CFUW Ontario Council News February 2025

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Women Leading Change

Education | Action | Advocacy

CFUW Ontario Council News

In this Issue

Message from Sandra Shaw, President 2024-2026, Ontario Council
February Speakers Series - Women in the Skilled Trades
Report & Call to Action from the 2025 Presidents+ New Year Celebration
Ontario Election 2025
Black History Month
International Day of Education
Holocaust Day of Remembrance
How to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
Ontario Coalition for Healthy School Food
2025 Ontario Council AGM
Land Acknowledgements
Membership Matters
CFUW National News
Club News & Events

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A Message from Sandra Shaw

We are in the midst of a provincial election, (uncalled for in the opinion of many pundits), an upcoming Liberal leadership race and a subsequent federal election, a tariff war that threatens our very economy, increased defense at our borders being forced on us to halt illegal asylum seekers and immigrants travelling from Canada to the US, our ecosystems collapsing faster than expected, coal extraction opening back up in Alberta, wars continuing and others starting, plutocracies replacing democracies, social media now being exposed for the danger that it brings to young people, as an avenue to inculcate anarchy and an entry point for foreign actors to change the way we think and act, and on and on. No wonder we wake up anxious, never knowing what doom and gloom faces us the next day. Many of us spend hours in a week discussing with like minded friends, family and colleagues the plight of our country and the world, denouncing what is happening, feeding this anxiety. What is there to look forward to? Will any good come out of any of this? How can we return to the utopic vision we have had of our country?

What can we do?

You may have noticed that CFUW Ontario Council has changed its tagline to Women Leading Change. It’s what we are good at. It’s where we are needed. We educate – ourselves and others. We advocate for what is right, for what those who cannot help themselves need, for our land which we have damaged to the precipice of irreparability. We take and encourage action. We push – ourselves to do and be better, and others – to be responsible, to be accountable for the harms of inaction and greed. We lead by example and by accomplishment.

We must turn away from doom and gloom. We must seek out what we can do and just do it. We must take advantage of the politics to light the fire under our entrepreneurs to reinvent Canada by turning back to when we, as a country, were almost entirely self sufficient. We must stop the undermining and reversal of women’s rights here at home. We must fight the greedy. We must encourage collaboration amongst our politicians, amongst our businesses and amongst ourselves.

We will lead change.

The Advocacy group here at Ontario Council has prepared an Election Toolkit to start us off (found under Take Action a the Ontario Council website). The documents are filled with important information to educate us and questions to ask candidates to help us understand their parties’ positions. I believe these questions go further, though. They make us think. They establish what we, the women of CFUW Ontario Council Clubs, want for our province and country. They set down a path to follow and they give us the momentum to direct the way forward.

We can establish what there is to look forward to. We can create the good that will come out of our current situation. Canada can return, perhaps not to the utopia we felt it was before (our eyes have been opened too far), but to a better place, with CFUW Ontario Council Clubs and their members helping to lead the way.

Sandra Shaw, President CFUW Ontario Council

PS: When you feel the doom and gloom pressing in, turn to https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ for a dose of Good News. Maybe it won’t change the world, but it can change your mood.

To Help You Buy Canadian

A number of websites have been set up to help Canadians discover and shop truly Canadian. Here are links to two of the sites.

Made in CA https://madeinca.ca/
Well Made in Canada https://wellmadeincanada.com/

February Speakers Series

Women in the Skilled Trades

Registration is now open for the February Speakers Series!

WOMEN IN THE SKILLED TRADES

Saturday February 22, 10 a.m. on ZOOM

This is a free event but you must register to attend.

Click here to register!

Presidents Plus New Year's Party!

