Ideas

report from the New Brunswick Advisory Council on the Status of Women: all things (not) being equal

Jul 25, 2008

Facts and figures from the New Brunswick Advisory Council on the Status of Women. News for those who think women have reached equality. News for those who think the status of women has not improved. read more

history: Second Wave Archives Project, if we don’t tell our own stories, they might not be told at all

by Mary Breen | May 1, 2008

Where are the stories, minutes, photos, briefs and buttons that tell the story of the women’s movement in Canada since 1960? The Second Wave Archives Project, launched in the fall of 2007 and sponsored by Nancy’s Very Own Foundation, began with this question. It quickly became clear that relatively few such records are on deposit in public archives, and those that exist aren’t particularly easy to find.  read more

education: sex, knowledge, and justice for youth

by Jessica Yee | Mar 31, 2008

When we talk about the ability to make healthy sexual “choices” we must also encompass ethnically and racially diverse voices and realize that the concept of “choice” falls short when placed against the backdrop of poverty, race, culture, and oppression. The lack of information and awareness in schools has everything to do with fundamental issues of empowerment and justice. We need to really listen to what our youth are saying in every part of the country about their sexual health. read more

a day for Louis Riel

by Marianne Cerilli | Feb 15, 2008

On February 18, 2008, Manitoba will celebrate its first Louis Riel Day. While several other provinces take time off for Family Day, Manitoba will focus on one of the most controversial Canadian history-makers, who was hanged for treason on November 16, 1885. The spirit of Riel is alive, and is symbolized in both the selection of Louis Riel Day and what it represents for many Manitobans who still work for equality, inclusion and a strong political voice. read more

section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Jan 28, 2008

This is the equality rights section of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. read more

at the forefront of a growing need: Dr. Ina Cummings and palliative care in Canada

by Patricia Enborg | Oct 19, 2007

The need for end-of-life care is growing as Canada’s population ages. Despite the increasing need for palliative care, it’s been hard to get the public involved. According to Dr. Ina Cummings, “There’s still a major hesitation because none of us really want to think about the possibility that life can end. It’s not something we want to face until we absolutely have to.” Yet not dealing with it has particularly harsh results for women – as both patients and caregivers. read more

time to represent!: Ontario's referendum

by Michelle Dagnino | Oct 1, 2007

A Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform recommended a new way to vote. A referendum question now asks voters whether they'd choose to change the way they select politicians – and provincial governments. It’s an exciting opportunity to reshape Ontario’s electoral system. So why are the odds stacked against Mixed Member Proportional? (Huh?!) And why do so few people in the province know what this is all about? What MMP is, and why we might want it. read more

what’s green on top

by Janet Somerville | May 10, 2006

Three extremely cool women are leading a conspiracy to sweeten the very air in downtown Toronto. They’re going to make city life more liveable for butterflies and songbirds. They plan to ease the burden on Toronto's storm sewers. And they're going to temper the summer heat and the winter cold for hundreds of people who live in a gracefully shaped, flat-topped, salmony-orange building on Ontario Street, one of the city’s oldest roads. read more

the Miss G__ Project, making women’s studies a back-to-school basic

by Sarah Ghabrial | Aug 25, 2005

Women’s studies is not, as some have dismissed it, “a course for girls.” It is a significant scholarly discipline, one which has amassed a respected and respectable tradition since it first emerged at the university-level in the mid-twentieth century. And it should be taught in high scho read more

a driving mission

by Ann Farrell | May 13, 2005

In Toronto, volunteers take cancer patients to and from their hospital appointments – chemotherapy, radiation, and visits to their specialists. For patients without cars, or friends and relatives who can drive them, this is not only a terrific service, but it also frees them from one more worry. read more