Blog

Budget 2025 is about more than money or policy – it’s about people.  It’s about unaffordable rents, the surging cost of living, fear of job loss and income insecurity, young people locked out of the housing and labour market, people being pushed into homelessness, and millions of people worrying that they’ll be next. 

We do acknowledge the government’s intent to increase housing and access to housing through Canada’s Housing Plan, as well as the government recognizing the current stress on Canadians in the Prime Minister’s Mandate letter.

BUT along with what we hope will be a success, we also need to recognize the very essential foundation of both the economy and a resilient society is a vibrant comprehensive social infrastructure supported by the care economy.

SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE CARE ECONOMY

According to the World Economic Forum, “the care economy is at the core of growth, well-being and human development because it sustains human activity for current and future generations…. Care is what makes all other jobs possible, as it encompasses relationships, services and both paid and unpaid work that make lives possible.”

With thanks to The Care Economy Statement by members of The Care Economy:

“ … This requires a shift from thinking of care as an expenditure to understanding it as an economic driver through investment in people and good jobs. …

Care, both paid and unpaid, is a fundamental component of our basic infrastructure.

Paid care in health and education alone is a key engine of the economy, generating at least 12% of GDP and 21% of jobs…, work that requires ongoing skills development, appropriate compensation, and adequate supports.

A care economy not only includes the entire range of health and education services, (including child- and elder-care), it also includes other social infrastructure such as employment insurance, labour standards and their enforcement, immigration policies, and paid sick leave. …

Public spending on social infrastructure is as critically important as building and maintaining our physical infrastructure.”

They are two sides of the same coin.

We, in the Advancement of Women Halton (AWH), also must note the gender factor which has made this essential care economy almost invisible.

With thanks to  LEAF (Women’s Legal Education & Action Fund) Valuing the Care Economy :

“ The care economy is the sum of feminized labour performed in the care sector, including both paid and unpaid work…  

Care work is significantly undervalued in Canada. … Racialized, migrant, and/or undocumented women occupy the lowest paid and most precarious caring jobs…. lower wages stem from a devaluation of work traditionally associated with women.

Women perform the lion’s share of unpaid care work in Canada…

To address the undervaluation of care work, we need significant reforms to our social protection systems, in domains including labour standards and enforcement, … and social welfare.” 

As AWH, we challenge the assumption that expenditures on care are a cost to the public purse.  Rather, these are investments that stimulate the economy and safeguard our health in ways that allow us to maximize our human potential while generating higher public revenues.

While we are pleased to see the Sectoral Table on the Care Economy, we can only hope that its recommendations, when they come, will be followed.

As AWH, we hope to see:

• investment in universal public services to ensure equitable access to quality care for the individual throughout their lifespan
• support for paid and unpaid caregiving as stated in the National Caregiving Strategy for Canada

THE WOMEN AND GENDER EQUALITY MINISTRY

We like most women’s organizations were somewhat aghast to read about the potential 80% cut to the WAGE budget, affecting programming and grants fundamental to gender equality and safety.

Our questions and concerns:

• What will happen to the essential services provided by this ministry? Like the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence? Services to the 2SLGBTQI+ community that is now absolutely essential as their rights are being challenged even here in Canada?
• What about the funding to community groups and nonprofit social agencies throughout Canada providing  essential services that are now currently listed to expire in 2026 and 2027?
• Are these essential services and programmes supporting people to be ignored?

FINALLY

A strong economy demands that we invest in our social infrastructure inclusive of, healthcare, pharmacare, childcare, basic income, the national action plan to end gender-based violence, education and so much more.   Social infrastructure, gender equality, and the care economy, are not afterthoughts; they are the backbone of a strong economy and a just, resilient society.

Advancement of Women Halton was shocked to hear Premier Ford’s rant regarding judges in Ontario. We wholeheartedly support the words of Ontario’s 3 Chief Justices and the statement of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. 

From Ontario’s Chief Justices:

Every Canadian has the constitutional right to have their legal issues decided by a fair and impartial judiciary. Our justice system is founded on public confidence that decisions, whether popular or not, are fully heard and fairly made. It is crucial that the judiciary is both actually independent and appears to be independent so the public can be confident that judicial decisions are made without bias.

Full statement is here:

https://www.ontariocourts.ca/scj/public-statement-by-ontarios-three-chief-justices-regarding-judicial-independence/

Shakir Rahim, Director, Criminal Justice Program, Canadian Civil Liberties Association made the following statement:

Premier Ford’s comments that judicial independence is a “joke” and judges do not have legitimacy because they are unelected are deeply alarming.

Respecting the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law is necessary for a fair criminal justice system in Canada, and protects all of our rights and freedoms.

