Haldimand do not need an auditor general’s report to tell them that ASD services are in disarray. Our government should be commended for spending $182 million dollars on Autism treatment, however I have yet to meet a single Canadian family satisfied with their services. In 2007 there was thankfully, no wait list for Intensive Behavioral Intervention (IBI). Braydon spent two years working 24 hours a week, one-on-one with IBI therapists from Haldimand-Norfolk R.E.A.C.H. Essentially my toddler had a part-time job and after two years our family was unable to keep up the pace of it. Over $100,000 was spent on Braydon’s Autism Services, but now we were left to fend for ourselves.
Last week National Service Dogs for Children with Autism (NSD) asked a very interesting question on their Facebook page. Has the government considered Service Dogs? In 2012 my son was granted a Certified Autism Service Dog. Before that time, our only options for treatments were pharmaceuticals or privately funded and enormously expensive traditional therapies that were not effective at tracking results. Today, Braydon attends J.L. Mitchener Public School in Cayuga where he is thriving socially and academically. His service dog ‘NSD Whoopi’ attends school with him each and every day. Last month at Braydon’s Parent-Teacher interview I was told that my son was easy to integrate with his peers and all the students seemed to behave better when he and Whoopi were in the classroom. I have a very different little boy than I did a year ago, and the change in my son brings a flood of welcome respite to our home.
$30,000 might seem like an excessive amount of money for a Certified Autism Service Dog, however consider a Service Dog has a working life of 8-10 years. This means for some families like us; desperate for an alternative to treating our son’s autism with medication would receive 24 hour a day, 7 days a week support for 10 years for only $30,000! How much of the $182 million dollars spent on Autism Treatment this year was allocated to this alternative? Zero dollars!!! Incredibly National Service Dogs for Children with Autism provided us this option at absolutely no costs to us either. It is the generosity of the staff and volunteers at NSD and the support of our families and friends right here in Haldimand that brought accessibility for our family to our community. As a result, all of us are able to embrace a much higher quality of life than most families affected by Autism are able to experience.
So…let’s talk about making Certified Autism Service Dogs an available treatment alternative to more families. For the Silo, Jenny Tansley.
Olivia has been the favourite name for girls since 2008, followed by the same
second, third and fourth place names from last year — Emma, Sophia and Ava. Emily joins the ranks to round out the top five. For boys, Ethan, Jacob and Lucas once again took spots two through four, with Benjamin coming in at five.
Ontario gives parents up to one year to register their newborn’s birth online.
Through the easy-to-use 4-in-1 Newborn Bundle<http://www.ontario.ca/government/register-your-newborn-baby>, they can register their child’s birth and apply for their birth certificate, social insurance number and Canada child benefits, including the Ontario child benefit, in one easy step. Birth certificates ordered online are guaranteed to be mailed within 15 business days or they’re free.
Making it easier for families to access important government services when and where they need them is part of the Ontario government’s economic plan to invest in people, build modern infrastructure and support a dynamic and innovative business climate.
QUOTES
“Parents can register their newly named babies online from the comfort of their own homes. By making it more convenient for families to access our services, we are helping new parents focus on what’s really important.”
— John Milloy, Minister of Government Services
QUICK FACTS
§ More than 99.5 per cent of birth certificates ordered online have been delivered on time.
§ The Ontario Registrar General compiles annual lists of given baby names from registered births in the province for the previous year.
§ ServiceOntario’s 4-in-1 Newborn Bundle was the first of its kind in Canada when it launched in 2007. Since then, more than 720,000 newborns have been registered in Ontario using the service.
§ The Ontario child
benefit<http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/financialhelp/ocb/index.aspx>
provides up to $1,210 per child per year for nearly one million children to support Ontario families.
——————-
Olivia et Liam sont les prénoms les plus populaires pour les filles et pour les
garçons nés en Ontario, et ce, pour la deuxième année de suite.
Olivia est le prénom préféré pour les petites filles depuis 2008. En deuxième,
troisième et quatrième place, il est suivi par les mêmes prénoms que l’an dernier,
soit Emma, Sophia et Ava. Emily s’ajoute à ce palmarès et figure en cinquième place.
Pour les garçons, ce sont les prénoms Ethan, Jacob et Lucas qui l’emportent encore
une fois, en deuxième, troisième et quatrième place respectivement. Ils sont suivis
de Benjamin, qui se classe au cinquième rang.
L’Ontario donne jusqu’à un an aux parents pour enregistrer la naissance de leur enfant par Internet. Grâce au Service d’enregistrement des
nouveau-nés<http://www.ontario.ca/fr/gouvernement/enregistrement-de-votre-nouveaune>,
facile à utiliser, ils peuvent enregistrer la naissance de leur enfant, demander un
extrait de naissance, un numéro d’assurance sociale et leurs prestations pour
enfants du gouvernement fédéral, le tout en une seule étape toute simple. Les
extraits de naissance commandés en ligne sont postés dans les 15 jours ouvrables suivant la commande, et le tout est garanti. En cas de retard, l’extrait de naissance est gratuit.
Offrir aux familles un accès plus facile aux services gouvernementaux au moment et à l’endroit où ils en ont besoin fait partie du plan du gouvernement en matière d’économie visant à investir dans la population, à bâtir une infrastructure moderne et à soutenir un climat d’affaires dynamique et innovateur dans l’ensemble de
l’Ontario.
CITATION
« Les parents peuvent enregistrer en ligne leur bébé avec son prénom sans avoir à sortir de la maison. En facilitant l’accès à nos services pour les familles, nous aidons les nouveaux parents à se concentrer sur ce qui compte vraiment. »
– John Milloy, ministre des Services gouvernementaux.
FAITS EN BREF
§ Plus de 99,5 % des extraits de naissance commandés en ligne ont été livrés à temps.
§ Le registraire général de l’Ontario compile des listes annuelles des prénoms à partir des naissances inscrites dans la province au cours de l’année précédente.
§ Le Service d’enregistrement des
nouveau-nés<http://www.ontario.ca/fr/gouvernement/enregistrement-de-votre-nouveaune>
4 en 1 de ServiceOntario a été le premier du genre au Canada lors de son lancement, en 2007. Depuis, plus de 720 000 nouveau-nés ont été enregistrés en Ontario à l’aide de ce service.
§ La Prestation ontarienne pour
enfants<http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/French/topics/financialhelp/ocb/index.aspx>
verse jusqu’à 1 210 $ par enfant, par année à près d’un million d’enfants pour
soutenir les familles ontariennes.
TORONTO, December 2013 – The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, recently launched pan-Canadian consultations to seek Canadians’ views on how they would like to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation.
“Canada’s 150th celebrations will give us the opportunity to reflect on all the things that make Canada the united, prosperous and free country it is today,” said Minister Glover. “I invite all Canadians across our great country to tell us how they would like to celebrate in 2017.”
