Purple Day now legally recognized in Canada

Act promoting epilepsy awareness receives Royal Assent

HALIFAX, June 29, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - An Act representing a day to increase public awareness about epilepsy, Bill C-278, has received Royal Assent and is now a legally recognized day for epilepsy awareness in Canada. The Bill establishes March 26 as Purple Day, a day each year when Canadians wear purple to promote a greater awareness of epilepsy and support the 300,000 Canadians living with the disorder. Inspired by Cassidy Megan, Purple Day dispels the myths about epilepsy and helps people living with the disorder understand that they are not alone.

Hon. Geoff Regan, M.P. for Halifax West, wrote the Private Member's, Bill C-278 (The Purple Day Act), in late 2008. Since then, Bill C-278 has progressed through the necessary steps in the House of Commons and Senate, to become law.

"The swift passing of this Bill is a meaningful show of support for the 300,000 Canadians living with epilepsy and their families," said Regan.

"I am so grateful that Mr. Regan and Parliament believed in me and Purple Day, and showed the 300,000 Canadians living with epilepsy that they care and that we are not alone," said Cassidy Megan, Purple Day founder. "I also want to thank the Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia and the other member agencies of the Canadian Epilepsy Alliance for helping me make my dream come true."

According to a survey titled The Impact of Epilepsy on Canadians, conducted in late 2011 by Leger Marketing, many Canadians living with epilepsy experience social isolation, work barriers and relationship issues. Over half of the survey respondents (56 per cent) say that restricted independence due to epilepsy is their number one challenge. Stigma, discrimination and a lack of awareness about epilepsy is cited by 38 per cent as the number two challenge, along with the impact of the disorder on their social life. The third biggest challenge facing Canadians with epilepsy is maintaining employment, with half saying their job choices are restricted, and just under 40 per cent unable to get a job if they disclose their condition.

"On behalf of the Canadian Epilepsy Alliance, I would like to thank Mr. Regan for writing the Private Member's Bill and Parliament for passing this legislation," said Deirdre Floyd, Chair of the Purple Day Campaign and Vice-President of the Canadian Epilepsy Alliance. "To my knowledge, this is the only legislation of its kind in Canada. I strongly believe that Purple Day will help to further our national mandate to support public awareness for epilepsy and research for those living with this serious neurological condition."

About Purple Day

Purple Day for Epilepsy is celebrated each year on March 26 and is dedicated to raising awareness about epilepsy. It helps reduce stigma and empowers individuals living with epilepsy to take action in their communities. Purple Day was founded in 2008 by nine-year-old Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia, and named after the internationally recognized colour for epilepsy, lavender. Purple Day was launched internationally in 2009. The Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia and the Anita Kaufmann Foundation in the United States are the Global Partners for the Purple Day Campaign. For more information, please visit www.purpleday.org and to view Bill C-278, please visit http://bit.ly/L4cy5u.

About the Canadian Epilepsy Alliance

The Canadian Epilepsy Alliance (CEA) is a Canada-wide network of 27 grassroots organizations dedicated to the promotion of independence and quality of life for people with epilepsy and their families, through support services, information, advocacy, and public awareness. As the voting member of the International Bureau of Epilepsy (IBE), the CEA is the voice for those living with epilepsy in Canada and internationally. The IBE is the international organization that serves to develop, support and link national epilepsy organizations around the world and exists to improve the quality of life of all people with epilepsy and their families and caregivers. The Canadian Epilepsy Alliance works with the IBE and participates in global initiatives representing those living with epilepsy in Canada. For more information, please visit www.epilepsymatters.com.

Chronic disease management, wait times, hospital infections improving, but change is too slow - Report finds

TORONTO, June 28, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Quality Monitor, Health Quality Ontario's (HQO's) annual report, found a number of improvements in Ontario's healthcare system last year, including decreases in wait times for emergency department (ED) visits, MRI and CT. There have also been improvements in hand hygiene and decreases in ICU infections, as well as decreases in complications from diabetes and mortality rates for many conditions.

