#NDP's Layton Appoints #NWT's Bevington Champion for all things Northern.

MAY 30, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Layton appoints Bevington Champion for all things Northern.

YELLOWKNIFE – Western Arctic New Democrat MP Dennis Bevington said he is honoured to accept the appointment as Official Opposition Critic for Northern Development and the nomination as Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.

"I plan on continuing the work I have been doing to improve the lives for Northerners," said Bevington. "Over the next several years the North will see major changes and I will continue to ensure all Northerners are heard and not just those favoured by the Conservatives."


In making the appointment New Democrat Leader Jack Layton said, " No-one in the House of Commons speaks out more forcefully for the development of the North and for helping families with the affordability challenges of living in Canada's most remote communities than Dennis Bevington and I am proud to appoint him as our Champion for all things Northern.


Bevington's appointment includes being the critic for CanNor, the federal economic development agency for the North.

-30-

For More Information Contact:
Joshua Campbell
Constituency Assistant / Adjoint de Circonscription
Office of/ Bureau de Dennis Bevington MP
Western Arctic
PO Box 1986
Yellowknife, NT   X1A 2P5
1-800-661-0802 (TollFree/Sans Frais)
867-669-8817 (Tel/Tél)
867-920-4233 (Fax/Téléc)
dennis.bevington.c1@parl.gc.ca<mailto:dennis.bevington.c1@parl.gc.ca>
P Please conserve~ only print this email if necessary !

Qimaavaik (Inkitut for "A Place to Run To") Iqaluit Nunavut

When we think of the Arctic, we often think of global warming. But a deeper, darker issue plagues the region. In the northern Canadian town of Iqaluit, women are eight times more likely to be victims of domestic violence. See how brave Arctic women are supporting each other at Qimaavaik (Inkitut for "A Place to Run To"), a safe haven for abused women and children. Through peer support and counseling, they are building self-esteem and healing wounded spirits.

"Homeless in Yellowknife: An Emerging Social Challenge" launch on YouTube

Homeless in Yellowknife: An Emerging Social Challenge
Report Launch at Yellowknife City Hall Part No. 01
http://youtu.be/eqUDFXmLlVo



There is a considerable amount of visible homelessness in Yellowknife (NWT), yet very little third-party analysis of the situation. This report begins by briefly discussing who is homeless in Yellowknife and then outlines program responses, including emergency shelters and various models of housing. An overview will then be provided of major funding initiatives from the federal and territorial governments, as well as various forms of homelessness assistance provided by the City of Yellowknife. The report concludes by making policy recommendations with respect to the need for increased accountability, shelter standards, more housing options for the homeless, and a public health response to alcohol and drug use.
Download the PDF of the report here / Thanks to:
http://www.homelesshub.ca/yellowknife/





Or here:
http://www.scribd.com/collections/3048966/Social-Issues-in-Yellowknife-NWT

GEORGE LESSARD
Information, Communications and Media Specialist
Spécialiste en l'information, communications et  media
451 Norseman Dr.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
X1A 2J1, Canada
Yellowknife Land Line # (867) 873-2662
Yellowknife Cell # (867) 445-9193
E-mail: mediamentorATgmailDOTcom
GST# 837068543RT0001
Website mediamentor.ca
Twitter Feed on Northern  & First Nations Issues
Twitter Feed on Journalism & Media Issues
Twitter Feed on Community Radio Worldwide
Member:
Canadian Association of Journalists
Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiens
Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective

Contact Me LinkedIn Facebook Flickr
Chat themediamentor

Nahanni Butte routes

routes
Originally uploaded by David Overall

Via Flickr:
Blue is where I should have gone, red is where I did go.
dehchojournal.blogspot.com/2011/05/climbing-nahanni-butte...

Norman Wells #NWT- High school students on the beamline

Norman Wells - High school students on the beamline, a set by CLS Research Office on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Photos from a students-on-the-beamlines experiment with students from Norman Wells, Northwest Territories

Call for Papers: Tourism & Travel in the Circumpolar North for "The Northern Review"

From: Deanna McLeod dmcleod@yukoncollege.yk.ca 

 

Please circulate widely.

