East York
Agnes Macphail Committee
MEMORANDUM
October 1, 1998
TO:Members of the East York Community Council
FROM:Lorna Krawchuk
Chairperson
Agnes Macphail Committee
RE:1999 Agnes Macphail Award
PURPOSE:
Our request is for your endorsement of the revised Community Selection Committee, funding
for 1999 and a method of increasing public awareness of East York's Agnes Macphail Award.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
- That the East York Community Council endorse the following revised Community
Selection Committee for the annual Agnes Macphail Award:
- The MP (or representative) for the riding of Don Valley West (the riding in which she
lived)
- The MPP (or representative) for the riding of York East (the riding she represented in the
Ontario Legislature)
- One East York citizen who is a current or former member of a Council appointed board or
committee - to be appointed by the Chair of the East York Community Council
- One former member of the Borough of East York Council - to be appointed by the East
York Community Council
- All previous winners of the Agnes Macphail Award.
- That the East York Community Council support a request for funding of the 1999 Agnes
Macphail Award in the amount of $1,000.00.
- That the East York Community Council request that information about the Agnes
Macphail Award, and other community awards, be included on the City of Toronto web
site.
BACKGROUND:
In January 1994 the Council of the Borough of East York established an award to honour
Agnes Macphail - Canada's first-elected woman MP in 1921 and first-seated woman MPP in
Ontario in 1943. Agnes Macphail resided in East York from 1941 until her death in 1954.
Agnes Macphail Day is celebrated each year on her birthday, March 24.
Due to the restructuring of municipal government a few changes are necessary in how the
award is administered. For the 1998 award, we managed with the resources available to us.
1998 funding was secured in 1997 by the Council of the Borough of East York. Plans are now
in place for 1999 and future awards.
DISCUSSION:
Recommendation 1:
The original membership of the Community Selection Committee as approved by East York
Council in 1994 needs to be adjusted to reflect the changes which have occurred over the past
year.
Formerly, the Mayor of East York appointed a citizen from an East York Council board or
committee. We are maintaining that intent by having the Chair of the East York Community
Council make that appointment. Similarly, the East York Council appointed a former member
of East York Council, and we propose that the East York Community Council make that
appointment.
The East York Community Development Council appointed a citizen. Since the East York
Community Development Council no longer exists, we have deleted that appointment and
have broadened the citizen base by including all previous Agnes Macphail Award winners on
this Community Selection Committee.
In the five years that this process has been in place, it has provided a system for an orderly
and fair method of selecting a worthy recipient for Council's approval.
Recommendation 2:
Since its inception, the mailings, catering, entertainment, portraits of the winner, public
speaking contest and incidental expenses have been covered by a budget category for General
Public Relations by the former Borough of East York in the amount of $1,000.00. For 1998
funding, a request was made to East York Council in 1997 and set aside to be held in trust by
the East York Foundation. We had hoped that there would be funds allocated to Community
Councils for such local events in the City of Toronto. Since this has not happened, we are
requesting funding of $1,000.00 for our 1999 award process.
Recommendation 3:
While print and oral information gathering continue to be important, it is also necessary to
update our ways of communication. Information about Agnes Macphail is available on a
number of web sites. Information about the award should be included on the City of Toronto
site at the appropriate time of the year.
CONCLUSION:
The Agnes Macphail Award is a significant one, honouring an East York resident each year
who makes an outstanding contribution in the areas of women's rights, fairness to seniors,
criminal justice system and penal reform, international peace and disarmament, access to
adequate housing and health care, or education - all issues of importance to Agnes Macphail
in her lifetime, and for us now.
Contact Name:
Lorna Krawchuk
Chairperson
East York Agnes Macphail Committee
Phone: (416) 425-4431
