by Judi McLeod
May 6, 2004
Fresh from the success of having Newfoundland "Screech" returned to the shelves of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, New Democrat Party (NDP) MPP Marilyn Churley was off to Washington. Screech is the national drink of Newfoundland, the province from which the Toronto-Danforth politician hails. Make that Churley’s only official connection to the drink. The screech she’s been known to resort to when making political points is all her own.
In Washington, the "MPP who saved Screech" joined Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton as part of a prominent group of female political figures at the International Women’s Conference of the United Steelworkers of america.
Explained a press release from her office, "Marilyn Churley has helped "rock the vote" in both the U.S. and Canada, through her role as a keynote speaker at the conference.
Clinton and Churley spoke about how women can mobilize their political influence in the upcoming U.S. and Canadian elections.
Coincidentally, as the two C’s were addressing the conference, theme of which was "Women of Steel: Building Political Power", Baroness Margaret Thatcher, having survived a stroke, was attending a London party commemorating the 25th anniversary of her arrival on the political scene.
During her keynote address in Washington, Churley told 400 american and Canadian delegates how they could use current election campaigns to voice their support for universal health care, a key election issue in both countries.
Churley’s press release claimed that her remarks "helped set the stage for a joint U.S.-Canadian lobby of delegates marching to Congress to press for the introduction of a national, publicly insured health care system in the U.S."
There was no reference in the press release about what Hillary’s contribution to the lobby was, or what her american shrill sister may have said.
The International Women’s Conference is touted as one of the largest forums held in North america about women and politics. Churley said such conferences are "crucial" at a time when women’s presence in politics is slipping.
"after years of seeing women enter the political arena in increasing numbers, this trend is now reversing," she said. "You only have to look at the number of women candidates nominated to run federally in Canada to see how women’s role in politics is actually in danger of decline."
"Women have to mobilize again around this issue to ensure parity in representation."
Other than going down in history as the "MPP who screeched to save Screech", Marilyn Churley became a provincial politician via the fast-track Toronto City Hall circuit.
Before seekling public office, she had become "empowered", she said, as a resident of Toronto’s taxpayer-subsidized Bain Co-op.
a strident feminist and dyed-in-the-wool socialist, Churley’s claim to fame as a city of Toronto councillor was banning the bikini from city hall’s Nathan Phillips square.
Bikinis, she decreed, exploited women. We don’t know what she had to say about bikinis on the Riveria or any of the other places she visited as a globe-trotting politician.
Her tenure at Toronto City Hall was, as some would say, cut mercifully short when she left mid-term to go after the greener pastures of provincial politics.
anti-autombile even before the SUV came onto the market, Churley preferred riding her bicycle to work–even when it meant pedalling ahead of a taxpayer-paid limousine sole purpose of which was to carry her briefcase.
From this Canadian journalist’s perspective, it’s amusing to picture this member of the sisterhood of the Steelworkers of america in such a setting.
Marilyn Churley could be the only politician alive able to out-screech and out-shrill Billy-Bob’s, Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com
Pursuant to Title 17 U.S.C. 107, other copyrighted work is provided for educational purposes, research, critical comment, or debate without profit or payment. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for your own purposes beyond the 'fair use' exception, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. Views are those of authors and not necessarily those of Canada Free Press. Content is Copyright 1997-2018 the individual authors. Site Copyright 1997-2018 Canada Free Press.Com Privacy Statement