While the government introduced the Federal Accountability Act as promised, we have instead seen stalled committee work, government secrecy, refusal to release documents even when ordered to do so by the House of Commons, heavily censored ("redacted") documents, and attacks on the Ethics Commissioner even though the Conservative government's Action Plan states that it will "prevent the Prime Minister from overruling the Commissioner on whether the Prime Minister, a minister, or other public-office holder has violated this Act."
Not renewing the contracts of Paul Kennedy, Commissioner for Public Complaints against the RCMP, and Paul Tinsley, Chair of the Military Police Complaints Commission, and firing the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission President Linda Keen, also belies Harper's promised accountability commitment.
Conservative MP Brad Trost organized a "Petition to Stop Federal Funding of Planned Parenthood." An article published by "pro-life" Interim, states that over the past half decade the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health (CFSH), "the leading abortion referral service in Canada", according to REAL Women, has had its federal government grants cut by more than 99 percent. No public announcement has been made by the government yet.
These cuts impact women's centers, including University Women's Centres which serve as resource and information hubs where students are encouraged to build community, discuss issues and organize initiatives supporting gender equality and human rights.
The shift in support or lack thereof - for women's issues can also be found in the terminology used within Foreign Affairs. As examples, the word "humanitarian" has been removed wherever there is reference to "international humanitarian law", the term "gender equality" is replaced by "equality of men and women" and "child soldiers" by "children in armed conflict."
"The term 'gender' has a specific meaning, it refers to a series of socially constructed roles," said Maxwell Cameron, a professor of political science at the University of British Columbia. He further said that "removing the term "gender' from Canada's foreign policy vocabulary would mean there are a host of issues that can no longer be talked about in a meaningful or clear way."
The religious social conservatives are convinced that Harper is one of them - "We've got a born-again prime minister," claims David Mainse, the founder of Canada's Christian talk show, 100 Huntley Street.
It does not matter to what extent Harper himself is "one of them" as long as his government's policies are made on the basis of what's best for Canada and Canadians, not on what a fringe element of our society is advocating inside and outside his government.Minister of International Cooperation Bev Oda told Embassy Magazine, they are limiting their support to "the lives of mothers and babies". It is likely that the religious lobby was instrumental in the decision not to address or support women's reproductive choices in developing countries. Women's health includes the right to all reproductive choices available. Denying these rights to women, especially those in developing countries, where it is often a matter of life and death, is unconscionable.
REAL Women and other social conservative groups may consider themselves non-governmental, but they actively promote the values of the current Conservative Party, sometimes in liaison (collusion?) with Members of Parliament, through lobbying, letter-writing, and of course, through prayer.
Religious dogma, as expressed by influential groups - be they Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or others belongs in the private sphere. It has no place in the making of Canadian public policy.
Up to now, Harper has been able to implement, by stealth, an agenda that is rejected by the majority of Canadians. He was aided by an opposition that has been largely ineffectual and silent, when they needed to stand up and challenge the government's policies. Equally absent have been most of the mainstream Canadian Media which seem content to focus on whatever the government throws at them. Only in alternative media, mostly electronic, and blogs has there been any background and context to the news, any intelligent analysis and debate.
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