Education | Action | Advocacy |
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CFUW Ontario Council News |
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In this Issue
- Ontario Council President's Message
- A holiday gift for OC clubs
- 50th Anniversary of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women
- Advocacy Updates
- Report on November 21st Speakers Series - Women in the COVID Economy
- Elizabeth Fraser Article
- OC Insurance Coverage
- Ontario Club News!
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Ontario Council President's Message |
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The first Christmas Star will be most visible on December 21st as Jupiter and Saturn will align. The first time in 800 years! The alignment creates a radiant point of light for those of us looking up from the Earth.
This shining light reminds us that the season is still very special, despite weathering the pandemic, which has caused social distancing, isolation, ill health and loss. This is a light, a symbol, that we need in the last month of 2020.
The light signals a birth of life and life is still a gift to be shared. The light reminds us that there is still hope and joy during these altered times.
The light signals that we can still be together, but creating different Christmas memories and/or starting different traditions. How do we want the holidays to look? What magic can we create?
We may have to change our perspective. To revel in the stillness. To share baking cookies together, reading “Twas the Night Before Christmas” and yes, even building snow folks – on line. To open up presents either in a heated garage, masked, or outside around the fire – at a distance. To make a video of the Christmas lights from around the neighborhood and sharing it over hot chocolate and those cookies. Not the same. True. But this is an extraordinary year. A year even our grandchildren will not forget.
It is an opportunity to be very intentional, and give the very best of ourselves to our family, our friends, and even strangers. The light, beauty and wonders of the season will not be diminished….as wonders never cease. What light and joy can we spread? And how can we be the best version of ourselves? Perhaps spending more time outdoors and embracing the wintry wonderland. It will renew our mental, physical and spiritual states. I recently read about the Norwegians being one of the happiest nations in the world. According to them, there is no poor weather, only bad clothing. They are passionate about the outdoors and an outdoor way of life. The Scandinavians call it friluftsliv (pronounced free-loofts-liv). "The expression literally translates as open-air living and describes the value of spending time in remote locations for spiritual and physical wellbeing.” So let us spend time outdoors – refresh, renew, spread that joy!*
On behalf of the CFUW Ontario Council Board, I wish you and yours hope, peace, wonders of the season, and good health, as we look to a safer 2021.
Sandra Thomson, President, CFUW Ontario Council President
*And many thanks to J. May, CFUW Oakville president, for enlightening me on friluftsliv!
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A Holiday Gift for OC Clubs |
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The CFUW Ontario Council Board of Directors recognize that this has been an unusual year for our clubs. There has generally been a loss of membership across the province; thus, a loss of revenue. There has been the loss of annual fundraising events to support club scholarships. We have been asked by some to waive OC dues for the 2021-2022 year.
Given serious consideration to the above factors and because OC operates in a very fiscal and prudent manner, we have passed a motion to help clubs financially. Please note the following:
Move that we charge our member clubs only half of their OC dues for the 2021-2022 budgetary year, commencing April 1, 2021 to March, 2022 with resuming the collection of the full amount for the 2022-2023 budgetary year. The charge per individual member will be $3.50 as opposed to $6.25.
Note: The dues amount is $5.50 and insurance is 75 cents - half of $5.50 is $2.75 added with 75 cents equals $3.50.
Thus the amount for each club individual for OC dues will be $3.50, due early February, 2021.
We hope this helps!
Wishing you a safe and happy holiday.
OC Board
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December 7, 2020 50th Anniversary of
The Royal Commision on the
Status of Women
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ROYAL COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
Day 13 of the 16 Days of Activism--December 7--was the 50th Anniversary of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women
In January 1967 a headline in the Globe and Mail newspaper read: "Women threaten march of two million if Royal Commission (on the Status of Women) isn't granted. Laura Sabia, then President of the Canadian Federation of University Women, had, with a coalition of other organizations, created the Committee for the Equality of Women in Canada which demanded a Royal Commission to study gender equality. They were frustrated with the lack of action.
At the same time, Judy LaMarsh had been working within cabinet to subtly continue the pressure. On Feb.16,1967, a royal commission was announced to “inquire into and report upon the status of women in Canada and to recommend what steps might be taken by the federal government to ensure for women equal opportunities with men in all aspects of Canadian society.”
