:-: Points to Ponder :-:

Guelph Chamber Choir releases new CD “Remember”

2012-02-11T06:01:00.000-08:00

GUELPH, Ontario February 7, 2012 - The Guelph Chamber Choir, under the direction of Gerald Neufeld, is pleased to announce the release of its fifth recording, Remember. The official launch date is March 3, at the GCC concert at Harcourt Memorial United Church in Guelph.

Remember contains 15 tracks, including arrangements of well-known folk songs. As Neufeld writes in the CD’s notes, “Music is a potent medium for remembering our past, our joys and sorrows, and those we love. Songs marry poetry to music’s passion, thus conjuring a strong potion that takes us back in time to where we feel the thoughts of a bygone era.”

The GCC was thrilled to be joined by renowned folk singer, guitarist and composer James Gordon on this project. James performs his signature tune, Frobisher Bay, with the women of the choir, and he is backed up by the GCC men on the beloved Stan Rogers piece North West Passage, as well as Carrick Fergus, arranged by Mark Sirett. Also among the 15 tracks are works by Canadian composers Eleanor Daley (Paradise), Stephen Chatman (Remember), and Jeff Smallman (Prairie Greyhounds).

The choir is accompanied by Alison MacNeill on piano, who has been with the GCC for over twenty years, violinist Trevor Dick, clarinettist Gerald Stephenson and percussionist Ian Dickieson. Vocal soloists are from the choir and include mezzos Carolynne Godin and Janice Coles (both OYC alumnae and former Choirs Ontario board members) and bass Neil McLaren.

For a full listing of the tracks, plus audio samples, please visit the GCC website, www.guelphchamberchoir.ca

Remember is now available for $20 from GCC choir or board members or by contacting info@guelphchamberchoir.ca . Remember can also be downloaded through iTunes – follow the link from www.guelphchamberchoir.ca

Guelph’s Lakeside Church set to pay $1 million for Norfolk United

2012-02-09T05:02:00.000-08:00

Downtown church sold Norfolk Street United Church in downtown Guelph has been conditionally sold for $1 million.

Guelph Mercury
by Rob O'Flanagan

GUELPH , Ontario, February 8, 2012 — One of Guelph’s oldest churches may soon have a new owner.

Norfolk Street United Church and Lakeside Church have reached an agreement of sale that will see Lakeside pay $1 million for the 156-year-old limestone structure at the corner of Cork and Norfolk streets in downtown Guelph. Norfolk Street United began as a congregation 175 years ago.

“We get to have a fantastic facility to do some great things in the city, and bring care to the inner city of Guelph,” said Dave Ralph, lead pastor of Lakeside Church, an independent, non-denominational Christian organization. It is located on Conservation Road, in Guelph-Eramosa, near Guelph Lake.

Officials involved in the deal say the price of sale was fair market value, and that the sale is a “win-win situation” for both parties.

“That is a fair price,” said Allan Knapp, council chair for Norfolk United. “We had an independent appraisal done which set the ballpark price, and we talked with architects and developers in town. We looked at options for the church, whether the best price would be based on the vacant land, commercial use or as a church. In every case, being used as a church gave us the best price.”

The agreement allows Norfolk’s roughly 200 parishioners to stay on for three years, continuing to use the church section of the complex for worship until the congregation is able to merge with another United Church in the city, Knapp said Wednesday.

He added that other than an upgrade to the boiler system, the building does not need major repairs.

“I would say I am very sure,” said Knapp, when asked how certain he was that the conditional deal will go through. “The key for us is that we can stay up to three years, and it continues to be a church, which for us is wonderful news.”

Once taking ownership, Lakeside will begin establishing Lakeside HOPE (Helping Overcome Poverty Everywhere) House at the location. A community outreach facility, it will offer services for local people living in poverty.

Talk began to circulate last year that Lakeside Church might be interested in buying Norfolk United, which celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2011. The idea to establish Lakeside HOPE House was hatched over a year ago, and discussions began with Norfolk United in August, officials said.

Lakeside Church now has to raise the funds to purchase the downtown structure, and other conditions have to be met prior to the June 30 closing date on the sale. The sale has to be approved by upper levels of United Church governance, a detailed building inspection must be done, and a purchase and sale agreement has to be signed.

“I have full confidence in our community to raise the funds,” said Ralph. “I know our community. I know their passion and enthusiasm. We are all pretty comfortable that is going to be achievable. There is a strong sense of confidence on both sides that this is going to become a reality.”

Ralph said the primary purpose of Lakeside HOPE House will be to “pick up some of the gaps in poverty elimination needs” in the community, while avoiding duplication of existing services in that area. Lakeside will work closely with city and social services officials in crafting the services of HOPE House.

“I think long-term what we would want to see is, people who have tangible needs could get many of those needs met in a single location,” Ralph said, adding that current users of the building will be considered on a case-by-case basis as to what their future occupancy will be. There are certain spaces that Lakeside needs immediately and tenants of those spaces will have to move.

Ralph said Lakeside Church is also interested in exploring alternative uses for the church hall part of the structure, once Norfolk United’s congregation has moved on. He said it “will always remain an auditorium of some sort,” and might have a future as a small concert hall. Some form of partnership with the University of Guelph may also be explored.

“What we want to do is be good citizens of downtown Guelph and allow our facility to be used as part of being good citizens of downtown Guelph,” Ralph added.

The church began its religious life as a Methodist congregation back in 1836. The actual downtown church was built in 1856 and still holds the inscription “Wesleyan Methodist Church” above its front entrance. Prime Minister Lester Pearson’s father, Rev. Edwin Pearson, was a Methodist minister at the church between 1917 and 1921.

“We didn’t want to see the church turned into condos or other things,” said Knapp. Parts of the church are currently rented out to a number of organizations for a number of purposes. Alcoholics Anonymous uses it for meetings, and Lilliput Land Nursery School is located in the building.

There are two options for the proceeds from the sale, Knapp said. If the Norfolk United congregation is able to merge with another congregation locally, the money will be used by that new entity, with some possibly being donated to non-profit groups in the city. If a merger doesn’t take place, the funds would become general revenue for the United Church of Canada.

Knapp said the first option is preferable.

The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust...A Lasting Tribute for a Lifetime of Giving

2012-02-06T08:29:00.000-08:00

Celebrating sixty years. From and for all generations of the Commonwealth Family

LONDON, February 5, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Today marks the formal launch of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, on the 60th anniversary of the accession of the Queen to the throne.

The establishment of the Trust was originally announced at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Perth, Australia in 2011. The Trust aims to celebrate HM The Queen's enormous contribution and unswerving dedication to the Commonwealth over the course of her 60 year reign.

Sir John Major, Chairman of the Trustee Board said,

"I am delighted and honoured to have been invited to Chair the Diamond Jubilee Trust.The purpose of the Trust is to raise funds throughout the Commonwealth, and then work with strategic partners to identify charitable projects that will enrich the lives and opportunities of all its citizens

- across generations and geographical boundaries
- in order to provide a lasting legacy for HM The Queen.

It is our hope that individuals, organisations and countries will all wish to contribute to the Trust, as a tangible and enduring way of honouring HM The Queen, and to demonstrate the enormous respect and affection in which she is held, not only within the Commonwealth family, but also the wider world."

The Trust aims to reflect the qualities that citizens respect and value in Her Majesty. It will identify investments in legacy projects which will have a transforming impact on the life of Commonwealth citizens. The Trust will aim in particular to invest in some projects which encourage generations to work together for the benefit of communities, and activities that bring Commonwealth citizens together across geographical boundaries.

The Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma, also on the board of Trustees, said,

"Throughout sixty years of dedicated service and leadership as Head of the Commonwealth, The Queen has shown personal and unwavering commitment to all that the Commonwealth represents and holds dear - especially our shared values of democracy, development and diversity. The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust is an opportunity for Commonwealth citizens everywhere both to contribute and to be associated with initiatives that will ensure Her Majesty's commitment and service are celebrated in ways that are to the enduring benefit of our global Commonwealth family."

Details of some of the initial planned investments and partnerships will be announced in due course.

During the Jubilee year, individuals, groups, organisations and companies inside or outside the Commonwealth are invited to contribute to the Trust, as a lasting tribute to HM The Queen.

More details about the Trust, including a way to contribute, can be found at the Trust's website: http://www.jubileetribute.org

Notes:

...The Queen is Head of the Commonwealth which has 54 states and 2 billion people. She is The Queen of 16 of these Commonwealth countries, known as Commonwealth Realms.

...The Trust will be run and administered to ensure that every donation is used to the maximum benefit of commonwealth citizens and delivers results that make a real difference to people's lives. It will not establish a major new institution. It will work with established partner charities and organisations across the Commonwealth, both in the UK and elsewhere, to deliver iconic projects that are a fitting tribute to The Queen.

...As announced at CHOGM this may include tackling curable diseases, promoting all forms of education and culture and other Commonwealth priorities.

...The trustees are: The Rt Hon Sir John Major (Chairman), The Commonwealth Secretary General, The Rt Hon Lord Robertson, Professor Sir Mervyn King, The Rt Hon Sir Christopher Geidt & the Rt Rev and Rt Hon Richard Chartres, Bishop of London.

...Projects will be chosen by the Trustees, who will consult widely before reaching decisions

On Toque Tuesday, help 'put a (cheery red) cap on youth homelessness'!

2012-02-02T07:20:00.000-08:00

NATIONAL, February 2, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Raising the Roof's annual Toque Tuesday is on February 7. Across Canada, from dawn to dusk, volunteers from Intact Financial Corporation and community groups will take to the streets, shopping malls and transit hubs encouraging commuters to purchase a toasty-warm toque in support of homeless youth. This year's goal is to sell 50,000 toques across Canada!

The Toque Campaign brings together communities - big and small - in a collective effort to "put a cap" on youth homelessness in Canada. Coast-to-coast, an estimated 65,000 youth are without a place to call home.

Past campaign sales have allowed Raising the Roof to grant almost $3.3 million to 145 local community agencies serving the homeless across the country. Part of this year's proceeds will also help fund Raising the Roof's Youthworks initiative, focused on long-term solutions to youth homelessness. We thank and celebrate our 2012 National Toque Campaign partners, Intact Financial Corporation and Canadian Traffic Network.

The difference a toque makes…

...Every $10 toque sold supports real solutions. For example, one toque sale will cover the cost of a bus pass or some clothing for a youth who needs to attend an all-important job interview;

...10 toques will fund supportive housing for one youth for a week, so that he or she can get help to develop important life-skills and break away from street culture.

Purchase your toque on your way to/from work, from your local participating community agency OR on-line at www.raisingtheroof.org.

Looking for more reasons why you should purchase a toque? Check out our 'brilliant' TV public service announcements created for us pro bono by Leo Burnett Toronto.

Show your (virtual) support by 'toquing' your Facebook pic using the 'toque app' on our Facebook page.

About Raising the Roof
Raising the Roof is a national Canadian charity focused on long-term solutions to homelessness. We fund local, grass-roots agencies working to alleviate homelessness in their communities; build awareness among Canadians about the true nature of homelessness today and educate them about how to prevent it in the future; and build partnerships by giving people, corporations and organizations the opportunity to participate in solutions.

Reward homeless for finding homes

2012-01-24T07:24:00.000-08:00

New study proposes using power of incentives to help keep people off of Calgary's streets

CALGARY, January 23, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - In a paper released today by The School of Public Policy, Professor Brendan O'Flaherty offers a straightforward method for fighting homelessness that contrasts many current programs already in place to deal with this important social issue.

"If you want people to be housed rather than homeless, reward them for being housed," O'Flaherty argues.

Specifically, O'Flaherty advocates the introduction of an Optimal Homelessness-Reducing Home Allowance (OHRHA), which would take the form of a flat amount rewarded to people for each night that they are not homeless.

What would differentiate OHRHA from existing social assistance programs would be its simplicity and purpose.

"Other housing allowances were designed with other goals in mind," the author writes. "The virtual exclusion of non-elderly single adults from these programs is pretty good evidence that they were not intended to reduce homelessness."

Programs like Alberta Works or provincial housing allowances impose special criteria that must be met in order to receive payments. O'Flaherty indicates that OHRHA would have only one rule: you receive payment if you are housed.

In terms of funding such a program, the author recommends imposing a new land value tax on Calgary property owners. He argues that the advantage of such a tax is that any costs would be absorbed by the positive impact of OHRHA on land prices. In fact, the tax would be proportional to land value increments.

The study can be found online by going to www.policyschool.ucalgary.ca/publications.

Thousands of lives and millions of dollars lost due to late response to food crisis in East Africa

2012-01-22T06:24:00.000-08:00

Lessons learned can help prevent future disasters and save lives

OTTAWA, January 17, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Thousands of needless deaths occurred and millions of extra dollars were spent because the international community failed to take decisive action on early warnings of a hunger crisis in East Africa, according to a new report by the international aid agencies Oxfam and Save the Children.

"This report is a timely reminder given that it comes ahead of global meetings at Davos and the African Union" said Nic Moyer, Executive Director of the Humanitarian Coalition. "The agencies that make up the Humanitarian Coalition are already raising the alarm about a looming food crisis that now threatens millions of people in West Africa. International donors must learn from past experience. Action must be taken before hunger turns into famine."

The report, A Dangerous Delay, says a culture of risk aversion caused a six month delay in the large-scale aid effort because humanitarian agencies and national governments were too slow to scale up their response to the crisis, and many government donors wanted proof of a humanitarian catastrophe before acting to prevent one.

Sophisticated early warning systems first forecast a likely emergency as early as August 2010 but the full-scale response was not launched until July 2011 when malnutrition rates in parts of the region had gone far beyond the emergency threshold and there was high profile media coverage of the crisis.

Save the Children and Oxfam say more funding for food emergencies should be sought and released as soon as the crisis signs are clear, rather than supporting large-scale emergency work only when hunger levels have reached tipping-point. By that time lives have already been lost and the cost of the response is much greater. The agencies call on governments to overhaul their response to food crises, as laid out in the Charter to End Extreme Hunger (http://hungercharter.org), a document that has already received backing from key international figures.

"Early action saves lives," said Robert Fox, Executive Director of Oxfam Canada. "It's irresponsible for governments to wait for the public to push them to act when they know the need and the risks months before the crisis makes headlines. Droughts happen when the rains fail. Hunger happens when governments fail - when they don't give enough support to small farmers and don't move fast enough to support families at risk."

"That a serious food crisis was developing was known months before TV crews were on the ground in the refugee camps," said Save the Children's CEO Patricia Erb. "Children don't have to face acute malnutrition because we know the steps that must be taken to avert this kind of disaster. First we need to improve early warning systems and second we need to empower the UN to release funds before crises turn into humanitarian catastrophes."

Although it is impossible to calculate exactly how many people died as a result of drought, the UK government estimates that as many as 100,000 lives were lost between April and August 2011, more than half of them children under the age of five. Today, Somalia remains the most acute food crisis in the world, with hundreds of thousands of people at risk.

Some early action did take place. But overall, the scale of crisis outstripped these efforts and late intervention cost more. For example, trucking five litres of water per day to 80,000 people for five months in Ethiopia costs more than $3 million, compared to $900,000 to prepare water sources in the same area before a drought occurs. Such a proactive approach would mean more lives saved and less money spent. It is an approach that should be embraced at a time when accountability, aid effectiveness and proven outcomes are the focus of governments around the world.

About the HUMANITARIAN COALITION

With a combined presence in more than 120 countries, members of the HUMANITARIAN COALITION work together to reduce unnecessary competition, better educate the public on humanitarian needs and reduce administrative costs. Uniting the forces of CARE Canada, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Québec, Plan Canada and Save the Children Canada, the HUMANITARIAN COALITION makes donating easy for Canadians.

Canadians donate more than 672,000 gift-filled shoe boxes to the world's hurting children

2012-01-19T06:40:00.000-08:00

Operation Christmas Child donations in 2011 surpass 2010 donations by five per cent; online shoe box option helps those who missed collection deadline

CALGARY, January 18, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Thank you Canada, you did it again! Canadians donated 672,274 shoe boxes packed with toys, hygiene items, and school supplies during the 2011 Operation Christmas Child shoe box campaign that ended recently. That's five per cent more than the 2010 total of 640,714 boxes.

Operation Christmas Child staff, volunteers and partners have already begun distributing the 2011 shoe boxes in the developing world. During the next few weeks, children in Haiti, Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Argentina, Nicaragua, Chile, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Guatemala, and Venezuela will be receiving shoe boxes packed by caring Canadians.

"We're thrilled to be sending over 672,000 lovingly-packed shoe boxes of gifts to children around the world who need them most," said Randy Crosson, director of Operation Christmas Child Canada, a program of international Christian relief and development organization Samaritan's Purse Canada.

"Each shoe box is an opportunity to show hurting children they are loved by God and by us, and the generosity of Canadians will once again bless children who likely have never before received a gift."

Several thousand Canadians chose to pack their shoe boxes online this year. They took advantage of Operation Christmas Child's option that enables visitors to the website to choose shoe box gift items, write a personal note, add a photo, and make a donation - all of it online.

This option is available year-round for those who - for health reasons, scheduling challenges, or limited access to transportation - aren't able to shop for gifts and pack shoe boxes in the traditional way: ( http://samaritanspurse.ca/Operation-Christmas-Child/Virtual-Shoe-Box-Introduction.aspx).

All shoe boxes packed online in 2011, plus all shoe boxes from Quebec in 2011, are part of a 75,000- box commitment to Haiti, where the need for hope and a reminder of God's love remains very strong after a deadly earthquake and cholera epidemic in 2010.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and hand-delivered more than 94 million shoe box gifts to children in over 130 countries hurt by war, poverty, natural disaster, disease, and famine.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has been a vital project of Samaritan's Purse - a Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world.

The shoe box is just the beginning, because Operation Christmas Child is creating opportunities for Samaritan's Purse to provide other help to children, their families, and their communities through safe drinking water, literacy and job skills initiatives, feeding programs, medical care, and more.

Penguin Canada's new young-adult fiction brand comes to life online

2012-01-17T12:42:00.000-08:00

Razorbill.ca connects literature's hottest category with its most enthusiastic audience

TORONTO, January 17, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Today, Penguin Canada, a leader in young-adult fiction, launched Razorbill.ca, an online destination for the community, conversations and enthusiasm of today's expanding young-adult fiction audiences. Razorbill.ca gives young adults a forum to engage with contemporary authors and like-minded peers.

"Razorbill is a foundation for a lasting love of reading, a place to share fictional crushes, challenge villainous deeds, and visit the past, present and future, taking on the real issues of the day," said Lynne Missen, Penguin's Publishing Director for Young Readers.

Razorbill.ca is all about creating a unique experience for book enthusiasts. With exclusive access, members will be exposed to anticipated titles before they launch, be invited to live chats with critically acclaimed authors including Joseph Boyden, Hiromi Goto, Charles de Lint and Carrie Mac but most importantly, be part of an evolving community and conversation.

As recently reported in the Los Angeles Times, "Young adult continues to be the literary world's fastest-growing genre" with middle grade fiction also experiencing a renaissance, thanks in large measure to Harry Potter and the Twilight saga, which have ushered in an era of more adults reading young adult fiction than ever before. Further, the traditional demographic boundaries of the category have widened so extremely they are almost irrelevant.

"Young adult fiction hits a unique sweet spot," says Missen, "offering authentic entertainment for both teens and adults, as well as the opportunity to engage on real-life issues like bullying, suicide, love and relationships and mistakes."

The young-adult fiction category now includes some of the world's most popular names and authors. In the past year alone, writers including John Grisham, Kathy Reichs and Harlan Coben have crossed the genre line to write critically acclaimed books for young readers. Razorbill titles include Jay Asher's 13 Reasons Why, John Green's The Fault in our Stars and Playground, by 50 Cent. The first Canadian title to be published by Razorbill will be Hiromi Goto's Darkest Light , on-sale January 31st.

"The category is extremely diverse, concludes Missen. "There is quite literally a young adult fiction book for every reader."

About Razorbill (www.razorbill.ca)

Razorbill is an imprint dedicated to publishing the very best in young adult writing, showcasing both Canadian and international talent. Razorbill.ca is an online virtual community bringing together a wide range of readers, writers and reviewers of YA fiction.

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/razorbillca

Follow us on Twitter: Razorbill Books @RazorbillCA

About Penguin (www.penguin.ca)

Penguin Canada, founded in 1974, is one of the country's leading publishers of fiction and non-fiction, publishing an award-winning list of Canadian authors including Joseph Boyden, Randy Bachman, Adrienne Clarkson, Will Ferguson, Guy Gavriel Kay, Margaret MacMillan, Stuart McLean, Craig Oliver and John Ralston Saul. Penguin Group (www.penguin.com), one of the world's largest English-language trade book publishers, has established divisions and key market positions in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, India, China, South Africa, New Zealand and Ireland. The Penguin Group is part of Pearson, the international media company.

Solar Lanterns Replacing Kerosene With Self-Sustaining Revolving Loan Fund

2012-01-17T05:52:00.000-08:00

Solar Aid/Video screen capture

from TreeHugger.com
by Sami Grover - Energy / Renewable Energy
January 16, 2012

Recently Sierra Club chairman Carl Pope issued a call for international government-level investment in small-scale solar in Africa, arguing that a relatively small amount of money could save lives, transform communities and cut significant amounts of CO2 in the process. (The CO2 output from kerosene lanterns was said to almost equal the total emissions from the UK.)

But it's not just governments that can make a difference.

We've already seen charities developing solar solutions for isolated rural communities, and now Solar Aid and lantern-maker IndiGo are launching a revolving loan fund to keep the solar revolution spreading:

Kickstart is a new type of profitable, self-sustaining Revolving Fund that provides working capital to accelerate the roll-out of IndiGo pay-as-you-go solar lighting products in rural off-grid communities. Users receive high quality solar lighting and in-home phone charging, which they pay for on a weekly basis using scratchcards, just like a pay-as-you-go mobile phone. The revenues from the scratchcards recover the cost of the units and are returned to Kickstart to allow the deployment of additional units to new users. In this way, consecutive Kickstart investments revolve from the original fund, ensuring the money works harder to provide benefit to multiple users over time. Kickstart, accepts donations or defined-term, interest-free loans from impact investors, to provide working capital to stimulate the growth of pay-as-you-go solar products.

Given that solar is now cheaper than kerosene in many rural communities, it seems likely that market-driven solutions and micro-entrepreneurs will plan an increasingly large role in solar development in Africa. But it will be innovative financing models and savvy non-profit organizations that help to kick start that movement—overcoming cost of entry barriers, and beginning to disseminate a technology that will ultimately market itself...read the full story at TreeHugger.com

Canada Should Stand Firmly in Support of ALL Same-Sex Marriages

2012-01-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

TORONTO, January 12, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - In a statement released today, The United Church of Canada has called on the Canadian government to reassure non-resident same-sex couples, and the clergy who married them, that Canada recognizes their marriages as valid.

"The legitimacy of the love expressed in the covenant of marriage is not dependent on where a couple lives," says the church's Moderator, Mardi Tindal. "Canada recognizes same-sex marriage in its legislation, and therefore, all such marriages that are duly licensed should be considered legitimate."

Tindal adds that she's very concerned about the shock and pain that today's news headlines may have caused, given how long a struggle it has been for same-sex couples to be recognized in the first place.

"I have been married for several decades to a man I deeply love. I cannot even imagine how it would feel to be told my marriage is no longer valid," says Tindal.

The United Church of Canada is well-known for its advocacy in support of same-sex marriage. In a submission to the Supreme Court of Canada in 2004, the church argued that same-sex couples should have the right to be legally married. When the Canadian government introduced same-sex marriage legislation in 2005, the church called it a "win-win" solution.

At that time, the church said,

"Marriage will be enhanced, not diminished, religious freedom will be protected, not threatened, and Canadian society will be strengthened, not weakened, as a result of this legislation."

Tindal adds,

"If Canada is prepared to marry non-resident same-sex couples, then we must be prepared to work with them when a relationship ends and a couple seeks a divorce."

She explains that many United Church ministers have officiated in good faith at weddings for same-sex couples, providing a spiritual blessing to a legal commitment. It would be a significant disappointment, not only to the couples involved but also to the ministers who have performed these marriage ceremonies, to be told that some of these marriages are not valid.

