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May 5th, 2023

This publication contains time-sensitive information directed to Club Executives

and members and pertains to CFUW activities and events.

Please send relevant pieces to ALL Club members.

  • Anti-Islamophobia Workshop

  • Bylaw Amendments

  • Remaining CFUW Merchandise

  • CFUW Club Awards for 2023

  • Elder Action Day

  • May 5th: Red Dress Day

  • CFUW E-Club is Blooming

  • Sharing Corner

    • Women Leaders of Tomorrow Board Openings

    • CFUW Aurora/Newmarket Home & Garden Tour

    • CFUW Northumberland Annual Scholarship Fundraiser

    • Elizabeth Fry Society Event on Parole

    • CFUW Nepean Zoom Presentation: Sexual Assault and Publication Bans

    • CFUW E-Club Speaker Meeting: Dr. Emilie Lacroix

    • CFUW St. Catharines House and Garden Tour

    • CFUW Orillia Homes for Scholarships Day

    • CFUW Sudbury Celebrate Women

  • GWI Updates

  • Club Newsletters

About the Workshop

Hosted by the Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW) just for CFUW members, the anti-islamophobia 101 virtual workshops seeks the address the realities of Islamophobia and the way in which it operates within Canadian society. The workshop will help participants critically examine the impacts of Islamophobia on the lives of Muslims living in Canada and how it further marginalizes Black and Indigenous Muslims, queer Muslims, and Muslims with disabilities. Participants will learn how to be active allies to counter Islamophobia.


Register on Zoom here


*We have limited workshop numbers to keep the group engaged - so don’t delay your registration! If registration is full - please email Paige Inglis (advocacy@cfuw-fcfdu.ca) to join the waitlist. If there is enough interest, we can hold another event. The event will not be recorded to allow for deep learning and conversation. If you signed up for the event and can no longer attend, please also let Paige know.

Bylaw Amendments

No club proposed amendments were received by the deadline of March 30th. One board proposed amendment is being put forward for member consideration. The amendment is a title change for the “acting president” to “deputy president”.  


You can read the full text HERE. This proposal not substantive. It does not change any practices or responsibilities. Clubs may submit amendments to the amendments until May 10th. Forward proposals to bylaws chair Fiorenza Albert-Howard at (fiorenza@shaw.ca).

Remaining CFUW Merchandise

In the past, CFUW National has ordered merchandise available for Clubs to purchase. Due to the costs involved, we will no longer be continuing to sell these products.


At the National office, we have remaining merchandise that will be available on a first come, first serve, basis – there is no cost associated with ordering any of the remaining items, but we do require clubs to pay for shipping.

These items would be great as small prizing for giveaways or promotions for the Club. If you are interested, please contact Elizabeth Malcolm (memberservices@cfuw-fcfdu.ca) for more information.


Please note that we only have limited items and selection remaining.

CFUW Club Awards for 2023

CFUW National provides several membership and advocacy awards each year to Clubs. A reminder of the details and deadlines follows below. 


All awards open for application April 1st, and close May 30th.


New Members Award

Does your Club have new members this year? If so, you may be eligible for a New Members Award. The award is intended for Clubs that have more than 10% new members, even though they did not have a 10% overall increase in membership. (This could be because of members moving, etc). There is no separate application form required for this award. Instead, you are asked to add in the number of new members on the CFUW Membership database (www.cfuwmembership.org). If you do not remember your user name and password, please contact Elizabeth Malcolm at memberservices@cfuw-fcfdu.ca


Membership Increase Award Winners 2023

There is no separate application form required for this award, rather the awards are determined from the information Clubs submit on the CFUW Membership database at (www.cfuwmembership.org). If you do not remember your user name and password, please contact Elizabeth Malcolm at memberservices@cfuw-fcfdu.ca


Special Project Application

Has your club had an interesting project this year? Would you like to tell other CFUW Clubs about your event, and get recognition for all your members' efforts? Application form is available HERE


International Relations Application

This award is given to a CFUW/FCFDU individual member(s), group, or club in good standing in recognition of efforts in advocating for the rights and advancement of women and/or girls at the international level. Initiatives (advocacy efforts, events and on-going projects) are eligible for consideration. Application form is available HERE 


International Women's Day Award

This award is given to a CFUW/FCFDU individual member(s), group, or club in good standing, in recognition of efforts to advocate for the rights and advancement of women and/or girls on International Women’s Day on March 8th. Initiatives (advocacy efforts, events and projects) are eligible for consideration.


