Spring 2004
CAW WOMEN PREPARING FOR THE FEDERAL ELECTION
PLANNING FOR THE CAW FEDERAL WOMAN TO WOMAN CAMPAIGN ..CAW LOCAL 707 & THE TORONTO WEST WOMEN'S NETWORK
The CAW Women's Department is preparing to launch its second 'Woman to Woman Campaign' in communities across the country in the upcoming federal election, building on the success of its 2003 Ontario Election - Woman to Woman campaign. Our message for our federal campaign is clear, women make up 51% of the electorate and have the voting power to set a new political direction for Canada where women's voices are valued and our concerns are met.
Woman to Woman has its roots grounded in the lessons learned from the CAW Task Force on Working Class Politics. Our members told us to provide information rather than dictate support for a particular party and respect their right to form their own political views. With that in mind the CAW Women's Department ran a non partisan campaign by providing party platforms to women on issues identified as priorities and encouraged women to use their vote to make an informed choice on Election Day.
Woman to Woman is a different way of doing politics. It's a campaign where CAW women in partnership with women in their communities educate and mobilize activists to discover and develop creative ways to reconnect with our members and the community on broader social issues. Woman to Woman utilizes a strategy which inspires, empowers and motivates women to engage actively in the political process, many for the first time. Women leadership have called for future initiatives to employ the same approach.
Along with the National Union, the women's department is developing a major workplace and community campaign that will kick off in the weeks leading up to the federal election. Stay tuned as we take the next steps by engaging our members about issues that matter to them, their families and their communities.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
On March 8th we celebrate International Women's Day around the world. IWD marks a celebration of economic, social, cultural and political achievements for women. These gains were made by a collective of women, who fought every day in workplaces and communities across this country and around the world for Women's equality. Women's voices are shaping our communities, redefine our workplaces, our union, and our political structures for the future.
One of the leading voices for women in the CAW is Sister Peggy Nash. This year CAW women are celebrating with Sister Peggy Nash , assistant to the CAW President, who has won the NDP nomination in the federal riding of Parkdale High Park in Toronto's west end. Peggy has inspired many women to become involved in the union through her leadership at the bargaining table, in the union and as a voice for women on broader social issues.
Congratulations Sister Nash on International Women's Day from your 70,000 Sisters in the CAW who are truly inspired and motivated by your leadership and look forward to hearing your voice in the Federal House of Commons as MP for Parkdale High Park.
CAW Women - A movement of women who are organizing, mobilizing and claiming political power!
WOMEN VOTING DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Why is voting so important to women? The sad reality is that issues affecting women and children across Canada are being ignored. Violence against women has increased, poverty has increased, and women who need a national childcare program, seem to be on the bottom of the list of priorities. We need to lobby and vote for a party that will seriously address these issues.
I encourage all sisters across Canada, to get involved with a CAW Woman to Woman Campaign in your area. It involves talking to other women in the workplace and in the community and encouraging them to vote.
CAW WOMEN Woman to Woman Campaign - London - Kitchener
If you need more information on the campaign, contact the Women's Department at the National Office, or, visit our website at http://www.caw.ca/women/. Women voting can make a difference!
by Elaine White, CAW Local 1285
CAW Council Women's Committee Chairperson
Woman to Woman Campaign Coordinator
WOMEN'S ECONOMIC SUMMIT
Parliament Hill saw its first women's economic summit February 16th, 2004 spearheaded by the women's caucus of the New Democratic Party. Jane Jenson, Director of the Family Network of Canadian Policy Research Networks also a Professor from the University of Montreal delivered the keynote address. She highlighted how people in Canada, particularly women are living on social and labour policies developed between 1945 and 1975. When thinking about how we respond by developing new policies she proposed there must be an aim to strike a balance between State, Markets, Family, and Community responsibilities.
Discussions on 'A Decade of Poor Choices' emphasising 'Deregulation and its impact on women's work, wages and job security' by our own Peggy Nash and 'Privatization in the public sector and the effect on women, their work, and their health' completed the morning agenda. Topics for the afternoon included 'A Women's Equality Agenda for the Federal Budget: Different Choices for Greater Equality and Security' and 'What Women Need to Fully Participate in the Economy'.
| Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. |
| Margaret Mead |
KUDOS TO THE DELEGATES AT THE FFAW/CAW CONVENTION
DELEGATES VOW TO STEP UP CAMPAIGN TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN - NEGOTIATE TIME OFF FOR WOMEN'S COMMITTEES.
