Women Vote Campaign
		Women have a lot at stake in the upcoming Ontario election. Women know what matters in this election year. Education and child care matter Health care matters Ending violence against women matters Pay equity and employment equity matters Making decent wages and having safe affordable housing matters.
	WOMEN VOTE 2003 This election year women have the voting power to set the future political direction of Ontario. Why We Need This Campaign: Women’s Vote ’03 To put women’s issues and concerns front and center on the political agenda To ensure women are committed to registering their vote. To draw more women into the election process As a tool for women to use to address women’s issues in the election campaign Election Issues Sheets Income Security Health Care Ending Violence Against Women Employment Equity and Pay Equity Education Safe and Affordable Housing Child Care Pledge of Support How YOU Can Help to Get Out the Vote   Download the Women Vote 2003 Ontario Kit from the Ontario Federation of Labour follow this link (PDF - requires Acrobat Reader) The following links point to PDF files on the OFL website. Complete Women Vote '03 Kit Women's Canvass Kit Child Care Education Employment Equity and Pay Equity Ending Violence Against Women Face to Face Communications Workplace Canvassing Health Care Income Security On-the-Job Canvass Pledge of Support Safe and Affordable Housing Contact Silvia Stewart for more info. The Women Vote '03 OFL issues sheets have been reproduced below in HTML courtesy of DAWN Ontario for the benefit of women using screen readers and/or older equipment that cannot access PDF files. DAWN Ontario is proud to support our union sisters by lending our technology skills to support the campaign. We applaud the leadership of the OFL in developing this amazing kit to help organize and mobilize Women across the Ontario to help get out the Women Vote in the upcoming Ontario election. INCOME SECURITY Income Security is a Major Issue for Women After eight years of Harris-Eves Tory government, characterized by tax cuts and deficit reduction at great cost to health care, education, welfare and other social services, there has been a discernible decline in Ontario’s quality of life, especially for low income earners. A minimum wage income does little more than ensure a life of poverty. Women comprise 61 percent of Ontario’s minimum wage earners, 31 percent of all women earn poverty wages (less than $10.00/hour) and 38 percent of women of colour are among the working poor living beneath the poverty line. Income security is a major issue for women. It is no longer enough to have a job and work hard. In 2003, the typical food bank user is 41 years old, university educated, with a 10-year work history. The Harris-Eves Tories only response has been to increase the work week from 40 to 60 hours. Now, working mothers must work longer days just to make ends meet, leaving them with less time for their children and higher child care costs. Women should not be forced to choose between paying the rent or feeding their children. While the Harris-Eves Tories have demonstrated great concern for their own income, intending to increase MPP’s salaries by 36.6 percent following the next election, the income security of people on social assistance has clearly not registered as a priority. The Tories slashed welfare by 21.6 percent seven years ago. With an inflation rate of 15 percent, the cut today is worth 35.6 percent. Shame! Since 1995 the Tories Have Frozen the minimum wages at 1995 levels Introduced the 60-hour work week Cut welfare payments by 21.6 percent Denied welfare recipients, mostly single mothers, access to both post-secondary education and welfare As a result of all the cuts to programs and services, thousands of people are now using food banks in ever-increasing numbers. In Toronto alone 140,000 people use the Daily Food Bank every month. What a sad statistic for such a wealthy province as Ontario. Created policies that contributed to the circumstances surrounding the death of Kimberly Rogers Publicly ignored the Kimberly Rogers Coroner’s Inquest recommendations calling for an end to the elimination of zero tolerance lifetime ineligibility for social assistance What Women Need Women need a range of quality programs so they can get the education and training they need to secure a good job with decent wages, benefits and working conditions. Women can gain economic freedom and earn a living wage if these programs, like affordable child care, are accessible. Ask Your Local Candidate Do you believe that a living wage is a basic human right and would you substantially increase the minimum wage? Are you in favour of repealing legislation that has increased the work week from 40 to 60 hours? If elected, are you prepared to implement the recommendations from the Kimberly Rogers Coroner’s Inquest? Source: Ontario Federation of Labour http://www.ofl-fto.on.ca/campaigns/INCOMESECURITY.pdf (PDF - requires Acrobat Reader) DAWN Ontario note: Many disabled women are on Ontario Works, not ODSP because they have been denied access to ODSP. Read Denial by Design at http://dawn.thot.net/denial_by_design.html Ontario Works (OW) should be raised to the level of ODSP, and social assistance should be indexed. It should also bring people up to the Market Basket Measure of low income cut-off. While the provincial government bears much of the responsibility for the attacks on social assistance, the federal government is even more to blame. They first gutted and then eliminated the Canada Assistance Plan. New funding arrangements are needed by which the federal gov't will ensure that the items listed above are made possible. CAP money was 50-50. The new program should be at least that rich. HEALTH CARE What has happened to Health Care for Women? Women are the majority of health care receivers and health care