 

The Northern Review

Exploring human experience in the North

 

 

Call for Papers

Special Issue: Tourism and Travel in the Circumpolar North

 

The last two decades have seen an increased interest and capacity for tourism in the North. "Selling the North" for tourism has meant highlighting its vast space, its pristine wilderness, its exotic northern lifestyles and its Indigenous people. Tourism contributes to a variety of mandates for communities and governments including cultural revitalization and economic diversification and development. However, alongside the many opportunities tourism offers to visitors, to northern people, their communities, and their governments, tourism also presents numerous challenges. Negotiating the positive aspects of tourism with the potential negative impacts has been discussed for at least the last two decades (Butler, 1990), including perspectives specific to peripheral and circumpolar regions (Brown & Hall, 2000; Dawson, Maher, & Slocombe, 2007; Hall & Boyd, 2005; Hall & Saarinen, 2010; Krakover & Gradus, 2002; Müller & Jansson, 2007; Sahlberg, 2001). Notwithstanding the value gained by continued attention aimed at mitigating tourism's negative impacts, arguably the lure of the North and its positive effects on people, as well as tourism's ability to contribute to communities and regions in constructive ways, requires that scholarly attention continue to be paid.

 

The Northern Review is interested in receiving articles that examine issues and present discussions about tourism and travel in the Circumpolar North, including but not limited to how tourism engages with:

 

§         Economic, regional, community, and sustainable development

§         Business, entrepreneurial and product development

§         Place-based and other planning approaches

§         Identity (e.g., place making, tourism marketing)

§         Climate change

§         Northern and Indigenous cultures and communities

§         The social economy and creative economies

§         Gender

§         Methodological innovation and experience

 

Manuscripts received before midnight August 15, 2011 will be considered for publication in Number 36 (Spring 2012). Send submissions or queries to Guest Editor Suzanne de la Barre, PhD care of managing editor, Deanna McLeod, dmcleod@yukoncollege.yk.ca. Please visit the website www.yukoncollege.yk.ca/review for submission guidelines.

 

About the Northern ReviewThe journal does not generally include within its mandate the publication of purely scientific studies, unless they are placed in a human context. The journal endeavours to provide solid, North-centred scholarship, engaged with issues of significant concern to the people of Arctic and Subarctic regions. The material included in the journal ranges widely, from issues of social policy and northern politics to questions of Indigenous cultures in transition and the historical experience of newcomers.

Over the past few years, the journal has reached beyond northern Canada to include contributions from Alaska and Europe and from disciplines that have not previously been represented in the pages of the journal. The North has changed dramatically since the Northern Review was founded in 1988, and international and circumpolar dialogue has expanded rapidly. One of the best features of northern scholarship is that it reaches so readily across national and disciplinary boundaries.

Recent back issues of the journal are available online at http://journals.sfu.ca/nr 

 

References

Brown, F. and Hall, D. (Eds.) (2000). Tourism in Peripheral Areas. Clevedon, UK: Channel View Publications.

Butler, R.W. (1990). Alternative Tourism: Pious Hope or Trojan Horse? Journal of Travel Research, 3, 40–45.

Dawson, J., Maher, P.T., & Slocombe, D.S. (2007). Climate Change, Marine Tourism and Sustainability in the Canadian Arctic: Contributions from Systems and Complexity Approaches. Tourism in Marine Environments, 4(2-3), 69–83.

Hall, C.M. and Boyd, S. (2005). Nature-Based Tourism in Peripheral Areas: Development or Disaster? Clevedon, England: Channel View Publications.

Hall, C.M. and Saarinen, J. (Eds.) (2010). Tourism and Change in Polar Regions: Climate, Environment and Experiences. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, UK: Routledge.

Krakover, S. and Gradus (2002). Tourism in Frontier Areas. Oxford: Lexington Books.

Müller, D.K. and Jansson, B. (Eds.) (2007). Tourism in Peripheries: Perspectives from the far North and South. Oxfordshire, UK and Cambridge, MA: CAB International.

Sahlberg, B. (2001). Going North: Peripheral Tourism in Canada and Sweden. European Tourism Research Institute, ETOURs rapportserien, R 2001:6. Ostersund, Sweden: Mid-Sweden University.

