Clinton News-Record, 1985-5-1, Page 2Paget—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 1,1985
Nws and featurQs
HuronMidd!eSeX politicians tackle women's issues
By Shelley McPhee
CLINTON - Day care, employment equali-
ty, women and education, agriculture and
affirmative action were among the issaes of
debate at an all -candidate meeting held
here on April 25.
Huron -Middlesex candidate , beral in-
cumbent Jack Riddell, P didate Bryan
Smith and NDP candidate Paul Klopp,
tackled the issues at a meeting sponsored by
Women Today and the Huron Women
Teachers' Association.
Attended by over 75 men and women, the
meeting was the first of its kind ever to be
h11.d in the area. The candidates showed
their political awareness in some areas con-
cerning women's issues and at other times
learned new facts and figures pertaining to
the vital issues facing women.
A panel, including. Pat Brown of Women
Today; Mary Ellen Walsh of the Federation
of Teachers; Nancy McLeod of Women To-
day; Debbie Selkirk of the Huron Chapter of
Registered Nurses Association and Mary
Van Bommel of Women in Agriculture
presented a series of prepared questions to
the candidates.
Women and Health
Care Delivery
Debbie Selkirk of Goderich asked the can-
didates "to re -allocate health care dollars to
m.,ke home and community based pro-
gram,' an integral part of the health care
system."
She asked forj government support for a
health care policy, with input from profes-
sional care givers and consumers. She ques-
tioned, "Will you press for government's
establishment of a consultative process
which receives input from all parts of On-
tario Society?"
Mr. Riddell noted, "The simple answer is
yes," stressing that expanded home care
services will alleviate hospital burdens.
He said his government is prepared to
give more funding to home care programs
and hospitals. He said it was a "crime" that
hospitals are faced with tight budgeting,
noting, "Surely hospitals shouldn't be ex-
pected to take less than inflation."
Klopp said that 0111P should fund
midwives and midwifery l,rograms should
be developed to save money in hospitals and
provide a service for women who are able to
have babies at home. He emphasized a need
for expanded preventative health measures
and prenatal programs and services dealing
with needs in individual areas.
Mr. Smith said he was concern' '1 with
small hospitals and noted that he suppoi to '
input from all aspects of health care.
Child care programs
The candidates supported the concerns
for affordable, quality, accessible child care
in Huron County. Women Today have deter-
mined a "desperate need" for additional
services in the county. Concern also sur-
rounds proposed subsidy funding to
municipal day care services, such as the
Tuckersmith Day Nursery.
The candidates were asked what they
would do to prevent the possible closing of
the Tuckersmith Nursery, and what they
would do to ensure that other Huron -
Middlesex municipalities are given quality
day care facilities.
Mr. Smith said that the Conservative
government is committed to a 30 per cent in -
Huron Middlesex political candidates presented their views on women's issues at an all -
candidates meeting held in Clinton last week. Questioners included, (left to right) Mary
Ann Hommel, Debbie Selkirk, Nancy McLeod, Mary Ellen Walsh and Pat Brown.
(Shelley McPhee photo
crease in day care funding. He noted,
-Tuckersmith, you can be assured you
won't lose subsidized day care space."
Many parents face "two antagonizing
alternatives," Mr. Riddell said - either to
stay at home and look after their children,
or use unaffordable day care centres. He
said the Liberals would ensure a mixture of
private and public child care programs and
would provide funding to establish new pro-
grams, creating 10,000 new ppild care
spaces.
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Equality1.571,57,
inA ca
in Agriculture
Mary Van Bommel of Dashwood pointed
out that provincial farm assistance pro-
grams lack equality of eligibility for
women. Two such programs are the provin-
cially administered Income StabilizationPrograms and the Beginning Farmer
Assistance Program (BFAP) .
She noted that while single women,
mothers, common-law wives or sisters may
be eligible under farm partnerships for
assistance, "married women are expected
to go to great length to prove their eligibility
or simply do not qualify under existing
legislation. Since no precedence has been
set to the contrary, this practice of
discrimination against married farm
women may well continue into the future."
Mr. Smith said the problem is "not only a
woman's issue." He said the situation is be-
ing reviewed and "if possible the re-
quirements will be refined. You can be
assured we'll be looking into that."
Mr. Riddell said that the Conservative
government "has not been prepared to
deviate" from the program requirements.
"I believe a wife should be able to apply
and receive these programs. It has to be
thoroughly reviewed. One can see some
abuse taking place."
He said that full consultation is needed
with women, farm groups, "all
knowledgeable people will need to iron this
out."
Mr. Klopp said that BFAP "makes a
mockery of anyone in farming with a good
education."
He said that needs of farmers are not be-
ing met, "Stabilization programs need to
have teeth to give farmers a decent income,
then in the long run you'll get equality."
Affirmative Action
In December 1984, Mary Ellen Walsh
reported, the ministry of education an-
nounced a program in support of affir-
mative action• for female employees. This
was airned at raising the level of occupa-
tional opportunities for women. She asked
the candidates if they planned to encourage
affirmative action in the private and public
sectors.
Mr. Klopp said he supported mandatory
affirmative action groups, equal pay laws
and initiating complaints against employers
with protection provided against employer
reprisals. He called for public justification
for plant closures and reduction in man-
datory overtime hours to provide rnore
employment for more people.
Mr. Smith said that the "real obstacle is
concentration of women in low paying
jobs." He stressed the need to encourage
women to enter jobs with greater opportuni-
ty and to provide training opportunities for
women.
The PC candidate noted that in 1961, 25 per
cent of university students were women. By
1981 that figure had risen to one-half.
• "These women are rising to the top of
their fields and wates will increase. The pro-
cess won't happen overnight," he noted.
Mr. Riddell called, for more women in the
provincial legislature "to make their voices
heard." He said the Liberal government is
committed to retraining programs for
women in non-traditional careers.
Funding women's organizations
Candidates were asked if their parties
were committed to funding women's
organizations "that are doing substantial
work to raise the status of Ontario women
through projects, programs and activities
aimed at social and economic. equality."
Mr. Klapp said the government is shifting
the responsibility back. on the
municipalities. "They try to cut back so
Turn to page 3 • .
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