1138 10 13654 https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/16/2802/1988_Vol_11_No_2.pdf 638edbe52ab92ef82d035633765201b9 PDF Text Text Northern Woman $1 5 0 ournal. May 1988 Volume 11 No. 2 Thunder Bay, Ont. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �U vv _r -147,x7crc.r.). :d7.,a may. 17' :4. - , 45- 6' .1!'bv? ON MARCH 15 A SHOT RANG OUT IN KENORA THAT ECHOED THROUGH THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE WOMEN OF ONTARIO, OUR DREAMS, OUR HOPES, AND THE CONFIDENCE THAT WE WERE SUCCEEDING, CRUMBLED. WE WEPT, WE RAGED, WE QUESTIONED. AGAINST THE TIDE OF MORE THAN A DECADE OF WORK BY WOMEN FOR THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN; A WOMAN DIED. THE VIOLENCE WHICH WE HAVE STOOD AGAINST, SHATTERED THE LIVES OF THE WOMEN OF KENORA AND TORE INTO THE BEING OF EVERY WOMAN COMMITTED TO THE SAFETY AND SUPPORT OF HER SISTERS. WOMEN WENT TO THE PLACE OF OUR INADEQUACIES AND WE STOOD NOT UNITED IN STRENGTH BUT STUNNED BY A PAIN THAT WE HAD ALWAYS KNOWN COULD COME. FACED WITH THE REALITY OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED, EACH OF US WAS SHAKEN BY THE SENSELESSNESS OF THE TRAGEDY. ELIZABETH WAS TO THE WOMEN OF KENORA, A FRIEND. TO OTHERS SHE WAS THE REASON FOR OUR WORK, OUR COMMITMENT, THE SHAPE OF OUR LIVES. MANY OF US DID NOT KNOW HER FACE BUT WE KNEW HER SOUL. OUR GRIEF HAD NO PATTERN TO FOLLOW. OUR HEARTS ACHED FOR HER CHILDREN AND THE FAMILY WHOM WE COULD NOT REACH. THE ISOLATION OF OUR DISTANCE OBSTRUCTED THE SUPPORT WE NEEDED TO GIVE THE RESIDENTS AND WORKERS OF THE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE. THE CIRCUMSTANCES BLOCKED OUR NEED TO KNOW AND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE REMAINED INVISIBLE, UNTOUCHED BY OUR ANGER. UNABLE TO KNOW, TO REACH, TO TOUCH, TO VENT OUR RAGE, WOMEN OF COLLECTIVE POWER WERE OVERWHELMED BY A POWERLESSNESS. WOMEN FELT FRIGHTENED. A FEAR THAT NEITHER LOCKED WINDOWS, SCREENED CALLS OR BARRED WINDOWS CAN EASE. IT IS A FEAR OF TRUST. A MOMENT OF TRUST HAD BETRAYED ELIZABETH. TRUST HAS BEEN AT TIMES BOTH OUR FRIEND AND OUR ENEMY. WE BECAME FEARFUL TO TRUST OTHERS, OURSELVES, OUR ACTIONS, OUR JUDGEMENTS. IT IS A FEAR WE NEED TO OVERCOME. TO FIND A BALANCE OF TRUST AND TO SEARCH FOR ANSWERS WE HAVE NOT FOUND BEFORE THE TRAGIC EXPERIENCE OF ELIZABETH WILL FORCE US ALL TO EXAMINE OUR EVERY MOVE, OUR PHILOSOPHIES AND PRACTICES. AND MUST DO THIS IN AN EXACTING AND CONSTRUCTIVE WAY FOR PROTECTION OF WOMEN. WEIGHING THE RIGHTS OF EACH WOMAN, THE RIGHTS OF ALL WOMEN. WE NEED TO FIND OUR STRENGTH AGAIN. IT IS THE VOICES OF WOMEN THAT WILL HELP US. The Voice oS Them Feat "I was realty aSnaid one night." "I was aSnaid he'd kilt me id it got any worse." "I used to 'may that my husband would hit me, on do whatever he waz going to do to me. I Siguned the pain coutdn't be wonse than tiving in constant dean." The Voice oS Theirs Pain "Hitting, pounding, kicking, these things hunt yours body and that leaves some scans I never had a chance to do but mostty yam body heats." "What hunts even /none anything with my tiSe." "Bruises and bones heat but .this ache never goes away." The Voice oS Theik ConSusion "I was dtatteked by his jealousy at din-at - I thought it meant that he toyed me." "But he neatly needs me. I guess that's why t keep going back." "He makes me Sea important." The Voice oS Theis. Needs "I just don't know what to do sometimes, especially when you don't have any money." "I think od others people din zt alt the time. I'm the most .important person, but I Songet that." "I neatty want to go back -to school." "Every time I Looked Son a pace and said I was on sociat sent/ices, they said it was taken." The Voice oiS Theirs Pride "There .is 40 many things I thought I could do." "I can be what I want to be." "I don't have to live Sot somebody ase. I'm my own person - I can do what I want." "WhenVoices you come, they're always so g.tad -to see you. it makes you Sea good." Than About the Houses "The treason I think tkauitLon houses arse 40 .important is that they can be many things Son diddenent women. Fon one woman they can be a way to physicatty sunvive, Sot another they pnovide shoulders to cry on. Fon anothe,t they intnoduce hen to things she can do to make it on hex own. You can't Lump battened women and .theirs needs .together. You need just about as many sotutLoms as .there cute battened women. No answet .is night Sot everyone." And Finatty "Ws tike they atma6t give you stnength to go on." STRENGTH, OF AND WE WILL BE STRONG AND WE WILL GO ON. EACH OF US ACCORDING TO OUR INDIVIDUAL SOURCES OF ENERGY, OF SPIRITUALITY AND BELIEFS, WILL DRAW UPON THE COURAGE NEEDED TO MOVE AGAINST THE VIOLENCE WE CANNOT ACCEPT. POLICIES TOGETHER WE WILL START FROM THE STARTING POINT OF THE VISION, A VISION THAT HAS BEEN BLURRED BY DOLLARS. BY HAVE TO DIE. THE ANSWER TO THIS HOW ELIZABETH DIED, IS WHY DID ELIZABETH AND BY PROGRAMS. A FAR BIGGER QUESTION THAN QUESTION LIES IN THE VISION. MADNESS THAT ALLOWS TOGETHER WE WILL FEEL THE POWER TO SPEAK AGAIN, TO MARCH AGAIN, TO HOLD SOCIETY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE WOMEN TO BE BEATEN, DEGRADED, HUMILIATED AND MURDERED. Against our witt, despite out stnength Opposed to att we .tided to be Watts and iniendz could not pnotect Elizabeth's stkuggte don dignity Asking only to connect A time od viotence, marked by teanz To build a Sutune, share the dreams OS tide without the pain and dean With women and chitdnen we canny on Less one we've Lost to death We vow to change., pkotect and cake Now, in the name od Elizabeth submitted by: THE VIOLENCE SUBCOMMITTEE of the NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO WOMEN'S DECADE COUNCIL e4 NORTHERN WOMAN page 2 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �The Story of Esmerelda BY JOSIE WALLENIUS Esmerelda was a white woman who lived in white land. One day she woke from a long sleep, and found her mother dying. Esmerelda loved her mother. In fact, she could not live without her, so she started to find out from what her mother was dying. Not long after she began this investigation, she came across a small truth, and spoke it. To her great surprise and dismay, she was called black for telling this truth. Not having a clue what black was, except it was black, she looked it up in the dictionary and found it described as rather white. With great curiousity she then looked up white, and it seemed to her very black, blacker than black, because amongst other things Esmerelda had been brought up in church. However, Esmerelda forgot about this for a while, as when you have been brought up to believe black is black and white is white, its pretty difficult to unbelieve it. Some time later, Esmerelda went to a great gathering of women, and met some new sisters that were brown and also daughters of her mother, and found out another surprising thing. These women were from whitelands too, but were trying to go black and were being resisted by the white. In fact her sisters were suffering the most frightful misfortunes in their struggle to change colour, and Esmerelda felt badly. She felt so badly in fact that she fainted clear away when she heard their stories. When Esmerelda got back from this gathering, she forgot about all this as the air in white land was very white indeed, and she was used to what came over it, which kept on saying white was white, and nobody had a problem in breathing it. For a while, Esmerelda felt quite well, just as well as ever, except her mother was still dying, and everybody was getting more and more unhappy and not looking into each others eyes anymore like they used to in days gone by. Then one day Esmerelda read a book, called "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee", and she found out that until very recently the white land she lived in had been owned and filled with Brown people, and it had been ancient black, and Esmerelda began to get breathless attacks as she read it because the story was dripping with red from the white, and what made her more breathless was she knew the white had not meant her to read it. However, Christmas was coming, and she began to feel better, as Esmerelda loved Christmas, and wanted to shop. So she went to a lovely shopping mall and began to get REALLY breathless as the air in the mall was white smog playing Silent Night in the white air, and she saw red running from earrings and skirts. In fact hard as she looked she could see nothing that wasn't red white. However, Esmerelda was no spring chicken, and put it all down to old age, and went her way, keeping out of malls and going down to the lake through the trees, where somehow or other, come rain or shine, the air seemed blac Of course it must be noted that Esmerelda was very privileged to be able to do this as she did not live in an urban squat. One day, as she was sitting on a bit of black, a rock, she got an idea to go to a country of brown people who had just gone black as she wanted to help. When she got there she did not get breathless at all, not even in a shop, and forgot all about her breathlessness till she came back, and landing at the airport began to choke. A kindly white man, who obviously at some time had breathed black air, helped her to a chair, where she recovered enough to get home in a taxi. However, after this experience Esmerelda did not seem able to recover and took to her bed, quite ill, gasping for air all the time. Ill as she was though, Esmerelda still worried terribly about her mother and went on listening to the white air waves, which made her nauseous as well as breathless, and one day heard over them that the dream of the country she had been to was quite deliberately being strangled by the white nightmare which had long experience in strangling dreams, and Esmerelda felt full of absolute DREAD. She took a gasp of breath and jumped out of her sickbed and ran through the trees where the air was blacker than black to the green blue black lake and sat on her raven rock. She looked up at the golden black sun, and waited for the silver black moon and stars to come out, and the only white thing she saw was a gull, and that was black white. So Esmerelda decided to go black too, as for her it was the only way to breathe any more, the only way to resist the white, the only way to be a sister to those women at the gathering, and the only way to heal her mother. The funny thing was, AND THIS IS seemed to change. She heard no drum roll and say no mountains topple, though she did just hear a flute begin to play. Nobody started ordering her around and nobody seemed to care. Esmerelda started to clear away some dead wood but the main thing was that she woke in the morning feeling better, and did not get so breathless in the STILL white air. Esmerelda knew now that the way the white nightmare kept people in white land white, was making them fear black, and that was the trouble. Yet Esmerelda believed in dreams and knew other people in the white did too. WRTWJJ qlpM4N ,Apage 3 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �MATCH greater benefit of women throughout by Cynthia King the world. MATCH has financed, with the sup MATCH is a Canadian-based women's port of committed Canadian women and organization, committed with our Third men, a wide variety of activities of World Sisters, to a feminist vision Third World women's groups each year of development. Such a vision requires income generation, health promotion, the eradication of all forms of injusagricultural production, occupational tice, particularly the exploitation training, awareness building and organd marginalization of women. anizational strengthening. In the This is the philosophy statement future, we will be expanding this fors of MATCH International Centre, the of support to include integrated first non-governmental organization programmes involving Third World and anywhere in the world, and the only Canadian women. MATCH programmes will one in,Canada, devoted exclusively to support a variety of activities such promoting the development efforts of as research, publication, training, women. exchanges and educational tours, and MATCH was established by two conferences/seminars. Canadian women, Norma Walmsley and Suzanne Johnson, following the United Each programme will be built Nations International Women's Year around a theme identified by the woconference in Mexico City in 1975. This men involved. The themes we are now conference provided a forum for Third considering for further development 6,coadiutti~LVonutv Ptt. I World women, especially from Latin are violence against women, women in America, to voice their concerns about the workforce, expecially domestic This is the challenge which faced the effects on women of the development workers and free trade zone workers, MATCH in the beginning and which conprogrammes being implemented by govthe sex trade, including prostitutio tinues to challenge the organization ernments and by non-governmental orgpornography and trade in women, woas it celebrates its Tenth Anniversary. anizations (NGOs). These efforts, men in agriculture and women in the During the past decade, it has which purported to raise the living media. We hope that this method of been very satisfying to see many other standards for communities as a whole, programme, development will increase non-governmental, governmental and were in fact bypassing women and their the impact of the work we support. international bodies allocating greaneeds. We want to approach proposed ter resources to programmes designed Women make up 50% of the world's programmes with a view to addressing to ensure that women participate in population and one third of the officwomen's strategic needs and not only and benefit from development progial labour force. Yet they do 2/3 of women's practical needs. Strategic rammes. The women's movement in Canthe world's work,'groy 1/2 of all foodneeds relate to the root causes of ada and overseas has changed during stuffs, darn only 1/10 Of the income this time as well, with the growing women's subordinate status in sociand own less than 1% of real property.realization that we all have much to ety - attitudes, laws and practices which discriminate against women. In the rural areas of the Third World gain by joining forces with our sisPractical needs result from this dis the picture is even more grim, 18 hourters in other countries-As MATCH'S crimination - poor health, illiterac work days are not uncommon. One result; environment changes, we too must poor working conditions, lack of pai almost 2/3 of the world's illiterates adapt and focus our resources for the employment. It is obviously importare women. ant to meet such practical needs. MATCH believes, however, that long term change for women can only be brought about if practical and strategic needs are linked in programmes NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO that will challenge the root causes STATUS OF WOMEN INITIATIVES of women's subordination. 1973-1987 MATCH has supported a number of "strategic" projects in the past. For example, in Nicaragua we assiste women in a trade union to identify their special needs. The women received training to prepare them to assume positions of responsibility within the union. In Peru and Mexic6 MATCH has supported domestic workers to organize to demand fair wages and working conditions. In Zambia, MATCH funds have helped a group of women to examine sex stereotyping in popular songs with a view to improving -the image of women. MATCH embarks upon its second decade knowing that there is still much to do. It is up to women to org anize themselves to bring about change - not to replace men and do as ORDER FORM they have done, but to achieve an NAME egalitarian society where all seek fairness and have an equal, recogniz ORGANIZATION role to play. POSTAL CODE $12.00 per copy plus $2.50 postage and handling where applicable AMOUNT NUMBER OF COPIES ENCLOSED $ REQUESTED Northwestern Ontario PLEASE MAKE CHEQUE OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO: Women's Decade Council, 905 Tungsten Street, Thunder Bay, Ontario COST P7B 5Z3 PDF:40Rrtlti& compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor WOMAi �ROLE MODELING PROGRAMS 64.41.4 Ontario Women's Directorate UPCOMING EVENTS PAY EQUITY AND JOB EVALUATION One day workshop at Confederation College 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. May 27th To Register - Contact Patti Bain at 475-6494 NORTHERN ONTARIO WOMEN'S CONFERENCE Sault Ste Marie, Ontario Contacts-Elaine Switzman (705) 736-2324 -Gail Broad (705) 949-8912(evgs) Theme - Accepting One Another. A bilingual conference for Native and non-Native women to build a bridge between the three dominant cultures in Northern Ontario. NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST FREE TRADE June 12th 1988 FAMILY LAW SEMINAR Date to be announced Kenora, Ontario For moreinformation contact Lynn Beak (807) 345-6084 FAMILY LAW SEMINAR DateAto be announced Sault Ste Marie, Ontario For more information contact Lynn Beak (807) 345-6084 FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION MONTH November 1988 For the fourth year, grants will be awarded to community groups sponsoring local public education/awareness events. Application forms will be sent to groups next month. If you do not receive an application or would like more information contact Rae Anne Honey, 345-6084 SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION MONTH November 1988 SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION MONTH June 1988 For the first time this year, funds have been set aside for organizations to provide public education/ awareness in their own community around this issue. Contact Rae Anne Honey at 345-6084 for more information. CONGRATULATIONS PATHMAKERS and OPEN DOORS are both innovative programs designed to counter sex role stereotyping and promote education equity. These programs work by example and provide information to interest high school girls in a wider range of career options. PATHMAKER role models are university and college women who are training in the sciences, trades or technology. OPEN DOORS roles are women already working in their chosen fields. For high school girls about to make crucial curriculum and career choices, role models offer important encouragement and can motivate female students to explore their options and make informed choices. Role models are available to speak to classes, at career events or participate on panel discussions. Thanks to a local working committee these programs are in both public and separate school systems. The Directorate has commissioned a video to encourage potential rote models and working committee members to participate in these programs. Next week the production company will be in Thunder Bay and the video should be available by -to Women's Health Information Network, Northwestern Ontario Regional Child Care Committee and Women's Committee and Thunder Bay District Labour Council. These organizations held conferences recently - all were filled with excellent information, enthusiastic participation and strategizing around the issues. -to RAE MERCIER and the first Career Counselling Course for Francophone Women graduating class at Confederation College. Thank you for the opportunity to attend the wonderful breakfast ceremony. summer. \'ei - \\5esCx ...°°.(0°Ztt 101e eZ .11". "amononuagoliouw9140"014o faNkCs:,44 OWD PUBLICATIONS 4~14,144,1447,44~N~14P CAREER SELECTORS are a L3k-LIZCE series of seven booklets listing career options with education requirements, probable salaries, etc. soon to be available in French JOB SEARCH is an excellent tool to work through an action plan for women who are planning to enter the workplace for the first time or return after an extended absence. (English and French) FREE TRADE AGREEMENT is the Directorate's publication stating the impact on the economic position of women in Ontario. FAMILY LAW INFORMATION KIT-This kit provides information on recent changes in family law. Available in Spanish, Portugese, Italian, Cantonese, Vietnamese, French and English WOMEN OF ACTION is OWD's new poster celebrating the significant contributions of some Ontario women over the past 140 years. (French and The Resourc for you! A desk research in this bright room. Mat rowed for a two w We spent an Northern Women's Margaret Phillip quired many books Family Violence, Abuse and Native the categories t editions. Other new ad Immigrant Women Perspective, CAC CENTRE Pension Facts fo Information Grou Spring 1987 Working Together Volumes) produce Help Network, Co Access to Trades Ontario, Abt Ass English) OWD COMMUNITY GRANTS This program continues for 1988/89. The Grants Review Committee meets April 27 to review the first group of applications received. If your organization has a special project in mind which will enrich the economic, legal and social equality of women in your community, please call Rae Anne Honey at 345-6084 for more information and/or an application. Beginning this year, grants of $5,000 or less will have a shortened review process which will allow funds to reach you sooner. CHANGE AGENT PROJECT REPORTS: Equity at Work Physical Testing Demands Women in Road Paving Union/Management Collaboration Employment Equity for Women; How Does Your Company Measure Up? Women into Construction: A Blueprint for Action Gender Equality Indicator. This page is spo Ontario Women's material contain photocopied and out permission, to the original Ontario Women's NO PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �SUICIDE You will not need to cut me. You think of yourself as a master Sculptor, chiselling a rough block of stone into the image of Perfect Woman. (Remember that the amateur cuts just as deeply, if not always as well.) I will not make you cut me. I will chisel away at my own personality, destroying that which fails to please you. When I bleed, you can think you are innocent. I will do anything to hold you, give up any part of myself, as long as there is enough left to go on breathing, to go through the motions. You will not achieve Perfection. You will achieve a miniature not in keeping with the stature of the stone, at best your own chosen image out of all possibilities, a reconstruction limiting the potential of the stone. Another hand might choose to polish and smooth, enhancing the stone's natural beauty. But you do not appreciate this form. Perfection is not found in nature. Perfection is Man-made. The rough stone is the vessel of my love. Each cut diminishes to size of the vessel, each cut threatens its strength, its very existence. As the pieces drop away, my love lies fragmented. Will you be angry then? It's not your fault. changes were mine. Your hands are empty. But remember as you walk away: The I did it all for you. Susan Collins EYE BALL TO EYE BALL TAPESTRY He knew her better than she knew herself was his standard weapon for control when her thought deviated from his norm. She could never convince him that stupidity in her was innate and her imagination so gross that she could have thoughts that offended his vision of her. You are good and kind he told her hopefully this is not a person I can love, this bitchy, selfish-malcontent is confused you have been talking to women again. Thus we conceal the person we are to fit the expectations of wishful thinking. Only the male has the legitimate right to be obnoxious within the frame of conversation, so the female can practice her role of forgiveness and understanding. He will have it no other way, the woman glaring at him is an aberration, a stranger to herself, she can't seriously mean to tell him to F... off. Gert Beadle . pap,web :6 NORTHERN WOMAN, PDF compression, OCR, optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �A Matter of Choice Abortion in Canada is legal. We intensely hope that by the time this Journal is in your hands this statement is still true: Two months have passed since the landmark ruling of the Supreme Court of Canada, which declared Canada's abortion law unconstitutional because it contravened the Canadian Charter of Rights. We have long known that the abortion law, enacted in 1969, was unjust. Politicians have also long known that the abortion law was unjust. Pro-choice representatives, and even the government's own study (the Badgley Report 1977) demonstrated clearly the inequity and injustice of Section 251 of the Criminal Code. But governments could not be moved to repeal the law. Instead they used the smokescreen that the law was a "compromise" between pro-choice and anti-abortion positions. (It is the perspective of this writer that the 1969 law had much more to do with population policy than with accommodating antagonistic positions - but that is the subject of another article.) Reasoned approaches through the political process failed. Thus, the abortion issue became a legal fight --- a seemingly endless legal fight --- propelled by the extraordinary determination of Dr. Henry Morgentaler, whose committed struggle has culminated in the historic Supreme Court ruling.' What was the basis of the ruling? Section 7 of the Charter of Rights say "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with principles of fundamental justice." The Supreme Court found that the law violated Section 7 of the Charter ... "Section 251 (of the Criminal Code) clearly interferes with a woman's physical and bodily integrity. Forcing a vo,nan by threat of criminal sanction, to carry a fetus to term unless she meets certain criteria unrelated to her own priorities and aspirations is a profound interference with a woman's body and thus an in,. fringement of security of the person." (Comments by Chief Justice Brian Dickson and Mr. Justice Antonio Lamer. These judges further stated "One of the basic tenets of our system of criminal justice is that, when Parliament creates a defence to a criminal charge, the defence should not be illusory or so difficult to attain as to be practically illusory. The procedures and restrictions stipulated in Section 251 for access to therapeutic abortions make the defence illusory resulting in a failure to comply with the principles of fundamental justice." It is instructive to note that only Madam Justice Bertha Wilson found that "The deprivation of the Section 7 right in this case offends freedom of conscience guaranteed in Section 2(a) of the Charter. The decision whether or not to terminate a pregnancy is essentially a moral decision and in a free and democratic society the conscience of the individual must be paramount to that of the state." "section 251 (of the Criminal Code) clearly interferes with a woman's Physical and bodily integrity. Forcing a wurun by threat of criminal sanction, to carry a fetus to term unless she meets certain criteria... is a Profound interference with a woman's body and thus an infringement of security of the person" Chief Justice Brian Dickson We must not be lulled by a false hope that the January 28th ruling enshrines that a woman has a constitutional right to determine her reproductive future. It is important to understand that the abortion law was struck down not because the Court believes that the state does not have a right to interfere with women's right to choose whether to carry a fetus to term, but rather that the state's intervention must be equitable (which it was not under Section 251). Thus the headlines glaring in every major newspaper - WOMEN GET FREE CHOICE; THE BIGGEST STEP SINCE WOMEN WON THE RIGHT TO VOTE; RULING PLACES ISSUE BETWEEN A PATIENT AND HER DOCTOR have changed. Now we see HNATSHYN PROMISE NEW LAW; MOVE TO CURB SOME ABORTIONS MULRONEY SAYS and ABORTION: TALK ABOUT FREE VOTE. The euphoric and celebratory response with which we greeted the Supreme Court decision has given way to hard realism. The patriarchy will not tolerate the possibility of women really having CHOICE. And so the struggle moves again from the courts to the political arena. There is much to suggest that the federal government will move quickly to enact new legislation restricting abortion. The rationale for quick action is to try to make the issue "go away" before the expected fall election. It is not in the best interests of the politicians, we are told, to have women's reproductive rights clutter the election campaign. The new legislation will seek to be a "compromise". It may be decided by polls or pollsters. (The fact that poll results depend significantly on the way a question is asked can only add to the chaos.) The compromise that is speculated is a pregnancy stage restriction. (You are not a criminal if you abort at 10 weeks, you are a criminal if you abort at 14 weeks?) ABORTION IS NOT A CRIMINAL ACT. Our position must be clear and unequivocal. NO LAW is the only acceptable stand. The issue of choice has not been won. We must again embark on the distasteful process of lobbying our politicians. We must make clear to all politicians that a new abortion law is unnecessary and unacceptable. We must also demand that equitable access to abortion services must be available to all women. We must also continue to press for community-controlled women's health centres that provide comprehensive services. Finally, we must focus on an integration of reproductive rights within a total economic and social agenda for women. Rape, violence, economic insecurity, day care, employment equity, pensions, reproductive rights, are not separate issues, and we must not let politicians treat them as separate issues ... and in doing so divide us. The following pages provide a retrospective of the pro-choice movement as we perceive it has evolved.. Suggestions are also given for what each of us can do to ensure that freedom of choice becomes a reality for Canadian women. Abortion is surely the most personal and private decision a woman_ will ever have to make. How far we are from affording women that privacy. The lawyers, the doctors, the journalists, the politicians, the priests, the pollsters, are certainly having their say and threaten to drown out women's voices. So we must take whatever individual or collective action we can, for until all women are free, none of us are free. "In th,bs countky, accezz to abottion nequitez a t'taveY agent - and money." June Cattwood (Gtobe'S Mait Dec.3/86) "The taw haz trLeated women az though they weke chadken who had to be protected 6tom the in own ikkezponzibte imputzez - and then zuddenty noticed that they wee att 2/town up. Now, the judicial doors haz been pitied open wide enough to £e-t the keatity o6 women'z tivez enten..." Anne Cottin4 (Macteanz Feb.8/88) NORTHERNPDFCompressor WOMAN': PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION ti �Historical Perspective excerpted from an article in BROADSIDE Volume 2 #4, 1981 In all societies throughout history abortion has been part of women's experience. Women have always attempted to control their reproductive capacities regardless of societal controls or sanctions. Several factors determine the status of abortion in a particular culture at a given time: the definition of the beginning of life, the perception of ideal population size, and the influence of the medical profession. Until the late 19th century no society punished abortion in the early stages of pregnancy. The Greek city states and ancient Rome made abortion the basis of a well-ordered population policy. Christianity infused the fetus with a soul but debated for eighteen centuries exactly when the fetus became animated by the soul, thereby making abortion a serious crime. Early Christain theologians defined the beginning of life as 40 days after conception for a male fetus, and 90 days after conception for a female fetus, although no methods of sex determination were specified. By the 13th century abortion was tolerated as a less serious sin up until the time of "quickening", usually the fifth month when a woman could feel the fetus move. It wasn't until the mid 19th century that the Roman Catholic Church tightened up its official stand against abortion. Pope Leo XIII at that time declared life to begin at conception and as a result abortion became defined as murder. This decision was rationalized in a number of ways. First, a mid 19th century wave of humanitarianism pressed for abortion laws to protect women from infection and death at the hands of male medical practioners. Until antiseptic techniques became prevalent, an abortion in the first three months of pregnancy was 10 to 15 times more dangerous than delivery at full term (today legal abortions are oneeighth as dangerous as childbirth at full term). Second, biologists began to understand conception, and women were therefore able to practice more effective birth control - a good motive for tightening of abortion laws. This had ramifications for all countries where large families were essential to farming communities. Third, and much more subtle, English puritanism flourished in the 19th century and espoused the idea, still current today It woutd be great to cttebtate this ti6ting o6 an ancient cuAse two thousand yeaAz and mote without tecoukse to taw on pukse It woad be nice to say "it's -oven" Sat the deed was tkuty done when justice met intettigence democtacy Sot us was won BUT Th,lz L not about abottion as much as powet and the pte-eminence o6 mole seed oven nine months oi Serrate gestation It iz about tetigious 6ascism in out time and two thousand yearn o6 chAistain misogyny tooted in itz inteApAetation as sexual pteasute as itticit and wit. untess Lt keptenished the earth. It's about Aace and the ketucatance o6 white women to reproduce on command Son the 6atheas It's about owner hip and Dominion ova that ctumbting dynasty o6 church and state and the sepakation o6 these two monotiths And it .us oimatity about those who choose not to know the keatity as out tivez That dakk night o6 the sout with the tkauma o6 decision and the challenge o6 peAsonat tesponsibitity as 6tee women It is about the sad out haAnassing the had outs and the concealed angek ofi the 40,ed that sex for pleasure was bad, that pregnancy was a punishment for pleasure, and that fear of pregnancy wou reinforce degenerating modern morals It was in 1873 that a US federal law banned from the mails all literatur( medicine or article to do with contraception or abortion. The 20th cei tury has seen a series of movements directed toward the repeal of the 19th century laws prohibiting abortion. Access to abortion in any culture is directly related to its economic needs and therefore to its pe/ ception of an ideal population size. Historically, nomadic peoples have always limited their population whatever means available,yet in preindustrial agricultural societies large families were an economic asset and abortion more difficult to obtain. A major influence on access to abortion was the emergence of the male medical profession. Until the development of scientific medicine in the late 18th and 19th centuries a wide range of healers performed medical tasks. The female "witch healer" and midwife played important roles in the community. As European medicine became firmly established as a secular science, it was increasingly threatened by women healers, and the profession played an active role in the witch trials which spanned more than four centuries. By the 18th century male practftioners had a so made inroads into the last preserve of female healing - midwifery. The invention of forceps enabled mall professionals to claim that a surgical instrument must be used by experts. The job of the midwife - who had been, for most women, the only source of information on childbearin; contraception and abortion - was narrowed in scope, downgraded and confined to the women of the poor. Matters of reproduction among the middle and upper classes was transformed into a lucrative business and remains so today. 60t a choice they resisted that tesotts them to a noisy demonsttat ion o6 supetion mokatity and 6inatty it's about moving in the ditection 06 each othet Sot noutishment and bonding as 6tee women in common. from KINESIS SO It wowed be nice to cetebtate the Aizing consciousness oti the Supreme count Paying Homage to the 6emate input. Those who have not paid theist dues to innocence will continue to harass the coutt and kiss the shoe o6 theit oppkessou We have bettek things to do with out tives than tetutn the harassment o6 .ignorance we choose to turn the othet cheek. "The only time you're sum_ what abort on is is when you're ptegnant.' Mation Powell, Say Centke Sot Bitth Conttot wokket. Gent Bead& page 8 NORTHERN WOMAN PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �ProChoice Thunder Bay ce n the he nsipriith serrth t the se inree eneConsoure speeness" h con- nal "400 ain se hostic' to al." chapition sumtoric ading) that inics. e writpro- ion r Bay. Abore contum aborrganemal the stern eventmitted ThunGroup had ... l base... primarily with pro-choice supporters, but including a small, vocal group of anti-choice women and their "brothers" who persistently disrupted the meeting's agenda. Apparently frustrated by the pro-choice speakers calmness and logic, the anti-abortionists broke up the meeting with a vitriolic display of verbal abuse... which spilled out into the streets where deflammatory accusations of a personal nature nearly caused a riot. Totally stunned by this amazing experience the Abortion Caravan continued on to Ottawa apparently blanking out this experience as the Thunder Bay stop is omitted from all of the Caravan's historical accounts. Women's Liberation meanwhile matured their political sophistication. The value of the Birth Control Clinic cannot be overstated. For more than three years it provided a supportive and necessary service. But key organizers moved on and the Clinic phased out. Impetus for pro-choice activism surged again following the 1973 Northern Women's Conference. An unstructured pro-choice group met regularly from 1974 on, and became an official CARAL chapter in 1979, and have been involved in public education, political activism, as well as providing support to individual women. The Northern Woman Journal has also played a significant role. Since its birth in 1973, the Journal has been an on-going vehicle for up-todate information about the pro-choice movement locally and nationally. The mid/late 70s saw the beginning of a structured anti-choice movement in Thunder Bay, with local Right to Life, Birthright, and (later) Campaign Life groups organizing. It is instructive to note that while the early anti-choice activities were developed by women, recent leadership is predominantly male. "As far as our The early work of the anti-choice group focussed heavily on speaking to school groups, and on lobbying federal politicians. This lobby has been intensified since the Supreme Court ruling. (Anti-choicers seem to love to demonstrate. CARAL was able to counteract one rather nasty picket, when CARAL presented Iona Camponola, then president of the Liberal Party, with a bouquet of roses, thus defusing the pickets' unpleasantness to Camponola, who supports choice.) It is instructive to note that the more recent anti-choice focus is oppostion to a variety of women's services. (See article on Women's Centre, NWJ Vol. 10 #1) Feminism is now the target. This "anti-woman" movement must be clearly understood. Access to abortion for Northwestern Ontario women has always been restricted, and heavily dependent on geography and economic status. Only Thunder Bay and Kenora hospitals had therapeutic abortion committees,,leaving women hundreds of miles from an abortion service. The problems encountered in accessing service here have made it necessary for many NWO women to travel to Minneapolis or Duluth. While these free standing abortion clinics have provided excellent and supportive services, the cost has been prohibitive for some women. The lack of access, the T.A.C. hassles, the delays, and, in some cases, insensitive treatment of abortion patients, has been all too evident in Northwestern Ontario. Consequently, support increases, not only for de-criminalizing abortion, but for the provision of community-controlled women's health centres, including abortion services. Only with such centres will there be the assurance of the sensitive and supportive environment that women undergoing an abortion need. For more information about local pro-choice activities, write CARAL, Box 3134, Thunder Bay. responsibilities are concerned we intend to provide the leadership that Is required on this Issue." FederalJusbroWUWRamon Wmtenr.Fth2,191W Globe and mail. "We must support legislators who protect us from complicity in the moral crime of abortion." Archbishop James Carney Feb 11, 1988, Vancouver Sun. "There are any number of MAWS for abortion but in broad terms selfishness has a lot to do with L" I have been made aware by many Albertans that they resent having their taxes used to pay for abortions when these are done with contraception Irresponsibly being conceived in the Joy of sex. "We mourn for the unborn children of Canada... We promise to continue the battle with all our might." Wiliam Vander Zake,8.C. Premier, Feb 12,1988, Vancouver Sun James Huges, Campaign Life, Jan. 28,1988, Globe and Mail. Dr Roy le Riche, Aberta College of Physicians and Surgeons Registrar, Feb 12, Canadian Press. is e ts KJNESIS 7 page 9 NORTHERN WOMAN PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �The Law That Was CHILDBIRTH BY CHOICE Chiedbinth by choice means Oteedom o6 choice in ptanning one's 6ami2 y. It meant a woman zhoutd not be ptezzuted to beat a chid againzt het witt. It meant a woman zhoutd not be ptezzuted to have an abontion against het wilt. CARAL betievez that women zhoutd have the ineedom to chooze whethen on not to continue an unptanned, undezited pregnancy. Outs pozition -ins the one taken in the Un- ited Natibnz Human Rightz Dectanation oi 1968 (zigned by Canada): "Eveny couple and eveny individuat hat the tight to decide 6neety and nezponzibty whethet on not to have chitdnen ass welt at to detenmine theit numbers and zpacing, and to have inOtmation, education and meant to do to." Morgentaler's Struggle The 1969 Canadian abortion law The following is the relevant portion of Section 251 of the Criminal Code that was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Canada. 251(1) Everyone who, with intent to procure the miscarriage of a female person, whether or not she is pregnant, uses any means for the purpose of carrying out his intention is guilty of an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for life. (2) Every female person who, being pregnant, with intent to procure her own miscarriage, uses any means or permits any means to be used for the purpose of carrying out her intention is guilty of an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for two years. (3) in this section "means" in- The federal Justice Minister orders a new trial on the (first) abortion charges. For a third time Morgentaler is acquitted by a Quebec 1976 jury. the Supreme Court of Canada. This culminates nearly twenty years of legal battles by Dr. Henry Morgentaler The chronology of this struggle is: 1968 Morgentaler performs his first illegal abortion in Montreal. 