Community Action articles from February 2003

Community Action archives from February 2003

Profit--yes or no? (Comments).(for-profit companies in the social services sector)
February 17, 2003... Should for-profit companies be favoured or excluded from the delivery of publicly funded health and social services? This question becomes more intense as governments throughout the world continue to contract out these functions. They turn...

Quebec will introduce four day week for parents and caregivers.
February 17, 2003... MONTREAL -- Quebec's provincial labour standards, some of the most progressive in Canada, will be overhauled to allow for a four-day work week for parents of children under 12-years of age and for those caring for elderly or handicapped...

Health accord features accountability and more money for provinces.
February 17, 2003... OTTAWA -- Dubbing the new Health Care Accord as historic and reflective of various federal and provincial reports, including the Romanow report on health care, Prime Minster Jean Chretien said that it also ensures that the health care system is...

Fundraisers' tales: Fraud or free speech?
February 17, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court must decide if the constitutional right to free speech prohibits a state from bringing fraud charges against a professional, charity fundraiser for telling potential donors that monies raised are used for...

Childcare services decline, report says.
February 17, 2003... TORONTO -- With the exception of Quebec, Canada's child care services are in decline, and the situation is worsening, according to a new report on child care and early childhood education. While regulated child care spaces grew from 371,573...

Calendar Canada.(Calendar)
February 17, 2003... Feb. 24: Workshop: Aboriginal health; Ontario Hospital Association; Ottawa; 416.205.1362 Feb. 27: Workshop: Volunteerism; Ontario Hospital Association; TorontO; 416.205.1362 Feb. 28: Seminar: Strategic IT planning for decision makers...

Foreign calendar.(Calendar)
February 17, 2003... Mar. 5-7: National Conference: Child Welfare League of America; Washington DC; E-mail: children2003@cwla.org Mar. 10-12: International Conference: Abuse of children and adults with disabilities; Riverside, CA; Email...

Judge says fetus should be protected, force addicted mothers into treatment. (Child & Family).
February 17, 2003... WINNIPEG -- The Manitoba government was urged to consider drafting "appropriate constitutional legislation to protect fetuses from the effects of substance abuse" in an inquest report stemming from the suicide of a 15-year old boy. The...

Work-life balance difficult for many, impossible for lower income families. (Child & Family).(Voices of Canadians: Seeking Work-Life Balance study)
February 17, 2003... OTTAWA -- For most Canadians their work and their lives are "intricately connected" and changes in one area "echo in the other" says the study, Voices of Canadians: Seeking Work-Life Balance. The study notes that although the majority of...

World's children". (Child & Family).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... DISCRIMINATION: A representative from the Republic of the Congo went before the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women to answer questions about employment, unequal wages, access to education and family law in her...

Disappearance of licensed child programs, Toronto report warns. (Child & Family).(Preserving Child Care in Toronto: The Case for New Ontario Government Funding)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... TORONTO -- "All families may be faced with the disappearance of licensed programs or unsustainable fees," if the Ontario government does not increase funding for child care, a city of Toronto report warns. The report, Preserving Child Care...

Trillium Foundation Ontario 800-263-2887. (Funding).(Directory)
February 17, 2003... Diverse Community Achievement Centre of Hamilton and Region Inc. To engage an executive director, and put in place resource development and strategic plans and initiate a community awareness campaign. $75,000 over two years. McMaster...

The National Crime Prevention Strategy National Crime Prevention Centre 613-954-1721. (Funding).
February 17, 2003... AAKOM-KIYII Health Services. For Phase II of the Assessing/Enhancing Community Capacity project. Calgary: Phase II of this project focuses on the development of a strong and effective interagency committee that supports and promotes crime...

National Strategy on Community Safety 613-954-1721. (Funding).
February 17, 2003... Maison des jeunes l'Atmosphere de Carleton. For its Projet de prevention au sujet des relations amoureuses et de la sexualite a l'adolescence, to produce a video developed by and for adolescents in order to enhance awareness among the age group...

