The Other Press December 12, 1986 Page 3 Ministers shortchange women ANCOUVER (CUP) - entering or _ re-entering deal with it while leaving e recent first ministers’ the job market, those out child-care pay equity, onference in Vancouver needing skill upgrading or affirmative action, job cre- failed to make any real re-training, and those ation and education,” she ment meant endorsing no plan of action, no concrete ecommendations is a ic progress on economic eq- wishing to. enter non- said. i S ' d 1 d ality for women, accord- traditional occupations. She also _— criticized ° ° writer enie ing to Manitoba’s status of But Wasylycia-Leis was current training offered women minister. not enthusiastic. through the Canadian Although the federal “I saw no words of en- government, nine prov- couragement in Mulron- ces and the two territo- ey’s statement -- I’ve ries endorsed a paper on heard it all before,” aining women for the la- said. bour force, Manitoba re- As the premiers ministers gave reports on ment. provincial initiatives, ma- “Endorsing the state- ny noted the occasion was the first time women’s ec- sed to sign the docu- plan of action,” said Judy onomic equality was con- Wasylycia-Leis, as the sidered as a seperate issue onference ended Nov. in_ the disadvantages ajor disappointment -- I will take notice and _ their male counterparts. national _confer- “To end up with no ence. They also acknowl- edged the severe econom- facing women, who earn on ave- nk the women of Can- rage only 64 per cent of Jobs Strategy program as serving the _ short-term needs of private corpora- tions. “Women end up getting trained in the same posi- tions, in the same low- paid, ghetto-type jobs,” she said. “Hudson’s Bay _ got money to do a program to train women to work in sales and clerical fields -- it’s not a great use of the taxpayers money,” Was- ylycia-Leis said. Nor were member of B.C. women’s groups im- pressed with the confer- citizenship at home VANCOUVER (CUP) - Faculty and students in Vancouver have joined American citizens in condemning the ordered deportation of writer and poet Margaret Randall from the United States. American-born Randall, who teaches at the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque, is seeking repatriation after living for nearly 25 years in Latin American. But a U.S. immigra- tion court has denied her immigrant status, arguing that her writings “go far beyond mere dissent” with American foreign policy. Members of the literary and cultural commu- nity have come to Randall’s aid, notably members of the writer’s rights group PEN In- ternational. American authors such as Alice Walker, Norman Mailer and Kurt Vonnegut express their unhappiness Ontario attorney gen- ence results. ith the situation,” she eral Ian Scott, minister | Cindy Shore, a member said. responsible for women’s of the steering committee When Prime Minister issues, said while the for the Women’s Econ- Brian Mulroney introdu- number of women in the omic Agenda, an _ educa- ed the paper, he hailed it full-time workforce has tion and lobby group, said a significant step since risen from 24 to 44 per cent governments should look ast year’s first ministers’ since the mid-1960’s, wo- immediately at implem- onference in Halifax. men’s wages have not enting and enforcing “Recognizing the imp- shown a simultaneous in- equal wage laws and int- brtance of training and crease. roducing pay equity legis- skill development for “In the twenty years lation for job categories omen who want to im- when the proportion of considered to be of equal prove their employment women in the workforce value. prospects, we agreed to has nearly doubled, the “You can have all the ork together to identify wage gap has closed only job training and education and remove obstacles that two per cent,” he said. you want, but the reality prevent women from ob- Manitoba minister Wa- of the workplace is wo- aining training,” Mul-_ sylycia-Leis said the men go out and get jobs oney said. framework for job training that pay less than men,” “The Framework for endorsed by other prov- she said. wade , [raining highlights a inces was too narrow to be “We are still being paid humber of measures gov- effective. less than men, whether it pPrmments can take to “You’ve got to deal with is in professional _,Jobs or emove these obstacles,” the issues of women’s Cleaning toilets,” said ne said, adding that spe- economic equality in te- Shore. ial efforts would be rms of an integrated stra- equired to help women tegy,” she said. “You can’t have supported Randall, as has Canadian wri- ter Margret Atwood. Stan Persky, professor of political science at Capilano College, said the Immigration court decision gives Randall hope for appeal. “It looks like a denial of fundamental freedom,” said Persky, “and this seems to be in conflict with the American constitution.” Persky said, “the fact that this is a writer who is U.S.born is. what has excited a lot of attention.” Suzanne Rose, a rehab-medicine student and an executive member of the Latin American Solidarity Committee at the University of Brit- ish Columbia, also criticized the court decision. Rose said the deportation order “underscores the U.S. government’s fear of facing the truth about Central America, that the people can and must determine their own destiny.” Randall, who left the United States in the early 1960’s worked as a writer and editor in Mexico and Cuba, then moved to Nicaraugua in 1979 in time to witness the overthrow of the U.S.-supported Somoza regime. Her books, “Sandino’s Daughters” and “Ch- ristians in the Nicaraguan Revolution” docu- ment the role of women and the Catholic left in the Sandinista victory. UNIVERS on (rane JENNE i The Université canadienne en France programme offers Canadians a unique opportunity to live for a year in France and earn Canadian university credits. Offered in both English and French, the programme for 1987-88 includes humanities courses focussing on “The Beddoe’s software work. Each keystroke is immediately Twentieth Century World’ as well as language courses. The faculty are from universities across Canada. answered by the computer with an intelligible pronoun- Various types of student accommodation are available, including residences on the campus which i is superbly ciation. located on the Céte d’ Azur between Nice and Monaco. Machines that talk are already available, but “this Students will be selected on a quota basis from universities across Canada. machine can read faster than others,” Beddoes said. He : : Fon : all: did admit, however, “some distortion occurs, at fast typ- For information and applications for September 1987, please write or call: Typewriter talks VANCOUVER (CUP) - Michael Beddoes, a University of ' British Columbia electrical engineer, is wrapping up the software for a talking typewriter he hopes will make essay typing easier for blind students. A small speaker, TRS-80 or compatible computer unit display, and a printer if desired, are required to make ing speeds”. Blyth and Company, 68 Scollard Street The whole unit with printer costs slightly more than Toronto, Ontario MSR 1G2 (416) 964-2569 $1,000. (800) 387-1387 Canada (800) 387-5603 Ontario or Laurentian University, Beddoes does not know when his machine may be Sudbury, Ontario, P3E 2C6 available for blind students to purchase. He said a previous marketing attempt failed when the sponsor went bankrupt. “Besides blind students, this machine has possible use for the brain handicapped,” Beddoes said. “For those people, learning to spell would be easier because the student hear the letters and words as they press them on the keyboard.” Blyth&Company & Laurentian University