United Way Campaign
Mission: We bring people and resources together to build caring, vibrant communities.
Greetings EMCN staff
The United Way of Alberta Capital Region is an integral part of our community. It serves as body to raise awareness, funds and educate community around social issues facing children, youth and families. It is committed to the allocation of resources not only in Edmonton, but also in our surrounding communities. There are 44 member agencies, one of which is EMCN. The financial goal of the United Way this year is $21,400,000. The EMCN Campaign will begin in October and the newsletter is one way to share information.
United Way has identified four areas of impact: Healthy Children & Youth, Strong Families, Self-Reliant Individuals and Supportive Communities.
The United Way donated over $100,000 to EMCN last year in the following programs.
- Parenting & Literacy – 3, 10 week sessions were held with six month to six year olds to help develop fundamental literary skills. Parents and facilitators spend half and hour with children, then parents are off to language classes and children continue to play and learn. This has been extremely successful to children’s social & academic development in a new culture and school.
- Transportation – the United Way pays for the EMCN Community Van
- Family Fun on Friday’s – summer program in which 60 families attended field trips to Fort Edmonton, City Hall, etc. through out the summer
- Community Referral for Families – approximately 50 families were referred for further help with both EMCN and other community organizations and programs
- Language Literacy and Enhancement – another program to assist older children
- Family Support for the Karen Community
On October 31, 2008 in room 2-4 EMCN’s campaign committee will host a pot-luck luncheon to inform staff members, volunteers and people we serve on the campaign goals. More information to follow.
Submitted by Helen Rusich
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News from the Professional Programs
Payroll Students Reflect on Their Volunteer Experience
(Excerpts were printed with students’ permission.)
The entire Payroll program students participated in a minimum of ten hours volunteer work experience as a part of the Workplace Culture course between June and July. The sites of practice included Bluewater Accounting and Tax Planning Centre, Escuela/Ecole Grandin, the Works International Festival of Art and Design, and St. Catherine School.
Students were asked to reflect on their experiences by answering seven questions. Their feedback was very honest and insightful. I believe their comments on question 2 “What do you feel proudest about regarding your experiences at the company/organization?” are worth sharing:
I felt proud about my experience at the Works International Visual Arts society because it’s easier now to work with somebody even though you don’t know each other in the first place. I gained more confidence and experience.”
Doreen S. Legaspi
“I am proudest about completing the task and having the initiative to do some tasks which were not required for us to do. An example is cleaning up tables and fixing the area before the beverage area closed. The head of our area was all praise with the help that we did and I am really proud that I volunteered.”
Marites B. Faina
“I gained lots of things such as how to patrol the park or garden and how to take care of people.”
Musharrof Hossain
“To gain confidence in interacting with strangers; to meet other volunteer staff and win new friends; to get the trust of the Works volunteer coordinator telling us to come back if we still have some more spare time to give; to receive complimentary tickets and the Works hat as a sign of their appreciation.”
Maria Lourdes A. Santos
“The proudest things I learned were how to do person tax returns, how to use Simple Accounting, Quickbooks, and Payroll software.”
Min Tang
“The last day of my volunteer, some people told me that they wanted me to continue working for a longer time. It is a [sign] of a good job.”
Carlos Hernandez
“I feel proud trying this experience because I had the chance to know the society where I want to live.” Mariana Puia
Banking Students Qualify for Financial Counselling Certificate
Banking students with family member and instructorsFive students from EMCN’s Banking program have qualified for a Certificate of Achievement in Financial Counselling. They were successful in passing the finance courses offered by the Institute of Canadian Bankers. The courses are as follows:
- Fundamentals of Personal Finance 700
- Investment and Taxation Fundamentals 710
- Insurance and Retirement 720
With these courses under their belt, students are on their day to coveted designations in the financial industry. They have choices. They may take either the Personal Financial Planner or the Certified Financial Planner route on the road to furthering their career goals.
Congratulations go to the students of the Banking program on their excellent results. Particular praise goes to the following students who were successful on all four courses:
- Titilope Adeniji
- Zakir Abamecha
- Atul Ranade
- Francis Utulu
- Jun Yuan
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Seeking Plant Hanger
I am looking for some sort of basket or bag that can be used to hang a plant from the ceiling-- I have this one plant that has very long branches and it needs to be hanging from the roof. If someone has something like one of those old macramé things or one of those plastic planters people hang from their houses that is not needed that I could have for this purpose, it would be appreciated. thanks.
