Canadian Social Research Newsletter
December 3, 2006

Welcome to the weekly Canadian Social Research Newsletter,
a listing of the new links added to the Canadian Social Research Links website in the past week.

The e-mail version of this week's issue of the newsletter is going out to 1744 subscribers.
Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to see some notes and a disclaimer.

Canadian Content

1. Anti-Poverty and Income Security Questionnaire (National Council of Welfare) - consultation ends December 15
2. National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women - December 6 + Canada's New Government to Status of Women: "Get Thee to the Kitchen!"
3. International Volunteer Day - December 5
4. International Day of Disabled Persons 2006 - December 3
5. What's New from Statistics Canada:
--- Labour Force Survey, November 2006 - December 1
--- Study: Trends in the teaching profession, 1999 to 2005
--- Education questions on the 2006 Census of Population: New questions for a new century
--- Canadian economic accounts, third quarter 2006 and September 2006 - November 30
--- Employment, Earnings and Hours, September 2006
--- Labour Force Information, November 5 to 11 - December 1
--- Employment Insurance, September 2006 - November 28
--- Study: Readiness to learn at school among five-year-old children, 2002/2003 - November 27
6. One step forward, two steps back (Task Force on Modernizing Income Security for Working-Age Adults) - December 1
7. HungerCount 2006 (Canadian Association of Food Banks) - November 2006
8.  Early Results From Major Study Show That Communities Can Create Meaningful Jobs (Social Research and Demonstration Corporation) - November 28
9. Tax Fairness According to Canada's New Government (Caledon Institute of Social Policy) - November 2006
10. Tabling of the November 2006 Report of the Auditor General of Canada - November 28
11. Debt Management Report for 2005–06 (Department of Finance Canada) - November 28
12. What's New from the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women:
--- New Federal Policies Affecting Women’s Equality: Reality Check - November 2006
--- Fact sheets for December 10th Campaign for Women's Equality and Human Rights
--- Intersectional Feminist Frameworks : A Primer - 2006
--- Women Resisting Poverty & Exclusion: Alternative Visions & Practices (National Forum 2007) - May 4-6, 2007
13. Bill 107 (Ontario government's human rights reform legislation), the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance and the [Ontario] Human Rights Reform website
14. What's New from the Childcare Resource and Research Unit (University of Toronto) - December 1

International Content

15. Poverty Dispatch: U.S. media coverage of social issues and programs
16. Poverty Net Newsletter #96 (World Bank) - November 2006
17. Policy Hub Bulletin: November 2006 (Government of the U.K.)
18. Call for papers - Australian social policy conference 2007 (11-13 July 2007) - Australian Policy Online

From the National Council of Welfare:

Homeless to Have a Say: National Council of Welfare Partners with Shelters across Canada
December 4, 2006
Press Release
In a one-day event at homeless shelters from all regions of Canada, homeless women and men will give their opinions about solutions to poverty in this country by filling out the National Council of Welfare’s questionnaire on poverty and income security. Nine homeless shelters in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and Iqaluit will take part in the event on Tuesday, December 5. James Hughes, a member of the Council and director of a Montreal shelter, says, “The purpose of our questionnaire is to find out what Canadians think about solutions to poverty in this country. It is important that people living in poverty participate, including homeless people who live in extreme poverty.”

NOTE to everyone out there
(NOT only for people in shelters for homeless people):
Please take ten minutes or so to complete this questionnaire (the next link below)
to help the Council in its mandate of advising the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development!

Anti-Poverty and Income Security Questionnaire
NOTE: Open the questionnaire Intro page (the link immediately above), select the version of the questionnaire that's appropriate for you (as an individual or an organization), read the welcome message and then scroll down the page to click on "Continue" at the bottom to navigate through the questionnaire; the questionnaire is running from a secure server - that's why you see the "https://..." in the Address bar of your browser - the "s" means "secure". A secure server ensures your privacy as you answer the questions.

This consultation ends December 15, 2006.

