Cruise ship giant Holland America will be in Dawson City, Yukon, next week to consult with residents about its Yukon Queen II tourist boat, which has been the subject of controversy in recent years.

Holland America is hosting a public meeting in Dawson City, as well as a meeting with the Tr'ondek Hwech'in Han Nation, as it seeks government approvals to operate the high-speed catamaran in the Yukon River.

The Yukon Queen II has taken summer tourists on 164-kilometre river tours between Dawson City and Eagle, Alaska.

But over the years, Dawson City residents have raised concerns about the high-powered ship's wake eroding river shorelines and disrupting salmon habitats.

In 2008, after the Yukon Queen II had been operating for several summers, Holland America asked the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans for authorization to operate a vessel that may result in the destruction of fish populations or habitat.

Ne

Cruise ship giant Holland America will be in Dawson City, Yukon, next week to consult with residents about its Yukon Queen II tourist boat, which has been the subject of controversy in recent years.

Holland America is hosting a public meeting in Dawson City, as well as a meeting with the Tr'ondek Hwech'in Han Nation, as it seeks government approvals to operate the high-speed catamaran in the Yukon River.

The Yukon Queen II has taken summer tourists on 164-kilometre river tours between Dawson City and Eagle, Alaska.

But over the years, Dawson City residents have raised concerns about the high-powered ship's wake eroding river shorelines and disrupting salmon habitats.

In 2008, after the Yukon Queen II had been operating for several summers, Holland America asked the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans for authorization to operate a vessel that may result in the destruction of fish populations or habitat.

New proposal coming: board

That request sparked a top-level review by the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board (YESAB), which has asked Holland America to hold public consultations before it submits a new proposal.

"Our indication now is that we'll be receiving a project proposal at the end of May or early June," YESAB spokesman Stephen Mills said Tuesday.

Mills said it is also important that Yukoners give their feedback after Holland America submits its new proposal.

"There will be new information, the proposal will be updated by Holland America, and so it's very important for people to continue to provide the good input that they provided through the designated office evaluation previously," he said.

Holland America's public meeting will take place May 12, at the Westmark Inn, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2010/05/05/yukon-queen-yesab.html#ixzz0mzwjxUlz

Health professionals are shaking their heads over a decision by the University of British Columbia to offer a summer camp that lets children play video games for several hours a day.

According to a brochure being handed out at Vancouver elementary schools, the camp will let kids play Nintendo, Wii, Playstation and other computer games for three hours a day for about $140 a week.

"If sports aren’t your thing but you still want to get out this summer and try new things and meet new people, this is your chance," says the UBC Sports Camps website. "Come test your gaming skills in our new arcade."

Manager Kyle Cupido says the university offered the camp last year, and it was a good social opportunity for some kids who didn't fit into other programs.

"Some kids aren't athletic, aren't artistic," Cupido said. "This gives them a chance to meet new friends."

Children at the camp can also play ping-pong and foosball, and time is allotted each day to playing outside. The camp also includes a field trip to a local video game company to meet designers and learn about job opportunities.

But over in UBC's department of medicine, Prof. Heather Mckay says she is troubled by the program in light of rising obesity levels among children.

"It seems to be going in exactly the wrong direction we want children to be going in the summer months, where they should be engaged in unstructured play, and should be outside and be doing what children of every age should be doing," said McKay, whose research focuses on children and exercise.

Michelle Brownrigg, the CEO of Active Healthy Kids Canada, has similar concerns.

"We already have a society that is spending an excessive amount of time in front of screens … both adults and kids," she said.

Brownrigg said a recent report by her group showed that on average, young people spend six hours a day in front of screens while only 12 per cent of Canadian kids get enough exercise.

Tulips bloom weeks too early on the front lawn of Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Monday April 26. Blooms are fading before the Canadian Tulip Festival. Workers begun digging up some flower beds Friday. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

Unseasonable warm weather may rob the Canadian Tulip Festival of its floral element.

Many of the blooms have appeared and faded. Crews began pulling up some tulip beds Friday along Queen Elizabeth Driveway—a week before the festival is due to begin.

The National Capital Commission said that late blooming tulips have been planted at Dow's Lake and Major's Hill Park, but the blooms may fade before the end of the festival.

"The tulip festival has always had a focus on the tulips. But, that's just a visual focus. The Tulip Festival as a whole is really what we want to focus on," said Kim Berry, spokeswoman for the festival.

This year marks the 65th anniversary of the festival, a commemorative celebration of the role Canadian soldiers played in liberating the Netherlands.

"The focus of the festival is the friendship between Holland and Canada," said Berry.

