Learning people:
an older woman's education through activism

BY VI THOMPSON

"We decided to
work together
to get more
women elected
to Parliament
and Women for
Political Action
was born."

"You don't learn anything at Nursery School" the boys jeered. "Yes I do" retorted Chris, "I learn people." Chris at four years old knew that learning people was basic to all education.

I became an older woman in the late sixties. Haphazardly a new phase of education began for me. It all started at a workshop on Quebec and its right to self-determination. I remember very little about the political discussion; that weekend my learning was personal. For four days no one asked if I was married, if I have children, or if I worked. They related to me as a person, a woman in my own right.

I began attending Friends' House, the Toronto meeting place of the Quakers where there is no paid minister, no set order of services, no prayers or hymns. Everyone is expected to listen and ponder what is I said. Here I learned good listening skills.

I joined Friends' Peace committee and participated in a group focusing on equality of women. The same thoughtful listening operated within this group.

It was at Friends' House that I learned about a meeting called by Kay Macpherson and Moira Armour for February 5, 1972 to discuss "the various ways of improving the proportion of women MPs in a total of 264."

Women for Political Action
About forty women attended the meeting. We decided to work together to get more women elected to Parliament and Women for Political Action was born. And for the first time I began to consider myself a political activist.

Women for Political Action (WPA) met weekly to flesh out goals, policies and principles. We avoided Roberts' Rules of Order. There was no designated president. We took turns chairing the meetings. My turn came. The room was crowded and there were many new faces but I went ahead knowing that no matter what mistakes I made, what hesitations, there would be friendly understanding and support. Only two years earlier I would blush to raise my hand to second a motion at my local Ratepayer' and Residents' Association.

L'apprentissage à travers l'activisme

PAR VI THOMPSON

En 1972 je devins l'un des membres fondateurs de l'organisme s'appelant " Les femmes pour l'action politique ", lequel vise à augmenter le nombre des députées à Ottawa. Cette année-là, le FAP présenta aux élections fédérales deux candidates indépendantes. En participant à une campagne féministe, j'ai appris les méthodes lorsqu' on mène une campagne politique et j'ai découvert, au fil du démarchage électoral, certaines réalités à propos de l'oppression des femmes.

Les résultats de l'élection de 1972 nous ont fait comprendre que, pour arriver à faire élire des femmes, il fallait travailler au sein d'un parti politique.

J'ai pris une part active au Nouveau Parti démocrate, en particulier au Comite des femmes du NPD de l'Ontario, lequel s'attachait à faire changer la politique du parti et à atteindre l'égalité dans tous les comités du parti.

Au cours des campagnes électorales, j'ai rempli différents rôles. En tant que membre de l'association de ma circonscription, j'ai travaillé à différents postes. En tant que déléguée du Conseil provincial, j'ai étudié le budget de la province, assisté à nombre de séances sur les politiques et me suis familiarisée avec maintes questions.


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