Regional Women’s Committee Minutes - October 30, 2017
In Attenance:
Tabassom Javadi Doudaranie UNE 30040
Deb Kosteniuk UTE 30024
Jennifer Jurca UCTE 30318
Vicky Norris UTE 30024
Kirsten Strachey UTE 30024
Karen Knull CEIU 30858
Stephanie Hooper CIU 30036
Melisa Lumbula CIU 30036
Regional Office Rep – Dolly Ablitt
Regrets:
Arliss Chute USGE 30129
1. The Meeting was called to order at 5:45 p.m.
Discussion about adding Jordan’s Principle conference and lunch with Rachel Notley to the Agenda
Kirsten motions to adopt the agenda as amended, Vicky seconds. All in favour.
2. Minutes from previous meeting: Sep 11, 2017. Dolly requested a change from “housewarming party” to “grand-opening” be made.
Jenn moves to accept the minutes as amended. Tabassom seconds. All in favour.
New procedure for Minutes: Deb advised of the requirements to change the handling of the minutes in future. In the past, we had been doing minutes, sending them out, and approving at the next meeting, but this process takes longer than the 30-day requirement we now need to meet.
The new proposed process is: The Secretary would send out the minutes to the committee members shortly after the meeting, the attendees would then have 7 days to send in corrections and amendments. Once completed, the Secretary would forward to the Chair who would then review and distribute them to the Regional Office for posting to the website. Minutes to then be approved at the next meeting.
3. Old Business:
Sisters in Spirit: Vicky attended the event. She said that the turn out was smaller this year than in the past. Deb wasn’t able to attend a lot of the Awo-Taan meetings this year, due to illness, and would like to invite someone else to participate in the meetings, along with her. Vicky stepped up and indicated that she would like to participate.
PSAC Regional Office Grand-Opening: Kirsten attended along with Connie and was impressed with the beautiful space. They were glad that they made the drive down. Tabassom organized the presentation of the food, and it went very well. Robyn Benson was here, but due to a family commitment, Marianne Hladun was unable to join us.
- This space is available in the evenings for us to hold meetings and Christmas parties here if we are interested.
- Robyn has indicated that she is willing and able to travel this year, so has indicated that we should invite her to any events.
4. New Business:
a) A Women’s Place is in Her Union Retreat: November 25-26. One day is a course, and the other day is a workshop, sign up now on the PSAC Website under Education.
There is a new plan: Instead of the movie night on the November 24th, the plan is to make it more of a bonding exercise instead, and do Racelette cooking, or just appetizers and chatting, where participants could move to different stations, with cards at each to facilitate discussions. It would be a fairly short night, ending around 8pm. Send questions for discussion topics to Deb. Topics could include National Childcare Program, Domestic Violence in the Workplace, and Murdered and Missing Aboriginal Women.
Saturday is the training, but the course material has been updated so even if you have taken it before, you can/should come again.
Sunday is a Workshop. We’d like to discuss Domestic Violence in the Workplace; Stephanie will ask her contacts to see if someone can come out to speak to us. Especially in light of Bill 204’s passing: we’d like to hear from the Police and if this has helped them.
Discussion about asking Robyn to speak at this event, in addition to Marianne. Either about what it’s like to be a Woman in a position of power, tied in with a Women in Politics piece, or about new wording in Collective Agreements related to protections for those affected by Domestic Violence... Then we could talk about Murdered and Missing Aboriginal Women in the afternoon.
- Vicky to speak to an Elder that she knows, Marion Lerat and invite her to welcome us on Friday night, and speak to us on Sunday afternoon as well.
- Deb to email Robyn and Marianne to invite them, as well as follow up with Stephanie.
- Deb to draw up the Budget for this Special Event and send it to Marianne for approval.
b and c) Sixteen Days of Activism on Violence Against Women: It runs Nov 25 to Dec 10. We could do Facebook posts related to Gender Violence after the Retreat and then on Dec 6, we can then watch the After the Montreal Massacre movie, light candles, and read off the names of the women who were murdered.
d) IWD: March 8. Tabassom recommends buying some of the supplies for this event ahead of time when we can get things for on sale. The Budget is $350 for Gift Cards and $550 for gifts and door prizes, including Red Deer.
- Kirsten and Karen to get together to discuss.
e) Toy Room at the Women’s Centre: Rather than doing a Mini Toy Drive Event, we could come in as a group (targeting the RWC members and friends within our locals) to wrap toys. Preferably no: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Fridays.
- Jenn to contact the Women’s Centre to pick a date and get details on how many volunteers would be required to fill up a block, and if we need to bring our own wrapping supplies?
f) Scotiabank Marathon: The Goodlife Fitness Walk/Run. May 27. Funds raised benefit the Women’s Centre of Calgary. Our team in the past was the Sole Sisters. There is a fundraising commitment along with the Registration Fee. We should register before Feb 28 if we want to do this.
- Deb to contact the Women’s Centre to confirm that we can fundraise on their behalf.
g) Women’s Committee Rep: At the National Human Rights conference in Toronto next fall, there was a discussion about having all of the RWCs work together on a coordinated, national activity for a National Childcare Campaign. If this doesn’t happen nationally, there was a discussion about participating in a Regional Campaign with the other Prairie Region RWCs, because while there have been some steps taken, it has not been enough and it is not happening fast enough.
- Deb will attend the Human Rights Committee Meeting on Dec 4 and 5 and will report back to us on plans for moving forward.
h) Jordan’s Principle: There was a conference in Calgary, put on by the Caring Society, related to Jordan’s Principle. We asked for funding for 2 women to attend, using this conference as an opportunity to educate ourselves and spread the word; however, we were not approved for this expenditure.
There was also a ForHer luncheon, relating to Women in Politics, here in Calgary, which we also requested funding for, but were unable to be approved for, prior to the event.
5. Roundtable:
Melisa – looks forward to the retreat and hopes that she can make it! Wants to participate in the May 27 walk!
Karen – Is impressed with everything that we are doing! She will check to try to attend the retreat.
Kirsten – Is trying to look ahead on the schedule to see if there is anything else related to Jordan’s Principle that she can use to share the info.
Tabassom – Is wondering about parking at this building. Are we going to be reimbursed for it? Can we submit our receipts at the next meeting? Yes, write your name on it and bring the original receipt. This would be expensed as Meeting Expenses, and could be written on the cheque at the same time as the food is reimbursed.
Jenn – Went to the bank and signed to become an updated signing authority.
Deb – Just wanted to apologize again about not being able to participate in the Awo-Taan events. There is a Tri-Committee Meeting of the HRC, Area Council, and RWC, proposed for Thursday, November 16 to plan a rally against Phoenix for the New Year.
Dolly – nothing to add.
6. Meeting adjourned at 7:21
Next Meeting: in the New Year.