Taken two years ago somewhere in southwestern Ontario. For about a year this photo was the mother-ship's desktop wallpaper.

Wordless Wednesday

.....by another Canadian woman, and a senator no less!

Came across this news item on the CBC website:

Conservative Senator Nancy Ruth told a meeting of international women's equality rights groups Monday morning that it would be best for them to "shut the f--k up" about their concerns over the government's maternal health initiative.

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I have never trusted anyone who has told me to keep quiet, particularly in such a rude way. Women throughout history have suffered by being made to shut the f--k up, or living within societies where their opinions and views are suppressed or not valued. No good has ever come from women being made or told to shut-up, and Senator Ruth should be very ashamed of this statement even if her comments were not meant for the general public to hear.

Perhaps she already knows how offensive her comments were.....it would explain this later statement made by her in regards to the shut the ef up.

"I'm not going to repeat them in front of microphones. You gotta be crazy."

If anything I hope this spurs Canadian women to speak even louder particularly when it come to health issues facing other women both in Canada, and abroad.

Liberal MP Dr. Carolyn Bennett said Ruth's comments shocked the room. Bennett said she thinks Ruth's advice exposes something the government has denied — that for those who speak out against the government, there will be repercussions.

Funding cuts are one example of a repercussion the groups fear.

But the activists say they won't be taking Ruth up on her suggestion to keep quiet. Katherine McDonald is executive director of Action Canada for Population and Development.

"The time to speak out is now. If we hadn't spoken out over the last three months, contraception would not be part of this initiative."

McDonald is referring to the government's reversal on its initial announcement that family planning would not be part of the maternal health plan.

Bennett echoed another panelist at the meeting, saying that women in the world didn't achieve what they have over the years by "shutting up."