Columbia Institute

Symposium for Education Leaders

Featuring Simon Jackson, Patrick Robertson and Ken Martin

December 4th, 2008, 1:30-5:00pm
Alice MackayRoom, Vancouver Public Library 

Click here to Register.

The Centre for Civic Governance at Columbia Institute released poll results today that underscore concerns about low voter turn-out in the November civic elections. Only 7.2 percent of British Columbians surveyed were able to name November 15 as the date of the municipal election while 28 percent correctly chose “some time in November”.A whopping 44.5 percent didn’t even venture a guess.These results underscore a very real concern about low voter turn-out”, said Executive Director Charley Beresford.

Next Up is a leadership program for young people age 19-30.   Over 6 months, the program participants look at how to implement progressive solutions to some of the most pressing issues that we face today - from homelessness to climate change. Next Uppers will look at the connection between sustainability and social justice and meet some of the most inspiring leaders in BC working on these solutions including elected officials, not for profit, labour an private sector leaders.

Last year's Next Up program was a great success, so if you know anyone who'd make a great applicant, please encourage them to apply!  Deadline for application is September 19th.

BC For Sale: A Conference about Privatization
October 4th, 2008

Held in Parksville, BC for Sale featured award winning journalist and author Linda McQuaig (It's the Crude, Dude-War, Big Oil and the Fight for the Planet), author and publisher Mel Hurtig, former Cabinet Ministers Rafe Mair and Corky Evans and researchers from Columbia Institute and CCPA. In their presentation, Columbia Institute's Charley Beresford and Heather Fussell outlined issues related to municipalities.

For more information, please visit the Oceanside Coalition for Strong Communities webite.

Columbia Institute in partnership with the Guelph Civic League presented Communities in Action, an inspiring day of workshops and discussion on June 14th 2008. We brought together non-profit organizations, neighbourhood groups and community advocates from across Canada to share effective tools and strategies and to present exciting new models of community engagement.

For more information, please contact Sean Meagher, Columbia Institute's Centre for Civic Governance Ontario Co-ordinator.

Climate change is a pressing global challenge that we all face. As education leaders, school board trustees and senior district staff have the power to implement meaningful change for our children and our communities.

An intimate evening of theatre (without a play) about global warning, joked by David Diamond and produced by Headlines Theatre had it's inaugural run in 2008. If your organization in interested in hosting a Two Degrees of Fear and Desire interactive evening of theatre exploring global warming, please contact Headlines Theatre at admin@headlinestheatre.com or outreach@headlinestheatre.com.