Policy and Procedures Manual - Update

              1933. The Federated Women's Institute of Canada was an active member.
The first group that was formed outside Ontario was in Alberta at Lea Park, near
Marwayne, with Manitoba and Saskatchewan not far behind. In Alberta the Alberta Women's
Institute grew steadily from that original 1909 group. By 1912. the Government of Alberta had
gotten involved, " and provided an annual grant of five dollars to any group that, had at least 15
paid members and at least three meetings a year. It was the group's incorporation into the
Department of Agriculture that made this group unique amongst other women's organizations.
Another thing that made the group stand apart was the establishment of the A. W. I, as a
communicator, rather than a policy making network." This partnership with the Alberta
Government iasted until the United Farmers of Alberta took over the government, then A. W. I,
was separated from the Department of Agriculture, and had to form its own organization. It
established a head office, with paid business secretary and treasurer. The A. W. I. was forced to
raise its membership fee from twenty- five cents to one dollar per year. The reorganisation and
restructuring were only small stumbling blocks, and the A. W. I, was soon nourishing. 13
hi Manitoba a group called the " Home Economics Society," was formed in 1910. at
Morris with the encouragement of Mrs. Finley Mackenzie. 1 4 The first action taken by the Morris
Home Economics club was to ask. and receive, from the province of Manitoba, cooperation and
"' Bossetti, " Rural Women's University," 13
1 2Nancy Sheehan. " Women's Organizations and Educational Issues, 1900- 1930,"
Canadian Woman's Studies 3,7 ( Fall 1986), 91
l 3" Institutes Work of Home and Countrv.' The Calgary Dailv Herald. ( Calgary) 10 May
1920 p. 29
1 4Women'd Institute of Manitoba ( Manitoba Culture. Heritage and Recreation, 1985) 3