Happy International Women’s Day! Today we celebrate all women and recommit ourselves to fighting for the systemic changes all women in Ontario deserve.
I used my Member’s Statement at Queen’s Park today to remind the government of this.
I additionally used my time in Question Period to call on this government to implement the recommendation from the Renfrew County Inquest to declare Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) an epidemic. This would cost them nothing but you can see them dodge the question here.
This weekend was the Annual International Women’s Day March in Toronto. This builds on the efforts of health care organizing that has been building momentum across Ontario. I was proud to join our Leader Marit Stiles, ONDP caucus members and Ontario nurses last week as we rallied at Queen’s Park against Bill 124, calling for better working conditions, better wages and better care from this Conservative government.
Watch Marit’s speech at the Ontario Nurses’ rally here.
Metrolinx Reverses Course on the Don Valley layover
Metrolinx had planned to build a large layover for GO Trains in the Don Valley. Many local residents had raised concerns about losing sensitive and recently restored wetlands in the Don Valley.
Local advocacy, public pressure, the cold truth that there wasn’t a good business case for this plan leads Metrolinx to a (rare) about-face. Instead, the GO train layover will be built in a “light industrial” area near Leslie and York Mills. After three years of fighting the proposal in the Don Valley, the people have won! Specifically, advocacy has pushed Metrolinx far enough that they can no longer ignore the calls from myself, my political colleagues, Toronto residents and conservationists.
The facility will store GO trains in appropriate proximity to Union Station without a significant community and environmental impact. It is important that our provincial government invests in transit improvement and expansion; however, this should not be done while sacrificing the wellbeing of our neighbors, environment and wildlife.
Doug Ford lost another lawsuit
Back in 2021, Doug Ford tried — and failed — to undermine Ontario's democracy once again…
In the hopes of preventing an onslaught of negative press from labour unions before our last general election, Ford tried to implement a finance law that would have limited spending by unions and other third parties.
Countered by the Working Families coalition of unions, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario and several other labour unions, Doug Ford’s proposed law would prevent groups like this “from spending more than $600,000 on advertising and other activities in the 12 months before an election." Despite the success of the lawsuit, the Attorney General Doug Downey’s office said that they will appeal the court’s decision.
This defeat of the Ford government is the latest, on top of the 14 others he has lost since first elected in 2018. This trend shows that Ford is more concerned with restricting the Charter rights of Ontarians and wasting taxpayer money, than helping everyday people like yourself.
More Criticism for Ford’s Plan to Privatize Health Care
As Ontarians review Ford’s plan to hand public health care delivery to his wealthy insider friends, serious critiques are emerging. The Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres delivered a clear review on how this plan will disproportionately hurt urban Indigenous people. In the downtown East, it’s notable that many of these critiques apply to our most vulnerable aand underhoused neighbours. Private health care is not just more expensive for taxpayers and worse for patients — even in private clinics — it will make surgeries even harder to access and further out of reach for our homeless and marginalized neighbours across the downtown East.
A Remarkable Assembly - Women's Forum
Event Date: April 4, 2023
Please Note: Applications close March 7, 2023.
Are you beginning to pave your career path? Do you have an interest in civics and current affairs? Are you actively involved in your community? Do you have aspirations to seek public office or want to know what it's like to be a political representative? The Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s Women’s Forum will bring together 124 young women and gender diverse individuals from across Ontario for a full-day program in Toronto to promote active citizenship and public engagement through education and empowerment.
One individual between the ages of 18-30 will be selected from each provincial riding to represent their community and experience parliament in action, meet prominent Ontario women and key parliamentary figures, and gain a behind-the-scenes perspective of Ontario’s Parliament.
Thank you for your ongoing support. It is an honour to serve you,
Kristyn Wong-Tam
MPP, Toronto Centre