A game-changer in terms of ubiquitous broadband access in Canada, ViaSat-1 will allow for previously unavailable speed and bandwidth economics, and will provide rural and remote Canadians a broadband connection that is truly fast and affordable.  Together with the planned launch of a second, similar 4G satellite in 2012 and with its national fixed-wireless 4G network, Xplornet will effectively end Canada's urban/rural digital-divide, once and for all.

For broadcast quality footage (b-roll) go to: http://cnw.pathfireondemand.com/viewpackage.action?packageid=490

"We recognized that satellite broadband needed to be faster and more affordable.  With this new 4G satellite service, Xplornet will offer satellite broadband service that is both" said John Maduri, Xplornet's Chief Executive Officer. ViaSat-1 will support customer download speeds of up to 25 Mbps, with more capacity than all current North American broadband satellites combined.  Xplornet Communications Inc., Canada's leading provider of rural broadband, has purchased 100% of the Canadian Ka-band capacity on the satellite, entirely for rural broadband use. Xplornet expects the satellite service to be available to Canadians late this year.

"This is an historic launch. The technology is revolutionary. Our investment of hundreds of millions in rural broadband infrastructure is unprecedented.  And Canada is now joining a group of other regions, like the UK, the US, andEurope, that have endorsed 4G satellite broadband as the solution for ensuring 100% access to affordable broadband." said Maduri.

"Most important though, is the impact this satellite is going to have on people.   I am proud to say that Xplornet has done what no other Canadian company could do, and what some people said that private industry would never do: make fast, affordable broadband available everywhere in Canada.  By 2012, every Canadian will be able to experience the transformative benefits of broadband." concluded Maduri.

• Grinders goes behind the scenes of underground poker. More new documentaries including Fake or Fortune, Coast (series 3) and Into the Mind
• TVOKids programs and online games that teach kids the basics of money
• TVOKids takes part in the 25th Anniversary Rick Hansen Relay
• Remembrance programming includes The Sinking of the Laconia, The First World War From Above, War in the Mind, and Paris 1919

NEW DOCUMENTARIES

Grinders - World Broadcast Premiere
Wednesday November 2, 2011 at 9 pm ET
75 minutes
Produced by Border City Pictures in Association with TVO

With a new baby and wife to support, out-of-work filmmaker Matt Gallagher (The Rise and Fall of Grumpy Burger) tries his hand - and some would say “luck” - at playing poker for a living. Grinders is the director’s inside journey into the unconventional, often bizarre, underground world of illegal poker clubs. It’s a world populated by colourful characters, straight out of central casting. A world where the workday starts at midnight, runs strictly on cash, and can change forever with the simple flip of a card.

Playing poker to pay the bills means living side by side with risk. But, as Matt soon discovers, the real meaning of risk lies far outside the poker room – and can strike in the most personal way. Matt’s intimate, first-person narrative is joined by the voices of other grinders with stories that range from tales of ultimate success to personal disaster.

Grinders will have a special pre-broadcast premiere for Apple iPad users with TVO’s new Doc Studio app beginning October 19.

Coast (Series 3) - North American Premiere
Tuesdays at 7 pm ET beginning November 1, 2011
8 / 60 minutes
Produced by Open University for BBC

Host Neil Oliver and a team of experts including historians, archaeologists and geologists set out to uncover the stories of British coastline communities. This time they are headed to Britain’s Northern Isles, some 170 islands from the tip of Shetland to the tip of Orkney. From tourism and fishing to military defence and archeology, the coastline is embedded with forgotten social, cultural and natural history.

Fake or Fortune – North American Premiere
Thursdays at 9pm ET November 3, 10, 17 & 24, 2011
4 / 60 minutes
Produced by BBC

Every picture tells a story, but none quite like this as paintings are about to be treated as crime scenes! Beyond the genteel galleries and up-market auction houses of the art world lies a dimension rarely seen – a darker side of incalculable wealth, social ambition, sometimes subterfuge. Journalist Fiona Bruce and art expert Philip Mould investigate the remarkable stories lying beneath the surface of paintings – bringing art to a whole new audience. From Paris and Amsterdam to Cape Town, the banks of the Nile, and New York, the team employ old-fashioned detective skills and the latest forensic testing to reveal compelling tales of lost masterpieces, forgers and Nazi-looted art.

