WOMEN'S EYES ON THE CITY
Thank you Marion Dewar
It is with deep respect that the City for All Women Initiative (CAWI) joins with women and men across this city in honouring the life of Marion Dewar, past mayor of Ottawa and community leader. With her sense of compassion and dedication to equity in our city, she is a role model of women’s leadership. She will be deeply missed and yet will continue to be an inspiration for so many women finding their voice in our city.
For these reasons, City for All Women Initiative is dedicating our five –month training program on Women’s Civic Participation Training to Marion Dewar. On September 17th, we opened the training with a drumming ceremony in her honour. We will strive to learn from her example as we strengthen our leadership.
Thank you Marion for helping us to know that “Our Views Matter!”
CAWI Peach Paper Governance Review
City Council is reviewing how it makes decisions. This is partly because the Government of Ontario passed legislation (Bill 130) permitting municipalities to have more choice about the way they govern themselves. It is extremely important for all those who care about how the City operates – how it makes decisions, who gets listened to, what decisions are taken, what services result from the decisions, and how these decisions affect the quality of all Ottawa residents’ lives – to take part in these important discussions.
In Spring 2007, the City of Ottawa prepared a series of White Papers, which are discussion papers that provide an overview of the governance issues resulting from Bill 130. Upon hearing of CAWI’s interest for women’s perspectives to be considered in deliberations on governance, Mayor Larry O’Brien, extended an invitation to CAWI to prepare a White Paper. The Peach Paper (with the colour symbolizing women’s distinct perspectives) is our response to the Mayor’s invitation.
In October 2008, the city is to release a new white paper on the city governance review. Let your Councillor know what you think is important for the future of good decision making in our city.
Immigrant Ottawa Initiative
Nubia Cermeño and Cristina Pullido did a great job of representing CAWI Employment and Action Team at City Hall. They delivered the presentation on the City Staff Report on Immigration Ottawa Initiative to Community and Protective Services to the rapt attention of Council Committee members.
The Employment Action Team would like to thank the CAWI sisters who came out to give visible support - we had a good number of peach scarves in the audience! Please see the presentation (pdf - word)
Women’s Eyes on Funds for Our City
Take Back the Costs of Public Health
Send a message today
When the 2008 Provincial Budget was announced, women met at City Hall to ask what was in it for our city. We wanted to know if the province listened to the 2000 postcards sent to McGuinty asking the province to take back the costs of public health.
The budget did include $1 billion for roads, bridges, public transit, along with a small amount for social housing repair costs and a 2% increase in social assistance rates. But there was no mention of taking back the full costs of public health and other social services.We have another opportunity to get our message to the province. Later this spring, the province and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) are to release a joint report on ways to fix the current funding shortage plaguing Ontario cities. Taking back the full costs of public health could be part of this report.
Write now to Jim Watson, Minister of Municipal Affairs, to tell him what you hope to see in that report. See sample message below. You can use this text or change it to fit your own concerns, then copy and paste it into the feedback form on Jim Watson’s web-site. Be sure to include your full name and address
Sample Message:
The City of Ottawa plays an important role in delivering social services like public health, childcare and social housing, but cannot afford to pay for them from the property taxes. Ontario is the only province where cities pay for social services with property taxes. The result is that Ottawa does not have the funds it needs to run an effective city.
I am counting on the report of the “Provincial-Municipal Fiscal and Service Delivery Review” to provide real solutions to this critical problem. One important first step is for the province to take back 100% of the cost of public health; as well as other social services. The health of my community depends upon it.
I look forward to hearing from you on this important issue.
City for All Women Initiative joined with People for a Better Ottawa and the Coalition of Community Health and Resource Centres to deliver 2000 post cards to Premier McGuinty.
POSTCARD CAMPAIGN
We invite you to join CAWI and other community groups in a postcard campaign. We want to call on Premier McGuinty to take back the cost of public health, so our city will have funds for other social services. See postcard and information flyer attached.
This is an opportunity to work with City Council to make it more possible to fund vital services in our community. Our Views Matter!