Anti-Poverty Strategy
Poverty advisory council launches Canada-wide forum
[Press Release - October 16, 2006]

- Go to the Social Research Organizations (I) in Canada page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/research.htm

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
December 6
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women coincides with the anniversary of the massacre of young women at the École Polytechnique de Montréal in 1989 and encourages Canadians to think about the results of deliberate acts of violence.
Source:
Status of Women Canada (SWC)

Also from SWC:

Statement by the Honourable Beverley J Oda,
Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women,
on the occasion of November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Related Links:

Public Service Alliance of Canada
Calls on Status of Women Minister to Resign
OTTAWA, Nov. 29 /CNW Telbec/ - Canadians are outraged at the $5M cuts to Status of Women Canada (SWC) and the changes in the guidelines which saw the elimination of funding for research and advocacy for women's equality rights. To add insult to injury, under the guise and premise of "achieving efficiencies" at SWC, the government has decided to eliminate almost half its workforce across the country.
Source:
CNW Telbec

Oda finally confirms termination of HALF of SWC workforce
29 November 06
Well, the true damage of the Oda/Harper cuts is now being confirmed. Earlier today, Minister Oda announced the federal government will be shutting down twelve of its regional Status of Women offices. These include offices in St. John’s, Halifax, Charlottetown, London, Hamilton, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Vancouver, and several others.
Source:
Statusreport.ca
Statusreport.ca is non-partisan, unaffiliated with any women's organization or political party. Co-founders Audra Williams and Pam Kapoor are independent communications consultants based in Halifax and Gatineau, respectively, who bring almost 20 years combined experience in public engagement and mobilization. Working in collaboration with an ad-hoc group of creative women, they are dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of SWC and the role it should continue to play in the struggle for women's full equality in Canada.
- incl. links to : welcome * the weekly wrap * question of the week * what to know (About SWC - About the cuts -What's up on the hill - About Minister Oda - About CEDAW - The scoop on REAL Women) * what to do (On the Ground - On the Web - Mobilization Gallery) * media (what we're sayin' - what they're sayin' - what you're sayin') * contact

- Go to the Canadian Government Sites about Women's Social Issues page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/women.htm
- Go to the the Canadian Non-Governmental Sites about Women's Social Issues page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/womencanngo.htm

International Volunteer Day - December 5
International Volunteer Day takes place on December 5th each year and is officially recognized by the United Nations as a day on which volunteers around the world are recognized and celebrated for their contributions and dedication.
Source:
Volunteer.ca

International Volunteer Day (IVD) website
IVD offers an opportunity for volunteer organizations and individual volunteers to make visible their contributions - at local, national and international levels - to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
- incl. background materials about the day, ideas on how to celebrate, news of what’s happening on IVD in your countries and promotional materials such as the IVD emblem, posters and fact sheet.
Source:
World Volunteer Web

Imagine Canada
Imagine Canada was launched in January 2005 when two leading voices of Canada's charitable and nonprofit sector, the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy (CCP) and the Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations (NVO), joined forces. CCP and NVO constitute Imagine Canada. [ See http://www.nvo-onb.ca/ ]

Nonprofitscan
- NonprofitsCan is the public information portal of Imagine Canada

Charity Village Canada's supersite for the nonprofit sector
- 3,000 pages of news, jobs, information and resources for executives, staffers, donors, and volunteers. If philanthropy and volunteerism are part of your world, this is your place

Support to the Voluntary Sector - from Human Resources and Social Development Canada
- links to a dozen online resources in the area of voluntarism

- Go to the Voluntary Sector Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/voluntary.htm

International Day of Disabled Persons 2006 - E-Accessibility
December 3, 2006
"(...)The theme for this year’s International Day of Disabled Persons (3 December 2006) is accessibility to information technologies, and the day will be referred to as E-Accessibility Day. Through its efforts, and collaboration with others, the United Nations aims to raise appreciation among Governments, private entities and the public of the significant benefits to persons with disabilities and society when they are empowered with increased access to information technologies."
Source:
United Nations

Related Links:

Disability and the United Nations
- incl. links to: United Nations Global Programme on Disability * Ad Hoc Committee, Towards a convention * United Nations System and Persons with Disabilities * Special Rapporteur of the Commission for Social Development * History of Disability and the United Nations * International Day of Disabled Persons

International day for disabled persons: Dec. 3
Dec. 3 is the International Day for Disabled Persons. The day aims to promote understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities.
Source:
Canadian Union of Public Employees

- Go to the Disability Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/disbkmrk.htm

What's New from The Daily [Statistics Canada]:

December 1, 2006
Labour Force Survey, November 2006
Employment edged up an estimated 22,000 in November, the result of gains in part-time work. The unemployment rate rose 0.1 percentage points to 6.3%, as more people entered the labour market in search of work. Following a pause over the summer months, employment has risen by 89,000 since August. So far this year, employment has grown by 1.7%.

