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Board Briefings August. 1993 At the Federated Women's Institutes of Ontario (FWIO) Board Meeting in Guelph in early August, President Arthena Hecker facilitated discussions for the reâ€" vised framework of the organization. Over the past few years, several proposals for restructuring have been considered and discussed at length by Board Directors, Throughout the 19805. FWIO has been planning strategically for the future by set- ting long and short-term goals and by opening their own provincial office independent of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture. Food and Rural Affairs. Since then. the Board has worked towards devel- oping a more effective organization. in 1997. a revrsed vision statement was devel- oped: “Working Together Shaping Tomorrow’s World." and strategic goals were set to define this vision. At the August Board. Hecker stated that "lhe decisions being made now are in the best interests of the whole organization." It is expected these changes will result in more effective communications and more financial prudence. For detailed intormation on the revised framework of the Federated Women's insti- lines of Ontario see centre insert Resolutions Sustained The following resolutions were sustained at the August Board Meeting: From Greenwood WII North Renf'rew v requesting the Canadian Medical Assoâ€" ciation and the Federal Minister of Health to adopt the position of eradicat ing pediatric lead toxicity, its sources and its effects on behaviour and team- ing, with the eventual goal at nationwide screening of children at school entry level (ages 3, 4 or 5) using hairelemental analysis as first choice to screen for lead and other heavy metals, such as cad- mium, nickel, tin. aluminum. arsenic and mercury 4 Home & Country, full '95 - requesting the Canadian Medical Asso ciation and the Federal Minister of Health to recognize hair elemental analysis as an acceptable marker for concern in lead and heavy metal toxicity and to render chelation therapy acces- sible for those children showing developmental delays and/or intellectual impairment and/or behavioural impair- ment (most notably Attention Deficit Disorder) in conjunction with elevated hair elemental analysis levels and/or elevated urine elemental analysis tol~ lowing cheletion challenge From West Fort wr, Thunder Bay 0 req uesdng the Canadian Govemmenl to live up to commitments made in 1992 at the Rio Summit and again in 1997 althe Japan Summit to reduce to the 1990 level at least by the year 2000 our coun- trys emissions of greenhouse gases and to encourage provincial govern ments, industry, commerce and private citizens by means oi incentives to help us reach that goal From North Momlngton WI, Perth North - urging the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Social Senrices to expand funding and services for the teaching of parenting skills in elementary schools From Union Street WI, York North - urging the Ministry of the Attorney Gen» eral to amend the law of evidence so as to prohibit the Crown from adducing the testimony of jailhouse informants as to the selfincriminatory statements or con» duct of accused persons in criminal trials Information Items Financial Matters The expenses and revenues are tracking within the 1990 budget ranges which will endthe fiscal yearin a balanced netposl‘lion (net profit of 0). A Recommendation Form has been designed to present all recom- mendations to Board. The recommendation is stated on the Form. outlining its benefits, disadvantages and the cost This form was designed as a tool to assist Board Directors in the decision making process. All Recom- mendation Forms should be sent to the Provincial Office 30 days prior to Board meetings tor inclusion on the agenda. Annual Meeting Beginning in 1999, FWIO will combine the annual meeting with a provincial confer- ence and workshops. Public Relations Officer MaryJenes presented a detailed chart 01 all the current FWIO public relations/promo lional initiatives. Some were initiated by the PHO; some were devetoped and canted out by others. The chart listed all printed mete- riats. networking initiatives with other provincial organizations and mulli-media and outreach efforts. After commenting on the chart. Janos stated, you will recognize that Public Flalalions at the provincial level is a large responsibilny. that one volunteer cannot do it all and that everyone at the provincial level needs to work together closely tor the endeavour to be successfqu Once againl Janes recommended that the PRO become a paid position at the provin- cial level. Board Directorsapproved the PRO’s pro- posal that all members of FWIO celebrate WI Week annualty in February. during his week in which the anniversary of the forma- tion of the tirst Wt in Stoney Creek tells (Febmary 14-20, in 1999). See page it for more details on how to implement this new proposal. Annual Report Branches wrll be receiving a copy of FWIO‘s Annual Fleport for 1997-1998. The motion to distribute it to Branches Is for a one-year trial basis, after which it will be reviewed. Board tell that Branches could review in detail the financial intonnalion ol the organi~ zatidn, as well as provincial committee activrry reports. A professionally formatted annual report is necessary to present (a potential sources of outside funding Program Themes Approved Next year is the International Year of the SeniOr. This is one of the chosen themes for Women's Institutes programming in 1995- 1999. The otherchosen theme is'l'he New Millennium.“ Watch for more program ideas in the Winter issue of Home 5 Country. FWIC FWIC has contracted Dr. Linda Ambrose, author at For Home and Country. to write a history oithe Women's Institutes in Canada lrorn 1897 to 1997, to be ready for FWIC Convention 2000. The proposed book will be approximately 75 pages with 40 illustra- tions and 5 t/2' x a 1/2' in size. CD-Rom Textbook Canada: Confederation to Present (working title) is a collaborative CD-Flom textbook The textbook is aim ed at students taking introductory level Canadian history courses in postsecondary insb'tub'ons. but it is hoped that it will be distributed to meme bars oldie general public. The inclusion at thousands of Images and sound and film clips from the nation's archives and muse- ums will provide unparalleled exposure to the primary date 01 history instructors. The editors of this text have invited two hundred. leading scholars to provide written original materials in their areas of expenise. The FWIO Board of Directors authonzed the University of Athena Textbook Committee to use maps and graphs that are printed in the Ambrose book For Home and Country Pitch-In Canada Week 2000 Many thanks were extended to the 37 Women’s Institute Branches who reported their participation during Pitch-In Canada Week in 1993. Pitch-In Canada would like individual WI members to write to both the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Canada requesting that the Government of Canada designate Pitch-In Canada Week 2000 as a Canada Millennium Part» nership Program Since Pitch-In Canada was founded in 1967. it has been their dream to have a national cleanup from coast to coast Write your letter today. Here are the ad- dresses to write to: The Flight Hon. Jean Chretien. MP Prime Minister of Canada, Langevin Block, 80 Wellington St, Ottawa ON KtA 0A2, or The Hon. Herb Gray. MP. Deputy Prime Minister of Canada and Minister responsi bio for Canada Millennium Program. Marshall Four Comers Bldg, 3rd Floor, i4 Melcalle St, Ottawa ON K1A 0A3. Also send a copy to your local Member of Parliament Jeanette Sweet (left) and Violet Dunk (right), members of the Rylstone WI. are Pkkl'ng up roadside garbage as part of the Pitch-In Canada Program held last spring. Submitted by Dorothy Thomson. Rylslone Wl. Hastings No