Community Action articles from September 2007

Community Action archives from September 2007

Insite and insight.(COMMENTS)(Insite Safe Injection Clinic )
September 10, 2007... The future of Vancouver's Insite Safe Injection Clinic is in doubt and along with it, Canada's harm reduction programs for drug users are also imperilled. The Harper government is moving to a U.S. style approach to solving drug abuse...

Substance abuse higher in mid-size cities and rural areas, local policies needed.(HEALTH)
September 10, 2007... People living in Canada's mid-sized cities and rural areas experience more problem substance abuse than those living in Canada's largest cities, a study published in the July issue of Canadian Psychiatric Review indicates. Problem...

"Best interests of the child" overrides family's claim, Supreme Court rules.(CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIES)
September 10, 2007... The "best interests of the child" was re-affirmed at the central principle of child welfare law and practice by the Supreme Court of Canada. The court made this decision (Syl Apps Secure Treatment Centre v. B.D.), that the "duty of care" to the...

CARE turns down US$ 45 million in challenge to U.S. food aid policies.(GENERAL)
September 10, 2007... Are international charities contractors for American agribusinesses and shipping companies, as CARE officials in Kenya suggest? CARE, one of the world's biggest charities based in Atlanta, Georgia, is at odds with most U.S. based international...

Alberta agencies in major HR crisis.(GENERAL)
September 10, 2007... "This sector is reeling; the contribution of dedicated shelter workers needs to be valued. Band aid solutions and piecemeal approaches don't work," said Jan Reimer, Provincial Co-ordinator of the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters. Her group...

Calendar Canada.(health education conferences)(Calendar)
September 10, 2007... Sept. 24-25: Conference: Canadian Coalition for Seniors' Mental Health; Mississauga, ON; www.ccsmh.ca Sept. 24-25: Conference: Health Statistics Data Users; www.statcan.ca Sept. 27-28: Workshop: Dr. Robert A. Neimeyer-Grief Work:...

Foreign calendar.(health education conferences)(Calendar)
September 10, 2007... Sept. 20-22: International Health Conference: Athens, Gr.; www.internationalhealth2007.com Sept. 26-29: Conference: European Society of Criminology; Bologna, Italy; www.eurocrim2007.org Oct. 8-12: International Metropolis Conference:...

Early child and family interventions have long term impacts, Chicago study.(CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIES)(Report)
September 10, 2007... Early education programs, accompanied by enriched school and family services, can have enduring effects on the general well-being into adulthood, a 19 year study reported in Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine (Aug. 2007). The...

The youth unemployment rate.(CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIES)
September 10, 2007... The youth unemployment rate dropped to a low of 10.6% in July, a decline of 1.3 percentage points from a year earlier. This is their lowest unemployment rate since September 1989. Unemployment rates for youths have declined in each province...

Federal corrections upgrading mental health facilities.(JUSTICE)
September 10, 2007... Dr. Francoise Bouchard, Correctional Services Canada's Director General of Health Services, is leading a change that one in eight offenders entering the federal correctional institutions, now come in with health problems which the federal...

Child at risk cannot be cared for close to home, Cape Breton judge notes.(CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIES)
September 10, 2007... Nova Scotia Justice Darryl W. Wilson made a Permanent Care and Custody Order for a 14-year-old boy (identified as C) who has been in the care of the Children's Aid Society of Cape Breton, Victoria. He questioned whether the boy can be...

Ontario strategy goes after internet crimes against kids.(CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIES)(Brief article)
September 10, 2007... The Ontario government has allocated $738,000 in its two-year provincial strategy to fight internet crimes against children, Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Monte Kwinter, and Attorney General Michael Bryant announced. ...

FASD kids need more to age-out.(CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIES)
September 10, 2007... Children born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and raised in the child welfare system need more support than other children when they leave the system at age 18, Researchers at the University of Manitoba School of Social Work say. ...

Ontario adoption records open up.(CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIES)
September 10, 2007... Ontario has opened up the records for adult adoptees and birth parents. They will now be able to apply for information in adoption orders and original birth records starting September 17, 2007. This is the final phase of the Adoption...

The Core Public Administration.(CHILDREN, YOUTH & FAMILIES)
September 10, 2007... The Core Public Administration of the federal government now employs more women than men than a decade ago. More women are employed in both knowledge-based and less knowledge-based occupations in the CPA. www.statcan.ca

College Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists.(Appointments)
September 10, 2007... Emily Cheung, Registrar, College Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of Ontario, Toronto.

National Parole Board.(Appointments)
September 10, 2007... David Scott, full-time member, National Parole Board, Prairie Region.

Dr. Robert Strang.(Appointments)
September 10, 2007... Dr. Robert Strang, Chief Public Health Officer, Nova Scotia.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada: 613-954-1064.(FUNDING)
September 10, 2007... YMCA Cross Cultural and Community Services, Kitchener. To expand the Host program, which matches newcomers with Canadian volunteers as mentors to practice language skills, get contacts in their field of work and adjust culturally to life in...