Into the Mind – TVO Premiere
Tuesdays at 9 pm ET November 15, 22 and 29, 2011
3 / 60 minutes
Produced by BBC

Over the last century scientists have devised many ingenious methods to unlock the secrets of the mind. In this series Michael Mosley (The Story of Science) goes in search of these bizarre, brilliant and the unorthodox experiments that have led to scientific discovery.

Alexandria: The Greatest City - North American Premiere
Monday November 21, 2011 at 10 pm ET
60 minutes
Produced by Lion Television

Alexandria was once the biggest and most influential city on the planet, founded by Alexander the Great and home to Cleopatra, Archimedes and the largest library in the world. How did this shining beacon of civilization and knowledge meet its classical demise? Acclaimed historian Bettany Hughes (When the Moors Ruled in Europe) looks at Alexandria past and present, unearthing archaeological gems and following in the footsteps of Hypatia, the city’s last great female philosopher and guardian of great Library of Alexandria - whose murder would bring down the curtain not just on an era but on the ancient world as a whole.

TVOKIDS FINANCIAL LITERACY

TVOKids presents a fun way for parents to help their kids learn more about financial literacy. This November, take a look at two TVOKids programs specifically focused on math concepts: Carney the Coin Counting Cat and Tumbletown Tale$, launching November 1.

Carney the Coin Counting Cat
Carney the Coing Counting Cat introduces the basics of money to preschoolers and is accompanied by This and That: Coin Spot, a new online game at tvokids.com. Early learners will be able to tag along with Carney the Coin Counting Cat, who works at the This and That Shop, the corner store in Gisèle’s Big Backyard. Your little ones will focus on concepts such as: Canadian coin identification, currency amounts and learning that money is used to buy things. Look for it in Gisele’s Big Backyard, TVOKids’ morning programming block for preschool kids.

Tumbletown Tale$
In the Tumbletown Tale$ series, TVOKids will help school-aged kids put the spotlight on learning how to think critically about money, develop a realistic understanding of how to use it, and appreciate its value. Last year, Tumbleweed (the main character) got a job as a newspaper reporter, and this year Tumbleweed learns how to manage his money in Tumbletown Tale$. Still working in the newsroom, Tumbleweed struggles to live on a budget and stay out of debt. Look for it Mondays and Wednesday at 3:55 pm in The Space, TVOKids’ afterschool programming block.

TVOKIDS AND THE 25th ANNIVERSARY RICK HANSEN RELAY

As Rick Hansen travels across Canada on the 25th Anniversary Rick Hansen Relay commemorating his Man in Motion World Tour, TVOKids will have a part to play when the tour reaches Toronto on November 6. Rick Hansen is a hero to tvokids.com kid reporter Hisham Mohammad and Hansen has agreed to have Hisham be one of the Medal Bearers. Hisham will also conduct a one-on-one interview with Hansen.

Visit tvokids.com to see Hisham on the relay and his interview with Rick Hansen, available November 7.

REMEMBRANCE

TVO’s Remembrance programming includes documentaries, dramas and current affairs programs airing throughout November that offer stories of heroism, rare historical footage, and contemporary perspectives on war.

The Sinking of the Laconia - North American Premiere
Sundays at 9 pm ET November 6 and 13, 2011
2 / 85 minutes
Produced by TalkbackThames in association with Teamworx and ARD

In September 1942, a German U-boat fired on and sank a British troop carrier, the Laconia. As the U-boat Captain, Werner Hartenstein, listened to the cries of the drowning passengers, he realized the ship had been carrying Italian prisoners of war, Polish guards and British women and children. Having sunk the ship, Hartenstein could have left them to their uncertain fate in the water, but instead he made the incredible decision to save as many lives as he could. This beautifully produced two-part drama tells the true story of unexpected humanity in the fog of war.

The First World War From Above - North American Premiere
Monday, November 28, 2011 at 10 pm ET
60 minutes
Produced by BBC

The scale of the First World War is brought to life by a collection of rarely-seen historical footage and photographs. Aerial footage, shot from an airship in the summer of 1919, reveals the destruction inflicted on European towns and countryside, from the coast of Belgium to the border of Switzerland. Present-day footage retraces that journey, rediscovering the scars, gashes and fault lines still clearly visible on the landscape, and reveals the heroic but tragic story of the pilot who helped make the original film.

