magazine
Inaugural Issue!
Women Helping Women Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives The Right Honourable
MichaĂŤlle Jean Women Moving Millions
Margot Franssen Agent for Change
Sheila Copps complimentary CAPITAL WOMAN 1 VOL 1 MAR/APR 2012
MAGAZINE
Making a Difference
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CONTENTS
FEATURES
Women Moving Millions
14 Margot Franssen
BY JANICE KAYE
Shout Sister! Choir & Soup Sisters
18 WOMEN HELPING WOMEN
BY Nicola Maule
Agent of Change
24 Sheila Copps
BY Dosi Cotroneo
Victoria’s Quilts Canada
Photo by Sgt Serge Gouin
ON THE COVER
The Heart of a Humanitarian
10 Michaëlle Jean
By Joanne Laskoski
22 A LABOUR OF LOVE
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CAPITAL WOMAN MAGAZINE
BY SHERRI YAZDANI
TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME ONE
IN EVERY ISSUE
34 MY VOICE
6 FROM THE EDITOR 26 FEATURED ARTIST
Making a Difference
36 EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN
Barbara Pope
Photographer: Renée Kimlova
27 The ability in DISABILITY
Volunteering is the right thing to do
28 HOLISTIC HEALTH
What is true health?
29 LEGAL ANSWErS
Legal Pitfalls
30 6 KIDS AND STILL STANDING
I wouldn’t change it for the world!
31 ABORIGINAL ISSUES
And Shared Stories
32 HEALTHY LIVING
Wholesome foods
that taste good!
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From the Editor It is a great pleasure to introduce to Ottawa and the National Capital Region the inaugural issue of CAPITAL WOMAN. I hope you enjoy reading this magazine as much as we enjoyed creating it! I also hope that you will see CAPITAL WOMAN as your magazine—and that you will share it with your family and friends. It is a voice for all. It is a vehicle for women to help women, to enable, empower, provide networks and mentors, to inspire, to inform, and to recognize and appreciate even the smallest details of our lives. We want to hear from you. Let us know what inspires you, and which topics interest you. It is only fitting that the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean is gracing the cover of our first issue. Mme Jean embodies what this magazine is all about—and is a strong role model of humanitarianism for women and
men of all ages. Her words and her actions are the face of hope and possibilities for Canada, Haiti, and the world. There is every opportunity on our interactive website, capitalwoman.ca, to share ideas and initiatives. It will be a meeting place and a forum for discussion. We want to celebrate every aspect, the ordinary and extraordinary, of women. I look forward to meeting and collaborating with many more phenomenal women. Together, we can inspire, encourage and support each other to reach our greatest heights of the best we were meant to be. It is going to be an incredible journey.
Joanne Laskoski
Editor
41,000 copies in print 160,000 person audience Additional exposure on our website! capitalwoman.ca
magazine
Contact us about the exciting opportunities to advertise in this vibrant new women’s magazine! CALL: 613.422.4259 EMAIL: ADSALES@CAPITALWOMAN.CA
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CAPITAL WOMAN MAGAZINE
ADVERTISE WITH US!
CONTRIBUTORS PUBLISHING
NICOLA MAULE
SHANNON KALYNIAK
WRITER
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Nicola Maule loves meeting new people and helping them network in her hometown of Ottawa. She is a partner in the communications and event management firm— Connection360—and she is always looking to bring new and exciting events to Ottawa. connection360.ca
Shannon discovered graphic design through art, and has a Bachelor of Design from York University/Sheridan College. She has traveled extensively and loves meeting people and exploring culture and creativity. Shannon currently works as an inhouse designer for a faith based non-profit organization in Ottawa and also freelances. Designing this magazine has been a fun and inspiring journey. shannonkalyniak.com
RENÉE KIMLOVA
SHERRI YAZDANI
PHOTOGRAPHER
WRITER
Renée Kimlova’s award winning photography celebrates the human spirit. Her passion for photography is matched by her creativity. She has been published internationally in a variety of magazines. Renée’s fascinating collection of photographs can be found at reneekimlovaphotography.com.
A prairie girl at heart, Sherri moved to Ottawa for university and by the time she finished law school, she was married with two young children. Only after did she discover her true calling. She is now an inspiring storyteller, with a special passion for crafting and performing fascinating life stories. Sherri tells stories everywhere—from corporate events to Fourth Stage concerts at the NAC to hockey team gatherings. You can find her at storiesbysherri.com.
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#609-327 Breezehill Avenue South Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 1R6 Telephone: 613.422.4259 Mobile: 613.612.0109 capitalwoman.ca
CAPITAL WOMAN magazine Editor-in-Chief: Joanne Laskoski Publisher: Del Andison Design: Shannon Kalyniak
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CAPITAL WOMAN MAGAZINE
Bob Rowsell Photography
CONTRIBUTORS
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From the Founder Most ideas simmer for awhile—build up steam and eventually bubble to the surface. CAPITAL WOMAN was more of a spontaneous combustion. One day it was a possibility—the next, a passionate project. What propels the passion?
MISSION CAPITAL WOMAN is a magazine dedicated to the women who live in Ottawa and its surrounding
Need. While there exists well-intentioned groups, focused on women’s issues, we need a grassroots revolution if we are to regain the ground we’ve lost. The sixties’ surge for social justice moved Women’s Rights into the spotlight, but that light has dimmed. For ourselves and for the generations to come, we need to find new bellows—to breathe new life back into that fire!
region ~women of all ages,
CAPITAL WOMAN will provide another voice; a forum to explore ways and means to ensure each human being has intrinsic value and is accorded the same respect and rights as all others. Women have an enormous role to play as we take responsibility for the changes we seek. CAPITAL WOMAN’s Mission Statement was constructed with great care to reflect both the vision and the inclusive nature of the magazine. We hope each heart we reach will feel the warmth of our welcome.
hopes, dreams and goals; and
We invite each reader to submit ideas and issues, and to join the team that has emerged as core CAPITAL WOMAN colleagues. They are remarkable women! It’s a joy to work together. I am grateful to each one, without whom this opportunity for all of us to have a voice would not exist. Let’s be the difference!
Warm regards,
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CAPITAL WOMAN MAGAZINE
Delila Andison Founder
ethnicities and lifestyles. Our mission is to provide both a sounding board and a safety net for her issues and aspirations; to feature mentors and models to inspire her as she pursues her to extend networks and resources to assist her in achieving a more beautiful, successful and fulfilling life. CAPITAL WOMAN shares in her search and celebrates her uniqueness and immense value ~ to herself, her family, her community, and the world.
We’re women helping women. We extend an invitation to each of you to join us in the journey.
The Heart of a Humanitarian
Michaëlle Jean Strength. Intelligence. Courage. Beauty. Grace. Passion. BY JOANNE LASKOSKI
S
trength. Intelligence. Courage. Beauty. Grace. Passion. The Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean personifies all these and more. Canada’s Governor General, from 2005 to 2010, left a memorable legacy during her tenure. In her current role as Special Envoy to Haiti for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Mme Jean is focused on fighting poverty and illiteracy and raising international funds for the ravaged country—a country still filled with hope and possibilities.
wo years after the earthquake in Haiti which killed T more than 300,000 people and left another 1.5 million homeless, Mme Jean is “using everything that I have built in my tenure as Governor General, my whole life experience, as assets to serve this amazing journey that Haitians are embarking on in the process of rebuilding. That’s what I would say about what inspires me about this work in Haiti, which also happens to be my native land. And also from the Canadian perspective because I am Canadian.”
humanitarian in the true sense of the word, it is the A essence of Mme Jean to work tirelessly in her efforts to advance the causes of people, especially women, youth and children. While attending university in Montreal, Mme Jean worked at a women’s shelter and later established a network of shelters for women and their children across Canada. When asked what drew her to humanitarian work at a young age, Mme Jean explained: I was raised this way. I was educated by my parents with this idea that you could not be indifferent; it wasn’t an option. It was just not acceptable. So for a young child this was very heavy. In a way you lose your innocence because you see indeed with your eyes wide open that there are injustices around you, that there are situations that can be very troubling and then you have this sense of urgency, of doing something because otherwise it’s unbearable. So at a very young age I also started accompanying my parents on literacy campaigns in
I will always find a reason to take action. And I think it’s very, very important to communicate that. It’s very important to be a part of igniting the spirit, of the importance of taking action for change, the importance of really making a difference around you, being socially engaged, always socially committed and constantly vigilant—never taking anything for granted. I think this is what activism is about, even what having a sense of humanism is about, being constantly vigilant.
