Olivia Chow receives endorsements from group of prominent women

TORONTO – Mayoral candidate Olivia Chow received endorsements from a group of prominent women in Toronto on Thursday.

The former federal NDP MP spoke to supporters at a downtown cafe about her desire to close the gender gap, provide accessible and affordable child care, and stand up for equality rights for women.

Chow also called out fellow candidates John Tory and Doug Ford for ignoring women’s issues throughout the campaign.

The list of endorsements include:

Judy Rebick
Writer, activist, journalist

Michele Landsberg
Author, journalist, feminist and social activist

Kerry McCuaig
Early Childhood Policy, Altkinson Centre, OISE

Nancy Tong
Filmmaker

Winnie Ng
Labour rights activist and scholar

Kiloran German
Writer, activist for women in politics

Mary Cornish
Chair, Equal Pay Coalition, feminist human rights lawyer

Martha Friendly
Founder, Childcare Resource and Research Unit

Tabby Johnson
Actra Toronto child advocate
Mom, actor, activist

Amy Go
Community activist

Margaret McPhail
Teacher, union activist

Shani Halfon
Child care researcher and advocate

Abigail Friendly
Urban researcher and parent

Lyndsay MacDonald
Child care researcher and advocate

Carolyn Ferns
Child care researcher and advocate

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Sue Colley
Child care advocate

Laurel Rothman
Community activist

Liyu Guo
Community activist

Akua Benjamin
Professor of Social Work, Ryerson University

Sedef Arat-Koc
Professor, Ryerson University

Sheila Heti
Author

Nancy Hutchison
Secretary-Treasurer, Ontario Federation of Labour

Carrol Anne Sceviour
Human Rights Director, Ontario Federation of Labour

Janet Davis
Toronto City Councillor

Sarah Doucette
Toronto City Councillor

Paula Fletcher
Toronto City Councillor

Linda McQuaig
Journalist, columnist, author and social critic

Deepa Mehta
Award winning screenwriter, film director and producer

Marit Stiles
Political commentator, candidate for TDSB Trustee

Ausma Malik
Candidate for TDSB Trustee

Shirley Douglas
Actor, activist

Karen Mock
Human rights advocate, former CEO, Canadian Race Relations Foundation, Former National Director, League for Human Rights, B’nai Brith

Ruth Grier
Former Ontario Minister of Health, Environment and Former Etobicoke Councillor

Zeenat Janmohamed
Professor in the School of Early Childhood Education, George Brown College

Dr. Emis Akbari
Fraser Mustard Institute for Human Development
Ontario Institute of Studies in Education (OISE)

Jane Bertrand
Early childhood educator

Dr. Meg Luxton
Professor, School of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies York University

Patricia Chorney Rubin
Early childhood educator

Barbara Cameron
Professor, York University

Cheryl De Gras
Early childhood educator

Margaret Norrie McCain
Social activist and philanthropist, dedicated to improving the lives of children and their families

Tassie Notar
Broadcast producer

Pam Bertrand
Broadcast producer

Ena Dua
Professor, York University

Cathy Crowe
Nurse, educator, social activist, advocate for the homeless

Laura Sky
Documentary filmmaker

Naomi Klein
Author, activist

Donna Dasko
Past National Chair of Equal Voice, leading public opinion analyst

Frances Lankin
Chair, Ontario Press Council, former President & CEO, United Way of Greater Toronto, former Ontario Minister of Health

Nancy Ruth
Senator, Co-founder Canadian Women`s Foundation and LEAF

Rosemary Speirs
Retired political columnist, Founding Chair of Equal Voice

Joy Kogawa
Author, poet, activist for peace and social justice

Linda Silver Dranoff
Lawyer, author, activist for women`s equality and law reform

Susan Ursell
Lawyer, equity, LGBTQ and human rights activist

Saniya Khan
Fashion designer, businessperson, Saniya Khan Art Textiles

Mariane Araleh
Activist for inclusion in politics, Vice President, Ontario Liberal Party, 2010-2011

Judy Perly
Businessperson, owner, Free Times Café

Sandra Whiting
Former President, Black Business & Professional Association

Maureen Lynett
Co-founder, No-CasinoToronto

Jacqueline Menezes
Community organizer