September 15, 2005
additions to the site:

Changes to the Special Diet Supplement
Special Diet Supplement Slashed by the Liberal Government!

Ontario Works (OW) Policy Directives

• Overview: ow-transition-2005-06.pdf
  
  
• Fact Sheet: ow-transition-2005-06-facts.pdf
  
  
• Question and Answer: ow-transition-2005-06-QA.pdf
  

Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) Policy Directives

• Overview: odsp-transition-2005-03.pdf
  
  
• Fact Sheet: odsp-transition-2005-03-facts.pdf
  
  
• Question and Answer: odsp-transition-2005-03-QA.pdf
  

View the actual regulatory changes on e-laws:

• ODSP New Special Diet Schedule
  http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Source/Regs/English/2005/R05562_e.htm
  
  
• ODSP Regulation amendments
  http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Source/Regs/English/2005/R05563_e.htm
  
  
• OW New Special Diet Schedule
  http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Source/Regs/English/2005/R05564_e.htm
  
  
• OW Regulation amendments
  http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/DBLaws/Source/Regs/English/2005/R05565_e.htm
  

 

July 10, 2005
additions to the site:

Human Rights Redress -- Seeking your support in calling for a humanitarian parole for a federally sentenced native woman prisoner
We are seeking your support in calling for a humanitarian parole for a federally sentenced native woman prisoner, Sandy Paquachon, who has served over twenty consecutive years in prison -- an extraordinary length of time, in light of the "crimes" for which she was convicted. Sandy Paquachon is presently hospitalized in the ICU at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, after being "committed,' and involuntarily transferred to the Regional Psychiatric Center (RPC) in Saskatoon.
<sniped> Sandy has been illegally restrained both with shackles and with medication during her hospitalization at the ICU. It took legal intervention to force the CSC to have the shackles removed, despite the fact she is heavily sedated at the time of this writing. It is illegal to shackle a patient in an ICU ward without cause, a situation Sandy has been faced with many times before. Read More - Take Action

May 25, 2005
additions to the site:

ODSP Research Study Seeks Participants in the London area

A McMaster University Student is seeking participants for a study on the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and the advocacy process. The study is seeking people to participate in a study to learn about their experiences at the ODSP hearing. In particular, the study hopes to determine how the role of advocates influences the ODSP appeals process.

 

May 19, 2005
additions to the site:

Women of Colour and Cancer Information Study - Immigrant Women & Women of Colour Needed!
The Ontario Breast Cancer Community Research Initiative (OBC CRI) is seeking Focus Group participants to evaluate breast cancer educational materials to asses their relevancy to the lives and cultural realities of women of colour. Read More

 

May 10, 2005
additions to the site:

 

Allergic Living Magazine Makes Its Debut

 

May 9, 2005
additions to the site:

DAWN Emergency Contraception Watch Project
Monitoring Women's Experiences accessing Plan B - the Emergency Contraception Pill (ECP)

Today Women have a second chance to prevent an unintended pregnancy with the Emergency Contraception Pill - ECP for short. It's safe and effective, if taken in the first few days after sex. But for EC to work, Women need to know about it - and be able to get it in time. So prepare yourself. Read More

May 7, 2005
additions to the site:

A Mother's Day Message To Parliament from Canadian Women Doing Politics Differently
As women of Canada, grandmothers, mothers, daughters and sisters, many of us have remained silent far too long. It is time to speak. Mother's Day, May 8, 2005 seems a most appropriate day to start. We are calling attention to the appalling behaviour that dominates the Parliamentary Sessions, especially Question Period. Mr. Valeri, Honourable Leader of the House, and Mr. Belanger, Minister Responsible for Democratic Reform, and all Party leaders, we find the conduct in the house is acrimonious, disrespectful and ultimately counterproductive. The House is dysfunctional and is not an effective forum for expressing Canadian interests. The lack of respect for diversity within The House makes many wonder how members regard the concerns of their diverse constituents. Read More

May 6, 2005
additions to the site:

Menopause Study for Women with Spinal Cord Injury - University of Michigan - Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
The University of Michigan is recruiting women and men for a study about menopause in women who have a spinal cord injury. The study involves filling out a survey. Participants are paid a small amount for each survey. Other guidelines for eligibility include non-smoking status, injury level and others. Read More

 

April 27, 2005
additions to the site:

An Open Letter to Stephen Harper & Peter MacKay - by Marjaleena Repo
You ceaselessly point your fingers at the Liberal government members in the House of Commons and pontificate about their ethical misdeeds, alleged and real. You demand that they come clean, confess to their malfeasance and accept punishment, long before the Gomery Commission is able to present its recommendations and sanctions. Now you want to force the whole country through an early and expensive election because of the ethical failures of the Paul Martin government! But who are you two to talk about ethics and "moral authority"? Are you not staring yourself blind at the speck in the government's eye, while ignoring — and hoping that no one else would notice either — the beam in your own? Let's take a quick look at your own documentable lack of ethics: ... Read More

 

April 22, 2005
additions to the site:

Coalition for Women’s Equality Applauds Committee Efforts & Urges Action
The Coalition for Women’s Equality (CWE), a strategic alliance of national equality-seeking groups, commends the Standing Committee on the Status of Women for its historic report on Gender-Based Analysis (GBA). The federal government adopted a Gender based analysis strategy in 1995 in order to meet its equality commitments under the Beijing Platform for Action. Despite the government’s commitments to GBA, the committee found that- a decade later - its application was, at best, uneven. Read More.

La CÉF applaudit les efforts du comité et préconise une action immédiate
La Coalition pour l’égalité des femmes (CÉF), alliance stratégique de groupes nationaux qui revendiquent l’égalité, applaudit le Comité permanent de la condition féminine pour son rapport historique sur l’analyse comparative entre les sexes (ACS). Le gouvernement fédéral a adopté, en 1995, une stratégie sur l’analyse comparative entre les sexes, afin de répondre à ses engagements en matière d’égalité selon le Programme d’action de Beijing. Malgré les engagements gouvernementaux envers l’ACS, le comité a souligné que, une décennie plus tard, sa mise en œuvre avait été, au mieux, irrégulière. Read More

 

April 21, 2005
additions to the site:

My Second Child by Michelle E.M. Funk

This article started as a request from a friend who is an Educational Psychologist. She wanted me to write something from a parent's perspective as an opening piece to a presentation she was giving on ADHD to teachers. She wanted them to remember that these are someone's children - not just data. ~ Michelle E.M. Funk
Excerpt: He flashes me one of his big, beautiful, bright smiles and he's gone - another 5 laps around the yard. He's a great runner - lots of energy and loves to be outdoors. Some kids from the neighbourhood come by and join in the fun. You can look closely but you won't find anything. There are no telltale signs, no physical markers. He looks just like everyone else. My second child is so full of life. He's very creative, sensitive, resourceful and independent. He loves to wear costumes and play "pretend". One minute he's "Mr. Incredible" and the next, he's a zombie from the "Scooby-Doo " movie. My second child loves music - and loves to sing in the car - at full volume. Oh, someone fell down - he rushes over to help him up. I smile. Most people don't expect that but I have seen him do this many times. He asks if the boy is hurt. The other shakes his head "no" and all is well. Read More

McGuinty Government to Help Small Business Grow and Succeed
Government Launches New Agency to Give Voice to Small Business
The Ontario government is establishing the Small Business Agency to allow small business owners to focus their energy and resources on the work of running a business. The agency will help small businesses grow and succeed by: Including small business representatives to give them an opportunity to speak directly to government decision-makers; Looking at ways to cut down on paperwork required to run a small business, saving owners time and money; Reviewing key existing regulations as well as examining proposed new regulations with the goal of making compliance as easy as possible, while protecting health and safety; Making sure government is aware of how each new regulation could affect small business costs and competitiveness. The agency will also work with small business groups such as the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and other community business organizations to see where improvements need to be made. Read More