Numerous challenges remain, however. For chronic diseases such as congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, for example, one in five people is readmitted to hospital within 30 days of discharge. This is often the result of poor coordination at discharge. Many patients are not getting the information they need when leaving the hospital or ED. The report revealed that only six in ten patients know whom to call if they need help once they go home. About half of hospital patients don't know when to resume normal activities and only 59% of patients know what danger signs to look out for at home. These figures are worse for those discharged from emergency departments.

"Issues with transitions in care are adding to the burden already being placed on the system by fiscal pressures and an aging population," says Dr. Ben Chan, President and CEO, HQO. "There are many encouraging signs that the system is improving, but there is also no doubt that we must accelerate the pace of change if the system is to be sustainable."

Broadly speaking the report identified three system areas that are required to improve the quality of Ontario's healthcare system: chronic disease management, wait times and hospital safety. Below are some highlights of the key findings within those areas.

Chronic disease management and avoidable hospitalizations:

...The management of chronic diseases has improved slightly. Complications of diabetes, such as heart attacks, strokes, amputations and kidney failure, are on the decline. The use of recommended medications to further reduce these complications is rising. The mortality rate from strokes and heart attacks is also decreasing.

Wait times

...The length of stay for ED patients has decreased slightly over the past three years by about half an hour, but is still too high. High complexity patients are spending on average 11.5 hours in the ED, compared to a provincial target of eight hours.

...Waits for CT scans are half of what they were three years ago and for 90% of people getting a CT scan, the wait is less than four weeks. There has been a major reduction of 25% in waits for MRIs over the past year.

...Long-term care wait times have stopped increasing over the past two years, but are still too long at close to four months. Hospital Safety

...Ontario has made some progress in reducing some hospital-acquired infections. There have been steady decreases in both ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and central line infection (CLI) rates, which occur mostly in intensive care units.

...Hand hygiene compliance before patient contact in hospitals has improved, going from 53% in 2008 to 72% in 2011.

This year's report also contained detailed descriptions of gaps in quality, hundreds of ideas on how to improve care and success stories from across the province. For example, Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg decreased monthly acute care ALC from 36% to 5%. The hospital closed 16 acute ALC beds and seven complex continuing care beds and opened a 16-bed restorative care unit, where seniors who were too frail to go after discharge could go to receive more intensive therapy so that they could be discharged back home.

"There are lots of examples of success stories in Ontario where organizations have improved coordination, adopted best practices and reduced waste in the process," says Dr. Chan. "This is an opportunity for CEOs and Board Chairs around the province to ask themselves 'If someone else has figured out a better way of delivering care, why can't I do the same?"

About HQO

Health Quality Ontario (HQO) is a partner and leader in transforming Ontario's healthcare system so that it can deliver a better experience of care and better outcomes for Ontarians, and better value for money. HQO was formed through the consolidation of some of the top healthcare quality improvement organizations in the province. HQO's legislated mandate under the Excellent Care for All Act, 2010 is to evaluate the effectiveness of new healthcare technologies and services, report to the public on the quality of the healthcare system, support quality improvement activities and make evidence-based recommendations on healthcare funding. HQO is an arms-length agency of the Ontario government. Visit www.hqontario.ca for more information.

Our anthem. Like never before.

Five musicians conduct an experiment to perform O Canada using nothing but instruments made from Molson Canadian bottles and cans. The result is something no one expected. Happy Canada Day!

Excellence Canada invites applications for 2012 Ontario Accessibility Award

Award honours organizations that go above and beyond to promote accessibility for people with disabilities; application deadline is August 31

TORONTO, June 22, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Excellence Canada today announced a call for applications for the second annual Excellence Canada - Ontario Accessibility Award. The award recognizes and celebrates organizations that have demonstrated leadership and commitment by going above and beyond the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) Standards.

"Accessible facilities and businesses enable people with disabilities to be more fully functioning individuals. But such places also become more inviting for mothers with buggies and people with walkers. Excellence Canada's Ontario Accessibility Awards celebrate those groups who are making their communities open and inviting to all people, able-bodied and disabled alike", said the Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and the honorary patron of the Excellence Canada - Ontario Accessibility Award Program.