The festival runs from May 7 to May 24.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/05/30/ott-tulip-early.html#ixzz0mhytMlFe

Kevin Connolly is a poet, editor, and arts journalist. His first collection of poems, Asphalt Cigar (Coach House, 1995), was nominated for the Gerald Lampert Award; his second book, Happyland (ECW), was published to wide acclaim in 2002; and his most recent collection, drift (Anansi, 2005), won the Trillium Book Award for Poetry. He lives with his partner, Gil Adamson, in Toronto.

The highly anticipated follow-up to the award-winning poetry collection drift, Kevin Connolly’s Revolver (House of Anansi Press, 2008) is a daring marriage of brilliant technical skill and explosive imagination. Each of the poems in this extraordinary collection is written in a different vocal register — “revolving” through poetic voices with precise control and sharp wit. The Globe and Mail says that “what astounds the reader is the virtuosity with which Connolly wields all the poetic tools at his disposal”. Connolly reveals himself to be one of the few poets in Canada who can pull off such a highwire act, and make it both thrilling and meaningful. Revolver was a finalist for the 2009 Griffin Poetry Prize and the 2009 Trillium Book Award.

Suzanne

Suzanne Steele - War Poet in Afghanistan

Suzanne Steele is one of five artists nationwide to participate as a war artist in the 2008-2009 Canadian Forces Artist Program (CFAP). She is the first poet to be chosen for the program and the only official war poet of the Afghan war. In the course of research for her "deployment" Suzanne spent thousands of hours interviewing military personnel, visiting military bases and training centres, armouries and military functions. She went on Ex (exercise) with the Royal 22eme Régiment just before they deployed for Afghanistan and the 1st Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry several times over the past 18 months. She flew to Afghanistan in November 2009 and flew outside the wire to witness 1PPCLI at the front.

Suzanne is an award-winning poet/writer (diploma for excellence, Scottish International Poetry Award, short-list Robert Louis Stevenson Award for Literature, National Library of Scotland/Scottish Arts Council), member of the Scottish School of Poets - Edinburgh, Banff Writers Studio 2006, St. Peter's Artist Colony, 2009 Leighton Artist Colony, and guest Raving Poet (Edmonton, Alberta). She has read and published in the U.K. and Canada and has been featured as a poet on the BBC World Service twice and the CBC nationally and regionally. Her war work is included in three English Lit. 12 and adult learner curricula, and three of her poems are being studied at the Master Level (English Lit./war literature) at the University of Glasgow in the U.K. as representative of the Afghan war.

Suzanne makes her home in Victoria, B.C

Tree is offering a series of one-hour poetry workshops that are co-ordinated by Pearl Pirie, an accomplished
local poet and experienced workshop facilitator. The workshops are free to anyone who wishes to attend.
They are held in the usual Tree venue between 6:45 and 7:45 on regular Tree evenings. Each series of four
workshops will be led by a different facilitator.

Pearl’s objective is to have the workshops will develop organically. They are to be a time and space for people
to talk about poetic practice, why poetry works and how to present ideas. It is a time to share inspiration and
get safe group feedback. Each facilitator will act as a unique catalyst, each facilitator bringing a special angle
on craft and practice in poetry to the round table. The facilitator brings a selected focus to each session.

The next series of pre-Tree Workshops will be led by rob mclennan. rob is a talented workshop facilitator who
will add enormously to the workshops.

rob mclennan


The next series of pre-Tree Workshops will be led by rob mclennan. rob is a talented workshop facilitator who
will add enormously.

POETRY CABARET: HOUSE OF ANANSI POETRY BASH
Michael Lista, Suzanne Buffam and Steven Heighton
Hosted by Ken Babstock
Mayfair Theatre, 1074 Bank Street

We continue our evening of great poetry with the launch of Michael Lista’s Bloom, Suzanne Buffam’s The Irrationalist and Steven Heighton’s Patient Frame. Anansi’s former poetry editor Ken Babstock hosts the celebration.

rob mclennan hosts an evening of cutting-edge Canadian poetry featuring derek beaulieu’s How to Write, Weyman Chan’s Hypoderm, Frank Davey’s Bardy Google and George Bowering’s My Darling Nellie Gray.

POETRY CABARET: SPOTLIGHT ON TALONBOOKS
derek beaulieu, Weyman Chan, Frank Davey and George Bowering
Hosted by rob mclennan

The Disease and the Cure

We drink a malady every day from the holy valley,

to bleed a cure for the owner of the House.

But their cruel hearts do not recover from our blood

and the blood of the future and last generations.

Short Tip for a Friend

Listen to me, my comrade!

