Leaders from Government applaud BPW Canada's Efforts to Improve Conditions For All Women at the 2017 AGM held in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Premier of Alberta Rachel Notley congratulates BPW Canada members in Calgary for their contributions as they celebrate the Centennial Year of Women's Suffrage during their 45th Biennial Convention.

 Prime Minister of Canada congratulates BPW Canada members for their Advocacy on behalf of Women

Click Here to download the 85th Anniversary Congratulatory Message

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Ontario′s Premier Kathleen Wynne and the wage gap

Ontario Premier, Kathleen Wynne, instructs the Provincial Minister of Labour to develop a wage gap strategy to close the gap between men and women. Click HERE to read more! 

Click HERE to read Alberta's 16th Premier's message to BPW Canada acknowledging its efforts to improving conditions for working women across the country.

The Honourable Teresa Woo-Paw (Centre), MLA for Calgary Northern Hills, attended the 2015 Candle-lighting
ceremony just weeks before International Women's Day to celebrate Women's achievements and progress.
During her keynote delivery, she stressed the importance of the work that still remains, including Equal Pay.
BPW Canada 1st VP Jenny Gulamani-Abdulla (left) and BPW Calgary President Sophie Blais-Yalbir led the
Ceremony.

BPW Canada's First Vice-President, Jenny Gulamani-Abdulla and Alberta Liaison, Dawn Nason, participated in the Women's Policy Development Workshop, hosted by the Liberal Party in Edmonton. It focused on Leadership, Economy and Security. The issue of Equal Pay was shared very passionately and it was clear that it was time to move from discussions to evaluating our existing policies. 

BPW Saskatoon's International Women's Day event with the 27th Governor General of Canada Michaelle Jean.

• President Cara Cote (2012-2014) letter to Prime Minister Steven Harper regarding the "Bring Back Our Girls" campaign for the missing girls in Nigeria
• Improving Economic Prospects for Canadian Girls Report- October 2012 - Commission on the Status of Women (BPW Canada President, Cara Coté particpated)
• Letter of appreciation and Certificate acknowleding BPW Canada Work to combat Human Trafficking
• Letter issued to the Finance Committee: Re: Bill C-38
• BPW Canada has issued several resolutions related to Human Trafficking. Example:  Resolution # 600.10.162 :Combating Human Trafficing in Canada issued in 2010 specifically called for a National Action Plan to combat human trafficking.  Harper Government launches Human Trafficking National Action Plan (June 6, 2012)
  • National Action Plan to combat Human Trafficking Eng 
  • National Action Plan to combat Human Trafficking French
• Up-date on MP Smith Highlights Visit by Director of U.S. Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons
• Bill C-310 Amends Criminal Code of Canada Re: Human Trafficking (BPW Canada support acknowledged)
• Old Age Security Position Statement. (Issued March 2012) English
• Old Age Security Position Statement. (Issued March 2012) French
• List of BPW Canada 2011 Brief/Resolution Follow-up meetings. (Updated Jan 2012)
• List of BPW Canada 2011 Brief/Resolution Follow-up meetings. (Updated Jan 2012) English

• In December, 2011, BPW Canada Secretary, Sheila Crook met with the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, MP Dean Del Mastro for the riding of Peterborough, Ontario to discuss the BPW Canada 2011 Brief and Launch of BPW Canada WEPs

• In October, 2011, BPW Canada President, Doris Hall  and National Secretary Sheila Crook met with the Honourable Minister Rona Ambrose (Minister of Public Works and Status of Women - C), and Suzanne Clément Status of Women Canada to discuss the BPW Canada Brief and strategy to introduce the BPW Canada Women's Empowerment Principles. Summary of Ottawa Meetings English/Summary of Ottawa Meetings French

• BPW Greater Moncton, Fairlee MacPhee and  Sharon Hale issued letter to the Times & Transcript.(Fall 2011)

• BPW Canada President, Doris Hall met with MP, Ed Holder (C), London West ON-Status of Women Committee to discuss the BPW Canada Brief and the BPW Canada planned launch of the Women's Empowerment Principles.

• BPW Canada presented MP Joy Smith - Kilodan-St. Paul MB, (Health Committee and Women's Caucus - (C) with a commendation for her work to eradicate Human Trafficking. A meeting followed the presentation to discuss the resolutions carried at the BPW Canada AGM in Ottawa, Ontario in July 2011 and introduce the Women's Empowerment Principles.

	MP Joy Smith Receives BPW Canada Commendation for her dedication and work to address  Human Trafficking

• BPW Canada President Doris Hall and National Secretary Sheila Crook presented the BPW Canada Brief to MP Irene Mathyssen (NDP) Critic - Status of Women and Seniors, and Chair of the Women's Caucus. Discussions also included strategies to promote the BPW Canada launch of the Women's Empowerment Principles. (October 25, 2011)

• In September 2011 BPW Canada President, Doris Hall met with London North Centre ON, MP, Susan Truppe (C) Parliamentary Secretary to Minister  Ambrose - Minister Public Works and Status of Women.

• BPW South East met with MPP, Madeleine Dube, Minister of Health, at the Healthy Communities Fair October 26, 2011.

• BPW Canada Brief comprised of the resolutions carried by the membership at the June 2010 National Convention was presented to MP Irene Mathyssen (NDP) Critic - Status of Women and Seniors by President Doris Hall and National Secretary Sheila Crook.

• BPW Canada was invited to make a presentation to the Standing Committee on the Status of women on March 17, 2010. This all-party committees studies the issue of women and non-traditional jobs. The presentation was made by video conference in Moncton by BPW Canada President Sue Calhoun. Read Sue’s presentation (pdf). Other presenters included Susan Russell from the Canadian Federation of University Women and Jacinthe Guay from Dimension Travail, a program for women and non-traditional jobs in Laval, QC. The full exchange is now available on the  Standing Committee on the Status of Women Website.
  