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CAPITAL WOMAN MAGAZINE
COVER Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean at la Citadelle Laferrière, in the North of Haiti, September 5, 2011. (Photography by Géraldine Le Carret/Unesco)
Haiti. I saw them struggling under the dictatorship of Duvalier. We had these meetings I could view as a child, listen to those meetings that were happening at home where we had friends coming and they were having those amazing conversations that were very lively about the situations in the country, the dictatorships, the injustices, the repression. I saw some friends disappearing at a young age. I saw public executions. I saw the poverty. So I think it made me the person I am. I think I’ll never stop. I will never stop. I will always find a reason to take action. And I think it’s very, very important to communicate that. It’s very important to be a part of igniting the spirit, of the importance of taking action for change, the importance of really making a difference around you, being socially engaged, always socially committed and constantly vigilant—never taking anything for granted. I think this is what activism
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is about, even what having a sense of humanism is about, being constantly vigilant. Everyone for himself and for his kind, the selfishness, is still a reality. In a society where having becomes more important than being you need to cultivate those values of paying attention to the other, of a sense of togetherness, a sense of community, a sense of belonging. We must all feel responsible for the other and we must always feel part of a community that can be local, right around us, or also global. This is something that a lot of young people respond to. When I think of the mission of my foundation, the Michaëlle Jean Foundation [FMJF], my legacy, it’s in the continuity of the work that I have been doing, following my vision as Governor General of Canada where I observed very closely how young people are defining their sense of citizenship, how they are being very socially innovative and using, for example,
Visiting the Atelier-école de la coopération espagnole in Jacmel on September 2, 2011. (Photography by Géraldine Le Carret/Unesco)
the arts as tools for social change and in doing this they are addressing very dire issues like violence, exclusion, suicide, bullying, homelessness, discrimination, racism. And they are doing that without being asked, just developing their own solutions and using tools that can become very socially innovative in order to gather energies, to pool their efforts and to make a difference around them, to bring about change in their neighbourhoods, their communities, their cities, in rural communities, in urban communities, in aboriginal communities. It’s fascinating to see how just by validating their actions across Canada they insisted at the end of my mandate for my husband and I to continue these actions, and to continue to support them and to work with them. I think it is worth considering that young people can be a part of the solutions, and to say that to them. I see how they react when we say that to them. It’s not just, ‘You are our future,’ because we tend to say that, ‘Young people are the future,’ and... then we take away their power. It’s like saying, ‘Wait for your turn to come.’ We don’t consider what they are doing here
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and now and we think that they are all apathetic. And it’s what keeps me going; it’s that constant connection to that energy that they have. Being on a campus here is great, working as a UNESCO Special Envoy on issues like access to education, quality vocational training, quality education is also key. Working on how arts, culture can be a part also of rebuilding a society, building more social cohesion in a community. In addition to her responsibilities as Co-founder of the Michaëlle Jean Foundation and the UNESCO Special Envoy for Haiti, Mme Jean became the University of Ottawa’s 13th Chancellor on February 1, 2012. She arrived on campus after discussion with the university president about considering working in partnership with her mission as UNESCO Special Envoy for Haiti and also with her Foundation, which supports Canadian youth-driven initiatives that use the arts as tools for social change. The University of Ottawa is part of a consortium of Canadian universities which work closely with Haitian universities. It has also a new strategy,
Cover Michaëlle Jean
I observed very closely how young people are defining their sense of citizenship, how they are being very socially innovative and using, for example, the arts as tools for social change and in doing this they are addressing very dire issues like violence, exclusion, suicide, bullying, homelessness, discrimination, racism. And they are doing that without being asked, just developing their own solutions and using tools that can become very socially innovative in order to gather energies, to pool their efforts and to make a difference around them. which is Destination 20/20, that focuses on working more, serving the community, being part of the community, the university being a partner of the community here in Ottawa, in Canada, but also globally in different parts of the world. So it created a relationship. We feel part of the spirit of this university. The chancellor appointment will, I think, strengthen this partnership. It is a voluntary job but I will become an ambassador for this university, I will work closer with the students, encouraging them. I think participating in that new strategy of social engagement of a university which can actually bring its contribution to what the grass roots organizations here in Canada and around the world are doing. It is part of that same spirit that we were talking about. So how could you say no to that? I am very honoured. Ensuring youth have access to quality education is very near and dear to Mme Jean’s heart, both at home and abroad. She believes it is the cornerstone to the future success of Haiti’s reconstruction. Haiti wants to emerge from total dependency on international aid, on charity, on that logic of assistance. You cannot build a sustainable development on charity so what Haitians are saying now, and the government of Haiti, is that what this country needs, first and foremost, is a solid economy. The reconstruction has to be about creating opportunities, job opportunities. People want to work. It needs to be about investments, investing in human resources, investing in education. This is so key. Investing in reinforcing the institutions, reinforcing governance, good and sustainable in the long term infrastructures, social and economic development, investing in agriculture. And not through aid but in real kind of solid investments through partnerships and cooperation, which is totally different. And it takes a more coordinated effort. This is what UNESCO is also promoting. UNESCO from its fields of competence, education, science, culture
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and communications, is really there to work on these reinforcing capacities in Haiti. We need to understand the government of Haiti has a plan with very clear objectives. It needs to have the means to implement its policies as a responsible government. UNESCO understands that, how much Haiti has given to the world. Haiti was also at the core of UNESCO’s birth. Like Canada, it was one of the founders of that organization that lies on working on the long term, on principle, on values and its not a work of short term emergency, its always on the long term, and with a vision of the world, a vision of humanity. This is what Canada has also to stand for in the world, continue to stand for in the world, because we are appreciated for that, this capacity of saying things, this courage. It takes courage. I think we must always find a way of making a difference in every position, in every office we occupy, in every space we’re in. There’s always a way of making a difference and participating in humanizing more humanity. Who better to be the face of this vision than the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean? In a ceremony at Rideau Hall on June 2010, Mme Jean received the UN Women Canada Award, the most esteemed award of the Canadian National Committee. The award citation by the President of UNIFEM Canada, Almas Jiwani stated that: “Her Excellency Michaëlle Jean has reached the pinnacle of humanitarian achievement equivalent to few.”
This is the first in a series of discussions between Joanne Laskoski and the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean. Coming next issue: Generations of Women in Action
MARGOT FRANSSEN The founder of Body Shop Canada, on a new wave of philanthropy.
W
hen Margot Franssen asks wealthy women to give money to her organizations, they often times thank her. Sometimes tearfully grateful, they say, “Nobody ever asked me before.” The founder of the Body Shop in Canada is now part of a new wave of philanthropy—women giving millions to women to change the world.
Charity was instilled in Franssen’s upbringing. Her parents emigrated to Alberta from the Netherlands after World War II with $100 to their name and no English. Her father pumped gas, despite his mechanical engineering degree, learned English and went to night school to obtain his Canadian credentials. Her mother cleaned houses so she could take little Margot with her. hough far from flush, Margot’s T mother performed kind acts, such as caring for neighbours, and shopping or baking for others. And Margot has also raised thoughtful children dedicated to making a difference. Expressing
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surprise to her son that he chose an armed forces career, he reminded her that he grew up with women in the house discussing various issues such as the situation of women in Afghanistan. “Did you think that didn’t make an impression on me?” he asked. His sister is studying to become a police officer. Not pressured to go to university, Franssen left Lethbridge for Toronto at 18 and became a secretary in a brokerage house. Although she had a license to sell stocks, the men prevented her from becoming a broker. So she took a position in the personnel department of another brokerage house. There she was obliged to ask women applicants about their plans to have children, how solid their marriages were—intrusive, rather than legal questions. She felt
CAPITAL WOMAN MAGAZINE
women moving millions BY JANICE KAYE, PhD
that it wasn’t right, recalling, “I was not immersed in feminism at that point, but I watched my mum stand up for herself.” Her parents had said, “You can do anything you want to do.” In the 1970s, Franssen did decide to attend university and enrolled in business classes. Bored though, she switched and graduated in philosophy. While working her way through school, Franssen’s employer, famed sculptor Marion Kantaroff, gave her a gift basket from England. Then there were only six Body Shop stores in the world. Inspired, Margot flew to England “to steal the idea,” she said. “I felt the value system as I left the store”—good feelings about the ethical body-care store and its people. “I never knew how to be a retailer,” she remembered. “I only knew how to be a customer.”
IF WE CAN GET OUR CANADIAN WOMEN AND GIRLS TO A CERTAIN LEVEL, THEN WE CAN HELP OTHER NATIONS. AS OUR CHILDREN BECOME STRONGER, OUR NATION BECOMES STRONGER.
