text:
Debates of May 12th, 2009
House of Commons Hansard #56 of the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was officers.
- Question Period
- Education Benefits Act
- Petitions
- Questions on the Order Paper
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
- Environmental Enforcement Act
- Auditor General of Canada
- Environment and Sustainable Development
- National Nursing Week
- Hepatitis B and C
- International Day Against Homophobia
- Canada's Motto
- Agriculture
- Ottawa School of Art
- Canadian Federation of Independent Business
- Henri Massé
- Families
- Earthquake in China
- Liberal Party of Canada
- Stand Up for Mental Health
- Leader of the Liberal Party
- Cancer
- National Police Week
- Taxation
- The Economy
- Sri Lanka
- The Environment
- Infrastructure
- National Defence
- Infrastructure
- The Environment
- National Defence
- Employment
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
- Government Accountability
- The Environment
- Status of Women
- Fisheries and Oceans
- Status of Women
- Access to Information
- Foreign Investment
- International Aid
- Afghanistan
- International Trade
- Health
- Taxation
- Environmental Enforcement Act
- Canadian Forces Superannuation Act
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
10:05 a.m.
Gordon O'Connor Carleton—Mississippi Mills, ON
moved that the bill be read the third time and passed.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
10:05 a.m.
Dave MacKenzie Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to the third reading of Bill C-18, An Act to amend the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act, to validate certain calculations and to amend other Acts.
I am proud of this bill for a number of reasons and pleased that all parties expressed support for the bill at second reading, in particular because it reinforces the work now underway to strengthen and modernize the RCMP.
Hon. colleagues will know that as Minister of Public Safety, strengthening and modernizing the RCMP is one of the minister's priorities, as it is a priority for all of us as Canadians. That is why this bill is important.
The House supported improvements like these many years ago and it moved forward in passing legislation to help implement them, but those legislative changes did not authorize all the necessary regulations. Therefore, today these improvements remain long overdue. If we can better support the men and women who have chosen to serve Canadians through the RCMP, I believe we should because better supporting the RCMP means better supporting the safety and security of Canadians.
The RCMP is Canada's leading law enforcement agency in the battle against drugs, organized crime and terrorism. It investigates economic crime and fraud, child exploitation and serves some 600 aboriginal communities and 200 municipalities as local police. The RCMP is also responsible for provincial and territorial policing in all jurisdictions except Quebec and Ontario, which have their own forces.
It runs its own academy in Regina and the Canadian Police College in Ottawa. Police officers from all over Canada and beyond can take advanced and specialized training at this facility. The RCMP maintains key support services that are critical to Canadian law enforcement, like informational databases, forensic labs and identification services, as well as technical operations. Its members protect the Canadian Prime Minister, Her Excellency the Governor General, as well as visiting dignitaries and Canadian diplomats in foreign countries.
The RCMP co-ordinates and takes part in the participation of Canadian police offices in UN peacekeeping missions. It works with the Canadian Forces and other federal and international partners to bring security to fragile and fallen states. The RCMP helps secure our borders and steer Canada's young people away from crime. More than 7,500 people will call the RCMP today for assistance. That is 2.8 million requests for service a year.
In international law enforcement circles, the Mounties continue to enjoy a reputation as one of the best and most unique police services anywhere in the world. We have much to be proud of in the RCMP and its members, who have sworn a duty to protect Canada and Canadians in their communities.
At the same time, the RCMP is not without its challenges, challenges it is working hard to overcome. Many of these were outlined in the Task Force on Governance and Cultural Change in the RCMP in a public report to the Minister of Public Safety a little more than a year ago. The report identified a number of cultural, structural and organizational issues within the force and made 49 recommendations for improvement.
The RCMP is working diligently on a comprehensive transformation plan to realize its vision of being an adaptive, accountable, trusted organization of fully engaged employees demonstrating outstanding leadership and providing world-class police services.
A modernized pension plan supports the RCMP's commitment to effective human resources management as part of its change agenda. It can contribute to making the RCMP the very best police service it can be, which benefits us all. With a myriad of duties and security challenges, the RCMP leverages a blend of skills to keep Canadians safe.
To quote from the task force report, it states:
Well-trained front line officers, highly skilled scientists, sophisticated intelligence and communications experts, experts in financial management and logistics, competent human resource managers, perceptive and thoughtful trainers and coaches--all are necessary to enable the Force to perform its whole portfolio of different tasks.
To that, let me add that recommendation 31 of the report dealing with educational prerequisites reads in part:
The RCMP needs to demonstrate greater openness and willingness to accept lateral entry into the Force in order to provide needed specialized skill sets and experience.
As hon. members know, the RCMP is taking its change mandate quite seriously and moving full steam ahead toward its vision for change, a vision that sees it better serving Canadians, better supporting its people, and better preparing itself for the policing needs and challenges of tomorrow.
What has the RCMP achieved in terms of change? It has established a full-time change management team led at the assistant commissioner level and developed a change management plan, as I mentioned, that it is actively pursuing. It is investing in leadership development and has re-established the position of chief learning officer at the senior level to work with its chief human resources officer.
It has restructured management at national headquarters and made key personnel adjustments throughout the force. It re-established the position of commanding officer at headquarters to directly support and oversee the thousands of people who help the RCMP front-line officers do their jobs across the country.
It has hired an executive director of public affairs to support clear and timely communication with Canadians and the media. It has stepped up its national recruiting campaign and improved key policies dealing with officer safety and use of force.
I could go on but instead I will refer to the second report of the Reform Implementation Council, which was released this past March. The council is an independent body appointed to advise and report on the RCMP's change management process. This report reaffirms the positive progress of RCMP reform.
At the conclusion of that report, it states:
The Force is working hard to strengthen its own leadership and management capabilities, while addressing such critical issues as reconciling workload with capacity. But it cannot be fully and effectively reformed without the continuing commitment of the government and the support of the central agencies.
It continues later to state:
All concerned—and certainly the members of the Council—now understand better the challenges facing the RCMP and the scope and complexity of reform. But the Council believes the Force has the capacity to make the required changes to its management and culture, and we have no doubt that senior leaders are prepared to do what is necessary to succeed.
In short, while the council, as well as the RCMP, I might add, both recognize there is much more to do, they also recognize that a great deal has already been accomplished.
However, our primary focus today is on the merits of Bill C-18 and its importance to the RCMP and its members. Bill C-18 proposes several technical amendments to the RCMP Superannuation Act to improve pension portability and, ultimately, bring the act in line with the federal public service pension plan, as well as other public and private sector plans across Canada.
The proposed amendments would: allow for the expansion of existing election for prior service provisions so that regular and civilian members of the force can purchase pension credits from other public and private sector pension plans across Canada; allow the RCMP to enter into pension transfer agreements with other pension plans in order to permit the transfer of pension credits into and out of the RCMP pension plan; and clarify and improve some administrative and eligibility aspects of the existing act, such as those related to part-time employment and the cost of elections for prior service with a police force that was taken over by the RCMP.
The amendments before us today are about fairness and flexibility. They will put each member of the RCMP on an equal footing in terms of pension portability. That is not the case under the current rules. Today, the 24,000 members of the RCMP whose pensions are governed by the RCMP Superannuation Act do not have the same pension choices as their 6,300 colleagues whose pensions fall under the Public Service Superannuation Act even though they are all public servants.
Today, people who work for the RCMP and whose pension is governed by the Public Service Superannuation Act have a pension that can follow them to the RCMP from other departments and levels of government, even from some private sector employers. They may be able to leave with their pension if they explore other federal or public sector opportunities. The other 24,000 members of the RCMP currently have pensions without that same level of portability.
Bill C-18 proposes to address that discrepancy by providing these RCMP members with the same pension choices currently available to public service employees in the federal government, as well as to members of many provincial and municipal forces.
Expanded pension portability may, in some cases, mean that the value of future pension benefits for members of the RCMP whose pensions currently fall under the RCMP Superannuation Act might be increased. It might also help these members qualify for survivor benefits for their spouses or partners and improve the value of that benefit in some cases. As well, the proposed amendments will mean that they can qualify for retirement at an earlier age, if they are eligible and wish to do so.
An additional aspect to the amendments proposed by Bill C-18 is that the enhanced portability provisions may help to strengthen current recruitment efforts, an issue that is top of mind for the RCMP at the moment given their target of achieving a net increase of 1,000 additional police and civilian staff by 2013.
Enhanced pension portability has the potential to make the RCMP a more attractive career choice for Canadians working in other fields or even as members of other police forces. In this way, Bill C-18 supports many of the existing initiatives already under way to help the RCMP recruit more officers.
I would like to respond to a few concerns raised by hon. members during debate at second reading of the bill. One was that time spent as a cadet at the RCMP training academy in Regina is not pensionable service. The issue here is that the new pension rules would allow the RCMP to recognize prior service with other employers as pensionable time, including that from other police forces who may count their officers' training time toward pension provided they were actually employees of another police service during their training periods.
The difference with the RCMP is that RCMP cadets are not sworn in as police officers and, as such, are not in the employ of the RCMP until they pass their 24 weeks of training at Regina. The RCMP pension plan is available only to employees of the force, so the time spent at depot is not pensionable as current service.
