=====================================================================
NEWSBYTES - OCT. 10, 2008
=====================================================================
The Advisory Council on the Status of Women is the provincial government agency that promotes equality, fairness and dignity for women, by bringing forward concerns and advising the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women Act. Through research, policy, education, and partnerships, the council works to ensure women have an equal voice in society, fair pay and pensions, freedom from violence, and good health and well-being.
Newsbytes is a free bi-weekly e-mail newsletter with links to stories and contacts.
You can also read the newsletter and about coming events at the Advisory Council's website: <http://www.women.gov.ns.ca> .
CONTENTS AT A GLANCE
/1/ Women in the Lead
/2/ Person’s Day
/3/ Campaign School Prepares Women to Run for Office
/4/ Women Candidates in Nova Scotia in 2008
/5/ Poll on Child Care Attitudes of Electorate
/6/ Creating Respite Solutions for Nova Scotia Families
/7/ 4th Atlantic Aboriginal Entrepreneur Awards
/8/ Two Nova Scotia Women Receive Order of Nova Scotia
/9/ More Women Waiting Longer to Have Kids
/10/ New Policy Promotes Respect
/11/ Funding Available for Elder Abuse Awareness Projects
/12/ Are You Caring for or Supporting a Loved One?
/13/ Family Service Association National Conference 2008
/14/ Women's Networking, Friendship, Training Gathering
/15/ Did You Know?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/1/ WOMEN IN THE LEAD
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Women in the Lead is the theme for Status of Women Canada for Women’s History Month 2008. It closely reflects the longtime efforts of the Council’s Women in Leadership Program:
to increase the numbers and diversity of women in public and political life, to recognize the contribution of women leaders in advancing fairness, dignity and equality of women, and to exercise leadership internationally, by sharing expertise and experiences.
Council’s Women in the Lead campaign includes:
- presentations from the Minister and the Chair
- a public-speaking workshop in Antigonish on Oct. 27, called Speak Up, Speak Out with Margaret Hope, an acclaimed communications trainer
- circulation of the film series Women in the Lead: Four Films, funded by Democracy 250
- the Nova Scotia Campaign School for Women, from Oct. 24 to 26
- supporting Muriel Duckworth’s 100th birthday party, Nov. 2 – a tribute to the local, national and international leader in active citizenship
For more information about any of these initiatives and events, keep an eye on Newsbytes and our website: http://www.women.ns.ca , call our office at 1-800-565-8662 or email: women@gov.ns.ca .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/2/ PERSON’S DAY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Oct.18, 1929, the British Privy Council decided that women were "persons" under Canadian law, and therefore eligible for appointment to the Senate. This decision was rendered after a lengthy legal and political struggle, known as the "Persons Case."Lord Sankey, Lord Chancellor of the Privy council, stated at the time "that the exclusion of women from all public offices is a relic of days more barbarous than ours. And to those who would ask why the word ‘person’ should include females, the obvious answer is, why should it not?"
The Governor General's Awards in Commemoration of the Persons Case are presented on or around this date each year. Look for announcements at http://www.swc-cfc.gc.ca/dates/persons/index_e.html .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/3/ CAMPAIGN SCHOOL PREPARES WOMEN TO RUN FOR OFFICE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Council and Mount Saint Vincent University will host the fourth non-partisan Nova Scotia Campaign School for Women from Oct. 24 to 26. This year, the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (Canada Region) will observe and participate.
Since Council began working with the university on the school in 2004, 90 women have graduated. Six have run for elected office, and many more have helped organize campaigns and participated through other public roles. For more information, see these links or call us at 1-800-565-8662:
http://women.gov.ns.ca/SavedDocs/WomensCampaign2008.pdf
http://women.gov.ns.ca/SavedDocs/RegistrationForm2008.pdf
http://www.gov.ns.ca/news/details.asp?id=20081001006
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/4/ WOMEN CANDIDATES IN NOVA SCOTIA IN 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
According to the Elections Canada website, there are 52 candidates running in 11 federal electoral districts in Nova Scotia. Fourteen (27 per cent) are women, four of whom attended the Council’s campaign schools for women.
