Here are the approved and amended Resolutions (now Policy) from the 2011 Annual Meeting.
NCWC RESOLUTIONS 2011
#1: BANNING ALL OFFSHORE DRILLING IN THE ARCTIC
Whereas #1 there has been widespread thawing in the Arctic due
to climate modification, resulting in:
a. exposure of a very delicate ecosystem that, if
damaged, cannot be repaired, and
b. more exposed
areas that can be exploited or used for research; and
Whereas #2 it is known that there are vast, rich
deposits of great variety in the seabed, thought to hold one quarter of the
world’s undiscovered oil; and
Whereas #3 the effect of an oil spill on the delicate nature of
the ecosystem is irreversible because:
a. oil cannot be cleaned up adequately in the cold
Arctic waters;
b. the drilling of emergency side-pipes is not likely
to be feasible when the spill occurs under the ice and the occurrence is not
identified in time; and
c.
these areas are only
available for remedial action two months of the year; and
Whereas #4 a spill in
Arctic waters could destroy the last rich reserves of fish and significant
wildlife habitat; and
Whereas
#5 with the expected surge in drilling and transportation of oil,
accidents are expected to increase, accidents which are dangerous and
impossible to control and have serious implications for the preservation of the
now healthy ecosystem; therefore be it
Resolved #1 that the National
Council of Women of Canada adopt as policy the banning of all offshore drilling
in the Canadian Arctic waters; and be it further
Resolved #2 that the
National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to:
a.
proceed urgently to ban all
offshore drilling in the Canadian Arctic waters;
b.
improve Canada’s capacity to
monitor effectively the banning of all offshore drilling activity in the
Canadian Arctic waters and enforce existing legislation;
c.
ensure that the results of
monitoring practices are verifiable and made public;
d.
continue to work with the
Arctic Council to promote the banning of all offshore drilling in the Arctic;
e.
work with other countries
with off-shore waters to ban off-shore drilling in Arctic waters; and
f.
encourage the use of the
connection with NORAD for oil-drilling monitoring; and be it further
Resolved #3 that the
National Council of Women of Canada urge
the Government of Canada to work with the United Nations to achieve a ban on
offshore drilling in the Arctic.
#2: NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY POLICY
Whereas
#1 an increasingly small group of companies has
gained control over the food supply and is generating huge profits; and
Whereas
#2 farm income for a number of agricultural
commodities has declined while prices to consumers have increased, often making
nutritious food unaffordable for many low-income families; and
Whereas
#3 Canadian farmers cannot compete globally
against lower agriculture and labour standards in other countries; and
Whereas
#4 worldwide food shortages are likely to
result from global warming and continued population growth; and
Whereas
#5 Canada is losing good farmland largely due
to urban sprawl and the farm population is in a continued decline; therefore be
it
Resolved
#1 that the National Council of Women of Canada
adopt as policy that Canada establish a national food security policy in order
to provide safe and nutritious food for the entire Canadian population; and be
it further
Resolved
#2 that the National Council of Women of Canada
urge the Government of Canada to formulate a national food security policy that
will:
a.
monitor
urban expansion with a view to preserving good farmland and expanding Canada’s
capacity for food production;
b.
ensure
sustainable production, processing and distribution which could build long-term
sustainable farm incomes for both small and large enterprises;
c.
ensure
that international agreements affecting food are based on the best Canadian
standards;
d.
recognize
that supply managed systems help to stabilize the supply of high quality food
for consumption in Canada at affordable prices and help to stabilize farm
incomes within the marketplace; and
e.
ensure
safe and nutritious food for all Canadians including those on low income and
those who are geographically isolated.
