Irene's Critic Roles

OTTAWA – Today, NDP Critic for the Status of Women Irene Mathyssen demanded Bev Oda resign as the Minister responsible for the Status of Women. The changes Oda has made to the funding mandate for the department will severely limit the ability of organizations promoting equal rights for women. These restrictions are unacceptable. They prove that Oda is not committed to promoting the interests of Canadian women.

“The Minister refuses to face the fact that women have not yet achieved equality in Canada,” said Mathyssen. “Study after study and report after report have all come to this conclusion, but the Minister refuses to acknowledge the importance of the work that women’s advocacy groups do.”

“Instead, she shuts down organizations or cripples them by cutting their funding. She does not represent women in this country. She must step down,” insisted Mathyssen.

Tuesday, Oda released the new federal guidelines for funding to women’s programs. These guidelines will eliminate federal funding for research programs and cut all advocacy and lobbying activities on behalf of women.

“This is an outrage!” said Mathyssen. “These absurdly restrictive guidelines will mean the end of essential research relating to women in Canada. Long-term and national initiatives will no longer be eligible for the crucial funding they rely on.”

The Minister’s dedication to the Status of Women file is shaky at best. The new mandate was released Tuesday; a week after the last mandate expired.

“This is a clear attack on women’s rights in this country. The Conservatives are trying to silence Canadian women.” said Mathyssen. “We are moving backwards. Instead of promoting women’s equality in Canada, the Conservative government is abandoning its obligation to 52% of the population.”

Mrs. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP): Thank you, Madam Chair.

Minister, you’re on record as stating that you believe women in Canada have achieved equality rights.

The groups that have come to this committee, deputations have indicated that we have senior women who still live in poverty. One in five Canadian women live in poverty. Women who seek shelters are turned away due to lack of space. In Ontario, already this year, 12 women have died at the hands of a spouse. Four women in my community have died in the last two years.

Are you telling this committee, and Canadian women, that there is gender equality?

Hon. Bev Oda: What I am saying is that women in Canada…if we don’t believe that women in Canada have equal rights, we have equal rights. What we don’t have is equal opportunity and equal chance. What we don’t have is an equal–I guess, well, I still have to go back to it–opportunity to fully participate.

What we’re saying and we totally agree with you, there is poverty. There’s a disproportionate amount of poverty when you look at the statistics for senior women. But that’s what we want to address is more than just identifying the program.

I hope that some of my colleague sitting around this table who have been leaders in their own professions, in their own lives, will come to that table and bring real solutions, bring real initiatives as to how to we can change whatever program the government has on equal rights.

Violence, we are going to do something about violence–

Mrs. Irene Mathyssen: I’m glad that you are, Madam Minister and I do have other questions.

I’d like to ask you, for example, have you read reports like the UN report of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, January 2003, the UN Economic and Social Council report from May 2006, the Expert Panel on Accountability Mechanisms for Gender Equality, 2005? How about the Pay Equity Task Force final report 2004, Stats Canada, Women in Canada, 2005, and finally, minister, your briefing book. Have you read these documents, minister?

Hon. Bev Oda: Yes, I have.

Mrs. Irene Mathyssen: Well, thank you. If you’ve read these documents, I’d like to know how you can cut funding and change the funding mandate for Status of Women Canada? Because these reports clearly state, they outline that more funding is needed, more programming is needed to promote women’s rights and the funding for advocacy.

Your new funding mandate clearly does not reflect the important role that women’s groups play in Canadian democracy. These changes that you’ve made will make it impossible to sustain the women’s movement in Canada. Your government is not listening to women’s groups. It is not living up to Canada’s international obligations and women across this country agree.

How can your government justify the restrictive funding mandate for women’s programs and the funding cuts to Status of Women Canada and other important equality initiatives like the Court Challenges?

Your mandate as Minister for the Status of Women Canada is to promote women’s equality. That role is clearly being ignored. Equality is not being promoted here and you are letting down Canadian women.

You’re not fulfilling your mandate and, minister, I have to say that I think it’s important that I demand your resignation from the Status of Women portfolio until, and unless, you’re prepared to do your job. We need someone else in that role.

The Chair: Minister Oda.

Hon. Bev Oda: Well, let me just respond very quickly. I have read the reports and in fact that is why I’ve made the decisions and the government agrees with the decisions that we’ve made.

We have those reports and I’ve actually taken the report and all the reports that reference aboriginal women and that’s why I’ve been able to sit down with the minister responsible for aboriginal affairs and get him to move in concert with all of my colleagues on increased funding for aboriginal housing, for a better plan for the education of aboriginal children and youth, on establishing a process to address the matrimonial property rights.

