Advocacy

“When women come together with a collective intention, magic happens.”

Phylicia Rashad

We are an interest group that holds monthly meetings on the fourth Thursday afternoon of each month. Our focus of attention comes from our club’s Mission and Value statements, where we agree to seek social justice, commit to new learning and address issues of relevance for the lives of women and girls. We welcome new members! 

The monthly meetings offer an opportunity for women to discuss issues – locally, federally or internationally – that are important to them and to learn from the knowledge and opinions of others. There is NO homework unless a member chooses to do so through emails to elected officials or organizations as an independent voice. 

The decision to coordinate the annual CFUW Etobicoke discussion of National and Ontario Council resolutions at the March Resolution meeting is a choice of an individual and NOT an expectation of the Advocacy interest group.

In November of 2024, the Advocacy interest group engaged club members in a short survey. The group had created lists of concerns according to federal, provincial and local government responsibilities. Then members attending a general meeting checked off their interests on each of the lists. The results helped to inform the Advocacy group about topics that could be a special focus for the year. 

In general, the survey showed that CFUW Etobicoke members were particularly concerned about (in order of most interest):
– Climate Change;
– Gun Control;
– Mental Health and Addictions;
– Canadian Arctic protection (First Nations) + Defence;
– Poverty, guaranteed livable income.

2024-2025 was a year of elections. As the Provincial, the Advocacy group prepared a list of questions on a variety of topics that Club members were urged to use if contacted by a candidate or a candidate’s team during the campaign. Posted by the telephone or front door these questions offer possible questions with which to delve further into a candidate’s commitment to the community.

As the Federal election approached, the Advocacy group composed and circulated to the Club membership an email re voting in the federal election. Members were encouraged to engage actively in the 2025 Federal election. 

The two major concerns raised as issues in the 2025 Federal Election were:

The ongoing need for a separate Cabinet Portfolio to oversee women and gender equality initiatives: Members were encouraged to use their voices to make politicians realize that a strong economy demands an investment for co-ordination and funds to address gender policies and equality issues such as gender-based violence, unpaid labour, care giving and gender justice. To do this a Minister and Ministry of Women and Gender Equality must be reinstated. 

Climate Change and Economic and Socio/Emotional support for victims of extreme weather events: CFUW Etobicoke members voted Climate Change as their number one federal issue of concern. Members were urged to ask their political candidates what they proposed to do to support climate change affected women and families.

The Advocacy group continued the monthly “Call to Action” in the Club newsletter to outline an issue important at that particular time. Information is given to briefly describe the situation and club members are given a couple of suggestions as to what they might do if they are concerned about the issue. For example:


Humans are responsible for global warming – April 2025

“Climate scientists have shown that humans are responsible for virtually all global heating over the last 200 years. Human activities like the ones mentioned above are causing greenhouse gases that are warming the world faster than at any time in at least the last two thousand years. The average temperature of the Earth’s surface is now about 1.2°C warmer than it was in the late 1800s (before the industrial revolution) and warmer than at any time in the last 100,000 years. The last decade (2011-2020) was the warmest on record, and each of the last four decades has been warmer than any previous decade since 1850.

Many people think climate change mainly means warmer temperatures. Temperature rise is only the beginning of the story. Because the Earth is a system, where everything is connected, changes in one area can influence changes in all others.

The consequences of climate change now include intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and declining biodiversity, etc.” Women and girls are on the frontlines of the climate crisis and uniquely situated to drive action.” 

For further information you can check out any of the following:

Our Mission is to continue to enhance our role as a national, bilingual, independent organization striving to promote equality, social justice, fellowship and lifelong learning for women and girls.