News and Announcements

  • 19 Apr 2020 1:08 PM | Barbara Newbegin (Administrator)

    As we search for ways to connect during these uncertain times, modern technology can be of help. The explosive growth in the use of ZOOM is evidence of that, and the software continues to be updated to address the rapid growth and security concerns. Whether you are new to ZOOM or you have been using it for a while, click here to access current instructions on how to download, update, participate in and set up a ZOOM call. Save these instructions for future use and you are welcome to share them with friends and family.


  • 19 Apr 2020 1:01 PM | Barbara Newbegin (Administrator)

    The National Office has sent out the formal notice of the CFUW AGM, which will be held online June 19-20, 2020. Click here for details.

  • 24 Feb 2020 11:19 PM | Barbara Newbegin (Administrator)

    If you are interested in attending the CFUW Ontario Council AGM and Conference May 22-23 in Barrie Ontario click here for the registration form.

  • 17 Feb 2020 6:04 PM | Barbara Newbegin (Administrator)
    Club Action Newsletter
    View this email in your browser

    Proposed Resolutions - AGM 2020

    February 14, 2020

    The proposed resolutions for consideration at the CFUW Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held next June 18 - 20, 2020 in Ottawa, are now available! 

    You can link to the proposed resolutions here or go to the membership website here.

    Reminder: Amendments Guidelines
    Amendments should be designed to make a better resolution.The Amendment Form may be completed and returned to the resolution's designated email address as attachments.

    Please save your document in a word format and indicate in the title of the document the number of the resolution and the name of your club.
     
    Access the Amendment Form HereForm ENFormulaire FR

    Deadline for receipt of amendments is April 15.
    No PDF documents can be considered.
     

    Designated Email Information:

    Resolution 1: Canada Health Act and Common Application of Medically Necessary Services

    Resolution 2: Payday Loans

    Resolution 3: Achieving the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action

    Resolution 4: Climate Emergency – Declarations and Action Plans

    Resolution 5: Protecting Children from Exposure and Access to Pornography and Sexual Violence on the Internet

    Resolution 6: Enforcement of the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act

    For any questions about the resolutions process please contact, Teresa Habs, Chair of the Resolutions Committee at resolutions@fcfdu.org or the National Office at cfuwadvocacy@rogers.com


  • 10 Oct 2019 7:27 PM | Barbara Newbegin (Administrator)

    At the October 7, 2019 General Meeting of CFUW-Ottawa Hally Siddons, one of our club members, who attended the GWI Triennial and Centenary Celebration, made a presentation about the gathering. click here to see her PowerPoint notes.

  • 09 Oct 2019 11:00 PM | Barbara Newbegin (Administrator)

    The theme of the 2019 National Annual General Meeting in Winnipeg, was 100 Years of CFUW—The Power of Women Working TogetherMany Ottawa members participated to celebrate our 100th anniversary. The Fort Garry Hotel, where the conference was held, was the very location at which representatives of the University Women’s Clubs of Canada had met to launch the CFUW in 1919. The speakers included Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party. Other engaging speakers celebrated our work in advocacy and our history. We discussed building for the future as well. CFUW-Ottawa was honoured with an award for recruiting new members and received the International Relations Award for our April 2019 seminar, Empowerment Through Education: A Global Agenda for Women and Girls.

    During the business session, important votes were taken. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the CFUW and GWI (see earlier News and Announcements item) was ratified by a large majority. 60% of votes cast were in favour of the “Winnipeg Motion” (which gave individuals a choice as to whether or not to pay fees for membership in GWI) and 40% voted against. Since this required a two-thirds majority, it was defeated. A vote to increase the dues for the CFUW by $6 per member was passed with a large majority. Notwithstanding the MoU, a vote to increase dues paid to GWI by $10 was defeated, with 160 voting for it and 169 against. This vote also required a two-thirds majority. The full report of the CFUW AGM is available in the member-only area of this website. 

    The highlight of the AGM was the Friday night gala banquet at which “One Hundred CFUW Notable Women” from across the country were honoured; 68 of these were present in person. We were so proud to have many of our CFUW-Ottawa members honoured: Alice Bolt, Ann Denis, Margaret Haines, Fran Manning, Dorothy Phillips, Hally Siddons and Lizz Wilfert. Susan Russell from CFUW-Nepean and Marianne Wilkinson from CFUW-Kanata were also among the Notable Women. Alice Bolt also won one of the antique IFUW pins in the raffle. This was a good evening for us!


  • 24 Aug 2019 12:51 PM | Barbara Newbegin (Administrator)

    Attached are three documents related to the 33rd Triennial GWI General Assembly and Peace Through Education Conference that was held July 25-28, 2019 in Geneva.

