Posts Tagged ‘Canada’
International, US, Canadian that is the order in which I process information. Doing this when I read the newspaper is easy but when it comes to the internet it has become more of a challenge.
I have my IE browsers set for the US but an annoying pop up window keeps asking me if I want to go to the Canadian home page. I tell it ‘not to show me this again’ but every time they update it comes back. On Mozilla I finally get my Google search beaten into submission so it is set to Google.com not Google.ca. Then the same thing happens, an update and I’m back to square one. It is not that I have anything against local content but most of the time I need search results that cover a broad spectrum. In an attempt to be user friendly the companies that dominate this internet are also making the world less easy to access.
So what is happening to the World Wide Web? The use of www is now outdated, we no longer put it in our urls and everything related to it falls under the term Internet. Maintaining search engine optimization in today’s virtual world gets more & more complex and with that we often lose smaller but no less valuable sites.
Canada’s Privacy Commission has taken on FaceBook and more recently Google over privacy issues. Which is fine, intellectually I get it but the creeping in of government interference to ‘protect’ my interests can be a double edged sword. As they legislated Canadian simulcast commercials into the American stations (that I am paying for) will I one day turn on my computer to find that I only have access to a watered down version of certain sites that are seen as breaking Canada’s privacy laws.
The BBC is currently airing SUPERPOWER: Exploring the extraordinary power of the internet. A title that reminds us how we should neither take the Internet for granted nor try to harness its future potential.
With Your Biscotti & Coffee
1) Moms De Plume
Children’s books take on a new dimension with The Mischievous Mom at the Art Gallery
March 12th edition of the National Post
2) Sanitary pads…… made out of bananas?
While the title is a little humorous and wonderfully green, the motivation behind this product is a serious one. That thousands of women and girls around the world cannot go to school or work because they don’t have sanitary napkins.
Read the article & Watch the video Marie Claire Magazine
3) The Judy Project
Breaking down how the stereotyping of women in the work world is still prevalent
Posted in 
I have always been a person without borders; whether in my coaching, writing or blogging I believe that we are citizens of the world. So, from Canada I congratulate Barack Obama on becoming the 44th President of the United States.
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Martin Luther King, Jr
On November 4th, 2008 this dream came to be
It has been a fascinating year for politics, especially for women. From the coverage of the hands on presence of candidate’s wives, to the political expertise & pantsuits of Palin and Clinton; no matter what her role the American female puts herself out there even if it means becoming a source of ratings for Saturday Night Live.
Through the years the First Ladies have often been marginalized by the press and that includes their causes until history & time validates their efforts. After 9/11 Laura Bush turned the tables and used the media to increase her presence in order to help heal a wounded nation. She has become a voice on the international stage speaking out for Afghanistan to bring focus to the challenges facing the people, particularly the women and children. This year she surprised many by supporting Burma as it struggles to be free of a regime’s tyranny. It will be interesting to witness the historical imprint that Michelle Obama will make on the White House and the multi-dimensional position of first lady.
Here in Canada headlines are reading very differently. As illustrated with Julie Smyth’s article in the October 15th edition of the National Post, entitled “Leaders spouses stay out of the spotlight”. Chatelaine’s December edition offers “Why Politics is Still a Man’s Job” by Rebecca Caldwell and the Editor, Maryam Sanati writes in her monthly letter “On the world list of female representation in politics Canada is 50 spots behind Rwanda”.
Candidate’s wives in Canada need to do more. They can speak to and meet with the people in smaller venues and in particular listen to the women. Instead of merely being a prop for the smile and wave photo ops, they can be a functioning presence on the campaign trail; gaining insight into the grassroots issues through discussions that their husbands are unable to have. If she chooses, the Prime Minister’s wife, Laureen Harper is in a truly enviable position to make a difference. She seems like an empathic and intelligent woman but we only get glimpses of her emerging from 24 Sussex Drive to attend some obligatory charity event. While giving one’s name & presence to a cause is important it is only touches on what she could accomplish.
No matter how we chose to participate it is time for Canadian women on all levels to not only bring home the bacon and fry it up in the pan but also have a say in how it should be raised, slaughtered, delivered to the store and priced. It is time to stop being on the sidelines.
In the May edition of Chatelaine magazine they have five readers speaking out ‘on the issues and themselves’. As it is doubtful that they will ever get to asking moi, I thought I would answer the same questions anyway.
Describe yourself: Entrepreneur, independent, open minded, kind and intelligent. Loves: My pets, movies, travel, my laptop, good food & wine. Hates: Cruelty, rudeness, unkindness, indifference and prejudice. Guilty pleasure: Curling up with a book or magazine, some chocolate and a cup of tea. Biggest issue facing Canadian women: Making sure we have a voice in the government so that we can be part of the decision making around such issues as the environment, retirement, health care, child care and wages.