providers in Ontario. Approximately 80% of paid health care workers are women. Women provide most of the unpaid health care in the home. During the past decade the provincial government introduced major changes to the health care system. These health care reforms have a significant impact on women as patients, health care providers and family caregivers. Health care reforms affect women’s health, work and financial well-being. Since 1995 the Tories Have Restricted pap smears, breast examinations and osteoporosis bone density scans Laid off 26,000 hospital workers since 1995, including nurses Destroyed the job security of women working in home care by privatizing the bidding for care Cut off thousands of frail elderly women from home support services in 2002 Closed over 5,000 chronic care beds moving patients to longterm care which is unaffordable for many women In 1999 closed the only hospital dedicated to women’s health De-listed $100 million of OHIP services so that Ontarians now pay more out-of-pocket medical expenses than any other Canadians What Women Need Women need health care that is Universal, Accessible, Comprehensive. Ask Your Local Candidate Do you believe women’s health issues are a priority? How will you ensure that women’s health issues remain a priority? If elected would you commit to increased funding for pap smears, mammograms and bone density scans? Source: Ontario Federation of Labour http://www.ofl-fto.on.ca/campaigns/HEALTHCARE.pdf (PDF - requires Acrobat Reader)   DAWN Ontario note: Visit the Poverty is Hazardous to Women's Health page on the DAWN Ontario site at http://dawn.thot.net/poverty.html ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN After eight years of Tory government in Ontario, violence against women is still a major problem. This issue is a very important one. It has a serious impact on health, justice and social service systems and a serious impact on our children, both today and in their future lives. Women’s safety and freedom depend on a comprehensive approach that addresses the root problem of women’s social, economic and political inequality. Women and children have a fundamental human right to live free from violence. This is the law in Canada and in Ontario. Immediate intervention and prevention strategies must be government priorities. The Harris-Eves government declares that it will reinstate $20 million dollars to the system, but what is never mentioned is the $100 million cut from the system over the past eight years. Since 1995 the Tories Have Cut violence against women services across the board Cut funding to emergency women’s shelters on the first day of wife assault prevention month in 1995 and eliminated all funding for second stage housing programs Cut funding to crisis intervention phone lines Cut family counselling programs aimed at tackling family violence through early intervention and prevention, all while shelters are witnessing a dramatic increase in demand Ignored the recommendations from various inquests on violence and harassment perpetrated against women What Women Need Legislative reform that reflects the reality of violence against women Government commitment to public advocacy, including financial support and recognition of women’s and equality-seeking groups as essential to the development of policy, practice and programs to end violence against women Ask Your Local Candidate Would your government implement the jury’s recommendations of the Hadley Inquest? Are you in favour of reinstating funding for anti-violence programs? If elected, are you prepared to implement legislation that will protect women and children? Source: Ontario Federation of Labour http://www.ofl-fto.on.ca/campaigns/ENDINGVIOLENCE.pdf (PDF - requires Acrobat Reader) DAWN Ontario note: Visit the Violence Against Women with DisAbilities page on the DAWN Ontario website at http://dawn.thot.net/violence_wwd.html EMPLOYMENT EQUITY AND PAY EQUITY There is plenty of evidence that many people in Ontario continue to experience discrimination, especially in employment. Studies have shown that women of colour, aboriginal women, lesbians and disabled women continue to experience discrimination in hiring and in the workplace. Yet, repealing legislation that would have addressed these workplace discriminations was one of the first actions of the Harris-Eves Tory government. According to the Supreme Court of Canada, pay equity is a basic human right, designed to address wage discrimination for women. In Ontario today many employers continue to pay discriminatory wages. Women are still paid considerably less than men even though their education, skills and training are comparable, and workers of colour are paid less than white workers according to a recent City of Toronto study. The Harris-Eves Tory government has made every attempt to weaken and undermine pay equity legislation in Ontario and removed their responsibility to uphold the legislation by withdrawing funding. Women in Ontario say the government is shirking its responsibilities and want pay equity fully funded. Women know who is responsible and their votes cannot be ignored so easily. Since 1995 the Tories Have Campaigned on false requirements of the Employment Equity Act Repealed the Employment Equity Act Eroded the effectiveness of the Human Rights Commission by slashing funding Eliminated funding for anti-racism and employment equity advocacy organizations Imposed a cap on pay equity funding in 1995 Eliminated funding for Pay Equity Advocacy and Legal Clinics Cut funding for the Pay Equity Commission Repealed the proxy section of the Pay Equity Act, taking away pay equity rights from 100,000 of the lowest paid women in Ontario After a successful Charter Challenge which restored proxy pay equity, responded in 1999 by stopping the funding Stated that they have no responsibility to further fund proxy pay equity in Ontario, even