December 1, 2006
Study: Trends in the teaching profession, 1999 to 2005
The children of baby boomers, like their parents in the 1970s, are having a huge impact on the teaching profession, according to a new study in Education Matters, Statistics Canada's online source of facts and analysis on education.These "echo babies" are attending universities in large numbers, leaving behind empty seats in elementary, and soon, secondary school classrooms. Meanwhile, the ranks of university professors experienced much faster employment growth than that of elementary and secondary teachers between 1999 and 2005.

December 1, 2006
Education questions on the 2006 Census of Population: New questions for a new century
In May 2006 Canadians participated in an activity that has been taking place in this country for over 300 years, a Census of Population. The census plays a critical role in the development of Canada’s social, economic and demographic fabric. The education questions in the Census of Population have remained relatively stable for many years. However, major changes have been taking place in the structure of the education system in Canada, and in the educational participation and attainment levels of Canadians. Furthermore, education is playing an increasing role in determining individuals’ labour market outcomes. This article reviews the changes to the education questions and their rationale.

November 30, 2006
Canadian economic accounts, third quarter 2006 and September 2006
The pace of economic activity was largely unchanged in the third quarter, following a pronounced slowing in the second quarter. Real gross domestic product advanced 0.4%, compared to 0.5% and 0.9% growth in the second and first quarters respectively. Economic production fell back in September (-0.3%), after having advanced in both July (+0.2%) and August (+0.3%). A more detailed analysis is available in Canadian Economic Accounts Quarterly Review.

November 29, 2006
Payroll employment, earnings and hours, September 2006 (preliminary)
Previous release
The average weekly earnings of payroll employees for September was $749.69 (seasonally adjusted), down $0.69 (-0.1%) from August. This leaves the year-to-date growth in earnings at 3.1%. This annual rate of change is obtained by comparing the average weekly earnings of the first nine months of 2006 with the average of the same months of 2005. In Canada's largest industrial sectors, year-to-date earnings growth as of September was 3.9% for health and social assistance, 3.8% for educational services, 3.0% for retail trade, and 2.5% for manufacturing.

Related Link:

Employment, Earnings and Hours, September 2006 (PDF file - 2.3MB, 530 pages)

December 1, 2006
Labour Force Information
November 5 to 11, 2006
HTML version
PDF version (423K, 55 pages)
- incl. links to : Highlights - Analysis (November 2006) - Tables - Charts - Data quality, concepts and methodology - User information - Related products

November 28, 2006
Employment Insurance, September 2006 (preliminary)
The estimated number of Canadians (seasonally adjusted) receiving regular Employment Insurance benefits in September was 492,600, down 0.5% from August and 4.1% from a year ago. The September decline was due to significant decreases in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. These drops offset large increases in the number of beneficiaries in August that were primarily due to a timing issue between the claimants waiting period and the reference week for these statistics. Nationally, the number of beneficiaries has been dropping steadily since mid-2003.

November 27, 2006
Study: Readiness to learn at school among five-year-old children, 2002/2003
Girls and boys differed in important ways in their readiness to learn as they entered school at the age of five, with girls outperforming their male counterparts in several areas, a new study has found.
Executive summary + links to all sections of the report (in the left margin of the page)

- Go to the Federal Government Department Links (Fisheries and Oceans to Veterans Affairs) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/fedbkmrk2.htm

Family falls behind trying to get ahead
December 1, 2006
http://tinyurl.com/yjj539
"(...) Social workers, labour experts and academics have long decried the lack of incentives in the system to help working-poor families lift themselves out of poverty. It's a system designed on giving with one hand while taking with the other, leaving impoverished families no further ahead, said income-security expert John Stapleton." There is no governing agency that looks at the overall effect of these programs," he said. "You need employment insurance, the tax system and Canada Pension Plan working together with public housing, child care, social assistance and the child-benefit system to bring in large-scale solutions. Many families are suffering the "unintended consequences" of rules that kick in when people's income levels hit an amount that nobody would think was excessive, said Susan Pigott, co-chair of a Toronto task force report calling on Ottawa and the provinces to overhaul the country's income-security system."
Source:
Toronto Star