I recommend writing your own profile but I warn you it may take a bit longer than you think.
I see that Chatelaine has managed to go through another editor. Sara Angel is citing “personal reasons” but that explanation is as weak as the magazine’s generally lackluster content .
Like many readers I let my subscription lapse a few years ago but I do pick up a copy every now and then in the hope that it is finally starting to have a sense of direction.
Until it does get a sense of where it is going Chatelaine will continue to turn over editors and staff. The powers that be need to recognize that today’s woman is not the housewife of the past, she is instead sophisticated and well rounded. Probably running a successful business from her home office, raising two kids and trying to meet the needs of her aging parents. She wants to be well informed, know what other women are up to (not just those in Ontario) and yes, she is also interested in make-up & clothes that will give her quality and not break the budget. She tries to put a quick but balanced meal on the table (and doesn’t have time to bake those cookies that you are always pushing) before rushing off to her book club or her daughters soccer game. And she needs an article complete with related resources on where she and some girlfriends can go for a weekend in February.
With Chatelaine’s budget & experience they should be able to pull together a magazine for today’s Canadian woman. In January, I am taking my online magazine and reshaping it into an autonomous business and website separate from my coaching company. It has grown not by blindly pushing content at my readers but through listening to them. While I will honestly admit that I am hampered by lack of time and money (I use income from being a Coach to support the publication) ……… what is Chatelaine’s excuse?
Even though I live in Canada, I am fascinated by American politics. I would definitely be a Democrat and I am watching the candidates with interest.
I would vote for Hillary. I have read her ‘Living History” which may not have been touchy/feely enough for the critics it did however show the true depth and measure of the her professionally and politically. Unfortunately, she seems to have lost something since the last debate (and) or she has a different voice in her ear with campaign advice. My advice, speak out loud and clear the American public is more ready to hear you than those around you may think.
As for Guiliani, (yes, I know he is Republican candidate) you were meant to have an impact on US history but it is not as a presidental candidate. Instead while less lofty in title it would have been no less important in historical impact.
Not sure about Mr. Edwards, still watching him; he could gain political momentum or merely fizzle out.
And then there is Obama, you want to be the dawning of a new day in politics and there is no doubt that it is needed. I give you the same advice as I did Hillary come forth with a well designed & realistic vision, the public is ready.
Well, as I have no influence only time will tell. If only Canada’s politicians weren’t so boring and where are the female leaders? If things change in that direction I will write about them too, really I will!
For me a visit to a book store, is like a wonderful meal starting with the appetizing business section, I have a few sips of some authentic, full-bodied self-help, then onto fresh, well-roasted biographies & memoirs, to finish off with a dessert of rich chocolaty fiction.
This meal is best enjoyed in a small intimate place but all to often we have to go to an indistinguishable cafeteria. Where the experience is inevitably one without flavor or connection with the staff or other guests.
In Banff, Alberta there is a bookstore called Banff Book & Art Den & they are going head to head with the Indigo chain of bookstores. I obviously hope that they can hold there own against this retail giant. This is more than yet another small business being swallowed up, it is about the whole experience of book browsing and buying and you either get that or you don’t.
I read mainly American publications as in More Magazine because they “celebrate women over 40″, Oprah magazine because in spite of the title it is not all about her and has some good articles. I will browse through the odd Vogue; what better way to spend valuable spare time than by looking at couture clothes that I cannot afford? My list is rounded out by Marie Claire because they have some top rate stories on the plight of girls and women around the world.
I often wonder why Canada doesn’t have similar magazines for women. I use to read Chatelaine because it kept me in touch with what Canadian women were thinking and doing but I have let my subscription lapse as during the past 18 months it seems so adrift with no handle on target audience, content or even the artistic layout. What was with all the food covers? It looks like Canadian Living.
I guess the Canadian print medias’ inability to appeal to a female readership, who want more than recipes and cleaning tips indicates that a quality publication for women over forty is definitely not in the works.
There has been a bit of an upset recently because ‘The Bay’ is now under American ownership. While I too am sorry that this old Canadian institution is no longer truly Canadian I cannot say that I am surprised. Both the Bay and Sears are a shoppers nightmare. Their websites aren’t much better; antiquated in design and limited in selection.
I was in a Sears store on Sunday using up a gift card that I got for Christmas.
The store was messy and badly stocked. Finding sales staff impossible and when I did she was curt and unhelpful.
American department stores on the whole do it well. Bright decor, a wide range of goods and available sales staff. Their websites have embraced the 21st century in terms of selection and being user friendly.
It is just a shame that when those business were struggling the powers that be didn’t get out of their boardroom and really work to upgrade and develop proud Canadian companies. Maybe they should have started by visiting some of the stores. Here is a unique concept, observe how the store looks and runs and then try actually talking to your customers.