Policies

The Policy Manual is being updated.  For the current policy manual,  click here.

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Resolutions

The following resolutions were submitted by the Alberta ND Women's Causus for consideration at Provincial Convention November 5-7, 2010.

B1-P2-10: Right to Care

Whereas the privatization of services in Alberta has lead to failures of service provision, including the loss of service through private provider bankruptcies; and

Whereas the privatization of care in Alberta has placed an increased burden on unpaid caregivers in the family and the community, the majority of which are women; and

Whereas chronic underfunding creates risks to and overburdens patients, staff, and patients’ families;

Be it resolved that the Alberta NDP will adopt the core principles of the Charlottetown Declaration on the Right to Care:
- The right to care is a fundamental human right
- The right to care requires access to a continuum of services and supports
- The right to care requires appropriate conditions
- The right to care requires the choice to receive or not receive or to provide or not provide unpaid care
- The right to care requires that there is no assumption of unpaid care
- The right to care requires access to reasonable alternatives and sufficient information
- Care should be equitable, available, accessible, continuous, responsive and transparent, incorporate diversity, participatory, enforceable, standards-based, publicly administered, and respectful.

F1-P6-10: Post secondary education funding issues affecting Women

Whereas 70% of new jobs require some level of post secondary education (Public Interest Alberta, Sept 2009); and

Whereas financial issues continue to be the major reason that young people do not pursue post secondary education, (Public Interest Alberta, Sept 2009); and

Whereas women are more likely to be impacted by these issues than men because:
1.  The majority of single parent families are female led
2.  Women who pursue postsecondary education tend to work part time as well as carry out child rearing responsibilities
3.  Women are overall paid less
4.  It takes women longer to pay off their student loans; and Whereas scholarships are less likely to be obtainable, given the multiple demands faced by women students that may affect their academic performance, particularly for women in larger faculties,

Be it resolved that the Alberta New Democrats, in opposition, pressure the government to be responsive to the financial problems facing female post secondary students; and

Be it further resolved that the Alberta New Democrats in government, implement post secondary education fiscal policies that more adequately fund post secondary education (University of Alberta Students Union Report, 2008); and

Be it further resolved that the Alberta New Democrats express their continued opposition to fees such as the 500 user fee called the Continuation of Security fee being instituted by the University of Alberta as a way to raise funds to deal with university financial deficits.

F1-P7-10: Midwifery Education

Whereas midwifery services recently became covered by Alberta Health Services; and

Whereas the majority of women who requested a midwife birth last year were turned away because of demand; and

Whereas it is important to have midwifery-assisted support that is appropriate for a full range of cultural perspectives; and

Whereas there is currently no full midwifery education programs available in Alberta;

Be it resolved that midwifery education programs be developed and operational at (a minimum of two) post-secondary institutions in Alberta by 2014.

W-P1-10: Family Violence and Bullying Prevention

Whereas many of these organizations provide critical support to vulnerable persons in this province, particularly women and children; and

Whereas the suggested alternatives to these funds do not provide adequate supports or replacement levels of funding, place agencies in competition for smaller and smaller pools of resources, and in some cases are inaccessible to certain programs, leading to the elimination of projects and programs because of the lack of funding;

Be it resolved that the Alberta NDP will pressure the government to replace the lost funding dollars eliminated in past budgetary cuts to for not-for-profit, human services organizations, especially those providing critical support to vulnerable persons in this province, particularly women and children; and

Be it further resolved that the Alberta NDP will work to reinstate dedicated funding sources for violence prevention programming to ensure that all Albertans can live free of abuse in their homes, workplaces, and schools.