Language -- Nunavut -- Elder Abuse -- Splenda

Last year, the federal government spent $1.45 million providing such services to Nunavut's 410 francophones -- over $35,000 per person in Nunavut

The military might have to do without, but our language czar's department never cuts back, not even in the face of overwhelming other problems in the North.

Nunavut wants Inuktituk declared official language Feb. 20, 05, Bob Weber, CP

(CP) - Frustrated by what it calls poor funding for Nunavut's mother tongue, the territorial government says it is negotiating with Ottawa to have Inuktitut declared Canada's third official language.

That would force the federal government to correct an imbalance that has it spending more than $3,500 per francophone on French services in Nunavut and nothing on the language most residents actually speak, said territorial Culture Minister Louis Tapardjuk.

[. . . . ]

See what government's have wrought? 70% of Nunavut speak Inuktitut but,

"Although Ottawa spends about $1.1 million on Inuktitut language programs, that money is only available for community-based projects such as dictionaries or curriculum materials."

My gosh, more money will have to be allocated -- because government cannot cut back on the needs of 410 francophones. This is absurd. I don't care what one group wants, or that it is demanded by our "two official languages" legislation -- or is it the constitution? Does common sense ever prevail in provision of services, and particularly in French?

What about the other massive problems? The level of education and opportunity faced by children who grow up in northern reserve communities? The gas sniffing kids? The alcohol ridden parents? The report of the entry of drugs into the equation, a report that the minister responsible for natives, MP Andy Scott, sees fit not to ask the RCMP to investigate? Well, some problems just don't hold a candle to language, whether the official one or Inuktitut.

Can anyone see these kids when they're young, before they start sniffing, drinking or whatever and not want to cuddle them and to help? Once the brain damage from glue sniffing is done, is the child ever really fixable? Help them before they start and to heck with languages. The children would be better served by improving their English if they are ever to get out of communities without work and into areas where there is employment.





Help Me: Elder abuse in Canada

Help Me: Elder abuse in Canada CTV.ca News Staff via Jack's Newswatch

Anthony says it came as a shock to learn that the Criminal Code didn’t encompass these types of behaviours. “As a caregiver, you’re taught from day one, abuse is anything from verbal – you cannot threaten verbally; you cannot intimidate; you cannot shake; you cannot toss; you can’t even tip them up from a prone position to a standing position without stopping. All those are supposed to be abuse and criminal.”

W-FIVE tried to ask Debbie Bonney, the director of Versa Care, about Norma’s treatment at the facility, but she denied our request. Later at our invitation, Donna Kingelin, the vice president of long term care at Central Park Lodges -- the company that operates both Charlotte Villa and Versa Care – came to our offices together with company officials to view hidden camera footage.

While officials at Versa Care had previously concluded Norma was not being abused under their care, Kingelin quickly changed her opinion. “When we walked out of your building after viewing those tapes,” she said, “we called the home. We found the staff that we saw on those videos, we asked if they were on. We sent them home immediately – we didn’t waste a minute to act.”

[. . . . ] But abuse is happening to others too. Statistics Canada reports as many as seven per cent of all seniors are abused. And seniors’ advocates say our laws still need to catch up to the seriousness of the problem. [. . . . ]

If you have little time, at least look at the photographs. Canada has an aging population and this is a fear of most, to be unable to talk to tell what is happening to them while being subjected to daily abuse.




Splenda

BusinessWeek -- Splenda information and more here

Splenda even comes in a blend with sugar which is marketed to use in baking.

One doesn't hear things like "Splenda shares many similar characteristics to pesticides like DDT that can accumulate in your body fat and tissues... " in BusinessWeek or other mainstream news. [. . . . ]

This came via someone with a scientific background. Check it out.