CFUW works to take action on social issues that impact women and girls in Canada and abroad. CFUW uses this “advocacy scorecard” page to monitor our advocacy efforts.  We publish our National advocacy letters to elected officials to identify allies and hold those in positions of power accountable.CFUW also supports the advocacy of partner organizations and aims to amplify the efforts of issue leaders by signing & endorsing their letters.

Early Learning & Child Care

• Create a National Child Care Program Now!
  • September 8, 2020. 18 letters, among them, to: The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada; The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development; The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development; The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Finance; The Honourable Mona Fortier, Minister of Middle-Class Prosperity
  • Response:  September 23, 2020. National President, Kathryn Wilkinson met with Ms. Lindsay Mathyssen, M.P., Deputy Whip of the New Democratic Party. M.P. Mathyssen expressed support for a Universal Child Care program in Canada.
• Follow-up to the Speech from the Throne
  • September 29, 2020. To: The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada; The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
• School Reopenings & COVID-19 Data Collection
  • October 16, 2020. To: Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada. CC: The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health & The Honourable R. J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture & Employment, Council of Ministers of Education
  • Response: December 4, 2020. Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada replied with this letter.
• Let all Children Access Canada Child Benefits
  • February 15, 2021. To: The Right Honourable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; The Honourable Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland; The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development; The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue

Violence against Women

• A National Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence
  • December 7, 2020. To: The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development; The Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.
• Transparency in the Termination of the Yukon Advocate Case Review project
  • February 23, 2021. To: Brenda Lucki, Commissioner, Royal Canadian Mounted Police & Kevin Stringer, Chief Administrative Officer, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
  • March 9, 2021. Response from RCMP Commissioner Lucki.
• Urgent Culture & Procedural Changes Needed for Addressing and Preventing Sexual Assault and Misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces
  • May 28, 2021. To: The Honourable Harjit Sajjan, Minister of National Defence.
  • July 12, 2021. Response from Minister Sajjan.

Indigenous Peoples’ Rights

• Joint letter on Joyce Echaquan’s death
  • October 5, 2020. To: The Honourable François Legault, Premier of Quebec. CC: The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada;  The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations; The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Indigenous Services; Ms. Sylvie D’Amours, Minister responsible for Indigenous Affairs

Climate Change & Environment

• Establishment of Canada Water Agency & Review of Radioactive Waste Policy
  • March 1, 2021. To: The Honourable Jonathon Wilkinson, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change
• Coal mining in Alberta 
  • March 12, 2021. To: Atrum Coal CEO; Benga Mining Limited / Riversdale Resources CEO; Warburton Group CEO; &Montem Resources Alberta Operations Ltd. CEO
• Groups urge feds to ban polluting nuclear technologies from budget’s Clean Power Fund
  • April 7, 2021. Press release

*NEW* Long-Term Care

• Open Letter on Long-Term Care Standards & LTC under the Canada Health Act – Signed updated June
  • May 5, 2021. CFUW joined with 8 other national organizations & 232 individuals in an open letter to the Minister of Seniors & Minister of Health to urge the implementation of common, evidence-based standards for LTC and to place LTC under the Canada Health Act. Click here to read the letter.
• Op-Ed: “‘Building Back Better’ must start with long-term care
  • May 4, 2021. CFUW National President, Kathryn Wilkinson, and National Advocacy Coordinator, Charlotte Akin, co-wrote an Op-Ed about ways Canada can improve the safety and dignity of residents and workers in long-term care. Published in the Hamilton Spectator, other Torstor publications. Click here to read the article.

International Advocacy

• CFUW’s Written Statement to the United Nations 65th Commission on the Status of Women
• Global Affairs Canada consultation on Feminist Foreign Policy
• CFUW Comments on the Zero Draft Agreed Conclusions for the 65th UNCSW
• Letter to Minister of Foreign Affairs on Turkey’s withdrawal from the “Istanbul Convention”
• Transparency in search for new UN Women Executive Director 
• Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan (CW4WAfghan), the Canadian Federation of University Women, and the Women and Peace Studies Organization (Afghanistan) letter on the Intra-Afghan peace talks and the Afghan peace process

General

• CFUW 2021 Pre-budget Submission
  • February 19, 2021. Submitted to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance.
• Feedback on proposed Pay Equity Act / Pay Equity Regulations legislation. 
  • January 13, 2021. Submitted to the Government of Canada.

Joint efforts

• Roundtable with women’s rights and equality-seeking organizations for Federal Budget 2021
  • September 18, 2020. To: The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
• Action Plan on Women in the Economy Taskforce
  • November 17, 2020. To: The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister & The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
  • RESPONSE: March 8, 2021 – Government announces members of new Task Force on Women in the Economy. Click here to find out more. Thank you to our partners for their advocacy in the creation of this important task force.