 

------------------------
Deanna McLeod
Managing Editor, The Northern Review
Box 2799, Yukon College, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 5K4
t 867.668.8861    f 867.668.8805
http://www.yukoncollege.yk.ca/review

Recent back issues now online: http://journals.sfu.ca/nr

Spring Show - Yellowknife Watercolour Society #YZF #NWT #Art

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Aurora Arts Society <auroraartssociety@gmail.com>
Date: 25 May 2011 15:10
Subject: Spring Show - Yellowknife Watercolour Society
To:

The Yellowknife Watercolour Society is hosting their annual Spring Show!

This Saturday, May 28
10:00am - 4:00am
Northern United Place Auditorium

Come and see what the Society has been up to this year and try painting a watercolour postcard!

For more information, contact rae_braden@hotmail.com

#YZF #NWT Flash Mob: Building a wall of food for Hunger Awareness Day in Yellowknife

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Liam O'Leary <yellowknife@katimavik.org>
Date: 25 May 2011 11:25
Subject: Flash Mob: Building a wall of food for Hunger Awareness Day in Yellowknife

The local Katimavik group and the YK Foodbank are raising awareness about the situation of the YK food bank on World Hunger Awareness Day, May 31, 2011.  Presently, the need doesn't match the donations and food is being specifically shipped up for the food bank.

We will be building a wall of food in front of the Greenstone Building.  Come and take part by bringing a few items to add to the wall.  All donations will be given to the food bank after the event.  

I hope to see you there on Tuesday May 31st.  We are starting at noon! 

Best,
Liam Patrick O'Leary
Project Leader- Yellowknife, NT
Agent de Projet- Yellowknife, NT
1.866.941.6589 Ext. 2213
867.446.5265 (mobile) 

Katimavik

DOING, LEARNING, BUILDING A NATION… ONE COMMUNITY AT A TIME.

AGIR, APPRENDRE, BÂTIR UN PAYS… UNE COMMUNAUTÉ À LA FOIS

www.katimavik.org

Bill 10 - #NWT Heritage Fund Act

Bill 10 - NWT Heritage Fund Act

On Friday, May 20 Doug Ritchie on behalf of Ecology North made a presentation to the Legislative Assembly's Standing Committee on Government Operations.   Bill 10, if passed, will establish the NWT Heritage Fund Act.    A heritage fund, if properly set up, is an important step towards sustainability.  Please find attached Doug's speaking notes.  To obtain a copy of the bill, click on http://www.assembly.gov.nt.ca/_live/pages/wpPages/housebills16-6.aspx.   To obtain a copy of the discussion paper, http://www.fin.gov.nt.ca/heritage-fund/index.htm.  If you have concerns about the bill, please contact your MLA and the Minister of Finance.

Twitter diplomacy: Which political leaders do you follow?

Twitter diplomacy: Which political leaders do you follow?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2011/05/twitter-diplomacy-which-political-leaders-do-you-follow.html

[excerpt]

"...World leaders attending the G8 Summit in France later this week have plenty of diplomatic experience, but are lagging behind when it comes to Twitter diplomacy, according to a social media expert.

Matthias Lufkens, associate director for media at the World Economic Forum in Davos, has been tracking international leaders on Twitter since last year.

"I haven't seen any political leader who has any clear clue of who they should follow," said Lufkens in an interview with the Associated Press.

"It's all very haphazard and inconsistent."

By his count, of the 62 known world leaders from 49 countries that use Twitter, only 25 mutually follow at least one other leader...."

My comment...


Living in the NWT following politicians via Twitter (and/or Facebook) is a very effective way to know what they are doing, what their interests are and most importantly... to be able to ask questions and interact with them.

The problem is.. some of them don't use either medium and worst of all.. some of them have handlers who think that Twitter and Facebook are mere one way PR tools to get their manufactured message out...

Our local traditional media is so restricted in budget and journalistic drive, social media and the web are a very effective way for an adroit politician to get their messages out to the voters..

One local Yellowknife city councellor, Paul Falvo, makes great use of Facebook and e-mail to keep citizens informed of city council activities... but few of the others do...

Our NDP MP, Dennis Bevington, is very accessible via Facebook... long before the recent election.. and carries on an ongoing dialogue with his constituents... whereas the candidate from the Conservative  party never once posted to her Facebook page and the vast majority of posts there were from her handlers and nearly none from her supporters...

On the Territorial side of the political fence... very few MLAs have any internet presence... and most seem to be stuck in the Gutenberg era of paper and the postal service... but we do have a Territorial election coming up in the fall... and it should be interesting to see if any of then leap into the digital age..

