Tag Archives: cool links

Canada2020 speaker series launched

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Canada2020 has just announced that it is launching a regular speaker series, with an event to be held on the last Thursday of every month. This is great news for Ottawa. Anyone trying to bring interesting speakers and raise the city’s spice quotient will enjoy my support.

Their first speaker will be Andrea Mandel-Campbell, the author of “Why Mexicans don’t drink Molson“. Jay Myers, President, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters will be the respondent.

Entrance is free of charge, thanks to kind support of Scotiabank, Power Corporation and AstraZeneca.

http://canada2020.eventbrite.com/?invite=MzY0MjkvZGF2aWRfYV9lYXZlc0B5YWhvby5jb20vMQ%3D%3D%0A

For those who like interested in attending you can respond here

Event details:

Date
September 27, 2007 at 6:30 pm ET

Location
Sheraton Hotel Ottawa
150 Albert Street
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G2
Canada

Millennium Villages

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I few months ago I blogged about how I’m a big fan of the millennium village concept.

This week, Jeffrey Sachs published this update in Time Magazine about how small changes in one such village are cascading into larger successes by plugging the desperately poor into the global economy. It’s evidence of how getting regions onto the first rung of the economic development ladder can lead to growth, stability and success.

Last time I gave a donation to the millennium villages as a father’s day gift – those who have a reason to give (or those without a reason, but contemplating it anyways) can find out more here.

It's friday. We should all have a laugh…

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Yesterday’s posting on the flaws in the Citizen Assembly process generated a lively debate – one I hope will continue today and tomorrow.

In the meantime, for some comic relief, I’m keen to share my newest geek chic find. It’s called “Piled Higher and Deeper” and it is a comic strip by a grad student at Stanford. For anyone who has been a grad student, the child of professors or worse, both, this comic is painfully, indeed sometimes cruelly, hilarious.

I chose this sample, not because it is the funniest, but because it jives with the main point of this post:

Just in case you were wondering, if you found this funny, you are a geek.

For those brave enough to take the plunge, I recommend starting at the beginning and reading them sequentially.

Open Media

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For those interested in how ‘open source‘ systems can drive down the costs of establishing a media presence should take a look at The Article 13 Initiative.

By leveraging open-source technologies and providing training The Article 13 Initiative reduces the barriers to entry into the journalism market and reduces the costs of technology for established players (Article 13 is currently working closely with Rafigui, a French language journal focused on the youth market). With less money being spent on software, more money can be devoted to other priorities, like reporters and/or other staffers.

For those interested in open-source, be it in the arts, policy, software, media, etc… consider signing up for the Open Cities unconference taking place in Toronto on June 23rd. No one has updated me on how many slots are left so apologies if it is already full…

Jeffrey Sachs, My Dad, and the Millennium Villages

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Jeffrey Sachs wrote this great oped in yesterday’s Ottawa Citizen. In his piece he talks about the Millennium Villages which I think are just about the coolest thing to happen in development aid in a long, long, time. As the website describes:

“The Millennium Villages seek to end extreme poverty by working with the poorest of the poor, village by village throughout Africa, in partnership with governments and other committed stakeholders, providing affordable and science-based solutions to help people lift themselves out of extreme poverty.”

In short, Millennium Villages are test labs. Rather then start big, projects start small, see what works and then scale up. It’s a simple concept, which is, in part, why it is so smart.

Sadly, I’m not sure I have any useful skills to help the Millennium Village project directly. So I got online and donated $100 and dedicated it to my dad for Father’s Day (which, until Chiara B. reminded me, is this Sunday). Why $100? Because, as Sachs pointed out with an Economist quote:

“With an annual budget amounting to $50 a head administered by a UN team consisting mainly of bright young Kenyans, the Sauri villagers have apparently seen their rate of malaria go down from 43 per cent to 11 per cent (due to the provision of bed nets), while school results have leapt (due partly to proper lunches). Maize production has soared five-fold (due mainly to fertilizers) and receipts for crop sales have steadied thanks to a cereal bank.”

I liked the notion of donating in a $50 increments – it means you can measure ‘lives impacted.’ So is my dad saving the world? No. But he’s made the lives of two villagers in Mbola, Tanzania a whole lot better. And that’s a start. More importantly, the work he’s supporting is making it possible to assess how to help still more people more effectively. I know the scientist and the business man in him will be pleased.