There are 182 women running in the 2008 municipal elections, compared to 623 men. This year, there are eight more women and 88 fewer men running than in 2004. This small increase (three percentage points) in the proportion of women running is more apparent due to the drop in the number of men running. In 2008, there are only three women in the province who are running as mayoral candidates compared to 68 men.
In Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), a third (33.3 per cent) of municipal candidates are women. Nineteen of 57 people running for council in 23 electoral districts are women. One of three running for mayor is a woman. Of the 19 female candidates running in HRM, two attended Council’s campaign schools.
For more information click here: http://women.gov.ns.ca/leadershipstatistics.asp .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/5/ POLL ON CHILD CARE ATTITUDES OF ELECTORATE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Three-quarters of Canadians (77 per cent) feel that the lack of affordable child care is a very (31 per cent) or somewhat (46 per cent) serious problem in Canada, according to September 2008 research conducted by Environics Research for Code Blue for Child Care.
Across the country, the lack of affordable child care is seen as particularly serious in the Atlantic provinces (86 per cent), British Columbia (85 per cent), and Ontario (78 per cent).
Read more at: http://www.buildchildcare.ca/updir/buildchildcare/EnvironicsReport_Attitudes_toward_child_care.pdf .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/6/ CREATING RESPITE SOLUTIONS FOR NOVA SCOTIA FAMILIES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A group co-chaired by Council and the Disabled Persons Commission will hold workshops this fall for parents who have children or adult children with disabilities/special needs.
Providing care over long periods affects the health and well-being of parents/caregivers, and the entire family. Parents and caregivers caring for children/adult dependents with chronically high needs may require respite (short breaks from care giving). They have reported that regular respite helps them maintain their health and sustain their energy to provide care.
The Nova Scotia Partnership on Respite, Family Health and Wellness, consisting of parents, health care workers, community organizations and government partners will hold five full-day workshops free of charge. Limited funding is available for respite care and transportation.
The first three workshops will be held in:
Yarmouth on Saturday Nov. 15 (registration deadline Oct. 31);
Wolfville on Saturday Nov. 29 (registration deadline Nov. 14); and
New Glasgow on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009.
Two more workshops are planned for Cape Breton region and for the HRM corridor in the spring. For more information or to register, call the Council at 1-800-565-8662 or e-mail women@gov.ns.ca.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/7/ 4TH ATLANTIC ABORIGINAL ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Council congratulates four Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq women finalists of the 4th Atlantic Aboriginal Entrepreneur Awards Show.
– The Cottage Craft award, Madeline Martin , Pictou Landing Band
– Start Up Business (under one year) of the Year, Brenda Googoo of Brenda’s Giftware and Smoke Shop, Eskasoni
– Business of the Year – Nova Scotia, Mary Louise Bernard, Buckskin Tales and Indian Maiden Maple Syrup, Wagmatcook
– Economic Development Officer of the Year, Rose Julian, Paq’tnkek
There were more than 50 nominations, from which two finalists were chosen in each category.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/8/ TWO NOVA SCOTIA WOMEN RECEIVE ORDER OF NOVA SCOTIA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ruth Miriam Goldbloom, Halifax Regional Municipality and Nora Madeline Bernard, Millbrook First Nation (posthumous) received the honour at a ceremony at Province House on Oct. 8. Jason Bernard accepted the award on behalf of his mother.
The Order of Nova Scotia is the highest honour of the Province of Nova Scotia. Established in 2001, it encourages excellence by recognizing Nova Scotians for outstanding contributions or achievements. Any Canadian citizen who is a present or former long-term resident of Nova Scotia is eligible for nomination.
To nominate someone, complete this form: http://www.gov.ns.ca/prot/2006onsweb.pdf . Nominations are accepted throughout the year. The deadline for consideration is the third Friday of March. See this website for more about recipients: www.gov.ns.ca/prot/2008recipients.htm .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/9/ MORE WOMEN WAITING LONGER TO HAVE KIDS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In just under 20 years, the proportion of Canadian women waiting until they are over 35 to have their first child has tripled, a new Statistics Canada study has concluded.
In 2005, 11 per cent of women aged 35 and older gave birth for the first time, up from just four per cent in 1987. At the same time, the ratio of women under 25 who became first-time moms plunged from 43 per cent to 30 per cent. And for the first time, the average number of children born to women aged 30 to 34 during those 18 years exceeded the number of kids born to women aged 25 to 29.
