N.B. women protest cutbacks

A small number of women were at the New Brunswick legislature Thursday to protest government cutbacks.

They were protesting the elimination of funding for the provincial Advisory Council on the Status of Women.

One of about a dozen activists,Karen Dunnett of Moncton, said the protest was at an awkward time because it was during work hours, citing the reason for the small group of protestors.

Other organizers blamed some miscommunication about the timing of the event.

There were more Conservative MLAs than protestors, including Premier David Alward, who chatted with several of the women. Hesaid the government would continue to improveconditionsfor women, even while making some unpopular decisions.

Inside the Legislature, Justice Minister Marie-Claude Blais announced that a court dedicated to domestic-violence cases in Moncton a pilot project for four years would be made permanent.