RE: Ontario College of Midwives Funding Slashed By Ford’s PC Government
Important Note Before We Start: I’m angry and this is kind of gets into a rant at times!
You may have seen the stories recently with headlines and head shaking and a whole lot the WTF. But if you haven’t, here’s the deal – The Ontario provincial government, under Premier Doug Ford and the PC party, have cut the funding to the Ontario College of Midwives, ending a 25 year run of grants from the province to the organization.
We knew, all of us, no matter who we voted for, that cuts were coming from a PC government. They said they were going to do it. Ford said they’d find efficiencies and balance the budget and make Ontario a better place for Ontarians.
CUTTING HEALTH CARE BUDGETS DOESN’T MAKE ANYTHING BETTER FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED HEALTH CARE!
We were privileged and fortunate to have received great care and caring from Midwifery Services of Durham throughout Jess’s pregnancy, the night that Ollie was born two weeks early by emergency C-section, and in his afterbirth care, including our home visit.
What’s happened now makes my blood boil. These professionals deserve the support of the government, and for the last 25 years, the government has agreed, supplying grants that have supported the Ontario College of Midwives. In turn, the college and its members have supported women and babies, and supporting parents and loved ones through pregnancies and infant care – which seems like any easy thing to agree is important. But not if you’re a modern Conservative I guess.
What’s also nearly impossible to ignore is the neon light type arrow that points to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario’s decision that found “midwives have been subjected to gender discrimination which has led to a chronic devaluing of midwifery work and that the human right to equitable pay has been violated.”. The government was ordered by the tribunal “to negotiate with midwives to end a pay equity gap that the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal deemed discriminatory based on gender. To date, the Conservatives have refused to negotiate.” – I mean, I’m not saying that cutting the funding to the College, including the funding for the last 8 months of this year retroactively, is a petty payback move by a bully politician that hates being shown up, hates courts and boards that tell him what to do, and hates not getting his way. BUT IT SURE LOOKS LIKE DOUG FORD IS BEING A PETTY PRICK ON THIS ONE.
NDP Health Critic, France Gélinas may have said it best with, “The Ford government is demonstrating contempt for the profession. Mothers have a right to count on not only the support of a midwife, but also that their midwife has the backing of a professional regulatory body.”. – I know that Conservatives hate regulations, but THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF PEOPLE DEPENDS ON REGULATIONS!
This government has shown that it will bully through whatever it wants. It doesn’t care about women, children, or their health. And as we’re learning now with Bill 66 – the Greenbelt, water safety protections and more are in play.
Oh and don’t forget that Ford wants that sweet custom camper on the down low from the OPP.
I never liked the idea of this government and its leader coming into power. I never liked the idea of cutting costs at the expense of people and safety. I right now I really don’t like the idea that the Ontario College of Midwives has lost 1/3 of its funding, knows it’s going to run a deficit, and really can only hope that the PCs change their mind.
This post may ramble too much, and I am not an authority on the matter, the Ontario College of Midwives, policy, etc. But I am the father of a 7.5 month old baby boy and the partner to an amazing mom that were both cared for with professional oversight, expectations and results during their midwife care.
I hope that a short-sited decision like this doesn’t take that experience away from any parent in Ontario moving forward.
This is the email I sent to Picking/Uxbridge MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy at peter.bethlenfalvyco@pc.ola.org. But, he didn’t answer the last email I sent him, so I won’t be holding my breath on this one.
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Hello Mr. Bethlenfalvy,
I’m writing today to express my supreme disappointment in your PC government’s decision to end the funding to the Ontario College of Midwives.
As a Pickering resident, who had the great fortune of experiencing attentive, personal care from local midwives as my partner and I prepared for the birth of our son in April of this year, I am especially troubled by this decision.
The Ford government has once again shown all Ontarians that budget cuts will come at the expense of the people. And now that healthcare has come under fire, I am scared to see what comes next.
This decision is short-sited. It is detrimental to the health and wellbeing of mothers and babies. And it backs healthcare professionals into a corner, where they are legislated to provide to service, without the support of the legislating body.
The additional impact and complete lack of caring or compassion that comes from making this decision 8 months into the fiscal year is more than ridiculous. It’s callous.
My son, my nephew, my brother and sister-in-law’s unborn child, the children of friends and strangers in our community and across Ontario depend on the care of midwives, and you and your government have shown us that you don’t care about their work or our care.
I invite you to reply explaining these cuts and how they serve Ontario, and how they don’t harm Ontarians.
But honestly, since you did not reply to my email in September regarding Ford’s decision to slash the Toronto city council in the middle of the election period, I won’t be holding my breath now.
Congratulations, you and your colleagues have shown us your true colours sooner again.
Sincerely,
Joshua Murray
