Association of Ontario Midwives Summer 2012

AOM News and Updates
Midwives bring pay equity message to Queen’s Park
The AOM’s second annual lobby day at
Queen’s Park on May 2,held just three
days before the International Day
of the Midwife, was an opportunity
for midwives and clients to educate
MPPs about the key issues facing
the profession. It was also a time to
discuss strategies for giving Ontarians
even greater access to midwifery
care. During formal presentations and
casual conversations, politicians from
all three parties learned more about
hospital integration challenges, infrastructure
deficits and the wage parity
gap between midwives and comparable
professions. MPPs also shared
their perspectives on maternal and
newborn care in their communities.
Highlights of the day included:
• A press conference with Katrina
Kilroy, then president of the AOM,
and midwife Vicki Van Wagner,
member of the Provincial Council
for Maternal and Child Health,
that focused on issues including
pay equity. Kilroy explained
that due to a long history of
poor, inconsistent negotiations
between the profession and the
government, midwives’ salaries
have not only fallen behind
comparable health care providers,
but they have fallen behind both
the average public sector worker
and the rate of inflation.
• Statements on the floor of
the legislature by Minister of
Health and Long-Term Care Deb
Matthews, Progressive Conservative
MPP Bill Walker, and NDP
critic for Health and Long-Term
Care France Gélinas honouring
the work that Ontario midwives
perform and celebrating International
Day of the Midwife (May
5). MPP Gélinas also specifically
mentioned pay equity.
• A luncheon that was attended
by more than 60 MPPs and their
staff. At the event, Minister
Matthews, MPP Bill Walker (PC),
and Deputy House Leader Cindy
Forster (NDP) expressed their
support for midwifery. Katrina
Kilroy and Vicki Van Wagner gave
a presentation on growing and
MPP Bill Walker, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Deb Matthews, MPP Michael Gravelle and MPP Cindy
Forster pose with midwifery client babies at the lobby day lunch reception
strengthening
midwifery care
including pay equity.
For midwife and
former AOM board
member Kelly
Gascoigne, the lobby
day was an “opportunity
to catch the ear
of elected officials.”
At lunch she had an
opportunity to speak
with a number of
MPPs about issues
such as pay equity.
“It’s so important for
politicians to hear
from frontline workers
and their clients,”
says Gascoigne. “It’s
more meaningful in that
context.”
Gascoigne attended the AOM’s first
lobby day last year, which kicked
off the Ontario Needs Birth Centres
provincial election campaign. The
successful campaign culminated in
a March 20, 2012 announcement
by Premier McGuinty and Minister
Matthews to develop two
freestanding, midwifery-led birth
centres.
Midwifery client Kat Tannock and her baby Madi travelled from Peterborough
to be part of the day. Photo with MPP Christine Elliott.
“It’s astonishing the impact that you
can have when you make yourself
heard,” says Gascoigne.
Kelly Gascoigne attended this year’s
lobby day with a client, Michelle
Cruz. Cruz said she wanted to attend
because she feels strongly about
midwifery, having been in care with
both her children. She says she found
the lobby day informative and was
surprised to learn how many women
are unable to access midwifery care
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ontario midwife • Summer 2012