"As followers of Jesus Christ, The United Church of Canada believes that God calls us foremost to an expansive love that crosses boundaries and borders," says Tindal. "We look forward to the government's confirmation that irrespective of the willingness of other states or countries to recognize same-sex marriage, Canada has and will stand by its decision."

Haiti two years later: "This is still a children's crisis"

2012-01-12T05:10:00.000-08:00

OTTAWA, January 12, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - Two years after the unthinkable 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti, significant progress has been made in reconstructing the country. Even so, Canadian NGO SOS Children's Villages warns that Haiti is still very much in a state of emergency and it is affecting children the most.

35% of the Haitian population is under the age of 15; half the population is under the age of 18. SOS Children's Villages has issued warnings that the number of abandoned children is rising steadily. SOS is working alongside other NGOs to urge the Haitian government, the UN Security Council and other international bodies to improve the quality of care for, and the legal situation of, the thousands of abandoned Haitian children.

"Because of poverty and impossible living conditions, families in Haiti are no longer able to provide for themselves," explains SOS Children's Villages Canada President Boyd McBride, "The situation of so many abandoned children in Haiti is dire."

McBride also stated,

"The crisis in Haiti is very much still a children's crisis. SOS is in the region doing what it can to support families and children, ensuring children have access to education and health care, providing needed social programs to enable mothers to continue to care for their children."

SOS Children's Villages, which has been active in Haiti since 1978, has been concentrating its long-term reconstruction efforts in the region on supporting children without parental care, supporting families at a community level and supporting schools.

During the first twelve months following the earthquake, SOS Children's Villages provided tens of thousands of children with food every day, giving medical care where needed and providing shelter to unaccompanied children. Over the past year, SOS has begun the transition to constructing new schools and expanding long-term social programs including:

...Supporting families and children in the districts of Port-au-Prince, Cap Haïtien and Les Cayes. The SOS Children's Villages goal is to strengthen the resources of the communities in order to enable the families, particularly women, to support themselves.

...Expanding the construction of schools: SOS Children's Villages is financing the construction of a community school and four public schools in Santo and the area of Les Cayes. SOS is also providing teacher training.

...SOS Children's Villages Canada have announced a new child protection program designed to reduce the number of Haitian children abandoned or separated from their families, and to improve the security and protection of children separated from their caregivers.

"With over half the population of Haiti under the age of 18, The reconstruction of Haiti continues to be a complex undertaking and we know from our work on the ground, Haitians are grateful to the many generous Canadians who have contributed to the process." notes Boyd McBride. "SOS has been in the region for 34 years. We're here for the long haul."

SOS Children's Villages provides children in need with a caring, loving, and secure family environment where basic needs for food, health, shelter, and education are met. SOS Children's Villages creates opportunities for children to become responsible, contributing members of society by providing Villages and community support where stable, nurturing homes exist to meet family, social, emotional and physical needs of children.

Pope Benedict XVI elevates Archbishop Thomas Collins to the College of Cardinals

2012-01-06T15:13:00.000-08:00

TORONTO, January 6, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - This morning following Mass at the Vatican, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, announced that His Grace, Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto, will be elevated to the College of Cardinals, an international group of principal advisors to the Pontiff.

Archbishop Collins commented on his appointment:

"I am deeply honoured that the Holy Father has called me to be a member of the College of Cardinals. I am grateful for the trust he has placed in me, and recognize this honour as a sign of his esteem for the role of Canada and of the Archdiocese of Toronto in the universal Church. I ask the people of the Archdiocese, whom I am privileged to serve as bishop, and all people in the community, to pray for me and for all who serve Our Lord through ministry in the Church."

Born and raised in Guelph, Ontario, Thomas Collins was ordained a priest in 1973. Pope John Paul II named him Bishop of St. Paul, Alberta in 1997 and Archbishop of Edmonton in 1999. Pope Benedict later appointed him as the 10th archbishop of Toronto on December 16, 2006.

The formal consistory, at which the new cardinals will be created, will take place February 18-19 in Rome. Cardinal-designate Collins will become the fourth cardinal in the 110-year history of the Archdiocese of Toronto and the 16th cardinal in the history of the Roman Catholic Church in Canada.

The College of Cardinals is convened at the discretion of the Holy Father to discuss issues of significance - most members serve on committees covering a variety of matters. When the papacy is vacant (ie. death of the pope), all cardinals under the age of 80 gather in Rome for a closed meeting, called a conclave, to elect a new pope.

The Archdiocese of Toronto is Canada's largest diocese, stretching from Toronto north to Georgian Bay and from Oshawa to Mississauga. It is home to 1.9 million Catholics and 225 churches, with Mass celebrated in more than 30 different languages each week

Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Campaign Surpasses Goal, Raises Record $20 Million

2012-01-04T05:23:00.000-08:00

TORONTO, January 4, 2012 /Canada NewsWire/ - This Christmas, donors across Canada helped support The Salvation Army's efforts to reduce poverty nationwide by donating more than $20 million to the annual Kettle Campaign. Funds raised in the nearly 2,000 kettles in stores, on street corners and online, will be used to support programs that help restore hope and dignity to more than 1.7 million each year throughout the country.

"We're incredibly grateful for the overwhelming generosity that helped us fill the kettles this year," said Graham Moore, Territorial Secretary for Public Relations and Development for The Salvation Army in Canada. "Meeting and surpassing our ambitious $19 million goal will help us meet the increased demand for our services and provide a sense of dignity for all throughout 2012."

This year marked the 120th anniversary of The Salvation Army's Christmas Kettle Campaign and the more than $20 million raised surpassed an all-time record. In addition to physical kettles located on street corners and shopping centres across the country, donors also had the option to give online at www.FilltheKettle.com.

"We owe the success of this year's campaign to everyone who donated, the thousands of volunteers who manned our kettles and the various malls, retail stores and shopping centres that welcomed us in this Christmas," said Graham Moore. "Without this support, we would not be able to raise the funds needed to address the dehumanizing scourge of poverty throughout the upcoming year."

The Salvation Army Christmas Campaign helps provide direct, compassionate, hands-on service to more than 1.7 million people in Canada each year. This annual campaign has grown into one of Canada's most significant and recognizable charitable events. Last year, more than $18 million was raised in kettles nationwide. The Salvation Army relies on the support of numerous corporate partners, including Walmart and Loblaw Companies Limited, which allow Christmas Kettles to be placed in their stores each year.

About The Salvation Army:

The Salvation Army is an international Christian organization that began its work in Canada in 1882 and has grown to become the largest non-governmental direct provider of social services in the country. The Salvation Army gives hope and support to vulnerable people today and everyday in 400 communities across Canada and more than 120 countries around the world. The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, providing shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction. When you give to The Salvation Army, you are investing in the future of marginalized and overlooked people in your community.

News releases, articles and updated information can be found at www.SalvationArmy.ca

Mental Health First Aid: The New Year's Resolution That May Save a Life

2011-12-24T06:58:00.000-08:00

CALGARY, December 22, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Mental Health Commission of Canada is asking Canadians to make Mental Health First Aid part of their New Year's resolutions for 2012.

"Mental Health First Aid has the same purpose as traditional first aid - to save lives," said Sandy Allen, Program Director, Mental Health First Aid (Canada). "There are more than 47,000 Canadians to date who have taken the training and we encourage everyone who hasn't to make it their New Year's resolution."

Nearly two million Canadians have a diagnosed mental disorder and another 1.6 million have a mental disorder that is undiagnosed. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a training course that teaches participants how to provide initial help for someone developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis.

Participants learn about specific mental health problems including signs and symptoms, risk factors, and how to assist the individual in finding professional help.

"Mental health problems are more common than most people realize, especially depression, anxiety and misuse of alcohol and other drugs," Allen said. "The stigma associated with mental health problems often hinders people from seeking help. MHFA Canada teaches people to react in a calm, confident and appropriate way to provide the best help they can."

"This course changes the way participants see people with a mental illness. After taking the Mental Health First Aid course, people have more confidence in their ability to reach out and assist someone who is experiencing a mental health crisis," said Pam Kollross, Mental Health Promoter, Alberta Health Services, who has been a MHFA Canada instructor for the past four years.

A basic training course is offered as well as a course for people who interact with youth. The cost of the two-day training course varies across the country with an average fee of $150. There are also instructor courses for qualified individuals who want to teach the course. More than 550 Canadians have been trained as MHFA instructors to date.

To find a course in your area, go to www.mentalhealthfirstaid.ca.

The MHFA program was developed by Professors Anthony Jorm and Betty Kitchener from the Centre for Mental Health Research at the Australian National University in 2001. MHFA (Canada) came under the leadership of the Mental Health Commission of Canada in February 2010.

For more information: Call 1-866-989-3985 or email mhfa@mentalhealthcommission.ca.

The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) is a catalyst for transformative change. Our mission is to work with stakeholders to change the attitudes of Canadians toward mental health problems and to improve services and support. Our goal is to help people who live with mental health problems lead meaningful and productive lives. The Mental Health Commission of Canada is funded by Health Canada. For more information about the MHCC please visit www.mentalhealthcommission.ca.

Prime opportunity to map out Canada's health-care future is now

2011-12-22T13:28:00.000-08:00

OTTAWA, December 21, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) is calling upon Canada's premiers and health ministers to define a vision for a health-care system that will meet the real needs of Canadians. With federal finance minister Jim Flaherty's announcement this week that health transfers will continue to increase at 6 per cent a year until 2016-2017, Canada's provinces and territories must now put the money to work and shape health-care reform.

"Canada's health-care system has a sound foundation, but it is clear changes within that frame are needed to improve access, efficiency and quality," said CNA president Judith Shamian. "Canada's nurses are looking to provinces and territories for leadership and a focused direction, which are needed now to transform the health-care system into one that fosters the healthiest population possible."

CNA, together with the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), developed a set of principles to guide Canada's premiers and health ministers as they map out health-care system transformation. Adopting these principles will strengthen and further develop a publicly funded, not-for-profit system that is sustainable and adequately resourced, and provide universal access to quality, patient-centred care in a timely and cost-effective manner. These guiding principles should be instrumental to Canada's premiers during their Council of the Federation meeting in January 2012, and in subsequent federal and provincial/territorial collaborations.

"Canadians deserve a better return on health-care investments," said Shamian. "The premiers need to refocus their approach to health care and base it on improving health outcomes and the performance of the system. The stage is set for federal and provincial leaders to work together to determine the targets and objectives that health system funding should help us achieve."

Despite an ongoing increase in spending, Canada's health-care system is lagging. In 1982, Canada was ranked 10th among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries in infant mortality rates — the overall best indicator of a society's health. By 2008, Canada slipped to 27 out of 34 OECD nations.

To build the best health-care system for Canada and stand out as one of the best globally, the principles set out by CNA and CMA recommend the government develop a pan-Canadian agreement that contains national health indicators linked to expected outcomes, realistic accountability measures for the transfer of funds, and more emphasis on primary care and chronic disease management. CNA urges the federal and provincial/territorial governments to work together, set targets and present solutions that will lead to better health for Canada's population — the true measure of accountability.

CNA is the national professional voice of registered nurses in Canada. A federation of 11 provincial and territorial nursing associations and colleges representing 143,843 registered nurses, CNA advances the practice and profession of nursing to improve health outcomes and strengthen Canada's publicly funded, not-for-profit health system.

The United Church of Canada's 2011 Christmas Message

2011-12-20T08:52:00.000-08:00

TORONTO, December 20, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The following is the 2011 Christmas message offered by The United Church of Canada's Moderator, Mardi Tindal.

When the angel Gabriel told Mary that she would bear the Son of God, "For nothing will be impossible with God," Mary answered, "Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."

What an amazingly powerful response to God's hope for the world. With Mary's response, Christ was born and the world came to know God's love in new form.

Christmas reminds us that we are people who carry God's hope for the world. We have learned that nothing is impossible when we are ready to answer with Mary, "Here we are, servants of the Lord. Let it be with us according to your word."

In Christmas Hope and Blessings,

Mardi Tindal
Moderator
The United Church of Canada

COP17 Closes: Long Live The Process, If Not Our Climate Or Our Future

2011-12-11T11:04:00.000-08:00

from TreeHugger.com
by Matthew McDermott - December 11, 2011 - Science / Climate Change

The COP17 climate talks in Durban have finally come to a close, some 36 hours later than they were scheduled to and, amazingly, making more progress than this author thought they would have. To the great tragedy of us all this progress still falls amazingly well short of what climate scientists say is needed. But at least this is officially acknowledged now.

The second paragraph of the COP17 document reads (emphasis in original):

Noting with grave concern the significant gap between the aggregate effect of Parties' mitigation pledges in terms of global annual emissions of greenhouse gases by 2020 and aggregate emission pathways consistent with having a likely chance of holding the increase in global average temperature below 2°C of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels,

And a few lines later launches into what to do about this: Keep negotiating towards a "protocol, legal instrument or legal outcome" with the work to be completed "as early as possible but no later than 2015" and to come into effect from 2020.

Negotiators also agreed to move forward with the Green Climate Fund, to help nations better adapt to the dangerous climate changes virtually assured by the lack of ambition shown in other parts of the negotiations. Eventually the Fund hopes to raise and distribute $100 billion per year.

Before moving on to the reaction from environmental groups, let's remember what the IEA recently said about the speed, or lack thereof, in which we are moving away from fossil fuels and the greenhouse gas emissions they create and what that means for the climate.

IEA chief economist Fatih Birol said that if we don't quickly and significantly move begin moving away from fossil fuels by 2017, "the door will be closed forever" on keeping temperature rise below 4°C.

And let's remember what happens above that degree of average temperature increase (also remembering that an average of 4°C means some places, like southern Europe and North Africa will increase by 8°C): Pretty much all hell breaks loose. We can assuredly kiss coral reefs goodbye, count on crop yield decreases of up to 40% in south, southeast, and east Asia, lock in meter-plus sea level rise by the end of this century, usher in widespread civil unrest resulting from resource shortages. And that's just the start of it, and the best of it, just the top-line stats-driven part of it. For the world's extreme poor, those people in Bangladesh, in low-lying island nations, in much of Africa, it's a death sentence.

Civilization itself might not end (as has been suggested without hint of hyperbole in recent days by commenters on the COP), but it certainly will look far far different, and for the more difficult, than anyone alive today has experienced before.

So, back to reactions.

WWF's Samantha Smith, who heads their global and energy initiative:

Governments did just enough to keep talking, but their job is to protect their people. They failed to do that here in Durban today....It is clear today that the mandates of a few political leaders have outweighed the concerns of millions, leaving people and the natural world we depend on at risk. Catastrophe is a strong world but it is not strong enough for a future with four degrees of warming.

Friend of the Earth International chair and Right Livelihood Award winner Nnimmo Bassey:

Delaying real action until 2020 is a crime of global proportions. An increase in global temperatures of 4°C, permitted under this plan, is a death sentence for Africa, small island states, and the poor and vulnerable worldwide. This summit has amplified climate apartheid, whereby the richest 1% of the world have decided that is acceptable to sacrifice the 99%.

Pablo Solón, former climate negotiator for Bolivia:

It is false to say that a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol has been adopted in Durban. The actual decision has merely been postponed to the next COP, with no commitments for emission reductions from rich countries.

In other words, between now and 2020 any emission reduction commitments are whatever individual nations voluntarily commit to. And we've seen how effective those have been, considering global emissions continue to rise, largely unchecked—as UNEP has amply demonstrated in its Emissions Gap Report.

COP17 may be seen as incremental progress, and plenty of pundits and insider NGOs are spinning it that way, but I have a hard time seeing how this amount of incremental progress does anything but ensure 4°C+ of warming, and the resulting environmental and social disasters it will assuredly bring about, comes to pass.

One final point to remember: At current and projected rates of temperature rise, 4°C may be reached by 2050, and surely by 2070. The time to decisively act was years ago, and the outcome of COP17 means nations don't have to take action until years from now—by which time it will be too late.

...read the full story at TreeHugger.com

Longing for Leadership at COP17

2011-12-10T05:09:00.000-08:00

TORONTO, December 9, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - As the United Nations climate change conference (COP17) draws to a close in Durban, South Africa, The United Church of Canada's Moderator, Mardi Tindal, writes in her daily blog that "the longing to see more leadership than politics runs deep here…"

Tindal is attending the COP17 conference as part of an international delegation of church leaders representing the World Council of Churches.

She writes,

"At a religious leaders' press conference this morning a journalist asked me about what is standing in the way of moral leadership from Canada. I said that we as Canadians must convince our minister and our other political leaders that we will follow them when they do the right things; that the political cost of giving climate change leadership is not as great as they might fear."

Tindal and fellow Canadian church leader the Rev. Willard Metzger, General Secretary of the Mennonite Church Canada, met with Canadian Environment Minister Peter Kent yesterday to discuss their views on Canada's role in addressing the problem of global climate change.

She writes that there was some reassurance in yesterday's meeting. "The minister understands and accepts the science of climate change and the magnitude of the problem. He spoke of 'real urgency' and 'a disaster in the making.'"

She adds, however, that she left yesterday's meeting feeling no more assured about Canada's willingness to give leadership.

"When asked about the moral and social justice frame within which Canada's position can be understood, the minister's answers were political: 'We're proud of our resources, our regulations, and our shared prosperity.' He spoke of how Canada is 'fulfilling our obligations.' There are many who have good reason to take issue with him on this point," writes Tindal.

Tindal concludes her blog by saying that there is still reason for hope and need for prayer.

"This [South Africa] is the land of miracles where leaders have risen in the confidence that when they do the right things the people will follow. South Africa did not achieve what it has with leaders who fearfully calculated political costs. It is up to us as citizens to make it clear that we will support the moral leadership for which we long."

To read the full text of Tindal's blog, go to www.wondercafe.ca/blogs/moderator-mardi.

The Co-operators donates $10,000 to help Goderich rebuild after tornado

2011-12-07T05:46:00.001-08:00

GUELPH, Ontario, December 6, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Co-operators announced a donation of $10,000 to the Goderich & Area Disaster Relief Fund to help residents rebuild from the devastating tornado that tore through the area on August 21.

The Fund aids homeowners, tenants, small businesses, farmers and non-profit organizations with expenses related to tornado damage that are not covered by insurance. Funds raised by The Goderich & Area Disaster Relief Committee will be matched up to a 2 to 1 ratio by the Province of Ontario.

"It is incredibly difficult on a number of levels for families and businesses to go through what the people of Goderich have had to get through over the past few months," said Kathy Bardswick, President and CEO of The Co-operators. "But in the face of such adversity, it's been remarkable how the community has come together to help one another and move forward."

To date, cheques amounting to just over $2 million have been issued to Co-operators clients to help them with the recovery and rebuilding process.

Many residential and industrial properties, including a number of historic buildings, were completely destroyed. The Co-operators office was one of the many buildings in the downtown commercial core rendered beyond repair. Both The Co-operators staff and the building's landlord are committed to rebuilding in the downtown core and continuing The Co-operators history of serving the residents of Goderich that dates back more than 30 years.

About The Co-operators:

The Co-operators Group Limited is a Canadian-owned co-operative with more than $41 billion in assets under administration. Through its group of companies it offers home, auto, life, group, travel, commercial and farm insurance, as well as investment products. The Co-operators is well known for its community involvement and its commitment to sustainability. The Co-operators is ranked #1 among the 50 Best Corporate Citizens in Canada by Corporate Knights, and listed among the 50 Best Employers in Canada. For more information visit www.cooperators.ca.

Caring and compassion are what make Guelph stand out.

2011-12-03T07:23:00.000-08:00

Arts and Culture flow through our veins.

We believe that Guelph possess something unique, something that you can't quite feel elsewhere. And with that comes leaders. People in our community who want to make a difference, not just in our city but all across the world.

With our attempt to bring Q with Jian Ghomeshi to town for a live broadcast from The River Run Centre, Guelph has selected a local charity that was founded in Guelph in 2005. It has changed lives right across the globe. All proceeds raised (besides those raised by the CBC) will go to this local cause.

That cause is Bracelet of Hope.

To learn more about Bracelet of Hope, visit www.braceletofhope.ca

The United Church of Canada's Moderator Mardi Tindal at the Interfaith Rally in Durban for COP17

2011-12-03T07:06:00.000-08:00

"A big thank you to Mardi Tindal for having agreed to come to Durban as part of the World Council of Churches delegation to the United Nations conference. She is so good at explaining why churches and Christians are called to speak out and act when creation is threatened, as an expression of their commitment to life, justice and love." from the WCC - World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service.

Designing Toys for Refugees No Child’s Play

2011-11-29T05:28:00.000-08:00

GUELPH, Ontario November 28, 2011 - University of Guelph News Release

Some 370 University of Guelph engineering students are using design ideas to make toys for refugee children around the world. The students will show more than 60 new toys in the new Thornbrough Building atrium late this month and will talk about their projects made for a first-year engineering design course on campus.

Taught by engineering professors Khosrow Farahbakhsh and David Lubitz, the course includes a design project. Last year, students made games to help teach math and science.

Farahbakhsh said this year

“we decided on toys for children in refugee camps as something that could make a positive impact in the world. Our students were asked to consider what the world would be like if we designed for the 90 per cent of the population that is not affluent.”

Groups of six Guelph students designed and built educational toys for children living in a refugee camp. Each group chose one camp from about 700 around the globe listed on the Internet.

They developed ideas and designs based on safety, functionality, materials and cost (no more than $50 to make the toy).

After reviewing foam prototypes, the students made toys that were shown to visiting high school students and families during science and engineering day held on campus earlier this month.

“Most people, at some point, think about how cool it would be if a toy did this or that. This project offers the students an opportunity to think about designing a cool toy, but not for themselves this time,” Farahbakhsh said. “In our field, it is important to be able to understand and design for the needs of others. It is quite demanding to understand the needs of people living in completely different circumstances and lacking our resources.”

The toys will be judged by two panels of non-engineers, one a group of students. The other panel will comprise U of G president Alastair Summerlee, a member of the Right to Play organization, a representative from Novus Environmental (a Guelph based company specializing in the fields of atmospheric sciences, acoustics, and human health with a goal of harmonizing the built and natural environments), and possibly an epidemiologist.

The toys for refugee children will be on display Nov. 30, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., along with promotional materials, assembly instructions and user manuals.

Millions Face Potential Food Crisis in West Africa

2011-11-27T06:54:00.000-08:00

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, November. 26, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - World Vision staff in West Africa are warning that the countries of Niger, Mauritania and Mali are on the brink of major food shortages.

A number of international agencies, including the United States Agency for International Development and the European Commission's humanitarian relief organization, are reporing that inadequate rainfalls, combined with reports of grasshopper infestations, are causing major production shortfalls in rice and grain crops. This could lead to food shortfalls in West Africa in early 2012.

"The combination of problems affecting the region is reducing the likelihood of a successful harvest," warns David Mbugua, World Vision's Agriculture and Food Security Specialist. Mbugua adds that many of World Vision's Area Development Programs (ADPs) in the southern region of Mauritania are affected by the current situation.

World Vision staff in West Africa are working with the World Food Programme to develop a number of cash-for-work and food-for-work programs. These programs, which would provide support for nearly 65,000 people, are also being supplemented by increasing clinical support to assist a stream of mothers with malnourished children.

"World Vision is urging the international community to provide help for children and their families in the affected countries in West Africa," says Caroline Riseboro, Vice President, Marketing and Public Affairs for World Vision Canada. "By acting now, we can avoid a repeat of the humanitarian crisis that has occurred in Horn of Africa in 2011."

For more information about World Vision Canada, visit www.worldvision.ca

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Visit our News Centre at worldvision.ca

United Church Urges Caution with Regard to Omnibus Crime Bill

2011-11-24T10:46:00.000-08:00

TORONTO, November 24, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - In a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, The United Church of Canada has urged the government

"to reconsider the provisions of Bill C-10 dealing with the imposition of minimum sentences; and to separate the provisions of the omnibus bill to allow for consideration of the potential impacts of its component parts."

The church's letter notes its appreciation for improvements to certain aspects of the criminal legislation but also expresses grave concern with some parts of the bill—particularly its impact on Canada's Aboriginal peoples.

"The Government of Canada shares culpability with The United Church of Canada and other historic mission churches for the legacy of residential schools and the lasting effects this legacy continues to have on Canada's Aboriginal peoples," writes the church.

Part of the lasting and damaging impact of the legacy of Canada's residential schools lives on in the disproportionate representation of Aboriginal people in our country's prisons, explains the church.

