Montreal branch
The WFMC Montreal Annual General Meeting has been postponed to the autumn, but vibrant monthly cafe discussions have continued via Zoom. Issues that have been discussed include controlling disease, providing housing, food and clean water, freedom of the press, and multi-level political representation.
We welcomed Monique Cuillerier from the National Office to our June meeting to talk about the Women, Peace and Security Network – Canada and its interactions with other NGOs, which provoked a lively discussion. In July, the focus was more general, but primarily on the failure of Canada to obtain a seat on the UN Security Council. The next meeting will take place in August.
The Marie-Berthe Issues Action Group met most months from September 2019 until the COVID-19 virus ended face-to-face meetings. During that time, discussions and letter-writing addressed topics such as urging the endorsement of a Nuclear Weapons Convention at the UN, protecting Indigenous land rights, objecting to mercury poisoning at Grassy Narrows, respecting the rights of the Kurdish people, meeting climate change election promises; supporting the Ottawa Treaty on landmines.
Virtual branch meetings
The first virtual branch meeting, hosted by Toronto branch, took place on Sunday, June 28th. Peter Russell, one of Canada’s most respected constitutional law experts, spoke on the topic of “Sovereignty and World Federalism” with comments and moderation by WFMC President Walter Dorn, Toronto branch president John Daniele, WFMC Executive Director Fergus Watt, and Andrea Klein Bergman. A lively and wide-ranging discussion followed.
Future meetings are being planned.
Leave a comment