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VOLUME 45 , NUMBER 2 The Vanier Institute of the Family 94 Centrepointe Drive David Northcott Ottawa, ON K2G 6B1 [email protected] Canada Board Chair Telephone: 613-228-8500 Nora Spinks Toll-free: 1-800-331-4937 [email protected] www.vanierinstitute.ca Chief Executive Officer, ext. 214 Lucie Legault Transition Editor [email protected] Subscriptions, ext. 211 Veronica Schami [email protected] Transition magazine, ext. 302

Vanier Institute Team Subscribe Transition is published quarterly by The Vanier Institute of the Family Jennifer Brownrigg Published quarterly since 1970, 94 Centrepointe Drive [email protected] Ottawa, ON K2G 6B1 IT and Operations, ext. 217 Transition is widely read and offers Canada Tel.: 613-228-8500, 1-800-331-4937 a balance of accessible, insightful www.vanierinstitute.ca Marie-Andrée Leroux [email protected] views and timely information on The contents of Transition may be reprinted for use in classrooms, conferences, program development, etc. with Executive Assistant, ext. 213 families and family-related issues. appropriate credit to the Vanier Institute of the Family. To subscribe and begin receiving Citation in editorial copy for newsprint, radio, television Nathan Battams and online media is permitted. However, all other rights [email protected] Transition at your doorstep or by are reserved. Please send any request to reprint material by email to [email protected], Publications, ext. 218 email, call 613-228-8500 or by phone at 613-228-8500, ext. 211, or by mail to 94 Centrepointe Drive, Ottawa, ON K2G 6B1. Sara MacNaull 1-800-331-4937, ext. 211, or [email protected] go to www.vanierinstitute.ca Subscriptions Networks, Projects and Special Events, (“Resources” tab). Printed copies can be purchased by annual ext. 219 subscription or by individual issue. Transition is also available for free download. Canada: CAD$35 (individuals) and CAD$70 (organizations/libraries) per year (plus applicable taxes) About the Cover US: CAD$45 (individuals) and CAD$90 (organizations/libraries) per year Vanier Institute of the Family 50th Anniversary Commemorative Medallion International: CAD$60 (individuals) and CAD$95 (organizations/libraries) per year To recognize and celebrate the contributions of For more information, call 613-228-8500 or General The Right Honourable Georges P. Vanier 1-800-331-4937, ext. 211, write to and Madame Pauline Vanier to families in Canada, [email protected], or go to the Vanier Institute commissioned a medallion, www.vanierinstitute.ca (“Resources” tab). designed by Mark Stephens of Imperia Creative and created by Aitkens Pewter, to be circulated to our partners and contributors. The image on the Please return undeliverable magazines for Canadian addresses to the Vanier Institute at the above address. obverse is an adaptation of a 1962 portrait of Their Excellencies by world-renowned photographer ISSN 0049-4429 (Print) Yousuf Karsh. The reverse portrays the many ISSN 2291-4498 (Online) diverse experiences of families in Canada. This Charitable Reg. No. 10816 8337 RR0001 image represents families supported by a Publication Mail Agreement No. 0040006500 foundation of love and care while embraced by the maple tree, symbolizing the strength of Translation the greater community – Canada. Contribute to Transition Sylvain Gagné, Services langagiers If you would like to submit articles or cover www.imperiacreative.com art for the magazine, please read our Design and Production www.aitkenspewter.com Denyse Marion, RGD , Art & Facts Design Inc. Contributors' Guidelines , available under the “Resources” tab at www.vanierinstitute.ca. © 2015 The Vanier Institute of the Family From the Editor Contents

Milestones are a time for reflection and celebration. And what Looking Forward to the Next 2 better way to do so than by featuring content from people who 50 Years have worked with the Institute, past and present, while recognizing NORA SPINKS the 50th anniversary of the Vanier Institute of the Family? Just as the Canadian Conference on the Family in 1964 gave rise to the Vanier Institute of the Family, CEO Nora Spinks notes Reflections on Reaching 50 3 in her regular column that the Families in Canada Conference 2015 AL MACKAY will mark the start of a new generation of understanding, as the Institute engages in conversation with families and with those who study, serve and support them. Beyond the “Ideal”: Beryl Plumptre 5 There are many reasons for the success and longevity of the Vanier Institute, and the Vanier Institute’s Definition according to Al MacKay, co-chair of the Vanier Alumni Network. He takes a look of “Family” at the Institute’s many achievements in “Reflections on Reaching 50.” ALAN MIRABELLI Alan Mirabelli, Executive Director of Administration (retired), looks back at how Beryl Plumptre’s focus on function was key to the Institute’s development of its Beyond the Boardroom Table 6 definition of family in “Beyond the ‘Ideal’: Beryl Plumptre and the Vanier Institute’s ROBERT GLOSSOP, PHD Definition of ‘Family.’” For an insider’s look at the boardroom of the Vanier Institute, be sure to read “Beyond the Boardroom Table” by Dr. Robert Glossop, Executive Director of Research Looking Back: Alumni Reflections 7 and Programs (retired). He compares the inclusive and supportive environment of the on the Vanier Institute Vanier boardroom to that of a family dining table – appreciative of the wisdom and generosity of people from varied backgrounds, with different beliefs and perspectives, OFF THE VANIER BOOKSHELF 8 and from diverse communities across the country. The Family in Canada: An Account In “Looking Back,” Vanier Alumni members elucidate their thoughts, reflections of Present Knowledge and Gaps in and insights about the Institute and its work over the past 50 years. Knowledge about Canadian Families Cindy Graham reviews The Family in Canada: An Account of Present Knowledge and by Dr. Frederick Elkin Gaps in Knowledge about Canadian Families by Dr. Frederick Elkin in “Off the Vanier CINDY GRAHAM Bookshelf.” This publication was prepared as a reference book for the Canadian Conference on the Family in 1964 and offers a portrait of families at that time, looking at a variety of issues through a “family lens” perspective. General The Right Honourable 10 A soldier and a diplomat, the 19th Governor General of Canada was an influential Georges P. Vanier: A Life of Devotion and much loved man. Nathan Battams reminds us why in his portrait “General The NATHAN BATTAMS Right Honourable Georges P. Vanier: A Life of Devotion.” Take a step back in time with Dr. Carmen Couillard Bjerre as she recounts a day A Day with Madame Vanier 11 spent in the gracious company of Madame Pauline Vanier, one of the Institute’s founders. CARMEN COUILLARD BJERRE, PHD “Family Insights over the Years” presents a compilation of timeless reflections gathered from the findings and thoughts expressed in our publications and at our Family Insights over the Years 12 events over the past 50 years. A picture is worth a thousand words – and sometimes a thousand words can paint a picture. Sara MacNaull explains how the Institute’s “Family Is…” word cloud initiative Family Is... 14 reflects people’s thoughts about family from a variety of Listening Tour and speaking SARA MACNAULL events. What a colourful way to wrap up this issue celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Vanier Institute of the Family! As we have seen, a lot changes over time, yet topics of interest to families remain at the forefront for the Vanier Institute. Another constant is that your suggestions and comments are always welcome. If you have ideas for future issues or would like to submit something you’ve written – including first-hand perspectives on family-related issues or even artwork for the cover – please contact us at [email protected].

