A roundup of some of the latest news in women, Toronto, and/or politics this week. What stories did you read this week? Tell us in the comments.
- This week’s marathon City Council meetings were bursting with headline-worthy potential. Fare Equity for low-income TTC riders will be studied further, the city’s shelters chief will investigate reserving beds for LGBTQ homeless youth, and Union Station plaza will be named for John A. Macdonald despite councillors’ concerns over his racist comments towards Chinese Canadians.
- Council also voted to ban invite-only media events on city property, to potentially extend the Ombudsman’s contract, and both Rob Ford and Giorgio Mammoliti came under heat for code of conduct violations.
- In national news, CUPE Ontario urged the federal government to reject Bill C-36 and decriminalize all forms of sex work.
- During a hearing on the proposed sex work bill, Conservative MP Robert Goguen posed a pointless question to witness Timea Nagy about her experience during a gang rape. Though Nagy did not appear offended by the question, Liberal MP Sean Casey insists Goguen should be removed from the justice committee.
- The folks at Press Progress broke down the numbers on child care costs in Canada, highlighting the ineffectiveness of the government’s Universal Child Care Benefit plan.
- After a federal court ruled that cuts to refugee health services violate the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the federal government announced they will appeal the courts’ decision.