| Community notes
· Hostelling International Canada has launched a new and improved membership product for adventurous travellers on a budget.
· Premier Ralph Klein has appointed his new Cabinet, and the New Democrats are calling it bloated. New Democrat MLA Brian Mason reported that the decision by the Klein government to create six new government departments and add four new ministers to the provincial Cabinet will cost at least an extra $3.5 million. Since Klein became premier, the number of government departments has grown from 17 to 24, and the number of staff they’re responsible for has shrunk from 33,300 to 23,800 full-time equivalents.
· Celebrating Women in Spirituality, a multi-faith expression of women’s spirituality presented by the Tibetan Women’s Association, Calgary Interfaith, Women Looking Forward and the Glenbow Museum will take place Wednesday, March 28 from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Glenbow Museum Theatre. Women from 12 different faiths – Sikhism, Zoroastrian, Sai Baba, Christianity, Baha’i Faith, Islamic, Wicca, Judaism, Native Spirituality, Hinduism and Jainism, and Buddhism – will dedicate their devotional songs, dances, meditations and prayers to much needed universal peace and harmony. Admission is by donation, and all proceeds will go to Amnesty International in support of human rights work.
· A fund-raiser is being held to help reopen the doors of MOCA Family Resource Centre, known as Mo’s Place, at the Millican-Ogden Community Association. The centre, a not-for-profit charitable organization that provides youth with safe, supportive and positive environments, was unable to continue operating due to a depletion of funds. Desperados will host a silent auction on Friday, March 23 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are available by contacting Phylis at MOCA, 720-6761, or Mona at Desperados, 263-5343.
· Youth Action for Peace is sponsoring a Peace Video Contest for youth ages 24 and under. Videos should focus on an aspect of peace and youth, and the winning entry will be shown at youth venues around the city and will receive a $500 award. Deadline for entries is May 31. Form ore information call Sally at 247-1653, or visit the Web page at www.geocities.com/youth_action_for_peace/
· University of Calgary researchers are participating in a new Government of Canada initiative to develop smarter, safer and more envrionmentally friendly automobiles as well as better public policies involving the automotive industry. AUTO21 – Automobile of the 21st Century – is a new Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) program announced recently by federal Minister of Industry Brian Tobin. The initiative involved over 200 researchers from 26 universities, 70 companies and 17 government departments and laboratories.
One of the projects, involving Dr. Anthony Perl of the department of Political Science, is titled Sustainable Development and Automotive Policy. The investigation will explore the automotive industry’s engagement in, and potential transformation by, Canada’s environmental policy commitments, such as the Kyoto Protocol and other initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Dr. Elizabeth Cannon, of the U of C’s department of Geomatics Engineering, was a member of the AUTO21 proposal committee, and is a co-project leader. Other U of C participants include Dr. Gerard Lachapelle, Dr. Henry Leung and Dr. Peihua Gu.
· The United Nations Association in Canada has launched the Junior Professional Consultant Program and is looking to attract 25 students across Canada for paid internships with UN organizations around the world for a duration of six to eight months. Applicants must be Canadian or permanent residents between the ages of 19 and 30 who have graduated and/or are not presently enrolled in an academic institution. Deadline for applications is May 28, 2001, and they are available at www.unac.org or by contacting 613-232-5751 (ext. 237).
· A Venture Start-Up Workshop is being held by generationgo.com to give practical advice to aspiring student entrepreneurs. The workshop, being hosted by the University of Calgary chapter of the Association of Collegiate Entrepreneurs and the Mount Royal College Student Entrepreneurs Society, is designed to help students with ideas for ventures – from technology start-ups to not-for-profits. The workshop is open to all registered full-time students of U of C and MRC, and they can register on-line at generationgo.com or by calling 265-7945. |
