Keynote Speaker: Pamela Cross

Pamela Cross is an accomplished feminist lawyer who has dedicated her life's work to improving women's access to justice. Pamela has been a tireless and committed advocate for abused women and community agencies. She is well known and respected in legal reform circles, and among isolated women experiencing violence. She is particularly known for her expertise on family law issues as they relate to violence against women.
She is presently a consultant working with a number of women,s organizations, primarily as Director of Strategic Planning and Policy with NAWL (National Association of Women and the Law). She was recently the Director of Advocacy and Public Policy with YWCA Canada after working as the Executive Director of NAWL until it lost its primary funder—Status of Women Canada.
She is also the former Legal Director of METRAC, a community agency committed to ending violence against women and children, where she led the development of the Ontario Women's Justice Network—a unique legal information vehicle for marginalized and isolated women who had no access to private legal advice. While there, Pamela played a crucial role in developing and disseminating a legal analysis of the perils facing women experiencing and trying to escape intimate partner violence.
She has served in many other capacities as well, including co–chairing the No Religious Arbitration Steering Committee. She gave sound legal and political advice throughout the successful campaign to have the Premier of Ontario declare that there would be no religious arbitration in matters of Family Law in Ontario.
Pamela is a long–time social justice activist with a healthy criminal record for civil disobedience activities over the past three decades.
Pamela is a mother and grandmother and lives in rural eastern Ontario with her partner, where they grow much of their own food.

Fee

Food donation to the Westminster Food Bank is greatly appreciated.

Time

8:30am to 4:00 pm

Lunch

Refreshments, light lunch and snacks are provided.

Location

Westminster United Church: 1850 Rossland Road East, Whitby

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