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Be-LEAF in Equality! ... News from the frontline ... |  |
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Hello LEAF Supporters! Greetings from the LEAF National Office. We hope everyone enjoyed the summer. There are many exciting activities occurring throughout the LEAF family this fall. Happy Fall! From Everyone at LEAF!
The Board of Directors of LEAF National is pleased to welcome Audrey M. Johnson to the position of Executive Director. Audrey is a familiar member of the LEAF family having spent four years as Executive Director of the British Columbia branch, West Coast LEAF. She brings to the position an extensive background in organizational management, fund development and communications. We are pleased to be the beneficiaries of her talents and know you will join us in welcoming her to the national office.
LEAF is pleased to introduce its new board of directors for the 2005/6 fiscal year confirmed by the member branches at the 2005 AGM held in September. New Directors are: Sheryl Beckford; Counsel for Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs filling the position for the Northern Region. Dr. Ertrice Eddy; retired head of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, filling the position for the Prairie Region. Rosella Melanson; Executive Director of the New Brunswick Advisory Council on the Status of Women, filling the position for the Atlantic Region. Marilyn Roycroft; Deputy General Secretary, Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario filling the position for the Ontario Region. Returning Directors are: Beth Atcheson; Lawyer, Director at Large and Board Chair Lori Harreman; Lawyer, Shields Hunt, for the Quebec Region Martha Jackman; Professor of Law, University of Ottawa, Director at Large and National Legal Committee Co-Chair Alisa Noda; Lawyer, Noda & Associates, for the British Columbia Region Cindy Veinot; Chartered Accountant, Deliotte & Touche, Director at Large and Treasurer We extend a very warm thanks to outgoing board members: Celeste McKay, Lee Anne Schienbein, Carissima Mathen, Mary Sullivan and board advisor, Elizabeth Stikeman Rose, for their service to LEAF.
LEAF has applied for leave to intervene in Health Services and Support-Facilities Subsector Bargaining Assn. v. British Columbia (Bill 29), which will be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada in February 2006. At issue in the case is whether the British Columbia government’s Health Services Delivery Improvement Act (Bill 29), which voids equality related provisions of existing collective agreements of the female dominated health care sector, violates section 15 of the Charter. Bill 29 applies only to the health and social services sectors, the most heavily female dominated sectors of the public service; 98% of nurses in British Columbia are women; 27% of the health care sector's members are immigrants; 57% are over age forty- five. The health care and social service work done by the equality claimants in this case has been traditionally constructed as women’s work (it is socially constructed as women’s work because it is work that was traditionally done in the home, and seen as having little or no economic value). Central to the employment agreements which have been voided in the Bill are prohibitions against contracting out, and commitments to pay equity and job security. LEAF will argue that the contracting out of government work to private sector, non-unionized employees (likely non-unionized women), disadvantages women in several different ways. It allows employers to avoid honouring agreements made with employees, for example, pay equity agreements. It leaves women recruited from the private sector to fill the positions that are contracted out, vulnerable to exploitation and disadvantage in employment. The practice also leaves current members of the plaintiff unions vulnerable to termination and likely forced to find re- employment within non-standard employment contexts. The practice also leaves all affected women vulnerable to reduced wages. If granted leave to intervene, among the arguments that LEAF will make are that: when enacting legislation governments must ensure that such legislation does not violate equality rights guarantees – when making cutbacks, the government cannot further disadvantage an already disadvantaged group; and the Court should not employ a formalistic or mechanical approach to section 15, as such an approach would not remedy systemic discrimination.
Person’s Day is October 18 and LEAF branches around the country will be celebrating this important day in women’s history. Here are some official LEAF Person’s Day celebrations that are happening in communities near you: BRITISH COLUMBIA Langley Victoria Nanaimo ALBERTA Edmonton SASKATCHEWAN Saskatoon Regina MANITOBA Winnipeg ONTARIO Toronto Sudbury
As our 20th anniversary year draws to a close, we encourage members to make a lasting gift to LEAF in commemoration of this milestone. Give $20 per month to LEAF in honour of the 20 years of ground breaking equality work the organization has done, and help us continue that work for 20 years more. You can make your monthly gift via pre-authorized payments from your credit card or chequing account. Contact the LEAF office for at 1-888-824 LEAF (5323), or visit our website at www.leaf.ca. A small give to LEAF can make a BIG difference to women’s equality for generations to come. If you have questions about anything in this email or about the work of LEAF, please contact us at [email protected] or 1-888-824 LEAF (5323). Thank you for our continued support!
Your donations enable LEAF to pursue our work to ensure equality for all women and girls in Canada. Thank you for your ongoing support! ********************************* For more information, or to make a tax-deductible donation to LEAF:
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