Ukrainian-Canadian midwife supports midwives in Ukraine; Emergency skills and association recognition at the ICM top of agenda
Date: January 25, 2023
(Photo attribution: National Police of Ukraine, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.) Midwives in Ukraine have united to form the first Association of Midwives of Ukraine, thanks in part to the efforts of Betty-Anne Daviss, an Ontario midwife, educator, and researcher with historical family ties to Ukraine. Daviss recently traveled to Ukraine where she offered a series of workshops for midwives, obstetricians, and other perinatal specialists from across the country working on the frontlines of the war, focusing on clinical skills for intrapartum emergencies.
AOM negotiations with Ministry: Advocating to improve the lives of midwives and the midwifery sector
Date: November 16, 2022
November marked the beginning of the AOM’s inauguration of negotiations with the Ministry of Health (MOH), where the AOM represents Ontario’s over 1 000 registered and Indigenous midwives, providing care to over 26 000 Ontarians each year. The AOM's focus is advocating to improve the lives and working conditions of midwives and to strengthen the sector. Midwives are currently working under a three-year deal that expires on March 31, 2023.
Negotiations, solidarity with education workers and midwives
Date: November 9, 2022
Last Friday Nov 4 Ontarians witnessed something unprecedented – the provincial government’s use of the notwithstanding clause to suspend fundamental, Charter-protected rights for 55 000 education workers represented by CUPE through the passing of Bill 28. On Monday, following an impressive demonstration of solidarity between public and private sector unions, government announced it was rescinding Bill 28.
Making BORN data entry easier: Resources for midwives and improvements to the BIS
Date: October 19, 2022
Good quality midwifery research and advancements in midwifery funding, policy and practice all begin with good quality data entry. To improve the ease of data entry for midwives, the AOM struck the AOM-BORN Knowledge Translation Task Force (BORN KT TF), an advisory group of midwives with expertise …
"It's the vindicating end of a long road, and the journey continues”: Midwives celebrate Ontario government’s decision not to appeal human rights win a third time
Date: August 31, 2022
Following nine years of determined perseverance, Ontario midwives can truly savour their landmark human rights victory now that the Ministry of Health has confirmed they will not apply for a leave of appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. Midwives have already won two previous appeals by the govern…
Midwives are key constituents – how to build bridges with your Member of Provincial Parliament
Date: August 17, 2022
A Member of Provincial Parliament's (MPP) success and potential for re-election rests in how they perform and meet the needs of their voters. Midwives and their practices are critical constituents. They also provide health care for an important demographic – young families. Midwifery clients overwh…
Overturning Roe v. Wade an assault on fundamental human rights
Date: June 29, 2022
Calling on all governments to defend access to safe and quality abortion care, the Association of Ontario Midwives stands in solidarity with other health organizations from around the world who have signed a statement under the umbrella of the International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (…
GOAL! Achieving equal pay on the soccer field
Date: June 22, 2022
The AOM applauds the perseverance of United States Women's National Team Players Association pursuing and achieving gender justice in sport. After years of fighting for equal pay in professional soccer, the United States Soccer Federation (US Soccer), the United States Women's National Team Pl…
Midwives deliver - on World Refugee Day and every day
Date: June 15, 2022
Monday, June 20, is World Refugee Day, a date designated by the United Nations to honour the courage and strength of people who have fled their home country to escape persecution or conflict. The date presents an opportunity to foster empathy for the challenges faced by refugees around the world and to acknowledge the resilience required to rebuild their lives. In honour of World Refugee Day, five midwives who devote a significant amount of their time and work to providing supports and services to refugee populations in their communities share their stories.
Midwives keep winning in fight to close the pay gap
Date: June 13, 2022
Midwives have emerged winners once again, following another failed legal appeal initiated by the Ford government. Now the highest court in the province, the Ontario Court of Appeal, has also ruled unanimously in favour of midwives. Affirming the government of Ontario is responsible for systematically discriminating against midwives because their work is so deeply associated with women’s care work, the court upheld earlier court orders directing government to take concrete action to close the gender pay gap.