FEATURE MARGOT FRANSSEN
FRANSSEN IS INVOLVED IN THE 20-YEAR-OLD CANADIAN WOMEN’S FOUNDATION. “IT EMPOWERS WOMEN AND GIRLS TO STOP THE VIOLENCE, POVERTY AND STEREOTYPES WHICH HAVE LONG BESET THEM AND TO FORM ALLIANCES LEADING TO SAFER, STRONGER NEIGHBOURHOODS AND MORE WOMEN LEADERS.” Regardless, she set up a dinner with founder Anita Roddick and husband Gordon Roddick, boldly requesting—and getting—the franchise rights for Canada. She built the business to 130 Canadian stores and 50 American. After selling the company in 2004, Franssen opened the successful Accessorize, mistakenly suspecting she missed the retail experience. The realization, however, that she missed having a platform for her values helped lead to a worldwide revolution in women’s giving. The pursuit of making money for the sake of it failed to fulfil her and she became involved in philanthropy. Much more than charity on a grand scale, she explained, “Philanthropy is about a strategy, about investing your money in a future you value to achieve the results you want.” This is “social impact” philanthropy, tied into “collective impact” philanthropy, meaning not working in silos or duplicating or wasting money and effort. Rather than isolated giving,
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organizations get together, choose a measurable goal, fundraise through a single office, distribute the money efficiently and share information. Franssen is involved in the 20-year-old Canadian Women’s Foundation, which, she said,
“teaches women how to strategize.” It empowers women and girls to stop the violence, poverty and stereotypes which have long beset them and to form alliances leading to safer, stronger neighbourhoods and more women leaders. “People
FORGET CHINA, INDIA AND THE INTERNET: ECONOMIC GROWTH IS DRIVEN BY WOMEN. –THE ECONOMIST want to see change—systemic change,” she added. Franssen’s latest project, Women Moving Millions, was founded by Helen LaKelly Hunt, of the Texas Hunts on whom the 1980s TV series Dallas was patterned. When Helen’s sister Swanee discovered their net worth listed in a magazine, they asked their father and brother to give them control of their own money and were refused. They sued their family, won, and started women’s foundations with the money. In the process of getting her PhD in Women’s Studies and Theology, Helen discovered that the suffragist movement had been funded by non-wealthy women and also by men. Wanting to right a wrong, they started the organization with two goals in mind: to raise the bar on giving to women and girls, and to make a safe place for women of means to talk, gain strength from one another, and become educated about the issues. The members— women capable of having their own money and using it however they want—give a million dollars each to any organization involved in causes of women and girls. The hundreds of recipient organizations work on poverty, violence and building resilient girls. Educating women is key. Members hold media training meetings to get women’s stories in the news.
Renee Kimlova
Through the Op-Ed Project, they meet with such high-level officials as U.S. senators to make and change policy. Franssen notes that not enough women are sitting at the table making decisions and therefore having influence. “There is not enough knowledge and too many opinion-makers,” she said, observing that 80% of Wikipedia is written by men. “You need women AND men working together.” The members volunteer, too, spending little on administration, and paying to organize and attend events. “Put your mouth where your money is,” said Franssen, transposing the dictum. Today they have raised about $225 million and Franssen can foresee $500 million in the not-too-distant future. Group members hail from Australia, South Africa, the U.S., Canada, and England, with Europe and Brazil in the offing. Some of the women are passionate about Africa. One of the Americans stopped the trafficking of women and girls on Craigslist. Franssen’s own money stays in Canada. She believes that one can tell the values of a country by how the money in its budget is directed. “If we can get our Canadian women and girls to a certain level, then we can help other nations,” she explained. “As our children become stronger, our nation becomes stronger.” At “Kiddie Corner” in Thunder Bay, for
instance, men come to traffic in girls at night, and in the morning before school starts. “These girls are not prostitutes,” said Franssen. “They are sex slaves. We need to go to younger generations before it’s too late.” No woman arrives at such success without help. Franssen cites two inspiring women in her life. Philanthropist Margaret Norrie McCain, the first woman Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, taught her that you invest in the things you want to see changed. The second, Beverly Wybrow, longtime CEO of the Canadian Women’s Federation, “taught me how to open my heart and not be judgmental, to open a door to help people and not make only myself happy. Without those two women I wouldn’t be where I am today.” Despite monumental global problems, Franssen remains hopeful: “I really believe we can heal the world.” Now, more and more high-profile women are rallying around the cause of Women Moving Millions. Annie Leibowitz offered to take their group photo, pro bono. “Gloria Steinem comes to all our meetings,” said Franssen. “She told us that there is no more hated group in the world than women with money. We need to tap into that power, so women can use their power for the good of everyone.”
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Women… Helping Women… Helping Women
BY NICOLA MAULE PHOTOGRAPHY BY RENÉE KIMLOVA
M
any women love to sing but are embarrassed to sing in public. They may sing when they are home alone, playing their favourite CDs, or in the car. Singing uplifts their spirits. Many women do not read music or are fearful of an audition so the thought of joining a choir seems daunting. Not anymore…there is now a choir for them called Shout Sister!
Shout Sister! No experience or audition required Shout Sister! is a women’s choir that began in Kingston in 2002 by Juno blues nominee Georgette Fry. Georgette was teaching music at the time and her students pestered her to form a choir for people who could not read music, but just wanted to sing. The choir took off and ten years later there are ten Shout Sister! choirs across Ontario. “We live in a world where slick commercial radio teaches most of us that we should leave singing to the professionals, but what we aren’t shown is all the trickery that goes into making those
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FEATURE WOMEN HELPING WOMEN
WHAT I CALL A BUNCH OF ORDINARY WOMEN DOING AN EXTRAORDINARY THING IS AN AMAZING JOURNEY IN WHICH WE DO GOOD FOR EACH OTHER’S HEARTS, MINDS, AND SOULS. IN THE PROCESS, WE TRY TO RAISE SOME MONEY FOR THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE. AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL, I DON’T THINK IT GETS MUCH MORE POWERFUL THAN THAT! professionals sound the way they do,” explains Georgette Fry. “After ten years of Shout Sister!, it is more clear to me than ever that there’s a need for this kind of healthy, restorative activity, where people can reclaim all the physical and psychological benefits that come from singing. What I call a bunch of ordinary women doing an extraordinary thing is an amazing journey in which we do good for each other’s hearts, minds, and souls. In the process, we try to raise some money for those who are less fortunate. At the grassroots level, I don’t think it gets much more powerful than that!” There are two Shout Sister! choirs in Ottawa, each 70 women strong and of all ages, who practice once a week in a church hall and are led by experienced singer-songwriter Jody Benjamin. A typical two-hour choir practice begins with vocal
warm-up exercises, followed by singing a wide range of songs from popular artists such as Nora Jones and Bob Dylan to uplifting black Baptist gospel songs. Often the women cannot stop tapping their toes and swaying their hips as they sing from their hearts! There is a standard repertoire of 25 songs that the choir members are expected to memorize with the help of a set of CDs they receive, and then new songs are added along the way. The Ottawa Centre Chapter practices on Tuesday nights from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at St. Barnabas Church, 394 Kent Street. The Ottawa West Chapter is at Woodroffe United Church, 207 Woodroffe Avenue, on Thursday nights from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Registration for the choir is ongoing but there are two sessions, one beginning in September and one
in February at a cost of $135 per session. There is an annual fundraising performance in the spring, and part of the proceeds from the concert is donated to a local charity supporting women and children. In 2011, Shout Sisters! donated $1500 to Soup Sisters to cover operating costs of this non-profit that cooks soup for abused women and children staying at two Ottawa shelters, Interval House and Oshki Kizis Lodge. If you love to sing, you are invited to try out a session to see firsthand what it is all about. If you find it uplifting, you will be back for more! Remember what Martin Luther said, “As long as we live, there is never enough singing.” For more information about Shout Sister! visit shoutsisterchoir.ca.
I CAN APPRECIATE THE BEAUTY AND INTRICACY OF A READING CHOIR AND ITS VIRTUOSITY. BUT I THINK THERE IS ROOM FOR A CHOIR WITH REAL PEOPLE SINGING FROM THEIR HEARTS.
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Soup Sisters
Warming hearts one bowl at a time!
