Fear-mongering about the alleged threats of the Muslim faith took a decidedly Canadian turn last month when Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared in Parliament that covering one’s face with a niqab (a headscarf that covers every part of a woman’s face but her eyes) is “rooted in a culture that is anti-women.” Using pro-equality rhetoric to […]
Author: Alison Brewin
Alison Brewin currently works as a non-profit management consultant for a range of clients, writes fiction and non-fiction and raises a family with a network of co-parents in Vancouver, Canada. Her family has a long history of involvement in Canadian politics. Here career in law, politics and non-profits has been focused on women-serving organizations. For more info see www.alisonbrewin.com
Canada Headed for a Stormy Ride
North of the 49th parallel, four more years of Stephen Harper’s Conservative rule has begun. On May 2nd, Canadians went to the polls and gave Harper the majority of seats in the House of Commons–the majority he has eagerly and unsuccessfully sought in two previous elections–and thus gave the Conservatives unshakable federal decision-making power. The […]
Canadian Women Want to Break Up with Stephen Harper
Five weeks ago, the Canadian government was forced into an election, one the ruling party–Stephen Harper’s Conservatives–claimed the Canadian public didn’t want. But the campaign has turned into one that is likely to change the political landscape of Canada forever, sparked in part by an unprecedented debate over reproductive rights. In Canada, it’s possible for […]
Canada’s Wrong Turn
Our neighbor’s rightward drift hits women and the poor hardest By Alison Brewin We Canadians are nicer and less violent than our southern neighbors.We address conflict through compromise, smile politely when faced with difference and only get drunk and belligerent when hockey is on. At least that’s what we like to think of ourselves. We […]