STANDING COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION

Chair: Jane Sagar,
legislation@cfuwontcouncil.ca

Members of the Legislation Committee monitor current provincial legislation and meet to identify and discuss issues. They explore responses and determine what courses of action should be pursued.

Skills are gained in how to influence public policy as the action taken by the Committee often involves contacting legislators.

Between meetings, members are active following through with activities in their home Clubs. This may involve urging their Club to inform local MPPs of CFUW policy, assisting individual members to take action, or collecting information on issues that affect their community.

2011-2012 Standing Committees meetings:
September 24th, 2011, January 21st, 2012, March 17th, 2012.

January 21, 2012
The morning speaker, Ashlee Cunsolo Willox, led a discussion on grief and mourning with respect to climate change. Mourning was described as response to the loss of a person or thing that “changes who you are.” It can be public or private, shared with one’s intimates or experienced in mass (e.g. Kennedy’s death, 9/11), and transcends borders and cultures.

We usually mourn people (or pets!) but we can mourn non-personal things, such as activities displaced by technology (letter writing?), loss of a way of life, e.g. the fishing culture of outport Newfoundland, or the loss of a feeling of security after 9/11. We can engage in anticipatory mourning, as in the terminal illness of a loved one. Ms. Willox described how aboriginal people, especially men, mourn the loss of the land, culture, animals, way of life, identities taken from them by climate change. (The Canadian government was again faulted for concentrating its development activities on foreign countries and ignoring problems among aboriginals at home).

There was a lively, wide-ranging and non-specific discussion on climate change, mourning and aboriginal culture, concluded by Ms. Willox describing some examples of public grief for climate change, such as memorializing the names of all extinct plants and animals.

September 24, 2011
The session was devoted to the upcoming provincial election. Members described the issues important to their clubs, and the meeting broke into small groups to discuss election strategies.

Issues identified were:

• Poverty – North York, Burlington, Guelph, Leaside-East York
• Mental Health – Oakville, Orillia, Southport (MH treatment in prisons)
• Child Care – North York. Scarborough, Leaside-East York
• Housing – Ottawa (housing for disabled), Aurora-Newmarket
• Health – Mississaua (maternal), London
• Jobs – Orangeville, Hamilton (jobs for graduates)
• Family Law – North Toronto,. North Bay (FL education for women)
• Aboriginal Issues – Aurora Newmaket ( FASD),, Kitchener-Waterloo

1. Mental health in jails. No treatment is available for those imprisoned for less than two years, and no party in election is linking mental health to imprisonment.
2. Discussion on poverty, and contribution of CFUW in community programs
3. Focused on club organization
4. Discussion of the advocacy process in CFUW for the benefit on new members. Reference was made to CFUW reference material.

March 19, 2011
The afternoon speaker was Kim Pate, executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society, speaking on women in prison. She excoriates the government’s proposed new law and order legislation as useless rhetoric, but all parties have bought in, as they can’t be seen to be soft on crime.

Women are the fastest-growing prison population, but these are predominantly poor women, victims of what Ms. Pate calls the criminalization of poverty. Some reasons are: Marginalization: women still make less than men, and with the elimination of the Canada Assistance Plan there are fewer financial supports for them and their children., She claims that it is impossible to survive on social assistance, so that women must cheat to live as the system is stacked against them (e.g. money borrowed by someone os social assistance must be declared as income, but cannot be claimed as a deduction when paid back.) 82% of women in prison are there for fraud, prostitution and drugs, all survival tactics.

Mental Health and Addiction issues: affect 50% of women prisoners, who should properly be treated in mental health facilities rather than prison. Instead they are often subject to the dehumanizing experience of maximum security for such misdemeanors as trying to escape or being hard to handle, which only makes them worse. Many have a history of abuse and use drugs to euthanize themselves, or are given drugs to keep them placid.

Aboriginal women are disproportionately affected. They are imprisoned nine times more than other women, and often plead guilty to offenses to which they might offer a defence in order to lessen their sentences and allow them to get back to their children.

The cost of the Corrections system is rising, but we don’t know by how much, due to lack of transparency on the part of the federal government. But it will be substantial: one of the several “law and order” bills contemplated by the government, that eliminating credit for time served, has been costed at five billion dollars a year by a panel of economists. If more services were offered in the community to alleviate poverty and other social ills, Ms. Pate speculates that 75% of women could be released from prison, saving the $175,000 it costs to keep a woman in prison for one year ($350,000 - $500,00 in maximum security), freeing funds for mental health services, child care, tuition, social assistance. She feels we cannot afford not to deal with these issues.

Peggy Pinkerton

January 22, 2011
Carolyn Day, (CFUW-Southport), member of the Provincial Advisory Panel on Water, reported on provincial initiatives to coordinate universities, researchers and industry to recognize the need for stewardship of water activity to provide economic prosperity and environmental sustainability. Bad news is that Canadians are the worst water hogs in the world, and moves are afoot to get municipalities to set and meet targets for water use, appliances, etc. Moves are being made to protect municipal water supplies, control use of bio-solids (sewage sludge) as fertilizer, and prevent dumping of toxins in lakes.

The morning speakers followed up on the morning program on FASD.
Sheila Burns: Number one priority is raising awareness. Other points:

• On warning labels on alcohol packaging: because this will impact a small number of women, the money spent might better be used on targeted services for high-risk women.
• School boards should include FASD in curriculum: material is available, but not being used.
• Alcohol and pregnancy should be considered a public Health issue
• The Liquor Control Board should be pushed to connect with consumers as well as industry, and include FASDE warnings.
• A federal law requiring manufacturers to warn consumers of damage that might be caused by their products should be enforced.

Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux: stressed the importance of knowing why people drink, and addressing the causes. She also emphasized the necessity to spread the word:

• Messaging must be consistent
• Messaging must start at home: young people who are aware of problems will spread the work on social media
• Low-risk women (ie those who can control their drinking) should be targeted as they are more likely to spread the information: she referenced MADD as an example of an initiative by women which changed government policy
• We are too afraid of violating confidentiality to intervene in problem situations. More transparency may be helpful.
• FASD children and mothers must be treated with compassion

October 2, 2010
About the Topic:
From the use of sexual violence in the armed conflict of Democratic Republic of the Congo to right here in our own neighbourhoods, sexual violence is one and the same thing - an act of violence committed against a woman because she is a woman. Join Rhea Pretsell, Kim Charlebois and Jacqueline Benn-John on a journey from the DRC to a pioneering residential healing program in Quinte and District for sexual assault survivors that has garnered attention from around the world.

