We've come a long way baby

We've come a long way baby . . . but not far enough. I remember those Virginia Slims cigarette ads about the progress of women, depicting us as strong, versatile and funcky. With that progress came more choice. We were looking for more choice, and we got it. We were also looking for more power, but we didn't really get that. But it's a comin' and days like today, International Women's Day, reminds us of how far we have come, and how much further we need to go to reach equitable status in Canada - and in almost every other country in the world.
Two steps forward. One step back.
Two steps forward. Two steps . . .

The Changing Face of Canada

What is your guess on the challenges Canada will face in the next half century, given the changing demographics?  Will it be the shift in conservative views or the shift in religion? These are some of the issues I discussed at Etobicoke Rotary last night with members of the club and affiliate clubs.

The values we hold in common as a nation will be in a state of flux as we continue to grapple with multiculturalism. What do Canadians hold dear? That needs to be the starting point of the discussion. 

When I talk about the Changing Face of Canada, I look at stats, demographics, citizenship, ghettos and how it all fits together to make a nation.

I was invited to speak about The Changing Face of Canada at Rotary in February. In this photo I am with the Presidents of Etobicoke Rotary and Toronto Rotary.  Details of my next talk are on my Facebook page: Diversity Matters by Gina Valle.

Why Diversity Matters

Canada prides itself on getting things right when it comes to diversity, and overall it should, but we all know that there is a long way to go before poor kids get a decent education, aboriginal communities get more respect, women break the glass ceiling, and the list goes on. I became involved in diversity issues over twenty years ago because I believed that all Canadians, no matter their accent, their skin colour or their God, should lead a fulfilling life in this country. All the projects I undertake work towards that goal. It is not always obvious, because if it were, then people would not ask me why I take on the projects that I do. Here's to being part of the solution.

e-book

Watch for Enseignants sous leur meilleur jour - Teachers at Their Best soon to be available as an e-book.  Bonne lecture!

Lancement de livre a Montreal

On Saturday, November 17 Enseignants sous leur meilleur jour will be launched in Montreal at the bistro Detour (www.detourbistro.com). Friends, teachers, colleagues, parents and anyone interested in issues of diversity are welcome. Thank you to the supporters of the launch, Intercultural Dialogue Institute  (www.interculturaldialog.com), Rainbow Caterpillar (www.rainbowcaterpillar.ca), Canada's multilingual bookstore for children, and of course the charming Detour Bistro.

Join us if you can!

Teachers at Their Best

Teachers at Their Best - Enseignants sous leur meilleur jour was launched in Toronto in October at the fabulous bilingual campus of Glendon College.  The evening was lovely, the gardens were superb and the gallery was inviting, as we ate, listened to classic French songs, spoke about the challenges we face in education, and raised a glass to the decent teachers we have all had.

Le livre met en valeur les défis du pluralisme auxquels nos enseignants font face aujourd’hui. Enseignants sous leur meilleur jour relate leurs petites victoires du quotidien. Lorsque les défis du pluralisme sont abordés avec ouverture et compassion, ces petites victoires deviennent source d’inspiration. En parcourant les pages de ce livre, on bénéficiera d’un éclairage pragmatique sur les défis du XXIème siècle.

To order the book, please go to www.ginavalle.com  

The next stop is Montreal. See you there.

Hindi, Farsi, Mandarin

Those are the languages in which the documentary The Last Rite is now available. As we enter a new Fall season, watch for the documentary being aired on television in Hindi, Farsi and Mandarin. This is diversity at its best, I say - a Hindu family sitting in their living room in Canada, learning about Muslim rites in their own language. This is the power of multiculturalism. Learning from one another, and growing more confident as a nation while doing it.