1999 Agnes Macphail Award

The East York Community Council recommends the adoption of the recommendations embodied in the following communication (October 1, 1998) from Mrs. Lorna Krawchuk, Chairperson, Agnes Macphail Committee, subject to:

(1)amending Recommendation No. (1)(b) by deleting the words "(the riding she represented in the Ontario Legislature)", and inserting in lieu thereof the words "orsuch riding as deemed appropriate by the East York Community Council should redistribution of ward boundaries occur"; and

(2)deleting from Recommendation No. (1)(c) the words "the Chair of",

so that such recommendations shall now read as follows:

"(1)the East York Community Council endorse the following revised Community Selection Committee for the annual Agnes Macphail Award:

(a)the MP (or representative) for the riding of Don Valley West (the riding in which she lived);

(b)the MPP (or representative) for the riding of York East or such other riding as deemed appropriate by East York Community Council should redistribution of ward boundaries occur;

(c)one East York citizen who is a current or former member of a Council appointed board or committee - to be appointed by the East York Community Council;

(d)one former member of the Borough of East York Council - to be appointed by the EastYork Community Council; and

(e)all previous winners of the Agnes Macphail Award;

(2)the East York Community Council support a request for funding of the 1999Agnes Macphail Award in the amount of $1,000.00; and

(3)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.":

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:

It is recommended that:

(1)the East York Community Council endorse the following revised Community Selection Committee for the annual Agnes Macphail Award:

(a)the MP (or representative) for the riding of Don Valley West (the riding in which she lived);

(b)the MPP (or representative) for the riding of York East (the riding she represented in the Ontario Legislature);

(c)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;

(d)one former member of the Borough of East York Council - to be appointed by the EastYork Community Council; and

(e)all previous winners of the Agnes Macphail Award;

(2)the East York Community Council support a request for funding of the 1999 Agnes Macphail Award in the amount of $1,000.00; and

(3)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 AgnesMacphail - 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. AgnesMacphailDay 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

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Mrs. Lorna Krawchuk, Chairperson, Agnes Macphail Committee, East York, appeared before the East York Community Council in connection with the foregoing matter.