September 30, 2008

CONSULTATIONS WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS TO STRENGTHEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS: WOWCHUK


The province is consulting with a range of key stakeholders on new ideas to strengthen the delivery of economic development programs for rural and northern communities and entrepreneurs, Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk announced today.

“Rural and northern Manitobans are making a significant contribution to the strength of the provincial economy by developing innovative bio-products, functional and other food products and manufactured goods, to name a just a few,” said Wowchuk. “Growing the rural and northern economies of the future depends on the ability of entrepreneurs and communities to recognize and seize opportunities, and we’re holding consultations with a wide range of organizations to ensure provincial programs have the greatest benefit possible.”

The consultations have their focus on identifying both strengths and gaps in the way economic development programs are currently delivered, the minister said. The consultations will assist in developing ideas that will build stronger partnerships among government and non-government organizations delivering programs and services to entrepreneurs and communities.

The consultation process builds on the recommendations of the province’s Creating Opportunities report by examining how innovative business ideas can be best supported by economic development agencies and communities.

Results of the stakeholder consultations will be reviewed in October.

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September 30, 2008

VIDEO CONFERENCING OFFERS OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THE WORLD TO RURAL, NORTHERN CLASSROOMS– – –
New Technology Links Offer Equal Educational Opportunities For All Students: Bjornson


Rural and northern students will have the opportunity to interact with experts and other students from around the world with new investments in video conferencing for classrooms, Education, Citizenship and Youth Minister Peter Bjornson announced today.

Using video conferencing links, students have talked to astronauts as their shuttles drift through space and others have ventured on virtual tours of centres of world-class centres of knowledge such as the Smithsonian Institute.

“Students have a right to the best available education. And this leading-edge technology is a powerful tool that is helping to revolutionize the classroom experience, levelling the educational playing field by providing equal opportunities for all students, no matter where they live,” Bjornson said.

“This video conferencing capability has made a significant difference to students and teachers alike,” said Jack Sullivan, superintendent of Mountain View School Division. “Students have access to additional courses. This technology also enables teachers to participate in professional development sessions close to home because time constraints and travel costs are no longer a factor.”

Students in Dauphin, The Pas and Flin Flon used the equipment to continue their French immersion education beyond Grade 8. This pilot project was so successful that Mountain View School Division plans to expand its capabilities to include all six high schools in the division. The additional $65,000 investment to expand video conferencing will also see enhanced course delivery, and professional development and consultative support opportunities for Manitoba teachers, school division staff and administrators.

The technology can link schools with high-definition, interactive video and sound. Some of the current uses include helping deaf or hard-of-hearing students study with teachers using American sign language (ASL), providing ASL training for educational assistants and giving school teams access to specialists who can provide consultative support for student services.

Technology such as video conferencing will increase the opportunities for rural and northern school educators to participate in the development of support materials and to access professional learning opportunities. The technology will also be used by school divisions to access consultant support from the department to assist in planning for students with special needs.

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The Beauty of Africa

Saturday, October 18, 2008
Cultural Exposition and African Rumba Concert feat. JB Mpiana
The Aboriginal Centre 181 Higgins Avenue
Cultural Exposition Open House 1-6 p.m
Concert with JB Mpiana 9:30 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.

The Beauty of Africa was developed to reveal to the world the true beauty of a continent often only seen for war, famine, and disease. The event was originally created in April 2008 and featured some of the most beautiful and exotic hand crafted art collections in the city, along with African music, dancers, and key note speakers. This Event will be offered again to help raise money for the establishment of an African Canadian Cultural and Heritage Center in Winnipeg so that the true beauty of Africa can always be shared with Winnipeg, and this time the event will offer much much more.....

Beauty of Africa Cultural Exhibition: Open House 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
This event will feature some of the most exotic and beautiful private art collections for viewing: See the rich artistic talents that have flourished in Africa for hundreds of years, compare wood and art work from different regions, and view a photo gallery of the exotic scenery from the Medditeranean to the Cape of Good Hope.

African Fashion Show: Featuring African dress and models, showcasing some of the finest authentic African clothes. Organized by Afritoba clothing shop

African Drumming and Dancers: Bring your own drum and join in while our drummers perform and dancers take the stage.

African Craft Sale Vendors: A myriad of small shops featuring fine hand crafted wood works and jewelry will be on hand. A great opportunity to purchase some unique gifts for the upcoming holidays and support fair trade and other worthy causes.

International African Rumba artist JB Mpiana of Wenge BCBG will be appearing for a one hour CD/ DVD signing. JB Mpiana joins us from Paris, France to help with this important once a life time event.

Many more exciting activities will be available for both children and adults. Bring your entire family and experience one of the worlds rich cultural traditions. Join in the fun and support the vision of the African Canadian Cultural and Heritage Center as they launch a new campaign to enrich the cultural diversity of Winnipeg.

Live African Rumba Concert
JB Mpiana: Wenge Musica BCBG Concert
9:30 pm - 1:00 am
International sensations JB Mpiana, along with four dancers and eleven members of his group will be performing live in Concert for the first time ever in Winnipeg.
Ticket Price: $50.00 - To purchase tickets please visit Afritoba 318 Smith Street, or phone (204) 949-1578 or (204) 233-4269

World Food Crisis and Food Security Conference, U of M October 8 - 10, 2008 Free!

Hello,

I wanted to let you know that there is a food security conference being held at the University of Manitoba from October 8-10. It is being put on by the Global Political Economy department and will be both open to anyone and free of charge.

I have attached an electronic version of the poster that will be hung around the campus and at various other locations. If you would like I would be more than happy to deliver a hard copy of the poster to you.

I beg of you, please send this to anyone who may be interested in attending any or all of the seminars/lectures. The more, the merrier as the saying goes.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask me or you can call
474-6501 and Dr. Kueneman will be able to help. As well, you can visit the website, www.umanitoba.ca/arts/gpe.

http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/arts/departments/global_political_economy/program_info/world_food_conf08.html

Manitoba Food Charter
641 St. Matthews Avenue
Winnipeg, MB
R3G 0G6

v (204) 943-0822
Toll free: 1-800-731-2638
f (204) 774-1847
email: paul@mbfoodcharter.ca
Manitoba Food Security Website: http://manitobafoodsecurity.ca

Paul Newman: A rare breed - USATODAY.com

September 26, 2008

PROVINCE SUPPORTS $20-MILLION HEMP PLANT WITH $4 MILLION IN GRANTS, LOANS
DAUPHIN—Hemp grown and processed in Manitoba is one step closer to insulating homes around the world, with $4 million in provincial loans and grants to kick-start the development of a world-class hemp facility, Competitiveness, Training and Trade Minister Andrew Swan and Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk announced today.

The state-of-the-art facility will create up to 22 jobs in the Dauphin-Parkland region and manufacture and market products made from industrial hemp, which is currently being grown in the area. Once operational, it will turn 23,500 metric tonnes of hemp straw into home insulation and animal bedding every year. The Parkland Biofibre facility will be one of a handful of industrial hemp processing plants in the world.

“We’re working with local entrepreneurs to build upon our competitive advantages and support Manitoba’s new bio-economy,” said Swan.

“This is a unique opportunity for the province to be at the forefront of biofibre processing and trade,” said Conservation Minister Stan Struthers, speaking at the event today.

The provincial government will be providing Parkland Biofibre with a $3 million Manitoba Industrial Opportunities Program (MIOP) loan to help build a $20-million hemp-processing facility in the Dauphin Industrial Park. An additional $1 million capital grant is being provided from Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiative’s Rural Economic Development Initiatives (REDI) program to support related project expenses. All provincial funds are contingent on the company securing additional investment from other public and private sources.

“We are building on Manitoba’s agricultural strengths to create new opportunities for rural investment and development,” said Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk. “Hemp has been grown successfully in Manitoba for many years and will now be locally developed into new value-added products.”

“Manitoba is a great place to do business with its strategic location, competitive taxes and low cost of doing business,” said Joe Federowich, board chair of Parkland Industrial Hemp Growers/ Parkland Bio Fibre. “In addition to providing high-wage, high-skilled jobs, this plant will keep Manitoba competitive in the growing hemp industry.”

Once all necessary funding agreements are in place, the design and construction process is expected to take 24 months.

Hemp is a natural fibre product from the Cannabis sativa plant and has been used for thousands of years for rope, canvas, paper, clothing and industrial products. It is an environmentally friendly choice for consumers because it is a renewable resource and creates very little waste. Nearly all parts of the hemp plant, including the fibre, seed and grain, can be used.

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September 29, 2008

PROVINCE'S POPULATION HIGHEST EVER AT 1.2 MILLION MANITOBANS


Manitoba’s population has reached a historic high above 1.2 million people, Competitiveness, Training and Trade Minister Andrew Swan announced today.

Statistics Canada reports that as of July 1, 2008, Manitoba’s population had reached 1,208,000, an increase of nearly 14,500 people since July 2007. Along with 1983, these are the largest population gains in the last 36 years.

The minister said the province’s latest annual growth of 1.2 per cent exceeded the national gain and was the fourth-highest rate among the provinces.

“The population figures released today are tremendous news and show that Manitoba is a popular destination for immigrants and former Manitobans wishing to return home,” said Swan. “Our investment in education and training, our strong economy, and initiatives like the Provincial Nominee Program demonstrate a significant Manitoba advantage, which is helping people make the right decision and move to our province.”

Swan said Statistics Canada estimates there are more Manitobans and fewer Canadians than previously thought. Manitoba’s population is now some 6,900 people higher than previously estimated for April 1, 2008. Manitoba’s upward population revision was the second largest for all provinces.

Swan noted Manitoba’s population is expected to continue to grow. Projections show the province will reach 1.3 million in 2016 and 1.4 million in 2022.

Population is important to the strength of Manitoba’s economy. Manitoba’s Bureau of Statistics reports a one-time increase of 10,000 immigrants has the following additional economic impacts after 10 years:
· an increase in the total population of 11,400 people;
· an additional 4,700 housing starts;
· an additional 5,800 people employed, with nearly all the increase in the private sector;
· an increase in gross economic output of $810 million; and
· an increase in disposable income (income after taxes) of $367 million.