#3: ENSURING THE SAFETY OF THE CANADIAN FOOD SUPPLY
Whereas
#1 the safety of Canada’s food supply is a basic expectation for Canadians;
and
Whereas #2 the risks of foodborne illnesses have increased
significantly with the development of large scale farming and food processing
as well as the globalization of the food supply; and
Whereas #3 in a national foodborne emergency under the current
system, there is a possibility of confusion of roles between federal and
provincial governments and between departments of the federal government; as
well as a lack of communication between government agencies and laboratories
responsible for testing; and
Whereas #4 the Auditor General of Canada pointed out in a 2009
report that federal inspection of imported plants and produce coming into
Canadian ports was not adequate; and
Whereas #5 many shipments of unprocessed meat products enter
Canada without inspection at border crossing points; and
Whereas #6 the risks associated with processes along the
manufacturing chain of prepared foods may occur:
a.
directly with the addition
of toxic substances: e.g. melanin added to powdered milk to increase its
measured protein content, or
b.
indirectly: e.g. from livestock
feed contaminated resulting in meat contamination or egg products containing
high levels of dioxin; therefore be it
Resolved #1 that the National Council of Women of Canada adopt
as policy that the Safety of Canada’s food supply be a high priority for the
Government of Canada; and be it further
Resolved #2 that
the National Council of Women of Canada
urge the Government of Canada in the event of a national foodborne emergency to
ensure:
a.
recognition of the central
role of the Canadian Public Health Agency in coordinating all levels of
government and agency responses,and in communicating with the public; and
b.
effective systems of
networking are in place between the government and the laboratories involved in
testing; and be it further
Resolved #3 that the National Council of Women of Canada urge
the Government of Canada to give additional attention, via the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency, to the safety of imported food through:
a. improving and strengthening regulations over
imported food and implementation and evaluation of existing regulations; and
b. ensuring the equivalence at least to Canadian
standards of the exporting country’s food inspection system; and
c.
improving regulations of
imported food to and from Canada including the principles of Hazard Analysis
Critical Control Points; and be it further
Resolved
#4 that the National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government
of Canada to work with the provinces and territories to increase co-operation
in the area of food safety, improved inspection and harmonization standards, as
well as on such topics as disease notification, including the possible
re-introduction of listeriosis on the national notifiable disease list.
#4: ESTABLISHMENT OF NANOTECHNOLOGY
REGULATIONS
Whereas
#1 microscopic nanoparticles are being used in more than 800
products sold to consumers such as titanium dioxide in sunscreen,
anti-bacterial ceiling paint and tooth whiteners; and
Whereas
#2 little is known about the effects of nanoparticles on
humans and animals, on the air or food, or on the way they break down in nature
over time; and
Whereas
#3 except for legislation obliging companies that have made
or imported more than 10 kg of certain identifiable nanoparticles to submit
information on these products, there are no nanomaterial-specific regulations
in effect in Canada; therefore be it
Resolved
#1 that the National Council of Women of Canada adopt as
policy that there be a public inventory of nanotechnology and nanomaterials in
Canada which includes regulations covering risk assessment procedures prior to
a nanomaterial release into the marketplace or environment; and a system
tracking and assessing after-market issues and problems, and be it further
Resolved #2 that
the National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to:
a.
establish
a public inventory of nanotechnology and nanomaterials in Canada;
b.
establish
regulations covering risk assessment
procedures prior to a nanomaterial release into the marketplace or environment
and a system tracking and assessing after-market issues and problems; and,
c.
respond
to the July 2010 recommendations of the Council of Canadian Academies concerning worker safety,
namely:
i.
the
development of an interim classification of nanomaterials;
ii.
a
revision of the criteria determining if a new material or product needs to be
examined from the standpoint of its health and environmental effects; and
iii.
the
perfecting of standardized methods for handling nanomaterials.
