Socca Reggae Festival - July 11, 12, 13, 2008

The rain washed out the Socca Reggae Festival this year. It rained on the Friday evening and Saturday all day but Sunday the sun came out and so did the people. Considering everything it was not a bad showing. However, many watched from the sidelines too cheap to pay the $5.00 to enter the event.

It was disappointing for me because there was no real talent from outside Winnipeg except for the Limbo dancer. She did a fantastic job and was the only act I thoroughly enjoyed. Lolita is from Barbados and a very talented woman. She had the children all trying out their limbo styles. Perhaps she might be available for Folklorama as well.

I know we must support our local musicians but sometimes it's nice to hear something different. The local performers were great at what they did but it would have been more intersting with some outside talent as well. Having said that, perhaps the outside talents had to be cancelled because of the weather.

Big up for the MC he was an entertaining act all by himself. He said he was new to the city but he talked as if he was around here all the time. Good job.


The illustrious EMCEE trying to do the limbo - it took to helpers to hold the bar higher than the pole (LOL)


Shelomech Pinnock, pianist with Paradise Band

Paradise Band with Calyposian Paula Toussaint


Can you go any lower? I don't think so.



Rockalypso - the "go to" band - willing and ready to back up any singer in Winnipeg. Backed up Charlo the Calypso King of Manitoba and Jennel-Marie a local singer.




Here is Mellowman doing his thing.

University of Winnipeg Dream Maker Dr. Lloyd Axworthy
Ever since Dr. Axworthy took over as Chancellor of the University of Winnipeg that institution has made great strides to link University with community, to provide opportunities for international students and to take a special interest in refugee children in helping them to reach their educational potential.
Dr. Ax worthy has always been a keen human rights activist and has strong ideas of what Canada's role should be on the international scale.
At the last convocation of the University of Winnipeg the first of the lost boys and girls of Sudan walked across the stage to receive their degrees. They were Nyuol Justin Yach Arop, David Maybior Atem and Michael Mayen.
Dr. Axworthy called these students the peace ambassadors in the world.
Atem was instrumental in forming a group of the Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan here in Winnipeg. They share their stories of survival freely with anyone who would listen and they all want people to know that they were children left to fend for themselves because of war. The leaders of these groups of children were no more than 15 years old. Their stories are gruesome to listen to and those of us who are over protective of our children could not imagine what they went through. They are here and their message is one of peace. They do not want to see what happened to them happen to other children in any part of the world. They want peace. They want to protect children.
Without the strong support of the University of Winnipeg and the Sudanese community they LBGS will not have achieved what they have. Thanks University of Winnipeg and the people of Winnipeg for caring.

Socca Reggae Festival
I don't know what's happening at the Old Market Square today because it is raining cats and dogs. I have not heard whether the festival has been postponed, cancelled or what. I doubt whether anyone would want to be out there is this blustery cold weather. IT is just too bad that we have to cancel stuff because of poor weather.
A few weeks ago the Multiculturalism Day had to be cancelled after all the planning that went into that. Now this. The gods must be punishing us for being so careless with our environment. This kind of weather is not normal.
If you hear something just give me a shout out.

Spirited Manitoba is a "happening" province year round and come summer no Winnipegger in their right mind would want to be anywhere else but home. There are so many fascinating things to do and see. Check out the festival line up below. One of the big ones is Folklorama and Winnipeg Folk Festival. Even if you don't attend these events the music and excitement float in the air. Sometimes you can get a taste of it at various public venues free of charge. Keep checking here, I will share this information with you.

This weekend Winnipeg Folk Festival starts, you can go for a day or the entire weekend. If that is too expensive a fare for you there is the Socca Reggae Festival in the Old market place which is a fraction of the cost. Don't sit at home, enjoy Winnipeg.

MANITOBA COMMUNITY FESTIVALS

• Carman Potato Blossom Festival – June 13 and 14
• Gretna Hot Spot Festival – Sept. 6 and 7
• Manitoba Sunflower Festival – July 25 to 27
• Montcalm Heritage Festival, St. Joseph – June 28 and 29
• Morden Corn and Apple Festival – Aug. 22 to 24
• Plum Fest, Plum Coulee – Aug. 15 to 17
• Saskatoon Berry Festival, St. Ambroise – July 11 and 12
• Winkler Harvest Festival and Exhibition – Aug. 8 to 10
• Elkhorn Western Weekend – June 14 and 15
• Métisville/Destination Boissevain – July 26 to 28
• Neepawa and Area Lily Festival – July 18 to 20
• Pierson and Area Indoor Rodeo – April 18 and 19
• Prairie Pioneer Days, Killarney – July 12 and 13
• Summer Solstice Days, Baldur – June 20 and 21
• Triple H Rodeo – April 25 and 26
• Turtle Mountain Métis Days – July 5 and 6
• Virden Indoor Rodeo and Wild West Daze – Aug. 15 to 17
• 4P Festival, Pine Falls/Powerview – Aug. 29 to Sept. 1
• Cheyenne Days, Ste. Agathe – July 25 to 27
• Festival Châteauguay, St. Georges – July 18 to 20
• Follies Grenouille St. Pierre Frog Follies – July 31 to Aug. 3
• Lac du Bonnet Canada Day Celebrations – June 27 to 29
• Niverville Olde Tyme Country Fair – June 13 to 15
• Pinawa’s Birthday Celebrations – July 18 to 20
• Sagkeeng First Nations Treaty Days Celebration – July 28 to Aug. 3
• RM of Springfield Canada Day Celebrations, Dugald – June 30 and July 1
• Fete Saint Jean Baptiste Days, La Broquerie – June 27 to 29
• St. Malo Summer Festival – Aug. 28 to 31
• Summer Fest, Dominion City – July 6 and 7
• Opaskwayak Cree Nation Indian Days – Aug. 11 to 16
• Thompson Nickel Days – June 19 to 22
• Norway House Treaty and York Boat Days – Aug. 4 to 10
• Ashern Rodeo – Aug. 29 to 31
• East St. Paul Family Fun Days – Aug. 17 to 24
• Fisher River Annual Treaty Days – July 30 to Aug. 3
• Fisherton Ranch Rodeo – Aug. 2 and 3
• Gimli Icelandic Festival of Manitoba – Aug. 1 to 4
• Jour Métis St. Laurent Métis Days – Aug. 1 to 3
• Lake Francis Annual Ranch Rodeo – Aug. 9 and 10
• Oak Point Ranch Rodeo and Music Festival – July 5 to 7
• Peguis Pow Wow – July 18 to 20
• Stonewall Quarry Days – Aug. 15 to 1