Allan Gregg in Conversation – Dan Bjarnason and Lynne Olson
Friday, November 4, 2011 at 10 pm ET
30 minutes
Produced by TVO

Dan Bjarnason, author of Triumph at Kapyong, tells the story of Canada’s pivotal battle in the Korean War. Historian and author of Citizens of London, Lynne Olson, describes how some well-known Americans stationed in London, including iconic journalist Edward R. Murrow and diplomat Averell Harriman, helped Winston Churchill persuade America to enter World War Two. 

Also visit tvo.org for an online Allan Gregg in Conversation miniseries on war, featuring interviews with authors Margaret MacMillan, Pierre Berton, Romeo Dallaire and others.

War in the Mind - Encore
Friday November 11, 2011 at 10 pm ET
War in the Mind gives voice to Canadian soldiers living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), exploring their thoughts and the therapeutic treatment they undergo to help erase the stigma surrounding PTSD.

Paris 1919–Encore
Friday November 11, 2011 at midnight ET
Inspired by Margaret MacMillan's acclaimed book, Paris 1919 captures the atmosphere, characters and the dramatic cut-and-thrust of diplomacy and territorial ambition as political leaders redraw the map of the world, attempting to broker a lasting peace after World War One.

TVOKids Remembers

TVOKids helps children participate in Remembrance Day with its annual "Thank A Soldier" campaign. From October 11 to November 11, kids are invited to visit tvokids.com to submit personal shout-outs and thanks which will be delivered to Canadian troops stationed overseas. Kids can tune into TVOKids’ The Space after school to hear some of these messages read on the air.

Also for Remembrance:

The Last Day of World War One – Sunday, November 6, 2011 at 8 pm ET
Michael Palin visits battlefields in France and Belgium to find out what happened on the day the First World War ended.

The Great Escape: The Reckoning – Sunday, November 13, 2011 at 8 pm ET
A drama-documentary about of the RAF Special Investigation Branch’s hunt for the Gestapo suspects who murdered 50 Allied airmen after their escape from a POW camp.

Rape of Europa – Wednesday, November 16, 2011 at 9 pm ET
During the Third Reich and World War Two, millions of Western art treasures were looted and destroyed by the Nazis on a scale unprecedented in history. Rape of Europa charts the systematic theft, deliberate destruction and miraculous survival of Europe's art treasures.

Shooters – Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 8 pm ET
The Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit (CFPU) scooped the world on the major events of the Second World War in Europe: the invasion of Sicily, the D-Day landing and the liberation of Paris. The CFPU shot the first feature documentary while under fire, and captured the only footage shot of an action leading to a Victoria Cross.

10 Days to War – Sunday, November 20, 2011 at 9 pm ET
The clock ticks in the countdown to the Iraq War as eight gripping storylines reveal backroom negotiations and political maneuvering at all levels of power in Britain. Starring Stephen Rea, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Conti and Art Malik.

The gift-filled shoe boxes will be delivered by Samaritan’s Purse to children around the world living in the midst of poverty, disease, war, and natural disaster. As part of Samaritan’s Purse’s rebuilding efforts in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake and subsequent hurricanes and cholera outbreak, 70,000 shoe boxes in 2011 have been committed to Haiti and will be used to bring hope, joy, and love to children there.

Last year, Canadians filled 640,714 shoe boxes with gifts that shared God’s love and hope with children in the developing world. This year, Operation Christmas Child is striving towards a goal of more than 750,000 boxes. To reach that goal, we need Canadians from coast to coast to get involved. Together, we can use the power of a simple gift to touch the hearts of children and change lives.

National Shoe Box Collection Week is November 21-27. Each gift-filled shoe box collected in Canada will make a long journey to the outstretched hands of a needy child in Haiti, South or Central America, or West Africa.

Available resources:

• 2011 Operation Christmas Child fact sheet
• About Operation Christmas Child
• Radio Ads
• Print Ads
• TV PSAs
• Video b-roll of shoe box distributions

To learn more about Operation Christmas Child, visit samaritanspurse.ca/occ.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has been a vital project of Samaritan’s Purse – a Christian relief and development organization providing physical and spiritual aid to hurting people around the world.

The shoe box is just the beginning, because Operation Christmas Child is creating opportunities for Samaritan’s Purse to provide other help to children, their families, and their communities in the form of safe drinking water, literacy and job skills initiatives, feeding programs, medical care, and more.