About the Speakers:
Rhea Pretsell is the current President of CFUW Belleville & District and the Ontario Council Chair of the Status of Women and Human Rights Committee. She recently presented a discussion paper entitled Sexual Violence as a Weapon of War: The Case in the Congo at the IFUW Triennial in Mexico City.

Kim Charlebois has worked as the Executive Director of the Sexual Assault Centre for Quinte & District for the past 16 years. She’s a public speaker, and was a guest lecturer at the Provincial Police Academy in Orillia, teaching a Sexual Assault Investigations course. She sits on numerous committees, both at the Community & Provincial level, and is a Feminist/Activist who believes in equal rights for everyone.

Jacqueline Benn-John is Executive Director of the Sexual Assault and Violence Intervention Services of Halton. She is also President of the Ontario Coalition for Rape Crisis Centres. Jacqueline’s 20 year career focuses on anti-violence work, education, counselling, consulting, advocacy and activism. She is an award winning professor at George Brown College in the Assaulted Women & Children Counsellor Advocate Program.

LUNCHEON THEATRE
Get a case of jitters when you think about visiting your local officials? Not to worry! CFUW Burlington will educate and entertain us by role playing all the parts of the visit including that of the elected official. Don’t miss the fun and information.

March 13th, 2010
The Chair welcomed 20 members from 12 clubs to the Legislation Committee and asked them to report as part of the role call activities related to legislation since the January meeting. All 12 Clubs which were present reported activity, the majority in the form of letters on poverty, gun control, immigration, the intra-basin water transfer, homelessness and the power plant issue. The Chair asked clubs to also e-mail to her a list of their activities and copies of the letters that have been written. Thank you to those who have already done so.

The Chair spoke briefly about the Provincial Government Throne Speech from the previous week. In particular she highlighted their plan to undertake a review of the Health system and suggested that Clubs may wish to be involved once more details are available. The upcoming budget should provide the details.

Mary Saunders of the Oakville Club made a presentation on the plan to build a gas-fired power plant in the heart of Oakville. The Report

Linda gave her update on the Poverty issues.The Report

Myrtle introduced Jane Sagar from the Aurora Club who will be the new Legislation Chair after the May AGM. She asked members to feel free to evaluate the way the Committee has been conducted the last 2 years. At the beginning of the year we decide on the issues that we want to address dependent on whether there is a Resource Person to monitor developments and provide regular updates on the issue. New ideas and new Resource Persons are always welcome. Myrtle expressed how satisfying it is to have so many attending and to be reporting that they all have active Issues Committees.

January 16th, 2010

It was wonderful to see so many out for the meeting on January 16th (28 from 13 Clubs) including several new members. Thank you to Peggy Pinkerton for the excellent notes and to our 3 presenters for providing their reports for circulation.

I welcome your comments on the content and format of the meeting and look forward to seeing you again on March 13. You are also invited to send me reports on your activities or developments in your area at any time.

Thank you for your participation and please share the reports.

Myrtle Greve Legislation Committee Chair

POVERTY ISSUES UPDATE - Linda Hall, CFUW Hamilton

I have a number of current, poverty-related issues to bring to your attention.

Federally
A new motion was adopted in the House of Commons on Nov. 24th 2009 “to develop an immediate plan to eliminate poverty for all in Canada.

A Dec. 9, 2009 Senate report called In From The Margins, A Call to Action on Poverty, Housing, and Homelessness recommends joint Federal, Provincial and Territorial initiatives such as

• A national housing program
• Investment in early childhood education and childcare, increasing the Canada Child Tax Benefit to $5,000 by 2012
• A federal minimum wage indexed to consumer Price Index, and
• A basic guaranteed annual income for persons with disabilities
• The two spokespersons for this initiative are the former mayor of Toronto and now Senator Art Eggleton, and conservative Senator Hugh Seagal.

Provincially
(a) A panel of 9 people from anti-poverty organizations was appointed on Jan 11, 2010 by Premier McGuinty to comprise the Social Assistance Review Advisory Council. Gail Nyberg, Executive Director of the Daily Food Bank has been named the Chair of this council. The social assistance review was a promise made by the government in their Poverty Reduction Strategy in 2009. Social activist groups have been pushing for this review to move forward for almost a year now. It has been very slow in coming, and there was some discussion that nothing would really happen until close to the next election.

Basically the Panel has been asked to provide advice on short-term changes that can be made, and make recommendations about the scope and terms of reference that will guide the review. The panel is to submit recommendations by April 2010. Still, this much-needed social assistance review appears to be very slow moving.

(b) The government announced in October that they would be phasing in full day learning for 4 and 5 year olds in Sept 2010. The schools were announced locally late this past week and a portion of the first schools would be in low-income neighbourhoods. $500 million has been committed over the next 2 years for that program.

However, as far as pre-school childcare is concerned, The Federal money has come to an end, and there are no assurances that the province will continue to invest the $64/ annually needed to maintain the 8000 child-care fee subsides for younger children. The Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care points out that we can’t build full day learning on a crumbling foundation of early childcare programs.

A media advisory came out on January 7, 2010 warning that Toronto will need to cut 5000 subsides if the government does not act to main the current funding. It said, “child care centres will have empty child care spaces, staff will face layoff, parents will face increased fees, many centres will close in months, all will be vulnerable.” With almost 80% of mothers in the workforce, this can’t be good news.

The CBCC is encouraging Ontarians to contact their MPPs about the cuts to childcare subsides and they are also circulating a petition. It can be found at www.childcareontario.org.

(c) At the September meeting we spoke about the campaign to Put Food in the Budget. Social Planning Network of Ontario, and the 36 Local Public Health Agencies support this campaign.

On Dec. 4, 2009 advocates from across the province met in Hamilton to recognize the first anniversary of the province’s announcement of a Poverty Reduction Strategy, with the promise to reduce child poverty by 25% in 5 years. The focus on December 4th was to advocate for a $100/month Healthy Food Supplement for all adults on Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program, in the upcoming provincial budget.

For the last 10 years, the province’s 36 local health units have been required by the provincial government to report on the cost of a nutritious food basket in their areas. These reports show that healthy food is out of reach for thousands of low-income people in this province. “Ontarians living on social assistance have seen their purchasing power decline, due to both an economic recession and deep cuts to the social safety net during the 1990’s. Increases since have not kept pace with inflation.” [Why poverty makes us sick – physician backgrounder http://www.oma.org/pcomm/omr/may/08_poverty_article_1.pdf] “Without action,” the local public health agencies say, “thousands of low-income people are at continued risk of chronic illness, heart disease, diabetes, depression and high blood pressure.”