Veronica Schami Editor

The Vanier Institute of the Family VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 | TRANSITION 1 Looking Forward to the 6 2 9

Next 50 Years 8 9 8 4 6

k c o t

NORA SPINKS A lot can happen in 50 years. Individuals, organizations and society are always in a state of transition, s g i B

perpetually pushed and pulled by social, economic and cultural forces – and by the ways people and © institutions respond creatively to this evolving landscape. Today’s society and today’s families would have been difficult to imagine, let alone understand, a half-century ago.

When we look at the “then and now,” the way we Much has changed over the past interact with one another is significantly different than it was 50 years ago, but the matters that occupy our 50 years, but the matters that hearts and minds – our loved ones, our relationships, occupy our hearts and minds dealing with transitions in those relationships, care, have remained constant. employment, household functioning, household management, combining work and family – remain constant. Throughout this time, families have been a opportunities for imagining and planning the future in stabilizing force, acting, in the words of Dr. Elise an engaging and thoughtful manner. We will need to Boulding, as “an interface between the private and the use all of today’s diverse data sources and innovative public.” This is one of the reasons Governor General communication platforms so we can interact with the Georges P. Vanier considered families an essential public in new ways, so we can “be the change we want cornerstone of society, and why in 1965 he established to see.” a research institute devoted to understanding them. We will continue to reach out to Canadians, This is a milestone year for the Vanier Institute of leveraging all of the means available – articles, the Family, and this edition of Transition is focused on reports, presentations, lectures, fact sheets, social the Institute, its roots and its work. We’re taking this media and other emerging platforms. Relationships opportunity to pause and reflect on what we’ve with stakeholders, partners, networks, educators, accomplished and to honour and celebrate the past. journalists, business and community leaders This introspective process will help us to understand and the public will be built upon and nurtured. and appreciate where we are and to look forward to We will expand the depth and breadth of our the future. reach as we continue to ensure our relevance and The Institute was created following the original enhance our rigour. We will continue to explore Canadian Conference on the Family in 1964, an event leading and promising practices while listening to and that enhanced the national understanding of families telling the stories behind the statistics, and to examine across the country. In June, the Families in Canada diverse structures and forms of family as this diversity Conference 2015 will mark the start of a new generation y l builds and as our data on that diversity expands. i

m of understanding, as we engage in conversation a

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information, insights and inspiration. If we are going to r e i n continue to do that, we will need to create and seize Nora Spinks is the CEO of the Vanier Institute of the Family. a V e h T

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2 TRANSITION | VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 The Vanier Institute of the Family Reflection s on Reaching 50 AL MACKAY

Let me make it clear right off the top that I am no expert on family. I have neither academic credentials The Institute was ahead nor a sociologist’s understanding of social behaviour, of its time more than 40 development and organization. My background in family is based on being married for 42 years and years ago in saying that being a father to three children, now in their 20s and family should be defined 30s. Thus my modest expertise is more experiential not by how many than theoretical. As someone with a journalistic background, individuals were in it, however, who has been involved in various capacities and who those individuals with the Vanier Institute since 2001, I can see five key were, but rather by the elements that would provide the backbone of any story one might tell about the organization’s success. relationships among The Institute has built a stellar national and those individuals. international reputation over its first 50 years, which explains the basis of the deep trust it has earned by all who know and use its work. In what my print friends would call “the lede” is Institute has always returned to whenever concerns the Institute’s leadership in creating and promoting a have been raised about the family being “in trouble” workable and realistic definition of family. Forty years just because it looks different from one generation ago, when a structural definition had long been the to another. norm, the Institute was ahead of its time in saying that Another reason for the Institute’s success and family should be defined not by how many individuals longevity is that it has regularly performed the vital were in it – or who those individuals were – but rather role of answering what Dr. Bob Glossop called the “So by the relationships among those individuals. It was what?” question. Journalists are always looking for this how those individuals related to and supported each insight, trying to understand the context of what has other within the family that was important. Although happened. As different societal forces appear, there is this was new thinking when it was introduced, it has always a need for someone to take a step back and withstood the test of time. explain what it means in terms of the impact on family The second element is that the Institute has life. The Institute has established itself as the place to always taken the long view of how families evolve over go to obtain that explanation, providing context and a time. The seminal document by Dr. Frederick Elkin that framework for answering “So what does this mean?” y l laid the foundation for the creation of the Institute Furthermore, the Institute has been very astute in i m a F