Echoing concerns raised by other organizations about the proposed legislation, the United Church's letter highlights curtailing conditional sentencing and imposing mandatory minimum sentences as two aspects of Bill C-10 that would have a particularly negative impact on Aboriginal offenders.

The full text of The United Church of Canada's letter to the Prime Minister is posted on the United Church's website: www.united-church.ca/communications/news/releases/111124.

Religious Leaders Gather in Toronto to Review Commitment to HIV

2011-11-23T09:38:00.000-08:00

"As a religious leader, I am convinced that my faith must be more visible and active to halt the spread of HIV and reverse this pandemic."

TORONTO, November 23, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - This is the opening line of the personal commitment to action signed by over 450 religious leaders in the past twenty months. In the commitment (www.hivcommitment.net) the leaders outline specific ways they will commit to breaking the silence that surrounds HIV and AIDS and to overcome stigma and discrimination.

Next week, leading up to World AIDS Day on December 1, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish and Muslim leaders from around the world will meet at the national office of The Presbyterian Church in Canada in Toronto to assess progress in fulfilling this commitment.

The fifteen leaders, including religious leaders living with HIV, will be joined by people living with HIV, and representatives of organizations active in the response to HIV, including UNAIDS, World AIDS Campaign, United Nations Population Fund and Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+). They will be assessing efforts to implement the recommendations of the Summit of High Level Religious Leaders in Response to HIV, held in the Netherlands in March 2010 and discussing ways to strengthening religious leadership in the response to HIV.

A report, highlighting how these religious leaders and their faith communities are fulfilling this commitment and recommendations for future actions, will be released for World AIDS Day.

The meeting will be held November 29-30 and is organized by the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance (www.e-alliance.ch), based in Geneva, Switzerland, and is hosted at the national office of The Presbyterian Church in Canada (www.presbyterian.ca).

Climate Change Requires Global Solutions, Say Faith Leaders

2011-11-23T05:09:00.000-08:00

TORONTO, November 22, 2011 - United Church of Canada

Later this month, Mardi Tindal, the Moderator of The United Church of Canada, will join faith leaders from around the world as they gather to bear witness at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa.

Tindal will be attending the conference as part of a World Council of Churches delegation. She and the Rev. Willard Metzger, General Secretary of the Mennonite Church Canada , will be representing a diverse group of Canadian faith leaders from many different religious traditions and faith-based organizations. The message they will carry with them to Durban is an interfaith call of solidarity for leadership and action on climate change.

“Climate change is a planetary crisis that knows no borders,” says Tindal. “There is one human family and one Earth that is our common homeland.”

Tindal explains that the teachings of our faiths tell us that the best interests of one group or nation are served by pursuing the best interests of all. Climate change is a global crisis and requires global solutions that put the well-being of all people first—especially the most vulnerable.

“The world’s religious traditions teach us to look beyond ourselves—individually and collectively—now and for future generations, as we confront the crisis of ocean and climate change,” comments Tindal.

She says that at its root the unprecedented human contribution to climate change is symptomatic of a spiritual deficit: excessive self-interest, destructive competition, and greed have given rise to unsustainable patterns of production and consumption.

She adds that the Canadian Interfaith Call for Leadership and Action on Climate Change [PDF: 6 pp/102 KB] argues that the foundations for a sustainable economy must include the values of restraint, cooperation, and reciprocity.

“As religious leaders, we see people as more than consumers with unlimited appetites,” says Tindal. “We believe we must work together in transforming cultures of self-interest and unprecedented consumption into cultures of justice for all.”

Tindal believes the November 28–December 9, 2011, 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in South Africa has the potential to be a transition point where we, as a global community, change how we think about and act to address climate change.

“Our environment is the natural source of our wealth and the home of millions of species for which we are planetary stewards,” says Tindal. “How long can we barter this priceless inheritance for the promise of growing economic returns?”

Tindal explains that Canadian faith leaders are calling for leadership to put the long-term interest of humanity and the planet ahead of short-term economic and national concerns.

She says some countries are far more adversely affected by climate change than others as they experience major changes in weather patterns. They know the impact of rising seas and erosion of lands, leading to drought or flooding. These countries are most often among the poorest and least equipped to respond.

Tindal says it is time for all of humanity to take stock of our collective behaviour and to transform cultures of consumerism and waste into cultures of sustainability.

“Our everyday choices about food, transportation, clothing, and entertainment are all practical expressions of what we value,” says Tindal.

At the same time, disconnections between our professed beliefs and our daily actions indicate our need for personal and collective awareness and transformation.

Tindal explains we need to seek coherence between our beliefs and our actions, so that our lives and consumption habits reflect our relationship with the rest of humanity and Earth itself.

“Humanity’s relationship with the environment has become distorted by actions that compromise the welfare of future generations of life,” she says. “We have a moral imperative to act.”

Former United Church Moderator Bill Phipps Fasts for Courage at Climate Change Conference

2011-11-22T10:14:00.000-08:00

CALGARY, November 22, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - On Sunday, November 27, 2011, former United Church Moderator, the Very Rev. Dr. Bill Phipps, will begin a 10-day fast in support of the political, religious, and civil society leaders who will be gathering in Durban, South Africa, for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP17).

"My fast is a prayer of hope, encouragement, and solidarity for the leaders who gather there," explains Phipps. "Giving up food is my offering, an embodiment of the struggle to save our fragile world."

Phipps conducted a similar fast in 2009 when the UN climate change talks were held in Copenhagen. He says he believes that bold decisions at COP17 are even more urgently needed than they were two years ago.

"Since the meetings in Copenhagen, climate change has accelerated. I feel that humanity's future is in grave peril," says Phipps. "For the healthy future of our earthly home, I believe the Durban meetings are a critical moment in human history."

Phipps, an outspoken activist, says his fast is a form of prayer, not a protest. He explains that fasting is part of many ancient spiritual and religious traditions. It is used by people who want to clear the mind and body and focus on Spirit.

"I believe that a sustainable tomorrow is a spiritual question," he says. "Each and all of us bear responsibility for the ecological legacy we leave for future generations."

Throughout his fast, Phipps will be inviting members of churches, other faiths, and the general public to offer their own prayers for the planet during the meetings in Durban, November 28-December 9, 2011.

In particular, Phipps says he will be holding The United Church of Canada's current Moderator, Mardi Tindal, in his prayers. Tindal will be attending COP17 as part of a World Council of Churches delegation.

During his fast, Phipps also plans to visit the constituency offices of various political leaders, including those of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Alberta Premier Alison Redford. The schedule of those visits can be found at http://www.billphipps.ca/fast-for-courage.html.

The Heart of Christmas (Official Music Video) - Matthew West

2011-11-17T06:05:00.000-08:00

Last Christmas, Matthew West released a touching video, One Last Christmas inspired by the true story of the Locke Family and their quest to make one final Christmas wish for their son come true.

This year, Matthew delivers yet again another heart-warming and beautiful song, The Heart of Christmas as the title song from the GMC movie The Heart of Christmas based on this incredible story of the Locke family and the community that gave this little boy one last Christmas.

This is truly a Christmas must-see!!

Canadians Give a Darn by Giving A Day

2011-11-16T08:50:00.000-08:00

TORONTO, November 15, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - In support of The Stephen Lewis Foundation and Dignitas International, Give a Day celebrates its 8th year. A simple yet powerful way to make a real difference in the struggle against AIDS in Africa, the Give a Day initiative encourages Canadians to respond to the HIV/AIDS pandemic by giving one day's pay on World AIDS Day, December 1, to either The Stephen Lewis Foundation or Dignitas International or both. To date, Canadians have raised over $3,000,000 through Give a Day.

"The AIDS pandemic will be halted when we assert that the current situation is intolerable and the solutions are within our grasp. Be part of the answer. Please, give a day." - Dr. Jane Philpott, Founder of Give A Day

2011 Give a Day Campaign

The 2011 campaign is well underway. This year, ten law firms, hundreds of articling students, healthcare professionals from more than twelve hospitals, and several communities are running Give a Day events.

How it Works

Give a Day recommends participants donate to two excellent recipient organizations: the Stephen Lewis Foundation ( www.stephenlewisfoundation.org) which provides funding to grassroots organizations that are turning the tide of HIV/AIDS in Africa, and/or Dignitas International ( www.dignitasinternational.org), a medical humanitarian organization working to increase access to life-saving treatment and prevention.

The money raised helps keep children in school where both nutrition and education are provided; helps provide community support for those attempting to deal with the tremendous losses they've suffered; and provides treatment, care and support to children and adults who are dealing with HIV/AIDS in Africa on a daily basis.

What You Can Do

Host a Give a Day Harambee: "a party with a purpose" to raise funds and awareness about HIV/AIDS. Make it a fun theme party or just because!

Join the challenge and donate a day's pay !

New Documentary Chronicles the Nativity Story through the Eyes of Five Canadians

2011-11-16T08:03:00.000-08:00

Must See TV Series of the Christmas Season

TORONTO, November 16, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - What happens when the paths of five strangers intersect in the Middle East on a search for the truth about Christmas?

Tricord Media, Crossroads Television System (CTS), Aboriginal People's Television Network (APTN) and Windborne Productions are proud to present Journey to Christmas; a 21st Century meets the 1st Century television experience.

The four part documentary series follows the epic voyage five diverse Canadians take to Israel and Palestine and their examination of the hype and history surrounding the virgin birth of Christ.

Renowned scholar and television commentator Nazir Shaheen guides an unusual cast of characters, which includes an agnostic, an artist, a skeptical radio talk-show host, a native youth worker, and a singer-songwriter on their nativity quest. Highlighted by breathtaking high definition cinematography, Shaheen takes this group of modern day 'wisemen' to fascinating historical and archeological sites.

Journey to Christmas also includes appearances by Canadian astrophysicist Hugh Ross who examines the science behind the star of Bethlehem, and Paul Maier, Professor of Ancient History at the University of Western Michigan.

Journey to Christmas premieres December 3rd and 4th on CTS and repeats December 19th on APTN.

A pre-screening of Journey to Christmas will take place November 22nd at 3:00pm at the National Film Board of Canada Mediatheque studios in Toronto.

JOURNEY TO CHRISTMAS has an interactive website www.journeytochristmas.com The website features extra scenes from the production, blogs from the participants, expanded commentary on aspects of the story from the experts, location information and insights from the makers of the documentary.

ABOUT TRICORD MEDIA

Tricord Media is an international distributor of faith and family values entertainment content, based in the Greater Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada. It is a non-profit corporation that supports content that has a positive moral message, to inspire people to transform lives and communities. Tricord Media strives to bring spiritually uplifting and wholesome programs for all family members to enjoy. www.tricordmedia.ca

Recycled Plastic Bottle House Built in Nigeria

2011-11-14T12:37:00.000-08:00

photo credit: © Andreas Froese/ECOTEC

from TreeHugger.com
by Jennifer Hattam - Design / Green Architecture

Thousands of pieces of trash that would otherwise be clogging waterways and landfills in Nigeria have been turned into sturdy, and surprisingly attractive, construction materials in the village of Yelwa, where the country's first plastic-bottle house is drawing curious visitors and plenty of press.

"Hundreds of people -- including government officials and traditional leaders -- have been coming to see how the [house's] walls are built in the round architectural shape popular in northern Nigeria," the BBC reported this week.

Stronger Than Conventional Construction

The bottles are actually filled with dry soil or construction waste, not sand (an "unnecessary expense"), John Haley of ECOTEC, the firm that is training local masons in the technique, told TreeHugger.com in an email. They are then laid in rows like bricks and bound together with mud, producing a sturdy, well-insulated, and inexpensive three-room structure that is resistant to both bullets and earthquakes.

"In Nigeria millions of plastic bottles are dumped into waterways and landfill each year causing pollution, erosion, irrigation blockages, and health problems. Bottle houses take this dangerous waste out of the environment and make it useful," the environmental blog Eco Nigeria wrote earlier this year as the construction was in progress.

Bottle House To Be Energy Self-Sufficient

Used plastic bottles were collected from hotels, restaurants, homes, and embassies starting in December 2010 to accumulate the estimated 7,800 needed to build the inaugural home in Yelwa following applications of the technique in India and Central and South America.

According to Eco Nigeria, the bottle house will be "solar powered, with a fuel-efficient clean cook stove, urine filtration fertilization systems, and water purification tanks, thereby making it energy autonomous." Next up: A 220,000-bottle school.

read the full story at TreeHugger.com

Controversy over that Viral 'Murmuration' Video

2011-11-12T08:34:00.000-08:00

© Screenshot of 'Murmuration' on Vimeo

from TreeHugger.com
by Jeff Kart - Science / Natural Sciences

Here's a new word for some of us: Murmuration. See the video for a view. It's a sight to behold. A river of nature. A flock of starlings flying together above the water in Ireland.

What does the term mean? Murmuration is a collective noun for starlings. Like a murder of crows, just less well known.

The Vimeo video, posted by Sophie Windsor Clive, is two minutes long, with some still shots mixed in. It has close to 600 comments so far, most of them a variation on "Wow!"

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

Just like the birds, this video has taken flight on the Internet. MSNBC notes that Liberty Smith also was part of the experience, and that the film, taken on Ireland's Shannon River, was submitted to a World Wildlife Fund competition.

But ... there's a question as to its chances of winning.

The WWF competition is called "Life. Nature. You. Make the Connection." The contest is now closed, but entries can be found on WWF's Vimeo site.

A discussion on the Vimeo site revolves around the possibility that the murmuration video was edited to meet a 2-minute time limit for the contest. A longer version of a video, also by Clive and Smith, and also called "Murmuration," was submitted to other contests, which appears to break the WWF contest rules requiring original content.

So it's being speculated that the magical starlings won't win the prize (at least in this case). An 8-minute "Murmuration" video by Clive and Smith was part of the London Short Film Festival in 2010, among other contests.

read more story at TreeHugger.com

U of G Environmental Learning Hub Officially Opens, Honours Lincoln Alexander

2011-11-11T12:53:00.000-08:00

GUELPH, Ontario November 10, 2011 - University of Guelph News Release

The University of Guelph today officially opened Alexander Hall, a cutting-edge, $33.6-million environmental teaching and learning hub that honours the University’s chancellor emeritus, Lincoln Alexander.

Alexander, who served an unprecedented five terms as U of G’s chancellor, attended the event along with government and University representatives.

“I am honoured to have this building named for me and very proud to be a member of the University of Guelph community,” Alexander said.

President Alastair Summerlee said naming the building after Alexander is a fitting tribute.

“He has devoted his life to making a difference and to being an advocate for education, and this building will stand as a symbol of his contributions and dedication,” he said.

“It’s the perfect name for a facility that is all about innovation, change and world improvement.”

Alexander Hall brings together the University’s expertise in environmental research and teaching. Construction started in 2009 with retrofitting and renovation of the Axelrod Building. Federal and provincial funding was provided under the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, intended to enhance post-secondary infrastructure.

The revamped 130,000-square-foot building houses faculty and students from a variety of campus departments, including the School of Environmental Sciences, the School of Engineering, the School of Fine Art and Music, and the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development.

The building showcases innovations and green technologies, and will support research to improve air, water and soil quality. By replacing many units currently housed in portables or older greenhouses, the building will help reduce the University’s deferred-maintenance costs and improve energy efficiency.

Alexander, a former lieutenant-governor of Ontario, was appointed U of G chancellor in 1991 and served for five terms, a record among Canadian universities. In 2007, he was named chancellor emeritus to recognize his years of dedication to the University.

Alexander was first elected MP for Hamilton West in 1968. He was Canada’s first black MP, the first black chair of the Workers’ Compensation Board and the first visible minority to hold the post of lieutenant-governor.

Ontario schools and buildings and a highway have been named after him. Three U of G awards also carry his name: the Lincoln Alexander Outstanding Leadership Award, the Lincoln Alexander Medal of Distinguished Service and the Lincoln Alexander Chancellor’s Scholarship.

Royal Society of Canada Expert Panel • End-of-Life Decision Making

2011-11-10T13:24:00.000-08:00

OTTAWA, November 9, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - End-of-Life Decision Making constitutes one the most serious social and ethical issues facing all developed countries.

On October 27, 2009, the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) announced the commissioning of an Expert Panel, consisting of eminent scholars and chaired by Prof. Udo Schuklenk, Professor of Philosophy and Ontario Research Chair in Bioethics, Queen's University. The Panel was given a mandate to consider the large body of medical science evidence that, if summarized for the public, would be helpful to their consideration of the issue. The panel was also requested to review the evidence and experience from the various jurisdictions that permit physician-assisted death.

While the RSC itself does not have an opinion on these matters, the panel was struck as a service to Canadians, who would benefit greatly from having a careful, balanced review of various pros and cons of the decriminalization of physician-assisted death from well-reasoned ethical and legal standpoints.

On November 15, 2011, the Expert Panel will release its report at a press conference in Ottawa, Ontario. Also on November 15, the report will become publicly and freely available for download on the website of the Royal Society of Canada at: www.rsc-src.ca/expertpanels_reports.php

The main messages that are elaborated upon in the report include:

...What are the principal challenges facing Canadians with respect to End-of-Life Decision Making?

...How does Canada perform in terms of ensuring access to high quality palliative care?

...What are some of the primary legal questions that would benefit from clarification?

...Does the evidence support claims that decriminalization of assisted dying will result in vulnerable persons being subject to abuse, or to a slippery slope from voluntary to non-voluntary euthanasia?

...Should assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia be legal? Why or why not?

Canada's Bay of Fundy in line for New7Wonders of Nature list, and there's still time to vote

2011-11-10T11:15:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER, November 9, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Home to the highest tides in the world, Canada's Bay of Fundy, located between the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, sees 100 billion tons of seawater flow in and out of the bay twice a day, creating tides that reach the height of a four-storey building. That's huge, huge enough to land it a spot amongst the 28 prestigious global finalists competing to be a New7Wonder of Nature. There is still 1 day left to vote for the Bay of Fundy.

Vote here New7Wonder of Nature

Faith in the Workplace: Exploring Canada's Rapidly Changing Employment Landscape

2011-11-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

-- First-of-its-Kind Conference Brings Together Leading Authorities on Faith and Economic Growth --

TORONTO, November 8, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - On November 9th, Canada's foremost experts on immigration, economic development and faith-related issues converge in Toronto for a dynamic conference surrounding culture and faith in the workplace. Hosted by KPMG and presented by leading not-for-profit organization, Skills for Change -- a specialist in employment success for internationally educated professionals -- the conference features a keynote address by Senator Don Meredith, a provocative panel discussion and an opportunity to speak with prominent Canadian employers invested in diversity hiring, including Scotiabank, Home Depot and the University of Toronto.

Faith and culture is now emerging as one of the most pressing issues for Canadian companies. In fact, the Conference Board of Canada forecasts that by 2015, 100% of Canada's workforce will be replaced through immigration. Employers embracing the explosive benefits of diversity hiring will be better positioned for success. The diversity@work conference presents an opportunity to hear from a distinct group of thought-leaders on the front lines of support and integration of new Canadians into society and the workplace.

About Skills for Change

For thirty years, Canadian not-for-profit, Skills for Change, has been providing strategic support and employment solutions to internationally educated professionals, helping people arriving in Canada connect with companies invested in diversity hiring. Courses are developed to assist professionals in obtaining the certification needed to meet Canadian employment standards. Career transitioning for international medical doctors and engineers, technical skills certification for tradespeople and specialized English-as-a-second-language studies are just some of the programs offered. For more information, please visit skillsforchange.org

Coping with Occupy London Proves Tough: St. Paul's Cathedral Loses 3 Senior Church Officials

2011-11-03T06:53:00.000-07:00

B. Alter/ CC BY 2.0

from TreeHugger.com
Bonnie Alter
Corporate Responsibility

Occupy London, which is taking place mainly in front of St. Paul's Cathedral, has been on a roller coaster ride.

In the past week, three senior St. Paul's Cathedral officials have quit, eviction has been threatened and withdrawn and now the Bishop of London supports their stay. How did it all go so wrong and then so right?

First the Canon of St. Paul's, Giles Fraser resigned last week. He had publicly stated to the protesters that they could stay on the grounds in front of the Church. Then the Church threatened to take legal action to remove the 220 tents in the encampment, so he quit. Then the Dean, the Right Reverend Graeme Knowles, resigned because it had been his (bad) idea to close the church for "health and safety" reasons last week. It was the first time that the Church had been closed since World War II and things looked really bad for the Church, in the public's eyes.

The Church threatened immediate legal action to evict the protesters. The lawyers were lined up: Occupy London had a prominent lawyer who had agreed to argue their case for free.

Then the Church withdrew the threat of legal action. Embarrassed by the uproar in response to this suggestion, they backed down and the Bishop of London has now stated that "the symbolism of the closed door was the wrong symbol." The Bishop has also asked a former investment banker to help "reconnect the financial with the ethical."

In the meantime, the campaign Occupy London continues and has opened another branch near the Tate Modern museum, far from the action in the central part of London.

As for the camp itself, reports vary. Newspapers on the right are reporting that the atmosphere has deteriorated, with lots of sex and drugs, whilst The Guardian is delighted that celebrities such as Vivienne Westwood have visited.

The sad part is that the whole focus on the important issues has been sidelined in the face of the drama between the church and the organizers. The two sides have now pledged to work together with the Bishop calling the activists "people with admirable passion as well as people in some distress." The activists have agreed to possibly reduce the size of the camp and limit their impact on the cathedral during busy times.

Read the full story here

U of G Business Professor's Research on Millennial Generation Makes Headlines

2011-11-03T05:28:00.000-07:00

GUELPH, Ontario November 02, 2011 - University of Guelph - In the News

University of Guelph business professor Sean Lyons appears today in the Globe and Mail and in Maclean’s magazine online. The articles discuss the results of his three-year study on career and wage expectations of “millennial students” born in 1980 or later.

The study by Lyons, Linda Schweitzer of Carleton University and Eddy Ng of Dalhousie University was released this week on the researchers’ website, www.gencareershift.ca.

The study looked at 3,000 Canadians who were working or seeking employment. The researchers found that millennial students expect average first-year salaries of $48,860 for men and $42,060 for women. Those figures match actual earnings of current university graduates.

But asked what salary they expect after five years, women said they expect to make an average of $67,766, and men said $84,868. That would require salaries to increase by between 12 per cent and nearly 15 per cent a year, compared with the actual average increase of three per cent.

Millennials also believe that six-figure incomes are normal, although only about four per cent of Canadians earn more than $100,000.

They also consider it acceptable to change jobs often, citing reasons such as time off for travel and family time.

Lyons says parents, teachers and employers perpetuate students’ misperceptions about opportunities and high salaries after graduation.

The complete findings are available online.

Lyons studies workplace demographics, especially the challenges of managing diverse employees varying from twentysomethings to seniors. People are especially interested in the millennial generation, he says.

In an article in U of G’s Portico magazine in 2008 — the year he joined the College of Management and Economics — Lyons said: “I knew this was going to happen because, as a professor, I’ve seen some of these same changes in the classroom in terms of attitude and values. I knew this tsunami was going to eventually hit the workplace.” Read more

Raffi Releases "Letter to a Nation"

2011-11-01T06:29:00.000-07:00

Raffi produced “Letter To A Nation” on Salt Spring Island where he lives. The recording blends Raffi’s acoustic guitar with piano (Patrick Godfrey), violin (Sharon Stanis) & orchestral sounds. His local friends form a vocal chorus featuring 14 year old Eliza Moat, a student at Salt Spring Secondary School.

Raffi Releases "Letter to a Nation" - Inspired by Jack Layton (1950 - 2011) - Like so many Canadians across the country and across party lines, Raffi was deeply saddened by the loss of Canadian New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton.

“In his last letter to Canadians, Jack Layton expressed a spirit of cooperation and positivity that resonated strongly with me and with many Canadians. This message was so widely shared immediately after his passing, I wanted to capture its wisdom in song to help us remember,” says Raffi, who in recent years has written songs inspired by the likes of Nelson Mandela, Jane Goodall, and the Dalai Lama.

“Layton’s last words gave Canada a historic moment. His message of love, hope, and optimism transcend politics—these are enduring values for young and old to embrace.”

Raffi recorded “Letter To A Nation” on Salt Spring Island where he lives, after sharing the song demo with Olivia Chow (Layton’s wife) who gave the song her blessing and expressed her support for its sharing.