 

April 20, 2005
additions to the site:

Emergency Contraceptive Pill (ECP) Public Awareness Initiative
The Ontario Women's Health Council (OWHC) is funding a public awareness initiative with Planned Parenthood Federation of Canada (PPFC) in support of Health Canada's decision to make Plan B, an emergency contraceptive pill (ECP), a non-prescription drug.... The public awareness initiative, ECP-INFO Ontario, will provide information about ECP in a confidential and respectful way, using tools and resources commonly used by Ontario women - such as print materials, toll-free phone lines and web information. The project will also help women understand the change in regulatory status of Plan B and identify where they can access the drug.Read More

Read the CWHN release from May 18, 2004 urging that measures be taken to ensure equitable access to EC by making it available "over-the-counter" without pharmacist assistance)

 

Ontario Gov't to launch pilot program to help people leave Welfare for Work
TORONTO, April 20 - The McGuinty government is launching an innovative pilot project that will help people move from working for welfare to working for a living, Minister of Community and Social Services Sandra Pupatello announced today. JobsNow will provide ongoing, individualized employment counselling, job placement and retention support to help people find jobs so that they can leave welfare for good. ... WCG International, in cooperation with municipal Ontario Works offices, will run the JobsNow pilot in six pilot communities: Peel Region, Durham Region, Hamilton, Windsor, Ottawa and Nipissing. Through their employment partnership with the government of British Columbia, WCG has helped 30,000 social assistance clients return to the workforce by providing one-on-one support and leveraging partnerships with local businesses and employers. Read More

Women Enabling Health Services: A National Workshop for Urban Women with Disabilities
by Gail Lush, National Network on Environments and Women’s Health (NNEWH)
Excerpt: ... In the past decade, research related to the health status of women with disabilities has been carried out by the women themselves, and is beginning to bring to light the ways in which health care providers and policy makers can meet the full range of their needs and concerns. Women with disabilities living in urban environments are particularly concerned about how the organization of city spaces (where they live, work and seek services) affect their health and wellbeing. While well-populated communities can offer greater options for employment, entertainment, education and health services, discriminatory attitudes toward women with disabilities have a disappointing impact on their ability to benefit from these opportunities and fully participate in urban life. In a recent consumer survey by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, Canadian women with disabilities indicate that they face a range of physical, environmental, attitudinal, communication and structural barriers to health services. Read More

Canadian Women's March Committee 2005
Event Update for May 1st - 7th, 2005
Exciting progress has been made by the Canadian Women March Committee to celebrate the reception of the Global Charter for Humanity. Events are planned in Vancouver, Yellowknife, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Moncton and Quebec City as the Charter travels across Canada. Read More

 

April 19, 2005
additions to the site:

PATRICIA DEEGAN: A DAY ON RECOVERY AND ITS PRACTICE
where:  Metro Hall Council Chamber, 55 John Street
when:   May 10th from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Hosted by the Leadership Project, Patricia Deegan speaks from the view of an activist in the consumer/survivor/ex-patient movement in the US. She will give two morning lectures. The first, "Recovery: The Experience, the Evidence, and the Practice." The second, "A 300 Year History of Consumer/Survivor Advocacy." Finally, Pat will offer a workship entitled "A Recovery-Based Approach to Client Choice and Shared Decision-Making."
Fees are on a sliding scale.
The facility is wheelchair accessible.
Sign interpreters will be present throughout the event.
Contact: Brian McKinnon at Alternatives. (416) 285-7996, extension 227,
bmckinnon@iprimus.ca.

 

April 17, 2004
Announcement

20th Anniversary of Section 15, the Equality Clause, of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
April 17, 2005 marks the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guaranteed the right of Canadians to equality. The Charter itself came into force in 1982. The three-year delay of section 15 allowed federal, provincial and territorial governments time to bring their legislation into line with its provisions.

20e anniversaire de l’article 15, la clause sur l’égalitéde, de la Charte Canadienne des droits et libertés
Le 17 avril 2005 marque le 20e anniversaire de l'entrée en vigueur de l'article 15 de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés, qui garantit l'égalité des Canadiens et des Canadiennes. La Charte elle-même est entrée en vigueur en 1982. Le délai de trois ans pour l'article 15 a donné aux gouvernements fédéral, provinciaux et territoriaux le temps nécessaire pour aligner leurs lois avec ses dispositions.

 

April 14, 2005
Addition to the site:

Press Release: April 14, 2005
TIME TO PUT EQUALITY BACK ON CANADA’S AGENDA
On the 20th anniversary of section 15 of the Charter, equality rights groups are urging politicians and judges to renew their commitment to achieving equality in Canada. On April 17, 1985, the equality guarantee in Canada’s new Charter of Rights & Freedoms came into force. “The constitutionalization of this equality guarantee was a huge step for Canada,” said Andrée Côté, speaking for the 20th Anniversary Committee, a broad coalition of equality-seeking organizations. “Many equality-seeking groups contributed to the wording of this section – through parliamentary hearings – making it a model worldwide for constitutional equality guarantees. For example, it was one of the first to include a guarantee of equality for persons with disabilities. This is something to be proud of,” said Côté at a news conference on Ottawa’s Parliament Hill today.

Communiqué - le 14 avril, 2005
L’ÉGALITÉ DOIT ÊTRE AU CŒUR DU DÉBAT NATIONAL
À l’occasion du 20e anniversaire de l’article 15 de la Charte, des groupes qui travaillent en faveur de l’égalité exhortent les leaders politiques et les juges à réitérer leur engagement en faveur du respect et de la promotion des droits à l’égalité. C’est le 17 avril 1985, que la clause garantissant l’égalité de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés est entrée en vigueur. L’enchâssement de la garantie à l’égalité a marqué un point tournant pour notre pays », a déclaré Andrée Côté, au nom du Comité du 20e anniversaire, une coalition de groupes travaillant en faveur de l’égalité. « Plusieurs de nos membres ont contribué à la rédaction de cette clause, grâce à leur participation aux comités parlementaires, et en ont fait un véritable modèle universel pour le droit fondamental à l’égalité. Par exemple, ce fut l’une des premières constitutions à garantir les droits des personnes souffrant déficiences », a dit Madame Côté au cours d’un point de presse sur la colline parlementaire d’Ottawa aujourd’hui.

April 12, 2005
Addition to the site:

Every minute a woman in Canada is abused
That is why Canadian Women's Foundation, Hudson's Bay Company (Hbc) and Rogers are asking Canadians not to wait another minute. These three organizations have joined forces in a national partnership of unprecedented scope to launch the Start to Stop Violence Against Women campaign, supporting the violence prevention work of the Canadian Women's Foundation and 274 shelters for abused women across Canada. Read More

Al and Tipper Gore to help raise $1 million for women's health research
At one of Toronto's largest fundraising events of the year, the Honourable Al Gore, former Vice-President of the USA, and Tipper Gore will address more than 1,500 of Canada's business and opinion leaders in a talk entitled A Nation Divided: Global Implications. Organized by the Sunnybrook & Women's Foundation in support of The Centre for Research in Women's Health, An Evening with Al and Tipper Gore will be held on Tuesday, April 12, 2005 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The event hopes to raise $1 million for women's health research. Read More