made the point that families are always changing and providing those answers in language that made the e h t

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adjusting in response to developments within society. information accessible to a wide array of users. With o

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This ability to adapt to changes in social and economic its mixture of significant background papers, issues t i t s n

factors was one of the remarkable characteristics that of Transition magazine, its series of Profiling Canada’s I

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made families strong and resilient. It is a theme the Families reports and various fact sheets and data n a V

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The Vanier Institute of the Family VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 | TRANSITION 3 ) 4 6 9 1 (

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ensure its continued stability, which, combined with F

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the forces that have laid waste to many good non- B by providing and interpreting facts and research in an assertive profit organizations. © There are other achievements to celebrate as well. manner about what makes Over the past years, interviews with former board families strong. members have produced a number of other important accomplishments that the Institute should take note of during its 50th anniversary. The Institute should celebrate what it does best, which is partnerships. It summaries, there was information available in has always had partnerships with many other NGOs, different formats for everyone from high school universities and different levels of government. It students working on essays and practitioners of would also be a good time to call attention to the family services to those involved at every level of respect that governments, institutions, non-profits and government in developing family policies. Add to Canadian society in general have held for the Institute that the outreach done by senior staff, in terms of in its role as a non-judgmental, non-aligned mentor for speeches, presentations, participation in conferences families. The Institute should celebrate its role as a and countless media interviews, all of which keeps strong voice for reason by providing and interpreting the Institute very grounded in its relationship with facts and research in an assertive manner about what the many publics it serves. makes families strong. The final point to be made is that surviving 50 years British philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote that does not come easy. The social policy landscape is “The good life is one inspired by love and guided by littered with the remnants of organizations that, knowledge.” It should come as no surprise that within even though they provided important and relevant the Vanier Institute’s list of core values one finds this services, did not manage to survive cutbacks in principle: Love as the only genuine force that binds government funding, declines in supporting individuals together in pursuit of common purpose and y l i membership or failure to adapt to the communication

m meaningful lives lived with and for others . A potent mix a F

realities that emerged over time. The Vanier Institute e this, love and knowledge: it seems to have worked for h t

f of the Family was fortunate to have been blessed by o the Institute for 50 years! e t the establishment of an endowment fund when it u t i t s was created. Yet it has taken solid and diligent Al MacKay has been a Board member, President and n I r e i administration by successive boards of directors, interim Executive Director of the Institute. He currently n a V dedicated staff and reliable financial experts to serves as co-chair of the Institute’s Alumni Network. e h T

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4 TRANSITION | VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 The Vanier Institute of the Family Beyond th e“Ideal” Beryl Plumptre and the Vanier Institute’s Definition of “Family”

ALAN MIRABELLI

A family is any combination of two or more persons who are bound together over time by ties of mutual consent, birth and/or adoption or placement, and who together assume responsibilities for variant combinations of some of the following: physical maintenance and care of group members; addition of new members through procreation, adoption or placement; socialization of children; social control of members; production, consumption, distribution of goods and services; and affective nurturance (i.e. love).*

In 1975, the Vanier Institute of the Family’s board “The Vanier Institute must be of directors had been struggling for some time with the issue of defining “family.” They were looking to thoroughly in touch with family identify and describe the ideal form of family, and to life of all kinds, not the ideal of understand what the family in Canada “looked like.” the family, but the reality of the However, this approach was (and remains) problematic for two reasons. First of all, it’s difficult to family as people live it.” find consensus when trying to define family based on – Beryl Plumptre, 1972 an ideal , because families are diverse; when people come together to try to define family based on what it looks like, each person brings forward a vision rooted in his or her own unique family experience. Second, Families aren’t the “cornerstone of society” because the focus on a single “ideal” family type when defining of their composition: they’re important because they family overlooks family types that don’t fit this ideal – serve a vital function in our society, our economy and and leaves many out of the definition. our well-being. They provide care and support for Beryl Plumptre, the Institute’s second president, each other that is rooted in personal connections. felt that the Institute needed to focus on what families They carry society forward, by raising and socializing do rather than what they look like. She felt it was more the next generation of children and by being a part of appropriate for the Institute to study families as we the social fabric in which they live. Since the next find them , to explore the family experience as people generation grows up to be the next citizens, parents, live it – and if we found diversity, she wanted us to taxpayers, caregivers, employees and community talk about that diversity and not limit our perception. members, the role of families is crucial to society. Many definitions of family, such as those Our functional definition of family was a response commonly used in public policy, are focused on to Beryl Plumptre’s challenge – one that has served exclusion and determining who doesn’t qualify as a the Institute well, as it has allowed us to talk about family for the intents and purposes of the particular families however we find them and however and policy. This is incompatible with the goals of the wherever they live. It allows for people to have a Institute, however, which is always looking for a discussion rather than an argument about what complete picture of the family experience in Canada. constitutes a family. Most importantly, it helps us to Plumptre’s focus on function was key to achieving better understand families and their role in Canada . y l this, since families perform the same basic functions i m

