| CORRECTION
An article about the Webby-nominated CBC site120seconds.com should have stated that the site has 1,400 visitors and 14,000 hits per day, not month. We apologize for the error.
· The controversial "calgary city" logo has been scrapped. Following the outrageous level of public and media opposition to the moniker (more than is generated by, say, the potential demise of the Lougheed building and Grand Theatre, the lack of affordable housing in the city, the stunted growth of the LRT, etc.), another vote was held and this time council turned it down. So, the city will remain The City of Calgary, at least for now, as administration heads back to the drawing board.
Meanwhile, the Calgary Regional Health Authority adopted a new name and a new logo with much less fanfare. The authority announced recently that its corporate name will be shortened to Calgary Health Region (not The Health Region of Calgary) – and its logo, in all lower-case levels, reads "calgary health region." It is still located in The City of Calgary, at least for now.
· The province is reviewing some programs for low-income Albertans, and it’s asking for public input. A five-member panel of government MLAs will review all aspects of programs offered by Alberta Human Resources and Employment (AHRE) for low-income Albertans, and submit its report to Minister Clint Dunford this fall. The programs under review include financial support, medical benefits, and training and employment programs.
The government states that the review aims to ensure the programs supporting low-income Albertans continue to serve the people who need them. A Low-Income Review Discussion Guide outlines the programs offered to low-income Albertans and presents some of the issues surrounding their delivery. The discussion guide contains a questionnaire that can be completed and mailed to the committee.
People are asked several questions relating to the importance of different programs, such as homeless shelters and supports for independence, and whether the level of support is too much or too little. To get a copy of the discussion guide and questionnaire, call 310-4455 or visit the Web site at www.gov.ab.ca/hre/lir.
The committee will also accept written submissions, and talk to Alberta people and organizations who use AHRE programs. Deadline for written submissions is August 3, and they can be mailed to MLA Committee to Review Low-income Programs, 10808-99 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5K 0G5, faxed to (780) 415-9299 (to connect toll-free, first dial 310-0000), or e-mailed to lir@gov.ab.ca.
· A campaign is under way to send a message to U.S. President George Bush with a worldwide blackout. In response to George W. Bush's energy policies and lack of emphasis on efficiency, conservation and alternative fuels, people are being encouraged to participate in a rolling blackout on Thursday, June 21 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in all time zones.
The campaign is intended as a simple protest and a symbolic act – for more details visit the Calgary Activist Network’s Web site at www.activist.ca.
· The Canadian Alliance isn’t the only political party facing internal discontent – a group of Canadians are working to replace the NDP. According to its Web site (www.newpolitics.ca/). The New Politics Initiative (NPI) is being launched by a diverse assembly of Canadians who are committed to the goal of creating a new political party in Canada – a party dedicated to the ideals of egalitarianism, solidarity, environmental sustainability, community responsibility, and socialism. The group believes the NDP should lead a process of constituting this new party, and it will be submitting resolutions to that effect at the NDP's federal convention this November.
"The New Politics Initiative seeks to build a party not just to contest elections, but also to fight more broadly for humane goals, and to support the day-to-day non-electoral struggles of Canadians for justice, equality, and sustainability," explains the Web site. "We envision a party that is connected in a meaningful way to the diverse collection of activist movements organized at the grassroots, community level. That's what new politics is all about."
Visit the Web site for more information.
· A labour coalition is working to make sure it has a voice in local government. The Calgary District and Labour Council and Political Action Committee is holding a meeting to co-ordinate labour activities in regards to recruiting, endorsing, supporting and electing labour and pro-labour candidates in the upcoming municipal elections.
The meeting will be held Thursday, June 14 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the International Association of Firefighters hall (538 - 7 Ave. S.E.). For more information phone Gordon Christie at 262-2390 or e-mail cdlc@telusplanet.net.
· The City of Calgary hasn’t banned the use of pesticides and herbicides, but it does want them to be used more discriminately. As part of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan, the city is working to have products combining fertilizer and herbicide banned from manufacturing and not used within the city – and some garden centres have voluntarily pulled the products, such as Weed and Feed, from their shelves.
According to the city, the products are commonly used by home gardeners as a convenient method of fertilizing at weeding the lawn at the same time, but most of the herbicide never comes into direct contact with the targeted weed and, as a result, is not effective – the chemicals either evaporates or leaches away into ground or surface water, causing pollution. In addition, the chemical may harm other plants.
The city is asking Calgarians to avoid purchasing or using these products, and suggests using a more environmentally friendly approach, such as digging out the weeds with a dandelion fork. And although it does not go so far as to ban herbicides, it suggests that if people are going to use them, they be used sparingly.
For more information, call the parks resource management office at 221-4664. |
