Newsline Canada

Foreign-trained workers to be told within one year if credentials valid: Minister of Human Resources Diane Finley says.
Extract from: http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5img 

TORONTO - Foreign-trained workers will be told within one year of applying whether their credentials will allow them to work in their profession in Canada, the federal government announced Monday.

Quality of employment in the Canadian immigrant labour market
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/091123/dq091123b-eng.htm

On average, immigrant wages were lower, while rates of involuntary part-time work, temporary employment and over-qualification were higher

In 2008, there were key differences in many indicators of quality of employment between immigrants and non-immigrants. On average, immigrant wages were lower, while rates of involuntary part-time work, temporary employment and over-qualification were higher. For immigrants who landed in Canada more than 10 years ago, however, the indicators of quality of employment more closely resembled those of the Canadian born.

Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship
http://www.cnmag.ca/news-blog/57-news/704-Citizenship%20study%20guide
Extracts from article in Canadian Newcomer’s Magazine
Tuesday, 17 November 2009 10:06

New citizenship study guide to help newcomers and Canadians better understand Canada

Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship includes information on common values such as freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law and the equality of men and women. It promotes to immigrants and Canadian citizens alike a greater understanding of Canada’s history, values, symbols and important Canadian institutions, such as Parliament and the Crown. It also highlights the contribution of ethnic and cultural communities in shaping our Canadian identity and the sacrifices made by Canada’s veterans for our country.

Ontario's housing market bounces back but homeownership gets less affordable, says
RBC Economics

TORONTO, Nov. 25 /CNW/ - Ontario's housing market has recovered its past strength with rising home prices contributing to a decline in affordability for the first time since early 2008, according to the latest third quarter housing report released today by RBC Economics Research.

East Africa sign customs union protocol
http://www.newvision.co.ug/PA/8/12/701837
Publication date: Friday, 20th November, 2009

Presidents Yoweri Museveni, Paul Kagame (Rwanda) Jakaya Kikwete (Tanzania), Mwai Kibaki (Kenya) and Pierre Nkurunziza (Burundi) at Arusha, Tanzania during the signing of the East African Common Market Protocol yesterday. This was part of the celebration to mark 10 years of the revival of the East African Community after its collapse in the 1970s

By Vision Reporter

THE five leaders of the East African Community (EAC) have signed a landmark agreement for a common market which allows free movement of people, goods, labour and capital across the member countries.

Uganda could be an Oil Exporter by 2015

East Africa's third largest economy hopes to join the league of oil producing nations in the next few years after explorers found commercially-viable reserves of a few billion barrels in the nation's west.

"Compared with comparable deals around the world, from northern Iraq to Libya, Uganda's government has signed deals that leave it worse off in real cash terms," London-based Platform said in initial findings of a report to be released later. There was no independent confirmation of the analysis.

Commentary

The statements, opinions, or views in the articles may not necessarily reflect that of the Goan Voice Canada.

Open letter to Canadians says Religious Faith Must Play a Role in Climate Change Talks

TORONTO, Nov. 26 /CNW/ - "We believe the United Nations Climate Change Conference is a place where faith and science must intersect."

That's the message contained in an open letter to Canadians posted on The United Church of Canada's website (www.united-church.ca). The letter was written by the church's Moderator Mardi Tindal and former Member of Parliament and United Church minister David MacDonald. Both will be attending the UN Climate Change Conference as part of an international delegation of religious leaders organized by the World Council of Churches.

People Places and Things

Click to enlarge

A party of 33 Goans, mainly from the Toronto area, went on a 12 day pilgrimage to the Holy Land on 9th Nov 2009, with Fr Henry and Leo Lopes at the helm.

Book Review - MY GOD OF SURPRISES
A 70+ Goan Grandmother pens her first book

It is not very often that a 70 year old woman decides to write her memoirs and then gets the book published two years later. That's exactly what Maria Estefania Fernandes managed to do after the untimely death of her son in 2005.