Disabled should be banned before TV watershed: The Caydare Centre
by Ouch! (BBC) staff dd Friday 1 April, 2005
Excerpt: A leading think tank has concluded that disabled people should not appear on
our TV screens before the 9.00 pm watershed. In a paper published today, The Caydare Centre outlines a 10 million pound plan which recommends that "instances of disability" are not positive images fit for our living rooms. In a press launch this morning, the chairman of the group, Lord Swaleside, shot a warning signal across the bows of broadcasters who may be thinking of
including disabled people in their TV programmes. "Almost 76 per cent of people surveyed felt that the grittiness and dirt of a handicapped existence has no place on television during family viewing
time. "If a child were to see images of dribbling, gurning, mania or sensory loss regularly, it could lead to disrupted sleep and behavioural difficulties in the playground. We urge all broadcasters to look at our code and make sure that they uphold taste and decency for the sake of our children." Read More

April 11, 2005
Addition to the site:

Disability Tax Credit benefits Canadians with diabetes
Some Canadians who use insulin to manage their diabetes may be eligible for a federal tax credit worth up to $1,055 when they file their 2005 tax returns next year, the Canadian Diabetes Association announced today. Since May 2004, Canadians using an insulin pump have been eligible for a tax credit. Announced as part of the recent federal budget, the criteria for the Disability Tax Credit will be expanded for 2005 to include Canadians with diabetes who inject their insulin, in addition to those who use an insulin pump.(1) The Association expects these amendments to allow those Canadians living with diabetes, particularly children, who spend at least 14 hours per week testing their blood glucose levels and taking multiple daily insulin injections or programming an insulin pump to be eligible for the disability tax credit. Read More
Disability Tax Credit and People with Diabetes Frequently Asked Questions

April 10, 2005
Addition to the site:

Religious Coalition to Present Multi-Faith Statement In Support of Same-Sex Marriage Legislation
Representatives of a broad range of faith groups, including Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Quakers, Sikhs, and Unitarians, will meet with reporters on Monday, April 11th at 10:00 a.m. to present a joint statement in support of equal marriage rights for same-sex couples. Tomorrow's news conference will follow a weekend of events happening in cities across Canada, organized to demonstrate faith-based support for same-sex marriage. It will also precede the anticipated vote in the House of Commons on Tuesday, April 12, of an amendment to Bill C-38 [The Civil Marriage Act], which has been proposed by Conservative party leader, Stephen Harper. Read More

backgrounder:
Bill C-38 - Civil Marriage Act
Civil Marriage & the Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Unions

April 8 , 2005
Addition to the site:

Save the Women, Save Ourselves - Terror, inside and out
by Michael Ledeen, contributing editor, National Review Online writes on Iran & Women
Excerpt: Two summers ago, a middle-aged Iranian-Canadian journalist named Zahra Kazemi was arrested in Tehran while taking photographs of regime hoodlums beating up young people who were demonstrating for freedom. A few days later she turned up dead in a local military hospital. The regime denied requests from the family and the Canadian government to examine the body, insisted that she had fallen in her prison cell and died of injuries to her head, denied that anyone had beaten her, and hastily buried her without any proper autopsy. Read More

Commission on Human Rights hears from Special Rapporteurs on Violence against Women, Trafficking in Persons, UN Adviser on Gender Issues
Documents on Integration of the Human Rights of Women and the Gender Perspective
Presentation by Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women
          Response by Concerned Countries
          Interactive Dialogue
Presentation by Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons
          Response by Concerned Country
          Interactive Dialogue
Presentation of Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women
General Debate on the Integration of the Human Rights of Women and the Gender Perspective

 

April 7 , 2005
Addition to the site:

Terri Schiavo: It's Not Just About Terri Any More
A perspective from a 17-year survivor of ALS
by David Jayne, CEO - Homebound Solutions LLC, www.RespiteMatch.com
"... The tragedy of Terri Schiavo should scare the Hell out of all Americans,
because our courts have now established what level of human impairment is worth living.
Mark my words, this benchmark will not remain static." Read More

 

April 6 , 2005
Addition to the site:

Report finds gov't supports increasing for low income families
The National Child Benefit (NCB) Progress Report: 2003 released today by Federal/ Provincial/ Territorial Ministers Responsible for Social Services(1) confirms that government investments for low-income families with children continue to increase. Federal support tolow-income families in 2002-2003 had risen from $5.6 billion in 2001-2002 to $5.7 billion in 2002-2003. It is projected to reach $6.4 billion in 2004-2005. The report further shows that provincial and territorial governments and First Nations have increased their expenditures for low-income children and families through the National Child Benefit initiative to $764.2 million in 2002-2003. This funding supports programs and services, including child benefits and earned income supplements, child/day care initiatives, early childhood services and children-at-risk services, youth initiatives, and supplementary health benefits. Read More
en français: D'après un rapport, l'aide gouvernementale aux familles à faible revenu augmente

The NCB Progress Report: 2003
The NCB Progress Report: 2003
The NCB Progress Report: 2003 - Pamphlet

La Prestation nationale pour enfants - Rapport d'étape: 2003
La Prestation nationale pour enfants – Rapport d'étape 2003
La Prestation nationale pour enfants – Rapport d'étape 2003 - brochure

Conservative Response to McGuinty Government's Appeal of Autism Court Ruling - Frank Klees, MPP Oak Ridges: Statement in the Ontario Legislature
Excerpt: Speaker, Dalton McGuinty made this unqualified promise to autistic children and their parents: "The Ontario Liberals support extending autism treatment beyond the age of six." That same Dalton McGuinty said, and I quote "I…believe that the lack of government-funded IBI treatment for autistic children over six is unfair and discriminatory." Those promises were made while Dalton McGuinty was scratching for votes in every corner of the province and behind every issue. So desperately did he want to be Premier, that no promise was with-held, and no issue was beyond his political ambition. Read More

Canadian Centre on Disability Studies Small Grants Awards - April 2005
Goals
Value
CCDS Research Priorities 2004-2006
Participatory action research methodologies
Applications must include
Project Time Lines
Number of Awards
Deadline

 

April 5 , 2005
Addition to the site:

Autism Court Ruling
McGuinty Autism Policy Violates Charter of Rights: NDP Release - Apr 4, 2005
Questions Raised in the Ontario Legislature on April 4, 2005
Questions by Howard Hampton, MPP & NDP Leader
Questions by Peter Kormos, MPP Niagara Ctre, & Michael Prue, MPP Beaches-East York
Questions by Andrea Horwath, MPP for Hamilton East & Children's Issues Critic, and Rosario Marchese, MPP for Trinity-Spadina & Education Critic
Questions by Shelley Martel, MPP & NDP Health Critic

McGuinty Government To Appeal Autism Ruling
Media Coverage on Autism Ruling
Take Action

April 4 , 2005
Addition to the site:

The Tragedy of Terri Schiavo: A Nurse's View
by Sheila M Blanchet RN
Excerpt: ... As if these things were not bad enough, a trip to the American Nurses' Association (ANA) website shows just how much support Ms. Schiavo received from so-called nursing leaders. The association states, falsely, that this was an "end of life" issue, when any nurse would know that prior to the withdrawal of enteral nutrition and hydration Ms. Schiavo was nowhere near the "end of life". In fact, just the opposite was true and that was the problem so far as the husband was concerned. She wouldn't die on her own. Her death had to be brought about by starvation. ... The ANA did have good news to share on its site, though. It seems the girls have received a letter from Donald Rumsfeld regarding their concerns about the nursing care of prisoners in Iraq. Poor Terri Schiavo. Her plight would have garnered more sympathy and attention from the American Nurses' Association if she had only been an imprisoned terrorist. But, no. Terri Schiavo's "crime", in the eyes of the ANA, was to be profoundly disabled and unwanted by her guardian. For that she got the death penalty, with the blessings of the ANA. Despicable.