#5: REFORM OF THE CANADA
PENSION PLAN RETIREMENT INCOME SYSTEM FOR CANADIANS WITH AN EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Whereas
#1 the economic well being of Canada’s retired population is
being threatened by:
a.
a
significant increase in the number of retirees as the baby boom generation
retires; and
b.
on-going
low levels of activity in the economy, high unemployment and the underfunding
and/or the failure of increasing numbers of employer pension plans, leaving
affected retirees without this income; and
c.
the
significantly reduced level of personal savings of the working age employed
population; and
Whereas #2 while
it is generally assumed that retirees need about 70% of their pre-retirement
income to preserve their standard of living in retirement, the Canada Pension
Plan (CPP) alone is designed to replace 25% of average adjusted annual earnings
up to a maximum (this amount changes yearly and is $48,300 for 2011); and
Whereas
#3 the CPP is the favoured vehicle of delivery to increase
retirement income because it is considered secure, reliable, cost-effective and
well managed; and
Whereas
#4 an expanded Canada Pension Plan (CPP) could provide an
increased defined benefit pension related to earnings and years of
contributions, and would remain a public pension plan where risks are pooled to
provide adequate benefits to all contributors; and
Whereas #5 these
plan reforms are still in the design phase where no clear design has been
chosen, except that the CPP seems the preferred vehicle of delivery; therefore
be it
Resolved
#1 that the National Council of Women of Canada adopt as
policy retention of an expanded and sustainable Canada Pension Plan (CPP) with
increased benefits for all contributors to ensure them a livable retirement
with a defined, indexed and secure pension; and be it further
Resolved #2 that
the National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to
strengthen the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) by increasing benefits for all
contributors to ensure them a livable retirement with a defined, indexed and
secure pension.
#6: INCREASING EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS IN CANADA
Whereas
#1 there are many well established benefits associated with
widespread use of public transportation, such as:
a.
reduced
use of fossil fuels, leading to less vehicle emissions, less environmental
pollution, improved air quality and reduced noise levels;
b.
reduced
costs of municipal infrastructure;
c.
fewer
traffic accidents, with reduced injuries and vehicle repair costs;
d.
increased
land values and business opportunities close to the transit path;
e.
decreased
production of greenhouse gases; and
Whereas
#2 there are both
equity and efficiency benefits associated
with the use of public transportation both of which are crucial
considerations in designing a well-functioning system; and
Whereas
#3 evaluating the operation of a transportation service is extremely
complicated, involving its effectiveness in serving both efficiency needs and
delivering benefits; and
Whereas
#4 although the Government of Canada does not provide direct
transportation services in the municipalities, provinces or territories, it has
an important role to play in developing a national strategy that promotes as a
priority the provision of public transportation systems in the municipalities,
provinces and territories, through public education and funding support;
therefore be it
Resolved
#1 that the National Council of Women of Canada adopt as
policy that there be the provision of public transportation systems in Canada;
and be it further
Resolved
#2 that the National Council of Women of Canada urge the
Government of Canada to promote systems of public transportation in the
municipalities, provinces and territories through financial contributions and
public education campaigns; and be it further
Resolved
#3 that the National Council of Women of Canada
urge the Government of Canada to ensure that there are comprehensive evaluation
procedures for evaluating proposed new and existing transportation systems with
regard to coverage based on needs, increasing ridership, and efficient and
effective operation.
PU #1: NEED FOR REALISTIC INSURANCE
FOR NUCLEAR INCIDENTS
Whereas
#1 in 2004, the National Council of Women of Canada adopted
as policy:
a.
the
rejection of Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd.’s concept for burial of nuclear waste
b.
the
need for a broad-based public debate on the energy future of Canada, with a
specific focus on the need for alternative sources of energy, energy efficiency
and energy conservation
c.
the
need for significant expenditures on the search for safe technology to treat
nuclear waste; upgrading of nuclear site storage and safety; development of
alternative sources of energy, energy efficiencies and energy conservation;
improvements for international radiation standards, to reflect gender, age,
health, long-term low level radiation exposure by workers and the public and
environmental impacts e.g. air, water and soil
d.
the
need for a Federal/Territorial/Provincial Environmental Assessment of the
Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) recommendations
e.