The World’s Rising Emissions

Home computers: Decisions, decisions
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/27/AR20097_pf.html
By Rob Pegoraro | Sunday, November 29, 2009

Across the universe of gadget gifts, few things can inspire more angst and buyer's remorse than home computers. Even as their prices have crumbled -- processors and memory have become so cheap that your main risk is buying more of either than you'll ever use -- these machines have remained specialized, often high-maintenance products. You cannot shop for them by price alone; buying a computer still demands a series of decisions with non-obvious answers.

Dr Errol De Souza appointed executive chairman Ligon Discovery

1 Dec: Genome Web. Harvard University spinout Ligon Discovery has appointed Errol De Souza as executive chairman of the board. De Souza has held senior-level R&D and management positions at Aventis, Hoechst Marion Roussel, DuPont Merck, Neurocrine Biosciences, Synaptic Pharmaceuticals, and Archemix.  Dr Errol De Souza received his PhD in neuroendocrinology from the University of Toronto and was the winner of the 2005 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. more details...

News Clips from Goa

Father Agnelo attracts hundreds
http://www.indiancatholic.in/news/storydetails.php/13903-1-6-Father-Agnelo
Published : November 19 2009

Hundreds of people, irrespective of religion, are flocking to the Pilar hilltop in Goa to pray to a venerable Catholic priest, whose death anniversary the Church is observing with a nine day Novena prayer.

Youth of Goan origin told to help others discover Goa
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/NRG-youth-told-to-help-others-discover-Goa/
TNN 1 December 2009,

PANAJI: Twelve youth of Goan origin who are on a Goa visit under the state government department of NRI Affairs' 'Know Goa Programme' were urged by the department's commissioner Eduardo Faleiro to take their knowledge and understanding of Goa from the visit to their counterparts abroad.

Mining a threat to Goa: Mike Pandey
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-5290198,prtpage-1.cms
Rajendra P Kerkar, TNN 2 December 2009,

PANAJI: "Tourists from across India and the world come to Goa to see its beaches and lush green mountains and to enjoy its soothing environment, but the alarming rate at which mining is going on in the state if it continues for a few more years at this pace it will pose a serious threat to Goa's natural beauty," renowned filmmaker and conservationist Mike Pandey said on Tuesday.

‘Goans not affected by job cuts in Gulf’
The Commissioner of NRI Affairs, Mr. Eduardo Faleiro on Monday said that Goans have not been affected by recession and job cut in the Gulf countries, even as news reports of fresh job cuts in Gulf countries were making rounds during the Eid holidays over the last weekend. News reports stated that workers in the construction sector, who had come down for Eid, had received SMSes from their employers not to return to work ad that the employers were cutting short the contracts of these workers. [NT]

Tourists begin to flock Colva, Benaulim
With the tourist season barely underway, tourists have begun to flock to beaches in south Goa, particularly the beaches of Colva and Benaulim. These tourists come down to spend Christmas and usher in the New Year along our silvery beaches. “The flow of the domestic and international tourists is increasing along the coastal belt of the Salcete taluka, said Mr. Simon Fernandes, who runs a hotel there. [NT]

Pollution control board goes online
The Environment Minister, Mr. Aleixo Sequeira on Monday inaugurated the Xtented Green Node Software that would be used for receiving online applications from industries, processing them and giving environmental clearance, receiving payment of fees, complaints from general public, etc in the office of the Goa State Pollution Control Board. Addressing the gathering after inauguration of the software, Mr. Sequeira told the gathering that the adoption of the new software was a step forward in e-governance by the GSPCB and would be beneficial both to the board as well as the industry. He, however, cautioned that there could be some teething problems that would be sorted out in due course of time. [NT]