The Role of Facebook in Disaster Response

The Role of Facebook in Disaster Response
http://irevolution.net/2011/05/22/facebook-and-disaster-response/

[excerpt]

I've been thinking about this topic with a number of other colleagues for
a while. I'm also very interested to hear any ideas and suggestions that
iRevolution readers may have on this.

There's no doubt that Facebook can—and already does—play an important role
in disaster response. In Haiti, my colleague Rob Munro used Facebook to
recruit hundreds of Creole speaking volunteers to translate tens of
thousands of text messages into English as part of Mission 4636. When an
earthquake struck New Zealand earlier this year, thousands of students
organized their response via a Facebook group and also used the platform's
check-in's feature to alert others in their social network that they were
alright.

See also
Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

* NGO's Role in Effective Disaster Response
http://causeorganizations.wordpress.com/2010/07/07/ngos-role-in-effective-disaster-response/
* After 911, Facebook Is Top Choice for Disaster Response
http://midflredcross.wordpress.com/2010/08/12/after-911-facebook-is-top-choice-for-disaster-response/
* Fake earthquake disaster drill tests on Facebook & Twitter
http://iansarn.wordpress.com/2010/09/28/fake-earthquake-disaster-drill-tests-on-facebook-twitter/

Homelessness in Yellowknife - An Emerging Social Challenge #YZF #NWT

Homelessness in Yellowknife 
An Emerging Social Challenge

PUBLIC LAUNCH OF POLICY REPORT
MAY 26TH, 2011 Yellowknife City Hall (Council Chambers)

9AM    
NICK FALVO and ARLENE HACHÉ present findings of a multi-year
research study looking at homelessness in Yellowknife.

10:30  
PANEL DISCUSSION 
FEATURING
J. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER (invited), Minister Responsible for Homelessness
WENDY BISARO, MLA for Frame Lake
AMANDA MALLON, Co-Chair, Yellowknife Homelessness Coalition
DR. DAVID PONTIN, ER Physician, Stanton Territorial Hospital

ALL ARE WELCOME!

Registration OPEN: WAMP 48 hour music video competition

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jeremy - Western Arctic Moving Pictures <jeremy@wamp.ca>
Date: 9 May 2011 16:32
Subject: Registration OPEN: 48 hour music video competition
To:

Once again its that time of year....

The 48 HOUR MUSIC VIDEO COMPETITION will commence on Saturday June 4th, at noon and entries will be due on Monday June 6th at noon. The event is where bands and video teams are paired up at noon on Saturday and they have 48 hours to produce a music video and are later judged and awarded prizes! Editing Suites and Equipment are available for use as part of the competition.

Registration is open for BANDS & VIDEO TEAMS

Space is limited, please contact WAMP ASAP to register!

*****CASH PRIZE*******PRODUCTION GRANT PRIZE*********** OTHER PRIZES TBA*********

*NEW REQUIREMENT [in order to register EVERYONE must obtain a WAMP membership or pay similar fee]

Jeremy Emerson - Executive Director

Western Arctic Moving Pictures Film Society

4916 49th street (basement of northway bldg]

PO BOX 2487

Yellowknife, NT

X1A 2P8

Ph: (867) 766-2586
jeremy@wamp.ca

The North's new gold rush: Canada’s highest per-capita rates of artistic grants.

The North's new gold rush: mining the government

 

[excerpts]

 

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/North+gold+rush+mining+government/4760285/story.html

 

In 2006, Nunavut, Yukon and the Northwest Territories received a combined $2.2 billion in federal transfer payments. This year, according to last month's ill-fated federal budget, which Finance Minister is expected to re-submit when Parliament resumes, the payments stand at more than $3 billion - equal to roughly $30,000 per Northerner.

 

[...]

 

The North's glut of federal cash has made for some bizarre infrastructure projects. The 3,500-person town of Inuvik is close to cutting the ribbon on a $100-million K-12 school. Whitehorse has a $46-million sports multiplex and a fully-equipped 400-seat performing arts centre – despite having only 20,000 residents. The subarctic city also has a $100,000 downtown water park, which is covered in snow for eight months of the year.