The Government of Canada will undertake extensive consultations, with meetings being planned throughout Canada. The consultations kicked off today with a roundtable in Toronto, where Minister Glover met with community leaders to discuss their perspective on Canada’s approaching milestone anniversary. Additional roundtables in other communities will be announced at a later date.
At the same time, Canadians are invited to participate in the consultations through an online questionnaire at Canada.ca/150 or Canada150.gc.ca.
Over the next four years, on the Road to 2017, celebrations will mark key historic milestones that have defined our country. In 2014, commemorations will include the centennial of the start of the First World War, the 75th anniversary of the start of the Second World War, the bicentennial of Sir George-Étienne Cartier’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the Charlottetown and Québec Conferences. For the Silo, Eva Salter
2013 will be remembered for many things, but in the world of consumer electronics it will be remembered as a year when techpreneurs proved that innovation lives and the spirit of enterprise still burns strong.
The technologies propping up the gadgets on display in this infographic are a product of incremental development, iterations of ideas that have been gestating for many years and are slowly being integrated into products that we use daily.
Take fingerprint authentication, for instance, on the new iPhone 5s. For close to ten years, the technology has been commercially viable but Apple made the bold move of finally putting an end to the forgotten password woes of its customers.
HTC finally incorporated the technology Full HD displays on a smartphone with amazing results. The images on HTC one remain unmatched for clarity and color accuracy.
Leap Motion made a leap of faith by investing in technology that changes the way users interact with their devices. Instead of the keyboard, mouse, or screen, we can now use gestures to make devices do our bidding. All for less than a hundred dollars with technology packed into a device no bigger than a bubble gum pack.
Google Glass is setting imaginations on fire with its unique first-person perspective for recording visual images. Is it ethical to photos and videos
of people without their permission and without them noticing that you’re actually doing it? Will the technology be abused? Will it change the way users live their lives?
For many, the questions won’t be as complex or thought-provoking. It might simply be, “Will I get an Xbox One for Christmas?”
Cedar Waxwings are sleek, masked birds found year round in our area with unusual red, waxy deposits at the tips of their secondary feathers. They are cinnamon-colored, with grayish wings and tails and yellow terminal tail-bands. They have distinctive crested heads, black throats, and black masks lined with white.
The Cedar Waxwing is one of the few North American birds that specialize in eating fruit. It can survive on fruit alone for several months. They also eat flying insects and can often by seen fly-catching, particularly over Haldimand and Norfolk County streams.
Cedar waxwings are very sociable, non-aggressive birds that often travel in flocks, though they may pair off during breeding season. It is very rare to find solitary waxwings. Because they frequently feast on overripe fruit, these birds can become “drunk” on the fermented juices. For the Silo, Dixie Greenwood.
The moment we become parents we use our sense of touch to communicate with our brand new baby. I will never forget that first moment in my each of my babies lives, when they started to experience and explore the world completely independently of me. The first thing I did was reach out to my newborn and without exchanging a single sound, we were instantly familiar to each other.
The research that outlines the benefits of touch and infant massage is extensive. Any expert will go on and on about how there is a fancy chemical reaction going on in my brain (central nervous system) that releases a feel-good hormone (serotonin) that counters stress hormones (cortisol) and that is why I feel that connection with my newborn. What I actually experience in those first moments of my child’s new life is nothing short of magical.
This is not meant to imitate the many hundreds of articles that are already out there that outline the benefits of Pediatric Massage Therapy, but there is a little Massage Therapist inside me that cannot encourage you enough to explore it. Children ages 0-99 can benefit from Registered Massage Therapy, but in the mean time treatment can start at home or even heart beats after birth.
After spending much time looking for a nursery rhyme that could incorporate a meaningful massage into its singsong format, I decided to write my own for you to try:
Bedtime Butterfly Kisses
Belinda the beautiful butterfly was bouncing on a breeze
Gracefully she glided to give my shoulder a squeeze
“How do you do?” Belinda sung so sweet.
“May I rest here while my heart slows a beat?”
She stopped but a moment before she began to explore
Hugging my arm she looked way down to the floor.
Three times she wandered from shoulder to finger
But I liked her so I indulged, and hoped she would linger.
Perched in my hand, she started stroking my palm
It tickled before I realized it made me feel calm.
She drew circles and hearts with her nose on my skin
Before she giggled and climbed back up to my chin.
With a fluttering kiss to my cheek she gently rubbed my head
And then softly she whispered, “Baby, time for bed.”
Though my eyelids are heavy I try to protest
To forget Belinda when I wake I’d deeply regret
Belinda’s wings push the air across my sleepy face
Like angel kisses made out of the most delicate lace
“Rest well little one,” She sings, “And think not of sorrow.
If you go to sleep now I can come back tomorrow.”
You can be creative and pretend your own hand is a butterfly. I used an inexpensive IKEA (Gulleplutt .99$ CP) finger puppet. Don’t let you imagination stop there. As your child grows out of silly rhymes consider getting creative and making an imaginary pizza on your kiddo’s back, belly or palm. What about planting a garden and watching it grow?
I can give you more research that indicates why it is important to perform these treatments at the same time each day, in a calm space with a warm blanket and yadda yadda, but experience has taught me that even when my son or daughter is in middle of their wildest meltdown behavioral state; a nurturing touch with loving intent is the only cure. For the Silo, Jenny Tansley.
Man I gotta thank you guys for the recommendation for House of Cards. I am hooked. I am into this shit. This is some of the best long form television that I’ve seen and you know? Long form television is changing the game. This series! I mean shit you’ve got David Fincher and Joel Schumacher directing these television episodes. Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright; holy shit you know? Not to mention all the great people on HBO…I mean, long form television has…..there was a time when film actors wouldn’t dream of condescending to doing television and now long form television is the shit and this House of Cards shit is the shit. It is better than Homeland though I recommend The Newsroom although I don’t think it’s available on Netflix but The Newsroom is a helluva series. Wow.
*this letter to the Silo was transcribed from a reader Skype call we received. Skype us anytime We are: thesiloteam on Skype
Dear Silo, i don’t know what your position on him is, but let me tell you rob ford is trending at the very top of the internet right at this moment, his most recent, startling comments to the press about eating pussy are on the you tube homepage on the very top. [See below to view video CP]
jon stewart on the daily show spent about five minutes on those comments in his opening monologue and pleaded with him to step down, and that’s just the U.S. this is global, and i guess as someone who lived there for so long i have a strong opinion that he should step aside at this point.
the entire city council, including his own inner circle, voted to restrict his power as mayor. they are doing everything but throwing him out, which they cannot do. they are even testifying to the police about him. his own people.
Google regularly receives requests from governments and courts around the world to hand over our users’ data. When we receive government requests for users’ personal information, we follow a strict process to help protect against unnecessary intrusion.