H
ow is this for a Sunday evening activity: round up 12 to 24 friends; meet at the Urban Element’s gourmet kitchen in Westboro; eat dinner; and cook hearty soups that are then delivered to two women’s shelters in Ottawa, Interval House and Oshki Kizis Lodge—all for $50 per person! That is what Soup Sisters is doing, putting fun into fundraising! Soup Sisters began in 2009 in Calgary, Alberta, and the idea went viral. It now exists in nine cities across Canada, including Ottawa. One Sunday a month from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. a group of friends, family, or co-workers reserve the kitchen at the Urban Element and make five delicious soups.
gourmet soup recipes with the help of chef Jacqueline Jolliffe, owner of Stone Soup Foodworks. A dinner of soup, salad, bread and wine is served to all the cooks and finally soups are decanted into 100 reusable glass bowls and delivered to two women’s shelters, stocking their freezers with goodness for the month. At each Soup Sisters event, a representative from the shelter delivers a short presentation to express their appreciation, but also to use it as an opportunity to educate the group about domestic violence in the community. The hope is that more education will lead to less tolerance of family violence, less abuse of women and their children, eventually eliminating the need for shelters.
All the ingredients are pre-purchased so when the group arrives they get started executing the
The Soup Sisters concept has taken off very quickly because it has found the right blend of socializing, philanthropy and action. People are getting savvy about where their donations go and when they spend an evening at a Soup Sisters event they see their hard work turn into something tangible that goes
THE SOUP SISTERS CONCEPT HAS TAKEN OFF VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE IT HAS FOUND THE RIGHT BLEND OF SOCIALIZING, PHILANTHROPY AND ACTION.
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directly to the kitchen tables of women and children living in stage one shelters. Every participant is making a powerful statement against domestic violence and it is obviously resonating with many women and men who have either attended or signed up for a Soup Sisters event. “Violence against women is an issue that many people would like to help eradicate but they do not know how. Attending a Soup Sisters event is a wonderful combination of camaraderie and having the feeling that one is giving back to others who are in crisis,” says Lynne Oreck-Wener, Coordinator of Soup Sisters Ottawa. “And there is nothing like the healing power of a warm bowl of soup.” The Soup Sister monthly events have been extremely popular for groups looking to do a team building activity, for groups of friends looking for an evening out with a purpose, or for families wanting to do something special to honour a loved one. If you would like to reserve a Soup Sisters event, contact ottawa@soupsisters.org. For more information, visit soupsisters.com. Volunteers are always welcome to help set-up at the monthly Soup Sisters events.
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IS AN ISSUE THAT MANY PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO HELP ERADICATE BUT THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW. ATTENDING A SOUP SISTERS EVENT IS A WONDERFUL COMBINATION OF CAMARADERIE AND HAVING THE FEELING THAT ONE IS GIVING BACK TO OTHERS WHO ARE IN CRISIS.
The cycle of caring continues…
T
he recipients of the hearty soups prepared by Soup Sisters Ottawa are two local shelters for abused women and children: Interval House of Ottawa and Oshki Kizis Lodge. Women and children at these safe houses enjoy the soup daily and when women transition out of the shelters they pack a container of soup. The women at the shelters are extremely touched by the support Soup Sisters provides. Knowing that strangers are volunteering their time to cook for them conveys a strong message of support.
Interval House
Oshki Kizis Lodge
Interval House of Ottawa is a non-profit, 20-bed emergency shelter for women and their children fleeing domestic violence. The shelter opened its doors in 1976 and has helped thousands of women and their families with time to heal, while providing resources that help them begin their lives in a safe environment. Interval House is a place where transitioning families—from all faiths and ethnic groups—can build lasting friendships and feel safe, secure and supported. More than just a safe-haven from abusive partners, it is also a steppingstone for personal growth toward an independent life.
The Oshki Kizis Lodge is operated by Minwaashin Lodge—The Aboriginal Women’s Support Centre. It is a 19-bed shelter for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis women and children who are fleeing abuse. By empowering women, Oshki Kizis Lodge assists them on their healing path to a safe and healthy place. They support the family unit holistically by showing awareness and respect for individual and cultural beliefs, spirituality and diversity.
Interval House also has a Public Education Program with the aim of fulfilling their dream of no longer having a need for women’s safe houses because there will be no more domestic violence.
Oshki Kizis offers culturally appropriate services including: 24 hour residential support; transitional support; educational support; crisis intervention; counselling; and traditional teachings with elder guidance.
For more information about Oshki Kizis visit
minlodge.com/programs/oshki For more information about Interval House of Ottawa visit
intervalhouseottawa.org.
Interval House of Ottawa
Maison Interval d’Ottawa
a labour of love Victoria’s Quilts Canada
and wishing her a full recovery. Three years later, Behnaz still becomes emotional whenever she talks about the quilt. It overwhelms her to think that others would give hours of their time to make such an extraordinary gift for someone they did not know. She had never received anything like it. Founder, Betty Giffin
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very quilt is a labour of love. In February 2009, Behnaz Bahrami was undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer when a woman knocked on her door and surprised her with a gift. It was an exquisite quilt of bright, hopeful colours. What made the gift more meaningful was that it had been stitched entirely by the volunteers of Victoria’s Quilts Canada. The woman explained that the gift had been requested by a friend, and that it was being given to her with the hope that it would bring her physical comfort and warmth as she underwent treatment, as well as the spiritual comfort of knowing that many were thinking of her
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There are many stories of people like Behnaz who have been touched by Victoria’s Quilts Canada (VQC), whose sole purpose is to provide handmade quilts to Canadians suffering from cancer. There is no charge to request a quilt, or to receive one.
Behnaz Bahrami
BY SHERRI YAZDANI
Ottawa resident Betty Giffin discovered Victoria`s Quilts while searching for ways to use her passion for quilting to serve others. It had been created in memory of Victoria Ann Morrison, a cancer patient and generous quilt maker. Victoria was frequently cold during chemotherapy treatments. After her death, it was decided to continue her legacy of making quilts for others, but to give them to those suffering from cancer. Betty decided to bring Victoria`s Quilts to Canada. She still remembers the early days. In their first year a small group of volunteers made and delivered 16 quilts. As word of the quilts spread, their waiting list grew. To respond, they advertised to local quilting guilds, held quilt-a-thons, and sought donations to help them continue their work. A few years ago they launched a Youth Initiatives program, through which more than a dozen Ottawa high schools and rehabilitation centres assist in the production of the quilts. Twelve years later there are over 800 volunteers, with twenty quilting groups meeting regularly in
FEATURE SHERRI YAZDANI
Ottawa, and another 30 branches across Canada. They deliver an astonishing 450 quilts a month. In October 2011, they hit a milestone: quilt number 25,000. As many as 12-20 volunteers work on each quilt, as it moves along an intricate production line before reaching the hands of the volunteer who will deliver it. The volunteers who make the deliveries are specifically chosen for their experience in pastoral or palliative care. Anneliese Villeneuve has been delivering quilts in Ottawa for nine years. Every Wednesday morning she receives her quilts. She cannot remember a week when there were no quilts. On most deliveries she is invited in for a visit. For Anneliese, the most important quality she brings to this service is an open heart, for while she is with the family she offers whatever comfort, information or assistance they may need. When the time comes to say goodbye, she explains that Victoria’s Quilts doesn’t give handshakes, they give hugs. As always, there are challenges. One of the greatest is keeping up with the increasing requests. More volunteers are always needed, to assist with everything from quilt production to administrative support. The organization also relies entirely on donations to cover their costs—approximately $45 per quilt. Like many charitable organizations, they have seen a decline in
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donations. Betty and the others worry that a lack of available funds may soon hinder their work. Betty and each of the volunteers dream of the day when cancer will be conquered and there will no longer be a need for Victoria’s Quilts. Until then, they plan to continue growing their organization, quilting, and providing support and compassion to as many as possible. To contact Victoria’s Quilts Canada to volunteer your time, make a donation or request a quilt, please email betty@victoriasquiltscanada.com or call 613.843.9212.
Agent for Change
Sheila COPPS Sheila Copps sets the stage for her second act
S
he’s no stranger to politics, people, or the press, and at 59, Sheila Copps shocked the country in 2011 with her decision to return to the political arena as a candidate for the presidency of the liberal party. In 2004, the former MP, cabinet minister and deputy prime-minister, who was known as a feisty, tough, trailblazer, had walked away from Parliament Hill and federal politics.
