Features
{mosimage}If you haven’t heard a tweet out of Canada’s Catholic hierarchy, keep listening — and surfing. Catholic twittering is coming.
As the world witnessed a revolution on the streets of Tehran that was fueled and organized on Twitter and Facebook , the church in Canada was appraising the new technology.
This fall, the National Standing Committee for Communications of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops will seriously examine how the Canadian church can be present on these types of social media Internet-based services that rely on users to generate content, promised committee secretary Gerald Baril.
As the world witnessed a revolution on the streets of Tehran that was fueled and organized on Twitter and Facebook , the church in Canada was appraising the new technology.
This fall, the National Standing Committee for Communications of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops will seriously examine how the Canadian church can be present on these types of social media Internet-based services that rely on users to generate content, promised committee secretary Gerald Baril.
Arrowsmith program cancellation sparks lawsuit
By Sheila Dabu Nonato, The Catholic Register
{mosimage}TORONTO - The head of the Greater Toronto Catholic Parent Network says it’s “appalling” that parents of some children with learning disabilities must file a lawsuit against their own school board in order to save a program their children need.
“It’s ridiculous for parents to be put in this situation,” said chair Murielle Boudreau.
Boudreau was responding to news that five parents with children enrolled in a unique special education program called “Arrowsmith ” launched a lawsuit in Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice Divisional Court against the Toronto Catholic District School Board.
“It’s ridiculous for parents to be put in this situation,” said chair Murielle Boudreau.
Boudreau was responding to news that five parents with children enrolled in a unique special education program called “Arrowsmith ” launched a lawsuit in Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice Divisional Court against the Toronto Catholic District School Board.
Toronto Catholic trustees shut out again
By Sheila Dabu Nonato, The Catholic Register
{mosimage}TORONTO - An on-again-off-again public meeting of the embattled Toronto Catholic District School Board trustees is off again.
The Aug. 24 meeting at the Catholic Education Centre was abruptly cancelled by the provincially appointed board supervisor last week. But it had been rescheduled by Catholic school trustees John Del Grande and Rob Davis for Aug. 24 at the Toronto District School Board.
The Aug. 24 meeting at the Catholic Education Centre was abruptly cancelled by the provincially appointed board supervisor last week. But it had been rescheduled by Catholic school trustees John Del Grande and Rob Davis for Aug. 24 at the Toronto District School Board.
Higgins to leave St. Thomas University
By Michael Swan, The Catholic Register
{mosimage}Dr. Michael Higgins has set himself free from the daily struggles of running a university.
One of Canada’s best known Catholic writers and intellectuals, Higgins has tendered his resignation after three years as president of St. Thomas University in Fredericton, N.B .
One of Canada’s best known Catholic writers and intellectuals, Higgins has tendered his resignation after three years as president of St. Thomas University in Fredericton, N.B .
Ontario Catholic schools at top of class
By Sheila Dabu Nonato, The Catholic Register
{mosimage}TORONTO - Catholic schools are receiving top marks in Ontario, according to a new study.
In the C.D. Howe report “Ontario’s Best Public Schools, 2005/06-2007/08,” 10 of the top 11 schools, out of about 3,000 publicly funded schools, are from Catholic boards.
The study’s author, Wilfrid Laurier University economics professor David Johnson, compared the provincially standardized EQAO test scores of students from schools in similar socio-economic backgrounds.
In the C.D. Howe report “Ontario’s Best Public Schools, 2005/06-2007/08,” 10 of the top 11 schools, out of about 3,000 publicly funded schools, are from Catholic boards.
The study’s author, Wilfrid Laurier University economics professor David Johnson, compared the provincially standardized EQAO test scores of students from schools in similar socio-economic backgrounds.
Toronto trustees have plug pulled on Aug. 24 meeting
By Sheila Dabu Nonato, The Catholic Register
{mosimage}TORONTO - With the abrupt cancellation of what would have been the first public meeting of embattled Toronto Catholic District School Board trustees since January, parents have been “shut out” of sharing power with the board, say two trustees.