"Accessibility for people with disabilities is a journey of continuous improvement," said Russ Gahan, Vice President of Operations at Excellence Canada. "To achieve sustainability, it is extremely important to celebrate significant milestones along the way. The Excellence Canada - Ontario Accessibility Award Program highlights the passion and dedication of men and women of all abilities who make their organizations into role-models of accessibility."

Organizations of all sizes and sectors are invited to apply for the award. Previous recipients include Elections Ontario, Megleen (a Tim Hortons franchisee), Northern Lights Canada, Regional Municipality of York, Regional Municipality of Durham, Town of Aurora, Town of Markham, Variety Village, and York Regional Police.

To download the award application, please visit www.peopleaccess.ca and select the AWARDS tab.

Excellence Canada also takes this opportunity to remind all Ontario employers that while they were required to comply with the AODA Accessibility Standards for Customer Service by January 1, 2012, those with 20 or more employees must also file their Compliance Report with the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario by December 31, 2012. Details can be found at www.peopleaccess.ca under the AODA COMPLIANCE tab.

About Excellence Canada and People Access

Excellence Canada (formerly the National Quality Institute) helps organizations improve performance and recognizes excellence. It is the proud custodian of Canada's highest organizational recognition program established in 1984, the prestigious Canada Awards for Excellence, which enjoys the Vice-Regal Patronage of His Excellency, the Right Honourable David Johnston, C.C., C.M.M., C.O.M., C.D., Governor General of Canada. Visit www.excellence.ca

People Access, a division of Excellence Canada, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to helping organizations strive for accessibility excellence for people with disabilities. Its vision is a Canadian society that is diverse, accessible, and inclusive. People Access supports organizations in achieving compliance with the accessibility laws while also improving customer and employee satisfaction and bottom-line results.

Lack of qualified inspectors will place nursing home residents at risk - OPSEU

TORONTO, June 20, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care is sending inspectors out to conduct investigations which they are not educated and trained to do says the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. Nursing home residents are being placed at risk to save money on inspection.

OPSEU says prior to July 2010, when new laws came into force, nursing inspectors would investigate complaints and critical incidents including issues of abuse or activities of daily living, such as continence care, hygiene, behaviour management, wound management or falls. The nursing inspections require a review of clinical records, progress notes, medication records and a resident's medical diagnosis.

The other two types of inspectors, dietary and environmental, would focus their inspections only on issues relating to their area of education and training.

"Now these dietary and environmental inspectors are being asked to evaluate the residents' care records - which are completely out of their scope of practice," says Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President of the 130,000 member OPSEU. "Not only that, but these inspectors have never had any training in how to navigate the various software programs the homes use in order to review the resident health records. They have little idea whether or not what they are looking at is relevant."

Environmental inspectors are certified public health inspectors with expertise in infection prevention and control. They look at such issues as maintenance, housekeeping, infection control, safety, building security and pest control.

Dietary inspectors are registered dietitians with expertise in nutrition care and hydration, food production, menu planning and clinical record reviews related to weights and food and fluid intakes for example.

Meanwhile, the nurses are being asked to do inspections that include issues related to pest control, door security, maintenance and environmental infection control - an area of expertise normally covered by the environmental inspectors.

The inspectors say they have to rely heavily on their specialty discipline colleagues for assistance with their inspection reports, to ensure they have captured everything correctly. The inspectors become ultimately accountable for these reports.

"The government is trying to save money by sending inappropriate inspectors out to conduct inspections they are not trained for," says Thomas. "This completely undermines the process."

Last year there were nearly 6,000 complaints and critical incidents the inspectors were asked to investigate. That's on top of the more detailed annual inspections - sometimes referred to as "resident quality inspections" (RQI) which take more than two weeks to complete. With the limited number of inspectors available, many homes will not receive a detailed inspection for years. Most homes in Ontario received their last full inspection prior to 2010.

Last week OPSEU reported the shortage of adequately educated and trained inspectors has led to lengthy delays in investigating these complaints and critical incident reports.