“We welcome people who are looking at Manitoba as an attractive place to live, work and raise a family,” said Swan. “People are arriving from all corners of Canada and the world to make Manitoba their new home.”

For more Manitoba demographic information, go to the website Manitoba: the Past, the Present and the Future at www.gov.mb.ca/mbs.

FOSTER-FAMILY RECRUITMENT PROGRAM VASTLY EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS
– – –
More than 1,000 New Placements Created to Help Vulnerable Kids; Hotel Placements Plummet

The province’s foster-family recruitment program has created more than 1,000 new bed spaces since November 2006, triple its original goal, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Ron Evans, Manitoba Métis Federation President David Chartrand and Northern Chiefs Organization Grand Chief Sydney Garrioch announced today.

When Join the Circle of Care was launched last year, Manitoba Child and Family Services (CFS) agencies hoped to see 300 more bed spaces created for children in care. Instead, more than 1,000 new placements with more than 450 families have been added this year compared with last year.

“We are pleased that so many Manitoban families have stepped forward to help vulnerable kids,” Evans said. “This has had a huge impact on our ability to place children in caring, safe homes. The number of kids in hotels is significantly down this year compared with last year.”

The campaign, Join the Circle of Care, was one step in the Changes For Children strategy. Changes for Children was launched with an initial commitment of $42 million to strengthen the province’s four CFS agencies, followed by another of $6.1 million to increase Manitoba’s foster-care system.

Parallel with Join the Circle of Care, the province also launched a new policy on Aug. 1, 2007, designed to reduce the need to temporarily put children in care into hotels, except under exceptional circumstances. Under this exceptional-use policy, children can only be placed for short terms in hotels in the event of an emergency, such as a fire or flood, for medical reasons and to keep families and siblings together.

“Prior to this policy coming into force, there were as many as 166 kids in hotels on a single day in August 2006,” said Chartrand. “Since Join the Circle of Care was introduced, the average number of children placed temporarily in hotels has dropped significantly to an average of three a day. That’s a reduction of 98 per cent.”

During the first year after the new policy was introduced, there were five months when no children were in hotels; five months when the daily average was three or fewer; one month when the average was four; one month with a daily average of 11 and one month with a daily average of 14. Only one child has been in a hotel this week.

“We applaud the work of front-line social workers and foster families in finding more appropriate emergency placements for children,” Garrioch said. “They are accomplishing this despite an increase in the total numbers of children coming into care.”

As of March 31, 2007, there were 7,241 children in care. One year later, there were 7,837 children in care, an increase of almost 600, or 8.2 per cent. The province has also funded 90 more front-line social workers (with more to come), hired FASD specialists and improved standards and training.

“Despite our successes, we know there is much more that can be done to improve the child and family services system,” Family Services and Housing Minister Gord Mackintosh said. “In the coming months, we will launch a three-part initiative to further protect the most vulnerable members of society.”

The three-part initiative will include:
· Targeting the Join the Circle of Care campaign with a focus on recruiting foster families that can care for larger sibling groups and special needs youth.
· Bringing on-stream approximately 30 targeted specialized emergency placement beds.
· Launching a co-ordinated response that will better meet the needs of children by matching resources to their needs. This rapid-response system will allow more quicker and appropriate action for children.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED
The Province of Manitoba is distributing this release on behalf of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, the Manitoba Métis Federation and the Northern Chiefs Organization.

Samantha Ronson, DJ Playdate at Hi5 October 4

This appears too be the biggest secret in town. A popular DJ made more popular by her connection to the troubled Lindsay Lohan is reported to be coming to play at the local night club Hi5 night-club in the Osborne Village but there is no big to do about it? Are they catering to their regular or afraid of the stampede that is why no big advert?

If Lindsay Lohan comes along for the ride that should add a lot of excitement among the relatively tame Winnipeg crowd. I think Ronson, sister of the producer Mark Ronson, will be here next weekend, Saturday October 4. Entrance fee for that night is huge for the regulars - all of $30 bucks. Tickets to the gig could be picked up at Connect Four Clothing (233 McDermot), Noir Wine Bar + Eatery (470 River) or HiFi, and 50 tickets will be pre-sold for Noir's official pre-party at a discounted price of $20.

September 24, 2008

REGIONAL HOG INDUSTRY MORATORIUMS TO BE PERMANENT WITH FORMAL PASSAGE OF BILL 17
– – –
Province Builds on Water Protection Strategy: Struthers


Three regional moratoriums on hog industry expansion will soon be made permanent to protect water and the environment after the formal passage of Bill 17, Conservation Minister Stan Struthers announced today.

The bill received third and final reading today, the last step before receiving royal assent.

“This bill ensures the old practice of unsustainable industry growth in hog alley has been permanently halted,” the minister said. “This bill is consistent with the Clean Environment Commission’s direction to strengthen our plan to ensure we protect our land and water.”

The three regions affected by the moratoriums include:
· Southeastern Manitoba: This region is classified as an intensively developed area, meaning it does not have sufficient land base to allow for further sustainable spreading of livestock manure.
· The Red River Valley Special Management Area: This high-risk area, which includes the Capital Region of the province, was identified by the Phosphorus Expert Committee as a vulnerable region because it is a flood-prone area.
· The Interlake: This region borders on Lake Winnipeg to the east and Lake Manitoba to the west. In addition, wetlands and other marginal and ecologically sensitive land make the region unsuitable for further hog industry expansion.

Industry expansion in these regions has been halted since November 2006 when the minister announced a provincewide industry pause. The ban was lifted in all but three regions of the province following the release of the Clean Environment Commission’s report on the environmental sustainability of the hog industry in March.

Struthers noted, during that time, expansion was allowed for producers who introduced new technologies such as anaerobic digesters and a combination of separators and other systems that enhance environmental protection. He said Bill 17 allows that practice to continue.

“Our position from day one has been the industry can grow, but not at the expense of the environment,” the minister said. “By promoting a sustainable hog industry, we are restoring the public’s confidence that producers can conduct business and still protect our water.”

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September 25, 2008

CONSUMERS COULD BE AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR HOMES: CONSUMERS BUREAU


The Manitoba Consumers’ Bureau is advising consumers to be cautious of advertisements offering the loan, lease or sale of a big ticket item, regardless of their personal credit status.

The ads may encourage the purchase of big ticket items such as vehicles, electronics, furniture and appliances, and can sometimes put consumers’ homes at risk by using them as security in order to guarantee loans to purchase these items.

Manitoba’s Consumers’ Bureau warns consumers to be wary of loan, lease and purchase agreements that have any of the following terms and conditions:
· Large documentation fees for setting up a loan agreement. Most financial institutions do not charge any documentation fee for a loan. A documentation fee of several thousand dollars for a small loan is excessive.
· Long lease terms for big-ticket items. The average lease for a car is just over four years and a computer slightly less. A lease for these types of items that locks a consumer in for 10, 25 or even 50 years is extremely expensive.
· Using the consumer’s home as security for a personal loan or lease. Consumers who allow a business to put a caveat on their home for a small loan or lease should be aware they are at risk of losing their property if they default on the agreement. For example, if a consumer gives the business a $100,000 caveat on their home to secure a $15,000 loan, the business could soon own the consumer’s home if they are not able to make the loan payments.
· High-interest terms. Consumers should check with several different lenders before agreeing to a loan or lease. If a typical prime interest rate is five per cent and the lender wants to charge 30 per cent for a loan, the consumer should shop for a better rate.

Consumers can protect themselves by recognizing a disreputable business:
· A disreputable business may attempt to wear a client down over many hours of negotiation and confuse them with several different salespeople and many pages of documents. Consumers feeling pressured, confused or tired should take any documents home to review before signing. If the business refuses to let the consumer leave with the unsigned documents, then consumers should take their business elsewhere.
· Consumers considering a loan with any of the above terms are encouraged to get advice before signing. They should call other lenders for additional loan options and should review documents with a lawyer or accountant.
· Before providing any down payment, consumers should be clear whether the document they are signing is for a lease or a purchase, and the item specified in the document is the one they want.
· Consumers should not sign any blank papers or papers that have blank parts; information can be added later without the consumer knowing. Consumers should demand copies of all signed documents.

Consumers entering into a loan with any of these excessive terms, who feel they have been pressured into signing an agreement or who did not get the item agreed to, should contact the Consumers Bureau at 204-945-3800 or 1-800-782-0067 (toll-free), or via email at consumersbureau@gov.mb.ca. The bureau will provide information on rights and remedies in loan, lease and purchase agreements.

September 24, 2008

PUBLIC HEALTH UPDATE #5: LISTERIOSIS


The Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health is informing the public that public health officials are investigating a lab-confirmed case of listeriosis in Manitoba.

The individual, a woman in her 50s with an underlying medical condition, is a resident of the Winnipeg health region. The individual is currently receiving treatment in hospital. Further lab testing and public health investigation are underway to determine if this case is linked to the current national outbreak.

Further analysis of laboratory tests of the infant death related to listeriosis reported earlier in September has determined the case is not linked to the current national outbreak. This is because the DNA fingerprint of the listeria bacteria in the infant case is different from the DNA fingerprint in the listeria bacteria associated with the recalled Maple Leaf products.

Five cases of listeriosis have been reported in Manitoba in 2008. Two cases reported earlier this year, one in January and one in February, were not linked to the current national outbreak. One case reported in August was linked to the current national outbreak. On average, four cases of listeriosis are reported in Manitoba each year.

For more information about listeriosis, Manitobans can visit the website at www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/cmoh/listeriosis/index.html or contact Health Links–Info Santé at 788-8200 or 1‑888‑315-9257 (toll-free).

September 23, 2008

PROVINCE UNVEILS NEW INCENTIVES TO HELP MANITOBA PRODUCERS GO ORGANIC
Manitoba farmers and processors looking to tap into the province’s fast-growing organics sector by moving toward organic production will benefit from a new Manitoba Organic Transition Program, Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk announced today.

