Community Action articles from October 2006

Community Action archives from October 2006

Learning from "Old Europe".(COMMENTS)(social, health policy models)(Viewpoint essay)
October 23, 2006... Germany has recently assumed the presidency of the European Union. What does Germany's conservative government intend to do during its term in office? It has signalled its intention to revive the so called "European model" of social and health...

Micro credit and discredit.(COMMENTS)(withdrawal of government funding)(Brief article)
October 23, 2006... We congratulate Muhammed Yunnus and the Gameen Bank of Bangladesh on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for 2006. They earned the prize because they created a system of credit which enables the poor to borrow small amounts to finance cottage...

Ontario long-term care statute combines 3 acts but no 'revolution', critics say.
October 23, 2006... Ontario's 618 long-term care facilities will be governed by one statute, replacing the three laws which have governed these facilities for many years. The proposed Long-Term Care Homes Act will replace the Homes for the Aged and Rest Homes Act,...

Inquiry into Zachary's death may bring reforms to NL child welfare system.
October 23, 2006... Dr. Peter H. Markesteyn found blame to go around in his report on the death of Zachary Turner in 2003. Acting as a Delegate for the Child and Youth Advocate, the report points to failings in health and community services, justice...

Remand custody heading up, sentenced custody down.(Statistical data)
October 23, 2006... Over the past decade, the cases in Canada's adult criminal courts have become more complex and take more time to resolve. The Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics reports that this has resulted in an increase in the length of time adults...

Nobel prize for banker to the poor.(Muhammad Yunus, Grameen Bank of Bangladesh)
October 23, 2006... Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank have been awarded the Nobel Prize for peace (equal to more than CAD $1.5 million). Zunus is called the "world's banker to the poor." His Grameen banking system is estimated to have extended credit to more...

Calendar Canada.(Calendar)
October 23, 2006... Oct. 13-14: Continuing Education: Motivating Clients to Change Addictive Behaviour; Toronto Advanced Professional Education; Toronto; www.tapestudies.com 416-929-3396 Oct. 13-14: Continuing Education: Chronic Illness, Loss and Grief; TAPE...

Foreign Calendar.(Calendar)
October 23, 2006... Oct. 4-7: World Congress: International Family Therapy Association; Reykjavik, Iceland; www.ifta-familytherapy.org Oct. 8-11: Research Conference: International Community Corrections Association; Norfolk, VA; (202) 828-5605 Oct. 10-14:...

Custody and probation down, since new youth crime act implemented.(CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES)
October 23, 2006... The implementation of the Youth Criminal Justice Act has resulted in a decline in the average number of young people aged 12 to 17 in sentenced custody and on probation, the Centre for Justice Statistics reports. In 2004/2005, 1,300 young...

Spotlight on Manitoba enforcement and intervention.(CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES)(youth gangs in Winnipeg)(Brief article)
October 23, 2006... The Manitoba government extended its efforts to deal with its considerable gang problems in Winnipeg. An intensive $1-million program named Spotlight, to get young offenders out of gangs, was announced by Manitoba Attorney General Dave...

Oz child care mogul among richest.(CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES)
October 23, 2006... Childcare Chain Operator, Eddy Groves, is the richest person under 40 years of age in Australia, according the latest annual BRW Young Rich List. Gorves, a Canadian citizen, heads ABC Learning Centres Ltd. However, his fortune has declined...

Canadian child sex tours in America.(CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES)(Latin America)(Brief article)
October 23, 2006... "According to nongovernmental organizations dedicated to eradicate child trafficking and sexual exploitation, Canada is today the second largest source country for child sex tourism in Latin America," Winnipeg based, Beyond Borders says. The...

WHO issues guide on child violence.(CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES)(World Health Organization)(Brief article)
October 23, 2006... Following up on the UN Secretary-General's report, the World Health Organization has issued a guide to help governments and aid agencies prevent violence against children. The Secretary-General's report counted that at least 53,000 children die...

Funding.
October 23, 2006... Maytree Foundation Toronto 416-944-2627 Canadian Council for Refugees, Montreal: To strengthen CCR's communications capacity. This will include working more effectively with the media; educating the public on refugee issues and thus...

DA can search welfare homes without warrant, U.S. court rules.(INCOME & EMPLOYMENT)(district attorney)(Brief article)
October 23, 2006... A US appeal court decision is creating a "defacto poverty exemption" from constitutional protections against unlawful search and seizure, the San Diego branch of the American Civil Liberties Union claims. The ACLU lost its suit to protect...

Canada weak on human trafficking enforcement, U.S. State Dept. reports.(INCOME & EMPLOYMENT)
October 23, 2006... "Canada is primarily a destination and transit country for women trafficked for the purposes of labor and sexual exploitation," the U.S. State Department says in its annual review, Trafficking In Persons Report 2006. The report finds weaknesses...

20,000 illegal workers build Toronto.(INCOME & EMPLOYMENT)
October 23, 2006... Approximately 20,000 undocumented workers are employed in the construction industry in the Greater Toronto area, a report commissioned by the Labourers' International Union of North America claims. The union wants action by the industry and...

Correction service practices discriminate against Aboriginals.(JUSTICE)
October 23, 2006... "The federal prison system has practices that discriminate against Aboriginal offenders," Correctional Investigator Howard Sapers says in his Annual Report of the Corrections Ombudsman. Public Safety Minister, Stockwell Day, immediately...