Trustees John Del Grande and Rob Davis had set up an Aug. 24 meeting at the Catholic Education Centre for trustees to meet with parent and Catholic community groups. But provincially appointed board supervisor Norbert Hartmann revoked permission for the trustees, working under the name Association of Catholic Trustees, to use the board's headquarters.
Trustees John Del Grande and Rob Davis had set up an Aug. 24 meeting at the Catholic Education Centre for trustees to meet with parent and Catholic community groups. But provincially appointed board supervisor Norbert Hartmann revoked permission for the trustees, working under the name Association of Catholic Trustees, to use the board's headquarters.
Toronto board trustees to meet Aug. 24
By Sheila Dabu Nonato, The Catholic Register{mosimage}TORONTO - Toronto Catholic District School Board trustees will be meeting Aug. 24 for their first public meeting since having their powers stripped from them by a provincial supervisor.
Trustees John del Grande and Rob Davis set up the meeting to be held at the Catholic Education Centre on Sheppard Avenue East at 7 p.m.
“It’s to give parents and students an opportunity to have an influence on decisions made by the board and make sure their voices are heard,” Davis told The Catholic Register.
Palliative care is an option
By Michael Swan, The Catholic Register
{mosimage}Michele Chaban doesn’t want the option of asking her doctor to kill her, but she thinks she’s probably going to get it.
Chaban is one of Canada’s leading experts on how we die and the care we provide to the dying. She counsels dying patients and their families and teaches the subject at the University of Toronto and the University of Wales. She has also lived with a spinal cord injury for 26 years.
“I get scared sometimes that somebody is going to say, ‘Well, you’re not really a helpful member of society, and you’re not producing anything, and so we don’t need you any more,’ ” Chaban told The Catholic Register.
Chaban is one of Canada’s leading experts on how we die and the care we provide to the dying. She counsels dying patients and their families and teaches the subject at the University of Toronto and the University of Wales. She has also lived with a spinal cord injury for 26 years.
“I get scared sometimes that somebody is going to say, ‘Well, you’re not really a helpful member of society, and you’re not producing anything, and so we don’t need you any more,’ ” Chaban told The Catholic Register.
Kimberly Process failing diamond mining oversight
By Michael Swan, The Catholic Register
{mosimage}TORONTO - About 15 per cent of the world’s diamonds are mined by 1.3 million artisanal diamond diggers, many of them living on less than a dollar a day. In addition, diamond fields in sub-Saharan African countries are often controlled by whichever militia has the most guns, and diamonds have generated the cash to fuel some of the most horrific and enduring wars of our time.
A single gold ring creates as much as 20 tons of waste, while about half the gold mines currently in production are on the traditional lands of indigenous people — often against their will.
A single gold ring creates as much as 20 tons of waste, while about half the gold mines currently in production are on the traditional lands of indigenous people — often against their will.
New trustee, superintendent for Halton board
By Catholic Register Staff
{mosimage}BURLINGTON, Ont. (Catholic Register Staff) — Sandor Koso will be the new trustee for Milton with the Halton Catholic District School Board.
Koso was selected out of 18 candidates vying to replace Fr. David Wilhelm, who resigned from the board June 24. Koso’s term began July 2.
Koso was selected out of 18 candidates vying to replace Fr. David Wilhelm, who resigned from the board June 24. Koso’s term began July 2.
Parents threaten lawsuit after Toronto special ed program axed
By Sheila Dabu Nonato, The Catholic Register
{mosimage}TORONTO - Saving the Arrowsmith program at the Toronto Catholic District School Board is an issue of equal rights for students with multiple learning disabilities, says a Toronto-based parent group.
“We are trying to level the playing field. We are trying to make sure that our children can have equitable access to teaching and what they need to move through the (education) system,” Clint Harder, a spokesperson for LD Families.org, told The Catholic Register.
“We are trying to level the playing field. We are trying to make sure that our children can have equitable access to teaching and what they need to move through the (education) system,” Clint Harder, a spokesperson for LD Families.org, told The Catholic Register.