Catholic Women’s League of Canada | BC and Yukon Council

Submitted by: Sheila Quinn

Here we are about to celebrate Labour day, which signals the end of summer and the beginning of the beautiful season of Fall or Autumn as I know it. As children prepare to go back to school we too plan and prepare for our CWL meetings. I hope you were able to attend a convention and are feeling refreshed, re-energized and full of enthusiasm.

Welcome to second term Legislation Chairpersons from Kamloops, Prince George and Vancouver, and like myself, first term chairperson from Victoria. I notice several familiar names and look forward to receiving your communiques updating me on legislation news in your diocese.  Have you thought of sharing with the other diocesan chairpersons?   If I can be of any assistance at all please contact me.

Legislation – social justice in action.

In the executive handbook the guidelines given under this standing committee are:

• to monitor and study legislation (laws made) at all levels of government.
• the preparation of briefs and position papers on proposed legislation

How do we do this?

By monitoring both current and past resolutions when they become bills and are presented to Federal Parliament through reading the newspapers and accessing both the Federal Parliament web site and also the Legislative Assembly at  and by following Hansard at which is where the official record of motions debated and passed since 1972 in BC are listed. You can also find out what MLA’s said and how they voted.

Do you know who your Federal/Provincial Members of Parliament are?  Contact them requesting to be put on their mailing list, keeps you informed and updated.While anxiously waiting to hear the fate of Bill C-484 An Act to Amend the criminal Code of Canada (injuring or causing the death of an unborn child while committing an offence) encourage writing letters to Justice and Human Rights Standing Committee members asking them to support this bill.

Mary Nordic, outgoing legislation chair in her last communique mentions that there are currently 40 government bills and 354 private members’ bills before the House of Commons, not to mention bills before the Senate.  Reading is obviously an important factor of this committee.

Dates to note:  the House of Commons resumes on September 16th, the Senate on September 15th and BC Legislature on October 6th.

Resolutions news – five in all were adopted at the 88th national convention in Winnipeg and are posted on the national web site and will be published in the Fall issue of the League magazine, review them and follow the suggested action plans. Under the heading of  legislation standing committee is -
2008.05 Transportation Tax Credits for Rural Post-Secondary Students falls under the Legislation heading.   Education is an important element, especially in our society of today. In reading the brief it made me aware that many of us in towns and cities are not faced with this problem.

2008.01 – Preventing Human Trafficking at the 2010 Olympics was from BC & Yukon Province.   Follow the action plan even more so in regard to this resolution with the approaching Olympics being held on our doorstep.

Exciting news – Barb Dowding our past Provincial President was elected to National Council as resolutions chairperson which means we will have two voices from our Province on the National level. Congratulations Barb!

Judy Lewis from Prince Edward Island is the new national legislation chairperson.  I look forward to receiving her communique in the near future.

As a League member concerned about social justice, has your voice been heard?  We can make our voices heard, loud and clear by stepping forward ‘in faith and action’.

May Our Lady of Good Counsel bless and guide us as we continue our work for God and Canada.