 

The North also boasts Canada's highest per-capita rates of artistic grants. The Yukon collects the most of all three territories at more than $400 per person. Despite having limited audiences, Yellowknife, Iqaluit and Whitehorse all host vibrant communities of professional artists. In 2009, the Yukon's handful of semi-professional filmmakers alone received almost $900,000 in government support.

[...]

The Yukon, for one, used to spend its federal dollars on highways and dams, says Mr. Halliday, but in modern times the government is more apt to pour money into hospitals in remote communities. Rather than building up a viable economic base, the Yukon has simply saddled itself with a larger share of budget commitments.

"I'm worried we'll look back on this as a time of big spending and nothing to show for it," says Mr. Halliday. For the time being, the North's budgets are secure, thanks to a strong Northern focus from the Tory government.

Each year since his 2006 election, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has made it an annual summer tradition to travel through the North announcing new federal spending. Still, Mr. Coates predicts that it is only a matter of time before Ottawa's Northern-fixation comes to an end. "It's inevitable that somebody's going to look at it and say, 'Gee, why are we spending so much here?'" says Mr. Coates.

[...]

 

Federal money has peppered Northern territories with some generous infrastructure, including:

A $100,000 outdoor water park in downtown Whitehorse. For at least eight months of the year, the park is covered in snow.

A $100-million K-12 school in the 3500-person town of Inuvik.

A $2.7 million northern lights simulator in the 1000-person Yukon community of Watson Lake.

A $4.5 million French-language school in Iqaluit to serve about 50 students.

Ft Smith NWT's The Slave River Journal "Best newspaper in Canada"

 

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Best newspaper in Canada

The Slave River Journal has won best overall newspaper in Canada in the under-2000 circulation class.
The award was handed out at the April 29 Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association banquet in Vancouver on April 29.

The Journal beat other finalists The Gravenhurst Banner, from Gravenhurst Ontario, and The Weekly Press, from Enfield Nova Scotia, for the award.

"The Fort Smith/Fort Chipewyan Slave River Journal came out on top because of the attention they give to all aspects of their paper – very striking front page, solid journalism, good writing and nice design," stated the judges.
Publisher and editor Don Jaque said the award is nice recognition for all the hard work that goes into the paper each week.
"When you strive to be the very best you can, and then actually achieve at the top level, it is most gratifying," Jaque said. "But it can never been done without good people to deliver the goods. I say kudos to the hard working staff of the Slave River Journal who produce one of the best little newspapers in the country."
The Journal also won second place in the best front page category, and second place in History Story of the Year for a feature on House Lake, Alberta, a Dene community that was relocated and forgotten when Wood Buffalo National Park expanded its borders south.
The paper received a Blue Ribbon award as well, a designation given to newspapers that display excellence throughout the year
http://srj.ca/best-newspaper-in-canada-p6033-75.htm

Music NWT’s 2010 Annual General Meeting Videos

Music NWT’s Annual General Meeting
May 5th, 2011
Part One - 447.5 MB
Welcome, Introduction, 2010 Agenda, Minuets of 2009 AGM
For more information, call (867) 445-9326
http://www.musicnwt.ca

http://youtu.be/rSmJdb2S5ME



Music NWT’s Annual General Meeting
May 5th, 2011
Part Two - 119 .9 MB
2010 Treasurer's  Report
For more information, call (867) 445-9326
http://www.musicnwt.ca

http://youtu.be/Aloa1iLYuco




Music NWT’s Annual General Meeting
May 5th, 2011
Part Three - 164.7 MB
Membership Report
http://www.musicnwt.ca/members/
http://www.musicnwt.ca/membership/
For more information, call (867) 445-9326
http://www.musicnwt.ca

http://youtu.be/NvP7ZsUfemU



Music NWT’s Annual General Meeting
May 5th, 2011
Part Four - 576.5 MB
Discussion on Membership Fees
For more information, call (867) 445-9326
http://www.musicnwt.ca

http://youtu.be/xDtDuSX0OH8



Music NWT’s Annual General Meeting
May 5th, 2011
Part Five - 570 MB
Music NWT's Objectives for 2011
For more information, call (867) 445-9326
http://www.musicnwt.ca

http://youtu.be/rbbipwHPOF0



Music NWT’s Annual General Meeting
May 5th, 2011
Part Six - 419.1 MB
Motion on the Establishment of the Position of a Paid Executive Director
For more information, call (867) 445-9326
http://www.musicnwt.ca

