Women and Community Economic
Development Conference
Douglas College, New Westminster, B.C. May 27-19, 1988
Review by Susan Wismer

"We believe that CED (community economic development) can make a difference in women's lives. At this conference, we will assess the potential of this strategy. We will start from women's experiences and examine these and other critical questions with both social and economic goals in mind." (From the conference brochure.)

Organizing a national conference from the extreme western end of Canada has its own special challenges. Not the least of these is convincing potential founders that the whole enterprise is possible. It was not clear until scarcely a month before the conference was due to begin that the minimum funds necessary would be available. For close to a year the idea of the conference was supported by nothing more - or less - than the commitment of women from Women Skills Development Society who were convinced that a conference on women and community economic development was timely and necessary, and the network of volunteers across the country who worked with them to consider the conference agenda, identify workshop leaders, develop mailing lists, and make travel arrangements.
     But when the 200 registrants for the conference began to arrive, there was little evidence of the stresses and strains of putting together a major national meeting on a spider's web of volunteer effort, except perhaps in the tired and relieved faced of the organizing committee. The welcome was warm and well organized. The people did come from all across the country. And the program of workshops and speakers covered the broadest possible range of topics and interests.
    Women involved in community economic development projects across Canada gave presentations at workshops and on panels on everything from home-based catering to the development of jointly ventured investment funds involving assets in the millions of dollars. Participants talked at length about the need for vision, and for strategies that start not from government programs or market niches, but from the basic needs which they and their families have for shelter, food, clothing and a generally decent life. People from opposite ends of the country found they shared similar ideas and hopes and could benefit from the lessons of their mutual experience.
    The most memorable moment, however, did not result from the careful advance planning of the organizers. It came during the final plenary session of the conference. A group of women from Nova Scotia read a carefully prepared statement which said that as women of color and as poor women, though they had no wish to disrupt the proceedings, they felt we all should know that they and their needs and interests had not been adequately recognized. Their daily reality is one in which children are admitted to hospital as a result of malnutrition. Nothing at the conference was likely to change that. In a statement which moved many people to tears, one woman reported that her teenaged daughter, still in hospital at the time of the conference after a suicide attempt, has said she could not stand to live in a world where women do not support one another. In response, many participants wrote letters to be carried back to the woman's daughter.
    There could have been no more powerful reminder that despite the considerable accomplishments of women involved in community economic development and despite its apparent promise as a pathway to a more peaceful and equitable world, the journey will be a long one, and it must being at the beginning, with those who are the least advantage in Canadian society.
    Conference proceedings are in preparation. Further information is available from Women Skills, Community Economic Options, 4340 Carson Street Burnaby, B.C., V51 2X9.

Susan Wismer is the guest editor of this issue of Women's Education des femmes.