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Please Tell Prime Minister Stephen Harper to Honour Canada’s Promise on Poverty

October 18th, 2011Community, Frugal Crowd, Health & WellnessComment

Please Tell Prime Minister Stephen Harper to Honour Canada’s Promise on Poverty

Here is a letter from Make Poverty History urging Canadians to take action “together, we can affect change with our government and build a movement to tackle poverty and inequality:“

“Dear Canadians,

Monday October 17th is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

More than three million people in Canada live in poverty, including more than 630,000 children – one in every ten. And that does not include the shameful situation in First Nations communities where one in four children lives in poverty. This has significant impact on the health of First Nations children and future generations.

In 2009, MPs unanimously voted to “develop an immediate plan to end poverty in Canada for all”. Now there is a new bill to make that happen.

On June 20th, NDP MP Jean Crowder introduced Bill C-233, An Act to Eliminate Poverty in Canada. This proposed legislation comes very close to what we have advocated in terms of a law that would bind the federal government to a long-term commitment on ending poverty and to accountability for results.

Canada needs Bill C-233. This Act would obligate the Government of Canada to take action to end poverty in consultation with the provinces and territories, municipalities, Aboriginal communities, non-profit and private-sector bodies and civil society organizations.

Join us on October 17th by sending the following message to Prime Minister Stephen Harper:

Tags: a federal plan to eliminate poverty, a movement to tackle poverty and inequality, an act to eliminate poverty in canada, bill c-233, child poverty in canada, dignity for all: the campaign for a poverty-free canada, first nations communities, impact on the health of first nations children, international day for the eradication of poverty, jean crowder, long-term commitment on ending poverty and to accountability for results, make poverty history, stephen harper, sufficient federal investment in social security, to enact bill c-233, to end poverty in canada, to make a poverty-free canada a reality by 2020

You’re Invited: Celebrate Canada Day & Toronto Events with Road Closures July 1 – 4, 2011

June 30th, 2011Arts & Crafts, Community, Frugal Crowd, VideosComment

This is an update to my previous blog CELEBRATE CANADA!: National Aboriginal Day, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, Canadian Multiculturalism Day and Canada Day.

As a prelude to the Canada Day celebration, Prime Minister Stephen Harper yesterday, 29 June 2011, unveiled a new personal flag, for use in Canada, created for His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge.

The flag, whose creation and design were approved by Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge, will be flown for the first time today when The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive in Ottawa to begin their nine-day Royal Tour of Canada, from June 30^th to July 8^th.

The itinerary of the nine-day Royal Tour of Canada for The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge includes the following highlights:

The Canada Day Noon Show on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario (July 1)
Freedom of the City ceremony with the Royal 22^e Régiment in Québec City, Québec (July 3)
Search and rescue demonstration in Summerside, Prince Edward Island (July 4)
Event with Canadian Rangers at Blachford Lake, Northwest Territories (July 5)
Official launch of the Calgary Stampede Parade in Calgary, Alberta (July 8 )

From July 1 to July 4, there are Toronto events with road closures, too.

Celebrate Canada Day At Queen’s Park

Canada Day marks the anniversary of the formation of the union of the British North America provinces in a federation under the name of Canada on July 1st. The holiday was called Dominion Day, and since 1983 has been officially known as Canada Day.

Join in the fun and celebrate Canada’s 144^th birthday on July 1.

The annual Canada Day celebration on the front (south) lawn of the Ontario Legislature at Queen’s Park will feature a 21-gun salute to be fired by the 7th Toronto Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery, and the singing of O Canada.

FREE Canada Day activities include:

a line up of multicultural acts with eight dance performances;

a meet-and-greet with beloved kids’ character Shrek; and

inflatable rides, crafts, arcade games and a special kids show.

The day’s celebrations are all FREE and will begin with a citizenship ceremony to welcome new Canadians – with activities and entertainment following from noon until 5:00 p.m.

The following Queen’s Park road closures will be in effect Friday, July 1, 2011, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.:

o Queen’s Park Crescent East from College St. to Wellesley St. West

o Queen’s Park Crescent West from College St. to Hoskin Ave

o Grosvenor St. from Queen’s Park Crescent East to Surrey Place

Please click here for the complete itinerary of Canada Day events - FREE – at Queen’s Park.

Canada Day Celebration Highlights at Harbourfront Centre: FREE

Canada Day (July 1) events include
- a screening of Talespinners 2, seven short animated films for kids from the National Film Board of Canada,
- make a Canadian maple leaf sun visor at the Canada Day Crafts station, and
- sign up for one of the Strawberry Cooking Classes for Kids
- YTV will even be on-site with their W.O.W. Tour!
- during On the Pulse, you can play The Real Life Where’s Waldo? Game,
- learn about the Arts & Animals of Colombia, and more!

“O! Canada is the results of an online singing competition using the National Anthem. Through social networking we have generated an overwhelming response to our call-out for your take on “O Canada”… without changing any of the lyrics of course.”
- Please click here to visit the online contest page.
- 4:00PM – 4:30PM at 235 Queens Quay West
- map