July 10, 2008
COMMUNITY FESTIVALS IN FULL SWING AROUND THE PROVINCE
Great Festivals Around the Province to Visit Including the Folk Festival: Robinson
Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport Minister Eric Robinson announced the province will provide a total of $185,800 this year in assistance to 42 Manitoba community festivals and invited everyone to check out Manitoba festivals including the Folk Festival which starts today and has been running for 35 years.

“Many festivals include a cultural focus providing a unique educational experience that helps Manitobans of all ages learn about our province,” said Robinson. “Celebrating our cultural roots and historic past shows us the cultural diversity that makes Manitoba such a great place to live and visit.”

In Manitoba, the types of festival range from family fun days, powwows, cultural festivals, country fairs, rodeos and western weekends.

“I congratulate the Folk Festival on 35 years of success,” said Science, Technology, Energy and Mines Minister Jim Rondeau at the Folk Festival launch today. “This unique Manitoba tradition brings together dedicated volunteers and music enthusiasts and, for some, marks the official start of summer celebrations.”

Robinson noted that a new festival celebrating its first year of funding is the Sagkeeng First Nation Treaty Days Celebration, which runs from July 28 to Aug. 3. This long-standing celebration with strong community and volunteer support includes a fishing derby, square-dance competition, children’s activities, truck mud bog, horseshoe tournament, canoe races, marathon, triathlon and golf tournament.

First introduced in 2003, the Community Festival Support program provides consultative and financial assistance to rural and northern community festivals which are recognized as being signature annual events in their communities.

The next intake for winter festivals will be Nov. 1, 2008, a change from the previous Dec. 1 deadline. Application information is available at regional offices of Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport.

The province has also been a proud supporter of the Winnipeg Folk Festival for all 35 years of its existence. There are over 45,000 admissions to this four-day festival of people and music with attendees arriving from all over the globe to listen to the world’s best music.

Economic impact studies in 2001 showed that out-of-town visitors to the Folk Festival spent more than $4.5 million in Manitoba. The Winnipeg Folk Festival receives the maximum grant of $90,000 through the Major Arts Festivals Operating Support program, which has a budget of $448,000.

YouTube - Jesse Jackson HATES Obama. proves it on FOX news3

YouTube - Jesse Jackson HATES Obama. proves it on FOX news3

Top Stories in Winnipeg

IPhone is going to cost big bucks

The IPhone that Apple is about to launch will cost a pretty penny. I think what Apple is doing is great. Let's separate the boys from the men here. Our young people keep these big corporations in business paying all kinds of dollars for phones they use to call their friends and surfing the net to find free music and chat with friends. It costs money. Maybe they would find better uses for their money and time. Businesses can afford the cost because they profit from these gadgets. So I would say let's get over it. No one is holding a gun to anyone's head to shell out that kind of money for a phone.

No help for Canadian in US Prison
Prime Minister Harper is not going to lift a finger to help the boy in the American jail who claims he is being tortured. They are using the frequent flyer strategy on him - first time I heard that term. It means they wake him up every two or three hours for questioning and move him to another room. Duh... you do that enough time, he is liable to say anything to get some sleep. People also become disoriented due to lack of sleep. Where is the justice?

Air Canada Cuts Staff
Air Canada is cutting back on hostesses. They blame the oil crisis for shutting down some of their centres. From what I heard the hostesses in Winnipeg are all seniors and are likely to bump their juniors and get jobs but that may require moving to bigger cities with higher costs of living. What's going to happen? Will they increase the wages of these workers to help mitigate the cost and inconvenience? I don't think so. They are probably hoping these workers will decide to quit and find something else so that they can then hire other staff for less wages.

Worker Injured on the Job
A young person has been killed on the job in Winnipeg. He was run over by one of the machines they were using, I think it was Bobcat. According to Workers Compensation Board the percentage of worker mostly young workers have been injured or fatally injured on the job.

Why is this happening? Are employers so eager to get people on the job that they fail to do the proper training or are younger people more likely to engage in risky behaviours. There ought to be some kind of research into this trend.

Art is a big part of Winnipeg landmarks. The city prides itself with excellent public art that brightens the city with interesting visual immages.






Main and Portage


Public Art by Main and Higgins Street Winnipeg

Folklorama Fever starts Heating Up in Winnipeg

Oganizations start calling for volunteers, dancers are in rehearsals and slowly the tempo picks up for the multicultural community for this is the period that they shine and show off their cultural heritage with pride.
Here are some of last year's photographs of dancers:

This message says it all Hate is not a family value


Crowds lined the streets of Winnipeg to see the gay parade









Everyone and their dog were out enjoying the festivities and the beautiful sunny day





Male contingent of the Rainbow Choir


Rainbow Choir sang at the foot of the Legislative Building

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Everybody was so kind and welcoming'

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Everybody was so kind and welcoming'

Cafe Talk Winnipeg

GOD LEFT CLUES - Email Gem


God left clues
A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye . . . and YES science now shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes .



A Tomato has four chambers and is red .. The heart is red and has four chambers . All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food ..



Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart . Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food .



A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums . Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex . We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function .



Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys .



Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look just like bones . These foods specifically target bone strength . Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium . If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak . These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body .



Eggplant, Avocadoes and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs . Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers . And how profound is this? . . . . It takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit . There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them) .





Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow . Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of aswell to overcome male sterility.



Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics .




Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries




Grapefruits,Oranges, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts .



Onions look like body cells. Today's research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes

PRESS RELEASE


For Immediate Release June 19, 2008


GROUPS CALL FOR COMPLETE RESTORATION
OF COURT CHALLENGES PROGRAM


TORONTO--A coalition of equality-seeking groups called on the Canadian Government today to ensure that the government’s settlement with the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne du Canada includes restoration of funding for the Court Challenges Program for both minority language groups and equality-seeking groups. “The coalition will be delighted to see access to justice restored for minority language groups,” Shelagh Day of the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action and speaking on behalf of the coalition, said today. “However, restoring the language rights side of the Court Challenges Program while continuing to deny access to justice for equality-seeking individuals and groups, does not serve the goals of justice and fairness. The Government of Canada must restore full funding to both parts of the Court Challenges Program.”

Groups assert that de-funding of the Court Challenges Program has served to undermine the integrity of the justice system. “Rights without access to the use of those rights are no rights at all,” Victor Wong of Chinese Canadian National Council said today. “The Canadian Government must act swiftly to completely restore funding for the Court Challenges Program and regain the trust of both linguistic minorities and equality groups.”

“The Court Challenges Program is a critical component of Canadians' access to justice and to an effective system of constitutional rights protection,” Marie White, Chair of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) added. “Effective enforcement of legal rights is for everyone, all groups and not just the wealthy.”

The Court Challenges Program was established in 1978 with an express access-to-justice mandate, namely to help official language minorities pursue important cases involving language rights. Following the adoption of the Charter in 1982, the mandate of the Program was expanded to include funding for Charter-guaranteed language rights. In 1985, when the right to equality came into force, the mandate of the Program was expanded once again to provide financial support for equality-seeking groups and to cases involving multicultural heritage.

All other national political parties are committed to restoring funding for the Court Challenges Program. The Court Challenges Program has supported challenges and interventions of national importance, giving rise to the rich body of equality jurisprudence in Canada - a body of jurisprudence that is internationally respected and emulated in other nations. Some examples of Program-supported cases include: redress for the Chinese Head Tax and Exclusion Act; criminalization of pornography that portrays sex in a way that is harmful to women and children; amending employment insurance benefits rules that discriminate against parents of children with disabilities; expanding the common law definition of marriage to include same-sex unions; challenging VIA Rail's decision to purchase used rail cars that were not accessible; testing criminal law provisions that permit the use of disciplinary force against children by parents and teachers; ameliorating the systemic discrimination against African Canadians in the criminal justice system; addressing the discriminatory impact of immigration security certificates on racialized communities; challenging the sex discrimination in the Indian Act’s status entitlements; and ensuring voting rights for inmates in federal prisons.

-30-

For more information, please contact:

Council of Canadians with Disabilities
Laurie Beachell 204-947-0303 or cell 204-981-6179

DisAbled Women’s Network Canada
Carmela Hutchison 403-816-7301

Metro Toronto Chinese & Southeast Asian Legal Clinic
Avvy Yao-Yao Go 416-971-9674

South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario
Anita Balakrishna 416-487-6371

Chinese Canadian National Council
Victor Wong 416-977-9871

Canadian Federation of University Women
Susan A.C.Russell 613-234-8252

Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund (LEAF)
Audrey Johnson 416-595-7170 Ext. 225

Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action
Shelagh Day 604-872-0750

Charter Committee on Poverty Issues
Bruce Porter 416-944-0087

Egale Canada
Helen Kennedy 416-642-5027

National Association of Women and the Law
Professor Martha Jackman 613-562-5800 ext. 3299 or 819-827-9282

National Anti-Racism Council of Canada
Estella Muyinda 416-979-3909

Canadian Arab Federation
Mohamed Boudjenane 416-889 6764

African Canadian Legal Clinic
Margaret Parsons 416 214-4747

It's Canada Day and life is happening in the Peg. There is stuff going on at the Forks and the whipper-snapper band Cobalt - a group of under 18 band will be closing down the evening and that should be fantastic. This bank is really cool and both kids and adults love them. Cobalt is going somewhere. I am really looking forward to hearing the band.
The Osborne strip in the village is closed off for business. This is just an annoyance. It's business as usual. On Canada Day it would be good to have a holiday from commercial shopping and just have a great time listening to music and having ice cream or snow cones.
Happy Canada Day Ya'all.

UNIFEM COMMENDS UNANIMOUS SECURITY COUNCIL CALL TO END SEXUAL VIOLENCE
Statement by Inés Alberdi, UNIFEM Executive Director

"Wartime sexual violence has been one of history's greatest silences. Yesterday's unanimously-adopted Security Council Resolution 1820 ends - once and for all - the debate on whether systematic sexual violence belongs on the Council agenda. In the words of United States Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, who chaired the debate, "today we respond to that lingering question with a resounding yes".

Never before has sexual violence been so explicitly linked with the maintenance of international peace and security. Long dismissed as the collateral damage of war, systematic rape has become a means of achieving political and military ends. Now more than ever - with civilians increasingly under attack - action is needed.

The resolution signals to past and would-be perpetrators that the world's foremost security institution is watching. It urges sanctions for violations and calls for the Secretary-General to report on implementation. To recognize sexual violence as a security issue is to justify a security response. Building upon Security Council Resolution 1325 (October 2000) on Women, Peace and Security, Resolution 1820 strengthens the focus on prevention, protection and ending impunity.

UNIFEM has helped to shape this agenda from the outset, drawing new attention to the oldest crime of war. In the lead-up to yesterday's debate, UNIFEM brought a women's rights activist from Eastern DRC to address the Council in an informal session. She painfully described how sexual violence holds entire communities hostage: women cannot access markets or water-points; children cannot safely get to school.

Indeed, the Council recognized that there can be neither peace nor security so long as communities live under the shadow of sexual terror "as a tactic of war to humiliate, dominate, instill fear in, disperse and/or forcibly relocate civilian members of a community or ethnic group". The resolution calls for parties to armed conflict to step-up efforts to protect women and girls from targeted attack.