“Retail sales of organic products are increasing at 15 to 20 per cent per year, opening the doors to a range of new opportunities for Manitoba producers and processors,” Wowchuk said. “New funding announced today will provide assistance to Manitobans interested in securing certified organic status for their cropland, pasture, livestock operations or processing facilities.”

More than $338,000 in funding is now available over a three-year period for the new program. The program will reimburse farmers and processors for the fees charged by qualified organic certification agencies during the transition to organic certification. Producers and processors can receive reimbursement of two-thirds of the cost of their transition fees up to an $800 maximum per year.

Producers and processors starting the transition process in 2008 or 2009 can receive up to $800 per year for two years to cover organic certification fees. Those already in their second year of the transition process are eligible for reimbursement of up to $800 per year for two years (covering the second and third years). Producers entering their third year of transition in 2008 can receive one year of funding.

Manitoba is the only prairie province to offer this type of organic incentive program to producers and processors, Wowchuk noted.

There are approximately 300 certified organic producers and processors in Manitoba, and nearly 100,000 acres dedicated to organic crops. Organic food production can mean reduced input costs, greenhouse gas reductions and often expanded access to fast-growing demand for organic foods.

The 2008 application deadline for the new Manitoba Organic Transition Program is Nov. 30. For more information on the program, producers and processors can visit www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/organic/index.html or contact any MAFRI GO Office.

September 18, 2008

NEW LEGISLATION WOULD STRENGTHEN ANIMAL PROTECTION IN MANITOBA: WOWCHUK

Higher fines for the mistreatment of animals, stronger licensing requirements for pet breeders and expanding inspection and enforcement provisions are part of a package of proposed changes to Manitoba’s Animal Care Act introduced in the legislature today, said Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk.

“Manitoba’s existing Animal Care Act is one of the most comprehensive pieces of legislation of its kind and today’s amendments would enhance our legislative authority to strengthen animal protection,” Wowchuk said.

Proposed amendments to the act include:
· developing a public registry of licensed pet breeders that would allow the public to easily locate reputable breeders prior to purchasing a family pet;
· requiring pet stores to be licensed including provisions that would require stores to keep records of the breeders from whom they purchase their pets;
· requiring veterinarians to report suspected cases of animal neglect or abuse;
· giving the chief veterinary officer authority to issue orders that would require owners to take action to relieve an animal in distress or to carry out their duties under the act toward their animals;
· providing expanded powers to enter and inspect premises;
· providing animal protection officials with specific authority to take abandoned animals into custody including animals left behind in rental properties, animals not retrieved from kennels and other temporary caregivers, and animals that are apparently ownerless;
· increasing the maximum penalties for offences to $10,000 from $5,000 for a first offence and to $20,000 from $10,000 for a second or subsequent offence, and the maximum term of imprisonment to 12 months from six months for a second offence;
· increasing the limitation period for prosecution of offences under the act to two years from
six months; and
· implementing restrictions, as part of new licensing requirements, on the number of animals a breeder may have, based on individual breeding facilities.



The minister noted Manitoba’s proposed comprehensive animal care bill is in step with recent changes other provinces have made to strengthen their animal protection legislation and the product of the experiences of Manitoba’s animal protection officers in carrying out their duties.

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September 19, 2008

PILOT PROJECT TO CONNECT MANITOBANS WITH AFTER-HOURS CARE– – –
Province's Electronic Health Record Initiative On Track: Ministers


A $6-million pilot project will make innovative use of information technology to connect Manitobans with primary health care after regular clinic hours and support patients with chronic conditions in managing their own care needs, Health Minister Theresa Oswald announced today.

“This new pilot project will allow us to use new technology to help Manitobans with non-urgent health concerns get the help they need after regular clinic hours,” Oswald said. “This initiative will reduce the number of trips people need to make to their doctor or to emergency rooms, something that will be especially advantageous in rural and remote areas.”

The new pilot project, called CareLink, will make patients’ journeys through the health-care system more seamless, ensuring patients can call their doctor’s office at any time and get the help they need, Oswald said. After hours, calls to participating primary-care clinics will be automatically routed through the award-winning Health Links–Info Santé provincial call centre to ensure patients can have health concerns addressed even outside of local clinic hours. The project will ensure after-hours assistance provided by Health Links–Info Santé is shared with the patient’s primary physician.

The CareLink project will also focus on patients with chronic diseases such as congestive heart failure, using Health Links–Info Santé and Telehealth videoconferencing to support patients in managing their own care needs without having to travel to a doctor’s office or hospital.

“This pilot will help patients with chronic conditions manage their own health with the help of a registered nurse and other supports,” noted Healthy Living Minister Kerri Irvin Ross. “Patients will get personalized help over the phone with monitoring important symptoms, medications and other care needs.”

The CareLink pilot builds on Manitoba eHealth’s current work of developing an electronic
health-record system in the province. Announced in April 2007, the five-year, $150-million plan to implement electronic health records (EHR) for every Manitoban is well underway. The electronic health record is a secure and private record of key medical history and care for each Manitoban and will be available across the province to authorized health-care providers.

“Manitobans’ medical records will virtually travel with them anywhere in the province, meaning that health-care providers will have immediate access to up-to-date information about patients’ medication histories, laboratory results and diagnostic images,” Oswald said.

Manitoba’s progress in implementing the electronic health record is being supported by Canada Health Infoway (Infoway), an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government. Infoway jointly invests with every province and territory to accelerate the development and adoption of electronic health-record projects in Canada. Infoway has allocated $56.3 million to Manitoba’s EHR to date, as well as $4.5 million in funding support for the CareLink pilot project announced today.

“Manitoba continues to make terrific progress in its efforts to modernize the information flow in its health-care system,” said Richard Alvarez, president and CEO, Canada Health Infoway. “Manitobans are well on their way toward having their health information move with them throughout the
health-care system – an important change that will improve patient care, create efficiencies and save money.”

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September 19, 2008

SPECIALIZED NURSES TO ENHANCE MENTAL-HEALTH CARE IN MANITOBA EMERGENCY ROOMS: MINISTERS
Registered psychiatric nurses will be hired to work in five additional emergency departments across Manitoba with a provincial investment of $688,000, Health Minister Theresa Oswald and Healthy Living Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross announced today.

“Staff in emergency departments frequently see patients who need emergency mental-health care as much as they need physical care,” said Oswald. “This investment will help us put the right professionals in the right spot at the front lines of our medical system.”

Eight general hospitals in Manitoba currently have registered psychiatric nurses in emergency departments. Funding will be provided to place registered psychiatric nurses in five additional emergency departments across the province including:
· Bethesda Hospital in Steinbach,
· Selkirk and District General Hospital,
· Flin Flon General Hospital,
· Victoria General Hospital in Winnipeg, and
· Seven Oaks General Hospital in Winnipeg.

“People who have serious mental-health challenges often seek care in an emergency department,” said Irvin-Ross. “The addition of psychiatric nurses to the team will provide more understanding care to patients as well as improved access to mental-health resources and co-ordination of services.”

“Having a registered psychiatric nurse in the emergency room at Bethesda Hospital will allow us to provide compassionate mental-health care services to patients in crisis,” said Monique Vielfaure Mackenzie, chief executive officer of South Eastman Health/Santé Sud-Est Inc. “We are excited for this opportunity to enhance and expand the emergency services we provide in our region.”

In 2004, the Emergency Care Task Force reviewed emergency health-care services in Winnipeg and developed a series of recommendations and plans for implementing service improvements. Today’s investment addresses and expands on one of the task force’s recommendations, providing additional resources both in Winnipeg and in rural Manitoba.

The ministers noted the province is moving forward on plans to develop a mental-health emergency department which will be the first facility of its kind in Canada. A redeveloped, state-of-the-art Selkirk Mental Health Centre is set to open later this fall.

Since 1999, Manitoba has made significant investments in emergency health care including:
· investing more than $135 million for the redevelopment of Health Sciences Centre, the largest redevelopment of a health facility in Manitoba’s history;
· investing more than $13 million to construct a new oncology department and expand the emergency department at Victoria General Hospital;
· investing more than $4.5 million to renovate and expand the emergency department at Bethesda Hospital in Steinbach;
· committing more than $5 million to expand the emergency room at the Portage District General Hospital ; and
· investing $1.7 million to more than double the number of training seats in emergency medicine to 13 seats from five at the University of Manitoba.

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September 15, 2008

ADDRESSING THE RISK, STRENGTHENING CARE; PROVINCE INVESTS $8.6 MILLION IN NEW CANCER FUNDING: MINISTERS


An $8.6-million increase in new cancer funding will improve cancer prevention, help detect cancer earlier, strengthen treatment options and enhance patient care, Health Minister Theresa Oswald and Healthy Living Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross announced today.

“Earlier this year, we announced new investments to expand cancer prevention and screening, and today we’re aggressively building on that work,” Oswald said. “We are committed to investing the very significant funds needed to do everything we can to help prevent Manitobans from getting cancer and improving care for those battling the disease.”

Today’s $8.6-million investment to strengthen the province’s strategic cancer framework will:
· fund the development of a new online risk assessment tool to help Manitobans assess their risk of chronic conditions, including cancer, and expand awareness about what they can do to reduce their risk;
· develop a new Dial-a-Dietitian program that will allow Manitobans to contact a dietitian, at no charge, for advice on healthy eating options to reduce their cancer risk;
· expand the Manitoba Colorectal Cancer Screening Program by funding and distributing an additional 20,000 test kits each year, further ensuring the simple-to-complete tests are available for eligible Manitobans who request one, as well as raising awareness of the need for testing for those at risk;
· fund an additional 3,150 colonoscopy exams co-ordinated across the province each year; and
· provide access to additional leading-edge cancer drugs prioritized according to recommendations made by CancerCare.

