National Council of Women of Canada : The National Council of Women of Canada was formed on 27 October 1893. It is a nation-wide federation of nationally organized societies of men and women, and of local and provincial councils of women. It is affiliated with the International Council of Women. Its goal is to work for the betterment of conditions pertaining to the family and the state by providing organization for a non-sectarian and non-partisan movement of women.
In 1893 three of the nationally organized societies in federation with the National Council were the Girls' Friendly Society, the Women's Art Association and the Dominion Women's Enfranchisement Committee and its membership also included local councils of women in Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa, London, Winnipeg and Quebec. Provincial councils were organized during the years following 1893.
The Council makes representations to government about issues that are of concern to women, that are in accordance with their goal of bettering conditions pertaining to the family and the state. The local, provincial and national councils are each responsible for dealings with their own respective level of government.
Concerns that are initiated at the local and provincial levels are then debated at the Annual National Conference of the National Council of Women. Some of the National Council's activities include: making representations to government; presenting briefs to commissions of inquiry; and serving as representatives on government boards, such as the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women, the Unemployment Insurance Commission, and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. They also collaborate with non-governmental agencies such as the United Nations Association in Canada and the Health League of Canada. Council members have represented Canada internationally at meetings of the League of Nations and have served on commissions and agencies of the United Nations. The National Council of Women helped to bring into existence the Victorian Order of Nurses, the Children's Aid Society and the Canadian Association of Consumers.
Some of the broad areas of concern to the National Council of Women over the years have been women's suffrage, child welfare, immigration and multiculturalism, health, education and social welfare, the mass media, unemployment and labour conditions, the peace movement and the environment. The Council has formed standing study committees for the purpose of gathering information on and creating an interest in these and other matters. The Council deals with issues that are of national significance. Each year the National Council presents a brief to the federal government regarding the concerns of Council women across the country.
The national headquarters is located in Ottawa, Ontario and the Executive Secretary handles the day-to-day volume of the Council's work.
