| Midwives in Alberta say their future is in jeopardy because they can’t afford to practise without more government help.
In 2001, the Alberta government gave midwives a one-time cash payment to help cover rising insurance costs, but some midwives in the province say without direct government support, they can’t afford to offer their services in Alberta. They are pushing the government to make midwifery a fully funded public service, similar to other health care services.
Calgary’s transit system has been recognized as the first in North America to achieve an important environmental standard.
Calgary Transit recently became fully registered to the ISO 4001 environmental standard, a management philosophy that considers the environment in every aspect of its operation.
Calgary Transit is well-known for environmental measures such as running the C-Train system exclusively on wind-generated power, and has a new washing system for its buses that recycles water.
Disability advocates are criticizing the Alberta government for failing to raise payments to disabled Albertans in the latest provincial budget.
A spokesperson with the Disability Action Hall says a review of the province’s low-income support system indicated programs such as Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) aren’t high enough for recipients to meet their basic needs.
That organization, along with several others, is asking the government to ensure that disabled Albertans are given enough money to pull themselves out of poverty.
A public conference next week will look at reconciliation and rebuilding after serious conflicts.
The conference will address issues in Afghanistan and South Africa, and feature speakers from Physicians for Global Survival, Athabasca University and the RMCP. The conference takes place April 25 and 26 at the University of Calgary.
An organization formed to advocate for the protection of wolves in the Bow Valley is presenting a public forum to discuss the problems wolves face in the wild.
The forum is being organized by Help Our Wolves Live (H.O.W.L.), which was initiated last year when an important Banff-area wolf was legally killed by a trapper outside the park. The event takes place April 22 at 7 p.m. at the John Dutton Theatre in the W.R. Castell Library downtown.
The Alberta government has increased funding to volunteer and community groups through its lottery revenues. The decision comes more than a year after a controversial cancellation of another lottery program.
The government recently announced that an additional $26.5 million will be available to community groups that qualifyed under several different programs.
The government took heavy criticism last year when it announced the sudden cancellation of the Community Lottery Boards, which saw local organizations distribute lottery revenue to community groups.
A well-known California wine maker is suing Calgary-based energy company EnCana, alleging that the company illegally conspired to raise gas prices in the state.
Ernest and Julio Gallo winery launched the lawsuit last week, alleging that Encana and other companies conspired to create a false natural gas shortage. The winery is a major user of natural gas.
Encana denies the allegation. |
Copyright ©2003 FFWD. All rights reserved.