Any International Women’s Day project or event submitted for consideration must adhere to the following criteria:

  • The project or event must be initiated, organized, and carried out by a CFUW club.

  • Making a significant contribution to another organization’s project as an equal partner is eligible for nomination.

  • The project or event must advocate for the advancement and rights of women and girls in the community, Canada or the globe.

  • The project or event must raise awareness in the local community of international advocacy issues for the rights of women and girls

  • The project or event must raise the profile of the CFUW club in the local community

  • Clubs/Individuals may partner with an international agency or NGO but CFUW club must take the lead in organizing and carrying out the project or event


Application form is available HERE


If you have any questions, please contact Elizabeth Malcolm at: memberservices@cfuw-fcfdu.ca.

Elder Action Day

Yesterday, May 4th, CFUW celebrated Elder Action Day. In honour of that, we wanted to celebrate some of our incredible senior members.

Hildburg Schleiermacher, a member of Montreal Lakeshore UWC, is CFUW’s most senior member at 105 years old!

Olive Bryanton, a member of CFUW Charlottetown, pursued a Graduate Degree in her 80s at the University of Prince Edward Island to study how elderly women are aging in rural PEI. You can learn more about her journey HERE

Godelieve De Koninck, a member of ADFU Québec, recently received the 2021 Hommage Aînés Award at age 84, for her work with the Liratoutâge organization. The Hommage Aînés Award is awarded to highlight, “that one can age in a fulfilling way" while getting involved in one's community.” You can red more about the organization and Godelieve HERE

May 5th: Red Dress Day

May 5th is Red Dress Day, a day that honours the spirits of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people (MMIWG2S+). Red dresses symbolize the disproportionate violence experienced by Indigenous Women and Girls, and Two-Spirit people.


We encourage all Clubs to participate in Red Dress Day and continue working to raise awareness about the ongoing harm towards Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirit people.


Learn more about the REDress project by Métis artist Jaime Black HERE

CFUW E-Club is Blooming

CFUW needs to grow its membership. To that end, this spring your CFUW E-Club is blooming. Can you help us? Do you have family and friends in Canadian communities where there is no club who may be interested in participating in CFUW?


Monthly meetings are online with upcoming speakers in April on UNCSW 67, in May a CFUW Charitable Trust award recipient doing health research, and in June a discussion of the book ‘True Reconciliation’ by Jody Wilson Raybould.


Might you have seeds to send our way to grow this membership?


Contact: Lynne Kent at l.kent@telus.net

Women Leaders of Tomorrow Board Openings

Women Leaders of Tomorrow (WLOT) has some Board vacancies they are looking to fill. WLOT is looking for board members who have a knowledge of Afghanistan’s history, geography, culture, Human Rights and women’s rights or are willing to learn.


Click HERE for more information about the available positions.

Elizabeth Fry Week 2023:

Understanding Parole

The goal of Elizabeth Fry Week is to enhance public awareness and education around the issues impacting criminalized and marginalized women and gender-diverse people.


The legal framework of parole – and the lived reality of being on parole – is not widely understood by the Canadian public. This lack of understanding leads to sensationalistic media coverage and lends itself to punitive legislative reform efforts.

[The Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies] sees this week as an opportunity to increase public understanding and broaden the narrative about the ways in which parole, and the people who are on parole, are characterized.


Two Virtual Events:

Understanding Parole: with CAEFS and the PBC

Wednesday May 10th, 3:00-4:00pm Eastern

Register here


Stories of Community Re-entry: A Community-Academic Partnership

Friday May 12th, 3:00-4:30pm Eastern

Register here

Register HERE

CFUW E-Club Speaker Meeting: Dr. Emilie Lacroix

The CFUW E-Club invites CFUW members to an informative and topical presentation and discussion with Dr. Emilie Lacroix, Assistant Professor, University of New Brunswick and recipient of the CFUW Charitable Trust École Polytechnique Commemorative Award (2019-2020). You can read Dr. Lacroix’s bio HERE


Register for the event HERE

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