Its landmark report, published December 7, 1970, established the first targets for equality for Canadian women. READ MORE ...
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16 Days of Activism Campaign
From November 25--the International Day to End Violence Against Women--until today December 10--International Human Rights Day--Ontario Council has been posting and messaging our members the facts, figures and responses to eliminating gender based violence. Read all the OC 16 Days of Activism messages.
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Update re Long Term Care
On November 24th, Ontario Council sent a letter to the Honourable Merrilee Fullerton, Minister of Long-Term Care, urging the government to reinstate unannounced annual inspections of all LTC facilities in Ontario.
The letter can be viewed from the new Long Term Care page on the OC website. The LTC page can also be accessed from the website's Advocacy drop-down menu under What are the Issues? or Take Action!
Other Letters Sent
In addition to the Long Term Care letter, CFUW Ontario Council has sent two other letters since the last issue of OC News. On November 5, a letter was sent to the Hon. Doug Downey, Attorney General, thanking the Ministry for reinvesting $2.5 million in cash and proceeds seized from criminals to help fight human trafficking across the province. And on November 30, Ontario Council sent a letter to MPP Amarjot Sandhu, who is the Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. The letter was researched and prepared by the CFUW OC Environment Policy Advisor, Dr. Shelley Ball (CFUW Perth) and expresses deep concern regarding the Government’s proposed changes to both the Conservation Authorities Act and the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, 1994.
You can view all the letters sent to the Ontario Government by Ontario Council from the Take Action! page on the OC website. Just click on 2020 Letters and Briefs.
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Update re Child Care
New Pages on the OC Website for Education, Legislation and the Status of Women & Human Rights!
The Advocacy section of the OC website has been enhanced with the addition of new pages dedicated to the activities of the Standing Committees for Education, Legislation and SWHR. Frequent updates are posted so check all 3 pages regularly to keep up to date on the latest and greatest!
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November 21st Speakers Series
Women in the COVID Economy
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The November 21st session was recorded and is available for viewing until December 22nd. Click here to request the recording link and password.
Our November 21st Speakers Series featured three dynamic and respected speakers: Lorna Marsden, CM OOnt, Paulette Senior, CEO Canadian Women’s Foundation, and Carolyn Ferns, Public Policy/Government Relations, Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care. The focus was on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected women, specifically the status of women, violence/abuse against women, and child care.
Lorna Marsden spoke about the general impact of COVID-19, economic and otherwise, on Canadian women. Lorna, who is a Member of the Order of Canada and a Member of the Order of Ontario, is a Canadian sociologist, academic and former politician. She is the former President and Vice-Chancellor of both Wilfred Laurier University and York University, and a former senator.
Carolyn Ferns, Public Policy and Government Relations Coordinator OCBCC, spoke about how the pandemic has impacted women through a child care lens. Carolyn worked for over ten years at the Childcare Resource and Research Unit, where she co-authored the Early Childhood Education and Care in Canada series. Carolyn has a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Studies. She is a member of the Board of Directors of both Child Care Now of Canada and the Childcare Resource and Research Unit.
The presentations were followed by a Q&A session when the speakers addressed questions from the audience.
In September, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce published a report that may provide some context around women in the COVID economy. The report, The She-Covery Project: Confronting the Gendered Economic Impacts of COVID-19 in Ontario can be downloaded here.
As well, the Standing Committee Chairs have written rreports about the Speakers Series presentations, focusing on their Committee's unique perspective. Click on the links below to view.
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Human Trafficking & Coercive Control |
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Article submitted by Elizabeth Fraser. Elizabeth is the Legislation Member on the Advocacy Committee of CFUW St. Catharines, and is a member of the Ontario Council Standing Committee on the Status of Women & Human Rights.
Coercive Control Involved in Human Trafficking
The trust that is essential to relationships can also be misused by those preying on emotional vulnerability. Human traffickers use luring and coercive control techniques. These relational predators start the luring process with love bombing and then move intermittently into other control techniques such as; physical and emotional isolation, financial abuse, denial of their target's perception of reality also called gas lighting, threatening bodily harm, threatening to reveal personal information, and verbal abuse. These coercive control behaviours are also evident in a broader range of unhealthy relationships, which have the potential to devolve into domestic violence.