*First published in Profiling Canada’s Families , a resource released by a F

regardless of their history, nationality, socio-economic e

the Vanier Institute in 1994. Also found in numerous government h t status, ethno-racial background or family structure. f o

documents, textbooks and publications around the world. e t

This functional approach is based on relationships, u t i t

Alan Mirabelli is a former Executive Director of s not the people who comprise them. This is significant n I

r e because the impact families have on society is the Administration at the Vanier Institute of the Family and is i n a V result of what families do , not what they look like. currently a member of the Institute’s Alumni Network. e h T

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The Vanier Institute of the Family VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 | TRANSITION 5 With a spirit of inquiry and open- mindedness, these Canadians joined together to deepen our understanding of the nation’s families. Beyond the Boardroom Table ROBERT GLOSSOP, PHD

For more than 30 years, my colleagues and I benefited Families within the Vanier Institute from the wisdom and generosity of a diverse group of Family relationships have been a part of the Vanier people from varied backgrounds, with different beliefs Institute’s history since its founding 50 years ago. and perspectives, from diverse communities across the Ties of kinship connect individuals within the staff country. Successive boards of directors of the Vanier team, Board of Directors, Alumni Network and the Institute of the Family were drawn together by a volunteers who make our work possible. These fascination with an increasingly fluid and evolving family connections between parents and their children and between spouses have been a source of understanding of the family. With a spirit of inquiry and strength for the Institute throughout periods of open-mindedness, these Canadians joined together to social, economic, cultural and organizational change. deepen our understanding of the nation’s families and to help individuals and families be the best they can be, in supportive communities that value and recognize them economic uncertainty, market fluctuations, growth and the contribution they make to our collective success. and contraction. All board members arrived at the Institute with their For most directors, though, their time on the board own personal experiences of family life – often joyous, went well beyond the typical activities of governance. occasionally painful and sometimes difficult, but mostly Not only did they care about the important work under warm. Some arrived unsure as to whether or not they way, they cared about one another and about the would feel welcome on the the board, as their particular Institute’s staff team. family structure, socio-economic status or ethno- As though they were around a family dining table, cultural heritage sometimes differed from the majority Vanier board members brought their whole and of families in Canada at the time. Yet each board authentic selves to the boardroom table, sharing their member found the Institute not only welcoming stories of work and family. They shared experiences but inclusive, supportive, caring and loving. and memories, with many family photos of loved ones In some measure, these groups of individuals had growing up and growing old. They received guidance been chosen because of the lives they had lived beyond and support about their relationships, partners, the front doors of their own homes: by virtue of the jobs marriages, separations, divorces, children and they held, their professional training, the goals they grandchildren. They shared achievements, celebrated pursued or the contributions they chose to make to successes and supported one another in times of their communities. Without promise of reward, they illness and loss of loved ones. gave their time, talent and resources to an organization Minds were challenged and hearts were opened in that challenged their assumptions, beliefs and ways seldom experienced at boardroom tables. What understanding of what families are: what they look

y they cared about enough to debate did not divide them l i

m like, what they do and how they feel.

a but curiously united them to do what they could to F

e As a not-for-profit organization, like businesses of h support the foundation of Canada’s prosperity and t f o all kinds, the Vanier Institute needs to be well-managed, strength – its diverse and dynamic families . e t u t effective, efficient and ethical at all times. For more than i t s n

I 50 years, board members have fulfilled the Institute’s Dr. Robert Glossop is a former Executive Director of Research r e i n mission, taken on many challenges and performed their and Programs at the Vanier Institute of the Family and is a V

e governance responsibilities well, even during periods of currently a member of the Institute’s Alumni Network. h T

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6 TRANSITION | VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 The Vanier Institute of the Family We asked Vanier Alumni members for their thoughts, reflections and insights about the Institute and its work over the past 50 years. Here’s what some of them had to say… Looking Back Alumni Reflections on the Vanier Institute

During my time on the Board, I was introduced to the unique spirit of the At the heart of the Vanier Vanier Institute that inhabits everyone, from Institute’s founding, survival and longevity assistants to Chairs. It is a spirit of being bound to a lie the deep-rooted beliefs and devotion of a common, and indeed lofty, purpose of generosity in large number of individuals who believed in families listening and speaking, of support for each other when facing of all shapes, sizes and composition, and who invested challenges/obstacles, of a deep and unshakeable faith when time, energy and loyalty to an organization things look bleak, of joyful celebration of milestones achieved committed to the well-being, evolution and through innovative and painstaking research translated growth of all families. into meaningful and popular communication through – CARMEN COUILLARD BJERRE, PHD collaboration and shared leadership. – JAMES GANNON, PHD

For some time, I have considered The consistent high quality the Vanier Institute as Canada’s equivalent media activity and the many publications to a “Ministry of the Family,” a cabinet post that constitute the Institute’s primary contribution exists in a number of civil law jurisdictions. Such a to Canadians. This contribution has, very likely, Ministry engages in research and policy-making about prompted many Canadians to actively try to “feel families in society, including legal initiatives to support and and see” the current and historical complexities foster families and family living. As we have no equivalent at that inhabit each and every family in this land. the national level in Canada, it is the Vanier Institute that Creating such awareness is not a small feat. tracks the changes in the way families are evolving, the – JUDITH MARTIN, PHD new challenges they are facing and the options for responding to the needs of families in Canada. – MARY JANE MOSSMAN, LLD (HON)