So… if you have a dad – and I’m pretty sure at one point we all did(!) – here’s one good choice for a father’s day gift…

You can get to the donation page by clicking here.

What a week…

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I’ve had a fun week on the internet…

First, a little post about anti-abortion protesters’ use of the Canadian Government’s trademark was picked up by other bloggers (who did the heavy lifting) and it became a national story. This in turn prompted a treasury board investigation. Not bad for a couple of progressives armed with little more than some gumption, laptops and internet connections. Big thanks also to some readers who tracked down relevant info, and kept the debate alive. Clearly someone at the associated press is reading…

Then, I managed to get my Facebook oped published as a web-exclusive. I’ve still yet to penetrate the Globe and Mail’s printed page, but given the subject matter, a web-exclusive feels more appropriate. Not that I have much choice (I take what I can get) but there is an interesting toss up: printed op-eds seem to garner more recognition, but the nice thing about web-exclusives is that their not protected content. Unlike the ‘normal’ op-eds, which require a paid subscription to be seen, web-exclusives can be linked to and read by anyone – so people can share the link. So you have to choose: printed page that traditional readers see, or… an online version that people can share virally.

To be honest, I’m just glad the G&M and the Star read and consider what I send them…

Things I promised some readers that I didn’t get to: Publishing my speaking notes on the APEX presentation. Sorry about that, I promise it’s coming (but then… are my promises still worth anything?). In my defense a last minute trip to Whitehorse derailed my writing plans…

Canadian Foreign Policy oriented Job Posting

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I’ve recently been asked to sit on the advisory committee for Canada’s World. An emerging project that seeks to facilitate a national dialogue on Canadian Foreign Policy.

Shauna Sylvester, the founder and director has started the process of staffing up the project. Attached below is the notice. Interested parties should contact Shauna.

Job Posting – Online Community Facilitator and Editor

Term: 18 months
Rate: $55,000 to $60,000 based on experience
Location: Vancouver
Ideal Start date: June 11, 2007
Application deadline: May 23, 2007

Canada’s World, a project of the SFU Centre for Dialogue seeks a full-time On-Line Community Facilitator and Editor to join our national team. Canada’s World is a national citizens’ dialogue aimed at creating a new vision for Canadian international policy. Our secretariat offices are based in Vancouver and we work in collaboration with a series of academic and non-profit organizations across the country.

The On-line Community Facilitator and Editor plays a pivotal role in this collaborative initiative. S/he will report to the Director of Canada’s World and work closely with staff, interns, volunteers and advisory committee members in creating a virtual community where citizens can exchange ideas and learn about Canada’s place in the world.

The idea candidate will be an excellent writer, well-organized, and detail-oriented with a passion for and knowledge of international policy issues. S/he will be bilingual (French and English), enjoy working within a dynamic work environment and capable of analyzing complex discussions and distilling them in plain language communications. S/he will be experienced at facilitating on-line forums and blogs, enjoy editing and working with computers and social networking tools. S/he will possess a post-secondary degree in Arts, Social Sciences, Information Management or a related field, enjoy working in a face-paced dynamic environment and have the ability to think creatively.

Canada’s World is an equal opportunity employer. All interested applicants should submit their cover letter, resume and a 200 word response to the following question: What are some of the greatest challenges and opportunities facing Canada internationally in the next twenty years?

to: Shauna Sylvester shaunas@canadasworld.ca, Canada’s World Fellow, SFU Centre for Dialogue, 3303 – 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6B 5K3

Job Description

The Online Community Facilitator/Editor is responsible for facilitating the virtual presence of Canada’s World. S/he reports to the Project Director and works with web design staff in ensuring that the on-line components of the initiative are developed and delivered to maximize citizen engagement. Specific duties include:

Communications and Marketing

  • Assisting staff in identifying appropriate modes of marketing the website
  • Inviting community members to use the site, assisting them with access and logistical issues
  • Responding to information requests from community members in a timely manner
  • Developing on-line tools to maximize social networking and outreach to existing and potential community members

Editing and Regulation

  • Overseeing the approval of content across the site and ensuring that quality content is approved and inappropriate content is declined
  • Consulting with appropriate stakeholders when editorial issues arise and addressing them in a sensitive manner
  • Bringing attention to and/or enforcing community norms, rules and procedures
  • Acting as the primary liaison with the web hosting organization, suppliers and licensing bodies

