United Conservative Party Leader Danielle Smith, centre, speaks at a campaign launch rally in Calgary on Saturday, April 29, 2023. Smith is promising to increase support for women's shelters and sexual assault counselling centres if re-elected on May 29. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
CALGARY – The United Conservative Party is promising to increase support for women’s shelters and sexual assault counselling centres if re-elected on May 29.
Several candidates made the announcement at the head office for a women’s shelter in Calgary.
Tanya Fir, one of the candidates, says a UCP government would increase funding by $20 million over four years.
It would also embark on an advertising campaign to tell people about Clare’s Law, which allows those at risk of domestic violence to get the criminal records of intimate partners.
Earlier in the day, the NDP released a statement that it would also ensure women’s shelters and sexual assault services have the resources needed if the party is elected as government.
Janis Irwin, who’s the Opposition critic for women’s issues and a candidate in Edmonton, says the UCP has failed to support the centres and then falsely claimed they turned down extra funding.
“This is unacceptable,” she said in the statement Wednesday.
“Women’s shelters and sexual assault centres deserve better, and they deserve a government that will ensure they have the resources that they need to support survivors. We will provide them with immediate funding and then work with them to develop long-term stable funding based on demand and outcomes.”
Irwin said an NDP government would provide $9 million in the first year for sexual assault service providers to reduce wait times, expand counselling and ensure service providers can pay adequate wages.
She said it would provide another $8 million to domestic violence shelters to address inflation and allow those shelters to address any shortfalls in operations and increase wages appropriately.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 10, 2023.