This brings policy into alignment with international law, as reflected in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the evolving jurisprudence of the ad hoc war crimes tribunals. It sends an unequivocal message: there will be no amnesty for sexual violence. This puts the international community squarely on the side of rape survivors, who have long suffered blame and shame in the absence of any formal accountability.

Last month, UNIFEM co-organized a conference at Wilton Park asking what can be done to prevent sexual violence. As background, UNIFEM assembled and distributed an Analytical Inventory of emerging good practice on security strategies that work to protect women and curb sexual violence. Acknowledging that practical gaps have policy roots, participants - military peacekeepers, Security Council members, troop contributors and UN agencies - stressed the need for the Council to recognize the targeted use of sexual violence as a matter of international peace and security. Former Deputy Force Commander Major General Patrick Cammaert said it was now "more dangerous to be a woman than a soldier in Eastern DRC". The conference report was issued as an official Security Council document during the June 19th debate (S/2008/404).

UNIFEM recognizes that we cannot stop sexual violence without empowering women. During the Security Council's mission to Africa this month, UNIFEM arranged for women's civil society groups to speak directly with Council members. The impact of these testimonies was echoed in yesterday's debate.

Sexual violence is a defining characteristic of the changing nature of contemporary conflict. Resolution 1820 shows that the Security Council is responding to this new reality. Sexual violence is a tactic of choice for armed groups - cheaper, more destructive, and easier to get away with than other methods of warfare - until now. Yesterday's historic resolution raises the political, economic and military cost of such crimes. The Security Council resoundingly recognized that durable peace can never be built on women's silent suffering."

Wilton Park Conference Report:
http://www.unifem.org/news_events/event_detail.php?EventID=175#links

Security Council Resolution 1820: http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N08/391/44/PDF/N0839144.pdf?OpenEleme

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UNIFEM is the women's fund at the United Nations. It provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programmes and strategies to foster women's empowerment and gender equality. Placing the advancement of women's human rights at the centre of all of its efforts, UNIFEM focuses its activities on reducing feminized poverty; ending violence against women; reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS among women and girls; and achieving gender equality in democratic governance in times of peace as well as war. For more information, visit www.unifem.org. UNIFEM, 304 East 45th Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10017. Tel: +1 212 906-6400 . Fax: +1 212 906-6705.

Cricket for the Caribbean people is like Hockey for the Canadians - they go wild with the game. Thanks to Kamta Singh and his team, Cricket may become a household name in Winnipeg before long. Here are some recent photos of the game in action.

Resurgified Virgins

When to Pull the Plug

Winnipeg - Keep your eyes on Lisa Bell

Lisa Bell, Winnipeg's R & B singer has made it to the top 21 of the Canadian Idol. I watched her on TV this week and she was strong and confident as ever. Go Lisa go! We're hooting for you. Good luck.

Taxi Car drivers battle for turfs
The old hands at this taxi cab game are trying to keep out newcomers. They do not want to play fair. They want to hog the profits for themselves. This is a democracy guys with free enterprise economy and I think everyone deserves a chance to make a living in the way he wants. This business of protecting turfs with legislation is wrong and I believe totally against free enterprise. With more taxicabs competing for business the customer benefits.

Recently on CBC SEED Winnipeg announced it is working with a group of taxi drivers who are seeking to launch a worker-owned taxi cooperative in Winnipeg. This cooperative has the potential for improving the working conditions for over one hundred drivers, many of whom are newcomers. In order to assess the viability of the cooperative, we require information regarding taxi usage in Winnipeg. Please take this opportunity to share your experience with taxis in Winnipeg!
Way to go Winnipeg - just get on with the job and let them howl!

Winnipeggers are taking control of their city as Winnipeggers do - Enough is enough and when we take actions it's real. Winnipeggers have successfully launched many causes that are still flourishing here and in other parts of Canada. We love our city and want to make it into a place anyone would want to live and raise a family, so let's get to it - here is the information - see you on the 16th - do not sit at home and complain, do something about it then you can have the right to complain:



Founding meeting for the Winnipeg Citizens' Coalition coming this Monday, June 16th, Carol Shields Room, at the Millennium Library, 7:00 pm! For the last 8 months, members of the community have been coming together to talk about common issues and share their vision of Winnipeg. We are now ready to formalize the organization, and move forward.

Winnipeg is a wonderful city and we believe the people who live and work here need to have a voice in how it is managed.

We ask that you forward this invitation to your networks. We hope to have many people sign for memberships but all those in attendance will be eligible to vote at the election of the coordinating executive committee.

Check out the web site at http://winnipegcitizenscoalition.com/ for more about the WCC. We strive to have this organization be as inclusive and as democratic as possible. A Nominating Committee will be presenting a slate of potential candidates for co-chairs of the various working committees but we there will be an opportunity for nominations from the floor as well.

Our hope is that the "business meeting" portion will be quite short so we can hear from our guest speaker, Shellie Bird, who comes from Ottawa's Citizens' Committee (and has been active with Child Care) which was founded two years ago. The organizing committee members hope that we can learn from their experience.

Thanks to all of you for your interest and support.

Mary Scott
Interim co-chair

Winnipeg Heats up again with the Socca Reggae Festival

The Caribbean ‘SPIRIT’ returns for another exciting Winnipeg Festival at Old Market Square in downtown Winnipeg. The 2008 Soca-Reggae Festival will be a three day weekend of non-stop celebration of Soca, Reggae and Calypso music with performers coming from across Canada and North America to provide live performances on July 11th, 12th and 13th, 2008.

Get ready for three nights of music, dancing, drinks, friends and fun with reggae and soca performers, both local and international.

The air will be filled with the sweet smell of Caribbean and Latin flavors. Foods such as jerk chicken, peas and rice, patties, curry goat, roti and much more will create the Old Market Square into a Caribbean Village.

