QUEEN’S PARK — France Gélinas, NDP Health Care critic and Peggy Sattler, NDP critic for Pay Equity, issued this statement in response to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal’s ruling that the Ford government must take action and close the gender pay gap experienced by Ontario midwives:
“The Ontario NDP stands with the Association of Ontario Midwives in calling for the Doug Ford government to comply immediately with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario order to end the gender pay gap experienced by midwives.
The former Liberal government created the discriminatory compensation practices Ontario midwives have long experienced, and wasted public dollars waging a seven-year legal battle against midwives. The Liberals praised midwives for the high-quality care they provide, while simultaneously refusing to pay them a fair wage on par with medical professionals who provide care for pregnancy and birth in less female-dominated fields.
The Ford Conservatives have done nothing to end the compensation discrimination against Ontario midwives, and must take concrete action now to implement the Tribunal’s orders.”