Community Foundations of Canada News Release | Vital Signs 2011

Bookings from one to 120 nights for one to 1,000 (and more) people can made anytime NOW for our summer 2011 season.

Please follow this link for more information and prices:
http://carleton.ca/housing/conference-services/.

If you have worked with us before and already have an employer account, simply visit our employer portal, CUHire at https://mycareer.carleton.ca/login/employer.htm, and enter your login and password information.

*Remember, your login is your full email address used when your account was first created. If you do not know your password, click here to reset. https://mycareer.carleton.ca/password.htm

Need an employer account? Start here: https://mycareer.carleton.ca/register/employer.htm

Make note of our fall 2011 co-op recruitment dates below and remember to post your employment opportunities early!

• May 25 – 27 First resumes are available to view online using your CUHire account
• May 30 Interviews begin
• September 6 – December 23 Fall work term start and end dates

Click here for helpful posting instructions: https://mycareer.carleton.ca/login/co-opinstruct.htm

We look forward to working with you.

Petula Ryan
Placement Coordinator, Co-operative Education Program
613-520-2600 x. 2926
http://www.carleton.ca/co-op

January 4, 2011

This morning, a coalition of groups is gathering at the spring in Wakefield to announce their next step in the campaign to protect this beautiful Québec community from inappropriate and unsustainable highway development in the form of the proposed highway A-5 extension.

Lawyer Will Amos of the University of Ottawa-Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic will read from a 10-page legal “demand letter” sent today on behalf of SOS Wakefield – the group representing over 2800 local citizens working to ensure that their water source is protected – to Québec Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks, Mr. Pierre Arcand. The letter calls on Minister Arcand to order a new environmental impact assessment (EA) given that his government’s decision to move forward on the highway extension is based on an out of date assessment undertaken back in 1986.

“The changing legal context in Quebec, which includes new laws on sustainable development and groundwater protection, as well as the growing public recognition that the Wakefield spring may be at risk, mean that a new provincial environmental assessment is clearly warranted before any further certificates or permits are granted by Minister Arcand,” says Will Amos. “If the government grants further permits without revisiting the environmental assessment, they may be avoiding obligations set out in the laws that they themselves passed over the last decade,” he adds.

Peter Andrée, chair of SOS Wakefield, agrees: “A new provincial environmental assessment is exactly what we need here. This new EA must include consideration of a variety of design options for the entrance to Wakefield, as well as a full public consultation process through Quebec’s Bureau D’audiences Publiques sur l’Environnement. These aspects have been sorely lacking in the federal EA that was released just before Christmas.”

The federal screening report to which Andrée refers, released by Transport Canada on December 22, is woefully inadequate when it comes to assessing potential impacts on the Wakefield spring. While it recognizes that the Vallée Verde aquifer is at risk from road salt contamination and the rock cuts planned for highway construction, it fails to provide any new data on how these impacts will affect the Wakefield spring. Instead, the screening report only promises annual water tests for two years after construction to determine impacts and a promise to replace the spring with a well if necessary.“The federal EA simply raises more questions than answers. We are now looking to the province for real answers to ensure that the spring and its aquifer are protected” notes SOS Wakefield steering committee member Philippe Cappeliez.

Mark Calzavara, Québec organizer for the Council of Canadians, an organization that campaigns nationally on issues related to the protection of public water sources and groundwater in particular, states: “Clearly the Wakefield spring, a source of potable water for over 5000 people, deserves better consideration than this. We are committed to working with SOS Wakefield to ensure that the Wakefield spring is protected by standing with them in their legal request for Minister Arcand’s intervention.”

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society is equally concerned. “A new provincial environmental assessment, carrying out an in-depth study of the area, should ensure the land and water around Wakefield is safe-guarded,” stated Muriel How of CPAWS.

“The adverse effects of the highway will upset the ecological integrity of Gatineau Park required to keep it healthy. Municipalities across the country now recognize the need for connectivity between natural areas. This highway will seriously disturb this need. Wildlife from the park will lose their corridor to the river. All governments must be more adaptable and prepared to be flexible with old plans to ensure they respect present environmental issues and don’t cause far-reaching damage to a given area, as this new
highway does.”