With all this and more, the 2008 Soca-Reggae Festival in Winnipeg will be a weekend of entertainment, food and culture. This is an all age’s event with a licensed ‘beverage’ garden and merchandise tents.

The 2008 Soca-Reggae Festival is a simple love of this beautiful Caribbean culture that brings people together from all races, classes and creeds in a celebration of Soca, Reggae, Calypso and revelry together with Caribbean flavors in downtown Winnipeg at Old Market Square in the heart of the Exchange District BIZ.
It's gonna be hot, hot, hot

Canada Apologizes to Aboriginals.

Today Prime Minister Harper Apologizes to the Aboriginal People for the Residential School Debacle

Between the late 19th Century and the late 1970s, about 150,000 aboriginal children in Canada were taken from their home and forcefully sent to boarding schools, known as residential schools.

Originally an extension of the missionary work of various churches, the schools began receiving state funding in 1874, after the government moved away from a policy of fostering aboriginal autonomy and sought instead to assimilate aboriginals into mainstream society.

Many Winnipeggers are emotional about this day. Some welcome it and others think it has come a little too late.

Schools are participating in the event by having their students watch the event on TV. It's a great first step, let's see what policies follow to put this apology into concrete action.

Bill Moyers: 'Journalism in Profound Crisis' (Video) | MediaCulture | AlterNet

The Sun Was Out for Gay Pride Parade

After that frightening rain on Friday and Saturday the sun shone brightly over Winnipeg for another successful year of Gay Pride in the city. The numbers are not out as yet but I am sure it would be another record setting year. There are more young people than ever and the diversity is growing in terms of Black men and women, Asian, Africans and other bi-racial groups. Many straight people also participate to show support for family and friends who may be gay.
This year's theme was "we are stronger together". The headliner was the Weird Sisters. Somehow they were not as good as they were. The harmony was great but I was expecting more from this group.
On the other hand the Rainbow Choir was fantastic. They were just fabulous. I enjoyed them at the food of the Legislature before the parade.
That's all for now. I'll see if I find some pictures for the next instalment.

New Women's Division Established - Fusion of Women's Directorate and Manitoba Women's Advisory CouncilWe are pleased to announce that the Manitoba Women’s Advisory Council is moving to 409-401 York Avenue (the Norquay Building). On June 12, 2008, the Manitoba Women’s Advisory Council will be joining the Women’s Directorate to form the new Status of Women Division.

We are also pleased to inform you that all services we provided in the past will be available. In fact, we have a larger space available for our community partners, including a photocopier and eventually a computer. We also hope to be able to provide additional support to our community partners. All staff telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, and the FAX number will remain the same. The Council will continue to be an important component of the Status of Women Division. Currently the Council consists of a Chairperson and 12 council members appointed by the provincial government. The council continues to reflect the diversity of Manitoba Women. Members come from rural, urban and northern communities.

The goal of the Division is to identify the needs and concerns of Manitoba women, raise awareness of women’s issues and provide strategic advice to the Government of Manitoba to ensure these needs and concerns are integrated into public policy, legislation and programs. The Division will work towards achieving its goal, in part, by fostering partnerships with community organizations and other government programs.

We hope to host an Open House sometime in the near future.

Winnipeg Free Press

Apology with a splash
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) will be hosting not only a televised viewing of the Prime Minister's apology to the Aboriginal people with respect to their Residential school experience but will also be giving away free lunch to those who have survived this injustice along with their grandchildren, children and others. This will take place on June 11 at the Radisson Hotel, downtown Winnipeg. Gathering and lunch will be in the Provincial Ballroom at noon followed by speeches.
"Finally the Government of Canada is officially acknowledging the horrific abuses its policies inflicted upon our people" says AMC Grad Chief Ron Evans "Let us all come together to support one another at this historic and emotional time".
Check out this historic moment and while you're at it have a free lunch. It's a celebration of justice and change.

New Political Party in Winnipeg?

Winnipeg Citizen Coalition founding meeting will be held on June 16, 2008. Guest speaker Shelly Bird of People for a Better Ottawa Coalition will share her experiences.

I guess it is not a party in the traditional sense but a party that will represent the citizens with the municipal government. A by-law will be passed at this meeting and so the show will be on the road.

This Coalition will look at transportation, crime, innercity revitalization, planned economic growth, youth issues, Aboriginal issues, water issues - say this will be a shadow municipal government.

Good luck and I urge citizens to empower themselves and participate fully. Don't leave the city in the hands of a few. We all have a stake in it.
The event will be June 16th at the Millennium Library, Carol Shields Room.

Sars Doctor Dies at only 51 years old

Dr. Sheela Basrur, was an unknown physician until Sars hit Canada in 2003 when her voice became the voice of authority on Sars as the medical officer of health for the City of Toronto.

According to CBC news, Dr. Basrur resigned her position in December 2006 after being diagnosed with a rare soft-tissue and blood vessel cancer — hemangiopericytoma.

In April, Basrur was awarded the Order of Ontario for public service for her leadership during the deadly SARS outbreak.

This is pretty sad for all of us especially when she had so much more to contribute. One wonders whether exposure to SARs in any way shape or form contributed to this rare form of cancer or the stress of that period just was too much for her immune system.

Royal Watch

The Earl of Wessex, 44 year old Prince Edward, the Queen and Prince Philip' youngest child is in Winnipeg tonight to do what the Royals do best, present fitting awards to deserving people for things they have done that benefit the community. He visited families of soldiers who are fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq and said he has close connection to the Canada's military. He met with Premier Gary Doer briefly as a kick off to his three-day-visit to the Province. He will visit the Children's Hospital, Royal Winnipeg Ballet

The visit to Manitoba is being organized by the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, which promotes volunteerism and personal growth among youth aged 14 to 25. Edward is the international chair of the award program, which has been operating in Canada since 1963.

The prince will host a reception at the Hotel Fort Garry later in his three-day visit to recognize 100 young Manitobans honoured by the award, as well as recipients of the premier's volunteer service awards and other awards for bravery and heroism.

