Please note that Jaime Beagan will be out of office Wednesday, December 10th to Tuesday, December 16th, returning to the office Wednesday, December 17th.

Please direct all inquires Elizabeth Malcolm ([email protected]).

In Memoriam: Vicky Grabb

It is with deep sorrow that we pass along the news that CFUW Edmonton member, Vicky Grabb, passed away on Friday October 3, 2025.

She was a dedicated volunteer for many organizations, including the Rotary Club of Edmonton West, the Canadian Club of Edmonton, and CFUW at the local, provincial and national level. She always had a clear vision of what she wanted to bring to the leadership roles she took on. Her dedication to achieving goals she set for herself and the organizations she volunteered her time with were recognized in many way; one of those she was most proud of was the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in November 2022 for her significant contributions to the province of Alberta.

Her contributions to CFUW locally, provincially and nationally were many. She served CFUW Edmonton most recently as a diligent President July 2023-Jan 2025 and an enthusiastic Chair of the Academic Awards Fund, until her passing in October 2025. She greatly enjoyed the bridge and book Interest Groups at the club. She had a love of the written word and had a large personal library with at least a few thousand books.

We encourage members to read her full remembrance, prepared by CFUW VP Prairies Barb Gustafson, HERE

GWI Top-Ups and Treasurer and Finance Workshop

We have received our annual invoice from GWI and will begin the process of determining top-ups for the opt-in clubs. We will be sending all GWI opt-in clubs their top-up invoices by the end of next week (Thursday, December 18th).

Please note that the payments are due by February 28th, 2026, and can be paid by cheque or e-transfer.

As was done last year, we will be holding our annual Finance and Treasurer Workshop on Wednesday, January 21st at 7pm ET. The content of the webinar will be an explanation of annual CFUW membership dues, the calculation of GWI top-ups and next years GWI dues.

Canadian Civil Society Calls on Prime Minister Carney to Uphold Canada’s Global Leadership on Gender Equality and Human Rights

CFUW has signed on with more than 250 organizations and individuals to take urgent and decisive action to safeguard Canada’s feminist foreign policy commitments at a time of escalating global instability. You can view the signed statement attached or on Oxfam Canada’s website HERE.

As the 16 Days of Activism have concluded, we wanted to say HUGE thank you to all the Clubs who participated in 16 Days events in their communities or simply shared information on their social media pages.

Please continue to send information and any pictures from your events to Camila Taipe at [email protected].

CFUW Richmond

On Saturday Dec. 6, at 11 a.m. in our central Library Square, CFUW members, together with provincial and municipal elected officials, Musqueam councilor Kim Guerin, the RCMP, the Re-Sisters social justice singing group and members of various community groups met for the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

After the land acknowledgement, introduction and welcome of guests, speeches, reading of the 14 names, a moment of silence, candle lighting and singing, we walked with our parade banner for a loop including City Hall. CFUW Richmond is proud to organize this annual event.

This holiday season CFUW invites Clubs and members to support our International Service Project: Young, Happy, Healthy & Safe – Zambia in partnership with the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

Our goal this year is to raise $15,000 to help ensure that girls in rural Eastern Zambia have access to critical sexual and reproductive health education. This knowledge can protect girls from:

early marriage and pregnancy
gender-based violence
HIV infection
burdensome caregiving responsibilities
other factors that limit their health, safety, and future opportunities

More information, including a link to donate, is available HERE. Please remember to include your Club name with your contribution so we can celebrate your support.

Several CFUW members attending the 35th GWI Triennial General Assembly and Conference in Lusaka, Zambia had the opportunity to visit our partners and see firsthand how this project is transforming the lives of young women and girls. Here are a few photos to share with you of their visit:

Your generosity this Giving Tuesday — and throughout the holiday season — will directly support brighter, healthier futures for girls in Zambia.

Thank you for helping make a meaningful impact!