http://youtu.be/STj8raqw8Xk



Music NWT’s Annual General Meeting
May 5th, 2011
Part  Seven - 190.9 MB
Presentation by CKLB Radio's Hillary Bird http://www.ncsnwt.com/
For more information, call (867) 445-9326
http://www.musicnwt.ca

http://youtu.be/fl8OzZh_zv8




Music NWT’s Annual General Meeting
May 5th, 2011
Part  Eight - 534.3 MB
Selection / Discussion of Executive Director Position
For more information, call (867) 445-9326
http://www.musicnwt.ca

http://youtu.be/luLYm2ETzQk




Music NWT’s Annual General Meeting
May 5th, 2011
Part  Nine - 180.7 MB
Election of Board of Directors
For more information, call (867) 445-9326
http://www.musicnwt.ca

http://youtu.be/iip465_jqic




Music NWT’s Annual General Meeting
May 5th, 2011
Part Ten - 236.6 MB
Wrap-up: Music NWT Events and other projects. Adjournment
For more information, call (867) 445-9326
http://www.musicnwt.ca

http://youtu.be/g4GGvxb7fPA

Yellowknife, NWT - CRTC Review of price cap regulatory framework for Northwestel Inc. and related matters

Currently, Northwestel receives a total annual subsidy amount of $20.8 million from the NCF associated with i) providing residential services in high-cost serving areas (HCSAs) and ii) funding the ongoing requirements of the non-access portion of Northwestel's service improvement plan (SIP).

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2011/2011-302.htm

CRTC announces consultation on Northwestel price cap

May 6, 2011 - 5:20pm — The Wire Report
[excerpt]

http://www.thewirereport.ca/reports/content/12395-crtc_announces_consultation_on_northwestel_price_cap

The CRTC announced Friday a hearing to review Northwestel Inc.'s price cap regulatory framework. 

The framework is to go into effect in 2012.

The commission said "other related matters" would also be reviewed at the hearings, scheduled to begin Oct. 4 in Yellowknife, N.W.T. 

The consultation comes after the commission announced its "obligation to serve" decision this week, in which Northwestel's obligation to serve in regulated areas was maintained along with the basic service objective.

CRTC sets national broadband target, dodges subsidy fund for deployment

May 3, 2011 - 8:02pm — The Wire Report

[excerpts]

http://thewirereport.ca/reports/content/12372-crtc_sets_national_broadband_target_dodges_subsidy_fund_for_deployment

The CRTC released a new national broadband target Tuesday, saying all Canadians should have access to 5 Mbps Internet or faster by 2015. 

But the commission is not establishing a fund to subsidize broadband deployment.

The target came Tuesday in a decision resulting from last October's proceeding on access to basic telecommunications services. 

Meeting the target will depend on a combination of private investments, targeted government funding and public-private partnerships, the CRTC said. 

[...]

Consumer group the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) said gaps in Canada's broadband access will endure and that the commission didn't go far enough to promote rural broadband expansion.

"If there is no rural broadband now, there will not be any more thanks to this decision," PIAC counsel John Lawford said in a press release. 

"You're on your own Canada—see you at the bottom of the OECD broadband lists," Lawford added in a reference to a broadband data released last month from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 

The data ranked Canada 28 out of 33 countries on average monthly broadband pricing.

In a release, the CRTC said advances in wireless technology and the launch of new satellite broadband services would provide connections in rural areas at better rates and speeds than what are currently available.

We are a majority - Tell Prime Minister Harper: We will hold you accountable.

We are a majority

Tell Prime Minister Harper: We will hold you accountable.

Thank you for what you have started. Throughout the election, you brought Canadians into our political process, you helped inspire Canadians across the country, and you were part of a historic shift of Canada's political landscape.

On Monday, a clear majority of Canadians voted for change. 9 million voters cast their ballots for parties that share much in common. 9 million voted to strengthen our democracy, protect our environment and increase our equality, values shared by the Leadnow community.

Yet, because these parties split the vote in riding after riding, Prime Minister Harper has gained near total control of our government with the support of less than 6 million voters.¹ The only thing that can check his power is the shared voices of Canadians like you.

