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Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:33:33 GMT

Academic Conferences Offer Unique Opportunity

Sun, 30 Dec 2007 13:21:00 GMT

By Daniel Oduro Sem

One of the challenges that students face in most tertiary institutions is how to secure funding in pursuing their academic programs, career advancement and professional development.

As a member of the Atkinson community, count yourself a fortunate person if you are registered as a full-time student, a member of a club or a member of an alumni group, for Atkinson is always there to support all those who will explore and take advantage of the resources available to enhance their professional development at the University.

Dr. Martha Rogers, one of our associate deans and former master of Atkinson College (recently replaced by Associate Dean Gervan Fearon), informs all new students that: he Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies maintains a strong tradition of supporting academic study and offers a full range of services to assist you throughout your degree program.?Dr. Rogers?remark is not just an empty promise. The Office of the Master is filled with competent and reliable staff members who are there to assist students achieve their academic aims. One of the services at Atkinson that I have benefited from is the ACORN fund, established by the faculty to support students?academic work and community involvement.

As a first-year, post-degree BSW student, the Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies did not turn my application for financial support down when I received an invitation from the Minnesota State University (MSU), Mankato campus, to present a paper at an International and Interdisciplinary Conference organized by the Philosophy Department of MSU and the Society for Indian Philosophy & Religion.

The two day conference took place from April 13 to April 14, 2007. Highly renowned researchers and professionals met for this event. And I was privileged to have such intellectuals listen to my presentation and make comments on my paper.

It was such an exciting moment ?I will hardly forget. Indeed, it was quite stimulating sitting among professors and scholars who talked about their research projects and findings at the conference. Parts of the conference included games, entertainment and cultural dancing, which I could not fully enjoy due to my flight schedule.

It would have been very difficult for me to make it to such a big conference without the support of the Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies. Through the ACORN fund, Atkinson fully supported me in paying my for my accommodation, meals, registration fees and other travel expenses.

Are you interested in getting involved in academic conferences in the years ahead? If yes, then I encourage you to read department notice boards regularly for important information.

Talk to your professors about your interests and have them link you to institutions and organizations researching in your area. Develop your term papers and short assignments for future research projects. And finally, explore the resources available to you in your individual school or department.

Good luck!

Sask. government announces $90M for livestock producers

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:11:49 GMT

Last Updated: Friday, December 21, 2007 | 11:18 AM CT

CBC News

The province is offering low-interest loans to cattle and hog producers hurt by low livestock prices and a high Canadian dollar.

Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud announced Friday morning that there'll be $60 million in loans for the cattle industry and $30 million for hog farmers.

"While I recognize that these programs will by no means, and I repeat by no means, bring an end to the current difficulties our producers [are]experiencing now, industry leaders have assured me that these programs will help in the interim," Bjornerud said.

Producers have been calling for a federal assistance program, but the situation is so serious, Bjornerud said, he couldn't wait for Ottawa.

He rejected a program of direct payments to producers because of international trade agreements, he said.

American producers would likely view such payments as subsidies and call for countervailing duties, he said.

Saskatchewan has Canada's third largest cattle herd and raises nine per cent of the country's hogs.

Hermanson to head grain commission

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:11:01 GMT

Last Updated: Friday, December 21, 2007 | 1:20 PM CT

CBC News

The Conservative government has appointed former Saskatchewan Party leader Elwin Hermanson to head the Canadian Grain Commission.

According to a cabinet order passed last week, the Beechy, Sask.-area farmer takes the job of chief commissioner at the Winnipeg-based agency on Jan. 21, 2008.

Elwin Hermanson was the leader of the Saskatchewan Party from 1998 to 2004.

Hermanson, 55, was the leader of the Saskatchewan Party from 1998 to 2004 and led the party in two general elections.

He was the MLA for Rosetown-Biggar, but didn't run in the 2007 election. Before provincial politics, he was a Reform party MP representing Kindersley-Lloydminster.

The grain commission licences grain elevators and sets guidelines for grading grains.

Hermanson is appointed to a five-year term, and, according to the cabinet order, his salary will be between $204,300 and $240,400.

Water-conserving mayor hopes to keep Sask. town flush with cash

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 10:16:56 GMT

Last Updated: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 | 2:18 PM CT

CBC News

The mayor of Battleford, Sask., wants to go with the low-flow and have residents switch to water-stingy toilets.

