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NEWSBYTES - February 20, 2009
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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>.
Also, visit our online catalogue at http://women.gov.ns.ca/library.asp or come visit our library!
CONTENTS AT A GLANCE
/1/ International Women's Day
/2/ Province Helps Families Save More for Relatives with Disabilities Department of Community Services
/3/ Women's Survey: National Union of Public and General Employees
/4/ Work Problems after Breast Cancer? You Can Help
/5/ Setting the Goals to Guide a Mental Health Strategy for Canada
/6/ Nova Scotia Raise-a-Reader Grants 2009
/7/ Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired: Taking Action on Poverty, Poor Health and Bad Jobs
/8/ World in Denial about Trafficking, UN Says
/9/ Have Your Say: Transit Survey
/10/ Supercharging the Labour Force
/11/ Did You Know?
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/1/ INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
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March 8 is International Women's Day, and events are being organized in communities around the province. See our events calendar http://women.gov.ns.ca/calendar.asp for opportunities to take part in your community.
The Advisory Council on the Status of Women has new posters available with a "bread and roses" theme. "Bread and Roses" is a poem that became a song sung by women marching for improved working conditions nearly a hundred years ago. It is still relevant today. For posters, send an email about your request, with your address to krowchde@gov.ns.ca .
Celebrate the day! For more information about IWD visit http://women.gov.ns.ca/IWD2009.asp .
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/2/ PROVINCE HELPS FAMILIES SAVE MORE FOR RELATIVES WITH DISABILITIES DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES
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The province is making it easier for families of people with disabilities to save for their loved one's future by allowing them to use Registered Disability Savings Plans while continuing to receive income assistance.
Similar to a Registered Education Savings Plan, the Registered Disability Savings Plan allows families and their children with disabilities to save money, tax-free, until it's needed.
Community Services will fully exempt the Registered Disability Savings Plan contributions when calculating clients' eligibility for income assistance. Clients will also be able to withdraw funds from the plan without affecting their income assistance payments.
There are no restrictions on who may contribute to a Registered Disability Savings Plan and no annual contribution limit. There is a lifetime maximum of $200,000 per individual fund. The federal government recently announced that the 2008 contribution year has been extended to
Mar. 2, 2009.
For more information visit: http;www.caregiversNS.org .
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/3/ WOMEN'S SURVEY: NATIONAL UNION OF PUBLIC AND GENERAL EMPLOYEES
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All working people report they are suffering from more stress related to balancing responsibilities at work and at home, however, the greater burden is falling on women. Statistics reveal that women bear the brunt of duties associated with child care, are the primary caregivers for the elder care of aging parents and are responsible for the majority of household chores.
Now with an economic crisis of global proportions occurring, additional stressors will be placed on women. It is no surprise that women are reporting the highest levels of stress, stress related illnesses, burnout and depression ever recorded.
The impact goes beyond the workplace, home and personal well-being of women. As demands increase, it becomes difficult for women to find time to volunteer in their communities, get involved in their union or run for political office. Many union women report that they would be more actively involved in their locals or run for office if they had more time.
As a strong advocate of women's equality and women's leadership, the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is conducting a survey, directed to both union and non-union women. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and give voice to an issue that affects Canadian women so dramatically.
See: Quality of Women's Lives Survey http://www.nupge.ca/node/800 , (Jan. 2009).
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/4/ WORK PROBLEMS AFTER BREAST CANCER? YOU CAN HELP
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The Canadian Breast Cancer Network is conducting a survey on the economic impact of a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment on labour force re-entry. You must be a Canadian and have been diagnosed with breast cancer within the past five years to participate.
Your comments will help us identify and overcome barriers Canadians face when they go back to work after having breast cancer. The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. By participating, you are making a real difference for others with breast cancer.
You can complete the survey online at http://websurveyor.net/wsb.dll/17199/3921.htm . Paper copies are available to those who do not have a computer or who are otherwise unable to complete online surveys. To receive a paper version, contact Maureen Kelly at 1-800-685-8820 ext 225 or Maureen@cbcn.ca . The deadline for completion is Feb. 23, 2009.
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/5/ SETTING THE GOALS TO GUIDE A MENTAL HEALTH STRATEGY FOR CANADA
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Canada is the only G8 country without a mental health strategy. The Mental Health Commission of Canada has been given the responsibility to work with Canadians to address this gap.
The Commission is seeking public and stakeholder input on the eight goals in the document “Toward Recovery and Well-being - A Framework for the Mental Health Strategy for Canada”. This draft framework document proposes a vision of how a transformed mental health system should look. Your input will help finalize the draft and contribute to the creation of a roadmap for to achieving the goals.
To participate, go to http://mentalhealthcommission.ca and follow the links to stakeholder or public consultation. The online consultation is being hosted by the Mental Health Commission of Canada - an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and social outcomes of people living with mental health problems and illnesses as well as to promoting the mental health and well-being of all Canadians.