Related Links:

Task Force on Modernizing Income Security for Working-Age Adults ("MISWAA")

Time for a Fair Deal (PDF file - 271K, 67 pages) - May 2006 ("The MISWAA Report")

- Go to the Ontario Municipal and Non-Governmental Sites (D-W) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/onbkmrk3.htm

What's New from the Canadian Association of Food Banks

More working poor relying on food banks
despite an 8.5% drop in overall use, national study shows
News Release
November 28, 2006
"(...) Even with employment, Canadians are struggling to stay above the poverty line and are increasingly turning to food banks to make ends meet, according to HungerCount 2006, the latest Canadian Association of Food Banks (CAFB) study. Charles Seiden, CAFB Executive Director, says the annual study shows the percentage of food bank clients who are part of Canada’s workforce this year is 13.4 per cent, up from 13.1 per cent last year."

HungerCount 2006
November 2006
Complete report (PDF file - 574K, 47 pages)
Summary (PDF file - 29K, 1 page)

- Go to the Food Banks and Hunger Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/foodbkmrk.htm

Early Results From Major Study Show That Communities Can Create
Meaningful Jobs
November 28, 2006
Ottawa — Can communities create meaningful work that is an attractive alternative to Employment Insurance and welfare? A major Canadian study of a new, innovative program is showing this to be true. Today the Social Research and Demonstration Corporation (SRDC) is releasing a new report presenting early impacts from the Community Employment Innovation Project (CEIP), a study of a program designed to encourage the longer-term employability of participants while supporting local community development in areas of continuing high unemployment...

Testing a Community-Based Jobs Strategy for the Unemployed:
Early Impacts of the Community Employment Innovation Project
Complete report (PDF file - 1.4MB, 166 pages)
Executive Summary (PDF file - 836K, 14 pages)

Source:
Social Research and Demonstration Corporation

- Go to the Social Research Organizations (I) in Canada page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/research.htm

Tax Fairness According to Canada's New Government (PDF file - 70K, 13 pages)
Ed Tamagno and Ken Battle
November 2006
Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s surprise announcement on October 31, 2006, shutting down income trusts was front page news across Canada. Little media attention, however, was given to other changes to the income tax system announced at the same time. These include two of particular importance to seniors: a proposal to allow couples to split pension income and an increase in the age credit. This commentary analyzes these proposed changes to the tax system and who will benefit if they are implemented. It shows that the splitting of pension income will provide windfall benefits to some of the wealthiest seniors, only modest benefits to middle-income seniors, and nothing at all to the poorest of Canada’s elderly. The commentary goes on to present an alternative approach - involving changes to the age credit and pension income credit - that is fairer and that would cost no more, and probably even a bit less, than the government’s proposals.
Source:
Caledon Institute of Social Policy

- Go to the Social Research Organizations (I) in Canada page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/research.htm

Tabling of the November 2006 Report of the Auditor General of Canada
28 November 2006

o News Releases
- links to a dozen news releases from the November 28 AGO report, along with more links to AGO reports earlier in 2006 and going back to 1995

o Report - links to each of the 12 chapters and four appendices
Topics in this report include: the Federal Government's Expenditure Management System * Large Information Technology Projects * Proper Conduct of Public Business by Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Agencies * Relocating Members of the Canadian Forces, RCMP, and Federal Public Service * Old Age Security * Federal Participation in the British Columbia Treaty Process (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada) * Allocating Funds to Regulatory Programs (Health Canada) * Pension and Insurance Administration (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) * Award and Management of a Health Benefits Contract (Public Works and Government Services Canada and Health Canada) * Protection of Public Assets (Office of the Correctional Investigator) * Role of Federally Appointed Board Members (Sustainable Development Technology Canada)

o Press Conference

Of particular interest:

Old Age Security—Human Resources and Social Development Canada and Service Canada
Seniors have better access to Old Age Security, payment error rates are low
Chapter 6, November 2006 Report of the Auditor General
News Release
Ottawa, 28 November 2006—Seniors' access to Old Age Security benefits has improved with a streamlined application process and a campaign to inform those who are eligible, says Sheila Fraser, the Auditor General of Canada, in her Report tabled today in the House of Commons. However, the Report notes the need for better information and practices to improve the management of overpayments and ensure that payment errors remain low.