According to Mayor Chris Odishaw, the roughly 1,500 households in the town each use 75 litres of water every day.

He wants to reduce that figure by replacing every toilet, shower head and bathroom tap aerator in Battleford with water-saving units.

New low-flow, dual-flush toilets alone could cut the town's water usage by 30 per cent, he said.

"For urine you don't need full flush. It uses a half flush, only three liters of water," he said. "For regular business ?it still has a full flush and will clean that toilet no problem at all."

This kind of efficiency could make a big impact on Battleford resident Jim Shevchuk's household. With five people using three bathrooms, they're paying $65 a month for water.

"I think we really have to do something about water," he said. "I think there's a lot of wasted water. You just have to look at European countries. We need to do something different."

The mayor said that if his toilet replacement plan goes ahead, the town could save up to $3 million in the future.

That's because it won't have to upgrade its existing water treatment plant as the population grows. There are currently about 3,700 people in Battleford.

"We want to save water. We want to save energy and this all clicked together," Odishaw said. "When I started looking at the numbers, I got real excited real fast."

So far, Odishaw's plan is just his own.

He hopes to convince the province to contribute $1 million to replace all the toilets and shower heads in Battleford.

Sask. gets ready to fix one of 'worst' highways

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 10:15:09 GMT

Last Updated: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 | 11:58 AM CT

CBC News

The Saskatchewan Party government will soon be fixing a highway its MLAs once called one of the worst in the province.

As part of the first batch of 2008 highway construction projects released for tender Wednesday, about 10 kilometres of Highway 368 near Lake Lenore will be fixed, the government said Wednesday.

The crumbling section of the highway will be upgraded from thin membrane surface to pavement.

About $63 million worth of highway work is included in the first phase. More highway projects will be announced early in the new year and when the spring budget comes out. The actual work will take place in the spring, once the roads are dry.

Also included in the first phase is the paving of two sections of Highway 11, including 12.1 kilometres north of Osler to south of Hague, and 11.3 kilometres north of Macdowall to the junction of Highway 2.

There's also work being done on 50 kilometres of the Trans-Canada Highway. As well, 580,000 tonnes of gravel will be stockpiled for spring highway maintenance.

Last year, when the Saskatchewan Party was in Opposition, it called Highway 368 one of the five "worst" roadways in the province.

It presented several petitions in the legislature from area residents urging the government to fix it. The government announced earlier this year the highway would be fixed in the Lake Lenore area at a cost of about $8 million.

Lake Lenore is 144 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon.

Repeat drunk drivers will have cars seized: Sask. justice minister

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 10:14:04 GMT

Last Updated: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 | 3:50 PM CT

CBC News

The new Saskatchewan Party government is targeting repeat drunk drivers with tougher treatment in the courts ?including seizures of automobiles.

On Wednesday, Justice Minister Don Morgan said he would direct Saskatchewan Crown prosecutors to treat repeated impaired-driving cases as more-serious indictable offences, rather than less-serious summary offences.

Justice Minister Don Morgan said Wednesday the Saskatchewan government would crack down on repeat drunk drivers by seizing their cars.
(CBC)

Morgan told the legislature he would also strongly encourage prosecutors to apply to seize the vehicles of repeat drunk drivers.

The new guidelines won't apply to all impaired driving cases, but they will apply, for example, to someone facing a third conviction for impaired driving within two years.

Morgan also said the Crown should proceed with car seizures in cases where repeat drunk drivers are convicted of impaired driving causing death or impaired driving causing bodily harm.

NDP justice critic John Nilson said he generally supported Morgan's announcement. He added one of the things missing from the Saskatchewan Party's plan was something to encourage the public to direct potential drunk drivers to seek addictions counselling.

Under the Criminal Code, prosecutors can treat impaired-driving charges as indictable offences or summary offences. With summary offences, the maximum jail sentence is six months.

The Great Saskatchewan Holiday Song Challenge

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 21:56:43 GMT

November 27 ?December 24, 2007

Write and perform an original holiday song that you have composed (no covers of White Christmas and the like, please!), complete our submission form available on this site and then upload your song by using the link provided.