"This song really touched me, as I'm sure it will touch countless people. Jack believed so deeply in the ability of young people to change the world. I hope today's children are as inspired by this song and by Jack's legacy."
Olivia Chow, MP

Click to download the song, and please Share!

Download lyrics and sheet music for piano (with guitar chords).

Watch on YouTube

“LETTER TO A NATION”
SONG CREDITS

Raffi ~ guitar & vocals / Patrick Godfrey ~ piano
Sharon Stanis ~ violin / Eliza Moat ~ supporting vocal
Vocal chorus ~ Jack Woodward, Glenda Woodward,
Alisa Stanton, Blaise Selby, Eliza Moat

Recorded by Ken Burke and Patrick Godfrey
Produced by Raffi on Salt Spring Island

Canadian interfaith leaders call for climate change action

2011-11-01T05:55:00.000-07:00

from Embassy Magazine
By Fred Hiltz
Published Oct 31, 2011

As governments throughout the world prepare for the next global climate change summit, COP 17, later this month, Canadian faith leaders urge them to take collective action by signing and implementing a binding international agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol that commits nations to slash carbon emissions.

The following is an excerpt of an open letter from 26 Canadian leaders of faith community and faith-based organizations, released earlier this week.

Signatories include representatives of the: Anglican Church of Canada (Most Rev. Fred Hiltz), Association of Progressive Muslims of Canada, Canadian Council of Imams, Quakers, Ethiopian Orthodox Church of Canada, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Federation of Hindu Temples of Canada, Mennonite Church Canada, Bahá'ís, Presbyterian Church in Canada, United Church of Canada, Citizens for Public Justice, Faith and the Common Good, and KAIROS.

We, representatives of Canadian faith communities, are united in our conviction that the growing crisis of climate change needs to be met by solutions that draw upon the moral and spiritual resources of the world’s religious traditions.

We recognize that at its root the unprecedented human contribution to climate change is symptomatic of a spiritual deficit: excessive self-interest, destructive competition, and greed have given rise to unsustainable patterns of production and consumption. Humanity’s relationship with the environment has become distorted by actions that compromise the welfare of future generations of life.

Our faith traditions and sacred texts call upon us all—individuals, civil society, businesses, industry, and governments—to consider the spiritual dimensions of the crisis of ocean and climate change; to take stock of our collective behaviour; to transform cultures of consumerism and waste into cultures of sustainability; and to respect the balance between economic activity and environmental stewardship.

The Nov. 29-Dec. 9 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 17) conference in South Africa has the potential to be a transition point—where we, as a global community, change how we think and act.

The challenge of climate justice

Climate change is a planetary crisis that knows no borders. Some countries are far more adversely affected by climate change than others. They are experiencing major changes in weather patterns. They know the impact of rising seas and erosion of lands, leading to drought or flooding. These countries are most often among the poorest and least equipped to respond.

Many countries are suffering from the long-term consequences of unrestrained carbon emissions that damage the atmosphere. We believe all nations need to adopt energy policies that result in actual emission reductions to a fair and safe global level. Organizations, businesses, and individuals have similar duties to reduce their emissions.

For high-income nations such as Canada, justice demands that our governments shoulder a greater share of the economic burden of adaptation and mitigation—first and foremost, because of access to greater means, but also because of an historic role in contributing to its causes. We have a moral imperative to act.

A call for leadership and action

We call for leadership to put the long-term interest of humanity and the planet ahead of short-term economic and national concerns.

The teachings of our faiths tell us that the best interests of one group or nation are served by pursuing the best interests of all people. There is one human family and one Earth that is our common homeland. Climate change is a global crisis and requires global solutions that put the well-being of all people first—especially the most vulnerable.

Furthermore, our environment is the natural source of our wealth and the home of millions of species for which we are planetary stewards. How long can we barter this priceless inheritance for the promise of growing economic returns?

In our neighbourhoods and communities, and in businesses and organizations, we need to change wasteful patterns of production and consumption. This calls for a cultural transformation that brings the values of sustainability to the forefront of public consciousness—and into more responsible practices. We cannot wait for others to act but instead must lead by example.

Religious organizations, public institutions and businesses all have important roles to play in promoting ethical consumption and more sustainable lifestyles and practices in their everyday operations.

We speak respectfully to our political leaders, who have been entrusted with authority by Canadians. We ask that you act with due regard for the values of both religion and science, looking objectively on the problems confronting our planet. Climate science points to a future of greater instability and unpredictability, problems that can be addressed by action today. We stand ready to work alongside you to promote a future of security, prosperity, and justice—for humankind, and the whole of creation.

As you carry out your responsibilities at COP 17, we urge you to honour the values we have described and adopt the following policy goals:

- in the spirit of global solidarity, take collective action by signing and implementing a binding international agreement replacing the Kyoto Protocol that commits nations to reduce carbon emissions and set fair and clear targets that ensure global average temperatures stay below a 2 C increase from pre-industrial levels;

- demonstrate national responsibility by committing to national carbon emission targets and a national renewable energy policy designed to achieve sustainability;

- implement climate justice, by playing a constructive role in the design of the Green Climate Fund under United Nations governance, and by contributing public funds to assist the poorest and most affected countries to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.

We believe these to be practical and critical measures necessary to secure the well-being of the planet for future generations of life.

read more story at Embassy Magazine

Tenth Annual ‘Trick or Eat’ Aims High

2011-10-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

GUELPH, Ontario October 28, 2011 - University of Guelph Campus Bulletin - Every year since the “Trick or Eat” campaign began in 2001, the University of Guelph has collected more food than any other university in Canada. This year, U of G student volunteers hope to surpass last year’s donation of 19,323 kilograms of food items that went to 19 local organizations, including food banks, shelters and drop-in centres.

“Trick or Eat” is an initiative of the Meal Exchange (MX) – a national, student-run organization that engages students on campuses in solving hunger in their communities.

Led by U of G’s Meal Exchange group, more than 1,000 costume-clad students are expected to gather at the University Centre Oct. 31 at 4 p.m. After enjoying costume and best decorated pumpkin contests, they’ll board buses and head to Guelph neighbourhoods to collect, bag and then deliver non-perishable food items to the Guelph Food Bank (GFB).

The GFB receives its largest single food donation on Halloween thanks to U of G students, food bank operations manager Tracy Marchesich said. The GFB website shows that over 20,000 individuals received assistance from GFB food programs in 2010. Pasta, rice, canned meats and fish, breakfast cereals, canned vegetables and soup, baby foods and diapers are in great demand now.

Brittany Skelton, a third-year international development student, is helping to co-ordinate the event.

“Students can have a positive impact on the community around them,” she said. “The programs and events that the University’s MX offers help raise awareness of food security-related issues, from sustainable farming practices to the increasing rise of ‘food deserts’ in cities. Food security – the availability of food and access to it – is fundamental to every aspect of our lives – family, environment and politics.”

According to HungerCount 2010, Food Banks Canada’s comprehensive report on national food bank use, nearly 870,000 people – 402,056 in Ontario – relied on the assistance of a food bank in March that year. It was the highest level of food bank use recorded in Canada. Food Banks Canada will release the findings of its HungerCount 2011 study next week.

“I’m trying to do my part to ensure that every member of our community has what they need to live a full, happy and healthy life,” Brittany said.

For more information, visit trickoreat.ca.

World Vision response to Minister Oda's global food security commitment to the UN World Food Programme

2011-10-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

TORONTO, October 26, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - World Vision's food security policy adviser Sheri Arnott said:

"World Vision is encouraged by Canada's commitment to the World Food Programme and this announcement of funding for food security. As WFP's largest NGO partner, we work side-by-side in communities and see the great work they do on the frontlines with children and families who don't have enough to eat."

"The nutrition and health needs of women and children are a critical part of emergency food response, and by making this connection, Canada is on track to save lives and improve the health of children who are living in poverty."

"Funding for humanitarian food response is often short term and unpredictable, but this five-year strategic partnership between CIDA and WFP breaks this trend. With predictable funding for programs like school feeding and support for local small-holder farmers, children will be healthier and stay in school and families will have better economic opportunities and greater food security."

"Next week at the G-20, Canada must continue to champion food security initiatives that prioritize the nutritional needs of women and children. This includes putting nutrition at the centre of G-20 plans for emergency food reserves so the most vulnerable people have the nutritious food they need quickly."

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.

United Church Moderator Comments on the Occupy Movement

2011-10-26T15:04:00.000-07:00

TORONTO, October 26, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - In a recent blog entry entitled "Occupy Hope," the Moderator of The United Church of Canada, Mardi Tindal, said that she sees the Occupy movement as an expression of hope similar to that being offered by faith communities that are working toward the promise of abundant life for all.

"Inequality challenges the faith we profess as followers of Jesus,"

wrote Tindal as she offered her impressions of the Occupy movement.

"Much has been made of the fact that the Occupy movement, which describes itself as 'a leaderless resistance movement with people of many colours, genders, and political persuasions,' appears to have no coherent goals. What is it resisting? Where does it want to go? For my part, I see the movement as both a search for hope and a statement of hope, made by people who have come to believe that something is deeply wrong in the staggering inequality of our current society. I don't think it is required of anyone to provide a complete, documented solution before they're allowed to express concern. To the contrary, recognizing that 'something is not right' is the essential first step toward defining change."

November 4 is Random Act of Kindness Day in Guelph

2011-10-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

Visit an elderly friend.
Help someone move.
Volunteer your time.
Offer someone a ride.
Donate blood.
Organize a potluck.

The Guelph Community Foundation will hold its second Random Act of Kindness Day on November 4th, 2011.

The day encourages each of us to do something kind for another person and is an opportunity to appreciate our fellow citizens and build our community.

Random Act of Kindness is NOT about fundraising or giving money – just a day to celebrate simple acts of kindness like buying someone a coffee, congratulating someone on a job well done, driving someone to an appointment, holding a door open, carrying someone’s groceries, etc.

The Foundation launched the city’s first Random Act of Kindness Day on November 12, 2010. 25,000 Random Act of Kindness Day cards were available in Guelph and Wellington County. The cards encourage the holder to perform a simple act of kindness for someone and then hand over the card so that person can “pay it forward”. Started in 2008 by The Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation, and in 2010 Guelph joined Cambridge & North Dumfries, London, Brantford and Orillia.

Check out our 2010 highlights for stories of 2010 acts of kindness.

With diminishing supplies of firewood in many impoverished nations, how can rural people cook food for their families?

2011-10-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

In 1987, 17 solar cooking Californians started Solar Cookers International (SCI), and produced manuals on how to produce and use a simple solar box cooker. Since then, 30,000 families in eastern and southern Africa have learned to use solar cooking with the assistance of SCI.

Visitors should definitely check out the ten-minute video below that explains the spread of the use of the solar cooker in Africa, which began in refugee camps where food had to be cooked for tens of thousands of people. Eventually, its use spread to rural villages, but the video explains it has been a slow process.

Visitors interested in the Solar Review Cooker e-newsletter that is published thrice-yearly can sign up to receive it free, under the "Newsletter" tab. It is also available in dozens of languages, including French, Arabic, and Chinese. [KMG]

Visit Solar Cookers International

>From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout 1994-2011.
http://scout.wisc.edu/

Put the Healthcare of Canadians First

2011-10-20T05:36:00.000-07:00

Make Affordable Access to Cancer Drugs a Priority of Upcoming Health Accord Negotiations, Advocates Say

OTTAWA, October 19, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - After years of federal government inaction on the issue of access to high-cost cancer treatment drugs, the Canadian Cancer Society and Canadian Cancer Action Network will join with other NGOs and companies on October 20 to urge all governments to take action on this critical issue for the sake of Canadians and their families.

The 2004 health accord promised a national catastrophic drug program to ensure Canadians and their families receive the care they need, regardless of where they live or how much they earn. Progress on this important initiative stalled years ago and Canadians have been let down by one federal government after another.

"It is not acceptable that cancer patients should worry about how they are going to pay for the drugs they need," explains Dan Demers, Director, Public Issues, Canadian Cancer Society. "Healthcare in Canada is grounded on the principle of universality. By not addressing this issue as promised in the 2004 health accord, the federal government puts this very principle at risk."

With federal, territorial and provincial governments coming together in the months ahead to begin discussions of the next health accord, this issue takes on critical importance, advocates say.

"The health accord process cannot simply be governments talking to each other. They must work to make lives better for Canadians, and patients must have a voice in the process," explains Marjorie Morrison, Executive Director of the Canadian Cancer Action Network.

In an attempt to move this issue forward with government in the months ahead, a network of advocates, NGOs and companies will meet tomorrow in Ottawa to develop a statement of principles and create working groups aimed at providing detailed policy recommendations for submission to governments in early 2012. These actions are supported by three key areas of concern; specifically,

...Canadian families need action - 85% of Canadians would struggle to afford much-needed cancer drugs if they were diagnosed tomorrow. That's 7.5 million families who potentially would struggle to make ends meet in order to buy the medication they need.

...We cannot afford to fail - When Canadians cannot afford the drugs they need, they get sicker and need expensive hospital care. When drugs are affordable, Canadians are able to work and contribute to our economy. Approximately 19% of Canadians with chronic conditions do not take their medication because of cost, and another 22% take medications at a lower dose than prescribed. Patients who take their drugs as prescribed by their doctor boost Canada's economic output and add to our economy

...Healthcare by postal code is not an option - Canadians expect their healthcare system to support them wherever they live, yet there remain disparities among provinces, and between public and private insurers. This leads to situations where a patient in one province has to pay out of pocket for a drug while a patient in another province does not. In addition, the same drugs are not available in all provinces. According to a poll conducted by the Canadian Cancer Society in 2010, more than 81 per cent of Canadians would support the federal government taking action - through federally funded programs - to reduce or eliminate the provincial differences in the availability and costs of cancer drugs.

About three-quarters of newer cancer drugs taken at home cost over $20,000. The average cost of a single course of treatment with newer cancer drugs is $65,000 - almost as high as the average annual income of Canadians.

"It remains clear that Canadians strongly support a national program to help them pay for drugs." says Demers. "The upcoming health accord negotiations are a vital opportunity for government to finally address this issue in a meaningful way for the many Canadians facing cancer."

About the Symposium

The symposium, entitled, SHARING RESPONSIBILITY FOR CANCER DRUG COSTS -- Envisioning a New Model of Coverage will be co-hosted by the Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Cancer Action Network and the Public Policy Forum. It builds on the previous events which brought together representatives from across all sectors to gain a common understanding of the issues, while also developing specific strategies and solutions to address key gaps in cancer drug access. Delegates include representatives from governments, insurance and pharmaceutical companies, volunteer groups and doctors' and nurses' associations.

Canadian Cancer Society (CCS)

The Canadian Cancer Society fights cancer by doing everything we can to prevent cancer, save lives and support people living with cancer. Join the fight! Go to fightback.ca to find out how you can help. When you want to know more about cancer, visit our website at cancer.ca or call our toll-free bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1 888 939-3333.

Canadian Cancer Action Network (CCAN)

The Canadian Cancer Action Network (CCAN) is a volunteer-driven, incorporated organization dedicated to ensuring patient interests remain a key priority on the national cancer agenda. CCAN was created in order to ensure that the patient perspective is (and remains) an integral part of the national cancer control strategy. For more information about CCAN visit our website at www.ccanceraction.ca

Students Help Raise $22,000 by Playing Hopscotch

2011-10-18T13:53:00.000-07:00

GUELPH, Ontario October 18, 2011 - University of Guelph Campus Bulletin

Hopscotch may be for children, but there is nothing juvenile about the amount of money University of Guelph students helped raise recently by getting 850 people to play the game.

Hopscotch 4 Hope, an event organized by two U of G student clubs and three area youngsters, brought in more than $22,000. The event was held Oct. 1 in Eden Mills, Ont., and the final tally was released this week.

The money will go to Free the Children and Right to Play, international initiatives that help children in developing countries. Both organizations have U of G chapters.

U of G’s chapter of Free the Children will use proceeds to help provide water and electricity to a girls’ school in Kisaruni, Kenya.

“I was overjoyed when I heard that $11,000 was going to Free the Children,” said club co-president Natalie Binette. “Having seen the Kisaruni All Girls’ High School in Kenya where this money will be going, I know how much of a positive impact this money will have. It brings a smile to my face to imagine all of the girls who will benefit from this donation, as they strive to gain a good education in order to lift themselves out of the cycle of poverty.”

Binette added that she felt “privileged” to be part of the event and was inspired by the volunteers.

The U of G students were enlisted by Kory Melnick and Kamari Brown Gain, both Grade 8 students at Rockwood Centennial School, and Grade 6 student Robin Melnick. The trio has formed a charity called Step Up for Change and will spend this year helping disadvantaged children around the world.

All three girls have U of G ties. Linda Melnick, mom of Kory and Robin, is manager of business and client services for the Department of Athletics. Kamari is the daughter of Laura Brown, a special graduate clinical faculty member in the clinical psychology program.

U of G students, along with the girls and dozens of their friends, spent two days in Eden Mills laying out the hopscotch course. At 5.5 kilometres, the course likely set a world record. Individuals sponsored hopscotch squares and boards, and participants received pledges to complete the course.

“It was a great event with children supporting children,” said Robin Melnick, age 11. “All the awareness and money we have raised is incredible.”

Kamari Brown Gain, age 13, added:

“The day was fantastic. I can’t believe how many people came out to support us.”

Powerful, new campaign sheds light on the reality of child abuse in Canada

2011-10-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

photo credit: "Powerful, new campaign sheds light on the reality of child abuse in Canada (CNW Group/Boost for Kids Foundation)"

TORONTO, October 17, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - In conjunction with Child Abuse Prevention Month, Boost for Kids Foundation is launching a cutting-edge television and online campaign in an effort to raise awareness about the prevalence of child abuse in Canada. Entitled "Make the Call Now", the campaign depicts a chilling reality and encourages Canadians to be more vocal against signs of abuse.

Created by Marshall Fenn Communications, the television and online videos paint a powerful picture stating that one in every three children fall victim to some form of abuse. The online campaign is the first of its kind and takes the commercial one step further, providing the viewers with a leading, interactive role. Viewers are encouraged to call a 1-800 number. When dialled, the phone in the video rings, the call is answered by the abuser, and a dialogue is initiated that leads to the intervention and prevention of child abuse.

"The goal of this campaign is to leave viewers feeling uncomfortable, just as they would feel if they witnessed the abuse first-hand," explains Karyn Kennedy, Executive Director, Boost for Kids Foundation. "This campaign should make Canadians feel as if they are standing between the child and the abuser and are the only means of stopping the violence. We want Canadians to take this personally. This is what motivates people to get up, make that call and stand in the way of continued abuse."

Child abuse includes child neglect as well as psychological, physical and sexual abuse. The Ontario Association of Children's Aid Societies reports that a significant barrier to protecting children is the large number of individuals (54%) who would not report a suspicion of abuse.

"Many Canadians don't realize abuse manifests itself in many forms and it's not always discernible through cuts and bruises," explains Kennedy. "We need to educate people on the signs of abuse and encourage people to pick up the phone and make the welfare of children a top priority."

The Public Service Announcement campaign appears in two different media types - television and online - and will run through to the end of November 2011. To view the campaign, go to www.MakeTheCallNow.ca.

"Canadians aren't naive to the fact that child abuse happens, but the statistics show that they aren't taking the steps to stop it," explains James Dunlop, Creative Director at Marshall Fenn Communications. "Our goal was to develop a bold, hard-hitting campaign that amplifies the situation and provides viewers no other options but to make that call."

Boost for Kids Foundation

Boost for Kids Foundation is a registered charity that is committed to eliminating abuse and violence in the lives of children, youth, and their families. Established in 2009, Boost for Kids Foundation works to generate sustainable funding for the programs and services offered by Boost Child Abuse Prevention & Intervention across Canada. The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors with the mandate to raise funds that will allow Boost to respond effectively to the needs of children and youth who have experienced abuse. The organization believes that all children and youth have a right to grow up in a safe, healthy and nurturing environment free of child abuse.

Team of Agencies

The Boost for Kids campaign was conceived by Marshall Fenn Communications, the Canadian communications agency behind award-winning brand and advertising campaigns for companies such as Casino Rama.

Marshall Fenn worked collaboratively with Circle Productions (commercial production and editing), Silent Joe (music/sound production and editing), and COLR (visual effects and colour). All agencies generously donated their services to ensure this campaign delivered the powerful, commanding messages intended.

Gift-filled shoe boxes help brighten children's lives worldwide

2011-10-15T13:46:00.001-07:00

National Shoe Box Collection Week is November 21-27

CALGARY, October 11, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Canada-wide 2011 Operation Christmas Child shoe box collection season kicks off today, as thousands of individuals, families, churches, businesses, and community groups prepare to fill shoe boxes with toys, school supplies, and hygiene items, plus personal notes and photos.

The gift-filled shoe boxes will be delivered by Samaritan's Purse to children around the world living in the midst of poverty, disease, war, and natural disaster. As part of Samaritan's Purse's rebuilding efforts in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake and subsequent hurricanes and cholera outbreak, 70,000 shoe boxes in 2011 have been committed to Haiti and will be used to bring hope, joy, and love to children there.

Last year, Canadians filled 640,714 shoe boxes with gifts that shared God's love and hope with children in the developing world. This year, Operation Christmas Child is striving towards a goal of more than 750,000 boxes. To reach that goal, we need Canadians from coast to coast to get involved. Together, we can use the power of a simple gift to touch the hearts of children and change lives.

National Shoe Box Collection Week is November 21-27. Each gift-filled shoe box collected in Canada will make a long journey to the outstretched hands of a needy child in Haiti, South or Central America, or West Africa.

World Food Day: Engage At Home and Around the World to Support Those Who are Hungry

2011-10-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

Food Banks Canada asking Canadians to take action on October 16 in support of
World Food Day

TORONTO, October 12, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - On World Food Day, October 16, 2011, Food Banks Canada is asking Canadians to take action in support of people in need. All Canadians can make an impact by donating or participating in an activity that helps them acknowledge the continuing global struggle against hunger.

World Food Day occurs annually on October 16 to mark the date of the founding of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Organizations, agencies, businesses and individuals are marking World Food Day across the globe. The goal of the day is to strengthen awareness around the issue of food security and the struggle against hunger and poverty globally.

Hunger is an unacceptable problem in Canada. Food Banks Canada's HungerCount 2010 reports that close to 900,000 individuals turn to food banks for assistance each month - half of assisted households are families with children and 17% of households that turn to food banks for help each month are living on income from current or recent employment. This is an increase of 9.2%, compared to March 2009, 28% higher than in 2008, and is the highest level of food bank use on record since 1997.

"We know that hunger is a global challenge and we recognize the work of the FAO in their efforts to address this issue", says Katharine Schmidt, Executive Director, Food Banks Canada. "Sadly, in Canada, close to 900,000 individuals turn to food banks each month for assistance and close to 2 million Canadians worry about how they will get their next meal*. I hope all Canadians will take action on October 16th to help their neighbours".

Food banks in communities across Canada are at the frontlines of addressing short-term hunger relief. However, government action is required to address the underlying root causes of hunger in order to develop a long-term solution to the problem.

Ways you can make a difference leading up to and on October 16th:

Stay Informed:

...Visit, www.foodbankscanada.ca, to stay informed about the issue of hunger in Canada and for a global perspective go to http://www.fao.org/getinvolved/worldfoodday/en

Donate:

...Text HUNGER to 30333 to make a $5 donation to Food Banks Canada via any mobile device.

Facebook:

...Donate your status to Food Banks Canada with the messaging, "I'm donating my status to @FoodBanksCanada for World Food Day. Join me and do the same". www.Facebook.com/foodbankscanada

Twitter:

...Find out what others are saying around World Food Day and join the conversation to learn more @foodbankscanada

It takes all Canadians to make a difference. Please act today.

About Food Banks Canada

Food Banks Canada is the national charitable organization representing the food bank community across Canada. Our Members, Affiliate Member food banks, and their respective agencies serve approximately 85% of people accessing emergency food programs nationwide. Our mission is to meet the short-term need for food and find long-term solutions to reduce hunger. Please visit www.foodbankscanada.ca for more information.

*Health Canada (2011). Household food insecurity in Canada in 2007-2008: Key statistics and graphics. Ottawa: Health Canada.