They also go on to point out that there is no current formula for setting social assistance benefit levels, and that the basic needs allowance is far below the actual market costs. As a result people on social assistance are being forced to choose between paying the rent and buying food. They are sending their children to school without breakfast or lunch and they are relying on food banks for survival. In Hamilton, food banks usage is up over 20% of what it was at this time last year. A recent Globe and Mail editorial pointed out that “putting money in the hands of low-income people who will spend it in their communities” is good policy.

Putting Food in the Budget – Promote health and fight poverty - Endorsement. The Endorsement is appended to this report. http://www.povertywatchontario.ca/put-food-in-the-budget You can copy and sign this endorsement individually and hopefully involve your club members. Send the signed sheets to your local MPPs. The endorsement is just another way to convince our politicians that social assistance rates are inadequate. Poverty Watch – an organization, which is made up of the Social Planning Network of Ontario and Local Public Health Agencies, sponsors the Endorsement Campaign. Their mandate is to monitor the progress of Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy. See copy of the Endorsement at http://www.povertywatchontario.ca/put-food-in-the-budget

(d) The last item I want to tell you about is the most recent government Claw back of moneys from the Basic Needs Allowance portion of Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Pensions. I brought this to your attention in September, however, we are concerned that this very important issue is not getting as much attention as it deserves. As you may recall, when the provincial government increased the Ontario Child Benefit in July 2009, they also reduced the Basic Needs Allowance on social assistance payments; the net gain to some families living in poverty was as low as $1. The Government announced an increase to the Ontario Child Benefit, but it looked as if they were playing a shell game, and in effect just reallocating the same money.

As I mentioned earlier, The 36 Local Public Health Agencies have already determined that the Basic Needs Allowance portion of social assistance rates, is woefully inadequate, so this particular clawback is a real travesty, and certainly does nothing to reduce poverty.

There is also an Op Ed, our Hamilton CFUW group wrote for the Hamilton Spectator regarding this issue. This news article has received a lot of attention from various groups in Hamilton, and it is our hope that our work has helped to make this issue more public. We have heard that Hamilton’s Mayor has written to the Minister of Social Services, Madeleine Meillieur, asking her government to reinstate the money removed from the Basic Needs portion of the social assistance cheques. We have also spoken to representatives from our local Social Planning and Research Council and have asked them to highlight this issue in whatever ways they can. The link for accessing this news article is http://thehamiltonspectator.com/Opinions/article/685943

What we are suggesting, is that you ask your club to give this issue some attention. We need to get the word out across the province that this clawback of Basic Needs Allowance is happening. You can use our Op Ed piece as a sample for writing to your own local paper. Teri will check to see whether you can forward our Op Ed. article to other local newspapers for publication, adding the particulars for your own community. We are also providing a sample letter template regarding the current clawback issue. We invite you to mail or email it to your local MPPs or use the information contained in it to write your own.

A third strategy would be to contact your municipal governments and encourage them to write to the Premier about reinstating the moneys removed for the Basic Needs Allowance, as the Mayor and City Council of Hamilton has done.

When we spoke to one of our local MPP’s this past week, he made the suggestion that we prepare a petition about the issue. He told us that he would be prepared to present it in the legislature. Our Advocacy and Action committee in Hamilton will be exploring this idea at our Feb. committee meeting.

It took a long time for Mr. McGuinty’s government to respond to our call to end the first clawback of the National Child Benefit Supplement, and another period of time for the province to eliminate the clawback of earnings of part time post secondary students whose families were on social assistance. But, with steady pressure from many groups, the Ontario Government eventually recognized the need for action in both cases. Now we need to bring that same pressure to the issue of the clawback to the Basic Needs Allowances. I hope the various CFUW clubs around the province will join us in helping to bring about this change.

(See the Endorsement sign-up that follows on a separate page.)

WATER REPORT - Carolyn Day, CFUW Southport

Water Report - Redefinition of Watershed to include Downstream Connecting Channel
Activity since September meeting:

• Meeting with senior policy advisors at MOE in Toronto
• Watershed issue put back on table for discussion
• 2 NGO meetings in Toronto plus many Emails
• In December - another round of consultations in 4 sectors (Municipal, Industry, Agriculture, Environment)
• Opinions sharply divided by sector
• Mun/Ind/Ag WANT redefinition of watershed - arguing it's already in the Agreement
• the US states are doing it - would make Ontario less competitive
• it provides cheaper and easier supply of water

• the definition of a watershed
• why Ontario is considering the change
• why that decision matters
• what are the viable alternatives
• that this must be a non-negotiable basis for the regulation on intra-basin transfers because it will set a dangerous precedent at a time when groundwater is under increasing threat across Ontario and pressure to pipe water out of the Great Lakes will increase

ACCESSIBILITY UPDATE - Bev Boudreau, CFUW St.Catharines

On June 13, 2005, the government passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. The act:

• makes Ontario the first jurisdiction in Canada to develop, implement and enforce mandatory accessibility standards
• applies to both the private and public sectors.

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005 calls on the

• business community
• public sector
• not-for-profit sector
• people with disabilities or their representatives
• to develop, implement and enforce mandatory accessibility standards.

Accessibility standards are the rules that businesses and organizations in Ontario will have to follow to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility. The first standard to come into effect is the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service. Ontario is also developing standards in the areas of:

• built environment (buildings and other structures)
• employment
• information and communications
• transportation.

What happens when standards become law?
Once developed and made into law, these standards will include the steps and timelines that businesses and organizations will have to follow.

Where are we now?
The Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Regulation is now law. It came into effect on January 1, 2008. Public sector organizations had to meet requirements under this standard by January 1, 2010. The private sector and non-profit organizations will follow January 1, 2012. The remaining standards are being finalized now.

CHILD CARE - Myrtle Greve

Continuing from the morning’s discussion on early learning, Myrtle Greve provided copies of the petition from the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care, seeking support for their campaign to persuade the Government of Ontario to provide sufficient funding to maintain present levels of child care service, for clubs to circulate at their meetings, She also provided copies of a draft letter which clubs could modify and send to their MPPs on this topic.