New legislation enacted in July 2010 requires the homes to report many different types of critical incidents such as abuse and injuries - all of which must be investigated. Coupled with increases in complaints regarding resident care issues, the number of inspectors has not kept up with the workload.

Climate Models Missing Key Component of Temperature Changes says U of G Professor

GUELPH, Ontario June 20, 2012 - University of Guelph News Release - Climate models used to study temperature change from greenhouse gases are missing a key ingredient — economics, according to a new study by a University of Guelph professor.

Economist Ross McKitrick, an expert in environmental policy analysis, says most models ignore the effects of socioeconomic change on land use changes, making those models inaccurate.

The study, co-authored with Lise Tole of Strathclyde University, was published online in the journal Climate Dynamics.

McKitrick has studied how land use changes from urbanization, agriculture and other surface modifications affect temperature trends around the world. Past research suggests these effects might account for some of the warming patterns in weather data. Climate modelers assume that the effects are filtered out at the data processing stage, he said.

“As a result, when researchers look for explanations of regional patterns of climatic changes, they rule out things like urbanization by assumption and give greater weight to global factors like greenhouse gases and solar variations,” McKitrick said.

The study examined data from 22 sophisticated climate models used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The researchers compared how accurately those models would have predicted spatial warming patterns over land between 1979 and 2002 with predictions from a much simpler model using data on regional industrialization and socioeconomic growth.

“The contrasts were striking,” McKitrick said. Twenty of the IPCC models made predictions that were no better than random guesses or that contradicted the observed patterns, he said.

“Only two of the 22 models showed any explanatory power for the temperature changes over the same period.”

By contrast, the simple economic model made much more accurate predictions.

Using various statistical techniques to compare modeling approaches, the researchers found that usually the economic model was essential and the climate model could be dropped, but never the other way around.

One technique involved searching more than 537 million combinations of climate model outputs and socioeconomic data for the best possible mix. The research team found that combining three of the 22 climate models and a small number of socioeconomic indicators best explained the spatial pattern of surface temperature trends.

“By assuming the socioeconomic effects are not there, a lot of climate researchers are ignoring a key feature of the data,” McKitrick said.

The researchers also found that the best climate models aren’t necessarily the most well-known ones. The best models came from labs in China and Russia and from one American institute; models from Canada, Japan, Europe and most U.S. research labs lacked explanatory power, either alone or in combination.

The study has important implications for policy-makers, McKitrick said.

“Computer forecasts of regional climate changes between now and 2030 can look impressive in their detail, but it would be wise not to make major policy decisions without first looking into the model’s forecast accuracy.”

The findings are also important for researchers, especially those using climate data sets.

“A lot of the current thinking about the causes of climate change relies on the assumption that the effects of land surface modification due to economic growth patterns have been filtered out of temperature data sets. But this assumption is not true.”

The Summer Solstice

from – The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Oh, the summer night
Has a smile of light,
And she sits on a sapphire throne.

–Barry Cornwall, English poet (1787–1874)

This year, the solstice brings summer on Wednesday, June 20, at 7:09 P.M. (ET).

The word solstice is from the Latin solstitium, from sol (Sun) and stitium (to stop), as the Sun appears to stop at this time (and again at the winter solstice). Read more about the solstice and first day of summer!

Did you know that the solstices and the equinoxes this year occur earlier than in any year since 1896? This is because the year 2000, which was an “extra” leap year (the first time in four centuries that such a change was made), combined with 2012, a routine leap year, to create a tweak of time that jump-starts the seasons this year.

Although Midsummer Day occurs near the summer solstice, or what we think of as the beginning of summer, to the farmer it is the midpoint of the growing season, halfway between planting and harvesting, and an occasion for celebration.

Although it's also the feast day of St. John the Baptist, it features pagan traditions such as bonfires, fire walking, and a carnival atmosphere, all of which took place on Midsummer Eve.

Certainly, it's a night of magic and soothsaying as well, for as Washington Irving said, this is a time

"when it is well known all kinds of ghosts, goblins, and fairies become visible and walk abroad."

