UNICEF Canada released The Equalizer: How Education Creates Fairness for Children in Canada this week, which is the Canadian Companion to the global report. In The Equalizer, UNICEF digs deeper into what contributes to inequalities and how Canada could do better. Out of 38 rich countries, Canada ranks 9th in MORE
CBC News: Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to develop memorial register of residential school deaths BC Local News: Residential school ‘monster’ now lives in child-welfare system: senator Delta Optimist: B.C. announces new transition housing for women fleeing violence Benzinga: Public education is a strong equalizing force in Canadian society, UNICEF MORE
The Prime Minister’s Awards for Teaching Excellence honour exceptional elementary and secondary school teachers in all disciplines. The committee looks for clear evidence that nominees have excelled in all of the following five areas: Digital and Creative Literacy in the Classroom, Innovative and Exemplary Teaching Practices, Support Student Success and MORE
Toronto.com: (Opinion) Extend Canada Child Benefit to all The Nelson Daily: Op/Ed:Progress on Child Care in BC StarMetro Vancouver: Even social-housing workers are being priced out of Vancouver Global News: Housing crunch pushing even the suburbs out of reach of B.C. families: report Times Colonist: Tent cities a ‘viable first step’ toward solving housing crisis MORE
Kelowna Daily Courier: B.C. budget committee hears plea for provincial funds for youth recovery house Columbia Valley Pioneer: B.C. advocacy groups aim for new federal autism funding Globe and Mail: B.C. cancer patient’s case exposes gaps in care for homeless people, advocates say The Tyee: Health Minister Reflects on BC’s ‘Big Challenge’: Fighting Poverty MORE
First Call joins organizations across Canada in endorsing Sugary Drinks Levy’s campaign calling the Government of Canada to introduce a levy on manufacturers of sugary drinks to reduce consumption and to partially recover related health care costs. The proceeds of a sugary drink levy on manufacturers should be used to fund healthy living initiatives MORE
Globe and Mail Limited screen time, adequate physical activity and sleep associated with improved cognition for kids: study Times Colonist: Comment: Are private schools better than public schools? Perception versus reality Huffington Post: Canada Needs A ‘Children’s Charter’ To Protect Kids’ Rights Georgia Straight: Melanie Mark: Provincial tuition waiver program helps young people formerly MORE
Join us at First Call’s Fall Public Education Forum with special guest, Annie Kidder from People for Education in Ontario. Public education allies often find themselves rushing from one issue to the next in what seems like an unending series of crisis. This forum aims to explore what collective strategies MORE
Times Colonist: Victoria council backs campaign for ‘living wage’ StarMetro Vancouver: Ontario’s cancellation of basic income pilot is seen as a setback by B.C. proponents Vancouver Sun: Abbotsford anti-gang program to lose funding as kids head back to school Vancouver Sun: Judy Darcy: Overdose emergency: Unprecedented crisis demands unprecedented action StarMetro Vancouver: Peer-led overdose response MORE
The University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) has created a research guide to help Teacher Education students find materials that centre or focus on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit worldviews, experiences and knowledge for teaching in the K-12 classroom. The guide was inspired by the OISE Deepening Knowledge Project. MORE
On June 15th, Senator Art Eggleton tabled a motion calling on the federal government to launch a national nutrition program for children and youth. The Coalition for Healthy School Food has been advocating for a national school food program since 2013. Coalition Coordinator Carolyn Webb explains that only one-third of MORE
First Call is organizing a Public Education Forum on September 22nd, 2018. We have created a short survey that will help us collect thoughts and ideas about topics of interest. We would like to hear your thoughts. Your participation will ensure this event is topical and relevant to your work.
Caring for Kids has released a resource for parents to understand how gender identity develops in children and how parents and caregivers can best promote healthy gender development in children. The resource outlines useful terms, explains how gender identity develops, discusses expression of gender identity, and answers other frequently asked questions in MORE
This research points to the importance of school-led social and emotional learning in promoting positive mental health. The paper highlights the multi-faceted approach undertaken in British Columbia over the past decade to promote positive mental health through social-emotional learning (SEL) in schools. SEL has been implemented in school curriculum, recently in MORE
The rate of childhood obesity in Canada has been rising steadily in recent decades and being overweight or obese impacts the mental health and well-being of children, as well as other aspects of their lives. There is unequivocal evidence that the marketing of unhealthy foods and sugar-sweetened beverages has a negative impact MORE