Welcome to the "CFUW National Board Corner", where over the next weeks we'll introduce you to the dozens of inspiring women from across Canada who help guide CFUW! 🌟

Our national board members bring passion, experience, and vision to their roles. Read their stories and learn a bit more about each one, as together, they guide our organization with integrity, purpose, and heart.

You can access the shared CFUW Board profiles on the CFUW Member's Drive HERE

Thinking About Member Proposals??

What are member proposals? Motions of any kind. We usually think of motions discussed at a general meeting as being limited to Resolutions (in CFUW this means motions to establish advocacy policy) and Bylaw amendments.

Members (CFUW Clubs) can submit motions on a variety of topics. As long as they propose action that is within the purposes of CFUW or that addresses how CFUW conducts business (bylaw amendments, amendments to procedure, resolutions, dues motions, nominations) member proposals can be considered at the AGM or a policy session. The Articles and Bylaws Committee handles all such member proposals except nominations, which are handled by the Nominations Committee and “Resolutions”, which are handled by the Resolutions committee.

More information, as well as forms, can be found HERE

Register Here

Join us for an informative webinar on the CFUW National Board! Learn about the Board’s roles, responsibilities, and the nomination process for the 2026–28 term. This session will provide clarity on how elections work, what positions are available, and what it takes to serve. The webinar includes a presentation from current Board members and a Q&A to answer your questions.

Date & Time: January 29, 2026 | 6:00 PM ET
Format: Virtual Webinar https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/rUSf1DtSSg-So8SjK5qD2w

CFUW Advocacy Grant Announcement

There will be a second round of applications accepted for the CFUW Advocacy Grant. The applications close Friday, January 30, 2026 at 4pm ET.

The same rules apply. The rubric by which submissions are adjudicated is provided HERE to help you design your application.

If you have any questions - please contact Heather Oxman, VP Advocacy at [email protected]

Register Here

At the National Office, we have received several inquiries from CFUW Clubs regarding the archiving of Club materials, ranging from specific question regarding the classification of different archival materials, to wondering where to begin.

Our first Archivist Webinar was a HUGE success, and we want to continue the information sharing amongst those unable to attend the first webinar, or looking to learn more!

The CFUW Communication Committee has scheduled a second Archivist Workshop for Thursday, January 15th, 2026 at 7pm ET, where an archival expert will speak to the different questions Clubs have regarding the archiving of materials.

What we will discuss
In this introductory session we will talk about some of the basics. Learning about what are archives – both as records and as a larger repository with information about why they are important to your organization. We can also discuss the characteristics of the archival record with some context as to the life cycle of records. This will provide information as to what records should be kept and records that can be discarded.

This will be covered in the first half hour with questions in the latter half of the hour.

January 16th, 2026 | 1:00 PM Eastern Time | Virtual Event

Join the CFUW Education Committee for an engaging learning opportunity during the first hour of their meeting. This special session will focus on Post-Secondary Education in Canada, exploring its vital role in social well-being, economic development, and innovation.

Facilitator: Linda Coles
Special Guests: Experts sharing insights and perspectives
Format: Presentation followed by interactive discussion

Canada leads the world in education, with over 57% of adults holding a tertiary degree (OECD, 2022). Discover the challenges and promises shaping universities, colleges, and polytechnics today—and join the conversation!

Register Here

CFUW National Webinars and Trainings can also be accessed in the CFUW Member's Drive HERE

Overview Schedule of AGM and Conference - to assist in booking travel plans:

Monday, July 20: Arrival and registration (recommended if attending a LAC tour/activity on the Tuesday)

Tuesday, July 21: Arrival and registration / LAC Tours (Morning, Afternoon and Full Day Tours will be available. More information to come soon.) Opening Ceremony and Dinner

Wednesday, July 22: AGM and Member Led Sessions / Charitable Trust Dinner

Thursday, July 23: Conference Day - Keynotes, Workshops, and Speaker Panel / LAC Dinner

Friday, July 24: Policy Session (AM) - Closing ceremony and remarks/Lunch.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are running for a Board position for the 2026-2028 biennium, the first Board Meeting will take place early afternoon on Friday, July 24th after lunch.