Jim Gurnett
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Party positions on housing in election campaign
Submitted by Jim Gurnett
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Building Futures in Canada
Please click on the link below to check out the Building Futures in Canada video with Suzanne Gross!
http://www.buildingfuturesincanada.ca/en/index.php
Submitted by Rispah Tremblay
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CHILD & FAMILY POVERTY IN CANADA
MEDIA RELEASE
September 29, 2008
Warning from Campaign 2000 to Federal Parties: High Child Poverty Rates Threaten Social Fabric of Canada’s Cities
Edmonton – Citing disturbing census data on high child and family poverty rates in major Canadian cities, the national anti-poverty coalition Campaign 2000 today urged all federal party leaders to commit to a Poverty Reduction Strategy for Canada.
The 2006 Census shows that in Edmonton 25,274 children, (1 out of every 6) lives below Statistics Canada’s Low Income Cut Off (LICO). Across Canada, the child poverty rate was 13.1% in 2005 or 880,000 children and youth.
“The fact that child and family poverty in Alberta has remained high despite unprecedented economic growth, means that its time all political parties commit to a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy,” said Bill Moore-Kilgannon, Alberta’s representative on the Campaign 2000 steering committee and the Executive Director of Public Interest Alberta. “In all major polls, poverty is listed as the forth major concern in this election and many voters want to know what the parties are promising to do to reduce poverty.
“We know it can be done – northern European countries have child poverty rates below 5%. Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and Nova Scotia are all working on poverty reduction plans. But the missing link is an active federal government role,” said Laurel Rothman, National Coordinator of Campaign 2000. “That’s why this federal election is so important – we need Canada’s next federal government to commit to a plan to reduce poverty levels by at least 25% over the next 5 years.”
To view a full copy of the Campaign 2000 Election Statement and the grid summarizing party platforms on poverty, visit www.campaign2000.ca.
To view video interviews from the federal parties on where they stand on Ending Poverty, please visit the Make Poverty History website at http://www.makepovertyhistory.ca/
Campaign 2000 is a non partisan cross Canada coalition of over 120 organizations committed to ending child & family poverty in Canada.
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For further comment please contact:
Bill Moore-Kilgannon, Public Interest Alberta, (780) 420-0471 Laurel Rothman, National Coordinator, Campaign 2000.Tel: 416-595-9230 x 228 or 416-575-9230
Submitted by Jim Gurnett
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PACE Presents :: Town Hall Meeting with Bob Rae & Tommy Banks
Artists and supporters of Canadian culture will gather in a Town Hall meeting to discuss the recent cuts to arts & culture programs, the looming election and what action voters can take.
The Professional Arts Coalition of Edmonton (PACE) is pleased to announce this unique event to discuss Federal Arts Funding. Our special guest will be Liberal Parliamentarian Bob Rae.
Saturday, October 4th, 4:30 - 6:30 pm
Old Strathcona Performing Arts Centre (Cosmopolitan Music Society) 8426 Gateway Blvd.
Please join Tommy Banks and representatives of the arts community to discuss issues within the cultural sector.
All are welcome.
Cultural industries generated $4.6 Billion (3.8% of Canada's GDP) in '07 and left an economic footprint of $84.6 Billion (7.4% of GDP) in indirect and induced effects on other sectors.
For more information, please visit our web site at www.pacedmonton.com and go to our Advocacy Toolkit area where you will find a link to two documents produced by the Canadian Conference for the Arts outlining background and potential questions to raise regarding the current arts issues.
Phone: 780.485.3085 Email:admin@pacedmonton.com
Submitted by Jim Gurnett
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Community Health and Wellness-Related Initiatives
Action for Healthy Communities will hold a number of public discussions during the coming weeks to promote the creation of community health and wellness-related initiatives.
On Sept. 30, the dialogue will address the question Vote? How Your Voice Matters, at Spruce Avenue Hall, 10240 - 115 Ave., at 6:30 p.m.
On Nov. 4, the topic is The Crime of Homelessness, at the Canadian Native Friendship Centre, 11205 - 101 St., at 6:30 p.m.
On Nov. 27, Aboriginal Edmonton is the focus at Sprucewood Library, 11555 - 95 St., at 6:30 p.m.
And on Dec. 3 the topic is Art to Know Ourselves at The Haven, 15120 Stony Plain Road, at 6:30 p.m.
"Community Dialogues are free public events designed to stimulate cross-cultural discussion that leads to new grassroots programming of and for community members," explains program manager Chris Ford.