Since 2010, we have regularly updated the Google Transparency Report with details about these requests. As the first company to release the numbers, as well as details of how we respond, we’ve been working hard for more transparency.
The latest update to the Google Transparency Report is out today, showing that requests from governments around the world for user information have increased 106% since we launched the report.
It’s a startling fact that everyone who uses the Internet should know about: We deserve the same protection online and offline.
It’s important for law enforcement agencies to pursue illegal activity and keep the public safe. We’re a law-abiding company, and we don’t want our services to be used in harmful ways.
But laws that control government access to user information should also protect you against overly broad requests for your personal information.
Share the Google Transparency Report, and help the Internet community stay empowered and informed.
A long time ago, in 1977, Star Wars started its quick and never-ending ascent to the top of the science fiction film genre. How many people alive when the original Star Wars: A New Hope was released thought that our children (and for some, grandchildren) would still be wanting to be Darth Vader or Luke Skywalker for Halloween? It is a rare child in Canada who has not owned a lightsaber.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of Shakespeare.
There are people who look forward to watching or reading Shakespeare about as much as they look forward to car repairs. Shakespeare can be seen as highbrow art which does not make sense. Why would someone watch a movie or play in an almost different language?
This is where Driftwood Theatre Group brilliantly played their hand. Using a book by Ian Doescher called, “William Shakespeare’s Star Wars,” Driftwood brought Star Wars geeks to play with Shakespeare lovers.
Everyone on both sides of the fence was blown away (no pun intended, poor Alderaan and Death Star).
Lines from Star Wars plays were eagerly anticipated, by some who were on the edge of their seats (One thing’s for certain, we’ll all be a lot thinner). But when those infamous lines were said, it had dramatic and, yes, Shakespearean flair (One thing is certain, we shall thinner be).
And there was laughter – from everyone!
There were also famous lines from Shakespeare plays which made Shakespeare lovers happy, (I bite my thumb at you, sir! Alas, poor stormtrooper, I never knew thee. Friends. Rebels, Starfighters, lend me your ears!)
It was also the formidable acting in the show which raised the play to mountainous heights. It was performed as a reading, with all actors reading directly from the book. It was enticing, enthralling, and highly entertaining. Dion Johnstone, who played a fantastic Han Solo, withheld laughter to the point where he looked like he would lose it, but never really did.
This play was a fundraiser for Driftwood Theatre. The evening included the reading, a silent auction, costume contest (sad point of the night, there were very few people in costume – it is Halloween time, people!).
The highlight of the night, for very lucky people, was the auctioning off of 3 walk-on role, Rebel, Imperial, or Interesting Creatures in the play. We (yes, I was a lucky one) were able to say such lines as, “UTINI!” and “This is a consular ship…” and, “Why aren’t you at your post?” I was Jawa #2 and the Innkeeper at Mos Eisley.
It was a truly incredible experience, watching Star Wars and Shakespeare geeks unite for 3 hours of Shakespeare/Star Wars bliss. For the Silo, Stephanie MacDonald. @mytimeatlast
Ontario is moving forward to help promote the good things that are grown, harvested and processed in Ontario with today’s passage of the Local Food Act, 2013. The new legislation is part of a strategy http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/about/localfood.htm to build Ontario’s economy by making more local food available in markets, schools, cafeterias, grocery stores and restaurants. This will create jobs and expand the province’s agri-food sector.
The new legislation — the first of its kind in Canada — will increase local food awareness, and boost sales by setting local food goals and targets in consultation with sector partners. The act will also create a non-refundable tax credit of 25 per cent for farmers who donate their surplus harvest to eligible community food programs such as food banks, and proclaim a Local Food Week that will take place annually, beginning the first Monday in June. Building a stronger agri-food industry is part of the government’s economic plan to support a dynamic and innovative business climate, invest in people and invest in infrastructure.
QUOTES
“The Local Food Act will benefit people by making the connection between buying local and helping grow an important Ontario industry. If we increase demand to homegrown food, we will create jobs and boost the agri-food sector’s contributions to our economy. It’s an important and historic step forward and I thank everyone who helped support this legislation.” — Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario and Minister of Agriculture and Food
“The Local Food Act will serve as a constant reminder of the bounty of Ontario. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture is happy to see that it will target food literacy, local food use and will help farmers attend to the needs of others through a community food donation tax credit.” — Mark Wales, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
“By raising the profile of local food, the Local Food Act will provide Ontario food and beverage processors with an opportunity to further develop local food systems and market development strategies. Ontario consumers are demanding high quality food and drink, and our processors are willing and able to deliver. ” — Steve Peters, Alliance of Ontario Food Processors
QUICK FACTS
The Local Food Act will also require the government to produce an annual local food report on its activities to support local food. The province’s agri-food sector contributes approximately $34 billion to the economy and supports more than 740,000 jobs across Ontario. The province’s farmers produce more than 200 commodities, including fruits, vegetables, livestock, dairy, poultry, grains and oilseeds. Food processors in Ontario purchase about two-thirds of the food that is produced on the province’s farms.
Ontario’s Local Food Fund is part of a $30 million investment from the province to create jobs and support innovative local food projects over the next three years (2013-2016).
Have you ever noticed how experts constantly refer to Autism as a ‘learning disability’? I contemplate this term as I watch my nine-year-old son Braydon, effortlessly scale my counter tops to filch the salt and vinegar chips I hid in top shelf. In fact, Braydon’s problem solving skills exceed that of his ‘neurotypical’ sister.
What would I change in my son’s treatment if I considered my son to have a communication disability rather then a learning disability? Is this just a title or is it maybe a new perspective?
I am not an expert but here is what I do know. Individuals who are visually or hearing impaired are considered to have a communication disability.
There are so many reasons why the sensory processing centers in the brains of certain individuals do not receive the input messages from their eyes or ears (or both like Helen Keller). Autism looks much the same to me. The sound of my voice competes with all the other sensory information that Braydon is so sensitive to.
The ticking of the clock, the air is too warm or too cold, his seat is too hard or too soft, the bathroom door is about to open and he is going to run away to close it. These things make up only a fraction of the information coming at my son at all the same intensity! Braydon’s moderate-severe Autism means that unlike those of us that experts consider ‘neurotypical’, he has no way to filter this information except to create an ‘output’ to counter it. Experts call this behavior ‘stimming’. I realize this all sounds confusing, but my point is that High Functioning Autism, like Blindness or Deafness comes down to being a sensory processing issue rather then an inability to learn as the term ‘learning disability’ seems to suggest.
Perhaps this is the reason why a Certified Autism Service Dog has proven to be such an asset to our quality of life? Service Dogs for the blind and hearing impaired are fairly common. Is a service dog for a person with Autism a truly enormous stretch? Trust me, it is a natural progression.