    Report of the CFUW VP International, Joy Hurst, click here.

    100 Years of IFUW Past and Future Sisterhood, by Louise McLeod, VP Marketing GWI 2016-2019. click here.

    2019 IFUW Inspiring a Vision: Pioneers and Other Women, click here.


  • 24 Aug 2019 12:46 PM | Barbara Newbegin (Administrator)

    Chick here for the text of the MOU between CFUW and GWI that was signed on July 17, 2019.

  • 20 Jul 2019 3:59 PM | Barbara Newbegin (Administrator)


    Message from the President
     

    July 19, 2019
     

    President’s Message
    Grace Hollett, CFUW National President

    Please forward to all CFUW Club members.

     
    I am delighted to bring you news that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) developed by the CFUW and GWI negotiating teams has been signed, with terms favourable to CFUW, and is in effect until Dec. 31, 2022. 
     
    Background and Thanks

    The Negotiating Team consisted of Joy Hurst, VP International and chair;  Kathryn Wilkinson, Acting President and VP Education; Dominique Racanelli, VP Finance;  Robin Jackson, CFUW Executive Director: and myself, Grace Hollett, as National President. With Board approval, CFUW initiated negotiations, to address areas of concern between our two organizations, to agree on specific areas of collaboration, and to re-negotiate the dues formula and payment terms for CFUW. Due diligence by all has produced results and I thank the teams on both sides who acted in a spirit of collaboration and good faith. I thank, also, the CFUW Board whose considerable input helped bring us to a satisfactory conclusion, CFUW office staff for research, and you the Club members who exercised admirable patience in waiting for news of negotiations.
     
    The MOU indicates the willingness of both parties to collaborate and strengthen cooperation, to recognize existing problems and to set up a plan for dealing with them and, subject to its termination provisions, to be legally bound by the terms of this Agreement.
     
    Areas of Collaboration Include

    • Member Relations: CFUW proposed and GWI accepted that we will collaborate on developing and testing an electronic platform for National Federation and Association's (NFA) dialogue and consultation to provide opportunities for the exchange of ideas, discussion on leading or emerging practices and access to presentations by an international pool of subject matter experts. Additionally, GWI will convene a committee with representatives from all GWI regional areas to facilitate ongoing discussion and foster understanding among regional groups about regional priorities and issues of common interest.
       
    • Global Advocacy for Women and Girls; CFUW will continue to support GWI’s Education Advocacy agenda for Women and Girls by sharing CFUW research on selected issues within CFUW’s areas of focus and will also support written statements prepared by GWI for presentation to UN bodies when they also reflect the interests and areas of focus for CFUW. GWI will collaborate with CFUW to increase our international advocacy footprint with UN agencies where GWI has onsite representation or partnership relationship and these relate to CFUW interests.
       
    • Projects: Together we will review Bina Roy projects and decide which could be scaled up, to continue beyond their one-year funding period.
       
    • Communications and Promotion: Agreement was reached on promotion of publications and information in a timely manner.
       
    • Membership: GWI will share its recruitment model and knowledge base with CFUW.
       
    • Financial Management and Sharing Information: GWI has agreed to full transparency by providing quarterly financial statements within 30 days, publishing their accounting standards, providing annual budgets, timely updates on partnerships/alliances, and freeing the Canadian Assistant GWI treasurer to speak openly to the CFUW Board on GWI financial issues. We welcome this commitment to a fuller accountability.
     

    Reduction of CFUW’s Dues to GWI


    Prior to July 16th and the signing of the MOU, CFUW had an unpaid balance for 2018 and 2019 relating to the CHF 6 per capita increase.
    With the signing if the MOU, GWI agreed to receive the unpaid balances of our uncollected dues in two forms, 1. in-kind services/collaborative work, and 2. financial payment. The details for each of 2018 and 2019 are as follows:
    • For 2018, CFUW’s total increase in dues was CHF 48,564 based on 8094 members.  GWI and CFUW have agreed to value CFUW’s in- kind services at CHF 23,465. CFUW owed GWI a payment of CHF 25,099. Of this amount, GWI has already received CHF 13,306.50. For 2018, CFUW owes GWI a payment of CHF 11,792.  A zero-balance invoice will be provided to CFUW when this payment is made.
       