The minister noted today’s $8.6-million announcement includes over $3 million in new annual funding for cancer drugs, bringing the province’s oncology drug budget to $31 million per year, more than double the amount the province invested in cancer drugs in 1999.

“Together, these new initiatives build on the work we’ve done to develop and implement our strategic framework on cancer,” said Irvin-Ross. “We will continue to work with our partners to invest in prevention, early detection and quality care and treatment initiatives so we can reduce the burden of cancer in Manitoba.”

The province’s breast-cancer screening protocol has also been updated, Irvin-Ross said, ensuring women over the medically identified target age of 50 to 69 can continue to easily access screenings without a doctor’s referral should they choose.

“With the combined energies and expertise of our partners, today’s announcement attacks cancer on multiple fronts with a focus on prevention and early detection, as well as treatment,” said Dr. Dhali Dhaliwal, president and CEO of CancerCare Manitoba. “This funding will improve access and reduce the burden of cancer in Manitoba for years to come.”

“The Canadian Cancer Society applauds the ministers of health and healthy living for their continued commitment to reducing the impact of colorectal cancer on Manitobans,” said Mark McDonald, executive director of the Canadian Cancer Society, Manitoba Division. “We commit to use our relationship with Manitobans to support their participation in the screening program.”

Today’s announcement builds on a series of recent investments to enhance cancer screening, prevention and treatment in Manitoba including:
· new annual funding for 12,500 additional breast cancer screenings in Manitoba per year;
· announcing a provincewide voluntary cervical cancer prevention initiative, to begin this year;
· tripling the number of beds dedicated to radiation oncology;
· announcing the most aggressive wait-list guarantee in Canada for cancer radiation therapy; and
· developing a comprehensive strategic framework to guide health-care professionals and government in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Cancer Services in Manitoba: A Strategic Framework, Manitoba’s strategy to encourage partners from government and the health-care sector to work collaboratively toward a comprehensive approach to improve cancer outcomes, is available at www.gov.mb.ca/health/documents/cancer.pdf.

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September 16, 2008

PROVINCE REMOVES IMMIGRATION BARRIERS FOR SKILLED PROFESSIONALS:
ALLAN
Barriers have been removed for skilled professionals who want to
immigrate to Manitoba and strengthen the province's thriving economy,
Labour and Immigration Minister Nancy Allan announced today.

The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is now more accessible to a wider
range of internationally skilled workers, Allan said. The licensing
requirements list, called Occupations with Additional Requirements, has
been removed and now any skilled worker with ties to Manitoba can apply.
Each applicant to the PNP is assessed on his or her own merits and those
who demonstrate good potential for employability based on their
training, experience and language skills are most likely to be
nominated.

"Manitoba's nominee program is the largest and most successful in the
country and by increasing accessibility for more skilled workers - from
early childhood educators to registered nurses -the program will
continue to strengthen our economy, help to build communities and enrich
our cultural diversity," said Allan.
"Growth in immigration is strengthening Manitoba's position in an
increasingly competitive and dynamic global economy."

In 2007, Manitoba welcomed almost 11,000 immigrants and their families,
the largest share of Canadian immigration in more than
25 years. The provincial population grew by over 13,000 people in 2007,
the second-highest increase since the '70s, primarily due to the
Provincial Nominee Program.

The removal of the list of occupational requirements will streamline the
program to make it more accessible for applicants with strong
connections to Manitoba to apply. An updated application kit is now
available at www.immigratemanitoba.com, a new website to help interested
applicants make informed decisions about immigration to Manitoba.

Manitoba's newcomers will be also protected by the strongest legislation
in Canada, the Worker Recruitment and Protection Act, which was
introduced this spring. Workers will be assisted in overcoming barriers
to employment through the Fair Registration Practices in Regulated
Occupations Act and they will continue to benefit from some of the most
effective and timely settlement and labour market services in Canada,
said Allan.

The website includes information and tools to assist newcomers to gauge
if they will get jobs and successfully settle in one of the dozens of
Manitoba communities that together welcome close to 11,000 immigrants
each year. Visitors to the site can explore employment possibilities
with the Working in Manitoba Canada Career Research Tool. The tool
provides applicants information to help them assess, plan and prepare
for employment in Manitoba including job searches.

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UPCOMING EVENTS OF NOTE
Hello friends, and supporters of UNIFEM!

Just wanting to let you know, we are making plans for another year of activity and programs for our local Winnipeg Chapter of UNIFEM. We welcome your participation, whatever that may be - supporting UNIFEM is supporting the voices of women, and projects that make a real difference to their lives. A recent UNIFEM report "Who Answers to Women? Progress 2008/2009" shows that realizing women's rights and achieving the Millennium Development Goals depends on strengthening accountability for commitments to women and gender equality. We must hold the governments of the world accountable, including our own!

So mark the last Tuesday of the month for October, and November ie October 28th, and November 25th at 7:00 to come together at the University Women's Club, 54 West Gate. The September date was taken, so we will have our first meeting in October. The program for October is still being negotiated, but not the date.

It seems that our last year's activity will generate a donation of $5,000.00 to UNIFEM, to support microcredit programs for women, under the Women, Poverty and Economics section of UNIFEM. This seems to be, generally, the amount of funds we have generated annually to support UNIFEM's work.

The coordinating group met this week, and have lots of ideas, for possible speakers, programs, and themes for the Local to Global event. We will share these with you in October and make further plans, with your help.

Also, we signed on to a letter, prepared by the Child Care Coalition of Manitoba, asking the Province to obtain and share, a legal opinion about the impact on Manitoba's Childcare system of corporate (private) childcare, establishing in other provinces such as Alberta, Ontario, or BC. Concerns have been raised as to what the situation might be because of free trade, and interprovincial agreements.

Finally, there has been considerable discussion at the UN about a "gender entity" for women - including UNIFEM. What this new entity will look like, we don't really know - the NGO's want something stronger, higher profile, and more resources. I'll include the latest on this from IWTC (International Women's Tribune Center) at the end of this message.

So please mark the October 28th, and November 25th dates in your calendars now, and hope to see you then,

Mary

1.MEMBER STATES EXPECTED TO DECIDE ON NEW GENDER ENTITY PROPOSED AS PART OF UN SYSTEM-WIDE COHERENCE
At an informal consultation about the UN's work on gender equality and women's empowerment, Member States were asked to decide next steps, before the end of the 62nd General Assembly session on September 15, 2008, including the institutional option or combination of options they wished to pursue with regards to the gender entity. Countries that spoke at the September 8 consultation indicated an emerging consensus on moving forward with the last of the four options under consideration - Option 4/ D, which proposes the creation of a composite entity of the four existing women-specific agencies, i.e the United Nations Development Fund for Women, Office of the Special Advisor on Gender Issues, the Division for the Advancement of Women, and the International Research and Training Institute for Women.

Even as this option emerged as the most popular, countries requested the Secretary General to develop the option further and present a concrete proposal to the 63rd General Assembly session which opens on September 16, 2008. The framework resolution moving the System Wide Coherence process forward in the 63rd GA session and requesting the Secretary General to further develop Option 4/D is expected to be adopted during this week.

The other three options being considered as possibilities to strengthen the UN's work on gender equality and the empowerment of women are (A) maintaining the status quo -women-specific agencies operating as they are now; (B) creating an autonomous fund/programme; and (C) creating a department within the Secretariat. All options were explored and analyzed in paper that was circulated in the General Assembly by the UN Deputy Secretary General (DSG) in July 2008 (see section 4 for a fuller explanation).

2. COUNTRY POSITIONS
France, on behalf of the European Union, endorsed the co-chairs recommendations and supports the creation of a new structure, headed by an Under-Secretary General. The EU believes that Options D best addresses gaps and challenges, but further discussions are needed.

Iceland, on behalf of the Nordic countries, stressed the need for Member States to take concrete steps and that Option D is the best option.

On behalf of the CANZ group (Canada, Australia and New Zealand), Canada stated that the Composite entity option was more promising and a decision should be made in the next GA session.

Korea expressed its full support for strengthening the gender equality architecture in the UN, and voiced that the Fund/programme and the Composite entity were the two options that could be effective.

A number of African and Latin American countries including Kenya, Mozambique and Rwanda; Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay also spoke in support of strengthening the gender equality architecture, and some specifically supported Option D.

3. NGO POSITIONS
Prior to the September 8 consultation, a number of NGOs have stated their preference for option D highlighting its combination of the normative with the operational role and its potential to have a strong presence at the country level. They however stressed that it should be led by an Under Secretary General to guarantee representation at the highest decision-making level of the UN. Some NGOs and women's groups, including European Women's Lobby, OXFAM/novib, WIDE, WOMANKIND and GAD network UK, demanded that in order to set in place a fully operational, programmatic and efficient women's agency the new agency must be funded to the minimum of $1 billion USD and lobby for this budget to double to $2 billion in 5 years.

4. INSTITUTIONAL OPTIONS TO STRENGTHEN UN WORK ON GENDER EQUALITY & EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
The four options under consideration were based on the paper, Institutional Options to Strengthen United Nations Work on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, prepared by the office of the Deputy Secretary General. This paper was sent to the President of the General Assembly on July 23 and circulated to Member States on July 28 in response to the request of the General Assembly to address the gaps and challenges in the work of the United Nations system on gender equality. The paper presents four options:

1/A. Maintaining the status quo - This option would not entail any structural change in the UN's gender equality architecture.

2/B. Creating an autonomous fund/programme - involves the establishment of an autonomous programame that would consolidate the Office of the Speacil Adviser toe the Secreatray Genereal on Gender Issues, division for the Advancement of Women, UNIFEM, and INSTRAW

3/C. Creating a department within the Secretariat - In this option, a Department will be created within the UN Secreatriat to perform the functions including leadership in country-driven programming, gender mainstreaming and capacity building and provision of support to UN bodies such as the commission on the Status of Women and the Economic and Social Council

4/D. Creating a composite entity - requires the creation of a new governing body (or bodies) reporting to the General Assembly. It would be headed by a USG who is a full member of the Secretary General's policy committee.

