Nova Scotia must act to address misogyny, violence against women: NDP

HALIFAX– The following is a statment from NSNDP Leader Claudia Chender:

The misogynistic songs made previously by Minister MacLeod are raising serious questions for Nova Scotians and highlighting a troubling pattern from this government of failing to properly address or take seriously issues that disproportionately affect women.

A former PC Justice Minister openly refuted a key finding in the Mass Casualty Commission report, that ‘gender-based, intimate partner, and family violence is an epidemic.’ In the last budget, the government cut funding for domestic violence courts, and they continue to ignore calls for a women’s health strategy calling it a ‘wedge issue.’

Women have to be able to trust that their elected representatives are doing everything they can to address the marginalization and violence they continue to face.

With the release of this material, trivialized by the PC caucus and the minister as inspired by pop culture, thousands of Nova Scotians are seeing a Minister of the Crown spouting misogynist words, and normalizing language and attitudes that denigrate women. Regardless of when this was created, it hurts women in our province.

The statement from Minister MacLeod and the few comments from the PC party do little to reassure people that the government understands this is harmful and unacceptable.

Hatred targeted at women, in a province with an epidemic of intimidate partner violence coming from a sitting Minister is not a small matter. We call on the minister to explain if these are still his values and to tell Nova Scotians what measurable steps he is taking to address the harm his words have caused. We also call on this government to explain why this was missed in candidate vetting and what the repercussions will be for withholding this information. Last, we ask that this government finally take seriously their mandate to serve all Nova Scotians.