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

Submitted by: Lois Charlebois

In the C.W.L. book “Leading the League”, a quote from the “Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity”. says: Wherever there are people in need of food and drink, clothing,  housing,  medicine, employment, education;  wherever (people) lack the facilities necessary for life or are afflicted with serious distress or illness or suffer exile, or imprisonment, there Christian charity should seek them out and find them, console them with great solitude ,and help them with appropriate relief. This obligation is imposed above all upon every prosperous nation and person”.

This decree sets out for us the work of the Community Life Committee. This Committee has

Five main categories to work on.

DIGNITY AND RIGHTS OF PERSONS:

The Charter of Rights says we have rights to many things such as: life, freedom, food, water, housing, clothing, protection of the law, medical care, education, a job etc.

Some examples of our work in this area:

• Supporting Domestic Abuse Services
• Letters and  petitions to Government such as “No Legalized Prostitution”
• “No Legalization of Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide (Bill C-384)” and Bill C-58–Child Protection Act (on-line Sexual Exploitation)
• Educating the public about such things as Human Trafficking, and supporting minimum sentences for trafficking ,

Recent Resolutions:

2008.01>Preventing Human Trafficking at  2010 Olympics

2009.02> Protection and Support for Foreign Victims of Human Trafficking » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Lois Charlebois

Hi! To all!

Well, the Convention is fast approaching and I am trying to finish up most of the work as my husband and I are supposed to go camping this weekend. I just want to send a short message, as this will be my last Communiqué as Community Life Chairperson.

I also want to ask the Diocesan Community Life Chairpersons to look for Bill C-268. It is about minimum sentences for Offenses involving Trafficking of persons under the age of 18 years. When it comes you should encourage people to express opinions in favor of this. I was told that one of the problems is they can catch the Traffickers and charge them—but when they get to Court the Judges just give them a small fine—not enough to bother them. It should be a good jail sentence and put them out of commission for a while.

I want to say “Thanks” all the Diocesan Chairpersons for the work they have done this term. I have just been working on my Oral Report for the Convention. Are you Chairpersons coming to the Convention?  Also if you would like a copy of my Oral Report—please mail me, and I will send it to you—but it may be after the Convention. Thanks to all of you for your Cooperation and support.

Submitted by: Lois Charlebois

I begin this Communiqué by sending you our Duties as listed in the Constitution and Bylaws:

• dignity and rights of persons
• social and economic justice
• refugees, immigration and citizenship
• Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CCODP) and
• developing countries

As it is more than a month after the Christmas and New Year celebrations, I hope all of you had a great time and, as Mary Nordick said in her last Communiqué to me: “Welcome to a new year and a new decade”.

However, many of the issues we have been working on are not new and are still with us: human trafficking, human rights, violence against women, poverty—especially child poverty, “global accountability for Canadian registered mining companies”—Resolution 2007.2. I will begin with this last issue. Bill C-300 was put on hold when parliament was prorogued.

It dealt the fact that Canadian Registered Mining Companies are operating around the world and engaging in unjust and unethical practices causing much harm to the environment and to the people. Your support and letters are urgently needed to ensure that Canadian Mining Companies live up to International human rights and labour standards, and also use the best environmental practices when they operate overseas. Other bills affected by closure of Parliament were C268—Human Trafficking and C-384 Right to Die with Dignity (this issue is important to Christian Family Life Chairpersons). These 3 bills having a C-and a # are all Private Members bills, and should return to the floor when Parliament returns in March. » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Lois Charlebois

First of all, I hope everyone had a wonderful summer. The weather here has certainly been great. Now it is time to get back to C.W.L. and the Community Life Committee. I want to welcome back those who were Diocesan Community Life Chairpersons last year and I want to extend a special welcome to those who are new to this position.

While doing Community Life Communiqués and reports, I realized how many different communities we all belong to—our family, our social groups, our workplace, our neighborhood, our Parish, our Diocese, our Province, our Country and our World. Above all we are all Christians, people created by God, united with God, with Christ and with Holy Spirit. The “three – in one” guide us. So, how does this fit in with our work in this committee? First of all we must be women of Peace and Hope–guided by Scripture and prayer. Some simple suggestions for prayer for us to use are found in the new Kit “The Day of Prayer for Peace and Hope “. All Parishes should have this kit and there is a section in it for each Standing Committee—be sure to look at the Community Life section. The kit can be downloaded from the National C.W.L. Website.

I attended all 3 levels of Conventions and as always received much important information and renewed enthusiasm for our work. Our Resolutions were great and 3 of the B.C. & Yukon Resolutions were accepted by the National Convention and all 3 of them were passed:

Resolution 2009:01 Exit Strategies for Prostituted Persons

Resolution 2009:02 Legislate Protection and Support Services for Human Trafficking Victims

Resolution 2009:03 Repeal Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act Regarding Hate Messages

Please encourage individual action such as letter writing on these topics and the topics of the other Resolutions passed at the Provincial Convention. » Read the rest of this entry »

Presented by: Barbara Dowding

This is a short overview or history of trafficking, a brief background from the provincial point of view, some good news, Pat will tell of recent action and we’ll close with a meditation.