On-line Programming

  • Uploading content onto the site, creating groups and folders and updating web pages
  • Maintaining a daily blog which summarizes the key ideas from the days’ online deliberations
  • Facilitating a daily on-line forum based on the key themes from the citizens’ dialogues
  • Designing and monitoring on-line surveys and developing summary reports of their findings
  • Tracking and monitoring web usage to identify areas for strength and improvement

Planning, Administration, Reporting

  • Providing advice to the Director and web design team on strengthening the on-line dimensions of the initiative
  • Working and supporting interns and volunteers in web-related activities
  • Providing written reports for presentation to funders as necessary
  • Participating in evaluations of the on-line program
  • Participating and representing Canada’s World at external meetings as requested
  • Participate actively on the Canada’s World staff team and share in the administrative duties

Call for Applications – World Youth Fellowship

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Hi friends – the Gordon Foundation (great people, great organization) have just issued a call for applications for the upcoming year’s World Youth Fellowship. I’ve posted the details below and encourage anyone interested to find out more information here.

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Global Youth Fellowship – Call for Applications/Appel à candidature

The Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation is pleased to announce the 2007 call for applications for the Global Youth Fellowship. This initiative is intended to complement the grants we award through the Foundation’s Global Citizenship Programme. The Global Youth Fellowships are targeted towards emerging, young Canadian leaders who demonstrate potential to enhance Canada’s role on the world stage. The Fellowships will provide successful candidates with a cash award of $20,000 as well as other forms of support.

To be eligible for consideration, applicants must be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants between 24 – 35 years of age with previous international experience – paid or volunteer. They also need to demonstrate a sustained commitment to international issues through studies, career choices and volunteer activities.

For bios of the 2006 Global Youth Fellows, please visit our website.

Application Deadline: Friday, April 20, 2007 by 5:00 p.m. EST

Application form and guidelines as well as more information about the eligibility criteria can be found on our website at: www.gordonfn.org.

We welcome your help in circulating this call for applications as broadly as possible.
________________________________________________________________

La Fondation Walter et Duncan Gordon a le plaisir de vous annoncer l’appel à candidature pour son programme de bourse de recherche des jeunes citoyens du monde 2007. Cette initiative vient compléter les subventions que nous octroyons au travers du programme de Citoyenneté mondiale de la Fondation. La bourse de recherche des jeunes citoyens du monde s’adresse aux jeunes chefs de fil Canadiens, hommes ou femmes, possédant un potentiel pour améliorer le rôle du Canada sur la scène internationale. La bourse de recherche offrira aux candidats et candidates retenues un appui financier de 20 000 $ ainsi qu’un support logistique.
Pour être admissible, les candidats doivent posséder la citoyenneté canadienne ou le statut de résident permanent, être âgés de 24 à 35 ans, et posséder une expérience professionnelle ou bénévole internationale. En outre, ils devront pouvoir démontrer leur intérêt durable aux questions internationales par l’entremise de leurs travaux de recherche, de leur choix de carrière ou de leur engagement bénévole.

Découvrez la biographie des jeunes boursiers citoyens du monde 2006 sur notre site Internet.

Date limite de dépôt des candidatures : Le vendredi 20 avril 2007 à 17 h 00 HNE.

Visitez notre site Internet à www.gordonfn.org pour obtenir les critères d’admissibilité ou le processus de sélection.

Merci par avance de diffuser cet appel à candidature le plus largement possible.

[tags]canada and the world, fellowships, scholarships, applications[/tags]

Understanding Ignatieff – The Intellectual Foundations of a Liberal Interventionist

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For those interested in Liberal Interventionists and foreign policy I just finished reading a piece by one of the sharpest minds I know, my friend Mike Morgan. Entitled, Michael Ignatieff: Idealism and the Challenge of the “Lesser Evil” and published in the Canadian Institute of International Affairs‘ “International Journal” it is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the intellectual origins of Ignatieff’s liberal interventionist thinking. Indeed, this paper is so good it was awarded the Gelber Prize, given to the best article by a junior scholar in the International Journal.

For another interesting piece, Mike also had published this op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. It explains the importance and power of human rights by looking at the role played by the Helsinki Final Act in ending the cold war. It is another great read and is even more closely tied to his academic research…

A quick thank you to the CIIA (which was also very engaged and supportive when Canada25 released From Middle to Model Power) for letting me post Michael’s article on my webpage.

[tags]Ignatieff, Helsinki Final Act, CIIA, Gelber Prize, International Journal, International Relations[/tags]