That is why this government is moving ahead, because we know that by not recognizing foreign credentials, women are equally as affected by not recognizing their credentials. The number of qualified, experienced, educated women who come to this country–there was a page last year I met and her mother has two master’s degrees from a foreign university and now she’s cleaning office buildings–that is why we’re acting.

We’ve read those reports and that’s why it’s so important now, after all of those reports, after millions of dollars, we’re saying use those dollars now to effect real change and make a real difference.

Mrs. Irene Mathyssen: Minister, if you’ve read the reports, I assume that you’ve read this report and it says very clearly that women earn 71¢ for every dollar earned by a man. Why aren’t you prepared to accept the findings here? Why haven’t you come forward with new pay equity legislation? You say we have this legislation, the status quo, that is acceptable. Well, it is not acceptable.

It’s your job to advocate for women. If you’re not prepared to do that, then would you step aside for someone who will?

Hon. Bev Oda: I will not step aside because I believe that I have been effective. In eight short months, this government, together as a government, has done more in real actions to help women in Canada than the previous government. I will suggest to you–

Mrs. Irene Mathyssen: Minister, you say that, but where are the results? Where is the pay equity legislation?

Hon. Bev Oda: I will suggest to you, if you will allow me to answer, please.

The Chair: Order, please.

Hon. Bev Oda: I think the thing is that we’ve had Minister Finley talking about changes to seniors’ pension plans, which will affect women. We also know that the reports have asked regarding pay equity. First of all, we want to ensure that what we have on the books regarding pay equity is being enforced and being recognized, and that is what Minister Blackburn is proposing: it’s to say, don’t let those who come under the legislation ignore it. That’s what we’re saying, get in there and make people recognize the responsibility to women.

We’ve not ignored the reports, but in eight months we have taken many, many acts that will benefit all Canadians, and Canadian women are not excluded when we reduce the benefit, because Canadian women care about the next generation. That reduction of having to spend $650 million annually on just paying interest on our national debt is going to help. It’s not “Canadians, without women”; it’s “Canadians as taxpayers, equally”.

The Chair: Thanks very much, Minister Oda.

Dear Honourable Diane Finley:

Re: URGENT - Funding Delay for SCPI Program in London

It came to my attention that of the ten agencies in London awaiting SCPI funding, only one, My Sister’s Place has received money.

The other nine agencies remain in a desperate situation. They are as follows:

1. SOLE Project - $60,000
2. London Housing Registry - $56,700
3. Aids Committee of London - $75,000
4. At^Losha Native Family Healing Services Inc. - $75,000
5. Street Connection - $40,000
6. London Community Resource Centre - $30,000
7. Youth Opportunities Unlimited - Youth Action Centre - $60,000
8. Nokeekwe-N’Amerind - $130,000
9. London Homeless Coalition - $75,000

SOLE will close its doors on Friday, October 6, 2006 and the Aids Committee of London has already had to lay off an outreach worker.

It is imperative that the money be released immediately to these valuable organizations in order to prevent serious and negative repercussions among the vulnerable citizens of London.

Sincerely,

(originally signed)

Irene Mathyssen, MP
London - Fanshawe

Mrs. Irene Mathyssen (London-Fanshawe, NDP):Mr. Speaker, in my riding of London—Fanshawe there is a desperate need for affordable housing. Families are struggling to find housing for their children so that these children have a safe place to live and from which to go to school. Young mothers are struggling to find the housing they need to escape abusive relationships. Seniors whose pensions have not kept up with inflation now need to find affordable housing. None of this needs to happen. This bill would help to alleviate the housing burden placed on people in my riding and across Canada.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation plans to fund only 8,217 new affordable housing units this year. This is down from over 20,000 last year. Alarmingly, CMHC is projected to build only 1,642 affordable housing units in 2007. This significant decrease will put more Canadians at risk of homelessness.

. . . . In my riding of London—Fanshawe, the minister responsible for CMHC promised last August that all SCPI funding had been allocated. When that was found to be untrue, after intense community and media pressure, the money was quickly re-promised. We now find today that this money has still not been received by nine of the ten organizations that were guaranteed their funding was in place. These organizations include the London Homeless Coalition, the AIDS Committee of London, Street Connection, the London Housing Registry, Youth Action Centre, and two first nations organizations. The clock is ticking and one by one these organizations will be forced to scale down, lay off workers or even shut down all together.