CLUB ACTIVITIES
Clubs reported on their Legislation activities since the previous meeting in September. Most generated letters to MP’s and MPP’s:
Hamilton: clawback from social assistance
Mississauga: Pascal Report and Aboriginal funding
North Toronto: Gun control, family Law, clawback
Etobicoke: Gun control, climate change (before Copenhagen), aboriginal education funding
Orillia: gun control, climate change
Aurora-Newmarket: aboriginal funding, aging at home

LHINS (Local Health Integration Networks)

September 26, 2009
Clubs described their recent and ongoing activities. There were many issues being investigated by several clubs, including among others child care, particularly the Pascal Report on early education, poverty, especially Campaign 2000, LHINS, water, human rights, youth at risk (Pathways to Education), distribution of low-cost drugs to third world countries, EI Reform.

Linda Hall reported on the government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy to cut child poverty by 25% by 2013 and its budget to increase the Child Benefit, but cautioned that there has been no mention of child care or food supplements, and welfare rates rose by a meager 2%.

A promised major review of the system has not materialized, and the new increase in the Ontario Child Benefit (as of July 2009) does not put families on social assistance any farther ahead because the basic needs portion of social assistance payments has been decreased, resulting in a net increase of only $1/month overall, for most recipients.

Maureen Leyland reported that 25-in-5 groups are mounting a campaign called, “Put Food in the Budget” calling for a $100/month food supplement for those on Social Assistance.

Carol Hare reported that the government has yet to release funding to provide dental care for cash-poor seniors, despite a 2007 election promise.

Carolyn Day praised the activities of local activists in the scrapping of a proposed dumpsite over a pristine aquifer in Tiny Township, and actions taken by the Provincial government on conservation and water protection issues.

Other areas of concern include

1. development being allowed on Lake Simcoe even as environmental studies are being carried out,
2. an industrial complex on Highway 400 with no access to water and any public transit, and
3. intra-basin transfers - pipes connecting the basins of Lake Simcoe and Lake Ontario, and Lake Huron and Lake St.Clair, when law requires that used water be returned to its original source, not transferred to another water basin.

March 14, 2009

There were 24 members present representing 17 Clubs. Myrtle thanked all the members who submitted the vast array of projects addressing poverty in which their clubs participate and promised to try to assemble the list for the next report.

Linda Hall(Hamilton) spoke on CFUW advocacy regarding child care. Linda outlined the challenges from both the provincial and federal governments: the federal government rescinded its 2006 funding arrangements with the provinces, resulting in the cancellation of $63 million in funding and in 2010 all federal payments will end. The result will be the closing of many child care programs and no new spaces. To date the provincial government has made no promises to spend the outstanding money still available. Ontario lags behind both Manitoba and Quebec in funding for child care and both of those provinces have significantly reduced poverty levels as a result. Linda asked members to send letters addressing the issue of child care funding in the upcoming provincial budget. There is also need for vigilance as to the entry of private for-profit agencies into child care.

Myrtle Greve updated the committee on the issue of “managed competition” for home care services. Although the Minister of Health had put a moratorium on the competitive bidding process following a community and provincial outcry in 2007, the process has been restarted following announcements regarding increased accountability and transparency. The issue of for-profit agencies permeating the home care industry and in many cases replacing long-term not-for-profit charitable agencies appears to be a “done deal” and so the advocacy needs to focus on making the system work as well as possible. A letter outlining the 3 key issues has been sent by the Hamilton Action and Advocacy Committee to a local MPP

The committee has been struggling with the issue of the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs).The LHINs operate very differently throughout the province and there is a lack of understanding of their role in health care. It was suggested that our committee devote a meeting to the LHINs. As their legislation is up for review until March 31, 2010 we may need to do this at the September meeting.

Other suggestions for next year were to invite Dr. Charles Pascal and more on the environment, possibly an evaluation of the waste-diversion act.

January 24, 2009

There were 34 members representing 26 clubs in attendance

Members reported on their clubs’ advocacy activities, with particular emphasis on poverty. In addition to letters to politicians in support of supportive housing and initiatives of the Toronto Caucus Poverty Reduction Committee, clubs are involved in such activities as fundraising for, and helping establish, homeless and women’s shelters, supporting Habitat for Humanity, supporting women’s education in Afghanistan, children’s reading programs, supporting equity in infrastructure programs (ensuring jobs for women). Members were urged to protest the use of smart cards for transit use: these make it difficult to help the poor, who are often given individual transit tickets.

Speaker Beverley Boudreau, CFUW St. Catharines, member of Brock University Accessibility Committee, outlined Ontario’s accessibility standards for the disabled. These are established in the Access for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), first enacted in 2005 and expected to be fully in place by 2025. She described some of the problems encountered by the visibly disabled (blind, wheelchair –bound) and invisibly disabled (deaf, mentally challenged):

• Architectural: narrow hallways, high counters, poor lighting, stairs
• Communication: small print, unclear signs
• Attitudinal: a sense that the disabled are inferior
• Systemic: no allowance for service animals, no translation
• Technology: or lack of it, which can limit access to information.

Provincial Pesticide Ban Update:
Sheila Clarke

As we know, the Cosmetic Pesticides Ban Act was passed in June of 2008. The next step was the development of the Regulations, which included the list of banned substances. Environmentalists have been thrilled to see substances on the list that were considered as standard in the programme of most lawn-care companies, and about which there have been serious safety questions. In particular, 2,4-D, and glyphosate (a key ingredient in Round-Up) were included. Banned substances are banned for use and for sale for lawns and gardens.

It was disappointing to see golf courses continue as approved pesticide-use areas, along with croquet and lawn bowling turfs, especially considering the number of women and more recently, children on golf courses. As well, despite a strong voice from municipalities, health and environmental groups, the Province has retained the prohibition of any municipal by-laws going beyond the scope of the act.

The regulations and chemical lists were released for public comment November 7th, 2008. Comments closed on December 22, 2008. CFUW Ontario Council submitted a response addressing several concerns including golf courses. However, on balance, the act and the regulations are comprehensive and strong, which we noted in our response
http://www.cfuwontcouncil.ca/Bill%2064,%20Regulations,%20for%20web,%20Dec_2008.pdf

The primary point raised by CFUW Ontario Council referred to the absence of an accompanying education plan mandated within the act or the regulations. We believe this to be a critical component of a successful ban. We have spent 50 years becoming totally dependent on toxic chemicals in our lawns and gardens. There will be a very great need to introduce principles of ecological responsibility and natural gardening to the citizens of Ontario as the ban comes into force.

