TREATY 1 TERRITORY, WINNIPEG - Today, NDP MPs Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre) and Niki Ashton (Churchill--Keewatinook Aski) called on the federal government to do more to keep First Nations people living in urban centres safe amid COVID-19. Existing funding is not enough given the need - and the imposition of an arbitrary application deadline puts lives at risk.
“Indigenous peoples comprise 3% of the Canadian population,” said Gazan. “Yet they receive less than 1% of the funding allocated for COVID-19. This is unacceptable, especially because the federal government has identified Indigenous peoples at greater risk due to long-standing underfunding for essential services.”
“In this time of crisis, the government must ensure that everyone is getting the help they need, including off-reserve Indigenous peoples,” said Ashton. “ Imposing a deadline puts lives at stake. We call on the Minister to increase the funding and waive the deadline.”
A letter was sent to Minister Miller sharing their concerns which can be viewed here.
MANITOBA—On Monday, MPs Leah Gazan (Winnipeg Centre) and Niki Ashton (Churchill—Keewatinook Aski) demanded that the federal government take action to end child poverty, citing rising rates in the recently released Manitoba Child and Family Poverty Report Card. Gazan and Ashton are calling on the government to implement a national school lunch program and a framework for a guaranteed, livable basic income (GLBI).
WINNIPEG – Winnipeg Centre MP Leah Gazan, the NDP’s critic for Women and Gender Equality, is reiterating Jagmeet Singh’s call on the Trudeau Liberals to cover contraception costs as part of the party’s push for a universal pharmacare framework.
“Contraceptives are an essential part of reproductive health for women and gender diverse people,” said Gazan.