The Ontario Council Virtual New Year’s Celebration on January 13^th provided an excellent start to our new year and was a well attended event. Almost all (if not all) Ontario Council Clubs were represented, from Thunder Bay (our most northern and most western Club) to Windsor (farthest west in the south of the province) to Cornwall (farthest east). The party was an opportunity to meet new Club members, hear about some of the activities being undertaken by your Council, be informed about National’s Membership Committee’s new grant opportunities for Clubs, and listen to the eminent Senator Marilou McPhedran speak to us about Respect and Civility in our parliamentary procedures and the impact lack of civility has had on not only government representatives but also our citizens. She concentrated part of her delivery on the Civility Pledge and called on Ontario’s CFUW members to persuade their elected officials in the municipal, provincial and federal governments to sign this pledge. CFUW Ontario Council’s members have heeded this call to action and are actively engaged in finding out who has signed (only about 80 of the 400 federal parliamentarians have signed the pledge) and asking those who have not to do so.

The parliamentary pledge, authored by the Canadian Association of Feminist Parliamentarians, was introduced in Parliament on June 19, 2024, and can be viewed by clicking here. (English pledge follows the French pledge.)

To read President Sandra's full report of the January 13th party, please click here. To learn more about the Pledge of Civility, please click here.

Thanks to all who attended. The session was recorded. If you missed the event, you can request a link to the recording by contacting communications@cfuwontcouncil.org.

Wishing you a healthy, successful and meaningful 2025,

CFUW Ontario Council

Presidents Plus New Year's Party

Door Prize Winners!

Prize winners from the January 13th event are ... drum roll please!

Evio gift certificate: Janet B
Raven Rising gift certificate: Penny H
Book: What She Said: Marilyn M
Book: And Sometimes They Kill You: Sheila P

Ontario Election 2025

On January 28th, 2025, Ontario Premier Doug Ford visited the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Edith Dumont, to request the dissolution of the legislature for an early election. The official election call was announced on Wednesday, January 29th. Ontario will go to the polls on Thursday, February 27th, 2025.

Many thanks to the Ontario Council Advocacy Team for the informative and insightful Election Toolkit, brought together under enormous time pressures. Even if your Club is not holding an All Candidates Meeting, the Toolkit’s contents are worth reading and discussing. Perhaps it could be used as a discussion tool to replace a February Interest Group meeting or for personal interactions with your community’s candidates as they hold Kitchen Meetings or Meet and Greets. With a bit of tweaking, it can be used for our upcoming Federal election as well.

An All Candidates Meeting (ACM) is one of the most efficient ways to inform our members as well as the public regarding the comparative platforms of the various candidates’ parties. It also helps us understand the kind of fighter the various candidates will be for the specific needs of our own communities. The General Information resource includes points on how members can become involved in the election process, including several procedures for conducting ACMs, which will ensure your meeting is run smoothly, is well attended, and is effective (see page 5). All resources have been posted on our website under the Take Action! section of the Advocacy page.

2025 Election Campaign Toolkit

Additions to Election Toolkit – IPV Bill 173 - WomanAct

In preparing the Election Toolkit IPV section, I came across this organisation which I believe is a like-minded advocate challenging the current government on Bill 173 - Intimate Partner Violence Epidemic Act. It has an excellent form letter to the Premier and is an exceptional resource for women and advocates dedicated to ending violence against women. Go to WomanAct.

Definition of Non-Partisan

(from CFUW National, Club Action Newsletter January 17^th, 2025)

As a non-partisan organization, CFUW National and Clubs cannot support, oppose, endorse, campaign for, or donate to any party or candidate. If a CFUW member is engaged in campaign activities, it must be as an individual, fully removed from Club spaces and their role with CFUW.

But non-partisan does not mean non-political. CFUW National and Clubs can express support for or opposition to policies and laws where we have an Adopted Resolution that supports that position, or where it is directly related to CFUW’s mission and values. The key is to focus on the issues, not the individuals or parties.

For specific examples, see this document with “Non-Partisanship Do’s and Don’ts”. Please contact advocacy@cfuw-fcfdu.ca if you have any questions.

Another resource clubs may want to consider is the Parliamentary Pledge to Increase Civility that Senator Marilou McPhedran mentioned during her address at the 2025 Ontario Council New Year’s Celebration. This pledge was launched in June 2024 by the Canadian Association of Feminist Parliamentarians.