1969 Parliament amends the Criminal Code (which previously prohibited all abortions). Abortion remains illegal unless approved by a therapeutic abortion committee for an accredited or approved hospital. 1970 Charges of performing an illegal abortion are laid against Morgentaler at his Montreal clinic. 1973 A Quebec jury acquits Morgentaler on the 1970 charges. 1974 The Quebec Appeal Court overturns Morgentaler's acquittal and substitutes a conviction. He is sentenced to 18 months in prison, and serves 10 months. 1975 In a split decision the Supreme Court of Canada denies Morgentaler's appeal. 1975 (While in prison) Morgentaler is tried on a second charge in Quebec and is again acquitted by a The Quebec govern1976 (Dec.) ment decides the abortion law is not enforcable and drops all outstanding charges against Morgentaler. 1983 Morgentaler opens a Clinic in Winnipeg in May, which is closed after police raid the Clinic. Morgentaler and eight others are charged with"conspiring to procure a miscarriage of females." 1983 The Harbord St. Clinic opened in Toronto in June. In July Dr. Mortentaler, Dr. Robert Scott and Dr. Leslie Smoling are arrested and The Quebec Court of Appeal upholds Morgentaler's acquittal and accepts his use of the defense of necessity as a justification for terminating a pregnancy. 1976 Parliament makes it illegal for appeal courts to (in future) substitute a conviction for a jury acquittal. (Appeal Courts can only order a retrial, not reverse a jury de1976 cision. cal practitioner to use in an acct., dited or approved hospital any mew described in paragraph (a) for the purpose of carrying out her intent: to procure her own miscarriage, if before the use of those means, the therapeutic abortion committee for that accredited or approved hospit( by a majority of the members of the committee and at a meeting of the committee at which the case of suci cludes: female person was reviewed, (a) the administation of a drug (c) has by certificate in wrior other noxious thing ting stated that in its opinion the (b) the use of an instrument, and continuation of the pregnancy of si (c) manipulation of any kind. female person would or would be lit Exceptions (4) Subsections (1) ly to endanger her life or health, and (2) do not apply to and (d) has caused a copy of such (a) a qualified medical praccertificate to be given to the qua] titioner, other than a member of a ified medical practitioner, therapeutic abortion committee for has been - declared unconstitutional by jury. any hospital who in good faith use in an accredited or approved hospi tal any means for the purpose of carrying out his intention to procure the miscarriage of a female person, or (b) a female person who, bein, pregnant, permits a qualified medi 1984 The Ontario Supreme Court rejects the doctors contention that Canada's abortion law violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. 1984 (Nov.) An Ontario jury a quits the doctors. (The Ontario gov ernment later appeals.) 1985 The Ontario Court of Appe orders a new trail. Morgentaler and colleagues appeal the order to the Supreme Court of Canada. 1986 (Oct.) The Supreme Cow concludes its hearings. The Supren 1988 (January 28) Court rules in favour of Morgentale/ declaring the Canadian abortion law unconstitutional. charged. PREEDOM OP alma CANADIAN ABORTION RIGHTS ACTION LEAGUE (CABAL) ASSOCIATION CANAIIIIINIIS TOON la M01? A WAVOSTIINUINT owsks) ac/la The Purpose of CARAT is to ensure that no woman In Canada is denied acces to safe, legal abortion. Our aim is the repeal of all sections of the Crimini Codes dealing with abortion and the establishment of comprehensive cof traceptive and abortion services, Including appropriate counselling across th country. We regard the right to safe, legal abortion as a fundamental human right I support the statement of purpose of GARAI. and wish to become a rawest. Oki. Address: Postal Code: Ooeupetlen: Name of Federal Riding: Individuel Member United Income " Funny' Sustaining Donation 1110.00 13.00 SIS.00 $25.00 RETURN TO:. CARAL, Box 3134, Thunder Bay,Ont. P7B 5G6 NoRTOEM WMAk: fct. web t 10 optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor PDF compression, OCR, �The Case Against Criminal Sanctions obtaining an early termination: they set up phony clinics which delay a woman's search for abortion, they harass women at legitimate clinics, excetpt4 4tom a pozition papet pto&teed by the Canadian AboAtion Rights ALtion League, Manch 1988 and they de-insure the procedure under provincial medical schemes, thereby forcing women to search for money to pay for the abortion. Most importantly, however, a woman receives a late-term abortion because a pregnancy endangers her life or health or because severe fetal abnormality has been diagnosed. Conditions which are a threat to a woman's life include cancer, heart failure, hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, suicidal depression, and AIDS. Amniocentesis, by which fetal abnormalities such as Down's Syndrome, Tay-Sachs disease and anencephaly are diagnosed, cannot be performed until the 16th week of pregnancy and it may take until the 19th week to make a diagnosis; then comes the search for access to the procedure, and more delay is introduced. The answer to later abortion is not further restrictions - the answer is access early on in the pregnancy. Sex education and birth control counselling reduce the need for abortion per se but also reduce the number of late abortions. Ready access to an abortion facility eliminates delay. And full insurance coverage means that women must not spend time looking for money to pay for the procedure. Thus, people who oppose these measures are, in fact, contributing to the incidence of later abortions. Finally, however, there will always be a need for later terminations if women's lives and health are to be protected and if a woman or a couple is to be allowed to choose whether or not to bear a handicapped child. And this is a decision that must be made by a woman in consultation with her doctor. Where a doctor is uncertain as to what constitutes the best medical practice under the circumstances, he or she will seek an opinion from another doctor - the usual practice for any medical procedure. There is no need to reinforce this practice with criminal sanc- ABORTION AND HEALTH The world over, modern thinking on abortion is moving away from focusing on criminality and towards focusing on the health of women and their families. Abortion is properly seen as a matter of health; no woman should face criminal charges for making a decision which furthers her physical or mental health.... Just as there is no legislation governing other medical procedures and the decision for medical care is based on good medical practice, the decision to have or not have an abortion should be left to a woman and her doctor .... We encourage people to take responsibility for their own health;' taking such initiative should not result in the laying of criminal charges. At all stages of pregnancy a woman's life or health must be protected above all else. Even under s.251 there was no gestational limits on the performing of abortions, and for good reason namely, that at all stages of pregnancy, a woman's life or health must be protected above all else. Nonetheless, some people. are under the impression that new legislation must be enacted in order to restrict abortions in the later stages of pregnancy. But, just as there were no limits under the old law, it is not necessary to have a new law prescribing limitations according to the length of the pregnancy. The huge percentage of abortions are performed within the first 12 weeks of gestation. Statistics Canada figures for 1985 indicate that only 0.2 percent of abortions are performed after 20 weeks. There is no reason to believe that these numbers would increase without a new criminal procedure. There are a number of reasons why abortions are sought after the first trimester. Lack of access to service may cost a woman valuable time; money may be a problem; young women do not know that they are pregnant. The anti-choice movement itself puts obstacles in the way of women tions. What You Can Do What can you do? You can write a letter, send a telegram, or telephone: Rt. Hon. Brian Mulroney Prime Minister House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A2 and Hon. Ray Hnatyshyn Minister of Justice Justice Building Kent & Wellington Sts. Ottawa, Ontario K1A OH8 and tell them that abortion is not a criminal act and that the government must not enact new criminal legislation on abortion. Make your views known now. Send a copy of your letter to your local MP. Remember that postage is not required on letters to the federal government. You can also join CABAL and work with them to ensure Canadian women do have freedom of choice. Send your membership to CABAL, Box 3134, Thunder Bay, P7B 5G6 ABORTION AND THE LAW Aftermath of the Supreme Court of Canada Decision It is not accurate to say that there is now no abortion law. The Criminal Code still retains s252, which prohibits the supplying of a drug, instrument, or other "noxious thing" to procure an abortion. This section can be used to prosecute back-alley abortionists. Provincial regulation also remains: all provinces have legislation which prohibits the practice of medicine by people who are not doctors and establishes good medical standards for doctors. (In Ontario this legislation is called the Health Disciplines Act.) There is no need for special legislative provisions governing abortion alone of all medical procedures, There is, therefore, no need for special legislative provisions governing abortion alone of all medical procedures. A doctor who is uncertain as to the proper practice in a given instance will consult another doctor for a second opinion. This is done routinely in medical practice; it is not necessary to mandate such consultation in the case of abortion. Finally, if section 251 were replaced, the provision would have all the same problems as s. 251 had: the standards would be vague and would vary from place to place; the system would inevitably cause delays; and juries may well again refuse to convict doctors who believe that this is a bad way to practice medicine. Moreover, the law would have to take account of exceptions - termination would still have to be allowed to protect the life or health of the woman. Such a law would, in the final analysis, only create delays for women and make abortions even later. Abortion and Health Care Insurance After the Supreme Court of Canada decision, some provinces used that decision as an excuse to limit coverage of abortion. ...The practice of deinsuring an important health care service must be stopped. Under the Canada Health Act, ehe federal government contributes money to the provincial health care insurance plans if these plans meet certain criteria, among them comprehensiveness, universality, and accessibility. Where a plan does not satisfy these criteria, Cabinet is empowered under the Act to withhold all or some of the contributions it makes into that plan. Clearly the federal government must use this power to withhold funds from provinces seeking to de-insure contaceptive and abortion services (as, indeed, they withheld funds from provinces which allowed doctors to extra-bill). Similarly, provincial politicians must be convinced that their mandate does not permit them to deny essential health care 05 its taxpayers. NORTHERN. WPMAN page ,11 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �New Women's Resources The National Film Board of Canada is offering a workshop titled Transforming Myths; Using Film To See Ourselves in New Ways. This workshop is for those interested in Women's changing image and changing women's image. It offers an opportunity to view the sexist myths which film has historically reinforced and to re-write the script. Clips from 42 years on National Film Board films along with appropriate group exercises enable partcipants to experience how to transform limiting myths into positive images through the medium of film. The workshop which features a 27 minute film titled Images of Women in National Film Board Films 1945-1987, has earned high praise from educators, film/ video makers, and community groups. How to book the workshop! In the West Marion Dodds #4-31 West 11th St. Vancouver, BC V5Y 1S6 In the East Rosemany: Sullivan 1965 St. Armand Rd. Pigeon Hill, Que. JOJ 1TO Aids and Female Genital Mutilation Campaign-Annual Review. Hanna Edemkpong, Nigeria, West Africa Dear Sisters: The campaign we launched against Aids and the practice of female genital mutilation in November 1986 has reached one year of age. The cam-, paign was launched because of the staggering figure of Aids carriers in Africa, moreso, the overwhelming majority of western victims are male homosexuals and intravenous drug users who share dirty hypodermic needles, but the reverse is true in Africa where the majority are women. Moreover, recent research findings have confirmed that the practice of female genital mutilation opens genital sores and as a result of these operations as well as other sexual Practices by men that may result in lacerations and the flow of blood in the genital area an easy gateway is provided for Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases to enter the bloodstream where they rapidly multiply among white cells, thus Aids has many opportunities to reach women in Africa. In addition, the campaign was prompted by our profound belief that while most or our African women are suffering under ignorance of traditional practices and dying of diseases is because of lack of practical information that could change their lives° Apart from raising the issues of female genital mutilation and Aids at Internation- al Conferences by some African women there has been very little of no local initiative to stop the practice and the widespread of Aids. As a self help, non-governmental women's organization with limited funds, our greatest problem has been lack of funds to run the campaign. Thus we had to make appeals to concerned women, feminist and women's bodies, groups and organizations to come to our urgent help. Although a majority or women who read our appeals failed to respond, few concerned women responded by way of donations. By this support, we were able to cover over 100,000 square kilometres of our countryside and had been able to meet with 5 million rural women whom we dissuaded to partake in the practice of femele genital mutilation and spread of Aids. All the women we met have shown penitence and willingness to refrain from the practice in order to safeguard themselves against Aids, We have also contacted 2 million women by radio and television and another 1 million by newspaper and litetatures. Arrangements have also been completed for the launching of the campaign in other African Countries in 1988 if we have enough financial support from our friends. I wish on behalf of myself and all our women to express our profound appreciation and gratefulness to all of you and all women who concerned themselves with out plight and contributed in cash and kind for the running ou our campaign through which we were able to make such tremendous progress. We have been very much encouraged by your support and solidarity in our uphill walk towards the emancipation of our women from ignorance and disease. We wish to appeal to all of you that our task is such that cannot be accomplished overnight therefore we hope that you will endeavour to give us more support in 1988 so that we may be able to cover our budgetory deficit of $25,000 in our 1988 budget proposals of our campaign programme. Once again, we thank all of you who contributed towards the success of our programme this past year in the interest of international feminism; for those who act to solve problems one small step will make the decade a success not those who spend their time planning and programming the sector. For sending of donations or inquiries write to: Hanna Edemikpong Women's Centre, Box 185, Eket, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, West Africa. In Sisterhood, Hanna Edemikpong National Women's Studies Association 1988 Annual Conference will be hosted by the University of Minnesota June 22-26, 1988, The NWSA con-, in Minneapolis. ference, "Leadership and Power: Women's Alliances for Social Change," will explore culturally diverse leadership models and empowerment among women, Over 1,500 women are expected to at- tend the 10th annual NWSA con ference and to celebrate the Association's 11th anniversar Three conferen ce plenary will highlight Amer ican Indian, in ternational an d lesbian issue "American Indian Women: Diverse Leader ship for Social Change," will feature America Indian women a uthors, a lawye and an activis t in Indian hea issues° "Alliances for Social Ch International Voices," will feature women from devel oping countries who will disc networks and issues common to many women in rural communiti "Lesbian Alliances: Com bating Heterosexism in the 80 will feature noted lesbian au thors, artists and activists who will discuss cultural, ec onomic, racial and sexual fac tors perpetuating heterosexis There will be 250 workshops and many cultural event scheduled for the conference including a book exhibit, intercultural exhibitions and entertainers. For further information conta ange: NWSA '88 Conference Office 237 Nolte Center 315 Pillsbury Drive S.E. Minneapolis, MN 55455-0139 (612)625-8803 WOMEN AND DEVELOPMENT - Quebe City, April 21, 1988. From November 13, 1988, some 500 women from all over Canada, t United-States, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa as we will gather in Quebec City to discuss on the theme "Women a Development". This event, or ganized by the GREMF (Groupe de recherche multidisciplinai fjministe) of Laval Universit will be in fact the 12th Symp osium of the Canadian Institu for Research on Women. Participants will be off ered the opportunity to discu about their lives as women as well as the different develop ment means at their disposal: equal employment opportunity, community programs, etc. Anyone interested in sub jects related to woman activi ies and their concerns, is in ited to attend the symposium which will constitute an inte esting platform for the benef and personal development of w men on the Canadian scene and beyond. On the other hand, t event will allow participants to set up new solidarity networks, whereas a program of cultural activities will favo the meeting of participants o an informal basis. French and English simul taneous translation will be available as various services to handicapped people. For registration, please contact: Service des communi ations, Faculte- des sciences sociales, bureau 3446, pavill Charles-De Koninch, Universit Laval, t61: (418)656-2832. PDF compression, OCR, pa web e. 12 optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHEgH (''OMAN �International Feminist Book Fair The 3rd International Feminist Book Fair will be held in Montreal, June 14-19, 1988. This is the first time the Book Fair has been held in North Ameri^a. Two hundred of the world's finest writers will be gathering in Montreal this summer to read their work, debate the crucial feminist issues of the 1980's. A rare opportunity for the Canadian public to discover writers who are household names in their own country but largely unknown to North American readers the Third International Feminist Book Fair will feature: Miriam Tlali, South Africa's only published Black woman novelist, still living in Soweto; Angelica Gorodischer, prize-winning Argentinian author of fantasy and fiction; Nell McCafferty, a leading Irish journalist whose outspoken views have recently been muzzled under Ireland's state security laws. A biennial celebration of women's writing, the Feminist Book Fair was first held in London in 1984, then in Oslo two years later. The Montreal edition promises to repeat these two earlier outstanding successes with panels on: Writing as a dangerous profession; Eroticism; Feminism and Islam; Feminism in North American Native traditions; Pornography and Prostitution; Dreams, magic and symbolism in Latin American literature; Women confront the Medical Establishment; Mystery and Sci-Fi: Redefining Violence?; Censorship; Poetry is also a weapon; Writing in Exile. The Fair has also generated a series of parallel events including art exhibits, theatre, performance, music and other entertainment to add to the festivities. Combining commerce and culture, the Fair brings together publishers, writers, booksellers and related professionals with the aim of expanding the feminist book industry. For more information about the Fair contact the Northern Woman's Bookstore, 344-7979. Book Womb Travels to Fair Have books, will travel and Winnipeg's elusive wimmin's book service are both key phrases which describe THE BOOK. -WOMB. Since its con- ception in 1985 THE BOOK WOMB has grown and changed in ways that reflect the spirit of it's partners, Jahnet Hewsick and Shirley Walker. The values, interests and needs of the wimmin's community are reflected by our ever-increasing and diverse stock of feminist and lesbian writings. We also carry a selection of records, tapes, cards, buttons, postcards and crafts - all wommon-made. Mobility is a key asset and so is The Wombmobile. In June, THE BOOK WOMB will take to the open highway/ congested freeways as it travels to Montreal to be part of the 3rd International Feminist Book Fair. Jahnet will be taking her pretty silver mini-van (dubbed the Wombmobile) to seven eastern cities - Thunder Bay, London, Hamilton, Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa and Montreal. Each of these cities is home to a wimmin's bookstore which Jahnet will be visiting to promote the Book Fair. She will also be having a workshop at the Fair for those interested in the concept of going mobile with books. The BOOK WOMB herstory begins in 1984 with five wimmin meeting on a regular basis to talk about starting up a wimmin's bookstore in Winnipeg. The only other wimmin's bookstore in Winnipeg had been Brigid's Books. It had been housed in the Women's Building and when the Building closed its doors in 1983, feminist and lesbian literature became scarce again. The five of us were avid readers and book buyers. We liked to travel and to attend feminist conferences and when we went to such places as Toronto, Vancouver, Minneapolis and the Michigan Women's Music Festival we always "hit" the local wimmin's bookstore to stock up. For us and many other wimmin, the importance of feminist and lesbian literature that reflects and validates our lives, as well as challenging us to grow and change, is crucial to our lives. And we wanted to have access to this literature in Winnipeg. We didn't have much money but we were flush with ideas. So began the process of endless discussions around the issues of structure, philosophy, time and energy commitments... and of course how to get the financial resources to make this a reality. Because of other commitments three of the original five founding mothers withdrew from the BOOK WOMB. The first opportunity to display and sell books publicly came at the Canadian Women's Music and Cultural Festival in August of 1985. It was fun and exciting and the response by those who attended the Festival was very enthusiastic. Since then the BOOK WOMB has been present at many wimmin's conferences and special events. The original idea of having a store has more and more given way to the idea of a book service that travels around, making books available to wimmin who don't have regular access to a bookstore. THE BOOK WOMB has travelled to The Pas, Thompson, and Saskatoon. Travelling and meeting new and diverse wimmin are wonderful side benefits to the business of selling books. Sometime, somewhere, Jahnet envisages a permanent location. But for now, "the gypsy in my soul, gets to have her fun". Jahnet and THE BOOK WOMB will be visiting Thunder Bay in early June on their way to the International Feminist Book Fair. Contact the Northern Woman's Bookstore for more information,, Thr Women's Tress- Lesbian writers! Fiction Non-fiction Erotica Poetry Prose Experimental Work Women's Press is looking for manuscripts for a second anthology of writing by Lesbians about Lesbian experience Send to: Women's Press Lesbian Manuscript Group 229 College Street Toronto M5T 1R4 SUB LET An attnactive one-bed/Loom apaAtment available 4oA sub -tet Thom June 30 to mid August to a non-moking, cattoven. Contact Heten at 622-1212 page. 13 NORTHERN WOMAN PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �BOOK REVIEW: LIONHEART GAL by Sistren with Honor Ford Smith, The Women's Press (U.K.) wm-Sb with Honor reviewed by MARGARET PHILLIPS "We create our own material.. All me do is just look back in me life, focus on a lickle situation just paint di picture natural and pretty in words and movement. All life, me did haffi act in order tc survive. Di fantasies and ginnalsh were ways of coping wid di frustre tion. Now me can put dat pain on s and mek fun a di people who cause The book evolved from a plans documentation of the threatre coll tive to be introduced by testimoni from the Sistren. But the testimor "would not sit neatly into an intr ductory section. They refused to b come supporting evidence of predet mined factors... so we gave up try to silence them.." Consequently w have this book of remarkable stori As can be seen (from quotes al many of the women's stories are wr ten in Patwah, which initially mak difficult reading. It is worth the time it takes to study the glossar: become familiar with the terms. Al! you will soon find that the rhythm the writing helps you to transcend language difficulties. The importance of writing in Patwah is sensitively outlined by the editor. Ford-Smith explains that while Patwah is written for performance.."it is not written fo reflection ... yet we know ... tha reflection is part of the process of gaining control over one's own life." She goes on to say "... the language issue is a political issu because language is central to all power relations. It expresses the soul of a people. In our experienc the development of Patwah expresses the refusal of a people to imitate a coloniser, their insistence on creation, their movement from obed ence towards revolution." The stories flowed from each woman answering for herself three questions - "How did you first become aware of the fact that you we oppressed as a woman? How did that experience affect your life? How have you tried to change it? And we are given stories of childhood, of motherhood, of relation,thips, of families, of isolatic of migrating to the city for a 'bet ter' life, of disappointments, of perserverance, of learning, of grox, of strength. Although these stories are uni que, in a sense they are universal. For they are stories of women's cot riEn LIONHEART GAL "Without life, our lives must go on. Without hope, we're not hopeless. Without education, we shall be educated. Without food, we shall be fed. Without a home we shall be sheltered. Without a reality, we shall emerge from captivity. Without all we can stand tall, firm and strong in what we believe in." These few lines from a poem, 'Won't Go Without' by Barbara (p140) illustrate the spirit of LIONHEART GAL. The stories the Sistren tell are filled with courage, with strength, with wisdom, with dignity. I have been trying to review LIONHEART GAL for more than six months I opened the book and could not put it down. I start my review. I read.. .. I write .... I pause to reflect .. .. I re-read a story... I re-read the introductitin. I put my review aside ... come back to it again and again. I am so incredibly moved by this writing but I simply cannot find the words tit do it justice. LIONHEART GAL is compelling because we HEAR the voices of the women speaking. This is real. These are oral her-stories put to print, of fifteen Jamaican women sharing their experience --- their experience of exploitation, opression, isolation, poverty, -- of work, of health, of sexual initiation, of child bearing and rearing, of relationships, of violence. And of the evolving politicized collective awareness of these women. "(we) talk about woman and work and woman and politics. We discuss what is politics and how it affect woman. After we done talk ah get to feel dat di little day-to-day tings dat happen to we as women, is politics too. For instance, if yuh tek yuh pickney to hospital and it die in yuh hand - dat is politics.... If yuh man box yuh down, dat is politics. But plenty politicians don't tink dose tings have anything to do wid politics." (p253) from KINESIS In 1977 a group of workLig class women from an employment program came together and talked about doing a play ... "We want to do plays about how we suffer as women. We want to do plays about how men treat us bad"... So the Sistren collective was born, and has since gained international recognition for its use of theatre and popular education. While the introduction to the book describes the premise and process of the Sistren collective, the impact of Sistren comes clearest from the words of the women themselves. "When we form di group ah began to meet and talk wid odder women. Ah hear dem experience and ah hear dem view. We sit and talk we problem. We improvise and mek plays. After a time we start draw pictures too. After doing dese creative work, we always discuss. Dat is how ah come to find out how and why certain tings happen in me life, how ah can work on di problems and how ah can make it better." "We are planning to do a play... based on our experiences as women from the ghetto. We come together and talk our life story and put it in a lickle scene. The rehearsals make all of us think about our lives. Me did really pass through plenty. Dem should a have some process fi help girls to know what to expect when dem turn woman." ETWIFTWEET-'-e MAT'S NEW IN THE BOOKSTORE More and more wonderful women's literature pours off the presses, Here is just a small sampling. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: Aboriginal Women Speak Out as told to Janet Silman ... "I think what really kept us going is our determination to seek what is rightfully ours....We were fighting for our BIRTHRIGHT." A PASSION FOR FRIENDS: Toward a Philosophy of Female Affection, by Janice G. Raymond... "A challenging new theory of female friendship as the basis for feminist purpose, passion and politics. It is a privilege to read this book. MAM DZWIL.7534:WOFsi MYTHS OF GENDER: Biological Theories About Women and Men, by Anne Fausto-Sterling ... "required reading for all who would understand the sexual politics of science". THE SECRET TRAUMA: Incest in the Lives of Girls and Women, by Diana E. Russell ... "will be invaluable in helping to combat the denial of incestuous abuse and remediate its effects". WOMEN AND SELF-ESTEEM: Understanding and Improving the Way We Think and Feel About Ourselves, by Linda Tschirhart Sanford and Mary Ellen Donovan, Lots of tiction for your leisurely summer reading as well. CHILD OF HER PEOPLE, by Anne Cameron. age. -____?)OrtaTTNY 11'41:0aR CROSSING THE MAINSTREAM: New tion by Women Writers, edited by 2 E. Laison and Carole A. Carr. THE MONARCHS ARE FLYING by Ma Foster (mystery). OF LQWE AND SHADOWS by Isabel Allende. SOMETIMES THEY SANG, by Helen Potrebenko. Everyone concerned about educ tion will be interested to read Fr Lynn Davies (South Gillies) analys SKIPPING SCHOOL IN EARNEST: Just C for Leaving a Mired System... "Mor than a book about education... val able for all who are concerned abo children and about the future.., a voice of sanity and common sense.. clear-sighted, refreshing, powerfu PDF compression, OCR, web VORTfIERN,WOMANpa0 14 optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �1,19RD SEARCH TNEMPOLEVEDCANGER E SNASAKRASSERTIVE TEIIUSEOLPSRMNOOM ANSNMCYTIUQEYAPDC RAIRIAAEDNUSTANTO B E L E Amazon anger Arka assertive aware TSORMZRHKIEAELDN EHESIEEESNTRPNPS CDIGLEFTRTAREPAC OXREDNEGECKWRNHI basis caper care celebrate Ceres child care choice chord class clew code consciousness CEEVOLRADDEEAEOAO SNNWGHHALCWHRWZEU E HENORCIANIDOOAHS L LAODEHEPSOMEPMRN deaf Decade demands development CMDRDCPLSEMSEMAFE AIAGEQUALITYREAAS RACISMLENAIBSELLS dove empower energize equality era O NIPSCPHRNMODEERF feminist flame freedom Gaia gender goddess hag heal Hekate Isis left lesbian love maze moon racism Re Rhea saner Sappho see sexism share sisterhood spa spin spunk squint star tao unite use valid Odin oracle Wendo wommin pain pay equity peace Pele play WOM A N WOR DS Answers from last issue. MARrIS SPED Awol- ALTO A idev T RANcE RANI PoRE MYTH RAN T1 PPER Dol- PO FAGGol" HARMON/ie. AC0A-r PAR1 S ARR C R N r N T S P kE RE W E N DJ CERES CH I S 1 O C H / () t AND-RosEs AhEART oP,TS E T'AL NUCLEI ArviEn1 ER_A ORAL V gl ri P GoRE oGRE A DiT CRDSE D NE ED LA DY R E. s -r- t*********************************** t f *IS THERE AN ASTERISK ON YOUR LABEL T PLEASE RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION f t * * te****************************irk***** s COMMUNITY INFORMATION Do you have a problem and don't know where you can find help solving it? The Community Information and Referral Centre can tell you where you can find that help, and we take care to ensure confidentiality. Do you need to contact an organization and can't find the number in the telephone directory or can't remember the exact name? The Community Information and Referral Centre has extensive files and tries to keep them up to date. We can usually give you the answer within seconds. Do you need information on senior citizens services? The Community Information and Referral Centre keeps extra information on those services so that seniors can get the help they need promptly and appropriately. Our services are free and our purpose is to provide information to everyone. We also publish a directory of community services (which costs $12) and an interagency newsletter, and we host interagency meetings. We keep statistics and report gaps and inadequacies in services to appropriate organizations and government departments. We are a program of the Lakehead Social Planning Council and are located at 221 Bay St. phone 345-4009. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor NORTHERN WOMAN page 15 �FROM THE NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA NEW FILMS AND VIDEOS ABOUT CANADIAN WOMEN DAUGHTERS OF THE COUNTRY THE IMPOSSIBLE TAKES A LITTLE LONGER TO A SAFER PLACE From the historic encounter between Indian and European in the Canadian northwest emerged a mixed-blood na- 45 minutes C 0186 513 Women with a range of physical disabilities demonstrate how they have overcome obstacles in their careers An inspiring account of how oni tion, the Wis. Here, in a four-part and their personal lives, and what dramatic series that spans two centuries, is their proud story, told from the services are still needed by the handicapped. Captioned for the hearing point of view of courageous impaired. A French version is also available: Le Vent dans les voiles. Metis women. Winner of three 1987 Gemini Awards: Best Pay TV DraBest Actress in a Mini-series. Lillian Gish Award for best mini-series, Women in Film Festival, Los Angeles; Blue Ribbon for Original Drama, 29th American Film Festival, New York; Best film, 1987 International Women's Film Festival, Montreal. DAUGHTERS OF THE COUNTRY 1 (IKWE and MISTRESS MADELEINE) C 0186 138 114 minutes 58 minutes woman has overcome the trauma o being a victim of incest. Now in he thirties, Shirley discusses childhoo( memories of sexual abuse and fam ily violence with her mother, brother; and sister. A film that encourages in cest survivors to break their silence the Third Medikanale Internationale Festival, Honorable matic Program, Best Writing, and Mention C 0187 067 at Parma, Italy. FIREWORDS half-hour segments, each profiling a leading Quebec feminist Three writer. Part 1 focusses on Louky Ber- sianik and her satirical use of language; Part 2 introduces Jovette Marchessault, who works to unearth the ideas of women that history has erased from our collective memory; Part 3 reveals the work of avant-garde poet and post-modern feminist writer, Nicole Brossard. Available on one reel or videocas- sette: C 0186 072, 84 minutes; separately, Part 1: C 0186 073; Part 2: C 0186 074; Part 3: C 0186 075; or in French under the title Les A FILM ABOUT MENOPAUSE Terribles vivantes: C 0286 072. 38 minutes C 0186 043 One of the least understood of women's experiences is menopause. This DOCTOR, LAWYER, INDIAN CHIEF 29 minutes Five native women who have successfully forged non-traditional careers share their experiences and reveal how they drew on the strength C 0186 532 DAUGHTERS OF THE COUNTRY 2 (PLACES NOT OUR OWN and THE WAKE) C 0186 139 115 minutes IS IT HOT IN HERE? is an informative, sometimes humorous, look at social attitudes, symptoms and treatments. THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE: PORTRAITS OF WOMEN of native Indian culture. A French IN MID-LIFE version is also available: L'Avenir est entre nos mains. C 0185 102 58 minutes Ten women from a variety of backgrounds and lifestyles share their ex- PRAIRIE WOMEN ENTERPRISING WOMEN 45 minutes C 0187 009 The little-known story of the vibrant social and political organizations C 0187 063 27 minutes The stories of five female entrepreneurs relay the pitfalls and the founded in the 1920s and '30s by Prairie farm women. Best Documentary over 30 minutes, 40th Yorkton joys of running a business. The women profiled head companies involved in pasta, lumber, fish, silk-screening, Short Film and Video Festival, 1987. and a business academy. periences of menopause and mid-life, describing how this turning point affected their lives and freed them to explore exciting new directions. National Film Board of Canada RENTAL VHS VIDEO ONLY $2/DA These and other NFB pro ductions are available in 11 mm and VHS video. Reset vations can be made in pet son, by phone or by mail. Note: The NFB will sem videocassettes by mail ti viewers located outside Nn distribution centers. All NEI productions can also be put chased in 16 mm and al video formats. Office national du film du Canada NFB Offices in Canada Halifax: (902) 426-6001 - Sydney (902) 564-7770 - Saint John: (506) 648-4996 - Moncton: (506) 857-6101 - St. John's: (709) 772-5005 Corner Brook (709) 637-4499 - Charlottetown (902) 368-4641 - Montreal (514) 283-4823 - Chicoutimi: (418) 543-0711 - Quebec (418) 648-317 Rimouski: (418) 722-3086 - Rouyn (819) 762-6051 - Sherbrooke: (819) 565-5500 - Trois-Rivieres (819) 372-4630 - Toronto: (416) 973-9093 Ottawa: (613) 996-4861 - Hamilton (416) 572-2347 - Kingston: (613) 545-8056 - Kitchener: (519) 743-4661 - London: (519) 679-4120 North Bay: (705) 472-4740 - Thunder Bay: (807) 623-5224 - Winnipeg: (204) 983-4131 - Saskatoon: (306) 975-4246 - Calgary: (403) 292-5414 Edmonton (403) 420-3010 - Vancouver (604) 666-0716 - Victoria: (604) 388-3868 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Second Class Heil Registration No. 5697 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: p2 TRIBUTE p3 THE STORY OF ESMERELDA p4 MATCH p5 ONTARIO WOMEN'S DIRECTORATE p6 POETRY p7 THE ISSUE IS CHOICE p12 UPDATE p13 THE BOOK WOMB p14 BOOK REVIEW p15 WWII) SEARCH MAIL TO: Don't forget to renew your subscription! Here's my sub: Name Address (postal cede) o liggieldoat $ 0 .5 lastitutleaal $ 10 Collectively produced CAROLYN GREENWOOD - MARY-ANN KLEYNENDORST JONI MACE - MARGARET PHILLIPS - ROSE PITTIS - CYNTHIA STOLZ :*********************************** I t 1 *IS THERE AN ASTERISK ON YOUR LABEL ? t PLEASE RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION : RETURN TO: * * * t*********************************** THE NORTHERN WOMAN 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 Return Postage Guaranteed Northern Woman Journal 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 (FOUR.ISSUES) $5:00 $10.00 Business or Institution PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Description An account of the resource Northern Woman Journal Published in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northern Woman Journal (originally called Northern Woman) started in 1973 following the first annual Northern Women’s Conference in order to keep the conference attendees connected. Initially serving as a newsletter of events, local issues, and women’s resources, the Northern Woman Journal quickly became a diverse publication reaching national and international readers. Not only did it serve as a newsletter to keep local women up to date on feminist issues in Northwestern Ontario, but also as a safe space to discuss women’s resources, law, politics, economics, health, racism, sexism, homophobia, feminist organizing and activism, transnational feminist issues, poetry, feminist reading, feminist art, and women’s diverse lived experiences.One of the longest-running feminist perodicals in North America, the Northern Woman Journal reached its end in 1995. Throughout its 22 years, the Northern Woman Journal was produced by its many collective members, with membership evolving year to year. For many years, the journal worked closely alongside and shared space with the Northern Women’s Centre and the Northern Women’s Bookstore. With the exception of a year-long government grant in the 1970s, the journal relied entirely on subscription fees and donations in order to maintain publishing, which presented challenges throughout its entire existence. As stated in an early version of the editorial policy, “only by a free and open exchange of views and opinions will we develop a basis for unity which can be used as a basis for action.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal, Vol 11 No 2 Description An account of the resource Vol. 11, No. 2. (May 1988) Title: Northern Woman Journal Topics include: Violence against women Women & race MATCH women’s organization Transnational feminism Pay equity Resources for northern women Family violence prevention month Family law seminar Sexual assault prevention month Poetry Abortion access History of abortion Childbirth by choice Dr. Henry Morgentaler Abortion & health care insurance Female genital mutilation, Nigeria Women & development International feminist book fair Book review of Lionheart Gal by Sistren with Honor Ford Smith Feminist film list Authors/Contributors: Violence Subcommittee of the Northwestern Ontario Women’s Decade Council Josie Wallenius Cynthia King Ontario Women’s Directorate Susan Collins Gert Beadle Hanna Edemkpong Cynthia Stolz Carolyn Greenwood Mary-Ann Kleyendorst Joni Mace Rose Pittis Margaret Phillips Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Northern Woman Journal Collective Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1988-05 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published on this site with permission. Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/16/2801/1987_Vol_11_No_1.pdf 6b80b6abebbd1557ffe94aee3e4fe79d PDF Text Text Northern Woman Journal December 1987 Vol. 11 No. Thunder Bay, Ont. 1 tf.,2_57 A- $1.50 (jet1 /.4e K PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �The Superior Art Collection Press Release You've heard of tailor-made suits, custom-made cars, personalized license plates and designer sheets... Now, some lucky person can get a valuable designer custom-made work of art in a novel fundraising effort announced by the Northern Women's Centre. It's called the Superior Art Collection and involves four local women artists. Three of the works were on display at the Meet-TheArtists Night in October. One was missing...because it hasn't been made yet. That's because fabric and tapestry artist SASHA MCINNES plans to go to the winner's home, inspect the room and its atmosphere, and then design a wall-hanging specifically for that room. McInnes started in the 60s studying weaving in a small village in Peru. Since then her work has been hung extensively in southern Ontario galleries and exhibits and even Premier David Peterson's office. Now a resident of Thunder Bay, she sits on the Ontario Arts Council and the advisory committee for the National Film Board of Canada. Over the years, she has donated over $25,000 worth of art to feminist organizations. However, this is only the second time the artist has donated a customdesigned piece. "I Aid this once before in London, Ontario and the idea really caught on," said McInnes. There will be three other winners in this raffle as well. Local visual artist LORI GILBERT, whose work focuses on portraits influenced by television and old movies, will be donating a portrait of Marlene Deitrich. Gilbert graduated from Lakehead University in 1985 with an honours bachelor of arts as a painting major and participated in many local exhibits including the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. Native artist REBECCA BELMORE studied at the Ontario College of Art and won the 1984 Special Juror's Award from the Thunder Bay Art Gallery. She integrates the modern world and the native experience with wit in her art, evident in titles like "I'm a High Tech Tepee Trauma Mama." Belmore will be donating a drawing. The fourth local artist LYNN SHARMAN is currently displaying her work at the Definitely Superior Art Gallery. She will be donating a colour collage. The draw date for the Superior Art Collection is May 24th, taking place at 8 p.m. at the Women's Centre 184 Camelot Street. There will be a total of four winners-one work of art -h.,711"4 Ct v)4. By SASHA McINNES PVp0 talk. Dear Northern Women' A great wk-end with Noreen has put me in the mood to embrace you, if not physically at a distance. It was wonderful to share with her growing network of women in this area who, without too much effort on my part use me as a resource for woman each. The winner need not be in att4 dance. Tickets are $2 each and are available at: the Northern Women's Bookstore or from any Northern Womei Centre volunteer. This is the first major fundra: sing event of the reorganized Women Centre in an effort to broaden theirevenue base beyond government fund: and "get more involvement from the community," said Joan Baril, projec coordinator. The Northern Women's Centre, e! tablished 1973, is a lobbying and support organization for area women For further information contac Joan Baril at 475-6368 or 344-6708, or call Carol Rusak at 475-6382. This has come about entirely as result of the poetry and of course that very prestigious award. I find myself in the position of being taken for granted that I am (1) political, (2) Radical Feminist, which I affirm, (3) Having Crone sight for the spiritual. With all of this I have an interesting journey before me. Many avenues of personal growth in the old religion to explore and the part Dominion Over has played in our oppression. I write letters to the Editor under the pen name Minerva. I can tell both church and state to get their sticky fingers out of our reproductive organs with out getting stoned which could very well happen in this province. My spare bedroom is well used by sisters from out of ONC? c, town just starving for feminist con versation, my bookshelf is current, Sonia Johnsons, Going out of Our Mi and Dalys Pure Lust. As well as Mo er Wit and Starhawks wisdom. The Unitarian Church is very open to the new age they use my poetry for some services and I have a little space in their monthly newsletter. The poetry group I belong to no longer write moon june and flowers they are into justice and dominatio great stuff. Was happy you lost your funding, life is boring when it is predictable. all my love to the Northern Womb that born me Gert Beadl NORTHERN WOMAN page 2 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �EQUALITY AT RISK? THE MEECH LAKE ACCORD The following article has been provided by the Ad Hoc Committee on the Constitution. WHAT WOMEN'S GROUPS ARE SAYING Women's groups across the country have welcomed the Meech Lake Accord for explicitly recognizing Quebec in the Constitution and for acknowledging that Quebec is a distinct society in Canada. But women are insisting that our government clarify the Accord's language and remove any potential risks to our rights. WHAT HAPPENED AT MEECH LAKE? Our governments agreed how to recognize Quebec in the Constitution. They agreed in clause 1 of the Accord that Canada's English and French speaking cultures are a "fundamental characteristic" of Canada, that Quebec is a "distinct society" within Canada, and that federal and provincial governments have roles in maintaining these characteristics. Then, in response to concerns raised by multicultural and native groups, they agreed in clause 16 of of the Accord that future interpretations of these provisions must not affect the rights of these groups. SO HOW IS IT THAT WOMEN'S RIGHTS MAY BE AT RISK? After the Accord was signed on June 3, 1987 and after it was ratified by Quebec on June 23, two things happened that our governments didn't anticipate. First, some Constitutional experts became convinced that the Accord's language puts at risk rights in the Constitutional Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Because some Charter rights (native and multicultural) are given special attention in Clause 16 and others aren't, normal legal practice would mean that other rights as guaranteed in the Charter would not have to be applied to clause 1 with equal care. In fact it is argued that these rights just might not be applied - because elsewhere in the Accord, if the Charter is intended to apply, the Accord says so! (Some governments' advisors have said the rights protected in clause 16 are collective, cultural, and give direction on interpreting law in a cultural and linguistic context. This, they argue, makes them different from women's rights and that's why women's rights aren't mentioned in clause 16. Some experts disagree and also point out that the Courts make no such definitive distinctions - so why should the Accord?) Second, on June 27th, in "the Ontario Bill 30 case", the majority opinion of the Supreme Court of Canada said that sections of the 1867 Constitution Act which are part of the "fundamental compromise" of Confederation are "immune from review", or unaffected, by the Charter of Rights. This may mean any time any government is operating within such sections, including any activities added by clause 1 of the Meech Lake Accord, it might be able to affect Charterbased equality rights. CONCLUSION Women believe that the Accord may risk our rights. We cannot conceive of any reason why Canada's governments should wish Canadian women to bear any risk to our rights, no matter how small some may think this to be. OUR GOVERNMENTS HAVE A DUTY TO FIX THE ACCORD BY CLARIFYING ITS LANGUAGE TO ENSURE OUR RIGHTS. Editor's Note. We understand that the Ontario government will hold Hearings on the Accord early in 1988. Women's groups should prepare now to make presentations to the Hearings. For more information contact the Ad Hoc Committee of Women on the Constitution, 118 Spruce St., Toronto, M5A 2J5, phone Pat Hacker or Linda Nye (416) 960-8417. .#....*******t*****.,,.******,.*****.*******.*********.***#*,*****..*****.*********+*#*#*.o.*****#***************** Most Important Books II I II III III by MARGARET PHILLIPS People who are "readers" love to know what other "readers" are reading. The casual question "What have you read this month?" or "What is your favourite novel?" can promote hours of animated conversation. With this in mind I decided to do a small survey for the Journal. I called a number of readers I know and suggested the following scenario: "Imagine that your entire personal library has disappeared. However, two friends are going to start re-building your library by giving you books for Christmas. What two books will you choose? Why?" Here are the responses. (I do apologize to my friends who became panic-stricken at the thought of losing their libraries.) Joan Baril: MAN MADE LANGUAGE by Dale Spender "because it unlocks the mystery of exactly how men have oppressed women through language". and NOT IN GOD'S IMAGE by Julia O'Faolian, which "is the best analysis I have read ... has an excellent grasp ... a historical sweep." Donna Phoenix: DREAMING THE DARK by Starhawk, "an empowering book .. .. made me feel I can do anything", MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley, "..took me away... and changed history." Lisa Bengtsson: FEMINIST THEORISTS, edited by Dale Spender. "History unfolded. I keep going back to it." SALT AND YEAST by Gert Beadle ".. is symbolic, the spirit of the times, and the connections I made with women all over Northwestern Ontario." Teresa Legowski: MISTS OF AVALON by Marion Zimmer Bradley. "I just loved it .. it's so well written, well researched. It's MAGIC. It has everything I like about a book. THE GOLDEN NOTEBOOK by Doris Lessing "is so powerful... very deep in exploring the psyche... fascinating from all aspects. Josie Wallenius: HOW THE OTHER HALF DIES by Susan George. "George wanted to understand for herself what was wrong with development, so she closeted herself and read and read, and she felt compelled to write a book about it. Everyone should read this." I, RIGOBERTA MENCHU "is a personal testimony of a Guatemalan woman about her life and the Indian people's struggle. It was hard to read this book but I'm glad I did. There is a message... and I heard the message." Helen Halet: MOTHERPEACE by Vicki Noble and THE GUIDE TO THE I CHING by Carol Anthony "because these are the tools I use and need on my journey down the path of life." Donna Gilhooly: BURGER'S DAUGHTER by Nadine Gordimer .."really awakened me to the issue of apartheid. Gordimer is one of the best writers alive.': THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ALICE B. TOKLAS by Gertrude Stein, "gave me personal insight into the lives of writers and artists of a famous period ... and still has impact today in terms of painting I like and what I read." Prue Morton: THE STONE ANGEL by Margaret Laurence, "gives a wonderful picture - in relationship to their former lives - of the difficulty experienced by no longer being independent", and MIDDLEMARCH by George Eliot "is a truly wonderful book." Karen Maki: A SPY IN THE HOUSE OF LOVE by Anais Nin, " ..it's like an intellectual conversation with herself ... I was fascinated because when I re-read this I found it completely different from the first time I read it. Finally my own choices: THE GOLDEN NOTEBOOK by Doris Lessing, which caused me to begin to understand the universality of all women's lives, an analysis I keep trying to mature; and SURFACING by Margaret Atwood, for the same reason, and besides it is so wonderfully Canadian. NORTHERN WOMAN page 3 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Bill 7 :Real Protection for Lesbians? by Cindy Moriarty Reprinted from"breaking the silence" On December 18, 1986, after a year of discussion, debate, vicious attack and spirited support, the Human Rights Code of Ontario was amended to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. The new legislation guarantees homosexuals rights to housing, employment, services, contracts, and membership in vocational groups such as trade unions and professional associations. As a lesbian working in the office of the MPP who introduced the amendment Bill 7, to Ontario's Human Rights Code, I was privy to a unique view of the lobbying that occurred beforehand. Across Ontario, there were equal numbers of proponents and opponents. Since my boss, Evelyn Gigantes (NDP, Ottawa Centre) introduced Bill 7, her support was guaranteed. Those supporting the Bill wisely chose to direct their lobbying efforts elsewhere. The opponents, however, were another story. Our office was inundated with calls and mail voicing fear, hate, distortion and every once in a while, hostile civility. The lobby against the amendment was closely connected to the antifeminist movement. In the Ontario Legislature, Evelyn Gigantes said: "The sexual pecking order is intimately linked to the economic pecking order of our society. Any man who declares that he is not a fullblooded man of whatever macho notion is, simply, a traitor to the most important system. It is the ultimate act of treason to the system. The system is one which connects the notion of men's "ownership" rights and role in the family structure, with the rights and privileges of owners in the economy... women don't rate as traitors. They can be rebels against authority, but not traitors because it's not their system. ...There are 125 elected representatives in the Ontario Legislature; 10 are women. If the sexual numbers and the social powers were reversed, I believe the clauses of section 18 relating to sexual orientation might not even be necessary. ...It is the maleness of economic and social domination of our society that is threatened by this reform, not the womanness or the childness, but the maleness that so profits by its domination through being male."1 ...little thought to lesbians. Opponents saw homosexuality, at best, as unnatural; at worst, as the root of all evil, responsible for the destruction of society, and as the leading cause of child molestation. Among this homophobic insanity one thing was abundantly clear: people thought the bill concerned gays; they gave little thought to lesbians. Over the years I have learned, personally and politically, all about lesbian invisibility, but it has never been so clear to me as during the lobbying process. As a feminist, I've been speaking and educating and rabble-rousing for years. I've dealt with all sorts of confrontations and attacks for my beliefs, As my life has changed, I have gained the "privilege" of dealing with issues on a quasi-intellectual level. Reaction to the Bill eroded my intellectual armour and everything was brought down to gut-level emotions. I was exposed daily to raw hate and fear that bordered on panic. The ugliness and distortion often made it impossible to comprehend the limits of human tolerance. No knowledge, intellectual understanding or analysis hits home like knowledge of the heart. For me that knowledge came with identifying myself as a lesbian. Lesbians are women, and women have never been a big deal (except to other women). Men were the big deal. Gay Men. Depraved men assaulting young boys. Assaulting young girls and women has never been a big deal. closet, but'a lesbian has to be pretty much "out" to lodge a complaint with the Human Rights Commission.The woman whose personal security is threatened unless she keeps her lifestyle private, will not be able to walk into her office and ask that her lover be covered under the pension plan. Landlords and employers can always find other avenues of discrimination and other reasons for dismissal or eviction. The law does not protect us against exile and family outrage. Often, we will be on trial and we will still have to prove our "innocence." .. qualified optimism. EGALE (Equality for Gays and Lesbians Everywhere) is a national lobbying group based in Ottawa that co-ordinated a tremendous campaign around Bill 7 and is continuing its efforts on the federal level. Debbie Hughes of EGALE expressed qualified optimism. She sees Bill 7 as helpful, but is not convinced it will change much without federal legislation. "You have to be out to use Bill 7 and in order to be out you have to be very vulnerable." Ironically, Hughes says homophobic hysteria might ultimately work in our favour. She explains that legislators who might not no have voted in favour of the Bill did so in reaction to the hatre and viciousness expressed by the opposition. The more hysterical and vindictive those lobbying against the Pill became, the more apparent it was to the fence sitters where logic lay. From R.EA.L. Women to religious and business coalitions, the opposition stormed Queen's Park, but like all storms their protest blew over and the skies cleared with the passing of the Bill. Does the new legislation mean protection for gays and lesbians under the Human Rights Code? I believe the legislation has provided us with a battle-ground and not necessarily a victory. The onus remains on us to complain against discrimination to the Human Rights Commission. While the Bill provides a signal to employers, service deliverers and legislators, it does not solve an age-old problem. Rather, it provides a starting point for discussion and reform. It brings the issue out of the And what impact will Bill 7 have on the Charter of Rights? Speculator wonder about past provincial cases and the implications of Bill 7 befor the federal courts. Federal government policy says that "sexual orientation is irrelevant to whether one can perform a job or use a service or facility." Further, "sexual orientation is not grounds for denial of security clearance, or basis for discrimination within federal jurisdiction"2 Discrimination continues in employment practices, particularly within the RCMP and armed services. Federal policy may not be law, but I would wager it's one of the few federal government policies that can be so blatantly ignored by its own ministries. continued on p15 NORTHERN WOMAN page 4 web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor PDF compression, OCR, �Swimming Up St r Keynote addka to the INTERWEAVE ConAekence had Octobek 1987, by Makiana Vatvekde The title of my talk tonight is Swimming Upstream: Women's Collectives and Class, Race and the State. I would like to begin by relating an anecdote, a common incident, and unpacking that to get at the larger problems of trying to organize women's collectives in a social system that encourages neither women nor collectives, much less the combination of both. A few years ago I went with a couple of other women from my group (the International Women's Day Committee in Toronto) to open a bank account. The clerk got out some forms for us to fill out. We were first asked if we were a business. "Not really" was the sheepish answer. "We're more like a non-profit organization, and we're not incorporated". She looked at us and said "Well, all right. Then I only need the signature of the president, vice-president and secretary." So we looked at each other, smiled, and quickly came to an artibrary decision about who would put her name to each of these alien categories. Thee clerk, needless to say, couldn't understand why we were amused. Two conclusions arise from this. First, the hank does not exist to serve customers like us. It is there to make profits by providing a service, primarily to other businesses and secondarily to individuals. With the remarkable flexibility of modern capitalism, it does allow for the existence of alternative forms among their customers, such as non-profit, nonincorporated groups; but it first has to symbolically destroy our collective structure and replace it by the hierarchial form which is the only valid one in its books. Secondly, the bank not only fails to recognize collectives, but, more importantly for the clerk, it is itself not a collective. One could go on to analyze our interaction with the bank to reveal other levels of anti-collective and anti-woman structures. For instance, we could find out how the government's agencies for financial institutions reinforce the bank's insistence on hierarchy through laws and regulations that define who the band can deal with and how. This would lead us into the terrain of "the state". Then, while standing around at the counter, we could note that not everyone at this bank does the same work or has the same authority - certain people sit at desks and have their own office and phone, while others stand all day and process papers according to what appear to be routine procedures rather than intelligent decisions. Having noticed the texture of class relations, we could go on to note the ethnicity and gender of the two main class groups in evidence, i.e. clerks vs managers, and begin to theorize the relationship between class on the one hand and ethnicity and gender on the other. In the incident I have described, gender was not the main dividing line. There were no men present (at this particular branch even the manager is a woman), and whether our group was mostly men or mostly women was not relevant - though of course it would be very relevant in other contexts. But the crucial contradiction here was not between women and patriarchy but rather between a highly sophisicated capitalist structure (the Canadian Imperialist Bank of Commerce, to be precise) and a small organization based on the rejection of both individualism and hierarchy, the twin organizing principles of capitalist social relations. It's important to realize that many of the problems we experience in trying to function according to "feminist" principles are not caused by our own failings as individuals or as groups, nor are they due to inadequacies in feminist theory. Rather, most of what we think of as "our" problems are inevitable results of the social structures of bourgeois society, which I would define as a society in which the economic and cultural values of the bourgeoisie appear to be everyone's values, universal values. Bourgeois society imposes serious limitations on our ability to organize. It does not do so (usually) by the use of brute force against groups like ours. (Although it must be noted that force is always there in the background - for instance, the leaders of CUPW recently faced going to jail for defying back-to-work legislation; and more relevant to my example of opening a bank account, the new legislation states that anyone defying it cannot hold union office for five years - a clear case of the government imposing a certain form of organization on a group.) But direct force is seldom used in our society; it doesn't have to be used. The structures of capitalist economic relations and bourgeois social relations are like the walls of the houses we live in, or like the design of streets and sidewalks - we are so used to them, and they are so cleverly disguised as aids to facilitate safety and order, that we forget that they confine us, that we forget to ask who put them there and for what purpose. It is by surrounding us with social structures that appear as natural and normal that the bourgeosie can continue to rule with the consent of the ruled - for who will rebel against what is natural and normal? This process of disguising what is good for business as what is good for everyone is what is known in Marxist theory as "hegemony" - the subtle process by which a ruling class generates consent rather than opposition Patriarchy too is most effective when it can rule through hegemony, rather than through the direct coercion of women. And in a capitalist patriarchal system as sophisticated as the one in which we live, it can take a great deal of effort to expose the mechanisms of hegemony - to give a small example, it took me a while to unpack the interaction that took place between the collective and the bank. There are some women, some feminists, who are not interested in challenging the mechanisms of hegemony. Many people would rather not question these allegedly neutral structures, which do indeed facilitate business transactions such as opening an account, and which even allow us to have a collective, as long as we don't question the structures of capital. Some feminists want to be allowed access to the system as it exists, to share the economic and social power now exercised primarily by men. But I, and I suspect most of us here, are more interested in changing both the SOURCES anti the STRUCTURES of power. And that will involve destroying the structures that have determined and limited our political work, and replacing them by truly democratic structures that empower people. Our goal is women's liberation (as opposed to women's access to the status quo, which is not liberation but merely participation). This goal necessarily involves not only modifying but revolutionizing the economic structure of our society. In our society human needs are only met if, and insofar as, meeting them happens to create a profit for corporations. The profit motive needs to be replaced by the only legitimate motive of economic life, i.e. meeting human needs. Once we determine our goal in economic policy, we can devise new structures that facilitate this goal. This does not mean that we all have to take Karl Marx for our Bible K or believe that the Soviet Union is paradise. Marx himself said that to be a socialist was "not to create recipes for the kitchens of the future" but rather to clearly oppose the inhuman aspects of capitalist society. Feminists may or may not be Marxists, may or may not think that so-called socialist societies have improved the condition of women: but any feminist who wants to change the structures of power as opposed to participating in them has to be anticapitalist. cont'd on pg. 13 NORTHERN WOMAN page 5 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �By Joni Mace The Ministry of Community and Social Services announced recently that a new set of provincial guidelines have been set up, and are in effect as of November 1, 1987. The new provincial guidelines create a change in the implementation of welfare workers responsibilities, which included inspecting the homes of recipients for signs of live-in companions. Pre-Guideline rules forbade recipients from sharing residence as the live-in companion was assumed to be contributing to the welfare recipient's income. Any recipient found to be living with someone, immedietely had their welfare income cut. The guidelines change this in that it now allows the recipient to have a line -in companion as long as they reside together less than three years. After three years the relationship is considered common law, and the couple is legally obliged to share support. Ontario s the first province to enact the policy which has particular significance to women- rierze guidelines prevent inspectors from using a woman's sex live to determine her eligibility for welfare. A single woman can now be denied welfare-only,if she lives with someone who is legally obliged to support her or her children or provide a significant economic contribution to the household. About'50% of municipalities who administer welfare oppose the policy complaining that it will cause increased workloads and encourage "cheating", as it is possible for one person to be employed full-time with another in the same household collecting public assistance. The changes are expected to ell.-tend eligibility for benefits to 99000 sole-support parents in Ontario by spring of 1989. A new national action group wants to help 95,000 Canadian women who missed filing a claim against the manufacturer of the Dalkon Shield. Dalkon Shield Action Canada was begun after an unsuccessful attempt to have the filing date of April 30, 1986 extended. The group is trying to reach the women who missed the date. The lawyer appealing the decision is optimistic, and is supported by a growing national membership in Dalkon Shield Action Canada. For further information write Dalkon Shield Action Canada c/o Vancouver Women's Health Collective 888 Burrard St. Vancouver, BC V62 1X9. Thunder Bay resident Susan Collins whose work has appeared many times in Northern Woman Journal, has had a short story accepted for publication recently. The Labour, a piece that appeared in the Journal a few years ago was accepted by Fitzhenry and Whiteside for their Canadian Anthology titled Celebrating_ Canadian Women. We congratulate Susan, and wish her luck with future work. The National Organization for Women in its 20th anniversary year has produces a video cassette commemorating two decades of progress for women's rights, as well as a look to the future. The NOW news release describes th-l.s video, based on the December 1, 1986 show featuring more than 100 actors and entertainers, as'a serious, yet humorous look at women's lives over the past 20 years. The film features celebritInies describing landmark events. terspersed with historical film clips, two major film essays narrated by Marlo Thomas (one on the Vermont state ERA campaign and one on Title IX), a monologue by Lily Tomlin and an inspirational speech by NOW President Eleanor Smeal. Also in the video are five musical numbers-- "Miss Celie's Blues" performed by Marlette Hartley, "I am Woman" performed by Helen Reddy, and "Sisters are Doing It For Themselves" performed by Mara Getz and Alaina Reed, "All Girl Band" performed by Edie Adams, Alaina Reed and Jackee Harry, and "Together We Can Make the Dream Come True", a song written especially for the show by Melissa Manchester and Carol Bayer Sager, and performed by Ms. Manchester -all accompanied by a 31-piece orchestra conducted by Peter Matz, The show was written specifically to include historical glimpses of the whole period and many issues. of the women's rights movement. The videocassette itself is a part of living history -- suitable for classrooms, public events and individual entertainment. Inquiries may be directed to: Peg Yorkin Productions 8105 West Third St. Suite i1 Los Angeles, CA 90048 Every two years, since 1984, women involved in feminist publishing meet at an International Feminist Book Fair. The first fair was held in London in 1984, the second in Oslo in 1986, and the third is being planned for June 14-21, 1988 in Montreal. Bringing together editors of books, magazines and newspapers with writers, translators, distributors and booksellers from around the world, the International Feminist Book Fair provides a unique forum for feminists to network and discover each other's work at the same time as making feminist authors known to a wider audience. The event permits an exchange across continents, languages and discip- The two official language will be French and English but we hope to hold some events in Spanish We are committed to facilitating fruitful and thought-provoking exchanges amongst feminists and lesbians through the conferences, readings, and panels that will be held during the week. We wish to provid a forum in which a diversity of voices can be heard, especially those which are so often censored elsewhere. In order to organize this even the fair organizers are urgently in need of funds Your contribution can help send out press releases, make the necessary international contacts and pay the Xerox and Government grants phone bills are pending, but private funds will be vital to the success of the Book Fair. Needless to say, the sooner Contributors' names the better! will be published in the official program of the Fair unless requested otherwise. (Send donations to: International Feminist Book Fair, 420 est, rue Rachel, Montreal Quebec, H2J 2G7, or call (514) 844America. . 3277). (Broadside, Oct. 1987) The Gallerie Annual is a new women's publication devoted to women's art and women artists. Gallerie will be published once a year, with the first issue appearir, in June 1988. The magazine will feature approximately 40 women artists. Most of the publication will be filled with photographs of their work, alongside their own descriptions of their art and their philosophy. Gallerie will also include articles addressing issued of lesbian cultur and history, women's cultural organ izations, our autonomous culture an women in popular culture, the avent garde, and mass media. Gallerie will also publish ann ouncements and advertisements from women's presses, women's galleries, women's music distributors, and oth cultural organizations that promote and encourage the work of women artists. Gallerie is now calling for en tries from all women artists regardless of medium. Information on how to submit can be obtained from Gallerie Publications 2901 Panorama Dr. North Vancouver, BC V7G 2A4 lines. The third Fair remains committed to the international character of the previous fairs, reflecting the plurality of woman's experience from various cultural and economic backgrounds. As this is the first time it will be held on the American continent, a special invitation is extended to women from Latin Healthsharing Cont'd on pg. NORTHERN WOMAN page 6 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Ontario Women's Directorate With this issue, the Ontario Women's Directorate commences its sponsorship of this page in the Journal. We intend to provide news items on issues of interest to women in the north - and hope to receive help. If you have any information to go on this page, (or even a title for it) please call us collect at 475-1481. HAPPY READING - Lynn Beak, Rae Anne Honey and Judy Decicco itiriOriOriggiFriPriP710KIOKIPIPIPAPI CONGRATULATIONS WOMEN'S PLACE KENORA After working for years for women in the north, Women's Place finally has a PLACE - it's large warm and wonderful. Thanks for asking us to be part of the official opening. Congratulations to all who have worked so hard for so long. May you continue in the spirit of women. OWD COMMUNITY GRANTS COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM funds community-based activities which enrich the economic, legal and social equality of women. Priority issue projects such as employment, family violence, child care should target the needs of women - northern, native, low income, visible minority, immigrant, disabled and elderly women. This year funding has been provided to the following: Rural Women's Network - a conference attended by approximately 80 rural and urban women, was an information sharing and support system for a network of women in the Rainy River/Fort Francis district. Women's Centre Interweave conference of provincial women's centres focused on the future of RESOURCE CENTRE The Northern Office has an extensive collection of publications, articles, books and audiovisual materials. Items may be borrowed from the centre for a period of two weeks. The most recent publications are in boxes waiting for the move to our new space on Johnson Avenue. Some of the new additions are: Women and Mental Health in Canada: Strategies for Change. CMHA, April 1987. Proceedings of the National Consultation on Women and Drugs, Health and Welfare Canada, 1987. Economic Status of Native Women in Ontario Marriage as an Equal Partnership, A Guide to the Family Law Act, Ministry of the Attorney General, 1987 Support and Custody Enforcement Program, Ministry of the Attorney General, 1987. Where Do I Stand? A child's legal guide to separation and divorce, Ministry of the Attorney General, ................. 1987 UPCOMING EVENTS Women's Health Information Network2nd Annual Health Conference HEALTHY HERIZONS January 29, 30, 31, 1988 Ramada Inn Training seminar on PAY EQUITYco-sponsored by Ontario Women's Directorate, Lakehead University, City of Thunder Bay and the Industrial and Business Training Department of Confederation College January 22, 1988 Seminar Centre of Confederation College SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT UPDATE On November 30, 1987 women trying to locate spouses who have defaulted on alimony or child support will have access to federal government data banks to assist in locating the defaulter. The Support Enforcement office in Thunder Bay (1-800-465-6828) can obtain this information. Next year, women will be able to garnishee unemployment insurance payments, tax refunds, pension cheques and other federal benefits for unpaid support. NATIVE FAMILY VIOLENCE HELLO! WE NEED YOUR HELP. The Ontario Native Women's Association is currently conducting preliminary research into Native Family Violence. If you are aware of any research, material or conferences scheduled in the past, present, or for the future, please call us COLLECT at (807) 345-9821...Philip or Jessie. umm..amm..401...4111111110-4111111111414111. 1987 EMPLOYMENT EQUITY AWARDS The Directorate has been encouraging the planning, development and expansion of employment equity programs in Ontario's public and private sectors. The winners of the 1987 Employment Equity Awards have implemented employment equity programs that fit the needs of and benefit both employees and employer. They are: .WATERLOO COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION .CITY OF OTTAWA .GENERAL MOTORS OF CANADA LTD and THE CANADIAN AUTO WORKERS UNION .DUPONT CANADA INC. Northwestern Ontario Regional Day Care Forum 1988 February 5 and 6 Red Oak Inn centres. Les Elles du Nord-87 francophone women from Geraldton, Nakina and Longlac gathered to share information, experiences and provide encouragement in decisionmaking on women's issues. Sasha McInnes received funding to assist in the completion of her works to be on display at the London Regional Art Gallery and Ontario North. Northwestern Ontario Regional Day Care Committee Forum regional representatives met in Thunder Bay to strategize around the day care Family Law Workshop for Ethnic Women Saturday March 5 from 9:00-1:00 Shuniah Building, Confederation College Women in Unions: Participation, Power, Payoff District Conference March 11, 12 and 13 Valhalla Inn - Planned Spring conference of Northern Ontario Women - WATCH FOR TIME AND PLACE issue. Women and Disabilities conference held in April focused on identified concerns with workshop on assertiveness, communications and sexuality. The Cycle of Violence conference coordinated by the Interagency Education Organization was held in October to create greater awareness, understanding and sensitivity about the issue of family violence among the helping professions. Women's Health Information Network (WHIN) will be hosting Healthy Herizons in late January 1988. FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION The Directorate will again be awarding grants to community based groups to sponsor local events during FAMILY VIOLENCE PREVENTION SUMMER EXPERIENCE 1988 The DireCtorate is hoping to have funding for Summer Experience student grants in 1988. In the past, we have funded a student who researched the needs of ex-residents for Faye Peterson House, a student who coordinated a conference for the Women's Health Information Network and three students who developed child care programs in the crisis centres for battered women in Atikokan, Dryden and Sioux'Lookout. If your organization is interested, contact our office for further information in March 1988. MONTH. Grants allow groups to continue to heighten awareness about wife assault and to mobilize support from the community in an effort to prevent this serious social problem. Last year funding was provided to projects ranging from panel discussions, advertisements in local media, production of brochures, to posters and videos. This page is sponsored by the Ontario Women's Directorate. The material contained on it may be photocopied and distributed without permission, but with credit to the original source or the Ontario Women's Directorate. NORTHERN WOMAN page 7 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �HOME VIDEO equation(s) un dying Caresses are revolutionary. If there were three sexes I would be...triactual. I slip through the ice to caress your foot (counting the bones in my hand I lose sight of your other words). The opening grows and I am at your knees reaching up slowly to draw a breath I put on you. my tongue on your (breath) and begin to pull, back and forth, to be shouldered on an even flight above the surface of the thinly frozen water we divide. You ask me if I fished as a child and I look behind your eyes. The pike streaming its way across your lake bottom glows and fans a trail of ack-ack torpedoes (milk drops). We are fish on manoeuvre. Above the water line the two people look for condoms knowing the Shakesperian "to die" "to die in your arms" means I could die you could die. Dying to know who killed us Narcissus moves into fourth gear on all terrain. Your flight into my fancy has all the grace of a tank muffling the noise of its warring advance with chamois treads a pair of never-ending skin mukluks that rotate and grind the earth without a sound. I am lying here in the earth smelling the wind until you decipher the true meaning of the word camouflage. NORTHERN WOMAN page 8 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �I hide behind a rock disguise myself with grey stone face/ lattice lichen hair I hover while you advance onyour true course.. glancing at the control panel, turning what you think are the right knobs to the East to the West, a book lying open in your palm lap. I am earth. I have begun my descent to the bottom-most layer of my mother's crust. I will rise again and with my spirit eye my fingers will push forth green sprout buddings & raw red bleeding flowers will heal the snow. If you blast them with fire, flame-thrower, I will reach around the damp underside of a rotting log and place clots of decomposing wood on your eyes until you heal. You throw your voice. The lines you quote in dense support of your open book theory are the same ones that suffocated your mother, now at work, unseen. I ask simply that you place your hands on the outer edge of. a northern swamp make a triangle with your index fingers and thumbs and (facing North) consider your source. sharman (lynne) 11/28/87 0,4 0,-;0 NORTHERN )OMAN page 9 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �DAY CARE NEWS By MARGARET PHILLIPS After four years in the making, the federal government, on December 3rd, 1987, finally unveiled its new child care "policy". Sadly, it is not a policy that will in any way solve the day care crisis that Canadians are experiencing. In fact, the implementation of this policy could be a serious set-back to the development of the comprehensive, quality, child care system we have long been advocating. $5.4 billion dollars to be spent over seven years. Sounds like a lot of money doesn't it? But when we also hear that $54 billion will be spent on submarines the perspective becomes clearer. Even the $5.4 billion figure is misleading because when you subtract (a) the $1 billion already in the system, and (b) the $2.3 billion allocated to tax breaks, it leaves only $2.1 billion to be spent on day care. We're told that over seven years this will create 200,000 new licensed day care spaces .. i.e. 28,570 spaces per year. Yet, at this moment, over 2,000,000 Canadian children require non-parental care for at least part of each week. Considering that only 50% of families might choose licensed day care it still means that 1,000,000 new day care spaces are needed right now. And we are