Centre urges women to speak out via petitions: Child care and violence against women challenged
The Daily Courier (Kelowna)
01 Jun 2006
EXCERPT

The Kelowna Women's Resource Centre encouraged people to sign petitions on child care and women's safety during an open house on Wednesday.

"One petition is called Sock It to 'Em, and we're getting people to bring in socks and write messages to the premier and prime minister about them backing out of the agreement for child care," said Calli Troubridge, a summer employee at the centre.

A second petition, which will also go to the provincial and federal leaders, is about stopping violence against aboriginal women.

A third petition, called Code Blue Child, is a Canada-wide petition that urges federal and provincial governments to increase funding for child care.

"The aboriginal petition, which will go to the premier (Gordon Campbell), is called Stolen Sisters," said Troubridge.

"That has to do with indifference to aboriginal violence in B.C. It focuses on the 'highway of tears' outside of Prince George, where so many aboriginal women have disappeared."

The centre had its government funding eliminated several years ago.

Troubridge said it operates just on donations and membership fees.... "The donations come from memberships, but some people will give more than the cost of the membership," said Troubridge.