It is not possible to introduce a new provision within Bill C-18 to permit the cadet training time to be purchased as a prior service event because it does not meet the requirements of the Income Tax Act that govern registered pension plans. There is an explicit tax rule that states that any prior service must be a period throughout which the member was actually employed in order to be eligible for purchase.
Another issue at second reading was whether Bill C-18 would help recruit aboriginal people or members of Indian band police.
I am pleased to confirm to the House that Bill C-18 would allow pensionable service under another Canadian pension plan registered under the Income Tax Act to be recognized under the RCMP pension plan. Regardless of where a potential recruit originates, if he or she was a member of a registered pension plan, employment with the RCMP may become more attractive once that pension is transferable.
There were also questions about the financial impact of Bill C-18. The estimated program cost for these initiatives are $1.1 million. Elections for prior federal government service already exist. Consequently, many administrative tools are already in place for the new type of prior service provisions. The administrative costs associated with the changes are derived from existing RCMP reference levels in the RCMP pension plan. No additional financial resources are required.
Further, under the proposed amendments, the actuarial cost of purchasing prior service is borne entirely by the plan member. In the case of a pension transfer agreement, pension funds are transferred directly from the previous employer. For a transfer into the RCMP pension plan, if there is a shortfall between the demand for funds made by the RCMP and the amount for transfer from the previous plan, the plan member will have the opportunity to purchase the balance.
The bill before us is long overdue. Some hon. members will know that the new elective service and pension portability options proposed by Bill C-18 were intended to be implemented in legislation that received royal assent in 1999. What is before us today is, therefore, an opportunity to set things right and grant the government the necessary authority missing from the original legislation in order to implement these measures.
I urge all hon. members to once again rise in support of Bill C-18 and to send a strong message of support to the dedicated men and women of the RCMP who touch so many lives and who play such a vital role in making our communities safer for everyone.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
10:20 a.m.
Dan McTeague Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
Mr. Speaker, I thank the parliamentary secretary with whom I have had the honour to work over the past couple of years on a good number of files.
On his last comment with respect to fairness and helping RCMP officers, I wonder if he could explain to Canadians and to RCMP members how helpful it was to the RCMP officers when his government decided, because there was no collective bargaining for RCMP members, to draw down the anticipated wage increase that they were to get.
I recognize, of course, that this may be beyond the mechanics of the issue, but how encouraging can it be for RCMP members to know that his government rolled back their wages when most other police services in this country could not and did not see a similar action? How does that bode for morale in the RCMP?
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
10:20 a.m.
Dave MacKenzie Oxford, ON
Mr. Speaker, this is an opportunity to talk about Bill C-18, a bill to modernize and to bring into the current status the pension portability rights of the RCMP members. My hon. colleague knows full well that it was not done during the former government's time. His government had the opportunity to do it way back in 1999 but it did not do it. This is an opportunity for people here to make right what was missed in that previous legislation and I certainly hope everyone in the House will support it.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
10:20 a.m.
Paul Dewar Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, many of us support the idea of portability. We note that in other jurisdictions and in other professions, one of the things that helps with portability is having similar benchmarks and frameworks. This is crucial because when we are getting into contributions and years of service, it is necessary to have seniority understood so that the nomenclature is right and we understand what we are talking about.
As an example, here on the Hill we have people who transcribe and drive messages around with our courier service who, sadly, are not given seniority acknowledgement for their work. Scheduling is a mess on the Hill and it is an issue we need to deal with.
Does the parliamentary secretary believe that giving the RCMP the right to form a union would help with this exercise? We know that when they are coming from a police service in another jurisdiction that has the right to organize, it would make their contracts a lot more concrete and fluid, and would help to make Bill C-18 even better than the proposition already is.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
10:25 a.m.
Dave MacKenzie Oxford, ON
Mr. Speaker, I would hope that the hon. member would find his way to support Bill C-18 which is before the House. This bill would fix a problem that was created, perhaps inadvertently, and I am certain it was, but it would allow RCMP members the opportunity for portability.
As I mentioned earlier, passing this bill would give RCMP officers opportunities to perhaps buy time that would then allow them to retire early, if possible. It also provides that if they utilize these provisions, survivor benefits would increase in some cases.
This is just an excellent bill and I hope everyone in the House sees their way toward supporting it.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
10:25 a.m.
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Etobicoke Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, we support this amendment to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act but, quite fortuitously and coincidentally, this morning I introduced a private member's bill to provide for educational benefits for the spouses and children of RCMP officers, federal law enforcement officers, who die in the line of duty.
Every morning we all get up, get ready to go to work and say goodbye to our families. We work hard. We work according to the rules and we know that at the end of the day we will return to our families and our safe communities. However, we have those safe communities because there are those who take on the role of ensuring that those who do not play according to the rules are prevented from endangering the lives of our families and the safety of our communities. When they say goodbye in the morning, sometimes those law enforcement officials may be saying goodbye forever. It is a tough job.
As I said, it is quite fortuitous that this has come up this morning. I would like to know the parliamentary secretary's opinion on whether or not he would also consider bringing fairness to this particular area and help to propose legislation that would address this particular, very poignant issue.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
10:25 a.m.
Dave MacKenzie Oxford, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am sure the hon. member, if he were to read through Bill C-18, would see that it does just that. It does bring fairness to a number of areas within the RCMP.
I recognize his comments and I am well aware of those comments. I have lived that, as members of my family are living it today, but this is about Bill C-18, a bill that would bring fairness to members of the RCMP and perhaps members of the RCMP who wish to transfer to other forces at the same time. It does give that portability. I think that if members in the House were to read Bill C-18, they would see that it is about creating a fairer, more level playing field for all police in Canada.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
10:25 a.m.
Dan McTeague Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
Mr. Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to speak on Bill An Act to amend the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act, to validate certain calculations and to amend other Acts
It is understood that our party will be in favour of this bill, although it is now at the third reading stage. The parliamentary secretary who spoke on it a few minutes ago will recognize that what we are looking at affords us a real opportunity to address a major issue, the whole matter of the treatment of the hard-working men and women in the ranks of the RCMP who represent one aspect of our country. We have great recognition on the international level in this respect.
The bill before us today provides us with an opportunity to move ahead with respect to transformation of pensions to ensure there is portability for members of the RCMP, something which has been quite rightly pointed out as long overdue. It also gives us an opportunity to expand on the real concerns that underlie the current status of the men and women in the RCMP who continue to do us proud each and every day.
It is not lost on us on the opposition side that when a government comes to power claiming that it is going to hire 2,500 new police officers across the country and fails to deliver means that we cannot pick and choose or that we are going to support this or ignore that, or that we are going to get around to it some point down the road.
We can have all the good legislation we want crafted by this great Parliament, but if it is not properly enforced, or if we are underresourcing our ability to meet the objectives of Canadians for safe streets and safe homes, something that our party campaigned on and certainly has a good track record on, then it seems to me these kinds of bills would simply be moot.
I am obviously concerned about the legislation itself. While an important first step, thankfully, a number of other glaring problems were raised in committee. This is why we have committees. They allow us the opportunity to sit back and to look at some of the other objections that are brought forward.
We heard very able testimony from witnesses at committee. We heard from Mr. Gaétan Delisle, a man who has fought very hard to ensure that morale is restored within the RCMP, but he is by no means the only one. There are others, like the British Columbia Mounted Police Professional Association, and people like Pete Merrifield, a great constable and an individual who ran for the Conservative Party many years ago. All underscored through their own efforts and trials, and regrettably their own pain, some of the problems the RCMP is facing.
I do not want to be Pollyannaish about this. This is an important piece of legislation, but it is only one step in terms of fixing morale within the RCMP.
Two years ago a study was conducted in which it was determined that fully 80% of the rank and file members of the RCMP felt that their jobs were undervalued and underappreciated. How can they be blamed when the Conservative government responded by cutting back their wages even though they made a promise in June of last year?
These are very difficult times to have a wage rollback. Rank and file members of the RCMP are not protected, but senior officials within the RCMP are able to continue to get merit pay and bonus pay. This is, to my understanding and to any objective analyst's understanding, an example of some of the glaring problems that exist within the RCMP.
The importance of this legislation is found in the fact that a member of a police service that is absorbed who has had the time and the pension given to or earned by the member would be able to have that transferred and recognized under the RCMP superannuation fund. That is a very laudable goal, but it creates obvious and very distinct problems. It has been raised in committee. I certainly raised it and it was raised by witnesses. It is conceivable that a new member of the RCMP coming from another service would have a greater pension than an RCMP officer with a tenure of many years, certainly since the changes in 1994 because the six months in which the member is in training is not calculated as part of the member's pension.
There is unfinished business here. I tried to encourage the parliamentary secretary to take the message to his government that for our party it remains unfinished business and that he should undertake at least to do what he could to ensure that the gap is amended. We were told that the gap is there because when the legislation was drafted, it was thought that the income tax regulations could not be amended, and that in fact is correct. However, Parliament speaks and regulations follow. Regulations could easily have been changed or anticipated given the magnitude of the problem, which all members of Parliament understand.
I know that our colleagues in the NDP and the Bloc Québécois are well aware of that gap.
