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NEWSBYTES - June 12, 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/ New Record: 12 Women Elected
/2/ New Glasgow Mayor Honoured
/3/ Fairness and Men as Diversity Champions
/4/ Rebuilding Economy Starts with Women
/5/ Income of Canadians 2007
/6/ Poverty Reduction Policies and Programs
/7/ National Vision, Voice Needed for Rural Canada
/8/ Canada's Quiet Bargain: the Benefits of Public Spending
/9/ Stepping Stone Community Education Session
/10/ Tools for Life Conference and Exhibit 2009
/11/ Did You Know?
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/1/ NEW RECORD: 12 WOMEN ELECTED
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Nova Scotia's legislative assembly will have a record number of female members when it reconvenes, after voters elected 12 women candidates on June 9.
The province's next premier, Darrell Dexter, will have nine female MLAs to choose from when selecting the cabinet of Atlantic Canada's first NDP government:
NDP Pam Birdsall, Lunenburg
PC Karen Casey, Colchester North (re-elected)
NDP Vicky Conrad, Queens (re-elected)
NDP Ramona Jennex, Kings South
NDP Becky Kent, Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage (re-elected)
NDP Maureen MacDonald, Halifax Needham (re-elected)
NDP Marilyn More, Dartmouth South-Portland Valley (re-elected)
NDP Denise Peterson-Rafuse, Chester-St. Margaret's
NDP Michele Raymond, Halifax Atlantic (re-elected)
Liberal Kelly Regan, Bedford-Birch Cove
Liberal Diana Whalen, Halifax Clayton Park (re-elected)
NDP Lenore Zann, Truro-Bible Hill
A record number of women ran in the provincial election, although at 54, they still only represented one-quarter of the names on Tuesday's ballot. The NDP had 16 women carry its banner in the campaign, up from 11 in the 2006 election. The Progressive Conservative party fielded seven female candidates, the same number as in 2006. The Liberals ran 11 women, one fewer than the 2006 election. The Green party, with 20 women running, had the most female candidates.
Source: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nsvotes2009/story/2009/06/09/ns-votes-women-elected-0609.html .
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/2/ NEW GLASGOW MAYOR HONOURED
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The Advisory Council congratulates Ann MacLean, New Glasgow’s first female mayor and longest-serving one, for being named to the 27-year-old honour roll of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. She is also the first Atlantic Canadian woman named to a national honour roll of municipal politicians.
The honour came with an award named after her: the Ann MacLean Award for outstanding service by a woman in municipal politics. It was presented to former Vancouver city councillor May Brown during the federation’s 72nd annual conference in Whistler, BC. Ms. MacLean hopes the award will inspire more women to enter political life.
Source: The Chronicle Herald, June 9, 2009.
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/3/ FAIRNESS AND MEN AS DIVERSITY CHAMPIONS
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Why do some men support gender initiatives in leadership while others do not? Catalyst examines this question through a new body of research evaluating men's involvement with gender diversity. The first report in the series was released in May. “Engaging Men In Gender Initiatives: What Change Agents Need To Know” provides insight into men's advocacy for gender equality at work and looks at characteristics that make men champions of gender equality.
Upcoming releases will identify strategies for communicating with men about gender initiatives and assess the effectiveness and impact of learning and development programs designed to provide men with the information and skills they need to champion gender initiatives.
Read the report: http://catalyst.org/file/283/mdc-web.pdf
Source: Catalyst, June 1, 2009.
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/4/ REBUILDING ECONOMY STARTS WITH WOMEN
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Canada’s competitiveness depends on how we mobilize female talent. There may be no quick fix to the current financial crisis, but fostering new perspectives by advancing more women into leadership positions is a sure-fire, long-term resolution, says “Groundbreakers,” a new report from Ernst & Young.
“Diversity is not just a 'nice to have’. It's a business imperative." We need to draw on the widest range of talent. The vast economic potential of women as an economic force has yet to be realized. Ernst & Young brings together telling research that makes clear the case for more women leaders.
How can Canadian companies build leadership capacity for increased competitiveness?
Create a plan to get women into leadership positions.
Work towards "functional diversity" … people with diverse ways of perceiving problems. Under the right conditions, a group of intelligent problem solvers chosen at random will likely outperform a homogenous group of the best problem solvers.
Don't underestimate the power of critical mass… that gives people the power to speak up, and to have their views heard.
Companies with three or more women in senior management scored higher than companies with no women over a range of measures for organizational excellence.
Learn more: http://www2.eycom.ch/media/mediareleases/releases/20090128/en.aspx .
Source: Ernst & Young, May 11, 2009.
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/5/ INCOME OF CANADIANS 2007
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This annual publication presents highlights and statistics on income and low income of families – including market income, government transfers, total income, income tax, income after tax and low income. Findings include:
Median after-tax income, adjusted for inflation, for families with two or more people rose 3.7 per cent from 2006 to $61,800 in 2007.
Statistics Canada reports median after-tax income for unattached Canadians rose 3.9 per cent from 2006 to $24,200 in 2007.
The agency says that since 2002, the year following the high-tech slowdown, the average annual growth of the median after-tax income for families was 1.8 per cent, while it was 1.4 per cent for unattached Canadians.