    • For 2019, CFUW’s total increase in dues is CHF 45,546 based on 7591 members. CFUW’s in-kind services are valued at CHF 22,014. CFUW owes GWI a payment of CHF 23,532. A zero-balance invoice will be provided to CFUW when this payment is made placing CFUW in good standing with voting privileges at the 2019 GWI Triennium
    Arrangements have been made to pay on July 19th the difference between the amount owing and the amount being credited for in-kind services (i.e. the discount). Following from the two bulleted paragraphs above for 2018 and 2019, this calculates to CHF 23, 532 + CHF 11,792, totaling CHF 35,324 or CAD $ 49,454 if the exchange rate is 1.4. Note that, as a GWI member CFUW was assessed dues and this debt must be paid eventually. As long as CFUW is a GWI member dues will be assessed. This opportunity for a reduced payment is to CFUW’s advantage. Without the amount being reduced paying the full amount was quite problematic. With the payment, CFUW maintains its voting privileges at the GWI Triennial, but this was not the reason for paying the debt.
     
    In order to fully resolve the outstanding amount remaining unpaid from the 2018 and 2019 years the board voted in support of a “one-time only” use of approximately CDN $49,454 from our unrestricted reserve, contingent on GWI signing the agreement on the reduced amount.
     
    Although using the CFUW unrestricted reserve at a precarious time is not ideal, the CFUW board recognizes the financial obligation attached to GWI membership. Carrying an unpaid balance for another year would not be recommended business practice.

    Additionally, this reduced payment plan continues to the end of the 2022 dues cycle.
     
    GWI has agreed to review its dues model, and also its voting structure to ensure an appropriately enhanced reflection of CFUW’s membership numbers. Reporting back on those issues must be done at least 6 months before the 2022 GWI General Assembly (GA).
     
    Future actions

    The identified collaborative activities will be summarized by documentation and managed by a project management approach with specific deliverables, timeframes and articulated responsibilities.  Agreement on oversight, modification of the MOU, dispute resolution and events leading to termination of the agreement has been reached.
     
    What has not been solved?

    1. The constitutional requirement of CFUW’s membership in GWI (CFUW Article 4) and GWI’s definition of membership for the purposes of dues calculation (Articles II.1 and X.3 of the GWI Constitution), were part of the discussions but constitutional changes were beyond the mandate of the Negotiation Committees and consequently the constitutional relationship between CFUW and GWI remains unchanged. These constitutional issues must be resolved prior to the end of this agreement, December 31, 2022.
     
    2GWI Dues for 2020
    Dominique Racanelli, in her role as VP Finance, thanks all who contributed to the voluntary payments, an updated copy of which will be posted, and alerts you to the following:
    The January 2020 invoice we will receive from GWI will again be assessed at 21. 5 CHF per capita.  In spring 2019, CFUW collected dues from Clubs at the defined rate of CHF 15.5  due to the fact that at the CFUW June 2018 AGM, CFUW members once again rejected a dues increase.  Although the MOU will again provide CFUW a discount to the full 2020 invoice, this credit will not be enough to cover the anticipated invoice.  We do not know the shortfall as it depends on membership numbers at December 31, 2019,  but estimate it at approximately CHF 23,535 or CAD $32,950 at a 1.4 exchange rate.  
     
     If the proposed GWI dues increase is accepted by the membership at our August AGM, the increase will be collected to meet the 2021 GWI invoice, not the 2020 payment.”
     
    She estimates that “on average more than 300 women hours were  provided by individual members of the Negotiating Committee and the CFUW Executive Director for research, analysis and written recommendations provided to GWI,” with  well in excess of this being expended by the chair and president. She further reiterates “This consultative work was well received by GWI and assessed at in-kind value in the amount of CHF 23,465 for the year 2018 and  CHF 22,014 for year 2019” 
     
    Ms. Racanelli states relative to the projected dues for 2020, “At this point we need to ask and must depend on CFUW membership to provide a new solution.”
     
    Conclusion: 

    The Negotiating Team is pleased that this period of negotiations has concluded. We realize, however,  that much remains to be done to activate some of the MOU provisions. We look to you to help find a solution to additional funds needed for the 2020 GWI dues.  
    Importantly, we need to ensure financial stability of CFUW as a national organization 
     
    Thank you again for your cooperation during this process,
    Grace Hollett

    National President-Presidénte Nationale
    CFUW-FCFDU


  • 24 May 2019 11:20 PM | Barbara Newbegin (Administrator)

    Message from the President

    May 23, 2019
     

    PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
    Grace Hollett, CFUW National President
    (Club Presidents please forward to all members.)
     

    Topic: A New Opportunity; The Newly formed CFUW Canada GWI Club

    Background
    Sometimes a new structure is needed in order to achieve goals. In strategizing on how to manage CFUW’s membership in GWI and help heal the divide that exists over GWI membership, the CFUW Negotiating Team brought to the Board meeting of April 11th a proposal to establish a Club to provide a platform for members who wish to actively support, collaborate with, and raise the visibility of GWI within CFUW. Those members would build a new relationship with GWI for the next decades.  
     