National Homelessness Initiatve 819-953-5646. (Funding).
February 17, 2003... Step-by-Step Home Ownership, Barrie. Develop a tool to ease people on fixed incomes out of subsidized rental housing and into home ownership (thereby creating space in subsidized rental housing). $20,000 David Busby Street Centre, Barrie....

Gambling study calls for proposals. (Funding).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... GUELPH -- The Ontario Problem Gambling Research Centre seeks proposals for research projects and projects that translate research findings into effective policy and practice. A maximum of $300,000 is offered for multi-year projects....

Manitoba Cabinet Child Health Committee. (Funding).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... nmservices@leg.gov.mb.ca The Family Life Education Centre, Winnipeg: To establish two new Healthy Baby sites in the Fort Rouge area. $50,000 The Maples Tenant Association, Winnipeg: will set up a new site at the Village Centre in the Seven...

Non-profits rely on temps and part-timers, job quality study reports. (Voluntary Sector).
February 17, 2003... OTTAWA -- The non-profit sector relies heavily on temporary and part time employees as a means to cope with financial uncertainty and instability on a yearly basis says a recently released report on job quality in the non-profit sector. ...

Report calls for return of federal government to affordable housing. (Shelter).
February 17, 2003... OTTAWA -- The Canadian government should once again return to its role of spending money as it did in the mid sixties to the mid 1980's to ensure an adequate supply of affordable housing, says a study on housing policy. In his study,...

BC seeks housing offers for interior. (Shelter).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... KELOWNA -- Interior Health Authority and BC Housing issued a request for proposals from private-sector housing providers interested in participating in the rent supplement component of the Independent Living BC program. The process will make...

Store site to offer social housing. (Shelter).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... VICTORIA -- The redevelopment of the former Woodward's department store site will "promote and support sustainable economic, social and community development" in the Downtown Eastside area of the city under an agreement between Premier Gordon...

Terrorism fears cause drop in UK volunteers for overseas service. (Voluntary Sector).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... LONDON, UK -- Research commissioned by the British- based Volunteer Service Overseas indicates that the fear of terrorism is responsible for a 40 per cent drop in UK volunteers since the September 11 attacks, and the charity warns that if the...

Toronto passes by-law to enable shelters in all parts of city. (Shelter).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... TORONTO -- After three years of debate Toronto City Council approved a by-law that permits shelters, hostels, and crisis care facilities in all parts of the city, with limits on size and location. However, the by-law effectively eliminates...

Publications.
February 17, 2003... 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...

Periodicals received.
February 17, 2003... The Advocate, Adult Protective Service Association of Ontario, London, January 2003 Brainwaves, Brain Injury Community Re-entry (Niagara) Inc., St. Catharines ON, December 2002 Community Report, West Park Healthcare Centre Foundation,...

Ontario's disability support program castigated by disabled women. (Health).(Ontario Disability Support Program)
February 17, 2003... TORONTO -- Ontario's Disability Support Program is "ineffective, inefficient and wasteful" says a recently released report from the DisAbled Women's Network Ontario. The report, Denial by Design. (Link to the report on website:...

Ontario health yields to pressure and okays list of life-saving drugs. (Health).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... TORONTO -- All HIV positive babies born in Ontario on or after January 1, 2002, will be vaccinated against varicella (chicken pox), meningitis and pneumococcal disease, Health and Long-Term Care Minister Tony Clement announced. The...

Feds cut funding for Halifax methadone clinic. (Health).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... HALIFAX -- The federal government will no longer support a methadone street clinic for hard core drug users in the spring. Dr. Donald Fay, a member of the clinic staff, warns that this will likely cause an increase in drug use and crime in the...