Chapter 6 : Old Age Security - Human Resources and Social Development Canada and Service Canada
"(...)Human Resources and Social Development Canada and Service Canada have improved seniors' access to program benefits by simplifying the application process and by implementing initiatives to increase the take-up of GIS. However, the organizations lack adequate information on these and other aspects of their service to clients, and do not give Parliament a complete picture of program performance.

Source:
Office of the Auditor General

- Go to the Federal Government Department Links (Agriculture to Finance) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/fedbkmrk.htm

Canada's New Government Reduces
Debt Burden to Lowest Level in Quarter Century
News Release
November 28, 2006
"The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today tabled in Parliament the Debt Management Report for 2005–06, which reports that Canada’s New Government has eliminated $13.2 billion in federal debt. 'This achievement will yield interest savings of approximately $650 million each and every year,' said Minister Flaherty. 'That’s money that can be used to provide priority programs or further reduce the tax burden on Canadian families and businesses.' The Government has reduced its debt to $481.5 billion from its peak of $562.9 billion in 1996–97, a reduction of $81.4 billion. Canada’s net debt burden is the lowest in the G7 and is well below the average of countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development."

Complete report:

Debt Management Report for 2005–06
HTML
PDF version - 1.02MB, 91 pages
Outlines the key elements of current federal debt management strategy and describes various strategic and operational aspects of the government's debt program and cash management activities over the past year

Debt Management reports for Earlier Fiscal years - back to 1997

Related Links:

Annual Financial Report of the Government of Canada
Fiscal Year 2005–2006
September 2006
PDF version - 663K, 31 pages
HTML version
- Table of Contents, incl. links to : Report Highlights - Budgetary Revenues - Total Expenses - The Budgetary Balance and Financial Source/Requirement - Federal Debt - Comparison of Actual Budgetary Outcomes to Budget Estimates -Report of the Auditor General on the Condensed Financial Statements of the Government of Canada - Condensed Financial Statements of the Government of Canada

Annual Financial Reports for Earlier Fiscal Years - back to 1995-96

Fiscal Reference Tables, September 2006
HTML version
PDF version - 348K, 64 pages
The Fiscal Reference Tables provide annual data on the financial position of the federal and provincial governments. The data are presented on both a Public Accounts basis—corresponding to the accounting conventions used to report financial information to the respective legislatures—as well as on a National Accounts basis—as prepared by Statistics Canada and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Fiscal Reference Tables for Earlier Years - back to 1996

Source:
Department of Finance Canada

- Go to the Federal Government Department Links (Agriculture to Finance) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/fedbkmrk.htm

What's New from the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW):

New Federal Policies Affecting Women’s Equality: Reality Check (PDF file - 118K, 8 pages)
CRIAW Fact Sheet
November 2006 - No. 8
In 2006, the federal government made a number of important changes affecting women’s equality provisions. In addition to cutbacks, the elimination of some programs and changes to others, some government equality commitments to action were stalled or reversed. The justifications for these measures were that women are strong, already equal, and don’t need these policy supports. Although we have equality rights on paper, we need to do much more work to make these equality rights a reality for all women in Canada.

Fact sheets for December 10th Campaign for Women's Equality and Human Rights
(prepared by an ad hoc Committee of Women's Organizations)
- includes links to info about each of the following:
* Cuts to Status of Women Canada (SWC)
* Changes to the Terms and Conditions of the Women’s Program
* Outline of actual changes to the Women’s Program’s Terms and Conditions
* A Broken Promise to Respect Women’s Human Rights
* The Abolition of the Court Challenges Program
* The Refusal to Adopt Federal Pay Equity Legislation
* Childcare Cuts

Intersectional Feminist Frameworks : A Primer (PDF file - 1.3MB, 13 pages)
2006
"(...)While Canada has experienced substantial economic growth over the last decade, poverty continues to persist and grow in Canada. If you’re a woman or child, you may be counted among those most affected. One in seven (2.4 million) women live in poverty in this country. What’s worse — if you are an Aboriginal woman, woman of colour, immigrant woman, woman with a disability, lone mother, or senior woman, you face an even greater chance of being
counted among Canada’s poor."

