Cutting women's council against law: Boudreau

Interim Liberal leader Victor Boudreau said when the Alward government cut funding to the Advisory Council on the Status of Women,it broke the law.

The opposition critic on women's issues said the government was silencingthe province's only independent critic on women's issues.

Boudreau said it all comes down to an actfrom 1975.

"If you go look at article 9.2 it says very clearly that the minister must provide funding to this organization."

It's a fact the minister formally responsible for the women's council isn't denying.

Margaret Anne Blainey said the timeline for the budget and the way it unfolded didn't leave enough time to change the act.

It's something her government still plans to do.

"We are going to bring in a piece of legislation that will amend that act," said Blainey.

Boudreau said amending the act will essentially abolish the council.

"If they repeal it, then they're really abolishing the advisory council, contrary to Minister Blainey who's trying to say that they're not really abolishing it, they're just cutting its funding," said Boudreau.

Something he said contradicts the premier's election promise to work more closely with the group.