expected to be grateful for 28,570 spaces? It is clear that the government chose not to listen to the recommendations made by day care parents and advocates. Having attended the Special Committee on Child Care hearings both in Dryden and Thunder Bay, I know what Northwestern Ontario parents said. Consistently, NWO representations advocated a comprehensive, high-quality, non-profit day care system. A system that provides a range of services to meet the needs of children of all ages and abilities. A system that is accessible to all families irrespective of their eco- nomic status, employment status or geographic residence. A system that is sensitive to the cultural and linguistic diversity of our society. A system that values the work of child care staff and rewards staff with adequate wages and benefits, A system that ensures parental involvement. In short, Northwestern Ontario parents want a COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM. Not one Northwestern Ontario representation recommended tax breaks. Yet more new $ are going to tax deductions and credits than will go to a day care system. While the child care tax deduction may be a politically popular move it must be understood that this deduction does not reimburse the child care fee, it simply reduces the amount of taxable income. Consequently this deduction is of most benefit to high income earners; low income people will receive little, if any, benefit. Further, tax deductions only serve families who are presently using receipted care (in the main those using licensed services, as baby-sitters rarely give receipts). Thus it primarily helps families using existing day care services... it will do nothing ase the availability of licensed, quality care. Then there is the matter of the tax credits .. available to low income families who don't use day care or use unregulated care. Let me state clearly that I am not against tax reform. Nor am I opposed to mothers who work only in the home being monetarily compensated for their valuable - and long unrecognized work. Although $100 a year is such sheer tokenism that it can scarcely be considered recognition. (In fact this $100 merely gives back the money that was taken away when family allowances were de-ind- What does this new child care policy mean for Northwestern Ontario It means that we must again scramble for whichever of these piece-meal me sures might provide us a little help The most positive initiative announced is the federal contribution to capital costs .. to be shared 75 %25% with the provinces. Hopefully some Northwestern Ontario communitie can benefit from this program. An initiative has also been pro mised for rural, native, special needs, and shift work programs. However the $ allocation is insufficien to address this priority need and will do little more than provide a few "pilot projects". The impact of the new policy is somewhat unclear in respect to commercial day care, with the issue being placed in the hands of the provinces. Some analysts suggest that the doors have been opened wide for commercial expansion. Clearly, this situation must be monitored closely and the Ontario government pressured to prevent the problem of commercial care developing in our region. Because of the federal government's piece-meal non-solution to the day care crisis, NWO day care ad vocates must continue to be vigilant in pressing for day care reform and new initiatives that will meet our needs. The new federal policy (along with provincial and municipal concerns) will be the subject of discussion at the Northwestern Ontario Regional Day Care Forum to be held in Thunder Bay in February. Readers interested in more information about the Forum should contact NWO R.D.C.0 Box 144, Thunder Bay, Ont. exed.) What I do object to is including tax breaks under the guise of day care initiatives. Tax reform is the jurisdiction of the Finance Minister. Child care is the jurisdiction of the Minister of Health and Welfare. They are separate concepts and must be viewed so. The result of lumping these concepts together is to pit at-home mothers against mothers in the labour force. Pitting women against women serves only the (male) politicians. It does not serve women. It certainly does not serve children. Listening to the public debate that is now flourishing about the federal policy I am struck by the focus of discussion on mothers/parents. How easily we ignore that what this is all about is children. a- e-rr NORTHERN WOMAN page 10 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �R eviews MUSIC Reviewed by JOAN BARIL. THE INTENTION, THE BLUE, by KIM ERICKSON Her voice is liquid crystal. The piano lines are as clear and spare as a northern winter night. Kim Erickson, in her first recording, uses that voice and piano to blend blues and New Age into something startling and unique. She mixes in nature sounds, African beats, and zen-like chimes into a minimalist accompaniment. Kim is one of the few Thunder Bay women musicians who have been independently produced. Previous to this disc which was originally recorded in Ottawa in 1982, Kim has worked with Sneezy Waters, Ian Tamblyn, Lois Garrity and Laurie Conger. Kim is a classically trained musician like her friend Laurie Conger, and she is a wearer of many hats singer, composer, performer, piano teacher, as well as wife and mother of daughter Reija, 21/2. At present she is studying with acclaimed voice teacher Annechien Menso in Holland, made possible by a Canada Council "Kim is more than a performer" says long-time friend Estella Howard. "Her music comes from the spirit, from a strong place within her. It's part of her study to go deeper to the centre. Her music comes from a strong centre but it's full of the spirit, full of heart." award. "The slow blues", Duke Ellington once said, "are the hardest thing of all." On the flip side of the disc, Kim sails through four traditional blues numbers with matchless phrasing and soul. The first side consists of her own compositions including the lovely instrumental, "The Intention". as well as her own arrangements of traditional tunes such as Corinna. The mixes of new and traditional beats, African and Zen, result in an almost mystical synthesis. BOOKS Reviewed by DIANA -MARIE KORBISSER STOLZ BEING PREGNANT CONVERSATIONS WITH WOMEN by Daphne Morrison I would not recommend this book to any pregnant woman. The idea, conversations with women on being pregnant, is good and the foreward by the author, Daphne Morrison, is warm and inviting. It is a moving account of fifteen women's experiences of pregnancy and childbirth but the overall tone is too sharp with unresolved sadness, tragedy and despair. All of these aspects and more may be a part of any pregnancy. I have heard too many fairy tales and am a strong advocate of dispelling myths but, at such a tenuous and vulnerable time in a woman's life, I think it is essential that truths be told constructively. We need support to help us overcome the shock of discovering that we have been lied to. This crucial element is missing, making the book too harsh and depressing as prenatal reading. I do recommend it for reading as a frank case study of women and pregnancy representative ent ages, cultures, ethnic backgrounds and social strata. The verbatim accounts are personal and powerful glimpses of the lives and struggles of women who have conceived, deliberately or unintentionally. You will be moved and struck by their honesty and courage. You will be stunned and outraged by some of their circumstances. Read it - well before or after your pregnancy. KWATCOMPAlit ANSWERS to MATCHING QUIZ Volume 10 #4 Character Author Novel Minn Burge Evelyn Hall Naomi Nakane Rose Isobel Cleary Chiclet Gomez Marian McAlpine Pauline Archange Felicity April Raintree Anne Gray Stacey McAindra Marian Engel Jane Rule Joy Kogawa Alice Munro Audrey Thomas Dorothy O'Connell Margaret Atwood Marie-Claire Blais Janet Turner Hospital Beatrice Culleton Anne Cameron Margaret Laurence The Honeyman Festival Desert of the Heart Obasan Who Do You Think You Are Songs My Mother Taught Me Chicket Gomez The Edible Woman The Manuscripts of Pauline Archange Borderline In Search of April Raintree The Journey The Fire Dwellers For the millions who can't read Give the gift of literacy More than four million adult Canadians can't read well enough to fill out a job application or understand the directions on a medicine bottle. You can help. Give money, volunteer with a literacy group, write to your MP, and read to your children. For more information, contact: Canadian Give the Gift of literacy Foundation 34 Ross St., Suite 200, Toronto, Ont. M5T 1Z9 (416) 595-9967 1,4 The Canadian Give the Gift of Literacy Campaign is a project of the book and periodical industry of Canada, in partnership with Telephone Pioneers of America, Regions- Canada. NORTHERN WOMAN page 11 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �* UPDATE continued from p6 The task force on the implementation of midwifery in Ontario 7released a report recently that was enthusiastically received by feminists, midwives, parents and childbirth educators. Canada is currently the only industrialized western country that has no provisions for midwives. In early 1986, then health minister Murray Elston announced the government's intentions to establish midwifery as a recognized part of the provincial health care system. Thus, the task force was created to discover issues such as midwifery practice, means of education, guidelines for entrance, operating procedures, and midwife/doctor relationships. The resulting report outlines 70 recommentations and predicts the legalization of midwifery in the province by as early as 1990. The report has provided the government with an excellent tool with which to integrate midwives into the health care system with recommendations such as: direct-entry midwifery education, making midwifery a self-regulating profession, developing a system of thorough assesment, licensing and integration of currently practicing midwives, provisions for midwives to work in hospitals, birthing centres and in the community including home births. The association of Ontario mi wives is the current governing boc for all practising midwives. The recommendations will legitimize a association as well as set up a cc ege of midwives. The report sugge that midwifery education be at the university level, and that a cours be accessable to Northern Ontario residents by recognition of course credits obtained at other universi The legalization of the pract ice will make midwifery financiall feasible for everyone. Where the fees for midwife se/ 7Aces have bee as much as $1,200, the legalizatic will allow for coverage under O.H. Midwives will have more legitimate medical back-up both in hospital and home settings. THE WIFE WILL HAVE TO TAKE RETRAINING The Judgement See the petty gift. She says she is a dezented wiee. No one cooed possibty teave het. Theteeote, He must have had a good teason. See the pretty gitt. Anyone wowed want het. She cooed have had every guy in town, Theteeote, I ass4me she did. See the pnetty gint. She wants support eot hetsete, She wants suppott eot het chitd, She's bateey otd enough To be in the wotkeotce, And she want's to be pensioned oei! I wLU not gtant suppokt, Het husband hats deb-to to pay: He haZ td pay eotWU can He has to pay 04 his stereo He has to pay Sot his cotot T,V, Besides; It wowed onty come oee o4 her Weteate. Go home, Putty Gikt, your mat tiage was only a joke, And you eat eot it. Go home, Ptetty Gitt, So we can stop taughing Suzan Gait Cotti_m Whete ate you Odd Canadian Sisteks Now that I wowed settee eot good convetsation? Where ate you, whose vitgin sout has not been penetrated by men's phantasy? Whose kites oe passage were through the mine {feeds oe eeminism Ake you tost among the btue hair oe the ttaditionat gkandmeke Whose silence need nevet be bought. Ake you dying among the Savages who created ptanned obsotescence and the batbatic custom oe eunetat pkecessions? Have you gtound the essentiat YOU beneath the tubbish oe sociatization Has the acne in you spoken tebettion as the ptopet posture Sot Semates,, Shaft we ptan to meet in some meadow with etowets in out hair and wigs on out toes and tt1Ja about what we might have tad them -Le they had asked us? Gerd Beadle NORTHERN WOMAN page 12 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �SWIMMING UPSTREAM continued from p5 This is what I think 'the class were still written from a white question' in the women's movement is (Anglo) perspective. And I concluded fundamentally about. There has been that I too had been guilty of an unfortunate tendency to think of seeing women of colour as having particular class merely in personal terms; am experiences that could be narrated I middle-class? do I have privileges for "our" enlightenment. I because I live in a nice house? how learned that white experience is just as can I get along better with my workparticular, and should be analyzed as ing class sisters? etc. I am certainsuch: for instance, how did Adrienne's ly not denying that personal privilRich's whiteness affect her experiege is important -- for instance, if ence and therefore her analysis of women lawyers and academics are thoumotherhood? How did the whiteness of ght of as natural spokepersons, then Nellie McClung affect the Canadian class privilege is at work and must suffrage movement? These are the be challenged. However, much quesenergy tions I am now trying to can be wasted in excessive personalanswer. Women of colour have often been "includizing of issues such as class. When ed": but usually they have been we coined the slogan "the personal put in the role of inspiring "us", of is political" I don't think it was enlighteneing us about what it's like intended that the political should in far-off places. In general they be reduced to the personal. have been invited so as to add a Class is not a personal attritouch of colour. This kind of inclubute, even if it is linked to persion makes the brown and yellow sonal attributes; class is a strucand black women who make up the ture, a basic structure of our socivast majority of the world's women, into obety. It should furthermore be pointjects for the white feminist gaze. ed out that the obsessive personalizing of political issues is a particularly middle-class and North American pastime. An anti-capitalist women's movement is not one dedicated to the personal criticism of middleclass lifestyles, but rather one dedicated to building strong links with labour, with socialists, with antiimperialist groups here and in the Third World, with a view to creating a powerful coalition for the defeat of both capitalism and patriarchy. In this; - struggle women of colour are playing an increasingly key leadership role; E6M-ih Gaffada and elsewhere. This is a crucial difference between the movement of five years ago and that of today. As a movement, we have barely begun to inCIL tegrate an anti-racist perspective into our work, so I am going to speak more personally about what I have learned from listening to and working with people of colour. I first learned that racism cannot be reduced Some organizations are now, for to a side-effect of either capitalism the first time in the history of femor patriarchy: it has its own reality inism, consciously trying to change and its own dynamic, and the struggle this: women of colour are taking against it is not a subset of some their rightful place as subjects, not other struggle. Theoretically this objects, actively organizing the movecaused me problems: just as I was bement, defining the issues, and using ginning to glimpse how one might comtheir experience to draw some general bine a feminist analysis with a socconclusions about gender oppression. ialist one, I realized that there was And what some white feminists are a third term which could not be rebeginning to do is attempt to inteduced to the two I already had. It grate an anti-racist was at that point that I gave up my perspective not only into the more obvious issues pursuit of the perfect theory, and (e.g. the situation of Native women decided to undertake (in my scholarin Canada's North, women in South ly work) concrete analyses of the inAfrica) but into our work as a whole. terrelations between racism, sexism I personally have done some soul searand capitalism at particular points ching because I now realize that my in history. I want to see how they book on sexuality (published in 1985) actually interact in a specific condid not make a serious effort to text, rather than trying to freeze think through the relation between history in order to draw an abstract race and sexual identity. What I was map of the structural connections betprobably thinking when I wrote it was ween them. that the sexual experience and sexual In my political practice, I beconsciousness of women of colour is gan to see that the hitherto usual obviously intertwined with their expractice of "including" women of colperience of race and racism: but it our here and there was reinforcing did not dawn on me that whiteness is the ethnocentric and racist strucas much of a colour as brownness, and tures we were supposedly attacking. I that one's feelings about one's body I noticed women of colour being put -which underlie all sexual experiin the position of telling personal ence -- are to an important extent experiences, experiences which were determined by the social construction interpreted as the particular probof one's race. lems of women of colour - the general books on motherhood, sexuality, etc., In collective terms I am sure that many of you are currently going through turmoil around the question of whether white feminists and women of colour can or should work togethel and if so how -- so I certainly have no recipes, but as a historian of fen ininsm perhaps I can give you the con forting thought that what we are all trying to do, under the leadership of women of colour, is truly unique in the history of the women's movement. One thing that we have learned is that we cannot naively think that all women are potential members of all women's groups. Native women, black women, Asian women, disabled women, women in particular sectors of the economy will have certain interests in common and will want to use autonomous groups both to put forward their specific politic and to give their members a safe place to be, a circle of non-oppression. How these collectives or organizations will cooperate still remains largely a question mark: the mainstream women's organizations (egNAC) are certainly changing, but the heritage of racism and bourgeois hegemony weighs very heavily on our collective shoulders, and it will be years before we all think of 'the leadership of the oppressed' as the normal process to deal with class and race differences. The tokenistic approach is still the usual response, it is what somehow 'comes don't want to look bad, so we find visible -minority woman to speak white cast (which is assumed to be the normal outcome unless one specifically plans otherwise). We have to think hard about the organizational questions that are often dismissed as either boring or bureaucratic: an anti-capitalist perspective, an anti-racist perspective, will not flourish in the women's movement unless there are consciously designed structures to make it happen. We can't pretend that structures are neutral; otherwise we'll re-enact the interaction I had at the bank, by expecting all groups of women to fit into the apparently neutral forms of organization that were developed in the course of oppressing those very groups we now want to ally with. In trying to organize both small collectives and larger coalitions, we also have to be aware of how deeply the state structures our interactions. This does not happen only when direct funding is given for a particular project and the organizers 'naturally' make their work fit the categories of the funding proposal; it happens even before we ask for funding, even before we form a group. The state sets out the framework for social and political life. It divides society into competing "interest groups" all at the same level -- instead of oppressed and privileged groups. Labour is not seen as representing the claims of the working class as a whole against capital: it is seen as just another pressure group, on a par with R.E.A.L. women or with the National Citizens' Coalition. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Women too are not seen as the oppressed majority but as Iggrely an interest group, and not an especially powerful one at that. Women are further subdivided and set off against each other through a myriad of programs which claim to help us but, in the long run, divide us: mothers on family benefits are put in one department, Native women seeking Native rights are put under Indian Affairs, mothers needing day care are told to speak to this other ministry, and so on. It is as though the state fragmented us -- not just into different groups, but even fragmented the same person into bits -- and said, now, this piece of you needs to interact with this arm of the state, and so on. The state -- as I'm sure Carolyn Egan will tell you in her workshop -- is it not neutral: among other things disorganizes us right from the beginning, even while apparently giving us certain benefits. Let me now try to move toward what I hope will be an upbeat conclusion. The structures of racism, of patriarchy, and of bourgeois society make it extremely difficult to work non-competitively. If we spend eight hours a day in the imperialist bank, obeying orders or giving them, silently competing for scarce promotions and so on, we cannot leave all that at the door of our women's meeting. What we can do is recognize it and try to subvert it -- but a utopian, naive denial of the individualist and hierarchial structures within which we function during most of our , volcanic eruptions in our groups and in our psyches. It is true that there are some women who are as egocentric and obnoxious as the worst man; but in my experience, for every one such woman there are twenty who do not speak up when they should for fear of appearing to be egocentric. The ethic of politeness and self-sacrifice does not work in the long run: rather, it leads to burnout, which Is probably the most significant problem in the radical women's movement today. Let me end by giving a small practical suggestion to deal with these difficult questions of personal interactions in groups: I propose that we abolish "niceness" in the women's movement. Let me explain. When I moved to North America at the age of 12, my siblings and I were quite struck by the constant use of the term "nice" among North American adults, particularly ladies. We would mimic my mother's friends and neighbours, saying "isn't this niiiice?" whenever something unpleasant happened. We commented on the fact that the word nice did not seem to have any stable meaning, and it certainly could not be translated into Spanish. But after twenty years of life in North America I have finally figured out what "nice" means. It means: let us pretend we are all unselfish, while firmly supporting our husbands in their ruthless struggle to get our family ahead of the Joneses. flaa.-aiWibenalfdifmakt"0....04 __14:a;,ggAijjl.gresult in resentments, silent recriminations, feelings of disappointment and betrayal, and other problems which have plagued women's groups. We also need to face the difficulties we have, as women in a patriarchal society, in building solid relations of work and friendship -as Adrienne Rich has pointed out, men have had "a man's word", a man's honour, and gentlemen's agreements to help them bond with each other in business and in war; but women have been told that our only loyalties are based on our instincts as wives and mothers, instincts which supposedly create our bonds to men and children. We have not thus bonded with other women, we have not been used to making intelligent (as opposed to instinctual) commitments to work and to politics. The absence of traditions of female bonding, together with the lack of self-confidence in our work and our thought, can create an unreasonable desire to sweep all conflicts under the carpet; we fear that any expression of disagreement will lead to But I don't want you to go awe thinking I advocate nastiness as a replacement for niceness. My point that those two modes are not the of possibilities - in fact, niceness ruthless competition are the two s: of the same Anglosaxon bourgeois ci tural coin. I am suggesting that we look somewhere else for a new concept o how to interact. Where I personall: have found a very different, and t. ly useful, model of collective pol: tical and personal interaction is my visits to Nicaragua. The first I was there, I was struck by the c4 stant reference to "love". "affect. and "tenderness" (amor, carino, te nura). I was translating for a gro . of trade unionists, and I had to t them (in English, and in embarrass tones) that this important male tr union leader was actually saying t "solidarity is the tenderness of o people for another". The Canadian trade unionists, typically, did no make the slightest facial expressi But by the end of the trip, even t most hardened Anglo was giving imp mptu speeches ending in heartfelt shouts and even hugs and kisses. S idarity really had become the tend ness between peoples. This tendern this kindness, does not sweep conf under the rug as niceness does; bu it makes sure that the conflict is talked about with respect and love This process, this way of being an working with people, is absolutely essential in the struggle of the araguan people against an incredib It means: politeness is more important than truth or justice. It means: we don't care if false politeness makes for stilted interactions and destroys any possibility of working together, for after all, women don't really work together, we just chat. It means: let us never admit that we feel passionate about our politics, about our ideas, about our loves -- for passion is destructive and nasty; it's not nice. tenderness, for one another and fo oppressed people the world over, w ch keeps them joking even in the m st of death. It is this love and tenderness which helps them to sur vive the burn-out of eight years o constantly swimming upstream in th mighty river of imperialism. I hav learned a lot from Nicaraguans. I have learned how to work so that w are empowered in and by our strugg instead of being exhausted by it. so I am bringing you neither souve nor recipes: I am bringing these w -- love, tenderness, affection -hoping that you will be able to fe their meaning, and let it empower you in your struggle. ,77:4E SWIrnmEit" .***.*.***.*.*******.********** NORTHERN WOMAN page web 14 PDF compression, OCR, optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �40. Wrath WOMAN WORDS 21. Norse goddess of the 1. 6. 10. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 42. sea. ACROSS 22. 24. 26. 27. One who tips. Object of infatuation. Exclusive Bundle of wood used to burn witches in 15th & 16th century. convergence. 30. of Many Colours. 34. Dolly Parton tune 35. He caused the Trojan war by kidnapping Helen. 36. Arrangment (abr) 37. Maize 38. Fountains 39. Familiar northern fish. Women teachers: School Trendy Raced Expect Absent without leave. Lowest woman's voice. Belgian marble. A reigning Hindu woman. Gaze intently. "Extraordinary lie designed to make people unfree" (Angela Carter 1983) 43. rr 2. ,-. 7 .., ,4 is IT 19 10 3 lo ) H 11 15 1 fo 11 12 21 45. 46. food. 47. 48. 51. 52. And others. Central cores. Should be "ah-woman" The 27th U.S. constitutional Amendment. Pertaining to the mouth. To repair or patch. Cut into wedge-shaped pieces. One who is brutal & 55, 56. 58. 111 24 28 27 30 31 3f 34 48 ss, Lo III lull 39 42. 41 44 4-5" DOWN 2. 3. 4. 47 40> 52. 33 5I 41 II 540 ,1 ".F: F. 111111 BILL 7 65. Ceases activity. 1. 54 Woman teacher; see 1 accross At a distance. Declaim vehemently. Womyn's Music Festival. Saint (fem. abr.) 6, Proponent of choice. (acronym) 7. Monetary unit of South Korea. 5. 9. Centre of immature orgasm in women. 10. Poet of Lesbos. 11. To drop with a sound of something striking water. 12. To be. (Fr.) 13. One who does. 21. What Reagan talks. 23. A theory or doctrine. 25. Tiny round mark. 26. Group gathering for some common purpose. 27. External border. 28. Fruit of the oak. 29. Injured by bull. 30. Ends of the forearms. 31. Monetary unit of Nigeria. 32. One who irks. 33. Top of a wave, southern 35. Corn U.S. food. 38. Feast or holiday. 39. Rind 41. Past tense of wear. and the Cha42. Chris Williamnged: son album. 44. Moved on wheels. 45. Goddess personifying men's blind impulses, 47. Void 48. Zenith 49. Impel 50. Concern 51. Among 52. Son of Aphrodite, 53, The others. 54. Fruit drinks. 57. Woman's name. 59, Rock containing valuable substance. : Toothed leaf edge. Require "well adjusted" woman in a patriachal soci- 32. 3i0 39 a feared. Mine opening. 26 21 40 .61. 62. 63. 64. ety. 23 atom. : 60. I 8. Electrically charged Lill. Canadian playright "The Occupation of Heather Rose" Roman goddess of grain & harvest. Theme Bread for International Women's Day. Have Worthless scrap of 41. continued from p4 As the new legislation takes hold we can hope to gain true equality and a sense of freedom in the lives we lead. While the nature of the law will be muddy for some time, the passing of the Bill clearly signals an acknowledgement of and disagreement with homophobia, The phones in my office are still ringing. A woman calls, outraged, trying to instill some "sense" into my head and warning me of the dangers of homosexuality. "Would you want one of those people teaching your kids?" "Would you want one of those in your home?" "You bet!!!" CALL TO ACTION: To support EGALE, you can donate your time or money (or both). Write or phone your MP and encourage her/him to support an amendment to the constitution that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Call or write the Minister of Justice and the opposition critics to voice your support for the amendment. KEEP TRACK OF YOURSELF THIS YEAR WITH EVERYWOMEN'S ALMANAC For more information: EGALE P.O. Box 2891, Station D Ottawa, Ontario KIP 5W9 1Hansard, November 25, 1986 2Toward Equality Report, March4, 1986 Editors Note: This article appeared in 'breaking the silence' Summer 1987 prior to the Ontario election, when, unfortunately, Evelyn Gigantes was unsuccessful in her bid for re-election. Consequently some of the references are out of date, yet the message given is still very timely. Available at NORTHERN WOMAN BOOKSTORE 184 Camelot St. Thunder Bay 344-7979 NORTHERN WOMAN page 15 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �A NOTICE FROM THE NATIONAL ACTION COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN WHY FREE TRADE WILL HARM WOMEN: It is vital that women speak out against free trade because we'll be most affected and can least afford bearing the "cost" of free trade adjustments. It will mean: 0.1..osV The reason women will lose more from free trade is because working women are concentrated in industries which will be most adversely aftected. In ri :Inufacturing most women work in textiles, clothing, food proc- ignoring health and safety, and fighting legislative protection which ensures equal rights for women. They will do this because their major competition under the agreement will be located in U.S. states with no minimum wage, poor labour legislation and very low levels of unionization. essing, electrical and electronic products, and other consumer industries. Even government studies admit that the jobs in these industries are most at risk. POORER -ACCE.Sp'iTO SOCIALFIROGRAMS In the service sector, where the majority of working women are con- The Canadian tradition of providing services to people through publicly supported facilities is jeopardized. centrated, jobs are threatened because many restrictions on the provision of services from outside the country will be removed. For example, in the case of data processing, there are many laws which require that data be processed and stored in Canada. When these are removed, many clerical jobs for women will be lost. The agreement says that U.S. firms must be given equal treatment and implies that they must be given equal access to LOWE 1NAGESRAND POORER WORKINgcoNOITIONS public funding. The result will be a great drain on our tax dollars and an increased tendency for certain services, such as health care and child care to be shifted to the private sector. Even in those places where women don't lose their jobs, increasing competition will force firms to reduce costs through cutting wages, When services are delivered through private means, they tend to be less accessible and more expensive. WHAT WOMEN CAN DO: It is important that everyone understand what free trade is about. You can help in many ways. distribute or post this where youopposition work andtoinfree your community tell your local M.P. or flyer M.P.P. of your trade give your support to activities in your community against free trade help NAC fight free trade through a financial contribution FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FREE TRADE AND WHAT TO DO CONTACT: The National Action Committee on the Status of Women 344 Bloor St. West, Suite 505, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1W9 (416) 922-3246 (Toronto) (613) 234-7062 (Ottawa) The Coalition Against Free Trade (416) 534-3523 Your District Labour Council or Chapter of the Council of Canadians La Coalition quebecoise d'opposition au libre-echange (514) 598-2273 The Pro-Canada Network (613) 233-1764 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Second Class *Ail Registration No. 5697 MAIL TO: INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Don't forget to renew your subscription! Here's my sub: p2 SUPERIOR ART COLLECTION p2 YOUR VOICE p3 EQUALITY AT RISK? p4 BILL 7 p5 SWIMMING UPSTREAM p6 UPDATE p7 ONTARIO WOMEN'S DIRECTORATE p8 POETRY p10 DAY CARE pll REVIEWS p15 WOMAN WORDS Name Address (postal code) individual $ 5 o institutional $ 10 Collectively produced MARGARET PHILLIPS - ROSEMARY PITTIS - CYNTHIA STOLZ MARY-ANN KLEYENDORST - JONI MACE RETURN TO: :*********************************** *IS THERE AN ASTERISK ON YOUR LABEL ? t PLEASE RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION * * ! : * * THE NORTHERN WOMAN 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 * * tt*********************************** Return Postage Guaranteed Northern Woman Journal 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 (FOUR-ISSUES) $5-.00 $10.00 Business or Institution PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Description An account of the resource Northern Woman Journal Published in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northern Woman Journal (originally called Northern Woman) started in 1973 following the first annual Northern Women’s Conference in order to keep the conference attendees connected. Initially serving as a newsletter of events, local issues, and women’s resources, the Northern Woman Journal quickly became a diverse publication reaching national and international readers. Not only did it serve as a newsletter to keep local women up to date on feminist issues in Northwestern Ontario, but also as a safe space to discuss women’s resources, law, politics, economics, health, racism, sexism, homophobia, feminist organizing and activism, transnational feminist issues, poetry, feminist reading, feminist art, and women’s diverse lived experiences.One of the longest-running feminist perodicals in North America, the Northern Woman Journal reached its end in 1995. Throughout its 22 years, the Northern Woman Journal was produced by its many collective members, with membership evolving year to year. For many years, the journal worked closely alongside and shared space with the Northern Women’s Centre and the Northern Women’s Bookstore. With the exception of a year-long government grant in the 1970s, the journal relied entirely on subscription fees and donations in order to maintain publishing, which presented challenges throughout its entire existence. As stated in an early version of the editorial policy, “only by a free and open exchange of views and opinions will we develop a basis for unity which can be used as a basis for action.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal, Vol 11 No 1 Description An account of the resource Vol. 11, No. 1 (December 1987) Title: Northern Woman Journal Topics include: Superior art collection Native artists Meech Lake Accord Feminist book list Bill 7 Human Rights Code of Ontario amendment Protection for lesbians INTERWEAVE Conference Women & class/race Welfare workers National Organization for Women Resources for Northern Women Women’s Place Kenora Native family violence Poetry Daycare access Music review Feminist book review Women against free trade Authors/Contributors: Margaret Phillips Cindy Moriarty Joni Mace Northern Women’s Directorate Sharman Lynne Joan Baril Diana-Marie Korbisser Susan Gail Collins Gert Beadle Rosemary Pittis Cynthia Stolz Mary-Ann Kleyendorst Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Northern Woman Journal Collective Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-12 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published on this site with permission. Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/5/2800/080908-006a.jpg ad99eeb7884dbcc28650c5569746d9ee Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource General Archives Description An account of the resource Archival records that don't belong to another listed collection. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Clifford Sifton in the ice Subject The topic of the resource Mining People Description An account of the resource Sepia-toned photograph of the steamer, Clifford Sifton in ice on the Yukon River. The steamer is filled with passengers posing for the photograph on the upper and lower decks. The steamer is in the ice. Caption on image: "In the ice below Dawson". "Goetzman Photo. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource H.J. Goetzman Studio Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1900s Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Donated by Mrs. Cochran Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph Type The nature or genre of the resource Still imsage Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context A0014#136,Z/13 scan#080908-006 Clifford Sifton ice passengers steamers https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/5/2799/090908-001a.jpg 48875e6a753c8eae76076f6a2bacccde Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource General Archives Description An account of the resource Archival records that don't belong to another listed collection. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Dawson dwellings Subject The topic of the resource Mining People Description An account of the resource Sepia-toned photograph of a wooden home in winter. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource H.J. Goetzman Studio Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1900 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Donated by Mrs. Cochran Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph Type The nature or genre of the resource Still imagr Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context A0014#136,Z/13 scan#090908-001 1900s winter wooden house https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/5/2798/090908-002a.jpg 1f9641c23bed62c8bc6e86b4127fbba1 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource General Archives Description An account of the resource Archival records that don't belong to another listed collection. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource R.C.M.P group portrait Description An account of the resource Sepia-tone group portrait of RCMP officers Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource H.J. Goetzman Studio Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1900 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Donated by Mrs. Cochran Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context A0014#136,Z/13, scan#090908-002 1900s Portrait https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/5/2797/110908-001a.jpg 56edae0203b00a6405def73d7abf0732 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource General Archives Description An account of the resource Archival records that don't belong to another listed collection. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Dawson Post Office Subject The topic of the resource Mining People Description An account of the resource Sepia-toned photograph of the Dawson Post Office buildiing. Exterior view of the post office, main door east and west walls. Corner of Third Avenue and King Street. The post office was built by Dominion architect Thomas Fuller Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource H.J. Goetzman Studio Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource circa 1900s Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Donated by Mrs. Cochran Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context A0014#136,Z/13 scan#110908-001 1900s Buildings Dawson City https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/5/2796/120908-003a.jpg 0f6e21ea63050f523736ded25dac08a3 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource General Archives Description An account of the resource Archival records that don't belong to another listed collection. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Territorial Administration Building, Dawson City, 1902 Subject The topic of the resource Mining People Description An account of the resource Sepia-toned photograph of the Territorial Administration Building taken from Fifth Avenue. The building was home to government offices later the building was the Post Office. One of the many buildings built by Thomas Fullerin Dawson City. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource H.J. Goetzman Studio Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1902 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Donated by Mrs. Cochran Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context A0014#136,Z/13 scan#120908-003 1900s Buildings Dawson City Post Office Thomas Fuller https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/5/2795/120908-001a.jpg b89bc026379812cabc617d50ed799081 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource General Archives Description An account of the resource Archival records that don't belong to another listed collection. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Governor General in Dawson August 14, 1900 Subject The topic of the resource Mining People Description An account of the resource Sepia-toned photograph of a celebration welcoming the Governor General of Canada. (At this time, Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, the 4th Earl of Minto.) Street is crowded with onlookers and at the far left of the photograph is an arch decorated with American and Canadian flags to welcome the Governor General of Canada, Dawson, Yukon Territory. Caption on image: "Awaiting the Arrival of the Governor General in Dawson, Aug. 14, 1900", "By Goetzman, 661". Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource H.J. Goetzman Studio Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource August 14, 1900 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Donated by Mrs. Cochran Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Public domain Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource Photograph Type The nature or genre of the resource Still image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context A0014#136,Z/13, scan#120908-001 https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/16/2794/1987_Vol_10_No_4.pdf 0aa077e2c1514edbfa2c8742af40173b PDF Text Text Northern Woman Journal October 1987 Vol. 10 No. 4 Thunder Bay, Ont. $1.50 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Dear Sisters: AFRICAN NATIONS AND AIDS POLITICS According to a report released in June 1987 by the Geneva based World Health Organization (WHO) about 50,000,000 Africans are supposed to be carrying AIDS and that the disease had reached epidemic proportions in Central, East and Southern Africa. Many African nations are often outraged and embarrassed when their countries are associated with AIDS and have sometimes refused to cooperate with Women's groups and organizations that make such revelation to Western sources. Zambia, for instance, has banned health authorities and women's organizations from sending any information on AIDS outside the country, and Zimbabwe has refused to assist with funding the projects or programs of all women's bodies or organizations that release the latest figures of AIDS carriers in the country to the outside world. Kenya, with 10,000 cases of AIDS has so far coninued to deny the existence of thatMagnitude of AIDS and has blamed Western media for gross exaggeration of figures. At the International AIDS Conference held in June 1987 at Washington D.C. USA, a revelation was made by Dr. Robert Gallo, an American AIDS specialist, that 10 Nigerians were identified with a special AIDS virus whom he called "Nigerian Red Virus". In the usual re-action of African governments over the association of AIDS with their countries, the leader of the Nigerian delegation at the Conference, Dr. E. Essien, became outraged with Dr. Gallo's revelation and emphatically denied the existence of the "Nigerian Red Virus". Uganda, which has the greatest share of AIDS victims in Africa has opined that "They saw no point in making people panic when there is no risk of an epidemic". Thus African nations continue daily to deny the threat of this disease to the citizens of their countries so that their so-called national image abroad may not be tarnished while the battle to fight AIDS is raging in Western countries. Indeed, the Refugee, Famine, and Drought problems are not of more threat to human lives in Africa than AIDS. An Italian source has revealed that an average AIDS patient runa hospital bills roughly $10,000 which could potentially bankrupt a country's :public health system if the number surges. What becomes the national economies of the already impoverished countries of Africa which develops a care free attitude to the existence of AIDS in their countries? NORTH ERN WOMAN_ loggg,;g., The USA budgetary allocation to AIDS has risen from $5.5 million to $411 million in the past five years. Britain has unleashed a media blitz to alert and enlighten the public on the killer disease. The anxiety is much the same throughout Europe and America, but in Africa the response has not by the least fraction matched the problem. The combined health care budget of all Central African countries afflicted amounted to a paltry sum of $1 million in 1982, and the figure for this year is hardly an improvement. Coupled with this is a general reluctance of governments to admit the enormity of the problem. In addition, it is the sexual aspects of AIDS that has riveted public attention over the disease and it is not without good cause. Sexual transmission is the most common route; some 65-75% of AIDS in Europe and America have occurred in homosexual men between 20-40 years and intravenous drug users who share dirty hypodermic needles. But the opposite is the case in Africa where heterosexual intercourse and female genital mutilation has been the major routes of AIDS. In Africa women are noted carriers. In a survey recently concluded in Uganda, of the 170 pregnant women tested 3/4 were found to have AIDS and half of those affected were sexually mutilated. In Equatorial Guinea, of the 100 women who were tested 78 of them carried AIDS and 65 of them were those whose genitals Aremto prove Prof. Uli Linke's research in the University of California, Berkeley, USA that female genital mutilation is one of the causes of the present widespread of AIDS in - Africa. We, of this centre, have decided not to fold our arms and wait for government action against the deadly disease. We have launched a massive campaign of education and persuasion against female genital mutilation and spread of AIDS by homevisiting countryside enlightenment tours where women are addressed in public places. Campaign by literature; newspapers, radio and television. But our problem is lack of funds to run the campaign and our services as a non-governmental voluntary organization with limited funds. We therefore through your magazine appeal to all feminists, womensfolk, women's groups and organizations to come to our _lid by donating to our campaign fund in the interest of international feminism; for as Virginia Wolf said "as a woman I have no country .... as a woman my own country is the whole world". We shall accept donations by cheque, bankdraft and currency notes in any currency. Send your donations, gifts and enquiries to: HANNA EDEMIKPONG, WOMEN"S CENTRE, BOX 185, EKET, CROSS RIVER STATE NIGERIA, W. AFRICA. I enclose my thoughts on th issue of abortion, which were pr mpted (finally) by the advertise ment in the September 5 C-J enti led, "Candidates on the Level", Campaign Life Northwestern Ontar I believe that due to the large amounts of money the pro-life mu ment seems to have (due to the n bers of ads and films and variou promotional materials put togeth, over the years), this movement h a distinct advantage over the pr, choice movement and/or women who believe it is their right to hay, access to abotions if they belie' it is necessary to their well -be: (Physically, emotionally or final cially). This is unfair. There are v, numbers of people who are confuse about the issue of abortion, or who are neutral (they haven't ma, up their mind about where they stand on it; some have expressed they don't know if they can take a stand, firmly, on one side or the other). All of this material - especially the more grotesque (such as colour pictures of aborted foetuses in trash cans) -and does corrupt. Much of it is blatant propaganda. I am thorougl ly opposed for reasons stated in this letter, to the pro-life move ment getting any more mileage oui of what has been often slimy and distorted tactics based on misinformation, which are now aimed al election. there is a very were in orderstrong opposing view to the prolife movement, but the pro -choice movement, I fear, is much less ai fluent. Many of us are students, single women and men in low-payir lobs, single parents and on sociz assistance or U.I. We do not have $20, $50 and $100 to donate to -CI Canadian Abortion Rights Action League, or any other organization supporting women's rights. For this reason, I am writin and will urge other women to writ to make our views known. We are n high profile, but we are there; however, a nation of letter write we are not, and I fear the worst: that we won't be heard. However, starting by writing to the following people and organizations I fe, should know this opposing viewpoi: The Chronicle/Journal/Times News (Editorial Department) Campaign Life Northwestern Ontari( Mr. Taras Kozyra Mr. Mickey Hennessy Mr. Don Smith Mr. Chris Southcott Ms. Evelyn Dodds Mr. John Maclennan Ms. Lyn McLeod Lakehead Living (Editorial Dept.) Northern Woman Journal The Argus Mr. lain Angus MP Mr. Ernie Epp MP The Canadian Abortion Rights Attic League In Sisterhood, HANNAH EDEMIKPONG (FOR WOMEN'S CENTRE). PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Pay Equity by Liz Poulin During the last several years the issue of Pay Equity has been a major topic of debate in Ontario. Often the emotional form of this debate seemed to obscure the basic principles of fairness and justice that women were seeking to have addressed. The new terms and language complicated the discussion and caused many to throw up their hands in frustration and wait for others to plough through the rhetoric and the misconceptions to the core issues. It cannot be stated strongly enough that it was the concerted and relentless work of feminists that finally brought legislations forward. It was these women who, firmly committed to the improvement of the status of all women, pushed pay equity to the top of the political agenda and, indeed, kept it there. The women of the women's movement are the real stars and their effort must be given full recognition. All this in spite of the enormous opposition from most segments of the business community. Pay Equity is not a new, untried idea. Both the federal government and Quebec have had legislation since the mid-1970's and Manitoba since 1985. The European Economic Community members, Australia, New Zealand and many state and municipal governments in the United States have also legislated various forms of the concept. Much can be learned from their experiences - we don't have to reinvent the wheel. We just have to make it run on our own soil. At this point we can only give an educated guess about how this legislation will affect us here in Northwestern Ontario. There are holes in it that will mean little to women in our small resource-based towns with a single industry. For example, the legislation will apply best to the populated cities and areas where large businesses, industries and governmental agencies locate. Establishments with less that 10 employees are not included in the legislation. Small communities have many under 10 employee businesses, and many of these provide the traditional work of women. This requires further legislation - these women can not be left out. So pay equity will serve many women but by no means all. What we will continue to lobby for will be employment equity which includes a broad range of initiatives that address discrimination against women in the workplace. One of the Pay Equity initiatives is a pay practice based primarily on the relative value of work performed whether the worker is male or female. It is simply another way to express equal pay for work of equal value. Two Bills were introduced in the Ontario Legislature in the past year. The first, Bill 105 was brought forward by Hon. W. Wrye, Minister of Labour. It covered the Ontario Public Service Employees and the second, Bill 154, introduced by Hon. Ian Scott, Minister responsible for Women's Issues, covered private sector firms with more than nine employees and the broader public sector such as employees in hospitals, municipalities, school-boards,s4iniveraities., town ity colleges and Crown agencies. Bill 105 was strongly. criticized and died in the committee stage and Bill 154 was amended in committee to include the Ontario Public Service employees. The purpose of the legislation is laid out in fairly straightforward language and I quote Section 4(1) "The purpose of this Act is to redress systemic gender discrimination in compensation for work performed by employees in female job classes", and Section 4(2) - -Systemic gender discrimination in compensation shall be identified by undertaking comparisons between each female job class in an establishment in terms of compensation and in terms of the value of work performed." The onus is on employers to develop plans and strategies to address discrimination that is gender based. If the establishment is unionized then employers and union representatives must work together to identify comparable jobs, review workers' salaries and identify any pay inequities in female dominated jobs. Employers will need to clarify the values of their organization. For example, what is most valuable to the firm - technical skills?, interpersonal skills?, Product knowledge? etc. Once a firm knows this then it can move to compare Female-dominated job classes, (i.e. there must be 60% or more females), are compared with male-dominated jobs classes which must be 70% or more males. These percentages are higher than womens' groups recommended and may well prove to be a stumbling block in some cases. Compensation (wages and benefits) of the higher paid job (read male!) cannot be lowered to meet the lawer paid job class (read female). Criticism from the business community revolves around the need to compare dissimilar job classes. They say it can not be done. However, it already is being done in many management and administrative areas. The Hay Job Evaluation System is an example which has been widely used for over 40 years. The Community Colleges use this method. The value of jobs is assessed by using the criteria of skill, effort, responsibility and conditions of work. Skill may include education, experience and special expertise. Effort encompasses physical and mental efResponsibility includes problem fort. solving, decision-making, and having responsibility for people, machinery or budgets. And finally, conditions of work concerns the work environment, both the physical and mental aspects of stress. These kinds of guidelines as well as experience in other jurisdictions will all enable employers to meet the legislative requirements. The legislation makes provision for four exceptions. They are: seniority, merit pay, temporary training as i Ekets es ii oy p differences in c..7-7,ensation are be- cause of one or more of these exceptions. Most women across Northwestern Ontario have always had difficulty accessing any kind of training opportunities so the temporary training assignment exception will not affect any great number. However, skill shortages will. Males have the best paid jobs in our resource dominated economy and women have made little headway in moving into them. There is a problem accessing skills training courses, surviving the training, finding jobs and maintaining the energy to be exceptional over a long period of time. The Equal Pay Coalition has this to say - "We strongly object to labour market shortages as a factor for exclusion .... Rather than avoiding the spirit of the legislation by paying high rates to attract the few men with the skills, we would like to see employers spend the money training women to do traditionally male work." The inclusion of this exception is not helpful to the women seeking non-traditional work. jobs. Unions can-play a vital role as they are in a prime position to have input into plans and to monitor the implementation process. Women will be depending on them for this. However, it needs to be noted that women in small Northwestern Ontario centres will not benefit greatly since many do not work in unionized establishments. page 3 NORTHERN WOMAN PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �PAY EQUITY (continued) An independent Commission with sufficient resources and a strong and clearly defined mandate was believed to be essential to the success of the legislation. As set up the Pay Equity Commission (two sections - the Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal and the Pay Equity Office) will be in charge of administering and monitoring the implementation of the legislation. It will provide specialized educational materials and consultative services, investigate employees' complaints, hold hearings if necessary and make the final decisions. it will have the power to order compliance with the legislation, The enforcement mechanisms will include fines, search of files, require answers and impose changes. One of the first assignments of the Commission is to conduct a study into sectors of the economy where employment has been predominantly female and where there are no appropriate male job classes for purposes of comparison, i.e. child care centres, social service agencies. This study is to be completed within one year. Since this has been a major concern because large groups of women working in these areas had been left out of the legislation, we can only applaud this amendment to the original bill. This report ought to help in the early addition of these groups. Keep your eye on this so we can all lobby as soon as possible. Concerted efforts of women are going to be need. ed again. The biggest critics of Pay Equity have attacked the Commission as expensive, a waste of tax dollars, another big bureaucracy, arbitrary and powerful. It has been called the "Pay Police". Women fervently hope it will be powerful and thorough in its work. Most of us would view an agency that will work hard on our behalf as long overdue. There is no doubt that the Commission is the key to how effective this legislation will be. Will sufficient resources be allocated to it? Monitor this as well. Two real disappointments in the legislation are its gradual implementation and the lack of coverage for those in very small (under ten employees) establishments. There is no question that both of these resulted from the heavy lobbying done by business organizations. Their argument stated that the very small business operations did not have either the staff, time or resouces to go through the exercise of job comparisons, job descriptions and so on. Thus, it was decided that the public sector and private sector businesses with 500 or more employees, large personnel offices and more sophisicated policies and systems would lead the way. The following is the schedule: Public sector and private sector employers of 500 or more employees - 2 years (from date the Act comes into effect). Private sector employers of at least 100 but fewer than 500 employees - 3 years Private sector employers of at least 50 but fewer than 100 employees - 4 years Private sector employers of at least 10 but fewer than 50 employees - 5 years. Private sector employers are required to set aside not more than 1% of their payroll per year to begin making the wage adjustments and public sector adjustments must be completed within five years of the implementation period. It might be seven years before all the inequities are addressed - a long ti -me indeed. With this legislation we are moving in the right direction. It cer-. tainly takes us many steps along the path to fair compensation for our work. On the one hand it has been called a "bold initiative" and on the other "highly interventionist". The debate is still going on and the monitoring by women will still be necessary. So take a deep breath and eat some high energy food because we'll be the real "Pay Police"::: BEST SELLERS A somewhatdifferent listing than you will find in Macleans. These are the best sellers at the Northern Woman's Bookstore since opened. If you like this best sel. column we'll do it on a regular bi NON-FICTION 1. 2/4 2/4 2/4 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. FICTION 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. If the Government in Ottawa gets its way, The Great Depression; two world wars; a small, spread-out population; recessions; inflation; overwhelming competition from the U.S.-none of these could kill Canada's magazines... ...but the current Government in Ottawa just might. The Government is considering demolishing the delicate structure of postal, tariff and tax-related incentives that helps keep the Canadian magazine industry alive. If this happens, many Canadian magazines will die. Those that survive will cost more to readers and publishers and will be more vulnerable than ever to competition from foreign magazines that have the advantages of huge press-runs and lower per-copy costs. Those that survive will be less profitable and, therefore, more likely to succumb to adverse_ economic circumstances in the future. CANADA'S CANADIAN PERIODICAL. PUBLISHERS' ASSOCIATION, 2 STEWART STREET, TORONTO, ONTARIO M5V 106 NORTHERN, WOMAN, . page 4, , . 8/9 8/9 10. they may take this magazine right out of your hands MAGAZINES WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST by. Michele Landsberg STILL AIN'T SATISFIED edited Maureen Fitzgerald, Connie GI erman and Margie Wolfe NEW OUR BODIES, OURSELVES by the Boston Women's Health Bo( Collective VOICE FROM THE SHADOWS by Gw' eth Ferguson Matthews MOTHER WIT by Diane Mariechil HOW TO BECOME AN ASSERTIVE WOMAN by Jean Baer BATTERED WIVES by Del Martin WOMEN AND MALE VIOLENCE by Susan Schechter CHOICES: A TEEN WOMAN'S JOUR] WOMEN'S WORKBOOK by Patti Schom-Moffatt& Cynthia TeIfi THE COLOR PURPLE by Alice Wa THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Marga Atwood WOMAN ON THE EDGE OF TIME by Marge Piercy MERIDIAN by Alice Walker DAUGHTERS OF COPPER WOMAN by Anne Cameron OBASAN by Joy Kogawa SARAH JANE OF SILVER ISLET b Elizabeth Kouhi DESERT OF THE HEART by Jane BLUEBEARD'S EGG by Margaret Atwood THE TATTOOED WOMAN by Marian Engel NWJ Subs The financial health of the Northern Woman Journal is dependen on subscriptions. If there is an asterisk on your label it means that your subscription is due for renewal. If there is a ** double asterisk on your label it means that your subscription is way past due and that this is the last comlementary copy you will receive. Now you don't want us to cut you off do you?? We'd be really pleased if you also decided to give all your friends a NWJ subscrition for Christen ...a voice of our own PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �As a result of the $100,000 grant from the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, received earlier this year, WOMEN'S PLACE KENORA has purchased a house at 530 3rd St. N. There will be a celebration on October 17th to coincide with the Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council annual general meeting in Kenora. The official opening of the new centre will take place later in the fall. A high Court judge made British legal history when she told a 23-year old student he was not entitled to a court order preventing his girl friend from having an abortion. This landmark case represented the first time an expectant father had sought to prevent an abortion on the grounds that it would mean killing a child. The student argued that an 18-weekold fetus could be born alive. The judge ruled that evidence presented to the court did not allow her to say with certainty that the child would have been born alive at 18 weeks. A feminist political party held the balance of power in the Icelandic parliament in April after voters handed the ruling centre-right coalition a major political defeat. The Women's Alliance, which first sent feminists to parliament in 1983, doubled its vote to 10% and could find itself included in a new government. The two current ruling parties hold only 31 of the 63 seats in parliament. Pay Equity: A Cost Benefit Analysis.. Housing for Canadian Women: An Everyday Concern, Bill C-31: Equality or Disparity?-The Effects of the New Indian Act on Native Women Personal Autonomy and the Criminal Law: Emerging Issues for Women Women Entrepeneurs Briefs: Progress Toward Equality for Women in Canada Caring for our Children Booklets: Planning our Future: Do We Have to Be Poor? CACSW Annual Report 1985-86 Fine Balances: Equal Status for Women in the 1990's Newsletter "Inside Out", the CACSW'S Newsletter is mailed periodically, In it you will find the latest Council news, findings from major research and highlights from recent and forthcoming publications, Dr, Mavis Burke, formerly chairperson of the Social Assistance Review Board and chairperson, then president, of the the Ontario Advisory Council on Multi culturalism and Citizenship, has joined the Ontario Women's Directorate, as Special-A ble Minority Women, "I believe we must work towards a perception which recognizes and reveals a diversity of race and gender in Ontario's workplace for what it truly is--an asset, not not a liability to be borne by our visible minorities,, My entire career has reflected my concern for human rights, My work at the directorate is but a logical extension of this commitment,' . A new national action group wants to help the 95,000 Canadian women who missed filing a claim against the manufacturer of the Dalkon Shield, The American-made intrauterine birth-control device was linked to pelvic inflammatory disease, blood poisoning, infection, sterility, spontaneous abortion and death before it was removed from the market in 1976. Dalkon Shield Action Canada was launched after an attempt to get the April 30, 1986, deadline extended for Canadian women failed last summer, and it is trying to reach these women. The lawyer appealing that decision is optimistic that it will be reversed, especially in light of growing national membership in Dalkon Shield Action Canada. For further information, write Dalkon Shield Action Canada, c/o Vancouver Women's Health Collective, 888 Burrard St., Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 1X9, The following materials are available free, from the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women, 110 O'Connor St., 9th Fl. Box 1541, Stn.B, Ottawa, Ontario, K1P 5R5, Forthcoming Books: Battered But Not Beaten: Preventing Wife Battering in Canada. Growing Strong: Women in Agriculture. Background Papers: A Critique of Bill C-114 as Proposed Legislation on Pornography: Principles and Clause-by-Clause Analysis. Immigrant Women in Canada: Current Is sues, The Canadian Jobs Strategy: Current Issues for Women.. . Arja Lane is back from two months in Finland and will be in Thunder Bay for the Interweave Conference. She is presently working on a documentary about housing problems in Sudbury, The Ontario Government recently committed total annual funding of 12,5 million to prevent and reduce family violence in the province, The new funding of $7,1 million is in addition to the $5.4 million in family violence prevention programs announced by the two ministers last september (Attorney General Ian Scott, Minister Responsible for Women's Issues, and Com-munity and Social Services Minister, John Sweeney,) The continuing focus is on support services and protection for assaulted women, and on the criminilization of wife assault, For women working and training in the Trades, the group "WOMEN IN TRADES" is collecting data on women working in non-traditional fields. Their goals include speaker's lists, role models and personal links, and they are looking into the formation of regional groups. If you wish to contact them please write or phone: Mary Addison Women in Trades c/o Times Change Women's Employment Service 22 Davisville Ave., Toronto, Ontario M4S 1E8 Telephone: 416-487-1776 000 BOOK STORE NEWS 000 We want to tell you about Ragweed Press, a woman-owned publishing house in Charlottetown, P.E.I. Libby Oughton, the owner/publisher became involved with Ragweed in 1980, purchased it in 1981, and yearly publishes 10-12 books. Originally, titles included children's books, regional cook books, fiction and poetry. In 1986, Oughton decided to concentrate on feminist and lesbian prose and poetry, which she publishes under the Gynergy imprint. From what we understand Ragweed has been, not only a publishing house, but also a resource centre for Charlottetown women's and peace groups. Unfortunately in July of this year arson destroyed the building adjacent to Ragweed, causing extensive damage to Ragweed's books, manuscripts and office. The loss is only partially covered by insurance - about $60,000 is needed just to bring Ragweed's published books back into print. With Ough.ton's determination and the support of friends and colleagues across Canada, Ragweed is being rebuilt. Readers wishing to support this important women's press may send donMontreal, Confederation Court Mall, 107 Grafton St., Charlottetown, P.E.I. You can also support Ragweed's future by purchasing their fine publications. Ragweed books that are currently available at the Northerm Woman's Bookstore include: THE FAT WOMAN MEASURES UP by C.M. Donald. These poems tell of a woman's conflicting feelings about being fat. "Sometimes her fatness is defiantly celebrated - 'Fat women/Are not few./ When we rise,/ The earth will shake.' And sometimes it is miserably loated, as she asks her thin sisters for more compassion .... Donald writes with power, humour and emotion about a subject that has received far too little positive attention and understanding." This is perhaps Ragweed's best known publication (at least in the women's community) and has received excellent reviews. THE BOOK OF FEARS, by Susan Lerslake (who was nominated for the Governor General's Award in 1985). "In these stories, Kerslake interrogates fear; she pins it under her lights and questions it until it confesses that fear leads to vision,,that fear may need cooperation; that fear, finally, is a power vacuum, a surfeit of possibility, and a silence. Kerslake is a gifted writer, with an extraordinary imagination. OUT ON THE PLAIN, by Frankie Out on the Plain is "of four women who meet and come together not so much in the physical world we know, but out on the plain, a mysterious and unfamiliar landscape which at first appears unfocussed but takes on colour and clarity as the bonds strengthen between the women. Finn. Cont. on page 14 NORTHERN ,WOMAN page 5 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Michigan Womyn's Music Festival by Rose Pittis The ferry pulled away from the Wisconsin shoreline as we headed for the deck, found chairs, and settled in for the long trip. Although we were still hours from our destination it took only seconds to realize that the majority of people on deck were womyn enroute also. Womyn in groups of all sizes, dressed in everything from shorts and summer tops to woolens and heavy jackets, carrying guitars, boo ks and food hampers. A womon came up to us and asked if this was our first time. When we said, 'Yes', she said "Ahhh, you're going to Paradise-. The 12th Michigan Womyn's Festival was indeed a paradise, though a somewhat wet one as it rained at least half of every day we were there. Weather aside, the energy emanating from 600 acres of land holding over 7000 womyn is difficult to describe. The feeling of womon-power, pride, and community simply becomes a tingling in the scalp and a sob in the throat and something which I will never forget. From the moment of entering the land it became evident that the organization of the event was near-perfect. Womyn directed us to a parking spot where we registered and unloaded our gear,on a long island of grass ready for the shuttle service. (No personal vehicles go beyond the main parking area) We were then directed along.-a road to coloUr-coded parking lots. After parking, we were directed to an orientation tent where an information video played continuously explaining the philosophy of the land and the collective spirit. We then moved to the work tent where everyone is asked to sign up for a four-hour workshift in transportation, daycare, security, kitchen etc. Up until this point I had been amazed by the number of experienced volunteers that the festival organizers had collected together. Now .I realized that everyone I had met directing me along the way was a participant like myself already doing her workshift. This collective spirit is one of the secrets to the organizational success of the festival. In no other way could 7500 people move onto the land, set up tents, eat communally, and move off the land in the space of five days with very few problems. In celebrating womyn, the festival not only promotes the collective spirit but honours our diversity. Camping areas are divided into general, quiet, chem-free, and 'loud and rowdy' to provide everyone for the type of atmosphere they want. Camping areas for disabled were also available close to the hub of the festival. Other serices consisted of 'the Wqmb', a firstaid area; the Oasis for emotional support; and the Sober Support Tent. The Community Center Complex had tents for Festival Information, Womyn of Colors, International Networking, Womyn over Forty, and lost and found. The craft market offered crafts and art of over 150 womyn as well as literature and music. The day stage and acoustic stage were active daily from Thursday to Sunday, offering a variety of workshops in voice, instrumental and dance. Highlights for me were Heather Bishop's Children's concert where fifteen little people managed to squeeze up on stage to help Heather with her show, and The Reel World String Band who got thousands of women up square dancing for the afternoon. Every evening the night stage program provided a diverse program to satisfy all tastes in music. Jasmine, a 3-piece jazz band, showed excellent musicianship and tight harmonies. The Maxine Howard Revue, a glossy 7-piece band, gave us a big band sound and a night club routine. Faith Nolan, from Halifax, sang some beautiful folk pieces, and Phranc, from New York, performed from her original repertoire with such songs as 'I Want to be an Amazon' and 'I Like Female Mud Wrestling'. The L: ian Allen Band was a collection o: some of Canada's finest musicians with Lorraine Segato weaving harm( and Sherry Shute playing haunting echoes of Lillian Allen's lilting ice. Of course Heather Bishop, Ho: Near, and Ronnie Gilbert were the: playing old favorites and new mat( al to thunderous applause. On the final night the secon( last act was Robin Flower Band. they were playing their fine blue the skies opened up and provided incredible light show of lightenii while everyone sat in awe. A few I utes later a gale whipped up, the poured down, and Robin Flower Ban( had to run off stage in- danger/Mqm electrocution and the huge stage opy collapsing on them in the win( Stage crew and audience alike rust to cover thousands of dollars wore of sound equipment from the storm, In the glow of the lightening one could see the bodies of the light] and sound crew scaling the fifty towers to secure and cover their E pment, This was certainly a grand ale to an incredible week. 1:)( A c 1 The next day, thousands of we silently packed up their sopping and splashed through the mud to tt shuttle service,preparing themsell emotionally and mentally for the N outside paradise, A sadness fell our group as we slowly drove off land, vowing to return next year. August See ou GI r?J ip NORTHERN WOMAN 1 'Sak ma w page 6 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Name Change by LYNN BEAK expensive process, since the perTo change their name on documents son had to hire a lawyer, and such the as S.I.N. cards and driver's Ontario Legal Aid Plan seldom licences, paid they would write to those for the legal costs. agencies requesting the forms to change their name, then notify banks and SHappily, the rules have now employers of the change. been changed regarding name changes. The power to change the name on birth certificates has been given to TO OBTAIN THE APPLICATION FOR A LEGAL the Office of the Registrar-General. NAME CHANGE An application form must be filled out by the person wanting to change Write to the Office of the Regtheir name - it is not simple - but istrar-General, Ministry of Consumer it also does not need a lawyer. and Commercial Relations, MacDonald There is a fee of $100.00 and an adBlock, Queens Park, Toronto, and exditional $15 for each child. plain the name change that you want Both of the women in the and ear-they will send the appropriate lier examples are now able to forms chan- to be completed for a legal ge their children's names. Anyname per-change. son of the age of 16 years can apply to change their name, and the PARENTS only RIGHTS REGARDING CHANGING THE general restriction is the requireSURNAMES OF THEIR CHILDREN ment that the person applying has lived in Ontario for a year prior If parents are sharing custody to their application. of their children, then both of them WHEN IS A LEGAL NAME CHANGE NOT NEEDED For many years the change of name rules in Ontario did not meet A legal name change is not everyone's needs. If a woman was a needed in some circumstances. If a single parent, unmarried when her woman wishes to use a nickname, but child was born and she and the not birth actually change her birth certifather have registered the child in ficate then a name change is not his surname, she could not change needed. Anyone may use a name that the child's name to her surmaneis withnotlegally yours (such as the out the consent of the birth father. surname of6your legal or common-law If he could not be located, or spouse) was as long as they are not dounwilling to agree to the change, ing so in order to defraud creditors, the child had to remain in his name. avoid police or for any other improAlso, if a woman was separated per purpose. and reverted to her birth name, she could not change the names of the Just as a person may change their children in,kierustody without her name to (or hypenate that of their spouse without needhusband's consent. ing a legal name change, so may they The old rules required everyone change their mind and revert to their who wished to legally change the birth name on their birth certificate (or name whenever they choose to do so, that'of their children) to apply to either during the marriage, separation or after divorce. the court for an order. It wasafter an - Writer in Residence GOOD NEWS: Veronica Ross has n appointed Writer-in-Residence the Thunder Bay Public Library. s will take up residence at the erley Resource Library from Oct. 1987 to June 3, 1988. She will be ticipating in the new Writers-Inraries Program sponsored by the istry of Citizenship and Culture. The program is designed to inase public awareness of Ontario's writers and Canadian literature and to provide professional assistance to emerging writers. During the eight months of her residency, Ross will take part in public workshops, critique manuscripts, and provide ongoing creative and marketing advice have to consent to the change of the children's surnames. This would occur when both parents are living with the children or have signed a joint custody agreement. However, if only one parent has custody after a separation or due to the fact that the other parent never lived with the child, then the consent of the non-custodial parent is not needed unless a separation agreement or court order states that the child's name will not be changed without their consent. If the non-custodial parent has visiting rights, the parent with custody must notify them of the fact that the child's name is going to be changed. FURTHER QUESTIONS If you have further questions about name changes, you may contact the Registrar-General's office, a lawyer or a legal clinic in your area. to writers. While in Thunder Bay she will be working on her new novel and hopes to do some work with older adults and students, as well as individual writers. Veronica Ross is the author of three collections of short stories: Goodbye Summer (Oberon, 1980), Dark Secrets (Oberon, 1983) and Homecoming recently published by Oberon. A novel, Fisherwoman, was published in 1984 by Pottersfield Press. Her stories have appeared in a wide variety of magazines - several stories have won national awards. A native of West Germany, she grew up in Montreal, lived many years in Nova Scotia and for the past three years has been living in Kitchener, Ontario. She has been involved in two previous writer -inresidence programs in Nova Scotia where she taught creative writing, and she is presently the associate editor of Antigonish Review. If you are interested in bringing a group to the library, or if you would like to schedule your own appointment with Veronica Ross, please call Barbara Koppenhaver, Co-ordinator of Community Services at 344-3585. NORTHERN WOMAN page 7 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �No Pasaran by JOSIE WALLENIUS The World Congress of Women, held in Moscow in June was not only a political debate but a festival of culture, dancing and song. It started off for Canadian delegates in the Aeroflot Jet taking off from Montreal, with Arlene Mantle, singer songwriter from Toronto, leading us in some of her superb Women, class struggle songs. As one of her lines goes, "When you know that the Right is wrong, then all that's left is Left". Close to three thousand women from 154 countries gathered in Moscow to discuss Women's Issues. Peace and Disarmament, Women in Society, Women and Work, Women and Family, Women in National Liberation Struggles, Problems of Development for Women, Women in Education, Mass Media and Women, and the role of Women in the Forward Looking Strategies adopted in Nairobi in 1985. All this was convened by WIDF (Women's International Democratic Federation), an organization founded in 1945, which broadly speaking was meant to ensure that we would not bow to Fascism again, the political reality of Monopoly Capitalism gone criminal., I mention the reason for the founding of W.I.D.F. because fortytwo years later'in Moscow, in session after session and workshop after workship, women worldwide condemned our banks and our institutions as the root cause of their problems. Unless we women in the West stop playing the Sleeping Beauty, we will have betrayed not only our sisters but the planet itself. South African Women's Day Campaign As a priviledged woman who is literate and eats more than once a day, I went at first to the Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Sessions. I was initially disappointed, as I was looking for solutions, not a rehash of the problems. On the first morning I heard at least four Japanese women tell us again about Hiroshima, and there was an endless stream of women from countries in Liberation wars, bleeding from our Military Industrial Complex and the greed of our banks. Knowing of these things before I went, and being at the end of the speakers list I decided to leave and attend a workshop organized by U.S. activists, where Helen Caldicott was going to speak. I have always held Caldicott in high regard, and thought I could at least have my say in question time. However, after hearing Helen speak, I had lost the frustration I had felt, as she said the things so many of us had been waiting to hear. She started off by describing her experience with the Physicians for Social Responsibility. She had spearheaded this organization, done massive education work, only to find herself a -non person when the time came for the P.S.R. to receive the Nobel Peace prize. She returned to Australia, not only wounded, but aware that all of her vision and energy had been spent fighting shadows, and that the weapons and effects of war were not the only things we should be talking about. She spent the next two years studying the corporations, and is now talking about them. She said that the North American public is totally brainwashed, and the rich have orchestrated this brainwashing by T.V. She said that since World War 1 the corporations have spent billions of dollars in destroying our unions, and that the C.I.A. is as active in Australia as in Bolivia. She said that the U.S. is socialism for the corporations and capitalism for everybody else. NORTHERN WOMAN page 8 She agreed with an 85 year old won an who denounced the U.S. government as criminals and gangsters, E a few days later, when we spoke tc her in the dining room, she said i was now like the thirties, we have nothing to lose, we must confront Fascism. She actually used the wo/ revolution. This is Helen Caldicot speaking, not Angela Davis. I. thinksome libera.)