Equanimity refers to stability and composure in the face of change, disruption and unexpected events. Over the past 50 years, the Vanier Institute of the Family has y l demonstrated equanimity in the face of many dramatic i m a F changes in families. Throughout these five decades, the e h t

Vanier Institute has always been at the forefront of any f o

e t

emerging trends in family life. The Institute has been u t i t unwavering in giving precedence to data over rhetoric, s n I

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thoughtful analysis over political lobbying and respect i n a V

for all Canadian families over the championing e h T

of certain ways of being a family. 5 1

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The Vanier Institute of the Family VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 | TRANSITION 7 The Family in Canada: An Account of OFF THE VANIER Present Knowledge and Gaps in Knowledge about Canadian Families BOOKSHELF by Dr. Frederick Elkin CINDY GRAHAM

Since its founding 50 years ago, the Vanier Institute of the Family has become a national resource for educators, journalists, policy-makers, family service providers and others seeking to learn about families in Canada. The Institute owes its existence to the Canadian Conference on the Family , which was convened in 1964 by a group of dedicated Canadians under the leadership of then Governor General Georges P. Vanier and his wife Madame Pauline Vanier to enhance the national understanding of families and family life across the country. Dr. Frederick Elkin wrote The Family in Canada as a reference book for the conference, but it would later become a resource for the Institute itself, which was created following the success of this event. In writing The Family in Canada , Dr. Elkin shared the conference goals of mobilizing existing research from across the country and identifying knowledge gaps to provide a framework for future research about families in Canada. Drawing on the Dominion Bureau of Statistics (the precursor of Statistics Canada), In writing The Family in Canada , provincial bureaus of vital statistics and many Dr. Elkin shared the conference academic theses, Dr. Elkin’s book offers a portrait of goals of mobilizing existing families at the time and an account of factors that research from across the country affect family life, with chapters covering topics such as the history of families in Canada, demographics, and identifying knowledge gaps. diversity and family lifestyles. It also provided some of the first substantial coverage of such issues as In compiling the facts and figures for The Family immigration, leisure and the household economy in Canada , Dr. Elkin realized he was gathering a record through the family lens. of the family caught in a particular moment in time . His Dr. Elkin found that emergent issues of the time were recognition that no snapshot told the full story and no different in Canada than in other parts of the world, that families were dynamic and evolving, perpetually such as the changing role of women and their move to adapting to ever-changing realities, was every bit as the workplace, the increasing freedom of partners to insightful and valuable as the portrait of the times he choose and leave their mates and couples’ increasing provided in his book. As he writes, control over family size. However, he maintained that

y there were unique trends in Canada warranting special The family has never remained constant. Even l i m

a attention: a lower divorce rate than most western when life was most traditional and stable, children F e h were never exact replicas of their parents. Now t industrialized countries, a climate that created distinctive f o

e labour market cycles by way of seasonal employment, change is a key concept for any family analyst. The t u t i t limited areas of settlement for retirees and a mosaic of family, with its crucial functions, does not expire, it s n I

r ethno-cultural groups that had “no direct counterpart changes. In varying ways, it adapts and bends and, e i n a anywhere in the world” at the time. of course, in turn, it influences. V e h T

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8 TRANSITION | VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 The Vanier Institute of the Family Dr. Elkin’s recognition that no snapshot told the full story and that families were dynamic and evolving, perpetually adapting to ever-changing realities, was every bit as insightful and valuable as the portrait of the times he provided in his book.

Dr. Elkin emphasizes the two-way relationship The knowledge gaps and emerging topics identified between families and the social, cultural and economic by Dr. Elkin provided research focus for the Institute in contexts in which they live. He writes, “The family is its early years, which went on to conduct landmark not an isolated unit; it exists and functions in the studies on issues of domestic violence, single-parent context of a society which in recent generations, with families, family diversity and divorce. This early research industrialization and urbanization, has been undergoing enabled the Institute to make significant contributions radical readjustments.” These trends (and others) to policy discussions and legislative frameworks shape family experiences, inform family expectations surrounding family law reform, divorce legislation and and influence family aspirations – but the behaviour immigration policy. of families in turn has its own effect on the societal Some of the language and framing used to describe institutions that help create these contexts (e.g., families and the realities they face has certainly changed governments, businesses, financial institutions). This since the publication of The Family in Canada ; terms such mutually influential relationship between agency and as “delinquent behaviour” and “illegitimate births” were environment has guided much of the Institute’s work, common at the time, but are now a relic of the past. past and present. However, this language itself gives readers insight into how families, family relationships and the issues families face were conceptualized at that time and how things “Observers once spoke of the dissolution of the have changed since. family. We recognize now that the family does While some of the language in The Family in Canada not disappear, rather it changes and adapts and may strike today’s reader as dated, Dr. Elkin’s focus on develops new patterns.” what families do and on the many of the functions that families serve – providing care, managing resources, “[Parents] act not only in their own right, raising the next generation – is timeless. This focus but as intermediaries of the larger culture, on function would later be central to the definition teaching the values of the larger society and of family adopted by the Institute in the early 1990s. of their own national, socio-economic, ethnic, Knowledge mobilization, central to Dr. Elkin’s book and religious groups.” and the Canadian Conference on the Family itself, remains one of the Institute’s priorities today as it “There is no one Canadian family. With its continues to enhance the national understanding of distinctive geography and history, Canada is families in Canada . much too heterogeneous to have one or ten or twenty distinctive family types.” Subsequent editions were published by the Vanier Institute of the Family in 1968 and 1971. “Recognizing the crucial role of the family for English and French editions are available for reading each of us in the society as a whole, we can y l in the Vanier Institute library. i m