Guyana's Taking Hi-tech-steps to protect vast forestry resources

Guyana is a land rich in all kinds of mineral and natural resources. Wood is one of those. Until recently it had left monitoring of the forest up to Brazilian equipment but Guyana has now gone hi-tech and will be monitoring its own forest using satellite equipment. There has been illegal logging within the forest. This new system will help authorities to keep a lid on things. Guyanese authorities say they also plan to embark on a 'plantation forest' pilot project, focusing on species that are in high commercial demand as well introduce new exotic species like teak, while at the same time examining the prospects for reforestation in July this year.
Deforestation has a negative impact on wildlife population and it is another reason that this matter needed to be seriously addressed.

Guyana's forestry sector contributes at least 5 percent to the country's Gross Domestic Product and employs a total of 20,000 people directly and indirectly.
Major species include greenheart, mora, baromalli, purple heart, crabwood, kabakalli, womara found in Guyana’s rich forest.

Spiritual Diversity Care

Do you know that the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg offered a quiet space in the hospital to meditate or just to think about things in whatever language or religion you choose. There is no discrimination here. It's the hope room. Sometimes patients and their families receive very bad health news from their doctors and need this time to clear their heads or connect to their source of strength. They can do so in a respectful way in the Hope Room.

This room is a sanctuary for Muslims in the hospitals wishing to observe their prayer times, a place for the Aboriginals to do their pipe ceremonies of healing, Christians to pray and meditate. This is a wonderful idea and a very useful place for people of all faiths and for those with no faith to connect to something when their spirits are at their lowest. The Director of the Centre is Patricia Frame and the phone number is 787-3884.
If you need to find out more of the services this Hope Room offers call her and find out.

Hello Everybody!

UNPAC's Annual General Meeting is just around the corner...

The AGM will be held Thursday, May 29 at 6:30 pm in room 2M73 at the University of Winnipeg. We hope you can join us as we announce our upcoming project entitled: "Women's Economic Participation Mentorship Project."

Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

Following the AGM, beginning at 7:30 pm, we will be screening the documentary film "View from a Grain of Sand" by Meena Nanji.

View From a Grain of Sand is a journey through the last 30 years of Afghanistan's history as lived by three Afghan women. Shot over the last three years in Pakistan and Afghanistan, a doctor, teacher and social activist tell how their lives were violently affected by wars of international making and three different regimes in Afghanistan. Yet through all their loss, and the destruction of their homes and country, these women have endured.

For more information about the film, visit: www.viewgrainofsand.com

Sincerely,

Mandy Fraser, Co-Chair
UN Platform for Action Committee Manitoba (UNPAC) 60 Maryland Street Winnipeg, MB R3G 1K7 Canada
204.772.7876 communications@unpac.ca
www.unpac.ca

The Canadian Committee for UNIFEM
Winnipeg Chapter
Invites you to our Annual Meeting
Special presentation by

Jane McBee & Enid Butler
Grands ‘N’ More, Winnipeg

Jane will speak on her experience in Africa as part of the
Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign
Sponsored by the Stephen Lewis Foundation
Easing the pain of HIV/AIDS in Africa

Tuesday, June 17th, 7:00 pm
University Women’s Club, 54 West Gate

All are welcome!
Time to renew your membership and
thank everyone for support of Local to Global 2008

Focusing on: Women’s Economic Empowerment; Governance & Leadership & Human Rights
See more at http://www.stephenlewisfoundation.org/ & http://www.unifem.org/

Winnipeg Announcement
Winnipeg Citizens’ Coalition

Public Service Announcement. Please distribute widely
The Winnipeg Citizens’ Coalition is holding their Founding Meeting on Monday, June 16th, 2008 at 7:00 pm at the Millennium Library, Carol Shields Room, 251 Donald St.
Shellie Bird, from People for a Better Ottawa Municipal Coalition, will be the guest speaker.

Come out and hear how, together, we can make changes at City Hall.
The Winnipeg Citizens’ Coalition is a broad based progressive group of citizens who want to improve the quality of life in Winnipeg.

- 30 –

For further information:

info@winnipegcitizenscoalition

Another scam by clever Africans
When I first read in the Nation that there was a chartered flights of Africans landed in BIM, I mentioned it to my Nigerian friend, who is a solicitor here in Ontario. He smiled and said that his pastor's cousin was on that journey. He was one of the Ghanian with the group. So, when I learnt that the plane had not returned to pick them up, I mentioned it to him again. He said, "Yes, I know! It was never intended to return". He also said that, the Africans intentions were to find work in Barbados and, once they were granted a work permit in Barbados, it would then make immigration to Canada and the USA easier for Immigration Lawyers in USA & Canada to negotiate on their behalf. Canada and the USA were their ultimate destination. It was all a hoax.

This was all told to me prior to the news that the plane would not return. You can imagine my dismay when I learnt this to be true. Shock!!



BEWARE THIS MAY HAPPEN TO YOU??

THE TREATMENT FOR BLACK TOURIST COMING TO BARBADOS - INCARCERATION FOR AFRICAN PEOPLE. SUN, SEA, SAND, LEISURE AND PLEASURE FOR WHITES ONLY

02/05/2008


NAME: Osa Agbon Itota
NATIONALITY: Nigerian
SEX: Female
AGE: 32
ADDRESS: #30 Uwa Street
New Benin,
Benin City, off New Lagos Road
Edo State, Nigeria
EMAIL: itotaosa@yahoo.com
TELEPHONE:+234-052-250413
MOBILE: +234-80-23521045


MY ORDEAL IN BARBADOS

I am a businesswoman who deals with clothes, shoes, bags and jewelry. In the course of my business, I have been to Switzerland, Holland and several African countries.

On January 20th, 2008, I read about the direct Inaugural flight from Accra (Ghana) to Barbados in a daily newspaper publication, "The Guardian and the Punch", in Lagos, Nigeria.