Throw out all weapons from your hands.

Carry the flag of the shinning light of knowledge and education.

Leave the biography, doctrine and creed of the owner of the four legs,

which is full of epidemics and wounds.

In addition, walk with no doubt and confidence,

and rise up the great prohibited victory.

Eventually, the peace and truth must win,

and the white flag should fly on the land of

Al-Muqanna with her amusing plains, valleys and mountains.

Hospitality

Do you prefer a coffee, or juice,

or you want to experience and taste a heavy drink?

In the heavy drink are sweetness, renaissance, adoration,

satisfaction, thrivingness, vitality, euphoria, and guidance to the right path.

guidance to the right path.

The city approved a plan in December to replace about 4,000 meters with 600 solar-powered pay and display machines. (Emily Chung/CBC

Residents and business owners say changes to the city's parking strategy, including the installation of new pay and display parking metres, can't come soon enough.

The city approved a plan in December to replace about 4,000 meters with 600 solar-powered pay and display machines. Six new machines were tested in the ByWard Market in December, and 100 are being installed on Preston Street in May. The city expects all 600 new machines will be installed by the end of the summer of 2010.

It's part of a change in the city's parking strategy that residents say are overdue.

Scott Morrow, a former military serviceman who has lived all over the world, believes Ottawa's parking situation is one of the worst he's ever seen.

'There is literally zero parking'

"The only place I have ever seen that I would say parking is worse would be in the city of Cairo in Egypt.", said Morrow. “It's not a matter that the parking situation is getting sparse, there is literally zero parking."

The new machines are supposed to help. The city estimates moving to display machines eliminates the need for lines to mark specific spaces on the street, opening up roughly 10 per cent more spots.

But Ottawa still has a long way to go. In a 2008 survey of seven major metropolitan areas in Ontario, Ottawa had the fewest number of paid public spaces per capita – about 775 spaces for every 100,000 people. Toronto, by comparison, had almost double the number, with 1,536 spaces per 100,000.

Downtown has shrinking space

The problem is most noticeable downtown. A comprehensive 2005 study found that developed floor space in the city's central core was growing while parking was decreasing slightly. In particular, the city has identified a number of downtown areas where paid parking remains a problem: Westboro Village, Elgin Street, and the ByWard Market.

A 2008 report from the city auditor said part of the issue with Ottawa parking was that the city had no central agency in charge of developing a strategy; rather, parking planning and enforcement was handled by the department of public works, the department of planning, transportation and environment, and by-law services.

"At present, there is no well-defined Council-approved directive that provides clear guidance to the 'Parking Function' within the City of Ottawa", said the auditor. "The lack of such a document leads city departments, in many cases, to work at cross-purposes to each other."

The city began to develop a parking strategy last year, a strategy that included the new meters.

Revenue to increase by $1.7M

But the city is also looking at changes with revenue in mind. It says the new meters will increase on-street parking revenues by $1.7 million per year, a hefty amount since on-street parking revenue in 2007 was just under $7 million.

Sheila Whyte, the executive director of the Wellington-West Business Improvement Area, says she's pleased local businesses are getting a seat at the table.

"We are pretty encouraged right now because the new parking management strategy at the city will allow a lot of local communities to make parking decisions," said Whyte, who owns the gourmet food store Thyme & Again.

Whyte had her own run-in with parking authorities after nearby roadside construction in November shrunk the size of the parking spot in front of her store to a space smaller than a car.

"My understanding is that they did intend it as a parking spot. It was just a little small," she said. "It was very bad for business to be having parking tickets when you are running in to buy a cup of coffee, a dessert or pie or that sort of thing."

The night before his right leg was amputated, Terry Fox read about an amputee who ran the New York City Marathon. The article inspired Terry's Marathon of Hope, an incredible cross-Canada run on an artificial leg to raise money for cancer research. Terry was forced to end his run when his cancer returned. He died on June 28, 1981, but his legacy lives on in the annual Terry Fox Run.

http://archives.cbc.ca/sports/exploits/topics/71/

Founded in 2003, Artswell is a registered Canadian charity dedicated to improving the quality of life and well being of individuals living with the effects of age, illness or injury.

Our goal is to empower individuals and communities through creativity by exposure to and engagement in the arts.

We promote the health of Canadians through the arts by carrying out customized creative, interactive art programs, workshops and projects for the benefit of individuals living with chronic illness or those with special needs, including those who are in hospitals, palliative care, long-term care facilities, and community support centres. We offer respite and support to families, staff and caregivers.

April 7, 2010

A public sector commitment to buy renewable energy. The City of Ottawa should power all of its municipal buildings with electricity from low-impact renewable sources.

