November Staff Meeting
Date: Friday, November 28
Time: 12:00 noon
Location: Room #2-4
If you have any agenda items, please send them to Karen Gabert at kgabert@emcn.ab.ca
Submitted by Katrina Paufler
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Weekly Newsletter Contest
Congratulations to Leila for correctly guessing who the two adorable babies were – Laurie and Nadra! She is the winner of a $10 Gift Certificate to Starbucks.
If you would like a chance to win next week, tell me who this gorgeous baby is!
Send your answer to kpaufler@emcn.ab.ca – first correct answer will win a gift card!
Submitted by Katrina Paufler
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Google Calendar
EMCN's Google Calendar is now accessible from the top of this weekly newsletter, as well as in the staff section of the website.
This calendar should include everything from EMCN workshops, classes and upcoming events, to events and activities that you think would be of interest to staff or volunteers.
If you know of an event that is coming up, and it is not included in the calendar, please send an e-mail to kpaufler@emcn.ab.ca
Submitted by Katrina Paufler
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Venue Ideas Needed for Literacy Day
City Hall is under repair until March next year, which means our Literacy Day event can't happen there.
I would welcome any venue ideas from the EMCN team -- a place big enough to fit 300 people including a stage area for the Balwin kids to do their play. E-mail your suggestions to sgross@emcn.ab.ca or call 780-423-9682
Submitted by Suzanne Gross
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Online Exposure Course Registration Procedure
I am pleased to announce the exciting new Online Exposure Course Registration Procedure.
I have many staff to thank for their very good and welcome feedback and helping to make this happen. Thanks also to Katrina Paufler for her excellent skills at setting this up on the website.
This online procedure will be located on the EMCN website in the Career Practitioners’ Corner.
The idea that prompted this change was a need for a more efficient and user friendly way of providing exposure courses to newcomers’ to enhance their ability to get employment.
Brown Bag Orientation sessions will be provided on:
- November 26, 2008 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm in room 2-4 at HQ-82nd Street Location
- November 28, 2008 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am in lunch room at the Annex
- December 04, 2008 from 12: 00 pm to 1:00 pm in room 2-4 at HQ-82nd Street Location
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Caring for the Earth at EMCN
With the possibility on the horizon that we might get a bit of chilly winter weather yet before it is spring, I encourage each of you to do your little bit to reduce greenhouse gases (and save EMCN on heating bills too!) by using any blinds you have in your offices and activity rooms to conserve energy. If blinds are left closed when there is no sun shining in them then the heat loss will be reduced. Windows are a huge heat drain in buildings.
So as much as possible it is a good idea to close blinds at the end of the day, so they are closed during the night for example. This works the same in reverse-- when the sun is shining, if the blinds are open we get the benefits of passive solar energy heating our space.
And along the same lines, ensuring lights are turned off when you are not in a room also means we don't have to burn so much coal to generate electricity for our buildings.
Thanks for thinking about these things.
Submitted by Jim Gurnett
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Amnesty International Canada’s Refugee Network
For the past 8 years, Edmonton has had a branch of Amnesty International Canada's Refugee Network, In that time Edmonton RefNet has worked with about 50 refugees or refugee families needing help with their refugee claim.
On Nov 25, a panel of local Refugee Network members will talk about Canada's refugee process and the work that the Amnesty International Refugee Network does, here and across Canada.
This coming Tuesday, Nov 25, at 7:30 pm, Knox Metropolitan United Church Hall, 83 Ave & 109 St.
The meeting is free and everyone is welcome.
To contact Amnesty InternationalEdmonton Refugee Network: AI Refugee Network, AI Edmonton Community Group 12/26, P O "Box 52060, Garneau Post Office, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T5 Ph: (780) 462-1871 & leave a message
To find out more about Amnesty International,contact the Ottawa office at: 1-613-744-7667 or visit Amnesty International’s website: www.amnesty.ca/refnet
Submitted by Mary Trumpener
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Fund Set Up to Hasten Recognition of Foreign Credentials
Go here: http://www.rciviva.ca/rci/en/# and click on “listen” in the “Fund Set up to Hasten Recognition of Foreign Credentials” area to hear Frank Rackow’s piece on AEI’s Foreign Qualifications Recognition Plan.
He interviewed Owen Balanay (IAF loan recipient), Sergio Manrique, Dale Taylor from the Calgary Centre for Newcomers and a representative from APEGGA.
Submitted by Jim Gurnett
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Justice for Canadian Omar Khadr
Support this young man by signing the on line petition @ www.petitiononline.com/omar567/petition.html
His lawyer Dennis Edney, from Edmonton, has said he can't believe the atrocity that Khadr has endured. Omar continues to suffer constantly.
We need to pressure PM Harper and the Canadian gov't to have Omar released from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. We need to know why Canada accepts the U.S. holding Khadr when it's completely illegal by Canadian and U.S. standards!!
If you want to read more about Omar's story read the book Guantanamo's Child by Michelle Shephard.
Submitted by Miranda Bestman
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La Historia
Stories that bring change.
Join the movement...
