What's New in CED

Registration Open! Manitoba's 8th Annual CD/CED Gathering

lmcbain — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:57:49 -0400

Register Now!

Register now for Canada’s largest annual CED learning event Cultivating Cooperation - the 8th Annual Manitoba CD/CED Gathering. Register for this free event online at: http://www.gifttool.com/registrar/ShowEventDetails?ID=1323&EID=7319

Friday October 22 - St. John's High School - Winnipeg

Participants will have access to over 25 workshops, including Community Engagement, Understanding Poverty, Co-ops 101, and many more.

Keynote: Dr. Ian MacPherson, founding President of the Canadian Co-operative Association, will be speaking about the history of co-operatives and their role in strengthening communities.

This is a fabulous, free professional development and networking opportunity for volunteers, organization staff, board members, government employees, active community members, students, academics and anyone interested in community development and community economic development. Register now!

Buy-local policies growing

Bianca — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 17:36:43 -0400

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 6, 2010

Mayoralty candidate Judy Wasylycia-Leis recently sparked discussion about government-procurement practices when she suggested that locality be a consideration in the City of Winnipeg tendering process.

Commentaries have pitted this as an either-or debate regarding protectionism versus free trade, the higher costs associated with preferring local business over cheaper ones and about the ramifications of us doing something that the rest of the world supposedly is not.

To begin with, this debate is not an all-or-nothing conversation. Trade has its benefits, but it also has its flaws. To pretend that "free trade" and "fair tendering" are really free and fair is naive. Free trade has allowed some local companies to expand and hire more Manitobans, while others have been forced to move, close or sell out, resulting in lost jobs.

Extreme measures either way do not make responsible public policy. Our public institutions are mandated to act in society's best interest, and our best interest is not served by blind adherence to the cheapest bid. This is why tendering policies already consider a host of other criteria. Adding locality to this mix is not in and of itself protectionist; it ensures maximum value for publicly spent dollars.

Some fear that local preference will escalate costs and result in fewer or lower quality service and products. Again, it is not simply one or the other. When weighing competing bids of similar quality and cost, it is possible to add other considerations, such a locality, as tie-breakers.

In looking out for the public good, governments increasingly consider safety, quality as well as life-cycle and ongoing operating and maintenance costs of various tenders in addition to up-front prices. We should also favour businesses that reduce taxpayer costs related to poverty, crime and incarceration, unemployment and health care while increasing government revenues through payroll and income tax revenues and consumption taxes. This is not about charity, this is about efficient use of government funds.

To present this approach as something no one else is doing is also misleading. Integrating economic, social and environmental objectives, also known as a "triple bottom line" approach, is becoming increasingly common and governments and other institutions are getting on board through their procurement policies.

For example, the Vancouver Olympics gave consideration to social enterprises in their procurement process. As a result, social enterprises employing women returning to work, inner-city residents and aboriginal youth working in social enterprises produced the flowers presented to medallists and the podiums that they stood on. The City of Calgary has implemented a sustainable environmental and ethical procurement policy. Ontario's recently released poverty-reduction strategy includes commitments to developing procurement policies that support social enterprise. New Westminster, B.C., recently adopted a living-wage policy, ensuring that work it contracts out is awarded to companies that adhere to wage and benefit standards greater than what is legally required.

The Scottish government is implementing a policy that gives 10 per cent preference for social enterprises in certain procurement fields, including three per cent for subcontracting to social enterprises. In Great Britain, a Conservative MP has brought forward a bill in support of social enterprise procurement preference. Italy has long given extra weighting to purchasing from co-operative businesses, recognizing that their business model of collective ownership creates economic democracy and a more equitable distribution of wealth.

Our neighbours to the south understand the value of balancing free trade with strategic purchasing. More than 140 municipal governments have passed "living wage" ordinances regarding their procurement contracts, including big cities such as San Francisco, Santa Fe, N.M., Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Boston, Los Angeles and St. Louis. The U.S. government has targets of procuring five per cent of contracts from small female-owned businesses, three per cent from service-disabled, veteran-owned businesses and gives small businesses located in "HUBZones" (historically underutilized business zones located in economically distressed communities) a 10 per cent price evaluation preference on tenders and aim for three per cent of all federal contract dollars to be awarded eligible businesses. In Minnesota, targeted small businesses that are located in economically disadvantaged communities or are owned by racial minorities, women or people with disabilities are given up to 6 per cent pricing preference. The U.S. Army has a green procurement strategy.

Leaders around the world are beginning to understand the ripples of procurement. They are seeing how even incremental cost increases in procurement are dwarfed by the direct financial payback that certain enterprises provide, never mind the longer-term financial savings relating to the costs of poverty and poor health. Municipal governments could catch this wave.

Brendan Reimer is the prairies regional co-ordinator for the Canadian Community Economic Development Network, a national member-led non-profit association of organizations committed to community renewal and poverty reduction.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/westview/buy-local-policies-growing-100102234.html?viewAllComments=y

2010-2011 International Youth Internship Program

Bianca — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:59:57 -0400

The Canadian Urban Institute is currently recruiting recent college and university graduates to participate in our 2010-2011 International Youth Internship Program funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). We currently have 17 internship opportunities in 4 countries: Ethiopia, Jamaica, Philippines and Ukraine.

