LPM e-bulletin
November 3, 2006A message from our Executive Director
On September 25, 2006, Treasury Board President James Baird, representing the Federal Conservative government, announced funding cuts of $17.7 million to literacy and $17 million to workplace literacy.
On October 4, most provincial and territorial coalitions, and some national literacy organizations, held press conferences. Two learners participated in our press conference, Daphne Prince and Raymond Roy. Both went on to do further interviews that day with tv, radio and print media.
Since then, literacy has received both positive and negative press across the country. Most of it has been supportive.
LPM was invited to speak to the Winnipeg Kinsmen and at the Red River College Heritage Club (retired college instructors) with Agnes Gborie and Sharon Churchill telling their stories
Recently, one literacy coordinator let us know that the learners in her program have written letters. She is adding a cover letter and sending the package to their MP.
Literacy Partners has contacted all of the Conservative MPs. We have requested meetings, without success. Not all of the MPs have responded to our letters either. This is a pattern across the country. Only two or three coalitions have succeeded in having meetings with Conservative MPs or their representatives.
To date, the provincial cabinet ministers responsible for literacy have not been able to secure meetings with Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, responsible for literacy. Manitoba's recently appointed Minister of Literacy, the Honourable Diane McGifford, has called Ms. Finley and written her letters requesting the reinstatement of these funds. She has also remained in contact with me - even contacting me at home one evening to confirm her support.
Three or four literacy supporters have managed to meet with their Conservative MPs. I encourage you to write or call and request a meeting. Liberal and NDP MPs and Senators have expressed support and requested information.
I've attached a list of the Manitoba Senators and their e-mail information. Senator Fairbairn's contact information is there as well. She has been a literacy advocate for years - she can't fight this battle on her own. I've also attached priority areas for LPM and listed some of the highlights of the past two years.
You can locate your local MP by going to www.parl.gc.ca, and then to the heading "Parliament" and to "Current Parliamentarians", or find your MP quickly by typing in your postal code.
The attached report in PDF format was forwarded from the Executive Director of the literacy coalition in Nunavut, Kim Crockatt. It contains information that you may find useful.
On November 1, coalition EDs were informed the $17.7 is not being reinstated to literacy. Despite this, all proposals, including the coalition proposals that were submitted last spring, as well as proposals from national organizations and from the local/regional stream, will now be considered. However, the proposals will be evaluated against criteria that have yet to be developed and criteria that the proposals were not written to.
Based on this information, we infer that many proposals will not meet the criteria they will be evaluated against, and that with the reduced federal budget to support adult literacy there will not be sufficient funds to cover the requests.
Thank you for becoming involved. If you want access to the federal funds for your programs or the services Literacy Partners provides, please get active and involved!! As Senator Fairbairn's office said - they need to hear from you!!!
Thank you,
Lorri Apps, Executive Director
Come to the AGM on November 21
Download important AGM information here
Our AGM will be held at 5:00 p.m. in our office at 401-321 McDermot Ave, Winnipeg. Please come and meet our Board members and staff. Important items on the agenda include the election of directors and consideration of the revised constitution.
This year, in recognition of their contribution to literacy through their delivery of books to remote ares of Manitoba, Perimeter Aviation will be the recipient of LPM's Community Participation Award.
RSVP to Connie at cbell@mb.literacy.ca or 947-5757. Let us know if you will be later than 5:15 p.m. as the outside door will be locked.
Come to the Practitioners' Breakfast on December 1
The third practitioners’ breakfast this fall will be held at LPM’s office on Friday, December 1, at 8:30 a.m. A light breakfast of toasted bagels, cream cheeses, fruit, coffee and juice will be served. This is a good time to meet with colleagues you haven’t seen in awhile and to learn about the depth of knowledge and support that exists in our community of practitioners. LPM’s resource coordinator, Debra Litkowich, will be displaying adult literacy resources on loan from Grassroots Publishers. There will be a door prize at the breakfast of a kit of nine resource books from Scholastic.
Write On! editor calls for submisisons
The theme for the winter newsletter, published in January, is “overcoming difficulties”. Hopefully this topic is broad enough to encompass a variety of learner writing. You can start submitting learner work at any time. Please include a permission form for each learner. Jan Graham, was very impressed with the volume and quality of learner writing submitted for the last edition of the newsletter. You should have received a copy by mail and email.
LPM speaks at adult literacy conference in Quebec
Last
week, Rob Sarginson, project coordinator at LPM, was invited by the
Quebec Department of Education to speak at the International Conference
on Adult Literacy in
Thanks to an article by Erin Madden in the Winnipeg Free Press
about volunteer tutors, 30 people have contacted the LEARN Line wanting
information about tutoring. From that group of callers, 25 were
referred to programs. All of the volunteers were forwarded information
about the training provided by Adult Learning and Literacy. Many have
taken advantage of this opportunity.
Gimli holds Halloween Reading Party
Peter
Bjornson, MLA for Gimli and Minister of Education, visits the Reading
Tent at the community Halloween party in Gimli. This is the third year
that the costume party has brought out more than a thousand adults and
children. The reading tent run by Carol Goossen and her children is
always a big hit!
ABC CANADA now accepting applications for Gift of Words™ presented by Starbucks
ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation is pleased to announce that once again, funding is available for public and school libraries and literacy organizations across the country to advance their reading programs. More...