Editorial

Today is a picture-perfect winter's day in Ottawa: sunny and crisp with crunchy snow. It's perfect for skating on the world's longest outdoor rink, the Rideau Canal, or for cosying up beside a fire and reading this issue of Homebase. We at MAW/Homebase central have been busy finishing off reports, articles and the policy paper Making it Work - as with all volunteer efforts, it always seems to take a bit longer than you'd like.

The Year 2000 brought several positive changes for MAW. We now have a toll-free MAW line - 1-866-667-MAWS (6297) - for those of you who live outside of Ottawa, the local number (613-722-7851) remains the same. Willa Egrmajer made it much easier for women to find their way to MAW by changing our Web site URL to www.mothersarewomen.com and her continual updating makes it an interesting site to visit. All this new information can be found on our updated, heart-shaped fridge magnets ($2 each or 10 magnets for $15).

MAW in Québec et tout par tout

Thanks to two hardworking MAWs, Catharine Crawford and Michèle Lapierre, MAW is becoming more well-known in Québec. Michèle came up with a catchy French translation for Mothers Are Women - Mères ET Femmes. Michèle has also volunteered to translate several MAW policy documents and these documents will be posted on the Web site as they are finished. In addition, Michèle translated MAW's federal election questions in November and the Homebase submission guidelines for this issue. Catharine has been busy organizing a MAW discussion group on the West Island of Montreal. In October, Michèle, Catharine and other MAW members took part in the World March of Women. Please see their reports, for a more detailed account.

Beginning with this issue, we will begin to publish articles in French. Many of our members are more comfortable writing in French but until recently we have not had volunteers who could edit these articles. All articles published in French will be accompanied by an English précis in an effort not to exclude any readers. This is a practice of many bilingual Canadian journals and we think it will serve our needs well.

On a personal note, I will turn 45 this year and I've been giving some thought to where I am along my life path. Although I'm not peri-menopausal, I have definitely decided that I will not have any more babies. My older child, Rae will be 13 in March and my "little one," Rhys, will be nine in September. When I joined MAW in 1989, I knew I had found a safe haven of strong, like-minded women - a safe haven to breastfeed, to talk about the satisfaction and pitfalls of becoming a stay-at-home Mom, to laugh (or cry) about the endless drudgery of our daily tasks, and to fight to have the unpaid work we do valued, named and defined within the public policy sphere. Over the years, I have noticed that the MAW membership has a life cycle of its own. New moms join for the support, become intrigued and wish to participate in the many ongoing discussions, volunteer to shoulder some of the responsibilities of the organization, then step back a little, often acting as mentors to newer members. MAW is a grassroots organization and our policies are developed through member participation.

As the editor of Homebase, I want to ensure that this tradition of support and nurturing continues. That means more of you need to participate. At the moment, the Steering Committee is made up of women of diverse ages and experiences - some of us have older children, some have young children and some are still having babies. The meetings are interesting as we work together to accommodate our various points of view, childcare needs and ability to assume more volunteer work. There is room for everyone at our kitchen table. Some of the ways you could help are:

• let us know what topics interest you;
• write an article, poem or book review for Homebase;
• drop off MAW pamphlets at your local library, playgroup, doctor's office or playgroup;
• join or start a local MAW discussion group or book club;
• join the Research and Lobby Committee and do research and lobby work in the areas of women's heath issues, taxation, social assistance, etc.;
• participate in the Steering Committee.

Lisa Menard
Editor, Homebase

E-mail: homebase@mothersarewomen.com