safely predict that the interest in questions of a F

e

the family will remain high; let us hope as well h t

See also The Canadian Conference on the Family: f o

that we shall always have the active workers e Proceedings of Sessions Held at Rideau Hall and at t u t i and researchers to sustain and develop this t Carleton University, Ottawa, June 7–10, 1964. s n I

interest and to augment our knowledge.” r e i n

Cindy Graham is a professional writer living in Ottawa. a V

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The Vanier Institute of the Family VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 | TRANSITION 9 General Vanier was a devoted man of many passions and a prominent figure in both the history of the Institute and of Canada as a whole.

General The Right Honourable Georges P. Vanier: A Life of Devotion NATHAN BATTAMS

Every family has its own unique history, and the same is eventually becoming Canada’s first ambassador to true of the Vanier Institute of the Family, which has France in 1944, where he contributed to post-war efforts. now been studying families and family life across Following his retirement from his diplomatic role, Canada for 50 years. The Institute was founded by General Vanier’s deep sense of commitment to his then-Governor General Georges P. Vanier and Madame country continued. In 1959, he became the first Quebec Pauline Vanier at a time of widespread social, economic native to be appointed Governor General of Canada and cultural change – a context in which they felt it was (1959–1967), when he fought for unity in a time of vital for Canadians to understand the importance of national crisis by promoting bilingualism during his family to society. General Vanier was a devoted man of many travels. Always committed to youth, General many passions and a prominent figure in both the Vanier also served as Canada’s Chief Scout, and he history of the Institute and of Canada as a whole. created the Vanier Awards for Outstanding Young Georges Vanier was born in Montreal on April 23, Canadians to recognize excellence and achievement. 1888, into a devout, middle-class household led by An ardent believer in the importance of family Philias and Margaret Vanier. He grew up in a mostly to society, General Vanier convened the Canadian English-speaking home but became enamoured with Conference on the Family at Rideau Hall in 1964 to his French heritage in his youth, later perfecting his mobilize knowledge about families and family life, and French through his studies. A deeply committed to guide future research. The Institute was created the Catholic, he would eventually earn a degree in church following year to act as a “Royal Commission [that] devotional fellowship. Outside his theological life, he will never be discharged.” Part of the Vaniers’ interest was a passionate hockey fan who enjoyed the arts, in family was rooted in their faith, but to maintain a and he wrote plays and poetry in his youth. spirit of inclusiveness and unbiased inquiry, they chose Following the outbreak of the First World War, not to tie the Institute or its work to their particular Georges Vanier dutifully joined the military, where he religious beliefs. Since its founding, the Institute was instrumental in organizing the first battalion of has continually worked as an independent and French-Canadian soldiers, the Royal 22e Régiment authoritative voice to enhance the national (also known as the “Van Doos”). He earned many understanding of families and family life in Canada. honours during his service, including the Military General and Madame Vanier were laid to rest in Cross, the Cross of the Legion of Honour, the 1914–15 La Citadelle in Quebec City, but their dedication to Star, the British War Medal, the Victory Medal and a families continues through the Vanier Institute of the Distinguished Service Order. Family and its work. General Vanier was a man of many After the war, he met Pauline Archer while having

y legacies, and his devotion to his country, its culture and l i

m tea at Montreal’s Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The two married a the families that make it strong have served as a solid F

e in 1921 and raised a family of five children – Thérèse, h foundation for this organization over the past half- t f

o Georges, Bernard, Jean and Michel – with whom he century – and will continue to do so in the years ahead. e t u

t would regularly spend time at their Laurentian cottage i t s

n Nathan Battams is a writer and researcher at the Vanier

I with extended family. After being promoted to Major- r e i General in 1942, he served in several diplomatic roles, Institute of the Family. n a V e h T

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10 TRANSITION | VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 The Vanier Institute of the Family A Day with Madame Vanier CARMEN COUILLARD BJERRE , PHD