Market income - the sum of earnings from employment, investment income and private retirement income - was the main contributor to the increase in after-tax income. Median market income for families rose 3 per cent from 2006 to $62,700 in 2007, while it increased 6.7 per cent for unattached Canadians to $20,600. Canadians paid $16.70 in income taxes for each $100 of total income in 2007, down from $17.10 in 2006.
Learn more: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75-202-x/75-202-x2007000-eng.pdf
Source Statistics Canada, June 3, 2009.
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/6/ POVERTY REDUCTION POLICIES AND PROGRAMS
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Persistent poverty and growing inequality are the most significant and intractable challenges facing Canada today, diminishing the lives of thousands of individuals and families.
“Poverty Reduction Policies and Programs” provides the context and insight to understand and act in the fight against poverty in Canada. This first collection of reports identifies current federal, provincial, and territorial approaches to poverty reduction, alleviation and eradication, and profiles the ideas, interests and institutions that have shaped the evolution of that work. It also identifies critical issues for each jurisdiction.
Learn more from Nova Scotia’s report: http://www.ccsd.ca/SDR2009/Reports/NS_Report_FINAL.pdf
Source: Policy Studies: Childcare Resource and Research Unit, May 27, 2009.
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/7/ NATIONAL VISION, VOICE NEEDED FOR RURAL CANADA
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Rural Canada needs a champion at the federal cabinet table and a long-term plan from the federal government to reverse the decline in its struggling towns and villages. That was the message from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) as it released its report, “Wake-Up Call: The National Vision and Voice We Need for Rural Canada,” at a news conference on Parliament Hill.
FCḾs Rural Forum developed the report with contributions from Dr. Donald J. Savoie of the Université de Moncton and Dr. Bill Reimer of Concordia University. It shines a light on the growing crisis in rural Canada and its implications for the national economy. It asks what role the federal government should play in rural communities and provides a road map for effective action in Ottawa. Read more at:
http://www.fcm.ca//CMFiles/20090526_RuralReport_Final_EN1IWR-5262009-9425.pdf
Source: Federation of Canadian Municipalities: http://www.fcm.ca/english/View.asp?mp=1128&x=1129 , May 26, 2009.
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/8/ CANADA'S QUIET BARGAIN: THE BENEFITS OF PUBLIC SPENDING
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A new study conducted by Richard Shillington and Hugh Mackenzie for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives entitled “Canada's Quiet Bargain: The benefits of public spending” finds that Canadians depend to a significant extent on public services -- such as education, health care, child care, public pensions, employment insurances, and family benefits – for their living standard.
"In fact, this study puts a number on it. Canadians enjoy an average $17,000-benefit from the public services which our taxes fund - about the same amount a Canadian working full time, full year at the minimum wage would earn."
For more see: http://www.growinggap.ca .
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/9/ STEPPING STONE COMMUNITY EDUCATION SESSION
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The education session “ Spots for Sex Work 101" on sex work issues in our community will be hosted by Stepping Stone on Friday, June 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.
Keynote presenters are Leslie Ann Jeffrey and Gayle Macdonald (Sex Workers in the Maritimes Talk Back session) and Eliyanna Kaiser, who will present Sex Work as a Human Rights Issue.
Other presentations include How to be an Ally to Sex Workers, presented by a 30-year veteran of the sex industry in Halifax; Criminal and Legislative Approaches to Sex Work with Dr. Michael Goodyear; and Halifax Sex Workers without Boundaries, with Dalhousie Legal Aid.
For more information visit http://women.gov.ns.ca/calendar.asp ; to register contact info@stepping-stone.org . The cost for the session is $50, or $25 for under-waged and non-profits . Lunch will be provided.
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/10/ TOOLS FOR LIFE CONFERENCE AND EXHIBIT 2009
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The 4th annual Tools for Life Conference and Exhibit will be held on October 23. The conference is open to the general public and admission is free.
Last year’s event attracted more than 200 organizations and agencies, 125 exhibitors and 60 presenters offering 75 educational sessions covering various topics related to children, youth, adults and seniors. More than 1,000 consumers and professionals participated in learning about addressing barriers in our homes, workplaces and communities.
If you and/or your organization plan to participate, the following supports will be provided:
• Thursday evening receptionConference day lunch
• Hospitality room during conference day
• Conference day package
• Conference Program exhibit listing and presenter session descriptions
• Promoting your organization throughout the province and Canada
• Assistance with exhibit and presentation set up
• Audio/Visual supports
There is a deadline of July 17 for submissions in order to publish and promote the 2009 Conference Program. For more details visit http://www.tools4life.ca/ .
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/11/ DID YOU KNOW...
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That according to the Advertising Standards Council’s 2007 annual report, depicting women in a derogatory manner was one of four prime issues cited in the 1,445 complaints the council received, a 40 per cent increase compared to 2006. The self-regulating council found that 5.7 per cent of the ads cited in 2007 complaints contravened the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards. Those advertisers were asked to amend or withdraw their advertisements.
Source: The Herizons, Spring 2009.
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NEXT ISSUE – June 26, 2009
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