Emilie Coyle and Adam Brown have started a business. The business is called La Historia. We have named it La Historia, which translated from Spanish, means the story because we believe that stories are at the heart of our work.
La Historia, which can be found at www.lahistoria.ca is an online store that promotes the work of the artists and craftspeople of Nicaragua. We buy from them directly, thus shortening the trade chain. We also pay fairly for the products that we market. We know that by opening up a larger market for their pieces the people we feature will be able to attain greater economic freedom, leading to other social benefits.
Not only do we have fair trade at the core of our mission and activities, but we also promote narrative as a tool for global change. We invite you to connect with the people who make our products through their stories by visiting the stories section of our website. In return, if you want to share the story of how you used the product, then we will tell it to the artisan or craftsperson who made it.
Buying from La Historia is the chance to be part of a movement. A movement that tells stories, stories that bring change.
Submitted by Karol Adamowicz
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Donation of Honda Civic
There is a person willing to donate a 1992 Honda Civic in good running condition (but some body damage on the driver side) to a person in need of transportation. As with all such offers, EMCN accepts no responsibility for the condition of the vehicle and is only connecting the donor and the person interested. If you know of a person who would be interested in and could use this vehicle, please have the person contact Jim by December 2 (780-423-9675 or jgurnett@emcn.ab.ca).
Submitted by Jim Gurnett
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Help End Child Poverty
Dear Make Poverty History supporter,
Back in 1989, our federal politicians promised to end child poverty in Canada by the year 2000. The latest report card from Campaign 2000 tells us that 760,000 children are still living in poverty in Canada, despite a decade of prosperity.
Send Prime Minister Stephen Harper a message to end child poverty
Campaign 2000 has been tracking the numbers since the promise in 1989. What’s the big change since then? Virtually no change at all. Canada’s child poverty rate is 11.3% - almost 1 child out of every 9 – just about as high as it was in 1989.
What have the politicians been up to for the past 19 years?
And why haven’t more of us been reminding them loudly of their promise?
Countries in Northern Europe have child poverty rates less than 5%. The United Kingdom has a Poverty Reduction Strategy in place that cut their child poverty rate. We can do the same. Learn more about the issue here.
It’s time to send our politicians a message – we can Make Child Poverty History in Canada.
Dennis Howlett
Coordinator
Make Poverty History
Submitted by Miranda Bestman
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Edmonton Small Press Association and Theatre Yes Present: What Would Jesus Buy? / Workers of the World Relax!
December 04, 2008 @ 7:00 & 9:00 p.m. @ Zeidler Hall (Citadel Theatre)
9828 101A Ave., Tix: at the door, $8 Suggested Donation (sliding scale), 1/2 hour before showtimes. Infoline: 780.425.9212 / Email: hdi1@telus.net
What Would Jesus Buy?
Director: Rob VanAlkemade
USA 2007, 91 min.
This documentary film, follows Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping Gospel Choir as they go on a cross-country mission to save Christmas from the Shopocalypse: the end of mankind from consumerism, over-consumption and the fires of eternal debt! From producer Morgan Spurlock (SUPER SIZE ME) comes a serious docu-comedy about the commercialization of Christmas.
Bill Talen (aka Reverend Billy) was a lost idealist who hitchhiked to New York City only to find that Times Square was becoming a mall. Spurred on by the loss of his neighborhood and inspired by the sidewalk preachers around him, Bill bought a collar to match his white caterer's jacket, bleached his hair and became the Reverend Billy of the Church of Stop Shopping.
WWJB is a journey into the heart of America from exorcising the demons at the Wal-Mart headquarters to taking over the center stage at the Mall of America and then ultimately heading to the Promised LandŠ Disneyland. Will we be led like Sheeple to the Christmas slaughter, or will we find a new way to give a gift this Christmas? WWJB may just be the divine intervention we¹ve all been searching for.
Screened With - 'Workers of the World Relax!'
Director: Conrad Schmidt / Canada 2008, 18 min
The principles of continuous growth which rule our economy have brought us here, but is there a different path? What if we used our gains in productivity to slow down? We could work less/produce less, but it would also mean consuming less. Learn how we can create a better and more sustainable society by simply 'working less.'
Submitted by Jim Gurnett
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Submitted by Jim Gurnett--------------------
African Canadian Professional Networking Society of Alberta – Business Forum & Gala
Submitted by Helen Rusich
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Annual Human Rights Awards: Celebrating International Human Rights Day and the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Submitted by Jim Gurnett
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Anti-Racism Circle – Discussion and Support for Recipients and Others Affected by Racism
Submitted by Jim Gurnett
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CVASV Conference - Hope, Resilience and Psychological Trauma
Submitted by Jim Gurnett
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Edmonton Seniors Coordinating Council – Seasonal Gathering
Submitted by Helen Rusich
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One Day Workshops for Families
Submitted by Mana Ali
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Rhymes that Bind Facilitator Training
Submitted by Jim Gurnett
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Telemental Health Service Education Event
- Aboriginal Speakers Forum - Leaders in Emerging Trends in Aboriginal Mental Health
- Identifying Youth at Clinical High Risk of Psychosis
