Reader thinks government has not served women well

Daily Gleaner Opinion - As published on page C7 on August 29, 2006

Reader thinks government has not served women well

I was concerned with two issues raised in Saturday's Gleaner regarding the impending provincial election. First, on Stephen Llewellyn's article about attracting more women to civil service and our democratic institutions. Is it any wonder that women are especially disaffected with government? The handling of the issue of pay equity, whereby government shirked responsibility for rectifying the gap in the valuation of professions dominated by men and those dominated by women, was insulting. More recently, government resistance to ensuring the provision of legal abortion services demonstrates the worst in condescending paternalism. It amounts to removing a measure of women's control over their own bodies, an imposition that I'd wager most of us men would consider intolerable.

Second, regarding the letter-writer who urged voters to treat the NDP as a non-entity and vote Liberal or Conservative according to "which party represents your views," for many prospective voters, neither of those parties adequately represents their interests, while the NDP does.

To suggest that no one should vote NDP because of 'low expectations' is exactly the way to keep those expectations low.

By never giving a third party substantial presence, it is continually denied the supposed legitimacy that comes with experience.

The surest way to perpetuate the status quo is to dismiss the possibility for change.

If enough people are dissatisfied with the two big parties, it is only by taking another option that those people will compel change - by communicating their displeasure on the ballot.

That's democracy at its best.

Ken Spragg
New Maryland, N.B.