Showing 285 results

Authority record
Untinen, Leni
Person
Leni Untinen became involved in the women's movement in the late 1970s when she was hired to do needs study for Crisis Homes, Inc. She was born and raised in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Leni was also a founder of Faye Peterson Transition House, a lobbyist for the Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council starting in 1981, and then later served as the Decade Council's coordinator, c.1990s. She was a founding chairperson and board member of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Northwestern Ontario, a member of the Provincial Cross Sectoral Violence Against Women Strategy Group, as well as a board member for Thunder Bay Ventures/Community Futures Development Corporation and chair of the Training Committee. She received the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada in 1992 for her work to eliminate violence against women and children, and was awarded an honourary doctorate from Lakehead University for her activism against violence against women and her community work.
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Leni Untinen s'est engagée dans le mouvement des femmes à la fin des années 1970 lorsqu'elle a été embauchée pour réaliser une étude des besoins pour Crisis Homes, Inc. Elle est née et a grandi à Thunder Bay, en Ontario. Leni a également été l'une des fondatrices de la Faye Peterson Transition House, lobbyiste pour le Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council à partir de 1981, puis coordinatrice du Decade Council dans les années 1990. Elle a été présidente fondatrice et membre du conseil d'administration de la Société Elizabeth Fry du Nord-Ouest de l'Ontario, membre du Provincial Cross Sectoral Violence Against Women Strategy Group, membre du conseil d'administration de Thunder Bay Ventures/Community Futures Development Corporation et présidente du comité d'éducation. Elle a reçu la médaille commémorative du 125e anniversaire de la Confédération du Canada en 1992 pour son travail d'élimination de la violence à l'égard des femmes et des enfants, et a reçu un doctorat honorifique de l'université Lakehead pour son activisme contre la violence à l'égard des femmes et son travail au sein de la communauté.
Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council
Corporate body · 1976-[199?]
The Northwestern Ontario Women’s Decade Council (NOWDC) was a feminist organization formed in 1976 to carry on the work begun by the Northwestern Ontario International Women’s Year Co-ordinating Council. The Decade Council was based in Thunder Bay. They focused on serving as a resource for, and a liaison between, area women’s group, in order to improve the economic, social and political status of women. They also provided technical assistance and resources to emerging women’s groups and to individual women working on women’s issues. This support was provided by a non-partisan volunteer-based organization composed of representatives of district women’s groups as well as individuals, serving communities of Kenora, Sioux Lookout/Hudson, Dryden, Red Lake, Atikokan, Marathon, Manitouwadge, Nipignon, Terrace Bay, Thunder Bay and surrounding townships, Geraldton and Big Trout Lake. NOWDC sponsored conferences and published materials, including audiovisual materials.
Martin, Fern
Person · [195?-]
Fern Martin dedicated 26 years of service to Lanark County Interval House, supporting women and children facing domestic violence and abuse. In 1996, she was honoured with the YWCA “Woman of Distinction” award for her relentless efforts to combat violence against women and published her book, “A Narrow Doorway,” the same year. Martin is renowned for her columns addressing sexual violence, abuse, and harassment, including the controversial 1994 Georgie Porgie series. Her writing also shed light on tragic instances of women lost to male violence, raising critical awareness. Alongside her writing, Martin has served as a crisis counsellor at Lanark County Interval House since 1979 and has creatively engaged in activism through collaborations with artists at “Artsfusion” and designing t-shirts for Pakenham Rural Route that celebrate the women’s movement. She retired from the Lanark County Interval House in 2005, but continues to passionately advocate for and support women facing violence.
Karlstedt, Fiona
Person · 1949-2023
Fiona Karlstedt (30 December 1949 - 30 November 2023) was a strong advocate for social justice, who worked for numerous organizations and services of the Thunder Bay region. In 1982-1983, Fiona was employed as administrator for the Northern Women's Centre, and was involved in the wider woman's movement of the region. She is featured in "40 Fabulous Feminists & Amazing Activists of Northwestern Ontario", published by Northwestern Ontario Women's Centre.
Some of Fiona's published works include:
- 1987, "Northwestern Ontario Status of Women Initiatives, 1973-1987" (Secretary of State Women's Program & Ontario Women's Directorate)
- 1989 "The history of the battered women's movement in Northwestern Ontario" (Thunder Bay, Ontario: Northwestern Ontario Women's Decade Council, Women Against Violence Sub-Committee).
Phillips, Margaret
Person · 1931-2015

Margaret Phillips (12 April 1931-4 November 2015) was a builder and promoter of the Northwestern Ontario women's writing community for close to thirty years in the Thunder Bay region. In 1984, Margaret Phillips and Anna McColl co-founded the Northern Woman's Bookstore. From discussions held by the Collective of the Northern Woman Journal - one of Canada's longest running feminist newspapers - it became evident there was a demand for women's literature, and no available bookstore within 1,000 miles. The Bookstore began on Bay Street with only 300 titles, and changed locations over the years, expanding its book selection. In 1992 it moved to Court Street, a site large enough to host book readings and act as a community space.

Margaret was a tireless advocate and educator for women's issues, particularly those specific to Indigenous women and women of Northern Ontario. In 2008, Margaret was awarded the KOUHI award by the Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop for her outstanding contribution to the promotion and encouragement of writing in Northwestern Ontario. It was noted that the Northern Woman's Bookstore has provided a safe and supporting place for women and the writing community to gather and strengthen their voices. Similarly, in 2008, Margaret was recognized with the Bay Credit Union Social Responsibility Award, and in 2012 the Northern Women's bookstore was recognized by the Crime Prevention Council. The community safety award for Business recognized the Northern Woman's Bookstore and its team of volunteer staff for playing a fundamental role in crime prevention by empowering women for nearly 30 years.
Kaye, Lynn
Person · [19??]
Lynn Kaye has been part of the Women's Movement for over 50 years and contributed to many organizations. She was a homemaker with two children, lawyer, and active member of several organizations in the women's movement as well as unionization. Lynn co-founded the Canadian Women's Educational Press, the Birth Control Information Center at York University, both the National and Ottawa Caucus of the National Association of Women and the Law, Ottawa Women's Lobby, and the Equal Pay Coalition. While a member at the National Action Committee for the Status of Women (NAC), where she was president in 1988-1989, Lynn sat on many sub-committees including employment and publication, while lobbying and writing for the advancement of women. In 1977, Lynn successfully lobbied and obtained the 'equal pay for equal value' in the Canadian Human Rights Act and often appeared at standing committees on various issues.
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Rise Up! A Digital Archive of Feminist Activism
Corporate body · 2014-
The Rise Up project aims to create a digital archive of original publications, documents, flyers, posters, and many other materials representing feminist activism from the 1970s to 1990s. The goal is to help preserve the diversity, vibrancy and radical legacy of this era and to make it accessible online to new generations of activists, students, and researchers. It is volunteer run. Founding members are Nancy Adamson, Linda Briskin, Margaret McPhail, Alana Cattapan, Tara Cleveland, Sue Colley, Maureen FitzGerald, Amy Gottlieb, Franca Iacovetta, Meg Luxton.