International Women’s Week: 36 Years at Vanier College March 2nd

Elizabeth May, MP representing Saanich-Gulf Islands and Leader of the Green Party of Canada will be the keynote speaker at the 36th edition of International Women’s Week at Vanier College, organized by the Vanier College Women’s Studies program. Elizabeth May will speak on Tuesday, March 3rd, from 4:00 to 5:30 pm in the Vanier Auditorium.

Michael Kaufman Michael Kaufman will speak on the Eliminating Violence Against Women. He is the co-founder of the White Ribbon Campaign, one of the largest men's anti-violence programs, now present in over 57 countries around the world. His talk on March 3 at noon, is made possible by the generous contribution of the Vanier College Student Association (VCSA).

Dianna Janzen Evangeline Prominent guests during the week include Dianna Janzen Evangeline who will speak on her experience of being a 21 year old student who brought the original sexual harassment case to the Canadian Supreme Court and obtained the Landmark Decision defining sexual harassment as discrimination (Janzen vs Platy case). This Supreme Court decision is the basis of all harassment policies in Canada. She will speak Monday, March 2nd at 8:30 AM.

Wade Davis Another highlight will be the return of Wade Davis to Vanier. He will speak on Men Rethinking Masculinity, Feminism and Homophobia. Mr. Davis is a former NFL player and currently Executive Director of the You Can Play Project, an advocacy organization working to eradicate homophobia in professional sports.

Student panel discussions Student panels will include a panel of U.M.B.R.E.L.L.A. members discussing their experiences and attitudes as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender college students. Another panel composed of Vanier students, employees, and graduates will look at Women and Racism from a personal as well as a social justice perspective.

Panel on Women Sports Broadcasters A panel on Women Sports Broadcasters will feature guest panelists Andie Bennett a CBC sportscaster, Robyn Flynn from TSN Radio 690; Jessica Rusnak sports reporter for TSN 960; and Amanda Stein co-host of The Locker Room on TSN 690.

Week-long guest speakers, films, discussions, activities In all, it’s a non-stop program of daily guests, film screenings, panel discussions and other activities running Monday to Friday. Other guests will speak about empowering women in business; women’s empowerment within Wicca, A Goddess Centered spirituality; and women in the music business. As well there will be talks on sexism, homophobia, laws to counter gendered Cyberbullying and Sexting; women and nutrition; sex workers rights; women tattoo artists; and women in engineering.

Film screenings The week-long event will also feature several provocative documentary films Orchids: My Intersex Adventure by Phoebe Hart who traces her voyage of self-discovery as an intersex person; and Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathi the story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai.

For complete descriptions and details of these and other events please consult the full program.