Women Resisting Poverty & Exclusion:
Alternative Visions & Practices
National Forum 2007
May 4-6, 2007
Ottawa, Ontario
The Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (CRIAW) is creating a space to collectively explore, reflect, and mobilize around the issues resulting from women’s poverty and social exclusion, particularly within the Canadian context. It seeks to bring together a wide range of people into conversation with one another to explore alternative visions and practices. This forum will offer participants an opportunity to discuss local and global economies that create opportunities and challenges to women’s active, creative, and critical participation as actors in resisting poverty and social exclusion. We extend this invitation to feminists of all ages; researchers, activists, artists. Further information on the Forum will be posted on our website in mid-December.

Source:
Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women

- Go to the the Canadian Non-Governmental Sites about Women's Social Issues page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/womencanngo.htm

From the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General:

Government Tables Key Amendments to
Bill 107 with Standing Committee on Justice Policy
November 28, 2006

Related Links:

Proposed Amendments to Bill 107
Backgrounder
November 15, 2006
The McGuinty government is proposing amendments to Bill 107 the Human Rights Code Amendment Act, 2006, which was introduced in April 2006. Key proposed amendments to the bill would enhance the Commission’s independence, strengthen its investigative and public interest powers, promote greater fairness in the tribunal process, and entrench a range of available legal supports.

Bill 107,
Human Rights Code Amendment Act, 2006
Government Bill
38th Legislature, 2nd Session

------------------------------------------

From the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) Alliance :
(formerly the Ontarians with Disabilities Act Committee)

Ontario Human Rights Reform - A Call to Action
November 29, 2006 - Recent Developments on Bill 107
November 28, 2006 - McGuinty Government Releases Seriously Deficient Amendments to Bill 107
AODA Alliance's Final Brief on Bill 107 to the Standing Committee on Justice Policy
November 28, 2006 - More Media and More Legislative Exchanges on McGuinty Muzzle Motion
November 27, 2006 - First Day of Toronto Public Hearings on Bill 107 - November 15, 2006
November 27, 2006 - McGuinty Muzzle Motion is an Even Bigger Flip-Flop
November 26, 2006 - AODA Alliance's November 26 2006, Toronto Sun Guest Column on Bill 107
"(...) We agree the underfunded, backlogged human rights system needs to be fixed. We've offered alternatives. The Liberals just slough them off and shut down legislative hearings, where we'd present and debate them. Instead, they heed the call of Bill 107 supporters -- a small vocal group of self-designated "human rights lawyers."

------------------------------------------

And now, a different perspective from the so-called "small vocal group of self-designated human rights lawyers" mentioned above:

[Ontario] Human Rights Reform website
This is a clearinghouse for submissions, presentations, letters and papers supporting reform of Ontario's human rights enforcement process. Please click on our Open Letter for a list of supporters; click on Letters or Briefs to Justice Committee to read what many community organizations, disability rights activists, members of racialized communities, gay and lesbian advocacy groups, community legal clinics and social justice lawyers have said about why now is the time to move forward with reform of our outdated human rights system.
- incl. links to: Home * Endorse Open Letter * Analysis of Bill 107 * Myths & Reality * Briefs to Justice Committee * Letters

------------------------------------------

Google Web Search Results:
"Ontario Human Rights Reform"
Google News Search Results:
"Ontario Human Rights Reform"
Source:
Google.ca

------------------------------------------

- Go to the Human Rights Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/rights.htm
- Go to the Ontario Municipal and Non-Governmental Sites (A-C) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/onbkmrk2.htm

What's New - from the Childcare Resource and Research Unit (CRRU) - University of Toronto

1-Dec-06

---------------------------------------------------
What's New
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MATERNITY LEAVE AND PAYMENT FOR CHILDCARE, IMPACT ON THE ECONOMIC SITUATION OF A MARRIED COUPLE IN DENMARK, SWEDEN, NORWAY, FINLAND, GREAT BRITAIN, AND GERMANY
Paper from the Danish National Institute for Social Research "applies microsimulation to illustrate the impact of different family policies on the economic situation of families in six European countries." http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93183

READINESS TO LEARN AT SCHOOL AMONG FIVE-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN IN CANADA
Report from Statistics Canada uses NLSCY data to describe the readiness to learn of Canadian children; includes discussion of the association between readiness to learn at school and early childhood education activities.
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93337