If perforated dots on a piece of paper can give a child who is born without the sense of sight an opportunity to read a book, or a computer can give Carly Fleichman, a girl with asphyxia and Autism the opportunity to find her voice, in theory my son could be able to learn the skills he is going to need to become a contributing member to his community. Just look at all the things Dr. Temple Grandin was able to accomplish!
My goals suddenly look much different. Instead of trying to convince my son to learn, perhaps I need only to teach him how to communicate. For the Silo, Jenny Tansley.
Ontario Greens are calling for a public review on the EU trade deal before its final approval.
(Queen’s Park): GPO leader Mike Schreiner is demanding that Premier Wynne conduct a public review on CETA (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) before Ontario approves the deal.
“The people of Ontario deserve the right to accept or reject CETA’s sweeping changes before the deal is finalized,” says Schreiner. “Ontario cannot let CETA sell out local decision making, local purchasing policies, and sovereignty over our natural resources and public services without
a public debate on costs and benefits.”
The GPO has raised concerns over CETA in the past. In a letter to then Premier McGuinty last year, the GPO asked to Premier to:
* exempt natural resources, local purchasing programs, public utilities and services such as education and health care, and municipalities from CETA;
* demand open and transparent negotiations, and
* insist the dispute mechanisms are open and fair.
“The Green Party supports free, fair trade with Europe, but NAFTA has taught us that we need to think these things through to prevent
expensive problems after the treaty is signed,” says Schreiner. “Ontarians need to be in control of fundamental decisions about their province and their economy.”
This would be the first trade deal that extends to provinces and municipalities. Over 50 municipalities and school boards have sought an exemption from CETA.
“Ontario must have a public review before approving such sweeping changes to our democratic institutions and local economies,” says Schreiner. “We can’t sell out our sovereignty to multi-national corporations without the people having a voice on the final details of this deal.” For the Silo, Becky Smit
In 2009 conspiracy reports of a Super NAFTA highway made headlines in the US. Here is a CNN brief:
Legislative Assembly Manitoba From 2007- Announcements of a Winnipeg ‘in land port’ with preclearance for international shipping , and a super NAFTA highway joining Manitoba with the US and Mexico via a mid continent trade corridor:
October, 2013 Ontario will help parents and their children make healthier choices by putting calories on menus, following consultations with the fast-food industry and health care sector.
Legislation that would require large chain restaurants to include calories and other potential nutritional information on their menus will be introduced this winter. The government will also seek advice on how to reduce the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages aimed at kids.
Consultations on menu labeling will include parents and representatives from food and beverage manufacturing, agriculture, restaurant, food service, food retail and health sectors. Consultations on limiting the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages to children will also include the media and telecommunications industry.
Making it easier for Ontario families to choose healthy food is a key component of the Healthy Kids Panel report and helps deliver on our Action Plan for Health Care.
This is part of the Ontario government’s economic plan to invest in people, invest in infrastructure and support a dynamic and innovative business climate.
QUICK FACTS
* The consultations build on steps the government has already taken to implement recommendations from the Healthy Kids Panel, including a 24-hour support line for breastfeeding moms and expanding Ontario’s Student Nutrition Program.
* In 2009, the economic cost associated with physical inactivity and obesity in Ontario was $4.5 billion.
* More than 80 per cent of food ads in Canada are for food high in calories and low in nutritional value.
* A vast majority of Ontarians (95 per cent) support requiring fast food restaurants list nutritional information on their menus (Ipsos Reid, 2011).
Australia’s controversial “Break the Habit”- childhood obesity commercial
Dear Silo, A news broadcast by CBC Canada http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace tonight [October 4, 2013] shined a negative light on the veterinary profession. The segment took a dog with a hidden camera to ten Toronto veterinarians to see what health recommendations were
suggested in the first check-up. According to the show’s host, the veterinarians all provided various recommendations that did not align. The host also “surveyed” the ten veterinarians asking them various questions about vaccinations, exams and medication. They made several anecdotal statements based on the ten veterinarians they questioned, calling the data “black and white.” Nothing is “black and white,”
as the report suggests.
Trupanion disagrees with the statements and overall accusations made against the veterinary profession in this news broadcast. This is not what we have seen in our 15 years of experience with veterinarians. We have hundreds of thousands of pet health claims that contradict this newscast and much evidence of the incredible value pet owners receive from the work done by veterinarians who have treated, healed and in some cases, saved their beloved pet.
CBC Marketplace compared the veterinarians’ recommendations to the opinions of an outspoken California-based researcher, who is a critic of vaccinations, and declared them facts. They surveyed and evaluated only ten veterinarians out of 12,500 currently in small animal practice in Canada. This is .08% of the general veterinarian population. The real story should be about the other 99.92% of the population, the veterinarians that serve nearly 10 million pets each year. We know them as an extremely honorable and trustworthy group of people. We expect there will
be an outrage from pet owners who have had generations of pets lovingly, competently and compassionately cared for by their family veterinarian, who charged only a fraction of what an MD would charge for the same procedures. Veterinarians have long subsidized the high quality of care pets receive in North America and it is unfair for CBC to attack the most trusted professionals. The data cited is narrowly
constructed to advance a negative point of view.
The average salary of a veterinarian was $82,040 in May 2010 according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook<http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/veterinarians.htm>. The average debt of new veterinary graduates is $150,000 (JAVMA September 15, 2008). They use medicine and equipment that costs the same used in human medicine. Often acting as the ultimate safety net for the care of pets in disadvantaged circumstances, many discount their salaries and pull from their own wallets to pay those costs for their patients.
It’s disheartening to see this respected and trusted profession criticized through a sensationalized news story by the media that fails to display tangible evidence that back their statements. We support veterinarians across the world and stand by their practices as they continue to maintain the health and wellness of our four-legged family members. Darryl Rawlings, Trupanion CEO.
St. Catharines, Canada — The Niagara Artists Centre’s (NAC) 2013 STRUTT Wearable Art Weekend (STRUTT) is outlandish, bold and more spectacular than ever before. STRUTT takes place on November 15 and 16, 2013 culminating with the STRUTT Runway Show, which takes place Saturday, November 16 at the WS Tyler Factory in St. Catharines, ON.
Doors open at 8 p.m. and the runway show begins at 9 p.m. The STRUTT Runway Show showcases over 40 unique wearable artworks by local and province-wide artists, and will be scored by crown princes of Trans-Canadian cosmic rock, The Sadies. The event website is www.struttwearableartshow.ca
“We do whatever we can to bring the ‘WTF’ factor to every STRUTT. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been to the last ten or you’ve never been before, you’re going to get your head spun,” expresses NAC “Minister of Energy, Minds, and Resources,” Stephen Remus.
“Art and fashion are two things that academics, upper crust types, and anybody else who likes to be full of themselves has almost ruined completely. Thankfully, STRUTT brings it all back to earth in glorious style like a boulder of good times smacking down on a jelly doughnut.”