though $230 million in pay equity adjustments is still owing to working women in Ontario What Women Need Women need a government that will implement and support strong human rights legislation which will address discriminatory hiring practices, workplaces and wages for all women. Women need a government to provide the funding necessary to fully enforce human rights legislation and pay equity adjustments owed to approximately 100,000 women. Ask Your Local Candidate Is fully-funded and strong human rights legislation for women in Ontario a priority? Will your party restore proxy pay equity funding owed to over 100,000 women? If elected, would you expand pay equity legislation to address race-based wage discrimination? Source: Ontario Federation of Labour http://www.ofl-fto.on.ca/campaigns/EMPEQUITY.pdf (PDF - requires Acrobat Reader) DAWN Ontario note: The unemployment rate for women with disabilities is 74% EDUCATION Public education, including both our public and separate school boards, is a cornerstone of democracy. Mothers understand that their child’s potential is best realized in an educational environment that is enriched with opportunities and resources. Schools that reflect and celebrate society’s diversities are best equipped to meet students’ needs. Programs and services must be of a high quality to prepare our youth for the challenges of adult life, including active participation in our democratic system, the world of work, higher education and lifelong learning. As the primary caregivers, women understand first hand the impacts the cuts in education have on their children. Our schools today offer fewer services to all students. This has especially hurt students with special needs and those from lower income families. The Harris-Eves Tories believe, that months before an election, they can put a little money into our schools and all the problems they created will be fixed. It is not that simple. Women’s votes can not be bought so easily. Since 1995 the Tories Have Cut kindergarten to Grade 12 education funding by 2.3 billion dollars Eroded or eliminated local democracy Closed schools and increased class sizes Reduced the number of school principals so that not every school has a principal Put thousands of children in need of special education on long waiting lists Reduced support services including resources and staff Forced schools to rely on fundraising to buy necessities Cut school maintenance budgets causing schools to crumble Provided tax cuts for private schools Eliminated adult education Increased post-secondary student tuition between 20-500 percent Eliminated $400 million in funding from post secondary education (PSE) Granted status to private, for profit post secondary institutions Ensured that Ontario is second to last in Canada in PSE funding Guaranteed an average student debt load of $25,000 upon graduation from post-secondary schools Neglected to provide adequate PSE funding for the double cohort leaving colleges and universities without the space for thousands of deserving students Eliminated funding for non-profit childcare spaces in schools What Women Need Women need an educational system that is adequately funded, accessible and dedicated to the needs of the students. Education is not an expense - it is an investment. Ask Your Local Candidate Is a fully-funded and well-rounded public education system a priority? Will your party restore the billions cut from our school system since 1995 and ensure that adequate funds and resources are available for our children’s education? If elected, how will you ensure that all the needs of our children are met? Source: Ontario Federation of Labour http://www.ofl-fto.on.ca/campaigns/EDUCATION.pdf (PDF - requires Acrobat Reader) SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING There is a serious province-wide housing crisis in Ontario. Who is most often the face of this crisis? It is women, single mothers and their children, the elderly, aboriginal women, women of colour, disabled women, new immigrants and youth. Affordability, supply and discrimination are at the root of this crisis for women. Women cannot afford safe and affordable housing at its current prices. Long waiting lists for affordable housing leave women and their children in temporary shelters for months, even years, and discriminatory landlords abuse their eviction powers in order to get higher rents. We live in one of the wealthiest places in the world, but while the Harris-Eves government doles out tax cuts to the wealthy and corporations, they also cut social assistance by 21.6 percent and removed rent controls making it almost impossible to afford to rent adequate housing. Since they removed rent controls in 1998, rents in Toronto have gone up more than double the rate of inflation, but social assistance and the minimum wage have been frozen since 1995. Currently, the Harris-Eves government spends “0” on new housing supply. Relying on the private sector and the promise of 15,000 new units annually never materialized and most of the 2,000 new units being built by the private sector are not affordable. The Harris-Eves Tory government has created this housing crisis in Ontario by their lack of political will and commitment to funding. Since 1995 the Harris-Eves Tories Have Cut social assistance by 21.6 percent and frozen the minimum wage at the 1995 level Downloaded the cost of provincial social housing programs on to municipalities Cancelled new housing supply programs in 1995 Spent “0” dollars on future new housing supplies Removed rent control Weakened the tenant protection laws What Women Need Women need a long-term solution to this province’s housing crisis, which should include the funding of 18,400 safe and affordable new units annually with a full range of housing options, funding conditional on non-discriminatory rental practices, effective rent control and