Court Rules Treatment for Autistic Children a Provincial Government Responsibility
In her ruling today, Madam Justice Frances Kitely identified the Ontario Provincial Government as the body responsible for the provision of treatment for autistic children, not school boards. The Government must now determine its course of action in response to the judgement before any action can occur at the School Board level. In February of this year, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) decided that school boards are not responsible for providing autistic children with costly intensive behavioural intervention therapy. The decisions signed by chief commissioner Keith Norton, the human-rights agency said it will not allow the matter to proceed to a public hearing before a tribunal because the treatment falls under the jurisdiction of the education, health and long-term care, and children and youth services ministries, not under the jurisdiction of the school boards. Read More

Ontario providing more autism therapy to young children according to Ministry of Children & Youth Services
The Ontario government has expanded its autism program for preschool-age children by more than 25 per cent in the past year, Children and Youth Services Minister Marie Bountrogianni reported today. "With over 110 new therapists hired, our autism program is providing behavioural therapy to more than 25 per cent more preschool-age children than one year ago," said Bountrogianni. "We exceeded our 20 per cent target since announcing our new autism strategy in March 2004, and continue to improve the supports the government provides to children with autism." As a result of the government's new initiatives, the number of children with autism waiting for assessment has decreased by 72 per cent - from more than 1,000 in March 2004 to 287 in March 2005. Read More

People with disabilities have their say
Canadians with disabilities who use augmentative and alternative communication devices (AAC) to communicate will be in Toronto from April 8 -10 to attend the second ICE Canada Conference. ICE Canada 2005 is the much-anticipated follow-up to the inaugural ICE Canada Conference in 2002, which brought together users of augmentative devices together to learn from each other, share ideas and create new friendships. "For those who rely on AAC devices, the ability to simply connect and communicate with others can be challenging," says Angela VanAlstine, recreation and integration services manager with Ontario March of Dimes, whose organization is helping organize the conference. "This event promises to be a life-changing experience where participants will gain important information and make lasting friendships." Read More

April 3 , 2005
Addition to the site:

Groundbreaking report on health care wait times released
Seven national medical organizations have united to release an interim report examining the problem of wait times for health care in Canada and to establish new benchmarks for medically acceptable wait times for care. The Wait Time Alliance of Canada (WTA) released an interim report today. The Report outlines evidence-based benchmarks for medically acceptable wait times for access to care in: heart, cancer, diagnostic imaging, joint replacement and sight restoration. The report is a direct response to the commitment made by First Ministers in September 2004 (10-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care) to establish evidence-based benchmarks for medically acceptable wait times in the five priority areas. With the deadline fast approaching (December 31, 2005), Federal-Provincial-Territorial governments have commissioned research on this issue, but have yet to come forward with a process to develop national benchmarks. Read More

 

April 2 , 2005
Addition to the site:

No Guts No Glory
by Ingrid V. Tischer
[This piece by Ingrid Tischer, first published in Oct. 2003, still says it best!]
"The women's movement doesn't know how to be revolutionary anymore."
Excerpt: I suspect most women, however enlightened, do not accept Terri Schiavo is a woman. Not really. Her medical condition too easily eclipses her humanity. I can certainly understand (and share) the deep emotions and fears this case raises. What I cannot understand is the silence. The unwillingness of nondisabled women to try to see beyond their own narrow perspective on what constitutes a "meaningful life." So much for that cornerstone of the women's movement, prizing the voice of the person with the experience. Don't ask me, a woman who's been disabled all of her life. By all means, ask a doctor. I'm waiting to hear from long-time feminists who told male doctors that radical mastectomies weren't the answer to every lump, that hysterctomies weren't the cure for the common cold; who told male police officers that no means no, even when it isn't spelled out in a contract. I'm waiting to find out to know why they're so quiet now, the women who kept hammering the message that women's lives are valuable even when they aren't gestating a child, pleasing a man, or wrapped in skin of a certain color. Is it because you see Schiavo less as a woman and more as a disability? Read More

 

April 1 , 2005
Addition to the site:

You Too Can Lose Weight and Keep it Off: The Terri Schiavo Success Story
by Zeynep Toufe -- If it hadn't been for that moment when the potassium imbalance brought about by her bulimia caused Terri's heart to stop, she might have been the woman in the television ad I just watched, selling the latest weight-loss method. "I lost a hundred pounds," declares the svelte looking woman on TV, "you too can lose weight and keep it off." If we had any amount of decency in our culture, weight-loss ads would have been hastily pulled off the air this week, as Terri Schiavo's body died from lack of water. There is much to be angry about the indignant, callous manner the right-wing has exploited the plight of this family. They have taken hypocrisy to new levels, and much ink has been spilt on that. But I am disappointed that the progressive community has not seized upon the publicity generated by this tragedy to do more on two very important moral issues. Read More

Kimberly Nixon v Rape Relief: the appeal
The B.C. Court of Appeal will hear the appeal in Nixon v Rape Relief on April 4, 5, and 6 in Vancouver. At issue in the appeal are two questions. Can and should a women’s service organization decide who is a woman? And whether there is a new and more stringent test for proving discrimination in human rights cases. The case has attracted attention at every step of the previous three hearings. Women’s organizations across the country have followed the case closely. Vancouver Rape Relief is in a minority among B.C. women’s organizations in turning away a transwoman. A 2002 study found that most B.C. women’s organizations have developed trans-inclusive policies. Read More

DPI - Calling All Youth with Disability!
Disabled Peoples' International (DPI) is looking for two youth who would like to work with the disabled community by experiencing a six-month overseas internship, as well as an orientation and de-briefing session. Read More

Parkinson's disease: more than just tremors
Parkinson's disease is generally associated with tremors. In most cases, this is not an untrue assumption. However, this disease is characterized by several other symptoms. Parkinson Society Quebec (PSQ) is using the Parkinson's Disease (PD) Awareness Month to demystify this hardship which affects approximately 25,000 Quebecers, 20% of whom are under 50 years old, 5 to 10% of whom have not yet celebrated their 40th birthday, and some of whom are in their 20s. Read More

Stem Cell Network appoints new leaders
Renowned scientists Dr. Michael Rudnicki and Dr. Janet Rossant to lead national network of stem cell researchers.
The Stem Cell Network brings together more than 70 leading scientists, clinicians, engineers, and ethicists from universities and hospitals across Canada with a mandate to investigate the immense therapeutic potential of stem cells for the treatment of diseases currently incurable by conventional approaches. Headquartered at the University of Ottawa, the Stem Cell Network is one of Canada's Networks of Centres of Excellence funded through Industry Canada and its three granting councils. Read More

 

March 31, 2005
Addition to the site:

Terri's Death was Euthanasia rather than Natural Death
by Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
The death of Terri Schiavo - Euthanasia or Natural Death? The tragic death of Terri Schiavo has reignited the Euthanasia debate in the United States and Canada. Everyday we witnessed new media reports about Terri Schiavo. We heard conflicting commentary from bio-ethicists, physicians, and religious leaders as to whether dehydrating Terri was euthanasia or simply allowing natural death to occur. To intentionally dehydrate and starve Terri Schiavo to death was euthanasia and I will clearly explain why. Read More

March 30, 2005
Addition to the site:

New book on history of blindness in Canada sure to open eyes
It wasn't easy for Euclid Herie to write objectively about the proposed sterilization of blind married couples in the 1930s. The first-time author who lost his vision to congenital cataracts when he was 16 was understandably angered at the suggestion presented to The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) that steps should be taken to ensure blind couples could not bear children. Nor was it easy to withhold bias to chronicle the struggle for information materials in alternative formats, the struggle for gainful employment with visually impaired workers moving from sheltered workshops to mainstream offices, and the struggle for changes in government policy. But his goal in writing Journey to Independence: Blindness - The Canadian Story was not to criticize or judge, but clearly tell the history of blindness in Canada. Read More

 

March 29, 2005
Addition to the site:

Lady Liberty dying with Terri Schiavo
by Chuck Baldwin
How is it possible? How could it happen in the United States of America? We could understand it if this happened in Nazi Germany or in Stalin's Russia or in Mao's China, but how could it happen in America? How can a nation whose core principles protect the rights of life and liberty for every citizen allow (even condone) a woman to be slowly and painfully starved to death? This is beyond comprehension. There are so many elements to this story that it is very difficult to deal with them all, especially in one column. Let me try to highlight a couple of the more glaring lessons that come out of this tragic story. Read More

 

March 28, 2005
Addition to the site:

A new approach to Violence against Women & Girls
Overcoming Violence against Women and Girls:
The International Campaign to Eradicate a Worldwide Problem
by Michael L. Penn and Rahel Nardos
[Book Review] Why is it that although women compose half the world's population and put in nearly two-thirds of the world's work hours, they receive just one-tenth of the world's income and own less than one-hundredth of the world's property? It does not take much reflection to realize that part of the answer to this question boils down to the capacity and willingness of men, throughout history and into modern times, to use violence to enforce and uphold their superior position. For if all men had somehow restrained themselves, if wife beating, rape, and other forms of violence against women had been inconceivable from the start, is it likely that half the human race would have for so long remained in an inferior position? Overcoming Violence against Women and Girls: The International Campaign to Eradicate a Worldwide Problem outlines the vast scope of this continuing problem -- and also offers a new and insightful interdisciplinary approach to remedying it. Read More

March 25, 2005
Addition to the site:

Vancouver Status of Women launches Welfare Resource Guide for Women - 2nd edition
Press Release dd March 24th, 2005: "Vancouver Status of Women (VSW) launched its 2nd Edition of the Welfare Resource Guide for Women this week. This guide provides updated general information to women about British Columbia's welfare system or Employment and Assistance Regulations within a feminist framework. This Guide is meant to help women apply for welfare, disability, and child benefits, and offers guidance in application or appeal processes. The Guide especially focuses on the needs of single mothers."
Welfare Resource Guide for Women in BC - March 2005
http://www.vsw.ca/EntireWelfareBooklet.pdf (565 kb, 57 pgs)
Chapter 1: Welfare and Employment Assistance
Chapter 2: Disability Benefits
Chapter 3: Federal and Provincial Child Benefits
Chapter 4: Reconsiderations and Appeals
Chapter 5: Welfare Advocacy Resources

 

March 24, 2005
Addition to the site:

Beijing + 10: Position Paper on Women with Disabilities
Disabled Peoples' International - There are at least 300 million disabled women living in all countries of the world. 82% of these live in the developing world. Disabled women and girls are much more marginalizes and mostly invisible to policy makers. Read More

An Interview with Dinah Radtke
Disabled women's rights are women's human rights: Dinah Radtke reminds the Commission for the Status of Women & international women's movements
"Our most urgent goal is to make disabled women and girls visible, heard, respected and included in all the critical areas of Beijing plus ten, the CSW and the Beijing Platform for action. Until now, disabled women were said to be mainstreamed within these agendas. But we have become increasingly invisible through mainstreaming. In part this is because disabled women are not seen as women first and foremost." [Dinah Radtke is the Vice Chair of Disabled Peoples International (DPI - www.dpi.org) and the chair of the DPI Women's Committee.]

 

March 23, 2005
Addition to the site:

From the Ashes of My Dreams - by Ed Smith
... a frank critique of spinal cord injury rehabilitation
"If you have ever pondered what it's like when bad things happen to good people this is the book for you. The unimaginable happened to Ed Smith, a prominent Newfoundland educator, columnist and humourist. The aftermath, described in his words and also those of his wife and youngest daughter who survived unscathed the car accident that left Ed a quadraplegic, makes fascinating reading. This story is a testament to the triumph of the human spirit over the kind of adversity most of us meet only in our worst nightmares. Ed's humour, Marion's courage and their family's determination to have their father back shine in the face of tragedy, bureaucratic stupidity & often callous disregard for humanity displayed by people in our stressed and overworked Canadian health system. I laughed, I cried, I got angry but most of all I felt better about my status as a human being after I finished this book. Read this, you'll be glad you did!" ~ Review by Carrol Ann Smith Read More

March 22, 2005
Addition to the site:

Against the killing of the light
by Ed Smith: "Given the politicization of the Terri Schiavo case it's easy to lose sight of the real issue, which is that a determination has been made that a brain-damaged person does not deserve to go on living. A judgment has been made on the quality of this person's life, and since that quality does not meet the standards of those involved, it has been decided she should cease to be." Read More

Name Change: National Federation of the Blind: Advocates for Equality (NFB:AE) is now Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC)
"Our new name better reflects our distinctly Canadian advocacy organization," says John Rae, AEBC president. "People confuse us with a US-based advocacy group and we've even been mistaken for the National Film Board of Canada." The not-for-profit group of blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted people wants the Canadian government to install technology for independent voting, provide more audible signals at intersections and would like both government and businesses to build more accessible web sites, bank machines and household products. Read More

Inquiry Into Psychiatry - 2005 : Historic Public Hearings
On or been on psychiatric drugs? Undergone electroshock? Do you have concerns?
Come give personal testimony. Make an appointment to testify or just turn up.
Where: Council Chambers, City Hall, 100 Queen St. W. Toronto
Psychiatric Drugs Public Hearings: April 2 and 3, 2005 -- 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Panel: Dr. Bonnie Burstow, Leah Cohen, Dr. Ernie Lightman, Dr. Shahrzad Mojab, & Michael Valpy
Electroshock Public Hearings: April 9 and 10, 2005 -- 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Panel: Don Weitz, Cathy Crowe, Catherine Dunphy, Dr. Roy Moodley, Chris Rahim
Read More

Brief to the Ontario Legislature's Standing Committee on Social Policy on Bill 118, the Proposed Accessibility for Ontarians With Disabilities Act

Public Hearings on Bill 118
Proposed Accessibility for Ontarians With Disabilities Act
February 8, 2005 - Day 6 of 6 days of the Public Hearings on Bill 118
February 7, 2005 - Day 5 of 6 days of the Public Hearings on Bill 118
February 3, 2005 - Day 4 of 6 days of the Public Hearings on Bill 118
February 2, 2005 - Day 3 of 6 days of the Public Hearings on Bill 118
February 1, 2005 - Day 2 of 6 days of the Public Hearings on Bill 118
January 31, 2005 - Day 1 of 6 days of the Public Hearings on Bill 118

 

March 21, 2005
Addition to the site:

The case of Terri Schindler-Schiavo

Key Quotes following announcement of Terri Schiavo's death
Published Commentary from Disability Community
Links to Recent Media Coverage - News & Commentary
Excerpts of emails/letters from the Public
Terri Schiavo Timeline (CBC vs Associated Press)
FAQs about Terri Schiavo
Common Myths about Terri's situation
Mary & Bob Schindler's letter to Michael Schiavo - July 16, 1993
Photos from Press Conferences for Terri Schiavo in 2005
Michael Schiavo - A Husband With an Agenda
Court Development
Affidavit of Suzanne Vitadamo - Terri trying to speak
Affidavit of Attorney Weller - Terri trying to speak
TAKE ACTION - Sign the Petition to Save Terri Schiavo
Image Gallery of Terri Schiavo controversy - Sify - India (external link)

Welfare-to-work reform didn't help children, University of Alberta study shows
Welfare reforms have made no substantial difference to the development of Canadian pre-school children living in poverty, according to a new University of Alberta study. While the study confirmed previous research findings that impoverished children do better developmentally when their family income comes from the labour market rather than from social assistance, the University of Alberta study also showed that the school readiness of pre-school children living in poverty did not improve at all after the introduction of welfare reforms in the mid-1990s, said study author Dr. Deanna Williamson, professor of human ecology. "It suggests that mandatory welfare-to-work initiatives that were implemented are not sufficient to improve the development of these children," Dr. Williamson said. "Poverty itself matters at least as much as the parents' source of income." Read More