Consequently, I flew from Lagos, (Nigeria) to Accra (Ghana) to purchase the ticket. ($2,000. U.S.) in order to explore the numerous business opportunities as well as vacation in the Caribbean. This was a round trip ticket.

Thus, on the 31st of January 2008, I left Accra (Ghana) on board Ghana Air Internationa1 with about 148 other passengers, comprising mostly Ghanaians and about 30 Nigerians.

It was a 9 (nine) hour flight and we arrived in Barbados at exactly 3:45a.m. on the 1st of February 2008. We spent a few hours at the airport due to some initial hotel reservation matters before we were eventually cleared by the Barbados Immigration.

We each were given 15 days entry. I and a group of others checked into "Kingsland Palace" Guest House at St. Patrick, Christ Church. I spent one week at the hotel, paying $20 U.S. daily.

At this point, however, we were already getting conflicting statements from our tour agent in Ghana, Seasons Travels and Tours, about the probable date of our departure from Barbados. Our inquiries confirmed that the return flight might be delayed a little due to circumstances beyond their control.

Then I made a call to my brother in Canada, telling him about the situation. He made an arrangement for me to come over to Canada and spend some time with him and his immediate family, because he has been away for a long time and he wanted to use this opportunity as a re-union between his immediate family and myself. He then sent an electronic e-ticket dated 6th to the 14th of February 2008.

This decision was based on the fact that I already had a Canadian visa in my passport. Unfortunately, when I got to Air Canada desk at the Grantley Adams International Airport on the 6th of February 2008, the lady on duty asked me about my nationality and I told her I was a Nigerian. She then asked me to wait and I waited for almost 30 minutes. Thereafter she asked me the following questions:

1. Whom are you going to see in Canada?
2. What is his name?
Where does he stay in Canada?
What is his phone number?
What does he do for a living?

I provided accurate answers to the above questions.

Then she went inside again and later came with an Immigration Officer. This time around my passport was seized by the Immigration Officer who ordered me to follow him and I obeyed. I was then taken to an interrogation office where I was stripped searched. The officer eventually told me that I can not travel because my Canadian visa was faked. I argued based on the fact that I had other visas in my passport, that I got through the same medium, but the Immigration Officer paid deaf ears.

Then they locked me up at the airport detention facility (a windowless cell of about 6 by 8 feet) for 2 ½ months. In one of the nights, the fire alarm went-off and we shouted and banged on the door for help but nobody came to our rescue! I was not allowed phone calls for a month and a half. I was also denied medical facility during this period of incarceration. When I was eventually allowed to make a phone call, I called my elder brother in Canada, who in turn spoke with the Immigration Officer who was on duty asking him to release me. The Immigration Officer refused saying I had breached the Barbados Immigration Law and I must be kept in confinement until orders are given by a higher authority.

My elder brother made a contact with a lawyer to come all the way from Canada to bail me out. The lawyer was not allowed to see or talk to me. My brother also pleaded that he wanted to pay my ticket to return to Nigeria. They also refused his request. They said that we came in a group and therefore we must leave in a group.

During this period of incarceration I was subjected to inhuman treatment; especially when they were giving me food. They presented it to me, as if they were giving it to an animal. Oftentimes, I had to buy my own toiletries and during my menstrual period they refuse to give me any sanitary pads they told me that I should rather make-do with "tissue paper!". I was tormented and traumatised daily because I could not sleep until the early hours of the morning (3:00 or 3:30am) ; hence I did not know whom to trust. I had to be very, very alert. I did my laundry in the same confined room so that I would not smell. The only time I did not do my laundry in the sink of this confined room was when a kind Immigration lady took my laundry home and do it for me.

All this frustrated my brother because he did not know what to do any more about my situation. Since this whole issue was suppose to be a 2 week holiday that has turned into an unpredictable nightmare. Given the fact that I left behind at home a 16 months old baby and a 3 year old son and my husband. During this period of incarceration my business has suffered tremendously and I have lots of outstanding bills waiting for me back at home.

My extended family has been very worried about my health and welfare and have made frantic efforts to contact me to no avail. On the 8th of April 2008, the Chief Immigration Officer directed everyone to assemble at the Immigration Office in Bridgetown for a briefing. They all went, only to be arrested and taken to Paragon Military Base in Christ Church, after collecting their passports from them.

It was after this incident that they came for me at the airport detention on the 11th of April, 2008. They took me for medicals and after that the Chief Security Officer "Mr. Jordan" said I had to go back to the airport cell because they do not have facilities for females yet at Paragon. Then I cried my eyes out, pleading with him to allow me to stay with some church members. He refused and sent me back to the airport cell.

Then on the 17th of April, 2008, they came for me again, and the said Mr. Jordon took me to the Chief Immigration Officer who ordered him to release me. It was at this juncture, that I met with a kindhearted Barbadian (Mr. John Howell) who volunteered to take me to his home.

However, on the 21st of April 2008, the Immigration Authority asked all the ladies in the group to report to their Bridgetown office, from where they took us to join our male compatriots at the Paragon Military Base, where we are currently being housed as at the time of this writing.

Flo is a Canadian R&B phenomenon from Manitoba. Strong and intelligent, her chocolate-honey alto sends audiences soaring. She is emotion and truth juxtaposed. Firmly rooted in R&B, with infusions of jazz, soul, and pop, she sings in a style reminiscent of the great voices of our times. She evokes the velvety-sensitive forthrightness of Sade, and the integrity and social awareness of Lauryn Hill. Embodying a pure desire to write, to sing, and to inspire, Flo travels into realms of soul that some artists never tap into… and this is only the beginning
I heard her talking to Beverley Watson on CBC a couple Sundays ago and she spoke eloquently about this longing to sing. She admits to being a task master. Professionally she is a physiotherapist. She said she had to do the "parents" thing which is to get a good, sensible education. For many immigrant parents that good education means being a doctor, lawyer, engineer, teacher something stable that could provide a good living. Flo always had the longing to be a singer but she said she is shy and never thought she was good enough. Her confidence was cracked open after she was given the chance to sing "joyful, joyful" while in Grade 12. "I fell in love with the stage", she said. She recived many positive feedback that gave her the confidence she needed to try out for the Canadian Idol. While she did not make it in the Canadian Idol top 10, her confidence was unleashed and she proceeded full speed ahead to satisfy what her soul was calling her to do.

