Minutes – CULE International Solidarity Committee Conference call – June 25, 2008
present: Monica, Patrick, Joan-Anne, Beth
Follow up from last call
Campaign for non-status workers: Joan-Anne has a possible contact and will provide a soon.
Operation Xmas Child: Is a faith-based group. A fuller discussion will take place later.
Campaign for Haiti: Patrick to follow up on his lack of follow up.
Philippines Solidarity Campaign (Kilusang Mayo Uno): Monica’s proposal was approved by the Executive, $1000 to be disbursed. Monica will follow up with the group in the Philippines. Monica and Patrick will create solidarity postcard for CULE members to sign in support.
Monica also reported that she gave a presentation on the CULE Solidarity with the Philippines campaign at the recent new employees’ training which was very well received. A joint press release was issued to commemorate the 1 year anniversary which received some pick-up in the local (Vancouver) Filipino newspapers. Monica to send a scan of the article for web posting.
Cuba: Joan-Anne will follow up with Phil, who formerly took the lead on this.
Campaign for aboriginal communities / aboriginal initiative
Beth solicited recommendations from the caucus but did not receive any and proceeded with her own idea – she contacted the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service (NAPS) and Nishnawbe-Aski Nation (NAN): two groups who are currently undertaking an anti-poverty campaign in Northern Ontario. These groups raise money to provide baby formula to aboriginal families who would be otherwise unable, due to the high cost of transportation to remote areas. Beth envisions supporting their work both financially and by engaging in a letter-writing / awareness raising campaign within both the CULE membership and the PSAC as a whole. The aboriginal campaign is envisioned as an ongoing activity, centered around June 21 – National Aboriginal Day. It was noted that August 9th is the UN International Day of the World’s Indigenous People and would be an excellent time to roll out the campaign.
Beth has committed to drawing up a proposal by July 16th.
Stephen Lewis Foundation / HIV/AIDS in Africa
A discussion re the proposal and response was held. The Committee feels we need a clearer mandate and guidelines with regards to submissions. Monica will work on a set of guidelines; Patrick & Joan-Anne will work on the Committee’s mandate.
Some research was performed and a decision was made. The Committee will directly support “Grandmothers To Grandmothers”, a group doing similar work in Africa, which is partially funded by the Stephen Lewis Foundation. We will cut out the middleman. More information about the group is available here: http://www.grandmotherscampaign.org/
a) If $100 has already been donated to the Stephen Lewis Foundation, a further $400 will be donated to Grandmothers To Grandmothers. b) If a donation to the Foundation has not been made, $500 will be donated to Grandmothers To Grandmothers.
Next call: TBA