and abroad) is a woman’s face….” [Emphasis added] (See NOTE B.)

4.  YWCA-2019:  “Calgary has one of the largest wage gaps in Canada….So what can we do? It is critical to be loud; not just one day a year, but everyday! We need to speak up.  Ask questions about how your workplace ensures and advocates for equal pay for work of equal value. We need to highlight the work of women in our community and ensure they have the resources and supports they need to be successful and advance in their pursuit.”  [Emphasis added] (See NOTE C.)

5.   Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives–2019:  in its Report The Best and Worst Places to be a Women in Canada 2019, Calgary Alberta was ranked at 21 out of 26  (including pages 92 – 93). In 2016 in Calgary, men earned almost $16,000 more than women.  Women’s earnings showed “modest growth”:  from $33,710 to $34,850 (+3.4%).  

6.   The Alberta Government, Benefits Canada and Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (2008-2020):  bullying/harassment at work is “epidemic” - reported by approximately 60% of employees in Canada.  The bully’s target is usually a capable, dedicated person - with 80% of targets being women.  Zero tolerance of bullying/harassment in the workplace is needed. (See NOTE D.)

7.  Edmonton Social Planning Council, Public Interest Alberta, and the Alberta College of Social Workers-2020:  “…When the women suffer in a community the whole future of the community suffers….Affordable housing is a necessity to prevent and combat child poverty in Alberta….”  [Emphasis added] (See NOTE E.)

8.  The City of Calgary-2018, 2019:  "...To address poverty in Calgary, it will be important to address our relatively high cost of living by keeping housing and other top household expenditures such as transportation, as affordable as possible…there is a role for advocacy for additional funding to help address Calgary’s relatively high cost of housing…. Affordable housing is foundational to community prosperity…”  See also The City of Calgary's Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy with focus on:  leadership accountability;  data-informed decision-making;  education and awareness;  and addressing barriers to participation.  (See NOTE F.)  

9.  Prime Minister Trudeau – May 8, 2020:  “’We need to make sure that as we move forward to rebuilding and creating a more prosperous Canada in the coming months and years, we think very, very carefully about how important the work that is being done by women and vulnerable Canadians and how we need to make sure we’re better supporting them,‘ he said.” (See NOTE G.)

SO JOIN US.  You who are also COURAGEOUS.  CHANGE is NOW.  We are STRONGER TOGETHER.

THANK YOU, fellow Canadians, for signing the petition!!  It really does help.  Let’s PROTECT RENTERS:  let’s make it a WIN-WIN-WIN solution for Renters and Community as well as Landlords.  Please pass the petition on to others!

Stay safe, stay healthy!                               

Anne

We the Courageous

NOTE A:  Advocating for a Strong Gender Lens on the COVID-19 Pandemic – Canadian Women’s Foundation -  April 23, 2020.

NOTE B:  YWCA – Calgary International Women’s Day March 8, 2016.

NOTE C:  YWCA – Calgary International Women’s Day – March 4, 2019.

NOTE D:  Bullies at Work:  What to Know and What You Can Do – Alberta Government ALIS – website.  Bullying in the Workplace – Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)– website.  60% of Canadians report experiencing workplace harassment: survey – Benefits Canada – November 3, 2017; Workplace Bullies: Stop them before they wreak havoc on employee health, morale and productivity – Benefits Canada -  November 1, 2008; and 72% of workers feel employers are too tolerant of toxic employees – Benefits Canada – November 19, 2019.

NOTE E:  Invest in Families Ending Child Poverty is Good for All  -  Edmonton Social Planning Council, Public Interest Alberta, Alberta College of Social Workers – January 2020. See pages 2 and 30-31.

NOTE F:  Housing Needs Assessment 2018 – The City of Calgary – including pages 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 19, 22. See also: The City of Calgary Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy with Combined Meeting of The City of Calgary Council on July 22, 2019 C2019-0729,  Executive Summary dated June 12, 2019, and City Gender Analytics dated April 2019. 

NOTE G:  COVID-19 slammed hourly workers but left salaried ones untouched. Justin Trudeau needs to do something about that – The Star Calgary, Heather Scoffield Economics Columnist – May 8, 2020

Image from Pixabay.