POLICIES

Policy is organized by Year and by Subject. The full document of each Policy can be found under Policy Summaries or Complete Text for each year.

Policy Index by Year

Policy Index by Subject

Policy Summaries or Complete Text 1975-2018

Scroll down for text of most recent resolutions.
Please click the blue links below for the full document in Adobe PDF format. Note that new policy will be added to this web page after they have been voted into policy following our AGM in April of each year.

RESOLUTIONS 2022

PCWO RESOLUTION 2022-01

TEACHING CLIMATE CHANGE IN SCHOOLS

Whereas #1 Canada’s commitment as a signatory to the Paris Climate Change
Agreement includes a call ‘to enhance climate change education’;
and

Whereas #2 barriers for teachers to integrate climate change education into
classrooms are lack of classroom resources and lack of
professional knowledge; and

Whereas #3 discussion of climate change can lead to feelings of fear and
anxiety in students; and

Whereas #4 curricula fail to emphasize that there is scientific consensus on the
mechanisms and role of humans in causing climate change;
therefore be it

Resolved #1 that the Provincial Council of Women of Ontario (PCWO) adopt as
policy that climate change education in schools be increased and
included in all grades and subjects, and teachers be given
professional development and resources for teaching climate
change; and be it further

Resolved #2 that PCWO urge the Government of Ontario to:

a) provide teachers with professional development opportunities to
improve their knowledge and strategies related to teaching
climate change as well as providing resources

b) lessen students’ fear response by emphasizing solutions and
actions to address climate change
c) ensure that curricula emphasize that there is scientific
consensus on the mechanisms and role of humans in causing
climate change

d) ensure that scientific facts and political debates are clearly
separated in the curriculum

e) ensure that cutting-edge science and ideas are incorporated
into curricula by the collaboration of the Ministry of Environment,
Conservation and Parks and the Ministry of Education

PCWO RESOLUTION 2022-02

UPDATE: HEALTH CARE STAFFING

Whereas #1 in 2001, the Provincial Council of Women of Ontario urged the
Government of Ontario to:

a) investigate realistic levels of qualified staff needed for a
functional health care system; and

b) ask for input from health care workers to define working
conditions; and

c) apply any savings achieved by efficiencies in the health care
system to improve health care and increase the hiring of health
care workers rather than to provide profit for agencies; and

d) offer full-time employment to sufficient numbers of qualified
health care workers to meet the needs of the system and to
encourage those who have left the health care field to return.
Whereas #2 Ontario has had a growing shortage of nurses and personal support
workers (PSWs) for several years but faces significant depletion
following the pandemic; and

Whereas #3 with cancelled surgeries and procedures during the pandemic there
is now a backlog with too few nurses available to help with
surgeries and procedures; and

Whereas #4 in long-term care homes PSW shortages threaten the proper care
and safety of residents; and

Whereas #5 opportunities for full-time work and advancement for PSWs are
inadequate, leading to staff working two part-time jobs; and

Whereas #6 Bill 124 caps public-sector wage increases to one percent; and

Whereas #7 the pandemic has meant hours of overtime, back-to-back 12-hour
shifts, and cancelled time off for nurses and PSWs; therefore be it

Resolved #1 that the Provincial Council of Women of Ontario (PCWO) adopt as
policy that there be adequate staffing of nurses, personal support
workers and other health care workers to meet clearly defined
safety standards and guidelines, fair wages and benefits on par
with other health care sectors, and options for full-time work
assignments especially for those in long-term care; and be it further

Resolved #2 that PCWO urge the Government of Ontario to:

a) exempt nurses and PSWs from Bill 124 so that they can
negotiate fair wages either individually or collectively

b) instruct health care institutions to end mandatory overtime and
cancelled time off

c) commit to supporting, mandating and funding adequate human
resources in all health care sectors to ensure safe, quality
staffing models

d) adequately fund health care institutions and organizations to
implement fair benefits

e) commit to fund health care organizations to provide full-time
work for all available staff with that work assignment being
within a single workplace or setting, especially for those in longterm
care.

Policy Index by Year

PCWO Policy Index by Year 1975 – 2016 (posted Jan 2017)

Policy Index by Subject

PCWO Policy by Subject – Updated 2018

Policy Summaries or Complete Text 1975-2018