Portuguese Civil Code cannot be model for India: Eduardo
Commissioner for NRI Affairs ad former Supreme Court lawyer, Mr. Eduardo Faleiro said that the Portuguese Civil Code presently in force in Goa cannot be a model for an Uniform Civil Code for India, as sometimes suggested. Mr. Eduardo was speaking after releasing a book, The Portuguese law of Goa (Succession and inventory) by Ave Cleto Afonso at Clube Vasco-da-Gama on Friday. [NT]

‘A Day at Sea’ attempts to attract youth to Indian navy
‘A Day at Sea’ an unique adventurous programme by Indian Navy in Arabian Sea, saw participation of three vessels with family members of the naval sailors, officers and media personnel from Vasco on board, on the occasion of Navy Week celebration on Monday. Three vessels of Indian Navy, INS Mumbai, a guided missile destroyer and INS Brahmaputra, a guided missile frigate both based in Mumbai and INS Bitra, a small fast attack craft based in Goa sailed off from berth-8 of Mormugao Port Trust at around 9.40 am, covering distance of about 60 nautical miles into the Arabian Sea. [NT]

‘Ummid’ can kindle ‘hope’ for senior citizens
Reinvigorating hope in senior citizens may perhaps be on the cards in Navelim Panchayat. While there appeared to be the will to kindle hope through a scheme title ‘Ummid’ (meaning hope) instituted under the aegis of the Directorate of Social Welfare, the Navelim Panchayat is strapped for space. Although land was earlier in possession with the Navelim panchayat, sarpanch Paul Pereira claimed the same to have been utilized for constructing a ‘Panchayat Ghar’. He has however promised to ‘see’ that the requirements of the scheme are ‘accommodated’ in the ‘Panchayat Ghar’. [GT]

Over 150 workers treated, discharged
Over 150 employees working at the Kaiga Atomic Power Plant (KAPP) were hospitalized at various hospitals in Karwar, Manipal and nearby places after they drank the water from a cooler that was contaminated with radioactive tritium. Sources informed Herald that the victims were unaware that they were affected but came to know about it after a radiation detector, placed over the site plant, found that 153 employees working at Reactor No 1, where maintenance work was being undertaken by a contractor, had nuclear radiation in their body much higher than permissible limits. [H]

Mopa project to get big push
With the central government announcing that it has given the ‘in principle’ approval for construction of a Greenfield airport at Mopa, earlier this week, the state government has decided to expedite the process for going ahead with the project that was envisaged more than a decade ago. The Chief Secretary, Mr. Sanjay Kumar Shrivastava told The Navhind Timess that the government would complete the formalities at the state level at the earliest so that the project could be implemented as early as possible. He said once the land acquisition is completed the government would call for bids for appointment of consultants for execution of the project. [NT]

Family income ceiling raised to Rs 1.5 lakh for welfare schemes
More people will be able to avail benefits of social welfare schemes as the government has raised the ceiling to Rs 1.5 lakh per annum thereby bringing uniformity in the family income ceiling. Hitherto, each department had its own criteria though most followed an income ceiling ranging from Rs 60,000 to Rs one lakh per annum. [H]

CPI demands raising of minimum wages to Rs 235
In view of the rising prices of essential commodities in the state, Rs 150 per day minimum wages fixed by the government for daily wage workers is too low, said the leader of the Communist Party of India, Mr. Christopher Fonseca, and demanded that it should be increased to Rs 235 immediately failing which the workers would take to the streets. Mr. Fonseca said this while addressing a public meeting of Goa Convention of Workers at Ponda on Wednesday. [NT]

State rejects patrol boats from Goa Shipyard
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-5259068,prtpage-1.cms
Yogesh Naik, TNN 23 November 2009, 03:46am IST

MUMBAI: Days before the first anniversary of 26/11, the state government has refused to take delivery of special patrol boats from Goa Shipyard Limited because they reportedly have some technical limitations.

