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- Filming Starts on New Carr Film
Strait of Juan de Fuca
(oil painting by Emily Carr)
On March 23, 2009 filming began in Ottawa on a new documentary about the legendary artist Emily Carr. Carr's studio has been recreated for the documentary Emily Carr: The Soul Within, to be directed and produced by Michael Ostroff. Funded privately for a total of $850,000, the project will be developed by Ostroff and a crew of ten. The film is scheduled to be completed within a year, at which time it will be premiered in Ottawa at the National Gallery of Canada.
You can read more about Emily Carr in our Biographies section, and also find out the latest on plans to build an Emily Carr Statue in Victoria.
- Stamp to Honour Rosemary Brown
Canada Post has announced that a stamp to honour Rosemary Brown will be issued in February 2009, during Black History Month. Rosemary Brown, a Canadian born in Jamaica, was the first black woman in Canada to be elected to political office. She was elected to the British Columbia legislature in 1972. Read more about Rosemary Brown in our Biographies section.
- Chantal Petitclerc Named Female Athlete of the Year
On December 26, 2008 The Canadian Press named Chantal Petitclerc Female Athlete of the Year. The award was created back in 1933, when it was named after Bobbie Rosenfeld - selected in 1950 as Canada's female athlete of the first half of the century. Chantal Peticlerc is the first Paralympian to receive the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award. The accomplished wheelchair athlete won a total of 21 medals in the five Parlaympic Games she participated in. Read more about Chantal Petitclerc in our Biographies section. Learn more about Fannie Rosenfeld in our feature about The 1928 Amsterdam Olympics or read about her in the book 100 Canadian Heroines.
- 2008 Awards for Persons Case
The following is a media release issued on November 4, 2008 by the Status of Women Canada:
CANADA'S GOVERNMENT HONOURS AWARD RECIPIENTS
2008 Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case Announced
OTTAWA - In recognition of Persons Day 2008, the Honourable Helena Guergis, newly appointed Minister of State (Status of Women), is pleased to announce the recipients of this year's Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case. The Awards, which honour individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of women in Canada, will be presented at Rideau Hall on November 7, 2008.
"Like the Famous Five, each one of these individuals has helped strengthen the fabric of Canadian society. Each in a unique way has served as a role model and opened doors for others to follow," said Minister Guergis. "The Government of Canada is pleased to recognize those extraordinary Canadians who work tirelessly towards the full participation of women in the social, economic and democratic life of Canada."
The following six individuals are the 2008 recipients of the Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case:
Shelagh Day, of Vancouver, British Columbia, is an international authority on women's human rights and the founding President of LEAF (Women's Legal Education and Action Fund).
Frances Ennis, of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, is a social activist, educator, author and rug-hooking artist who has devoted her life to advancing equality for women.
Beverley Jacobs, of Ohsweken, Ontario, is an inspired leader and devoted advocate for equal opportunity and human rights for Aboriginal women and girls.
| Maureen A. McTeer, of Ottawa, Ontario, is a lawyer, author and expert on issues of women's rights and health and those of law, science and public policy.
Mair Verthuy, of Montréal, Quebec, is a researcher, activist and distinguished academic who co-founded Concordia University's Simone de Beauvoir Institute, home of Canada's first women's studies program.
Youth Award recipient Ben Barry, of Ottawa, Ontario, is an international modeling consultant, women's health advocate and author of the Canadian bestseller Fashioning Reality.
The Persons Case is a significant historical landmark in the fight for equality by Canadian women. In 1929, five Canadian women - Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby and Nellie McClung, who became known as The Famous Five - fought and won the right for women to be recognized as persons and thus eligible to sit in the Senate. The Government of Canada established the Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case, in 1979, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Persons Case decision and to salute contributions to the advancement of women.
An official call for nominations for the Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case is made every spring. Nomination forms and brochures outlining selection criteria are always available on Status of Women Canada's web site. Nominations may be submitted at any time and will be considered at the annual Selection Committee meeting, held in late summer.
- National Council of Women of Canada Celebrates 115 Years of Service
The following is a media release from the NCWC:
On October 27,1893, at a public meeting in Toronto, over 1,500 women joined forces to form the National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC), knowing that by working together and speaking with a united voice, they would be much more effective. Looking back over the last 115 years, NCWC has played a pivotal role in advancing the status of women in Canada. In the 1990’s, the Government of Canada recognized NCWC as having National Historic Significance, and in 2005 Parks Canada and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada formally unveiled a plaque to this effect in Allan Park in Toronto, site of that first NCWC meeting.
