Dion moves to shore up support among women-Canada

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http://www.thestar.com/FederalElection/article/508018


Dion moves to shore up support among women
VIDEO: Layton unveils $51-billion NDP platform   
ANDREW WALLACE/TORONTO STAR
On his 53rd birthday, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion speaks in Toronto Sept. 28, 2008 to a rally for the party's women candidates. Dion is flanked by St. Paul's incumbent Carolyn Bennett, far left, Beaches-East York incumbent Maria Minna and Brampton-Springdale incumbent Ruby Dhalla, right.  Email story
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Tonda MacCharles
Ottawa Bureau

With his party showing signs of losing the critical support of women, Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion is on the offensive.

At a rally in downtown Toronto Centre - Bob Rae's riding - Dion celebrated his 53rd birthday at a "celebration" of women in politics.

Dion boasted he has met his goal of women making up a third of the Liberal ranks in this election.

He took aim at the New Democrats and argued only the Liberals can offer a progressive governing alternative to the Conservatives.

It was Dion's sharpest attack yet on NDP Leader Jack Layton, on a day when Layton unveiled a universal $17 billion-a-year child-benefit plan.

"The NDP can promise you the moon, but they are trying to buy your vote with Monopoly money," Dion told a raucous crowd of more than 300 at a hotel.

Dion accused Stephen Harper's Conservative government of opposing women's equality and failing women on issues that matter to them most, including child care, seniors' issues, poverty and health.

The room was energized, and the rhetoric was heated.

It was perhaps a sign Dion is taking the polls - on which he refuses to comment - seriously. The Liberal leader wasn't supposed to be here on his birthday. His wife, Janine Krieber, was to be the headliner, but Dion said later the women candidates arrayed behind him clamoured to have him appear.

"I could not resist," he said.

Those same female candidates objected loudly when reporters asked Dion why women voters are looking toward the Conservative and New Democratic parties.

A Toronto Star/Angus Reid poll on Saturday showed the Liberals and New Democrats tied for support at 21 per cent, with the Conservatives at 40 per cent support.

The poll showed more women (34 per cent) are now willing to vote Conservative than Liberal (21 per cent). The NDP polls higher among women at 26 per cent.

Though Dion called the polls contradictory, he acknowledged the split on the left, and the risk to his own party's fortunes.

"I know people may be tempted to vote NDP, but in doing so, they will raise the Conservatives by dividing the progressive vote."

The Liberals have women candidates running in 112 of the 308 ridings across Canada. The Conservatives have 62 women candidates and the New Democrats have 104.

Dion also conceded the NDP child-benefit plan may appeal to women, but said it is unrealistic, a "mirage," as he called the whole NDP platform.

"It is a job killer in Canada."

And Harper, he said, removed the word equality from the mandate of the Status of Women office and "failed to create the child-care spaces he promised Canadian families." Dion says his Green Shift carbon-tax plan will be able to finance the creation of 165,000 child-care spaces.


Men's Rights Activist

Life, Liberty, & Pursuit of Happiness are fundamental rights for all (including males), & not contingent on gender feminist approval or denial. Consider my "Independence" from all tyrannical gender feminist ideology "Declared" - Here & Now!

Men's Rights Activist

Life, Liberty, & Pursuit of Happiness are fundamental rights for all (including males), & not contingent on gender feminist approval or denial. Consider my "Independence" from all tyrannical gender feminist ideology "Declared" - Here & Now!

Men's Rights Activist

Life, Liberty, & Pursuit of Happiness are fundamental rights for all (including males), & not contingent on gender feminist approval or denial. Consider my "Independence" from all tyrannical gender feminist ideology "Declared" - Here & Now!

Men's Rights Activist

Life, Liberty, & Pursuit of Happiness are fundamental rights for all (including males), & not contingent on gender feminist approval or denial. Consider my "Independence" from all tyrannical gender feminist ideology "Declared" - Here & Now!

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