Edmonton Regional Women's Committee: Meeting Minutes - Feb 11, 2019

Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) - Edmonton Regional Women’s Committee (RWC)

2019 Planning Meeting—Building our Voices Together

February 11, 2019 PSAC Edmonton RO

In attendance: Kim Cardinal: Chair; Charmaine Nelson: Co-Chair; Denise Gugel: Treasurer; Patty Jessome: Secretary; Nina Babcook: PSAC Regional Representative

Planning Meeting:

Theme: Building our Voices Together

Recruitment strategies: Kokum’s Corner.

1. Regional Women’s Committee Handouts: For example, go to Canada Place on event days such as Indigenous Day (June 21st) and provide handouts pitching the RWC to recruit members.
2. Kokum’s Corner: Having an Elder do a teaching around the empowerment of Indigenous Women and to do some activities such as star blankets, bead work, moccasin making, etc.
3. Video compilation: Take pictures this year at all events and put them together as a recruitment tool for next year in a fun and exciting video.
4. Creating positive messages regarding the Women’s committee: Putting out messages of positivity regarding the committee. Speaking to the good things we do as a group.

Other Ideas:

Domestic Violence: Domestic Violence workshop for our members. Either through PSAC or through another organization that offers a more in-depth course. All committees could attend with an invite out to the membership.

Terra House & YWCA: Partner with community organizations to volunteer for events they are having in 2019.

Visual Active Journal: Women to create a VAJ (Visual Active Journal) on Woman’s empowerment with Tracey Bear, an indigenous teacher and leader. Come back quarterly for sessions throughout the year to discuss, perhaps café style where we share our stories with each other.

Child-care event: Prairies region to build on the postcard campaign with all regional committees involved. More information will follow from Deb Kosteniuk, Prairie’s Women’s Rep, who is reaching out to all Chairs of the RWCs prairie wide.

Monthly Women’s Events:

International Women’s Day: Rally on March 10th with Women 4 Strength and Empowerment.

National Indigenous Peoples Day: June 21st, Recruitment at Canada Place.

Sisters in Vigil March: October 4th. Hold a craft-building day for members where we make indigenous items like a lanyard, etc.

Remembrance Day, November 11th: Lay wreath at the Butterdome ceremony.

The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women: Attend the AFL brunch.

* We did not include a budget for a Domestic Violence Course so I think research is required to determine a cost.

Next Meeting on: February 25th, 2019 @ 5:30 pm at the PSAC Regional Office