Black History Month

February is Black History Month

Every February, people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and festivities that honour the legacy of Black people in Canada and their communities.

About Black History Month

During Black History Month, people in Canada celebrate the many achievements and contributions of Black Canadians and their communities who, throughout history, have done so much to make Canada a culturally diverse, compassionate, and prosperous country.

The theme for Black History Month 2025 is “Black resistance”. We can understand this theme to mean celebrating the ways in which Black people have resisted oppression, discrimination, and prejudice over history. https://www.twinkl.ca/event/black-history-month-canada-2025

Black history in Canada

Black Canadians and their communities have been a part of shaping Canada’s heritage and identity since the arrival of Mathieu Da Costa, a navigator, and interpreter, whose presence in Canada dates back to the early 1600s.

The role of Black people and their communities in Canada has largely been ignored as a key part of Canada’s history. There is little mention that some of the Loyalists who came here after the American Revolution and settled in the Maritimes were people of African descent, nor the fact that many soldiers of African descent made many sacrifices in wartime as far back as the War of 1812. African people were once enslaved in the territory that is now known as Canada, fought enslavement and helped to lay the foundation of Canada’s diverse and inclusive society.

Throughout her expansive career as an educator, politician and social advocate, the Hon. Dr. Jean Augustine has been a staunch advocate for girls and women. In 1993, Dr. Augustine made history as the first Black-Canadian woman to be elected to parliament. https://www.jeanaugustinecentre.ca/

In December 1995, the House of Commons officially recognized February as Black History Month in Canada following a motion introduced by Dr. Augustine. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month.html

Holocaust Remembrance

The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27th the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945, as International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is a time to remember the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and the millions of other victims of Nazi persecution. This day serves as a reminder of the need to continue to combat all forms of hatred and intolerance.

International Day of Education

January 24J

AI and education: Preserving human agency in a world of automation

Under the theme “AI and education: Preserving human agency in a world of automation”, the 2025 International Day of Education inspires reflections on the power of education to equip individuals and communities to navigate, understand and influence technological advancement.

As computers and AI-driven systems become more sophisticated, the boundaries between human intention and machine-driven action often blur, raising critical questions about how to preserve, redefine, and, ideally, elevate human agency in an age of technological acceleration.

About International Day of Education

Education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education in celebration of the role of education for peace and development. Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind.

International Day of Education | UNESCO

ENVIRONMENT CORNER

How to make your home more energy efficient

Article by Denise Taleski and Sue Thoms from CFUW Belleville & District—thank-you!

Making you home more energy efficient reduces the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere and the impact on climate change.

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO MAKE YOUR HOME MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT

Seal Air Leaks Around Windows and Doors –Air leaks in winter or summer can waste a lot of your energy

*use caulking and/or weather stripping

TIP – Test for air leaks coming from windows or doors using a lit candle OR by closing a window or door on a dollar bill. If you can pull it out without dragging it you are losing energy!

Use Window Coverings – Windows are often a weak point in your energy efficiency

Insulated Cellular Shades – can reduce heat loss through windows by 40% which equates to 10% heating savings; can reduce unwanted solar heat by 60%

Curtains /Drapes (lined/ insulated) - install as close to the window as possible; reduces heat loss by up to 10%

Window Film – applied directly to the outward facing glass of a window (can be bought at Rona)

Ceiling Fans/Fans – Circulate Air

* blades of ceiling fans moving counter clockwise push air down as a cooling breeze in summer; blades moving clockwise pull air upwards and circulate warm air in winter

Buy ENERGY STAR APPLIANCES when replacing old appliances

Replace your light bulbs with energy-efficient LED bulbs

Install a tank less water heater- heating water on demand saves energy

Increase humidity in your house in winter because moist air feels warmer than cold air

Plant trees or install awnings for shade – reduces use of air conditioner in the summer

Install a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature in your home

Replace single pane windows with double or triple pane windows

Add insulation to your attic, walls and floors

REMEMBER: SAVING ENERGY SAVES YOU MONEY!!

