'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
Fort Nelson, B.C., wildfire doubles in size as 3,000-plus ordered to evacuate
The wildfire that sparked Friday and caused evacuation orders for more than 3,000 people in Fort Nelson, B.C., and the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has grown to nearly 1,700 hectares in size, according to a Saturday morning update from the BC Wildfire Service.
Cyclist issued fine for striking four-year-old girl crossing the street
A cyclist turned herself in and received a fine after striking a four-year-old girl who was crossing the street to catch a school bus.
Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final
The Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday's final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Haitians demand the resignation and arrest of the country's police chief after a new gang attack
A growing number of civilians and police officers are demanding the dismissal and arrest of Haiti's police chief as heavily armed gangs launched a new attack in the capital of Port-au-Prince, seizing control of yet another police station early Saturday.
'We have no judge for you': Man's assault charges dropped weeks before trial due to lack of judges in Toronto
A man who was accused of sexually and physically assaulting a woman had his charges dropped in April, just weeks before he was set to stand trial in Toronto, due to a lack of judges in the region.
Protest encampment cleared by Edmonton police early Saturday morning
A protest encampment set up on the University of Alberta campus was cleared early Saturday morning by Edmonton police.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.