Community Action articles from August 2004

Community Action archives from August 2004

Our 20th year.(Comments)
August 16, 2004... Community Action enters its 20th year of publishing news and information on health and social services in Canada, as well as in other parts of the world. We undertook this publication in August 1985 because we believed that an independent,...

Dramatic downturn in well-being of Toronto families reported.(General)(Family Service Association of Toronto)(Community Social Planning Council of Toronto)(Atkinson Charitable Foundation)
August 16, 2004... TORONTO -- Toronto's poor families with children, regardless of the parents' age, "are so poor it would take more than $15,000 per year to get them up to the poverty line," a report by the Family Service Association of Toronto and the Community...

Will FBI have access to BC medicare data?(General)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... VICTORIA -- Concerns over security and confidentiality hover over British Columbia's plans to privatize data management of its medical and pharmacare plans. BC is about to complete its year-long negotiation with Restom VA based Maximus Inc....

Dramatic increase of homeless shows up in Calgary count.
August 16, 2004... CALGARY -- The number of homeless families in this city increased to 104, a 148% rise, according to the Biennial Count of Homeless Persons in Calgary on 2004 May 12. The enumeration found almost 2600 homeless persons, a growth rate of 49...

40% of adults have used cannabis.(Health)(Statistics Canada)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... OTTAWA -- The argument over decriminalizing marijuana use and possession received a new spark as Statistics Canada presented a report on cannabis use. The report indicates that more than 10 million Canadians or 41.3 per cent of the...

Calendar Canada.(Calendar)
August 16, 2004... Aug. 16-19: Summer Emotions institute II with Les Greenberg, Toronto; www.emotionfocusedtherapy.org Aug. 16-19: Conference: Resilient development in child welfare; Ottawa; Child Welfare League of Canada; LAC2004@cwlc.ca Aug. 16-20:...

Foreign calendar.(Calendar)
August 16, 2004... Aug. 24-27: International Conference: Human Services Information Technology Application; Hong Kong; www.hkcss.org.hk/husita7 Aug. 25-28: European Symposium on Suicide and Suicidal Behaviour; Copenhagen; National Committee on the Prevention...

Overseas adoptions up in 2003, China the leading source.(Child & Family)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... OTTAWA -- Canadians adopted 2,181 children from abroad, 13% higher than the previous year. However, last year's total did not exceed the peak of 2,222 in 1998. Intercountry adoptions to Canada have been stable for nine years, running...

Death sentences for China's baby trafficers.(Child & Family)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... BEIJING -- A court in southern China convicted 52 people of selling infants on the black market, sentencing six to death and five to life in prison, Xinhua news agency reported. The group was accused of trafficking 118 babies and was...

Welfare families no better off with National Child Benefit.(Child & Family)(National Council of Welfare's report)
August 16, 2004... OTTAWA -- Most families on welfare are no better off since the federal government introduced the National Child Benefit in 1998 because of the deal that allowed the provinces and territories to claw back part of that money says the National...

Squamish Nation withdraws objection to adoption of native girls in Ontario.(Child & Family)(Squamish Nation of British Columbia)(The Hamilton Children's Aid Society )(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... HAMILTON, ON -- The Squamish Nation of British Columbia withdrew its effort to prevent the adoption of two first nations sisters to non-native families. The Hamilton Children's Aid Society which supported the Squamish Nations claims also...

PEI kids doing well in national comparisons.(Child & Family)(Prince Edward Island)(Premier's Council on Healthy Child Development)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI -- Compared to children in other provinces, kids in Canada's smallest province, Prince Edward Island, are doing well based on national indicators of child health and well-being. According to the Premier's Council on Healthy...

Non-custody dads sue for $900m.(Child & Family)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... HALIFAX -- "The government is responsible for the destruction and devastation of millions of Canadian families," Connie Brauer and Vic Harris said as they announced their lawsuit against the government of Canada. The pair filed the suit against...

Letter.(Letter to the Editor)
August 16, 2004... I just read the recent editorial on Participaction. ("Let's bring back the 60 year old Swede"). Having been born in 1966, I well remember the commercials on TV that promoted fitness as an important part of our lives. I also remember the...

Train Sudan police on child sex abuse.(Child & Family)
August 16, 2004... TORONTO -- UNICEF concluded a three-day training session of Sudanese police officers designed to assist them in investigating cases of rape of children. This initiative is the first of its kind and aims to sensitize police and other law...

Victims' justice fund attorney general Ontario.(Funding)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... 416-326-2210 Sexual Assault Survivors' Centre, Sarnia-Lambton. To better address the needs of victims of sexual assault/abuse who are also mentally ill. $200,000 over three years. Halton Sexual and Domestic Violence Collaborative. To...

Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Community Accessability Program.(Funding)
August 16, 2004... 416-325-6207 Wiarton Bruce Peninsula Health Services Housing Corporation. To create employment opportunities, through community development, for adults with persistent mental health disabilities. $4,446 Canadian Mental Health...

National crime prevention strategy: Saskatchewan and Labrador.(Funding)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Community Education Network (CEN) for Southwestern Newfoundland CEN, Strengthening local capacity to prevent crime and victimization. $27,000 Community Education Network (CEN) for Southwestern Newfoundland. Families and schools together:...

Trillium Foundation Ontario.(Funding)
August 16, 2004... 800-263-2887 Mississauga Homes for Independent Living. To produce a video that will address issues surrounding home ownership for individuals who have disabilities. $12,100 over six months. Mississauga Minor Basketball Association. To...

