Kathleen Wynne’s seventh town hall event consisted of a largely upset audience

Mar 8, 2018 | News

The heated town hall meeting discussed about several issues. (Photo by Chihiro Miya)

Taz Dhaliwal and Chihiro Miya

On the eve of International Women’s Day, a frustrated, vocal audience caught Premier Kathleen Wynne off-guard during her most recent town hall meeting.

Taking place at the Toronto Design Exchange, issues raised ranged from the York University strike to reinstating more benefits for injured workers.

Mistreatment from police officers and proposed amendments to the Police Services Act were also discussed.

As members of the public filed into the town hall room they found pieces of paper on their chairs with statistics from the government of Ontario.

The woman said another tirade at the premier about children’s aid “stealing her children”. (Photo by Chihiro Miya)

Statements on the papers included,“over 200 agencies, Indigenous partners and survivors of gender-based violence,” were consulted and that “up to $242 million to help support survivors and address the root cause of violence.”

However, a member of the audience said these papers were nothing more than “propaganda” from the Wynne government.

The woman went on to express her disdain with the Liberals as she felt that not enough has been done for battered women.

She vocalized her deep concern for people of colour in Ontario who still continue to experience systematic and institutional racism on a regular basis.

 

 


One Aboriginal woman in attendance was fuming at Wynne as she expressed the pain she felt when two of her children were taken away by the government.

Her son is suicidal and she feels not enough is being done to take care of his mental health issues.

She said if her son commits suicide, “there would be blood on the hands of politicians.”

Wynne shared a statement on Twitter after the meeting.

Thank you to everyone — and especially the women and girls — who came out to my Town Hall on the eve of #InternationalWomensDay tonight! The important issues you raised will be top-of-mind tomorrow and beyond as we work together to build a fair, equal province for all. pic.twitter.com/zw8P0VjHhU