Recipients - Constance E. Hamilton Award

The Corporate Services Committee recommends the adoption of the following report (February9, 1999) from the Women Members of City Council:

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)City Council endorse the selection of Joan Grant Cummings, Marion Lynn and JanePepino as the 20th anniversary recipients of the Constance E. Hamilton Award in 1999; and

(2)the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary actions to give effect thereto.

Background:

At its meeting of October 1 and 2, 1998, City Council approved the 20th anniversary program for the Constance E. Hamilton Award and the continuation of this award to recognize Person's Day.

The Constance E. Hamilton Award was established in 1979 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Person's Case which recognized that women were persons and could be appointed to the Senate of Canada. The Award was named after Constance E. Hamilton the first woman elected to a Municipal Council in Toronto in 1920.

The Award recipients are selected by the Women Members of Council from nominations submitted by the public. The Award recognizes person(s) who have made a significant volunteer contribution to improving the status of women in Toronto and whose efforts have not yet been publicly recognized.

Comments:

Three recipients have been selected:

Joan Grant Cummings has been a woman's rights advocate for over 30 years and has brought an anti-racist perspective to her feminism in both her volunteer and professional activities. As President of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women, she has worked tirelessly to ensure that the organization is inclusive and that the most disadvantaged women in Canada have a voice in the body politic. Her work is recognized internationally by many women's organizations. She has served on a number of community boards, often being the first Black woman to serve on these bodies. Her professional work in health advocacy has focussed upon "women's health in women's hands".

Since the early 70's, Marion Lynn has devoted a great deal of time helping women inside and outside the classroom and has been a mentor to many students. As the Women's Advisor to the President of Centennial College, she implemented several programs aimed at improving the status of women. She was instrumental in founding the Journal of Canadian Women's Studies and has recently completed an extensive project with the Older Women's Network to identify the needs of older women in rural communities as well as in Toronto. She remains committed to working at the "grass roots" with women who are the most disadvantaged and powerless.

Jane Pepino has been a leader on issues pertaining to women's health and safety for over 30 years. Between 1981 and 1985, she served as Chair of the Metro Task Force on Public Violence Against Women, whose report generated many innovative policies and strategies. She has served on numerous boards and committees to address policing, human rights, health services and the equitable treatment of women by governments. Most recently, she was instrumental in helping to ensure a "woman centered" approach to health services as exemplified through the work of Women's College Hospital. In her professional life, she is considered to be a national expert on municipal planing and development.

A public announcement of the recipients will be made on March 2nd at a reception in honour of International Women's Day. The formal presentations will be made in October to coincide with Person's Day. The Women members of Council have invited Barbara Hall to be the guest speaker at the 20th anniversary program and have requested staff to invite all the former Women Councillors to participate in this celebration.

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Women Members of Council:

Councillor Maria Augimeri, Ward 7 - Black Creek

Councillor Ila Bossons, Ward 23 - Midtown

Councillor Elizabeth Brown, Ward 5 - Rexdale Thistletown

Councillor Sandra Bussin, Ward 26 - East Toronto

Councillor Olivia Chow, Ward 24 - Downtown

Councillor Betty Disero, Ward 21 - Davenport

Councillor Joanne Flint, Ward 9 - North York Ctr. South

Councillor Anne Johnston, Ward 22 - North Toronto

Councillor Irene Jones, Ward 2 - Lakeshore Queensway

Councillor Joan King, Ward 12 - Seneca Heights

Councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby, Ward 3 - Kingsway Humber

Councillor Frances Nunziata, Ward 27 - York Humber

Councillor Jane Pitfield, Ward 1 - East York

Councillor Judy Sgro, Ward 6 - North York Humber

Councillor Sherene Shaw, Ward 17 - Scarborough Agincourt