NDP MPP Catherine Fife wrote an open letter to Minister of Housing Bill Mauro Friday, asking him to give Ontario's municipal elected officials the right to 18 weeks of parental leave. Her letter comes just one day after Liberal MPP Daiene Vernile tabled her private member's bill to give municipal politicians 20 weeks of parental leave.

Currently, the law says they'll lose their seat if they're absent for three months, without the permission of council.

"Municipal elected officials who have children and seek parental leave should not be forced to seek authorization via a resolution from council or risk vacating their seat, as per Section 259(1)(c) of the Municipal Act, 2001," wrote Fife, pictured above.

"Forcing women to seek permission from their peers for time off for pregnancy, birth or early infant care effectively perpetuates a sexist perception that women cannot be both mothers and politicians," she continued.

Fife wrote that she's concerned the absence of parental leave for councillors is a barrier to women entering politics.

"At present, women make up only 16% of mayors in Canada and 24% of municipal councillors," she wrote. "Both of those numbers are well below the 30 per cent estimated by the United Nations to meet the 'critical mass' threshold for representation of women to have a visible impact on the style and content of political decisions. They also both remain below the levels at which women are represented in Canada’s House of Commons and right here at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario."

Fife's letter notes that she first wrote to the minister about the issue on Oct. 5.

Both Fife and Vernile represent Kitchener; Fife is the MPP for Kitchener-Waterloo and Vernile is the MPP for Kitchener Centre. Last June, It would appear their simultaneous initiatives may have been inspired by a Kitchener city councilor. A pregnant Kelly Galloway-Sealock, told CTV in June that she wanted clarity from the province in regards to maternity leave for councilors.

NDP and Liberal MPPs call for parental and pregnancy leave for municipal politicians

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