Women Living Courage - A KAIROS Tour

2011-10-13T07:37:00.000-07:00

TORONTO, October 12, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives (KAIROS) launches a tour of women human rights defenders to raise awareness about the impact of armed conflict on the lives and rights of women and girls and to make visible the violence faced by women in migrant and Indigenous communities in Canada. The tour highlights the essential role women play as peace builders.

The tour underscores Canada's responsibility to promote the application of United Nations resolutions on women, peace and security (such as UNSCR 1325) and to ensure the meaningful participation of women in all aspects of peace-building. KAIROS calls on Canada as a donor country to increase political and financial support to women's organizations working in conflict zones as an effective strategy to help resolve conflict and build lasting peace.

WHO:

Featuring KAIROS global partners:

...Chantal Bilulu is Program Coordinator for Women and Children and advisor to the legal clinic combating gender-based violence of Héritiers de la Justice in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

...Rebecca Nyagai Kafi, representative of the Sudan Council of Churches, ordained Deaconess of the Sudan Presbyterian Evangelical Church chair of its General Women's Group Office.

...Vernie Yocogan-Diano, a human rights and community activist from the Cordillera region of the Philippines and an Indigenous woman (Kankanaey-Bontoc).

WHAT:

Public forums with women leaders from the DRC, Sudan and the Philippines who live in conflict zones, in dialogue with Indigenous and migrant women in Canada

WHERE:

Kitchener - Wednesday, October 26, 6:00 to 8:00 PM, St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, 54 Queen St North

Further information on the tour, local contacts and details of local sponsors for the forums are available on the KAIROS website at http://www.kairoscanada.org/dignity-rights/women-of-courage-2/

WHY:

...In the Democratic Republic of Congo, women's daily challenges of poverty and hunger are multiplied by an epidemic of rape - a common weapon in the ongoing resource war.

...The Republic of South Sudan is the world's newest country. And yet, for all of the optimism created by its founding, it is also a country where 90 percent of women can neither read nor write and where women die in childbirth in shocking numbers.

...In the Philippines many face the daily challenges of poverty and hunger. Those who confront the powers that impose this economic hardship also face pervasive violence.

...In Canada Indigenous women and girls are five times more likely to face violence and disappearance than are non-Indigenous women. Migrant workers are particularly vulnerable to violence in the workplace.

...Women are disproportionately affected by violence and militarism. Still, they bring unique perspectives and strategies to help communities and nations put an end to violence. This role is rarely recognized and women are largely absent from official peace initiatives and negotiations.

...By sharing their courageous stories, the women participating in the Living Courage Tour will inspire concerned Canadians and call for action from the Canadian government. KAIROS is a church-based social justice organization focusing on human rights and sustainability. http://kairoscanada.org/en/

Childhood Summer

2011-10-08T06:14:00.000-07:00

Sara Groves - Childhood Summer - Music Video

Official music video for Childhood Summer by Sara Groves. From the exclusive bonus edition of the new album Invisible Empires - Available until October 18th ONLY at www.saragroves.com

"Virtual" World Food Party Feeds Hungry Children

2011-10-06T09:47:00.000-07:00

TORONTO, October 4, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Canadian Feed The Children (CFTC) has launched its first annual World Food Party to raise awareness of and funds for the alleviation of world hunger. Individuals, groups and organizations across Canada are hosting food-related events in recognition of UN World Food Day (October 16th, 2011) and donating the funds raised to CFTC's nutrition, health and food security programs in Canada and around the world.

The Canadian Electrical Industry has been on board the World Food Party bus since 2008. The industry's charitable initiative, Hungry for Change, has raised close to $900,000 through events and donations generated by participating companies in the industry.

This year, Electro-Federation Canada has named Canadian Feed The Children its charity of choice. Hungry for Change Committee Chair, Wayne Donaldson, says "as an industry that is all about providing Canadians with electricity to make their homes and lives brighter, warmer and safer, we are well aware how very fortunate we are. Not everyone in the world has the same level of access to these life-sustaining necessities. Especially this year, as the famine in the Horn of Africa reminds us, there are millions of people at risk and experiencing hunger - most of them children. This is our industry's way to give back, make a difference and have some fun in the process."

Hunger is the world's number one health risk - above malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis combined. Last year alone, 925 million people experienced chronic hunger. And of the one in seven people who go to bed hungry each night, most are children and vulnerable women (UN Food and Agriculture Organization, 2010).

"CFTC's World Food Party is a way to rally Canadians to make a meaningful change in the lives of children. We're aiming to have 10,000 Canadians participate - in big or little ways. Even a simple individual act like brown-bagging your lunch and donating what you would have spent dining out for a week can make a huge difference in the life of a vulnerable child," said Debra Kerby, Executive Director of Canadian Feed The Children.

For information on CFTC's World Food Party and to check out some ideas for getting involved, visit www.WorldFoodParty.ca. To learn more about the programs CFTC funds in Haiti, Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Bolivia and Canada, please visit www.CanadianFeedTheChildren.ca.

Founded in Canada in 1986, Canadian Feed The Children is an independent, registered Canadian charity that works with local partners in Canada and around the world to reduce the impact of poverty on children and enhance the well-being of children and the self-sufficiency of their families and communities.

Ontario 211 Launches in Wellington County and the City of Guelph

2011-10-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

Kent Gillespie, President, welcomes the City of Guelph and Wellington County to the 211 family in Canada.

GUELPH, Ontario October 3, 2011 - The Ontario 211 service officially launched in the City of Guelph and the County of Wellington on September 14, 2011 at a gathering held in the Galleria of Guelph’s City Hall.

Speaking to the audience of local dignitaries and representatives from social service agencies and programs, Kent Gillespie, President of Ontario 211 Services Corporation, promised that, "211 is here for you in good times and bad, both for your citizens and for your frontline staff."

The United Way of Guelph and Wellington’s Executive Director, Kent Dardano, cited 211 as a stellar example of “the good work to which United Way dollars contribute.” The United Ways of Ontario have been integral to the success of 211 service in the province, providing funding and support from its inception.

Also speaking at the launch was Rosanna Thoms, Executive Director of 211 Central-South Ontario. Thoms made a point of thanking the Volunteer Centre of Guelph/Wellington for their assistance in amassing the wealth of local information that 211’s certified information and referral specialists will be using when answering calls from area residents.

The launch of local 211 service will provide round-the-clock information on community and social services to the approximately 200,000 residents of the City of Guelph and the County of Wellington. Across Ontario, more than 85 percent of the population now has access to 211 telephone service, with full coverage expected by the end of 2011.

The Battle Over Tornado-Ravaged Goderich, Ontario, Formerly "Canada's Prettiest Town" (Slideshow & Video)

2011-09-27T06:13:00.000-07:00

from TreeHugger.com
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto

Goderich, Ontario was billed as "Canada's Prettiest Town" and it truly was. It had one of the country's most beautiful town squares, (actually, a town octagon) filled with trees, and surrounded by a great collection of Victorian commercial buildings. The entire area was designated as historically significant under the Heritage Act.

On August 21, a force 3 tornado ripped through the town, and in twelve seconds almost destroyed it. Now, the debate is on: speedy construction or careful planning?

On Saturday I joined heritage professionals and activists from all over Ontario at a council meeting of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario in Goderich, organized to gather support and help, be it fundraising, professional services, ideas, competitions, whatever.

I thought it might be like a heritage version of Greensburg, where people from all over America have helped rebuild a better, greener town.

While there was a lot of damage from the tornado itself, there are some questions about how the authorities responded to the damage.

Certainly heritage was not the first thing on their minds; health and safety people kept everyone away until they checked for dead and injured, (miraculously, only one person was killed), then for health and safety reasons like asbestos, (one person of authority had heard there was asbestos in the bricks and mortar and kept heritage architects out unless they were fitted for respirators; however, there is no asbestos in Ontario bricks.)

Building owners were not allowed in to tarp their buildings and the subsequent rain did as much damage as the tornado.

But in other cases, it is still not certain what is going to happen.

The store owners and businesses want to get back in business as soon as possible, and nobody is much interested in standing around doing visioning studies and careful historic reconstructions, they have to put food on the table. The Deputy Mayor told us that he wants the town rebuilt within two years.

The business of Goderich was heritage. One might try and point out that the reason people came there was because it was so pretty, and that it won't be quite the same thing if they put up a lot of crap in a hurry.

This video was taken the day after the tornado. Almost every tree is gone, as are most of the roofs and quite a few buildings.
Image Credit: Anews London

...see slideshow and read more story at TreeHugger.com

Ontario farmers attempting world record soybean harvest to raise funds for Canadian Foodgrains Bank

2011-09-23T06:13:00.000-07:00

Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers to sell harvested soybeans at live charity auction during Harvest for Hunger

LISTOWEL, Ontario, September 23, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - On September 30, 2011, a group of local farmers and hundreds of supporters from Perth County, Ontario will attempt to set a new world record by harvesting 160 acres of soybean crop with more than 100 combines in under 10 minutes. The record attempt is part of Harvest for Hunger, a unique project organized by five local area farmers—Richard Van Donkersgoed, Peter Rastorfer, Mike Koetsier, Randy Drenth and John Tollenaar—to raise funds for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and help end global hunger. Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers will sell the harvested soybean crop in a live unreserved charity auction during the event, with all proceeds going to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will also match proceeds raised in the auction.

Harvest for Hunger is a collaborative community effort involving more than 300 volunteers and more than 100 combines. Everything has been donated including the use of the land, field work, seed, fertilizer, crop protection, fuel and crop scouting. Ritchie Bros. is donating its auction services, staff and an auctioneer to support the event.

The harvest will yield about 8,000 bushels of beans which will be divided and auctioned in lots ranging in size from one bushel to 1,600 bushels (enough to fill a 40 tonne truck). Some of the crop will be sold as crushed beans for soybean meal or Identity Preserved (IP) beans (non-genetically modified beans that can be exported). Bidding on lots will be take place on-site during the Harvest for Hunger event. Each lot will be sold to the highest bidder, with no minimum bids or reserve prices.

"All the funds raised from the harvest will help the Canadian Foodgrains Bank provide critical food aid to drought ridden areas such as Ethiopia and Kenya," said Richard Van Donkersgoed, Fundraising Coordinator for Harvest for Hunger.

Harvest for Hunger will take place on Highway 23, just one kilometre north of Monkton (between Listowel & Mitchell) at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, September 30. The public is invited to watch the soybean harvest and bid in the live charity auction. Lunch and drinks will be available by donation. Local dignitaries will also be on-site to determine whether a new harvesting world record is set, based on time and acreage.

"Community events like Harvest for Hunger speak to the strong heritage of Canadian farmers feeding the world," said Jim Cornelius, Executive Director, Canadian Foodgrains Bank. "We are grateful for the volunteers and donors who are working together in support of our mission to end global hunger."

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of 15 churches and church agencies working together to end world hunger through the collection and donation of grain and cash. To date, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank has provided more than one million tonnes of food to people in 80 countries around the world. Primary support for the organization comes from growing projects with farmers and communities in Canada's agricultural sector.

Find more information about the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and Harvest for Hunger at http://www.foodgrainsbank.ca/harvest_for_hunger.aspx.

About Canadian Foodgrains Bank

Canadian Foodgrains Bank is a partnership of 15 churches and church agencies working together to end global hunger. Together with matching support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the Foodgrains Bank has provided over one million tonnes of food assistance to people who are hungry since 1983.

About Ritchie Bros.

Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE and TSX: RBA) is the world's largest industrial auctioneer, selling more equipment to on-site and online bidders than any other company in the world. Ritchie Bros. offers services that enable the world's builders to easily and confidently exchange equipment. The Company conducts hundreds of unreserved public auctions each year, selling a broad range of used and unused equipment, trucks and other assets utilized in the construction, transportation, agricultural, material handling, mining, forestry, petroleum and marine industries. Ritchie Bros. has over 110 locations in more than 25 countries, including 43 auction sites worldwide. The Company maintains a web site at www.rbauction.com and sponsors an equipment wiki at www.RitchieWiki.com.

Almost one billion people go to bed hungry every night according to the World Disaster Report

2011-09-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

OTTAWA, September 22, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The world's most vulnerable populations remain at significant risk to the effects of food shortages and malnutrition according to the 2011 World Disaster Report (WDR) released today by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

"High food prices and lack of access to basic nutrition continue to negatively affect millions of people every day," says Conrad Sauvé, secretary general and CEO of the Canadian Red Cross. "Aid organizations, countries and individuals must continue to work to ensure basic food is available and affordable for the world's most vulnerable populations."

A new round of food inflation and severe hikes in the price of basic foodstuffs such as rice, maize, wheat, oil, sugar and salt is plunging many of the world's poorest people, including millions across the Horn of Africa, into deeper poverty and into situations of severe hunger and malnourishment.

According to the WDR the populations most affected by hunger and malnutrition are the poor who typically spend between 50 and 80 per cent of their incomes on food.

The Canadian Red Cross has a strong history of supporting communities affected by hunger and malnutrition. This includes a current appeal to support countries in the Horn of Africa that have been ravaged by drought.

"Canadians have been generous in their support for people affected by the famine and drought in the Horn of Africa," Sauvé said. "We must ensure that food security remains at the forefront of the discussion about how best to support populations affected by disaster."

The Canadian Red Cross is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which includes the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and over 185 national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The Canadian Red Cross mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity in Canada and around the world.

Self-Care strategy is vital to preventing and managing chronic disease

2011-09-22T07:36:00.000-07:00

OTTAWA, September 19, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The declaration signed by Canada today at the UN high-level meeting on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases underlines once again how important a sound self-care strategy is to the health and wellbeing of Canadians. Consumer Health Products Canada encourages all health policy makers to make a top priority of supporting responsible self-care for the benefits offers to the health of Canadians and the sustainability of their health care system.

Chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease cost the Canadian economy $190 billion annually and by 2030 are expected to contribute to 75% of all deaths. Eighty per cent of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, as well as 40% of cancers, are believed to be preventable. Self-care is a vital part of any chronic disease prevention strategy, including education and the promotion of healthy lifestyles, as well as supporting the availability of consumer health products used in self-care. For example, nicotine replacement products have made an important contribution to the reduction of tobacco use in Canada, which now stands at an all-time low of 17%.

The UN declaration emphasizes the importance of adequate health care system funding, as the cost of managing chronic disease will continue to mount for the foreseeable future. Here, even the self-care of minor ailments makes a huge contribution.

"There is growing evidence worldwide that supporting self-care can lead to significant reductions in the use (and cost) of health services," said CHP Canada President David Skinner.

Over 90 percent of Canadians agree that

"If our health care system is to remain sustainable, it is more important than ever that governments in Canada provide Canadians with the resources they need to practice responsible self-care for healthy living."

CHP Canada is a 115 year-old trade association representing the consumer health products industry, including the manufacturers of natural health products and over-the-counter products.

Bishops to invite thousands of GTA commuters 'Back to Church'

2011-09-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

TORONTO, September 19, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - On the morning of Thursday, September 22nd, Bishops from the Anglican and Evangelical Lutheran Churches, dressed in their ecclesiastical vestments and mitres, will reach out to thousands of commuters across the greater Toronto area to invite them 'Back to Church'.

The outreach is part of an international Christian initiative, which has designated Sunday, September 25th as 'Back to Church' Sunday. On that day, thousands of Anglicans, Evangelical Lutherans and other Christians throughout the world will be accompanying their friends and relatives back to church.

"The Church is an integral part of society, woven into its history and fabric," says Bishop Philip Poole of the Anglican Diocese of Toronto. "Anglican and Evangelical Lutheran bishops look forward to meeting and chatting with commuters even for a few moments to invite people to return to church or to try us out for the first time. You'll be most welcomed at church or your place of worship this or any weekend."

The Bishops will be handing out a simple invitation to all who will accept one. They will be visiting GO stations in Ajax, Brampton, Agincourt and Barrie.

TVO and Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics announce new five-year partnership

2011-09-17T06:14:00.000-07:00

TVO and Perimeter Institute partner to make science more accessible in Ontario

TORONTO, September 16, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - TVO and Ontario's Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics are pleased to announce a new five-year partnership, making TVO the exclusive presenting media partner for the Perimeter Institute's international science-themed events and popular public lecture series.

TVO and Perimeter Institute share a belief that building scientific literacy is fundamental to a sustainable and prosperous future.

"Perimeter Institute brings together the brightest scientific minds in the world to share their ideas and TVO has the media toolkit to make those ideas more accessible," said Lisa de Wilde, Chief Executive Officer of TVO. "Working together we can open up new worlds in science for Ontarians of all ages."

"The role of science is pivotal in advancing our world, and is why Perimeter Institute and TVO are intensifying efforts to share the joys of research, discovery and innovation," said Neil Turok, Perimeter's Director. "We are delighted to be working with the team at TVO, our like-minded and highly motivated partner in science communications."

The new partnership builds on a successful history of engaging TVO's on-air, online and on-location audiences with the top scientific minds that converge at Perimeter. The two Ontario-based organizations have successfully collaborated on the Quantum to Cosmos: Ideas for the Future science festival in 2009; Hawking at the Perimeter in 2010; and the Equinox Summit: Energy 2030 in 2011. TVO also aired the award-winning Quantum Tamers: Revealing Our Weird & Wired Future, from Perimeter Institute.

This new partnership kicks off with a special TVO broadcast from the Grand Opening of the Stephen Hawking Centre at Perimeter Institute.

Stephen Hawking: The Power of Ideas will air on TVO on Sunday September 18 at 8 p.m. ET. Program details include:

...A tribute to Professor Hawking
...Celebrations from the grand opening of the Hawking Centre
...A mini-documentary and a panel discussion scheduled to include: Neil Turok, leading cosmologist and Director of Perimeter Institute; Brian Green, string theorist, author and noted science communicator; Julie Payette, Canadian astronaut and Rebecca Saxe, cognitive neuroscientist
...Comments from Professor Hawking himself, and tributes about his inspirational life story from famous Canadians including Rick Hansen, David Foster and William Shatner

In tandem with the tribute to Professor Hawking and a public open house at Perimeter Institute, TVO.org will also live stream four special one-hour public lectures from Perimeter's "Theatre of Ideas" on Sunday, September 18 starting at 10:00 am. The speakers and topics include:

10 a.m. George Dyson, science historian and author, on the origins of the digital universe
12 p.m. Hod Lipson, Director of the Computational Synthesis Lab at Cornell University, on the rise of programmable matter and the future of "3D printers"
2 p.m. Natalia Toro, Faculty at Perimeter Institute, on the world's most ambitious scientific experiment, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
4 p.m. Julie Payette, astronaut from the Canadian Space Agency, with perspectives from the International Space Station on scientific research and international diplomacy

TVOKids and TVOParents.com will also be part of Perimeter Institute's Physica Phantastica science exhibit during the grand opening on September 18th. In addition to Perimeter's family-friendly physics activities - including Memory Metal, the Hawking Radiation Playbook and Black Hole in a Bucket - kids will have the opportunity to try out TVOKids.com science games. And parents can learn from the TVOParents.com team members about the TVOKids Homework Zone and other resources that can help equip their children for success in science, math and literacy.

About Perimeter Institute

Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics is an independent, non-profit, scientific research and educational outreach organization where international scientists cluster to push the limits of our understanding of physical laws and develop new ideas about the very essence of space, time, matter and information. The centre provides a multi-disciplinary environment to foster scientific collaboration in research areas of cosmology, particle physics, quantum foundations, quantum gravity, quantum information, superstring theory, and related disciplines. Perimeter also provides a wide array of award-winning outreach programs for students, teachers and the general public across Canada in order to share the joy of research, discovery and innovation. In partnership with the Governments of Ontario and Canada, Perimeter continues to be a successful example of private and public collaboration in science research and education. For more information, visit perimeterinstitute.ca.

About TVO

TVO is Ontario's public educational media organization and a trusted source of interactive educational content that informs, inspires and stimulates curiosity and thought. Celebrating 40 years, TVO's vision is to empower people to be engaged citizens of Ontario through educational media. TVO is funded primarily by the Province of Ontario and supported by sponsors and thousands of donors. For more information, visit tvo.org.

Wanted: An Affordable Home

2011-09-16T07:07:00.000-07:00

photo credit: fadedgenes via Flickr

More progress needed to help households in housing need

TORONTO, September 15, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Authors of a newly released report on housing issues are calling on provincial candidates to focus on creating affordable homes for more than 152,000 households on community housing wait lists across Ontario.

The 2011 edition of Where's Home?, authored by the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA) and the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada Ontario Region (CHF Canada Ontario Region), analyzes 22 separate housing markets and highlights the need for more affordable rental housing across the Province.

This year's report shows that it is increasingly difficult for low and modest income people in Ontario to find safe, affordable rental housing options that are appropriate for their families. This daily reality is highlighted by data that indicates overall vacancy rates across the province continue to tighten - dropping to 2.9% between 2009 and 2010.

"Vacancy rates are tightening up and rental demand is expanding," says Sharad Kerur, ONPHA's Executive Director. "An aging population, increased levels of immigration and future economic conditions will all play a role in determining rental housing needs in the years ahead - and it will be up to local communities and senior governments to help meet those needs."

"This year's findings clearly demonstrate that the gap between homeowners and tenants' incomes is growing ever wider and many Ontarians of low and modest means are struggling to find a home that they can afford," said Harvey Cooper, Manager of Government Relations at CHF Canada Ontario Region. "I worry about families being forced to choose between paying for the necessities of life, putting food on the table and paying the rent."

In addition to inadequate supply, high energy costs are compounding affordability problems for low and moderate income renter households - making it even harder for them to make ends meet.

While this year's report brings attention to a number of troubling trends, there are bright spots that show progress can be made if communities have access to innovative ideas, government support, and sufficient levels of funding.

"While the number of new rental units being produced is not nearly enough to meet the growing demand, recent initiatives - particularly the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program (AHP) - have helped create more affordable and supportive housing for those in need," said Kerur. "Since 2005, over 8,500 of these units were created by non-profit and, to a lesser extent, co-operative housing organizations - showing that with government funding and support, communities can create more affordable homes."

In order to meet increasing rental housing demand, over 10,000 new rental units would need to be built each and every year for the next ten years. While the need is big, so is the commitment of the organizations that make up the membership of ONPHA and CHF Canada Ontario Region.

"We know that housing is a fundamental building block of people's lives," says Cooper. "Our members want to see senior governments take a balanced approach to the creation of more affordable housing for people across the income spectrum. By combining permanently affordable co-op and non-profit housing, private sector rental, renovation programs for existing housing stock and financial tools like rent supplements to fill vacant units, we can move people off housing waiting lists and into affordable homes."

"Where's Home?" can be found at www.onpha.on.ca or www.chfcanada.coop.

Lack of affordable housing and efficient transit barriers to success of immigrants and the economy

2011-09-15T08:37:00.001-07:00

OTTAWA, September 14, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The lack of affordable housing and access to efficient public transit and community services are significant barriers to the success of new immigrants and the Canadian economy, says the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) in a report on Canada's immigration system.

"To keep its economy strong, Canada needs an immigration strategy that meets growing on-the-ground challenges and gives cities and communities a seat at the table," said FCM president Berry Vrbanovic. ''Without a decent place to live, an affordable and reliable way to get to and from work, and access to front-line community services immigrants will continue to fall behind and Canada will not meet its economic and social objectives."

According to FCM's report, new immigrants are falling behind other Canadians in their income and job opportunities. Overcrowded road and public transit systems are crumbling and a growing shortage of affordable housing threatens to price more immigrants out of the regional labour markets where they are needed most. Ottawa's language and job-training programs are falling behind changing settlement patterns, leaving communities big and small without the resources to meet changing local needs.

"Municipalities are the front-line, first-responders for many immigrants' needs, yet we collect just eight cents of every tax-dollar paid in Canada and have been given no formal role in developing federal immigration policies and programs," said FCM vice-president Claude Dauphin. "The federal government must recognize municipalities as key partners in immigrant settlement and work with us to tailor solutions to local needs."

FCM called on the federal government to protect long-term investments in communities, including more than $500 million in annual housing investments scheduled to expire during the next decade; protect and build on recent investments in Canada's infrastructure and public transit; work with municipalities, provinces and territories to design longer-term settlement programs that respond better to changing local needs; and collect data on immigrants' needs and report back to Canadians on the results.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has been the national voice of municipal government since 1901. FCM represents with close to 90 per cent of the Canadian population - close to 2000 municipal governments across the country.

