Certainly we have some concerns.
This attack on public sector women is taking place at a time when this government has adopted policies that are detrimental to women in society as a whole.
First, in 2006, federal funding for day cares was eliminated.
Next, in the fall of 2006, Status of Women Canada lost its advocacy and research funding.
The Court Challenges Program was abolished. It's indeed ironic that programs that helped us to defend ourselves against unconstitutional laws were abolished. Now, the government has brought in an unconstitutional act that violates women's right to pay equity. Unions and civil society groups will no longer have access to funding for test cases.
So then, yes, I do think that this is part of an overall policy aimed at suppressing some of the gains that women have made over the past 30 years.