“The Quebec government is getting hit on all sides these days on their environmental record. A renewed EA on the A-5 extension would be just one small sign that they are trying to improve their environmental track record,” noted Carolyn McAskie, former UN diplomat and SOS Wakefield steering committee member.

- 30 -
Media Contact:
Laurie Gough
laurie@lauriegough.com
819-459-1552
OR:
Peter Andrée, Chair
SOS Wakefield (La Pêche) Steering Committee
33 Chemin Gendron, La Pêche
Québec
J0X 3G0
pandree@nexicom.net
819-459-1450

Also available for media interviews:
William Amos, M.A., LL.B/B.C.L.
Director/Directeur
uOttawa-Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic
University of Ottawa, Leblanc Residence
35 Copernicus St., Rm 110, Ottawa ON K1N 6N5
Tel: 613.562.5800 ext. 3378
Fax: 613.562.5319
wamos@ecojustice.ca

Pour les medias francophones:
Philippe Cappeliez
pcappeliez@gmail.com

Just get started
If you made resolutions for the new year, procrastination expert Tim Pychyl has some advice to help you: just get started! “Often we find it’s not as bad as we thought,” says the professor of psychology. If those resolutions include more exercise, check out the fitness classes and activities at Carleton this winter.

Who has shaped Carleton?
Nominations are due in February for the Founders Award, Carleton’s highest non-academic honour. Help us recognize and pay tribute to those who have made significant contributions to the advancement of Carleton through their dedication, generosity and commitment to the values of the university.

Executive takes residence
Faculty and students in international business in the Sprott School of Business and the master’s in Technology Innovation Management program in the Faculty of Engineering and Design have access to new expertise on campus. Michael B. Darch, as Executive in Residence, will advise and assist scholars on issues pertaining to global business and technology innovation. Darch has more than 35 years of experience in technology management, innovation and economic development as an entrepreneur, senior manager and military officer.

Travel with Carleton
Act now to reserve your spot on the journey to China and the Yangtze River and enjoy significant savings. The pre-brochure sale could save you up to $1,000 per couple. The land and cruise trip takes you to the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Three Gorges and much more.

Summer job fair registration
Whether you’re a recent grad looking for work or an employer looking for a new recruit, the summer job fair is the place to be. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on January 26, 2011, Carleton will be helping employers and potential employees find each other. Register now for a booth for your organization.

EVENTS

Aboriginal Awareness Week
Participate in the free events around campus marking the 5th Annual Aboriginal Awareness Week, January 18-22. Highlights include First Nation, Inuit and Métis cultural performances; workshops, discussions, and keynote speakers; Gemini Award winning film Reel Injun; Yuk Yuk comedian and Gemini Award nominee Don Kelly; and a roundance.

Visual Culture Series
The Friends of Art History Visual Culture Series includes two speakers in January. Join Peter Coffman for Anglicana Tales: Church of England Gothic in Atlantic Canada, ca. 1840-1890 on January 7 and Sandra Dyck, curator of Carleton University Art Gallery for The Well-Curated Cheeseboard: A Year in the Life of a Curator on January 21.

Go Ravens!
The Ravens are busy on the court and in the rink. Cheer on your favorite varsity athletes at any of the basketball and hockey home games this month.

Discuss art with four Ottawa painters
In conjunction with the exhibition Four Ottawa Painters: Melanie Authier, Martin Golland, Andrew Morrow, Amy Schissel, Carleton University Art Gallery is hosting a panel discussion on contemporary painting with these dynamic young artists, moderated by writer and critic James D. Campbell. Admission is free on January 23 at 2 p.m.

Residents are invited to present our views to Committees of City Council in the last two weeks of January and first two weeks of February.

Join us at this Women’s Action Forum where we will share how to prepare and present a 5 minute deputation. We will sit in the Councillor’s chairs and learn ways to support others who are speaking.

Info: http://www.cawi-ivtf.org/EN/home.html

Making sense of the cosmic soup
After only three weeks of data collection, the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva has brought new insight into matter as it would have existed in the very first instants of the universe. Carleton physicists are among the first in the world to directly observe “jet quenching”, the absorption of quark particles into the hot dense plasma created during the collision of lead ions. Carleton’s partnership played a key role as detector components built here were vital elements in the experiment.