“When I left in 2004, my daughter, then 15 years old, was just thrilled,” shared Copps. “Now she’s 24 and becoming more interested in public policy. When I left, she was definitely anti-political, but today she’s mellowed out and she realizes that there’s an awful lot to be done to shape the world and to shape your country.” Copps looks back on her last couple of years in politics as challenging ones, mainly due to the internal strife the party was
experiencing. After a seven year hiatus from political life, what made Copps decide to return? Out of the public eye, politics and her party, Copps explained how she had been “itching” to get back at it and help bring her party back to prominence. “The party has been in rough shape and needed all hands on deck, especially after that last election. I thought returning was a good chance for me to help our party stay alive. I’m not a big fan of the idea of a merger. It’s important for the party to reset its moral clock. It was a close race, and I loved every minute of campaigning, but I am certain I will not be running again.” Copps reflected on her political career that spans close to 30 years, both at the federal and provincial level. “When you’re in politics, there’s so much of yourself that’s given away, and there isn’t a lot left for the people you care about.
BY DOSI COTRONEO
It’s all give, give, give, and people don’t realize it. The whole objective of finding a life/work balance is by doing some of the things that you love.” On balancing work and family life, Copps feels that this is one of the biggest issues working women face. “I think it’s a little bit easier for women who are higher up on the corporate ladder, because they have more support. I had a whole staff to help me and help manage my time. It’s more difficult for somebody who is working at a low-paying job because they aren’t allowed any flexibility. I was fortunate to be in a position where although I was still working long hours, I had the flexibility to choose them. I was a working mother with a young daughter and I would not do breakfast meetings. I was lucky to be able to make that decision.” Far from quiet and shy, the former
When you’re in politics, there’s so much of yourself that’s given away, and there isn’t a lot left for the people you care about. It’s all give, give, give, and people don’t realize it. The whole objective of finding a life/work balance is by doing some of the things that you love.
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FEATURE SHEILA COPPS
With the party presidency race behind her, Copps now plans to turn her attention to fundraising for the construction of a school in Haiti. The project “Change for Change” has been five years in the making, and Copps plans to engage the help of high school students to show them how their nickels and dimes can add up to make great changes in the world. Deputy Prime Minister and Member of Parliament became famous for her outspoken behaviour, which led to her resigning from the Liberal Party when they did not follow through on their campaign promise of abolishing the GST back in 1996. However, Copps was not gone for very long. She returned to office that same year winning back her seat in Hamilton. Politics runs rampant through the Copps’ family veins. Her father Victor, was mayor of Hamilton, Ontario, for over 10 years, and her mother, Geraldine, served as a Hamilton city councillor.
weight off for over three years. “When you’re in the political vortex, you don’t realize that you’ve even gained weight, and you can use that as an excuse because it’s such a high-stress business— you’re going until crazy hours, late night meetings, and fatigue.”
Copps’ absence from politics enabled her to delve into many areas of her life that had been put on the back-burner for years. Implementing a healthier lifestyle, acting, and writing her second book are only a few of the things she crossed off her bucket list. During her seven year absence from the pressures and pandemonium of political life, Copps returned to the tennis court, prompting her to get on a weight loss program. This time, she decided to do it with some help. She was approached by the president of Herbal Magic to give their products a try, and she has never looked back. She has kept the
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Copps attributes her weight gain to eating at all hours, fatigue and lack of physical activity. If Copps has any advice to offer young women trying to cultivate their own career path and maintain a healthy balance it’s based on a simple premise—taking time for themselves. “You have to build fitness into your daily life as something that is untouchable and even more important than reading that document. I know this is going to be challenging for me at this time in my life, but I am determined.” Copps admits this is easier said than done, but she is up for the challenge. Meeting new people, and reconnecting with old friends and contacts may be Copps’ favorite part of political life, but she admits there is a lot of work to be done within the floundering party in order to put them back on the map. Disappointed but not depressed
with the January 17 results where she was succeeded by Mike Crawley by a mere 26 votes, Copps admitted she could change many things, but her age was not one of them. Her accomplishments within women’s and minority rights, culture and the environment are many, and her hopes for the party remain high. Copps is also considering writing a third book, focusing on the “glass ceiling” that women crash through. With the party presidency race behind her, Copps now plans to turn her attention to fundraising for the construction of a school in Haiti. The project “Change for Change” has been five years in the making, and Copps plans to engage the help of high school students to show them how their nickels and dimes can add up to make great changes in the world. “We hope to raise $100,000 and not just from one event. There will be a youth summit held in Ottawa in April, and our first event is slated to take place at Ottawa City Hall on June 25. At the end of the day, I am loving every minute of my second act. I just really want to be an agent for change.”
Renée Kimlova reneekimlovaphotography.com Renée Kimlova was born in the beautiful Czech city of Prague and immigrated to Canada in 1969. When her father lent her his camera for the first time, Renée immediately knew she had found her passion. Always an artist at heart, she found a new outlet for her creativity. “I love creating photographs that have an emotional impact.” Her images celebrate the human spirit, with a romantic attachment to the past. She experiments with composition styles and high fashion, the endless rhythms of Renaissance and Victorian romance, and has an eye for capturing unique details. Renée has received numerous provincial and national awards and has a growing international reputation. View Renée’s portfolio at reneekimlova photography.com or contact her at kimlova@gmail.com or 613.291.5449.
DISABILITY KIM KILPATRICK
THE ABILITY IN
DISABILITY
Volunteering is the right thing to do BY KIM KILPATRICK
Kim loves writing, reading, and has always had a huge sense of curiosity about the world and everyone in it. She wrote stories and poems from a young age and is now a professional storyteller and blogger. Kim has been totally blind since birth and travels with her fourth guide dog, Tulia, a female black labrador retriever. Read her blog about great things about being blind at kimgia3.blogspot.com. Kim has worked as a music therapist, storyteller, volunteer services manager, and disability awareness presenter. Please write and ask her questions about disability related topics or suggest story ideas to write-us @capitalwoman.ca.
I
have always been surrounded by women volunteering and helping others. They did it naturally, without drawing attention to themselves or the people they assisted: because it was the right thing to do.
piano for those ladies.” “Take this magazine down the hall to our neighbour.” “Go and visit the lady upstairs. She is very lonely and likes to have company.” I did all of the tasks she told me to do and, although I grumbled about them at times, I always returned having learned something and feeling more confident and competent myself. y Gran could have easily let me off the hook. I am M totally blind and have been that way since birth. Gran could have babied me. She had never really spent any time with a blind person before I came along. She could have over-protected me, inadvertently causing me to feel useless and worthless. She didn’t. I had to pitch in and help others. Blindness was no reason not to. So, I grew up as a woman who is blind and confident and competent and knowing that I could make a difference in the world and that I should do so.
My Irish Gran had a lively Irish lilt and a quick walking step. She never stayed still for any length of time. She would have laughed if I had called her a volunteer. It would have embarrassed her to receive awards of appreciation or have volunteer hours tracked or acknowledged in any way. Lending a hand to others was just what you did.
As a person with a disability, I need to often find ways to adapt activities and to do things differently. Volunteering is a great way to learn new skills, practice techniques, gain confidence and competence, and give back to your community. I have continued to volunteer steadily since those first days. I also have been fortunate to receive volunteer assistance from volunteer readers, drivers, guides in sports, and much more.
S oup was made for sick friends. The kettle was always waiting to be boiled for tea for whoever dropped in, and there was always “just a wee cookie” to accompany it. Each day after reading her paper, she walked up the hall and passed it to her neighbour who couldn’t afford a subscription. She assisted others with shopping, gardening, or babysitting. She visited sick people in hospital. When I arrived for a visit, she encouraged me to help out too. Well, encouraged is not the right term. She told me to do it. “Go and play
I eventually studied volunteer management and began to coordinate volunteers. I have seen volunteering from all sides and angles. It is great to do the large volunteer jobs. But, it is equally impressive and important to do the little things like my Gran taught me. Hold a door open for someone walking behind you. Offer to hold onto a neighbour’s mail when they are away. All of these large and small volunteer gifts contribute to a wonderful, vibrant community. Volunteering is the right thing to do.
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HOLISTIC WELLNESS What is True Health? BY WENDY KNIGHT AGARD, DHM, DHHP
Wendy Knight Agard is a Doctor of Heilkunst Medicine whose passion is to help people ignite the genius within. She shares her insights with organizations and individuals through keynote speaking engagements, workshop facilitation and individual coaching. Submit your questions or comments to write-us @capitalwoman.ca.
