This symposium is an opportunity for university researchers and community organizations to discuss cutting-edge research issues facing the social economy. It is the fifth annual symposium of a research/education project on Southern Ontario's Social Economy funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. The symposium is structured to allow for dialogue by all participants. The 2010 Symposium is a green event; see the symposium's green checklist and the University's Environmental Protection Policy.

For the full program of the event, please click here.

Immigration and Diversity

Crossroads of cultures, Engine of Economic Development

The 2010 National Metropolis Conference will focus on immigration and inclusion with special attention to economic development and the meeting of cultures.

The deterioration of economic conditions—high unemployment rates and low income among the latest cohorts of immigrants—coupled with the recent global economic crisis, has made economic development an issue that cannot be ignored. But economic development cannot be separated from labour force needs and the delicate balance between those needs and immigration policy.

Equally important are issues of inclusion and cultural diversity. Montréal has long been a crossroads of European and North American cultures, but co-existence, social interactions, pluralism in education, religious diversity and intercultural challenges are now more complex, involve new regions, and call for new perspectives.

These issues will be explored during the plenary sessions, roundtables, and workshops in the six priority areas that make up the Metropolis program:

• 1 Citizenship and social, cultural, linguistic and civic integration
• 2 Economic and labour market integration
• 3 Family, children, youth
• 4 The role of the host communities for newcomers and minorities
• 5 Justice, policing and security
• 6 Housing, neighbourhoods and the urban environment

For a complete listing of the program, please click here.

For more information on registration and payment, please click here.

Join MaRS for their annual SiG@MaRS Information Session.

If you are any of the following:

• a social entrepreneur
• an entrepreneur creating a business that helps society or the environment
• supporting the work of entrepreneurs at your foundation or ministry
• creating technology that can be used to affect social change

and are curious to learn more, you are invited to hang out at MaRS for the morning of Wednesday, March 24th. Register now.

The entire morning has been set aside for this update and registrants are welcome to join throughout, but if time is tight, review the outline and drop in when you can!

8.00-8.30am: Refreshments and networking.

8.30-9.20am: Overview. Hear updates on what's going on in the area of social entrepreneurship and social innovation at MaRS.

9.30-10.20am: Going deep. SiG@MaRS provides advisory services to social entrepreneurs, convenes interested stakeholders, and accelerates for impact.

10.30-11.20am: Conversation. This is your chance to chat with MaRS staff, volunteers and other members of the social innovation community. Take this time to get to know someone new and explore your area of interest in more detail.

11.30-12.30pm: School for Social Entrepreneurs Feasibility Report Back. The team from Mass LBP will join us to provide a report back to the community on the feasibility of a School for Social Entrepreneurs in Ontario.

MaRS is located at 101 College Street, Toronto.

To watch some videos of Sig@MaRS and their activites, please click here.

CUPE Ontario Convention 2010 is coming to Caesar's Hotel in Windsor on May 26th and promises to be one of our most exciting conventions yet.

Your local should receive your Convention 2010 credentials before March 5th.  April 26th is the early-bird deadline.

The Convention 2010 webpage is up and available at www.cupe.on.ca/. The webpage contains convention forms, deadlines and answers to your questions. The information on the website will be updated regularly, so check the website often.

The on-line hotel registration system is also now available. 

The convention plenary starts on May 26th at 6:00pm, and registration starts at 2:00pm.

The deadline for applying to Convention Committees is March 30th. 

Cultural, Ethnic & Visible Minority and Aboriginal (CEVMA) Entrepreneurship Services Hub  presents:

Report Launch and Panel Discussion

Entrepreneurial Support Services for Immigrant & Visible Minority and Aboriginal Communities

• An overview of report findings.
• An examination of existing support services and gaps in service.
• Identified strategies for filling these gaps in service.
• The CEVMA Entrepreneurship Services Hub will announce project to fill a major gap in service.
• The launch will be followed by a panel discussion from three perspectives on the problems identified in the report.

Continental Breakfast and refreshments provided.