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/6/ NOVA SCOTIA RAISE-A-READER GRANTS 2009
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CanWest Raise-a-Reader is a national program designed to increase awareness and raise money and resources in support of family literacy programs. All the money raised through Raise-a-Reader is donated to local literacy and educational organizations and stays in the community
where the funds are collected.
Grants are available for family literacy programming through organizations that support children and their families – community-based literacy groups, libraries, or family resource centres. This year $38,000 is available for grants to organizations across Nova Scotia., with a maximum of $4,000 per group. Organizations without charitable status may apply with a partner organization that has a registered charitable number.
Raise-a-Reader provides grants to organizations that:
* are located within Nova Scotia,
* are non-profit,
* have a charitable tax number,
* have existed for at least six months and
* offer services that support family literacy and learning
What activities are eligible for a Raise-a-Reader Grant?
* Delivery of educational programs to parents and caregivers
and their children– supporting literacy development in the home
* Development of family literacy materials
* Delivery of family literacy practitioner training
* Purchase of learning materials for use in family literacy programs
Application forms are available on line at http://www.ns.literacy.ca <ttp://www.ns.literacy.ca/
Deadline is Mar. 20, 2009. Contact Andy Rice 902.481.7400 or arice@globaltv.com for more information.
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/7/ SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED: TAKING ACTION ON POVERTY, POOR HEALTH AND BAD JOBS
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The release of Ontario’s landmark poverty reduction strategy, “Sick and Tired” paints a grim picture of the health of the province’s poorest residents. This new report from the Community Social Planning Council of Toronto, University of Toronto’s Social Assistance in the New Economy Project and the Wellesley Institute documents the compromised health of social assistance recipients and the working poor in Ontario.
It includes practical and pragmatic recommendations to strengthen the province’s poverty reduction plan, addresses the increased burden of ill health among poor people in Ontario, and promotes equitable access to health services in Ontario. In addition, many of the recommended actions will promote much-needed economic stimulus as an antidote to Ontario’s struggling economy and promote cost savings in the health care system.
This is companion research to “Poverty Is Making Us Sick,” released in December, which looked at the health status of poor people across Canada.
Learn more: http://wellesleyinstitute.com/files/povertymakingussickfinal.pdf .
Source: Wellesley, Feb. 9, 2009.
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/8/ WORLD IN DENIAL ABOUT TRAFFICKING, UN SAYS
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Many governments are in denial about the extent and seriousness of human trafficking in which women are often significant offenders, according to a report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The study is the first comprehensive look at the world's trade in humans, drawing on evidence from 155 countries. It warns that the failure to prosecute modern-day slave traders means that efforts to fight the practice are severely hampered. And it draws the conclusion that in many countries most traffickers are female.
Global conviction rates for human trafficking remain as low as 1.5 per 100,000 people. While a fifth of countries, many of them African, have no such offence on their books, the problems extend to many countries which have legislation in place: nearly 40 per cent of the countries examined have failed to record a single conviction.
Read the UN report in English (PDF file, 292 pages):
http://www.unodc.org/documents/Global_Report_on_TIP.pdf .
Lisez le résumé du rapport de l'ONU en français (PDF, 10 pages) :
http://www.unodc.org/documents/human-trafficking/Executive_summary_french.pdf .
Read the Independent article at:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/world-in-denial-about-trafficking-says-un-1608234.html .
Source: The Independent, Feb. 13, 2009
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/9/ HAVE YOUR SAY: TRANSIT SURVEY
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Transit passengers and citizens are asked to provide feedback on what their daily trip patterns are in and around Halifax Regional Municipality, to help shape the future of public transit. The Metro Transit Travel Survey is available online until Mar. 6, 2009.
Go to http://www.hrmlistens.com .
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/10/ SUPERCHARGING THE LABOUR FORCE
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Are you experiencing skilled labour shortages? If so, what skills are you trying unsuccessfully to find? What programs, actions or initiatives would help you succeed in finding the people you need? Send your stories to Catherine Young, Policy and Research Analyst at Halifax Chamber catherine@halifaxchamber.com or call (902) 481-1228.
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/11/ DID YOU KNOW THAT ....?
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February 23 is Maha Shivaratri, a Hindu festival celebrated every year on the 13th night/14th day in the Krishna Paksha (waning moon) of the month of Maagha in the Hindu calendar.
For more information visit: http://festivals.tajonline.com/maha-shivaratri.php .
February 25 is Shambhala Day and represents one of the most important traditions of Shambhala Buddhism. For more information visit: http://www.shambhala.org/community/shambhaladay.php
February 25 is also Ash Wednesday. In the Western Christian calendar, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and occurs forty days before Easter (excluding Sundays). It falls on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter; it can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10. For more information on the history of Ash Wednesday visit: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01775b.htm .
Contact the Diversity Round Table at diversity_round_table@gov.ns.ca .
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NEXT ISSUE – March. 6, 2009
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