Unfortunately, this bill does not allow enough changes. What really needs to be addressed is the bigger question of equality among the services as far as pensions are concerned.
Over a number of years I have been concerned about the discrepancy that may exist between civilian members of the RCMP and members on the front line. Both jobs are valued. Both jobs are interdependent. Both jobs are necessary. Yet, it is conceivable here as well that there is a system for one and a system for the other. I am concerned that while with Bill C-18 we perhaps do not have the opportunity to fix these problems, it is important to illustrate the problems to ensure that we do not wait another eight or nine years to address what is for many in the RCMP a problem that sticks out like a sore thumb.
We all recognize that this bill is an important first step in strengthening the RCMP. However, I have some serious concerns about the government's commitment to seeing the legislation through. I mentioned several points that I think have to be considered. I have talked about the new crime legislation in the past. It can only be of worth if it is backed up with the appropriate enforcement. It is important for us to ensure that we do not fall into the trap of rhetoric as opposed to action.
I am hearing from the government that we should move ahead with this and everything will simply take care of itself. Frankly, this was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of addressing wider problems with Canada's national police force. It is important for all Canadians to recognize that much more work needs to be done. This party is very serious about doing that.
Over the past several years I have worked with members in the other place to ensure that the issue of collective bargaining is front and centre. In the next few days I am hoping to be able to present a proposal that I hope the government will consider, certainly in light of what we have seen in terms of RCMP recruitment, but also in light of the decision that was made just over a month ago, which unfortunately, the government appealed. It basically said that from a constitutional perspective, the right of collective bargaining and association must be extended to members of the RCMP.
I was at Highland Creek Public School in my riding last week. On one side of the grade eight classroom was the history of the North West Mounted Police from 1873 on. I raised the concern that many of the RCMP members are not treated in quite the same way as other police forces, certainly in our jurisdiction of Durham region and in Toronto. The two teachers who were there were shocked. They had no idea that police officers have no right of collective bargaining because they are members of the RCMP.
This is not to disparage the existing staff relations representatives who have done a very good job in the past of trying to represent members of the RCMP. However, it is to recognize that individuals who represent the RCMP and who have a grievance against the RCMP may find themselves in a bit of a conflict of interest. If an officer has a grievance against management or a superior officer, for instance, how does the officer launch a formal grievance when it requires the approval of that very senior officer or senior management within the RCMP? There is the contradiction.
To my knowledge we do not have corporate unions in this country. We have not seen those since the 1920s. Yet, it exists within the RCMP. It is time not only to talk about modernization of the RCMP, but also to modernize our view of the RCMP as a modern, functional, adaptable police service that is capable of meeting the world's best challenges and protecting Canadians. However, they too must have confidence in the system that protects and provides them assurances that they will be treated no differently than any other police service in Canada.
This bill, while an important step, was a missed opportunity for the Conservative government to demonstrate that it is serious about standing up for rank and file RCMP officers. The government knows the issue. This is not new. We know that the Canadian Police Association is also looking to ensure that there are opportunities for recruitment. The police officers recruitment fund provides funding to recruit new officers. We have heard of this from the government, but the Canadian Police Association has indicated that this funding does not in any way, shape or form help retain officers.
The more fundamental question comes when someone decides to undertake recruitment. Young people may decide to become involved in policing, which is a very noble career, one which many individuals aspire to at some point in their lives. At one stage in my life I was thinking very much about it. On doing a comparison of police services in order to decide which police service to join, it is fair to say the prestige and honour of the RCMP is not necessarily met by an equality in benefits. It is not necessarily something that people would want to look to. There is no doubt that in difficult economic times we may see a larger number of potential recruits, but in ordinary times, it is very clear to me and to many others that those who chose the services in the past may have opted to go for local police services or other regional police services, given that the benefits and protection and certain rights and privileges would not be found in the RCMP, but would be found in other services.
The bill before us, which is at third reading and I have no doubt in my mind it will pass, should be seen as a great opportunity for the government and for parliamentarians to once and for all take very seriously the needs of the men and women who do us very proud.
I have no difficulty in saying there is an individual who has done very much for the cause of the RCMP, and I will not mention him by name, but an individual whom I know is devoted to his job does not necessarily take into consideration all of these challenges which members of the RCMP face. They may even set aside the fact that there is inequality in the RCMP.
We know there have been a lot of problems with respect to concerns about how the pension was managed within the RCMP, and what the legal fund is used for in terms of advocacy, which itself is a conflict of interest. All these aside, I know full well that members of the RCMP devote themselves to the job of protecting others. There is perhaps no greater job that I can think of where one is prepared to give his or her life in the service of others.
There is a police memorial not far from here, attended every year by parliamentarians. We all have names of people whom we know who have passed before us. They are individuals who, in the cause of giving their lives, have given so much for the freedom, democracy and liberties we enjoy.
I call upon the government to look at the bill not in isolation of the bigger problem, but to see it as a necessary first step to ensuring that RCMP members are treated equally, are treated with respect and are treated in a way in which we can modernize our thinking and our approach to a modern, effective police service.
I had the privilege of serving this Parliament and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the ministry in many missions abroad. It always struck me that the first thing the public around the world recognizes for Canada is the red serge and our officers. In most embassies around the world there is a desk officer from the RCMP.
We have to ensure that the symbol of our RCMP is also a symbol of fairness and equity. We have a higher degree of responsibility, aside from politics, to ensure that the grievances and the concerns that are being expressed day in and day out, that are being articulated now by our courts, are properly respected in the House.
I call on the justice minister and the public safety minister to pull back their willingness to consistently and continuously appeal the evolution of labour relations within the RCMP that have done the tremendous disservice of seeing our RCMP officers, men and women, left in a situation in which they are treated as second-class officers relative to other services across this country. I call upon the government to ensure that we never see a shameful act of repealing the wages or, because there is no protection for RCMP rank and file members, rolling back the wages to which they are entitled.
I appeal to the government again to ensure that it does not allow a situation where rank and file members see their wages rolled back while management and senior officers receive bonus pay and merit pay. I asked this question some time ago to the President of the Treasury Board. He sloughed it off. The reality is that not only does it create disparities between rank and file members and management, but it also creates disparities among services across this country. That cannot bode well for the higher objective of ensuring that we have an accountable public safety approach that includes, first and foremost, our RCMP.
I will be supporting the bill, but I caution, alert and continue to demand of the government that it stand up not just for the rights of Canadians to ensure fairness, but for what the RCMP so clearly deserves, which is a fair, modern labour relations agreement.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
10:45 a.m.
Lois Brown Newmarket—Aurora, ON
Mr. Speaker, I want to comment on something my hon. colleague said. I have been very privileged over the last decade to participate in the national memorial for our fallen officers that takes place here every year on Parliament Hill, on the last Sunday of September. I believe that event should be a command performance for any elected member who is making legislation that our law enforcement members have to enforce on the streets.
It has been a real honour for me as a volunteer with the York Regional Police to participate in that. It is an extremely moving event, and nothing more moving than the year that the officers were killed in Mayerthorpe. The parliamentary grounds were a sea of red serge, being supported by the RCMP.
My question relates to the fact that our government has seen fit to put in place things that are going to help our RCMP officers. We are the only party that has a police caucus, and we put in place the dollars for Depot division. With all these things that we have done, why is it that former governments did not see this as fairness and justice and take the issue on themselves in previous governments?
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
10:45 a.m.
Dan McTeague Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
Mr. Speaker, I commend the hon. member for her presence and her work with respect to the police memorial. The hon. member will also know that I became one of the first backbenchers to amend the Criminal Code on an issue that was number one for our police and for public safety in 1999-2000. The hon. member will know the work I have done to combat the scourge of child exploitation, with good friends, people who worked for the Kids' Internet Safety Alliance, including some of her constituents on the issue of victims' rights.
However, I would also caution the member that over time we have seen the evolution of a police service in this country that has come out of sync with the services that are provided to others. Whether it was a Liberal government or a Conservative government, the reality is that the courts have now suggested that there is a very serious problem. In fact, it struck down current legislation that bars RCMP officers from collective bargaining.
I think that is crucial and something that did not exist prior to 2006. That has certainly been the case for the past three months, and most importantly, the government appealed that decision. If the government wants to demonstrate its support of police, it can back off, call back the appeal and allow them to elect to organize collectively.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
10:45 a.m.
Borys Wrzesnewskyj Etobicoke Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, it has been noted by a number of speakers that they attend the yearly memorial for fallen law enforcement officers here in Ottawa. It is something that should be attended. But after the memorial, and more poignantly, after the funerals, with federal law enforcement officials, with the RCMP, what do the families face? We provide them a death gratuity equal to two months' salary. We are addressing the superannuation of pensions, but they will never see the pensions. Their families will never see their loved ones again, and what do we provide? We provide two months' salary.
If the government truly wanted to bring fairness and equality, would it not have also used this as an opportunity to provide for educational benefits for spouses and children of fallen federal law enforcement officers, similar to those that exist in jurisdictions such as Ontario for the Ontario Provincial Police?
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
10:45 a.m.
Dan McTeague Pickering—Scarborough East, ON
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Etobicoke Centre raises an excellent, very important and very glaring omission in terms of how we treat the RCMP and its officers.
