Edmonton Regional Women's Committee: Meeting Minutes - Feb 4, 2020

Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)
Edmonton Regional Women’s Committee
General Meeting
February, 4 2020             
PSAC Edmonton RO

PSAC Staff:

Carm Chan, PSAC Representative

1. Welcome to all / Call to Order / Harassment Statement: Kim Cardinal called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm. Patty read the Harassment Statement.
    
2. This Agenda - Adoption: Kim requested adoption of the agenda – Consensus approved. Kim also talked about protocol regarding agenda items. Said she will issue the callouts with a deadline ask members to send agenda items to the secretary to compile.
3. Posting of December 5, 2019 Meeting Minutes: Kim said she needed to follow up with Nina to see why the December meeting minutes have not posted to PSAC website yet.
    
4. Election to attend the 2020 Prairie Regional Convention: Kim asked the group if we would prefer to pull names out of a hat as opposed to an election. Consensus was for the names out of a hat method. Carm administered the draw. Denise G.’s name was pulled first for delegate. Kim’s name was pulled second for 1st alternate and Carla’s name was pulled 3rd for second alternate. Kim, Denise and Patty expressed their respective components would likely sponsor them, so perhaps others from the committee could attend as well.
5. Treasurer’s report: Presented by Denise G. Balance as of December 19, 2019, and end of the year statement: $1475.26 Kim Cardinal asked why so much money was left over. Denise advised we received a reimbursement check from the HRC and a Regional cheque from Marianne Hladun for the supplemental budget request for our sub-action, Carm asked if RWC wanted to split the food and beverage expense from the PSAC Committees AGM – Kim agreed that would be a good idea. Kim asked for consensus to move forward – carried.
6. Old Business:
   1. Kim requested an update from Caitlin about the Game of Life (Childcare campaign). The group expressed their appreciation for the presentation. Kim asked how the committee feels about continuing with the project. Patty said she cannot commit to a subcommittee. Caitlyn said she is ok with tabling the project for now. Kim advised the subcommittee tasks will not be included in regular meetings. Said she may send out another callout to recruit more members.
7. Brainstorm ideas for this year’s committee and budget plan:
   1. PSAC Priorities - Kim asked Carm to enquire about PSAC priorities.  
   2. Visual Artistic Journaling (VAJ) - Denise G. said she would like to incorporate a variety of female speakers throughout the year and to build the topics so the story can continue, regardless of when you sign up along the way. Recommended a different speaker each time would be ideal. Kim suggested inviting our PSAC Executive Vice President, Magali Picard and Regional Executive Vice President, Marianne Hladun. Group discussed having 4 sessions for the year, 1 per quarter. Denise also recommend we consider bringing our VAJ’s to convention and talking about them with other women.
   3. Adopting a Cause/Fund Raising for Vulnerable Women: Corie thought we could consider adopting a cause to fundraise for each year. Some of the causes that were discussed was:
      1. Sucker Creek Emergency Women’s Shelter – Members who attended the AFL brunch in December 2019, shared how they learned about how women’s shelters on reserves do not receive any government funding. Thought it would be a good idea to do some fundraising for them and perhaps some tangible donations.
      2. Adopt a Senior Christmas Campaign – London Drugs: Carla shared her experience with supporting “the adopt a senior” cause as well as “adopting a family” through other charitable organizations. 
      3. Kim suggested another vehicle to promote these causes would be through our respective employers’ GCWCC campaign.  
   4. Lobbying – Group discussed making lobbying a priority again this year in support of the Child Care campaign as well as how to make it more successful.
   5. International Women’s Day, Sunday, March 8, 2020 – Patty advised she would like us to incorporate this day into our planning. The group concurred.
   6. Labor Day Weekend/Game of Life: Denise advised she would like to see the Game of Life ready for that weekend. Said she felt that would be a great time to pilot it. Suggested we use swag items as prizes to encourage folks to play.
   7. Resolutions - Group discussed keeping resolutions that support our women on our radar and to seize those opportunities whenever we can. Corie suggested adding the topic of resolutions to the agenda 1 month before convention deadlines to allow sufficient time to consider and prepare. Kim suggested we bring ideas as they come and add them to the agenda.
   8. Other events considered: Women’s March and Walk a Mile in Her Shoes (End Domestic Violence Campaign)
   9. Team Building Ideas – The group brainstormed other ways to make our years a success and to celebrate women and being a woman:
      1. Open and closing of meeting with an empowering song (Kim), dancing (Patty) or Meditation (Corie).
      2. Sharing women’s successes/ Women thriving news (Carm) / 2020 Superbowl had a female coach as well as two female performers (Caitlyn).
      3. Girls Night! – Bowling (Kim), Women’s Museum (Patty), Picnic (Kim), bring the kids (Denise G.)
8. Next meeting date, time and location: Monday, March 2, 2020 at 5:30PM at PSAC Edmonton.
9. Roundtable:
   1. Carm – Said she would send out the committees’ roles and responsibilities handbooks. Also reminded us to sign up for strike training as many of the components are on strike alert.
   2. Carla – Thanked everyone.
   3. Denise G. Thanked everyone.
   4. Corie – Asked for confirmation of who was all selected for the 2020 National Women’s Convention. Kim, Patty and Denise all confirmed they were selected. Carla and Corie were not selected, regretfully. Caitlyn did not apply for convention. Corie enquired if Kim checked with her local to see if they would cover her -  Kim said she would look into it. 
   5. Kim – Excited for the year. Thanked everyone for coming. Said she will be hosting an indigenous arts and crafts event at her home with Heather Poitras. All are welcomed to join.   
10. Kim adjourned the meeting at 7:35p.m.