The Government hopes to have the Ban and Regulations in place in time for this spring's growing season. Please encourage your MPPs to assure speedy completion of the Ban.

In the meantime, for those dreaming of planning this coming spring's gardens, the Ministry has listed several excellent education websites that may be of interest. Put green alternatives and Ontario into Google, and go to the Ministry of the Environment's web page that comes up as a choice. You'll see at the bottom of the page, links to websites for Toronto, Peterborough, Waterloo Region, and Stratford.
http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/en/land/pesticides/greenAlternatives.php

Thank you to all clubs and individuals who assisted with Ontario Council's advocacy in this issue. We have been noted as a partner among the many groups who worked together to achieve this ban.

September 27, 2008

Twenty-six members representing 23 Clubs attended and 21 reported that they have Issues/Advocacy Committees. The Chair thanked Elaine Harvey for chairing the Legislation Committee for the past 2 years and reviewed the mandate.

Reports were received on three current issues: Home Care/LHINS, Water and Poverty.

Carolyn Day reported the passage of the Great Lakes Compact "ensuring the strongest protection ever to stop diversions and to regulate large-scale water use". On October 3rd, President Bush signed the agreement. What a victory! Thanks to Carolyn and everyone who worked so hard on this vital issue.

Linda Hall reviewed the anti-poverty advocacy done over the summer. Two key points – it is time for action and poverty is about individuals. Clubs were urged to report any of their advocacy activities to the Chair. As Poverty will be the theme of the January 24th Standing Committee meeting, Clubs are asked to submit a list of any of their activities which contribute to the alleviation of poverty.

Myrtle Greve, Chair

March 8, 2008

The Weather cancelled Afternoon Session on International Women's Day

This is the report of a Legislation Committee Meeting that would have been.

You would have been thanked, whether you are a regular or sporadic member, for your energy and commitment in pursuing the issues that we have dealt with in the last two years. You would have been thanked for giving me as Legislation Chair your support and encouragement as together we continue to generate a vital and effective Ontario Council.

Myrtle Greve and Linda Hall would have been congratulated for their part in the Health Minister's decision to cancel the competitive bidding process for home care contracts until the policy is more carefully considered.

The Accessibility Questionnaire would have been answered as a step toward making our Clubs more inclusive. [Watch for it at www.cfuwontcouncil.ca ].

Teri Shaw would have discussed poverty and CFUW OC's Pre-Budget Brief. [Click on Pre-Budget Brief at January 30, 2008 at www.cfuwontcouncil.ca/issues%20annual%20briefs.html ].

Linda MacGregor would have reviewed with us the ways action can be taken on CFUW and OC policy with the Government of Ontario, through briefs and letters to government officials, and presentations to legislative committees. Linda would have outlined how members can assist in this work, and reviewed how Clubs and individuals can reinforce the issues themselves. [See Advocacy Tools at www.cfuwontcouncil.ca/issues.html ]

You would have been reminded of the environmental issues that we have studied: pesticides, electronic waste, water, sewage and compliance, hazardous waste and packaging. I would have asked you for suggestions regarding appropriate action to take on behalf of OC. I would have promised to visit the Environment Minister (my own MPP, Hon. John Gerretsen) on your behalf, congratulate him on his election and cabinet appointment and on his recent environment initiatives, and raised topics of concern about which we have policy.

Very special thanks would have been given to our speakers who didn't speak – Linda MacGregor and Teri Shaw – and our recorder who didn't record at this meeting but has served so ably in the past – Peggy Pinkerton.

I pass my mantle on to the new Legislation Chair knowing that she will enjoy the association with this Committee and the challenge of working with powerful, talented and dedicated women. I trust that she will continue monitoring the LHINs and keeping an eye on environmental issues.

Take action! Knead the dough!
Become the yeast that gives life to the environment!

M. Elaine Harvey, Chair
Legislation Committee

January 19th, 2008

One or two members of each of the small groups that discussed specific environmental issues at September's meeting (2007) of the Legislation Committee carried their topic forward and presented their findings at the January 2008 meeting. The presenters are to be commended for the research they did and the excellent brief presentations that each of them made. These will form the basis of the March meeting. Their comments are summarized below:

Pesticides: Nora Waldon (Stratford) – Having proposed the Non-Essential (Cosmetic) Pesticides Resolution CFUW (2002), Stratford has embarked on a public education campaign with door signs, a kit, a pesticide-free garden competition, a collection of recipes using dandelions, and finally joined with a community group to bring about a ban on pesticides for cosmetic use.

Electronic Waste: Renata Dashawetz (Orillia) described the increasing problems caused by the proliferation of electronic devices that are constantly rendered obsolete and have to be replaced. These contain materials which are toxic to health and the environment, and which cannot be put in landfill. Companies are springing up to recycle electronics, but presently take only 1% of the 140,000 tons produced each year. Moves are afoot to require producers and sellers to take back old devices, and to upgrade rather than replace.

Arlie Freer (Muskoka) is concerned about illegal shipping of waste material to offshore sites, and has researched other jurisdictions. Ontario rates poorly, and Muskoka is pushing to have manufacturers accept responsibility for disposal. Her club has an established committee on E-waste that has researched the topic extensively.

Sewage: Carolyn Day (Southport) identified practices which are of particular concern: municipal systems which combine storm and sanitary sewers, inadequate sewage treatment plants, birth control and other drugs being flushed into the system and causing havoc downstream, lack of treatment for phosphates in water systems, runoff from factory farming. There are glimmers of hope, such as a bio-digester company in Chatsworth, Ont., which processes sewage sludge into electricity and clean fertilizer. The Province is urged to fund similar enterprises.

Clubs also reported on various initiatives:

LHINS (Local Health Integration Networks}: Elaine Sutherns (Mississauga) and Monique Kelly (Vaughan) monitored LHINS in their areas. Elaine stressed the importance of having a contact in the system (theirs was a local representative) in order to gain access, and being persistent as Board meetings are not readily accessible.

We are pleased to have Elaine keeping us up-to-date on the Mississauga Halton LHIN and Monique on the Central LHIN, and hope to establish a LHIN network of CFUW members from each area.

CCAC (Community Care Access Centre): Linda Hall and Myrtle Greve (Hamilton) gave an overview and updates on their efforts to fight the privatization of nursing in long-term care facilities. Present policy which puts the service up for tender to the lowest bidder has removed long-time non-profit providers such as the VON and St. Joseph’s Home Care in favour of private companies, which have no local experience, and which are governed solely by concern for the bottom line. Quality of care is not a criterion. Hamilton is working with other groups to try to influence the government to change this policy.