Right now, we need to send Prime Minister Harper a clear message that although he has a majority of seats, he does not enjoy majority support. In his acceptance speech, he said "...we must be the government of all Canadians, including those who did not vote for us." We expect him to follow through with this commitment, and we will be here, growing stronger every day to hold him to account to the agenda of a majority of voters:

http://leadnow.ca/majority

The Conservatives now have control of the House of Commons, with free reign to appoint individuals to key posts and pass laws.² Public opinion is the most powerful force to keep Prime Minister Harper in check. However big the majority, no government that disregards public opinion will govern for long.

We need to build a movement that can bring Canadians together to hold Prime Minister Harper accountable, build support to fix our democracy, and achieve progress on the major challenges facing our country through all levels of government.

Take the first step by telling Prime Minister Harper that his majority of seats does not give him free reign over our country, and that together we will hold him accountable:

http://leadnow.ca/majority 

A new era of Canadian politics has begun. The election showed us that change is possible and our politics can be full of surprises. We have the opportunity to step up and begin to shape this new reality. We are deeply grateful to be working with you.

With admiration and hope,
Jamie, Adam, Matthew, Tria, and Ryan on behalf of the Leadnow.ca team

P.S. - See how the opposition parties and Conservatives compare in relation to the Leadnow community's priorities: http://leadnow.ca/en/party-positions

[1] Vancouver Sun: Vote-splitting saw Tories claim new seats
[2] CBC: Majority rules - just about everything

Leadnow.ca is an independent, youth-led advocacy organization that helps Canadians of all generations participate in their democracy.

Design a flag that reflects what National Aboriginal Day means to you!

RT @APTN: 12 to 17 years of age? You're invited to design a flag that reflects what National Aboriginal Day means to you! http://www.aboriginaldaylive.com/

If you're between 12 to 17 years of age, you're invited to design a flag that reflects what National Aboriginal Day means to you! This is your chance to be creative and design something original that shows your pride in the culture and heritage of Aboriginal Peoples.

The winner's school will receive $750 towards learning materials. The winner receives $500 and a trip to Winnipeg with their parent/guardian to be a part of APTN's Aboriginal Day Live celebrations. The winning design will be made into an actual flag, unveiled during the live broadcast of Aboriginal Day Live 2011, and then will be flown on top of APTN's headquarters in Winnipeg for one year.

The deadline for entries is May 13, 2011 at midnight EST. For more information and submission specifications, please download and read the contest rules, available in both English and French.

Query: Seeking the "Polar Gas" consortium's archives

Does anyone know where the records of the Polar Gas consortium went after the company offices in Toronto were closed?  I would like to review that research that the company conducted and collected.

 

Frances Abele

Frances_Abele@carleton.ca

Well now the election's over.... #elxn41 #CdnPoli #NWT

Well now the election's over I don't need to worry about trying to get Sandy Lee to sit in front of my camera and tell me why she did not answer the questions posted by the NWT Status of Women's Council. I tried very hard, but her team told me that her media person would get in touch.. and never did.. sigh.. When I saw her vote I almost asked her the question myself, but I was working for Elections Canada as a Central Poll Supervisor at Yelowknife's Range Lake School and I knew that was not appropriate behavior for an election official on polling day. 

Our information officer did not show up for work... so in addition to supervising four polling stations, I had the pleasure of greeting voters as they arrived and directing them to the correct polls.. so I got to really see who was out to vote and was very happy to find what seemed to me to be a large number of young and first time voters... many joining their parents to exercise their democratic right to choose their MP.

We had a 55.2% turnout in the Western Arctic... in fact around 2:30pm I got a call from the Returning Officer asking if we needed any extra ballots... and later in the day, the driver delivering voting supplies told me that the Yellowknives Dene First Nation communities of N'Dilo and and Dettah ( part of the Akaitcho Territory Government) needed extra ballots because voting was high in those communities.

Here's the results (from the Election Canada website) for the Western Arctic riding of the NWT..

Tories give arts groups the silent treatment

Conservatives are causing fear by refusing to discuss cultural policy, the community says

In Montreal, more than 70 arts organizations from across the country unveiled a major election manifesto ...Arts leaders also requested meetings with party representatives to discuss the document. Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff was quick to oblige, as were NDP and Bloc Quebecois candidates. Again, there was no response from the Conservatives.

http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Tories+give+arts+groups+silent+treatment/4680851/story.html