PCWO 2016 AGM - Delegate's Report

Provincial Council of Women of Ontario, 93rd Annual General Meeting - April 22, 2016

Toronto and Area Council of Women Delegate Report

The PCWO held their AGM at the Holiday Inn Toronto Downtown Centre and theTheme of the meeting was Gender Wage Parity in Ontario. There were fifteen delegates present for a total of 49 votes. Mary Potter, president of the PCWO, opened the meeting and the business of the morning followed. After the Treasurer Report the President, Vice Presidents (9), Local Councils (4), Study Group (1), and one representative from the Ontario Home Economics Association, which is part of the Provincially Organized Societies (POS) federated with PCWO, gave their Annual Reports.

It is these Reports which form the heart of the meeting as the delegates hear the incredible work each represents. Mary Potter, president, has an overview of all the activities of PCWO and also attends meetings with local MPP, as well as coming to local clubs as she did to Toronto’s April AGM and installed our executive for 2016/17.

Of the nine vice presidents, Gracia Janes represents Environment and Social Development and spoke of nuclear waste; the danger of the Nuclear Generating Stations if there was an accident; the water levels of the Great Lakes; fracking and its impact on the land; and energy conservation.

Beverlee McIntosh, who looks after the PCWO webpage, is the Health and Safety vice president and monitors info available on an aging population; the expanding duties of Nurses and Nurse Practitioners; the work of the Patient Ombudsman; the fact that more money is spent on Hospital Capital and not on Hours Open to patients; and front line workers in the Health Industry.

Luba Padolsky looks after Seniors’ Issues and the need for a new group to take charge of the Seniors’ Portfolio. She spoke of the Doctors and Ministry fighting over Doctor fees and the need for people to have a Living Will.

Margery Sherritt, treasurer of PCWO, introduced the guest speaker, Emanuela Heyninck, Ontario Pay Equality Commissioner. She addressed many points such as ‘What is the Gender Wage Gap?’ to ‘Factors associated with the Gap,’ including the need for access to training and apprenticeships to upgrade women and give more Career Choices. After her talk there were many opinions expressed and she had a good dialogue with the audience.

After lunch the Resolutions were discussed and voted on. Especially interesting was: ‘Decriminalizing Panhandling and Squeegeeing,’ submitted by St. Catherines and District Council of Women. It was noted that this problem has decreased over the years but the number of tickets and fines given by police to these mainly homeless people have not. Getting a ticket is a fine, and is not a criminal activity, but low income or no income people are going to jail for not paying tickets, and not for their squeegee activity. This impacts anyone who does eventually get a job and the thousand of dollars in fines still stay on their records.

The Vice President of Resolutions, Maide Yazar, introduced the three Resolutions and feedback received. She said in writing/submitting a Resolution to check if there is a Policy already, unless changing times need a new policy. There was a discussion on how to have Policy-Resolutions clarified and how to handle Issues.

Thelma McGillivrey among other duties is the new editor of the PCWO newsletter which will be issued four times a year.

‘In Memorium’ tributes were read and Thelma McGillivrey and I each read one for our dear Carol Canzona who died in December.

As always, the Auction Sale was fun and many a scarf, soap, book, or special herbs donated by the Home Economics delegate were acquired for a price.

Eileen Lackie, our TACW secretary, joined us for the evening dinner where the guest speaker was Jill Downie, author of many historical non-fiction books, fiction, and now mysteries as well. The talk on the background research for her books was fascinating. She praised all Archive keepers where the unexpected aspects of a life provide material for a book. I also bought three of her mystery books to close, for me, an interesting day as your delegate at the PCWO meeting.

Thank you,

Connie Zboch speaking at the 2016 PCWO annual general meeting.

Connie Zboch