SUCCESS: The Request for Proposal Process has been stopped! http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GPOE/2008/01/28/c4899.html?lmatch=&lang=_e.html

Compact Fluorescent Lights: Deferred.

Accessibility: Elizabeth Pulker (Kanata) in pushing for increased accessibility for the disabled stressed the necessity for tolerance for those whose disability is not visible, e.g. those with Asperger’s Syndrome.

Family Poverty: Teri Shaw (Oakville) prepared, introduced and distributed her handout on poverty issues. It is a timeline on government response to poverty from 1989 to the present with references to web resources. We are grateful to Teri for this excellent summary, which will be of value when letter-writing to MPP’s.

Next steps at the March meeting!

Peggy Pinkerton, recorder for
M. Elaine Harvey, chair

September 15th, 2007

Water: Carolyn Day gave a detailed update of developments of the Great Lakes Annex Agreement Advisory Panel, of which she has been a member since 2004. She praised the Ontario government for implementing all 121 recommendations of the Walkerton Inquiry, and for working with the Advisory Panel and accepting its input. Bill 198, incorporating the Clean Water Act, was put into force with all party agreement. The Panel is working on identified problems of water transfers, e.g. York Region making unsustainable demands on its aquifer, and draining high-nitrite water from farm run-off to Lake Ontario; Grand Bend taking water from Lake Huron and diverting it to London. She criticized the federal government for not doing its share: 16 highly polluted trouble spots have been identified; only two have been dealt with.

A special concern is Canada’s role in the Security and Prosperity Partnerships with the US and Mexico.

Pressure from the US is to increase oil production from the oil sands five-fold, which puts a huge demand on Canadian water. It takes 3 barrels of water to produce one barrel of oil, and already the level of the Athabaska River is declining. Furthermore, water is not protected under NAFTA, and there is strong pressure to export fresh water. Canada has no national water policy.

ACTION: CFUW members were urged to lobby their MP’s to ban bulk water exports.

All Candidates’ Meeting: Peggy Pinkerton gave a brief account of a meeting co-sponsored by CFUW-Etobicoke.

LHINS: Attempts to monitor LHINS Board meetings and have questions answered have been disappointing. Members were urged to keep trying.

Climate Change: Elaine Harvey reported on the annual Department of Public Information/NGO conference at the UN. Climate change has been identified as the most serious problem, and the conference came up with a Declaration on Climate Change which urges governments and industry to promote sustainable development, and organizations and individuals to make lifestyle changes that can lessen the pressure on the environment. The meeting broke into small groups that came up with recommendations on recycling, banning cosmetic pesticides, waste disposal, and protection of water.

The meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.

Peggy Pinkerton for
Elaine Harvey, Chair
Legislation Committee

March 3rd, 2007

Elaine Harvey initiated discussion on Bill 67, the Organ and Tissue Donation Mandatory Declaration Act, which mandates that those renewing driver’s licences or health cards must indicate either that they agree with donating their organs, or are undecided about donating.

This contravenes the human right to opt not to donate organs by those people who oppose organ donation on religious or other grounds. Linda MacGregor will be sending a letter indicating Ontario Council’s concern about this infringement on human rights because an individual should have the right to refuse. The letter, however, emphasizes that CFUW has a resolution that favours organ donation. (One member suggested that anyone refusing to donate should not be eligible to receive a donated organ.) Clubs were urged to lobby their MPPs on this human rights issue.

Electoral Reform: members were urged to make their Clubs aware of Prof. White’s message from the morning session through newsletter reports, reference to the CFUW website, speakers, public meetings, and questions to be raised at all-candidates meetings.

All-Candidates Meetings: Elaine and Darla Campbell described successful all-candidates meetings held by the Kingston Club (municipal) and the Oakville Club (federal) respectively. Oakville’s was a breakfast meeting, to which tickets were sold: Darla described the organization, set-up, advertising, and methods used to prevent excessive partisanship. She stressed the importance of scrupulous fairness in the treatment of candidates (eg order of speakers chosen by lot), and the necessity of establishing and communicating clear limits on what candidates may do (eg number of signs, number of brochures).

Questions for Candidates: The meeting broke into small groups to brainstorm questions for candidates in the provincial election, reflecting CFUW concerns. These will be collated, edited and presented at the OC AGM, and sent to Clubs for use at all candidates meetings.

Elaine Harvey, Chair
Legislation Committee

January 13th, 2007

The Legislation Standing Committee afternoon meeting was attended by 27 members from 21 Clubs.  The following minutes of the meeting were prepared by Peggy Pinkerton:

Legislation Chair Elaine Harvey introduced speaker Natalie Mehra, director of the Ontario Health Coalition, who outlined the dangers besetting public health care.  

Ms. Mehra’s topic was Maintaining Public Health Care, and she began by using members in a graphic demonstration to show how permitting private health treatment neither shortens the line for those waiting for public treatment nor does anything to add to the number of providers.  She went on to an impassioned defence of the public health care system, and ominous warnings of a campaign to privatize care, well funded by health and insurance corporations.

In addition, although government funding of health care represents what she claims is the largest transfer of wealth ever, she sees attacks coming from within governments:  

• both Nova Scotia and Quebec are taking legislative measures to introduce private health care measures, and
• she expressed concern that measures that Health Minister Tony Clement is proposing may dismantle the public system.  

On top of this, the new head of the Canadian Medical Association is the owner of a private clinic, and there is a proliferation of right-wing think tanks formulating policy in favour of privatization.

The Ontario Health Coalition, representing 78 health agencies, claims some victories in its fight against privatization:  

• it stopped a private cancer treatment facility at Sunnybrook Hospital,
• forced the refunding of hospital cuts made by the previous government,
• stopped the Copeman Clinic, which would have utilized a two-tier system, and
• worked to call off PP3 hospitals.  

Ms. Mehra says, however, that a “partial win is a loss”, and efforts to privatize continue, as do their efforts in opposition.

She is wary of the new LHINs:

• expressing concerns about problems in the quality of care caused by forcing hospitals to compete, and

• worrying that the consolidation of hospitals will damage the “fabric of communities” by removing a community resource - its hospital -  and
• forcing patients to travel longer distances for treatment.  