After Midsummer Day, the days shorten. In Lithuanian tradition, the dew on Midsummer Day was said to make young girls beautiful and old people look younger. It was also thought that walking barefoot in the dew would keep one's skin from getting chapped. It was customary to honor all men named John on this day by fixing wreaths of oak leaves around their doors. This is usually done in secret, and John must guess who did it or catch the person in the act, in which case he must give the person a treat.

Midsummer Day falls on June 24. Near the solstice, it was traditionally the midpoint of the growing season for the farmer.

We say, Enjoy every extra minute of summer!

Launch of Forest Recovery Canada Ensures a Healthier Future for all Canadians

Forest Loss and Fragmentation Compromising the Health of Canadians
and Contributing to Biodiversity Losses, Prompting the Need
for a National Forest Recovery Program

TORONTO, June 8, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Forest Recovery Canada (FRC), a national tree planting program dedicated to enhancing Canada's environmental health and climate change adaptation through innovative and leading-edge forest restoration practices, was launched today by Trees Ontario.

Forest fragmentation has become increasingly common across the Canadian landscape by way of agricultural land uses, residential and commercial development, road construction, forest fires and invasive species. Loss of forest cover in the settled landscapes of Canada is contributing to an unstable ecosystem resulting in habitat loss, environmental degradation and an inability to adapt to the effects of climate change. With our forests in jeopardy, there is urgency in the need to expand and intensify tree planting and forest restoration initiatives nation-wide.

"Forest Recovery Canada works with partners across the country to identify tree planting opportunities that will establish contiguous and diverse forests that extend beyond the geopolitical boundaries of our cities and provinces," says Rob Keen, CEO of Trees Ontario, during the launch of the ENGO's new national program. "Trees Ontario has experienced incredible success in re-greening Ontario but the need for increased forest cover within settled landscapes is a national matter. Through the development of an extensive network of environmentally conscious individuals, corporations and tree planting agencies, FRC will enhance the resilience of our ecosystems, enabling them to adapt to the effects of environmental change while sustaining a healthier human population."

Video: Forest Recovery Canada has been launched to restore the fragmented landscape in the settled regions of Canada.

Healthy forests play an important role in the foundation of resilient ecosystems. Trees replenish our oxygen, absorb carcinogenic pollutants in our air and purify our lakes and rivers. Healthy and sustainable forests have also proven essential for economic development and diverse employment opportunities. As well, forests and green spaces have been linked to a significant decline in asthma, heart disease, diabetes and stress, decreases in the severity of attention deficit disorders in children, improved rehabilitation, faster hospital recovery rates and longer life spans.

"A growing body of evidence suggests that human mental and physical health is closely associated with the health of our forest ecosystems," says Steve Hounsell, President and Chair of Trees Ontario. "An investment in our natural environment is an investment in our own health and well-being. Poor environmental conditions will not only lead to an unstable ecosystem, but may also increase the incidence of a wide array of illnesses."

Forest Recovery Canada recognizes the relationship between the health of forest ecosystems and human health and the need to expand and intensify tree planting efforts nation-wide. This program aims to build consensus, leverage resources, raise awareness and stimulate action to plant trees and enhance urban and rural ecosystems. Increased forest cover will result in healthy and resilient watersheds that offer valuable natural goods and services essential for sustaining a healthy society and a prosperous economy.

Rob Keen, a Registered Professional Forester, urges all Canadians to join the recovery efforts.

"Canada's forests need us now more than ever. Whether you are a local tree planting agency, a socially responsible corporation or an eco-conscious citizen, you can support Forest Recovery Canada's efforts to restore the health of our environment."

About Forest Recovery Canada

Administered by Trees Ontario, Forest Recovery Canada (FRC) is a national tree-planting program dedicated to innovative and leading-edge forestry practices. FRC works with an extensive network of tree planting organizations and environmentally conscious individuals and corporations to enhance the health of Canada's ecosystems through scientifically based tree planting and forest management practices. www.frc-rfc.ca

About Trees Ontario

Trees Ontario, working with its partners, is the largest, not-for-profit tree planting partnership in North America. It is committed to the re-greening of Ontario through a range of tree planting activities.