It is very clear to me that the government is not making housing, shelters or advocacy for the poor a priority.

The agenda appears to be to give organizations their money as late as possible in the fiscal year. By doing this the government makes it impossible for these groups to spend the money before the end of the fiscal year, March 31. This allows the Conservatives to stand up and declare that funding can be cut because these groups did not use all the money they asked for. This is dirty politics and it is simply not acceptable.

Ottawa – NDP MPs Jean Crowder (Nanaimo-Cowichan) Spokesperson for Aboriginal Issues, NDP Spokesperson for Labour Libby Davies (Vancouver East), and NDP Spokesperson for Women’s Issues Irene Mathyssen (London Fanshawe), called on the government today to enact the recommendations of the Pay Equity Task Force and legislate pay equity in Canada.

“After Monday’s multi-million dollar cuts to the Status of Women, Aboriginal health programs and adult literacy programs, it is no surprise that the Conservatives have rejected a report that calls for pay equity,” said Crowder.

Despite all party support for the report at Committee in 2005, the Conservative government recently announced it will reject the recommendations from a two year federal review of pay equity in Canada, which detailed the need for proactive pay equity legislation to bring Canada in-line with its national and international obligations to human rights. (Pay Equity Task Force Final Report, 2004)

“Women have fought to bring pay equity to the forefront of the struggle for equality for women in Canada,” said Mathyssen. “After just months in power, the Conservatives have turned back the clock on this fundamental right,” she added.

“Canadian labour rights are rapidly eroding and we can’t wait any longer for fair and clear pay equity legislation,” said Davies. “For decades, women workers from across Canada have been embroiled in tribunals and court cases fighting for fair wages because the law doesn’t protect them from discrimination,” she added.

Public Service Alliance of Canada National Executive Vice President, Patty Ducharme, called the government decision outrageous. “Women have had to wait literally decades for their pay equity complaints to be resolved under the current law, with employers resisting all the way,” said Ducharme. “What’s needed is a new, proactive law now.”

Mrs. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP) : Mr. Speaker, yesterday my office received the government’s response to a report from the status of women committee that outlined the need for proactive pay equity legislation in Canada.

The government is ignoring the committee’s recommendations and is flat out stating that there will be no new pay equity legislation.The need for this legislation is clear. In May 2004, after three years of research and consultation with over 200 stakeholder groups, the Department of Justice called for the government to replace the current complaints based model with proactive legislation.

The Liberals failed to act on this report and now the Conservatives are also refusing to draft legislation.

With national women’s organizations shutting down due to stalled funding, it is becoming clear that the Conservatives want to take Canada back 25 years. Women who have full time jobs still only earn 71¢ for every dollar earned by a man. This is clearly not equality. This is an embarrassment.

OTTAWA – The future of women’s organisations across Canada is being threatened as the Conservative Government is taking too long to review Status of Women Program applications – forcing prominent women’s organisations to close their doors.

“By not responding to funding applications, the Conservatives are allowing programs to shut down, one by one.,” said NDP MP critic for the Status of Women Irene Mathyssen. “What’s next? The entire department? It looks like Bev Oda is spoiling to dismantle the Status of Women department.”

As of Sept. 12, The National Association of Women and the Law, has closed their doors due to insufficient federal funding. The Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) will shut down on Sept. 26. Organizations have put in applications for funding, but have heard nothing from the Minister responsible for Status of Women, Bev Oda.

“It is clear that this government is not interested in consulting with the experts in the field and has no intention of investigating what is really needed to promote women’s equality in Canada” said NDP President Anne McGrath.

Women’s groups have complained that the Minister has not consulted them on the program review and will meet with them only after the Status of Women Canada mandate has expired on Sept. 26 this year.

“The Conservative Government is not committed to promoting women’s equality”, said Mathyssen. “They are abandoning women in this country.”

This December marks the 25th year since Canada ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Canada has not met its obligations and in particular those regarding violence against women, poverty, Aboriginal women and social housing.

Mathyssen and McGrath’s voices were echoed by the entire NDP women’s caucus at a press conference earlier today. The NDP’s caucus has the highest representation of women, at 41 per cent.

The following is a 'Vox Pop' opinion column by Irene Mathyssen originally appearing in the London Free Press:

It is heartening that our struggle to confirm current SCPI (Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative) funding for London housing and homeless agencies, such as My Sister’s Place, has been successful. As Federal NDP critic for housing, I know how widespread this recent crisis is. But heartening though our recent success here and elsewhere in Canada has been, the fundamental issue remains – we have a critical need for a National Housing Program.

