This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Canada, which closed in 2021.

NDP Accuse Liberals Of Opposing Plan To End Violence Against Women

One Liberal candidate reacted by calling the NDP's accusation "offensive."
CP

The Liberal Party wants an apology from the NDP for accusing it of being against a plan to end violence against women.

On Tuesday, the NDP released a statement titled “Liberals oppose plan to combat violence against women.” In turn, star Liberal candidate Michèle Audette accused the NDP of making political hay with the sensitive issue.

She called the party’s accusation “offensive.”

The standoff follows remarks Justin Trudeau made earlier in the day when asked if a Liberal government would be willing to make a commitment similar to the NDP’s promised $40 million to build and maintain women's shelters over four years.

The Liberal leader said his party has committed nearly $20 billion in the coming 10 years on “social infrastructure” that will include shelters and low-income housing.

Trudeau also reiterated that he supports a national inquiry for missing and murdered indigenous women and measures to ensure gender parity in the federal cabinet.

But he also threw a dig at NDP Leader Tom Mulcair.

“It’s 2015. It’s time a federal government recognizes that women’s issues are everybody’s issues,” he said. “And if Mr. Mulcair was seriously committed to that he would have accepted to join the women’s issues debate that he has refused.”

The NDP released the statement attacking the Liberals, claiming the party is adopting an “irresponsible” position to the sensitive issue.

Incumbent NDP candidate Nicki Ashton called Trudeau’s remarks “disturbing” and an “attack on the NDP’s commitment to end violence against women.”

“The Liberals are opposing the NDP’s concrete plan to help the most vulnerable women in our country, so they don’t have to ask the largest corporation to pay their fair share,” she said.

“That’s wrong.”

Mulcair: I’ll be a ‘prime minister who cares’

Mulcair revealed a new part of his election platform Monday, focusing on measures he would introduce to curtail and end violence against women.

He pledged to restore a women’s shelter enhancement program cut earlier by the Conservative government; and pledged to launch an inquiry into the country’s missing and murdered indigenous women and girls in his first 100 days of office.

Mulcair repeated his message calling for change.

“Now I say this to every mother, to every daughter, to every sister, that it’s time you had a prime minister who cares,” he said.

With files from Ryan Maloney

Also on HuffPost

In Photos: Canada Election 2015

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Canada. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.