For a copy of the full copy of the paper prepared by the office of the Deputy Secretary General visit http://www.wedo.org/library.aspx?ResourceID=279. The analysis paper on this options prepared by the Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) campaign is available at http://gear.collectivex.com/discussion/topic/show/86809




Mary
Mary Scott
Say No To Violence
UNIFEM, Winnipeg Chapter
UNIFEM is the United Nations Development Fund for Women
unifem@shaw.ca

http://www.saynotoviolence.org/

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Kookum Gaa Na Da Maa Waad Abinoojiig Council (Grandmothers Protecting Our Children)
2nd Annual Grandmothers Protecting Our Children Walk
Sunday, September 21, 2008
START: 10:00am - Circle of Life Thunderbird House, 715 Main Street @ Higgins Avenue to the Forks Market at the Odena

PIPE CEREMONY: 6:30am at the Forks Market at the ODENA.

WALK TO HONOUR AND PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.

For further information, please contact 942-6676


Message From the Grandmothers...

September 2008

Tansi, Boozhoo, Aniin, Wachay, Greetings

We are Kookum Gaa Na Da Ma Waad Abinoojiig Council (Grandmothers Protecting Our Children). We are very concerned with the violence that continues in our communities and our homes. We want the sexual abuse, incest, and violence perpetrated against our children to stop. We, as grandmothers, mothers, aunties, and sisters, are saying "NO MORE"!! There can be no future for our children as long as this continues. As grandmothers we are saying we can no longer stand by in silence and watch this happen to our children. We must stand up for children and be their voice. We are inviting all grandmothers, leadership, colleagues, and community members to walk with us and show our children that we honour them as sacred gifts and, that we will protect them.

We have historically been the nurturers and caregivers of our babies. We, as women, have become victims. We have watched our generations of children become victims. Our men, themselves, have been victims. And in turn, many of our men and women have become victimizers. Enough!!!!! We are here to say that despite our damage and painful history, our hearts are not on the ground, our nations are not conquered, and we don't want to see our children hurt anymore!

On Sunday, September 21st, 2008, we will be lighting a Sacred Fire in Winnipeg at the Odena Centre at the Forks. This fire will burn from sunrise to 4:00 pm, in honour of our children. Throughout the province of Manitoba,
4 other sacred fires will be lit simultaneously in the four directions, to also recognize the sacredness of our children and the calling of grandmothers to come forward and reclaim their role. We invite others to join us by lighting a sacred fire in their community as a symbol to provide a message of hope for our children. We also invite other Kookums and leaders to share our vision and stand together on that day across our province and our nation to honour all children. While we respect our men and our community, provincial, and federal leaders, we recognize that the time has come for the Kookums to step forward and take the lead for our children.
We invite you to walk with us to demonstrate your support in honouring and protecting the children as the first step in a journey towards a brighter future. (Hand drums optional.)

In Winnipeg, we will begin our walk from the Circle of Life Thunderbird House (715 Main Street at Higgins Avenue) at 10:00 a.m., making our way up Main Street to the Forks (at the Odena). Upon our arrival at the Forks, we will share refreshments (tea and bannock) and Teaching Lodges to hear the Elders speak and share their wisdom on these sensitive matters.
All My Relations,
Grandmothers Protecting Our Children
Kookum Gaa Na Da Ma Waad Abinoojiig Council

P.S. For those in support from other provinces or territories: Please
let us know at (204) 942-6676 or 1-866-258-6726 (Manitoba only)
if you are holding your own walk or lighting your own Sacred Fire on that day to demonstrate unity and strength, as we encircle our
children with love and say "No More!".

Amerindian groups join calls for outlawing of pit latrines at schools : Stabroek News

Amerindian groups join calls for outlawing of pit latrines at schools : Stabroek News

WINNIPEG TO HOST G8 RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2008

WINNIPEG, MB - Up to 100 religious leaders from diverse faiths including Christianity, Judaism, Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Muslim, Indigenous Spirituality and Shinto traditions will gather in Winnipeg in late June, 2010 at the invitation of Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, President & Vice-Chancellor, University of Winnipeg and the Canadian Council of Churches. It is the first time Canada will host the G8 Religious Leaders Summit which, for the past five years, has been organized to complement the meeting of G8 political leaders (in 2010, G8 leaders meet in Huntsville, Ontario.)

Participants will travel to Winnipeg from France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, Russia (G8) as well as Africa for three days of dialogue devoted to advancing the Millennium Development Goals adopted by the G8 countries in 2000. The goals encompass pressing global concerns ranging from eradicating extreme poverty to combating HIV and malaria to ensuring environmental sustainability (see attached backgrounder).

“Winnipeg is recognized as a centre for human rights in Canada,” said Axworthy. “Through our Global College we are actively nurturing the kind of broad, ethical citizenship epitomized by the G8 Religious Leaders Summit. We are honoured to host this important event on campus.”

“For the first time in recorded history, the religious and political leadership of G8 nations have a common language, for a common agenda, for the advancement of the whole human community rather than for sectarian or political goals,” said James Christie, Secretary General of the G8 Religious Leaders 2010 Summit and Dean of Theology at The University of Winnipeg. “This is extremely encouraging as we move from theory to practice in attaining the Millennium Development Goals.”

The G8 Religious Leaders Summit began as an idea by Jim Wallis with a virtual meeting in Scotland in 2005 with the first actual conference taking place in Russia (2006), followed by Germany (2007), Japan (2008), Italy (2009) and Winnipeg, Canada (2010). Wallis, author of God’s
Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It and currently the theological reflector at both the Democratic and Republican conventions, will attend the Winnipeg summit.

Since the initial G8 Religious Leaders' Summit at Gleneagles in Scotland, it has been the intention of organizers to include leadership from Indigenous traditions from among the G8 countries and Africa.

One of the unique contributions of the Winnipeg Summit is the potential for engaging Aboriginal Elders in both the planning and the execution of the Summit.

The summit is self-financing as each partner undertakes fundraising activities. The Canadian Council of Churches, founded in 1944, is the national ecumenical fellowship of Canadian churches. It provides an agency for consultation, planning and common action.

Dr. James Christie, Secretary General of the G8 Religious Leaders 2010 Summit, is available for one-on-one media interviews.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION
Diane Poulin, Communications Officer, The University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7135 E: d.poulin@uwinnipeg.ca

PHIL FONTAINE, PAT BROE NAMED HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS

Frank Hechter to receive prestigious Fellowship in The University of Winnipeg honor

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2008

WINNIPEG, MB - The University of Winnipeg today announced the names of two outstanding visionary individuals will receive Honorary Degrees at the University’s 2008 Autumn Convocation ceremonies. The recipients are national First Nations leader Phil Fontaine and entrepreneur and philanthropist Pat Broe. The University also announced that former Board of Regents chairperson Frank Hechter will be conferred with the Fellowship in The University of Winnipeg.

The three recipients will be celebrated at the Autumn Convocation, which takes place Sunday, October 19. The following is a summary of accomplishments of the recipients:

Phil Fontaine - Honorary Degree Recipient Presently National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, Fontaine has been one of the foremost First Nations leaders in Canada for decades. He played a pivotal role in exposing the abuses within the residential school system and made key contributions to the defeat of the Meech Lake Accord. Along with his work in achieving a framework agreement for self-government of Manitoba’s First Nations, Fontaine is a person who has made many positive contributions to Canada.

Fontaine, a member of the Sagkeeng First Nation, is seen as the leader in Aboriginal self-governance in Manitoba. His devotion to the advocacy for the rights and well-being of First Nations communities as Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and as National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations speaks highly to the dedication and talents he has brought to his work.

The crowning achievement of his career to date, however, is leading the successful resolution and settlement of claims arising out of the 150-year Indian residential school tragedy. The Final Settlement Agreement now being implemented is the largest, most unique and most comprehensive settlement in Canadian history. Worth over 5.2-billion dollars in individual compensation, the settlement also includes a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, an education fund, healing resources and commemoration funding.

Fontaine will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

Pat Broe - Honorary Degree Recipient
Broe is a Denver-based entrepreneur whose unique vision and role in the development of Manitoba’s north has been truly remarkable. Broe and his company OmniTRAX Canada, Inc. rescued 1,300 km of rail line in northern Manitoba from abandonment. He also acquired the economically precarious and long-neglected Port of Churchill, spending considerable time and effort along the way in establishing the port as a vital trade link between Canada and Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South America.

Beyond business involvement, Broe has made significant personal contributions to Churchill and The University of Winnipeg. He is the leading donor with the Town of Churchill and the University in the development of a sustainability plan designed to enhance the quality of life and ensure the future of Churchill by improving the ecological, economic and social conditions of the community. Broe and his company now serve as the leading transportation enterprise focused on the increasing importance of the north in conjunction with supporting The University of Winnipeg’s efforts headed by Dr. Jino Distasio to establish Churchill as a leading northern sustainable community.

As well, Broe’s generosity and progressive thinking were vital in the creation of the OmniTRAX Broe Quest series of free public international conferences launched by The University of Winnipeg in 2004 to explore important topics such as global citizenship, war-affected children and transformative education.

Broe will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

Frank Hechter - Fellowship in The University of Winnipeg The Fellowship in The University of Winnipeg is conferred to those who have served the University with distinction on a volunteer basis. No more is this distinction true than in the remarkable volunteer contributions of former Board of Regents chairperson Frank Hechter.

An orthodontist, Hechter has been engaged professionally with his peers since 1971, particularly in the areas of continuing education and research matters. A strong leader during his tenure as Board chair (1998-2000), Hechter’s service goes far beyond his remarkable contributions in the health care field. Hechter served the University as a Board member from 1993-2003 and was part of search committees at various times for the University President and Chancellor positions.

A family man and sports enthusiast, Hechter has volunteered from the grassroots levels (AAA hockey and AA baseball) to the elite-levels of amateur sports (Pan-American Games committees and the 2009 Royal Bank Junior A Hockey Championships bid committee). His lengthy list of volunteer activities also includes various roles with the Manitoba Lung Association, the Provincial Tuberculosis Steering Committee and the United Way.