For more information go to www.a4hc.ca, call 780-944-4687 or email actioncf4@shawbiz.ca.
Submitted by Jim Gurnett
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Kaleido Family Arts Festival
Submitted by Rispah Tremblay
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The Child Abuse Response Certificate Program
Submitted by Rispah Tremblay
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Hurtig Lecture on the Future of Canada with Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood will be in Edmonton next week!
The Hurtig Lecture on the Future of Canada was launched in 2005 by the Department of Political Science in the Faculty of Arts to mark Alberta's Centennial and to honour an outstanding Canadian nationalist, Mel Hurtig.
Each year, this new lecture series will bring outstanding opinion-leaders to the University of Alberta and to Edmonton to deliver a lecture on contemporary Canadian politics and society.
The primary goal of the Hurtig Lecture is to build a national platform where academics, students, opinion leaders and community leaders together can debate Canada's role in an ever-more interdependent and complex world. Past lecturers include Peter C. Newman and Heather Mallick.
To mark the University's centenary, the 2008 Hurtig Lecture will be delivered by Margaret Atwood, internationally-acclaimed Canadian novelist, poet, literary critic, feminist, environmentalist and political activist.
Tickets: $25 incl. GST (excludes service charge)
Wednesday October 1, 2008, 7:30 pm
Location Francis Winspear Centre for Music (Corner of 99 St. & 102 Ave.,
Edmonton)
Contact Information
Winspear Centre Box Office
http://tickets.winspearcentre.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=228
780-428-1414 or toll-free 1-800-563-5081
Submitted by Jim Gurnett
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2008 Common Election Platform
2008 FEDERAL ELECTION COMMON PLATFORM:
Recommendations for the Federal Government on Community Economic Development and the Social Economy
Five major networks - the Canadian Co-operative Association, the Canadian Community Economic Development Network, Chantier de l'économie sociale , Conseil québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité, and the Conseil Canadien de la Coopération - representing thousands of co-operatives, community-based organizations, and non-profit enterprises across the country, propose a new partnership between communities and the Canadian government to build a stronger economy, invest in sustainable communities, and tackle poverty.
With our economy under stress from the growing downturn in the United States and the continuing pressures of globalization, we believe that now - more than ever - Canada needs stronger policies for community economic development (CED). A commitment by the Government of Canada to support CED and the social economy will allow Canada to join the growing number of countries around the world that have adopted policies to support this rapidly growing movement.
Through our networks rooted in every region of Canada, we have seen how community economic development can help to create resilient communities. Social economy enterprises and organizations, both co-operative and non-profit, have been successful in responding to local needs, including housing, health, environment, agriculture, culture, recreation, tourism, and childcare.
People working together to deal with common economic and social problems can have a powerful positive impact on rural, urban and Aboriginal communities. In many communities, businesses are closing down or moving away while community-led social economy organizations remain rooted, delivering valuable services, creating opportunities, and maintaining jobs.
Our impact is far-reaching. Canada's co-operative sector has assets of $250-billion. Canadians have more than 17 million memberships in co-operative organizations and the sector provides over 150,000 jobs. In 2001, the GDP of the core non-profit sector amounted to $25.4-billion, representing 2.5% of the overall economy. This share increases to $80.3-billion or 6.8% of GDP when hospitals, universities and colleges are included.
Recommendations include:
- A Greater Role for Social Enterprise in Economic Revitalization
- Support for New and Emerging Co-ops
- Sustainable Support for Community Economic Development (CED) Organizations and Community Capacity Building
- Support for Technical Resources and Expertise for Enterprising Non-Profits
- Access to Capital
- A National Anti-Poverty Strategy with Targets, Timetables and Resources.
Erin Brocklebank | Communications Coordinator
The Canadian CED Network / Le Réseau canadien de DÉC
211-620 View Street, Victoria, BC V8W 1J6
Tel/tél: (250) 386-9980 ext. 106
Fax/téléc: (250) 386-9984
Toll-free/sans frais: 1-877-202-2268
www.ccednet-rcdec.ca
Submitted by Jim Gurnett
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Supporting Newcomers to Canada in the Workplace
The world is changing – is your organization changing to take advantage of the opportunities for involving immigrants and refugees as volunteers and staff? Want to learn more about how you can welcome, engage and involve immigrant volunteers in your workplace?
Who Should Attend?
Nonprofit/voluntary sector executive directors, board members, volunteer managers and nonprofit/voluntary staff members...and anyone interested in learning how to create an inclusive, equitable and respectful work environment in which the skills and knowledge of all volunteers are recognized and valued.