I first met the Vaniers in Paris in the summer of 1951, She confided that she was when General Georges was Canada’s ambassador to France. My brother Louis Couillard was posted in Paris uncomfortable with public speaking and, with his fiancée Yvonne d’Anjou, had developed a and, with endearing candour, said, warm attachment to the Vaniers, who attended their “Vous savez, ma chère, je ne wedding that autumn. Upon returning to Ottawa, they happily renewed links with the Vaniers, by then at possède aucun diplôme!” Rideau Hall, and I was graciously included in a cozy luncheon there. In subsequent years, my sister-in-law became seriously ill and was very touched and cheered The members of the cultural group presented us by Madame Vanier’s monthly gift of flowers. with identical gifts: a lovely, handmade (by an artist After General Vanier’s death, Madame Vanier member) metal figurine of a gardener – a special settled in Montreal. In the early summer of 1970, she memento I cherish to this day. contacted me about an invitation she had received to Before leaving Granby, Madame Vanier – with her speak about the Vanier Institute at a luncheon meeting typical family-centred kind-heartedness, had arranged of a women’s cultural group in Granby. She asked if I, as to meet the family of a young missionary whom she had a current member of the Board, could speak about the known in Paris. The family was overjoyed to welcome us Institute on her behalf. I agreed and, on the appointed and we had a very warm and cozy visit. day, picked her up at her home on Redpath Crescent, I hold very fond memories of this special day in the where I met her son Jean. company of this “grande dame.” It was a perfect day… It was a lovely day as we drove to Granby and also much enjoyed by my dear aunt, who happily chatted about many things, almost as old friends. It entertained my one-year-old daughter at home. was very special for me to spend most of that day in Madame Vanier’s congenial company. She spoke as a Dr. Carmen Couillard Bjerre is a long-time supporter of loving mother of her five adult children and was a the Vanier Institute, beginning with service (1962–1963) warm, charming and generous person – diffident and on the committee charged with preparing the list of even shy in some respects. She confided that she was invitees to the original Canadian Conference on the uncomfortable with public speaking and, with endearing Family in 1964 – a historic event that led to the creation candour, said, “Vous savez, ma chère, je ne possède of the Vanier Institute. She served on the board from 1968 aucun diplôme!” Arriving in Granby, we were welcomed with open to 1974 and she is currently a member of the Vanier y l arms by the ladies, and in that closer, face-to-face Alumni Network. She has been on the faculty of i m a F encounter, Madame Vanier shone with her natural, University of Ottawa, Carleton University, Université de e h t convivial human touch. Lunch was delightful and Montréal and McGill University, and she worked closely f o

e with children and families for many years until her t animated, and my presentation on the Institute’s work u t i t evoked much interest. retirement from the Montreal Children’s Hospital. s n I

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The Vanier Institute of the Family VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 | TRANSITION 11 Family Insights over th e Years

The Vanier Institute of the Family has a rich history of providing information, insights and inspiration to Canadians about families and family life across the country. On our 50th anniversary, we have been looking back at our own work during this time as well as what families have experienced in the face of social, economic, cultural and environmental forces. While some of the language has changed over the years, and indeed so have the contexts in which families live, many of the basic realities of family life – and the findings and thoughts expressed in our publications and at our events – have been relevant throughout the Institute’s history, and remain timeless today. Here are some of these reflections.

Within our own society, the range of values and Today, the ways in which Canadians are creating acceptable behaviour has been great. And, no doubt, and recreating “family” are as diverse as the families as family forms and tasks have changed in the past, so themselves. The language of family, in this sense, is will they continue to change in the future. In reporting often used to describe intimate relationships of care on family today, we necessarily, in some respects, give based on ties of affection, obligation and responsibility. a fleeting picture. In the wake of rapid social, cultural and economic change, the “who, what and how” of family life has Dr. Frederick Elkin, The Family in Canada (reference become more fluid. Convention, in many ways, has book for the Canadian Conference on the Family , 1964) given way to matters of individual choice when it comes to forming meaningful, intimate relationships… In periods of rapid social change, when each age group Whether these ties find their genesis in kinship, represented in the household has experienced critically friendship, adoption or mutual interest, they are different stimuli and pressures from the larger society, essential components of our individual and the future-creating capacity of the family may become collective well-being. highly developed, if the family is held together by strong social bonds. Jenni Tipper, “Creating Family” ( Transition , 2010)

Dr. Elise Boulding, The Family as an Agent of Social Families are optimally and potentially the crucibles Change (lecture, 1981) of reciprocity, trust, discipline, self-restraint and responsibility. They are the architects of character Becoming a father is a significant stage in adult life. and social life. It is within our families that our children As for any adjustment period, it’s a time when the learn to learn, and do not just grow up but grow into y l i m individual is especially sensitive, since he’s looking their socio-historical milieu and into the institutions a F

e back and taking stock of his past experiences. It’s a

h and traditions that make democracy and a civil t f o turning point that raises questions about one’s society possible. e t u t behaviours thus far. i t s Dr. Robert Glossop, The Ties That Bind: Understanding n I r Dr. Diane Dubeau, Université du Québec à Hull, e Today’s Families – What They Look Like, What They Do, i n a Portraits of Fathers (2002 study about Quebec fathers)

V How They Feel (lecture, 1999) e h T

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12 TRANSITION | VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 The Vanier Institute of the Family The “crisis” in the family has been with us for a long Even as Canadians complain that we feel increasingly time. In every generation for more than a century, a stretched and stressed trying to “make time” to fit in vocal minority has predicted the death of the family. all the responsibilities of our jobs and our homes, So far every rumour of its death has been premature. most of us state a preference for the same or even If history teaches us a single lesson about families more hours on the job. Here we confront the in modern times, it is this: families and households fundamental paradox of the present era. While we are variable and flexible, but durable. Families and recognize the need for more time to carry out our households change over time and across space. family work, in these insecure times we are also But change is not the same as crisis. committed to productivity in our jobs, eager to Eric W. Sager, “Canada’s Families – An Historian’s demonstrate our loyalty to our employers and Perspective” (introduction to Profiling Canada’s anxious to acquire as much financial security as Families II, 2000) possible for our future and that of our children. Clarence Lochhead, From the Kitchen Table to the Families are both the adaptor to and creator of Boardroom Table (resource book, 1998) our future. All of us here are at some stage in our relationship with our own family because family extends In our view, a familial society is one in which persons across households and across time for all of our lives. and the quality of their immediate relationships, Alan Mirabelli, Families in the 1990s: In Control or Out of whether they be at home, at study, at work or at play, Control (lecture, 1990) are perceived as fundamental to the quality of the society and its institutions. It is a society in which If we have imagination, we can reframe our family caring and sharing begins in the family, a society that portraits in ways that will promote justice and is lived in community with others, even extending to fortify care in our culture. Honesty, sacrifice, generosity, the global village. Life has meaning only when I live it, respect and compassion are values that we uphold in not merely for myself, but for others. The search for families and that serve as links between our private the ultimate meaning, the ultimate truth, the ultimate responsibilities for care and the public common good. justice, the ultimate wisdom and the ultimate But it is imaginative public support of families, in all perfection begins with my own self-awareness and their emerging forms, that will ensure we continue to my willingness to care for and share with others. grow as a just and caring society for all the world to see. Dr. Fred R. MacKinnon, Opening Remarks on the Familial Dr. Kerry Daly, Reframed Family Portraits (lecture, 2004) Societ y (lecture, 1979) y l i m a F