opposition
to the expansion of the nuclear industry in Canada, and the need for a
phase-out of nuclear plants at the end of their life cycle, and the need for a
ban on the importation of high-level radioactive waste for any purpose; and
Whereas
#2 in 2008 the National Council of Women of Canada adopted
as policy that:
a.
the
mining of high grade uranium be phased out, in tandem with the phase-out of
nuclear plants at the end of their life cycle
b.
the
mining of low grade uranium not be allowed as a replacement for high grade
uranium
c.
in
the interim, active mines and mills be made safe and abandoned mines be cleaned
up and secured; and
Whereas
#3 rather than phase out nuclear power, Quebec, New
Brunswick and Ontario are in the process of refurbishing older plants, and
Ontario has plans for a second generation of nuclear plants, with all the risks
that this entails; and
Whereas
#4 there would be substantive physical, social, health and
environmental costs should a major nuclear incident take place at any of these
reactor locations; and
Whereas
#5 The Government’s proposed Bill C-15 an Act Respecting
Civil Liability and Compensation for Damage in Case of a Nuclear Accident
(NCLA):
a. fails to require Canada’s nuclear
industry and government to publish a full spectrum of information relevant to
nuclear risk and insurance, with the current information often being
incomplete, inaccurate or misleading;
b. fails to take into account the
precautionary principle;
c. requires insurance coverage for the
nuclear reactor operators that falls
well short of independently-assessed
projected costs; and
transfers
the balance of insurance costs to the public; therefore be it
Resolved
#1 that the National Council of Women of Canada adopt as
policy, that:
a.
nuclear
reactor operators be required to carry insurance that fully covers any
potential on or offsite environmental, social, health and economic costs of a
nuclear incident;
b.
the
public have access to all information regarding the environmental, social,
health and economic costs of potential nuclear incidents; and be it further
Resolved
#2 that the National Council of Women of Canada urge the
Government of Canada to:
a. require nuclear reactor operators to carry
commercial insurance that covers the total costs of a full range of nuclear
incidents, as determined by an independent detailed, life-cycle analysis of the
full environmental, social, health and economic costs of such an incident, on
or offsite, and
b. regularly publish a full spectrum of
information relevant to nuclear risk on and offsite of nuclear installations
and nuclear insurance costs.
PU #2: International
Trade Agreement Negotiations with the European Union
Whereas
#1 in 1998 The
National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC) adopted as policy, resolution 98.6,
which urged the Government of Canada to sign only those agreements which:
a.
respect the economic, political and constitutional
sovereignty of Canada including the ability of all levels of government to
direct investment to community based projects and underdeveloped regions of the
country;
b.
influence job creation and protect culture, health
care, social programs, the environment and maintain labour standards;
c.
include gender analysis and analysis of
environmental concerns, particularly as they relate to the ability of Canada to
fulfil its obligations made in UN conferences in Nairobi, Vienna, Rio de
Janeiro, Cairo, Copenhagen and Beijing;
d.
guarantee Canadian ownership and control over the
delivery of vital natural resources, such as water, electricity and natural
gas;
e.
guarantee compliance with Canadian environmental
standards; and
f.
ensure enforcement of this compliance; and
g.
ensure that trade negotiations within such
transnational organizations as WTO, APEC and OECD represent the interests of
all citizens by:
i.
working for the equal representation of women on
trade delegations from all countries, particularly by setting the example in
delegations from Canada;
ii.