STRUTT is a surreal party scene where the absurd is commonplace. As Doug Herod of the St. Catharines Standard reflects, “STRUTT rocks! STRUTT is a wearable art fashion show, but that description doesn’t do it justice. It’s music, it’s entertainment, it’s theatre – and a lot of fun.” In addition to the art on the runway, The Sadies will be taking the stage and there are a variety of other spectacles leading up to the STRUTT Runway Show on November 15 at the WS Tyler Factory to keep partygoers entertained. The weekend’s events feature a photography
exhibit showcasing over 300 works of art that have been created over the past 14 years, and a dinner party featuring a live performance of chamber music combined with breathtaking imagery, local wine and a four-course epicurean feast.
STRUTT 2013 sponsors, partners and supporters are (in alphabetical order) Brock University Centre for the Arts, Canadian Tire Financial Services, City of St. Catharines, Design Electronics, Eight Contracting and Restorations, Henley Honda, Liberty! Bikes, Ontario Arts Council, Pen Financial Credit Union, Province of Ontario, Shannon Passero, The St. Catharines Performing Arts Centre, STORM Hair Group, and Suitcase In Point.
NAC is a not-for-profit, charitably registered, member-driven collective formed by and dedicated to serving the working artists and community of Niagara. Founded in 1969 as a collective of working artists, NAC is one of the oldest artist-run organizations in Canada. For more information visit www.nac.org
Earlier today [Sept 30, 2013 ed.] , our provincial government announced an investment of more than $2.5-million for enhanced breastfeeding supports. This will include the launch of a 24-hour helpline providing access to lactation experts with service in more than 100 languages. This really is a fantastic program for breastfeeding mothers who can benefit from increased support, no matter what region of Ontario they call home.
Ontario Government Helping Babies Get Healthy Start
Ontario newborns and their families will soon benefit from enhanced breastfeeding supports, helping ensure that every woman who wants breastfeeding support can get it.
Breastfeeding helps to encourage healthy development and can reduce the likelihood of overweight and obesity in adolescence and adulthood. As part of Ontario’s Healthy Kids Strategy, the government is investing more than $2.5 million to help families give their infants a sound nutritional start by:
* Providing 24-hour telephone access to expert support for mothers who are breastfeeding.
* Supporting Ontario’s hospitals and community health care organizations with training, tools, guidance and resources to help them achieve the World Health Organization’s Baby-Friendly Initiative<http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/bfhi/> designation and adopt clinical best practices in infant feeding that meet Baby-Friendly Initiative designation requirements.
· Targeted support for mothers in population groups that have lower rates of breastfeeding.
* Providing new resources to support breastfeeding through Best Start: Ontario’s Maternal Newborn and Early Child Development Resource Centre.
These initiatives fulfill recommendations made by the Healthy Kids Panel.
Giving Ontario’s children the healthiest start in life helps deliver on our Action Plan for Health Care to provide the right care, at the right time, in the right place. This is part of the Ontario government’s economic plan to invest in people, invest in infrastructure and support a dynamic and innovative business climate.
QUOTES-
“We’re helping moms to breastfeed with round-the-clock telephone support and expert
help from hospitals and community health providers. Breastfeeding promotes closeness
between mom and baby, helps protect against illness, and sets babies on the path to
leading healthy lives right from the start.”
– Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care
“Experts tell us that the first few years of our lives have a major impact on our
health as adolescents, teenagers and in adult life. This investment will help
mothers who want to breastfeed and create more Baby-Friendly Initiative certified
places where they can go to get answers and supports that are critical to raising
healthy children.”
– Teresa Piruzza, Minister of Children and Youth Services
“Breastfeeding should almost always work. Almost all breastfeeding problems are
preventable and if they are not prevented, they can be fixed. Unfortunately in
Ontario today, mothers have significant difficulties with breastfeeding because they
cannot get the best start from day one and they cannot always find help when they
need it. The initiatives the Ontario government is announcing today will help moms
get the support they need to breastfeed successfully.”
– Dr. Jack Newman, International Breastfeeding Centre and Newman Breastfeeding Clinic
“Though breastfeeding is natural, it is a learned behaviour and two must learn. Here
in Ontario there hasn’t been enough knowledgeable help for learning mothers and
babies up until now. I am hopeful with these new initiatives announced today that we
will see a vast improvement in the support mothers receive to achieve their
breastfeeding goals.”
– Edith Kernerman, International Breastfeeding Centre, Newman Breastfeeding Clinic,
Centre for Breastfeeding Education and Ontario Lactation Consultants Association
QUICK FACTS
* In Ontario, approximately 90 per cent of mothers want to breastfeed, but only 60 per cent do so when they leave the hospital after giving birth. By six months, only 28 per cent are breastfeeding.
* The benefits of breastfeeding include improved cognitive development and reduced incidence of illness during infancy, childhood and later in life.
* For each month a baby is breastfed until the eight month, the risk of obesity is reduced by four per cent – resulting in a reduced risk of obesity of 32 percent overall when a baby is breastfed for the first eight months.
But why do we continue to feed government? Why would we participate in any political or economic system that is not serving our best interests?
Government is basically unproductive and can only give what it takes. Bigger government takes more and gives less.
The fruits of our labour are controlled, confiscated, and redistributed through taxation, inflation, interest, and government spending. There is also a systemic shortage of official currency, which leads to a shortage of paid employment, and the jobs that are available might be completely unproductive. We are forced to compete for currency that is systemically scarce, even though there are plenty of worthwhile activities that can be done and there are plenty of people who are willing and able to do productive work.
There seems to be an increasing level of dissatisfaction with government and the political process, but there certainly isn’t a consensus in defining the problem or offering a solution that will sufficiently address all of our concerns or satisfy everyone. This poses a challenge, but it also presents us with an opportunity to carefully examine the form and function of government, and explore a full range of possible alternatives.
If we have freedom of choice and a free market then we should be able to individually select the goods and services that we wish to purchase from a variety of producers and providers, who should be able to compete for customers based on the quality and price of their products and services. All products and services, including government programs and services, should be able to compete in a free market.
Trade and exchange should be voluntary and mutually beneficial. We should not be forced to pay for anything that we don’t want or don’t use, and we should not have to do business with anyone who consistently offers poor quality goods and services or who does not pay their legitimate debts.
If we have economic freedom then we should be able to negotiate agreeable prices, accept or refuse any form of payment, control the allocation of our credit, and use any method or medium of exchange. We should not be compelled to use a systemically scarce currency that is created as interest-bearing debt.
If the purpose of an economic system is to facilitate the production and exchange of goods and services then it should be possible to create numerous ways to serve this purpose, with various concurrent systems operating in any location. This would give us more control over our time, labour, skills, and resources.
