'I felt disappointed': Local women’s advocates lament MP Karen Vecchio’s ouster as Status of Women Committee chair
At an event in which she was celebrated for her advocacy of women’s issues, Karen Vecchio was in no mood to speak about her removal from her role of chair of Federal Parliament’s Status of Women Committee.
“It’s over and done with,” Vecchio said.
The Elgin Middlesex London Conservative MP was ousted from the position earlier this month when Conservatives on the committee voted to replace her with Conservative MP Shelby Kramp-Neuman.
“Their voices need to be heard,” Vecchio told CTV News London Saturday while attending the event in Aylmer, Ont. She was one of the panelists at the Elgin County Women’s Leadership Conference hosted by The Jean Collective: A Women in Politics Initiative.
First elected in 2015, Vecchio began serving as chair of the committee in 2017.
She said she wants young women to have the courage to take on leadership roles.
“I think at a time when our world is so crazy and our communities need leadership, I think voices of women are more important than ever right now,” she explained. “I’m really excited to be here with so many of these young women who have started at the council level then are looking for higher up, and whatever we can do to support them.”
Elgin Middlesex London Conservative MP Karen Vecchio is greeted by the founder of The Jean Collective, Helen Cole, at the Elgin County Women’s Leadership Conference in Aylmer, Ont. on April 27, 2024. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)
While she wasn’t speaking about the recent turn of events on Parliament Hill, others at the event did not hesitate.
Kate Graham, a former leadership contender for the Ontario Liberal Party said, “I felt disappointed to see that news too.”
“We really need to celebrate the contributions that Karen has and continues to make. The Elect Her report [A Roadmap for Improving the Representation for Canadian Women in Politics] in particular is a historically important contribution when it comes to women in politics,” Graham explained.
“I was very disappointed to hear that,” added Helen Cole, who organized the Women’s Leadership Conference. She went on to laud Vecchio’s record of achievement as an MP and within her riding.
“What I will tell you is that Karen is highly regarded in her home community here, and is known for the excellent work she does for her constituents,” said Cole.
More than 120 women attended the Elgin County Women’s Leadership Conference in Aylmer, Ont. on April 27, 2024. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)
The 11-person standing committee was created in 2004. It has five Liberal MPs, four Conservative MPs, and one each from the New Democrats and Bloc Quebecois.
Over the years, the committee has studied murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls, safety in sports, intimate partner violence and access to menstrual products.
Conservative spokesman Sebastian Skamski issued a statement to The Canadian Press, describing Vecchio’s successor Kramp-Neuman as a "proud female common-sense Conservative," and said she will champion "the issues facing Canadian women who have suffered after nine years of Justin Trudeau's Liberal-NDP costly coalition."
Vecchio was among a handful of MPs who backed former Quebec premier Jean Charest in the 2022 Conservative leadership contest, which Pierre Poilievre won in a first-ballot victory.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
3 injured after man with knife enters Montreal-area mosque
Three men were injured after trying to subdue a man armed with a knife during afternoon prayers at a Montreal-area mosque Friday afternoon.
Police arrest 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole Porsche and ran over its owner
Police have arrested an 18-year-old woman who allegedly stole a Porsche and then ran over its owner in an incident that was captured on video.
Woman nearly shut out of mother's estate sues brother in B.C. Supreme Court – and wins
Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.
Teen arrested in New Brunswick after emergency alert; 5 people in custody
A 15-year-old boy who was the subject of an emergency alert in New Brunswick has been arrested.
Kamala Harris tells Oprah any intruder to her home is 'getting shot'
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris on Thursday issued a warning to any potential home intruder: 'If somebody breaks in my house, they're getting shot.'
On the trail of the mystery woman whose company licensed exploding pagers
What Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, 49, the Italian-Hungarian CEO and owner of Hungary-based BAC Consulting, says she hasn't done is make the exploding pagers that killed 12 people and wounded more than 2,000 in Lebanon this week.
Woman shot by B.C. police was Colombian refugee with young daughter, advocate says
Advocates have identified the woman who died this week after being shot by police in Surrey, B.C., as a South American refugee who was raising a young daughter.
'We're still pushing hard': Search for missing Manitoba boy continues, RCMP find tracks
The search for a missing six-year-old boy in Shamattawa is continuing Friday as RCMP hope recent tips can help lead to a happy conclusion.
Video released of person of interest after cat is allegedly set on fire in Orillia, Ont.
Provincial police investigating the death of a cat that was allegedly set on fire in Orillia earlier this week released surveillance video of a person of interest in the case.