Public Service Alliance of Canada
Regional Women’s Committee
General Meeting
April 26, 2017 @ PSAC Edmonton RO
In attendance:
Patty Jesome, Chair
Dragana Ristivojevich, Vice Chair
Kim Cardinal, Secretary
Charmaine Nelson, Treasurer
Deborah Basaraba, Member
PSAC Staff:
Nina Babcook, A/Regional PSAC Rep
Regrets:
Kim Haynes, Member
Collette Lee, Member
Darlene Lewis, Member
Chelsea Keys, Member
1. Welcome - Call to Order – Patty called the meeting to order @ 5:32 pm.
2. Introduction of new attendees – No new members in attendance
3. Agenda - Adoption: Agenda approved by consensus.
4. Last meeting minutes – Adoption: By consensus.
5. Follow up on previous business:
# Description Person Action / Discussion/Completed
a. Thank you Cards Completed
b. Garden Design Kim Haynes As Kim was not at the meeting, Patty will touch base with her to get a design and email to the Executive.
c. FB page: Set Criteria for page Patty
The RWC Facebook page has been created by Patty; she has made the RWC Executives Administrators.
Criteria: If a member makes a request to join they will need to be approved by the Executive. Nina suggested reaching out to the other RWC’s that have a Facebook page and see what their criteria are.
One of the goals of this Facebook page is to advertise the committee and build it further. Suggestion to have a video conference with all Alberta Regional Committees one evening to see what their plan are and what best practices they have.
Photographs will only be relative to our committee as; activist, events, seminars, etc.
Question regarding inviting men to the Facebook page? See what the other RWC’s are doing.
Kim C. asked a question regarding what forum could we do to invite the spouses of PSAC members to this committee. Further conversations with other committees and REVP’s office will need to be researched regarding these details.
6. New Business:
a. Speakers for one-day child care event – September 16, 2017
• Contacted the Ministry of the Status of Women for speaker
• AFL Member Siobhan Vipond will speak on lobbying government
• AFL to look for speaker for child care topic
• Contacted Marianne Hladun regarding a speaker from PSAC – suggested Morna Ballantyne – Lives in Ottawa
For the child care event the committee would like to ensure that our goals are: Affordable, Quality Affordable Childcare – It affects us all. Discussed and suggested that we do a rally as well that day. Committee will need to discuss this further about where to rally and such.
ACTION: Kim will bring the handouts that she received at the PSAC Equity conference to the next meeting so we can further discuss the Agenda on this one-day child care.
b. What new members can contribute to our campaigns. As there were no new members at this meeting this item was not applicable at this time.
c. Need contact information for both posters: Women Helping Women and Garden Poster and disseminate to locals. Nina will inquire about insurance for people that will be helping out with the garden. Kim Cardinal will be the lead of the Garden event. Patty is the contact/lead for Women helping women poster.
Suggestions for what will be on the poster and how will be advertised: will state that “spouses” are welcomed to come and help out. Nina will also contact the REVP office regarding inviting spouses/males. Only people who RSVP will receive the address on where the garden event will be.
d. Food Bank is open to receiving fresh garden items (they prefer root vegetables) but need to check back to see if they will be getting potatoes from a mass producer. Maybe supply carrots, parsnips, beets, etc. rather than potatoes.
e. Need list of components and locals so we can start sending out letters for Women helping Women campaign. Nina will need approval from the REVP office to share the list with this committee. Nina also suggested that she could send these out as she already has the group emails established, the chair and the committee agreed that this would be easier, however she will still ask about sharing the list.
f. Plant the garden: May 20th. Get swag before this event and Kim suggested purchasing garden gloves and sun hat.
7. Roundtable:
Charmaine – Prepared a report from the PSAC Equity Conference that she attended and a brief description of the workshops that she attended, report was read to the committee.
Charmaine produced the Financial Report – To date balance $1020.24 - $515 = balance to be carried over to 2017 year is $505.24.
Deb: Reminded the committee that this week is mourning the loss of workers. Enjoyed last weekend’s PSAC Convention.
Kim: Excited about the garden event and suggested we hold a meeting before the 20th to discuss the garden event.
Nina: Dinner protocol-it was mentioned that the committee looks at changing how we have been submitting individual dinner receipts and then writing a check individually at the end of the year. It was suggested that we order dinner at the meeting. Committee agreed that this will be a better way to run this meeting. Suggestion that when we RSVP to the meeting that we can suggest/plan on what to order in for supper, either Tim’s downstairs or Boston Pizza across the street etc.
T-Shirts and headbands from UNIFOR are in the office. Need confirmation on the amount in the budget and the amount that is required to pay, the total cost owed is $285.00. For future, it is suggested or should be protocol that, when expending something it should be detailed and suggested for consensus and/or vote for the expense by the committee.
Patty: Stated that when someone is speaking that others do not interrupt in roundtable, Human Rights Committee will be building the talking stick and we could use it when doing roundtable for each committee.
AFL is having their convention this weekend – Sunday morning @ 7:30 am – RWC Executive can go to this. Patty will follow up with committee. Patty, Dragana and Charmaine are interested in going.
8. Next meeting(s): Time is 5:30 – 7:00 pm @ PSAC Edmonton Regional Office
May 17th (special meeting regarding the Garden Event ONLY). May 24, 2017; June 28, 2017.
9. Adjournment: Meeting adjourned at 7:00 pm.
Actions:
Who What When
Nina What were the Women’s Equity Conference Workshops and who facilitators Next Meeting
Nina Who can be invited to participate in terms of allies to the committee Next Meeting
Nina Send out Posters for Women Helping Women and Garden Next Meeting
Nina or Patty Circulate Charmaine’s Report from the Equity Conference asap
Kim Send Equity Conference Resolutions Next Meeting