Friday February 4, 2011

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Ted Talks

Christopher McDougall: Are we born to run?

Christopher McDougall explores the mysteries of the human desire to run. How did running help early humans survive and what urges from our ancient ancestors spur us on? McDougall tells the story of the marathoner with a heart of gold, the unlikely ultra-runner, and the hidden tribe in Mexico that runs to live.

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Education

U.S. educational reformer delivers Pascal Lectures on Christianity at uWaterloo

WATERLOO - Educational reformer Mary Poplin will next week discuss how religion coexists with the secular world during the annual Pascal Lectures on Christianity and the University.

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Employment

From Prison to the Workforce

When one door closes, does another always open?

Waterloo – The Waterloo Region Crime Prevention Council, Grand Valley Institution for Women, and Community Justice Initiatives will be hosting an Employability Forum for Federally Sentenced Women on Monday, February 7, 2011 from 8:45am to 12:45pm at Bingemans in Kitchener. Nearly 150 participants from the business sector, employment services sector, Correctional Service of Canada, current and former residents of GVI, and the broader community will gather for this half-day forum

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PSA

Enjoy a Wonderful Evening of Dinner & Dance in Support of Skills Canada – Ontario’s Celebration Gala & Student Bursary

Kitchener - On the evening of Friday, March 4th, 2011, Skills Canada‐Ontario will be holding their annual Celebration Gala at St. George Hall in Waterloo. Proceeds from this evening support the Skills Canada – Ontario Bursary.

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Arts and Culture

ALICIA SOAVE: PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTISTRY

Kitchener – From her home in the rolling hills of Caledon, Ontario to the crashing waves of Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia and across the country to the majestic forests of Vancouver Island, and throughout the United States, Alicia's images are a true reflection of the breathtaking beauty of North America.

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Sales

January home sales return to normal levels in Kitchener-Waterloo

KITCHENER-WATERLOO –Sales of residential properties by REALTORS through the Multiple Listing System of the Kitchener-Waterloo Real Estate Board were steady in January.

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Industry

Canadian family businesses outpacing global counterparts: PwC report

Majority of respondents had growth during recession and 66% say they will expand in 2011

TORONTO - Canadian family businesses have come through the economic downturn better than their global counterparts and are now strongly positioned to compete with them in the future, according to a PwC global report.

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Trade

CANADIAN BUSINESS LEADERS CONFIDENT ABOUT FREE TRADE

Miller Thomson LLP survey finds Canadian business executives welcome greater trade access to European Union and China

TORONTO - More than 90 per cent of Canadian business executives believe Canada has benefited from existing free trade agreements according to a survey of senior executives released by national business law firm Miller Thomson LLP. The survey also found that 60 per cent of Canadian business leaders feel that free trade with the European Union should be a government priority and 37 per cent believe that there is an urgency to examine our trading relationship with China.

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Energy

SUMMITT ENERGY CUSTOMERS TO RECEIVE 10% REBATE ON ELECTRICITY BILLS

Ontario Clean Energy Benefit helps reduce cost of renewable energy initiatives.

MISSISSAUGA - As energy costs continue to rise, Summitt Energy residential and small business customers should find some relief through the Ministry of Energy's Ontario Clean Energy Benefit five-year 10% discount on electricity bills.

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Employment

Latest release from the Labour Force Survey

Statscan - Employment rose for the second consecutive month in January, with a gain of 69,000. At the same time, the unemployment rate increased by 0.2 percentage points to 7.8%, as more people searched for work. Compared with January 2010, employment was up 1.9% (+327,000).

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Parking

Espirity Expands Text Parking from Carleton to Algonquin

Ottawa – Espirity Inc. has expanded its groundbreaking text parking service initiated at Carleton University, iParked.ca, with the announcement of a pilot project at Algonquin College. The company has developed a first-of-its-kind North American text messaging technology that provides a simple way to avoid parking tickets while eliminating cold or inconvenient walks to Pay-And-Display machines in parking lots.

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Security

IMPROVEMENTS TO AIRPORT SCREENING WELCOMED BY CANADA'S LARGEST AIR CARRIERS

OTTAWA - An announcement by the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, revealing new measures to enhance passenger convenience and aviation security is welcomed by the National Airlines Council of Canada as part of an ongoing review of our country's aviation security framework.

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Crops

Stocks of principal field crops

Statscan - As of December 31, total stocks of most principal field crops were down compared with the same date a year earlier. Total stocks (including commercial and on-farm inventories) generally fell as a result of reduced crop production in 2010.

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Tourism

INGERSOLL WINS EDCO AWARD IN TOURISM MARKETING

Ingersoll - At the Annual Economic Development Council of Ontario President Dinner in Toronto, Ingersoll was awarded with the Tourism Marketing/Promotional Award for 2010.

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Research

Carleton Professor Steven Murphy Receives Research Achievement Award for Work on Emotions in the Workplace

Ottawa – Carleton Professor Steven Murphy is intrigued by the degree to which emotions play a role in everyday life and work. He has spent the last nine years examining the role of emotional causes and consequences and other related questions.