QUEBEC REPORT by Greta Hofmann Nemiroff

All of our work has been devoted to confecting a grant proposal to Secretary of State Women's Program for the creation of a resource booklet/pamphlet for victims of incest and sexual violence. This bilingual booklet would define the problems, discuss their social and psychological scope and contexts, outline possible legal and therapeutic recourse, and list all available resources in the Montreal area. Right now we are busy assembling supporting documentation from various agencies and schools in the area. While we would like the booklet to be useful to professionals and other workers interfacing with the public, our main target groups is the public itself. For this reason, we want it to be written in accessible language. We have also made provision in our grant proposal for a follow-up study on how this booklet has been received, with a view to further editions if it is viable.

Otherwise, we have discussed various happenings both at the local and federal levels, have fired off some telegrams when asked, have circulated petitions regarding the threatened de-indexation of family allowances, but have not set up alternative projects for ourselves. We are now awaiting word from Secretary of State.

As I wind down after almost 6 years as Quebec Director, I have reservations concerning the unilingual nature of our organization here (which complements Action-Education Femmes), and the fact that with a diminishing English community, a unilingual provincial context, and multiple women's organizations, it is difficult to maintain an active membership for CCLOW in Quebec. In short, I am concerned with the task of replacing myself with a dynamic and committed woman who will contribute at both the local and national levels and who will be, at the very least, comfortable in French.

ONTARIO REPORT by Janice McLean

The Ottawa CCLOW Network continued its activism throughout the summer. An ongoing concern with women's learning opportunities at Algonquin College, prompted a response to the apparent dismantling of the Continuing Education Women's Program. An informal get together with a member of the Board of Governors was held to identify qualified and interested women to sit on College advisory committees, in response to a request from the President.

Committed to socializing and sharing ideas and information, the group held three pot luck suppers at members' homes during the summer and participated in a gathering to hear the experiences of two women who attended the Halifax peace conference in June. A number of CCLOW Ottawa members are also involved in the efforts to create a women's information and resource centre and assisted with a community meeting on September 11.

I did an outreach mailing to the 40 members in the area for an open house on September 18. The group plans to do both outward activism and inward self-education as well as continuing to socialize and share information. Monthly meetings are scheduled and priorities for advocacy are to be the proposed Employment Equity legislation, continuing discussion with Algonquin College management, and ensuring that the CEIC Local Advisory Council appointments comprise 50% representation of knowledgeable women. Individual members took on specific tasks. An evening of open discussion was planned for November 12, on transforming education institutions in this information age.

CCLOW Ottawa also held a special meeting on September 26 with Joan Brown-Hicks and Susan Vander Voet during their visit.

In Cornwall, CCLOW members of the Women's Network hope that they will receive CEIC funding under Innovations for their bridging program for women proposal submitted last June. Inspired by the CCLOW Regina Bridging Program, this is a bilingual project with an emphasis on outreach to rural women.