Social Watch Canada2008 - Centre for Policy Alternatives: "Rights, budgets and building alternatives"

Social_Watch_Canada2008.pdf (application/pdf Object)

"The Government of Canada, as a signatory to several key UN treaties, including the Covenant on Economic
Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against
Women (CEDAW), has committed to ensure that Canada respects its human rights commitments
to all its citizens. These rights include but are not exclusive to access to justice, affordable housing,
access to education and employment as well as the appropriate provisions to ensure women’s equality
and implement “appropriate measures” to fulfill Canada’s obligations under CEDAW.
Canadian federal budgets from the last decade have ignored these obligations and have, indeed,
made things worse for women and vulnerable populations. While Canada does hold limited open
pre-budget consultations with non-governmental organizations and claims to do a high level of gender
budgeting, the focus of federal governments have moved away from sustained social and strategic
investments towards an aggressive tax cut agenda."