Our feminist mobilisations
Mobilisation is an important component of the actions carried out by the Table. Here are a few examples of recent initiatives.
Rita Prévost-Whittom Award
In 2018, the Rita Prévost-Whittom Award, which aims to raise the profile of passionate elected women who play an active role in the development of their community and region, was awarded to Rose Émonde Clarke, Mayor of Grosse-Île, for her political involvement and commitment to the community. This was the third time the award was presented to a woman from the region.
12 days of action to combat violence against women
In 2020, to mark the 12 days of action to combat violence against women, a calendar of violence was produced and published on our Facebook page, with one sticker per day. This bitter calendar lists, month by month, the systemic violence suffered by women in 2020.
World March of Women 2020
Founded in 2000 by the Fédération des femmes du Québec (FFQ), the World March of Women (WMW) quickly became a global movement. Since then, every five years, millions of women around the world have marched together to denounce poverty and violence.
In October 2021, on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the fifth World March of Women action took place. A mobilisation activity was organised by the Table, to bring the 2020 demands of the World March of Women Québec Coordination to the regions. Around 75 people braved the wind and rain in solidarity, including several women proudly representing our members.
A number of speeches were given at the event in Gaspé, at the close of the walk when participants reached the Birthplace of Canada site. Several of our members and representatives of organisations shared their poems, demands and reasons for taking action. We would particularly like to mention the speech by Chief Adrienne du Lac Simon, who travelled specially for the occasion, and the contribution of Tim Adams, from the Micmac Nation of Gespeg, who purified the air during the speeches and closed the rally with a traditional Mi’gmaq song. It’s also worth noting that this event was made possible thanks to the support of a number of local partners, including Quebec Native Women and the Council of Elected Women of the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec-Labrador.
Addressing elected representatives and election candidates
In 2019, we called on elected representatives to take action on equality, access to a healthy environment, universal access to abortion and an employment insurance program accessible to all.
In the form of videos, we called on the candidates in the 2021 federal election and the 2022 provincial election on the following issues:
– Employment insurance reform that takes account of women’s realities;
– Measures to ensure the safety of Mi’gmaq women and girls in Gaspésie and on the Magdalen Islands;
– Restored confidence in the justice system for women who are victims of violence;
– A plan that takes account of social justice issues in the face of the climate crisis;
– Creation of additional childcare places; and
– Women’s safety in the face of increasing gender-based violence.
Comité mobilisation
Après plusieurs années sans instance de la sorte, la Table s’est dotée en 2023-2024 d’un comité mobilisation alliant des représentantes des groupes membres et des personnes de la communauté.
Avec le soutien de l’équipe de travail, le comité mobilisation est responsable d’assurer l’idéation et les stratégies des actions de mobilisation de la Table. En plus de contribuer à l’organisation des actions, les représentantes des groupes membres aident à faire le lien entre les campagnes en cours et les mobilisations locales. Le comité s’assure que les réalités concernant les femmes à la croisée des oppressions (qui sont marginalisées sur divers plans) soient intégrées aux actions de mobilisation choisies et que les orientations des membres de la Table soient respectées.