._woW.a-faj to grasp the point. The ones who tumade a decision NOT to attend the sions run by Palestinian women, or those run by A.N.C. Women and Womer from the Frontline States, or who failed to seek out the Afghan womer to hear their story about the C.I..t orchestrated counter revolution in their country. To further illustrate this poi some women actually resisted what they saw with their own two eyes. C day some of us went to an automobi] plant where we were greeted by members of the Union, Women and Peace Committees. We ate, sang and dance( together, and then went to workers homes to talk more intimately. Abot common family troubles, sex, A.I.D. and anything we felt we wanted to. When we returned to the plant we the museum where cars were display dating from their first production. to the tanks of the war years, to modern cars of today, so that worki people can have pride in their history of accomplishments. t The plant had day care centres and medical centres at the site, an subsidised holidays on the Black Se resorts, yet some still were not im pressed. Perhaps one has to go with out holidays, or go hungry to pay a medical bill, before one is impress by Socialism. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Az a ItiorfAh I; -:AV. COUriTRY... MY CovnTR.Y dik* ATHC. WoRLD * .14 from Women and Environments A few days later, lazing on a seat on a pleasure boat on the Moscow River, watching families opening their picnic baskets, I wondered sadly if some thought secretly that the K.J.B. had organized this day for us. That they had ordered sections of the public to sunbathe on the river banks at a given time, that they had told the people to smile and the sun to shine. Another highlight for me was going to the indiginous Women's workshop. Seeing the Native Canadian women meeting the Indiginous Women from Australia and Paraguay, and finding out that they were going to unite and organize together. Feeling the strength of the Native Canadian women who have decided that spirituality is not enough to solve their problems. At the final Peace Rally, thousands and thousands of women gathered with Moscow citizens to walk hand in hand and arm in arm, with banners, balloons, clowns and colour, to Gorky Park. The last singer to perform was our own Arlene Mantle, and she sang, "We Shall Overcome", She sang it not with humility, as it is too often sung, but with full throated power, and we sang it back at her, and with her. She began to walk away, bending down to receive flowers from children, but the crowd did not move, so she sang again, this time the Central American Freedom song, with a Guatamalan woman singing at her side, Nicaragua is, after all, the Second Spain, As she finished, she raised her fist, and sang out, "NO PASERAN", the cry of resistance first shouted almost 50 years ago during the Spanish Civil War by the Spainards and the International volunteers, including Canadians, who fought to defend Madrid against the Fascist supported armies of Franco, A cry of Hope and Defiance meaning literally "They will not Pass", But fifty years ago they did pass, because the people in the West did not defy their governments who were supporting Fascism, pretending they did not know, as we pretend in Canada not to know of our governments support of the regime in El Salvador. I think Helen Caldicott has, like other women have started to do, made, not a marxist analysis, but a clinical assessment for this dying planet, and it remains to be seen what we do with it "If We Love This Planet". For myself, I know that there is a lone group of women on a picket line in our town. I don't know them, and probably if I asked them what Trident is, they would say it is chewing gum. I'm joining them on Monday, as a peace activist. While keeping the words "No Paseran" firmly in my head, I also remember reading the case of Suttons Hospital from 19th century Britain "The corporations cannot commit treason, nor be outlawed nor excommunicated, for they have no souls." ON HEALING I am a 'Loch s, quiet convictionz My Compa/mion Ent/Lenched with ofmtinacy Stnength unnoticed Waiting I am a pond LayeAz o6 Zi6e Peace in motion Unexpected depth Untimited Expto/Le my pond And you wit-E. (find The. /Lock I am a 6o/Lezt A banned-out oite.t that Rquzed to die Laughter pLom dapondence -ExpZoke my 6otezt my pond Within it Exptone my pond And you witt 6ind The 'Lock.. Suzan Cottin4 May 1987 page 9' NORTHERN WOMAN PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �In Search of a r.e.a.l. Womar by Teresa Mallam of Women's Place Kenora At Women's Place Kenora, we have come to the conclusion that R.E.A.L. women do not exist. We arrived at this conclusion after futile attempts to reach the aforementioned party through the telephone directory service - there was no listing for them. "I've looked under everything" said the harried Winnipeg operator "even under the heading WOMEN and there's nothing coming up on the screen." We thought so. We were just checking. Then we reached the same dead end from Kenora Information. "Never heard of them" said the operator. Then we phoned our good friends at Klinic-in Winnipeg and we were told R.E.A.L. women were not listed on their resource list. This did not surprise us given the fact that most employees of Klinic are of feminist orientation and R.E.A.L. women are above all else, anti-feminist. The group who call themselves R.E.A.L. women emerged in the domestic kitchens of its founder, Grace Petrasek, a homemaker from Etobicoke, Ontario. Rumour has it that.she was preparing the family meal - from scratch of course - when the idea struck Rer to mount a ,chalienge.to feminism - a group she felt only "thought they spoke for people like me" - but REALLY didn't. She then joined forces with Gwen Landott and together they set out to set the world upright again - or something to that effect. They began by denouncing prostitution, then homosexuality, then sex education, universal day care (based on want, not need) and no-fault divorces - or any kind of divorce for that matter. The group is also vehemently opposed to abortion, naturally, because many of their members sprang up from right-to-life groups. But R.E.A.L. women are still a mystery to our organization. The closest we have come to hearing the voice of R.E.A.L. women is on a Radio Noon Show from Toronto in which Grace remarks: "I really don't know why they (feminists) are so upset." Well, we are not really upset, just perplexed. WHO ARE THESE R.E.A.L. WOMEN? Do they, like their male counterparts - eat quiche? I mean some people have actually gone so far as to accuse us (feminists) of being jealous of their cleverly devised name. Harrumph. Even if we interpret R.E.A.L. as Real (and we do not), we can hardly be jealous given the word's real meaning. "Real" as defined by the Pocket Oxford Dictionary means "actually existing as a thing." Frankly, we would rather exist as people. We should also point out that "feminist" according to the same source is defined as "an influence of women, belief in or advocacy of ..." Columnist Doris Anderson unearthed some fascinating tidbits in her NORTHERN WOMAN _page. 10 1985 column "The Real Truth about Real Women" saying that "they are, not really women at all. They want to be dependent. And dependents by any 1985 (read 1987) definition are not adults. Dependents are children." Which brings us back to our original problem. If in fact R.E.A.L. women do exist, in whatever form things or children - (and that is interesting because neither Petrasek nor Landott will reveal her "real" age according to a Chatelaine article). I mean maybe they really are children dressed up in Mom's twinsets and pearls. Anyway, if they do exist, where are they? Part of our objective in finding them is that some of their platform (about 5% according to NAC president, Louise Delude) is the same as ours. 5% is_better than nothing. At least we have that much in common. For instance, the group is for the family unit. Well, what a coincidence so are we. They support homemaker's pensions. Funny, we thought we said that. They recognize the contribution of women in the home. Well, so do we. In fact, we were the first ones to say so. But the reason R.E.A.L. women are getting a lot of press lately and no, we aren't jealous of that either, even if Stan Graham, Tory M.P. does say their testimony is "like a breath of fresh air". So, who wants to be known as a group of airheads? But anyway, for three consecutive years they have been griping because they have not been given funding by Secretary of State Women's Programs. Now, you have to appreciate these programs are intended to further the cause for women. To promote advancement of women and to improve their status. Funding is not available to groups who wish to help with a movement backwards in time. But ... humor, maybe they should try another ministry, say Citizenshi and Culture. After all, no one can deny they are citizens. And funding for preserving old relics and ancien ways of life is certainly high on their list of priorities. We wish th real luck, we really do. P.S. If we ever succeed in finding this group, I have a'great recipe fc orange muffins.... maybe we could have a bake-off! Wanted AN INEXPENSI'IE LEGAL SIZE FILING CABINET IS URGENTLY NEEDED BY THE NORTHERN WOMEN'S BOOKSTORE. PLEASE CALL 344-7979. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �INTERWEAVE Sharing our common threads; strengthening our ties; designing the fabric of our future; INTERWEAVE is a conference for Ontario women's centre workers that will be held October 23, 24, 25, 1987. INTERWEAVE intends to examine issues of survival for women's centres; develop a provincial network among centres; and identify future needs and create action strategy for centres to deal with concerns such as the institutionalization of women's issues. INTERWEAVE believes that we must develop an analysis for change based on our own experience as women's cen tres. Workshop facilitators will draw on participants knowledge to create and implement strategy designed to ensure our future. All Ontario women's centres are invited to send delegates, and to be prepared to contribute their centre's unique experiences so that the result will be workable strategy for all centres. Workshop discussions will include an overview and analysis of organizational models/towaris the creation of a uniquely feminist model; funding possibilities and their implications; strategy to make positive change in a conservative world; why feminist issues are co-opted by non-feminist financial sponsors/developing strategy to reclaim and maintain our own issues; understanding lesbian visibiility/how internal conflict relates to homophobic and heterosexist reaction from without, and how that reaction is reinforced by the political and social climate; how women's centre workers find ways to satisfy and nurture themselves while working toward change/developing strategies to encourage a sense of ownership and involvement of new women, and target methods for renewing energy among seasoned members. INTERWEAVE will be held at Memory Lodge, which is located on the shores of Lake Superior, approzimately 40 miles southwest of Thunder Bay. Transportation from the Thunder Bay airport to the Conference site will be provided. Shuttles from town will also be arranged. Accommodation consists of shared cabins and rooms at the Lodge. All meals, entertainment and recreation for the weekend will be provided on site. For further information please call Northern Women's Centre (807) 345-7802 read any good books lately? NORTHERN WOMAN'S BOOKSTORE 184 Camelot St Thursday & Friday : 11.30-600 Saturday: 430-4 30 SpectAum Cotouted watts stide in and out pa termed tite4 and potished gtain some watts pretend to be tainbows tentacte4 cotoca teaising w with pnomtis es and dreams - -- Watts 6epakate cetts, /1.0001, people you and me btack shadow Watts s tatk_ white watts wtao astound me in an endtess 6og I took 6ot you Watts keep us waiting inside out isepatate cetts t/Lapped inside bodies that tage agai_nst hems elves aging gesh watts accommodate gtowing ptisons watts come ctoset to us cat tying tiie and death Shatt I paint myTh)atts with blood red gowets on golden dream-iitted takes? Sptinkte 0/Lange chat on gAey tty to pooh the waltz away? on play inside them tike a chitd ptanning 6/Leedom .. Rosatyn Taytot Pettett NORTHERN WOMAN page 1 1 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �- Abortion Access Reprinted from PRO-CHOICE NEWS Ontario residents will perhaps remember that during the provincial election in 1985 all three political parties agreed that access to abortion services was inadequate and needed improving. This was a remarkable admission and a significant one The poLiticians were no longer quibbling about whether abortions should be performed, but were in fact acknowledging that such a medical service belongs in the mainstream of medicine and provision of that service was now the issue. Perhaps they had finally begun to read the polls rather than only reading their antiabortion mail. Perhaps they had finally realized that pro-choice groups and virtually every women's organization in the province were speaking for the majority and were making sense. Perhaps, because they understood this they were more willing to display a little political courage. There was also the embarrassment of the Morgentaler clinic, a constant reminder that women in Ontario (and other parts of Canada) were not able to get abortions through the hospital system. The Liberals promised that if they were elected they would improve access, especially in Northern Ontario. The Liberals were elected and in June of 1986 (it only took a year) Dr. Marion Powell, who had been a member of the Federal Government's inquiry in 1977 into the operation of the abortion law (the Badgley Report) was asked to review access to therapeutic abortion services in Ontario. These were the terms of reference: (1) Review with those Ontario hospitals that provide therapeutic abortion services to: (a) identify the demand and availability of services by geographic area; (b) identify program components that women require and the means of achieving optimum provision of these components; (c) review the referral patterns and scheduling process; (d) review the operation of therapeutic abortion committees, and (e) encourage the development of this service as a total program. (2) To work with the public health units in Ontario to identify needs in their family planning programs and to examine ways in which the programs can be co-ordinated with those provided by hospitals. PDF (3) To work with local hospitals, public health units, and the like, to develop a regional or local referral system for birth control services. (4) To work The with firstconcerned phase of comthe study munity groups, e.g. Planned Parentwas undertaken in the summer and hood, to develop informational andmet with fall if 1986. Dr. Powell educational programs on family planservice providers throughout the proning. vince. Her report was released on (5) January To identify resources 27 ofthe this year. Its findrequired ings to assist and to expand as "damning" were characterized these services hospitals, health by the in media. Dr. Powell found the units, and so on. system rife with problems. Among the problems she identified were the following: (1) In over 50% of counties the majority of women obtaining abortions had the procedure outside their place of residence. (2) A minimum of 5000 Ontario women obtain in free-standcompression, OCR, abortions web optimization using ing clinics in Canada or the U.S. All the criticisms of the existing system of service delivery contained in Dr. Powell's report have been mode by provincial pro-choice and family planning personnel for years. All the critcisms of the existing system of service delivery contained in Dr. Powell's report have been made by provincial pro-choice groups and family planning personnel for years. For that reason Dr. Powell's report is a welcome and long overdue acknowledgement of the unacceptable delivery of service in the curarent watermarked evaluation hospital-based system. Itcopy is of also a credit to the provincial gov- CVISION PDFCompressor �RESPONSE OF ONTARIO GOVERNMENT TO POWELL REPORT In March, Health Minister Murray Elston announced his government's response to the Powell Report. The Province will spend up to $2.5 million to encourage hospitals to provide better service. In this way Elston hopes the need for the two free-standing clinics will be eliminated. The provincial government has hired Dr. Powell to begin implementing some of the recommendations of her report. In 1970 the late Dr. Elsie Gregory MacGill, member of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women and subsequent Honorary Director of CARAL, issued a separate statement to the Commission's Report. She said, in reference to section 251 of the Criminal Code (the section dealing with abortion), that if this law is not repealed immediately it "will linger on for a decade or two more to harass and punish women." Dr. MacGill's words were prophetic. We are in year 17 of that prophecy. The basis for the inequities and scandalous treatment of women seeking abor- tion care in this country is the abortion law itself. Despite protestations from some that access can be improved under the current legislation we have seen no evidence of this. In fact we have seen a constant and steady erosion of service across the land. It remains to be seen whether Ontario can honour its pledge to improve access, given the refusal to confront what everyone knows are unworkable and unnecessary constraints in the legislation, namely, the requirement that abortions be performed in hospitals and only upon approval by a therapeutic abortion committee. .************,.*****************.*40***********#*******.*****...***.*******.*..*.o.***.***.o.*****************.*********.** Women's feelings, needs and thouward right-and-far-right-wing conservatism, ghtsmanifested have consistently in reactionary been challengand right-wing governments ed on this issue. and organizations) of women's rights and freedoms (This issue is extremely complex. Theoretically, all of Canadian socI will forward a longer supplement iety's rights and freedoms are therewhich I have been moved to write, affore being eroded, but it is women ter all this time of trying to organwho are, and have been, paying the ize some personal response to all the price. members of the pro-life movement. Loewenberg and Dolgoff write: Many of these people, I think, are "A person can be said to be free well meaning, but in their zeal to only when all of the following condiprotect the "rights of the unborn", tions prevail: continued from p2 they forget those of us who've had 1. The environment provides a to live here for many years. However, set of options from which a person I am aware that many of the tactics can make choices. For reasons mentioned in the of the pro-life movement are very There Iisamnonot coercion attached 2. letter, signingon the destructive and uncaring of others- person from any source to choose a my name. I believe my thoughts rewitness firebombings and destruction given option. present those of many women, beof property -- and for this reason, 3. The person aware of all cause I have heard manyisexpress themI do not include my name, as I do not the available options. selves similarly to me. I am firmly wish to be harassed as a private cit4. in Thethe person hasthat accurate entrenched belief wom- inizen. I am not writing as a member about the cost conseen'sformation (and human) rights will and never of a party or organization.) quences to of become each option in order to be allowed a dead/nonI believe we must oppose-mnyabwillommm assess them realistically. issue, irrespective of the> prevailfurther suppression and denial of 5. The person has the capacity ing political climate. women's rights, as we should the denand/or initiative to make decision Suffice to say that I am awritial and suppression of the rights of theasbasis of this and assessment. ing on this a tax-payer voter, men to self-determination. Barring 6. The person a realistice and an L.U. student whohas works partminority males, men's autonomy and to I'm act writing on the basis timeopportunity at two jobs. this of self-determination have always been hisindividual, or her choice." as an and have not been regarded, historically, as a kind of this definition, women who coerced, By commissioned or otherwise sacred trust. are ordered an embryo cajoled to writetoitcarry by anyone otheror I firmly believe that if men foetus to full term, and give birth, than myself. Thanks for your time. could conceive and have babies, they are not free (the basic precept of would never have allowed the issue of our democratic society). Organizations Sincerely, of abortion, and of individual rights, such as Campaign Life (who ran the to deteriorate to its present state. latest advertisement in the Chronicle Make no mistake -- this is a women's Journal), if ever allowed to become issue. Men have a place in it, but the predominant activist organization TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: what ethical right do they have domon abortion, would see to it that inating it? I shudder at the conseabortions become illegal. This would I have always had a very hard quences of the potential acts of be a totalitarian, undemocratic act. unfeeling male decision-makers on time with hearing men predominate in I challenge the pro-life discussions about abortion, one ofmovethis issue. that to this: if you prove of the ment primary and true "issues" ourunder allThe circumstances, the pro-choice time. sad fact is that in prea pregnant say "As sentmovement Canadianwould society, it should not womabortion", then an,issue you must haveits an existence be an at all; argument, I will entire should be arefute basic this right, and a given. campaign. and wish been you success in your I have amazed and angered that this But youtoknow well as leaders, I listening maleaspro-life absolutemarchers nonsense. maleispro-life and organiof profact, (lately, the existence zers, andInindeed with the by groups confirms Babychoice "K" case), male ethicsdemocracy, profespro-life example, (and whereas thehaughtsorsthis consistently often fact of that it. The ily)movement discuss denies the various aspects pro-life movements exist is only abortion, including ethical/moral im- due the democratic to the good graces plications, attempts to of define life allowed country in which it is itself (something truly beyond the to the face operate, it including kicks it in grasp of mostyet, of us, theoundeby propounding an astoundingly logians and most learned professors), mocratic line. Thunder and what a woman -- And not in a man -- Bay, Messieurs Hennessy supshould or should not do and withKozyra her own Unbelievable, especially body.port More than not, when womitoften when Mr. Kozyra is such a staunch en are mentioned at all, it is as the of demoupholder of the principles villian, the vamp and/or the vessel. your OICE cracy: The crime of this entire issue is the gross erosion in present Canadian society (due primarily to the trend of the last several years to- NORTHERN WOMAN page 13 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �BOOK REVIEW: reviewed by MARGARET PHILLIPS The Myth of Women's Masochism, by Paula J. Caplan, Ph.D., Signet pb, 1985, $4.95 The myth of women's masochism is deeply entrenched in our society. That women contribute to our own misery; that women fear success, thus ensuring our own failures; that, some - if not all - women actually enjoy pain and suffering; are deeply held beliefs. The myth has frequently been "proven" by a variety of (usually male) "experts"; been embraced by the mental health profession; and has been widely accepted even by women. Feminists who have long been uncomfortable with the 'masochist' label will welcome the exposure of the myth that has been provided by Paula Caplan's important work The Myth of Women's Masochism. Caplan, a Canadian psychologist and educator, provides a solid analytical base to understand why women's behaviour has been mislabeled masochistic; the benefits that accrue a misogynist society to continue the myth; and the consequent difficulty in debunking the myth. It was only after some years of study and clinical practice that Caplan began to seriously question the accepted wisdom that women's behaviour is masochistic, leading to the development of theory that "the behaviour in women that has been called masochistic actually has other explanations" namely: " * the ability to delay gratifications, wait for rewards and pleasure, or attempt to earn happiness through effort. the capacity to put other people's needs ahead of one's own. * the belief, based on past experience, that what one has is about all one can expect to get, or * the effort to avoid punishment, rejection or guilt." Caplan believes women's unhappiness stems from our woman-hating society that creates attitudes, institutions and power relations that cause women much pain - a society that "uses the myth of women's masochism to blame the women themselves for their misery". When women are convinced their problems are pathological, we won't question "the social institutions that really are the primary cause of the trouble." It is the myth of womenls masochism that encourages depersonalization and sexual objectification of women, devalues womens traditional roles, and justifies verbal and physical abuse of women. No woman escapes the insidiousness of the myth. As Caplan says "The belief that females seek out pain and suffering, that we have an inate need for misery, poisons every aspect of women's lives." NORTHERN WOMAN page 14 Beginning with an examination of the theoretical assumptions that misname women as masochists, Caplan then leads us through an analysis of women as mothers; our relationships with men; attitudes towards women's bodies; women as victims of violence; women at work; and women in therapy. Through case studies, research, and analysis of other theories and assumptions, the contradictions that women face are thoroughly discussed. We're damned if we do, and we're damned if we don't. "If you don't become a selfsacrificing mother (or a mother at all) you seriously risk being punished and considered unnatural. If partly to avoid such punishment, you become a mother, then you are punished by being given enormous responsibility, little appreciation, and a great deal of potential blame." If you don't sacrifice your needs for those of your husband, you are not a good wife. If you do you are called masochistic. If you are competent at work you become threatening to male coworkers (a castrating woman!), if you suppress your competence to encourage co-worker acceptance you have "a fear of success." If your partner batters you, you must have done something to cause it. If you stay in a battering relationship - even when there is no alternative - you'll be labelled a masochist. I urge anyone who has casually, jokingly, or seriously used the term masochistic in reference to their own or other women's behaviour to read this book. I wager you will think twice before using the term again. Further, as Caplan advises, we must challenge others who glibly or professionally - are quick with the masochist label. Rather, we must promote or force discussion on the real causes of women's unhappiness - our lack of economic, social and political power. Only when we understand and challenge the misogynest society that benefits from and perpetuates women's so-called masochism will we demand the radical changes that we require. The powerful forces working to restrict such change must be continually analyzed. For me, the most disturbing aspect of Caplan's book is the Afterword, where she describes the struggle that she and other women have been obliged to mount within the American Psychiatric Association to prevent the APA from adopting "masochistic personality disoreder" as a new official category of mental disorders. Reading this Afterword is a chilling experience, as we realize the powerful misogyny of the APA, it's influence of the mental health profession, and the resultant effect this can have on women who may seek professional help. As well as trying to adopt "masochistic personality disorder" - later renamed "self-defeating personality disorder" - two other categories were proposed. "Premenstrual dysphoric disorder", which would make PMS a psychiatric disorder, and "paraphilic coercive disorder" to be applied to a person "who had repeatedly raped or been preoccupied with fantasies of sexual coersion for at least six months.' (An insanity plea for rapists!) It was only after enormous efj fort by Caplan, by Jean Baker Miller, the APA Committee on Women, and other feminist mental health professionals that a partial victory was obtained. "Paraphilic coercive disorder" was discarded totally. The proposals to categorize "selfdefeating personality disorder" and "premenstrual dysphoric disorder" in the APA manual were defeated. However, they are to be included in the manual's appendix, which may raise the problem of psychiatrists accepting these terms as official. And, as Caplan points out, attempts may be made to accept these categories for inclusion in the next APA manual, to be published in 1990. Caplan emphasizes that she and other mental health professionals cannot relax, but must be on guard to continually fight this battle. Women owe Caplan a debt of gratitude for making us aware of this disturbing situation, and feminist groups should offer all appropriate support as this struggle goeS forward. 3tjF is -ttif ft- Book Store News Cont.Emily Nasrallah's FLIGHT AGAINST TIME is a story about the immigrant experience. Nasrallah was born in Kfeir village, South Lebanon. She has published ten books, and won many awards for her writing and journalism. Her home (along with her unpublished manuscripts) was completely destroyed by the war in 1982. When asked why she stayed in such a strife-torn country, she replied that, as a writer, she felt compelled to document the devastating effects of constant war, and in particular the effect on women and children. Nasrallah has repeatedly spoken out in favour of the rights for women in Lebanon. PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Matching Canadian women writers create memorable women. This month's quiz is to match the novel's major character with the author. To really test you, the next step is to match character, author and title of the novel. There's a prize, for the first reader to send NWJ the correct answers to this quiz. Character Author Character Author 1. Minn Burge (a) Margaret Atwood 2. Evelyn Hall (b) Marie-Claire Blais 3. Naomi Nakane (c) Anne Cameron 4. Rose (d) Beatrice Culleton 5. Isobel Cleary (e) Marian Engel 6. Chiclet Gomez (1) Janet Turner Hospital 7. Marian McAlpine (g) Joy Kogawa 8. Pauline Archange (h) Margaret Laurence 9. Felicity (1) Alice Munro 10. April Raintree (j) Dorothy O'Connell 11. Anne Gray (k) Jane Rule 12. Stacey McAindra (1) Audrey Thomas Novel 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 7 A15,13 Ni W 0 ./%" A r A. G. AD E 1 I EHN 1 S u B ri NU _1_ y 13 0 0 17 5 ET c o By 1 tn. m E3 E. r7 oBoE PERT E .5 A E. o0p AF E 5 1_ 5 -r RE.HEAF6E E. A !L 7 A NI R. uLE ID the answers to the Woman Words crossword our in last issue. P o,L O o N' S v4 A F L E c. ; 0 o 7.1 Our apologies for neglecting to include R.1 13 E- E6 ) X T a w 0' HEE A L. RoN LA51 0NE N aaT L._ A 0yA ViA,7 E 6 NORTHERN WOMAN page 15 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �CASSETTES AVAILABLE AT THE NORTHERN WOMAN'S BOOKSTORE 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY '=_II 11 fil LANIICCILICNIIII Of Films 1JedlIfig WIER INOMCITUS 1984 1985 1985 Delia spent years counselling women to confront their alcoholism and drug addiction while ignoring her own alcoholism. Fi- 12 min. Delia their sobriety is a renewed commitment to their Native Indian culture. sense of self-worth and helping to maintain addiction. A factor contributing to their Recovering alcoholics, two sisters talk about their battle to shake alcohol and drug 15 min Debby and Sharon Related to Turnaround: A Story of Recovery, this series of four films focusses on individual women who are recovering from drug or alcohol dependency. The Recovery Series Aurora House, a residential treatment centre in Vancouver, these women are learning to face painful truths. on alcohol, prescription medication, street drugs, or a combination of these. Living in Five women were brought together by a common illness - all had a dependence 47 min. Turnaround: A Story of Recovery 1985 Office national du film du Canada Well-DeIng 1985 Ontario, the film looks at providing 1985 the NFB office closest to you. March, 1987. For more information, contact also be available from NFB offices as of 16 mm from all National Film Board offices in Canada. Video rental, in VHS format, will These films are available for free loan in therapy for offenders are part of this city's attempt to break the cycle of violence. in London, Ontario. Services for victims and A co-ordinated effort by police, lawyers, doctors and social workers has resulted in an effective response to woman-battering 28 min. Moving On shelter and services for battered women in rural, northern, and native communities. in Filmed in Thompson and Portage La Prairie in Manitoba, and West Bay Reserve 28 min. A Safe Distance taining support and counselling. as a safe place for sharing experiences, ob- Sylvie recreates her experience as a battered woman seeking help at a Montreal transition house. This film emphasizes the importance of women speaking out and points out the role of the transition house 28 mm. Sylvie's1985 Story their lives. support services victims need to rebuild A series of three films that deal with the nature and scope of woman-battering and the The Next Step THE WOMEN'S BODY POLITIC 1985 D.E.S.: An Uncertain Legacy 55 min. in Between 1941 and 1971, a synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol or D.E.S., was prescribed to pregnant women to prevent miscarriages. This practice resulted numerous cases of reproductive and genital abnormalities. This film looks at the development, marketing and medical consequences of D.E.S. 1985 The Best Time of My Life: Portraits of Women in Mid-life 58 min. Reflecting a wide range of income levels, lifestyles, careers and backgrounds, ten women in their middle years share their experiences of menopause. 1986 Is It Hot In Here? A Film About Menopause 36 min. One of the least understood and most universal of women's experiences is menopause. This film is an informative and sometimes humorous look at contemporary social attitudes, symptoms and treatments relating to menopause. 1984 Abortion: Stories from North and South 55 min. treatment that enabled her to gradually build a new life for herself and her son. nally she quit her job and sought the Of the estimated 30 to 50 million induced abortions performed annually, more than half are illegal, and an estimated 84,000 of 1985 Lorri Ruth National Film Board of Canada joined Alcoholics Anonymous. prostitution, Ruth turned to alcohol and drugs. After 18 years of addiction she cape from painful memories of childhood physical, mental and sexual abuse, and At 14 years of age and in search of an es- 14 min. Humiliated by her inability to control her drinking, and feeling confused and suicidal, Lorri committed herself to a psychiatric ward of a hospital, where she recovered. 14 min. them result in death. Filmed in Ireland, Japan, Thailand, Peru, Colombia and Canada, this film is a survey of the realities of abortion. Spirit of the Kata 28 mm. 1985 Five women, all black belts of world-class calibre, discuss how an ancient martial art has transformed their lives. NFB Offices in Canada Halifax: (902) 426-6001 - Sydney: (902) 564-7770 - Saint John: (506) 648-4996 - Moncton: (506) 857-6101 - St. John's: (709) 772-5005 Corner Brook: (709) 637-4499 - Charlottetown: (902) 892-6612 - Montreal: (514) 283-4823 - Chicoutimi: (418) 543-0711 - Quebec: (418) 648-3176 Rimouski: (418) 722-3086 - Rouyn: (819) 762-6051 - Sherbrooke: (819) 565-4915 - Trois-Rivieres: (819) 375-5714 - Toronto: (416) 973-9093 Ottawa: (613) 996-4863 - Hamilton: (416) 572-2347 - Kingston: (613) 545-8056 - Kitchener: (519) 743-2771 - London: (519) 679-4120 North Bay: (705) 472-4740 - Thunder Bay: (807) 623-5224 - Winnipeg: (204) 949-4129 - Regina: (306) 780-5012 - Saskatoon: (306) 975-4246 Calgary: (403) 292-5338 - Edmonton: (403) 420-3010 - Vancouver: (604) 666-0718 - Prince George: (604) 564-5657 - Victoria: (604) 388-3869 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Second Class MAL Registration No. 5697 MAIL TO: INSIDE THIS ISSUE: p2 YOUR VOICE p3 PAY EQUITY p5 UPDATE p6 MICHIGAN WOMYN'S FESTIVAL p7 LEGALLY YOURS/WRITER IN RESIDENCE p8 NO PASERAN RETURN TO: THE NORTHERN WOMAN 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 Return Postage Guaranteed Don't forget to renew your subscription! Here's my sub: p10 IN SEARCH OF A R.E.A.L. WOMAN Name Address pll INTERWEAVE p12 ABORTION ACCESS (postal mode) p14 BOOK REVIEW ladIvidaal $ 5 o lasdtettlooal $10 0 p15 QUIZ ************************************ * WORKERS THIS ISSUE: TANYA SHAW CAROLYN GREENWOOD MARY-ANN KLEYENDORST MARGARET PHILLIPS ROSEMARY PITTIS t *IS THERE AN ASTERISK ON YOUR LABEL ? t PLEASE RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION * * * * * t t*********************************** Northern Woman Journal 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 (FOURISSUES) $10.00 Business or Institution PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Description An account of the resource Northern Woman Journal Published in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northern Woman Journal (originally called Northern Woman) started in 1973 following the first annual Northern Women’s Conference in order to keep the conference attendees connected. Initially serving as a newsletter of events, local issues, and women’s resources, the Northern Woman Journal quickly became a diverse publication reaching national and international readers. Not only did it serve as a newsletter to keep local women up to date on feminist issues in Northwestern Ontario, but also as a safe space to discuss women’s resources, law, politics, economics, health, racism, sexism, homophobia, feminist organizing and activism, transnational feminist issues, poetry, feminist reading, feminist art, and women’s diverse lived experiences.One of the longest-running feminist perodicals in North America, the Northern Woman Journal reached its end in 1995. Throughout its 22 years, the Northern Woman Journal was produced by its many collective members, with membership evolving year to year. For many years, the journal worked closely alongside and shared space with the Northern Women’s Centre and the Northern Women’s Bookstore. With the exception of a year-long government grant in the 1970s, the journal relied entirely on subscription fees and donations in order to maintain publishing, which presented challenges throughout its entire existence. As stated in an early version of the editorial policy, “only by a free and open exchange of views and opinions will we develop a basis for unity which can be used as a basis for action.