Hotel booking is now available for the 2026 CFUW AGM & Conference.

Book your group rate for CFUW AGM 2026 - If you wish to extend your stay in Montreal, the group rate extends before and after the schedule. See specifics below.

Last Day to Book : Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Start Date: Friday, July 17, 2026
End Date: Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Travel Codes for the 2026 CFUW AGM & Conference

This Fall we had 23 club applications for the Membership Grant to support new Branding or New or Recurring Projects/ Activities. We awarded 13 grants worth a total of $4000 to small, medium and large clubs from NS, QC, ON, AB, and BC whose request showed their actions supported their members and increased CFUW awareness in the community yet struggled to have sufficient financial or people resources to realize their potential.

See the full list of recipients HERE

Anne Cordon,
VP Membership

CFUW Interest Groups Across the Country
CFUW FAQ Page
CFUW Member's Drive Resource Document
CFUW Member's Drive
CFUW Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Resources
Zoom Request Form
CFUW Newsletter Archives

Have you checked out the new CFUW Event Calendar? It’s jam packed with CFUW Committee meetings, Club Events, and important dates from the National Office!

Clubs are encouraged to submit their events to the CFUW National Event Calendar through the CFUW Member Database.

CFUW Yorkton: Aging in Place - Living Safely and Independently

CFUW Yorkton, in partnership with The City of Yorkton's Social Prescribing Community Connector has invited, by popular demand, Elliot Paus Jensen to address the topic "Aging in Place: Living Safely and Independently" at their Zoom meeting to be held on December 15, 2023, at 2:00 P.M., Sask Time and 3:00 P. M., ET., held at the Yorkton Public Library.

CFUW Yorkton extends an invitation to any CFUW member who would like to join in the Zoom mtg.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85276375062?pwd=LH2Q9mw6VXVwbxT20BFuqJFiSB2Agi.1

Meeting ID: 852 7637 5062
Passcode: 437702

Description of Elliot's Presentation:
Older adults throughout the world have expressed their preference to age in place, to live in their own homes and receive the services they need there. This presentation discusses what aging in place means and the barriers that get in the way. It draws on the speaker’s experiences as a social worker working for many years with older adults with chronic health problems, their families and community. Elliot, Past President and Chair, Saskatoon Council on Aging now volunteers with the Saskatoon Council on Aging in the Age-friendly Saskatoon Initiative.

Petition to the Government of Canada: Single Senior Women and Federal Tax Equity

CFUW individual members are encouraged to support this petition put forward by BPWCanada regarding Single Senior Women and Federal Tax Equity. Here is some background to that petition:

Single senior women face disproportionate economic vulnerability: they live longer than men and are over four times as likely to experience poverty compared to their coupled peers (Auditor General, 2024). Furthermore, research indicates that a single senior may pay up to 9.6 times more in taxes than a senior couple (SSTF, 2024). Addressing these disparities aligns with Canada’s commitments as a signatory to the Agreed Conclusions of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) sessions and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), reinforcing the country’s obligation to promote gender equity and economic justice for all seniors.

The petition closes on December 28, 2025.

GWI Update - December 3rd, 2025

Do you want your Club’s newsletter shared in the CFUW Club Action newsletter? Send your newsletter to Elizabeth Malcolm at [email protected]

December 12th, 2025

In Memoriam: Vicky Grabb

GWI Top-Ups and Treasurer and Finance Workshop

Canadian Civil Society Calls on Prime Minister Carney to Uphold Canada’s Global Leadership on Gender Equality and Human Rights

CFUW Richmond

Thinking About Member Proposals??

CFUW Advocacy Grant Announcement

CFUW Yorkton: Aging in Place - Living Safely and Independently

Petition to the Government of Canada: Single Senior Women and Federal Tax Equity