ONTARIO COALITION for

HEALTHY SCHOOL FOOD

CFUW Ontario Council has recently joined the Ontario Chapter of the Coalition for Healthy School Food. ON-CHSF is a network of over 95 non-profit organizations from across the province. Members include professionals from education, health, agriculture, food sectors school boards and local governments.

ON-CHSF is a good fit for CFUW Ontario Council as they are non-partisan advocates for policy change, at all levels of government, to invest in school food programs in Ontario. Their work is collaborative and will provide us the opportunity to engage in building school food programs.

Food insecurity is an increasing concern, and it is a well-known fact that hungry children are at a disadvantage at school. This is an opportunity for CFUW Ontario Council to connect and network with like minded community driven organizations that share our vision to advance knowledge and the increasing need of school food programs.

If you would like to become more involved in this issue of school food programs please contact, Wendy Taylor CFUW ON Council, Education Chair at wendyltaylor@rogers.com. For more information about The Ontario Chapter of the Coalition for Healthy School Food, please go to https://www.healthyschoolfood.ca/.

2025 Ontario Council AGM

Resolutions

The Resolutions Committee has received two Resolutions for consideration at the OC AGM in May:

Post-Secondary Funding in Ontario from CFUW Orillia
Aging in Place Advocate from CFUW Owen Sound

These submissions are currently under review and we'll be sending out a special edition of the newsletter on February 15th.

Member Proposals

Each year CFUW Ontario Council members can propose bylaw amendments or other motions for consideration at the AGM or policy sessions. This year, proposals must be received by March 15th, 2025, in order to be considered at the AGM. This year, our AGM will be a virtual meeting held on the morning of May 24, 2025.

What are member proposals? Motions of any kind – not just Resolutions – that Member Clubs would like Ontario Council to consider at its AGM in May. Clubs can submit motions on a variety of topics. As long as they propose action that is within the purposes of Ontario Council or that addresses how CFUW conducts business (bylaw amendments, amendments to procedure, resolutions, dues motions, nominations), member proposals can be considered at the AGM or a policy session.

The Guidelines for Member Proposals and Amendment forms are posted on the Club Resources page on our website here. Scroll down to CFUW Ontario Council Bylaw Amendment Process.

MEMBER PROPOSAL GUIDELINES

Final submissions for proposed Amendments (Form 1) or Amendments to proposed Amendments to the Bylaws (Form 2), must be fully completed and submitted by email to president@cfuwontcouncil.org.
All proposed amendments or amendments to the amendments must be properly received, on or before March 15, 2025 or they will not be considered.
A package of the Proposed Amendments will be posted on the Ontario Council website for clubs and members of the CFUW OC Board of Directors for study and evaluation.
Members will be invited to submit Amendments to the Proposed Amendments (Form 2) on or before April 15, 2025.
At the AGM, only proposed amendments and amendments to the amendments properly received and deemed compliant, will be allowed from the floor. Bylaw elements that are legally required by the Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act must be instituted and any amendments to these clauses must be legally consistent.

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

As CFUW members and individuals, we continually strive to increase and deepen our knowledge and understanding of our history, to go further on the path towards Reconciliation. When we start our meetings with a land acknowledgement, an elder in my community says we then begin “in a good way.” I have also found this explanation from the University of Toronto helpful:

“Acknowledging the land is an Indigenous protocol used to express gratitude to those who reside here, and to honour the Indigenous people who have lived and worked on this land historically and presently. It allows us the opportunity to appreciate the unique role and relationship that each of us has with the land and provides a gentle reminder of the broader perspectives that expand our understanding to encompass the long-standing, rich history of the land, and our privileged role in residing here.”

As such, Ontario Council is collecting and posting examples of Land Acknowledgments on our website. We invite clubs to share their versions with us by submitting them to us at communications@cfuwontcouncil.org. The collection will be posted on our Club Resources page of the website.