.PHONE: work204-297-5893
EMAIL: mail@flosoul.com
Flo website

Fyxx in the Exchange Another disappointment
Fyxx has great food, let me say that upfront. It's not about the food, but the staff and their food handling practices which leave a lot to be desired. Today I visited their and one of servers/food preparers had a cold or something but she was coughing without covering her mouth and sniffling and sneezing wiping her nose and then wiping it on her apron. I feel perhaps the young people who work in some of these establishments are not properly trained. In these days when we are more conscious of germs and there are signs everywhere to wash your hands it is disconcerting to see this kind of unhealthy behaviours happening in front of our eyes. What happens when we do not see in the kitchen. I am reaching a stage where going out to eat will be something of the past. I don't want to trust my health to irresponsible establishment.

Check Out Canada's New and Improved Food Guide in the Different Languages

Health Canada’s Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion (ONPP) has released Canada’s Food Guide in 10 languages in addition to English and French. Translated directly from the 2007 Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide, these resources are available in Arabic, Chinese, Farsi (Persian), Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil, and Urdu. These languages reflect the nation’s top 10 non-official languages spoken in the homes of recent immigrants.

Providing access to healthy eating information for Canadians who are new to the country, or less familiar with English and French, is important to Health Canada. The translated Food Guides are a practical complement to existing Food Guide resources, including Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide, the resource for educators and communicators, and the Food Guide Web site. Canada’s Food Guide integrates the latest science on nutrition and health into a practical pattern of eating, and acknowledges the changing ethnic makeup of Canada by including a range of foods from a variety of ethnic cuisines. The Food Guide Web site features interactive tools, such as My Food Guide Online, which allows individuals to create a customized printout in the same 10 languages, as well as in English and French.

ONPP invites you to share this information and hopes that you will find it valuable. For more information please visit www.healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide

The Fyxx Coffee Shop on Broadway
I was there today for a sandwich. There was only one worker and he was handling cash and making food at the same time. Whenever I see that nine out of ten times the worker goes from money to your food without washing their hands. I had to stop the young man and tell him to please wash his hand before handling my food. I felt bad because I know it is partly not his fault. It is the employer who expect these young kids to do so much. They try to cut corners.

I think we all should be vigilant in ensuring that our food is not contaminated by cooks and servers. I know it is hard to be washing your hands all the time. The employer can provide the staff with adequate resources to deal with these situations.
The bottom line is there should always be two staff members in these restaurants like Fyxx, one to handle the food and one to handle coffee and money and to serve stuff where one does not have to use their naked hands.

Congratulations Sgt. Monica Brothers

Monica Brothers is a stellar role model for women and especially black women and girls because of her continued success and leadership in the community. She is a woman who was not expected to become a Police Officer because she was so skinny but she set her goal worked towards it and achieved it. This is the importance of believing in oneself. Monica Stothers believed she could accomplish whatever she wanted and she has.

She has performed her role as a Police Officer in a manner in which all Blacks and Caribbean people could be proud. She has lifted the race up to another level with her accomplishment.


She has created history by becoming the first Black Female to rise to the rank of Sgt. A 20 year old veteran of the Force she is now a Patrol Sgt Monica Brothers.

Writing Our Past Building Our Future

The Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, the Honourable John Harvard and his wife Her Honour Lenore Berschied on May 6, 2008 sponsored a reception at Government House to celebrate the work of the Councils of Women of Manitoba, one of the oldest women's organization in the Province.
The Councils of Women two years ago undertook the task to put the records of their organization which covered more than 100 years, in order and to present this to the Provincial Archives of Manitoba. The project was fittingly titled Babs Friesen Councils of Women Archival Project because it originated when Babs, a local historian of sorts (she volunteered for umpteen years with the YM-YWCA organization, as a Librarian and record keeper). While Babs worked for the Y she represented the Y on the Council and kept her membership to this date as well as all her records. Now that she is of mature years and can no longer take care of herself she had to go into a home where her basic needs would be taken care of. Well she could not take all that stuff into a one-room place and since she was the storer of all these fantastic records the Council Women as usual pulled up their sleeves and got to work.
They did a lot of the preliminary work of sorting through boxes and boxes of paper and got rid of what could be gotten rid of and left the meat of the records for a professional archivist with funds they received from several non-Government sources but especially from YMCA-YWCA Women of Distinction fund. They had records dating back from 1894 to 1984 and from 1949-1980. The records consisted of text, photographs and bound scrap books. This represent a key part of Manitoba history and women's history in particular. These women contributed a lot to our rich mosaic. They lobbied for betterment of women, for families, for marginalized groups in all contexts, historical, personal, political, social, sexual, economic and institutions. This is such important information for the generations of women to come.
I am personally proud of these women. In additon to the text, the project consisted of a oral history component of the voices and experiences of women who have longstanding membership within the council. This was made possible by a grant from the Margaret Laurence Endowment in Women's Studies. The women interviewed included Elaine Adam, Donna Blight, Murdina Brownlee, Joan Butcher, Monika Feist, Eira "Babs" Friesen, Eleanor Gibson, Beverley Goodwin, June Menzies, Leonore Saunders, Monica Singh, Muriel Smith and Donna Mae Yeo. Sally Papso coordinated The oral history, she did all the interviews and ensured the integrity of the project

The evening was rounded off with some delicious baron beef on buns and some fabulous singing by one of Winnipeg's great songbirds, Deborah Romeyn, singer and songwriter. She is going to be releasing her Third Album soon so, watch for that.
Congratulations to the Councils of Women by ensuring that the work of a good number of women has been preserved properly for posterity.