The goal of Trees Ontario is to restore Canada's tree planting capacity by providing funding and planning support for its tree planting partners. These include local Conservation Authorities, Ontario Stewardship Councils, First Nation communities, municipal governments and community volunteer groups. www.treesontario.ca.

Fossilized playgrounds: is active play the next dinosaur?

Active Healthy Kids Canada releases 2012 Report Card
on Physical Activity for Children and Youth

TORONTO (ONTARIO) MAY 29, 2012 – Have you noticed parks, playgrounds and neighbourhood streets are not bustling with kids playing like they used to be? Once known as a regular part of a child’s day, active play is now on the brink of becoming extinct.

Play comes in many forms, but it is generally freely chosen, spontaneous, self-directed and fun.

The 2012 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth reports that Canadian children and youth are not playing enough; assigning an “F” grade for Active Play and Leisure.

Forty-six per cent of Canadian kids are getting a mere three hours or less of active play per week, including weekends. Additionally, kids spend 63 per cent of their free time after school and on weekends being sedentary. This is alarming news, as active play is a promising, accessible and cost-effective solution to help Canadian children and youth meet the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines.

The Report Card was released today by Active Healthy Kids Canada and its strategic partners, ParticipACTION and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute – Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group (HALO).

“Unstructured play is declining with each generation, and this is having a negative effect on the health and wellness of our children and youth,” says Dr. Mark Tremblay, Chief Scientific Officer, Active Healthy Kids Canada, and Director of HALO. “Kids of all ages should have regular opportunities for active play, where they can let loose, explore, run, climb, crawl and play in parks with friends, like their parents once did. Active play is fun, but it is also shown to improve a child’s motor function, creativity, decision-making, problem-solving and social skills.”

Barriers, including screen time and parental safety concerns, force children and youth into highly-controlled environments, where they have little opportunity for active play. Fifty-eight per cent of Canadian parents say they are very concerned about keeping their children safe and feel they have to be over-protective of them.

Safety concerns, whether or not they are founded, such as crime, traffic, neighbourhood danger, outdoor darkness and lack of supervision, discourage parents from letting their children and youth play outdoors. Instead, they are lured to the increasingly ever-present screen – Canadian kids are spending seven hours and 48 minutes per day in front of screens, dramatically exceeding the guideline of no more than two hours per day. Even at school, recess is increasingly being threatened by adult beliefs that free time is better spent in academic study.

“Children today spend considerably less time playing outdoors than their parents did as children,” says Elio Antunes, CEO, Active Healthy Kids Canada. “We can’t return to a simpler time, but we can work together as a society to protect, support and promote active play as a fun and fundamental part of the Canadian childhood experience.”

To ensure Canadian children of all ages have opportunities for active play, parents and caregivers can encourage children to choose active play over more sedentary behaviours, such as sitting in front of screens. After school and weekends are opportune times to encourage active play, especially outdoors.

An additional benefit for parents is that active play does not have to cost anything. To address safety concerns, parents and caregivers can take turns supervising and playing with children outdoors or encourage kids to play with a buddy. Given the opportunity, kids want to play – 92 per cent of Canadian kids said they would choose playing with friends over watching TV.

“Play has been called the business of childhood, because it is what our children and youth should be spending their time doing,” says Kelly Murumets, President and CEO, ParticipACTION. “We have a responsibility to get out of our children’s way and give them the time, space and freedom to run around, direct their own activities and learn from their mistakes. The reward will be increased confidence, a sense of adventure and, perhaps most importantly, a love for being active.”

