CERIS MANAGEMENT BOARD MEETING

 

FRIDAY, June 18, 2004

2:00 - 4:00 pm

 

At the main CERIS (Toronto) office,

246 Bloor St. W., 7th Floor, Room 702

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CERIS seminars will resume in the fall.

 

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Location: Room 548,  246 Bloor St. West, 5^th Floor (St. George subway station, Bedford St. exit)

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CERIS RESEARCH RETREAT

Date: Friday, October 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. 

 

Details to follow in the fall.

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GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH AWARD

 

We received twenty applications for CERIS’ First Annual Graduate Student Research Award. The Domain Leaders have finished adjudicating the applications. Due to the high caliber of the proposals received, nine awards of $500 will be granted, instead of the intended six. Graduate students will be notified shortly of the results of the competition.

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POLICY MATTERS NO.7

 

No Safe Haven: Markets, Welfare, and Migrants

By John Shields

 

Recent immigrants have faced greater difficulties integrating into Canadian society. In the past, two key institutions, social support programs and labour markets, have helped to integrate immigrants. But neoliberal restructuring of these institutions has jeopardized the integration process.  This paper examines the impact of social policy and labour market change on immigrants to Canada.  It argues that growing immigrant inequality is due to the lack of good jobs. This is in part the result of social policy that has cut social support and promoted new labour market structures. Immigrants are now becoming part of the “flexible” workforce. Their social exclusion is marked by high unemployment and underemployment, increased poverty, income polarization, and ghettoisation.  This paper concludes that weakened safety nets and social programs have deepened the tensions and feelings of alienation within the immigrant population.

 

To link to the original report, CERIS Working Paper Series # 22, click
http://ceris.metropolis.net/Virtual%20Library/Demographics/wkpp22_shields.pdf

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2004 OCASI GALA

Date: June 17, 2004 from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

 

Location: Sala Caboto, Columbus Centre, 40 Playfair Avenue (Dufferin and Lawrence).

Organized by the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI) on its 26^th anniversary.

Visit www.ocasi.org for more information.

 

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*****NEW DOCUMENTS IN THE CERIS RESOURCE CENTRE*****

Click here for a list of NEW documents in the CERIS Resource Centre in March 2004, or go to: http://ceris.metropolis.net/research-policy/NewdocList/newdoc list.htm

 

If you would like to use the Resource Centre, please call at (416)946-8825 to make an appointment.  Resource Centre opening hours:

                         Monday and Friday 9:30 A.M - 4:30 P.M.

                          Tuesday                    9:30 A.M. - 12:30 P.M.

 

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NINTH INTERNATIONAL METROPOLIS CONFERENCE

COOPERATIVE MIGRATION MANAGEMENT

Date: September 27 – October 1, 2004 in Geneva, Switzerland

 

The overall theme of this year’s conference will be cooperative migration management, an emerging issue that is especially appropriate for a conference in Geneva with its many international headquarters.  At issue is how various levels of governments, international organizations and civil society can discuss and work together to get the best out of the complex phenomena associated with international migration and migration flows.  Of central importance is whether co-operative migration management can create mutual advantages for both countries of origin and destination. 

For more information, please visit the website:

http://www.metropolis2004.ch/en/news.shtml

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ACCESSING POLITICAL POWER: EXPERIENCES OF SOUTH-ASIAN WOMEN

Date: June 5, 2004     4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

 

Organized by: South Asia Partnership Canada, Dr. Amali Philips (Wilfrid Laurier University) and Society for the Aid of Ceylon Minorities (SACEM)

 

Presentations by:

The Presentations: 

• Veena Gokhale, South Asia Partnership Canada: A reservation policy for women in local government: lessons from India

• Dr. Amali Philips: Wilfrid Laurier University: Women and Active Citizenship: Experiences from Sri Lanka 

• Penny Ramdeo, Toronto Women’s Call to Action: An initiative for bringing gender, race and anti-poverty issues into local government

• Soni Dasmohapatra: Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA): Encouraging civic participation among South Asian youth, specially young women

 

Reception follows (Tea/coffee and South Asian snacks)

Please RSVP: vgokhale@sapcanada.org

 

Location: SACEM, 5200 Finch Avenue East, Suite 301, Toronto (Corner of Finch and Middlefield).

Tel: 416-291-9972; Directions: 401 East>>Exit McCowan North>>Turn Right on Middlefield>>right after Finch intersection, enter parking lot on your right. Entrance to the office building is in front of Embassy Restaurant. If the door is locked, please press buzzer 301 to enter.

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2004-2005 MAYTREE LEADERS FOR CHANGE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

Deadline for applications: June 11, 2004

 

The Maytree Foundation is pleased to offer Leaders for Change, a community leadership program that expresses the Foundation’s commitment to building the capacity of social change leaders in our society. After five years of concentrated work with emerging immigrant and refugee leaders, Maytree is expanding the program to make training available to all emerging community leaders committed to working on a diverse range of social justice initiatives in the GTA. The program currently has an alumni network of 75 community leaders who continue their association with Maytree through their social justice work.

 

Twenty leadership candidates will be accepted into the program. The program begins in September 2004 and ends in May 2005.

 

More information about Leaders for Change and application forms are available at: http://www.maytree.com/RefugeeImmigrantProgram/LeadersForChange/LeadersForChange.htm

 

If you have any questions about the program, please contact Anita Srinivasan, Program Manager, Leadership Initiatives at anita.srinivasan@maytree.com.