- 30 -

The University of Winnipeg is one of Canada’s leading post-secondary institutions. Consistently ranked in the Top-10 in the country on an annual basis by both Maclean’s Magazine and The Globe & Mail newspaper, the University of Winnipeg is a leader in academic excellence, Aboriginal education, environmental studies & sustainability, and theatre & the arts. The University of Winnipeg is committed to improving access to post-secondary education for all individuals, especially those people from non-traditional communities.
Find out more by visiting www.uwinnipeg.ca.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Shawn Coates, Director of Marketing & Communications, University of Winnipeg
P: 204.988.7126, C: 204.230.0202, E: s.coates@uwinnipeg.ca

Snippetts - News by Mary Scott - Community Builder Winnipeg

Greetings, and Bonjour to cyber friends near and far, special welcome to Shannon Surgeoner, Stacy Boone, Margaret Mitchell and Darlene Marzari.

It is ages since we last connected - what can i say, but that life has been busy, and for most of the last 2 months, i had no computer. So some of this will be a catch up. My sincere apologies to those who sent material, that is now past due.

First from the International Women's Tribune Centre:

1. WOMEN ORGANIZE TO PREPARE FOR FORUM TO REVIEW PARIS DECLARATION ON AID EFFECTIVENESS In anticipation of the Third High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness that will take place in Accra, Ghana, from September 2 to 4, 2008, women's rights organizations, advocates and activists will be gathering at the Accra Women's Forum on August 30 to articulate a coherent set of recommendations and plan for women's effective engagement. The High-Level Forum will be a venue for donor and recipient governments to review the implementation of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness over the last three years and determine a fresh agenda for action on delivering and managing aid. The Paris Declaration seeks to increase the impact aid has in reducing inequalities, supporting growth, building capacity and accelerating the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals which aim to halve world poverty by 2015.

Women's groups involved in the debates and discussions around the Paris Declaration have been promoting the perspective that neither aid nor development policies can be successful unless gender equality, environmental sustainability and human rights are recognized as crucial to the development agenda. This is especially important because more than half the population living in poverty are women who must confront the inequities of their situation as well as entrenched gender inequalities. The Accra Women's Forum presents an opportunity for groups to debate the issues and frame precise recommendations; strategize on advocacy opportunities and approaches; and strengthen women's participation and perspectives in the High-Level meeting.

The forum is being organized by a consortium of women's organizations, including AWID, WIDE, DAWN and FEMNET. It will be held at the Ellking Hotel in East Legon, Accra. Women who will be in Accra for the High-Level meeting are encouraged to attend the women's forum. For more information, contact Michele Knab (mknab@awid.org) and/or go to http://www.awid.org/eng/-The-Accra-Women-s-Forum.

2. DEBATE ON GENDER EQUALITY ARCHITECTURE MOVES FORWARD IN UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
- UN PAPER ON GENDER EQUALITY ARCHITECTURE & GEAR CAMPAIGN ANALYSIS The UN Deputy Secretary General (DSG) recently circulated a paper in the General Assembly that explored and analyzed the four options that are being considered as possibilities to strengthen the UN's work on gender equality and the empowerment of women. Part of the more comprehensive UN reform process, this restructuring would particularly affect the four women-specific entities: the United Nations Development Fund for Women, Office of the Special Advisor on Gender Issues, the Division for the Advancement of Women, and the International Research and Training Institute for Women. The four structural options presented in the paper are (i) maintaining the status quo; (ii) creating an autonomous fund/programme; (iii) creating a department within the Secretariat; and (iv) creating a composite entity of all four women-specific entities.

In response to the DSG's report, the Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign published an analysis to facilitate further discussion about the options, especially because of the expectation that the General Assembly will hold an informal consultation at the end of August or early September to move the process forward with some type of resolution. The paper produced by the campaign supports the options for an autonomous fund or a c0mposite entity because these two seem to have the greatest likelihood of strengthening gender equality activities on the ground - a primary point of advocacy for the GEAR campaign. However, the analysis points out a critical need for clarity and detail on how the options will function to strengthen the work on gender equality in the UN, rather than just achieve better coordination. In addition, this process must also be accompanied by strong advocacy for a substantial increase in resources, especially at the country level. The DSG's report can be found at http://www.wedo.org/library.aspx?ResourceID=279 while the GEAR analysis can be accessed at http://gear.collectivex.com/discussion/topic/show/86809

Note: NEW WEBSITE SUPPORTS GEAR CAMPAIGN ADVOCACY The GEAR campaign has recently published a website as a networking and communication tool for campaign members and as an information point for those seeking to find out about the campaign. The site includes basic information about the campaign and its driving principles, a calendar of relevant events and a repository of past statements and records of global and regional advocacy on the issue. To access the website, go to: http://gear.collectivex.com/main/summary

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Did you know the United Nations will be reviewing Canada's fulfillment of its international human rights commitments under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in October 2008?

In order to ensure that the UN has the most accurate information possible, FAFIA is assembling a women's equality-seeking NGO report to present to the United Nations committee for use during the review of Canada. Consequently, we are inviting non-governmental groups to provide information on the status of women's equality in your province/territory to help us develop a national report.

If interested in participating, and can provide data/input, please contact Nancy Baroni, The Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA), nbaroni@fafia-afai.org.


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Conspicuous by their Absence: By Miren Gutierrez ROME, - Observe any summit picture -- you won't find many women. The mystery of female underrepresentation in the echelons of power persists: after so many decades of the feminist movement, why are women at the helm scarce? A look at the media sector may provide some answers......

So let's have a look at some examples, even if fragmented.
Djerf-Pierre's study shows that even in a female-friendly nation such as Sweden, "journalism as a field has remained male-dominated".
(Sweden ranks number one -- or the country with the narrowest disparity -- in the Global Gender Gap [GGG] published by the World Economic Forum). A period of tokenism was followed by the upsurge of a critical mass of women who entered the newsrooms in the last 25 years. Today, almost half of Swedish journalists are women, she says in the study. However, three out of four leaders in the media industry are men. Only in two sectors, public broadcasting and magazines, do women fill more than 40 percent of leadership positions. Djerf- Pierre explains that a general pattern -- she calls it "gender logic" persists: men typically cover the public sphere of politics, business, and power, speaking to male sources and assuming the mantle of objectivity; women tend to cover the private sphere, drawing on female sources and writing in a more intimate style. "The main finding is that status, prestige and power have been associated with conceptions of masculinity and these conceptions, in turn, have been associated to the beliefs that underpin the field -- the image of the journalistic mission," says Djerf-Pierre. According to a survey published in 2005 mentioned in her report, "many women journalists... feel that women are at a disadvantage when stories are assigned, but say at the same time that gender has no importance with respect to how a desk chief performs his or her job." Similar patterns emerge in the U.S. (GGG rank 31), which is in a worse position regarding equality. "Women have reached the proverbial glass ceiling in the media," proclaims the International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) in its 2006-2007 report.
A study by the American Society of Newspaper Editors in 2006 showed that the number of women executives has stagnated in this sector. "The percentage of women in daily newsrooms increased slightly to 37.7 percent... 64.5 percent of all supervisors are men. They are also 58.5 percent of all copy editors, 60.3 percent of reporters and 72.6 percent of photographers," says the study......


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An interesting web site - even a link to the National Women’s Committee (NWC), in Yemen that has called for a minimum legal age for marriage of 18 in order to end child marriage, which is prevalent in rural areas of Yemen. Gender in Health and Development Website

World Health Organization - Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean

The unit of Gender in Health and Development of the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is pleased to announce the launch of the Gender in Health and Development website http://www.emro.who.int/ghd/index.htm

The unit of Gender in Health and Development works towards the inclusion of gender considerations at all levels of health care and delivery entailing the recognition of both the biological and social differences of males and females and the resulting impacts on health attainment and vulnerability.

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Of Human Bondage June 10, 2008 The Wall Street Journal

The biofuels boom has contributed to the recent spike in food prices that threatens the world's poor. In Brazil, home of ethanol made from sugar cane, it's had another unintended consequence: slavery. The use of forced labor to work in sugar cane plantations is "a growing trend," according to the U.S. State Department's latest report on human trafficking.

The annual report, released last week, documents sexual exploitation and forced labor in 170 countries. It is always a tough read. This year's edition records the appalling abuse of men, women and children in brothels, factories and farms - often while government looks the other way - and spots trends. Every country receives a ranking based on its record in prosecuting exploiters, protecting victims and preventing abuses.

Oil-rich Russia, for instance, is now more likely to import prostitutes and forced laborers, often from Central Asia, than to export them. India, which has taken welcome steps to protect prostitutes and child laborers, has done little to help bonded workers, usually of lower castes. China is cited for, among other things, a recent scandal involving the relocation of children from the interior to work in electronics factories in coastal Guangdong province. It's also criticized for its treatment of tens of thousands of North Korean refugees, who are sold as brides or into brothels or forced to work under brutal conditions in logging camps.

The report also lists products made with forced labor. They include shrimp from Thailand and Bangladesh; clothing from Bangladesh, India, Jordan and Malaysia; cotton harvested in Uzbekistan; cocoa from Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire; and pig iron from Brazil. Not all products in these industries are made with slave labor, and it's too bad the report does not identify companies that buy or sell tainted products.

There is some good news. Among the countries that improved are Mexico, Croatia and Kenya. Madagascar is the only nation in Africa to receive top marks, thanks to a government determined to wipe out sexual tourism. The United Arab Emirates is the only Middle Eastern country other than Israel to reach the second tier, due to its efforts to combat abuse against foreign workers employed as domestics or in construction.

U.S. Ambassador Mark Lagon says "there is now more awareness" of human trafficking than there was seven years ago when his office began its work, and more countries have enacted laws to combat it. That said, modern-day slavery remains a scourge. The more light that can be shed on it the better chance of wiping it out.


