Mr. Speaker, 2010, like all years, has had its ups and downs, but when it comes to women's equality, 2010 has shown to be disastrous.
A budget promised to address violence faced by aboriginal women in Canada waited for more than six months before the announcement that 40% of the funding would not even help aboriginal women, nor the Sisters in Spirit that first identified the tragedy.
A G8-G20 focus on maternal and child health saw the government turn back the clock on women's rights, denying them choice and reproductive freedom. We saw a general lack of concern for women's safety, as was witnessed when the government played political games with gun control and the long gun registry. We witnessed countless arbitrary funding cuts to women's organizations across the country. Furthermore, Canada's capacity to understand the realities of vulnerable women has been further reduced by eliminating the mandatory long form census and the questions on unpaid work.
I urge all members of the House to challenge the government and restore women's equality, especially for those who have been silenced.