26 agencies are finalists for Donner awards.(General)(The Donner Awards)(7th Annual Donner Canadian Foundation Awards for Excellence in the Delivery of Social Services)
August 16, 2004... CALGARY. AB -- Twenty six Canadian non-profit organizations have been selected as finalists for the 7th Annual Donner Canadian Foundation Awards for Excellence in the Delivery of Social Services. The Donner Awards are Canada's largest...

Pierre Allard receives award for correctional services work.(General)(Maud Booth Correctional Services Award)(Correctional Service of Canada)(International Prison Chaplains' Association)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... CHICAGO -- Reverend Doctor Pierre Michel Allard received the Maud Booth Correctional Services Award of the Volunteers of America for his work in the corrections field at the American Correctional Association conference. Allard is the...

VON Niagara outbid by for-profit provider.(General)(Victorian Order of Nurses)(Community Care Access Centre)(Care Partners)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... ST. CATHARINES, ON -- More than 100 nurses, employees of the Victorian Order of Nurses, Niagara Branch have lost their jobs or taken pay cuts after the Community Care Access Centre awarded the Niagara home care contract to Care Partners, a...

Charitable registration lifted from group.(General)(The Parkinson's Support and Research Society)(The Bedford)(Parkinson's Society of Canada)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... OTTAWA -- Canada Customs Revenue Agency has removed the charitable status of The Parkinson's Support and Research Society. The delisting by the Federal Court was supported temporarily while the agency appeals the decision. The Bedford,...

U.S. Charity abuses eyed by congress.(General)(Senate Finance Committee)(House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Reacting to revelations, of abuses by a number of charities, U.S. congressional tax committees are scrutinizing tax exemptions for charities and drafting possible revisions. The Senate Finance Committee is considering changes...

U.K. seeks more volunteering.(General)(The Russell Commission)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... LONDON, UK -- The British government is looking for ways to promote volunteering and good citizenship by young people. The Russell Commission, is considering financial incentives to encourage 16-18 year olds to undertake volunteering before...

Canadian Cancer Society.(Appointments)(Canadian Cancer Society)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Peter C. Goodhand, CEO, Canadian Cancer Society, Toronto.

Canadian National Institute for the Blind.(Appointments)(Ontario Division )(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Mimi Lowi-Young, Executive Director, Ontario Division of Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Toronto.

Mental Health Support Network Hasting-Prince Edward Corp.(Appointments)(Prince Edward Corp)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Jai Mills, Executive Director, Mental Health Support Network Hasting-Prince Edward Corp. Belleville, ON

W. Garfield Weston Foundation.(Appointments)(W. Garfield Weston Foundation)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Kevin Munro, Executive Director, W. Garfield Weston Foundation, Toronto.

Canadian Institute for Health Information.(Appointments)(Canadian Institute for Health Information)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... Glenda Yeates, President and CEO, Canadian Institute for Health Information, Ottawa.

New U.S rules for Canadian staff.(Health)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Canadian health care workers have until July 26, 2004 to complete new visa requirements for working in U.S. hospitals. Citizenship and Immigration Services extended the limit by one year. After lobbying by state politicians...

Vermont suing over Canadian drugs.(Health)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... MONTPELIER, VT -- Vermont plans to sue the Food and Drug Administration for denying its request to import prescription drugs from Canada. It will be the first state to take the FDA to court. Gov. James Douglas that the FDA's reasons for...

Doctors Without Borders close projects in Afghanistan.(Health)
August 16, 2004... KABUL, AFGHANISTAN -- Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres closed its medical programs in Afghanistan after 24 years of service in the country. The decision is the aftermath of the assassination of five MSF aid workers in a targeted...

Suicide 3rd leading cause of teen deaths.(Health)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... ATLANTA -- Suicide was the third leading cause of death among persons aged 10-19 years of age in 2001 in the USA. The most common method of suicide was by firearm (49%), followed by suffocation (mostly hanging) (38%) and poisoning (7%). ...

Publications.
August 16, 2004... The publications listed below are for information purposes only. To obtain copies contact the publisher. The entries in this section are listed free of charge and are limited to material published in Canada and by Canadian authors. Publishers...

Premiers prescribe a federal government drug plan.(Health)
August 16, 2004... NIAGARA ON THE LAKE, ON -- Canada's premiers called on the federal government to immediately establish a national pharmacare program that would be available to all Canadians and fully funded by the federal government as the "first major...

Depression passes heart ills as cause for work absence.(Mental Health Works)(Employee Assistance Programs)
August 16, 2004... TORONTO -- Depression has out-stripped cardiovascular disease as the fastest growing category of work days lost to disability in Canada while mental health issues overall are causing increased use of group benefit plans, including increased use...

Ontario hospital group sends mission to plan for aid to Lesotho hospitals.(Ontario Hospital Association)(fact-finding mission)(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... TORONTO -- The Ontario Hospital Association sent a fact-finding mission to the Kingdom of Lesotho to determine how health care providers in Ontario can help alleviate the suffering and prevent a further spread of HIV/AIDS in the country. ...

Ontario expands telemedicine network.(Brief Article)
August 16, 2004... KENORA -- The Ontario government is expanding its telemedicine network in northern Ontario, allocating it $5.7 million. The Network provides telemedicine services in northern and central Ontario and supports over 100 sites, including 65...