News Clips from India

Greenpeace welcomes India's ambitious solar energy plan
http://headlinesindia.mapsofindia.com/

New Delhi: Greenpeace has welcomed the Indian government's ambitious solar energy plan - the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (JNNSM), which was released today, ahead of the climate summit at Copenhagen.

Pakistan has allowed terrorism to prosper says Indian Defence Minister, A.K. Antony
http://headlinesindia.mapsofindia.com/india-and-world/indo-pak-tensions/-29555.html
By Subhojit Goswami | Friday, November 27, 2009

New Delhi: India's Defence Minister A. K Antony has come down heavily on Pakistan and its indifference towards tackling terror. Antony criticized Pakistan for not taking a stringent step to combat terror emanating from their homeland. He asserted that the country has allowed terrorism to prosper and put no concerted effort to fight against such terror outfits.

A handful of rice making people prosperous!
http://headlinesindia.mapsofindia.com/special-reports/a-handful-of-rice-prosperous.html

At 82, she walks around 6 km everyday in the dingy impoverished lanes of villages under bordering Tehatta-I block in Nadia district with a noble motto - to encourage people for small savings and for small secured family. She was beaten up by the illiterate housewives for advising them for birth control to enable savings. Nevertheless, she did not give up. She is Umarani Biswas- the Lady Yunus. (Md Yunus of Grameen Bank of Bangladesh carried out a similar experiment and was awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2006)

Indian-origin official named Airline CEO of the Year
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5281170.cms?prtpage=1
29 Nov 2009, IANS

KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia chief executive officer Tony Fernandes, whose father is from Goa, has been named the Airline CEO of the Year (2009) by Jane's Transport Finance magazine in London. Born in Kuala Lumpur to a Goan father and Malacca Portuguese mother, 45-year-old Fernandes is the pioneer of budget airline who influenced the country's open sky aviation policy.

Announcements

The Goan Archives Project – Please May We Take Your PULSE
http://sites.google.com/site/goanarchivescanada/goan-archives-canada 

The Goan Archives mission is to assemble, preserve, organize, and store, publications and documents generated by Goan Community Groups in Canada over the last 40 years. The intent is to facilitate study and understanding of the Community by scholars and researchers in the future.

Events

Measure for measure, a way to cut calories
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/23/_pf.html
By Jennifer LaRue Huget | Thursday, November 26, 2009

The holiday season brings with it an overabundance of advice on how to avoid gaining weight in the face of all those festive meals, cocktail parties and plates of cookies brought in by co-workers. Depending on whose advice you're inclined to heed, you can cut back on carbs, mind the glycemic index of the foods before you, fill up on fat or count every calorie.

A chat with Dr.Devi Shetty, Heart Specialist

(Heart Specialist) Bangalore was arranged by WIPRO for its employees . The transcript of the chat is given below. Useful for everyone.

Qn: What are the thumb rules for a layman to take care of his heart?
Ans: 1. Diet - Less of carbohydrate, more of protein, less oil
2. Exercise - Half an hour's walk, at least five days a week; avoid lifts and avoid sitting for a longtime me
3. Quit smoking
4. Control weight
5. Control blood pressure and sugar

Give Your Bladder a Hug

Canadians choose to ignore symptoms - hope they'll go away

TORONTO, Nov. 23 /CNW/ - What better time than in November - Incontinence Awareness Month - to give your bladder some well needed attention?

A recent poll conducted by Leger Marketing, on behalf of the Powder Room - a national education program for those with overactive bladder (OAB) - asked 1,500 Canadians about their bladder health. The findings revealed that although people are experiencing OAB symptoms, most are choosing not to seek medical attention - perhaps assuming the frustrating and embarrassing symptoms will go away, or that they will just have to live with them.

Loneliness is like a disease -- and what's worse, it's contagious.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/30/_pf.html
By Rob Stein | Washington Post Staff Writer | Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Although it may sound counterintuitive, loneliness can spread from one person to another, according to research being released Tuesday that underscores the power of one person's emotions to affect friends, family and neighbors.