If government is a provider of services then it should compete for customers based on the quality and price of any services that it is actually willing and able to provide, including education, health care, and defence. If government services were the best ones available then we would presumably choose to use them. Our wealth should not be confiscated and redistributed to pay for anything that we don’t want or don’t use.
We can already seek membership in various communities, organizations or other groups, based on our own political, religious, social, recreational, or business interests. If we have freedom of association and political freedom then we should even be able to choose a apolitical system and type of government, without having to move to a different place, and without imposing or choice on anyone else. This would give us the option to hire people to manage our affairs and make decisions on our behalf, but we would not be represented or lead without imposing our consent.
Any imposed political system or government is a method of control. Political freedom does not exist if an individual is forced to accept the decisions of any other individual or group, even if it calls itself a majority.
Imposed political systems and territorial governments with their restrictive geopolitical boundaries can be replaced with a variety of voluntary communities, mutual benefit associations, and autonomous protective groups, with overlapping membership in any location. Multiple communities can exist in any geographic region, without any imposed territorial monopolies for the provision of services.
Individual participation in any economic or political system should be entirely voluntary, based on choice and consent, rather than coercion and compulsion. No person is an island, but everyone should essentially be able to individually decide how he or she would like to organize and manage his or her economic and political activities.
Government is a human invention that has changed over time and will continue to change, but the direction of this change will be determined by the way we think and the choices we make.
Diverse methods and arrangements can co-exist simultaneously in any location to facilitate the production, provision, distribution, and exchange of goods and services, for the mutual benefit of all voluntary participants, at their own risk and expense. James Clayton
Note- boldfacing was not indicated in the original submitted letter to the Silo.
Synopsis-A privately-owned spaceship built by Orbital Sciences Corp. made an Earth-rattling trip into orbit from Virginia on Wednesday, September 25th starting a four-day chase of the International Space Station to close out a nearly $700 million NASA program to foster a fleet of commercial spaceships to replace capabilities lost with the space shuttle’s retirement. Today (Sept 29th) is the end of the chase and culminates in a docking via Canadian Robotic arm capture with the ISS International Space Station. Read the full story from our friends at Spaceflight Now
We know they let you watch TV on the go, surf online, send emails and, oh yeah, make phone calls. But an innovative new tool now also gives you the power to use your mobile device to switch on any light in your home, open your garage door or turn on any other piece of electronic equipment, no matter where you’re located.
Ontario Technology firm: The Skylink Group – which previously introduced Skylink HomeControl, an affordable and easy-to-use system to wirelessly control your entire house – recently launched a mobile application, Skylink HomeControl App, that effectively turns your smartphone, tablet or PC into a remote control.
The handy app allows users to control just about anything in their home with the touch of a couple buttons on a virtual keypad, which can be customized to the specific devices they want to be able to access remotely.
“Anyone who already understands how to use a mobile device or a computer tablet will be able to use this app easily. That’s the key to getting the greatest benefit from new technologies – making them easy to understand and user friendly,” says Philip Tsui, CEO and the Chairman of Skylink Group.
The Skylink HomeControl System is designed for do-it-yourselfers and uses control modules which can be wired out of sight and wireless receivers plugged into wall outlets or lamp sockets, even wall switches and dimmers which replace your existing wall switches. For professionals, the Skylinkhome Wireless Control System has modules with three wires that can be installed almost anywhere.
The Wireless Control System can be used to control anything electronic, including:
. Lamps
. Coffee makers
. Fans
. Stereos
. Fire places
. Ceiling fans
. Indoor and outdoor lighting
. Garage doors
. Security systems
. Countless other electronic devices and appliances
For those who may not have a smartphone or computer tablet, Skylink also has a remote control – the credit card-sized SkylinkPad – which can be used to wirelessly control devices in your house.
In addition to convenience, the Skylink HomeControl System helps users realize significant energy savings. With the touch of a button, you can shut off all of your lights or set up motion sensors to work with the system. The wireless system also uses timers to ensure that lights and electronic equipment can be shut off when they’re not needed. Dimmers also reduce energy usage, contributing to a greener environment and lower electricity bills.
About Skylink Group:
The Skylink Group understands the needs and concerns of the homeowner in providing a safe and comfortable environment for their family whether they are at home or away. Established in 1990, Skylink Group operates out of Brampton, Ontario. On
Twitter at @skylinkhome.
On September 11th, 2013 – (New York City, US – Global Release) botObjects finally announced the ProDesk3D the world’s first Full Color 3D Desktop Printer (the ProDesk3D).
The firm aims to change the face of the 3D desktop printing market with the launch of the ProDesk3D, enabling the advancements to trigger mass market adoption of this technology – opening up a new generation of innovation, by doing so – accelerating the customer growth around the world. On the back of recently announcing their US high school education plans and its 3DDPE (3D Desktop Printing Education) Program – the firm believes that this market and the ProDesk3D is rightly timed for ‘hype to turn to reality’ – with new types of consumers buying this technology to innovate at home, and high schools shifting their expense policies to accommodate this technology in the curriculum. The market is now seeing a much wider set of professionals buy too – seeking automation & manufacturing efficiencies, new ways to gain client satisfaction, and finally, identifying new business opportunities as a result of using this technology.
“Our customers and friends are sharing with us their ideas for this technology and how the ProDesk3D gives them finally a product that can address the shortfalls in competitor products – such as professional resolution, better speed, amazing advantages of full color, and a product that is really plug and play. The ideas we are hearing are sensational from advancements in human prosthetics, to teeth dentures, to toy figurines, to advanced precision-based components, to food manufacturing testing and much, much more.
This revolution is happening at such a rapid pace that we won’t recognize it in 10 years time – everyone will touch this market in some way or another”, said Martin Warner, CEO & Co-founder.
botObjects announces expands its distribution footprint to UK, Austria and Korea We are pleased to announce today our Sole Distributor and strategic partner –EBM 3D Limited who in celebration will be launching Xerika, their brand supporting the best of new technology across the UK.
Today, botObjects proudly announced that 3D-Fabrik as their Sole Distributor and strategic partner in Austria. 3D-Fabrik will be announcing new web announcements & local pricing shortly. Continuing the Asian distribution release efforts, botObjects announced Alien Technology Asia as the Sole Distributor and strategic partner in Korea. botObejcts also confirmed that new web announcements due out shortly for this territory.
“We are extremely proud to announce our new strategic partners today, and look forward to announcing more countries very shortly in the build up to the global release of the ProDes3D”, said Mike Duma, CTO & Co-founder.
ONTARIO CAN’T AFFORD TO DELETE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS (Queen’s Park): Trashing Ontario’s Endangered Species Act is unacceptable, says Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner.
“We can’t let the Wynne government bulldoze environmental protections,” says Schreiner.
“Greens will fight to protect the places we love. Let’s leave our children the rich natural heritage we have enjoyed.”