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal, Vol 10 No 4 Description An account of the resource Vol. 10, No. 4 (October 1987) Title: Northern Woman Journal Topics include: Pay Equity Feminist book list Women’s Place Kenora Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival Legal name change World Congress of Women, Moscow Poetry R.E.A.L. women Abortion access INTERWEAVE solidarity initiative Powell Report Book review of The Myth of Women’s Masochism by Paula J. Caplan Feminist film list Authors/Contributors: Liz Poulin Rose Pittis Lynn Beak Josie Wallenius Susan Collins Teresa Mallam Rosalyn Taylor Perrett Margaret Phillips Tanya Shaw Carolyn Greenwood Mary-ann Kleyendorst Rosemary Pittis Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Northern Woman Journal Collective Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-10 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published on this site with permission. Language A language of the resource English https://digitalcollections.lakeheadu.ca/files/original/16/2793/1987_Vol_10_No_3.pdf 476ffefb1bd14166178ef81f1fce048c PDF Text Text Northern Woman Journal June 1987, Vol. 10 No. 3, Thunder Bay, Ontario $1.50 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �DATELINE: KENORA by TERESA MALLAM David Ramsay, parliamentary assistant to Northern Development and Mines Minister, Premier David Peterson was in Kenora last month to announce a grant of $100,000 for Women's Place Kenora to purchase an existing building. The selected building will be used to house a telephone crisis service, counselling and meeting rooms, office space and programming for women's services. A ministry news release noted that Women's Place had been recognized in its role of helping "more than 500 women in crisis in the last ten years and serving over 20,000 people in the region". Following the grant announcement by Ramsay at Pinecrest Home for the Aged on March 12th, Charlotte Holm expressed the group's appreciation to the Premier and to Katie Heikkenen of the ministry's Thunder Bay office. She also expressed her sincere thanks to the Transition Houses, family resource centres and women's groups from all over Northwestern Ontario who supported the application for funding, as well as local organizations such as Kenora-Keewatin Business and Professional Women's Club and the Kenora Family Resource Centre. The funding was urgently needed in order that the organization simply survive said Holm. Beyond that, Women's Place will now be able to improve its services to area women and respond to unmet needs in the community. "Our organization is very much accustomed to dealing with poverty, and we think we do that very well" she said in response to the ministry's announcement. "But we are less accustomed to prosperity and news of this impending announcement has left us somewhat stunned and glassy-eyed. There is a lot of apparently aimless rushing about ... however, we are confident of our ability to cope.." In addition, Holm gave thanks to the Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council staff and members "who keep us well informed, supported and relatively sane". And a special note of appreciation went to Lisa Bengtsson, of Secretary of State Dept., Thunder Bay, "who keeps us focussed and is consistently helpful and supportive." had nothing to give. We recognize that our survival and our accompli ments are the result of a culmulat effort, and we want to assure thos people that their contribution is remembered - and valued." Women's Place hopes to reloca this summer. The organization has formed a committee who will invest gate real estate in the area. At d moment the group is busy comparing notes on several prospective build. ings. As well, in the search for neI premises, Holm said they will be looking for a building which could accommodate an extensive resource library on women's issues (the current collection is overflowing the shelves!) and provide revenue bearing suites for an ongoing source of income in future years. "Last, but not least, we want to thank our own members - those who have stayed with us through some very difficult times, and those newer members who bring energy, enthusiasm.and a fresh perspective. We also want to recognize and acknowledge the efforts of past members, Board members and staff who sometimes gave until they tiny apartment without enough money Unlike most right-wing groups to buy thedoes necessities of life. NAC not advocate only one kin -YES, of more childcare is available family. Indeed, the only sorts than before. since thousands familiesBUT... we consider unacceptable more. those mothersin ,areworking,outeide-the, which there-Ascploitatii home and many have to or support themviolence, abuse incest. selves and Have theirrecent children, the supply decades been comp of good child care spaces is more tely bleak for the women's movemen squeezed and inadequate ever. mile Of course not. But than for every Why after decades of fighting have come, there's an extra mile ti have we go. come such a little way? One reason is that the closer get to woi As Canada's most we important achieving real change, the greater en's organization, NAC plays a vit, the resistance we meet. Equal pay for role in doing research, public edu( Canadian still a long the samewomen work,are which meant little betion and lobbying on all issues of way from being equal men. cause women andtomen have very differcern to women. We are the united v< Consider this ent jobs, was... relatively easy to obof Canadian women. Our support is -YES, the wage gappay between men of andequal vatain. Equal for work ong and growing. In the last year women has much lue,dimished, which is BUT... essential to less break this lone our membership has risen from than people realize. a womvicious cycle, In is 1971, blocked or delayed 360 to 470 women's groups. an's earnings were 60% of man's. business almost everywhere bya strong I am writing to you today to In 1984, they were 65%, so that we opposition. you to help us continue to be a st1 have gained Also, only 5% thirteen have years. ourinsuccesses created voice for Canadian women. We speak On average, a woman with a university a backlash. Now we see right-wing gromillions of women from all parts of degreeups still earns less than a man unashamedly spreading lies about the country. Please add your voice with a the highwomen's school movement diploma. and our group. ours. -YES, Most we have succeeded outrageous is in thehaving lie that the Your cheque for $30, $50, $10C laws changed throughout Canada National Action Committee to on enthe Staor whatever you wish to send is ess sure a tus fairer sharing of assets betof Women (NAC) is "anti-housewifes" tial ween spouses on divorce. BUT ... most "anti-motherhood", and "anti-family". Please help us continue to sps divorcing people ownalways very little, NAC has insistedand that our out for Canadian women. Your suppor the trend is for support payments is our strength. Please mail your d society should recognize thetocrucial be smaller and smaller and last for ation today. role of the family - and women's masthree years at most. Withasclose to homemakers sive contribution wives, Louise Dulude half ofand newmothers. marriages to end We expected have always supported President in divorce, the -likelihood of a young measures such as pensions for homeNAC bride becoming poverty-stricken sinmakers - athat would give housewives 344 Bloor St, gle parent is skyrocketing. the respect and financial security Suite 505, -YES;: they minimum pensions have been raideserve. Toronto, M5S 1W' sed with every recent federal elec- of motWe have fought on behalf tion thanks to feminists and other The Northern Woman Journal Collect hers and pregnant women - defending concerned citizens. BUT ... Canada's apologizes for the long delay bet., their right to generous maternity lepopulation is aging very fast, and issues. Moving to our new locatiol ave and benefits, higher family allowmost ofances, the very old are widows with took priority over publishing., We quality day care, and protectincome ion below the poverty line. As it want to make up for lost time and against reporoductive hazards in is, a woman who spent her life as a get the next issue out very soon. the workplace. And we support the middle-class housewife is almost cerContributors please note deadline right to choose whether or not to have tain of ending her copy for next issue is July 10/87. children, and days when.alone in a I PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Carolyn Greenwood This article is titled Rebirth because of the feelings we all have since centre has moved to her new space. When City funding was withdrawn, I think the general feeling was one of gloom. Even though we didn't really expect Council to do the unexpected and stand up to the pressure from various groups, the finality of the averted faces and not even bothering to explain was a setback. Or seemed to be at the time. The reality, once the smoke cleared, was a feeling of elation. Hence Rebirth. Bpcause our funding was withdrawn we no longer have paid staff, but, many women have stepped in with incredible energy. The feeling i$ "This is OUR centre ", and it is. Eqeryone is putting in long hours with the sense of working for ourselves. With the Court Street building sold, Centre has moved just down the street to 184 Camelot. Our new home is on the corner of Camelot and Water Streets across from the Bus Terminal. The storefront is divided into three sections: the Northern Woman's Bookstore, Northern Woman Journal and, of course, Northern Women's Centre. smoking' lounge, and There is a kitchen area along with a large common room used as a work area, social space, and resource library. There is some parking at the side of the building. We have a large, bright space to work from. The move from old to new was accomplished (in hindsight) with a minimum of fuss and bother. The majority of the organization and guidance came from Karen Maki, who pulled it off with ease and her usual panache. She was not alone though. Many women came out to help when they REBIRTH could. Evenings or weekends. There was the excitement of shared woman energy. This feeling was carried through to the construction that had to be undertaken at our new home. There was quite a bit of work that had to be done. The majority of the space was open and had to be divided. Particularly to separate the bookstore from the main area. Enter several builders extraordinaire. A wall was built complete with door. This seemingly humugus task was finished in what seemed like a remarkable speed. Everyone did a wonderful job. It looks great! Much work is being done internally at centre as well. Our Resource Library has been reorganized and material is available to members, researchers and students for a period of three weeks. Journal space is now separate, I'm sure to everyone's relief (we can be rather messy during the layout stage). Centre is having regular meetings on the first Tuesday of every month. Also, regular meetings are being held to form and record policy. A mammoth task. The first meeting came up with a mission statement as follows: The Northern Women's Centre is a meeting place that provides a strong feminist voice for women in Northwestern Ontario. To achieve this the centre will: 1. Focus on feminist resources, interests and energies. 2. Promote community awareness of Northwestern Ontario women's concerns. 3. Lobby on feminist issues. Serious issues have been discussed at the many meetings held so far and will continue. We are concentrating less on social service and more on our own needs as feminists. Policy meetings are open to any woman who wishes to take part in the future growth of centre. If you wish to take part all meetings and announcements are posted as the centre. Our policies will continue to grow with us. Centre has also received another boost of energy'in the form of a grant to host, plan and organize an Ontario Women's Centre conference in September, in Thunder Bay. Our goals are to examine issues of survival for Women's Centres, to develop support system and communication network, to look at the future needs and issues, what the future of women's centres may be and to deal with the institutionalization of women's issues. Karen will be coordinating this event. Much work has been done already and we are all looking forward to this exciting event. We realize that we have much work to do but are entering into an energizing new time in our lives and the life of Women's Centre, We can look back at the work we have done so far and rejoice and look forward to the work we have yet to do. Solstice Celebration Sat June 20 . , i i /1 - ??? 8:30 , I PORT ARTHUR PROSVITA SOCIETY HALL 540 South High Street. 7'*i42.142, 1.13°5c. ol ,txAv, $5.00 AT THE DOOR FOR WOMEN ONLY For more information contact the Women's Centre at 345.7802. NORTHERN WOMAN page 3 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �A Collage of Barriers Addtms by Leni Untinen, NWO Women'4 Decade Councit, to the Nipizzing Ttanzition Howse WO_ kmautt Conietence Panet 'How Society Haz FaLeed , The Abus ed Woman' I have been asked here today to address the situation of northern, rural and isolated women. I have some problem in doing this because, although I live in a rural municipality, I work in Thunder Bay and do not feel particularly rural. Being part of a women's network, I don't feel isolated. And, until I started going to Toronto as part of the Battered Women's Movement, I never considered myself northern. However, I am part of the Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council Violence Subcommittee and certainly many of our constituency fits the categories of northern, rural and isolated. I will try to speak to their needs and their frustrations in accessing a system that attempts to provide safety and protection from battering and purports to offer alternatives to victims. I want to speak for Agnes. Agnes lives in a rural farming township in Northwestern Ontario. She is a farmer's wife, the mother of 10 children. Her shopping is done at the village store and she travels to a small town 30 miles away for business that canaut be transacted in the village. The only trip in her life to the city was for medical reasons. Her academic education is minimal; her skills are. related to home and farm. Her limited socializing is attached to the church and to the Legion of whichhher husband is a member. Agnes is a strong woman. Her future is on the farm. The future of her sons is on the family farm. The future of her daughters is as wives of farmers in the same community. Battering is not foreign to Agnes. It is a part of life when things are bad. Things are bad a lot on the farm. The idea of a transition house is foreign to Agnes. The thought of life without the farm, without the man, is foreign to Agnes. I want to speak for Dorothy. Dorothy was battered periodically for 23 years. When her last child had grown and left home, and after a beating by her husband, she fled her home and community to the city 200 miles away. Within days, she had a job, though minimally paid, and a shared apartment. Then the letters came. From her husband, an executive, pleading with her to come back. It looked bad for him at work and he couldn't understand why she had done this to him. From her children, weekly reports on how lonely and sorry dad was, and telling her how they worried about her. From the minister of her church 6 in all - telling her what a good provider and father her husband had been, reminding her of her responsibility to her husband and her family, in the eyes of God. NORTHERN WOMAN But Dorothy was strong and other than being lonely, life was good. She would share the letters and ask for support in her decision from the women that she sought help from originally and now called her friends. At Christmas Dorothy's family begged her to be with them for the day. And she wanted to go. The idea of not beingwith them at Christmas hurt. What hurt more was that her family, her church and her neighbours saw her as the "bad one", "the deserter". She told us she felt strong enough to go home, to make them all understand, and to have them stop worrying about her. She was fine and happy. Dorothy never came back from that visit. I saw her a year later at a women's conference, and I asked her how she was doing. She said that things weren't good, but that she was surviving. She also said she would not try again. She had failed in her attempt to leave. In leaving, she had failed her role as wife and mother and she had failed her faith. Dorothy is still surviving in her home. She is still periodically beaten. Helena is the daughter of a company family, wife of a company man, in a company house, in a company town. When she tried to leave her battering husband, the company said there was no other housing available to her. As a separated woman, she was no longer a company asset. With no other house in town, and not wanting to leave her community and the rest of her family, her only support, she stays. Her company husband continues to beat her, her company family attempts to console her and to hide the truth from the company. It is difficult to speak for the battered native woman. They need and want to speak for themselves. While we share in their pain, their lifestyles, their culture and their traditions hold their own uniqueness and their own barriers. However, they have told us of how traditions of the family that are the basis of their strength and pride are also their prison when they fall victim to an abusive partner. We have learned that pressing assault charges on a Reserve (policed by special constables, often connected by family or fraternal relationships with males on the Reserve) ranges from difficult to impossible. In remote areas, if somehow charges do get to court, the whole village and beyond attend as this is their opportunity to visit. It is viewed as the only game in town. The entire village witnesses the shame of the relationship. They tell us - in a community where all homes are owned by the Band Council - that housing opportunities are non-existent if the Council has chosen to be supportive of the male who is often affirmed as having the right to control his family. They have told us of the heartache when choosing between fleeing for their saftey or their life and having to leave their children who are viewed as the children of the extended family, children of the community. Many times if they choose to walk, they walk alone. Mostly, they have told us how leaving their home, their family, their world, shakes the very foundation of their spirituality. Many times, the native women find themselves in a new and frightening environment. An environment without support, without adequate funds, and surrounded by a chaos that is confusing. They now walk in a culture that claims to have done away with discrimination, that claims to be compassionate and caring, and claims to be effective. The task of going to a shopping mall to purchase underwear for her children is frightening for a woman from a small, isolated, northern Reserve. The task of meeting with white social workers, white lawyers and white Crown Attorneys is frightening. Suddenly, the woman may be given more money than she may ever have been in charge of, only to find that adequate housing may cost more than half of it. From the rest, she will pay high installation and operating costs for telephone and utilities; transportation costs around the large city to the places she must go and scrimp to buy groceries from shelves that are loaded with abundant choices. She can become more than a little discouraged. Battered women from rural, isolated and northern communities face a collage of barriers, each heaped one upon the other. This is a land bearing a male image - of miner, of logger, of trucker, of labourer. Hard working, hard talking and often hard drinking. It is a strong and physical image, of males in charge, in control of life, his family, and the little woman. There is no room in the dream of the north for the reality of a strike or mine or mill closure; for the despondent unemployed male; for the chaos that racks the entire community when a town busts and the dream is not a reality. There are very few services to handle the stress or to deal with the dilemma of families in personal crisis in small northern towns. page 4 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �We need more subsidized housing and second-stage housing for the women leaving our houses in every community in the north. We need social assistance raised to an adequate level to reflect the real needs and costs experienced by battered women and their families. We need the public to understand and support the battered woman, the separated woman, the woman on welfare. We need more jobs, paying equal pay for work of equal value. We need more afforable child care to give working woman a fighting chance. There is no room in a boom town for a separated parent with children needing housing, when accommodation is a premium and prices are skyrocketing. There is little truth to the promise of confidentiality in a community of 4000 with a transition house, where everyone knows what kind of car everyone else drives and where children arrive at the same school but walking from a different direction. There is little protection for a woman living on a country road, 5 or 10 miles from her nearest neighbour, in an area served by 4 or 5 OPP officers covering over 100 miles of highway and a web of back roads. Or for a woman living in a town or village where the community is unable to financially support A police detachment around the clock. There is little encouragement for women from small neighbouring municipalities' Who to larger - centres and will possibly end up on their welfare roles, which are already experiencing constraints. There is little chance for a mother of 5 or 6 children when there are only 40, 4 or 5 bedroom subsidized units in a city of 110,000, and nonsubsidized housing of that size costs $450 - $650 per month. There is little opportunity for a mother of 3, working for minimum wage in the many clerical or service industry jobs that are filled primarily by women. There is little hope for a separated and independent woman to break into the higher paid non-traditional occupations in communities where unemployment is above the national average, where males are viewed as the primary labour force which must be employed, and where youth is targeted for make-work projects. BATTERING IS A BRUTAL DEMONSTRATION OF POWER. PHYSICAL POWER, FINANCIAL POWER, We continue to press for more services. We need our existing transition houses and family resource centres. As women in communities without services work toward establishing new shelters, we will support their efforts. The houses have truly been for many women their only protection and life-line. Unfortunately, we will never have transition houses'in the over 450 organized and unorganized communities in Northern Ontario. There will always be gaps. All our needs will take a lot of money, and that will take a lot of time. But if I asked Agnes, or Dorothy, or Helena what they want right now, I am sure that they would echo what the majority of the women we have worked with would ask. MAKE HIM STOP! And for that we need a concentrated effort on education, directed at this adult generation and the next. We need to start in our school system, teaching young people (from the wee ones up) that violence directed at another individual is unacceptable. MAKE HIM STOP We need to teach children to verbalize and to negotiate their problems and their needs. Teach them to ask for support and to support others who need help. We need to teach young men to respect themselves and others and particularly to respect the differences between themselves and young women. We need to teach young women that good relationships are not based on dependency. That the possibility of being financially responsible for themselves and their families is very real, and that they should be prepared personally and through education and skill development for that possibility. Battering is a brutal demonstration of power. Physical power. The stronger individual controlling another by brute force. Financial power. We will have little chance to support our families should that necessity be forced on us as long as we continue to be financially dependent, earning 65% of male wages, viewing ourselves and being viewed as a secondary labour force, filling traditionally low-paid, female job ghettos in clerical and service positions. It is an issue of socialized power, handed down through the centuries; entrenched in attitudes too long gone unchallenged. Supported at first by inadequate laws and presently by inadequate interpretation or enforcement of the laws. AT THIS MOMENT, SOMEWHERE IN NORTHERN ONTARIO THERE ARE WOMEN BEING BATTERED We are trying,to turn that socialization around. Broadcasting messages once a day at best, speaking to community groups, classes and conferences whenever we can, forcing the the issue before the press and into women's magazines. And while we labour, another country or rock song hits the air waves reinforcing the traditional male role and undervaluing women's worth. Another million violent war or space toys are produced, and another million pornography roll off the presses. And magazines esrole do I think we use the power that we can access effectively. The collective power of women and community groups speaking out against violence, lobbying for change, and supplying the kind of protection transition houses afford. We must use the power within the law to demonstrate that assault is a crime. Batterers must be made to understand that a criminal act involves a social and public consequence. Men are used to power. Men respect power. The power that they respect must carry the message that violence against women is unacceptable. You will remember that it was only a few short years ago that men who were perceived to be leaders and have political power saw the situation of battered women as humourous. They have feverishly tried to make amends for that insult to women, pouring millions of dollars and resources into prevention and support systems for battered women. It is not enough. We need their voices. Not only an apology and support to women, but man to man and men to men that battering is not condoned and that men will use their power to stop it. We need the voices of industry, employers and union leaders reiterating that the degradation of women and boasts of physical control and punishment of their female partners is not considered appropriate or heroic lunch room conversation. The message must go out across this country that "real men" don't beat women. IF WE DO NOT ADDRESS THE BARRIERS WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE OURSELVES AS FAILING IN HELPING Simplistic in its approach, this is the type of public education that batterers, steeped in years of stereotyping and attitudes, will understand. There are many women that we, as a society, have failed. At this moment, somewhere in Northern Ontario there are women being battered. There are many women trying to recover from violence, trying to understand, trying to cope, trapped in situations which they see no answer to. But we need to hope that we will succeed. continued P6 NORTHERN WOMAN page 5 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �I want to tell you about Carol. Carol's referral to a transition house came from the manager of her husband's company. They want her to be safe. They want her to choose the direction of her life, independent of the fact that they have referred her husband to a mental health worker, and are allowing paid time for his appointments. I want to tell you about Jean. Jean called a transition house terrorized, desperate - with no money, needing to flee a small town. When the shelter worker went to arrange the pre-paid bus ticket, the agent by-passed the agent and the station in the woman's town and arranged with a trusted driver to pick up Jean, who never believed until she reached the transition house 60 miles away that she would escape alive. A system of caring people is beginning to work. I want to tell you about Marion. Marion arrived at the transition house from n distant Reserve. Beaten for years, without money or resour- fall. Marion is never going to be beaten again. She says so every th There is hope. There are messages in this pi sentation. It is not that we have work harder to support victims. It is that battered women are facing barriers and if we do not address the barriers we will continue to ourselves as failing in helping. l message is also that power is not ways bad. It is how it is used the can make it bad. Battered women ai strong; they have survived incredible circumstances. They need to I empowered to take control of their ces, she brought five children, one of whom was handicapped and required special education. Marion is receiving social assistance. She has a subsidized unit in a new complex across from a recreation centre. Her special child is enrolled in the necessary school. Her other children are involved in all sorts of groups, sports and recreational activities. Marion is active in the native community in her new city and is going to take some college classes this lives. Each time we, as women, leant new skill or new knowledge, each time we access new resources, eacl time we feel the strength of shari in a collective effort, we become more powerful. Each barrier we tal down for ourselves, we take down our sisters. Each time we celebrat our strength in unison, we give si ength to other women. Each time w( feel hope, we give hope. Keep on keeping on. I A Collection of Films Dealing with Women's Well-Being THE WOMEN'S BODY POLITIC D.E.S.: An Uncertain Legacy 55 min. 1985 Between 1941 and 1971, a synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol or D.E.S., was prescribed to pregnant women to prevent miscarriages. This practice resulted in numerous cases of reproductive and genital abnormalities. This film looks at the development, marketing and medical consequences of D.E.S. The Best Time of My Life: Portraits of Women in Mid-life 58 min. 1985 Reflecting a wide range of income levels, lifestyles, careers and backgrounds, ten women in their middle years share their experiences of menopause. Is It Hot In Here? A Film About Menopause 36 min. 1986 Turnaround: A Story of Recovery 47 min. 1984 Five women were brought together by a common illness - all had a dependence on alcohol, prescription medication, street learning to face painful truths. The Recovery Series Related to Turnaround: A Story of Recovery, this series of four films focusses on individual women who are recovering from drug or alcohol dependency. Debby and Sharon 15 min. 1985 Recovering alcoholics, two sisters talk about their battle to shake alcohol and drug addiction. A factor contributing to their menopause. This film is an informative and sometimes humorous look at contemporary social attitudes, symptoms and treatments relating to menopause. their Native Indian culture. 1984 Delia 12 min. 1985 Delia spent years counselling women to confront their alcoholism and drug addiction while ignoring her own alcoholism. Fi- nally she quit her job and sought the Of the estimated 30 to 50 million induced abortions performed annually, more than half are illegal, and an estimated 84,000 of treatment that enabled her to gradually build a new life for herself and her son. them result in death. Filmed in Ireland, Japan, Thailand, Peru, Colombia and Canada, this film is a survey of the reali- Lorri ties of abortion. support services victims need to rebuild their lives. drugs, or a combination of these. Living in sense of self-worth and helping to maintain their sobriety is a renewed commitment to 55 min. A series of three films that deal with the nature and scope of woman-battering and the Aurora House, a residential treatment centre in Vancouver, these women are One of the least understood and most universal of women's experiences is Abortion: Stories from North and South The Next Step 14 min. 28 min. 1985 Sylvie recreates her experience as a battered woman seeking help at a Montreal transition house. This film emphasizes the importance of women speaking out and points out the role of the transition house as a safe place for sharing experiences, ob- taining support and counselling. A Safe Distance 28 min 1985 Filmed in Thompson and Portage La Prairie in Manitoba, and West Bay Reserve in Ontario, the film looks at providing 1985 Humiliated by her inability to control her drinking, and feeling confused and suicidal, Lorri committed herself to a psychiatric ward of a hospital, where she recovered. shelter and services for battered women in rural, northern, and native communities. Moving On 28 min. 1985 A co-ordinated effort by police, lawyers, Ruth 14 min. Sylvie's Story 1985 At 14 years of age and in search of an escape from painful memories of childhood physical, mental and sexual abuse, and prostitution, Ruth turned to alcohol and doctors and social workers has resulted in an effective response to woman-battering in London, Ontario. Services for victims and therapy for offenders are part of this city's attempt to break the cycle of violence. drugs. After 18 years of addiction she joined Alcoholics Anonymous. These films are available for free loan in Spirit of the Kata 28 min. 16 mm from all National Film Board offices in Canada. Video rental, in VHS format, will 1985 Five women, all black belts of world-class calibre, discuss how an ancient martial art has transformed their lives. i> National Film Board of Canada Office national du film du Canada also be available from NFB offices as of March, 1987. For more information, contact the NFB office closest to you. NFB Offices in Canada Halifax: (902) 426-6001 - Sydney: (902) 564.7770 - Saint John: (506) 648-4996 - Moncton: (506) 857-6101 - St. John's: (709) 772-5005 Corner Brook: (709) 637-4499 - Charlottetown: (902) 892-6612 - Montreal: (514) 283-4823 - Chicoutimi: (418) 543-0711 - Quebec: (418) 648-3176 Rimouski: (418) 722-3086 - Rouyn: (819) 762-6051 - Sherbrooke: (819) 565-4915 - Trois-Rivieres: (819) 375-5714 - Toronto: (416) 973-9093 Ottawe: (613) 996-4863 - Hamilton: (416) 572-2347 - Kingston: (613) 545-8056 - Kitchener: (519) 743-2771 - London: (519) 679-4120 North Bay: (705) 472.4740 - Thunder Bay: (807) 623-5224 - Winnipeg: (204) 949-4129 - Regina: (306) 780-5012 - Saskatoon: (306) 975-4246 Calgary: (403) 292-5338 - Edmonton: (403) 420-3010 - Vancouver: (604) 666-0718 - Prince George: (604) 564-5657 - Victoria: (604) 388-3869 NORTHERN WOMAN page 6 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �es Women on the Move could be considered our theme this winter, as Women's Centre, the Journal and the Northern Woman's Bookstore have all re-located to 184 Camelot St., just two blocks from our former quarters. We're now at the corner of Camelot and Water Sts., just opposite the Bus Depot, with a nice view of the Lake. The new space is great and thanks to everyone who helped move, renovate, decorate, etc. --- but especially thanks to Rose and Mary Ann whose carpentry skills are much appreciated. A celebratory opening will be held in the near future. Decade Council also has a new home, at 905 Tungsten St. (corner of 10th St.) Decade's new phone number is 623-7556. And the Immigrant Women's Centre also has new quarters. You can find them at 217 Van Norman St. Can you imagine getting a phone call telling you that you will receive $100,000 -- yes, $100,000 -from the provincial government? Well it happened toWomen's Place Kenora. We understand they are still in shock Anyway, we think it is great - and there is no group in the country that deserves it more! (see article this issue for details) o Women's Health Information Network has had an active spring. WHIN has received funding for their Sharing The Information Skills (SIS) project. A mini-conference was recently held in Nipigon, and future conferences are planned for Kenora and Marathon. Board development is also planned as part of the project. WHIN says "Wdcare at a stage in which the board wants to grow and increase its skills. Since two of our board members have recently left, there are a few openings of the board. If you are interested in joining a dynamic group of women and interested in women's health issues...let us know. WHIN's board is a regional board looking for more regional representation:' The Health Network also hopes to prepare a booklet to Assist Women Who Must Travel Out Of Their Own Com-. munity To Give Birth. If you would like to share your story regarding this issue please write WHIN, 8A N. Cumberland St., Thunder Bay, P7A 4L1. Locally WHIN sponsored D.E.S. Awareness Week with comprehensive media coverage and the distribution of an information package to many health care professionals. D.E.S. Awareness week was very important in focussing attention to this urgent issue. "We've had over a dozen responses from across the area" Heather Woodbeck stated. "We've established for certain that D.E.S. was used in several communities. People have described to us classic symptoms that read like a pamphlet." D.E.S. Awareness week, which was held across the country, coordinated by D.E.S. Action Canada, is necessary as thousands of Canadian men and women between ages 16 and 46 still may not know that they were exposed to the drug. D.E.S. (diethylstilbestrol), a synthetic hormone, was supposed to help women with a previous history of miscarriage, carry their babies to term. The drug was used around the world, in Canada between 1941 and 1971. It has been estimated that between 200,000 and 400,000 Canadian women were given the drug. When D.E.S. first appeared on the market, it was touted as a wonder drug. Both doctors and expectant mothers used the drug in good faith. The story of D.E.S. does point to the larger issues related to the pharmaceutical industry and drug approval in general. Although early studies did link D.E.S. to cancer in laboratory animals, testing during the 1950s indicated that it had no measurable effect on carrying babies to term; the drug remained available until a direct link to human cancer was made. Even then, D.E.S. was only banned for use by pregnant women. D.E.S. is still used as a Morning After Pill and as a treatment for various types of cancer. Although the drug is now rarely used at all in Canada, it continues to enjoy widespread use in under-developed countries. For those who were directly exposed to D.E.S. while in utero, the effects range from the benign to the severe. These complications tend to concentrate around the reproductive organs. Daughters may develop a variety of uterine and cervical abnormalities. Most of these are benign, although they result in significantly higher rate of fertility problems and miscarriages than those faced by unexposed women. The most dangerous among these problems is the greater risk of ectopic pregnacies. A rare form of vaginal cancer has also been linked to D.E.S. exposure. Sons are also more prone to benign cysts and abnormalities, as well as fertility problems. The high incidence of such complications has prompted D.E.S. Action to produce a Fertility Guide for children exposed to D.E.S. Finally, the women themselves who took D.E.S. run a higher risk of developing breast cancer in their later years. Many of these complications will respond to treatment, particularly if caught early and understood to be related to D.E.S. exposure. What should you do if you believe you have been exposed to D.E. S. Daughters need the special D.E.S. examiniation. Contact the Obstetrics and Gynecology department of the nearest hospital or D.E.S. Action Canada for a referral. Sons should see a urologist if they have problems. Mothers should tell their children so they can get the medical care they need. They should also take care of their own health by examining their breasts every month and getting a professional breast exam once a year. Contact WHIN for more information. Imo Still on health concerns a new national organization Dalkon Shield Action Canada has been formed. This organization provides information and support to the victims of the Dalkon Shield. They publish a newsletter and maintain a national registry of lawyers with experience in Dalkon Shield cases. For more information contact Dalkon Shield Action Canada, c/o VancouVer Women's Health Collective, 888 Burrand St., Vancouver, V6Z 1X9. As they say in the business, "There's a pill for every ill!" Other useful information from Women's Health Interaction. The Report to the Health Protection Branch of the Regional Meetings on Fertility Control which received many briefs on Depo Provera has reported at last. Regional meetings were organized in response to pressure from groups across the country, although advocacy groups had demanded open public hearings prior to the approval of Depo Provera. The major difficulty with the report is that it did not propose clear cut recommendations on the use of Depo. Groups like Women's Health Interaction are concerned because there haven't been open hearings and so consumers have not had a chance to express their concerns about the drug. We understand the government plans to decide on the future of Depo without holding open public hearings. You can help by writing your MP or the Minister of Health and Welfare Jake Epp and asking for open public hearings. If you want to be involved or receive more information contact: Madeline Boscoe, 304-414 Graham Ave., Winnipeg, R3C OL8. WHI also reports that the drug Flagyl contains metronidazole. As early as 1983 warnings were issued that metronidazole had caused cancer in test animals. Yet the drug has not been banned. Flagyl is prescribed for vaginal infections caused by trichomonas. Extreme care must be taken that Flagyl is used only when the infection is proven to be caused by trichomonas and not by the more common yeast infection. Even then it is questionable that the benefits out- weigh the risks of using Flagyl. moo A woman's group and legal fund are using the Charter of Rights to challenge the Ontario government in court, over the exclusion of domestic workers from the Employment Standards Act. continued on P12 NORTHERN WOMAN page 7 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �POETRY Amazon 1. Visions o4 cambAic in autumn winds II. The drape p4 the dress canezz bteasts thighs sighs III Mesmerized I state at the speaking stone Those ate the wands I atways wanted to say Don't make me your Because then I hav Festiva. Women IV° And make it worth I Sings of Love and Wendship voyages 14 I don't have to ate the rhythm o4 peace viAtue You won't 6ind me the beat o4 a cottective drum bwtni.ng ambZems A You want me to be tesonant in the suntight the sound o6 a guitar stAum You say, and I bet V. Bound to het 4athet's speait Though the e44ott AdmiAation gows thtough she was hunted To Learn and be an every tytic o4 evety song actoss tiveAs and oceans I know you can hav sunvivat Ls the theme in a won.Ld with 40 much wrong Arc tow sttaight You can choose and to another shote But don't makeime Don't ctippte my L Festiva . women zing a woman' - song cetebtating each other VI. I'm not sttong eno Without sisteitis But maybe Lave is the iabtic wither Sometimes to bting us togethet We can hotd hands. VII. We are ate axcheAs Rosalyn Taytot Antemis S. Batty Btidgetown, N.S. NORTHERN WOMAN page 8 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Change Ls oppoAtunity, titez o6 pazzage bon the zhaping oi a sout. I had nothing back, not even time bon I have caught the thythm in my teeth that maven me into each new metamotphoziz. I have used up the meaningz o6 each note az a ptepatation bon the next change. Yet att my ti 6e hays been in chnyzaW I have on!y changed within the cacoon o6 mantz dezites bon hiz own ptopetty. The totez were tAaditionat az womeniz ate to be evetything bon evetyone on catt within the 6amity patameteAz. There are things that one mutt do zometimez nature demands it, yout zpitit obeys you have no choice, the chAyzaUs thtows you out o6 .its cocoon and Lc, you have wings. You ate both mote vanetabZe and zttonget Pitta Az oi pliendzhip: Thee one things to do and you must do them Keeping the earth in ptace, things to zee and you mutt zee them Holding up the zky. tiez to bteak and you must bteak them Waz I att thoze things that nev etc. ending Suzan Cott it October 1986 cycte (16 zetgezzners, My crane zet6 manvetZ This 6inat change to the ezzentiat me Who Aemainz a vitgin becauze thete iz a parr t (16 me untouched by mat.e. petzuazion. Tkiz the sum ob my changes, my wings ate boded, I zpecutate on a ceasing citae Get Beadte on bon tiuing give you a ti6e time my ..41r. %IP. v. MO, "We 410110 4111P 111/~ 114 .111P 11131. you appointment. .eopt "pp. Ar - "41P "111/ or_ 411P,Ip. .A114;;..