Women voters turning away from Tories: poll

[Hux]

Steve! Steve! Steve! Steve!

Updated Sat. Oct. 21 2006 8:13 AM ET

Canadian Press

OTTAWA -- Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay apparently isn't the only Conservative with woman troubles.

A new poll suggests a chill has set in among some female voters toward the Conservative party, with the Liberals reaping the rewards. The numbers suggest that overall the two parties are running neck and neck nationally.

The Decima Research survey, released Friday to The Canadian Press, points to a decline in Tory support by women voters since mid-July. The Tories had led the Liberals among women since the January election, but that changed in late summer when the Liberals overtook them.

A rolling three-week average between Sept. 28-Oct. 16 suggested 34 per cent of female voters supported the Liberals, 28 per cent the Tories, and 16 per cent the NDP.

The numbers come just as the party is facing harsh criticism by the opposition for cuts to women's advocacy groups and an alleged sexist slur by MacKay against Liberal MP Belinda Stronach, a former girlfriend.

Pollster Bruce Anderson speculates the dip in support is linked to a variety of issues, among them the government's positions on the Middle East and broad social issues.

"Anytime there's speculation about same-sex marriage being put on the agenda, speculation they're not going to have a very progressive environmental policy, the Conservatives are going to pay a bigger price among women _ and among young people and urban voters _ for that kind of situation than they would among any other voter group,'' Anderson said.

Overall, the poll echoed another released earlier this week that suggests the governing Conservatives and the Liberals are in a dead heat nationally. Among decided and leaning voters, 32 per cent said they would vote Conservative, compared to 30 per cent for the Liberals, 15 per cent for the NDP, 11 per cent for the Bloc Quebecois and 10 per cent for the Greens.

The Decima poll also suggested that the Conservatives are losing ground to the leaderless Liberals among voters 18-34 and among urban voters. The Liberals have also surpassed the Conservatives in the key electoral battlegrounds of Ontario and Quebec.

Anderson says the numbers immediately following the election suggested the Conservatives had managed to build a broader support base by convincing women, urban and younger voters to give them a shot.

That's apparently changed, at least for the moment.

"They're now struggling to maintain an attachment with those voter groups,'' Anderson said.

The Decima Poll was conducted between October 12 and October 16. Results were based on a sample of 1,038 Canadians, with a margin of error of 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

[djmelbatoast]

Hux as a political dude you must realize that the one thing that no one has been able to predict since women got the vote is that there is no way to predict how women vote. It's too big a demographic, like trying to predict how people born on even numbered days vote.

[color:brown]That being said, women shouldn't vote conservative.

[Birdy]

^^ i have no idea what that means.

women should vote as to their hearts, as to what issues they hold most important, and as to what government they feel would best represent them. If that be the NDP, Conservative, Liberal, or Green parties, it doesn't matter to anyone except themselves. What's with these comments making women out to be a minority group?

Women shouldn't vote conservative.

We're not a minority. We don't all vote collectively. I don't go down to town hall on Monday night for my "i'm a WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR" rally!! My vote belongs to me alone!!! Comments like this do the exact bloody opposite of promoting equality!!!

Edited October 22, 2006 by Guest

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

Trouble is, direction around women's issues is now being dictated by people like REAL Women of Canada , and that's frankly disturbing.

Remember, girls, as Christ is to the church, so the husband is to the wife.

[Hux]

Hux as a political dude you must realize that the one thing that no one has been able to predict since women got the vote is that there is no way to predict how women vote. It's too big a demographic, like trying to predict how people born on even numbered days vote.

That being said, women shouldn't vote conservative.

Well, women are indeed a big (the biggest?) demographic out there, but there are still opinion trends/issues that can be indentified as more important to women (childcare, abortion to name a couple) than men, less so the environment, gay rights.

I'm not going to go into why, or if that is even right, but there are issues that if a party is not attending to (see Conservatives right now) support among women will go down.

[phishtaper]

just for fun, next federal election, we should not allow men to vote or run for office. i have a feeling it would make for a better country.

[SmoothedShredder]

Me too, guys are idiots and domineering. Sure some ladies are like that too, but I think far less to hold a democracy within their demographic, and there would be broad and sweeping changes for the betterment of our nation. In my humble opinion.

[Hux]

There have been some interesting ideas bandied about on women's participation in politics in the Liberal Leadership race.

I actually like Joe Volpe's idea that every local nomination meeting should be required to have a female candidate. Interesting.

The Conservatives have the fewest women MP's. I'm amazed that they choose to muzzle even the talented women they have in Cabinet. Obviously they should be doing some reaching out in this area. I mean, while I'm not a fan, I'm sure Rona Ambrose can defend herself, yet at the big environmental annoucement in BC you had Harper doing the talking, and the Ministers standing behind him not saying a word. The PM is clearly the boss. This would cause a caucus revolt in the Liberal Party.

[timouse]

just for fun, next federal election, we should not allow men to vote or run for office. i have a feeling it would make for a better country.

robin williams comes to mind.

"If women ran the world, there would be no war....just severe negotiations every month."

[guigsy]

jim o'rourke comes to mind...

"women of the world take over, because if you dont, the world will come to an end."

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

The CPC sure seems to have their agenda in place.

Tories shutting down Status of Women offices

Last Updated: Thursday, November 30, 2006 | 6:22 AM ET

CBC News

The Conservative government is closing down most of its Status of Women Canada offices, saying they are not doing enough to serve women directly.

Twelve of the agency's 16 offices will close by April 1, Heritage Minister Bev Oda said Wednesday.

"What these offices don't necessarily provide is the help directly to women. There was a lot of lobbying groups, there was a lot of advocacy," Oda said.

"We don't need to separate the men from the women in this country.… This government as a whole is responsible to develop policies and programs that address the needs of both men and women."

Oda said the closures will save on unnecessary rent and utility bills, savings that she said will free up more than $700,000 for women's programs even after $5 million in funding cuts.

She also said women in regions will be able to get service from offices of the Canadian Heritage Department.

Status of Women Canada works to advance women's economic equality and human rights, and eliminate violence against women.

Liberal MP Maria Minna called the move "reprehensible."

"Canadian women are still only earning 71 cents to every dollar earned by their male counterparts, more and more women are living in poverty, and we are still waiting for the government to create child-care spaces," she said.

"With the closure of these regional offices, the government is taking away one of the very few remaining resources for women."

Minna said the closures are a clear sign that Stephen Harper's Conservatives plan to completely dismantle Status of Women Canada.

But Oda insisted that women will be better served despite the budget cuts and the office closings.

"I'm very surprised that the opposition would say, 'Put money back into inefficiencies,' when you can find inefficiencies and streamline the operations."

With files from the Canadian Press

Why do I suspect they're never going to identify just what those "inefficiencies" might be?

Wow, all this they managed to get done, and in advance of Dec. 6, too.

Edited November 30, 2006 by Guest