We can talk about being there, have all the right sense and purpose of emotion, and support the families of those who have lost their lives in the defence of this country, but if we are not prepared to at least honour them with a decent and sustainable pension for the family in terms of a death benefit, that is yet another example of why I think the government really has to wake up and recognize that when it comes to the RCMP, the government is barely getting a passing grade. We recognize a number of problems, which I have raised in my speech. The hon. member has just introduced a bill that I think demonstrates yet another example of how we are failing the RCMP.
The government cannot continue with this rhetoric of being strong on law and order while at the same time denying our police officers, our men and women, the rights, opportunities and benefits they so clearly deserve.
It is a shame, frankly, for anybody to be talking about this when they are not prepared to match the concerns expressed by my good colleague from Etobicoke Centre.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
10:50 a.m.
Diane Bourgeois Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Mr. Speaker, this morning we have before us a bill that is very important for superannuates, but also for RCMP personnel.
This bill amends the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act, validates certain calculations and amends other acts. It was introduced by the Minister of Public Safety on March 9, and modifies the administration of the Canada Pension Plan. The changes also provide the necessary powers to broaden prior service provisions and to implement pension transfer agreements.
Anyone who works or has worked for the federal public service or a Canadian police force which has an agreement with other police forces is familiar with prior service provisions. It is standard practice when people transfer from one police force to another for them to transfer their pension fund or to buy back service.
Prior service means buying back years of service for entitlement to a full pension. Bill C-18, which we are examining today, sets the cost of buying back service according to actuarial rules.
Members are responsible for taking steps to buy back prior service and can do so through their regular pension plan, a lump sum or monthly deductions.
Moreover, the bill extends the right to buy back prior service to other Canadian pension plans. This enables eligible pension plan participants to exercise an option regarding prior service under other Canadian pension plans.
We are used to that, but in organizations such as the RCMP, it was not possible. With the introduction of transfer agreements, the RCMP will be able to enter into official agreements with other Canadian pension plans in order to authorize pension transfers to the RCMP superannuation plan.
This has been done because the RCMP wants to modernize, of course, but also because it has a very tough time recruiting and retaining personnel. It is a question of being fair to the people who work for the RCMP.
This bill amends six other acts, which I will not name, as a result of the amendments to the superannuation act.
However, while we agree with this bill, concerns have been raised. RCMP divisional representatives in Quebec recognize, as we do, that Bill C-18 is a good bill and a step in the right direction, but they are concerned, in particular with regard to cadets. Cadets are new recruits hired by the RCMP.
Until 1992, the time spent in training by cadets, as recruits are known, was included in their pensionable service. This is no longer the case, though. Although cadets are paid a lump sum for their training, the six-month training period is no longer included in their pensionable service.
RCMP divisional representatives in Quebec also say that the definitions in Bill C-18 do not recognize these young recruits. Something was added to the bill, but it does not go far enough. The RCMP also agrees with that and considers this an anomaly. In provincial and municipal police forces, recruits' six-month training period is recognized and included in pensionable service.
Take, for example, provincial police officers—I talked about this problem earlier—who want to join the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Their six months of training are counted toward retirement. If they join the RCMP, their six months of training are recognized. However, those six months are not recognized for Royal Canadian Mounted Police cadets recruited since 1992. That is clearly unjust. The Bloc Québécois wants to reopen the discussion about this inconsistency in committee to make sure that young police officers get fair treatment and perhaps to amend other laws as well.
Another inconsistency that RCMP divisional representatives in Quebec are really worried about is the exclusion of civilian members from the RCMP pension plan. Why? Because these civilian members, who contribute to the pension plan under the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act, are at a disadvantage compared to the plan regular members belong to even though conditions of employment are similar. They have responsibilities and they deserve recognition too. They are subject to rules of transfer, just like regular members. They are subject to the same administrative rules about hours of work, as well as to the code of ethics. Most of them have responsibilities equivalent to 80% or more of the duties carried out by regular members. We should also bear in mind the fact that some civilian members are required to supervise regular members and to assign duties to them.
The Bloc believes that excluding them from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police pension plan is unfair. We want to take a closer look at conditions of work for civilian members of the RCMP and compare them to those of other RCMP members and other public service employees to find a suitable pension plan for them.
Another factor that causes a problem for the divisional members, and this is very important, is the long-term viability of the pension fund, as well as allocation of the cost of pension fund contributions among former members and new employees.
Bill C-18 of course allows for recognition and transfer of years of service and pension funds acquired in another federal or provincial police force, as I talked about earlier.
That recognition does not create any problems. However, when it also means recognition for senior officers in the RCMP, there is another problem. At present, about 160 senior officers in the RCMP are appointed by the commissioner or the governor in council. Employees in that category, those senior officers, are eligible for bonuses, the amount of which has been rising year after year. Those bonuses are also eligible for the pension purposes.
According to RCMP divisional representatives in Québec, the bonus may be as high as 20% of salary. They are therefore afraid that transferring the amount from the former pension fund will be insufficient to cover benefits paid out of the new one. They believe that the viability of the pension fund will be jeopardized and the balance would have to be restored, probably by increasing all employees' contributions. In committee, people could make sure there was no problem in this regard.
When I began speaking, I said we were should help the RCMP, which is having trouble recruiting new cadets and retaining its experienced members. We know that the government committed itself a few years ago to reforming and strengthening the RCMP. In my opinion, Bill C-18 will help the RCMP to be regarded and perceived as a police force that, while elitist, still offers the same benefits as any police force, whether in Quebec or in the rest of Canada, and that is one of the best.
This is not the first time salary issues have been discussed. We are talking about the pension fund, but in the past we have discussed Royal Canadian Mounted Police wages. It will be recalled that the Conservative government recently decided to change the wage agreement it had signed with the RCMP. It made that decision completely unilaterally and the Bloc Québécois spoke out forcefully against the government's attack on the rights of RCMP members. We believe that, by unilaterally imposing new wage conditions, the Conservatives have reneged on the commitment they made in a wage agreement signed in good faith by both parties.
The Bloc Québécois, therefore, has condemned this attack. It demands that the Conservatives reverse their decision and, in accordance with the agreement between the two parties, provide the full wage increase promised to RCMP members. The Bloc Québécois is very disturbed by these devious manoeuvres. It will always pay careful attention when the government makes changes affecting the RCMP.
Bill C-18 has already been examined in the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, on which I sit. Some shortcomings were pointed out, and we hope very much that progress can be made when it is studied in another committee.
The Bloc Québécois has also noted that RCMP officers want to form a union. Why not?
Why should they be the only police force in Canada that is not allowed to unionize? I believe they should have the same freedom of association as all the other police forces in Quebec and Canada.
The Bloc Québécois once tabled a bill to amend the Canada Labour Code and allow RCMP members to form a union.
The Bloc has always been concerned about the life that awaits members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, especially when they retire, and that is why we are studying this bill today. I think that after all their years of loyal service, they deserve a decent, fair and equitable retirement.
Many of these people have made sacrifices. They worked hard defending freedom and justice. We should also consider the fact that the RCMP is currently experiencing recruitment and retention problems. We want to help the people responsible for human resources at the RCMP as well. The people who work for the RCMP must be treated equitably and fairly.
We should also not forget that public money is at stake here. That is why I suggest sending this bill back to committee, not only so that its impact on legislation can be studied but also to attenuate or eliminate the irritants that are currently preventing 10,000 former RCMP employees from receiving the treatment they deserve.
We should try as well to remove the famous orphan clauses, as we call them in Quebec. I do not know whether people in the rest of Canada know about it. This would help young people by allowing them to accumulate six months in the pension plan so that they would be on the same footing as everyone else.
We are therefore in favour of the principle of Bill C-18 but think a lot of changes need to be made in a spirit of justice and fairness.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act
Government Orders
11:05 a.m.
Dave MacKenzie Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, the speech of my hon. colleague was full of a great number of inaccuracies, and I will not try to correct all of them.
When my hon. colleague talks about recruits, I ask whether she really understands what is going on in the country, and perhaps even in her own province. Can she tell us what she has done to change things in her own province? We understand that the City of Montreal and Sûreté du Québec do not offer compensation to recruits because of the way the legislation is formulated in Quebec for police candidates. In the province of Quebec, candidates must have graduated from the Quebec police college prior to being hired by any police force in the province.
If she were to look at that legislation, she would find it very similar to the situation the RCMP cadets are in. They are not members of the force until they complete their training. In actual fact what we are talking about is exactly the same as it is in the province of Quebec.


text:
Hornet Moth
|Wikispecies has information related to: Sesia apiformis
The Hornet Moth or Hornet Clearwing, (Sesia apiformis), is a large bulky moth which is a brilliant natural imitation of a hornet. Despite this, however, the moth is perfectly harmless.
The Hornet Moth is easily confused with the real Hornet and the Lunar Hornet Moth. The moth is as large as a hornet and even has the hornet's rather jerky flight when disturbed, but it has more yellow and lacks the waist between the abdomen and the thorax. Lunar Hornet Moths lack the yellow head and shoulders and has a black collar, unlike the Hornet Moth which has a yellow collar. The Lunar Hornet Moth flies from July to early August, though this is not a reliable identification guide.