National Council of Women, Ottawa, 1898
(Library and Archives Canada/PA-028033)
One hundred and fifteen years later, our mission continues to be:“To empower all women to work together towards improving the quality of life for women, families, and society through a forum of member organizations and individuals”.
Today NCWC represents many thousands of Canadian women from extremely diverse backgrounds, through our membership which consists of 17 Local Councils, 24 Nationally Organized Societies, and 5 Provincial Councils. Some of the issues that we are currently focusing on include: advocating for a National Water Strategy and a National Energy Strategy; reform of the Employment Insurance system; and the need to maintain and strengthen one-tier universal health care.
"This is a pivotal time in history for women in our country," said President Karen Dempsey. "There is still much more work to be done, and most importantly, we have to be vigilant to ensure that what we have accomplished is not "undone.”
To commemorate this historic occasion, we have launched the NCWC Firm the Foundation Fund. Monies raised will enable the Council to continue their efforts on behalf of women, families, and society. For information, please call 1-613-232-5025, email ncwc@magma.ca, and visit our website at www.ncwc.ca.
- Seeking Autobiographies of Canadian Feminists
Marguerite Anderson would appreciate your input for an exciting new project:
Call for Submissions - Autobiographies
Feminisms in Canada 1960-2010
My name is Marguerite Andersen; I am writing to you as a member
of a working group of women who are planning to tell the stories of the
second wave feminist movement in Canada in a series of books to be published
in coming years. The diversity of feminism, including
the complexities of gender, race, class, geography, culture, dis/ability,
language, sexual identity, and age are central to the project.
This group of about thirty met for the first time in February
2008 at the University of Ottawa. At the meeting, we created a Working
Committee on Second Wave History with members Beth Atcheson (Lawyer,
Toronto), Constance Backhouse ( Professor of Law and University Research
Chair, University of Ottawa), Francine Descarries (Professor of Sociology
and l’Institut de recherché et d’études féministes, l’Université du Québec à
Montréal), Sylvia D. Hamilton (Filmmaker, University of King’s College,
Halifax) and Tracey Lindberg (Associate Professor of Law, University of
Ottawa).
I have volunteered to help gather and edit autobiographical texts for a book in English that we hope to
publish in 2010. I would like to ask you whether you would consider writing
an autobiographical text of 750-1200 words which would tell readers how you
came to feminism. Here are some questions which may help you in making your
decision:
* What prompted you to begin living and working as a feminist?
* Was there a precise turning point in your life?
* Who inspired you?
* What joyous, painful, funny or other experiences did you have?
* What transformations took place?
* What new skills did you acquire?
* How were people around you reacting to your new self?
Submissions should be sent to:
marguerite.andersen@sympatico.ca . You may reach me at (416) 361-5070 for
further information.
- Acclaimed CBC Producer Dies
Vancouver-born broadcaster Joane Humphrey, known as J.J. McColl throughout her career, died on September 23, 2008 in White Rock, British Columbia. Read more about the acclaimed playright Joane Humphrey in our Biographies section.
- Marion Dewar Dies at 80
Former Ottawa mayor Marion Dewar died in Toronto of September 15, 2008 after a fall. She was eighty years old.
Dewar served as mayor of the city of Ottawa from 1978 to 1985. Trained as a nurse, she became a fearless social activist. Dewar sat in the House of Commons as a MP representing the NDP, the party for which she also was president for a few years in the 1980s. Former NDP leader Ed Broadbent remembered her fondly as a "happy warrior".
Article from CBCnews.ca.
Article from the National Union of Public and General Employees.
- Tuidsmuir History Books Need Home
Jane Kirouac of the Tuidsmuir History Committee Woodburn Women's Institute would appreciate your suggestions:
"I am a member of the Women's Institute. And I was horrified to find out that we do not have a permanent place for all our Tuidsmuir history books. We are talking about books with local rural histories across Canada! These women have made history over the years. Who do you think had the Government paint a white line on all roads? Packaged bread? Pasteurised milk?The list goes on and on yet we do not have a place to keep these local histories without losing control of our books! These history books are kept in some local libraries but mostly in some ones home!!! We are talking about a major part of Canadian Women"s Local histories. Can you help or tell me where I could go to find help with this wonderful part of our history?"
If you have any recommendations for Jane please contact mail@heroines.ca.