---. can it be mine v. i6e NORTHERN WOMAN me choose to zhake it page 9 keazon 6ot tiving ith gout needing me. at both o6 uz Cott ins ?belt 1986 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �DAY CARE NEWS By MARGARET PHILLIPS Lots happening on the day care scene -- unfortunately not all of it is positive. First the good news. The Northwestern Ontario Regional Day Care Forum re-convened April 24/25, bringing together day care parents, workers and advocates from across the region. This was a high energy weekend with delegates sharing information and planning strategy for the next six months. Northwestern Ontario day care people are determined that our day care services are going to survive and grow. Efforts will focus on pressing the provincial government to provide direct grants to all nonprofit day care centres to ensure that quality services are maintained and parent fees kept affordable. Another positive development is that day care is a high priority with the Ontario Federation of Labour. The O.F.L., in conjunction with the Ontario Coalition for Better Day Care, has been holding forums across the province, from which they will develop recommendations they will make to the Ontario government. Forums were recently held in Dryden and Thunder Bay, and again day care people presented briefs explaining Northwestern Ontario concerns: the crisis experienced because of the elimination of the long held Liberal policy of support to the non-profit sector). Government funding of the commercial sector could set day care in Ontario back years. While the commercial issue has not been a significant factor in Northwestern Ontario - as less than 3% of our day care is commercial - we do NOT want it to become a factor in this region. Thus, we must add our voice to provincial and national advocacy groups to oppose any provision of public dollars to forprofit day care. All evidence points out that in commercial centres quality and standards - not to mention staff wages and working conditions are inferior to non-profit care. In Alberta, where commercial care dominates, horror stories abound. We don't want this to happen in Ontario. Children are not a commodity from which profit should be made: (for more detailed discussion of this issue see insert below.) A video tape on this issue has been produced by the Ontario Coalition for Better Day Care which is an excellent information vehicle which groups could use to raise awareness in their communities. To rent/borrow this video contact N.W.O. Regional Day Care Committee, Box 144, Thunder Bay, P7C 4V5 (leave message at 3457802). the indirect subsi =dy; the need for , On the federal scene day care problems accelerate. The long-awaited report of the Special Committee on Child Care was released the end of March and, - as was feared - their recommendations will do nothing to produce the comprehensive day care system needed in Canada. The Special Committee report it should be noted - is a report of the Conservative members of the committee, the N.D.P. and Liberal com- secure funding; the desire for a comprehensive system to meet all families needs; and our opposition to commercial day-care. Commercial day care has become one more issue that day care advocates have to address. Earlier this winter the Hon. John Sweeney, Minister of Community and Social Services, indicated that he is considering providing direct grants to for-profit day care centres (which contradicts es',411.,EffraCARaEditI-P 0 mittee members each having produced a minority report. The Conservative recommendations focus on tax measures for individual taxpayers (assuming this tax break will help parents purchase day care in the marketplace) - ignoring the reality that quality, licensed day care services are available to scarcely 10% of the families that need them. Most of the $600 million funding recommendations would be directed to these tax measures. In fact, barely 13% of the suggested spending would go to operational and capital grants to non-profit day care. Further, the report ignores the link between equality for women and day care. As a Toronto Star editorial (March 31/87) nointS out "In Canadian society today, the paramount barrier to the achievement of equality by women is the unavailability of day care for their children ... Unfortunately, that issue was scarcely recognized by the special parliamentary committee on child care in its 160 page report tabled yesterday. By trying to be all things to all people, the Progressive Conservative majority on the committee proposes scattering $600 million of the federal government's scarce resources so thinly as to be utterly ineffective in solving the basic problem, which is an acute shortage of day care spaces. ... By ..OPPOS ; DIRECT GRANT Over the past decade, childcare advocates, women's, religious, and voluntary organizations, labour groups and many others have developed a consensus around a future direction for childcare in Canada. ,:.-7$777e7774""ecir7a7I ion family must ' system which ,ensures :occessobst,WITtz,,,:affordability,'par.enfal onvi)14.7ielifVeviiie;'"Virectic,W1'dOOd y Ara DIRECT GRANT . S FROM FEES & SLIISIDIES FOR FOE CHIED CHB: CARE CARE PROFIT FOR-PROFIT DAYCARE NON-PROFIT DAYCARE In a non-profit program, all income - from parents' fees and public funds - is used for childcare. sponsorship adequate Wages and working In a for-profit program, a portion of income - from parents' fees and public funds - 6;;;;aiiic;g1tk!Qtfe' goes to the owners, and is lost to childcare. - - ett ;VIA.; Ibme Economics Many of those who have advocated for high quality childcare believe that public funds should not be used to support for-profit childcare. WHY? WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO? Profits can be increased by reducing salaries and operating expenditures. Salaries in foi.-profit centres are an average of 30% less than those in non-profit childcare programs. Even with a direct grant, in a for-profit program, less money would be spent on the child core program, and salaries would still be considerably lower than salaries in a non-profit program. THIS IS A POOR USE OF PUBLIC DOLLARS AND POOR PUBLIC POLICY. How does a for-profit sector affect the quality of childcare? All evidence indicates that the for-profit sector is much less likely to provide high quality core, and much more likely to provide poor care than the non-profit sector. The for-profit sector, in Canada. and in other countries, has actively worked to reduce childcare standards, and has lobbied against improvements in regulations and financial accountability. Improved public funding for for-profit childcare, particularly in the form of capital or direct grants, will allow the for.prolit childcare sector to eupond to dominate the field and determine the quality of care. In Alberta, this has resulted in on erosion of childcore standards. What can you do? I Oppose any federal or provincial moves to improve public funding to for.profit childcare owners 2 Phone, write, or visit your federal and provincial Members of Parliament or provincial legislature 3 Contact your provincial Minister in charge of childcare and the federal Minister of Health and Welfare 4 Ask other individuals and organizations to do the same THE CARE WHICH CHILDREN RECEIVE IN THEIR EARLY YEARS, IN THE FAMILY AND IN ALTERNATIVE SETTINGS, IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE. CANADA NOW STANDS AT A WATERSHED IN THE Am. DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC POLICY WHICH WILL OFFER FAMILIES A RANGE OF OPTIONS TO HELP THEM COMPARISON OF NON-PROFIT AND FOR-PROFIT CENTRES FOR-PROFIT MN NON-PROFIT =Z5i9 NORTHERN WOMAN some size same fees PROVIDE THIS CARE. LET'S BEGIN TO BUILD THE SERVICES WHICH WILL DO THE BEST JOB, AND MANE THE BEST USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS ... ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE, HIGH QUALITY, AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT CHILDCARE. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Notional Action Committee on the Status of Women Conadion Day Care Advocacy Associotion Ontario Coalition for Better Day Care 416-922.3246 613-594-31;5 416-535-41S8 page 10 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �HERizons Laid to Rest HERizons' distributor serviced the "upscale" bookstores across the country. It's a wide distribtion HERizons has suspended publicabut narrow and in many centres tion. The last issue came out in the magazine was never available to March. the general public. HERizons started out in WinniNowhere was this more noticeapeg as a newsheet staffed by volunble than when HERizons did a lead teers, a typical feminist alternacover article on Thunder Bay rock But five years ago tive newspaper. star Lauri Conger of the group "Parwhen it went national and moved to achute Club." a glossy format it made an immediate Conger is extremely popular in impact. At the time it seemed everyher home town. People line up for one was getting a subscription. It her autograph whenever she comes was praised, not only for its proIt should follow home for a visit. fessional polish but for its up-tothat a magazine with her picture the-issue content. on its cover could expect huge However from the beginning HERnewsstand sales in Thunder Bay. Yet, izons had two disabilities to overexcept for the Women's Bookstore, come. First it was Canadian, one ofnot one issue of HERizons could be the few Canadians braving the massfound on any display rack or in any market publication ocean--an oceanbookstore in Thunder Bay. owned and operated by American products. It is a sad but true fact that 95% of the money spent op magazines in Canada goes to American publications. A quick glance at any news stand will tell the tale. The major magazine distributors, the ones who stock your local supermarket, the corner newsstand and the mall book chains, give priority to American publications with the exception of our two tokens--Maclean's and Chatelaine. Other mass market Canadian magazines are classed as "alternatives." "Alternatives" get a rough time. They are displayed irregularly, given a short shelf life. One month they show up at your corner store, and the next month not Its no way to build a newsat all. stand readerAhip. HERizons would be classed as an alternative by the distributors. Even Saturday Night is classed as an alternative! This is one of the most prestigious magazines in Canada, 100 years old this year. Next time you are at your corner stores, give the magazine rack a quick nationalistic eyeball to check if Saturday Night is available. YOZ>V<ZoKZoroZOK2A4.44:14::AcC>k<SVICAr'ZIA4Z9.' by JOAN BARIL DAY CARE pting ... a scattergun approach, report fails women. 'Child care a ramp that provides equal access the workforce for mothers' wrote ge Rosalie Abella in 1984. This ort is mighty weak material for p-building. The government ought think twice before implementing provision of direct grants to nonprofit day care. We asked for VISION in the development of a quality system. We didn't get it. So the struggle continues. Across the country day care advocates are mobilizing to oppose the Special Committee's recommendations, and to state again our need for a comprehensive, quality day care sys- The Special Committee report n only anger and frustrate the rthwestern Ontario day care comnity. Much time and effort was exnded by many people in preparing d presenting briefs to the Commite's 1986 hearings in Dryden and under Bay. Although the Committee stened to us, obviously they didn't ar us. Not one of the over 30 NWO bmissions recommended tax measures. at we, and most other Canadians, d call for was a comprehensive y care system with high standards quality care; a wide spectrum of rvices to meet families varying eds; a recognition - through apppriate wages and benefits - of e value of child care work; the tem. Addendum As we go to press we learn that the Ontario government's White Paper on day care policy has just been released. While there has been no opportunity to study/analyze this document, the public announcements suggest that the government is taking the first step to remove day care from its present welfare context. The provision of direct grants to non-profit centres is a positive move which we applaud. Mr. Sweeney's June 4th announcement is the first good news day care has received in many years. We all know it takes years before a new magazine makes a profit- most people in the business say ten years. The news sheet U.S.A. Today, which has all the advantages of nationality and distribution, just announced it first profit exactly at the ten year mark. So HERizons, like many another Canadian publication had to fill in the gap with government grants. In Canada, there are grant-supported magazines by the dozen, most with very thin subscription lists- trade mags, academic journals, health news sheets, poetry publications, literary efforts, architectural glossies--all dependent on the Canada Council, or a provincial arts council or a government department. HERizons, which was seeking a mass market, had to lean on something called LEAD (rhymes with "weed"), a program of the federal department of Employment and Immigration. To get LEAD (Local Assistance and Development) a venture has to "demonstrate financial growth" and continue to demonstrate it each year. And every year HERizons sailed thro -. ugh the financial hoops. Each year of publication showed a solid advertising revenue and a subscription increase. (Their most brilliant stroke was to buy the Ms magazine subscription list and canvass Ms' Canadian subscribers. Subscriptions jumped. As everyone knows, you can't publish a quality magazine for peanuts. LEAD invested $900,000 in HERizons in total--the amount decreasing every year. The HERizons administration estimated it would take another $500,000 to carry them through to the ten year self-sufficiency mark. Yet LEAD and the federal government decided to axe HERizons. Why? As usual, when dealing with the bureaucracy, the truth has been buried in the bushes. At first officials stated that LEAD had a policy of only funding a venture for five years and no longer. This statement is misleading and untrue. Next LEAD said the magazine had not "demonstrated financial growth" and would never become self-sufficient. Also misleading and from all indications untrue. Finally there is the question of pressure from the anti-abortion organizations which had publically announced their intent to pressure governments to cut off funding to any groups which support the women's movement. The minister, Benoit Bouchard, admitted he had received "a number of letters on the subject." Although he labels the material in HERizons as "controversial", he also claims the letters were "not a factor in the decision to discontinue funding." Whatever the true reason, LEAD led HERizons down the garden path, into the woods and just before it had come to a break in the trees, turned and destroyed it. NORTHERN WOMAN page 11 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �UPDATE continued from Page 7 Intercede, a domestic workers' rights group, and the Legal Education and Action Fund want the governTent to demonstrate the exclusion of domestic workers from the provisions on grounds other than cost to employers. Judith Ramirez, spokesperson for Intercede, described the challenge as "a simple and clear cut issue of social justice". Domestic workers, many of whom are women and immigrants, are excluded from the hours of work and overtime provisions of the Act. Many women work from dawn to dusk for families while also being expected by Canadian immigration to use this time to demonstrate their eligibility for life in Canada, by improving theL it education, becoming involved in community groups, and saving money. (from BROADSIDE) 000 ow) Five half hour videotapes examine the 17 year period of the abortion rights movement in Canada from the liberalization of the abortion law in 1969 until today. The tapes present the abortion rights issue in an overall political context and cover: the history of the movement since 1969; access to abortion and family planning across Canada; the history of the movement in Quebec; the impact of the economic recessions; and Dr. Morgentaler's challenge to the abortion law from 1983-1987. "The Struggle for Choice". written and directed by Toronto video artist Nancy Nicol, raises a number of questions: Why.is there a crisis to access to abortions today, althoCanada has a so-called liberal law? How is women's reproductive freedom affected by the economic recession? Why is there a persistent and on-going oppression of women around this issue? Why the reemergence of anti-abortion forces today? What are the major gains the struggle for abortion rights has achieved and how were these gains achieved? What is the history of the movement in Quebec and how is it different from the history in the rest of Canada? Who are and were the women and men involved in the struggle? Placed in an overall political context, the history of the prochoice movement reveals the commitment, strategies, and dedication of individuals and organizations to the struggle for free abortion on demand. For information about "The Struggle for Choice" write V/Tape, 183 Bathurst St., Toronto, M5T 2R7. (from BROADSIDE) ows 000 Over 200 pro-choice supporters attended a meeting in late January to discuss plans for opening a free-standing abortion clinic in Vancouver. The first item of discussion was whether to establish a freestanding abortion clinic similar to those in Ontario and Quebec or to establish a facility called the Women's Community Health Clinic which would provide other services such as birth control and pre-natal counselling as well as abortion. Those who supported the more comprehensive clinic said that it would have a broader based appeal for fundraising and that it would be harder for government to attack. Supporters of the free-standing abortion clinic argued that a comprehensive clinic would require much more energy and money, and it would be seen as an abortion clinic anyway even if it offered other services. A resolution was adopted that women's reproductive health clinics be established throughout the province which will include abortion services funded by provincial medical services plan, and that, in the meantime, an abortion clinic be established in Vancouver, with the goal to have this clinic established within a year. (from IMAGES) sem oeo A belated but none the less sincere congratulations to the women who organized International Women's Day (Week) activities. It was the most ambitious celebration of IWD in Thunder Bay to date. The week's acti vities included a film showing at Women's Centre of Desert Hearts and Lianna. The Congress of Canadian Won en sponsored 'Towards the Year 2000: Without Nuclear Weapons' with women peace activists Elena Kemenetsky of the Soviet Union and Connie Van Prat of the United States. The Canadian tour of these two women symbolizes the hope of peace groups to unite us all in the movement for peace. Lakehead University Women's Centre held a day of workshops and events, and Women's Health Information Network led a PMS seminar. As well, Decade Council organized a two-day Conference of Transition Houses and Family Resource Centres. Northwestern Trans ition House workers deeply appreciated the opportunity to share information, build links with other houses and reduce the isolation and burn out they often experience. The week culminated with a wonderful Women's Party where the Company of Sirens performed the Working People's Picture Show. This performance, along with the traditional IWD pot luck, music and dancing was greatly enjoye Famous Foes by JOAN BARIL The woman and her adversary, now and through history. COME AND VISIT INSTEAD: Match them up. 1. Margaret Sanger a. Napoleon 2. Nellie McClung b. The Roman Empire 3. Emmeline Pankhurst c. Henry II, King of England 4. Madame de Stael d. The British War Office 5. Florence Nightingale e. Prime Minister Mackenzie King of Canada 6. Boudicca f. Ovid 7. Caroline Norton g. Premier Rodmond Roblin of Manitoba 8. Fanny Kemble h. Norman Mailer 9.. Mary Wollstonecraft i. Anthony Comstock and the Comstock laws 10. Eleanor of Aquitaine j. Pierce Butler 11. Rosa Parks k. Premier Maurice Duplessis of Quebec 12. Christine de Pisan 1. Jim Crow 13. Margaret Atwood m. George Norton 14. Emily Murphy n. Jean-Jacques Rousseau 15. Therese Casgrain o. Prime Minister of Great Britain Herbert Asquith OTLUCK AND REBIRTH SHOWER AT THE CENTRE WEDNESDAY JUNE 24 at 6:30 p.m. suggestiono include: garbage bag oitet papek, and ecotogizek, too, Wing cabinet, welcome mates and ??? answers on Page 15 NORTHERN WOMAN page 12 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Family Law * Reformed Again by LYNN BEAK THE ENFORCEMENT ORDERS For many women, it took a long, painful time to obtain a child sup-' port order. Further disappointment occurred when their ex-husband did not pay the order, because they then discovered the protracted and often unsuccessful process called "Support Order Enforcement". The fact that an order for child support has been made by a Judge does not mean that the father will pay it. initiatives '75-'87 Compiled and edited by Fiona Karlstedt, NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO STATUS 3F WOMEN INITIATIVES 1973-1987 is nearing completion. Commissioned by the Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council, the document traces the ebb and flow of the women's movement in Northwestern Ontario, identifying trends and processes that contributed to the increased social, economic and political equality of women in Northwestern Ontario. In all over 75 conferences, action research projects, studies, workshops, political action committees, self-help grou-)s, feminist services, lobbies and other actions are considered. Historically, support for and advancement of women's rights have occurred only during periods of economic prosperity and generalized social reform. The present political and economic climate is depressing. The emergence of groups like R.E.A.L. women is synonymous with the times-closed minds accept myth most easily, but a frightened society seeks it actively. If we are to rationally anticipate the future, we must understand how the present has grown out of the past. If we are to continue developing strategies which will enable us to move on together as a movement, we must draw on our experiences and enormous skills. Clearly, an understanding and appreciation of our own history is essential to that process. Most support orders are unpaid or in arrears. Women were shocked to discover that they must act as a collection agency, often with limited assistance from the Family Court. However, there are changes to the law that are intended to assist women to enforce support orders against fathers and husbands who will not pay. Both the federal and provincial governments have recognized that the present system does not work and have developed new systems which are intended to provide real assistance. In Ontario, an act called the Support and Custody Orders Enforcement Act was proclaimed in 1986. Its purpose is to establish regional offices whose sole function is to enforce support and custody orders, and separation agreements which have been filed in Family Court. Any orders which have been filed in the Family Court for enforcement will be moved to the Enforcement Office when it opens. The office will have the power to obtain information as to the place of employment, address or location of the debtor from any person or public office in Ontario. They will have the power to check federal records and those in other provinces in some situations. The Enforcement Office for Northwestern Ontario will be opening on July 2, 1987 and will be located at 430 Waterloo St. South, with phone number 623-7327. For those women who already have support or custody orders they will be invited to file their order for enforcement. Filing will be voluntary, and the Toronto office staff anticipate a large demand for services. There will be a public information campaign once the office is open, and they will have an 800 line telephone for long distance calls. They anticipate that the staff will be busy locating debtors and their assets, and bringing them into court to explain their default in paying. Although this new government service will assist many women to obtain their support payments, there are some words of warning. For debtors without assets, or those who have hidden them cleverly, an enforcement hearing will not bring any money to the woman. Also, if the woman is receiving welfare or single parent benefits, any support payments received will be fully deducted from the benefits. Despite these limitations, I hope that the new Enforcement Office will assist women by obtaining for them the support payments that the courts have ordered and thus decrease the number of women-headed families that live in poverty. Although not an exhaustive account of developments in the region over the past 14 years, NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO STATUS OF WOMEN INITIATIVES does reflect, in whole or in part, the experiences of many of us. It records not only what Northwestern Ontario women have done, but also what they tried to do - the motives and goals that impelled them to strive for some- thing better. It is a record not only of achievement but potential. It validates the contributions women have made and attests to their credibility as decision makers, organizers and negotiators. Obscured from public view, women's social and political participation is often seen as inconsequential. In mirroring our visibility and collective strength, NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO STATUS OF WOMEN INITIATIVES sets the record straight. If the Government in Ottawa gets its way, they may take this magazine right out of your hands The Great Depression; two world wars; a small, spread-out population; recessions; inflation; overwhelming competition from the U.S.-none of these could kill Canada's magazines... ...but the current Government in Ottawa just might. Pr he Government is considering demolishing the delicate structure of postal, tariff and tax-related incentives that helps keep the Canadian magazine industry alive. If this happens, many Canadian magazines will die. Those that survive will cost more to readers and publishers and will be more vulnerable than ever to competition from foreign magazines that have the advantages of huge press-runs and lower per-copy costs. Those that survive will be less profitable and, therefore, more likely to succumb to adverse economic circumstances in the future. CANADA'S CANADIAN PERIODICAL PUBLISHERS' ASSOCIATION, 2 STEWART STREET, TORONTO, ONTARIO M5V 1H6 MAGAZINES ...a voice of our own NORTHERN WOMAN page 13 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �BOOK REVIEW: reviewed by MARGARET PHILLIPS NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO WOMEN'S DECADE COUNCIL OTHER FIRES Short Fiction by Latin American Women, edited by Alberto Mangeul, Lester & Orphen Dennys, 1986. OTHER FIRES is a selection of short fiction by Latin American women, edited by Alberto Manguel, a native of Buenos Aires, who now teaches at York University. Manguel advises that while interest in Latin American literature has flourished in North America since the 1960's all the translated authors were male, while " ..so many of the best untranslated books from Latin America had been written by women." OTHER FIRES gives us a taste of this excellent talent. Although I did not find the stories equally interesting, even the less impressive ones sparked a desire to know the writer better. As these writers are, in the main, novelists, I sincerely hope their longer works will also be translated. In the forward to the anthology Chilean writer Isabel Allende says "In this selection I feel interpreted as a Latin American woman. These writers of diverse Latin American countries have expressed our fears and hopes:our delicate ceremonies, our secrets and rebellions, our love and rancor. They are feminine voices trying to interpret the hidden meaning of the sexuality, the power, the ambition, and the injustice of the macho world where they must live. This anthology demonstrates that Latin American women have their own vision of the world and know how to express it in their own personal, irreverent, furious, fantastic, ironic, and poetic language. They tell of the multiple forms of violence they suffer and, in doing so, violate the first rule imposed upon them since birth: the rule of silence. They do not accept it; they do not bow their heads; they do not resign themselves; they are not silent. These stories were written with tears, blood and kisses." 0000=p000000a,===opuucceccocco:". WHAT'S NEW In the BOOKSTORE Now that we are moved and settled in our new home, our efforts are re-focussed on ordering new books and wonderful, new women's books continue to pour off the presses. The Bookstore expects new shipments weekly - so drop in regularly. New titles that may interest you include: HEAR THE SILENCE: Stories by Women of Myth, Magic and Renewal, "Some of edited by Irene Zahava. these stories can be easily identified with the broadest definition of spirituality. Others are so subtle that you have to look between the words to see that slight shimmer of cosmic consciousness. All of them have the potential to reveal another truth, one which lies just beyond the surface of our daily lives." NORTHERN WOMAN OTHER FIRES is an impressive anthology, and the diversity of the stories will make the book attractive to readers with varying tastes. "Magic realsim and political realism are the two main currents of Latin American literature" Manguel tells us. Readers who tend toward magic realism will be more than satisfied. Given my own bias I would have welcomed more political selections, however, those that are included are indeed fine. The Guerrillero, by Albalucia Angel (Columbia), the shortest story in the book, is a truly remarkable self-dialogue of empowerment and courage; while The Stolen Party, by Liliana Heber (Argentina), defines most powerfully the awakening of a young girl's class consciousness. One story that will stay with me for a long time is Ines Arredondo (Mexico) The Shunammite, which is perhaps the most subtle depiction of the multifaceted violence of a patriarchal society I have read. It's The Fault Of The Tlaxcalteca by Elena Garro (Mexico) I plan to read again and again in the hope of truly understanding it. I am interested in learning Garro's heritage. The story suggests to me Indian heritage and I'm continuously fascinated by the universality of themes and images in native writing - north or south. The women contributing to this book are established writers in their own countries. They are middle aged or older, the youngest being 44 and the eldest 87, and much of the work was first published 20 or more years ago. With these writers as role models and given the expanded publication of women's writing in recent years, we should assume there are also many new young women writers who are augmenting the scope and excellence of Latin American literature, and we can only hope that their work will also be available to a Canadian readership. =.6,Q**=NIXPOCCCANNIMCCMXXXX1NN)=400,,T.C.04= DZELARHONS by Anne Cameron. The long awaited successor to Daughters of Copper Woman. BAKE FACE and OTHER GUAVA STORIES, by Opal Palmer Adisa. "Bake Face and Other Guava Stories brilliantly captures the complexities of our island homeland, Jamaica (Adisa's) stories chart the experience of island women ... with a deep understanding and compassion, and a true sense of their terror and pride, the ghosts that dog their tracks, the dailiness of their lives." (Michelle Cliff) RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE: Fairy Tales for Feminists. "Rapunzel's Revenge is a feminist re-writing of fairy tales .... revealing that Snow White organized the seven dwarfs into a trade union, .... exposing Cinderella's prince as a foot fetishist, and .... showing that feminist fairy tales can be written in fairy tale language." Supporting; individual women and organizations as they work together for equality for women in education, enmloyt ment, the home and community. - Working to eliminate the harriers that prevent local and regional xvomen from reaching their full potential. - Lobbying on issues to improve the quality of women's lives in Northwestern Ontario. - Providing resources to existing and emerging status of women's organizations. - Net \corking area women's organizations to share ideas and concerns. neC.Itle (enure I/ meet, b1-1111)11I/1/y %% All It'ilIV.st'IlIailt)/1 1W/11 /11.1/1% it'gl011,11 communities. Our at priontles are de+11meti to reflect the i:Nne, presented esters) )ntario women. 1-011 FUR111LIZ INFORMATION, CONTACT: NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO WOMEN'S DECADE COUNCIL 905 TUNGSTEN STREET THUNDER BAY, ONT. P7B 5Z3 807-623-7556 :000=N000====v00.101100AW=VVCCM WOMAN OF POWER magazine. Issue 5's theme is Healing, and Issue 6 is Art As Activism. NO FAIRY GODMOTHERS, NO MAGIC WANDS: The Healing Process After Rape, by Judy H. Katz. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF WOMEN AND THE LAW, Vol. 1 #2, Women and Reproduction. "This issue highlights the theme of male control over women's reproductive capacities and activities - a theme that pervades the seemingly disparate issues of abortion, sexual ideologies, reproductive ethics, artifical insemination, "surrogate" mothering, prenatal screening techniques, the pharmaceutical industry, reproductive hazards, eugenics and lesbian mothers." And for Heather Bishop fans, Heather's newest release - A TASTE OF THE BLUES - both record and cassette. page 14 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Upcoming Events From August 14-21, 1987, the CANADIAN WOMEN'S WRITING RETREAT will be held at Far Hills Inn, ValMorin, Quebec. Women writers of English fiction, poetry, plays, nonfiction prose, and translators working from French to English, will be able to take intensive workshops. Well-known Canadian women writers will conduct morning writing workshops and afternoon discussion groups. There will also be a panel discussion led by representatives of the Canadian publishing industry. The Retreat will not be devoted solely to work. As well as the readings over the week, there will be time for recreation. In the Laurentians, the well-appointed inn offers hiking, swimming, boating, tennis, squash, billiards, and just plain relaxation. For further information, please contact Debra Martens, c/o Centre for Continuing Education, Dawson College, Victoria Campus, 485 McGill St., Montreal, Quebec, H2Y 2H4, phone 514-931-8731 local 6102; or call Greta Hofmann Nemiroff at 514931 -8731 local 6075. SOLSTICE CELEBRATION: Saturday, June 20, 8:30 - ?. Port Arthur Prosvita Hall, 540 South High St. $5.00 For women only. Call at the door. Women's Centre 345-7802 for more info. 0.1e. Fera Sevichter The 12th MICHIGAN WOMYN'S MUSIC FESTIVAL takes place August 12-16. The Festival "is a gathering of mothers and daughters for womyn of all ages. We come together to celebrate our common experiences and unique strengths as womyn - to cel brate our culture, our similarities and our diversity." Brochures with full info are available at the Bookstore. The Third Annual KINGSTON WOMYN'S MUSIC FESTIVAL will be held July 2426, 1987. The Festival began as the vision of two womyn, Georgia Ferrell and Merri Macdonald. In 1983 Georgia bought a large area of undeveloped land on a lake north of Kingston. She bought it to live on, but also to provide womyn with a place to come together, to celebrte nature and each other. The Festival with musicians from Ontario, Quebec and the U.S., along with workshops and crafts, will provide a great weekend. For more information contact GAIA, Kingston Womyn's Music Festival, P.O. Box 1792, Kingston, Ont. K7L 5J6. (Brochures available at Northern Woman's Bookstore.) A Peace Festival is happening in Thunder Bay on Saturday, August 8th. If you would like to sing, dance, sell food or crafts, read a poem, show a picture, or share ideas and energy call Tanya at 622-1416. POT LUCK at Women's Centre, Wednesday, June 24 from 6:30. Housewarming gifts that would be useful include - garbage bags, paper towels, toilet paper, soap, herbal tea and a filing cabinet. -ftliwttgetkol ANSWERS to FAMOUS FOES 1--i. Sanger, American birth control pioneer, repeatedly defied Comstock and the Comstock laws which defined information on birth control as obscene. 2--g. The Premier of Manitoba was a staunch opponent of women's rights. Nellie used all her organizing ability and her famous wit against him, even caricaturing him in a "Mock Parliament". 3--o. Through political maneuvers and lies, Asquith was determined to prevent women's suffrage. He encouraged Street violence against the women, had them arrested on trumped up charges and later set up the policy of force-feeding. He hoped the movement would give up. It didn't. 4--a. Madame Germaine de Stael, prominent political thinker and writer, supported the ideals of the French Revolution but turned against Napoleon when he made himself dictator. Forced into exile she continued her opposition. 5--d. Nightingale fought a life-long battled with the war office to improve hospital conditions for troops. 6--b. Boudicca rallied the tribes of southern Britain in a revolt against the Roman Empire, killing as many as 70,000. Defeated she took poison. 7--m. Norton left her brutal husband but the laws of the time did not allow her custody of her children. Her public agitation resulted in the passing of a custody bill. When her husband seized her money she worked for the successful passage of a bill to allow a married woman to own things. 8--j. After her marriage to a wealthy man, Kemble, a famous actress, discovered he owned a southern plantation. He thwarted her efforts to help the slaves and refused to allow her to publish her book about slavery on threat of taking her children. Eventually he did take them and she did not see her daughters until they were adults. 9--n. It was in order to refute and counter the misogynist ideas of Rousseau that Wollstonecraft wrote her famous 'Vindication of the Rights of Women'. 10--c. Eleanor led a revolt against her husband and landed in prison for fifteen years. Released by his death, she consolidated the kingdom for her son Richard the Lion-Hearted and went on to make her Dutchy of Aquitaine a centre of literature and learning. 11--1. Jim Crow was a system of laws and customs which oppressed Blacks in the southern States. Parks, coming home on the bus tired and with sore feet, refused to obey the driver and move to the Black section of the bus. This refusal touched off the Atlanta bus boycott and fueled the civil rights movement. 12--f. De Pisan, the great medieval writer, was angered by the hatred towards women shown in the works of Ovid and other writers. She wrote 'The Book of the City of Ladies' in 1405, the first treatise on women's 13--h. When PEN, the international writers organization held a congress in New York in 1986, Atwood was one of those who protested to American branch president Norman Mailer about the small number of women writers on the panel. Mailer refused to agree claiming that the women writers he could have invited were mediocre. 14--e. Prime Minister King gave plenty of lip service to the idea that Canada should have a woman in the Senate and that the B.N.A. Act should be amended so that Canadian women could be declared as persons and therefore eligible to hold a Senate seat. However he did little to help Murphy and four companions (the Famous Five) steer the case through several court battles. However when they won he acted in typical male political fashion. He did not give the first Senate seat to Murphy as was expected but to a woman who had no connection with the long struggle but who had worked for years for the Liberal party. 15--k. Duplessis, an unswerving opponent of women's suffrage was premier of the province from 1926 to 1940. Women's groups worked hard for his defeat and in 1940 won the vote at last° rights. Women and Environments NORTHERN WOMAN page 15 PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �CHANGE OF ADDRESS THE NORTHERN WOMEN'S CENTRE THE NORTHERN WOMAN JOURNAL NORTHERN WOMAN'S BOOKSTORE Are pleased to announce their new location at 184 Camelot St., Thunder Bay P7A 4A9. We have a spacious new storefront facility. Why not drop in? PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor �Second Class MAL Registration No. MAIL TO: 5697 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: p2 DATELINE KENORA/YOUR VOICE p3 REBIRTH p4 A COLLAGE OF BARRIERS p6 NFB FILMS p7 UPDATE p8 POETRY p10 DAY CARE RETURN TO: THE NORTHERN WOMAN 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 Return Postage Guaranteed Don't forget to renew your subscription! Here's my sub: Name pll HERizons Address p12 FAMOUS FOES (postal code) p13 FAMILY LAW/INIATIVES $ 5 p14 REVIEW/BOOKSTORE NEWS o Lestltatlosal $10 p15 UPCOMING EVENTS *********************************** WORKERS THIS ISSUE: CAROLYN GREENWOOD MARY-ANN KLEYENDORST MARGARET PHILLIPS ROSEMARY PITTIS *IS THERE AN ASTERISK ON YOUR LABEL? t * PLEASE RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION * * * * * *********************************** Northern Woman. Journal 184 CAMELOT STREET THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO P7A 4A9 (FOUR ISSUES) $5.00 $10.00 Business or Institution PDF compression, OCR, web optimization using a watermarked evaluation copy of CVISION PDFCompressor � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal Description An account of the resource Northern Woman Journal Published in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Northern Woman Journal (originally called Northern Woman) started in 1973 following the first annual Northern Women’s Conference in order to keep the conference attendees connected. Initially serving as a newsletter of events, local issues, and women’s resources, the Northern Woman Journal quickly became a diverse publication reaching national and international readers. Not only did it serve as a newsletter to keep local women up to date on feminist issues in Northwestern Ontario, but also as a safe space to discuss women’s resources, law, politics, economics, health, racism, sexism, homophobia, feminist organizing and activism, transnational feminist issues, poetry, feminist reading, feminist art, and women’s diverse lived experiences.One of the longest-running feminist perodicals in North America, the Northern Woman Journal reached its end in 1995. Throughout its 22 years, the Northern Woman Journal was produced by its many collective members, with membership evolving year to year. For many years, the journal worked closely alongside and shared space with the Northern Women’s Centre and the Northern Women’s Bookstore. With the exception of a year-long government grant in the 1970s, the journal relied entirely on subscription fees and donations in order to maintain publishing, which presented challenges throughout its entire existence. As stated in an early version of the editorial policy, “only by a free and open exchange of views and opinions will we develop a basis for unity which can be used as a basis for action.” Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Northern Woman Journal, Vol 10 No 3 Description An account of the resource Vol. 10, No. 3 (June 1987) Title: Northern Woman Journal Topics include: Women’s Place Kenora Crisis services City funding withdrawn from Northern Women’s Centre, Thunder Bay Northern isolation Violence against women Barriers for women who live in the North Feminist film list Women Health Information Network Poetry Daycare access Daycare policy For-profit childcare Herizons Domestic workers Abortion rights movement in Canada International Women’s Day Child support legislation Family law reform Feminist book review Other Fires Northern Women’s Bookstore Authors/Contributors: Teresa Mallam Carolyn Greenwood Leni Untinen Rosalyn Taylor S. Barry Susan Collins Gert Beadle Margaret Phillips Joan Baril Lynn Beak Mary-Anne Kleynendorst Rosemary Pittis Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Northern Woman Journal Collective Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1987-06 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Published on this site with permission. Language A language of the resource English