For the remainder of the afternoon Elaine asked members to introduce themselves and advise of their Clubs’ advocacy initiatives.  Most Clubs reported activities, including advocacy, especially on Bill 303 and funding cuts to women’s groups, scholarships, support of women’s shelters, and working with other Clubs on projects.  Elaine asked to be advised of Clubs’ further activities, if possible by the end of January,  and promised to disseminate the  ideas as widely as possible. She stressed the value and importance of co-operating with other Clubs.

Discussion on planning an all-candidates’ meeting was deferred to the March meeting.

We are very grateful to Peggy Pinkerton for again providing us with a carefully recorded and beautifully expressed record of the meeting.

Elaine Harvey, Chair
Legislation Committee

Sept. 16th, 2006

The afternoon session was attended by 29 members representing twenty-two Clubs. Members introduced themselves, identified their Club affiliation, and briefly outlined issues of concern.

I gave a brief report on the annual UN conference for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that I had attended a week before entitled "UN-finished Business". Its focus on partnerships was a topic on which the national CFUW directors initiated a policy described in the September 2005 Communicator.

Susan Pryn of the St. Catharines Club gave an update on the Resolution on Homeless Youth which passed at the national AGM in August, along with background information and copies of the Action Plan.

Action: Become aware of the problem in your own community; lobby for more government funds to support agencies working with homeless youth; support the agencies themselves; and encourage partnering among those agencies.

Several members reported on the Local Health Integrated Networks System (LHINS) in their areas. Concerns were expressed regarding

• the likelihood of increased privatization in the health field;
• the large size of the board and the appointment of board members without health work experience;
• the lack of racial diversity in members of the roundtable, and their lack of knowledge of the system
• lack of information regarding funding

Action: Monitor the LHINS in your area, and ask questions where answers are not forthcoming;

Linda MacGregor of the Etobicoke Club and Ontario Council President discussed pending changes to Ontario's Human Rights Code which lists 15 grounds for charges of discrimination, and provides for civil remedies through financial compensation. Since 1961, the Ontario Human Rights Commission has acted on behalf of the public through mediation, investigation, conciliation, and where necessary litigation through the Human Rights Tribunal. In the 2004-5 year, only 7% of the 2215 complaints needed to be referred to the Tribunal, but the system has been very slow. Now Bill 107 proposes that the filter mechanisms that provided for the intermediary steps have been eliminated and now the complainants will have to fund their own legal representation before the Tribunal.

Action: Learn more about the changes. Ask your MPP where the filtering system is described in the Bill, how the proposed legislation will provide information so that systemic discrimination can be assessed, and how previously inadequate funding will be addressed.

Carolyn Day of the Southport Club and a former president of Ontario Council, described the Great Lakes Charter Annex Agreement which when ratified will be legally binding for eight states but morally binding for Ontario and Quebec since international agreements cannot be ratified by provinces. Carolyn represents Ontario Council on the Annex Advisory Panel, a partnership of NGOs and academics that has established credibility with the governments involved.

Carolyn outlined problems associated with water: the shift in North American population to the southwest where water is not as plentiful; the 25% increase in the use of water in Canada since 1980; the slow renewal rate of the Great Lakes (1% per year); greater evaporation due to climate change; and increased shipping resulting in more dredging of channels. Fortunately there is a ban on diversion except for Chicago (a grandfathered exception); there is a basic wide environmental standard; and the precautionary principle -- if a proposal looks dangerous but cannot be proved, you don't accept it has been adopted.

The Clean Water Act (Bill 43) will link formerly unlinked legislation regarding water.

Action: Clubs are asked to urge local MPPs to support the Clean Water Act, to monitor the Great Lakes Charter Annex Agreement, to ask the local Conservation Authority what preparations are being made regarding this legislation, and to ask the municipality how they are working with the Conservation Authority.

Elaine Harvey, Chair
Legislation Committee

March 4th, 2006 meeting

The Legislation Standing Committee afternoon meeting was attended by 29 members from 25 Clubs and featured presentations on two upcoming resolutions: one by Linda Hall and Judy Lee, of CFUW Hamilton, on the Ontario Council proposed resolution: Income Equality for Ontario's Children; and one by Susan Pruyn of CFUW St. Catharines on the Draft Resolution: Homeless Youth.

CFUW HAMILTON's proposed Ontario resolution aims to rectify what is seen as unfair treatment to Ontario families on Social Assistance.

In 1998, the Federal Government introduced a child benefit for children under 18 to assist poor families. Provinces and Territories were permitted to "claw back" the amount of the benefit from certain direct social assistance payments (notably Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Plan), and use the funds for social programs. Ontario is one of only two provinces that has elected to take advantage of the claw back: it uses 80% to fund programs for children; 20% goes to municipalities for their own programs.

Since many low-income families cannot benefit from these programs, it is seen as unfair that they should subsidize them. Linda Hall provided statistics and studies to show how low-income families would be better off receiving the money directly.

Premier McGuinty promised, during his election campaign, to end the claw back, but has delayed doing so pending a review. CFUW Hamiltion is calling for an immediate end to the claw back, and urges other clubs to join in lobbying to this end.

Susan Pruyn described the process by which CFUW St. CATHARINES' members moved from a general interest in homelessness in their community to their targeting homeless youth. After meeting with their mayor and regional council they connected with a group interested in youth poverty, Resource Action for Teens (RAFT), and worked to support and promote that group. It in turn gave assistance in formulating their resolution.

They distinguish between "absolute homelessness", in which young people live on the street or in hostels, and "relative homelessness", which sees them "couch surfing" in friends' houses. Both are harmful, and lead to rootlessness and social disengagement.

The causes of youth homelessness are poverty, lack of family ties, family violence (47% are abused). The effects are devastating: for the young people, drugs, violence, a tendency to drop out of school, lack of job readiness, crime, pregnancy, declining health; for society, a group dependent on services, with high health and incarceration costs. What is needed is stable funding for housing and support services. The resolution calls on all levels of government to respond.

The meeting ended with the committee members being urged to monitor and investigate the Local Health Integration Network in their own backyard, in order that CFUW Ontario Council will be prepared to participate in the public review. The public review of the Local Health System Integration Act, 2006 is legislated to occur in 3 years

Peggy Pinkerton

January 14th, 2006 meeting

Carolee Bailey, CFUW-Burlington delivered an excellent presentation. It was a report on the local initiatives of the Action Plan for the national resolution: Inclusion of Chronic Home Care Services Under the Canada Health Act. CFUW-Burlington and CFUW-Hamilton have actively participated in three local initiatives: the Inclusive Cities Canada report, monitoring the development of the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) and educating members and the general public by arranging for high profile health care speakers and public forums.