- New Book re Women's Institutes
The British Columbia Women's Institute has produced a commemorative history
in anticipation of its 100th Anniversary in 2009: "100 years of the BC Women's
Institute. Info is available from Jean Johnson: granby@shaw.ca
- Acadian Author Honoured
Antonine Maillet (Communications New Brunswick) | Acadian author Antonine Maillet was honoured in Moncton, New Brunswick on August 29, 2008. The celebrated writer launched her latest book, Le mystérieux voyage de Rien, and scholars from many countries recognized her contribution to Canadian literature. During her 50-year career the author has published 40 books.
- Last Female WWI Veteran
On Friday, August 29th, 2008, a funeral was held in Abbotsford, BC for Gladys Powers. Powers was believed to be the last female WWI veteran, and died on August 14th at the age of 109.
Born in England in 1899, she enlisted in Britain. In her memoirs Powers indicated she served in the British Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and also the British Women's Royal Air Force (in which she worked as a barracks waitress). After the war she emigrated to Canada with her husband, a Canadian solider named Ed Luxford, and became a Canadian citizen. She found their Calgary home too cold, so in 1925 the pair walked a thousand kilometres along the RR tracks to Vancouver so they could settle on the coast. Following her divorce from Ed, Gladys married three more times. But she outlived all three husbands. During the last years of her life Gladys Powers lived in a rest home in Abbotsford.
- Empress Hotel Awaits Emily Carr Statue
Barbara Paterson with Roger Soane. (Copyright M. Forster) | On August 19, 2008 the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria hosted a special event to officially launch fundraising for a statue of the Canadian icon Emily Carr. General Manager Roger Soane announced that the completed statue to be sculpted by artist Barbara Paterson will be erected on the grounds of the famous hotel (where there is now a circular flower bed), only a few blocks from where Carr lived and painted for much of her life. The commitment from the Fairmont Empress Hotel is a major development in the project, with the Empress now a founding partner.
Peter Baillie and sculptor Barbara Paterson. (Copyright M. Forster) | Victoria's Times Colonist newspaper is a partner in the initiative as well, and Peter Baillie, VP for Advertising Sales and Marketing, participated in the ceremony. The Times Colonist will be playing a major role in promoting the project, and on August 20th published a full-page colour ad to encourage donations to the statue fund, so that "one of Canada's best-know and well-loved artists" will be commemorated with a public monument.
Site dedication ceremony:L-R Peter Baillie, Barbara Paterson, Roger Soane, Ann Geddes at the spot where the statue will be erected. (Copyright M. Forster) |
An enthusiastic group of supporters gathered to dedicate the site. Ann Geddes, President of the Parks and Recreation Foundation of Victoria which is leading the fundraising campaign, welcomed the guests and provided an update on the project. The special guest of honour was Barbara Paterson, the talented artist who will create the sculpture of "Our Emily". Her original sketch of the statue of Emily Carr was presented to Roger Soane in recognition of the generous support of the Fairmont Empress. Peter Baillie accepted a signed maquette photo on behalf of the Times Colonist, and Victoria author Ann-Lee Switzer donated proceeds from her new book This and That to the statue project. Also on hand to show their support were Denise Savoie, MP for Victoria, MLA Ida Chong, and Victoria Councilor Charlene Thornton-Joe who represented the City of Victoria.
More information about the project, and how to make a donation.
Donation form, which requires Acrobat Reader to download.
- Celebrating Arrival of Sisters of St. Ann
From June 5-8. 2008 the city of Victoria celebrated the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the Sisters of St. Ann in Fort Victoria. Festivities included a historical re-enactment of the arrival of the first four sisters of the order back in 1858, a special mass at St. Andrew's Cathedral, a guided walking tour and special archival displays. The Victoria Symphony performed at St. Ann's Academy, where a gala dinner was held. The Right Honourable Kim Campbell, a former student at the school, was the keynote speaker at this event.
Iinformation about the history of St. Ann's Academy, and the foundress Marie Anne Blondin (show above).
- Third Edition of 100 Canadian Heroines Released
A third edition of the popular title 100 Canadian Heroines: Famous and Forgotten Faces was released by The Dundurn Group (Toronto) in mid February 2008. Written by Canadian historian Merna Forster, the book features lively accounts of a hundred great Canadian women along with wonderful images and quotes for each.
The publication has received very favourable reviews from a wide variety of sources. The Vancouver Public Library wrote, "Seeking inspiration? You will find it in the remarkable lives, achievements, and 100% Canadian content in this collection of fascinating biographies." Femininst Penni Mitchell noted, "A book of encyclopedic biographical references, Heroines is fresh and informative, even to the seasoned feminist reader. I'd never heard of half of these women before--what a shame! This is a book of rich achievements, but more, it is a storytelling book about great characters."
More information, reviews and how to order.
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