Flight Season
As with all British clearwing moths, there is one generation every year. It flies from mid June to July and sometimes into early August.
Life cycle
It overwinters as a larva one and sometimes two times, after which it stays in its cocoon for another winter. Adults are often found on poplar trees straight after emergence. The females lay their eggs at the base of poplar trees, the larval food plant .The larva hatch and feed mainly just beneath the surface of the bark, near ground or below it. Exit holes can often be seen near the base of poplar trees and there may be pupal cases nearby.
The Hornet Moth can be found in Germany, Holland, Austria, and Bohemia. This species is also scarcely found in the British Isles.
It likes Parks, hedgerows, golf courses, quarries, pits, fens, plantation edges and pond edges. Trees in open habitats with little vegetation round the base are a particular favourite.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
Craig, I'm still jealous. Enjoy that beautiful piece of art.
Dude, when are you going to come bake a pie with me? I'm loaded up with cigars too!CL
Seriously. What does it take to jump in the car and drive for an hour and a half?


text:
Welcome to CLC, your key to accessing libraries across the state.
Colorado Libraries Collaborate! provides FREE access to library resources for library users of all CLC member libraries. Currently all public, most school districts, academic and a number of special libraries are members.
Sharing is the KEY to CLC!
Check out the new policy template and sample policy under How Libraries Participate. Having a CLC Policy for your library will help staff and patrons better understand what the program is about and how it is implemented at your library.
As Colorado libraries adopt their own policies based on the template, we'll post them on this web site. If you'd like to post your policy, please contact Gene Hainer.
See also:
- Library participation agreement form
"Libraries volunteered to honor each other's cards and to serve each other's patrons.
In a blink of an eye, the world was improved."
- Jeff Donlan, Salida Public Library Director


text:
SMSU president finalists named
MARSHALL ? Two finalists were announced Wednesday afternoon in the search for the next president at Southwest Minnesota State University.
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) named Connie J. Gores and Ronald Rosati as the two finalists to be considered after receiving recommendations from a search advisory committee comprised of students, faculty, staff and community leaders. Richard Davenport, president of Minnesota State University, Mankato, served as the committee chairman.
"I think we have two great candidates who have a skill set that will meet the area needs," SMSU interim President Ron Wood said. "Dr. Rosati, he has a strong agricultural background, and Dr. Gores, she has a strong student life and development background."
Since 2007, Gores has served as vice president for student life and development at Winona State University. Since the summer of 2012, Gores has also served as interim president at WSU.
Prior to her work at WSU, Gores was a project director and onsite consultant at Longwood University from 2006-2007; vice president for enrollment at Randolph-Macon Woman's College from 1996-2006; dean of enrollment and student affairs and director of admissions and financial aid at Cornish College of the Arts; director of admissions and placement at Willamette University College of Law; and co-coordinator of new student programs/admissions counselor at Portland State University.
Gores earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from North Dakota State University, a master's degree in college student personnel administration from Colorado State University and a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies, higher education administration from the University of Washington.
Since 2010, Rosati has been the provost of Southeast Missouri State University. Previously, Rosati served in various capacities, including provost, officer-in-charge and vice president for academic affairs, at the State University of New York Alfred State College from 2006-2010; in various capacities, including dean and assistant vice chancellor, at Texas A&M University-Kingsville from 1996-2006. He has served on the faculty of Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Illinois State University, Ohio State University Agricultural Technical Institute and Iowa State University.
Rosati has an associate degree in agronomy from Farmingdale Agricultural and Technical College, a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in agricultural education from Cornell University and a doctorate in agricultural education from Iowa State University.
SMSU is part of the MnSCU system, which includes 24 two-year community and technical colleges and seven state universities serving more than 420,000 students. It is the fifth-largest higher education system of its kind in the country.
"There was a good size pool of candidates," Wood said. "I think there were several names sent forward, and chancellor (Steven Rosenstone) selected the two candidates. So we're moving along nicely in the process."
Both candidates are scheduled for campus visits next week, which provides an opportunity for faculty, staff, students and community members to meet and offer feedback on each of the candidates.
Rosati's visit to the SMSU campus will take place on Jan. 30, while Gores' visit to the campus will take place Feb. 1.
The MnSCU Board of Trustees is expected to act on Chancellor Rosenstone's recommendation on a final candidate at its Feb. 26 meeting.
Wood has served as interim president at SMSU since April 2011, taking over for David Danahar, who retired. Wood's last day at SMSU is June 30. The new president is expected to begin July 1.
Interview schedule
Jan. 30-Feb. 1
8:30-9:30 a.m. – Campus tour
9:30-10:15 a.m. – Meeting with president's cabinet, Student Center 207
10:15-10:45 a.m. – Press and photo, Student Center 207
10:45-11:45 a.m. – Classified employee open session (AFSCME, MMA, MAPE, Commissioner's and Managerial Plan), Lower Level Conference Center
12:30-1:30 pm. – Faculty open session, Lower Level Conference Center
1:30- 2:30 p.m. – Student open session, Lower Level Conference Center
2:45-3:45 p.m. – MSUAASF open session, Lower Level Conference Center
4-5 p.m. – Foundation members, alumni and MARL, Lower Level Conference Center
5:15-6:30 p.m. – Community reception, Lower Level Conference Center


text:
Learn how to protect yourself from Internet scams. Read our online fraud prevention tips
Free Stuff-Freebies-Bargains ClassifiedsFor Sale Local NJ Classified Ads
2 listings match, 1-2 shown
Page 1 of 1
Can't find what you're looking for? Try our
Advanced Search
We have 25 DVD sets available for anyone struggling due to an addiction to drugs or alcohol and wants the help. Request one here: http://odrecovery.org/recovery-dvd This multi-DVD series was developed for anyone suffering due to drug or alcohol addiction, offering guidance on how to begin treatment for addiction, today, in your home. This is an excellent program for anyone with a loved one or family member that is suffering from substance abuse or alcohol addiction. Topics include: •Identifying the signs of addiction •Gauging the severity of a person's symptoms •What you can do today to achieve your recovery goals •12-Steps -- An overview of the principles behind 12 step recovery •The right questions to ask •The importance of support •Relationships within addiction •Triggers and cravings during the recovery process •Family dynamics •Enabling vs helping •Interaction with the family •Addressing the underlying cause drug and alcohol use These videos deliver practical methods of addressing substance abuse and useful tools that can help anyone begin the process of recovery from drug or alcohol addiction. This step-by-step outline and recovery journal can help guide a family member through proven methods of addressing and starting in-home treatment for addiction without private insurance or expensive inpatient treatment. Viewers receive hands-on techniques and useful knowledge from experienced addiction treatment professionals on how to begin the process of treating addiction in a home setting.This multi-DVD series was designed to help individuals and families cope with drug abuse and alcohol addiction.
Web Id: NJC15987252
Published on NJ.com 1/11. Updated 1/11.
The Single String Secret, a 27-page e-book with concise, proven-to-work instruction and scale exercises will get you up and down the fretboard at absolute no cost! Yes, this guitar e-book is FREE! Get your copy today by visiting Guitar Smith Online® at http://www.guitarsmithonline.com/Store/single-string-secret.
Web Id: NJC15057406
Published on NJ.com 3/22. Updated 12/8.
2 listings match, 1-2 shown
Page 1 of 1
Find A Local Business


text:
Here's how RW members rated this race in the past (108 votes).