What You Will Expect to Learn:
Participants will have an understanding of the different categories under which immigrants/refugees enter Canada, and ways in which newcomers can be welcomed and provided with ongoing support in the workplace. Participants will evaluate their current workplace/volunteer policies and practices to determine how effectively they currently support newcomers and discuss how their policies and practices can be modified to be more inclusive.
Through discussion and dialogue, participants will explore the many differences that exist in their workplaces and the importance of being aware of existing assumptions and stereotypes. They will learn skills for communicating across differences and how to effectively use these skills for dialogue and negotiation.
The workshop consists of six modules:
- Understanding the Context of Immigration
- Receiving Newcomers to your Workplace
- Providing On-going Support to Newcomers in the Workplace
- Awareness of Cultural Differences and Diversity in the Workplace
- Checking Assumptions and Challenging Stereotypes
- Communicating Across Cross Cultural Differences
Presenters:
Blythe Campbell is Program Coordinator with Changing Together…A Centre for Immigrant Women. Her background is in the field of adult education and currently her focus is on training immigrant women how to build the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary for them to seek meaningful volunteer opportunities and/or employment in Canada.
Zenobia Jamal is an adult educator with a special interest in the impact of diversity on teaching and learning experiences. As a principle of Zenev Educational Consultants, Zenobia has been involved in facilitating workshops which provide effective strategies for dealing with the many kinds of diversity encountered in workplaces and other learning environments. She is also currently pursuing her master’s degree in Education at the University of Alberta.
Natasha Goudar is currently a graduate student at the University of Alberta working on her Master's thesis in Educational Policy Studies. Prior to returning to school, Natasha worked for the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour as a labour educator for close to ten years. Natasha is a sessional teacher at the University of Alberta and the program coordinator of Global Education Network, a network based in the department of educational policy studies that works to promote global citizenship education and education for social justice.
Dates:
(All sessions are from 9 am to noon)
- Friday, October 24
- Friday, October 31
- Friday, November 7
- Friday, November 14
- Friday, November 21
- Friday, November 28
Only 30 participants will be accepted, so hurry now to sign up for this unique learning opportunity!
Location: The Support Network (#400, 10025-106 Street T5J 1G4). Volunteer Edmonton is the organizer and host for these workshops.
Cost: $300/person + GST = $315.00 (includes all six sessions, all materials and refreshments)
Deadline: Friday, October 17
You can register:
- Via phone: Call (780) 482-0198 to register using Visa or MasterCard
- In-person: Drop by the office at #400, 10025-106 Street T5J 1G4, Monday to Friday between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm using cash or cheque made payable to THE SUPPORT NETWORK.
Questions??? Call Evelyn at 780-732-6655 or email epham@volunteeredmonton.com.
Evelyn Pham
Communications Coordinator, Volunteer Edmonton
(780) 732-6655
Volunteer Edmonton
Building healthy communities through volunteerism ... one volunteer at a time.
www.volunteeredmonton.com
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99.3% isn't enough for you?
Dear friends,
Canada, France and Italy are threatening to break their poverty promises by slashing aid budgets. Sign the petition to stop them -- and poverty expert Jeff Sachs will deliver our messages to world leaders gathered at the UN this week!
World leaders gather this Thursday at the United Nations to renew the fight against extreme poverty. But three countries -- France, Canada, and Italy -- are threatening to undermine the world's anti poverty efforts, by slashing their development aid budgets and breaking their international promises.
Sarkozy, Harper, and Berlusconi promised to contribute 0.7% of their national income to fighting poverty -- aid money that would save millions of lives, and still leave these donor countries with 99.3% of their money. But apparently, they think 99.3% is not enough.
Our best chance to keep these rich countries to their word on aid delivery is to raise the alarm in New York this week. Sign our petition now, spread it to friends and family -- and our friend, world famous economist and top UN official on poverty, Jeffrey Sachs will deliver it in speeches to the assembled heads of state at the UN summit this Thursday. The more names on the petition, the stronger the message that promises on poverty must be kept. Click below to sign now:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/poverty_promise_breakers
We know that public outcries like this one can work -- because massive people-powered movements have transformed the fight against poverty over the last decade. The Jubilee movement cancelled hundreds of billions in dictator debt in 2000, and pushed world leaders to adopt the Millennium Development Goals to cut world poverty in half by 2015. In 2005, poverty campaigners the world over won commitments from G8 leaders to double aid to Africa. Because of these efforts millions of poverty related deaths have been stopped and millions more children are attending school, sleeping under anti-Malaria bed nets, and drinking clean water. Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden have all exceeded the 0.7% target and in this year aid rose in real terms in nine EU countries. If all countries stick to their promises, programmes fighting disease and alleviating extreme poverty could be scaled up across the world.
