BPW Calgary

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June 11, 2014: Mentorship Graduation and Silent Auction with Colleagues, Family & Friends

June Dinner Meeting

Tasha Giroux, our keynote speaker on Equal Pay Day, from the Royal Bank of Canada will inspire our mentorship graduates on June 11.  This will also be our year-end celebration with Melanie Leonard, orchestra conductor, as we come together with our family, friends, and colleagues.

We invite you to participate in the silent auction by donating as well as bidding and purchasing items of all budgets.  All proceeds from the silent auction will go towards BPW Calgary’s Scholarship program.  Local scholarships are awarded to Bow Valley College Students who demonstrate high academic standing and single-handedly lead their own households and families.

To donate an item (or professional service), please email Suzan Davies at [email_info]. Kirsten Glowa, Silent Auction Coordinator, will be in touch with donors to manage the collection and storage of their products or services.

REGISTER ONLINE by Wednesday, June 4, 2014 using the form to the right. Also note our dinner location and cancellation policy in the sidebar. If you have any dietary restrictions, please email them to [email_info] after completing your online registration.

Save Time Pay OnlineSending your RSVP online has many benefits – no waiting to pay at the door, payment via credit card, and an instant receipt!

Just use the form in the sidebar at right to register for this month’s dinner.

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Equal Pay Day 2014 Campaign Summary

BPW Calgary Marks “Equal Pay Day”: March 18, 2014

Equal Pay DayOn March 18, 2014 BPW Calgary members, community partners and supporters gathered to mark Equal Pay Day in the 30th floor boardroom located in the West Tower of the Suncor Energy Centre in Downtown Calgary.  Employment lawyers, human rights leaders, researchers, educators, and influential members of the business and professional communities assembled together to applaud the achievements of women in the workplace and reflect upon the work that remains, specifically narrowing the gender wage gap.  Scroll down this page for Photos.

Formally opened by CBC Calgary News Anchor Nadia Stewart, the event was attended at full capacity, with a powerful keynote address delivered by Tasha Giroux, from the Royal Bank of Canada.  Ms. Giroux shared the numerous reasons why one of Canada’s top diversity employers actively promotes the representation of women in senior management roles.  She focused on ways to create an environment that promotes inclusion through access to equal opportunities and progressive work/life and flex policies.  A timeline of diversity milestones revealed that in 1994 the Royal Bank of Canada undertook “Closing the Gender Gap Initiative”.

President of BPW Calgary, Jenny Gulamani-Abdulla reminded the attendees that the club’s goal was to take the campaign from the streets of Calgary last year to the schools and boardrooms this year.  The club donated children’s books on Equal Pay to schools such as the Alice Jamieson Girls’ Academy and addressed various groups on the issue of Equal Pay leading up to March 18.  Ms. Gulamani-Abdulla shared the club’s 16 month local journey which has now turned into a national undertaking through the Resolution process with the support of over 50 clubs to declare Equal Pay Day nationally.  She traced back to the origins of Labour Day, a day intended by Sir John A. MacDonald, to honour what was significant to workers at that time, mostly men.  “Today labour day is about Back to School Sales and Canadian Football”, she said, “Equal Pay is a significant issue for women who make up almost half of the labour force, how can we address it?”

Attendees had viewed the two-panel discussion between President Jenny Gulamani-Abdulla and Professor Richard Mueller on the Gender Pay Gap aired on Alberta Prime Time the day before Equal Pay Day and it can be viewed here:  http://alberta.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=540393&binId=1.2002989&playlistPageNum=1

The feedback received was exceptional with 89% stating that Canadians are unaware of our country’s ranking of #35 for wage equality according to the World Economic Forum Reports of 2012 and 2013.  86% of the attendees stated that the Mayor of Calgary should have proclaimed Equal Pay Day in 2013.  Unfortunately, this was not possible due to the outdated Proclamation Policy and viewing the issue of Equal Pay as one having a “political overtone”.

Suggestions for next steps included:

(1) Leveraging the power of over 40 clubs across the nation to table this issue at the Prime Minister’s Office to declare Equal Pay Day nationally,

(2) Empowering female leaders to engage media more aggressively to share their voices on narrowing the gender wage gap,

(3) Continuing to build a more vigorous educational campaign to engage employers and corporations, and,

(4) Inspiring the future generation of female employees to move forward with conviction.

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May 14, 2014: Election Night and May Business Meeting

Anna MurrayThe evening will commence with inspiration focused on ethical performance and peer mentoring by Anna Murray, one of Canada’s most Powerful Women: 2010, Top 100 Winner, and Founder of Young Women in Energy.

It will be followed by election and installing of new executive officers of BPW Calgary. On May 14, play your part as a woman in business or in the professions to contribute your ideas on how we can improve conditions of women locally, nationally and internationally.  We will review our core programs including Scholarships, Mentorship and Equal Pay to define a way forward as we enter the next term, 2014-2016.

The theme we started with in 2012 was Transforming Vision into Reality, and, as a committed group, we recognized the ripple effect especially when we marked Equal Pay Day in Calgary in 2013 and 2014.  This motivated us to submit a renowned Resolution to BPW Canada on “Declaring Equal Pay Day Nationally”.  With a strong and spirited capacity at the executive and committee levels, we certainly transformed vision into reality.  Along the way, we sparked the next generation of female leaders through education and awareness.

We will also begin to renew memberships in May!

REGISTER ONLINE by Wednesday, May 7, 2014 using the form to the right. Also note our dinner location and cancellation policy in the sidebar. If you have any dietary restrictions, please email them to [email_info] after completing your online registration.

Save Time Pay OnlineSending your RSVP online has many benefits – no waiting to pay at the door, payment via credit card, and an instant receipt!

Just use the form in the sidebar at right to register for this month’s dinner.

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April 9, 2014: Local Partnerships and the Impact in our Communities

BPW Calgary Partners BannersAs we showcase the work of BPW Calgary’s close community partners, you will have an opportunity to witness how the club has a strong impact on women in the City of Calgary.

Join us as our scholarship recipients from Bow Valley College share their stories.  Find out how Making Changes Association empowers women to make a confident transition into the workplace.

Our business clothing drive will be on so remember to bring your gently used business attire along with accessories.  Learn about our adopted families from the Servants Anonymous Society.

REGISTER ONLINE by Wednesday, April 2, 2014 using the form to the right. Also note our dinner location and cancellation policy in the sidebar. If you have any dietary restrictions, please email them to [email_info] after completing your online registration.

Save Time Pay OnlineSending your RSVP online has many benefits – no waiting to pay at the door, payment via credit card, and an instant receipt!

Just use the form in the sidebar at right to register for this month’s dinner.

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