Irene's Critic Roles

Hansard Record, March 3rd 2009
Ms. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, I am most pleased to add my voice to the concerns expressed today, particularly in regard to the insinuation in the budget implementation bill of the Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act. What an Orwellian term that is.

Over the last three and a half years, the government has tried to silence the voices of women. It has reduced funding to Status of Women Canada. It ended research, advocacy and lobbying. It closed 12 regional office of Status of Women Canada. It ended the funding to many women's organizations and its removed equality from the mandate of Status of Women Canada, all of these measures designed to keep women quiet, to keep them in their place.

It is not working. The government may have tried to deny the voices of women, but I have a letter, signed by 79 individuals, winners of the Governor General's Award in regard to the Persons Case, lawyers, academics, Canadians of great stature. I want to esnure that their voice and the voice of millions of Canadian women are heard in this place, so I will read into the record a letter they sent to the Prime Minister.

NDP women's critic Irene Mathyssen is alarmed by changes to the pay equity system in the budget that make it almost impossible for women to appeal unfair pay.

OTTAWA – On the same day that President Obama passed a bill to protect pay equity in the United States, the Conservative and Liberal parties are set to vote down a budget amendment that would do the same for Canada.

“This is a sad day for our country,” said New Democrat Leader Jack Layton. “There are families out there who depend on mom’s income to put food on the table and buy school supplies for the kids. When she isn’t paid a fair wage, everybody suffers.”

“The budget didn’t mention women even once. New Democrats could never support a budget that ignores the needs of 52% of our population.”

OTTAWA – The Conservative budget is totally inadequate when it comes to funding for Status of Women and for issues that directly affect women. Women are not considered at all in this budget. There is not a single mention of women in the entire document.

Today is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, to commemorate the Montreal Massacre at the École polytechnique. On December 6, 1989, 14 women were shot and killed because they were women.

Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie Turcotte and Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz were killed when Marc Lépine entered the École polytechnique and shot 28 people, killing 14 and injuring a further 14. He finished by shooting himself.

"We want women leaders today as never before. Leaders who are
not afraid to be called names and who are willing to go out and fight.
I think women can save civilization. Women are persons."

- Emily Murphy - 1931

Homelessness Partnership Initiatives deadline is impossible to meet, say MPs

OTTAWA – Two NDP MPs are demanding fairness for homelessness groups applying for federal funding from the Homelessness Partnership Initiatives program.

NDP Housing critic Bill Siksay (Burnaby Douglas) and MP Irene Mathyssen (London-Fanshawe) wrote to Minister of Human Resources Monte Solberg today; the letter reads in part;

“Yesterday, some of our offices received an information package on the “Call for Proposals:
Homelessness Partnership Initiatives for Outreach Communities.” The deadline for proposals is July 31, 2008.”

Mathyssen and Siksay suggest this leaves less than two days for MP’s to notify organizations in their communities.

“This is clearly impossible,” said Mathyssen.

New Democrats urged the Minister to extend the deadline for this program application until September 29th, providing adequate time for broader notification, allowing MPs to consult with homelessness organizations in their communities and assist any that wish to submit a proposal.

The NDP also challenged the Minister to make funding homelessness initiatives a priority.

“We urge you to take the next step, show real leadership, and make a commitment to organizations that funding will be available beyond March 2009,” wrote the two MPs.

The letter is attached.

Mrs. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the message from the official consultations on matrimonial real property was very clear. As the Native Women's Association stated:

There is nothing in the legislation that addresses the systemic issues of violence many women face that lead to the dissolution of marriages nor is there any money available for implementation. In the end, we end up with a more worthless piece of paper.

In June 2006, the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women heard from Bev Jacobs from the Native Women's Association.
She stated: ...legislative and non-legislative policies are required to alleviate the underlying issues of poverty and violence against women and children.

The government fails to see the real solutions. It refuses to sign on to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, even though this House endorsed the declaration and demanded the Government of Canada sign on.

Mrs. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP):

Mr. Speaker, today only one in three unemployed women collects employment insurance benefits. This number is down from 70% of unemployed women who collected in 1990.

Changes to employment insurance in the early 1990s under the Mulroney government reduced EI access for part time, seasonal and low income workers. Women, who account for about seven in ten of all part time employees, were therefore disproportionately and most negatively affected by these changes.

In 1997 the then Liberal government introduced more changes to the EI system. Eligibility for EI used to depend on the number of weeks worked. When the Liberal government converted EI eligibility to depend on total hours worked, it made changes that were grossly unfair to many workers.