ensuring that gender analysis, as well as social
and environmental assessments are an integral part of the process of trade
negotiations; and
iii. ensuring
that the public is fully informed in a timely way of proposed timetables for
trade liberalization taking place within trade negotiations and organizations;
and
Whereas
#2 the Canadian government is currently in
negotiations with the government of the European Union for a Comprehensive
Economic and Trade Agreement (C.E.T.A.); without public disclosure and adequate
consultation with the Canadian people; and
Whereas
#3 a proposed trade deal with the European Union could also
bind provincial, territorial and municipal governments; and
Whereas
#4 this approach could drain needed stimulus from the
Canadian economy, worsen the current crisis in manufacturing and interfere with
provincial, territorial and municipal governments’ authority to provide and
regulate local services; and
Whereas
#5 municipal, territorial and provincial governments have the right to support Canadian suppliers; set
minimum specifications for materials and
services on major projects; adopt ethical and environmental purchasing
policies; enforce commitments to hire workers locally or require companies
winning public contracts to invest a
portion of revenues or profits in Canadian communities; therefore be it
Resolved #1 that the
National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC) reiterate as policy:
a. the need for adequate public
consultation, transparency and public disclosure in negotiation of
international trade agreements (including Comprehensive Economic Trade
Agreement (C.E.T.A), and
b.
opposition
to Canadian government negotiation of international trade agreements that bind and
restrict provincial, territorial and municipal governments; and be it further
Resolved #2 that
NCWC urge the Government of Canada to:
a. provide full disclosure to Parliament
about trade negotiations with foreign governments;
b. engage in adequate public consultation
in a transparent manner,
c. work with the provinces, territories
and municipalities to ensure adoption of public procurement policies that:
i set
specifications for materials and services that require a minimum Canadian
content on major projects;
ii adopt
ethical and environmentally sustainable purchasing policies; and,
iii enforce
commitments to hire workers locally or require companies winning public
contracts to invest a portion of revenues or profits in Canadian communities.
PU #3 Reform of Canadian Correctional System
Whereas #1 previous policy
dealing with the correctional system called for the Government of Canada to:
70.3
appoint
a senior officer responsible for the treatment of women
81.8
improve
education, rehabilitation and recreation; improve facilities; and construct
regional; prisons
86.11 EM allocate more resources for women in
conflict with the law
88.18
EM study eight listed sentencing reform
policies
89.8
protect
society from dangerous offenders by denying them parole, confining those on
parole to local correctional institutions with appropriate programmes and
supervision
89.9
appoint
a representative Task Force and engage in broad consultation to plan and implement
better accommodations and programmes for women and call on NCWC to undertake
study of eight sentencing policies, reporting back to subsequent AGM,
but none of these policies dealt with the
penal system as a whole; and
Whereas #2 the Government of Canada
has recently made clear its intention to
expand the Canadian prison system at significant cost to meet the
expected increase from its recent “get tough on crime” legislation, at a time
of fiscal restraint, and when crime rates in Canada have been trending
downwards for the last two decades; and
Whereas #3 it is estimated that 13 percent of male offenders and
29 percent of female offenders suffer some form of mental illness , but most
treatment of the mentally ill in prison is sub-standard or, especially for
women offenders, non-existent, and
Whereas #4 most criminologists
agree that longer sentences neither improve public safety nor lead to positive
outcomes and successful re-integration into the community for offenders; and
Whereas #5 the money which the
government is proposing to spend on expanding the prisons could more usefully
and effectively be spent on:
a.
better
facilities and treatment for mentally ill offenders;
b.
measures to reduce the poverty which is the
background of so many of the marginalized people who become offenders; and
c.
community
programs to support at-risk families and youths; therefore be it
Resolved #1 that the National
Council of Women of Canada adopt as policy that Canada’s penal systems be based
on:
a. a rehabilitation
model including probation, sentencing treatment and parole of prisoners which
takes into account not only community safety but also the rehabilitation of
offenders;
b. appropriate
facilities for mentally ill offenders, both male and female;
c. alternative approaches
to sentencing which not only protect the community but also work towards the
rehabilitation and more positive outcomes for offenders; and
d. work with other
levels of government to ensure that poverty reduction strategies as well as
community programs for the support of at-risk families and youth are in place;
and be it further
Resolved #2 that the National
Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to:
a.
postpone
plans for further prison expansion until there has been thorough study of the need
for expansion and the associated costs and effectiveness;
b. provide separate facilities for appropriate
treatment of mentally ill offenders, both male and female;
c.
explore
alternative approaches to sentencing and treatment which will not only protect the community but also work towards
rehabilitation and more positive outcomes for offenders; and
d.
work
with other levels of government to ensure that poverty reduction strategies as
well as community programs for the support of at-risk families and youth are in
place.