Schreiner joined environmental groups in calling on the Premier to reverse a Cabinet decision to grant sweeping exemptions to species protection. Over a thousand GPO supporters have sent letters to the Premier asking her to protect endangered species.
“The Premier failed her first big environmental test,” says Schreiner. “It’s not surprising that the Liberals’ short-sighted attack on endangered species has led to a lawsuit. Breaking their own legislation threatens protections for water, farmland and healthy communities. And the silence from the NDP and PC opposition on these issues is deafening.”
There is a better way to move forward without sacrificing environmental protection. The Green Party agrees with the Drummond Report: user fees should pay for environmental protection. User fees are fair and economical, and they discourage wasteful use of precious natural resources.
The Green Party is also calling on the government to support paying farmers and landowners for environmental good and services that benefit everyone.
“Instead of destroying species or regulating farmers out of business, Ontario should recognize the economic value of environmental goods and services,” says Schreiner. “Once again, other provinces and countries are way ahead of us in protecting what we value most.” For the Silo, Becky Smit
(Queen’s Park): Green Party of Ontario leader Mike Schreiner is calling for an end to political gamesmanship at Queen’s Park. Instead,
Schreiner wants the minority legislature to move on legislation that protects food and water, democracy and local jobs during the fall session.
“Greens will push the government to protect the people and places we love,” says Schreiner. “The status quo parties need to stop playing political games so that we can get things done for the people of Ontario. Greens succeeded in pushing the Premier to save the Experimental Lakes Area [ search our site for more on the Experimental Lakes Area CP] in the spring, which was more than the Tories accomplished with 36 seats.”
As the only political leader to sign the Food and Water First pledge to protect prime farmland and source water, Schreiner is challenging the Premier and opposition parties to follow his lead.
“We can’t eat subdivisions, quarries or pipelines,” says Schreiner. “Ontario is losing farmland at an accelerating rate, bees are dying, and 2 pipeline proposals threaten our drinking water. None of the status quo parties are doing enough to protect the places we love.”
Greens know that part of the solution is to reduce the influence of powerful vested interests by banning corporate and union donations to political parties.
“People vote, not corporations,” says Schreiner. “We have to get politics back on track by closing the money taps that buy influence for powerful corporations and big unions.”
Greens are also calling on the government to remove barriers for entrepreneurs to create local jobs. Schreiner wants to see changes to finance laws to allow crowd source funding for new businesses.
“Ontario must invest where the puck is going, not where it is,” says Schreiner. “People want to invest in their communities to support entrepreneurs in clean tech and low carbon industries.”
For the Silo, Becky Smit
The Ontario government will introduce legislation to establish a Financial Accountability Officer, an independent officer of the Legislative Assembly. Ontario is the first province in Canada to introduce this oversight measure.
If the legislation is passed, the Financial Accountability Officer would provide independent analysis to all MPPs about the state of the province’s finances, including the Ontario Budget, as well as trends in the provincial and national economies. In addition, at the request of a legislative committee or an MPP, other types of research could be provided by the officer, including the financial cost or benefit to the province of any public bill. The Financial Accountability Officer could also be asked to review and estimate the financial cost or benefit to the province of any proposal that relates to a matter over which the Legislature has jurisdiction, such as the establishment of a new program.
Increasing financial openness is part of the government’s plan to work collaboratively, attract investment, create jobs and help people in their everyday lives.
“We are proposing the creation of a Financial Accountability Officer to further
enhance the openness and transparency of government. This would also include the
financial assessment of any public bill brought forward to the Legislature by an
MPP. The work undertaken by this independent officer will help better inform the
house on possible financial impacts of a proposed bill and increase information
available to Ontarians.”
– Charles Sousa, Minister of Finance
“We are fulfilling our commitments with the introduction of the Financial
Accountability Officer Act. I look forward to working with the opposition to pass
this Bill and other important legislation that we will be debating this fall.
Ontarians want to see minority government working, and I’m optimistic we’ll be able
to make progress in the Legislature.”
– John Milloy, Government House Leader
QUICK FACTS
§ The Financial Accountability Officer would be selected by a panel consisting of
one member from each recognized party, chaired by the Speaker of the Assembly who is
a non-voting member.
§ The Financial Accountability Officer would produce an annual report on or before
July 31 of each year.
§ The establishment of a Financial Accountability Officer builds on previous
government actions to enhance accountability and transparency, such as the Fiscal
Transparency and Accountability Act, 2004.
The collection is an intimate glimpse inside the personal and professional life of the master painter through a trove of important documents, including his marriage certificate, photographs and letters written to Renoir from friends and contemporaries such as Monet, Manet, and Rodin. The collection also features a selection of original sculptural plaster maquettes created at Renoir’s estate in Cagnes, France, in the twilight of his career. Battling severe arthritis, Renoir collaborated with a young and able-handed artist, Richard Guino, at his dealer Ambroise Vollard’s suggestion.
This museum-level collection is superb in its completeness and reveals volumes about the man and his art,” said Brian Roughton, Managing Director of Fine Art at Heritage Auctions. “It touches every corner of his life and represents the last time this collection will appear assembled ever again. In addition to the personal letters and objects, we’re also thrilled to have the opportunity to offer 20 carefully collected original plaster maquettes.”
If you’re a ticket holder or an occasional stadium goer you probably already know that in 2013, the NFL outlawed bags at stadiums as a security measure and the policy is quickly catching on at other sports stadiums and entertainment venues. Meanwhile, clothing brand SCOTTEVEST has been consistently declared a compliant alternative, allowing sports fans to beat the ruling; and continue to bring their personal items to the game. Let’s face it, if you’re taking in a three hour game, you need to make your stay as comfortable as possible.
How are smarter fans still carrying what they want into the stadium? By wearing SCOTTEVEST brand pocketed clothing. SCOTTEVEST has created a complete line of vests, jackets, and other clothing, all of which are carefully engineered with a large variety of unique purpose-built pockets. Always stylish and never bulging with a fans cleverly concealed cargo (wink, wink, nod, nod), SCOTTEVEST garments allow for the discreet, secure, and efficient storage of a multitude of different items, from technological gadgets to everyday; or game day; essentials. Cameras, binoculars, tablet computers, personal hygiene items and sunglasses are just some examples of personal belongings that have a specifically-designed home in SCOTTEVEST clothing. And to beat the exorbitant cost of stadium or concert food or drink, wearing SCOTTEVEST provides an incognito way to enhance your purchased goods and bring in snacks and even personal beverages to games or concerts.
The NFL ban applies to all bags, including purses and backpacks. It requires items to be put into NFL sanctioned clear bags; or into clothing pockets.
Because SCOTTEVEST clothing offers the benefit of up to 37 pockets per item and looks like regular fashion-outerwear even with the pockets full, it is rapidly becoming the go-to solution for football fans. Both male and female fans appreciate the fact that with SCOTTEVEST, what they bring in to the game remains their business alone.
