HRSDC: Older Workers in Hard-Hit Regions Get $70 Million Boost From Canada's New Government
The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, today announced a new national cost shared program to help older workers in vulnerable communities who have lost their jobs. Vulnerable communities are places where jobs are harder to find as they experience ongoing high unemployment. These communities are also places that are often reliant on a single employer or industry.

Leading retailer releases first accountability report
Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), Canada's largest consumer co-operative and one of its leading corporate citizens, today released its inaugural accountability report. "MEC's accountability report is a model," said Bob Willard, author of The Sustainability Advantage. "Its transparent, warts-and-all view shows MEC's sustainability beauty marks, its blemishes, and its genuine commitment to improve in partnership with stakeholders throughout its supply chain."

Precarn boosts R&D support for small companies
Ottawa-based Precarn Incorporated will double its support for intelligent systems and robotics research and development efforts at small businesses across Canada with an additional $2 million in funding. Precarn is an independent not-for-profit company that supports the pre-commercial development of leading-edge technologies.

Wealth Inequality in 21st Century Threatens Economy and Democracy
Project censored covers domestic and global trends towards increasing wealth inequality.

The Ontario Co-operative Association: Renewable Energy Leader in Ontario Co-operative Sector Celebrated
A Hamilton-Halton-Haldimand based renewable energy co-operative will receive the New Co-operative of Distinction Spirit Award in recognition of its success in the area of renewable wind energy and leadership in the community power sector.

The Goo-Tube Threat. The plan: track our every digital move, and sell, sell, sell.
The takeover of YouTube by Google announced October 9 and the 2005 buyout by Rupert Murdoch of MySpace are not just about mega-deals for new media. They are the leading edge of a powerful interactive system that is being designed to serve the interests of some of the wealthiest corporations on the planet...Given this emerging marketing model, the U.S. broadband infrastructure may well become one giant "brandwashing" machine. The most powerful communications system ever developed by humans is increasingly being put in the service of selling, commercialization and commodification. And it will lead to an inherently conservative and narcissistic political culture, in which the interests of the self and the consumption of products are the primary, most visible, media messages. And unless we begin to challenge it now, the emerging digital culture will seriously challenge our ability to effectively communicate, inform and organize.

Greater Vancouver Homelessness Awareness Week
Organized by the Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness, October 16th to 22, 2006 is the first annual Homelessness Awareness Week in Greater Vancouver. Our theme for this year is Homelessness and Health.

Harvesting more than just spuds
Valley Growers, Greater Sudbury’s largest potato farm with 475 acres in production this year, are adding value to their crop and jobs to their community, says manager Tami Rainville. “We’re not just growing potatoes. We are directing a whole agricultural process from field to packaging to processing that is all based in this community, all done locally,” said Rainville.