Legislation Communique #7

Submitted by: Sheila Quinn

Greetings,

Now that we are all in full swing of League meetings and activities has your arch/diocese fall meeting been held? If so and you distributed your communique at the meeting or prior to, please forward me a copy for my files, it is important that we communicate with each other. Thanks to one diocesan chair who has already shared with me. Sometimes we gain ideas from other so have you considered sharing your communiques with your counterparts in the other dioceses that make up our BC and Yukon province?

In relation to Resolution 2007.03 – Hospice Palliative Care: An Integral Component of the Canadian Health Care System -

The Hon. Sharon Carstairs in her address to the senators said “ Saturday Oct 10th is World Hospice Palliative Care Day, a day to hear the voices of people around the world who are living with life-limited illnesses- voices often silent because their entire focus is on remaining alive” and in her closing statement said “let us listen to the voices of young and old around the world as they demand their fundamental human rights to live well until the end with quality hospice palliative care”. Take time to read all of her meaningful speech found under debates Oct 8th on the government web site.

Encourage members to support this resolution by following the listed action plans posted on the national web site www.cwl.ca under resolutions.  Although the date has passed make a notation on your 2010 calendar. The Senate has adjourned until Tuesday Oct 20th and the House of Commons until Monday 19th October however you can still access the Government of Canada web-site, click on Parliament, then ‘Progress of Legislation’ which shows the latest posting regarding Bills. One example is Bill S223 – forwarded to the legal and constitutional affairs committee on September 29th/09.

Looking for ideas to promote legislation? The Women of Peace and Hope activities is a useful tool giving suggestions for all standing committees and can be used all year round. Don’t have one, ask your president for a copy of legislation or download from national web site.

Encourage parish council legislation chairs to get together with the resolutions chairperson, check both national and provincial web sites for resolutions not yet resolved, plan on giving a joint presentation on at least one resolution stressing the importance of following the action plan. Hold a letter writing morning over coffee using the letter writing guide.

Check out the BCAA web site, click on Newsroom, then BCAA Advocacy you will find listings showing their positions and perspectives on several issues presented as briefs to the government including ‘Climate change’ and ‘ The use of cell phones and other portable devices’. Interesting reading!

Annual report time comes around very fast so if you are first term diocesan legislation chair look over your predecessor’s files and start preparing your report by listing the work she accomplished from January till you were elected.

October is Women’s History Month – some interesting facts in case you missed them:

• 1885 first women suffrage petition presented to BC Legislature
• 1918 BC’s first female MLA
• 1921 First female cabinet minister in BC, Canada and the Commonwealth
• 1949 Women deemed persons and can sit in the Senate
• 1949 First female speaker of a provincial legislature in the Commonwealth
• 1953 First female senator from BC
• 1991 First female provincial premier in Canada
• 1993 First female Prime Minister in Canada from BC
• 1999 First female chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada
• 2001 First female lieutenant governor of B C

Let the achievements of these women be an inspiration to us all to be the best we can be.

Keep informed, keep parish councils informed and most important keep praying that Bills especially those in contradiction of our Christian beliefs also issues related to social justice will become LAW! May Our Lady of Good Counsel guide and bless you in all you do.