Chair's Message
NEW MESSAGE
I begin by wishing all AWHONN Canada members and their families a Happy and Healthy New Year. I hope this year is filled with happiness for all of you, that you take the time to dance, kiss, relax and have fun. We all strive for balance and hopefully this will be the year we get it right.
I would like to focus this greeting on the events, which will occur in the near future. As I reported in the last newsletter, we are now progressing towards disaffiliation. The process should be simple because everyone is in agreement, but there is still a timeline that needs to be respected in order to incorporate the name and to set up the new organization as a charitable organization. You will have no doubt noticed that I am avoiding using a name for this new organization. The name selected at the Winnipeg AWHONN Conference is CAPWHN - Canadian Association for Perinatal and Women's Health Nurses. The acronym would remain identical in French, but the name will be translated. The name needs to be vetted and approved through government channels. We are receiving legal advice for this process. CANWN (Canadian Association of Nurses for Women and Newborns) the organization created to promote exemplary standards in perinatal and women's health nursing practice, research and education, and to advocate for Canadian women, newborns and families in health matters will work with us as we create the new association. There is a task force being created which will ensure a smooth transition as both groups move to the future to ensure a voice for nursing in the Canadian arena.
I have been told that there is some confusion related to the 21st National AWHONN Canada conference, which we will be held in Montreal, Quebec on October 14 to 16, 2010. The Section Coordinating Team had wished to use the new organization name to launch an inaugural conference.
Unfortunately because of legal matters we did not want to begin using a name, which we might not obtain legal rights to. We are therefore using the AWHONN Canada name, which is easily recognized and appropriate since we still have the right to use it. This conference will be the official launch for the new association. I am sure the conference in Montreal will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our accomplishments as AWHONN Canada as well as to celebrate the genesis of what we will become. We hope to see you there as we move towards becoming CAPWHN. Please contact me if you have ideas or you want to be involved. This will truly be your association.
Nous avons une opportunité pour créer une association qui sera bilingue et qui répondra aux besoins de nos collègues francophones d'une manière privilégiée. Nous aurons besoin de vous pour réussir à atteindre cet objectif. Je vous encourage à vous joindre à nous sans attendre et à vous impliquer dans ce processus. Veuillez transmettre votre nom et vos coordonnées à Sylvie Paquette qui vous tiendra informés des futurs évènements et du processus d'abonnement.
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January 5, 2009
I am pleased to assume the position of SCT Section Chair of AWHONN Canada.
I first became involved in AWHONN when it was NAACOG. My first leadership position was as the education coordinator for Quebec in 1992. Since then, I have taken on the positions of Vice Chair; Legislative Coordinator and most recently Chapter Coordinator for Quebec (2002 - 2008). I was intimately involved in the National Conferences held in Montreal in 1995, 2000 and 2005.
I have spent most of my nursing career working with women, infants and their families. I believe nurses can influence the care families receive in many different ways and in many different fora. I have been involved in many levels of the AWHONN organization and will continue the work of the joint task force to explore a new governance model to meet the needs of Canadian members. I have also been involved with other perinatal organizations in Canada such as the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. AWHONN provides a collective voice to nurses but is only as strong as its members. It will be important to continue to promote membership in this organization in order to become the voice which promotes the health of women and newborns.
I look forward to meeting you in the coming months.
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