_CANADA

REAL Wome

By KERRY McCUAIG
_ Supporters of equality let out a long-held
Sigh of relief last month when the news
| Came from Ottawa that a right wing
Women’s group had been. denied funding
from the Secretary of State’s Women Pro-
gram.
| _ Members of REAL Women of Canada
(Realistic, Equal, Active and for Life) had
N swarming over Parliament Hill,
dressed in frilly aprons and bearing warm
Muffins in an attempt to woo Tory and
Liberal backbenchers to support their bid
for a one-million dollar grant.

It was the third time that the organization
has been turned down by the secretary of
State. The program’s administrators have
Tuled each time that the objectives of REAL
Women did not meet the criteria.

Following the last refusal in 1985, the
8roup announced that its top priority was
cither to get funding or to force the govern-
ment to cut the program entirely.

Their cause was aided by a string of edi-
torials and columns in various papers,
Including the Globe and small town conser-
Vative tabloids, urging dollars for REAL

Omen in the interests of “fairness”.

REAL Women’s tactic of winning Tory
hearts through their stomachs wasn’t
entirely unsuccessful. The latest application
Prompted the minister responsible for
women’s programs, David Crombie, to
take the matter out of the hands of the
_ Program’s administrators and set up a spe-
_ Clal committee to examine the request.

Later, the committee chair, MP Geoff
_ Scott, over opposition protest, turned what
_ Was to be a two-day meeting to hear deputa-
 ttons from the group and its stated target,
the National Action Committee on the Sta-
_ tus of Women (NAC), into a full-scale
Teview of the criteria used by the women’s
| program to disburse its $14 million in

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n loses grant bid (

Right wing women’s organization
targets child care, pay equity

Crombie also left the door open for
REAL Women to get state funding, sug-
gesting that they apply for some specific
project.

Anti-feminist in its outlook, REAL
Women has accused NAC of being respon-
sible for “the disintegration of the family”
because of NAC’s position on such issues as
childcare. Its main beef, however, is that
NAC, which represents some three million
women through its 430 affiliates, does
receive funding from the secretary of state
($411,000 last year).

Although REAL Women has clearly
made NAC number one on its hit list, the
latter organization has been reluctant to
engage in a public debate, not wanting to
draw any further attention to the right wing
group.

It is now reviewing that tactic. At the
mid-term meeting in January, NAC presi-
dent Louise Delude said it was time to take
REAL Women on.

“The problem with REAL Women is
what it is against... including its frequent
use of outright misrepresentation to sup-
port its views.”

Behind the group’s sweet soft-sell of sup-
port for the family lies a philosophy which
smacks of one espoused 50 years ago in
Nazi Germany which promoted “church,
kitchen and children” as women’s exclusive
tasks.

It opposes child care because it “would
force parents into the workforce”’; affirma-
tive action is “reverse discrimination”;
equal value legislation would “‘cost women
jobs”; sex education in the schools pro-
motes “teenage pregnancies, abortions and
promiscuity”’; and easy divorce is responsi-
ble for marriage breakdown and “serial
monogamy.”

It is also opposed to the United Nation
statutes on women’s equality because, as its
co-founder and legal counsel, Gwendolyn
Landoldt explains, the committee which
drafted the UN clauses was dominated by
“23 countries, including the Soviet Union,
Communist China and Vietnam”.

Delude accuses REAL Women of
“unashamedly spreading lies about the
women’s movement.” She rejects the notion
that NAC is unconcerned about the family.

“NAC has always insisted that our
society should recognize the crucial role of
the family and women’s massive contribu-
tion as wives, homemakers and mothers,”
she says. ‘““We have always supported mea-
sures ... that would give housewives the
respect and financial security they deserve.”

But unlike REAL Women, “NAC does
not advocate only one kind of family” she

says.

NAC, in turn, has charged that REAL
Women is undemocratic. The group’s con-
stitution does not require the holding of

‘membership meetings and its members do

not have the right to see executive minutes.
It claims a membership of 45,000 but
refuses to release any lists.

There were 225 people at its February,
1986 convention in Toronto but only 65
took part in the ““membership” session. The
treasurer, Margaret Goodier, reported a
1985 income from membership fees and
donations of $18,086. With the member-
ship fee set at $5 (now $10), the income and
stated membership figures simply don’t
jibe.

Whatever its numbers, REAL Women is
not a force to be ignored, particularly given
its support in high places. According to a
report in Kinesis, Landoldt told the group’s
convention that REAL Women had a
friend in federal Health Minister Jake Epp
who says he shares their views on child care.

