National Women’s Liberal Commission: Making our mark

January 20, 2011

Biennial Convention News
In the lead-up to the LPC biennial convention (set for June 2011 in Ottawa), you have an opportunity to further your policy ideas through the NWLC’s policy process.

ALL Liberal women (individually or through your club or provincial commission) are invited to submit resolutions to NWLC Policy Chair, Mary Pynenburg at mpynenburg@telus.net in the standard convention format, with contact information and any background information before January 28, 2011. If you’re not familiar with how to format your policy ideas, more information is available here.

All resolutions will be submitted to the NWLC executive to decide our final 10 priority resolutions for the biennial. We’re looking for policy relevant to women that broadly appeals to progressive voters.

NWLC Day on the Hill
Last year, the NWLC staged our first ever NWLC Day on the Hill. NWLC-ers from across the country convened on Parliament Hill to meet with Liberal MPs and raise awareness of the NWLC. Our day included a round table with women’s caucus, a meeting with Leader Michael Ignatieff, numerous meetings with Liberal MPs, and culminated with a reception benefitting the Judy LaMarsh Fund headlined by the Hon. Carolyn Bennett. Planning is underway for a second Day on the Hill on March 7, 2011. Stay tuned for details…

Taking Down Bullies
Newfoundland MP Siobhan Coady became a feminist hero last year when Treasury Board Min. John Baird appeared (uninvited) as a committee witness investigating the Rahim Jaffer affair and turned up his famed, pit-bull rhetoric against her. Ms. Coady rightly called Baird’s actions “ridiculous and patronizing” and challenged the minister directly, “are you trying to intimidate me, Mr. Baird? Because I’ll put myself up against you any day on intimidation factors. Don’t ever try to intimidate me, ever.” Coady said Baird’s “schoolyard bullying tactics” won’t deter her from getting answers. “I’m not giving up on this,” she told CBC reporters. “I don’t get intimidated easily.” We were cheering at the TV! Watch the must-see clip here.

Putting Families First
Michael Ignatieff is putting families first with a Family Care Tax Benefit and a Family Care Plan and that would allow family caregivers to collect EI for up to six months to care for aging parents, grandparents and sick loved ones at home. More…

Stephen Harper is Just Not That Into You… Yakety Yak (Don’t Talk Back)
“Speaking Truth to Power – A Reader on Canadian Women’s Inequality” was inspired by Conservative Senator Nancy Ruth’s advice to Canadian feminist leaders to “STFU” on the issue of maternal health initiatives or face political retribution from Harper.Leading women from across the political spectrum collaborated on this collection of essays about the disintegration of women’s rights under Harper’s government – it’s a thought-provoking read.