Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh stopped by London Friday morning to celebrate a day of recognizing the achievements of women.
Singh attended the International Women’s Day Breakfast at RBC Place, followed by a tour of My Sisters’ Place, a local women’s support shelter.
Speaking at the breakfast, Singh called on the federal government to provide more support for women and children in need.
Singh said he wants half a million dollars to go to new affordable homes across Canada in the next four years to fight against this “really troubling trend.”
The first is to support more spaces and opportunities for struggling women, second is to invest in more affordable housing and the third is to invest more in universal child care.
“What can be more urgent than a woman and her children not being able to have a place to go to when they’re fleeing violence?” Singh said.
“If anything cries out for urgent investment, that should be something that shames the federal government right away.”
NDP MP for London-Fanshawe Lindsay Mathyssen agreed.
Karna Trentman is the director of community services at the Canadian Mental Health Association, and My Sisters’ Place is one of the programs she’s involved with.
She told 980 CFPL she fully supports Singh’s comments.
Trentman adds My Sisters’ Place relies on fundraising and donations to make up 75 per cent of the funds annually to the keep doors open.
-With files from 980 CFPL’s Sawyer Bogdan