64% of Canadians feel religion creates more questions than answers

2011-09-14T08:33:00.000-07:00

Progressive new show will serve as a platform to discuss and examine current events through the lens of faith

TORONTO, September 14, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The majority of Canadians surveyed in a new Ipsos Reid poll say religion creates more questions than answers in the search to explain life and the world around them. In addition, half of the respondents agreed that 'religion does more harm than good'.

"We have a generation completely split on the reliability of religion. When over half a survey group claims they believe in God, and 50% declare religion only confuses things, there is a need for discussion," says Lorna Dueck, host of TV show Context with Lorna Dueck, a new addition to Global's fall lineup.

The survey commissioned by Context also reveals that while Canadians identify themselves as belonging to a religious faith, most have lost touch with what it means to be religious, lacking confidence to apply their beliefs to their every day lives. For example, while a slim majority of Canadians believe in God, only 13% of respondents attend a weekly church service. Interestingly, 28% of Protestants, 33% of Catholics, and 23% of those who attend weekly religious services do not believe in God.

Life beyond the headlines…

The most gripping news stories of the summer have featured religion: the Arab Spring, the Norway massacre, the London riots, and just this past Sunday, the tenth anniversary of 9/11. Consequences of religious fanaticism dominate the news cycle today. "Can Religion be Trusted?" - that's the question award-winning journalist and television personality, Lorna Dueck, seeks to answer in the premiere episode of her new show.

"Everyday we are confronted with the stories that confuse our sense of justice and make us ask 'why?'. Our beliefs should help us to answer those questions, but this poll shows us that Canadians are struggling with the issue of faith," says Dueck.

About the show: Context with Lorna Dueck

Context with Lorna Dueck is a new weekly news analysis program, premiering Sunday, September 18 at 11am on Global TV and at 9:30 a.m. on Vision.

10th Anniversary of 9/11

2011-09-11T09:54:00.000-07:00

To mark the 10th anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, we have compiled worship and congregational resources for individuals and congregations wishing to commemorate the day in a faithful way.

Moderator Mardi Tindal offers a prayer that congregations can use in worship on Sunday September 11 as they recall the events of a decade earlier.

A Prayer for September 11

Lover of All Humanity, Christ of Compassion and Mercy,
Spirit who yearns for all to live in Holy Peace and Joy,
We call to mind all who perished in the collapse of the towers:
(a moment for silent remembering)
We call to mind as well
those who suffer today from the loss of their loved ones,
emergency workers, firemen and women
who immediately responded to the alarms.
Too many of these perished as well.
And too many of those who did not perish
share lingering nightmares and illness
because of their faithful daring.
We pray for the children who lost parents that day,
for parents who lost children that day,
for visitors caught unawares,
for people at work and at home near Ground Zero,
for all who at great distances
still live in judgment
and thus in fear today.
Hear us as we silently lift up our sorrow to you:
(a moment for silent intercession)
We acknowledge this day
That we do not love our enemy deeply
Nor bless abundantly those who curse us.
And at this anniversary,
We find your call to forgive so difficult.
Yet we are not alone, we live in your world.
Gather us all into your embrace.
As your beloved children,
we know we are interrelated with one another
though oceans or history may hold us apart.

How is it that humanity in all times and places can be so cruel
And yet you keep loving us?
Hear the stirrings of our heart as we ponder silently:
(a moment for silent confession)
Help us to see our own responsibility
in bringing about your healing and peace,
in growing deeper respect and greater kindness,
in offering examples of leadership and generosity
fit for our day.
Inspire us to join with all who seek to understand
and who take part in interfaith dialogues and conversations.
Hear us as we speak silently the needs we have today:
(a moment for silent supplication)
We know our great work with You, O God,
continues.
Bless us on this grace-filled journey
in the name of the Prince of Peace.
AMEN.
Written by Betty Lynn Schwab, CIM

Une prière pour le 11 septembre

Toi qui aimes l’humanité entière, Christ de compassion et de miséricorde,
Esprit qui désire que tous et toutes vivent dans la sainteté de la paix et de la joie :
nous faisons mémoire des personnes qui ont péri lors de l’effondrement des tours jumelles.
(temps d’évocation silencieuse)
Nous nous rappelons aussi ceux et celles qui souffrent, tout particulièrement en ce jour, de la perte d’êtres aimés;
les intervenants des services d’urgence, les pompiers, tous ces hommes et ces femmes qui ont répondu aux alarmes et dont beaucoup ont péri également.
Nombreux aussi sont les survivants désormais hantés par les cauchemars ou par la maladie, conséquences de leur dévouement courageux.
Nous prions pour les enfants qui ont perdu des parents ce jour-là :
pour les parents qui ont perdu des enfants,
pour les visiteurs captifs sans préavis,
pour les personnes qui travaillaient ou résidaient près de Ground Zero,
pour tous ceux et celles qui, très loin de là,
vivent toujours sous le jugement, donc
aujourd’hui encore dans la crainte.
Écoute-nous alors qu’en silence nous élevons vers Toi notre tristesse.
(temps d’intercession silencieuse)
En ce jour, nous avouons
ne pas aimer nos ennemis en profondeur, ni bénir d’abondance ceux qui nous maudissent.
En cet anniversaire, nous trouvons bien difficile ton appel à pardonner.
Pourtant, nous ne sommes pas seuls, nous vivons dans ton monde.

Rassemble-nous tous et toutes dans l’étreinte de tes bras, tels tes enfants bien-aimés :
nous savons que nous sommes interreliés les uns avec les autres, même si des océans ou l’histoire nous séparent.
Comment se fait-il que, toujours et partout, l’humanité soit si cruelle?
Et pourtant, Toi, tu continues à nous aimer?
Entends les mouvements de nos cœurs qui méditent en silence.
(temps de confession silencieuse)
Aide-nous à discerner notre propre responsabilité,
à promouvoir la guérison et la paix venant de Toi,
à cultiver un plus profond respect et une plus grande bonté,
à donner un exemple de générosité, par un leadership ajusté à la situation actuelle.
Insuffle en nous le désir de nous associer à tous ceux et celles qui s’engagent dans les dialogues et les échanges interreligieux.
Écoute-nous alors que nous évoquons en silence nos besoins de ce jour :
(temps de supplication silencieuse)
Nous le savons, ô Dieu : avec toi notre grande œuvre se poursuit.
Bénis-nous en ce jour plein de grâce, au nom du Prince de la Paix.
Amen.
Traduction : D.Fortin/Ministères en français

Spirit, Science, Art, Reverence Combined Will Build a Better Green Movement

2011-09-10T06:31:00.000-07:00

photo: James Jordan/CC BY-ND

from TreeHugger.com
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY

After reviewing the major religions of the world's stances on the environment, it seems pretty clear to me that there are more commonalities than differences. In the realm of metaphysics there are genuine and significant splits between Dharmic faiths ( Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism) and the Abrahamic faiths ( Judaism, Christianity, Islam), but in the realm of practical action to protect our shared environment, there is a great common ground.

No Religious Path Advocates Environmental Destruction

In other words, while there are differences in motivation for environmental protection between a Hindu, a Buddhist, a Jew, and a Christian--the first two generally seeing humanity as a integral part of nature, the latter two likely seeing the man's relationship to the natural world through the eyes of a caretaker--none of that matters when it comes to the need to preserve our water, our air, our land in an unpolluted state, in growing healthy food in a way that doesn't harm the land, et cetera.

Even more bluntly, there is not a religious path that says environmental destruction is a good thing, that pollution is a good thing, that dirty water are good. Such a belief system doesn't exist--unless you count some of the musings of industrialists looking at billowing smokestacks in the 19th century as a belief system. Maybe it is.

As I've said throughout this series, brief as each exploration is, environmental protection is an intrinsic theme in every world faith--even if there has always been vary degrees of appreciation and application of those beliefs. Which is also true of every non-theistic belief system, it should be said.

Why Are Greens Afraid To Talk About Spirituality?

If there is such a large common ground in support of environmental protection amongst the world's religions, why does it often seem then that religion and spiritual beliefs get sidelined in public discussion of going green?

Why is the ethical, the moral, the spiritual component of our efforts to tread more lightly on the planet not discussed more?

After all, the polluting class, who stubbornly refuse to bend from business-as-usual methods of production and attitudes towards environmental protection, regularly invoke beliefs in the superiority of the unfettered free market, when they are asked to not make such a mess of the world.

So why do environmentalists all too often shy away from talking about the deeper aspects of their beliefs? Why do we favor talking about rational self-interest when discussing more wind power, or clean air, or green jobs? Why not instead talk about enthusiastic love of life, compassion for all beings, the sacred imperative to live in balance, in an ecological sustainable way?

I've gone into this more recently, talking about the need to cultivate love of life, love of nature, and how this will bring about the external aspects of living a green life in a green society - so need to rehash that any more than I have.

Cultivate Holism to Develop A New Paradigm

I will say though that without holistically incorporating, and publicly talking about, a spiritual element to the modern environmental movement I am convinced we will fail to bring about the change we seek, at least in any sort of lasting way.

In the editor's message in the newest issue of Resurgence, Satish Kumar makes the case more eloquently than I, so I'll just quote part of it (apologies to Kumar for grabbing a great deal of his wonderful words here):

If the green movement wishes to be radical and effective and wants to embrace a new paradigm of the future, then our work has to based in harmony and wholeness incorporating spiritual wellbeing, artistic imagination, social cohesion and reverence for the whole of life.

Through the observation and analysis, experiment and evidence, reason and logic of our great scientists, we know the truth of harmony and the laws of Nature such as gravity, Gaia, relativity and evolution.

Through words, colors or images, music, movement, poetry and stories we communicate and express our experience of the universal harmony. And through reverence and restraint, through simplicity and frugality, reflection and meditation, synthesis and spirituality, dialogue and philosophy we learn to live in harmony with the universe and with ourselves.

But much of the environmental movement is missing out on this holistic approach.

Limiting itself to working within the partial parameters of secular rationalism, facts, figures and pragmatic arguments, the green movement has failed to make an impact on changing the direction of politics, business, academia and media. The culture of consumerism and materialism continues to intensify and there is little prospect of real change if we confine ourselves to green growth, renewable energy and very few other areas of policy.

We need to develop a bigger vision and to present a bigger picture to the world.

Indeed...

So what I charge you all with is going deeper within both yourself and your tradition. There's no need to change your path if that path is working for you; I hope this series has shown that. Go deeper to develop that holism, that bridging of spirit, science, and society. Develop your wonder and willpower, your conscience, compassion and consciousness. Develop a greener spirit, if you will.

More on Religion & The Environment

All of Existence Should Be Revered: Hinduism & The Environment

A Responsibility To Defend A Fragile & Glorious World: Judaism & The Environment

Check out TreeHugger for 30+ fresh, green stories every day!

Somalia Famine Could Claim 750,000 Lives in Next Four Months Without Better Aid

2011-09-07T08:28:00.000-07:00

Children have walked for weeks across the desert to get to Dadaab, and many perish on the way. Others have died shortly after arrival. On the edge of the camp, a young girl stands amid the freshly made graves of 70 children, many of whom died of malnutrition. Photo: Andy Hall/Oxfam/CC BY. Caption by Oxfam East Africa.

from TreeHugger.com
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY

The worst drought in East Africa in 60 years continues to take a severe toll. The tragic stats coming from the UN (via BBC News):

Six areas are now considered to be afflicted by famine, with the latest, the Bay region, being worse than any so far--58% of children there are malnourished, a record rate of acute malnutrition. 12 million people in East Africa, 4 million people in Somalia alone, are affected. 750,000 of these people in Somalia being "at risk of death in the coming four months in the absence of adequate response", according to the UN's Food Security and Nutritional Analysis Unit.

The Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya is now that largest in the world, with as many people in it as Kansas City, Missouri.

Overall it's worse than the famine in Somalia in 1992 and is approaching equaling the Ethiopian famine in the mid-1980s.

Read the BBC article linked above for some background on the famine, the role of Islamic militants in preventing aid from reaching affected areas (for a while at least they denied famine existed) and preventing Somalis from leaving the nation, such as it can be called a nation.

As for the absence of adequate response to the ongoing natural and humanitarian disaster, Mother Jones makes the case that the de facto media blackout of the famine certainly isn't helping the situation.

The article cites data from the Pew Research Center showing that over July and August the East African famine has accounted for just 0.7% of all news coverage. And cites Doctors Without Borders figures on how a little bit of coverage can go a long way--when ABC briefly covered the famine the aid organization reports that it received more than $100,000 in donations in one night.

...read more story at TreeHugger.com

Global Conference on World's Religions - Promoting dialogue to build a peaceful world after 9/11

2011-09-07T06:44:00.000-07:00

MONTREAL, September 7, 2011 /Canada NewsWire Telbec/ - Today is the opening of the Second Global Conference on World's Religions after 9/11, where His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra, Robert Thurman, Tariq Ramadan, Gregory Baum and Steven T. Katz will meet. Organized by McGill University in cooperation with the Université de Montréal, this Conference has invited representatives of many of the world's best known religions as well as the general public to discuss the involvement of religion in the building of peace.

"It has been said that there can be no peace among nations without peace among religions. Moreover, the profile of religion in the public square has been rising all over the world and predictions of its demise have turned out to be grossly exaggerated. Thus, the real question is not whether religions should exist or not, but rather, how can they contribute to peace in the world. If they are part of the problem, then they can also become part of the solution," says Professor Arvind Sharma, Birks Professor of Comparative Religion in the Faculty of Religious Studies, McGill University, and convenor of the Conference.

The Conference which will be taking place at the Montréal Palais des congrès will start at 9:00 am on Wednesday with a word of welcome from Professor Arvind Sharma, at 10:00 am His Holiness the Dalai Lama will give an hour and a half elocution entitled "Peace through Ethics" which will be introduced by Professor Robert A. Thurman, first American to be ordained monk in conformity with the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

At 1:00 pm the world renowned author and physician Deepak Chopra will give a one hour presentation on "Peace through Spirituality". At 2:00 pm a panel discussion will be moderated by Professor Patricia G. Kirkpatrick from McGill University. This panel will discuss the major factors relating to religion and peace. Panelists include: Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies at Oxford University; Robert A. Thurman, Professor in Indo-Tibetan Studies, Columbia University; Steven T. Katz, Director of the Elie Wiesel Centre for Judaic Studies and Professor of Religion at Boston University; and Gregory Baum, Professor at the Faculty of Religious Studies, McGill University.

At the end of the day, the participants will debate three resolutions linked with religious teachings, the respect of religious texts and an eventual Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the World's Religions. The objective of this Declaration is to improve the actual Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to extend its influence.

For more information, visit the Conference web site, www.gcwr2011.org

Ontario's doctors kick into high gear as provincial election begins

2011-09-04T08:48:00.000-07:00

TORONTO, September 4, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - With the official start of the provincial election set to begin on September 7th, Ontario's doctors are ramping up efforts to ensure that health care is a priority. Doctors from across the province are sending letters to their local candidates and engaging local media to remind them that health care is the number one issue for voters.

"Health care is an issue that affects each and every Ontarian. As front line health care providers, Ontario's doctors know what is needed to improve our health care system for our patients and to make it viable for the future." - Stewart Kennedy, MD, President of the Ontario Medical Association

Polling conducted on behalf of the OMA revealed that 9 in 10 Ontarians believe that health care is the most important issue. At the recent annual conference held by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, municipal leaders from across Ontario also chose health care as the number one issue that political parties should focus on.

Ontario's doctors have been very active in the lead up to the election by promoting a number of key issues in their platform, "Better care. Healthier patients. A stronger Ontario." Ontario's doctors have called for improvements to health care services for patients and their families dealing with mental illness and addiction, the expansion of electronic medical records to 5,000 more physicians by 2015, and to fight childhood obesity by requiring fast food chains to list calorie contents on menu boards and by mandating physical activity in our high schools.

"Local doctors have solutions to local health care challenges and should be included in health care discussions. We hope that political parties and local candidates commit to work with Ontario's doctors to improve patient care." - Stewart Kennedy, MD, President of the Ontario Medical Association

To learn more about what Ontario's doctors are recommending, please visit www.oma.org

What Drivers Can Learn From Children

2011-09-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

Children walking/cycling to school ease traffic congestion

PETERBOROUGH, Ontario, September 1, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - As school bells peal this week, more families will fill the streets across Canada walking and cycling their children back to school. So drivers should beware and adjust their behaviour accordingly. Chloe, a grade 8 student, notes a common pedestrian danger; "there is one spot on the way to school where I have to listen and watch really closely before I can cross - the cars come around the bend so fast they wouldn't be able to stop if I was half way across. I think the littler kids have to be with a parent to cross safely."

According to Jacky Kennedy, Director of Canada Walks at Green Communities Canada, the lead organization for the Canadian School Travel Planning initiative, greater numbers on the streets leads to greater safety;

"When drivers see more children walking and cycling, their natural reaction is to slow down. The larger the group of children, the slower vehicles will travel. When our streets are sparse of walkers and cyclers, driving behaviour becomes more dangerous to the few who do walk. We need to learn to share the road with all users; especially children who are most vulnerable to road dangers."

The great irony is that many of the cars that endanger walking children are actually carrying fellow students on the way to school in a family vehicle. The largest Canadian household survey concerning school transport, recently conducted by Green Communities Canada, found that the car was the most common way children got to school nationally (43% driven versus 34% walking). Parents also reported several safety concerns about vehicles in the school zone with observations like, "I've been close to being hit in the parking lot," "[Drivers] do not stop at stop signs," and "[Drivers] do not respect the school zone areas or the cross walks."

However, more and more people are supporting a change in car culture across Canada and around the world. The United Nations has named this the Decade for Action on Road Safety - and globally, countries and communities are responding with policies and charters that recognize that motor vehicles are dangerous to people who walk or cycle, especially to children and seniors whose independent mobility depends on active travel.

More children are hitting the pavement for the trip to school as municipal and provincial governments take steps to change car-centric road policies and school boards support those measures. Surrey, BC, adopted a Walking Plan earlier this year that will help make walking a safe and convenient choice for citizens and visitors. In Waterloo, Ontario, school boards recently signed an Active Transportation Charter to ensure that walking and cycling to school are safe, comfortable and convenient. And in Nova Scotia, a province-wide legislation change has been announced for this fall that will reduce school zone speeds from 50 km/h to a safer and easier to navigate speed of 30 km/h.

"(Walking to school) has been one of the greatest things that we've done over the last couple of years" says Bruce Krentz, a father in Thompson, Manitoba. "It's really some special time together and it also starts to get people out and get them moving and it shows your kids that it's okay to walk; that you don't always have to take a car to wherever you go."

Mélyssa Brochu of Sherbrooke, Quebec, says, "(My daughter), who used to complain that 1.1 km was too far to walk, is now a walk-to-school champion."

Drivers, beware. There will be more champions on the streets this year - could you be one of them?

About Green Communities Canada

Green Communities Canada is a national association of non-profit organizations that deliver innovative, practical environmental solutions to Canadian households and communities. For more information, visit www.saferoutestoschool.ca/schooltravel.asp. The current STP project is funded by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer through its CLASP initiative, with additional funding support from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

IKEA Foundation gives landmark donation of $62 million for world's biggest refugee complex

2011-08-30T06:16:00.000-07:00

GENEVA, August 30, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The UN High Commissioner for Refugees today announced a landmark $62 million donation from the IKEA Foundation geared towards expanding emergency relief for the thousands of people at the world's largest refugee complex in Dadaab, Kenya. It is the largest private donation that the UN refugee agency has received in its 60 year history, and the first time that a private body has chosen to directly support a major refugee complex. The donation, which will be staggered over three years, is expected to help up to 120,000 people - almost a quarter of the existing population of Dadaab.

"This humanitarian gesture by the IKEA Foundation comes at a critical time," said António Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the head of UNHCR. "The crisis in the Horn of Africa continues to deepen with thousands of people fleeing Somalia every week. We are extremely grateful. Help like this can't come a moment too soon."

Dadaab, which lies in a remote region of northeast Kenya, was first opened in the early 1990s. This year it has seen a dramatic surge in new arrivals as a result of the conflict and drought in Somalia. Originally designed for 90,000 people it now hosts a population of approximately 440,000 people, 150,000 of whom have arrived in the last months alone. This is putting enormous strain on those living and working there. Many of the new arrivals are suffering malnutrition, and are in critical condition. The IKEA Foundation donation will immediately help UNHCR expand its life-saving help for people already arrived at the camp.

"This initiative is a bold but natural extension of IKEA Foundation's longstanding commitment to making a better everyday life for children and families in need throughout the developing world," said Per Heggenes, Chief Executive Officer of the IKEA Foundation. "Supporting UNHCR, both immediately and over the long term, is one of the most effective ways to immediately make a difference in the lives of thousands of refugee children and their families."

UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, relies on donations to help millions of refugees and other displaced people around the world. Most of these donations are from governments. At $62 million, the IKEA Foundation donation represents a new level for support to refugees from a private body.

About the IKEA Foundation

The IKEA Foundation aims to improve the opportunities for children and youth by funding holistic, long-term programmes that can create substantial, lasting change, and enable them to take charge of their own future. We work with strong strategic partners applying innovative approaches to achieve large-scale results in four fundamental areas of a child's life. Currently funded programmes benefit an estimated 100 million children. Learn more at www.ikeafoundation.org.

Patients the big winners of McGuinty government's policy to expand Nurse Practitioners' role and scope

2011-08-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

TORONTO, August 29, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Regulations coming into effect on October 1st will allow nurse practitioners (NP) to deliver more timely care to Ontario patients.

"We are thrilled that nurse practitioners will be able to prescribe more medications and other treatments that Ontarians need," says Doris Grinspun, executive director of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO), adding this will provide the public with faster access to quality health care. The move also complements the provincial government's April announcement that NPs are able to admit and discharge hospital patients.

Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with additional education and legislative authority, who since 1998 can diagnose and treat common illnesses and injuries and order diagnostic tests for their patients such as x-rays and ultrasounds. The new regulations expand the authority of NPs to carry out additional care acts and treatment procedures such as setting or casting bone fractures and open prescribing of medications.

"NPs are central to tackling the challenges facing our health-care system such as improving access to care and reducing wait times. These changes send a clear signal that there is more NPs can do to better help patients and make our health system more responsive and cost effective," says David McNeil, president of RNAO.

"These expanded powers give us the authority to deliver the care we are educated for," says Michelle Acorn, president of the Nurse Practitioners' Association of Ontario (NPAO). "NPs have the knowledge, judgment and skills to competently and safely care for Ontarians. This is another step towards the full utilization of NPs and will only strengthen interprofessional collaboration."

The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) is the professional association representing registered nurses in Ontario. Since 1925, RNAO has advocated for healthy public policy, promoted excellence in nursing practice, increased nurses' contribution to shaping the health-care system, and influenced decisions that affect nurses and the public they serve.

The Nurse Practitioners' Association of Ontario (NPAO) represents the professional interests of all nurse practitioners in Ontario. NPAO is an expert group of the RNAO. NPAO's mission is to achieve full integration of nurse practitioners to ensure accessible, high quality health care for Ontarians. www.npao.org

Caribou Recovery Strategy - A Major Step Forward

2011-08-27T06:10:00.001-07:00

Photo Credit: The Pew Charitable Trusts via Flickr

OTTAWA, August 26, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The draft recovery strategy released today is a major step forward for the conservation of boreal caribou and has potential to benefit much of Canada's boreal forest and the wildlife that depends on it; however, the plan needs to be strengthened and a genuine commitment made by all Canadians to ensure the future of the boreal caribou, according to the Canadian Wildlife Federation.

"The designation of 2.5 million square kilometers of Canada, nearly one quarter of our country, as critical habitat will mean large scale landscape management and meaningful consideration of cumulative effects will be required before development can take place," says CWF Director of Conservation David Browne. "This is the most complex recovery strategy ever undertaken by Environment Canada and we commend the hard work of the many people who helped create it."

CWF believes that for this strategy to achieve its objective of maintaining local populations across Canada the requirements for habitat restoration in highly disturbed areas will need to be strengthened, timelines for action plans more clearly defined and the required level of undisturbed habitat be increased for some areas. Achieving the recovery strategy's critical habitat targets will also require novel approaches to land use, both in terms of minimizing disturbance and more importantly deciding where development should and should not occur. We expect to see a strong commitment by the federal government to protect critical habitat, develop action plans and put incentives in place for habitat restoration.

