Just How Stupid Do They Think We Are?!

First, the Conservatives make a big show of pouring millions into a Toronto transit project that the Liberals had already agreed to fund (and happily, some hacker decided to get his revenge). Then, on International Women's Day no less, they generously bestow $5 million on Status of Women Canada.

This would be the exact same $5 million they CUT from Status of Women Canada just 6 months ago. Oh, I'm sorry - money they redirected:

The money amounts to a redirection of a $5 million cut to Status of Women's administrative budget last September, resulting in the closing of 12 of 16 regional offices on April 1.

The government has also changed the criteria for what projects receive funding. Advocacy and research projects will no longer be eligible for grants, in favour of groups providing direct services to women.

And perhaps most controversially, the word equality has been removed from literature related to the agency.

Oda, who is the minister responsible for the status of women, has argued the word is unnecessary in a country where men and women are considered equal by law.

Well, apparently we're pretty fucking stupid:

A new poll suggested yesterday the Conservatives are gaining support among women. The Decima poll conducted for the Canadian Press suggested that for the first time in five months as many women – 31 per cent – would vote for the Conservatives as for the Liberals.

And again, why the hell aren't the Libs jumping up and down and screaming about this?!?

Just so we don't forget, here is the list of Tory budget cuts from last September:

* $78.8 million: Elimination of program that gave GST rebates to tourists
* $50 million: Elimination of unused funding for Northwest Territories devolution
* $46.8 million: Smaller cabinet announced in February
* $45 million: "Efficiencies" in Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
* $15 million: Elimination of residual funding for softwood-lumber trade litigation
* $13.9 million: Cancellation of National Defence High-Frequency Surface Wave Radar Project
* $11.7 million: Removal of unused funds for mountain pine beetle initiative
* $6.5 million: Elimination of funding for the Centre for Research and Information on Canada
* $6 million: Operational efficiencies at the Canada Firearms Centre
* $5.6 million: Elimination of Court Challenges Program
* $5 million: Administrative reductions to Status of Women Canada
* $4.6 million: Cuts to museum assistance
* $4.6 million: Elimination of the RCMP drug-impaired-driving program's training budget
* $4.25 million: Consolidation of foreign missions
* $4.2 million: Cuts to Law Commission of Canada
* $4 million: End to medical-marijuana science funding

Let's make sure to stick a pin in any of these that suddenly become the recipient of Conservative largesse in the next month or two.