Your song must be no more than five minutes in length.
This contest is open to all amateurs and professional performers.
The deadline for entries is 11:59 pm December 14 (Saskatchewan Standard Time).

A panel of CBC music experts will then judge the entries and select 10 finalists.

All of the finalists?songs will be posted on The Great Saskatchewan Holiday Song Challenge website and CBC listeners will be invited to vote for their favorites beginning December 17, 2007.

Online voting will close at 2pm on December 20th. Winners will be announced on the Afternoon Edition - between 5pm and 6pm on December 20th - as the Saskatchewan music group Wyatt counts down to the winners. The Grand Prize winner will receive $500 prize. The runner up will receive $200 prize. The other eight finalists will be awarded consolation prizes of CBC gift bag.

The Grand Prize winner will also have an opportunity to pitch their song to be professionally recorded by CBC's performance department.

CBC CONTEST RULES AND REGULATIONS

Sask. Party MLA under fire over mill comments

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 21:55:32 GMT

Last Updated: Wednesday, December 5, 2007 | 12:30 PM CT

CBC News

A cabinet minister from Prince Albert who campaigned on a promise to reopen that city's pulp mill now says he'll do his best, but is offering no guarantees.

About 700 people were thrown out of work when the Weyerhaeuser pulp and paper operation closed last year.

Darryl Hickie doesn't dispute the fact that as a Saskatchewan Party candidate he told voters that "a vote for Darryl Hickie is a vote to open the mill."

After the Saskatchewan Party won the Nov. 7 election, Hickie was made minister of corrections, public safety and policing in Premier Brad Wall's cabinet.

Hickie said Tuesday while his feelings haven't changed, voters shouldn't blame him if the mill, now owned by Domtar, never reopens.

"A vote for me is a vote to open the mill. However, I'm only one entity," he said. "There is the industry, there is the union and there's the government.?We'll do the best we can from the government's side to make this work."

Last week, the new government said it was calling off the previous government's memorandum of understanding to potentially reopen the mill.

It wasn't a surprise, because the Saskatchewan Party opposes investing public money in private deals and the Domtar deal could involve $100 million in government money. Some union leaders called the government's decision a betrayal, however.

Opposition Leader Lorne Calvert said if the new government doesn't like his deal it should have one of its own.

Either that or Hickie shouldn't have campaigned the way he did, Calvert said.

"Mr. Hickie has a very, very, very, very different understanding of commitments made during an election than I do ?if you can simply go to the people and say, 'Well, a vote for me is a vote to reopen the mill' and then get elected and say, 'Well, maybe not'," Calvert said.

If the mill is not reopened in four years, Hickie said, voters in Prince Albert should not hold it against him.

If he has tried his best, he won't have broken his promise, he said.

Union members upset with Hickie are planning a protest rally at the legislature later this month.

Battle shaping up over proposed labour law

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 21:53:32 GMT

Last Updated: Thursday, December 6, 2007 | 5:50 PM CT

CBC News

The government of Saskatchewan is facing protests and a potential court challenge from union leaders over its plan to proceed with essential services legislation.

Such legislation would prevent some workers from going on strike. Premier Brad Wall said it could be used to ensure the health of patients or for public safety reasons.

But Saskatchewan Federation of Labour president Larry Hubich said labour wasn't consulted and is opposed to the proposal.

"Workers rights are too important to be a political football or an ideological football kicked around, you know?" he said.

Labour Minister Rob Norris said he'll listen to what Hubich and others have to say, but insists the government won't change its mind about the need to change the law.

Norris said essential services legislation simply brings Saskatchewan in line with many other provinces in Canada.

According to Hubich, those provinces introduced new laws before a recent court decision that upheld workers' rights. Hubich also said a court challenge is possible, as are massive protests.

There could be hundreds or even thousands of union members outside the legislature if the government pushes ahead, Hubich said.

Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan Party was distancing itself Thursday from comments one of its MLAs made about essential services legislation two months ago.

A week before the provincial election, Saskatchewan Party MLA Don McMorris was asked if he would legislate essential service agreements. He said no.

"It needs to be negotiated, it needs to be put into the contract," said McMorris, who is now health minister. "I don't think we need to get to legislation, I don't think we need to go there at all."

Norris said he doesn't know why McMorris said that. The Saskatchewan Party has been planning to introduce the legislation for more than a year, Norris said.