In fiscal 2010-2011, FCAC carried out a number of activities to continue promoting education and compliance. Among other things, FCAC:

• expanded its financial literacy program to reach more Canadians: a financial literacy workshop intended for young adults, was added to the flagship financial literacy initiative, The City.
• established a new research function to deepen its ability to address emerging consumer issues and trends. This new function will enable FCAC to better adapt its financial education initiatives to the needs of Canadians and provide the federal government with more valuable intelligence more quickly.
• implemented a stronger compliance framework to assess compliance risks of regulated entities. In future, this platform will be integral to FCAC’s monitoring work.
• renewed its website, making it more interactive, accessible and user-friendly. The restructured site presents financial information based on main life stages. It’s now easier and faster to find the information needed to make informed financial decisions.

In an effort to reach out to even more Canadians, FCAC worked with its partners to develop, deliver and promote its programs in diverse communities from coast to coast to coast. “One of the most exciting examples of this partnership approach is FCAC’s new Financial Basics workshop for young adults,” says FCAC Commissioner, Ursula Menke.

To create this workshop, FCAC teamed up with the Investor Education Fund of Ontario, and worked in collaboration with financial author and journalist Ellen Roseman. To deliver the workshop, the Agency worked with various organizations, including the Association of Canadian Community Colleges, which facilitated presentation of the workshop at ten colleges across the country during 2010-2011.

In 2010-2011, FCAC also launched a public awareness campaign to assist first-time home buyers and owners about to renew their mortgages. The campaign featured ads in public transit that drew attention to FCAC’s suite of mortgage resources. The Agency also teamed up with members of the real estate industry to distribute financial information further targeting these Canadians.

As a leader in financial literacy, FCAC intends to continue playing a key role for Canadians by conducting activities and initiatives that will help them acquire the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to make informed financial decisions. “Building on the groundwork we have laid, we will find other ways to help all Canadians get the financial information they need, when they need it,” concluded Ms Menke.

To consult the Annual Report, or to get in touch with us, go to the Agency’s website at fcac.gc.ca.

Disponible en français

There are four IS Awards:

RBC Immigrant Advantage Award
This award will recognize an organization that demonstrates the business impact of leveraging the skills of immigrants, yielding tangible results for both business and immigrants.

CBC Toronto Vision Award for Immigrant Inclusion
This award will recognize a unique initiative that breaks down employment barriers for skilled immigrants and has the potential to affect change beyond one organization. This innovative practice has the potential for wider impact because of partnerships.

Toronto Star Award for Excellence in Workplace Integration
This award will recognize ONE practice or a suite of practices related to ONE of the following: sourcing, recruiting, onboarding, integration, inclusion or promotion of skilled immigrants. The practice or suite of practices must be innovative, and fully implemented and established with positive results that are transforming the organization.

Canadian HR Reporter Individual Achievement Award
This award will recognize an individual who has demonstrated leadership and innovation in HR practice in integrating skilled immigrants in the workplace.

Winners will be recognized in the media and by their peers as leaders in an area of increasing importance to the Canadian economy. Each will receive a hand crafted IS Awards sculpture. RBC will host a reception to honour the winners in spring 2012.

Since the awards launched five years ago, over 25 employers and individuals have been recognized. Previous winners include CH2M HILL Canada Limited, Deloitte, Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, George Brown College, I3 International, Nytric Limited, Pitney Bowes, Samtack, St. Micheal’s Hospital, Steam Whistle Brewing, Thales Canada, Transportation, Toronto Foundation for Student Success and Xerox Research Centre of Canada, as well as individuals from American Express Technologies, CIBC, Ernst & Young, KPMG, Procter & Gamble and TD Bank Financial Group. Read the winner stories here and check out photos from past receptions on Flickr.

Online applications can be completed in minutes. For full details, online entry forms and profiles of previous winners, visit www.isawards.ca.

A panel of senior human resource professionals, business executives and industry stakeholders will judge the IS Award submissions.

The IS Awards are a program of the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC), sponsored by RBC with media partners Canadian HR Reporter, CBC Toronto and The Toronto Star.

“We believe that a culinary experience in Canada goes well beyond the moment when the waiter passes the napkin and opens the menu,” said Gloria Loree, Executive Director of Global Communications at the Canadian Tourism Commission. “We are looking for the kind of in-depth coverage that will tell Canada’s food legends from our farm fields and ocean waters, to the imaginative chefs whose vision is a form of story-telling on a plate.”

Two categories will be acknowledged:

• Best written work in any medium and
• Best photo essay, video or app.