A smarter home
As energy costs continue to rise in Ontario, a new collaborative research project between Carleton and e-Radio Inc. will help measure benefits to home owners who take an active role in the use of electricity in their homes through automation of household appliances and features. Smart Homes: The End User Perspective will explore how smart home technologies and architectures can better serve homeowners. Marc St-Hilaire, Smart Home project director and assistant professor at Carleton’s School of Information Technology, will examine the means and techniques by which home owners can use electricity in a convenient and effective way.

Laying down the law—and a beat
Melanie Adrian takes an “anything but textbook” approach to her first-year law class, teaching many of the main concepts using music, specifically hip hop from the Middle East and Africa. A special lecture on December 6 (open to the public, but with limited seating) will feature local slam-poets Danielle K.L. Grégoire, Faye Estrella and John Akpata performing pieces related to human rights and democracy. “I am constantly trying to marry theory with the ‘real’ world to make an impact on students lives—or maybe even to inspire them,” says Adrian.

More satisfied students
Continually enhancing the student experience is a priority for Carleton and donors to the university. Recent survey results show that our student-focused efforts continue to make a difference to first-year students. Responses to the 2010 Canadian University Survey Consortium show 9 out of 10 first-year undergraduate students at Carleton are satisfied with their decision to attend the university. Compared with 2007 results, students reported higher levels of satisfaction with personal safety on campus, instructional facilities, average class size, study space, general condition of buildings and grounds, and concern shown to students by the university.

Who has shaped Carleton?
Nominations are being accepted for the Founders Award, Carleton’s highest non-academic honour. Help us recognize and pay tribute to those who have made significant contributions to the advancement of Carleton through their dedication, generosity and commitment to the values of the university. For a description and nomination form, please contact heather_theoret@carleton.ca.

Convocation: just like being there
Congratulations to our newest alumni who convocated on November 13. Graduates and their guests were addressed by two recipients of honorary degrees, renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs and distinguished Carleton employee Donald McEown. Enjoy their speeches online.

Events

The Nutcracker
The National Capital Chapter of the Carleton University Alumni Association presents a festive treat for alumni: the Alberta Ballet’s The Nutcracker at the NAC on December 4. Grads get 20 per cent off.

Science Café
Stop by the Wild Oat Café on December 8 to discuss Up close and personal radiation treatments for cancer with Rowan Thomson.

Holiday skate
Lace up skates on campus on December 11 and enjoy the fabulous facilities at the Ice House. With open skate times, lessons for beginners, and a show by the Carleton Figure Skating Competitive Club, there’s something for every member of the family.

At the art gallery
Until January 30, take in three new exhibits at the Carleton University Art Gallery. Four Ottawa Painters: Authier, Golland, Morrow, Schissel takes the pulse of regional painting activity, presenting works made exclusively in 2010. Ijurnaqtut: Whimsy, Wit and Humour in Inuit Art explores ijurnaqtut, or things that make people laugh. David Rokeby: Very Nervous System is a landmark interactive new-media work that sculpts sound.

Today, Carleton is pleased to unveil the Community Engagement website at http://www.carleton.ca/communityengagement.

The website, designed in consultation with the university’s many community partners, provides a remarkable record of Carleton’s projects and relationships with others. It is also a venue to facilitate those relationships and encourage new ones between Carleton and the community.

The site has six primary areas of interest identified by the community. Within those areas, there are a variety of links to Carleton departments and programs, as well as community organizations.

A special feature of the website includes a “Community Engagement Bulletin Board” – an interactive tool where groups or individuals can post information about research, event, volunteer opportunities or simply post questions.

Carleton has a long history of engaging community partners in research, co-operative education and volunteerism. This website is a way of building on that.

This initiative has been months in the making and will continue to be a work in progress. An advisory group made up of Carleton faculty and staff and community representatives will oversee the review of the website on a semi-annual basis and will recommend any necessary updates or changes.

I want to thank President Roseann O’Reilly Runte, the Community Engagement Pedagogy Working Group and our many community partners for their support of this project. The assistance of CCS and the Department of University Communications is also appreciated.

I encourage you to visit the new website, use it and send it to your contacts and colleagues in the community.

Sincerely,
Katherine Graham
Senior Adviser, Office of the Provost