  
• In February 2010, BPW Canada sent a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the three Opposition leaders and the media, calling on the government of Canada to act immediately to ensure that the Rights & Democracy committee remains an independent and non-partisan institution. Read the letter (pdf).

• The Star 14-01-2010, Dieppe NB (pdf) Claudette Bradshaw stresses the importance of women in politics at the meeting of the Professional Women's Club of South-Eastern New Brunswick

• In late January 2010, BPW Virtual club member Kathy Laing represented BPW Canada at a Special Forum on the 40th anniversary of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Ottawa, organized by the National Liberal Caucus. Read Kathy’s report (pdf).

• In November 2009, BPW Canada made a submission to the Committee for Public Safety and National Security regarding Bill C-391 (to abolish the national Gun Registry) and Gun Control. We opposed the abolition of the Gun Registry. Read the submission (pdf).

• L'Acadie Nouvelle 10-09-09 (jpg) The Professional Women's Club of South Eastern New Brunswick organizes a talk on coaching for women.

• In January 2010, the federal government changed the Employment  Insurance legislation so that self-employed people can access special  benefits, including maternity/parental benefits, sickness benefits  and compassionate care benefits. This is something that BPW Canada  has advocated for many years. To read more, click to this web link.

• 9-12-09 Moniteur Acadien (jpg) The National President of FCCFCCP will be the special guest at the meeting of the Professional Women's Club of South-Eastern New Brunswick

•  4-03-09 Le Moniteur Acadien (pdf) The President of BPW Canada met the Federal Minister.

• BPW Canada was invited to make a presentation to the Standing Committee on the Status of Women in late March 2009 in Ottawa. This all-party committee is studying the issue of Employment Insurance, and how the legislation impacts women in particular. In the photo on left, Joan Macklin, VP, BPW Canada; Niki Ashton, MP Churchill, member of the Committee and member of BPW Thompson MB; and Sue Calhoun, President, BPW Canada. Photo on right, Mme Nicole Demers, MP Laval Québec and member of the Committee with Joan and Sue.
  
  
  Click to read the transcipt of the session.
  
  
• In February 2009, BPW Canada President Sue Calhoun and Vice-president Joan Macklin were in Ottawa to meet with Anita Neville (photo left), Liberal Critic for the Status of Women and Irene Mathyssen, NDP Critic for the Status of Women. Sue and Joan presented both women with BPW Canada’s 2008 brief.

• In May 2008, President Fran Donaldson, 1st Vice-president Sue Calhoun and Public Affairs Chair Joan Macklin were invited to Ottawa to meet with Mme Sylvie Boucher, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister for the Status of Women, and MP for Beauport-Limoilou. President Donaldson presented Mme Boucher with BPW Canada’s 2006 and 2007 briefs, and raised some BPW concerns such as the lack of an adequate and affordable national childcare program that meets the needs of Canadian families and the lack of access to EI maternity/parental benefits for business-owning and self-employed women. The BPW leaders took the opportunity, while in Ottawa, to meet with other politicians such as Irene Mathyssen, NDP Critic for the Status of Women and MP for London-Fanshawe.

• BPW Canada was part of the NGO delegation to the Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations in New York in late February 2008. While the Canadian government was giving its progress report to the UNCSW, the federal budget was being released at home. Canadian women’s groups present at the UN issued a joint media release to say that overall, the federal budget released on February 26 was a disaster for women, given its focus on the wealthy. Read more All Words, Little Action, No Money for Women (pdf).
  
  
• 13-08-08 Le Moniteur Acadien (pdf) A Moncton woman becomes President of BPW Canada.

• Canada's Auditor General has decided to do a performance audit of the federal government's implementation of gender-based analysis between 2000 and 2008, taking into account the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women and Optional Protocol and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom. The Auditor General will reportedly study the government's action plan for advancing equality for women, see whether there are clear responsibilities, resources allocated, and will evaluate the management, activities and performance indicators. After an AG audit, the departments usually produce an action plan to address the recommendations, and the public accounts committee ensures the action plans are specific; then, the AG does a follow-up audit. The AG’s audit will be completed in April 2009.

• For more, visit http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/oag-bvg_e_29401.html
  
  
• Changes to the budget and mandate of Status of Women Canada (SWC) made headlines throughout the fall of 2006 and early 2007. The budget was slashed by $5 million (40%), and 12 of 16 regional offices were slated to close on April 1st. The word equality was removed from the SWC mission, and groups doing advocacy and research became no longer eligible for funding.

• Equality-seeking women’s groups, including BPW Canada, have actively lobbied against such changes:

• In December of 2006, BPW Canada sent a Brief to the Standing Committee on the Status of Women (pdf) to oppose these changes.
• BPW Canada joined the Ad Hoc Coalition for Women’s Equality and Human Rights Put Equality Back on Track campaign. http://womensequality.ca/index.html
• BPW Canada issued new releases:
  BPW Canada shocked at closing of SWC offices 2006-12-3
  • BPW Canada urged members to write Minister Oda and their MPs.
  • BPW Canada approved emergency resolutions from BPW North and East Toronto and BPW London, calling on the Harper government to reverse the changes:
  • Urgent resolution Status of Women Canada BPW London (pdf)
  • Urgent resolution Status of Women Canada BPW North & East Toronto (pdf)

Because of the backlash from equality-seeking women’s groups, Minister Oda reinstated the $5 million, although not to the administration budget. Twelve of 16 offices were closed on April 1, 2007, and staff cut by half. Groups doing advocacy and research are still no longer eligible for funding. BPW Canada, along with other equality-seeking groups, continues to monitor this situation.