Empowering teens with a comprehensive knowledge of the techniques of the predictors' techniques of luring and coercive control equips youth with the ability to make informed choices. Read the entire article ...
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Over the course of the last few months, Ontario Council has received a number of enquiries regarding our insurance policies. Please note the following:
- OC carries, and has carried, only two policies for our members – Directors and Officers and Commercial General Liability.
- Directors and Officers covers CFUW club executive members and club scholarship trustees.
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Commercial General Liability covers all CFUW individual members. Third-party liability coverage is the portion of an insurance policy that protects you if you’re sued (or threatened to be sued) for a physical injury or damage to someone else’s property. Also referred to as “legal liability coverage," when you could be held legally responsible for injuries or damage to other peoples’ property. Lawsuits can be expensive, but liability coverage ensures you won’t get stuck paying out of your own pocket when the unexpected happens.
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These two policies do not include medical coverage, personal liability coverage or pandemic coverage for CFUW individual members.
- OC currently charges $0.75 per individual member for the policies, though the rates did increase last year.
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Can You Help?
Photos Needed!
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Please send posters and photos of your events to the Editor, so we can post them on our website and to our social media. A complete list of coming events can be found here.
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Women Helping Women
Our vision for Ontario Council can be summed up in the following key words:
Education. Action. Advocacy.
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CFUW Haliburton Highlands, Orillia and Sudbury
The ladies of the CFUW Ontario North clubs supporting the 16 Days of Activism to Eliminate Gender Based Violence.by "Colouring the World Orange"
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CFUW Orillia
CFUW Orillia like many other clubs has embraced online meetings.The photo below shows a longtime CFUW member learning to use ZOOM so that she can attend her club's meetings and other events. Well done!
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CFUW Welland & District
Welland & District has been actively involved in the 16 Days of Activism Campaign, attending the the lighting in Orange of Bridge 13 in Welland on International Day for Acknowledgement of Violence Against Women and Girls on November 26th. They have posted on their Facebook page most days, information to heighten awareness, and held a MMIW REDdress campaign at 4 locations, one in Welland and three in Port Colborne with much media coverage. The dresses were hung Dec 1st and will be displayed until the end of the 16 day campaign.
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UWC Toronto January 11, 2021 @ 7PM
Lunatic, A Documentary by Ian Evans
On November 16th, we had the pleasure of hosting another successful Zoom talk led
by Ian Evans. A chartered accountant from Elora, Ontario, Ian has made it his life’s
mission to consistently step outside of his comfort zone by undertaking inspiring
adventures such as skiing to the South Pole at 58, along with many other impressive feats. All of these adventures are explored in the 2016 award-winning documentary called
Lunatic, which showcases, using awe-inspiring images, both the struggles and the successes that Ian has encountered on his many travels. Please join us for a special Zoom screening of Lunatic on Monday, January 11th at 7:00pm, with a special introduction and Q and A provided by Ian himself.
UWC Toronto January 18, 2021 @ 4PM
ZOOM Speaker Series - Brian Levine
Join us on Zoom on Monday, January 18, 2021 at 4:00 pm for a talk by Brian Levine, Executive Director of the Glenn Gould Foundation, on Glenn Gould: The Making on a Canadian Legend. Glenn Gould as one of the best known and most celebrated pianists of the twentieth century, renowned for his interpretations of the works of Johan Sebastian Bach. The Glenn Gould Foundation was formed in 1983 to honour the spirit and legacy of Glenn Gould. As Executive Director of the Foundation, Gould scholar Brian Levine is well
placed to provide us with fascinating insights into the life and work of the legendary Canadian pianist.
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Ontario Council News is a newsletter for and about our Ontario Clubs.
- We receive news from so many of our clubs that we've decided to publish it on our website to limit the need for scrolling in the newsletter.
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Please note: Because Ontario Council includes close to 50 clubs, we are not able to publish club meetings, AGMs, scholarship winners and other charitable giving.
- To help you help us, click the link below for all the information you need about our publication schedule, submission deadlines, and preferred format.
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Save the Date!
February Speakers Series
February 27th, 2021
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