One result of this trend, as Statistics Canada also reported last week, is that the average age at which women now have their first child stood at 29 in 2006, up from 27 in 1986. This shift can be attributed to the rising costs of post-secondary education and home ownership. There is big pressure for the second wage earner to stay in the job market.
However, those pressures do not appear to be deterring couples from having children. In fact, a total of 354,617 babies were born in Canada in 2006, 12,441 more than were born the previous year, and an increase of 3.6 per cent.
Learn more: http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=89-599-MWE2008005 .
Source: Statistics Canada, September 25.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/10/ NEW POLICY PROMOTES RESPECT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
During Provincial Public Service Week, the Public Service Commission has launched its Respectful Workplace Policy. The policy promotes awareness, prevention, and the early resolution of complaints of offensive behaviour.
“Join us, in our goal to promote and create a workplace that is inclusive and free of discrimination,” said Gordon MacLean, acting commissioner. “Respect at work begins with each and every one of us.”
The policy, along with additional information about procedure is available on the Public Service Commission website at: http://www.gov.ns.ca/psc/respectfulworkplace.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/11/ FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS PROJECTS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Through funding to non-profit organizations, New Horizons for Seniors helps to ensure that seniors can benefit from, and contribute to, the quality of life in their communities. There are three kinds of funding: Community Participation and Leadership, Capital Assistance, and Elder Abuse Awareness.
Open Calls for Proposals and Capital Assistance Funding was just announced for grants of up to $25,000 for upgrading community facilities and equipment related to existing programs and activities for seniors. The deadline is Nov. 14, 2008.
Learn more: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/community_partnerships/seniors/index.shtml .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/12/ ARE YOU CARING FOR OR SUPPORTING A LOVED ONE?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Family Service of Eastern Nova Scotia is holding workshops addressing the following topics:
- Stress Management
- Continuing Care & Legal Issues
- Nutrient, Relaxation Techniques
- Health Awareness & Chronic Illness
- Physical Activity & Nutrition
- Understanding the Aging process
- Alzheimer’s Disease & Maintaining a Healthy Brain.
Workshop are scheduled from Oct. 2 to Nov 13. For more information or to register, call 539-6868 ext.2. Also see Council’s Events Calendar at http://women.gov.ns.ca/calendar.asp .
Sponsored by the Central Cape Breton County Community Health Board & Family Service of Eastern Nova Scotia.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/13/ FAMILY SERVICE ASSOCIATION NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2008
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Family Service Association of Halifax Regional Municipality and Family Services Canada are the organizers of the National FSA Conference 2008 being held Oct. 22 to 24. This is a unique networking opportunity. See http://dh.winstormdp.com/emercial.html?id=12124284800.57737 .
You can also find a complete registration package at http://www.fshalifax.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/14/ WOMEN'S NETWORKING, FRIENDSHIP, TRAINING GATHERING
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two training sessions are being held this fall for women who live in rural coastal communities in Nova Scotia. The events are designed to provide low-income women with an opportunity to learn about the resources and steps required to start their own businesses, or who would like to discover and discuss a great business idea. The gatherings will be filled with interesting
presentations. The Nova Scotia Gathering dates are as follows:
- Oct. 28, Port Hawkesbury – To register, phone (902)752-7982.
- Oct. 29, New Glasgow -- To register, call (902)752-7982.
To register on line, complete the form at http://www.coalition-sgsl.ca/news.php?news=29 .
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
/15/ DID YOU KNOW...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
... that Oct. 17 is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty and October 18 marks Person’s Day? In a 2007-08 United Nations report, Canada ranked 8th and the United States 17th among the 19 developed countries in terms of the human poverty index. In 2006 in the United States, the official poverty rate was 12 per cent of the population, while in Canada 11 per cent of the population was poor as defined by a low-income cutoff after tax.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEXT ISSUE – OCT. 24, 2008
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPREAD THE WORD! FORWARD NEWSBYTES TO A FRIEND!
To subscribe, send a blank e-mail message to <join-nsacsw@lists.gov.ns.ca> .
Or you can sign up at <http://www.women.gov.ns.ca/medianewsletter.asp>.