The development of Ontario regional health authorities, referred to as LHINs is of particular concern. Bill 36, Local Health System Integration Act, 2005, appears to allocate funding on the basis of a performance agreement with public health care providers such as hospitals, community health centres, Community Care Access Centers (CCAC). However, the bill does not include family doctors, chiropodists, dentists, optometrists, independent health facilities, laboratories, public health and for-profit medical clinics.

The intention of the Bill is to create an integrated health system, without the inclusion of the mix of health providers. The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC) appears to be creating a market-based pricing system which seems to pit “wait times” against home care services.

Until the LHINs mature, it is too early to tell how effective they will be in the planning, funding and integrating health care services at the local level.

Carolee Bailey, summarized, what members should take back to their Clubs, from the Action Plan on the Home Care resolution:

• Read the resolution and background carefully.
• Check if the policy resonates with the club members.
• Educate the public on a validated issue which will only worsen

March 21st, 2006: CFUW/Hamilton will have Dr. Jane Aronson, as the speaker for their general meeting speaking on “Home Care and Its Implications for Women: An Update on Policy Development.” Dr. Aronson, Director of the Department of Social Work at McMaster University, is a prominent researcher and writer on seniors’ issues.

• Inclusive Cities Burlington Full Report is available in pdf format at http://www.cdhalton.ca
• The national Inclusive Cities Report is available at http://www.inclusivecities.ca
• The book, Prescription for Excellence: How Innovation is Saving Canada’s Health Care System, by Dr. Michael Rachlis is available in pdf format at http://www.michaelrachlis.com
• For the complete CFUW/Burlington and Hamilton presentation on the Action Plan for the resolution: Inclusion of Chronic Home Care Services Under the Canada Health Act, e-mail: cfuwontario@yahoo.com

Learnings and Insights:

The Legislation Committee heard about a health care public forum organized by CFUW members through another agency. Some members indicated they would have attended this public forum if they heard about it. Please share any information about public forums, conferences and other educational events which would help keep CFUW members informed on issues.

September 17th, 2005 meeting

The afternoon session was attended by twenty-one members representing nineteen Clubs and the morning key message of "Stop the Silence" was reinforced with a discussion.

"Inequalities and the Social Context" by Mary Jane Mossman, published in Adding Feminism to Law: The Contributions of Justice Claire L'Heureux-Dube was the lead into a discussion of access to justice. The chronic underfunding of civil legal aid is a significant factor in the continued reinforcement of gendered inequality. Marginalized groups of women, disadvantaged by language and ethnicity, become the "invisible" and silent litigants in family law matters. They have abandoned their family court claims due to legal aid cutbacks. Women who do not have the finances to access representation lose substantive legal rights.

The practice of the privatization of rape was explored by looking at the sex discriminatory myths and stereotypes which defense lawyers continue to use. Some of these include: the promiscuous cannot be raped; women impliedly consent to a sexual assault; women are in a state of constant consent to sexual activity; "unchaste" women lie; "unchaste" women consent indiscriminately; "women are consenting when passive or incapable of communicating and do not have a full right of control over what is done to and with their bodies"; women and feminists are unable to act as impartial jurors, etc.

Elizabeth Sheehy and Christine Boyle, in "Justice L'Heureux-Dube and Canadian Sexual Assault Law: Resisting the Privatization of Rape" write women suffer from unfair and inegalitarian procedural and evidentiary rules. These unconscionable burdens on women effectively leave them in silence outside the criminal justice system. Women are not publicly recognized as equal until the law "recognizes the full gendered harm of sexual assault, rejects discriminatory reasoning, and claims a system of justice in which women play a respected role." The authors conclude Canadian women have an opportunity to implement "grassroots knowledge and feminist research, activism, and advocacy around the law of rape" to prevent a reversion to recycling sex discriminatory myths and stereotypes "in all of their doctrinal incarnations." Laws have been transformed and need follow up with the transformation of culture norms. "Stop the Silence" is a strategy to change the culture in order to eliminate violence against women.

March 5th, 2005 meeting

In continuing the theme of CFUW Clubs and advocacy, the Legislation Committee participated in an issues study groups workshop. The workshop began with a brief presentation on the importance of an issue study group in a CFUW Club and tips on how to start one. The members shared the success of their Clubs' issues study groups and the challenges. A great example of "What's possible!" is CFUW-Southport, which had a waiting list for participation in their issues study group.

The committee members divided into small discussion groups and acknowledged what does work, identified the challenges of what's not working and what's missing, and discussed what's possible with enthusiastic general memberships. Each group presented a summary of their discussion to the whole committee. A report on all the groups' findings is available to all the committee members.

We hope that the active participation of all members in this lively discussion has inspired members to return to their clubs with renewed enthusiasm for implementing advocacy through issues study groups in their Clubs. The sharing of information is a powerful activity.

Jan. 15, 2005 meeting

At the January Standing Committee, Hon. Marion Boyd, Chair of the Arbitration Act Review Committee, Nuzhat Jafri of the Canadian Council of Muslim Women and Annie Bunting, Professor in the Law and Society Program at York University gave their views on the proposed revisions to Ontario's Arbitration Act to a joint session of the Committees.

For a full report on the panel discussion and the afternoon sessions see the newsletter:
Dates & Data, January 2005

At the afternoon session of the January 15th Legislation Standing Committee meeting, CFUW-Burlington, made a presentation on "Homecare in Crisis". Carolee Bailey and Arleen Midriak spoke about what motivated and inspired them to embark on the journey to develop a resolution on homecare. It is cost-efficient to allow seniors to maintain their independence by living in their own homes. There is a deficit of resources for homecare for seniors. Elder care is falling on the shoulders of children, who are raising their own families, hence, the term "sandwich generation".

Sept. 18th, 2004 meeting

In the morning, the speakers, Chi Nguyen of Young Women Vote and Peggy Nash of Canadian Automobile Workers Union, spoke about women and politics. In the afternoon, there was a mini-workshop on "Feedback" communication, and Ann Harrison of CFUW-Orillia spoke about the "Just Vote" campaign.

March 6th, 2004 meeting:

Electoral reform was the topic when all three committees met together to hear Nathalie DesRosiers, a professor of law at the University of Ottawa and president of the Law Commission of Canada.