The fact is that bail in Ontario is more difficult to obtain than ever. Around 80% of the people in Ontario prisons have been denied bail and are awaiting trial.

The CCLA repeats its call for the federal government, alongside the provinces and territories, to collect comprehensive data about the bail system. Policy and law reform must be based on sound evidence, not soundbites.

Truth with Reconciliation A Healing Framework Conference, Nov. 13, 2024

Jody Harbour, Grandmothers Voice

Opening Address

We gather today not only to confront the epidemic of intimate partner violence but to face an undeniable truth: the violence and oppression we are here to address are not relics of the past.

Colonization is not history—it is an ongoing process. Active colonization, systemic racism, and forms of apartheid exist in Canada today, perpetuating the cycles of violence, inequality, and erasure faced by Indigenous people, particularly Women, Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse people. 

Before colonization, Indigenous communities thrived on systems of respect and reciprocity. Women were held as sacred—the life-givers, nurturers, and wisdom keepers of their communities. Colonization shattered these values, replacing them with systems designed to control and marginalize. Today, those systems remain in place, ensuring that Indigenous peoples are excluded, oppressed, and denied the opportunities to thrive.  This lives strong in our region today.

Let me share the story of my great grandmother, Mary Lickers. At just 17 years old, she was forced to sell her land she inherited by her father, to gain recognition and to assimilate into society, off reserve. She raised three children, grieved the loss of a fourth, and lived a life marked by resilience. Yet her death reveals the cruelty of these systems. Officially, it was said she died by suicide, but the truth is far darker: she was murdered by her husband, being a victim of intimate partner violence.

Her story is not an anomaly. It is a reflection of a society that fails to protect Indigenous women, that allows the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) to continue unchecked. It is a reflection of a society that treats Indigenous women as disposable, perpetuating the belief that their lives do not matter.

Pamela Cross, in her book “And Sometimes They Kill You”, writes: “Violence against women is about power and control. It’s about silencing voices. It’s about deciding who matters and who doesn’t.”

In Canada, we see this every day. Indigenous women are disproportionately murdered, missing, and victimized. This is not an accident; the Grandmothers say it has happened since contact. They brought these ways to our lands because of the grief they carry, and it is the result of systems that were designed to marginalize and dehumanize. These systems—land theft, the Indian Act, residential schools, and the child welfare system—continue to function today under different names but with the same purpose: to deny Indigenous people their humanity, their autonomy, and their place in society.

This is apartheid. It may not look like South Africa’s, but it exists here in the segregation of reserves, the denial of clean water, the underfunding of health and education, and the criminalization of Indigenous land defenders. Colonization is not history—it is the present and it is affecting all people in our country, no longer only the original people of these lands.

But there is a path forward, and it lies in the teachings of this land. The Seven Grandfather Teachings—respect, love, courage, honesty, wisdom, humility, and truth—offer us a way to heal. The Seven Generations Teaching reminds us that our actions today will echo through the lives of those yet to come.

If there is anything but peace, love, and inner wisdom in our homes, we are not on the right track. If the rule is to control or hide women, it cannot be fixed. We will never find peace until we respect and uphold the traditional values of Indigenous people—values that honor women as sacred.

Allow me to share a story from our teachings:

When Sky Woman fell from the heavens, she carried the seeds of life. The animals below saw her fall and worked together to catch her. The great turtle rose from the waters, offering his back as a foundation. Sky Woman spread mud across the turtle’s shell, creating the land. She planted her seeds, nurturing them into the world we now share.

Sky Woman’s story reminds us of the sacredness of women as creators and nurturers. But when colonization disrupted this balance, it created chaos and violence. To heal, we must restore that balance and reconnect with the teachings that honor the sacredness of women.

Today, I hold and burn this candle for my Grandmother, for the women who came before her, and for the generations to come. This is a call to action.

We must dismantle the systems that perpetuate violence and rebuild our communities with respect, love, and truth at their core. Indigenous men and all men must reclaim their role as protectors of this sacredness, and society as a whole must take responsibility for the harm that has been done.

This is not just about Indigenous women. It is about all women, girls, diverse genders, all communities, and the future we hope to create. We cannot rest until every woman is valued, until no woman is seen as disposable, and until the epidemic of MMIWG is no longer a reality.

In the spirit of truth and reconciliation, let us honor the spirit of Sky Woman, the wisdom of Indigenous teachings, and the voices of our Grandmothers. Let us work toward a future where every woman is safe, every life is valued, and every voice is heard.

One thing is certain; we do not want to go back to the old normal.

The pandemic experience has exposed the gaping holes in our systems and institutions.