EARLY LEARNING AND CHILD CARE BULLETIN NO. 4
Newsletter from the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (representing off-reserve Indians and Métis people) focuses on current events in ELCC in Canada.
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93338

THE PINK BOOK: A POLICY FRAMEWORK FOR CANADA’S FUTURE
Policy document from the Liberal Women’s Caucus says “early learning and child care "must continue to be a centrepiece" of Liberal Party policy.
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93336

--------------------------------------------------
Child Care in the News
--------------------------------------------------

Family falls behind trying to get ahead [CA]
Toronto Star, 1 Dec 06
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93320

US expansion to drive growth for ABC [AU]
The Australia, 30 Nov 06
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93316

MP advances child care bill [CA]
Victoria News, 29 Nov 06
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93318

She changed the way we teach [CA]
Obituary of Bettye Hyde
Ottawa Citizen, 26 Nov 06
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93317

12 Status of Women offices set to close [CA]
Canadian Press, 29 Nov 06
http://action.web.ca/home/crru/rsrcs_crru_full.shtml?x=93319

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
This message was forwarded through the Childcare Resource
and Research Unit e-mail news notifier. For information on the
CRRU e-mail notifier, including instructions for (un)subscribing,
see http://www.childcarecanada.org

The Childcare Resource and Research Unit
University of Toronto, Canada
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Related Links:

Links to child care sites in Canada and elsewhere
CRRU Publications - briefing notes, factsheets, occasional papers and other publications
ISSUE files - theme pages, each filled with contextual information and links to further info

Link to the CRRU home page:
Childcare Resource and Research Unit (CRRU) - University of Toronto

- Go to the Non-Governmental Early Learning and Child Care Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/ecd2.htm
- Go to the International Children, Families and Youth Links page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/chn2.htm

Poverty Dispatch - U.S.
- links to news items from the American press about poverty, welfare reform, child welfare, education, health, hunger, Medicare and Medicaid, etc.
NOTE: this is a link to the current issue --- its content changes twice a week.

Past Poverty Dispatches
- links to two dispatches a week back to June 1 (2006) when the Dispatch acquired its own web page and archive.

Poverty Dispatch Digest Archive - weekly digest of dispatches from August 2005 to May 2006
For a few years prior to the creation of this new web page for the Dispatch, I was compiling a weekly digest of the e-mails and redistributing the digest to my mailing list with IRP's permission.
This is my own archive of weekly issues of the digest back to August 2005, and most of them have 50+ links per issue. I'll be deleting this archive from my site gradually, as the links to older articles expire.

Source:
Institute for Research on Poverty (IRP)
[ University of Wisconsin-Madison ]

- Go to the Links to American Government Social Research page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/us.htm
- Go to the Links to American Non-Governmental Social Research (A-J) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/us2.htm
- Go to the Links to American Non-Governmental Social Research (M-Z) page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/us3.htm

World Bank Poverty Net Newsletter #96
November 2006
In this issue:
1. Human Development Report 2006: Beyond Scarcity - Power, Poverty and the Global Water Crisis
2. Close to Home: The Development Impact of Remittances in Latin America
3. Regional Brief: East Asia Economic Update
4. Promoting Pro-Poor Growth: Policy Guidance for Donors
5. Book Launch: Efficient Learning for the Poor
6. Help Us!
7. To Receive this Newsletter
Source:
PovertyNet Newsletter
[ World Bank ]

- Go to the Government Social Research Links in Other Countries page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/internat.htm

Policy Hub Bulletin: November 2006
This bulletin alerts you to selected items added to Policy Hub up to 29 November 2006
Be sure to visit the Bulletin page (the link above) for the complete set of links added up to that date, and
visit the Policy Hub Home page --- http://www.policyhub.gov.uk/index.asp --- for news items added since 29 November.

Families' disposable incomes - CARE report 27 November

Welfare and punishment - CSF report 22 November

Affordable housing in the United Kingdom and Australia - AHURI bulletin 15 November

Young motherhood impacts - SPRC report 15 November

Social democracy in northern Europe - ARPA article 1 November

New direction for disability services - DADH plan 6 November

Website of the Month:
The International Reform Monitor gives a wide range of well-selected information on social policy (health care, pensions provision, family policy, state welfare), labour market policy and industrial relations in 15 OECD-countries: Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States of America. It is part of the "International Reform Monitor" project by the Bertelsmann Foundation. Researchers are also invited to publish their research results here.

