| HEALTH & HEALING
Peace Country Health to increase Aboriginal employment in health care FASD funding awarded to BC communities Brewers Association pledges $1 million for fetal alchol research Peace Country Health to increase Aboriginal employment in health care The federal government and the Government of Alberta and Peace Country Health Region (PCH) have signed a partnership agreement to promote career and employment opportunities for Aboriginal people in the area of health care. "Today Canada's New Government is signing yet another Aboriginal Workforce Participation Initiative agreement that will result in Aboriginal people developing key skills and finding lasting employment,” said Rob Merrifield, Member of Parliament for Yellowhead, on behalf of the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians. "There is now a growing list of forward thinking employers committed to recruiting Aboriginal people as employees, and we are proud to be working with Peace Country Health and the Alberta Government in this partnership.” The federal government has partnered with some of this country's leading companies, public agencies, industry, professional and labour groups to help in the recruitment, retention and promotion of Aboriginal employees. “Critical skill and labour shortages exist in many health-care occupations throughout Alberta and Aboriginal people can help fill those positions,” said the Honourable Guy Boutilier, Minister of Alberta International, Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Relations. “Partnerships such as this also ensure that Aboriginal Albertans have every opportunity to engage in the labour force and to be full participants and contributors to Alberta’s thriving economy.” “PCH is working with our residents to create a sustainable workforce that is reflective of the needs of our population,” said Marvin Moore, Chair of the PCH Board of Governors. “This event provides us with another way to formally reaffirm our commitment to our residents and work in partnership with them to identify potential employment and career opportunities.” PCH, Alberta’s largest employer north of Edmonton, has approximately 4,500 staff and provides service to over 200,000 residents in the region (including northeastern British Columbia), approximately 13.5 per cent of whom are Aboriginal and most are under the age of 19. With PCH currently experiencing labour shortages in various occupations (notably doctors, nurses, and other specialized medical occupations), the Aboriginal population in the area gives the organization access to a large pool of workers to recruit from. “This provides PCH a great opportunity to influence their career decisions and encourage them to choose a career in health care,” said Moore. The agreement is part of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada’s Aboriginal Workforce Participation Initiative (AWPI), a program that promotes the participation of all Aboriginal peoples – First Nations, Métis and Inuit – in the labour market. FASD funding awarded to BC communities The Victoria Foundation has awarded funds to 40 projects throughout BC from the $10-million Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Action Fund established by the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development in March 2006. “FASD is the most common form of preventable brain injury in infants in the western world,” said the fund’s advisory committee chair Jan Lutke. “This brain injury is permanent and results in lifelong challenges in all areas across the lifespan.” It’s estimated that for every 1,000 births in our province, nine infants will be affected in some way by FASD. “These grants will promote prevention and education on FASD, and fund projects designed to improve the quality of life for people living with the disorder,” said Victoria Foundation board chair Tom Burley. “Projects vary from community to community according to their needs.” The FASD Action Fund has three focuses: $2 million to promote prevention, public education, and parent and caregiver education; $7 million for projects that focus on improving outcomes for children and youth with FASD; and $1 million in an endowment fund to help attract additional funding through community contributions. “This government has an ongoing commitment to build the best system of support in Canada for people with disabilities, those with special needs and children at risk,” said Children and Family Development Minister Tom Christensen. “Supporting FASD prevention programs and support systems for children and youth living with FASD and their families is a priority for the Province and we’re pleased to partner with the Victoria Foundation in addressing this need.” For information on the FASD Action Fund visit the Foundation website at www.victoriafoundation.bc.ca. Brewers Association pledges $1 million for fetal alchol research At the 8th Annual FACE (Fetal Alcohol Canadian Expertise) Research Roundtable held in Winnipeg on September 7th, Dr. Louise Nadeau, Professor at the Université de Montréal and Scientific Director of the University Institute on Dependencies in Québec announced the single largest non- government source of funding for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) research in Canada, the creation of the Canadian Foundation on Fetal Alcohol Research (CFFAR). CFFAR was created with a contribution from the Brewers Association of Canada of $1 million over five years to fund research projects in the study of FASD. CFFAR will support research into all aspects of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). The Scientific Review Committee will adjudicate research grant applications submitted from all parts of Canada. A link to the CFFAR website with further information is as follows: www.fasdfoundation.ca. |
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