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Issues
The Issues section currently contains
information on:
United Nations
Millennium Develpment Goals
07/07/07 Letter Campaign
What we can do!
Make Poverty
History
Fair Trade
The United
Nations
Millennium Development Goals
In 2000 the United Nations decided it was time to establish
measurable goals for combating poverty, hunger, diseases,
illiteracy, environmental problems, and discrimination.
Leaders around the world agreed on a timeline for the
implementation of these goals. The goals are to be achieved
by 2015, making the half way point for this campaign
this July. So far achievement of these goals is behind
schedule in every way.
The
language surrounding the goals is technical language
– which often makes them inaccessible to many
people. In February ACGC together with Change for Children
and TakingITGlobal hosted “Painting Our Change”
which was a mural workshop hosted at Ian Mulder’s
studio in Edmonton. Over the course of a weekend students,
with the help of many community volunteers, painted
8 murals on canvas representing the 8 United Nations
Millennium Development Goals, making them accessible
and inclusive in a Canadian context.
Click
on the following images to bring up information about
each specific goal
 
 
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07/07/07
Midway point to the MDGs
During the AGM weekend and also at
the Members’ Meetings in Calgary and Edmonton,
we discussed implementing a public engagement campaign
on the occasion of July 7, 2007 (07/07/07) – the
midway point for the Millennium
Development Goals.
It is envisioned that this campaign
would continue throughout the year and lead up to our
Global Assembly in February. This Assembly would focus
on the MDGS.
The campaign has taken shape as follows:
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An open letter to the people
of Alberta will be published in newspapers throughout
Alberta to raise awareness of the MDGs and to encourage
further action on the part of the general public.
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Due to the restrictive costs
of newspaper ads (in the size we would need) we
have decided to buy space in Fast Forward (Calgary),
SEE Magazine (Edmonton), the Red Deer Advocate and
Central Alberta Life, and Medicine Hat News. The
ad will appear on July 7, 2007 (or for the duration
of that week if published in the weekly papers).
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The letter will be signed by
the Alberta Council on behalf of its members.
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The letter will be accompanied
by press releases in the hopes that the media would
pick up on the campaign in order to further its
reach. If you would be willing to be a local contact
for the media please let me know.
Click
here to see the letter please send it on! What are
the specific goals? Refer to the
one-pager.
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What
we can do!
1. Letters are one way that we can
be in touch with our representatives in government.
If you are going to send them the letter we have written
- add a personal note on the bottom. A handwritten inclusion
helps our representatives see that it is an important
issue to us, as citizens!
Who is my MLA?
Set up a meeting with your MLA -share your concerns
in person! Here are some
tips for a sucessful meeting.
Who is my MP?
2. Write a letter to the editor of
your local newspaper or favourite magazine.
3. Is your group doing something to
promote the MDGs - or working toward attaining them?
Share that information with ACGC - we can add links,
include information in the newsletter, or share events
through the e-bulletin. Email Diana at dianaacgc@web.ca.
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Make
Poverty History!
The Make Poverty History campaign is
supported by a wide cross-section of charities, trade
unions, faith groups, students, academics, literary,
artistic and sports leaders. It is part of an 80 country
international campaign called the Global Call to Action
Against Poverty.
What MPH hopes to achieve is:
* More and Better Aid
* Trade Justice
* Cancel the Debt
* End Child Poverty in Canada.
At the start of the 21st century 1.2
billion people live in abject poverty. More than 800
million people go to bed hungry and 50,000 people die
every day from poverty-related causes.
Poverty exists because of the choices
we make. It exists because we have:
* insufficient and ineffective aid
* an unjust global trade system
* a debt burden for poor countries that is so great
that it suffocates any chance of recovery
* an unwillingness to invest enough in social development
Over five years ago, all members of
the United Nations committed to the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) to meet minimum targets to reduce poverty,
hunger, illiteracy, discrimination against women, and
environmental degradation by 2015.
But the pace of action is too slow.
The world is failing dismally to reach those targets.
And the poor will pay the price.
It's time for real action. In 2005,
a global call to action against poverty was launched
and campaigns are now up and running in over 80 countries.
If everyone who wants to end poverty speaks at the same
time, world leaders will be forced to listen.
A symbol of the MPH campaign is the white band. Click
here for more information http://www.makepovertyhistory.ca/e/whiteband.html
The Fair Trade movement worldwide
is growing! Click on the logo above to join in.
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