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Sign up to receive an e-mail alert when the latest issue of the monthly Bulletin is posted on the Policy Hub website.
You don't actually receive the bulletin content - just the notification that it's available online and the URL to access the page.

News Archive - view the contents of previous Bulletins

Publications - 200+ links
A-Z Key Links - Index of resources featured on Policy Hub

- Go to the Government Social Research Links in Other Countries page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/internat.htm

Call for papers
Australian social policy conference 2007
To be held 11-13 July 2007, this year's conference theme is Social Policy through the Life Course: Building Community Capacity and Social Resilience.
The Social Policy Research Centre invites offers of papers for presentation. This theme encapsulates three central, inter-related issues in social policy: exploring life-course transitions, including the diverse challenges and opportunities which people experience within their age, gender, social, economic and cultural contexts; and identifying the interconnections between social investment policies, services and programs which build both community capacity and social resilience for individuals situated within their social networks.More information (Word file -
Source:
Australian Policy Online (APO)

More Information about
this conference (Word file - 27K, 3 pages)

Disclaimer/Privacy Statement

Both Canadian Social Research Links (the site) and this Canadian Social Research Newsletter belong solely to me, Gilles Séguin.

I am solely accountable for the choice of links presented therein and for the occasional editorial comment - it's my time, my home computer, my experience, my biases, my Rogers Internet account and my web hosting service.

I administer the mailing list and distribute the weekly newsletter using software on the web server of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
Thanks, CUPE!

If you wish to subscribe to the e-mail version of newsletter, go to the Canadian Social Research Newsletter Online Subscription page:
http://lists.cupe.ca/mailman/listinfo/csrl-news

You can unsubscribe by going to the same page or by sending me an e-mail message [ gilseg@rogers.com ]

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The e-mail version of this newsletter is available only in plain text (no graphics, no hyperlinks, no fancy bolding or italics, etc.) to avoid security problems with government departments, universities and other networks with firewalls. The text-only version is also friendlier for people using older or lower-end technology.

Privacy Policy:
The Canadian Social Research Newsletter mailing list is not used for any purpose except to distribute each weekly issue.
I promise not share any information on this list, nor to send you any junk mail.

Links presented in the Canadian Social Research Newsletter point to different views about social policy and social programs.
There are some that I don't agree with, so don't get on my case, eh...

To access earlier online HTML issues of the Canadian Social Research Newsletter, go to the Newsletter page:
http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/news.htm

Please feel free to distribute this newsletter as widely as you wish, but please remember to mention Canadian Social Research Links when you do.

Cheers!
Gilles

E-MAIL:
gilseg@rogers.com

FOOD FOR THOUGHT....

Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery ? 

If people from Poland are called "Poles," why aren't people from Holland called "Holes?"

If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?

Why do women wear evening gowns to nightclubs ? 
Shouldn't they be wearing night gowns?

If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?

When someone asks you, "A penny for your thoughts," and you put in your two cents' worth, what happens to the other penny ?

Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?

Why is a person who plays the piano called a pianist, but a person who drives a race car not called a racist?

Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?

Why do overlook and oversee mean opposite things?

Why is it that if I sanction something I am giving it my approval, but if the UN sanctions the same thing they are forbidding it ?

If horrific means to make horrible, does terrific mean to make terrible?

Why isn't 11 pronounced onety-one ? 

Why is 'one' pronounced with a double-U even though it hasn't got one, whereas 'two" which does have a double-U doesn't pronounce it ?

'I am' is reportedly the shortest sentence in the English language. 
Could it be that 'I do' is the longest sentence?

Why is it that if someone tells you that there are 1 billion stars in the universe you will believe him, 
but if he tells you a wall has wet paint you will have to touch it to be sure?

If you take an Oriental person and spin him around several times, does he become disoriented?

If lawyers are disbarred and clergymen defrocked, doesn't it follow that:
- electricians can be delighted,
- musicians denoted,
- cowboys deranged,
- models deposed,
- tree surgeons debarked (same as dogs), and
- dry cleaners depressed.