Disability Advocates Support and Thank Tom Harkin - Schiavo Case is About Disability Rights
The "right to life" movement has embraced Terri Schindler-Schiavo as a cause to prove "sanctity of life." The "right to die" movement argues that people in guardianship should have no protection against private family decisions to kill them. Yet the life-and-death issues surrounding Terri Schindler-Schiavo are first and foremost disability rights issues -- issues which affect tens of thousands of people with disabilities who, like Ms. Schindler-Schiavo, cannot currently articulate their views and so must rely on others as substitute decision-makers. Read More

 

March 20, 2005
Addition to the site:

Poverty in Canada & the clawback of the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS)

Oscars for the Culture of Death - A "Disability Vendetta" Surfaces in Hollywood
The recent Academy Awards saw the triumph of two films that promote a favorable view of euthanasia. "Million Dollar Baby," a story about a female boxer severely wounded in a bout, won four of the top Oscars, including that of best director for Clint Eastwood. Hilary Swank won for best actress for her portrayal of Maggie Fitzgerald, who ends up prostrated with a spinal injury. Her pleas to be helped in seeking release from suffering by death are fulfilled. The Oscar for best foreign film went to "The Sea Inside," which depicts the real-life case of Spaniard Ramón Sampedro, who ended up a quadriplegic after a diving accident. His requests to put an end to his life met were turned down after legal battles, but he committed suicide by drinking a cyanide-laced mixture. The awards won by the films have focused attention on the situation of severely injured or handicapped people, with many protesting that the cinematic versions so popular in Hollywood are both dangerous and demeaning. Read More

 

March 15, 2005
Addition to the site:

Federal Court of Appeal Tells Canadians with Disabilities Separate is Equal
Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) Press Release dd March 15, 2005
"Canadians with disabilities have been told that they cannot have full access, Canadians with disabilities have been told by the Court that it does not matter if the Renaissance cars are inaccessible, as long as some part of the system is accessible. One judge even suggests that an accessible train once or twice a week may be okay. Is this equality of opportunity? Would this be considered acceptable for any other group? What if women or Aboriginal people were told they could only travel on certain trains once a week, would we consider that acceptable?" asked Marie White, CCD National Chairperson. Read More

March 14, 2005
Addition to the site:

THE POLITICS OF RAPE by 'Jane Doe'
Presented by the Anti-Violence Network & McMaster's Women's Studies Programme,
'JANE DOE' ... A woman who challenged the police, justice system and the stereotypes about rape - and won! Speaking on THE POLITICS OF RAPE
Wed. March 23, 2005 from 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm (snow date: March 30, same time & location)
The Michael De Groote Centre for Learning (MDCL) Room 1105, McMaster University, Hamilton
This is a FREE event, BUT registration is required: Please call 905-525-9140, Ext. 23112 or
send an email to: ois@mcmaster.ca | Light refreshments will be served. Discussions about sexual violence can be difficult. Members of the Sexual Assault Centre (Hamilton and Area) will be available to provide immediate support if necessary. Read More

 

March 13, 2005
Addition to the site:

Information on Accessible Travel
from the Transportation Committee of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD)

March 12, 2005
Addition to the site:

Federal Court of Appeal decision in VIA Rail
Ruling for VIA Rail disappoints disabled - Court quashes order to modify 139 cars
By Paul Waldie, Toronto, Globe and Mail, March 11, 2005
Via Rail has had a legal victory in a battle with a disabled group over whether the railway must modify nearly one-third of its cars to make them more accessible to disabled passengers. The case involves 139 Renaissance cars Via bought in 2000 for $140-million. Federal transport regulators ordered the railway to modify the cars, at a cost of about $50-million, after it received a complaint from the Council of Canadians with Disabilities. Via appealed the order to the Federal Court of Appeal and in a ruling this week, the court said Via should not be required to make the modifications because it can accommodate disabled passengers elsewhere in its network. ...

Laurie Beachell, the council's national coordinator, called the ruling a huge disappointment and a step backward for disabled Canadians. "What is equality but equal treatment?" he asked yesterday from his office in Winnipeg. "This is like saying only on Wednesday can women go on the train or only Thursdays can African-Canadians go on the train." He said the council is considering appealing the ruling to the Supreme Court of Canada, but he called on the federal government to live up to a commitment it made that the cars would be accessible. Read More

 

March 11, 2005
Addition to the site:

Cross-sectoral Violence Against Women Strategy Group

March 10, 2005
Urgent Call to Action:

Stop the deportation of Wendy Maxwell (Nzinga)
URGENT CALL for LETTERS & FAXES
A deportation date has been set for Wendy. Without intervention from the Minister -- which he can do -- she will be removed from Canada on a flight back to Costa Rica THIS MONDAY MARCH 14th!
CALL / FAX MINISTER VOLPE; CALL / FAX REMOVALS OFFICER KOSICHEK
Take Action

Ways to get close to a nice shiny ring
By JO SUTTON (Toronto), The Globe and Mail, Page A18, dd Tuesday, March 8, 2005
Despite our best efforts to shield the kids, the same-sex marriage debate appears in many forms in and around our family. The kids are listening. Read More

 

March 9, 2005
Addition to the site:

On International Women's Day, Canadian Women's Groups Seek Greater Accountability from their Government
At a global conference currently underway at the UN in New York, over 25 women's groups from Canada are presenting their views on Canada's progress on a major international platform of action for women's equality signed ten years ago in Beijing. One hundred and eighty-eight countries, and thousands of women are in attendance at the conference. The Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) is a coalition of women's and human rights organizations which monitors Canada's activity on its international obligations to women. We have prepared several reports that document the status of women at the national and regional levels in Canada. Read More

NWAC - Sisters in Spirit Campaign - Call for Letters
As a result of an impromptu meeting some groups from Canada held after the presentation in New York by the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) regarding the Sisters in Spirit campaign, a call for letters is being requested. Please take time to send a letter to Anne McLellan, Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness asking her to facilitate the immediate establishment of the $10 million Sisters in Spirit fund which NWAC has been working towards for over a year now. Read More
Take Action - letter in English || lettre en français

Running Dry: Is It Documentary or Corporate Propaganda?
Statement by Wenonah Hauter, director of Public Citizen's Water for All Campaign
How would you characterize images of impoverished people in developing nations struggling with a lack of drinking water and sanitation services and suffering from life-threatening water-borne diseases? "Gut-wrenching?" "Tragic?" Try "good marketing." In "Running Dry," a newly released film by James Thebaut aimed at winning support from well-meaning politicians, a multinational company with no less a mission than privatizing the world's water for profit is masking its real agenda behind a blizzard of powerful footage of the world's least fortunate. Read More

LGBTTQ Women's Support Group - Winter/Spring 2005
Are you in a relationship with someone recovering from a mental health issue? Do you want peer support in the area of: Self-Care? Boundary Setting? Stress Management? Understanding Anger?
Effective Communication? Read more

 

DAWN Ontario Virtual Communities
In the spirit of International Women's Week, please consider sharing with a woman with a disability you know, the following opportunities for online engagement through the DAWN Ontario network:

1. DAWN Ontario's ISSUES listserv - 373 members
web interface: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DAWN-Ontario/
To Subscribe/Join, send email to: dawn-ontario-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

2. DAWN Ontario's Women with Disabilities Support listserv - 73 members
web interface: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wwd-support/
To Subscribe/Join, send email to: wwd-support-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