• Investing Hydro Ottawa profits in energy savings for low-income residents and renewable energy production. Hydro Ottawa earns the city a dividend of over $10 million every year. The city should re-invest this money in initiatives to support energy conservation and renewable energy production
  

These two examples and others are explored in greater detail at www.ecologyottawa.ca/election, where we have posted the policy platform in full. We are currently consulting other community groups on their policy priorities and will add to this platform throughout the
election campaign.

التنكر

.هالة تهل ودائماً تطل

.التلفزيون وبرنامجه ممل

فلماذا تهل؟

.هالة تتنكر وتتخلى عن لقبها العلمي وتقف تحت الظل

.الجديدة ظل وطل ومل

. هالة تأكدي انك لا تسعدين إلا أصحاب الظل

.فطلي وظلي وملي وهلي وأمسكي بخيوط الليل

.فالبرنامج ممل لأن الفارس أسقط من على ظهر الخيل

.تآمرت عليه القبائل في نصف الليل

الإشاعة

.لا أمارس الإشاعة في دولة المجذوب والأطرش وشارب المداعة

.وبعد أن شاعت الأخبار في كل الصحف والإذاعة

.نهقت الحمير مبشرة القوم بالقدرة والاستطاعة على الزعامة

.وبعد أن أمرتهم بالطاعة العمياء وبأن يشربوا القهوة والمداعة

.وإلا سيعاقبون بالضرب وسيمنع عنهم أفيون القات والتبغ والسيجارة

.وسيزدادون مجاعة لا بعدها مجاعة

.أكرمك الله حاكم الدولة بالإشاعة

.فطابورك الثالث خربان وخرب معه أبا الأطفال والزراعة

.فلم يبق هناك لا سياحة ولا صناعة

شقلبان في دار المثقفين

.يالله نعمل شقلبان على سوسن السعدني وقيس اليماني

.شقلبان فيه الأمان والأماني

.نولع الشمعة ونحطها على الشمعدان

.ونخرج الأيادي التي امتدت للعقل بالبهتان

.ونمنع تكميم الأفواه الذي أصاب الأمة بالخرسان

.فتراثنا ونشاطنا أيها السادة قصائد للخنساء والحسان بن النعمان

.وأغانينا وطربنا كان يا ما كان وزمان يا زمان

.وحضارتنا وقفت منذ حزيران

.هيا غنوا وقولوا أمان أمان

.فالمحاضرات صارت كشهر رمضان

. شهر التوبة والغفران

!.أحقا نحن بشـر مبدعون أم من نسـل الـسعدان

Canada is pledging an additional $400 million in aid and debt relief for Haiti over the next two years, International Co-operation Minister Bev Oda said Wednesday.

Oda made the announcement at the United Nations in New York, where more than 100 countries gathered to hear Haiti's request for at least $3.8 billion in aid to rebuild from the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake.

Oda said Canada's new pledge includes $110 million that represents half of the money the government promised in matching funds for the $220 million that Canadians donated privately.

"The other half of the matching funds will be used to support the continuing work of humanitarian development [non-governmental organizations] and institutions in their efforts," Oda told reporters.

Canada had previously pledged $85 million in aid to Haiti.

Earlier, the Haitian government presented a plan to help it recover from the quake that killed more than 200,000 people and left more than one million homeless.

"Our goal is not just to rebuild, it is to build back better," said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, adding that the cost of rebuilding Haiti is estimated at $11.5 billion over the next decade.

A new Haiti

Haitian President René Préval thanked the countries that have already contributed to relief efforts since the quake, and paid tribute to the actions of Haitians, both at home and abroad.

"Let us dream of a new Haiti whose fate lives in a new project," said Préval.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon, co-chairman of the donors conference, said change in Haiti will require long-term commitment and collaboration among donor countries.

"In the face of tragedy, we are presented with opportunity," Cannon told the conference in New York. "Canada is prepared to accompany Haiti for as long as it needs us," he said.

The U.S. government is pledging about $1.15 billion US, said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"We cannot retreat to failed strategies.… We have to follow through," Clinton said.

Former U.S. president Bill Clinton, now the UN's special envoy for Haiti, sat down with non-government organizations a few days ago. Clinton asked them to help create such a radically new Haiti that the country would no longer need the thousands of NGOs that operate there.

"In short, are we serious about working ourselves out of a job?" he said.

Haiti faces an uphill struggle in its rebuilding effort. The story is sliding from the headlines and Haiti was not mentioned at a recent meeting between French President Nicolas Sarkozy and U.S. President Barack Obama.