In short: Fast 10k, nice sceneryIn full: A very fast 10k around Chichester, nice enough scenery out in the countryside around Goodwood. Undulating, but the last 2k downhill makes this PB territory.Massive car park right at the race start.Nice to get something useful at the end, mug and a bottle.Last 1k is very dangerous with the traffic and needs looking into. Racing 3 abreast with buses trying to overtake then pull over in front of runners is not safe.Date of review: March 5, 2014
In full: Lovely course over a slightly undulating route on a mixture of rural and urban roads. Last 2km are downhill so a nice speedy finish. Nice mix of club and fun runners and the atmosphere is very welcoming to new runners.Not sure what happened with the traffic management this year but traffic was getting very close to runners during the last 1km and it was difficult to overtake other runners safely as the cars were driving so close. There was also a bus trying to pull over to pick up passengers while runners were running alongside it which was a bit heart stopping. Otherwise a great race, but please no more mugs!Date of review: February 9, 2014
In short: Well organised race and PB potential despite the wind. But...the mug is awful...really time that produced a medal for the race price. Date of review: February 9, 2014
In short: WELL ORGANISED, ENJOYABLE RUNIn full: It's not hilly but it's certainly "undulating." The course would suit beginners in a first race, elite athletes looking for a fast time and club runners looking for a challenge. Have to agree about the mug; it is naff. It's not that I would prefer a medal, it's more that he mug is more of an advertisement for a Volks Wagon dealership rather than a race - nobodies going to see what it's for when I try and show off with it at work! Organisation was excellent and race results were up within minutes.Date of review: February 9, 2014
In full: Quick course and well organised. Decent 'walk' to the actual start which helps. Very fast at finish and strong supportDate of review: December 27, 2013
In short: Fantastic raceIn full: Very well organised race that takes place on a mixture of urban and rural roads. Slightly undulating course with the last 2km being downhill makes for a fast finish and a definite PB course. Excellent marshalling and organisation. Results available within hours. Only complaint is the momento mug- it's awful and the same every year. I didn't bother taking one this time, would much rather have a medal.Date of review: February 4, 2013
In short: Excellent organisation, quality field, PB potentialIn full: I can see why this race attracts a quality field. There are a few minor ups and downs but it's generally pretty fast, with a gentle downhill finish. Reasonably scenic route along predominantly country lanes with few sharp bends and a good set-up generally. What impressed me most was the organisation, with attention to detail such as accurately placed km markers, a huge number of marshals guiding you safely past every road junction and minor pothole, and the obvious benefits of chip timing with a very prompt results service.Pretty faultless really. And if you want a nice mug go to John Lewis.Date of review: February 4, 2013
In short: PB course. Finish quickly and then go sight seeing. In full: A narrow start with a few small inclines, but big PB potential. Aim to be on track at 8k and then final gradual downhill for the last 2k should help you score a fast time. The mug is truly awful - the worst I've ever seen - but I'd take a PB over a medal anytime. Finish quickly and then worry about sightseeing... Date of review: February 4, 2013
In short: Expensive, poor memento, quickish course, quality fieldIn full: Organisers: please replace the 'dull' mug with something decent in the future as a memento! For the rather steepish entry price we should be presented with something a bit better. Enough people have commented on this in the past. The Mug is good for:Storing paint brushesStoring your dentures at nightGetting correct levels of Oats for Porridge or PastaEr, not much else really!Organisation was quite smooth even with the interuption caused by local Gasworks that affected part of the course this year. The beginning and end of the course is quite boring, but the middle section, which is semi-rural is quite pleasing. This event always attracts a high calibre of entrants from far and wide across the UK. This adds to the atmosphere and makes for an interesting race for the spectators and good club runners. However, it is not all 'elitist' as there is a far mix of ability, gender and age throughout, which makes it an attraction.Thanks to the organisers, Marshalls, helpers and everyone else involved in making this event happen. Long may it continue.Date of review: February 4, 2013
In short: 4 inclines, and windy, but still a fast course, mainly due to the quality of field!In full: stellar field, and fast last km give this good pb potential. But there are 4 inclines and fair wind in places.Narrow at the start for a half km climb, but the field soon thins out nicely.If you're on target by 8km you're well away, as 8to9km is totally flat, and 9km has a gentle slope to help you finish strongly.Date of review: February 3, 2013
Visit the official Runner's World page
Follow Runner's World on Twitter
Click here
Other Natmag-Rodale Sites
Run For Charity
Injury Clinics
About Runner's World


text: Microsoft researchers developed a sensor worn on the wrist that lets users control devices with hand gestures. Digits is a prototype sensor built with off-the-shelf components that creates 3D models of a user's hand movements in real-time. This data can control devices such as smartphones, TVs, and video games. The camera-based sensor detects infrared laser light that measures the distances of fingers and thumb across the user's hand and a ring of LEDs are used to light the hand and determine fingertip positions. Software interprets the data, determines the hand's position and movements, and issues the commands programmed to correspond to those motions. Researchers from Microsoft's University of Cambridge laboratory, Newcastle University, and the University of Crete developed the sensor. Eventually, they say, they want the device to be the size of a wristwatch so that it can be worn constantly. They published their work in Proceedings of the 25th annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology. (BBC)(Proceedings of the 25th annual ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology)


text:
February 28th, 2014,
February 21st, 2014,
The UpTake: Anna Zornosa of Ruby Ribbon is betting that high tech can augment the high-touch experience of shopping for high-end fashion, but not replace it.
February 14th, 2014,
February 12th, 2014,
On Tuesday night, February 11th, more than 80 enterprise executives packed into Mohr Davidow Ventures' Sand Hill office for a strategy session on "Crossing the Chasm: What's New, What's Not?" with bestselling author and MDV venture partner Geoff Moore.
January 21st, 2014
BuildDirect announced today it raised $30 million CAD ,in a Series B round to amp up the pressure on the brick-and-mortar establishment... with Mohr Davidow Ventures leading the round through Canadian partner Katherine Barr.
January 15th, 2014,
January 12th, 2014,
Coupa CEO Rob Bernshteyn shares the priority shifts and strategy inherent in successfully raising a second round of venture capital funding and why they chose to partner with Mohr Davidow Ventures GP, Bryan Stolle.
January 6th, 2014
January 6th, 2014


text:
In high school, Megan Kalmoe played basketball, softball and ran cross country.
She never rowed, and didn't really know an oar from a paddle.
But as a sophomore at the University at Washington, Kalmoe walked on to the Huskies' strong rowing program and instantly became smitten.
Eventually she became a captain, and then graduated to the U.S. national team where she finished fifth in the double sculls with teammate Ellen Tomek at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and earned a silver medal in quad sculls at the 2011 World Rowing Championships.
Today she is in Chula Vista, Calif., competing in the National Selection Regatta II. The winning crew will get the opportunity to go to Europe for the first two world cup stops. If that crew finishes in the top four, it will be named to the team. If it does not, the boat class will be included in the 2012 Olympic Trials – Rowing scheduled for June 11-14 in West Windsor, N.J.
In the final event of the morning, the women's double sculls, the two USRowing Training Center-Princeton entries posted the fastest times of the two heats with Kalmoe and Tomek posting a 7:18.542 followed by Stesha Carle and Kate Bertko in 7:25.259.
But even as Kalmoe works to the make the U.S. team that will compete this summer at the London 2012 Olympic Games, she is looking at the big picture of her sport. Kalmoe, 28, says there's more to rowing than just the strength and endurance required to go fast, or the teamwork and techniques that separate the best from the rest.
For her, the sport's traditions and long history are special.
So, she strives to share her passion for rowing with others and is eager to play her part —along with other current and former national team members — in USRowing's just-launched Row to London fundraising and awareness campaign.
"For me, getting into it, I was actually very attracted to the legacy aspect (of the sport)," said Kalmoe, who grew up in Minneapolis. "There's a huge rowing tradition at Washington, and to walk on to the team when it was the centennial of the rowing program there was like completely over the top, a celebration of 100 years of rowing, and that was really amazing. It really hit home to me how far back the sport actually goes.
"Then you take it to the next level and you learn about the Olympic history and the national teams that have come for a very long time before I ever started rowing, and it's unique that we have a sport that has such a rich history and especially a rich Olympic history."
The Row to London campaign kicked off the last weekend of March at the San Diego Crew Classic, which Kalmoe was able to attend because she was training at the nearby Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista.
At the Crew Classic, USRowing had an information tent set up to connect to rowers and fans about the campaign that will consist of:
Check out: http://natrowing.donorpages.com/RowtoLondon/
The Row to London campaign, said Glenn Merry, USRowing's chief executive officer, is crucial for the organization during an Olympic year.
"Being a non-profit membership organization, we are constantly looking for ways to engage our members, grow our fan base and increase our support," Merry said in a news release.
Kalmoe is well positioned to get the word out as a dedicated blogger and social-media communicator. She's blogged about Row to London on her website (megankalmoe.com) and talked about it on her Facebook page and Twitter account.
"I have a lot of junior rowers that follow me in those social mediums, and a lot of active rowers as well," Kalmoe said. "So I thought if I could contribute by spreading the word and letting them know that I'm excited about it and that I think it could be really good for the Olympic team, I figured I would help."
Kalmoe's impact on the sport will be that much greater if she makes her second Olympic Games. She said her best bet is to land a spot on the quad scull, but the level of competition is higher this year than at any time since she's been on the national team, she said.
"As much as I would love to tell you, 'Oh my chances are great, and I'm feeling really awesome,' I'm going to have to fight really, really hard to get onto this team because there are just so many strong, talented women," she said. "I can tell you that whoever does make the team is going to be a force for London, because this group is very strong. I'm excited to be a part of it."
The perfect scenario for her would be to make the team, then take part in the Row to London celebration with the winning fundraising organization this fall after her second Olympic Games.
To her, the national competition between boathouses is the biggest part of Row to London. After all, it was at the University of Washington where she first fell in love with rowing, and she knows college and amateur programs are the foundation of the sport. This is their chance to help out the Olympic team while getting the word out about rowing and hooking future athletes.
Just the way Kalmoe was hooked.
"So in the event that I do end up making the team and that works out, the ability to come back and give back in that way and take part in that event, whatever it ends up being and wherever it ends up being, that would be really cool," she said.
Story courtesy Red Line Editorial, Inc. Doug Williams is a freelance contributor for teamusa.org. This story was not subject to the approval of any National Governing Bodies.


text:
Nike Stock Hits New 52-Week High (NKE)
Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model.
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Nike (NKE">NKE) hit a new 52-week high Monday as it is currently trading at $61.42, above its previous 52-week high of $61.38 with 2.5 million shares traded as of 3:35 p.m. ET. Average volume has been four million shares over the past 30 days.