First Toronto family health network opens. (Health).( The Fairview Family Health Network)
February 17, 2003... TORONTO -- Ernie Eves, Ontario's Premier, and Tony Clement, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, opened The Fairview Family Health Network, the first Family Health Network in Toronto. Fairview will serve more than 13,500 people. The new...

Alternative medicine clinic closes. (Health).(Tzu Chi Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... VANCOUVER -- The Tzu Chi Institute for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, will close at the end of March, its board decided. In the spring of 2002 the Ministry of Health cut its operating grant for Tzu Chi and other funding partners...

U.S. to spend $15b on HIV/AIDS in Africa and Caribbean. (Health).
February 17, 2003... WASHINGTON -- U.S. President George W. Bush surprised the world with his announcement that he will ask Congress to approve $15 billion in funds to battle AIDS in the hardest-hit countries in Africa and the Caribbean over the next five years....

Canada stockpiles smallpox vaccine. (Health).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... WINNIPEG -- A senior Health Canada official confirmed that the department plans to stockpile enough smallpox vaccine to vaccinate everyone in Canada in the event of a terrorist attack. Dr. Ron St. John, director general of Health Canada's...

World health. (Health).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... The World Food Program and the Joint U.N. Program on HIV/AIDS formally joined forces yesterday at a signing ceremony in Rome to fight the vicious cycle of hunger and rising HIV/AIDS rates. MENINGITIS: A U.N.-led partnership is providing 3...

WHO selects new director general. (Health).(Jong Wook Lee)
February 17, 2003... Dr. Jong Wook Lee was nominated by the World Health Organization's Executive Board for the post of Director-General of the agency. Korean-born Dr. Lee has worked at who for 19 years in technical, managerial and policy positions, notably...

First maximum security unit for women offenders opens in Truro. (General).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... TRURO -- Solicitor General of Canada Wayne Easter, recently opened a Unit for maximum-security offenders at Nova Institution for Women in this city. The unit is similar to those in three other women's institutions across Canada which will soon...

Software aids management of pre-school program. (General).(from Third Sector Software Solutions Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... VANCOUVER -- Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters has adopted a software program created by Third Sector Software Solutions Inc. of Vancouver to manage information about the delivery of its school readiness program. The...

UNHRC Nepal camp abuse reviewed. (General).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... A team fro m the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees is investigating conditions in Nepal's Jhapa refugee camps after findings last year that aid workers sexually abused camp residents. The two-person team is studying progress since an...

Truck driving is Canada's most common occupation. (General).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... OTTAWA -- Census data shows that truck-driving is the country's most common occupation, employing more than 263,000 people at last count. That is almost 30% more than the total in 1991, representing 4.4% of the growth in the national job...

70 year old Ottawa agency loses city funding. (General).(Ottawa Neighbourhood Services)(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... OTTAWA -- Ottawa Neighbourhood Services, a seventy-year old charity, lost its funding from the city of Ottawa. The funding request was primarily for rent on the organization's offices and store where used clothing and furniture are...

Sisters of St. Joseph, Toronto. (Appointments).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Gisela Cote, Director of Communications, the Sisters of St. Joseph, Toronto.

World University Service of Canada. (Appointments).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Paul Davidson, Executive Director, World University Service of Canada, Ottawa.

Janeway Children's Hospital Foundation. (Appointments).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Lynn Sparkes, Manager-Corporate Development, Janeway Children's Hospital Foundation, St. John's.

Department of People Services. (Appointments).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Jocelyne St Jean, Manager, Department of People Services, City of Ottawa.

National Cancer Institute of Canada. (Appointments).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... Dr. Michael Wosniek, Executive Director, National Cancer Institute of Canada, Toronto.

Child labour inspectors trained. (General).(Brief Article)
February 17, 2003... MANAGUA, NICARANGUA -- UNICEF and Nicaragua's Labor Ministry held a workshop to strengthen efforts by state inspectors and technicians throughout the country to combat child labor and help the country meet its international obligations to fight...