    The Negotiating team worked with a committee headed by our Parliamentarian, Elizabeth Haynes, and subsequently a subcommittee of Joy Hurst, Elizabeth Haynes and I, evaluated alternate forums and concluded that a virtual Club structure would work best. Meanwhile another subcommittee of current and past By-law chairs drafted bylaws that conform with the CFUW bylaws, the Canadian Not-For-Profit Corporations Act and the Ontario Corporations Act. The ten charter members of this new Club have chosen to make the new club their primary club and continue as dual members of their local clubs. The CFUW club naming convention prescribed in the CFUW bylaws requires new clubs to adopt a name that conforms to CFUW (geographic location), therefore the new club has adopted CFUW Canada GWI as its name.  At the May 9th Board meeting the new Club was granted its charter.

    Purpose
    The purpose of the CFUW Canada GWI is to raise GWI’s visibility within CFUW and support CFUW’s efforts to work collaboratively with GWI. It will operate regardless of the outcome at AGM 2019 of the Winnipeg motion to accept GWI per capita dues only from members who wish to support GWI.

    You are referred to the one-pager below which gives additional details.

     
    Questions
    During my recent visits to Councils and Clubs across Canada, negotiations were discussed in general and the formation of the new Club was introduced. Questions raised then and later, together with our responses, are being presented in the FAQ which follows. If you have additional questions or general inquiries please forward to 
    CFUWCanadaGWI@yahoo.com.    
       

    New Club: New Opportunity
    CFUW Canada GWI
    FAQ

     
    1.   Q. Is this creating a separate organization for GWI Supporters?
    A.   No. CFUW Canada GWI is a chartered club of CFUW, like any other club. It will operate much like local clubs do.  It may create hubs, interest groups and/or study groups or undertake club initiatives focused either on CFUW or GWI.
     
    2.   Q. What is the purpose of CFUW Canada GWI?
    A.   Members of CFUW Canada GWI share an interest in the activities and programs of GWI.  CFUW
    Canada GWI provides an opportunity to become actively involved with CFUW members across the country who share this interest.
     
    3.   Q: Will the home club be involved in any GWI votes?
    A.   Yes, as they are now.
     
    4.   Q: What if someone supports GWI but does not want to join CFUW Canada GWI?
    A.   There is no requirement to join CFUW Canada GWI. Members of CFUW can continue to pay their GWI component of CFUW dues in the clubs they currently belong to.
     
    5.   Q:   What is the structure of the club.
    A.   CFUW Canada GWI is comprised of members who pay their CFUW dues through the club (primary members) and members who pay their CFUW dues through another club (dual members). Members’ rights are the same for primary and dual members.  All members of the club have an equal voice on matters brought to the floor of club meetings.  Voting allocation at CFUW meetings (AGM or Special General Meetings) is based on the number of primary members—one for each 25 members or major portion thereof up to 200 members; one for each
    50 members thereafter. Club leadership is through a non-traditional board—a 5-member planning committee.  Positions on the planning committee are:  CFUW/GWI Liaison, Membership Coordinator, Treasurer, Communications Coordinator and Member-at-Large.
     
    6.   Q: How will CFUW Canada GWI handle dues.
    A.   In most clubs, dues have several components such as CFUW dues, Provincial Council dues, Club dues and contributions to club scholarship funds.  CFUW Canada GWI dues have 3 components: Club dues, GWI dues as established by GWI, and CFUW dues (the CFUW rate minus the amount allocated for GWI dues in the national budget). Primary members will pay all 3 components.
    Dual members will pay the club dues and a top-up between what CFUW collects for GWI and the actual GWI per capita amount.
     
    7.   Q:  If I am a primary member of CFUW Canada GWI and a dual member at a local club, will my local club receive any dues?
    A.   You will pay your local club its local dues and any other club levies (e.g. provincial dues, scholarship donations).
     
    8.   Q: How will any votes concerning GWI matters work?
    A.   There is no change to voting allocations on any matters brought before the CFUW membership.
    Each club is allocated 1 vote for each 25 primary members up to 200 and 1 vote for each 50 primary members thereafter.
     
    CFUW Canada GWI                                                                                                                   May 17, 2019

    Upcoming Club Events
    Coming soon is an electronic Meet and Greet session to get to know some other NFAs who are members of GWI. To join the CFUW Canada GWI Club please contact CFUWCanadaGWI@gmail.com.


    Grace Hollett

    National President-Presidénte Nationale
    CFUW-FCFDU

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