Emotions ran high. Tears fell. Voices shook. But the resolve was great as delegates rose to speak about the need to eliminate violence against women and the role our union has to play in helping to bring an end to one of society's greatest tragedies.
Following the 30-minute discussion of the resolution, FFAW/CAW President Earle McCurdy said that in all his years with the labour movement he had never heard a debate on violence against women that was "more passionate, eloquent or heartfelt... and we should all be proud of it." The resolution called on our union to take action to help eliminate violence against women by taking part in workplace anti-violence education and by supporting Women's Committees in their efforts to increase public awareness about violence and the damage it does.
Lana Payne, FFAW/CAW Communications and Research, said often violence is a result of society's failure to deal with the root causes which are based in women's inequality. "These causes must first be understood before they can be confronted. Women's wages might be a good place to start. What message do we send when the very important and essential work done by women is often unpaid or underpaid; when an early childhood educator or a home care worker makes poverty wages; when sexism is allowed in the workplace; when judges give wife abusers conditional sentences and when women continue to be portrayed as objects in the advertising media? The message is clear. Women are somehow worth less. It is attitudes like these that are the foundation of violence."
FFAW/CAW recently negotiated paid time off (three hours per month) for women's committees to meet at nine Fishery Products International fish plants. The Union intends to make this a bargaining item during negotiations with all its industrial units.
Following a moment of silence for women who have been murdered or abused, convention delegates passed a unanimous resolution calling on all levels of government to implement substantive measures to end violence against women.
CAW WOMEN'S ACTIVISTS
The new CAW Women's Activists course provides women with the tools to organize, hold ground on the gains we made and push forward to build a movement to fight for women's economic equality. The new course covers a wide range of issues such as women work, understanding oppression, harassment and violence, women's Herstory and union structures. This course reinforces the CAW commitment to take on and advance the goals of working women. We know that when women voices are part of the debate something different happens. Women bring a different voice to the union, different experiences and different solutions.
CAW WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP
Women are very excited about this brand new leadership program which picks up where the first program left off. Women in Leadership provides CAW women with practical hands on tools for effective campaign building, bargaining an equity agenda, creatively responding to sexism and gender discrimination and much more. Our goal is to see a greater number of women in leadership positions in our union. This course is designed to further equip and inspire our sisters to increase their activism and involvement in the union and the broader women's movement to create social change. The course is open to all women who have completed the old 2-week Women's Activist course or the new 1-week Women's Activist course.
2004 DATES FOR WOMEN'S ACTIVIST AND WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP COURSES
Spring:
April 18- 23 - deadline for application: March 12
Summer:
July 25-30 - deadline for application: June 18
Applications available through your local union.
For more information please contact Julie White at the national office at 1 800 268 5763, ext 550.
Women's Conference: August 22-25
Congratulations to. Carole James, recently elected as leader of the New Democratic Party in British Columbia. Ms. James is the first aboriginal leader of a major provincial political party in Canada. With the election of a woman as leader, the NDP has taken on a feminist face in the province. Joy McPhail and Jenny Kwan are the only other elected female members in B.C.
Great Web Sites.... Here are some web sites you might find interesting: Read how big brand retailers are denying women workers a living wage, "Trading Away Our Rights: Women Working in Global Supply Chains" http://www.oxfam.ca/news/Make TradeFair/TAOR_Release.htm
Fair Vote Canada...learn more about proportional representation at www.fairvotecanada.org/fvc/
Status of Women in Canada Publications Order form: http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/pubs/pubsorder_e.html#b
Ontario Coalition for Better Child Carewww.childcareontario.org
Campaign 2000.working to end Child Povertywww.campaign2000.ca/
Canadian Women Voters Congress: http://www.canadianwomenvoterscongress.org
Newsletter Feedback.If you would like to contribute ideas for future editions, please send your suggestions, articles, photographs, poetry, cartoons, questions, news bites, reports on events and happenings, etc. to: SISTERLINE, c/o Julie White, Director Women=s Programs, CAW-Canada, 205 Placer Court, Toronto, M2H 3H9, or email us at women@caw.ca, or fax us at 416-495-6552. Visit CAW homepage www.caw.ca/women
Until next time Sisters.........