We believe that now is not the time to cut education, social and health services, ease environmental regulations, or relax labour laws in the name of austerity to help the economy “bounce back”.

Now is the time to reimagine the social, economic, and ecological environment in which we want to live.  If we are really “All in this Together” then there must be systemic change.

It is time to empower governments to intervene on behalf of citizens.  Our governments have shown that they have the capacity to respond to crisis.  Canadian citizens have shown that they have the capacity to co-operate and to care for each other.  We have the tools and the will to respond with common purpose.

In recent decades, we have seen racism targeted towards many minorities.  We have seen the steady rise in insecure and low paid work, which has left many individuals and families one pay cheque away from disaster.  We have seen the devastation to our long-term care homes, and the neglect of our vulnerable elderly.

We have seen how women are suffering disproportionately, most especially where gender intersects with age, race, poverty, and disability.   

Work as the vehicle for the distribution of wealth has turned out to be a shaky foundation for a life of dignity. It has also become apparent to everyone that the essential work of providing food and care for the vulnerable has been grossly undervalued.  We know now that service jobs are essential to society and deserve to be paid accordingly

We need a new vision where the wealth and resources of this nation serve all our people not just a few.

We must reform Medicare.

We must strengthen our income support system and include some form of universal basic income.

We must create a robust social safety net which includes improved labour rights and decent work.

We must ensure a fair taxation system that treats taxes as a national treasure to be used in the service of a well-functioning society. 

We must focus on caring for the planet, safeguard our democracy so that it is one in which all voices are heard and where people are not marginalised because of their race or gender expression. 

We must invest in women by developing universal childcare and public transit, by providing affordable housing and ensuring safety from violence.

We must consciously acknowledge and speak up for the importance of equal human rights for all.

Over the last 2 years children in Ontario have lost more education time than in any other jurisdiction in North America. This has deprived them of important academic, social, and emotional learning experiences. Virtual schooling, in spite of herculean efforts by education workers, was not a successful experiment for everyone and created additional harm to families and students in far too many cases.

Many mental health issues have already been recognized and more are anticipated when students finally return full time to classrooms.

School boards and education workers, students and families need the resources to return to and remain in the classroom safely and with as little disruption as possible.

The Ministry of Education has recognized gaps in learning for many students by investing in a $176 million tutoring plan. The plan is insufficient because it demands that students make up these gaps by adding longer hours of after school, weekend, and summer instruction. This deprives them of social, cultural, or physical activities which are required to build well rounded, balanced lives. We can accomplish this within current structures when public education is properly funded and provides for well–trained specialists and adults supporting teachers within the school setting.

The underfunding of public education became glaringly evident during the pandemic. Additional changes must be implemented for current students who have already suffered inordinately and for all future students, so we thoroughly mitigate against the risks of this happening again. 

We call on the Ministry of Education to invest in at least five years of remediation for this unprecedented educational loss, and to equip students to meet whatever challenges await them, including the following measures:

• Add COVID-19 to the list of designated diseases in Ontario Regulation 261/13 Designated Diseases under the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA);
• Renovate buildings and improve ventilation by installing HEPA filters with publicly available air quality metrics and standards as well as adequate internet capability in ALL facilities.
• Support in-person learning as the best model for instruction.
• Recruit sufficient qualified teachers to reduce class sizes and ensure that each student has the support needed to achieve success.
• Funding of specific tools, equipment, and specialized settings to address diverse student needs.
• Provide Funding to provide specifically qualified, medically trained staff, to address the physical needs of children.
• Invest in a staffing system, which includes fair and transparent hiring and retention practices based on the needs of students, not just a specific number of students in each class.
• Sufficient staffing for library, arts, music, health, and phys. ed teachers; counsellors, psychologists, speech and language therapists
• Funding for staff professional development with teaching strategies for students with special needs including enriched student learning.
• Funding for students with special needs including increased mental health supports and opportunities for newcomers.
• Fund inclusive classrooms with specialized culturally appropriate programming and staffing for all students; address systemic inequities with a focus on First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Communities; confront Anti-Black racism and other forms of discrimination and oppression.
• Collaborate with school-based education workers to sustain safer, healthier, more accessible schools, addressing workplace health and safety including violence in the learning/working environment.

The Ontario public education system has long been a leader on the global stage. The pandemic has shone a light on the dangers of finding short terms savings on essential aspects of our society like public education.  In order to ensure we maintain the level of excellence we all rely on, government and all citizens must collaborate to ensure stability and the opportunity for each student to reach or exceed their potential in our classrooms. We know what a world class public education system costs and how to achieve it, so let’s do it!

Investing in public education is investing in Ontario.