tenant protection, aboriginal housing units under aboriginal control and housing for northern communities. Ask Your Local Candidate Is having safe and affordable housing for women and children a priority for you? Will you and your party work on a long-term strategy to address the housing crisis and commit to the funding of new housing supplies in Ontario? If elected, would you bring back rent controls and stronger protections for renters? Source: Ontario Federation of Labour http://www.ofl-fto.on.ca/campaigns/SAFEAFFORDABLE.pdf (PDF - requires Acrobat Reader) CHILD CARE A recent report on the study commissioned by the Harris-Eves government in 1999 entitled, The Early Years Study by Dr. Fraser Mustard and the Honourable Margaret N. McCain, slams the government for failing to adequately respond to their recommendations. Three years later the report’s recommendations have not been acted upon, in particular, the call for universal early childhood education programs. The Harris-Eves government is philosophically opposed to government-sponsored child care. Ontario remains far behind other western countries and the province of Quebec in providing an adequate early childhood and education system (ECEC). The fact is, the Ontario government has failed to live up to its stated commitments to children. Since 1995 the Harris-Eves Tories Have Decreased child care spending. They are misleading the public on what they are actually spending; in reality, they are spending $100 million less than was spent in 1995-96 In 1996 released recommendations to reduce staff ratios, dilute staff qualifications, divert subsidies to unregulated programs and reduced licensing enforcement for child care centres Imposed new playground standards requiring centers to install new playgrounds at their own expense Threatened to cut an additional $200 million from the child care budget In 2000, Ottawa agreed to transfer $2.2 billion over five years to the provinces for early-childhood development, including prenatal care, parental services and daycare but the Harris-Eves government chose to divert the money elsewhere In addition, the Harris-Eves government has not invested additional Ontario money into child care Eliminated funding for child care spaces in new public schools and child care spaces have been lost through school amalgamations and closures What Women Need Women need child care that is regulated, high quality, universal, accessible and non-profit. Women need a seamless, coordinated and inclusive service which meets a diversity of needs regardless of income, job status, geography and culture. Ask Your Local Candidate Are you in favour of the Quebec model ($5 a day) of funding for childcare? Will you and your party support a publicly funded, regulated childcare system that is seamless, coordinated and inclusive for all women? Will your party recognize early childhood education and care as a core public service and regard it with the same status as health care and education? Source: Ontario Federation of Labour http://www.ofl-fto.on.ca/campaigns/CHILDCARE.pdf (PDF - requires Acrobat Reader) PLEDGE OF SUPPORT Women know that pre-election promises won’t make up for eight years of chronic under-funding to the programs and services they need. Women know that health care matters, pay equity and employment equity matter, income security and safe, affordable housing matter. In the 2003 election women have the voting power to set the future political direction of the province. WOMEN WILL GET THE VOTE OUT - THE DECIDING VOTE Election Campaign I pledge my support to the Women’s Vote ’03 campaign by volunteering for at least two hours a week during the 28-day election period in support of women’s issues. I Will share canvass information with my friends, family, co-workers and neighbours attend ‘all-candidates’ meetings and question the candidates on their party’s record on women participate in workplace leafleting participate in community leafleting - grocery stores, shopping malls, day care centres do door-to-door canvassing do mailings assist in my candidate’s campaign office make phone calls do door-to-door mailbox information distribution display my Women’s Vote ’03 poster at home and post others in my workplace, community centre, child care centre. Name _____________________________________________ Union _____________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________ Contact Number _____________________________________________ Riding _____________________________________________ E-mail address _____________________________________________ Source: Ontario Federation of Labour http://www.ofl-fto.on.ca/campaigns/PLEDGE.pdf (PDF - requires Acrobat Reader) How You Can Help to Get Out the Vote: (this is not part of OFL kit) Encourage your family, friends, neighbours, co-workers to ensure they are registered to vote and that they are aware where their polling station is located Attend all-candidates meetings and bring with you, prepared question(s) on the issues of most concern to you; support and empower others to do the same. Remember to strategically position yourself to quickly get to in line at microphones at the appropriate time. Volunteer whatever time you can to your candidate during the 28 days after the election is called. Start a small support network in your communities of a couple of volunteers to assist and support other women in your neighbourhood facing barriers that have traditionally prevented them from voting: provide an hour of childcare to support women with small children to allow them to get out to vote provide transportation to women who could not otherwise make it to the polling station connect with, and listen to marginalized women in your community ... share copies of the issues sheets with women and let us know what other issues are raised in your communities!
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