Helen Clark, head of the UN Development Program, pointed out that the very first appeal for $1.4 billion in immediate humanitarian aid, made right after the January earthquake, came up far short of the mark, with barely half of the target met.

With the latest effort to raise reconstruction funds from the international community, Haiti's government will not have direct control over much of anything. Instead, a new international commission will be created to help oversee the billions of dollars in assistance.

The commission will include representatives from donor countries, the Haitian government, the Organization of American States, the 15-country Caribbean bloc known as CARICOM, plus non-governmental organizations and international institutions. Clinton and Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive will co-chair the commission.

"We will monitor very closely how this money will be spent," Ban told CBC News. "We expect the Haitian government should show strong sense of accountability."

M.T. Al-Mansouri, Ph.D. has found the real causes of psychic diseases, and invented the MULTIPHRENIA, which most people are suffering from it.

M.T. Al-Mansouri, the Canadian has achieved Records in: passing obstacles; difficulties and examinations in Canada with its’ dynamic and statistic lands, jinis, people and angels, as well as with the international conspiracies, fasting, when he ate only one meal a day for four years. (2004-2008), patience, and writing on an electronic Arabic keyboard.

He is a Candidate for Guinness World Records in sending resumes for looking for job, when he sent 60,000 resumes.

M.T. Al-Mansouri,Ph.D., has discovered a new hidden media of the international integrated security systems of Semitic groups that works and advertises for violence, racism and illegal national and international transactions.

He is the creator of the new patent word “ SINROCENT” , which made from the two infixes, the sinner and the innocent. It is an additional word for English dictionaries and Encyclopaedias.

He is the owner of the patent to prevent the mad cows.

M.T. Al-Mansouri, Ph.D. also is the owner of the patent to promote senior’s and disable people problems and together them internationally.

حبيبي
في عيونك ذي مرآيا الشوق
تتنقل
تتوهني
وتبهرني
وترسم لي الطريق أطول
أعيش فيها
وأمشييها
من الأول
وياما في مرآيا الشوق
طوفنا
نغوص العمق
نحلق فوق
ويا ما رحت في هذي المرآيا
الزرق
أغني الحب
وأتأمل
وكان قلبي معي يرحل
ورغم البعد
ورغم النار
والاسوار
بانوصل
وبانلقى ...أكيد
الآتي من أيامنا
أجمل
سلامتها عيونك ذي
مرايا الشوق
سلامتها
سلامتها
هوانا
كل يوم
في كل سوم
يورق
ويتجدد
وانا وانت
اللي نمشيها
مشاوير الهوى
والشوق
يتوهج
ويتوقد
دموع اللوعة في عينيك
كفكفها
وكف الآه
وصدقني
نبات الوعد
من نار العذاب المر
يتولد
ويتورد
وليش نأسى
ونتألم
وما كانش يوم
ما بيني وبينك حد
تعال
فرشت لك رمشي
طريق
من غزل أنغامي
على رفاتها .. تمشي
حبيبي ...
يا حبيبي
وعدنا الأغلى
مصيره بكرة يتحقق
وساعتها
القيود اللي تباعدنا
وأوهام الحدود
اللي أقاموها
تتمزق
تعال
يا وعد أيامي
تناجيك خضر أحلامي
تعال نبني جنان الحب
ونتوحد

سلامتها عيونك ذي
مرايا الشوق
سلامتها
سلامتها

أحلى وداع

كم سنين للحب راحت
كم سنين مرت طويلة
عشتها للحب ..أنا
والدمع والآهات
نعم .... ليلة بليلة
كان حب الصمت يحفر
وسط قلبي
ألف أنة
ألف آه مرت صعيبة
كم صبرت
كم صبري جرعني الألم

وانت ساكت مثلي
تكويك المصيبة

حبنا في الصمت
كان يكبر
وكان الصمت
مأساته الرهيبة
حتى كان يوم الوداع
ما أجمله يوم الوداع
خلاك تطوي الصمت
مزقته
ومديت لي الذراع
يا حبيبي
ليت أيامنا اللي مرت
كلها كانت وداع
ذا وداعك مش وداع
ذا بداية .... أيوة
ما أحلاها بداية
يا حبيب قلبي
وأنا باودعك

مليون سلام
مليون قبلة وابتسام
دمعي والآه
تنور لك طريقك
تحرسك من كل شر
من كل حد عني يعيقك
يا حبيبي
لما ترجع بالسلامة
لك نذرت العمر
ياحبيبي
اللي شب يوم الوداع
ذا وداعك
مش نهاية
ذا بداية
ايوه .. ما أحلاها
.بداية.... ليت أيامنا اللي مرت