The criteria are as follows:

• Must have been published in the US or in the case of online content demonstrate that more than 60% of the audience is US based.
• Must have been published between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011
• Includes print, online, broadcast and culinary app
• Subject matter can be pan-Canadian or regional; specific food items or a full menu but must clearly demonstrate the origin of fresh Canadian products and the journey to the table with an emphasis on the culinary experiences that could be enjoyed by visitors to Canada.
• Must be published in English, between 250 and 1500 words; or 5 to 40 images or 2 to 30-minute video
• Each of two winners will receive a cheque of $1000.
• Each winner provides complete rights to the CTC and Food Day Canada to use and re-publish except where the media outlet prevents such use.

Deadline for submission is January 31, 2012. Journalists should send their submissions along with name, email contact, place and date of publication or release and details about the audience or the users of the app to Anita Stewart, anita@fooddaycanada.ca.  

For further background:
http://fooddaycanada.ca/awards/the-ctc-culinary-journalism-award

Says CTC President and CEO Michele McKenzie, “As Canada’s national tourism marketing organization we know that success for us means bringing in millions of international visitors each year. By working together to consider ease of access for travellers, tourism products, and boosting Canada’s tourism brand internationally, we are all contributing to stronger future successes for the industry.”

One highlight of the FTS is the CTC’s Signature Experiences Collection® (SEC) —an innovative marketing program to entice more high-spending international travellers to Canada with the promise of exceptional tourism experiences.  

Says Ms. McKenzie, “The program is newly underway and links directly to the FTS and its goals. We’re looking for tourism businesses and operators who have extraordinary products for sale. Experiences featured in the Collection will resonate with our targeted customers and will give our international tourism brand, ‘Canada. Keep Exploring’, some new sizzle.”

Source:
Province canadienne de la Congrégation de Sainte-Croix

“People are passionate about their pets and we want to give Fido fans a fun and unique opportunity to make their dog a star,” said Steven Sarfin, Senior Director, Marketing, Fido. “We also want to encourage Canadians to unleash their votes to help make a difference in our community. Our partnership with Dog Guides Canada will support this great organization’s efforts in enriching the lives of Canadians with disabilities.”

For each vote, Fido will donate $1.00 to Dog Guides Canada, up to a maximum of $200,000. Dog Guides will use the funds donated by Fido to train and place 10 Dog Guides with Canadians with disabilities.

“We are thrilled to be partners with Fido for this unique dog casting call. With the demand for Dog Guides rapidly increasing, this event and generous donation from Fido helps ensure that we can continue to help more people with disabilities,” says Sandy Turney, Executive Director, Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides.

Fido Casting Call entry sheets can be submitted on the Fido Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fidomobile or in person at a live Fido Casting Call event during the month of October in six Canadian cities: Vancouver, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal. All casting sheets will be posted for voting on the Fido Casting Call website. Voting closes on November 17th.

The dog that obtains the most votes will be declared the “Winning Dog” and will be flown with its owner to Montreal for a VIP puppy pamper experience that will include:

• VIP spa treatment for the Winning Dog;
• Professional photo shoot for the Winning Dog;
• An LG Optimus 2X Fido phone for the Winning Dog’s owner;
• Air travel and/or limousine service to the VIP photo shoot;
• Hotel accommodations;
• $500 spending money;
• Dog collar with a personalized 2011 Fido Casting Call winner’s medal; and,
• A Fido ad displayed in public featuring the Winning Dog.

The impetus for the authors’ research is a report conducted for the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) that has “provided fodder for some recent controversial statements by Canadian politicians.”

Mintz and McKenzie are critical of the “tax expenditure approach” used by the IISD and in many other studies on this topic. They argue that this research is not based on a robust underlying economic framework, it fails to account for complex interactions between tax and royalty systems in existing fiscal policy, and it uses a definition of subsidies that was created for a different purpose.

The authors recommend an “economic approach to measuring subsidies” that takes into account a broader range of economic factors, including corporate income taxes, sales and excise taxes on capital purchases and capital-related taxes.

“These principles provide a much better guidance for public policy than erroneously calculating subsidies without a clear, consistent underlying framework for good public policy,” they argue.

By applying these principles to an analysis of oil and gas investments in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland & Labrador, the authors find that, on aggregate, only investments in Newfoundland & Labrador qualify as being subsidized.  

A copy of the paper can be found by going to www.policyschool.ucalgary.ca/publications.