3. DAWN Ontario's Tech4 listserv - 106 members
web interface: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dawn-tech4
To Subscribe/Join, send email to: dawn-tech4-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

4. DAWN Ontario Consultation listserv - 67 members
web interface: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DAWN-consult/
To Subscribe/Join, send email to: dawn-consult-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

5. DAWN Ontario's Brain Injury Support listserv - 183 members
web interface: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bian/
To Subscribe/Join, send email to: bian-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

6. DAWN Ontario Sharing Our Stories Listserv - 76 members
web interface: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sharingourstories/
To Subscribe/Join, send email to: sharingourstories-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

7. DAWN Ontario's Bridges to Employment listserv - 52 members
web interface: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/dawn-employment/
To Subscribe/Join, send email to: dawn-employment-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

March 8, 2005
Addition to the site:

More Promises to Women not Kept
CAEFS, NWAC, SIS & W4J Press Release dd March 8, 2005 - En Français
March 8, 2005 (Ottawa) – The Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies (CAEFS), Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), Strength in Sisterhood Society (SIS) and Women 4 Justice (W4J) are alarmed at what they consider to be tacit acceptance by the Canadian Human Rights Commission of the relative inaction of the Correctional Service of Canada. Four years ago today, CAEFS and NWAC, supported by more than 25 other national and international organizations, urged the CHRC to conduct a systemic review and issue a special report regarding the discriminatory treatment of federally sentenced women at the hands of the Canadian government.

The complaint was filed on behalf of all women serving federal terms of imprisonment, on the grounds that the manner in which the women prisoners are treated is discriminatory, contravening s. 3(1) of the Canadian Human Rights Act. Read More || En Français

Women’s Health in Canada: Beijing and Beyond
Prepared by Olena Hankivsky, PhD with the Canadian Women’s Health Network
This document was prepared as a Health Section for Canada’s “NGO” report to the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women’s upcoming meeting in March 2005. Although ‘health’ is not a specific area of discussion at the meeting, a selective commentary on this area, using the Women’ Health Strategy as an analytic lens, is timely not only because the Strategy has now passed its fifth anniversary but also because health remain a priority at meetings of the Commission on the Status of Women. The document is intended for both a Canadian and international audience. Read More

International Women's Day - March 8, 2005
Message from the UN Secretary-General on International Women's Day
This year marks a milestone in the movement for gender equality and the advancement of women -- the ten-year review of the Beijing Conference and Platform for Action. In 1995, women gathered in Beijing and took giant step forward on behalf of humankind. As a result, the world recognized explicitly, as never before, that gender equality is critical to the development and peace of every nation. Ten years on, women are not only more aware of their rights; they are more able to exercise them. Read More

Read Backgrounder:
Gender Equality Beyond 2005: Building a More Secure Future

March 8, 2005 International Women's Day (IWD)
Established in 1977 by the United Nations, International Women's Day
provides an opportunity:
to reflect on the progress made...
to advance women's equality,
to assess the challenges facing women in contemporary society, to consider future steps to enhance the status of women and,
to celebrate the gains made in these areas.

March 6 to March 12, 2005 - International Women's Week (IWW)
The Canadian theme for this year's International Women's Week is
“You Are Here: Women, Canada and the World”

Celebrating International Women's Day: Progress is Slow, and Inconsistent and Unreported
National Council of Women of Canada - Press Release - March 8, 2005
This year women can celebrate a small but significant victory because the Declaration affirming support of the Beijing Platform for Action is being accepted by all states attending the 49th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women. The ill-conceived American amendment to limit women's reproductive rights was withdrawn late last week. The opposition to this backward step was firm, and did not waiver. Read More

Searching for Female Mentors for Women in Politics and Government Career Learning Days
In our efforts to provide informative and educational career experiences for youth, Youth in Motion is once again offering career learning days for young women this spring! "Your Government...Your Voice!" is an event that provides unique opportunities for young women in high school to interact with women working in various areas of government and politics. Read More

Seeking Women who are HIV positive for Research Study
This research is being done so that we can learn about living with HIV from a woman's perspective. We want to gain a better understanding of some of the challenges that are unique to you as an HIV positive woman and what sorts of things help you to live better. We are interested in your ability to work, live and cope with HIV on a day to day basis. By increasing our understanding of important influences on your daily living we hope to provide recommendations to health and social service providers about ways to improve the quality of life of women living with HIV. Read More

NUPGE and NAPE join forces to fight for Pay Equity
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) and the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE) are mobilizing forces to lobby for long-overdue pay equity settlements that the province owes to 6,000 health care workers. The two unions have intentionally picked March 8, International Women's Day, to launch the campaign. Read More
TAKE ACTION: Sign the Online petition urging Newfoundland to honour Pay Equity Settlement with 6,000 provincial health care workers

 

March 7, 2005
Additions to the site:

International Women's Day - March 8, 2005: Celebrating Our Gains, Accelerating Change
Statement by Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director, UNIFEM
International Women's Day 2005 marks a crossroads for women. In the decade since Beijing, the signs of progress are many. There is growing recognition that gender equality is a prerequisite for eradicating poverty and promoting sustainable development, as stated in the Millennium Declaration. The spread of HIV/AIDS has been recognized as a gender issue, as well as a health issue, and the impact of war on women and women's role in peace-building is recognized and validated by Security Council resolution 1325. Women's human rights is monitored and upheld by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and ratified by 179 countries are now on every major agenda, national, regional and international. Read More

World's Women Worse Off in Past Decade: Report
By Deborah Zabarenko - UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Life for many of the world's women has become tougher in the decade since a global U.N. conference in Beijing agreed to push for equality and economic development, a grass-roots group said on Thursday. The report, released as some 6,000 women's activists converged at the United Nations, blamed governments for failing to act on pledges to improve conditions for women in the final document from the 1995 Beijing conference, known as the Platform for Action. The current U.N. meeting is meant to assess how far women have come in areas such as economic development and the ending of gender discrimination since the Beijing meeting and a follow-up conference five years later. "Governments are...failing to mobilize the political will and leadership needed to carry out the commitments made to women at Beijing," said June Zeitlin of the Women's Environment and Development Organization, which wrote the report. "As a result, many women in all regions are actually worse off now than they were 10 years ago. Read More

Additions to Events Calendar

Women's Rights & Freedoms: 20 Years (IN) EQUALITY
West Coast Legal Education and Action Fund (West Coast LEAF) and the National Association of Women and the Law (NAWL) are hosting a national conference in Vancouver from April 28 to May 1, 2005 at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown Hotel. The Conference will be bilingual and will strive towards accessibility. The focus of the Conference will be the 20th anniversary of the equality requirements ("section 15") of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Section 15, which is part of the supreme law of Canada, prohibits discrimination by Government on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, and other grounds. The Conference will include discussions on how the Charter affects women and our rights. The Conference is expected to provide information on the law and discrimination, as well as a unique opportunity to meet, strategize and share information with activists, community workers, lawyers, and others from across the country about what actions we can take to advance women's rights.

