PEI Advisory Council Announces 2003 EQUALITY Recognition Award Winners
The PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women will be presenting their 10th Annual EQUALITY Recognition Awards on Friday, March 7, 2003 at 12 noon at the Arts Guild in Charlottetown as part of International Women's Day (IWD) celebrations. The awards recognize individuals, organizations and employers who have demonstrated outstanding contributions towards promoting the equality of women in Prince Edward Island. For 2003, the Special Recognition EQUALITY Recognition Award recognizes contributions to women in sport.
"There are women and men throughout this province working hard every day to improve the status of women in Prince Edward Island," says Advisory Council Chairperson Patricia Roy. "The ACSW EQUALITY Recognition Awards are a chance to publicly honour and recognize their achievements and everyone is invited to attend this lunchtime event on March 7th."
"The selection of the award winners is always difficult considering the amazing things so many Islanders are doing to improve the lives of women and their families," noted Roy. "We salute and celebrate the successes of all the 2003 IWD award nominees."
The Selection Committee for this year's awards was comprised of representatives from Women's Network PEI, l'Association des femmes acadiennes et francophones de l'lle-du-Prince Edouard, East Prince Women's Information Centre (EPWIC), Women's Institute, the Girls and Women in Sport Committee and the PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women.
The 2003 winners are:
Individual ~ Marlene Bryenton
Organization or Group ~ L'Acadie c'matin
Employer ~ Kevin O'Brien / Island Services Network (ISN)
Lifetime Achievement ~ Anne Marie Perry
Special Recognition - Women in Sport ~ Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW)
Individual
Recipient ~ Marlene Bryenton
Marlene Bryenton has spent her life working on programs and projects close to her heart that support women living with breast cancer, addictions, poverty, and abuse. Most notable is the Baby Think It Over Program which helps students explore the emotional, financial, and social consequences of parenting. She is a crusader for Island women who live with breast cancer including those who choose to receive radiation therapy in PEI. Marlene believes in preventative and proactive approaches to women's health. In all her endeavours, she demonstrates courage, compassion, action, and commitment. Marlene is a woman of generous spirit whose compassion has made a difference in the lives of others.
Organization or Group
Recipient ~ L'Acadie c'matin
L'Acadie c'matin, the french morning radio program, produced by Radio-Canada, has been a vibrant voice on the air since 1986, and produced on Prince Edward Island since 1996. It is an essential tool in maintaining language and culture for the Acadian and Francophone regions. The Program team brings awareness of and actively promotes activities important for women such as the Purple Ribbon Campaign Against Violence, International Women's Day, Family Violence Prevention Week, along with the well-known play about violence against women, For Better and For Worse. The Acadian and Francophone population commends Radio-Canada for producing the L'Acadie c'matin program with such relevance for the entire community and with such regard for issues close to women's hearts.
L'Acadie c'matin, une émission dynamique de radio, en onde depuis 1986 et produite à l'Île-Prince-Édouard depuis 1996, est un outil essentiel au maintien de la langue et de la culture dans les régions acadiennes et francophones de l'Île. L'équipe fait un excellent travail de promotion d'activités telles que la Campagne du ruban pourpre contre la violence, la Journée internationale de la femme, la Semaine de la prévention de violence familiale ainsi que la promotion de la pièce de théâtre dramatique sur des situations de violence familiale Pour le meilleur et pour le pire. Ces activités touchent de près les femmes. La population acadienne et francophone de l'Île-du-Prince-Édouard est très reconnaissante à Radio-Canada pour la production de cette émission de grande importance pour toute la communauté et pour sa sensibilité à des sujets qui touchent de près le coeur des femmes.
Employer
Recipient ~ Kevin O'Brien / Island Services Network (ISN)
ISN's women employees say that Kevin O'Brien is a very supportive employer. His respectful approach to their ambitions and family responsibilities is commendable. This is demonstrated through flexible working arrangements and opportunities for continuedlearning. Kevin helps his employees reach their potential to succeed in leadership and management positions. His efforts also extend beyond the workplace. The company has recognized outstanding youth through the ISN Youth Leadership awards and contributes to fundraising efforts for organizations such as CHANCES, a family resource centre in Charlottetown, and Transition House Association. Kevin O'Brien exemplifies the qualities women appreciate in an employer.
Lifetime Achievement
Recipient ~ Anne Marie Perry
Anne Marie Perry is known as a leader, innovator, mentor, businesswoman, and mother. Proud of her heritage, she has promoted the Acadian culture as well as french language education. Her many volunteer efforts have had a significant impact at the local, regional, provincial, and national level. During Anne Marie's term on the Canadian Advisory Council on the Status of Women, she was instrumental in developing policy recommendations such as pension reform, pay equity, and sexual harassment in the workplace. And in 1999, she received the Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Person's Case, given annually to women who have made outstanding and lifelong contributions to the advancement of women. Anne Marie continues to be an inspiration to those who work for women's equality.
Anne Marie Perry est reconnue comme une personne chef de file, innovatrice, mentor, femme d'affaires et mère. Fière de son identité acadienne, elle a poursuit son engagement en faisant activement la promotion de l'éducation en français et de la culture acadienne de sa province. Ses nombreuses implications bénévoles ont eu un impact de grande importance aux niveaux local, régional, provincial et national. Pendant son terme au Conseil consultatif canadien sur la situation de la femme, elle a largement contribué à l'élaboration des recommandations sur la reforme des pensions et de la fiscalité par rapport aux femmes, la sécurité sur le marché du travail, l'équité salariale et le harassement sexuel au travail. En 1999, elle a reçu le Prix du Gouverneur général commémorant l'Affaire personne, un honneur présenté annuellement à des personnes qui ont contribué considérablement à l'avancement des femmes. Anne Marie continue d'être une inspiration pour les personnes qui travaillent pour l'égalité des femmes.
Special Recognition - Women in Sport
Recipient ~ Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW)
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) is an international outdoor education program designed especially for women. Since 1997, BOW has been offering hands-on, skills development workshops in PEI. Some of these pursuits include canoeing, fly fishing, archery, map and compass, and dog sledding. BOW works to welcome all women by providing bursaries for those with low incomes. The learning environment is cooperative and non-competitive leading to feelings of empowerment, increased confidence, greater physical health, and wellbeing. Becoming an Outdoors-WomanÒ is driven by volunteers who believe that women should have access to the skills and knowledge, along with the joy associated with being in the outdoors.
International Women's Day is marked around the world as a time to reflect upon women's progress, the struggle for equality, and women's efforts to shape a better world.
Everyone is invited to join the PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women to celebrate the IWD Awards Presentation/Brown Bag Luncheon event on Friday, March 7th at 12 noon at the Arts Guild, corner of Queen and Richmond Streets in Charlottetown.
Happy International Women's Day!
Contact: Heidi Rankin, 368-4510