Local agencies such as My Sister’s Place are put under cruel pressure when their funding is uncertain. In addition to carrying out their central mission of providing vitally important, and difficult to deliver, assistance to the homeless, they have to fight each year for their basic funding. This means they must become lobbyists and fundraisers, appealing to governments, the media and the public at large so they can continue their challenging work. These dedicated professionals are gravely overworked, markedly underpaid, and are under constant stress and pressure. But their dedication and commitment keeps them going, working from crisis to crisis to help those who so desperately need them.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Housing programs should be separate from immediate partisan politics and platforms. Rather, they should be based on Canada’s fundamental commitment to provide decent affordable housing for all our citizens. We are one of only two developed countries that do not have a comprehensive National Housing Program. I have documents on my desk from a wide number of Canadian groups calling for a National Housing Program: women’s groups; advocates for the poor, for the mentally ill, for youth; First Nations organizations; national policy groups from all over the political spectrum; mortgage and housing organizations; building and construction organizations; unions; churches – the list goes on and on.

So, why are we lacking a comprehensive National Housing Program? When governments believe strongly enough about fundamental values and social needs, they create the necessary legislation, structures and organizations to support them. We don’t decide from year to year whether or not to support National Defense; we have a National Health Care system; we have a Charter of Rights and Freedoms – the examples are many. All these are subject to periodic national debate, to revision, development and change. But from year to year the professionals, organizations and citizens affected and governed by them are able to get on with their essential business – they are not looking over their shoulders almost daily waiting for the political axe to fall.

I am not arguing here for the NDP National Housing Program – though we do indeed have our own comprehensive version of same. I am arguing for focused consultations and debate to begin, for the legislation to be drafted, for the creation of a Canadian National Housing Program to occur. It may be as difficult a process as the enshrining of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms was – but with the will of our people and our political parties, it can be achieved.

This would mean that our groups serving the homeless in London might have a stable five year financial plan rather than living in a state of constant crisis. We would have reliable, transparent and accountable programs to promote housing and to keep our citizens off our streets. We would be able to have affordable housing so that all families, single parents, seniors and our precious children would have the stable foundation needed to build positive futures for themselves and our country.

This complicated issue can not be fully explored in a brief article. I urge all interested parties to become more fully informed. But if we are to take any lesson from our recent SCPI struggles and temporary successes, let it be that we can, and must, do better in the critical area of housing. A National Housing Program can only be created through a political process, but surely we can and must make sure that the political process protects our most vulnerable citizens rather than putting them even more at risk.

Irene Mathyssen, MP
London-Fanshawe

OTTAWA – NDP Housing Critic Irene Mathyssen applauded the victory for housing groups across Canada today as Minister for Social Development Diane Finley announced that cuts to federal funding for housing through the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI) have been reversed and the program’s $37 million rollover from 2005-06 will now be released.

“Minister Finley’s announcement comes as welcome news to housing groups across Canada, but there’s still work to be done,” said Mathyssen, who cancelled her holiday with her family to lead the political fight against the cuts. “We need to ensure the funds now promised are delivered on time and put to effective use. With only seven months left to spend the 2006-07 funds, housing groups need their support delivered as soon as possible.”

OTTAWA – As news of how widespread cuts to federal funding of housing programs in Canada becomes available, the NDP is calling on the Conservative party to restore all funding to the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI).

According to the City of Toronto’s Shelter Support and Housing Division, SCPI funding for the city will be cut by $5.8 million. The NDP has also learned of an impending $1 million cut to the City of Ottawa’s SCPI funding, and a $416,000 cut in Yellowknife - a city that has been one of the hardest hit by homelessness.

“The Conservative government must fix this shortfall by making the missing funds available immediately, “ said NDP Housing critic Irene Mathyssen. “Minister Finley must reassure Canadians that this government will take care of its most vulnerable citizens by reversing the other massive cuts to programs across Ontario as well.”

During a June 6 House of Commons committee meeting Conservative Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Diane Finley assured the NDP’s Tony Martin that funding for the program would be extended.

According to the minutes of the Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) Committee proceedings, Finley stated: “You asked about SCPI. No problem: that’s going forward. That’s all been blessed and approved. We recognize the importance of these sectors and the dependence they have on federal funds.”

However with cuts to programs across the country now becoming public, it’s clear the Conservative government has failed to live up to its promise for federal funding of the program.

The NDP is calling on the Conservatives to extend the program beyond its March 2007 end date, as well immediately unblock all funds promised to Canada’s housing coalitions.