To keep this iconic Canadian species will require cooperation and commitment from Federal, Provincial, Territorial, First Nation governments, industry and non-government organizations. For its part, CWF has invested $250,000 in the development of a landscape planning model to identify opportunities for conservation in the highly disturbed western boreal forest region of Canada. CWF has also established a 3 year partnership with University of Alberta to support the use of satellite collars in a research project aimed at determining industry best practices that will benefit boreal caribou. CWF will be encouraging its 300,000 supporters to submit comments on the strategy and indicate their support for boreal caribou conservation.

About the Canadian Wildlife Federation:

The Canadian Wildlife Federation is a national non-profit charitable organization dedicated to ensuring an appreciation of our natural world and a lasting legacy of healthy wildlife and habitat. By spreading knowledge of human impacts on the environment, developing and delivering educational programs, sponsoring research, promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, recommending policy changes and co-operating with like-minded partners, CWF encourages a future in which Canadians can live in harmony with nature. For more information, visit CanadianWildlifeFederation.ca.

One Woman Working To Bring Safe Water to Millions With A Simple Barrel (Video)

2011-08-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

Image via video screengrab

from TreeHugger.com
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California

We've seen a variety of designs for carrying water over the years -- from the Hippo Roller to the Water Cycle. But this design by Cynthia Koenig, called the Wello WaterWheel, may be one of the most simple. Essentially a barrel with a handle to push it, it can transport 25 gallons, relieving women and girls from the burden of carrying water which, according to Koenig, is equivalent to "getting off an airplane in La Guardia, putting your checked baggage on your head and walking to the Brooklyn Bridge" every single day.

Koenig states in an interview with ABC News,

"The WaterWheel is a 25-gallon drum that moves five times the amount of water possible than traditional methods, which is five gallons on the head. So not only is it alleviating women and girls from this tremendous physical burden of water collection, but it's also reducing the time burden; women and girls spend about 25 percent of their time each day collecting water. So by using the water wheel it frees up their time to spend their time on more productive activities like work or school."

Koenig states that she sees the barrel as a platform for future designs -- from adding filtration and drip irrigation kits, to adding a cell phone charger that uses the rotation of the wheel to generate electricity for a full battery. That would be an amazing addition considering most developing worlds are leapfrogging land lines and going straight to cell phones as a way to do everything from make calls to make payments for goods.

Visit TreeHugger to see what's new. 30+ fresh, green stories every day!

Guelph woman collecting supplies to help Goderich’s children go back to school

2011-08-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

Victoria Street United Church damaged by Sunday's tornado in Goderichphoto credit: Bun T Pein Photography via Flickr

from the Guelph Mercury

GUELPH — Of all the work and needs of residents of tornado-swept Goderich, buying back to school supplies for the children of that city is probably way down on the priority list.

So Pat Bilton has made it her top priority, and she’s hoping for some help from others in Guelph who were moved by the destruction in that city over the weekend.

Environment Canada says the tornado was an F3, with winds of 280 km per hour and a path of destruction a half-kilometre wide. One man died and 37 people were injured.

The downtown took the brunt of the destruction with the roofs of old churches torn off, sides of buildings peeled back, trees thrown about like toothpicks and broken glass everywhere.

“I’ve never lived there but I frequently go there,” said Bilton, a member of Norfolk Street United Church. “I was there last Thursday and had a lovely day with my grandson. And then Sunday, boom.

“I know there are organizations to help with food and emergency supplies, but the kids will be back at school in a week and a half. I’m thinking school, and school supplies, will help those children get back to normal.”

Bilton hopes individuals will buy a backpack and load it with supplies, but anything and everything will help, she says.

She’s made a list of suggested items: backpacks, lunch bags, pencils, pens and pencil cases, erasers, pencil crayons, pencil sharpeners, markers, scissors, glue sticks, math sets, rulers, highlighters, duotang folders, binders, note and blank paper, dictionaries.

Folks can drop off items at Norfolk Street United Church Thursday and Friday of this week from 9 a.m. to noon, or Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of next week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bilton intends to deliver the backpacks to St. Vincent de Paul in Goderich next Thursday.

“You ask yourself ‘what can one person do?’ but one person can do a lot,” she said. “John Galt built Goderich like he did Guelph, so in a way it’s our sister city.

editor@guelphmercury.com

Animals Responding Three Times Faster To Climate Change Than Expected

2011-08-23T06:51:00.001-07:00

from TreeHugger.com
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY

A new study in the journal Science sheds some light on the critical question of how well will animal species adapt to climate change. The paper shows that animals are responding up to three times faster than expected to climate changes, either moving to higher altitudes or to different latitudes.

Study lead author Chris Thomas, from the University of York, told Reuters that on average wildlife has move to higher elevations at a rate of 40' per decade, twice what was previously estimated. As for moving to different latitudes, Thomas says the average latitude shift is three times earlier estimates, though not all species respond equally. Some don't move at all, while other move towards the poles, and perhaps surprisingly some actually move towards the equator in an effort to reach suitable habitat.

The paper also found that species moved most in places where the climate had warmed the most.

Whether this rate of movement is enough to stop expected rates of species extinction due to climate change, or whether rapid evolution will be able to save a significant number of species, is unknown. Estimates of how many species could become extinct due to climate changes is anywhere from 25-50%.

Remember that climate change is just one factor in the current extremely high rates of extinction -- about 1,000 times the historic rate. Habitat loss due to expanding human population and excessive resource consumption (poaching comes under than heading...) is linked with the majority of current species extinction.

... read more story at TreeHugger.com

FAWN RESCUE

2011-08-13T08:14:00.000-07:00

A YouTube video contributor wrote this:

”On the Morning of May 18th 2011 my wife noticed a deer in our yard that appeared to be frantically looking for something in the rocks that form a wall on property line in Brush Prairie WA...We went out to the area the deer was concentrating on and could hear a baby fawn crying in the rocks.”

Kathleen Noble sent along this heartening video of mankind to the rescue.

Solar Grill Stores Latent Heat for 25-Hour Cook Time at 450F

2011-08-12T06:57:00.000-07:00

Image credit: Derek Ham/ Barbeque Lovers

from TreeHugger.com
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA

We've seen a DIY solar cooker built from old CDs, and we've seen plenty of commercially available solar ovens too. We've even seen one solar-powered grill. But we haven't seen many solar cooking options that can store heat for longer cooking times or hotter temperatures.

Until now.

Derek Ham writes over at Barbeque Lovers about a solar-powered grill project he has been working on that uses latent heat storage to both extend cooking times, create hotter temperatures, and reduce the problem of intermittent sun. Based on technology developed by MIT professor David Wilson, the concept is expected to generate cooking temperatures of 450F, and offer up to 25 hours of cooking time.

If successful, this grill could both alleviate the well-known environmental impact of traditional charcoal grilling, and also offer a cleaner, greener and more socially sustainable cooking option in the developing world:

This study is very timely because although the students are creating a new grill for American backyards, the business plan is designed to allow the grills to be deployed in developing countries as an alternative source for cooking. Wilson originally came up for the idea during his time spent in Nigeria. While there he noticed a large set of problems linked to practice of cooking with firewood.

Of course this design is unlikely to excite the purists who are addicted to the taste of hickory. But then with the American design expected to feature a hybrid solar/propane heating system, and with wood chips for propane grilling commonly available, there should be ways to get a little smoke in your food without the need to burn up the planet.

The students are currently conducting an online survey to gauge the grilling habits of potential customers.

... read more story at TreeHugger.com

Old Guys Rule! A Tribute To Our Beloved Church Elders

2011-08-10T12:18:00.000-07:00

Old Guys Rule

If you liked the "Dad Life" you will love this adorable and funny tribute to church elders. As Christians, we affirm our older generation as people we admire, look up to, and want to emulate. Take time to get to know the elders in your community...you could learn a thing or two!

Astonish Me - a short film for the World Wildlife Fund

2011-08-10T05:54:00.000-07:00

A magical tale of adventure and discovery showcasing some of the extraordinary species recently found around the world. 'Astonish Me' has been created by acclaimed writer Stephen Poliakoff and director Charles Sturridge to celebrate our 50th anniversary.

For more on 'Astonish Me' and the new species featured in the film visit:

www.wwf.org.uk/astonishme

Jazz Vespers – Sunday, September 11 at 7 p.m.

2011-08-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

GUELPH, Ontario August 8, 2011 - Norfolk Street United Church is pleased to host Jazz Vespers on Sunday, September 11, 2011 at 7pm.

This Sunday evening program features a Jazz Trio, John Zadro on piano, Andy Klaehn on saxophone and woodwinds and Gary Tomlin on percussion.

Vespers are early evening prayers which include jazz, the lighting of candles, prayers, scripture readings and a short reflection.

Canadian family donates $2 million to support Red Cross relief efforts in Africa

2011-08-04T05:28:00.000-07:00

TORONTO, August 3, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Kroum and Eva Pindoff, the founders of Music World Limited, announced today they will make a personal donation of $2 million to the Canadian Red Cross Horn of Africa Drought fund.

"After seeing stark images of this tremendous tragedy and misery, our family has decided to do what we can to alleviate the suffering," said Kroum Pindoff.

The family decided to make the generous donation as news of the droughts in Africa becomes dire with nearly 11 million people --many of them children- at risk of starvation.

Long-time supporters of the work of the Canadian Red Cross, the Pindoffs hope their generous donation will inspire others to support aid efforts in the Horn of Africa. "I only hope that every Canadian will step up to give whatever they can afford to support the starving children and families in the Horn of Africa," said Eva Pindoff.

"The Canadian Red Cross is extremely grateful for this significant gift and the leadership demonstrated by Kroum and Eva Pindoff," says Conrad Sauvé, secretary general and CEO of the Canadian Red Cross. "Humanitarian assistance is urgently needed as millions of people continue to suffer from lack of water, food and shelter and basic health care. The situation continues to worsen."

The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement has a strong presence in the Horn of Africa and is actively scaling up operations to meet the urgent needs of affected communities. To date, Red Cross efforts include deploying 14 mobile health clinics which have given urgently needed medical assistance to almost 18,000 people, providing clean water to almost half a million people and distributing over 300 tons of seeds to farmers who have lost crops.

The Canadian Red Cross has already donated $1 million to support relief efforts in Kenya and Somalia helping to provide immediate life saving assistance and help people recover their livelihoods. "Although these funds will make a tremendous difference in the lives of affected communities, much more is still needed to ensure a sustainable recovery," said Sauvé.

All individual donations of up to $100,000 made between July 6 and Sept 16, 2011 will be matched by the Government of Canada. Those funds will go into a relief fund that is separate from the Canadian Red Cross and will be administered by the Government of Canada. Funds from the matching program will support on-going humanitarian assistance in drought-affected parts of East Africa.

Canadians who wish to support Red Cross Red Crescent efforts in East Africa can make a donation to the Canadian Red Cross Horn of Africa Drought fund. Donations can be made at your local Red Cross office, at www.redcross.ca or by calling 1-800-418-1111 and should be earmarked "Horn of Africa Drought".

Human-Powered Drill Strikes Water in Tanzania, Offers Hope for Cheaper Wells (Video)

2011-07-30T06:21:00.001-07:00

from TreeHugger.com
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California

When it comes to drilling new wells for water, the cost can be prohibitive as heavy machinery needs to be brought in to do the digging. However, a team of students from Brigham Young University came up with a human-powered solution that can dig wells in villages inexpensively.

BYU reports that machinery can bring a well's construction costs to as much as $15,000, and less expensive solutions often can't drill as deep. Their well drill, on the other hand, can go as deep as 150-200 feet -- in only a matter of days!

It works a little like a miniature merry-go-round. Three people stand in a circle and spin a wheel that turns the drill bit, while a fourth person lifts or drops the bit as needed to get through different levels of soil.

The team tested out their drill in Tanzania, and found that it works as planned.

"At the end of our trip, it was exciting, "says Nate Toone, a graduate student of engineering, in the BYU article. "We were drilling in a farm of sandy soil and 70 feet down. When we unhooked the pipes, there was a small little geyser. That was evidence to us we were successful. It was the payoff moment to see that water coming up and see the smiles on everyone's faces and know that we had found clean water."

According to BYU, the drill concept is part of a year-long project that has students solving real engineering problems with real clients -- basically a learn-by-doing strategy that ended up pairing the students with WHOLives.org, a non-profit in need of clean water solutions.

Charity:water may love hearing about this drill concept as well. The non-profit works to provide wells for villages in Africa for about $5,000 each. A solution like this could not only improve the cost of drilling wells or the potential for success in striking water, but also empower the village since they are able to drill their own well.

... read more story at TreeHugger.com

Will Closing Food Banks Help End Hunger?

2011-07-30T05:44:00.000-07:00

Image: Walmart Stores via Flickr CC

from TreeHugger.com
by Jeff Nield, Vancouver, British Columbia

Food banks first rose to prominence in the 1980's as an emergency measure to stave off hunger during a time of recession and high unemployment. While often very prominent in the community, these institutions are increasingly coming under fire from food activists. Some go so far as to say that if we are truly going to end hunger in North America, food banks should be closed.

Speaking from a Canadian perspective, Queen's University Professor Elaine Power explains this position in The Globe and Mail.

It's time to close our food banks. I've reached this conclusion after 18 years of researching food, hunger and poverty; volunteering at food banks; serving on a food bank board; and recently taking part in a challenge where I ate from a typical food bank hamper for three days.

Power suggests that food banks are incapable of ending hunger partially because people who could be considered hungry don't use them and they can only supply what is donated, which is often insufficient both in nutritional value and volume. Much of the food that is donated comes from corporations that may have motivations beyond feeding the hungry.

Food banks are good for corporations, especially food corporations. They can use food banks to offload edible food they can't sell, then advertise themselves as caring businesses. And holding corporate-wide food drives builds company morale. None of these corporate benefits are problematic in themselves, but they mean that corporations have a vested interest in the status quo.

Herb Barbolet, from Simon Fraser University's Centre for Sustainable Community Development, backs up Powers's claim.

A lot of the food donated by corporations is unsellable. It may contain too high proportion of salt or transfats or other ingredients that health conscious eaters don't want. Or, it may be close to being stale-dated. It should be unconscionable to give junk food and garbage to hungry people - and make them stand in line for it, at that.

Both Powers and Barbolet suggest deeper problem stems from the psychological effect that food banks have on our communities and how governments react to the problem. "The social safety net is underfunded so that senior governments can spend more on their priorities," says Barbolet. Powers points to the complex and intertwined nature of hunger and poverty issues in her conclusion.

Giving food to those who are hungry is a simple response that everyone supports. Tackling poverty means wrestling with diverse ideas about causes and solutions. It's time to begin that political conversation. But first we have to remove the obstacle that food banks have become.

...read more story at TreeHugger.com

Melting Arctic Ice Releases Stored Toxic Chemicals

2011-07-29T07:34:00.001-07:00

Photo: Andy Tinkham / cc

from TreeHugger.com
by Stephen Messenger, Porto Alegre, Brazil

As if the threat of rising sea-levels due to rising global temperatures weren't enough cause for concern, new research suggests that as arctic ice melts, it may be releasing much more than just water. According to researchers studying the melting polar caps, as snow cover dwindles as a result of climate change, toxic chemicals stored in the ice from decades of pollution are being 'remobilized' back into the atmosphere -- potentially exposing humans and wildlife to substances known to cause illness and death, for decades to come.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), which include such nasty compounds as DTD, lindane, and chlordane, were once commonly used in the agriculture industry as pesticides -- though scientists soon learned that these chemicals have grave consequences on human and environmental health. Ten years ago, POPs were largely banned worldwide, but the chemicals proved resilient and capable of long-range transport, which is why POPs can be detected even in places where they've never been used.

Ultimately, a significant amount of the POPs ended up in the cold, arctic regions where icy temperatures effectively 'trapped' the chemicals -- preventing them from being spread into the environment. But now, say researcher from Canada, Norway, and China, as that regions of the world experiences warming associated with climate change, those toxins are being released.

"Our results indicate that a wide range of POPs have been remobilized into the Arctic atmosphere over the past two decades as a result of climate change, confirming that Arctic warming could undermine global efforts to reduce environmental and human exposure to these toxic chemicals," write the team of scientists, as reported by The New York Times.

The report continues: read more story at TreeHugger.com

Fourth Annual John Galt Sunday Kirking Service

2011-07-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

GUELPH, Ontario July 28, 2011 - IN CELEBRATION OF JOHN GALT DAY, the Old Stone Churches, the Guelph Historical Society, and the City of Guelph are hosting the Fourth Annual John Galt Sunday Kirking.

Civic leaders from many faiths, cultures and volunteer organizations will be “kirked” to Norfolk Street United Church. A “Kirking” is a Scottish ceremonial parade of dignitaries led by a piper as a prelude to a civic church service. This service recognizes the public service of local leaders, expresses hope for their wisdom, and shows appreciation for their dedication to the local community. This ceremony was practised in John Galt’s Irvine, Scotland at the time of Guelph’s founding in 1827.

JOIN IN THE FELLOWSHIP as Rev. Miller and the Norfolk Street United Church congregation celebrate the 175th Anniversary of their church. A garden reception will follow the ecumenical service.

PARTICIPANTS ARE WELCOME TO WEAR TARTAN. For the first time, we will have a “Kirking of the Tartan” so get out your kilts and sashes and have your tartan blessed. Invited guests will gather at Knox Presbyterian Church at 9:50 a.m. to follow the piper to Norfolk Street United Church. Please use the Chapel Lane entrance at Knox. Parking is available in the Baker Street Lot or on the street.

ATTENDEES ARE INVITED TO DONATE non-perishable food items. Items collected for the annual John Galt Food Drive will be distributed to Sister Christine’s Welcome In Drop-in Centre and the Chalmers Community Services Centre. Both charities are supported by the ecumenical group known as CORE (Guelph Churches’ Outreach). The need for donations is great during the summer months.

John Galt Day Sunday Celebration

Sunday, July 31, 2011

10:30 a.m.

Norfolk Street United Church

75 Norfolk Street, Guelph

Please help make this a memorable and successful event.

Regards,

Betty-Lou Clark blouclark@rlproyalcity.com
Libby Walker libwalker@rogers.com

Co-Presidents,
Guelph Historical Society

University of Waterloo offers Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Award

2011-07-27T07:09:00.000-07:00

photo credit: NASAguy via Flickr

WATERLOO, Ontario, July 26, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - A new student award, called Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Award, has been established at the University of Waterloo.

The award is made possible through the generosity of the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and Mrs. Sharon Johnston, who gave a special gift to the University of Waterloo in order to honour the marriage of Their Royal Highnesses.

Their Excellencies decided to designate their personal contribution to the University of Waterloo to create The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Award, because of their strong belief that education provides the knowledge and tools for students to set their own objectives in reaching their full potential.

"This is a grand honour for the University of Waterloo to have a student award named after Their Royal Highnesses," said Feridun Hamdullahpur, president of the University of Waterloo. "The recipient will be an academically gifted student who possesses a strong record in volunteering and leadership, key aspects highly valued and extensively nurtured by His Excellency while he was president of Waterloo."

The award is one of many new scholarships and fundraising initiatives to support the education of students at the University of Waterloo. During the successful Campaign Waterloo, led by His Excellency in his former role as president of the University of Waterloo, a total of 529 new bursary and scholarship awards were established.

Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Award will be administered by the University of Waterloo and offered on a one-time basis, during the 2011-2012 academic year. Valued at $5,000, it will be awarded to financially support a student who has volunteer and/or leadership experience and is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Preference will be given to a student who is pursuing studies related to the British Monarchy or to Canadian Aboriginal peoples, as well as to a student who has received the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

For more information about the criteria and application deadlines for Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Award, click here

About Waterloo

The University of Waterloo, located at the heart of Canada's Technology Triangle, is one of Canada's leading comprehensive universities. Waterloo is home to 30,000 full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students who are dedicated to making the future better and brighter. Waterloo, known for the largest post- secondary co-operative education program in the world, supports enterprising partnerships in learning, research and discovery. For more information about Waterloo, visit www.uwaterloo.ca.

Making Sense of a Senseless Famine

2011-07-24T05:21:00.000-07:00

University of Guelph's President Alastair Summerlee is in Kenya this week, helping to increase access to education for girls and women in the town of Dadaab

GUELPH, Ontario July 22, 2011 - University of Guelph - In the News

A column by University of Guelph president Alastair Summerlee appears today in the Globe and Mail. In the commentary, published online, Summerlee describes his experience of visiting a famine refugee camp near the Kenya-Somalia border.

Summerlee is in Kenya this week, helping to increase access to education for girls and women in the town of Dadaab. His visit coincides with the United Nations’ declaration of a famine in neighbouring Somalia.

Located in eastern Kenya about 100 kilometres from the Somalia border, Dadaab contains what is often described as the world’s largest refugee camp, housing victims of war and famine.

In the article, which is also posted on his “From the President’s Window” website, Summerlee describes watching refugees pour into the camp following the famine declaration.

Summerlee is in Dadaab with a potential donor to consider building a school and supporting education programs in the camp, especially for girls and women.

Formerly, the U of G president chaired the board of directors of World University Service of Canada (WUSC). A leading Canadian international development agency, WUSC works with students, faculty and institutions to highlight global issues and provide education and training.

Among its many initiatives is the “Shine a Light” campaign, which has helped girls to continue their studies in African refugee camps, including Dadaab.

United Church Welcomes Government Response to Drought Crisis

2011-07-23T14:57:00.000-07:00

TORONTO, July 22, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The United Church of Canada congratulated the federal government today for its commitment to provide an additional $50 million in financial support to humanitarian organizations delivering assistance to people in East Africa who are suffering as a result of the worst drought in 60 years.

The church also welcomed the government's decision to establish the East Africa Drought Relief Fund which will be used to benefit those most affected by the drought.

In addition The United Church of Canada congratulated the federal government on its commitment to match the charitable donations of Canadians who take action to support charities of their choice.

"These matching funds will encourage Canadians from all walks of life to provide direct support to organizations that are working in East Africa right now," says David Armour, The United Church of Canada's Director of Philanthropy.

The United Church of Canada is providing humanitarian relief in the region through its partners, including ACT Alliance, the National Council of Churches in Kenya, and the Organization of African Instituted Churches. Earlier this week the United Church announced it was launching an Emergency Appeal for the Horn of Africa to respond to this humanitarian crisis. Today's announcement means that funds raised through this appeal between July 6, 2011 and September 16, 2011, will be matched by the federal government.

Members of the United Church and the general public are encouraged to contribute to the work of ACT and the United Church's partners on the ground in East Africa by making a donation today at www.united-church.ca.

We need safe access to areas affected by famine, World Vision says

2011-07-21T06:16:00.000-07:00

UN declares famine in two regions of southern Somalia, with other regions at risk

More than 3.7 million people - nearly half of the country's population - require assistance

Malnutrition rates in parts of southern Somalia are at 50% with the highest death rates exceeding six deaths in 10,000 per day

World Vision and other aid agencies call for unhindered access to provide aid

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, July 20, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - As the United Nations declares famine in two regions of Somalia, and warns of others to follow, World Vision is calling on the international community to seek assurances from the various armed groups in the country's southern region that they will allow unhindered access to provide humanitarian aid in areas where millions of children are in urgent need of food and assistance.

"As a child-focused relief, development and advocacy organisation, we are driven by the humanitarian imperative - to alleviate the suffering of those most in need. But when those who are most in need, like so many children in the worst parts of Somalia, live in places we cannot safely access, we are unable to assist them. So we are urgently asking all those who have the influence to assist," said World Vision East Africa Director Charles Owubah.

"We are seeing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis affecting millions," said Dave Toycen, President and CEO of World Vision Canada. "World Vision is committed to providing emergency aid to help children and families suffering through the worst drought in more than half a century. We're just as committed to our ongoing development work in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia, to help communities better cope with the effects of climate change on crops and livestock."

The United Nations declared today that famine exists in two regions of southern Somalia: southern Bakool and Lower Shabelle. Across the country, nearly half the Somali population - 3.7 million people - are living in crisis, and an estimated 2.8 million of those are in the south.