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Related: The Stop Violence Against Women website (STOPVAW) is a forum for information, advocacy and change. The Advocates for Human Rights developed this website as a tool for the promotion of women's human rights in countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the former Soviet Union (FSU). STOPVAW was developed with support from and in consultation with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the Open Society Institute's Network Women's Program. This site addresses violence against women as one of the most pervasive human rights abuses worldwide. STOPVAW provides women's rights advocates with information and advocacy tools focused on ending the most endemic forms of violence against women in the region. More at http://www.stopvaw.org/Stop_Violence_Against_Women.html


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The most comprehensive compilation of information on the Status of women in the world.

The WomanStats Project is the most comprehensive compilation of information on the status of women in the world. The Project facilitates understanding the linkage between the situation of women and the security of nation-states. We comb the extant literature and conduct expert interviews to find qualitative and quantitative information on over 260 indicators of women's status in 174 countries. Our database expands daily, and access to it is free of charge.

The Project began in 2001, and today includes five principal investigators at three universities, as well as a team of up to twenty graduate and undergraduate data extractors. Please learn more by clicking First Time Users.

http://www.womanstats.org/firsttimeusers.html

The WomanStats Project collects data on all countries with a population greater than 200,000--a total of 174 countries. We code over 260 variables on data that includes laws, statistics, and practices within countries; the information available ranges from data on domestic violence to female landownership to political participation. Further, all of our data is available to the public for free, and the information on the site is continually updated as newer information becomes available.

The database is searchable by country or by variable (i.e., issue area). The codebook (our list of variables) will be your useful guide to the data available and how it is grouped within the database.

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RESOURCES Free resources on gender and HIV/AIDS and women available over the Internet:

1. Women & HIV/AIDS: Resources to Support Policy and Advocacy at the UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS 2008 Women, Ink., 2008 Given the increasing vulnerability of women and girls to HIV/AIDS and the critical need for policy makers and practitioners to address the epidemic from a gender perspective, the International Women's Tribune Centre's Women, Ink. program prepared this directory of over 50 resources to support informed participation, action and advocacy on the issue. The resources and tools address the complexity of women's vulnerability to HIV infection, including the need for a gender-based approach to HIV/AIDS; to protect the rights of young women and girls; to promote a gender- based approach to prevention and care; to guarantee sexual and reproductive health rights; to support empowerment and leadership for women living with HIV/AIDS; to eliminate violence against women; and to ensure women's economic rights.
Download a copy at:
http://www.womenink.org/HIVAIDS.htm

2. You, Your Life, Your Dreams: A Book for Adolescents Family Care International, Straight Talk Foundation, 2000 This book provides comprehensive information for adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa on changes during puberty, sexuality and sexual health, pregnancy and contraception, Sexually Transmitted Infections including HIV/AIDS, sexual coercion and violence, substance abuse, healthy relationships, communicating with parents and planning for the future. Developed with young people, this handbook is over 200-pages long and contains 14 chapters, as well as more than 100 cartoons and illustrations, quotes from young people, and a glossary. Also available in Spanish and French.
Find out more at:
http://www.familycareintl.org/en/resources/publications/14

3. Get the Facts: A Flipchart for Adolescents Family Care International, IPPF/Africa Region, 1999 This flip chart addresses changes during puberty, Sexually Transmitted Infections including HIV/AIDS, early pregnancy, unsafe abortion as well as condom use, healthy relationships and communication with parents. It contains 14 illustrations and text to guide one-on-one and group counseling sessions for adolescents. The flipchart is available in English and Haitian Creole and will be available soon in French and Spanish.
Get a copy at:
http://www.familycareintl.org/en/resources/publications/38


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DEVELOPMENT: Women Leaders Ask Where Is Our Money By Joyce Mulama

*GLASGOW, Jun 22 (IPS) - Even though seven out of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) impact on women, both donors and governments receiving aid overlook the need to make resources available for gender empowerment.*

At the 8th Civicus World Assembly, which concluded in the Scottish capital on Saturday, civil society leaders asked serious questions about the lack of gender budgeting. The annual Civicus meeting brings together a global network of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and foundations whose aim is to strengthen civil society.

The four-day event in Glasgow focused on participatory governance in the run-up to a high-level meeting in Accra, Ghana, in September to discuss aid effectiveness. More than a 100 ministers, heads of multilateral organisations and civil society representatives present there will review the Paris Declaration and the performance of both donors and recipient countries.

Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, executive director of African Women's Development Fund told IPS in an interview that far too little money is made available for gender empowerment.

"How you allocate your resources tells much about where your priorities are. Women are 50 percent of the world's population. They should be a priority," she argues.

She fears that the paucity of funds almost guarantees the failure of the MDGs, particularly goal 3 ­ promote gender equality and empower women. The world's governments are committed to meeting the eight MDGs by 2015. ...

http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42914

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Women News Network (WNN)
Launched in 2006, this is a non-profit media news network dedicated to disseminating international women's news not found in the public media stream. The network includes a number of online programmes, including bimonthly in-depth featured news, a breaking news portal, an online film/video library, and an online women's radio library. The goal is to empower the voices of women internationally by educating the public, the international non-governmental organisation (NGO) community, and United Nations (UN) agencies and affiliates worldwide.
http://womennewsnetwork.net/breaking-news-portal/


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On 19 June 2008, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 1820 (2008), which notes that 'rape and other forms of sexual violence can constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity or a constitutive act with respect to genocide'.

It also affirmed the Council's intention, when establishing and renewing State-specific sanction regimes, to consider imposing 'targeted and graduated' measures against warring factions who committed rape and other forms of violence against women and girls. http://tinyurl.com/5fholf

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Women, War, Peace and Displacement - "The often cited statistic that as many as 80 per cent of displaced
populations are women and children fails to convey the complete devastation that displacement visits upon women and communities" View the portal with excellent resources on Women, Peace and Security at http://tinyurl.com/6cuu9a


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Gender, Climate Change and Human Security - Lessons from Bangladesh, Ghana and Senegal Commissioned by the Greek chairmanship (2007-2008) of the Human Security Network, this study explores the interlinkages between gender, climate change and human security. Authors: Irene Dankelman, Khurshid Alam, Wahida Bashar Ahmed, Yacine Diagne Gueye, Naureen Fatema and Rose Mensah-Kutin. (2008) Can be dowloaded at http://tinyurl.com/5nhe9t


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World Disasters Report 2008

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies - 2008

Available online as PDF file PDF [254p.] at: http://www.ifrc.org/Docs/pubs/disasters/wdr2008/WDR2008-full.pdf

".....The AIDS epidemic is a disaster on many levels. In the most affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where prevalence rates reach 20 per cent, development gains are reversed and life expectancy may be halved. For specific groups of marginalized people - injecting drug users, sex workers and men who have sex with men - across the world, HIV rates are on the increase.

Yet they often face stigma, criminalization and little, if any, access to HIV prevention and treatment services. As this report explains, HIV is a challenge to the humanitarian world whose task is to improve the lives of vulnerable people and to support them in strengthening their capacities and resilience. Disasters, man-made and 'natural', exacerbate other drivers of the epidemic and can also increase people's vulnerability to infection...."

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CALL FOR PAPERS

Michigan State University's Women and International Development (MSU-WID) Publication Series invites you to submit your manuscript for review.

The series focuses on the relationships between gender and global transformation and publishes reports of empirical studies and projects, theoretical analyses, and policy discussions that illuminate the processes of change in the broadest sense. Individual papers in the series address a range of topics including women's historical and changing participation in economic and political spheres, intra- and inter-family role relationships, gender identity, women's health and health care, and the gender division of labor. We particularly encourage manuscripts that bridge the gap between research, policy, and practice. If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 517/353-5040; fax 517/432-4845 or e-mail papers@msu.edu.


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Those of you who have been following the developments for the '2008 Financing for Development Conference' will be interested in this latest newsletter on 'The Road to Doha' a publication jointly produced by the DESA Financing for Development Office (FFDO) and the United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) in the run-up to the International Conference to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus to be held in Doha, Qatar from 29 November to 2 December 2008 (A/RES/61/191 and A/RES/62/187). The UN-NGLS website is www.un-ngls.org

The August 2008 issue contains information on the latest reports from the Secretary-General relating to financing for development. The issue also provides information on regional consultations on financing for development as well as a guest editorial by the Doha NGO Group where the group offers an initial reaction to the Doha Draft Outcome Document.

To view the current issue (in pdf format) click: http://tinyurl.com/6j95us


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Finally - for those that might want to look at a worthwhile, and positive individual initiative, take a look at this short video - http://tinyurl.com/5tsfe6 - 34 Million Friends of the UN Population Fund.

Thanks for your interest and work on behalf of women everywhere - watch for part 2 of Snippets - and local news.



Louise Arbour's Successor Named

Another staunch defender of women’s rights has been appointed to succeed Canada’s Louise Arbour as High Commissioner for Human Rights, one of the most politically sensitive and complex posts within the UN family. She is Navanethem (Navi) Pillay of South Africa, a lawyer and high court judge who founded Equality Now, which campaigns internationally on women’s rights. For the past decade she has served with two of the most important international criminal courts, first with the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and most recently with the International Criminal Court in The Hague. She heads an organization that now has 1,000 staff working in 50 countries with a total annual budget of some US$150 million.

Mme. Arbour, who recently returned to Canada from Geneva, Switzerland, made a significant contribution towards combatting violence against women, citing it as an abuse of women’s human rights. On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (Nov. 25) in 2005 she stated, “There is a clear need for greater political will to prioritize violence against women as a fundamental human rights violation, which can be eliminated with appropriate dedication and resources (by governments and the international community.) We urge States to challenge societal values that support discrimination against women and legitimize violence against them; adopt specific legislation addressing domestic violence and end impunity for crimes committed against women.” Her Plan of Action as High Commissioner included efforts to “integrate gender perspectives in all UN peace and development activities by emphasizing women’s human rights in its country engagement strategies.”

