People First Media program archive
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Do you know what’s in your food?

July 15th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Do you know what’s in your food?)

Food security includes access to healthy, affordable food; it also includes knowing what is in the food we eat

picture 563New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Murray Rankin (Victoria) recently put forward a motion in the House of Commons calling for the mandatory labeling of food products containing ingredients that have been genetically modified. The New Democrats take the position that consumers have a right to know what they are buying, that labeling genetically modified foods will allow people to make their own choices.

Endorsements for the motion have have come from industry organizations, consumer advocacy groups, prominent environmentalists and food retailers that agree people have a right to know if they are consuming GMOs.

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Farmers’ markets get it right, soar in popularity

July 14th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Farmers’ markets get it right, soar in popularity)

The benefits of local and organic food production are huge—providing significant environmental and social benefits

picture 562“There’s no doubt people are becoming increasingly passionate about buying local, in-season food and locally produced goods,” says Elizabeth Quinn, executive director at the B.C. Association of Farmers’ Markets. She points to the fact that over the last several years, there’s been a 62% increase in the number of farmers’ markets in the province.

And anyone who’s a farmers’ market regular knows that in addition to locally grown food and locally made products, the markets offer a surprising variety of community activities such as live music, children’s activities, cooking classes, artisan workshops and much more.

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Helping others while not losing yourself in the process

July 13th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Helping others while not losing yourself in the process)

As helpers, we need to ensure that we are not falling into a vicious circle of helping others but draining ourselves, says author Debbie Holmes

picture 561The helping profession is filled with people who are selfless and giving. If you are a helper, you are probably well-acquainted with the intrinsic rewards of helping others, as well as the draining effect helping can have on you.

Burnout is a common side-effect of working in a helping role and occurs when we, as helpers, give more of ourselves than is healthy for us. In short: we lose our boundaries, we lose ourselves and we lose what is really important to us.

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Aging artists exhibit their existential process at Nanaimo Art Gallery

July 8th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Aging artists exhibit their existential process at Nanaimo Art Gallery)

16 British Columbia artists, men and women, senior both in years and professional stature, share their personal take on life, the human condition, aging, the passage of time, and the search for meaning and purpose in life

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Aging is a hot topic these days. Aging boomers consult experts on how to prepare for old age, how to look younger, how to save for retirement, how to maintain their brains and bodies at peak performance.  But artists are accustomed to living on the fringes of society—on the outside, looking in. They are typically less conventional, more experimental, more critical of society, and often poorer, less secure, and more isolated than the average citizen.

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COCO Cafe serves up inclusion from its community hub in Cedar

July 7th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on COCO Cafe serves up inclusion from its community hub in Cedar)

Employment and socialization are important to everyone. Experiencing them can be challenging for people living with a developmental disability

picture 530Since opening in June of 2011, COCO Cafe has become a bustling community hub that truly is “Where friends meet”. The COCO (Cedar Opportunities Co-Operative) mission is to employ people with developmental disabilities within their community.

COCO was founded by a group of families in the Cedar/Yellowpoint/Cassidy areas of Nanaimo, British Columbia, all of whom have adult children with developmental disabilities. The families began meeting in 2007 to explore the idea of creating employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities within their community. During the initial stages of planning it was decided that, not only would a cafe be a welcome addition to the community, it would also be able to provide a range of different employment opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities in a manner that increases their visibility and integrates them into the community.

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The federal government’s prostitution bill is immoral, faith groups say

July 7th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on The federal government’s prostitution bill is immoral, faith groups say)

34 clergy and faith groups from Victoria and across Canada have signed a statement of concern about the proposed federal bill that makes buying and advertising sex illegal

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Faith leaders in Victoria and across the country are speaking out against a federal prostitution bill they say increases potential dangers for sex workers and is immoral, reports the Times Colonist. “This is a human rights issue,” Bruce Bryant-Scott, rector at St. Matthias Anglican Church, said. “We’re concerned about the health, safety and lives of sex workers.”

Bill C-36, titled the “protection of communities and exploited persons act” is now under consideration by Parliament. The bill was tabled after the Supreme Court struck down Canada’s existing prostitution laws seven months ago because they violated the Charter rights of sex workers.

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