Among the 24 grades assigned in the Report Card, key grades include:

...“F” for Active Play & Leisure
...“F” for Physical Activity Levels
...“F” for Screen-Based Sedentary Behaviours
...“D+” for Active Transportation
...“D+” for Family Physical Activity
...“F“ for Federal Government Investments
...“C-” for Provincial/Territorial Government Investments

About the Report Card

The Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth is the most comprehensive annual assessment of child and youth physical activity in Canada. Active Healthy Kids Canada works with its strategic partners to develop and disseminate the Report Card. The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute’s Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group (CHEO-HALO), works with our Research Work Group to lead the coordination, data collection and analysis necessary to develop the Report Card, and provides access to the latest research findings. ParticipACTION provides communications management to produce and deliver the Report Card. Production of the Report Card is possible through support from The Lawson Foundation, the Interprovincial Sport and Recreation Council, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, George Weston Limited and Kellogg’s. Full copies of the short-form and long-form Report Card, plus free presentations, articles and media materials, can be found at www.activehealthykids.ca. For more information on CHEO-HALO, please visit www.haloresearch.ca. For more information on ParticipACTION, please visit www.participACTION.com.

About Active Healthy Kids Canada

Established in 1994, Active Healthy Kids Canada strives to be a trusted source for “powering the movement to get kids moving.” Advancing knowledge is the cornerstone of our business, providing the evidence base for our communications and issue advocacy work to increase support for quality, accessible and enjoyable physical activity participation experiences for young people across Canada. In an ongoing effort to advance knowledge to effect change, we release the annual Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, a comprehensive assessment of the current state of physical activity among Canadian children and youth. For more information, please visit www.activehealthykids.ca.

Websites black out across Canada in support of nature and democracy

Today's move triggered by omnibus federal budget bill

TORONTO, June 4, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Websites of more than 500 Canadian organizations and businesses will be blacked out today, and tens of thousands of individuals are expected to send messages to party leaders in defence of nature and democracy via email and social media, as part of the nationwide Black Out Speak Out/Silence, On Parle campaign.

News conferences are being held in Ottawa, Vancouver, Montreal, Winnipeg and St. John's today, where spokespeople representing the campaign's founders and allies are speaking about the threats to nature and democracy posed by the current federal budget bill.

Launched May 7th by the country's leading environmental organizations in response to the government's concerted smear attacks on environmental charities and omnibus budget bill, C-38, the campaign has grown rapidly to include major not-for-profit and social justice organizations, trade unions, scientists, businesses and Canadian icons like author Margaret Atwood and musician Bruce Cockburn.

Support for the campaign has also spread to the United States, with several American organizations - including National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club USA, 350.org, and Natural Resources Defense Council - also blackening their websites on June 4th.

"The darkening of web sites and the thousands of letters, blogs, tweets and other actions by landowners, businesses, First Nations, trade unions, scientists and citizens, reflect the grave concern and deep frustration Canadians feel about the direction the federal government is heading," said Alex Neve, Secretary General, Amnesty International Canada. "Fundamental human rights such as Freedom of Expression are at stake."

"The continued survival of B.C. icons like migratory salmon and steelhead are put at risk through this far-reaching omnibus bill. It's bad policy and it's bad democracy," stated John Fraser, Conservative fisheries minister in 1984-5. "I'm speaking out today because I'm a Conservative and nobody can pretend to be a real Conservative if they are not a conservationist."

Over 500 groups including Oxfam, Amnesty International, the Canadian Labour Congress, faith groups, First Nations and all four opposition parties (NDP, Liberal, Green and Bloc Quebecois) are participating in Black Out Speak Out. The campaign is also supported by Canadian community leaders and cultural icons, including Nobel Prize winning scientist Dr. Andrew Weaver, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, President of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs and tens of thousands of other concerned citizens.

"Today, hundreds of organizations and individuals -- representing millions of citizens -- are speaking out in support of two core Canadian values: the protection of nature and democratic discussion," said scientist and activist Dr. David Suzuki. "These values are the foundation of the peace, order and good government that define our nation, yet they are threatened by the federal government's omnibus budget bill, C-38."

The budget bill, C-38, replaces the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, empowers the federal government to crack down on charities, including environmental groups, that advocate for better laws and policies, overrides National Energy Board decisions, rushes projects through a weakened environmental review process to speed up approvals, and shuts citizen groups out of environmental reviews for pipelines.