Nike has a market cap of $43.07 billion and is part of the consumer goods sector and consumer non-durables industry. Shares are up 18.1% year to date as of the close of trading on Friday.
NIKE, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, marketing, and sale of footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessories for men, women, and children worldwide. The company has a P/E ratio of 12.4, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7.
- EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Jim Cramer's Protégé, Dave Peltier, only buys Stocks Under $10 that he thinks could potentially double. See what he's trading today with a 14-day FREE pass.
TheStreet Ratings rates Nike as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, growth in earnings per share, increase in net income and expanding profit margins. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat disappointing return on equity. You can view the full Nike Ratings Report.
See all 52-week high stocks or get investment ideas from our investment research center.
Exclusive Offer: Jim Cramer's 'go-to' small/mid-cap guru Bryan Ashenberg only buys stocks he thinks could return 50-100% See his top picks for 14-days FREE.


text:
The Kool-aid man is back and he puts his pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else. Except he puts them in his head.
"This is one of those fun projects we love to work on: Bring Kool-Aid Man back, better than ever," said Saatchi & Saatchi NY Chief Creative Officer Con Williamson. "When we set out to do that, when we really dug in, we discovered that there's a lot to love in the evolution of this iconic character. We wanted people to get to know him a bit more. Kool-Aid and Kool-Aid Man are undeniably fun and positively bold. We wanted that happiness to shine through in his personality and attitude."
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
Agency Location: NYC
Chief Creative Officer: Con Williamson
Creative Director: Justin Ebert
Creative Director: Alex Lea
Art Director: Alex Lea, Craig Duffney
Copywriter: Justin Ebert, Allon Tartaka
Executive Producer: Sheldon J.Levy
Production Company: Anonymous Content
Production Company Location: LA
Director: Brian Billow, NY
Director of Photography: Eigil Byrld
Executive Producer: Eric Stern
Line Producer: Bettina Schneider
I miss the voice. the OOOH YEAAAAAAAAAHHHHH voice.
Oh yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!
The look on those kids faces. Priceless! Think the taller kid should have said something prior to the smaller kid saying pretty sweet. Like "Oh Yeah!" or "AWESOME!"
Kids are lame. OH YEAAAAAAAAAAH
Im a weirdo but ur username is dabitch?
Kids are lame? Those kids are perfect! What have you accomplished you jealous pathetic troll!
I'm not a jealous pathetic troll, i write for this site. constantly. moreover, i didn't say the kool-aid kids are lame. I said kids are lame in general. and guess what? i was joking. get a life.


text:
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles).
MMR vaccinations are given by injection in two doses:
Children traveling outside the United States should get the vaccine as early as 6 months of age. Those who remain in an area where disease risk is high should receive two additional doses: at 12 months and then at least 4 weeks later.
Measles, mumps, and rubella are infections that can lead to significant illness. More than 95% of children receiving MMR will be protected from the three diseases throughout their lives.
Serious problems such as allergic reactions are rare. Potential mild to moderate reactions include rash, fever, swollen cheeks, febrile seizures, and mild joint pain.
The vaccine is not recommended if:
Talk to your doctor about whether it's a good idea for your child to be vaccinated if he or she:
Your doctor may determine that the benefits of vaccinating your child outweigh the potential risks.
Pregnant women should not receive the MMR vaccine until after childbirth.
If a rash develops without other symptoms, no treatment is necessary and it should resolve within several days. Pain and fever may be treated with acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Check with your doctor to see if you can give either medication, and find out the appropriate dose.
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-
Images provided by iStock, Getty Images, Corbis, Veer, Science Photo Library, Science Source Images, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com
New Appointments 1.866.CALL.MLH
Create an account to receive email newsletters, appointment reminders, and more!
Learn More
2010 Main Line Health


text:
These are good times for users of RPM-based distributions. The two behemoths of RPM-land, OpenSUSE and Fedora, have just released new iterations and here we pit them against each other to see if they have what it takes to win the coveted real estate on your hard disk.
Both offer similar download options. You can grab a DVD or try installable live CDs for your favorite graphical environment. Gnome or KDE. Both also have loads of theme-based spins or derivatives, with apps and tools for deployments in specialized fields.
Behind the scenes, both are running on patched versions of Linux kernel 3.1. which boasts improved support for Wi-Fi drivers and lots more. SystemD, the replacement for the SysV init daemon, was already a part of Fedora 15. but it's been further improved here. The Red Hat developers also collaborated with OpenSUSE to get SystemD onto 12.1.
While OpenSUSE is still using Grub Legacy for booting duties. Fedora has finally switched to Grub 2. Conversely. OpenSUSE, like the latest Ubuntu 11.10. uses the lightweight and zippy LightDM display manager, while Fedora continues with Gdm.
For this comparison, we're using the install-only DVDs of both distros. Both Fedora's Anaconda and OpenSUSE's Yast have mastered the art of user friendly installations. OpenSUSE 12.1 suggests a default partitioning scheme and gives you the option to edit it. Advanced users can create their own layout using the in-built partitioning tool. If you don't have free space, the installer offers to carve some out from existing partitions.
Similarly, Fedora 16 lets you create a new partition if you have space. If not. you can either wipe all other operating systems, wipe just the existing Linux system, or ask the installer to shrink a partition. Advanced users get the flexibility to create a custom layout.
Both distros default to ext4 and offer the option to use newer filesystems, such as Btrfs. This rrakes more sense in OpenSUSE, which has a tool called Snapper that wraps the ability of Btrfs to take snapshots of the filesystems in a graphical shell. You can use it to revert to an earlier snapshot if a filesystem change botches up the install.
What edges Fedora into the lead when it comes to installation, though, is Anacondas support for enterprise devices such as SANs with iSCSI disks.
The one major difference between the two distros is the default desktop. Fedora has always been the first to bundle upstream releases of Gnome and the tradition continues with Gnome 3.2. OpenSUSE, on the other hand, has always been known as a KDE distro. although the developers stress that they give equal attention to both. Since there can be only one default, though. OpenSUSE defaults to KDE and Fedora to Gnome.
In addition to the defaults, we tweaked the package selection in both to install Gnome and KDE. This is the first OpenSUSE release with a Gnome 3.x-series desktop, and it's done a nice job integrating it. This really isn't much of a surprise, though, considering the number of Novell-employed Gnome developers.
What is surprising is KDE on top of Fedora. It's probably the first time KDE doesn't feel like a second-class citizen. We didn't notice any kinks in 4.7 and it works as advertised, which is especially noteworthy as this release has several performance improvements.
Both distros also implement new Gnome 3.2 features, such as online desktop integration, documents and contacts apps and the Sushi file previewer But OpenSUSE's KDE 4.7 implementation has a few experimental add-ons, such as the integration of the ownCloud applet Mirall.
Configuration has always been an OpenSUSE specialty thanks to Yast. Fedora does have a few custom configuration utilities but it lacks a centralized tool to house them all.
Gnome's System Settings have replaced the functionality of most of Fedora's system ccnfig tools, and the overlap can be confusing to new users. OpenSUSE 12.1 also has the System Settings option in Gnome, with an additional pointer to Yast.
This dual-configuration scheme works in OpenSUSE's favor, Newbies can use the minimal configuration options in Gnome's System Settings, and for everything else, such as package management, there's Yast.
It's worth noting that Fedora 16 doesn't stop users accessing additional configuration options, but as Gnome 3 abandons menus, those tools can be difficult to get to.
When it comes to configuration. Yast makes OpenSUSE a clear winner.
Fedora uses the Yum package manager, while OpenSUSE uses Zypper. Historically, we've dumped Fedora's Yum front end, in favour of Yum Extender but we were pleasantly surprised with PackageKit in Fedora 16. It worked flawlessly while we were installing packages from the official Fedora 16 repos but it all fell apart when we tried to install plugins for Flash and MP3 files from external repos such as RPMFusion. After trying (and failing) to install the non-free GStreamer plugins and hook them with Rhythmbox from within PackageKit, we finally installed them via the Yum CLI.
In OpenSUSE 12.1 we just had to ensure the non-OSS repository was enabled in Yast and use the place holder to pull in the required packages.
This simplicity delivers OpenSUSE a first-round knockout.
There's no difference between the two in terms of usability since they both have the same graphical environments. They also have almost identical software and there's no noticeable performance degradation when running apps from one on top of the other.
The real differences become apparent when it comes to fine-tuning the system and Yast gives OpenSUSE the upper hand, although this only matters if you want to configure the system at all. Out of the box, both work equally well for the average user.
Chances are. if you're currently running Fedora you're a Gnome user and unless you really don't like its package management ways, you should be happy upgrading. The same goes for KDE users and OpenSUSE.
If you're thinking of switching from your existing distro, though, OpenSUSE 12.1 is one of the best RPM-based desktop distros you'll find. Sure, it defaults to KDE, but it also does a top notch job of implementing the latest Gnome desktop.
OpenSUSE 12.1
Fedora 16
|Novell/OpenSUSE community
|Red Hat/Fedora community
|Various open source licences
|Ease of use
|The best RPM distro for the desktop thanks to Yast
|KDE's improved performance has to be the highlight of this release.
