Queen's Park establishes family room after minister had nowhere to nurse

Ontario's legislature opened a family room at Queen's Park after Speaker Donna Skelly responded to an incident where a cabinet minister could not find a place to nurse; the room includes a nursing chair, diaper-changing station and a toddler area.

Ontario's legislature has set aside a family room at Queen's Park to provide a private space for diaper changes, feedings and quiet time with young children. The decision followed an incident in which Speaker Donna Skelly saw a cabinet minister looking for a place to nurse and change her baby and directed that a friendly room be created. Skelly, the first female Speaker in Ontario's history, said the situation was unacceptable and prompted the change. The space reflects a recent rise in MPPs who are parents and is intended to make the legislature more accommodating. Key details: - At least seven MPPs became parents within the last year, and many of them are cabinet ministers. - The family room was set up in available office space and includes a diaper changing station, a nursing chair, a toddler table and chairs, books and toys, and a wall of photos called the "gallery of giggles." - Speaker Donna Skelly said she acted after seeing a minister seeking a place to nurse or change a baby; she is Ontario's first female Speaker. - Andrea Khanjin described the room as a private, inviting space for breastfeeding parents; Natalia Kusendova-Bashta noted users do not need to book it and can obtain a key or ask security to open it. - Equal Voice said a lack of safe spaces to care for or nurse a child can limit who can serve, and welcomed the family room; Quebec is believed to be the only other province with a similar space. Summary: The family room provides immediate, practical support for parents working at Queen's Park and is presented as a reflection of a younger, more parent-rich cohort among MPPs. Speaker Skelly said she also aims to make the legislature more family-friendly with additional programming and free events. Equal Voice described the room as a signal that parents and caregivers belong in public life and linked it to broader efforts to open political roles to more women and diverse leaders.