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which deals almost completely with the problems of women: we were al» ways able to turn the issues into some- thing which men could deal with and discuss as MEN. without reflection on or threat to our manhood. We never discussed families when we discussed welfare: we discussed restraint. That being the case. when one moves into other sectors the climate should be even more apparent. in sectors of government dealing with economic deve10pment. or in the pri- vate sector world of banks and trust companies and the major money brokers. is it at all surprising that economic development initiatives would be so indifferent to their im- pact on women. In those areas men can be comfortable in their concerns,while at the some time being fully faithful to their duties. Job choices pay levels. location of industry, transportation. child care arrangements. scheduling. training. and so on all reflect predominant male biases and perception, because the creative work 7 the planning and implementation is done by men 7 or by women working in a male environ. merit and compromised by male im- peratives. This situation will not change through the gradual enlightenment of men. it will change from the deliberate and assertive 7 even sometimes agressive â€" action ofstrong,united and determined women whose actions threaten the stability of the present system. To move this issue closer to home for you, when one thinks of farms and farm organizations, one thinks of men! When we speak offarm operations 7 planting, cultivating, har> vesting, and marketing 7 we are de- scribing the activities of men. Banks and government agencies want to deal with men on matters pertaining to farm financing. We speak of farm wives, not farm husbands 7 farm women, but not farm men. Farm means men. As a result “farm women" have been financially vulnerable all through their lifetime. because their contribution to farm operations has not had any recognized or measurable value. Indeed,they often had no money. This means they have had no independent credit rating, no independent means of borrowing. and hence no access to an independent career which is not tied up to her spouse‘s interest and agreement. They have no way of breaking free. To consider the further implica. l4 tions of this situation. I would advert to the need for feminine 7 women‘s 7 leadership in rural economic develop- ment. inasmuch as women are likely to be better educated, and better money managers, than men. and to have a greater capacity to run small businesses successfully. At the same time as women are expected to carry this role they must do so in an en- vironment which has placed them in a very subordinate role with respect to farm ownership, farm management. farm production. despite the vital contribution they have made over the years. Hence their perception of them- selves as potential leaders in rural economic development must over- whelm the reality of limited recogni- tion by all of the major institutions affecting their lives as to their ma- turity, general management capability. and financial good sense. My firm, DPA Consulting, has recently taken notice of some of the underlying issues in this field of “womâ€" an and economic development" and we may be the only major institution in Canada outside the women‘s move- ment to have done so. We have not yet finalized a product, but we are explor- ing appropriate ways for us to inter- vene in this field. and we may well be your partners in some way in the near future. Women and Political Action Politics is almost exclusively a male domain, despite the presence of asmall Leckies Corners WI Mrs. Minnie Never; fright) presents a trophy to Mrs. Barbara Carter. dele- gate to the F W1C National Convention, for Leckies Carriers WI which won first place in the Tweedsmuir Competitions, History Division. number of women in legislatures in other political office. The language of politics is male; the leadership i5 male: the issues are male; the sllt‘ngm and sourCes of funding are male than. is no real female voice in all m um One could pour over political trim. ances for a long time. over Elation platforms. throne speeches. hum. Policy statements. Campaign Sl’lL vhei. without ever getting the impi aim that the electorate is over 50% l turtle or that there is a special persi ml that must be afforded won. l in politics. That would be a problem iii mg" were not so vulnerable to poven _lll'ir so inhibited from economic lean illip by the prevailing conventions. tr 5.. victimized by men in so man m varying ways. But while womcr on with men concern over general pt‘ ital. social and economic issues. “113i m different set of issues, unique ll icm of which men remain completu Lln. aware, and their political deba‘ re~ fleet as much. Watch the almoi icr‘ verse love-hate relationships wh Sn powerfully binds male politicn. to one another, and then reflect on uni woman could ever hope to overco ll and A -.A~.4.z;..‘-m.1'~.¢a~o-=4-uuru. ‘ ‘ Street Sign Project Mrs. Lorrie Shiite. president, Ba: W W! erect: a street sign in BOWL" assisted by Mrs. Fred Mouftan, lift» and Mrs. Eugene Thomson, right. if]? Bognar Branch (North Grey) tinder- taak the street Sign project to 17W“ its 70th Anniversary.