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

Ontario Council Membership Fees

Reminder - Ontario Council Membership Fees & Insurance due February 7, 2025.

Invoices have been sent to the Club Treasurers by the Ontario Council Treasurer. The invoice is also posted on the website. Payment can be made by cheque or e-transfer. Please contact the OC Treasurer at treasurer@cfuwontcouncil.org with any questions.

Treasurers' Survey

Several Clubs have requested information or assistance with financial matters, especially for new Treasurers. A Survey will be distributed to Treasurers next week with a due date of March 1st. The intent is to share information and determine how assistance could be provided by Ontario Council. A webinar will be held in May using the results of the survey.

Business Registration Requirement

As a result of new anti-money laundering legislation, we understand that Clubs are being asked to provide proof of business registration by the banks and online platforms including Square, Wild Apricot and PayPal. Clubs that are not incorporated and do not have CRA charitable registration do not have business registration. One Club was able to satisfy the requirement by submitting the incorporation documents for CFUW National. We would appreciate hearing whether Clubs have encountered this requirement and how they have been able to deal with it. Please send your comments to the OC Treasurer.

Results from Ontario Council Club Responses to the

Membership/Communications Survey Coming Soon

Results from the Ontario Clubs which responded to the Membership/Communications Survey from CFUW National will be published in the March edition of the OC News.HERE

CFUW National News

On the fourth Monday of every month, National VP Membership Anne Cordon hosts a virtual meeting at 4 PM called Monday Membership Moments (MMM). These sessions give clubs across Canada a chance to network and talk about issues that affect their clubs and membership. We encourage every club to send at least one representative each month.

February 24 (4pm ET) Monday Membership Moments (MMM5) will focus on Resolutions with suggestions for your club to study and critically review them, and suggestions for how to engage more club members. We will be joined by special guests, Resolutions co-chairs Margaret Therrien (Halifax) and Wendy Taylor (Orillia).

Check out the notes from Monday’s Membership Moments MMM4: from January 27^th MMM4 on Building the Team (and sharing the work!) and initial info about the Membership-Communication Survey:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BqfToAbjEM9BgvtukZn_carrxgU_r3bd

CFUW Ontario Council Clubs - Don't Leave Money on the Table!

CFUW National is offering a NEW $300 grant to support clubs in raising their profile in their communities. To access the grant, clubs must complete an application and submit it by February 13th, 2025.

To go towards supporting your members and/or raising your Club Profile with

Updated branding materials including a new banner,
Planning and executing a Special Event for Members and/or the Public
Special Project, for Membership Recruitment/Retention or for Advocacy
Developing and producing promotional materials

Grant Application form can be accessed HERE. Please note you will need to sign in to Google to access the form.

Club News & Events

As always, there's lots going on with Ontario Clubs! Please send your club news & events to communications@cfuwontcouncil.org.

CFUW Orillia Joins Community Partners to Mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

On Friday 6 December, 2024, despite extreme winter weather, CFUW Orillia joined with community partners to host a Walk of Remembrance and Candlelight Vigil to honour the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. The event, organized in collaboration with the Orillia OPP and The Green Haven Shelter for Women, remembered the horrific act of violence which took the lives of 14 young female engineering students at École Polytechnique 35 years ago. Read more ...

CFUW Cambridge: Annual International Women's Day Breakfast 2025

Club members and residents are invited to attend the 2025 International Women's Day Breakfast, with guest speaker Jennifer Seberras, President and CEO of Simplify Supply Chain Solutions. With 20 years experience in logistics, Jennifer has spent the last 11 years expanding her company from a single employee to over 100 employees. She has also created Leadership Hub, a safe space for female entrepreneurs to discuss their business journeys. Tickets are $75 and may be purchased here.

Date: Saturday March 1st, 2025

Time: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Location: Galt Country Club, 750 Coronation Blvd. Cambridge