Questions, Statements, and Debate

Ms. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP):
Mr. Speaker, the government is ignoring the barriers that women face when it comes to employment insurance.

On April 23, 2009, CBC National News interviews more mothers who have been fired without severance pay and who are told they are not eligible to collect Canadian employment insurance. Federal MP and NDP Status of Women Critic Irene Mathyssen challenged the Conservative Government in the House of Commons to change the rules to protect parents returning to work following parental leaves.

Ms. Irene Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP): Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with my colleague from Nanaimo—Cowichan.

In these tough economic times, it is crucial that consumers are protected from companies whose priorities lie with shareholders and in making as much profit as possible as opposed to the public interest.

The motion before us today, and I am very proud that New Democrats have sponsored it, is in the public interest. New Democrats are calling for immediate action to protect consumers from credit card interest rates and fees that are increasing by leaps and bounds. We want to put an end to unfair penalties and gouging.

Usury has been illegal for centuries, but consumers are at the mercy of credit card companies and have been at this “untender” mercy for far too long. The latest increases in credit card rates and fees, combined with the economic recession, has resulted in families being unable to pay their mortgages, businesses shutting down and unbearable debt loads.

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

I would like to take this opportunity to encourage my Liberal colleagues to stop and think about what they are about to do if they vote in favour of Bill C-10 this evening. They are handing out a death sentence to pay equity in the country.

Women have fought long and hard for the right to equal pay for work of equal value. By standing in the House and voting in favour of Bill C-10, the Liberals are undermining the aspirations of women for equal pay for work of equal value, throwing away their human rights, disrespecting the contribution women make to our communities and our economy. It is a slap in the face to all women in Canada.

Yesterday afternoon, the Leader of the Opposition told reporters, just outside the chamber, that he was willing to “swallow” the loss of pay equity. This is profoundly disrespectful and unapologetic to a breathtaking degree. Violations of human rights are not something we as Canadians should be willing to just “swallow”.

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

Mr. Speaker, since last year alone, London has seen a 47% spike in employment insurance claims. To make matters worse, Electro-Motive Diesel just announced 600 more layoffs. Workers are counting on EI, but instead they get insults from an out-of-touch minister.*

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

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative budget mentions women zero times, not one word about women even though they are most likely to be the ones who will suffer most from the recession: no pay equity, no change to employment insurance eligibility. The government is leaving women out in the cold.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak today about three conscientious objectors, war resisters, who live in London, Ontario, and tell very briefly one story about Josh Randall who enlisted in 2006.

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.

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

Mr. Speaker, one of the most disturbing outcomes of the discrimination and marginalization that aboriginal women in Canada suffer is the extreme violence they face. In recent weeks, the remains of two young aboriginal women, Amber Redman and Tashina General, have been found.

Along the Highway of Tears and in Vancouver's east side, over 80 women are missing or have been found murdered. The Native Women's Association of Canada estimates that well over 500 aboriginal women have disappeared or have been killed.

Why will Indian affairs not grant the money needed to stop the violence against aboriginal women?