W
e all wish for health and wellness—but what do these words really mean? A healthy body weight? A BMI (Body Mass Index) between 18.5 and 25? Emotional soundness? Blood pressure and cholesterol readings in the “normal” range? An absence of symptoms? ellness is actually our natural state of being. When W we are not well our bodies alert us with a symptom or condition—a red flag of sorts—telling us that something is not quite right. The symptom is not the cause; it is the effect. Treating the symptom will only provide temporary relief. If we are to understand health in a meaningful way we must get to know our spiritual selves, as well as our physical and emotional selves.
because it sustains us. Conventional medicine and complementary therapies such as acupuncture, massage, naturopathy and chiropractic care, both address the sustentive side of our life energy. If our cholesterol is too high, for example, we may improve our diet to reduce it and restore balance in our body. But there is another side to our life energy that is equally important yet not well understood: the generative side. This side moves beyond maintaining balance to generating new cells, new ideas or even new disease states. It is the generative side of our life energy that is affected when we first contract a contagious disease; but we aren’t generally aware of the infection until the sustentive side begins to fight the disease. Chicken pox is a good example. When the virus first enters our system, there is no pain or discomfort. In fact, a person can carry the virus for several days without knowing. It is only when the sustentive side tries to fight the virus that we develop symptoms such as fever, malaise and the familiar pox on the skin.
et’s start with an understanding of our life energy. L Life energy is that thing which exists within us even though it can’t be seen under a microscope or physically measured. It is that thing that animates us when we are alive and leaves us when the physical body dies. There are two sides to our life energy.
Now consider other examples of life events that affect our generative side, such as the death of a loved one, a toxic work environment or an emotional conflict. If not addressed, these situations will create blockages to health on the generative side of our life energy. These blockages will eventually manifest physically and/or emotionally in the form of a symptom or condition.
he first side is more commonly understood. We know T that nutrition, sleep, hydration and exercise are necessary to maintain good health. We also understand that too much or too little of a certain nutrient or chemical in the body can lead to health problems. This part of our life energy that maintains balance is sustentive,
In this column, we will explore a truly holistic approach to wellness that engages your conscious mind in connecting with health on all levels: physically, emotionally and soul/spiritually. This is true health. I encourage you to send your questions and comments so that we may engage in a fruitful exchange.
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LEGAL ANSWERS ROBIN MACKAY
LEGAL ANSWERS Legal Pitfalls by Robin MacKay, Barrister and Solicitor, Robin D. MacKay & Associates
Robin D. MacKay (B.A.Hons. and J.D.) has been practising law since 1978, including real estate, wills, estates and incorporation for businesses and non-profit organizations. He also specializes in legal services for Cooperative Housing. Mr. MacKay is a member of The Law Society of Upper Canada, and he is the Chancellor of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa. Nuriye Sahin is an internationally trained lawyer. She provides immigration advice and representation as a Licenced Immigration Consultant. Ms. Sahin is fluent in English and Turkish. Deidre S. Powell (B.Sc., LL.B., and LL.M.) is a proud member of the Law Society of Upper Canada and the Jamaican Bar Association, and is a Certified Professional Consultant on Aging (CPCA) and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb).
I
n the hope that readers will send their questions and suggestions for future issues, I offer examples of two situations where there is a common misconception between what people generally believe is fact, and the true legal result, which is different from what one might expect.
Unequal Property Rights:
couple in a conjugal common-law relationship does A not enjoy the same property rights as a married couple. When a common-law couple separates, this may come as an unpleasant surprise to the person whose name is not on the title deed to the house. The Family Law Act (the Ontario statute governing support and property division) only deals with property owned by either or both of a separating married couple. It is
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silent on the division of property between people who are not married to each other. The Family Law Act will not assist the non-titled non-married spouse: he or she is left to pursue justice through complicated and expensive legal arguments based on the law of trusts. A common-law couple should have a cohabitation agreement written by a lawyer, and should also make sure that the title to any shared property is properly recorded in both names.
The Vanishing Will:
A person who marries is deemed to have revoked his or her previous will. This provision of the Succession Law Reform Act is clear and logical, and appropriate for a new beginning. However, not every bride or groom wants to revoke their will. A widow who has bequeathed her life savings to the adult children of her first marriage does not intend to have that will revoked and to have her property pass instead to her new husband and his family. Please note that if a person dies in Ontario without a will, or the will is revoked, say by marriage, the Succession Law Reform Act imposes a kind of standard will, which may be different from what the deceased intended: a preferential share for the spouse, the remainder shared between the spouse and children, and if there are no spouse, children or other issue, then to parents or siblings or nieces and nephews and so on through remoter degrees of kindred. As lawyers like to say: Everyone should have a will. This is especially true for a person entering marriage. Are there legal topics of interest to the readers of CAPITAL WOMAN? We invite your questions and comments. Please email write-us@capitalwoman.ca
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KIDS And Still Standing
I wouldn’t change it for the world! BY SHANNON BAGG
Shannon Bagg lives with her husband and six children in Nepean. Her children range in age from 10 years to six months. In her “spare time” (read every other year or so), she lectures in the fields of museum studies and Inuit art history and pursues her own work as a visual artist. When told that her mom was pregnant with a sixth baby, Shannon’s eldest daughter responded, “Yay! Now we finally have enough for a human pyramid!” Write Shannon with a question or article idea at write-us @capitalwoman.ca.
Let me start by saying that I never set out to have six kids. Don’t get me wrong, I always wanted a big family—but by “big,” I thought four. Four kids and a career. That was my plan. It was a nice plan but I look back now and thank God that it never played out. I’m a stay-at-home mom with six kids. Okay, it even sounds weird when I say it. Is my life chaotic? Yes. Do my children drive me to the brink of insanity at times? Yes. Am I writing this article while nursing an infant outside my daughter’s drama class a few hours before the magazine’s deadline? Yes. I don’t claim that it’s a glamorous life but it’s a fun one. And I wouldn’t change it for the world. Without question, there are challenges: getting anywhere quickly; finding enough room in the fridge; having an uninterrupted shower; keeping things clean, intact, or otherwise not entirely destroyed; taming the monstrous laundry pile; maintaining my composure when dealing with six snowsuits and lacing up skate after skate after skate after skate…. In all honesty though, the only real problem that I struggle with is carving out enough alone time with each child on a daily basis. Sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day.
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Assuming you’re still reading out of a genuine interest in the dynamics and parenting strategies of larger families, rather than from an inability to avert your eyes from the sideshow that is my life, I offer the following well-tested advice:
1 Dispense with the notion that you’re cool. Bring on
the minivan! Always opt for space and usability over style. Who are you kidding anyway? It’ll inevitably be covered with food, slobber, and other unmentionables. Which brings me to my next point…
2 Don’t surround yourself with nice things—furniture,
clothing, anything collectable or potentially valuable —you’re just setting yourself up for disappointment.
3 Hit them where it hurts! When it comes to discipline, seek out the punishment that will have maximum impact for each child. For my son, it’s restricting the use of the Wii. For one daughter, it’s not wearing dresses to school. For my three year old and Stage 4 hoarder, it’s the threat of removing Piggy and Robodog from her room.
4 This isn’t a restaurant. Everyone gets the same meal. If you don’t like it… tough.
5 Simplify your life and structure your surroundings.
For us, it’s clothes laid out the night before, schoolstyle cubbies by the front door, a family closet in the laundry room, and predictable routines throughout the day.
6 Unless you’re on fire, nighttime is for sleeping. And, finally…
7 Don’t take yourself too seriously. Ham it up. Make them laugh. Enjoy every day.
ABORIGINAL ISSUES JENNIFER DAVID
ABORIGINAL ISSUES And Shared Stories BY JENNIFER DAVID
Jennifer David’s career has supported Aboriginal communications in Canada, first at Television Northern Canada, then as Director of Communications for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. She has written several books including a book of interviews with Aboriginal writers entitled Story Keepers: Conversations with Aboriginal Writers; a resource guide for Aboriginal people in the trades; and a series of interviews with 27 Aboriginal artists for the Canada Council for the Arts. Jennifer is a member of the Chapleau Cree First Nation in northern Ontario and has a Bachelor of Journalism and a B.A. from Carleton University. Jennifer currently runs an Aboriginal management consulting company called Stonecircle Consulting and lives in Ottawa with her husband and two children.
