Empowering women through advocacy and education.

Indigenous Veterans Day is observed on November 8, to recognize the courage and sacrifice of First Nation, Inuit and Métis people in military service. It is estimated that, in total, over 12,000 Indigenous people have volunteered their services on the front lines, serving in all conflicts that Canada has been involved in.

On the home front, Indigenous people donated large amounts of money, clothing and food to worthy causes. Indigenous women had important roles during conflicts — serving as nurses, air traffic controllers and radio operators. 

Hello from Ontario Council's Environment and Climate Change Chair. 

Getting to know environmentally-conscious CFUW club members is a pleasure. 

I am pleased to invite you to a zoom meeting where we can greet one another, focus on Ontario Council website resources and chat about environment and climate change issues in Ontario. 

WHEN: Dec 2, 2026, via ZOOM (pre-registration required)

TIME: 6:30 pm 

Learn about CFUW St. Catharines' resource, 'Don't Drain the Swamp- Why we need wetlands' and CFUW Stratford's 'Sustainable Shopping Cart'. 

Share your questions, concerns and tips in our discussion segment. 

All are welcome!

~ Sue Bailey, Environment & Climate Change Committe Chair

During our first Speakers’ Session of the year, we heard from the professionals. Peggy Sattler MPP, Ted Hsu MPP and Chris King Constituents Assistant shared some ideas about how to be heard and advance our goals.

Each of the participants were involved in advancing Private Members Bills. They reminded us that it may take a couple of parliamentary sessions before we achieve our goal. They also explained that an amendment to a Government Bill might get you close to your goal so consider that option.

Some advice:

• Make sure you can articulate your issue in a couple of sentences

• Ask for a deliverable (What do you want to see done)

• Ask for an in-person meeting but a zoom meeting might be just as effective and easier to  achieve

• Hold a premeeting planning session

• Choose a spokesperson or two

• Leave the Member with something to remind them of your goal

• Personal letters are more persuasive than form letters.

• If your issue is going to be discussed at a Standing Committee ask to be heard or at least make submissions

• Recognize that you are not the only group asking for support so be patient. But do follow-up and reach out to staff in a reasonable time frame.

• Try and get other organizations to join in pursuing your goal

• Expand your presence by having clubs from different ridings make presentations to their MPPs

• Always try and get press.

When planning an innovative don’t forget that Ontario Council Committee Chairs may be able

to help because there maybe other clubs pursing similar goals. We can share tools and learn

from each other.

Submitted by Niki Carlan, Legislation Chair, Ontario Council

Women in Ontario still earn less than men. That gap affects their savings, their retirement and their security over a lifetime. What’s driving it, and what can we do about it?

Join the CFUW Ontario Council for a morning conversation with two leading voices on women’s economic equality.

What we’ll cover:
-- The gender pay gap in Ontario
-- The policy landscape and advocacy levers
-- What CFUW OC can do

Part Two of this series shows how to re-engage experienced women leaders who have stepped back. Offer them fresh, systems-level challenges such as advocacy and cross-sector work, then give them real autonomy, peer networks and the freedom to shape their own initiatives, rather than more of the same work.

Read Part 1 HERE

The October issue of CFUW Ontario Council News is out! 

This month our President, Sandra Shaw, writes about something you might not expect from a feminist advocate: how we’re failing boys and young men, and why that matters for women and girls. Boys falling behind in school can lead to isolation, economic frustration and recruitment by extremist and misogynist movements. Sandra lays out concrete ways our members can push for change.

Also in this issue:

• Speaker Series #1: Leading Change Through Legislation. How does a good idea actually become law? Two sitting MPPs and a lobbyist walk through it. Saturday, Oct 24, 10 a.m. to noon, on Zoom.

• Defence of Democracy & the Politics of Rage. What happened when a club hosted an All Candidates Meeting.

• The Housing We Need. Questions to ask your municipal candidates, from CFUW Northumberland.

• Resolution intent deadline is Oct 30. Your club’s ideas shape our advocacy.

• Women’s History Month, Persons Day and the International Day of the Girl Child.

• Club news from Sudbury, Aurora & Newmarket, Milton, Grimsby and more.