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BPW HISTORY
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The BPW Canada (officially known as the C.F.B.P.W.C.) was established in 1930, although some Canadian clubs were established provincially prior to 1930. Yearly highlights of the BPW's history are found below as are the following topics:
A RECORD OF PUBLIC ACTION
Women were the instigators of modern social legislation in Canada. By 1930 the political parties, seeking to win the women's vote, found it expedient to introduce laws and projects aimed at social well-being and social welfare as planks in their political platforms, and to look at life "from the woman's point of view". As might have been expected, the point of view included children - and men, too. Indeed, the improvements initiated in business and industry as concessions to women and young workers have, over the years, been extended to include men also.
We need a sense of history and some familiarity with the earlier work of the Federation so that others can appreciate the services our Clubs have rendered to Canada and to the world at large. In the BPW's history book called With Enthusiasm and Faith, we read - perhaps with surprise - some of the achievements. Now they appear as "the way things are" rather than as the "ideas on trial" as they were when first introduced.
THE FIRST DECADE
During the first decade, the Canadian Federation adopted basic policies and instigated action dealing with:
- equal pay and opportunities of employment for men and women,
- removal of discrimination against married women in employment,
- training for domestic service and removal of social prejudice against this occupation,
- appointment of trained women to the staff of the National Employment Commission,
- introduction of vocational training courses for the unemployed,
- studies by the Clubs of wages and hours of work of women in Canada, and
- amendments to the British North America Act.
WORLD WAR II
During World War II, the Clubs supported the war-time activities in their communities and the Federation undertook special projects, such as:
- adopting "Bundles for Britain" as a national project;
- establishing a CFBPWC War Service Fund;
- contributing to projects of the National Federation of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - $500 annually (1941-50) to the post war re-organization of BPW Clubs;
- contributing $300 to the Caroline Hazlett Fund to provide educational opportunities for women in scientific, engineering and technological fields, especially by the electrical industry.
CO-OPERATION WITH OTHERS
Internationally minded from the start, the Canadian Federation and Clubs supported the work of the League of Nations, later named the United Nations and IFBPW's affiliation with them. CFBPWC has supported and urged the government to support UN projects and in particular the activities and recommendations of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, on Human Rights and also UNESCO, UNICEF and UNRWA.
In 1957, CFBPWC contributed $2,300 to UNICEF and many Clubs have subsequently continued support. The Federation participated in a UNESCO East-West Cultural Mission to Japan in 1958 and has contributed over the years to many UNESCO projects to help women in developing countries to improve their education and economic conditions.
It supported, as a national project, the establishment of the International Peace Gardens Inc. on the border between Manitoba and USA. The Manitoba Provincial Organization continues to assist in the maintenance of this project.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BPW'S HISTORY
- 1931
- A quarterly newsletter was issued to Club members which became a magazine in 1933 called "The Business and Professional Woman.
- 1933
- The Emblem (seen at the top of the home page) was selected and its use authorized.
- 1938
- CFBPWC placed a bronze plaque in the lobby of the Senate Chamber (Ottawa) to commemorate the five women of Alberta (Magistrate Emily F. Murphy, Mrs. Nellie L. McClung, the Honourable Irene Parlby, Mrs. Henrietta Muir Edwards, and Mrs. Louise C. McKinney) who, in 1927 "caused steps to be taken resulting in the recognition by the Privy Council of Women as persons eligible for appointment to the Senate of Canada".
- 1948
- Scholarships to enable women to take courses in leadership were endorsed as a national project. Most Clubs set up loan funds, bursaries and scholarships to assist women and girls to further their education, training or retraining. In 1960, Clubs were encouraged to establish annual scholarships for Eskimo, Aborigines and Metis girls.
- 1954
- The United Nations Fellowship Award was authorized to commence in 1956, to enable a Club member to attend at the United Nations, New York, and thereafter to report her experiences in writing, and orally to the Clubs.
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- Proceeds of a special collection taken at the Convention banquet sent to the Agnes Macphail Memorial Fund to establish a scholarship for post-graduate study in the field of Penal Reform at the University of Toronto.
- 1960
- Careers Preview, a supplementary program of career counselling for girls in Senior and Junior High Schools, was established as a national project under a CFBPWC committee.
- Authorized establishing of a Foundation Fund, the interest from which would be used "for the purposes of extraordinary educational and other projects", as determined by Conventions. In 1964, this was named the CFBPWC Centenary Year Foundation, and voluntary contributions from each member amounted to a sizeable amount by 1967, Canada's Centennial Year.
- 1968
- Adopted the program for Partnership with Young Career Woman as a national pilot project for the next two years.
- 1972
- Provincial Organizations and Clubs were urged to sponsor Seminars to create pressure for the implementation of the 166 recommendations in the Report of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women.
- 1981
- Sponsored a National Conference, Women and Work in
the 80's - A Decade of Change, at Chateau Lake Louise.
- 1985
- Her Excellency, the Right Hon. Jeanne Sauve, Governor General of Canada, accepted the designation of Patron of CFBPWC.
- The Canadian Federation was privileged to be chosen as on of 40 NGO's to participate in the United Nations Decade for Women, Forum '85 in Nairobi.
- 1986
- CFBPWC made contributions to Match International Centre as an IFBPW Project. Participated at the Women's Advisory Committee for Affirmative Action, a committee for The Treasury Board of Canada.
- 1987
- President attended a Symposium on the Family, sponsored
by the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
- Young Career Woman chosen to represent Canada at the International Congress in the Hague, Netherlands.
- 1991
- CFBPWC presented a brief to the Royal Commission on New Reproductive Technologies. Also, a brief concerning changes to the Employment Equity Act was forwarded to Canada Employment and Immigration.
- 1992
- CFBPWC most active in violence against women. The President attended a lobbying group for a Royal Commission on Violence Against Women.
- Communication with the federal government concerning GST; the recrimination of abortion; and Bill-C20 which reduced federal spending on health and education.
- Hon. Muriel McQueen Fergusson and Dr. Roberta Bondar accepted designation as patrons of CFBPWC.
- 1993
- Young Career Woman selected to represent Canada at the International Congress in Japan.
- 1995
- Attended fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing as part of the Canadian Non-Government Organizations Team. Here, Canada was presented with an award for the nation which has made the most progress in women's issues in the last decade.
- 1996
- Suppported Bill C-119, (An Act to Amend the Criminal Code [Child Prostitution, Criminal Harassment and Female Genital Mutilation])
- Supported Bill S-6 (An Act to Amend the Criminal Code [dangerous intoxication])
- Lobbied the Ontario Government concerning proposed changes to the Employment Standards Act
- Submitted a brief to the Federal Government expressing our concerns on women's health, job security, pornography and violence, pensions and the environment.
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