Source: LXF 153
Thank for this comparison. After being hugely disappointed by GNOME3 in the latest Fedora I decided to give KDE spin a chance and I was completely surprised at how good it is. As you said they really did a great job in this release. So good in fact that I find it even better than the old Fedora versions with GNOME2. So I have switched to KDE here, and have been thinking for some time now about trying other more KDE-centred distributions, which may do an even better job at integrating KDE. I was thinking about Mandriva and openSUSE as the main ones. And it looks like I will definitely have to try a least those out.
I think openSUSE has the best out-of-the-box KDE distro. I also use Arch, but find myself spending more time with openSUSE lately. I used to like Mandrake/Mandriva but they lost me with 2011. There are strong rumors they are filing bamkruptcy so we may be one distro short soon.
hey….try the new look of kde4.7 in fedora 16…you will really appreciate
have you guys tried copying from or to usb drive with dolphin file manager under a kde x64 distro? whole system becomes unresponsive. i was astonished with kde 4 design and usability too, until i started using usb drives…
once more using gnome and xfce now…
And that doesn't happen using gnome?
That doesn't make any sense to me.
I know my USB flash drive eats CPU power but I assumed that was because it was USB and that USB lacks DMA and hence the processor was involved.
I doubt KDE got anything to do with it.
You don't happen to have used KDE on the flash drive but Gnome and XFCE on your harddrive?
Although I mostly use Arch Linux because for me it is easier to setup and KNOW that things were done right, I have to say that I really did enjoy openSUSE 12.1 KDE. I thought the install was fast and easy–though I must admit that graphical installers always feel slow and cumbersome compared to text based. KDE worked great and looked great. I'm glad that SUSE features KDE as it is an underappreciated DE that can look and run great, so long as you have decent hardware. In fact, since GNOME3 is just out-to-lunch-bass-ackwards-confused I hope that more people take this opportunity to explore KDE. I had always shunned it in favor of old GNOME but uhh, now? The only issue I had with openSUSE was that configuring SAMBA in YAST was not user-friendly, other than that it was almost too easy:)
Thanks, as a gnome user, I was beginning to wonder about fedora, but I think I will remain content with openSUSE for a while longer. I always seem to be installing and configuring something new, at present it's LAMP, so openSUSE's strengths are important to me.
to me its always has been fedora.
tried opensuse 12.1, virtualbox booted it with guest additions preinstalled! nice. but alas, it still very lacking in apps. missing lxde, games, etc. in default repo. very nice. yast is pretty fast, but keeps closing after transaction done.
ubuntu 12.04, horrible. couldn't stomach the global menu, overlay scrollbar, close,min,max on the right. why choose to copy the worse elements of mac? and unity is much uglier than gnome 3. wish they defaulted to gnome 3. fedora used to customised gnome with bluecurve, after a while they just use default gnome.
no sense it dressing up gnome when it is already pretty. customized xfce rodent icons, i can understand that. why waste all these resources on non trivial stuff?
so back to fedora, out of the box in default repo, a lot of apps – games, lxde, etc. plus yumex is better than all the other stuff i used.
includeing ubuntu software centre. yeah yum might be slower, but who cares… it does the job. plus the most time spent is in the downloading – nothing to do with yum- just dsl speed. it is layout better.
You forgot to mention that the people on the opensuse forums are rude and unhelpful.
Who wants that sort of support?
I had an app keep crashing on startup. The response from an admin was 'so what'!
opensuse is a disgrace to the linux community.


text:
The club had a lot of debt (£522m) and a lot of cash in the bank (£164m) at the 30th June. The source of the debt is obvious, the original takeover and the subsequent refinancings in 2006 and most recently in January 2010 when the "Senior Secured Notes" (aka "bonds") were issued. The cash in the bank has come from several sources which I describe below.
The reason all this is important (even if it is quite technical) is because not all the cash reported is "available", some of it will be needed to pay costs during the season when less cash flows in. In addition, the Glazers have large and growing "entitlements" to take dividends out of the club. They have not done so as yet, but supporters should be aware what impact taking up these rights would have on the bank balance. Finally, most agree the ageing squad will need investment in the coming years, probably more than the £31m spent in the 2009/10 season. By understanding the cash dynamics, people can reach their own conclusions about whether high investment and dividend payments are compatible.
With the results just published, we can see for the first time how these seasonal effects impact on cash flow over each quarter of the financial year (the club has only had to report quarterly since the bond issue). The seasonality can be seen in the pie charts below which compare how EBITDA is split and how operating cash flow (EBITDA + changes in working capital) is split. The difference is very, very pronounced, with over 70% of cash (remember this is before transfers, interest and spending on the stadium) coming in the final three months of the year, three months that only generate 19% of the year's operating profit.
The table below shows the season end cash balance over the last few years (and also what percentage of turnover that represented at the time).
Thinking about dividends and the squad
United is a great business, and as the table above shows, if profits just remain flat, will still generate around £14m of cash next year (assuming a net £30m is spent on transfers). That £14m is before dividends, and in 2009/10 of course the Glazers did not take any of the £95m in dividends to which they were entitled.


text:
About the Author: Ertharin Cousin serves as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies in Rome.
After an incredible boat ride across the Bay of Bengal, where fishermen in their long crescent-shaped wooden boats with oversized oars were attempting their catches for the day, we arrived at the USAID Integrated Protected Area Co-Management program (IPAC) site -- in the Sundarbans -- on September 29. The Sundarbans is the largest remaining mangrove in the world, and its natural resources have generated livelihood support and met the food security needs of the local residents for generations. The USAID program is introducing a co-management approach to conservation by local communities and Bangladesh Forest Department officials. This program recognizes the importance of saving the forest as well also ensuring that the affected area families have the ability to feed their children.
During our visit, a local community group performed an interpretive song and dance. The performance demonstrated how the IPAC program teaches Sundarbans dwellers -- most of whom are unable to read or write -- viable alternatives to the income generating activities they historically practiced. These practices included net-fishing and timber-cutting, actions that damage the mangrove. As a result of this type of training, the locals are beginning to better understand that protecting the mangrove also acts as a defense against natural disasters, such as cyclones and flooding -- frequent occurrences in Bangladesh.
Cyclone Sidr struck Bangladesh in late 2007, but farmers -- both men and women, many landless before Sidr -- continue to feel the effects. With their assets destroyed by floodwaters, many still benefit from the FAO Emergency 2007 Cyclone Recovery and Restoration Project, which provides farming inputs, including tillers, feed and livestock. I had an opportunity to see first-hand how the beneficiaries of this program are rebuilding their livelihoods one sheep at a time.
In Bagerhat, men and women held their registration cards as they lined up in neat and orderly rows behind signs that read: "POWER TILLER BENEFICIARY,""SHEEP BENEFICIARY,""SEED AND FERTILIZER BENEFICIARY." Everyone waited patiently to receive his or her allotment. There were only women in the sheep line, because women normally stay at home and thus are the livestock caretakers. One unmarried woman we spoke to has turned her two-goat allocation from the program into a profitable business selling products door-to-door. This very entrepreneurial widow sold one goat then used the proceeds to procure small household items, which she now sells to her neighbors. Through artificial insemination, her second goat is now expecting a kid -- more opportunities for profits and sales.
On our way back to Khulna, we visited the USAID Post Cyclone Sidr Livelihoods Reconstruction Program (PCSLRP), which is implemented by USAID partner World Vision. This market program represents the true spirit of our "Feed the Future" initiative. The goal is not just increasing livelihoods, but also ensuring that farmers have access to markets and consumers maintain access to quality affordable food. This program supports construction of new marketplace facilities. These facilities protect the vendors as well as their produce, fish and customers from the blistering heat, floods and monsoonal rains while providing a higher level of sanitation. The market we toured appeared clean and organized. In fact, the fresh vegetables and fish tempted our buying impulses.
We also learned that the facility generates good economic results, because this new market consolidation -- in one central location as opposed to along the road-side -- allows the growers and fishermen to obtain better prices. When we spoke to these sellers, their enthusiasm regarding this incremental increase in prices was clearly evident. The market facility is coordinated and overseen by a community market management committee, allowing buyers and sellers better access to market information. As an aside, we also learned that PCSLRP also trains and supports women's employment in livestock care and breeding. This project allows women to earn additional income from their home, because most married women here remain at home and raise the children.
Throughout the day, I saw how the work of FAO, USAID and their NGO partners is beginning to generate results, from the fields to the marketplace. The programs we visited were not just designed to create sustainable market-driven results, but they also respond to the cultural and community needs of the populations they serve. Sustainably reducing hunger and poverty begins with vulnerable countries, which should decide on their own needs, priorities and strategies. Country ownership provides the most effective means to coordinate development efforts and achieve sustainability. When we use the words "country-driven," we are definitely on the right track in Bangladesh to "walking the talk."Read Ambassador Cousin's previous entry from Bangladesh or more about global hunger and food security.
Ziaul H. in Sweden writes:
Nice to read the post. Very impressive work done by u people. thanks. I am happy to see these projects are running very successfully and effectively. I think if u people expand ur operation in more areas of Bangladesh it would help more poor people of other areas. Hope for more success and expansion of projects in more areas.