"People don't want only the most powerful, polluting voices to be heard," said Rick Smith, Executive Director from Environmental Defence. "They value public input into risky, huge projects and want charities to protect our land, water and air. We hope the government agrees that it's never too late to respect nature and democracy."

The bill also includes $8 million to fund Canada Revenue Agency audits of charities, widely perceived as a move to silence advocacy and free speech on key environmental issues.

Black Out Speak Out was founded by leading environmental organizations: Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), David Suzuki Foundation, Ecojustice, Environmental Defence, Equiterre, Greenpeace, Nature Canada, Pembina Institute, Sierra Club Canada, West Coast Environmental Law, and WWF Canada.

First annual Healthy Me Week tackles childhood obesity, health issues

Leading media, CCA team up to promote healthy, active lifestyle

TORONTO, June 1, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - In response to growing concerns over alarming childhood obesity rates in Canada, Concerned Children's Advertisers (CCA) and many of Canada's leading print and broadcast media companies have joined forces to launch Healthy Me Week (June 4 to 10). The aim of this first annual initiative is to motivate and inspire Canadian kids and their families to take action on their health. The announcement coincides with this week's release of the 2012 Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card, which once again this year gives kids a failing grade for physical activity levels, and a D+ grade for family physical activity.

"Only 7 per cent of Canadian kids and 15 per cent of adults meet the recommended levels of daily physical activity," explains CCA president, Bev Deeth. "Healthy Me Week is a call to action for Canadian families to lead healthier, more active lives. Our goal is to provide content that promotes the importance of making healthy choices, increasing physical activity, and eating well-balanced meals, as a means of inspiring lasting, healthy lifestyle changes."

Participating media have planned an extensive outreach campaign to promote the active, healthy lifestyle message across various print, broadcast and online platforms. Activities for this year's inaugural launch include special Healthy Me Week programming; PSAs; online contests; social media campaigns; health tips and articles; promotions; and banner ads.

The Healthy Me Week initiative is the result of a series of national consultations held last fall by the Public Health Agency of Canada with leading media companies and other key health stakeholders, to discuss the role these organizations can play in helping curb increasing childhood obesity rates in Canada. It is estimated that 1 in 4 Canadian children are considered overweight or obese.

"Healthy Me Week reminds Canadians to take action to protect their overall health by making healthy food choices, staying physically active and maintaining a healthy weight," says federal Health Minister, Leona Aglukkaq. "Everyone has a role to play in helping Canadians live longer and healthier lives. My congratulations to Concerned Children's Advertisers and its partners on rising to the challenge to identify ideas and actions and build partnerships for collaborative action to promote healthy weights and healthier, active lifestyles."

Deeth explains that while many of the participating media companies are already independently engaged in health promotion, they all recognize the importance of working together for maximum reach.

"We commend our Healthy Me Week partners for recognizing the impact that a collective effort can make in addressing this pressing social problem. The fact that competing organizations are willing to join together to promote this initiative as one voice, underscores the importance of the issue."

For more information on Healthy Me Week activities: cca-arpe.ca.

About Healthy Me Week

Healthy Me Week is a national health initiative that empowers Canadian kids and families to lead a healthier, more active lifestyle. Launched in 2012, the initiative is held every year, during the first week of June. Healthy Me Week is supported by the following founding partners: Astral Media, Best Health, Corus Entertainment (YTV), Kids' CBC, NBA Canada, ParentsCanada, Paton Publishing (What's UP - Canada's Family Magazine), Reader's Digest, Rogers Media Inc. and Today's Parent, TELETOON, Together Magazine, TVOKids/TVOParents; and youth health/well-being advocate, Concerned Children's Advertisers.

About CCA

Concerned Children's Advertisers (CCA) is a unique non-profit organization and model of corporate social responsibility. Comprised of 20 Canadian Member Companies and supported by numerous partners, including child-centred advertisers, broadcasters and issue experts, CCA is committed to understanding and contributing solutions to issues of challenge in children's lives. As committed Canadian advertisers, CCA's mission is to be the credible, caring and authoritative voice of responsible children's advertising and communications. cca-arpe.ca.