EM 1: The Need for All
Canadians to Have Access to Sufficient Resources to Cover the Necessities of
Life
Whereas
#1 the UN Declaration of Human Rights
declares that “everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the
health and well-being of oneself and one’s family, including food, clothing,
housing, necessary social services, and to security in the event of
unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of
livelihood in circumstances beyond his/her control”with “motherhood and
childhood entitled to special care and assistance”, and
Whereas
#2 the National Council of Welfare publication, Welfare Incomes 2009 found that despite the fact that all welfare incomes increased
in 2008, this increase had very little effect as welfare incomes had already
lost so much ground due to inflation of 45% between 1990 and 2009, welfare
incomes are still far away from providing the necessities of life, as are the
incomes of people working at minimum and other low wages and the Canadian
Community Health Survey shows that 9.2% of the population of Canada or more
than 1.1 million people live with food insecurity; and
Whereas
#3 research by the Canadian Centre for Public Policy
Alternatives shows that there is a growing gap between upper income Canadians
whose incomes have grown very quickly, and both middle income families, whose
incomes have stagnated,and lower income Canadians whose incomes have lost
ground over recent years, this putting low income earners and social assistance
recipients at risk of food and shelter insecurity; and
Whereas
#4 the World Health
Organization, responding to increasing concern about the persisting and
widening inequities, established the Commission on the Social Determinants of
Health, and is holding a conference, the aim of which is “to catalyze political
support for national policies to address social determinants of health to
reduce health inequities”, and
Whereas
#5 Canada is the only major industrialized country to be
without a national housing strategy, although the pockets of extreme poverty,
homelessness, near homelessness and unsafe and/or overcrowded dwellings that
exist in Canada (and which are particularly prevalent among Aboriginals, who
include First Nations, Inuit and Metis) have high costs in terms of poor
health, poor school achievement, increased involvement with the police and
courts, as well as high levels of incarceration and unemployment through life;
therefore be it
Resolved
#1 that the National Council of Women of Canada reiterate
from the 1948 United Nations Declaration of Human Rights as policy that
everyone has “the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and
well-being of oneself and one’s family, including food, clothing, housing,
necessary social services, and to security in the event of unemployment,
sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in
circumstances beyond his/her control with “motherhood and childhood entitled to
special care and assistance”; and be it further
Resolved
#2 that the National Council of Women of Canada urge the
Government of Canada to develop an anti-poverty strategy that:
a.
works
to improve daily living conditions of people, with special attention being
given to single mothers, older women, refugee women, women with disability, and
Aboriginal women living off reserve, at risk of food and shelter
insecurity by increasing the Federal
Social Transfer to the Provincial and Territorial Governments;
b.
hold
the proinces and territories accountable for using additional benefits to
social or income assistance recipients so that they have the resources to buy
sufficient nutritional food and to live in stable, safe housing;
c.
implements
a National Housing strategy without delay/.
d.
increases
funding to on-reserve Aboriginals, given the exclusive federal responsibility
for housing on reserves, in order to alleviate their food and shelter
insecurity, paying particular attention to the unsafe, overcrowded and often
mold-infected condition of much Aboriginal housing, and lack of access to safe
drinking water; and
e.
develops
an integrated national policy to reduce health inequities among Canadians by
addressing the social determinants of health; and be it further
Resolved
#3 that the National Council of Women of Canada
urge the Government of Canada to work with provincial and territorial
governments to ensure that their minimum wage policies support a living wage.
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