Publicpower women make election
presence known
TORONTO
-- A record 35 per cent of all candidates
running for the NDP in the provincial election are women. At a breakfast
this morning (June 16) more than 300 celebrated the NDP's record
achievement of running 34 women, more than any other political party and
the highest percentage ever in the party's history.
NDP
Leader Howard Hampton challenged Premier Ernie Eves and Liberal Leader
Dalton McGuinty to a series of public debates on issues important to women
in the pre-election period.
"Women
want to hear what each party would do about delivering regulated, $10 a
day child care, affordable and reliable public hydro, a clean environment,
quality public education and health care, a higher minimum wage and equal
pay, pension protection and strategies to combat violence against women
and children. I propose a series of pre-election leaders' debates so that
people can compare what each party really stands for." "publicpower
means keeping vital services like water, hydro, hospitals and schools
where they belong, in public hands," Hampton told the gathering.
Event
emcee and NDP Deputy Leader Marilyn Churley predicted publicpower women
would make the difference in the next election. We have 34 amazing women
running to win for Howard Hampton, the NDP and publicpower," she
said.
Churley
called the Women of publicpower gathering inspirational, noting the
presence of successful NDP women such as former federal leader Alexa
McDonough, MPP Shelley Martel, OPSEU President Leah Cassleman, former MPPs
Marion Boyd and Ruth Grier, United Way head Frances Lankin, Toronto
Councillors Olivia Chow, Irene Jones, Sandra Bussin, Toronto school
trustee Paula Fletcher and entertainer Luba Goy.
Ruth
Bergman, a long-time activist from Northwestern Ontario, received the
party's coveted Agnes Macphail Award for excellence in community work and
advocacy.
Media
inquiries: Sheila White (416) 325-2503/ Gil Hardy (416) 325-7118 / Jeff
Ferrier (416) 325-9555 / Daniel Bonin (416) 325-7324 www.publicpower.ca