Epp appointed MP Shirley Martin,
whom Landoldt called sympathetic to
REAL Women, as the chair of the task
force on child care which is currently con-
ducting its inquiry. In addition, the Alberta
Tory caucus in Parliament has set itself the
top priority of getting funding for the
group.

REAL Women also appears to have
close ties with the Catholic Church. Both
Landoldt and president Grace Petrasek are
activists in the right-to-life, anti-choice
movement. Landoldt writes regularly for
the Catholic Register.

Most sinister, however, is its close con-
nection with other right-wing groups
including the National Citizens’ Coalition
and the Coalition for Family Values. It is
also associated with other right wing
women’s groups, including the American
Eagle Forum — which helped defeat the
Equal Rights Amendment in the U.S. —
the Alberta Federation of Women United
for the Family, Vancouver Women for Free
Enterprise and a Catholic Church group-
ing, Women for Life, Faith and Family.

The prevailing economic crisis has

created a natural appeal for REAL .

Women, with its nostalgic call for a return
to the idealized family of the 1950s.

What is worse, however, is that groups
such as REAL Women have been given a
public platform in the media and before
governments with the express. purpose of
putting the legitimate women’s movement
on the defensive.

Louise Delude is right: taking on REAL
Women is long overdue.

Warm Greetings
and Love
to

Tom
McEwen

on the occasion of his
96th birthday
February 11, 1987
— Lil Greene and

Ray Stevenson
and their families

CPC LABOR
COMMITTEE
ANNUAL DINNER
with George Hewison
Saturday, Feb. 21

6:30 p.m.

Hast. Community Centre
Vancouver
Admission:

$10, $5/unemployed

For reservations:
254-9836

Classified
Advertising

COMING EVENTS
FEB. 14 — Hootenanny for REAL featuring

' Tom Hawken and friends. Bring instruments. 8

p.m., 9191 No. 2 Rd., Richmond. Tickets $2.50.
For reservations 277-5134 (days), 274-5642
(evenings).

FEB. 22 — Federation of Russian Canadians
Variety Concert, guest performers, entertaining
program, gourmet dinner following. All pro-
ceeds to Russian language newspaper ‘‘Vest-
nik”. 2 p.m. 600 Campbell Ave. Admission: $6.
For info. 255-6488 or 253-3032.

MAR. 19 — Annual General Meeting Cana-
dian-Cuban Friendship Association. 8 p.m.
Room L4, Britannia Community Centre. Nomi-
nation and election of officers for 1987 execu-
tive board.

FOR SALE

1985 SKODA, 2-door, 5 speed, 130 Rapid.
Radial tires, low mileage, extended warranty.
Call Dan at 266-3569 (after 5 p.m.).

COMMERCIAL

GRAMMA PUBLICATIONS. Complete print-
ing services. Brochures, menus, leaflets, etc. A
union shop. 1595 W. 3rd Ave. Vancouver.
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 733-6822.

ELECTRICAL PLUMBING, appliance repairs.
Don Berg 255-7287.

QUALITY REMODELLING and repairs. Rank
and File Construction. 435-2479 anytime.
Assisting unemployed trades people.

AUTOPLAN, GENERALINSURANCE, home,
business, trade union. Dave Morton, bus.
986-9351; res. 433-4568.

VICTORIA
BILL HARTLEY your AutoPian man. All types
of insurance. Mail in or phone in. 2420 Douglas
Street, Victoria, V8T 4L7. 388-5014.

LEGAL SERVICES

RANKIN, BOND, McMURRAY. Barristers
and Solicitors. 2nd Floor, 157 Alexander Street,
682-3621.

DIRECTORY

COMMUNIST PARTY OF CANADA offices
located at 102, 2747 E. Hastings St. Vancouver.
Phone 254-9836. Office hours: 9:30-12 noon;
1-5 p.m. Mon to Fri. For information on political
issues or assistance in political activity.

HALLS FOR RENT

RUSSIAN PEOPLE’S HOME — Available for
rentals. For reservations phone 254-3430.

UKRAINIAN CANADIAN CULTURAL
CENTRE — 805 East Pender St. Vancouver.
Available for banquets, weddings, meetings.
Phone 254-3436.

Classified advertising rates $1 per line per
week. Deadline for insertions: Wednesday of
week prior to publication.

THE

COPE

SHOW

on CJOR 600

Monday, Feb. 23, 1987
8:30 a.m. to Noon

with

ALD. LIBBY DAVIES
“Coping with the

NPA majority”

Thursday, Feb. 26, 1987
8:30 a.m. to Noon

with HARRY RANKIN
“Vancouver's poverty
and housing crisis”

TUNE IN —
PHONE IN
ee eens

PACIFIC TRIBUNE, FEBRUARY 11, 1987 e 11