We are currently recruiting for the following 17 internships:
• Community Development Planner: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Urban Information Officer: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Urban Planner, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• Capacity Building Officer: Manchester, Jamaica
• Local Sustainable Development Planner: Manchester, Jamaica
• Local Sustainable Development Planner: Clarendon, Jamaica
• Urban Planner: Manchester, Jamaica
• Economic Development Officer: Bohol Province, Philippines
• Economic Development Officer: Metro Manila, Philippines
• Economic Development Officer: Pangasinan Province, Philippines
• Environmental Planner: Iloilo-Guimaras, Philippines
• Knowledge Management Officer: Metro Manila, Philippines
• Knowledge Management Officer: Iloilo-Guimaras, Philippines
• Regional Planner: Iloilo-Guimaras, Philippines
• Economic Development Officer: Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine
• Economic Development Officer: Vinnytsia, Ukraine
• Gender and Youth Officer: Kyiv, Ukraine

Click here for more informnation or visit our website at http://www.canurb.org/international/youth/2010-2011 for further information on the positions and application instructions.

The deadline for applications has been extended to August 23, 2010.

2010 Strengthening Non-Profits Workshop Series

Bianca — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:09:00 -0400

The Canadian CED Network, CEDTAS and Volunteer Manitoba invite you to attend the 2010 Strengthening Non-Profits Workshop Series designed to address critical capacity needs of Manitoba's non-profit organizations.

All six workshops will happen at the new United Way Learning Centre, 580 Main Street, in Winnipeg, Wednesday afternoons, 1pm – 4pm throughout the Fall. You are welcome to attend just one, or all of the workshops.

Click here for more information

August 2010 National Newsletter

Bianca — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:13:54 -0400

The Canadian CED Network's regional and national newsletters keep you informed about the Networks progress of the Networks work as well as the work of it's members. They are filled with intersting resources about what's new in CED.

The August 2010 National Newsletter is now available.

Click here to subscribe to future newsletters or to access the archive of past newsletters.

Apply Now: $1,000 bursary for SFU's Community Economic Development Certificate

Bianca — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:09:09 -0400

Deadline for applications is July 30, 2010

The Canadian CED Network, together with Coast Capital Savings and the Vancity Community Foundation, are pleased to announce $1,000 bursaries are now available for up to ten staff, volunteers and activists of community-based and more-than-profit organizations to enroll in Simon Fraser University's Certificate Program for Community Economic Development. Practitioners from Aboriginal and immigrant communities are especially encouraged to apply.

Click here for information about applying.

MLA Chartier Joins CCEDNet - Reverse NDO Cuts

lmcbain — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:00:53 -0400

Saskatchewan MLA Danielle Chartier (Saskatoon, Riversdale), has written to CCEDNet, joining us in calling on the Wall Government to reverse its harmful cuts to the Neighbourhood Development Organization (NDO) Program.

Read Chartier's Letter to CCEDNet

CCEDNet Asks Premiers for Positions on EU Trade Deal (CETA)

lmcbain — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 11:51:59 -0400

The Canadian CED Network has sent a letter to the premier of each province and territory across Canada requesting their position on granting the European Union unrestricted access to procurement at the sub-national level in Canada through the proposed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

Members of the Canadian CED Network and communities across the country have benefited from the policy flexibility sub-national governments currently have to implement purchasing policies that recognize the added social, economic, and environmental value of locally owned businesses, cooperatives, and social enterprises.

Canada is currently negotiating a CETA with the European Union. There is growing concern around proposed procurement rules that would remove the option sub-national governments have to use government purchasing in a way that creates stronger and more inclusive local economies, protects the environment, promotes ethical business practices, creates new opportunities for marginalized groups to gain long-term local employment, and fosters communtiy economic development. If you would like to get involved with others who have come together to challenge the Canada-EU free trade negotiations visit www.tradejustice.ca

Read Our Network's Letter

CCEDNet urges SK gov to reverse NDO cut

Bianca — Wed, 12 May 2010 11:49:40 -0400

Saskatchewan’s March 24 budget eliminated funding for neighbourhood development organizations. CCEDNet has written to the Premier and Minister of Social Services urging the government to reverse this decision.

Click here for the full text of our letter

Michael Ignatieff to Speak at the People-Centred Economy Summit

Bianca — Wed, 12 May 2010 11:36:31 -0400

Summit organizers are pleased to announce that the Hon. Michael Ignatieff, Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, will address Summit participants.

Speakers continue to be added to the Summit program as details are confirmed. For all the latest information, check the Summit Program Overview regularly.

The deadline for on-line registrations is May 21st – avoid any last-minute complications and register now!

This is the last week for input on the issue papers and recommendations prior to the Summit. In order to be considered for the documents that will be presented at the Summit, changes must be posted to the Wiki by May 15. Visit the wiki at: people-centredeconomy.wikispot.org.

We hope to see you at the Summit!