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Winnipeg Public Library is now offering all non profit agencies free used library material. The material will include adult and children's books, audio visual material, multilingual material, and large print items. These materials have been offered in book sales and will range in condition from fair to excellent. These materials will be available to non profit agencies to take for their own purposes.
Procedures:
Branch Libraries Please contact any Winnipeg Public Library Branch (except Millennium Library) and arrange with a Branch Supervisor an appropriate time to view and remove material. Branch phone numbers are available on the Library's website (winnipeg.ca/library) or in the grey pages of the phone directory.
Millennium Library:
The Millennium Library, 251 Donald, will be offering free library materials to non profit organizations in the Anhang Room on the second floor between 1:00 P.M. to 5 P.M. on Tuesday September 9, Wednesday September 10, and Thursday September 11.
Please note non profit agencies are required to provide their own boxes, bags, and transportation to remove library material.
Non profit agencies are required to provide identification of the agency they are representing, and to fill in a sign in sheet at each location, including the number of items removed.
If there are any questions please contact:
Arthur Cohen Ph: 986-6415 acohen@winnipeg.ca

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The Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba and the Make Poverty History Manitoba coalition are co-hosting the launch of the Make Poverty History Manitoba campaign for a comprehensive provincial plan to address poverty and social exclusion in Manitoba.

The event will take place at 12:00 p.m. on September 10, 2008 in the Carol Shields Auditorium at the Millennium Library, 251 Donald Street.

The coalition is seeking to share information on what comprehensive actions are being taken in other jurisdictions, solicit support in principle for a comprehensive plan in Manitoba, and invite stakeholders to become part of the process of developing a comprehensive plan (a strategic planning session is to follow on October 14).

Marvyn Novick will be making a keynote address entitled “Make Poverty a Political Priority in Manitoba.” Marvyn Novick is a leader in the social policy field in Canada, co-founder of Campaign 2000, and author of Summoned to Stewardship: Make Poverty Reduction a Collective Legacy. All are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served.

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Recommended by Gisele...

The Winnipeg Film Group's CINEMATHEQUE is located on the main floor of the ARTSPACE building in Winnipeg's historic
Exchange District (100 Arthur at Bannatyne)

Sat. Sept. 13 & Sun. Sept. 14 – 4:00PM matinee
SILENT LIGHT
Dir. Carlos Reygadas | Mexico 2007 | 127min. | 35mm | Drama | Low German, French and Spanish with English Subtitles

A multi-award-winner at festivals around the world as well as winner of Best Film in Mexico, SILENT LIGHT is a tale of forbidden love in a rural Dutch-speaking Mennonite community in Mexico. Winnipeg writer Miriam Toews portrays the wife of a hardworking farmer who is having an affair with another woman. “At its very best, Carlos Reygadas’s new film has the richness of Terence Malick (DAYS OF HEAVEN, BADLANDS) or the transcendental simplicity of Ozu… formally accomplished, beautiful and unexpectedly gripping film…

It has garnered rave reviews of near perfect scores. Story of a Mennonite clan living in Mexico and life's twists happen. Just thought you might be interested in checking it out. Allegedly a great production! It promises to be an interesting cultural profile for Social Work Students or recent grads!

(Miriam would really have a good sense about the cultural issues, given her mom's profession - A social worker who worked the Steinbach area and dealt with Mexican Mennonite families migrating to Manitoba...with many of us at the old CFS Eastern Manitoba. - now Eastman Region.. ) FYI GSR

Also coming to Cinematheque -
Wed. Sept. 17 - 7:00PM

TKARONTO Dir. Shane Anthony Belcourt | Canada 2007 | 105min. | BETA SP | Drama

The Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival honours the 25th anniversary of the Cinematheque with this special sneak-preview screening of what the festival has in store for this November!

Bannock Pizza from Neechi Foods Community Store included with every ticket!

Tickets $9.00 / $8 in advance by calling Kier-La Janisse at 925-3454

More than 100 people were turned away from last year's sold out premiere of TKARONTO at the ImagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, an event dedicated to screening the finest in new Indigenous film-making. TKARONTO is a provocative exploration of two people in their 30's caught in the urban crossroads who start questioning their Aboriginal identity. Metis writer Ray (Duane Murray) and Jolene (Melanie McLaren) discover an unexpected connection when their paths cross in Toronto. As they both search for meaning and identity they grapple with their mutual attraction. "The quality of writer-director Shane Belcourt's feature debut - named after our city's original Mohawk name - is all the more remarkable when you consider that it was made in six months on a measly budget." (Jason Haldane, Eye Weekly)

This screening is a co-presentation of the Winnipeg Film Group, The Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival, Urban Shaman Gallery, and the National Indigenous Media Arts Coalition. Special Thanks to KinoSmith Releasing.


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Aboriginal Community Wellness Diploma

Start Date: January 2009 Location: University of Manitoba Downtown: Aboriginal Education Centre, Winnipeg

The Aboriginal Community Wellness Diploma is a partnership program of the University of Manitoba and the Manitoba Community Wellness Working Group. It offers a multidisciplinary program of study in the field of health and wellness for Aboriginal community and regional health service workers. The curriculum integrates Indigenous knowledge and Western theory in an education that is based on Aboriginal values concerning wellness. .....

The program offers 60 hours of degree credit courses over 2 years. Classes are organized into 7-day sessions offered once a month.

Specialization courses - The program will comprise of 27 hours (credit and/or non-credit) in a specialization, e.g. Addictions, Wellness, Diabetes. The courses will be selected by the Curriculum and Management Committee.

The Diploma has transferability of credit to degree programs offered by the participating faculties (Arts, Social Work, Nursing, etc).

For more information call:
(204) 982-4230 (204) 982-4233 toll free # 1-866-330-0133 ext. 5 or 3 umanitoba.ca/extended/afp

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Manitoba Status of Women invites you to attend a Lunch & Learn on

Women's Rights and Unborn Victims of Crime Legislation: What are the Issues? presented by

Karen Busby, Lawyer Madeline Boscoe, Women's Health Clinic Wednesday, September 17, 2008 Doors open: 11:30 a.m.
Formal presentation: 11:50 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Concourse Level
155 Carlton Street Bring a brown bag lunch Coffee and muffins are on us!


Please RSVP to 945-6281

LIMITED SEATING PLEASE REGISTER EARLY

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Annual Take Back the Night March Thursday, September 18th -

· Norquay Community Centre
(65 Granville Street in North Point Douglas)
The march travels through North Point Douglas and the North End.
· 7:00 p.m.
· The march protests violence against women and reclaims safe streets for women and all those who experience violence.
· The march begins with a rally and concludes with speeches and refreshments.
· Bring your banners, noisemakers and prepare to be heard! Children are welcome.
Info: www.takebackthenightwinnipeg.org



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Power Up!! (UNPAC had a role in getting this program going many years ago - it is still needed - share with friends, it's a great course)

Mondays, September 29th to October 27th

Power Up!
North End Women’s Centre
· 394 Selkirk Avenue
· 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
· The class is designed for those who have never used a computer.
· Child-minding and bus tickets available upon request.
Registration/info: 927-2426

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Wednesday, September 17

Pollock’s Hardware, Saving a North End Institution
Sponsored by the Council of Women of Winnipeg
· Paddlewheel Restaurant (at the back)
6th Floor of the Bay
· 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.
· Speaker: Jim Chapryk, Manager of Pollock’s Hardware Store
Please bring or buy a lunch

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Thursday, September 18 - Provincial Council of Women of Manitoba invites you to the September Program:


Housing for the 55+ Woman: Do We Have a Choice?

With
Bev Suek
(Co-Chair for Retirement Alternatives)

Thursday, September 18, 2008
7 - 9 pm
Success Skills - Room 510 - 500 Portage Avenue
(note change in meeting location)

Please join us and reconnect with Council friends. All are welcome.

For further information, call 992 2751 or e-mail pcwm@mts.net

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The Winnipeg Arts Council and the Women's Health Clinic
invite you to the opening of
THE BIRTHING PROJECT
a collaborative artwork created by glass artist Judy Jennings
and the Manitoba Maternity Care Action Network
through the WITH ART program

Tuesday, September 30, 5:30 - 7:00 pm
Women's Health Clinic
419 Graham Avenue


Join us as the Honourable Theresa Oswald, Minister of Health and Winnipeg Councillor, Ms. Jenny Gerbasi open this new and innovative artwork. “The Birthing Project” art work is the result of a year long collaborative project with the Manitoba Maternity Care Action Network, birthing women, their families and midwives and Ms Jennings. The art pieces will ultimately be hung at the Birth Centre.

Besides providing a vision of normal pregnancy and birth from many cultural perspectives, it is also will be used as focal points while women are in labour. While awaiting completion of the birth centre, it will be hung in the street level windows at the Women's Health Clinic on Graham. This is a project of the Winnipeg Arts Council's WITH ART program, funded by the City of Winnipeg.

For further information please contact Madeline Boscoe at
mboscoe@womenshealthclinic.org or 204 947-2422 ex 122

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LEAF Annual Persons Day Breakfast, October 17

The 2008 LEAF (Women's Legal Education and Action Fund) Persons Day Breakfast will be held on Friday, October 17 at the Winnipeg Convention Centre from 7:15 to 9:00 am. This year's fundraiser features guest speakers Sally Armstrong, human rights activist, documentary filmmaker and author, and Charles Coffey, community leader and former executive VP, RBC Financial Group on the theme: "Equality - Media - Men - Money." Tickets are $25 and available at McNally Robinson, Manitoba Status of Women, 409-401 York Avenue (945-6281) or by calling LEAF at 453-1379 or e-mail: leafmb@mts.net. Proceeds support LEAF's efforts to advance equality for women and girls.

For more information, contact: Betty Hopkins, 453-1379 or Diane Dwarka, 253-5949

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That's it for now folks -

Mary
Mary Scott
Say No To Violence
UNIFEM, Winnipeg Chapter
UNIFEM is the United Nations Development Fund for Women
unifem@shaw.ca