e

In the words of David Northcott, Vanier Institute Board Chair (2012–2015), “We envision a Canada where h t

f o

families engage and thrive in a caring and compassionate society, with a robust and prosperous economy, e t u t i in an inclusive and vibrant culture, in a safe and sustainable environment.” Over the next 50 years, we will t s n I continue to work toward this goal, sharing our knowledge and understanding with families and those who r e i n a V

support them to assure that all Canadians and their families can reach their full potential. e h T

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The Vanier Institute of the Family VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 | TRANSITION 13 FSARA MaACNAULLmily Is...

STUDENTS

dynamic team community united reliable affiliations understanding thoughtful diverse security helpful home unit care trust committed subjective important relationships values honest sentiment love safety interpersonal complicated respect joy biology interesting compassion crazy forever support loyalty warmth complex everything union fun strength friendship connections together belonging bonds dysfunctional parenting unconditional compromise protection responsibility necessary chosen kindness attachment acceptance stability comfort

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS imaginative living friends roles laughter encouragement community extended difficult complex diverse future emotion individuals engagement care common strength centre commitment identity culture forgiving fellowship understanding belonging embracing earned confusing learning love safety influential generosity unique goals safety fun stability strength changing support sharing past foundational animals inclusive beginnings oneness comfort foundation longing purposeful togetherness intergenerational closeness background formative perfect happiness

What does “family” mean to you? Over the past responsibilities and relationships are renegotiated 50 years, the Vanier Institute has explored this question and redefined in response to ever-changing needs. as part of its mandate to enhance the national Despite this ongoing diversity and dynamism, the y l i understanding of families, family life and family basis for family relationships is a constant in family m a F

e experience, expectations and aspirations. What has life. Throughout the national Families in Canada Listening h t f

o been clear from the outset is that families are every bit as Tour , we asked participants to complete the phrase e t u unique as the people who comprise them. Families are a “Family is…” with one word. After each event, we gathered t i t s n foundational institution in society, acting as a cornerstone all responses and used them to generate a word cloud, in I r e i for social, economic and cultural life. And yet, families are which the size of the submitted words are proportionate n a V

e not static, perpetually adapting and evolving as roles, to the frequency of each particular response (as seen in h T

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14 TRANSITION | VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 The Vanier Institute of the Family What does “family” mean to you? The three most common responses we receive to this question are love , care and support , regardless of the cultural, economic or demographic background of the respondents.

PROFESSIONALS

relatives fundamental safety difficult compromise first unconditional comfort unity home holy respect loyal nuclear exhausting constant care relationships complex identity everything belonging priority bonds connections versatile love foundation energy security nurturing fulfillment time coooperation evolving team challenging happiness support adventure communication close accepting empowering important loyalty togetherness focus awesome commitment dependence warmth complicated changing community bedrock obligation blessing

MILITARY FAMILIES

tough bonds brave blood compassion strength care resilient bonds adaptable amazing sanctuary comfort unique competence unpredictable strong belonging private lifeline love community union joy unity awareness haven relationships true accepting support unconditional home teamwork reciprocity sacrifice understanding respect complicated services thriving refuge authentic sustenance

the culminations above that we gathered from students, No two families are the same, but families community organizations, professionals and military perform the same basic functions regardless of families). It is not a rigorous scientific exercise, but rather what they look like or where they are from. Families y l a simple way to assess people’s initial reflections about themselves are built upon cornerstones of love, care i m a F what family means to them. One thing we have found is and support – relationships between individuals. It e h t that, regardless of the cultural, economic or demographic f

is this focus on relationships that provides the basis o

e t background of these diverse groups of Canadians, the for the Institute’s work. u t i t s

three most common responses are love, care and support n I

r e – all of which are fundamental components of the Vanier Sara MacNaull is responsible for Networks, Projects and i n a V Institute’s functional definition of family. Special Events at the Vanier Institute of the Family. e h T

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The Vanier Institute of the Family VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 | TRANSITION 15 Get Informed, Inspired and Involved i l l e b a r i M

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The Vanier Institute of the Family is a national, independent, charitable organization dedicated to understanding the diversity and complexity of families and the reality of family life in Canada.

The Vanier Institute of the Family Tel.: 613-228-8500 94 Centrepointe Drive Toll-free: 1-800-331-4937 Ottawa, Ontario K2G 6B1 [email protected] Canada www.vanierinstitute.ca

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16 TRANSITION | VOLUME 45, NUMBER 2 The Vanier Institute of the Family