On March 3, 2007, I made a presentation on behalf of WISE to Bev Oda, then Minister for Status
of Women Canada. Have posted the seven-minute presentation to Challenging the
Commonplace.
EXCERPT:
I am a 56-year-old woman with disabilities whose average annual income from self-employment
is less than $7,000. I am Founder and Coordinator of WISE, an ad hoc group and growing
national movement whose membership is women in poverty. Most of us live more than 30%
below the Fraser Institute’s poverty line. (1)
WISE began in the summer of 2003 when frustrated by a heartless and senseless system, I wrote
my story of painful marginalization. The story came to the attention of Agnes Lui and Lorraine
Cameron, of the BC/Yukon office of Status of Women Canada. Within two weeks, Agnes, my
friend Ronnie, and I were meeting in Victoria.
I was close to out of my mind with depression, rage, and was suicidal - all of which showed.
Despite this, Agnes persisted and by the end of two hours had persuaded me to write a proposal
for a project on women’s poverty.
My isolation due to poverty had left me disconnected from my community and I was in no shape
to reach out to strangers. That Status of Women Canada would fund projects by ad hoc groups
saved the situation. With the support of my friend and someone she knew, I created WISE.
That personal contact with Agnes was crucial. Had there not been someone in a position to help
me through the application process, with the professional expertise to see beyond my
demeanour, to believe in me when I couldn’t believe in myself, and to persuade me to do a
project that could help other women, WISE and all the good it has done would never have
happened...
Full article: http://tinyurl.com/a6zm4k
Ocean
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Book: Policies of Exclusion, Poverty & Health: Stories from the front
Podcast Channel: http://bcseawalker.podbean.com/
Blog: Challenging the Commonplace - and other irreverent activities
http://challengingthecommonplace.blogspot.com/
If you live in BC, help promote the May 12 referendum on electoral reform - visit
http://www.stv.ca/
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