Ontario Victim Services Secretariat: 416-326-4007.(FUNDING)
September 10, 2007... Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers, Toronto. To develop and operate a dedicated child victims' tip line and referral service. $20,000

Workers Safety & Insurance Board, Ontario: 416-344-1000.(FUNDING)
September 10, 2007... Camaron Mustard: Mortality by occupation in Canada: a 10-year followup of a 15% sample of the 1991 census. $224,500 Peter Smith: Examining changes in insuries submitted as no-lost-time claims in Ontario between 1991 and 2005. $204,650 ...

National Crime Prevention Centre, Ottawa: 613-991-3301.(FUNDING)
September 10, 2007... Mulgrave Park Tenants Association--Mulgrave Park Healthy Kidz Project, Halifax. This project will provide the children and youth of Mulgrave Park with opportunities for learning and sharing, ranging from cultural awareness trips, to...

The Maytree Foundation Ontario: 416-944-2627.(FUNDING)
September 10, 2007... Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR), Montreal. To strengthen communications capacity. This will include working more effectively with the media; educating the public on refugee issues and thus increasing support for Canada's role in protecting...

Trillium Foundation, Ontario: 800-263-2887.(FUNDING)
September 10, 2007... Paralympics Ontario. To provide training, equipment, resources, and ongoing support for coaches and volunteers to develop 11 sustainable community sport clubs for people with disabilities across Ontario. $401,700 over four years. ...

Recent immigrants at higher risk of poverty.(GENERAL)
September 10, 2007... Recent immigrants are always at greater risk of poverty than are other Canadians, and difficulties that new immigrants encounter have worsened in recent years, a Statistics Canada report finds. Having a paid job, accumulating many hours of...

Women workers swell the ranks of older workers.(GENERAL)
September 10, 2007... The biggest influence on the upward trend is the rise of women's participation which went from 8% to 62% between 1976 and 2006 for those aged 55 to 59, and from 24% to 37% for those aged 60 to 64. Among the distinguishing characteristics...

Worker complains to labour board about union.(GENERAL)
September 10, 2007... A worker at Participation House took her complaint against her union, Service Employees International Union Local 2, before the Ontario Labour Relations Board. The employer, Participation House, operates a supportive housing facility for...

Non-profit competes with payday loan shops in Wisconsin town.(GENERAL)
September 10, 2007... GoodMoney is a non-profit response to pay day loan stores that outnumber fast food outlets in Appleton, Wisconsin. It is collaborating between Goodwill and Prospera Credit Union. The program is a response to an industry that has been...

Sudan expels Care director.(GENERAL)(Paul Barker)(Brief article)
September 10, 2007... The government of Sudan has expelled Paul Barker, director of CARE programs in Sudan. Barker has been in Sudan for more than a year and has worked with CARE for 23 years. CARE has operated in Sudan for 27 years, spending $184 million on...

U.S. poverty down, more lack health.(GENERAL)
September 10, 2007... Poverty rates in the United States dropped for the first time since President Bush took office, the U.S. Census Bureau reports. More than 36 million Americans (12.6%) are living in poverty. The current rate is still higher than it was six...

John Rook heads welfare council.(GENERAL)(National Council of Welfare's president)(Brief article)
September 10, 2007... John Rook is the new President of the National Council of Welfare, Monte Solberg, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, announced. The National Council of Welfare is an arm's length advisory body to the Minister of Human...

Dental hygiene clinics for Ontario.
September 10, 2007... Ontario's dental hygienists will be able to work independently, to clean patient's teeth without an order from a dentist. The public will have access to hygienists with a referral from a dentist, enabling them to work in stand alone dental...

Over half of homeless in hospital emergencies have mental disorders.(HEALTH)
September 10, 2007... When homeless people enter a hospital emergency department and stay in the hospital, more than half will be there because of mental disorders, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. The CIHI reports that mental...

Health centre for homeless opens in Winnipeg.(HEALTH)(Saul Sair Health Centre )(Brief article)
September 10, 2007... Saul Sair Health Centre at Winnipeg's Siloam Mission opened in August. $1 million in funding came from the estate of the late Winnipeg Pharmacist Mr. Saul Salt. The clinic has three examination rooms, lab space and a multi-purpose room for...

Feds and Ontario will integrate health services in James Bay area.(HEALTH)
September 10, 2007... Tragic consequences have occasionally resulted from the federal and provincial split in health services in remote, northern communities. A model for ending this is emerging in the James Bay area of Ontario. The Weeneebayko Area Health...

Mental health commission named, Michael Kirby leads.(HEALTH)
September 10, 2007... Canada's new Mental Health Commission was launched by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, as he announced the selection of the Board of Directors and chairs of the cross-country network of advisory committees. The Government committed $55 million...

New Ont. women's health agency.(HEALTH)
September 10, 2007... Caroline Andrew, the first chair of Echo, Ontario's new women's health agency, replaces the former Women's Health Council, Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced. The new agency will: * conduct, and fund...

Plan public health school at Queens.(HEALTH)(Queen's University )(Brief article)
September 10, 2007... Queen's University intends to create a new school of public health and has received $200,000 from Ontario Health and Long-Term Care for the planning process. The new school is intended to provide programs at the undergraduate and graduate...

Mae Cohen award to Edmonton MD.(HEALTH)
September 10, 2007... Dr. Anne Fanning of Edmonton, Alberta, received the 2007 May Cohen Award for Women Mentors at the Canadian Medical Association's annual meeting in Vancouver. www.cma.ca