SCOTTEVEST CEO Scott Jordan said, “The NFL policy is in effect and we expect it to be copied by other sports organizations, arenas, and even concert halls. It is a real issue that fans had struggled to come to terms with until SCOTTEVEST figured out a way to beat the system with pockets.”
For a more minimalist approach, fans can also try patented PortaPocket hands-free carrying cases, which can add a single pocket to any outfit. For the Silo, Jarrod Barker.
Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne attended the opening of two professional programs in Northern Ontario on September 4th, as part of her commitment to help young people in every part of the province prepare for promising careers.
Lakehead University’s Faculty of Law in Thunder Bay and Laurentian University’s School of Architecture in Sudbury are Northern Ontario’s first law and architecture schools, and the first of their kinds to open in the province in more than 40 years.
The schools will help Northern Ontario students enter the law and architecture professions, and study closer to their families and the communities where they grew up. There is currently a shortage of lawyers who specialize in Northern issues, and Lakehead’s new law school will help bridge that gap by focusing on issues such as access to justice in Northern and rural communities, as well as Aboriginal, natural resource and small- or single-practitioner law.
The Ontario government is committed to making smart investments that will help Northern Ontario’s economy grow and create more jobs.
“I want young people in every part of this province to be able to pursue their
dreams, find great careers and give back to their communities. These two exciting
programs bring new opportunities to a wonderful part of our province.”
—Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario
“A post-secondary education continues to be one of the most important investments
people can make in themselves and their future. Programs like these will help
prepare students in the North for the global economy, give them better access to
good jobs and help Ontario build the highly skilled and educated workforce it
needs.”
—Brad Duguid, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities
“These two new programs further establish Thunder Bay and Sudbury as destinations
for specialized post-secondary education and training. Our government is so proud to
be able to work with educational institutions in Northern Ontario to ensure we have
the infrastructure needed to educate the workforce of tomorrow.”
—Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development and Mines
QUICK FACTS
§ The Ontario government invested $1.5 million in Lakehead’s new Faculty of Law building, and $21 million in Laurentian’s new School of Architecture.
§ Approximately 57 per cent of Lakehead’s 60 new Faculty of Law students are from Northern Ontario. Laurentian’s inaugural School of Architecture class is comprised of 70 students.
§ Laurentian is the first Canadian school of architecture outside of Quebec to offer French programming. It also provides students with access to an Elder-in-residence, and several courses focused on Aboriginal teachings.
Dear Silo, you’ve probably heard me talk about my daughter Hannah in the past. She has been called many things: “The future of social media”, “Eco-Warrior”, “Changemaker” and “Activist”. At 10 years old, she is all of these things. And now, she can add Free The Children’s “We Day” speaker to the list. There will be nine We Days across Canada this school year, plus two in the United States. And the first U.K. We Day will happen in London next spring. [More on what “We Day” is all about below CP]
She created her blog, www.CallMeHannah.ca , at 9 years old, with the goal of sharing her growing knowledge and concern for the environment. Having always loved animals, Hannah made the connection between animals and the effects of environmental destruction on their habitats and lives. Hannah has become an engaged global citizen seeking to further her own understanding of her connection to and responsibility to the world. Believing that even the little things that we do add up to make a difference, her journey and discovery meet her call to action through her blog.
Issues that Hannah has written about in the past year include eco-friendly living, fair trade, bullying, clean water and child labour. She seeks inspiration and motivation from those who have come before her and regularly features the stories of her role models on her blog.
Not limiting herself to her laptop, Hannah has put her words into actions. She organized a shoreline cleanup in her community, was a WWF Earth Hour Team Captain 2013 and spoke at the WWFs Earth Hour event in Toronto, was the official “on the ground eco-blogger” for the JUNO Awards and launched We Create Change. Her impassioned speech at two local schools motivated her peers to collect 97,500 pennies for Free The Children’s clean water projects. An effective communicator, Hannah is comfortable and confident on both sides of the camera or in front of a crowd. She has honed her skills as an interviewer through conducting interviews with Craig Kielburger, Spencer West and Severn Suzuki. Hannah has appeared on CanadaAM, The Marilyn Dennis Show, APP Central, CBC’s Fresh Air and The George Stroumboulopoulos Show. She has been featured in a spotlight from Chickadee Magazine and named as a Champion of the Earth in Owl Magazine and was the youngest team captain for The WWF’s Earth Hour in 2013. As you can see, I am very proud of my daughter and her efforts to improve the world we live in. Her current focus is on We Day.
“We Day is a room that can transform people, where messages about bullying and social issues can resonate and a place where students can find people just like them,” said Free The Children ambassador Demi Lovato. “Growing up I was forced to deal with many personal struggles and I craved a space where I not only belonged but felt powerful enough to make a difference. To me, that‘s what We Day does – it brings people together in a day of celebration for world change, showing them they aren‘t alone in their journey and that it is cool to care. And I am so grateful to be a part of that.”
“As kids, we face different pressures all the time,” said Austin Mahone, Award-Winning American pop singer. “You‘ve got to surround yourself with positive people in your life, and that‘s what We Day does. It brings people together to celebrate the difference we can make for each other. I‘m so excited to be a part of it for the first time this year!”
We Day is a stadium-sized educational event and a movement of young people leading local and global change. We Day is tied to the year-long program, We Act, which supports students and educators with free educational resources, student-led campaigns and support materials to help turn the event‘s inspiration into sustained activation. Since 2007, youth involved in the We Act program have raised $37 million dollars for over 1000 local and global causes and logged more than 9.6 million volunteer hours.
“I had the opportunity this past summer to participate with Free The Children‘s communities in Kenya, and see first-hand the lasting impact that youth in North America are making through their charitable work,” said Joe Jonas from the Grammy® nominated, multi-platinum band the Jonas Brothers. “I understand what it means to these communities to have access to clean water and an education and I was thrilled to get involved by committing to help build two schools overseas with Free The Children. It may seem like a simple assignment to make one local and one global commitment, but these efforts fundamentally impact the lives of people around the world.” Eric Halper.
Free The Children is an international charity and educational partner. Founded in 1995 by international activist Craig Kielburger, Free The Children believes in a world where young people are free to achieve their fullest potential, and empowers youth to remove barriers that prevent them from being active local and global citizens. The organization‘s domestic programs—which includes We Day, Free The Children‘s signature youth empowerment event—educate, engage and empower 1.7 million young people across North America, the UK and around the world to become engaged global citizens. Its international projects have brought more than 650 schools and school rooms to youth and provided clean water and sanitation, health care and food security to one million people around the world, freeing children and their families from the cycle of poverty.
The organization has received the World’s Children’s Prize for the Rights of the Child, the Human Rights Award from the World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations, and has formed successful partnerships with leading school boards and Oprah’s Angel Network. For more information, visit www.freethechildren.com.