Eastern Branch

Eastern Branch includes Ottawa, Cornwall, and the Eastern Ontario region.

Eastern Branch Website: www.eastoasw.org

Branch Directors and Executive

Glenn Drover, President
Margaret Nelson, Past President, Treasurer, Chair, Social Justice Committee
Barbara Merriam, Vice President Operations
Ann-Marie O'Brien, Branch Representative, Chair, Membership Committee
Laurie Alphonse
Martha Wiebe, Carleton University Representative, Publications Committee
Sarah Telford, Student Representative, Carleton University
Nathalie Tremblay Morand, Student Representative, Université d'Ottawa
Emmanuelle Cyr, Student Representative, Université d'Ottawa

Bulletin

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Spring 2008

Fall-Winter 2007

Recent Branch Activities

Spring Gala and AGM

The 72nd AGM/Gala of the Eastern branch was held on April 16, 2008. The winner of the Bessie Touzel award was Madeleine Dubois, from University of Ottawa.

We also held an auction to raise approximately $2,000.00 for our scholarships and awards. Our guest speaker was Marianne Vincent, Civilian Social Worker, National Defence, on the topic: "Social workers supporting the Canadian forces". Approximately 70 people attended the Gala/AGM.

Social Work Week

The OASW Eastern Branch collaborated with the social work group at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre to host Dan Andreae, President of OASW. Dan spoke on the challenges and opportunities facing the social work profession in Ontario.

The OASW used this occasion to award the Gullen Prize for excellence in print media to Susan Sherring for her series in the Ottawa Sun on Autism and to Steve Newman of the Renfrew Mercury for his articles on the difficulties of receiving addiction treatment in Renfrew County. Approximately 60 people attended this event.

Social Justice

Members of the Social Justice Committee participated with People for a Better Ottawa in a post card signing campaign calling for the provincial government to up-load the costs of public health services from the municipality. Approximately 1400 post cards were delivered in a demonstration at Premier Dalton McGuinty's office in Ottawa on March 14. There was good media attendance. After the cards were presented, the delegation was welcomed into the office for discussion with John Fraser, Executive Assistant to the Premier. While it was not expected that the government would take action on this request in their March 25 budget, it was felt that our initiative would strengthen the voice of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) in the review of provincial-municipal fiscal arrangements then underway.

Letters have been sent to Premier Dalton McGuinty and Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, urging collaboration between the province and the federal government to resolve the funding issue for the First Nations Technical Institute, which has been granted provincial funding for only one year after federal funding was drastically reduced.

A summary report has been prepared of the study by students of the Carleton School of Journalism for our Committee. It may now be accessed from the Eastern Branch web page. Our Committee members are in the process of contacting representatives of agencies within our area to invite their acceptance of direct communication between our Social Justice Committee and our members in their agencies.

Issues that our Committee will be exploring in May and June include:

• Increased street drug use by children and youth,
• Conditions in domiciliary hostels,
• Regulations regarding the Long Term Care Act 2007,
• The Ontario Child Benefit and its effects on families receiving Ontario Works and ODSP.

Members who wish to have input into any of these issues are invited to contact the Social Justice Committee at: socialjustice.oasweb@gmail.com.

Together, We are Stronger

To view a summary of a communications project conducted by students from the Carleton University School of Journalism for the Social Justice Committe of Eastern Branch, [click here].

Call to Action/Appel à l'action

Please click here for details on how you can help.

Cliquez ici pour les détails des actions indiquées.

Contact Information

Eastern Branch Office: info@eastoasw.org
Eastern Branch Website: www.eastoasw.org

Mailing Address: Eastern Branch Office

323 Chapel Street, 3rd Floor/3e étage
Ottawa, ON K1N 7Z2

Branch telephone: 613-238-8406

Branch President: Glenn Drover
Provincial Board Representative: Ann-Marie O'Brien