There is a quote attributed to the Cheyenne nation in the U.S. that says “a nation is not conquered until the hearts of its women are on the ground. Then it is done, no matter how brave its warriors or how strong their weapons.” Traditional indigenous communities and families placed high value on women and there are many stories of the resiliency and determination of women in the face of adversity and great change. I think the same can be said today, in Ottawa. My task is to introduce you to Aboriginal women and issues that affect Aboriginal women in Ottawa, which includes a vast array of First Nation, Inuit and Métis stories. Ottawa is an interesting and unique place when it comes to Aboriginal people. We comprise only 1.6% of the population of Ottawa yet we are a very cosmopolitan city when it comes to indigenous diversity with the largest Inuit population outside Nunavut, and individuals from dozens of different First Nations
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from across Canada. The federal government draws people from across Canada; the majority in Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Correctional Service Canada, and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. Many other Aboriginal people are employed in organizations across this city. Political organizations like the Assembly of First Nations and the Métis National Council; national organizations like the National Association of Friendship Centres and the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association; regional organizations like Tungasuuvingat Inuit and the Métis Nation of Ontario all have offices in Ottawa. And there are local organizations like the Odawa Friendship Centre and the Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health as well. In fact, I can count more than 25 Aboriginal organizations with offices in this city. That’s a lot of places to meet interesting women and tell you about some of the great work being done for, by and about Aboriginal people. And while nearly a quarter of Aboriginal people are living in poverty in this city, and we suffer from higher rates of chronic and other diseases, more than half of working age Aboriginal people have post-secondary education and are almost as likely to be working full-time as the non-Aboriginal population. So we are generally an educated and employed bunch here in Ottawa, with many stories to tell. And it’s my job to share some of them. So, in the languages where I come from, to say hello or welcome, we say aanii (Ojibway) and wachay (Cree). And so I add my own hello and welcome to the other contributors and columnists in this inaugural issue of CAPITAL WOMAN. If you know of any interesting First Nation, Inuit or Metis women in this city with a story to share, please feel free to email me at write-us@capitalwoman.ca.
HEALTHY LIVING Wholesome foods that TASTE GOOD! BY KATHY SMART
With over 14 years experience in the health and fitness sectors, Kathy teaches, motivates and inspires others to live smarter, providing healthy recipes and healthy living tips. The author of four cookbooks specializing in gluten free recipes, she is host and chef of ‘Live The Smart Way’ on
From my kitchen to yours, join me—Live The Smart Way! Kathy Smart can be seen on Rogers TV on Sunday nights at 7:00 p.m. Her cookbook, Live the Smart Way is sold in Chapters, Indigo, Costco and anywhere cookbooks are sold.
Rogers TV, and appears as a chef and nutritionist on CTV and radio. Kathy is a registered nutritional consultant with the Canadian Examining Board of Health Care Practitioners, a Registered Sports Nutrition Advisor, a Holistic Teaching Chef with the Holistic Cooking Academy of Canada and a Registered Personal Fitness Trainer with the Canadian Association of Fitness Professionals.
I
have had multiple food allergies from the time I was four years old. Eating was more about “what could I eat?” as opposed to what tasted good. I wanted to change that. As I grew older, I discovered that there were many people, just like me with multiple food allergies and limited choices when it came to food. I decided to make a difference—to become part of the solution. I became a nutritionist so I could help others experience the improved quality of life that comes from eating foods that are good for you. Then I became a certified holistic chef so that I could create recipes with those wholesome foods that also TASTED GOOD! Then I made North America’s first gluten free TV show to show others how EASY healthy cooking can be.
ood is now all about tasting good! Not just about F “Can I eat it or not?” but the best of both worlds. Please love, enjoy and savour every bite—not only can you eat these recipes, they taste good and are good for you!
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SMART 10 TIPS TO LIVE A FULL AND ABUNDANT LIFE! I am often asked
what would be my top 10 tips to living the Smart Way. After much thought over a cup of green tea, these are my top 10!
1 Smile—everyday and often. 2 Take vitamin D daily. 1 tablespoon of
cod liver oil with added vitamin D will do wonders!
3 Breathe deeply—at every moment. 4 Move more. Aim to get 10, 000 steps per day!
5 Forgive—over and over. 6 Eat less, chew more. 7 Judge less, accept more. 8 De-clutter your life from negative
people, negative things and bad food.
9 Eat protein at breakfast everyday. 10 Be grateful.
HEALTHY LIVING KATHY SMART
Citrus Infused Carrot Soup Ingredients: (Serves 8)
Directions:
1 tablespoon of
Melt butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add carrots and leeks and cook gently for 10 minutes allowing the vegetables to soften. Grate orange peel on a cheese grater to collect 2 tablespoons of orange zest.
butter/coconut oil 1 pound of carrots, chopped 1 cup of leeks, chopped 1 medium orange Âź teaspoon of nutmeg 6 cups of vegetable broth 8 tablespoons of yogurt Fresh cilantro to garnish Salt and pepper to taste
Cut the orange in half, juice both halves and add juice and orange zest to the vegetables. Add the vegetable stock and nutmeg to vegetables. Let the soup simmer uncovered for 30 minutes over low heat. PurĂŠe with an immersion blender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and a fresh sprig of cilantro.
Nutritional Analysis
Smart Facts: What is orange zest?
Orange zest is the orange color of the orange peel grated either with the small sectioned side of a cheese grater or using an orange zester. Be careful to only grate the orange section of the peeling, avoiding the white part as the white part of the peel (the pith) is very bitter.
Amount Per Serving
Calories Total Fat Saturated Fat Cholesterol Sodium Potassium
86.23 2.77g 1.29g 3.82mg 150.66mg 408.34mg Total Carbohydrates 12.75g Fibre 2.91g Sugar 3.79g Protein 4.65g
The subtle taste of orange zest in this recipe always keeps guests wondering what that special taste is! A perfect soup for a crisp spring day.
Recipe Accolades: Simple and Quick Gluten and Wheat Free Low Glycemic Diabetic Friendly No Added Refined Sugars Vegetarian Vegan (if butter omitted) Dairy Free (if butter and yogurt omitted) High in Beta Carotene
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MY VOICE
Kathy Turner Making a Difference
BY KATHY TURNER
In 2003 my precious father died. After 23 years of marriage and four children my husband and I divorced, my children left home and I became an “empty nester.” I moved from my much loved home in the country where I had lived for 24 years, to the city. My business was sold, I left a career I was passionate about and became a caregiver to my loving 85 year old mother. None of these events were on my “bucket list.” At 48 the world as I had known it had disappeared and I had to re-invent myself. I was terrified. Suffering from depression and the many complications that came with it, antidepressants clouded my vision, but allowed me to function. Depression is a complicated disease, and sometimes very misunderstood. You can’t see it, it’s not tangible, but it is ever present for the one who suffers from its insidious infiltration. To recognize depression and to admit to it is a battle unto itself and doing so is the most important first step to recovery. In 2007 when my best friend, my mother, died very suddenly, I was truly lost. The façade I had been living was now an open book and I could no longer hide my depression, my fears and my anxiety.
I
am a difference maker; I just never knew that I was. You can be one too when you discover and share the kindness within.
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You see, I am a people person by nature; I am happy, loving, giving and full of life. All that I am comes from my heart and after many years of living with the absence
Get your voice heard in CAPITAL WOMAN! Write an original essay of less than 1000 words on a topic of your choice and submit it to myvoice@capitalwoman.ca. For more information, visit our website at capitalwoman.ca.
of my being, I realized what I was missing. I was missing me.
was going to be in the nation’s capital, I was notified that my submission had been received too late and the team had already selected their 70 relay participants. For some reason I still believed that I too would be a part of the relay.
I acknowledged that it is much easier to submit to negativity than to cherish all that is positive in your life. However, with help and encouragement from family and friends, I revisited my strengths and I realized that I was wasting the gifts that made me who I am; giving, smiling, laughing, and loving. Happiness comes from the heart; then and only then can it be shared and felt by others. Caring for seniors and their families was, and still is my passion. Giving made me happy and I knew that I needed to be that person again. I would “make a difference” in the lives of others. Through volunteering and fundraising I have had the incredible opportunity to be a small part of building a hospital and watching it grow and flourish. This has been a gift of strength for me. When you have lost your way it can be unfathomable to remember who you are, until someone, or something lifts the curtain and validates you. Rick Hansen did this for me. In July 2011, I read about The Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay (rickhansenrelay.com). Canadians across the country were asked to submit 250 words or less about themselves and why they would be considered a worthwhile candidate to participate in this memorable occasion, raising funds for spinal cord research. I decided to send in my story. A week before the event when this wonderful, inspirational man, Rick Hansen,
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The morning of October 26, 2011, I awoke early with joy and jitters! A premonition, a funny feeling, call it what you will, but it was there. At 7:45 a.m. the phone rang. It was the Rick Hansen Relay coordinator, Anita. Due to a cancellation I was chosen to fill the slot at 2:20 p.m., 385 Main Street, Medal Bearer #56! I was now officially a participant. This was a life changing honor and privilege! At the Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre two hours prior to the relay exchange, I was introduced to the other 11 participants who would be sharing this leg of the relay. After a round table where we all told our stories, I believed that I would always feel different after this experience and that I would be a changed person. My history of depression and anxiety felt so insignificant and small compared to the incredible challenges each one of these beautiful strangers had to face every minute of the day. I was humbled. The people I had just met really were “Difference Makers.”