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VITAL PEOPLE - GRANTS PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT

Deadline for applications: June 14, 2004

 

The Toronto Community Foundation recognizes the importance of celebrating and supporting leadership that positively impacts our city. The Foundation’s new Vital People program is for individuals whose leadership as a volunteer or professional in the non-profit sector is making a difference in Toronto’s Vital Signs^TM, but who lack financial support to fully develop their leadership potential. The program will provide flexible grants of up to $5,000 that can be used to access formal training or other informal development opportunities that enable recipients to build their skills or knowledge, apply or share their experience in different ways that will enhance their leadership contribution. The program is open to those just taking on new leadership challenges as well as those with many years of experience.

Please visit www.tcf.ca (What's New page) to view the Vital People grant guidelines.

Should you have any questions regarding the program, please do not hesitate to contact Mini Alakkatusery at 416.921.2035 x 205 or by email at malakkatusery@tcf.ca. For more information on Toronto’s Vital Signs, please visit the website.

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WORKSHOPS BY STATISTICS CANADA

 

HOW TO USE 2001 CENSUS DATA

Date: June 17, 2004

This is a full day workshop that deals with the content, geography, products and services of the 2001

Census. It provides demonstration and hands-on exercises with the 2001 Census CD-ROMs. Cost :

$300 or $275 for early registration 3 weeks prior (plus applicable sales taxes).

 

TURNING STATISTICS INTO STORIES

Date: September 21, 2004

This one-day workshop will show you how and where to look for the data you need, how to interpret

and present them. The workshop will cover the dos and don’ts of building tables and graphs, as well

as how to effectively search our extensive information resources. Cost: $300 or $275 for early

registration 3 weeks prior (plus applicable sales taxes).

 

MAKING SENSE OF SURVEY DATA

Date: October 5-7, 2004

A three-day workshop which includes a brief review of survey design considerations and provides an

overview of the basic tools of descriptive statistics using data from a socio-economic household

survey. It includes an introduction to several additional statistical techniques used in data analysis,

and a discussion on interpreting and presenting survey results. Cost: $750 or $699 for early

registration 3 weeks prior (plus applicable sales taxes).

 

INTRODUCTION TO SURVEY SAMPLING

Date: November 17-19, 2004

A three day workshop presenting the basic concepts and techniques of sample design. Participants

will discover the practical considerations in designing a sample. The workshop is intended for those

who plan, design or analyse a sample survey. Cost: $750 or $699 for early registration 3 weeks prior

(plus applicable sales taxes).

 

To register for the above workshops, please contact:

Advisory Services, Central Region, Statistics Canada,

25 St. Clair Avenue East, 10^th Floor,

Toronto, Ontatio M4T 1M4

Phone: 1-800-263-1136    Fax: 1-877-287-4369

Email: Toronto.info@statcan.ca

 

Web site: http://www.statcan.ca?cgi-bin/workshop/wst.cgi?region=ontario

 

***** CALL FOR PAPERS AND PROPOSALS *****

 

GATEWAY FUND

Deadline for submissions: June 28, 2004

 

Canadian Culture Online (a program of the Department of Canadian Heritage) has launched a call for proposals under the Gateway Fund. Eligible applicants are restricted to organizations from aboriginal and culturally diverse communities.

 

The primary objectives of the Gateway Fund are to:

• augment the amount of quality Canadian cultural content for the Internet;

• build audiences for that content by making it easy to find on the Internet; and

• engage Canadians in using the content and sharing their perspectives on Canadian events, people and values.    

    

For more information, please visit the website http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/pcce-cop/progs/gateway_e.cfm       

Or contact Anton Suphal, Tel: 416-952-1019   Email:anton_suphal@pch.gc.ca

Or Sarah Sorenson, Tel: 819-956-7060   Toll Free: 866.900.0001   Email: sarah_sorenson@pch.gc.ca

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VIDEO AND FACILITATOR’S GUIDE FOR NEWCOMER STUDENTS

Deadline for submissions: June 30, 2004 at 4:00 p.m. 

 

Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), Settlement Directorate, Ontario Region, wishes to fund a project to produce a video and facilitator’s guide that will help inform and prepare newcomer students and their families regarding issues arising from the Ontario Safe Schools Act.  

 

Through the Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) program, CIC Ontario Region funds community agencies to place settlement workers in selected elementary and secondary schools.  The settlement workers assist newcomer families with their immediate settlement needs and provide an orientation to the education system in Ontario. 

 

The provincial advisory committee for this program, known as SWISAC, has identified a common need for newcomers in secondary schools: an understanding of the safe schools policies that all school boards have developed, including the types of actions that fall in contravention of the policies and the penalties that are mandated. 

 

The Safe Schools Act is intended to put into place various ways to increase safety, respect and responsibility in Ontario schools.  It governs everything from student dress codes to the consequences for swearing at a teacher or bringing a weapon to school.  The Act spells out what behaviour is and isn’t acceptable and the consequences for unacceptable behaviour.  For further details, see the Ontario Ministry of Education website, www.edu.gov.on.ca/safeschl/eng/student.html.

 

SWISAC has recommended that a video and facilitators guide be developed that could be used by SWIS workers to proactively educate newcomers about their rights and responsibilities within the Canadian school system, to reduce the number of newcomer students who find themselves in violation of the Safe Schools Act simply because of lack of awareness, and to explain how students can present their issues to the school community so their needs can be discussed and accommodated, where possible.

For more information, please visit: http://www.settlement.org/sys/atwork_library_detail.asp?doc_id=1003557

 

Please send proposals to:

 

Elizabeth Gryte

Director, Settlement Programs

Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Ontario Region

130 Adelaide Street West, Suite 1500

Toronto ON M5H 3P5

 

All proposal inquiries should be directed by e-mail to: colette.snyder@cic.gc.ca

 

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