 

March 4, 2005
Additions to the site:

American Initiative at United Nations Greeted with Shock and Anger, States National Council of Women of Canada
On Friday, the United States proposed an amendment to the draft declaration that would reaffirm the Beijing platform and declaration but only "while reaffirming that they do not create any new international human rights, and that they do not include the right to abortion," according to the text obtained by The Associated Press. "It is absolutely outrageous to have the Government of the United States, self-named as the world's foremost democratic state, the champion of Human Rights and Freedoms, usurp the right to make personal moral decisions for all women who are half of the world's population," said Catharine Laidlaw-Sly, president of the National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC). Read More

TEN THOUSAND ROSES: THE MAKING OF A FEMINIST REVOLUTION by Judy Rebick
Speaking as a proud third-wave feminist, I'm embarrassed to admit that, until very recently, I knew way more about the pioneers who fought for women's rights stateside than the history of the movement in my very own country. I have Judy Rebick to thank for raising my consciousness. In her new book, Ten Thousand Roses (the title refers to the flowers handed out to members of an anti-poverty march in Quebec in 1995), the famed feminist and publisher of the excellent rabble.ca webzine of progressive thinkers offers a comprehensive history of just over 30 years of second-wave feminism in Canada, from 1960 to 1995. Book Review by Sarah Liss - Read More

 

March 3, 2005
Additions to the site:

Disability Activist, Joanne Nother
NOTHER, Joanne (nee Dula) - It is with great sadness that her family announces the sudden passing of Joanne, in her 48th year, at her home in Sudbury, on Sunday, February 27th, 2005. A tireless defender for the rights of the disabled, Joanne lived her life with independence, courage, dignity and a great sense of humour. Her passing will be mourned by her family; parents Anne and Alex Dula of Hamilton, brothers Ted of Hamilton, Mike of Burlington, Chris of Dundas and sister Tracy of Hamilton, as well by many in laws, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces. Joanne will also be missed by many friends and by her former colleagues at Cambrian College and Revenue Canada. As per her wishes, cremation will take place at Park Lawn Crematorium, Sudbury, with her immediate family present. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Joanne to the Multiple Sclerosis Society would be greatly appreciated. (Funeral arrangements entrusted to the LOUGHEED FUNERAL HOME, 252 Regent St., Sudbury.) Read the Northern Life article

 

March 1, 2005
Additions to the site:

OUR LIVES ARE WORTH LIVING - Remembering Tracy Latimer

Our Lives Are Worth Living - Comments from a Vigil for Tracy Latimer, by Catherine Frazee, 1995

A Wake Up Call: An interview with Catherine Frazee, Why is the Latimer case important? 1994

Tracy Latimer - Backgrounder & Facts

 

February 26, 2005
Additions to the site:

March 8, 2005 - International Women's Day (IWD)
Established in 1977 by the United Nations, International Women's Day
provides an opportunity:
to reflect on the progress made...
to advance women's equality,
to assess the challenges facing women in contemporary society, to consider future steps to enhance the status of women and,
to celebrate the gains made in these areas.

March 6 to March 12, 2005 - International Women's Week (IWW)
The Canadian theme for this year's International Women's Week is
“You Are Here: Women, Canada and the World”

 

February 25, 2005
Additions to the site:

National Council of Women of Canada Press Release on Budget 2005
“Once again our Government has produced a balanced budget that offers something for everyone. The commitment to the armed forces and the tax relief measures for business are not the priorities of National Council of Women of Canada. It looks like an election budget,” said Catharine Laidlaw-Sly, NCWC President. NCWC is dismayed that there is not any mention of improved programmes for housing the homeless. Canada still has a serious deficit of safe affordable housing for lower-income Canadians. Read More

Budget Lets Women Down!
The Canadian Coalition for Women's Equality (CWE) is extremely disappointed that the federal government has once again released a budget which ignores its commitments to women. Despite Minister Goodale's promise in the House of Commons on February 8th that he would take "gender factors" into account, this budget has once again let women down. Read More

Le budget ne tient pas compte des femmes!
La Coalition canadienne pour l’égalité des femmes (CEF) est extrêmement déçue de voir que le gouvernement canadien a présenté, encore une fois, un budget qui ignore ses engagements envers les femmes. À plusieurs reprises, les membres du gouvernement libéral ont promis à la CEF que le budget tiendrait compte des «facteurs favorisant l’égalité entre les sexes ». En fait, ces paroles ont été prononcées par le ministre Goodale à la Chambre des communes le 8 février dernier. Notre analyse semble indiquer qu’il n’en est rien. Plus

National Anti-Poverty Organization (NAPO) Statement on Budget 2005
Budget 2005: Missed Opportunity to Move Forward on Poverty Reduction
Given the large surpluses the Finance Minister had to work with, NAPO expected more from this government and poor Canadians deserved much more than the Liberals delivered. Read More

Legal Challenge to the NCBS Clawback from Families on Social Assistance
Since the implementation of the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) by the federal government in July 1998, the province of Ontario has deducted the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS) portion of this benefit from income assistance paid to families with children who are receiving social assistance. ISAC is representing three individuals in a Charter challenge to this deduction (commonly referred to as the “NCBS Clawback”) that was filed in December 2004 . . . Read more on the Charter challenge to the deduction of the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS)

Hands Off Now Campaign - Take Action!
Ending the clawback of the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS) would make a big difference in the lives of families on social assistance. When you’re already living below the poverty line, being able to keep the approximately $115 you get every month for each of your children would go a long way towards paying your bills. But that’s not what happens. Every month the federal government allows the Ontario government to clawback the NCBS from 163,726 children across the province – simply because their parents are on social assistance. It’s not right.

Get involved in the Hands Off! Campaign. Tell the federal and provincial governments to end the clawback immediately. TAKE ACTION!

 

February 24, 2005
Additions to the site:

An AUTISM Rally was held on Parliament Hill Feb-23-2005, and FEAT of Ontario (Families for Early Autism Treatment) have a scheduled press conference Feb-24-2005 at 12:30 PM
Please contact your MPs to lend your support to end the discrimination against children with autism, and to fund autism treatment within Canada's medicare.

Fact Sheet - Changes to OW/ODSP Rules
Are you on Ontario Works or the Ontario Disability Support Program?
On Dec. 15th, the Liberal Government announced new changes to OW/ODSP rules. The Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC), which is a province-wide legal clinic specializing in anti-poverty issues, has created a fact sheet that explains the new rules so you're aware of what you're entitled to or how the changes might impact you. Read More

Stephen Harper loves Martin's budget
PASSING TIMES, in Guelph with Edward Pickersgill
23/02/2005: Prime Minister Paul Martin and Finance Minister Ralph Goodale hit a high fly into right field this afternoon. Stephen Harper sauntered over and made an easy catch. Unlike baseball this means Martin is safe and Goodale is awarded a homerun. Such is the world of Canada's orphan government.

 

February 23, 2005
Additions to the site:

Canadians with Disabilities Once Again Left Without Supports
Council of Canadians with Disabilities' Response to Budget 2005
Today's federal Budget improves tax fairness for Canadians with disabilities but does nothing to improve the situation of those most in need," said Marie White Chairperson of CCD. "The improved tax measures are a positive step in the right direction in addressing the need for investment in supports, BUT, they are of no benefit to the vast majority of Canadians with disabilities who live in poverty and have no taxable income," said White. Read More

Training: Prison, Homelessness and Harm Reduction

Presented by: The John Howard Society of Toronto & The Prisoners' HIV/AIDS Support Action Network

February 20, 2005
featured site

Federal election on the horizon
PASSING TIMES, in Guelph with Edward Pickersgill
19/02/2005: On Wednesday Mr. Dithers presents his make it or break it budget and signs indicate he might just be joining Joe Clark in the interesting but strange category of Canadian history. Not surprisingly many European decision makers have lost confidence in our Canadian prime minister.

"Paul Martin has been nicknamed "Mr. Dithers" by a prestigious international magazine, which slammed the prime minister for being indecisive in his first 14 months in office."

Read More http://www.mytown.ca/passingtimes/

 

February 18, 2005
additions to site

New Worm Alert!
A new version of the Mydoom worm is now in circulation. W32.Mydoom.AX@mm is a mass-mailing worm that uses its own SMTP engine to send email to addresses that it retrieves from the Windows Address Book on the infected computer. It affects all versions of Windows. Read More

 

February 5, 2005
additions to site

Speech from Health Minister Dosanjh re Mental Health Illness

Read the NCBS Backgrounder