CAPITAL WOMAN MAGAZINE
Rick Hansen calls the 7000 relay participants across Canada “Difference Makers” for a reason. Everyone has a story to tell. Everyone has a battle to fight, and each one of us can make a difference. It doesn’t have to be huge or complicated, or for the rest of the world to hear or see. A kind gesture, a
loving word, a good deed, a smile, a hug, some joy, or perhaps a commitment to a volunteer position you have always been too busy, too afraid, or just not willing to do. There are hundreds of ways to overcome fears and obstacles, which I witnessed in the hearts and in the eyes of the “Difference Makers.” I had the privilege of meeting and speaking with Rick Hansen on Parliament Hill at the end of the day. When we spoke, he thanked ME…imagine Rick Hansen and all that he is and all that he does to make this world a better place, thanked me for being a “Difference Maker.” Each one of us was made to feel so very special, important, and validated. It is a day that I will always hold close to my heart. “The moment you think about giving up, think about why you held on so long.” Remember, just share the kindness within, and you too can be a “Difference Maker.” I know that I am. Kathy Turner, Ottawa Rick Hansen Medal Relay Participant Difference Maker # 56
ORDINARY WOMEN, EXTRAORDINARY LIVES:
BARBARa POPE BY SHERRI YAZDANI
O
ttawa is rich with extraordinary women, known for their accomplishments, the office they hold, their prestige. Yet far more women in our city move about without fame or office, clothed in the garment of ordinariness. They may be your neighbour, your child’s teacher, or the woman you met at the coffee shop. In this column we will feature those so-called ordinary women, whose lives are truly extraordinary.
Women like my friend Barbara. lmost twenty years ago, BarbaA ra’s life was full of new beginnings. She had recently graduated from university, and was working as a consultant for a communications firm. She enjoyed her work, and appreciated the financial stability it gave her. t the age of 24 her life changed. A She had noticed a lump, and had insisted it be investigated. Doctors confirmed cancer—Hodgkin’s disease. She needed treatment immediately. ight months later, on her 25th E birthday, doctors terminated Barbara’s chemotherapy because of resulting complications. She now had heart and lung failure, chronic
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EXTRAORDINARY LIVES BARBARA POPE
I’M LIVING, JUST AS YOU ARE. SURVIVING CONNOTES THE CONTINUED CARRYING OF A BURDEN. I LIKE TO TRAVEL A LITTLE LIGHTER. pain and severe environmental allergies. During that time Barbara not only lost her health, she was also no longer able to work, her relationships had shifted, and even her appearance had changed dramatically. In Barbara’s words, cancer left her turned inside-out; emptied of all she had been. She experienced an overwhelming urgency to be of purpose, to engage in meaningful activities, to effect change. And she began a spiritual search. While going through physical rehabilitation, she volunteered for an organization mandated to educate and create awareness about a wide range of social justice issues. She began as a copy-editor for their newspaper, later writing a column on subjects related to health and the environment. One day, they needed a graphic for an article so Barbara offered to draw one. The feedback she received from that image led her to decide to publicly share what had been very private to
her—her art. During her recovery, art had provided her with a place of stillness and healing. Through it, she had discovered a voice of her own. Barbara is a visual artist, creating paintings vibrant in colour, using an unconventional combination of watercolour and ink. She is also a poet, and recently has begun exploring photography. While growing as an artist, Barbara also continued her spiritual search, eventually becoming a member of the Baha’i Faith. For her, the wealth of living is found in the act of sacrifice, and in service to others. Barbara decided to use her art in support of organizations dedicated to advancing women, including Harmony House, and the Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) of Ottawa. One of her paintings was the opening motif of the first
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Canadian documentary on the subject of violence against women. Her poetry has been published in several chapbooks, including the compilation No More! Women Speak Out Against Violence. What makes her accomplishments so extraordinary is that during this time, Barbara was diagnosed with three new cancers. In 2004, and again in 2005 she underwent surgery. Two years later Barbara was diagnosed with a fourth unique cancer requiring treatment. Barbara’s beautiful, hopeful art reflects her own inner beauty. She won’t deny there have been many hard days. Yet she rejects the notion of being a survivor. She doesn’t use that term. If you ask her, she’ll tell you, “I’m living, just as you are. Surviving connotes the continued carrying of a burden. I like to travel a little lighter.”
ORDINARY WOMEN, EXTRAORDINARY LIVES Do you know an extraordinary woman, someone who does something beyond the ordinary in her day-to-day life? A woman who overcomes challenges to make a difference? Call us at 613.612.0109 or email extraordinary@capitalwoman.ca. We will be in touch. If we print her story in our May/June issue, the deserving lady will receive massage coupons from Orleans Convent Glen Massage Therapy.
Sherry Harris Psychotherapist
W
ith the rebirthing energies of spring to inspire us, it is a good time to look at cleansing all of our systems: mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. entally, my plan for cleansing includes exploring M any negative or limiting self talk. I do this by actually writing my negative thoughts down in a small spiral book I keep in a pocket or close by. Having spotted the defeating and hurtful comments I make to myself, I make a commitment to counteract them verbally in my head, ending up with a loving and positive statement about myself, i.e. an affirmation, for those of you who are Louise Hay fans. Don’t allow yourself to drop into fearful, negative thinking; it is damaging to all levels of your being. motionally, I commit to finding more time for me. E More time to relax, more time to read, more time to journal and to peacefully reflect, more time to laugh and just plain have fun. Being raised by workaholics, I find it easier to work than to let myself be non-productive, do nothing and simply relax and enjoy life. For me, just Being for a short while can be far more challenging than Doing all the time. But worth the effort for sure. hysically, if you have a regular workout routine to P stretch, tone, build muscles, increase heart stamina, keep it up. If you do not, find some form of exercise you like, even if you start small, and get cracking. Walking even half an hour a day will help energize your system and the mental and emotional benefits gained by doing something you know is good for you are immeasurable. S pring is also a wonderful time to treat your body to liver, gallbladder and kidney cleanses. I have tried
various ones and would recommend talking to a naturopath for advice on which would be healthy for you. If that seems intimidating, try adding more greens into your diet in either smoothies or salads. Your whole body benefits from the alkalinity of greens. Spiritually, I know that I am at my best when I take 20 minutes in the morning to be quiet before rolling into high gear. The more time I take to quiet my mind the more peacefully I experience my day no matter what shows up. If you already meditate and do mind quieting exercises, do more. If you don’t, now is a very good time to start. As our lives seem to get more and more stressful, it is more and more important that we take the time to quiet our minds, slow down and connect with our Source within. Biggest of all, make an effort to learn to love yourself as the divine being you are. Start by making an honest attempt to adore who you are as part of the divine whole called Love. Being love starts with the self and when you are full radiates out to others. Fill yourself first. The rest comes easily and effortlessly.
MSW, RSW
Psychotherapist
reneekimlovaphotography.com
PSAC National Capital Region In 1983, a group of women employees with the help of their union, the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), took on one of the biggest employers of the day, Canada Post, and fired the opening round of what would become a three decade long struggle. The idea that all workers should receive equal pay for work of equal value is a clear enough concept. Pay equity generally addresses the concept that female dominated work groups are less well paid than male dominated groups. And this was certainly the crux of the Canada Post fight. Canada Post workers classifed in the CR group (administrative support staff) were a women-dominated group and were paid less as a rule than the PO group, which was
heavily male-dominated. Studies had to be commissioned, and questioned, and re-commissioned, and questioned again, and experts had to be hired, challenged, and evaluated. The legal battle, once the appeals started, was one of the most complicated and technically challenging in Canadian legal history. And on November 17, 2011, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the PSAC and its members. Let us celebrate what our unions can do and will continue to do in helping us all achieve not only pay equity, but fair and just working conditions, and social justice in our communities everywhere in Canada, and around the world. PSAC National Capital Region
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COMING NEXT ISSUE Be heard! Submit an article
MY VOICE
Canada’s History in Music
ODYSSEY SHOWCASE Ending Violence—Achieving Equality
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DEBORAH DAVIS Canada’s History in Music
ODYSSEY SHOWCASE Changing the Landscape: Ending Violence - Achieving Equality
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