But this year, some rich-country leaders apparently think that the public no longer cares about poverty. In Canada, which kept 99.7% of its income last year, Stephen Harper seems more interested in winning his election than in upholding Canada's tradition of moral leadership. France's Sarkozy, for all of his diplomatic efforts, appears to think that his people don't care about lives and deaths beyond his borders. And in Italy -- already one of the stingiest donors in the world -- Berlusconi appears happy to slash crucial funding, even though, as host of next year's G8 summit, his actions set an example for the other richest countries.
French and Italian Avaaz members are already flooding their governments with thousands of messages about aid. But those of us in the rest of the world can play a crucial role as well--sending Harper, Sarkozy, and Berlusconi a clear signal that we expect them to keep to their word -- so please help us raise an outcry that can't be ignored at the UN summit:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/poverty_promise_breakers
In recent years, millions have been galvanized by a vision: that ours can be the generation that ends extreme poverty. With other crises vying for our attention, the strength of this vision is now being tested. Let's join together and ensure that leaders keep their promises -- so that the promise of human potential in even the poorest communities can be unleashed.
With hope,
Ben, Alice, Ricken, Graziela, Paul, Milena, Iain, Veronique, Brett -- the entire Avaaz team
PS: For a report on Avaaz's campaigning so far, see: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/report_back_2
Sources:
Fact sheet on Official Development Assistance from rich countries:
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/27/55/40381862.pdf
More on the Millennium Development Goals:
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
Bono and Jeffrey Sachs' blog on the poverty debate this week in New York:
http://blogs.ft.com/mdg/
To learn more about the international campaigning that has moved governments in recent years, see:
http://www.whiteband.org and http://www.inmyname.com/ and http://www.one.org/international/
More on concern about France's meeting 0.7% targets see:
http://www.oecd.org/document/45/0,,en_2649_201185_40948205_1_1_1_1,00
More on Canada's backtracking on 0.7% commitment:
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=9c489487-aab9-477c-babf-5d109566df2f p=2
To see the 2008 report on governmental aid to Africa see:
http://www.one.org/report/en/press.html
To learn about Jeffrey Sachs' work on UN Millennium Development Goals see:
http://www.unmillenniumproject.org
To see examples of how aid is working see:
http://www.millenniumpromise.org and http://www.mdgmonitor.org/factsheets.cfm
Submitted by Miranda Bestman
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OrphanVoters.ca - Please sir, I want some democracy
Dear Friends:
If you want to have some fun while promoting electoral reform, please do the following four things this weekend:
- read the press release from Fair Vote Canada (below)
- visit OrphanVoters.ca
- enter our Great Democracy Disaster Contest (at OrphanVoters.ca)
- join the Orphan Voters of Canada Facebook group
Yours for a strong democracy,
Barbara Odenwald
President
Fair Vote Canada
September 20, 2008 – for immediate release
Fair Vote Canada launches OrphanVoters.ca
- an online home for abused and abandoned voters
As our nation braces itself for widespread political devastation from the rapidly approaching electoral storm, Fair Vote Canada today announced the official opening of Canada's first online shelter for the millions of expected victims.
OrphanVoters.ca will provide an online home for the neglected and abused citizens who will be battered without mercy at the polling stations and, once again, find the doors of Parliament slammed in their faces because their votes elected no one.
The victims of our uncaring electoral system include Liberals in the West, Conservatives in urban centres, and New Democrats and Greens everywhere said Fair Vote Canada President Barbara Odenwald. In fact, the majority of Canadians who cast ballots in federal elections usually elect no one.
The last federal election created an unprecedented 7,584,409 of these orphan voters.
We invite all voters to visit OrphanVoters.ca - "those who know they will be orphaned on October 14, those who fear they might, and even the minority who will cast votes that actually elect MPs, but want to learn more",� said Odenwald. OrphanVoters.ca will be a refuge, a learning centre and, most importantly, a staging area to launch a long overdue democratic revolution.
But OrphanVoters.ca is not your ordinary orphanage said FVC Executive Director Larry Gordon. We plan to have fun, too, with our Great Democracy Disaster Contest.