Rent assistance in BC housing plan.(SHELTER)
October 23, 2006... Subsidized rents is a key part of the Housing Matters BC, a new housing strategy to provide access to affordable housing in British Columbia, announced the Minister responsible for housing Rich Coleman. It is an approach that has been tried...

BC Housing calls for housing bids.(SHELTER)
October 23, 2006... British Columbia Housing has issued a call for Expressions of Interest to non-profit societies interested in developing and operating new housing units with support services for individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness within the...

Publications.(Bibliography)
October 23, 2006... 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...

Canada's medicare is financially unsustainable, Fraser claims.(HEALTH)
October 23, 2006... Public health insurance in Canada is financially unsustainable, Vancouver's Fraser Institute concludes in its annual review of spending on health care. The study, Paying More, Getting Less 2006: Measuring the Sustainability of Public Health...

Quebec adopts new organ donation plan but Canadian MDs not agreed.(HEALTH)
October 23, 2006... Organ Donation after Cardiocirculatory Death is being tested as an end-of-life option, Quebec-Transplant announced. Medical teams at four hospitals are being organized and trained to be in action at an early date. Until now, the transplant...

U.S. laws threaten Canada's drug plans, Ontario pharmacists say.(HEALTH)
October 23, 2006... Ontario pharmacists do not want Canada to become America's drug store. In a letter to federal and Ontario health ministers, the Ontario Pharmacists Association said they are "gravely concerned" because they see a threat to Canada's prescription...

Fewer home guns cuts suicide rates.(HEALTH)
October 23, 2006... "Legislation and regulatory measures reducing the availability of firearms in private households can distinctly strengthen the prevention of firearm suicides," a group of Swiss researchers reported in the American Journal of Public Health (Oct....

U.S. men visit ER after the game.(HEALTH)
October 23, 2006... Visits by American men to the emergency department increase significantly in the hours following televised sporting events, according to a study released at the annual meeting of the American College of Emergency Physicians in New Orleans. ...

B.C. "conversation" on health care.(HEALTH)
October 23, 2006... B.C. Premier, Gordon Campbell, has called for a "Conversation on Health," a public consultation on how the health care system will cope the growing demand and expenses as the population grows and ages. He wants to consider the five...

Srs. home workers change unions.(GENERAL)
October 23, 2006... More than 100 workers at Belvedere Heights Home for the Aged in Parry Sound, ON, voted to join the Canadian Union of Public Employees. The workers chose to end their affiliation with the Canadian Health Care Workers Union, which had represented...

Women's funding not for advocacy.(GENERAL)(Brief article)
October 23, 2006... Representatives of women's groups were told that new federal guidelines for funding will prohibit them from engaging in any advocacy or lobbying activities with federal funds. This was stated by Beverly Oda, the Minister Responsible for Status...

Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care.(APPOINTMENTS)
October 23, 2006... Elizabeth Ablett, Executive Director, Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care, Toronto.

Canadian Institute of Health Information.(APPOINTMENTS)
October 23, 2006... Jean-Marie Berthelot, Vice President of Programs, Canadian Institute of Health Information, Ottawa.

ALS Society of Canada.(APPOINTMENTS)
October 23, 2006... Denise Figlewicz, PhD, Director of Research, ALS Society of Canada, Toronto.

The Change Foundation.(APPOINTMENTS)
October 23, 2006... Cathy Fooks, President and CEO, The Change Foundation, Toronto.

Skills for Change.(APPOINTMENTS)
October 23, 2006... Dave Lovelock, Manager of Resource and Business Development, Skills for Change, Toronto.

Canadian Association of Social Workers.(APPOINTMENTS)
October 23, 2006... Colleen Lundy, Editor, Canadian Association of Social Workers, Ottawa.

Registered Practical Nurses Association.(APPOINTMENTS)
October 23, 2006... Dianne Martin, RPN, RN, Executive Director, Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario, Toronto.

Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse.(APPOINTMENTS)
October 23, 2006... Rita Notarandrea, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Director of Research and Policy, Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, Ottawa.

Canadian Institute of Health Information.(APPOINTMENTS)
October 23, 2006... Louise Ogilvie, Vice President of Corporate Services, Canadian Institute of Health Information, Ottawa.

Canadian Child Care Federation.(APPOINTMENTS)
October 23, 2006... Brigid Rivoire, Canadian Child Care Federation, Ottawa.

Relief appeals did more harm than good, MSF official says.(GENERAL)(Gorik Ooms)(Medicins Sans Frontieres)(Brief article)
October 23, 2006... Gorik Ooms, director of MSF-Belgium, argued that disaster fund appeals did more harm than good and created a "convenient illusion" of help that misleads the contributors, according to a Reuters report. He asserted that emergency donations...

Disability and happiness.(GENERAL)(Brief article)
October 23, 2006... Canadians born with a disability are likely to be happier than individuals who experienced a disability later in life, according to a study reported in Social Science & Medicine. The study examines the factors that are related to people with...

Victoria group renovates former drug house.(GENERAL)(Pacifica Housing Advisory Association)(Brief article)
October 23, 2006... Pacifica Housing Advisory Association opened a newly renovated former Victoria drug house, offering housing and support services for homeless families and single parents whose children have left home, and who find themselves at risk of...

U. K. groups seek new image of careers in charity organizations.(GENERAL)
October 23, 2006... UK Workforce Hub has launched a campaign to correct the young people's view that a career in the voluntary and community sector is not for them. UK Workforce Hub is a joint operation by the National Council of Voluntary Organizations and its...