Statement from GPO Women's Critic on Ontario Midwives

December 18, 2018

TORONTO — The Green Party of Ontario's Shadow Critic for Women's issued the following statement about cuts to Ontario midwives:

Midwifery is, for reasons of practicality and custom, an almost exclusively female employment sector. In attacking this service, the Ontario government is severely and viciously undercutting services to, for, and by women only. Instead of making positive changes, such as increasing the availability of midwife services, ensuring equal pay for work of equal value for midwives, reducing over-use of MDs and OB-GYNs for pregnancies, this government is inexplicably making it all more difficult and expensive.

I also find it so very upsetting to observe seemingly intelligent, well-educated women in government making the lives of other women – their constituents – so much more difficult. I expect much better from Deputy Premier and Health Minister, Christine Elliot, and others in the cabinet. I expect some empathy and support for women in childbearing years, as well as those women who are serving them.”

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