Visitors to OrphanVoters.ca will be invited to predict how many orphan voters will be created by Election 2008 across the country, in their home provinces, and in their own ridings.
Fair Vote Canada will award $2,300 in cash prizes to those whose predictions come closest to the actual results on October 14. Visitors can review the 2006 results in their own ridings and province before making their predictions on the scale of the electoral disaster on October 14.
While it is too late to avert this democratic disaster on October 14, we want to give fair warning to the next government, said Gordon. The abused, neglected and abandoned voters of this great land will no longer meekly say please sir, we want some democracy. When the new government takes office we will go to Ottawa once again to demand fair voting and to remind whoever forms the government that they do not have a democratic mandate from the people.
- 30 -
Submitted by Miranda Bestman
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The world needs us to stop Harper
Dear friends,
We're launching a major environmental ad campaign in close parliamentary races to stop a Harper majority from devastating the climate. Click below to donate:
Our message will be delivered in full-page ads, like the one below, in key election ridings:
For the last two years, the Harper government has done everything it could to wreck the world's efforts to fix climate change. Given the "fossil award" by environmental experts, Canada (our Canada!) has been repeatedly voted the WORST country in the world on climate change. Now, it's election time, and we have to make sure that Harper pays a real price at the polls for his reckless and un-Canadian climate policy.
Our first step is to target 3 of Harper's top MPs, including Environment Minister John Baird, and try to stop their re-election by telling their constituents just how irresponsible they've been, and what they've been doing in the name of all Canadians. Our ad campaign is ready to launch in these ridings, but we urgently need Canadian Avaaz members to donate $50,000 this week to get started. Click below to see the ads and donate just $10 or $25:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/stop_harper
In an initial 3 target ridings, we'll be appealing to all voters to help save the planet by voting for the candidate most likely to beat the Conservative candidate. In one riding, we'll be supporting an NDP candidate, in another a Liberal, in another a Green. We're making sure to be "tripartisan" - we don't support any particular party, we just want to make sure the Conservatives pay for their almost criminal record on the environment. A large majority of voters in these ridings oppose Harper, but have split their votes among the 3 progressive parties, so even just a small shift in strategic or "smart voting" to favour the most popular progressive candidate will likely defeat the conservatives. That's the pitch our ads will make.
There's so much at stake, and no time to lose, let's pull out all the stops for Canada, and for the world.
With hope,
Ricken, Lisa-Marie, Laryn and the Avaaz Canada Team
PS - Canadian Avaaz members have a long record of campaigning against Stephen Harper's environmental policies, from calling him out on his failure to implement the Kyoto Protocol, to challenging his wrecking tactics at the Bali summit. In our online poll, 90% of Avaaz members strongly opposed a Harper majority. We've won some of these fights before, and if we all pull together in the next 2 weeks to give our voices, our time, our talent and our money, we can do it again!
PSS - Here are some links to more information:
Green party leader Elizabeth May calls for 'strategic voting' across party lines to stop Harper:
http://www.thestar.com/FederalElection/article/505642
Straight.com writer analyzes the stakes of the Canadian election for the world:
http://www.straight.com/article-163371/election-planet
This site shows that at a national level, strategic or smart voting will benefit all the opposition parties and prevent a Harper Majority:
http://www.voteforenvironment.ca/
Submitted by Miranda Bestman
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What will Harper do? Ask him…
Hello,
All the federal party leaders except Stephen Harper have gone “on the record” answering questions on video about what they would do to tackle global, domestic and Aboriginal poverty.
Check out what the leaders of the Bloc, Greens, Liberals and NDP would do about poverty if elected. And make sure to ask Stephen Harper what he would do, because he won’t tell us.
In these short video clips, Stéphane Dion, Gilles Duceppe, Jack Layton and Elizabeth May talk about their support for Make Poverty History goals and answer specific questions about reaching the target of giving point seven percent of our income for foreign aid, a national plan to end poverty in Canada and what they would do to narrow the living standards gap between Aboriginal people and the rest of Canada.
Once you have seen the videos, send a message to Stephen Harper asking him to say what he will do to make poverty history. We believe that before Canadians go to the polls they should know what all the party leaders would do to end poverty so that they can make an informed decision about which party is best able to help make poverty history.
Maybe you can get Mr. Harper to go ‘on the record’ with his plans to fight poverty.
Many thanks,
Gerry Barr
Chair
Make Poverty History
PS: Check out our election site at www.makepovertyhistory.ca/vote for more ways to get involved.
Submitted by Miranda Bestman