Trafficking update

In 2004 after a presentation to a CWL meeting by a member of parliament, League members were shocked to find out that Canada was involved in the trafficking of people including children.

What followed from that day, well, as they say, the rest is history!

The first resolution to come forward, called “End trafficking of children” – 2004.05 began its journey from a parish in Kamloops to diocesan, provincial, all the way to national. And it didn’t stop there – it went to WUCWO where it passed at their general assembly and thus received worldwide attention.

This is not the story of a solitary journey. Simultaneously, many other things were going along in the area of trafficking. The CWL was particularly active and our provincial council got involved in a significant way.

2004-06 – When Pat Battensby was president, she made it a point of having education about the issue of human trafficking and gave it priority status. Many of you will recall the workshops and presentations during that time, especially Sisters Pirette Boisse, CND and Nancy Brown.

Members were appalled, horrified and even put off with all the sordid details and graphic imagery that was so hard to take. Some felt it was an issue being forced upon us and, not unlike domestic violence, something many did not want to know about. Is this because it really is too awful? Or that we can’t possibly make it go away? That we are unable to fix it? » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Lois Charlebois

We all belong to many communities—for instance Church, CWL, Local, Province wide, National and Worldwide. When reading your Diocesan Reports, I realized that I must congratulate you for the great work you are doing in many of these communities. My report in the Convention Book is much the same as the one I sent to National Chairperson Mary Nordick about the work we are doing in B.C & the Yukon.

This committee is very interesting and I have been busy doing the usual work of a Chairperson—Communiqués, Oral Reports, reading about issues, distributing ideas and materials, etc. I am also serving on the Resolutions Committee. I did some research on these issues, and I hope that all of them will pass at this Provincial Convention and at the National Convention in August.

I have also kept up-dated by e-mails from Nazanin Afshin Jam about the important issue of Child Executions in Iran. In December, there were 140 children under 18 years old in Jails in Iran awaiting Execution. This is a very important issue that we must be concerned about and try to help her when we can.

» Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Lois Charlebois

Happy New Year to all of you. You will notice our new themes above. They came into effect January 1st and will be in effect for the next 2 years. They certainly fit with the work of our Standing Committee. In her Communique, National Community life Chairperson, Mary Nordick, wrote:  “The National Executive has decided to focus on two areas – “Welcome Friend” and “Palliative Care”. The League has also declared April 26th, 2009 (the Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel) as CWL Day of Peace and Hope. All of us are asked to pray and act for peace and hope – especially on that day.

The annual Share Lent Campaign -the major fundraising project of the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace will run from February 25th to April 12th. We must make all members aware of the good work done by this group and encourage support of this Campaign. I gave a copy of some brochures, including the new CWL brochure about the 1% program to each Diocesan President at our Fall Mid-term meeting and asked them to pass them on to you. I hope you have had a chance to look at these brochures and will pass on the information about the 1% Program to the Parish Councils in your Diocese. For 40 years our League members have contributed to the 1% Fund – members should give 1% of personal and luxury spending and Councils should give 1% of all funds raised. » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Lois Charlebois                   

Dear League Sisters and Father Tran, 

Hello again to all of you!  I hope you all received Communique #1 sent out in early September. Since then the Provincial Executive Fall Mid-term meeting took place in Kelowna      

October 23^rd to 26^th . To begin our few days together, Father Tran gave an excellent Spiritual presentation about St. Paul. The we began our very busy and “fruitful” few days as we had much business to attend to. I sent  all of you a copy of my “Report to Mid-term Meeting” and hope you received it.  

In my report, I mentioned the Vancouver YWCA Research project titled “Mothers Without Legal Status”. Mary Nordick-National Community Life Chairperson replied to me wondering if someone might make a Resolution on this topic. Is there any one who has knowledge about this and/or access to materials regarding Immigration and/or Family Law which would pertain to this topic? » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Carol Penno

Madam President,

This standing committee has been interesting to chair. It covers such a variety of topics, relating to charity and social justice. Cudos to all those who have worked so hard on the trafficking of women and children issues.

Our heartfelt prayers go out to the peoples of Myanmar (Burma) and China after the recent tragedies. Support Development and Peace to help get aid to these people trying to stay alive. We’ve heard terrible stories of food and supplies on the tarmac with the Junta not allowing it to move. The latest news is that it is now being sent out. I watched Premier Campbell open the Canadian Pavilion at the Beijing Olympic site and heard him say the BC government was matching the donations that were given to China. » Read the rest of this entry »

Submitted by: Carol Penno

I started this March 13 and didn’t finish as I was waiting for some information. Easter is upon us and this has to get out. I wish you all a blessed Easter. Christ is Risen, he is risen indeed. Alleluia. We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our song.

I think this is my last communiqué as Provincial Community Life Chairperson and it should provide you with some material to use for your oral reports to convention. Dr. Rayleen DeLuca recently prepared communiqué #8. I submitted my annual report to National on March 7. Thank you for your excellent annual reports, Rayleen congratulated us. If Rayleen sends out more info I will be sure to communicate again. » Read the rest of this entry »