Sisterline Millionaire
Who Wants Equality for Women?
(Test your Knowledge for Fun)
1. Women won the right to vote in federal elections in Canada on.
a) March 8th, 1876
b) May 24th, 1918
c) December 10th, 1947
d) July 1st, 1897
2. According to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, "no House of Commons and no Legislative Assembly shall continue for longer than _ years.
a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
d) 5
3. A notice for a federal election is called.
a) Issue of the writs
b) The Writing on the Wall
c) Notice for election
d) Election Day
4. Canadian women were legally declared persons in ______...
a) 1847
b) 1906
c) 1921
d) 1929
5. The first province to grant women the right to vote was_______...
a) Manitoba
b) Quebec
c) Nova Scotia
d) British Columbia
6. There are multiple ways to register to vote in elections, most commonly women can register at polling stations and .
a) online at www.elections.ca
b) by phone at 1-800-463-6868
c) a and b
d) online at www.elections-r-us.com
7. A person elected in a federal election is a_________
a) Member of Parliament - MP
b) Member of Provincial Parliament MPP
c) Member of Legislative Assembly MLA
d) Speaker of the House
8. As of December 2003, Canada ranks ____ out of 181 countries in the percentage of women elected into a lower or single house.
a) 1st at 48% women
b) 36th at 21% women
c) 57th at 14.3% women
d) 93rd at 7.7% women
9. You are entitled to vote in federal elections and on referendums if you are ____ years of age and a______.
a) 16; Canadian Citizen
b) 18; Canadian Citizen
c) 18; British Citizen
d) 21; Permanent Resident
10. The first woman was elected to the House of Commons from 1921 to 1940, she was.
a) Kim Campbell
b) Agnes MacPhail
c) Jeanne Sauvé
d) Rosemary Brown
11. If a woman wants to stand in a federal election one must;
a) be 18; Canadian Citizen; willing to run
b) file nomination papers in the district of election
c) may be endorsed by a political party
d) all of the above
12. In the first federal election, ____ percent of the population was eligible to vote.
a) 4%
b) 7%
c) 8%
d) 11%
13. The first CAW Woman to Woman Campaign was launched in the _________ election.
a) 1997 Federal
b) 1994 British Columbia Provincial
c) 1998 Quebec
d) 2003 Ontario Provincial
14. The Canadian federal government department whose role it is to promote gender equality and the full participation of women in the economic, social, cultural and political life of the country is.
a) Department of Women
b) Human Rights Department of Canada
c) Centre for gender equality
d) Status of Women Canada
15. Senators are appointed by the _______ on the recommendation of the______..
a) Prime Minister: House of Commons
b) Prime Minister: Governor General
c) Governor General: Queen
d) Governor General: Prime Minister
16. The last of legalized voting restrictions including racial discrimination in Canada's electoral system were removed in______ when aboriginal women and men gained the right to vote without having to sacrifice their Indian status and treaty rights.
a) 1923
b) 1947
c) 1960
d) 1997
17. A notice for federal election must provide a minimum of ___ days notice.
a) 14
b) 21
c) 28
d) 36
18. The highest and lowest voter turnouts were in.
a) 1891 at 96% : 1911 at 40%
b) 1924 at 73% : 1997 at 27%
c) 1916 at 61% : 1600 at 2%
d) 1958 at 79% : 2000 at 61%
19. To qualify as a candidate for senate, one must.
a) be 30 years; have net assets of $40,000
b) be 18 years; living on their own
c) be 45 years; have real estate net worth $4000
d) be 30 years; real estate net worth $4000; net assets of $4000.
20. As of Dec 2003, the country with the highest percentage of women elected to parliament is ____ at ______ percent
a) Wales; 50
b) Rwanda; 48
c) Sweden; 45
d) Denmark; 38