Consecutive droughts have affected families across the country, but the ongoing conflict has made it extremely difficult for organizations such as World Vision to operate and access communities in southern Somalia. Previously, World Vision worked in south central Somalia to implement humanitarian programs from 1992 until last August, when the Al-Shabaab group demanded that all Western aid agencies leave.

"We continue to implement programmes in Somaliland and affected areas in Puntland," said World Vision Somalia Operations Director Graham Davison. "But we would like to extend our help to those affected by the drought and famine in South Central Somalia. We have been told of heartbreaking conditions and families' daily struggles to survive in areas where we used to work, which is motivating us all to work harder to do all we can."

World Vision has been and continues to conduct security assessments to inform operational decisions about the situation in southern Somalia. The agency is urgently calling on the international community to rally together to quickly dispense crucial humanitarian aid.

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Visit our News Centre at worldvision.ca

United Church Launches Emergency Appeal for Horn of Africa

2011-07-20T10:04:00.000-07:00

TORONTO, July 20, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The United Church of Canada announced today that it is launching an emergency appeal in response to the famine and drought crisis in East Africa. In addition to calling for donations from its own members, the church is welcoming contributions from the general public. As an immediate response, the church has already committed $50,000 from its emergency response fund to the humanitarian relief work of its partners in the region.

Those partners, including ACT Alliance, the National Council of Churches in Kenya, and the Organization of African Instituted Churches, report that this is the worst drought to hit the region in 60 years.

One ACT news story notes that the mix of drought, skyrocketing food prices, food shortages, deaths of livestock in large numbers and conflict in Somalia has led to a massive increase in the number of new arrivals each day in Dadaab refugee camp on the Kenya-Somalia border.

The camp receives about 1,300 people daily, mostly women with children and elderly people. The noticeable influx of people fleeing the drought began at the end of May, swelling an already overcrowded camp that is now home to nearly 400,000.

ACT's Lennart Hernander, in Nairobi, says people are arriving at Dadaab noticeably malnourished and that between 20 and 30 children die of malnutrition in the camp each month. "In June, it was obvious just by passing through the graveyard that there were new children's graves."

In another website posting, ACT reports that "piles of grey ash—the burnt remains of cow carcasses—lie around villages in Borena, south Ethiopia." Rikke Holm, a Horn of Africa representative of ACT Alliance member DanChurchAid, reports by text message, "The old men tell us that they collect the dead animals near the village and burn them to avoid diseases. One of the old men adds ironically 'In a month or so you can collect us.'"

In the two worst-affected countries, Kenya and Ethiopia, ACT is distributing food and supplementary feeding for children, the elderly and nursing mothers; improving existing water supplies; and trucking in water to some areas. In the longer term, ACT will be looking to rehabilitate pastures, ponds, and water points; restock goat and sheep herds; and grow animal feed.

But that will happen only when the current hunger crisis is over. For now ACT's priorities are to meet people's urgent need for food, clean water, shelter and medicine and to join forces with other aid agencies, UN bodies, and governments to reach as many as possible of the 10 million people who risk starving to death.

To donate online, please visit The United Church of Canada's website, www.united-church.ca.

See also the Emergency Appeal video we have just posted on The United Church of Canada's YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/unitedchurchofcanada.

We Are An Intrinsic Part Of Nature, Not Separate From Anything Else: Buddhism & The Environment

2011-07-20T09:17:00.000-07:00

photo credit: Joe Stump/Creative Commons

from TreeHugger.com
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY

The following post is part of an ongoing series of posts briefly outlining how the world's major religions have traditionally viewed the environment and are putting those beliefs into practice today.

For many TreeHugger readers Buddhism is probably the primary introduction to Dharma-based spirituality and there are certainly a great number of green groups claiming some sort of inspiration from Buddhist teachings on compassion, mindfulness, and non-violence.

As for Buddhist teachers themselves, increasingly many of the highest profile ones, from Thich Naht Hahn in the Zen tradition to HH The Dalai Lama in Tibetan Buddhism, are making explicit connections between Buddhist beliefs and the imperative of environmental protection.

The Dalai Lama has said,

Taking care of our planet, environment, is something like taking care of our own home. This blue planet is our only home.

He's even expressed the view that the environmental problems of Tibet are so severe that they are more pressing than a political solution to the Chinese occupation of his native land.

Thich Nhat Hahn expands on the imperative for environmental protection and how best to bring that about, in the Buddhist ecological faith statement for the Alliance of Religions and Conservation:

Buddhists believe that the reality of the interconnectedness of human beings, society and nature will reveal itself more and more to as we gradually recover--as we gradually cease to be possessed by anxiety, fear, and the dispersion of the mind. Among the three--human beings, society, and Nature--it is us who begin to effect change. But in order to effect change we must recover ourselves, one must be whole. Since this requires the kind of environment favorable to one's healing, one must seeks the kind of lifestyle that is free from the destruction of one's humanness. Efforts to change the oneself are both necessary. But we know how difficult it is to change the environment if individuals themselves are not in a state of equilibrium.

... read more story at TreeHugger.com

A combination of high heat and high humidity can be very dangerous for both humans and pets - Take steps to beat the heat

2011-07-20T07:38:00.000-07:00

from Health & Safety Watch - Health through Knowledge - July 20, 2011 ... With several heat advisories being issued in many parts Canada this summer, it is a good idea for all Canadians to remind themselves about the risks associated with excessive heat and ways to stay safe. The following general information was adapted from various sources. For more specific information for your area, including cooling centres if they exist, please consult with your local public health authorities.

Extreme Heat Events

During extreme heat events the weather changes rapidly, leading to high temperature and/or humidity that your body may not be adjusted to. This is made worse if you are in the sun, or if there is little to no wind. During these extreme heat events there is typically a lack of night-time cooling and air quality is often poor.

Four environmental factors work together to make it hot enough to put health at risk: high air temperature, high air moisture content (often expressed as relative humidity), radiant (sun) load, and lack of air movement (wind - which usually moderates the negative effects of the other factors).

Even at rest your body generates heat. In the summer time it is important to constantly release this heat from your body. For your body to function properly, its inner (core) temperature should be close to 37°C. This normally varies by a few degrees over the course of the day and during physical activity. As your work load and body heat increases, so does the need to lose that heat. A core temperature of 40 or 41°C is considered life-threatening if you don't have a fever. If you are sick with an infection you may have a fever, this is not necessarily life threatening as it is the body's way of fighting off the infection.

You maintain your core body temperature by giving off heat through a combination of: radiation (you send out infra-red rays to your surroundings), convection (you transfer heat directly from your skin to the air), evaporation (of sweat) - in high heat, this is particularly important. Your heart must be effectively pumping blood to your extremities (head, hands and feet) in order for these three things to happen.

Recommended Actions:

During extreme heat, the most important thing is to keep cool and not expose yourself to heat stresses that will put a strain on your body. You can keep cool in a number of ways. At elevated temperatures, virtually all of your heat loss occurs through evaporation of perspiration (sweat) from your body. Anything that increases the rate of evaporation of sweat, such as personal cooling fans, is helpful.

You can also prepare your body for exposure to high heat by acclimatizing it. If you expose yourself to heat in a controlled way, for a few hours a day, then during the span of a week, your body can adjust. Of course, if you spend all of your time in an air-conditioned environment, your body will not adjust to heat.

To help protect yourself during an extreme heat event, take these steps:

•Keep out of the sun. If your house is cooler than outdoors, stay inside.

•If you must go outdoors into the sun, shade yourself with an umbrella or a wide-brimmed hat with lots of ventilation (to allow the sweat on your head to evaporate).

•Drink lots of water (that's the best liquid). How much water you should drink depends on how much you're sweating. It might just be a cup or two an hour, or it may be several litres. Thirstiness is not a good gauge. It doesn't kick in until you've already lost enough water to contribute to heat strain.

•If it is sunny, keep your house cooler, by pulling down awnings or closing outdoor shutters (if you have them) over your windows, or keep the curtains/blinds closed.

•If you have a two-storey house, keep the upper-level windows slightly open, to draw excess heat up and out.

•If your house is hot, try to spend a few hours in an air-conditioned space, such as a mall, or a formal cooling centre. In any case, make sure to rest in cool shade periodically.

•Take a cool bath or shower.

•At night, if the outdoor temperature is cooler, open all your windows. If you have fan units that fit into the windows, use them to bring down the temperature faster.

•Use fans to evaporate sweat from your body and cool it. If the temperature and humidity are both very high, this may not be effective or may have the opposite effect.

•Limit your physical activity, especially if you are in an at-risk group, and certainly during the middle of the day, when the heat is greatest.

•Liquids that are high in sugar and/or alcohol should be avoided, as they can increase the amount of water lost by the body.

•Most people's diets contain enough salt to make up for losses in sweat. But if you experience heat cramps, are advised by your doctor, or have to work in the heat and are sweating a lot you may want to take in extra salt.

•If you take medication, check with your doctor or pharmacist for possible side effects during extreme heat.

•Offer to help and check up on your neighbours, especially those who may be on their own and who may not be in a position to take these precautions.

•Heat should not be your only concern. If you are going outdoors in the daytime, apply sunscreen (to limit ultra-violet ray exposures). If you are going out at dawn or dusk (when mosquitos are most active) remember to apply insect repellant.

Get help from a friend, relative or doctor if you have these symptoms of heat illness:

•Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing

•Weakness, dizziness or fainting

•More tiredness than usual

•Headache

•Confusion

•Nausea

Make use of local cooling centres:

In addition to using air conditioned public places such as shopping malls, local libraries and neighbourhood community centres as places to cool off, many cities have Cooling Centres that are open during Extreme Heat Alerts. Check with your local authorities.

Don't forget about your pet!

Without shade and water, dogs, cats and other pets can overheat, become ill and die within a short time. Summer is when pets have the greatest risk of injury and heat-related health problems. Here are some tips to keep them cool.

•Watch for signs of heat stroke: Signs include rapid panting, lots of drooling, hot skin, twitching muscles, vomiting and a dazed look. Act quickly to cool down your pet - wrap it in a towel soaked with cool (not cold) water, or place it in a bathtub with cool water, or pour cool water over the pet. You can also put ice packs on the animal's head. Consult your veterinarian if your pet has heat stroke.

•Provide plenty of fresh water: Dogs can only sweat by panting or through the pads of their feet. Water loss from the wet surfaces of their mouth and nose helps lower their body temperature. Pets need fresh water at home and outdoors, so take water with you for your pet.

•Watch out for sunburn! Watch out for hot pavement and beaches: Sensitive paws burn easily. Water, sand and rock, at the beach reflect sunlight - your pet could get sunburn. Short hair pets and those with pink skin or white hair are most likely to burn. Control your pet's exposure to the sun - limit the time and provide shade.

•Find a cool spot: Keep air circulating indoors for pets - use a fan or air-conditioning. Provide shade outdoors for pets. A gentle sprinkle from a garden hose is also helpful to keep them cool.

•Watch how much pets eat and exercise: Overeating during hot weather can lead to overheating, so let your pets eat less. Also avoid exercise or vigorous activity during the hottest part of the day.

•Never leave your pet in a parked car! Even with the window open slightly or parked in the shade, when the temperature outside reaches 30°C the temperature inside a car can reach 50°C in minutes. This is extremely dangerous to your pet. Although your pet may want to come with you, it is much kinder to leave it at home with plenty of fresh cool water and shade. Carry a spare key with you to avoid locking your pet accidentally in your car.

Second only to car crashes, drowning kills more Canadian children under the age of 14 than any other cause of injury

2011-07-19T08:35:00.000-07:00

Learn as much as you can about drowning prevention!

from Health and Safety Watch - Health Through Knowledge July 18, 2011

As summer heats-up across the Country, health authorities are reminding Canadians of the importance of recreational water safety. Below is information summarized from a number of warnings and advisories.

Drowning is a silent danger and the second leading cause of death for Canadian children. Drowning can happen in an instant but affects a family for a lifetime. A few moments of inattention by a parent or caregiver can result in a child slipping silently under the water without anyone noticing. Learn all you can to prevent drownings and keep everyone safe around pools and natural water bodies.

Drowning facts:

•Second only to car crashes, drowning kills more Canadian children under the age of 14 than any other cause of injury; every year about 58 children die from drowning

•Children 1 to 4 years have the highest risk of drowning because they are attracted to water, but don't understand the risks and don't have any water safety or swimming skills.

•Most drownings of children under age 5 happen when children are playing near water and get into the water without an adult being aware. One-third of these occur in the backyard pool. Older children are most likely to drown when they are swimming in a river, lake, or other open body of water. The most common location for infant drownings is the bathtub

•Every year about 140 children must stay in the hospital because of near-drowning

•Near-drowning can result in life-long problems like difficulty learning, remembering, planning, and paying attention

•Almost half of all child drownings happen in swimming pools

•Young children can drown in as little of 1 inch of water

•About 3/4 of the children who drown each year are boys

How to enjoy the water safely and prevent childhood drowning

•Never leave children alone around water. Children need to be supervised near water at all times. Do not depend on flotation devices as substitutes for adult supervision.

•If your child is younger than 5, stay within arm's reach at all times. Life jackets are recommended for children playing near water who are younger than 5 and children older than 5 who do not swim well. Life jackets do not replace constant adult supervision.

•Never leave an infant or toddler alone in the bathtub, not even for a few seconds. A baby or young child can drown in as little as 2.5 centimetres (1 inch) of water. Do not use bath seats or bath rings.

•Parents should wait until their child is at least 4 years of age before starting swimming lessons. However, water safety and recreation programs for infants and toddlers and their parents are encouraged.

•If you have a backyard swimming pool or hot tub, a four-sided fence should be installed around the pool with self-closing, self-latching gates.

•Pool owners should be familiar with CPR and First Aid practises and have a telephone and rescue equipment near the pool or hot tub.

Check list for pool drowning prevention:

•Are your fences and gates in good repair and do they meet the requirements of your local by-laws?

•Does your gate self-close and self-latch properly?

•Is the release mechanism at the top of the gate?

•Is responsible adult supervision at poolside whenever children are in or near the water?

•Are all family members up-to-date with swimming lessons and first aid instruction?

•Is safety equipment at poolside in good repair?

•Are emergency numbers and a phone at poolside at all times?

In addition to adult supervision…

•Encourage swimming lessons and first aid instruction for family members and caregivers.

•Put young children and weak swimmers in life jackets when in or around water.

•Consider additional layers of protection such as alarms, safety covers, and water rescue equipment (e.g. ring buoy, lifeline).

•Encourage walking around the poolside, as running can often lead to slips and falls.

•Discourage the use of alcohol or drugs by adults who are supervising children by the pool.

Be Safe - Be Informed

•Learn as much as you can about water safety - check with your local public health authorities

•Check with your local municipality to obtain a copy of the by-law(s) that apply to your property

Red Cross responds to crisis in Horn of Africa

2011-07-15T07:03:00.001-07:00

OTTAWA, July 14, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Canadian Red Cross has launched an emergency appeal to assist millions of people affected by drought in the Horn of Africa. Very poor rainfall in the region, estimated to be the worst in 60 years, has destroyed crops and livestock, and caused thousands of families to flee their homes in search of food and clean water.

"The world must not sit back and ignore this crisis," says Conrad Sauvé, secretary general and CEO of the Canadian Red Cross. "It is estimated that over 11 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and the situation is expected to get worse."

The rate of refugees from Somalia arriving in southern Ethiopia has increased from 5,000 a month to more than 30,000 in the second week in June. Almost half the children arriving in Ethiopia from Somalia are malnourished.

"High and increasing food prices, as well as regional conflict are combining with the weather to worsen the food crisis," adds Sauvé. "The primary focus of the Red Cross is saving lives and we are committed to providing live saving support to vulnerable people living in the Horn of Africa."

The Red Cross Movement is working across the Horn of Africa to support affected communities. Already, the Red Cross has deployed 14 mobile health clinics, provided clean water to almost half a million people and distributed over 300 tons of seeds to farmers who have lost crops. The Canadian Red Cross has a disaster response expert in the region supporting the response effort, with more on stand-by if needed.

The needs in the Horn of Africa are significant, and the Red Cross encourages Canadians to donate at www.redcross.ca, call 1-800-418-1111 or contact their local Canadian Red Cross office. The 24-hour toll free line accepts Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Cheques should be made payable to the Canadian Red Cross, earmarked "Horn of Africa Drought" and mailed to the Canadian Red Cross National Office, 170 Metcalfe Street, Suite 300, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2P2.

The Canadian Red Cross is a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which includes the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and over 185 national Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The Canadian Red Cross mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity in Canada and around the world.

New Natural Probiotic may Help in the Global Fight against Diarrhea Causing Infectious Diseases

2011-07-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

"Dr. Véronique Delcenserie inoculates a series of vessels designed to simulate the human intestine with the probiotic molecules. The vessels mimic the conditions in the different parts of the gut and allow researchers to study the effect of the molecules on intestinal pathogens such as Ecoli O157 (CNW Group/University of Guelph)"

Guelph, Ontario, July 12, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - According to the World Health Organization, approximately 1billion people do not have access to clean water and an estimated 1.5 million children die every year from diarrheal diseases. This figure could be significantly reduced if trials on a new probiotic product developed at the University of Guelph continue to be positive.

Scientists at the University have discovered a new group of bioactive compounds produced by probiotic bacteria that, according to their advanced studies, may prevent infection, by food or water borne pathogens such as those that caused the deadly Enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) outbreak in Europe last month.

When many enteric pathogens such as E. coli O157 or C.difficile are ingested, they must attach to the host's intestinal wall in order to successfully colonize the gut and produce their toxins. To do this, the bacteria rely on chemical signals to switch on genes required for their attachment. The University researchers have found that molecules produced by certain probiotic bacteria can interfere with this signaling mechanism thereby preventing the pathogen from attaching to the host's intestine and stopping the infection cycle before it begins.

Initial studies have shown that mice fed the probiotic molecules and then infected by E. coli O157, had declining levels of E. coli present in their intestines over a 7-day period. As a result, these mice showed significantly reduced levels of infection compared to those untreated with the probiotic product. In addition, using an artificial system that mimics the human intestine, the researchers have shown that similar effects may be possible in humans and that these effects may not be limited to just these two pathogens. Existing probiotics on the market today typically claim to only protect against one pathogen at a time. The University of Guelph's research has shown further results that these new, probiotic molecules may not only effect the virulence of E. coli and C. difficile, but also Salmonella, and Campylobacter. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, these bacteria combined account for 22% of North American cases and 36% of deaths due to food borne illness annually.

"We are excited not only about the commercial applications of this technology as a broad spectrum treatment for several enteric diseases, but also about the research implications of this discovery," said Dr. Mansel Griffiths, Lead Researcher and Director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety at the University of Guelph. "As the number of antibiotic resistant bacteria increases, here we have a natural product with a unique mode of action that will allow us to target infection in new ways."

MicroSintesis Inc., a research company focused on the development of microbial technologies, has licensed the patent from the University of Guelph. The Company is looking at opportunities in the human health market, where it expects to develop a number of products for infants and toddlers. In addition, it plans to develop a product for the animal health market that could help to prevent food borne infection at the animal source.

President of MicroSintesis, Hannah McIver, explains,

"Up to 10% of patients suffering from the EHEC will develop the life threatening disease, hemolytic uremic syndrome. Most of these will be young children or the elderly. For the majority of us, food borne infections are a relatively minor inconvenience. For many, especially the young and the old, they can be deadly. This unique product has the potential to change the way we feel about eating certain foods, about how and where we travel to, and in many cases save lives."

Sliver of hope in Southern Sudan's humanitarian crisis

2011-07-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

World Vision Survey

JUBA, South Sudan, July 8, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - A new country will be born this weekend. Southern Sudan, the world's 196th nation becomes the youngest country and Africa's 54th state.

Raising the flag over a new Southern Sudan did not come overnight. The new nation's history has been rooted in 20 years of civil war and a five-year peace and independence struggle. The largest stakeholders in this crossroads have been the nation's children.

Over the last two decades, World Vision has journeyed with Sudan's families helping them survive longstanding humanitarian difficulties ranging from extreme poverty, lack of access to food, and dire child and maternal health problems.

World Vision Canada recently surveyed youngsters across Southern Sudan about independence and what it means for their futures. World Vision staffers discovered the most simplistic desire of children was to have their basic necessities of life met.

Here is a sampling:

10 year -old Joana
"I expect the government to ensure that water is accessible and available to every child in the new country," says 10-year-old Joana.

15 year old Rebecca Achan
"Many women die from childbirth and it is not good; I want to become a midwife so I can help."
Rebecca's hope comes from experience. In Rebecca's new country a girl her age has a higher chance of dying in childbirth than of completing school.

James, a young boy who lives on the streets
"I would like to see a good education system in South Sudan after the independence to enable me and other kids on the street to continue with education."

"Ensuring children are at the centre of the country's plans is going to be key to its success," says Rachel Logel Carmichael, World Vision Canada's team leader for humanitarian and emergency affairs.

Facts on South Sudan:

...Independence for South Sudan on July 9 follows January's referendum when southerners voted for secession. The vote was held in accordance with the 2005 North-South Comprehensive Peace Agreement which ended one of the longest civil wars in Africa.

...Sudan has been at war for all but just 11 out of 55 years since independence. The civil war raged from 1983 to 2005 and resulted in an estimated two million deaths and four million refugees. South Sudan's total population is 8.26 million.

...More than half of South Sudan's population lives below the poverty line on less than $1 (US) per day, and only one out of four adults is literate.

...More than half of the population is under the age of 18.
One out of every seven children in South Sudan will die before their fifth birthday, in a region with some of the world's worst human development indicators.

World Vision's work in Sudan:

World Vision started work in North Sudan in 1983 and in South Sudan in 1989 operating a number of relief, recovery and development programs that seek to promote peace and reconciliation in Sudan, while improving the lives of children and their families.

6 Lame Excuses for Not Becoming a Bike Commuter (And How to Get Over Them)

2011-07-07T07:35:00.001-07:00

Photo: tejvanphotos/Creative Commons

from TreeHugger.com
by Blythe Copeland, Great Neck, New York

Trading your car for a bike can make a huge difference to your carbon footprint -- and to your wallet, as gas gets increasingly expensive. But even when you know how beneficial the swap would be, it's easier to come up with reasons to stick to your current commute than to branch out onto a bike.

If any of these six excuses are holding you back from bike commuting, it's time to get over it.

1. You're carrying too much stuff.

If you're feeling weighed down with files, your laptop, your brown-bag lunch, and that change of clothes, hauling all your loot on a bike can seem overwhelming.

But a chic messenger bag, a high-tech pannier, or just a classic basket can help you carry everything in style, and even leave room for you to stop on the way home and pick up those last-minute groceries.

And if dropping the kids off at daycare is part of your daily routine, then bring them along on the bike: Invest in a carrier, and then unhook it and leave it at the daycare provider until you're back to pick them up in the afternoon. They'll be happy to skip the rush-hour traffic, too.

2. It's raining (or hot, or humid).

We know you don't want to show up at work looking all bedraggled from a commute in wet weather, or from biking through humid city streets on the steamiest summer mornings.

But this problem is easily fixed with a few simple adjustments: First, you need the right gear. Look for breathable, moisture-wicking fabrics that won't leave you soaked (or smelly), and durable, waterproof jackets that will keep most of the water away (like Runshade shirts from Patagonia and the Lightbeam hoodie from Nau).

It's also a good idea to stash a change of clothes at your desk (or in your gym locker, if that's nearby) for days when you didn't check the weather before leaving the house -- and toss in an extra stick of deodorant and a hairbrush for everyday use.

3. It's snowing.

While winter cycling brings up some of the same issues as wet- or hot-weather riding (like wearing something that you can change out of when you get to work so you don't end up in those ice-crusted pants at your 9 a.m. meeting), it also offers challenges that are all its own.

You need riding gear that's warm but still breathable -- check your local fitness store for cold-weather workout options -- and a bike that can take on salty, icy, snowy streets (a mountain bike is often better than a road bike in these situations).

If you live in an area where you expect plenty of rough weather, then studded tires are a good safety investment, and you'll want to have an extra inner tube and a patch kit on hand, too, since the harsher terrain makes you more likely to pop a tire.

Keep your bike clean so that the dirt and debris on the road don't jam it up, and remember to keep your battery lights fresh (since you'll be spending more time on the road in the dark, you'll use them more).

... read more story at TreeHugger.com