Friday 24 November 2017

Sandra Perron is available for comment on all matters military and sexual harassment in workplace


Sandra Perron wins the Mavis Gallant Award for NonFiction for her memoir

Out Standing in the Field

In a time when allegations of sexual misconduct about men in film, television, and politics, fill the evening newscast, Sandra Perron’s 2017 memoir, Out Standing in the Field, provides insight into these situations. Hers is not an “I was a victim” memoir. She addresses the sexual harassment, and the difficulties she had because of her gender, in clear-headed and incisive prose. If there’s one book to read on this subject, if there’s one voice to listen to right now, it’s hers.  
The citation from the Mavis Gallant Award jury reads, “This powerful and revealing memoir offers a glimpse into one woman’s harrowing experiences as the first female officer in the Canadian Infantry. Drawing on her journal entries to craft an elegant and gripping work, Perrault offers an account of her experiences in military training and subsequent deployment through the mid-1990s, both positive and negative.”

Out Standing in the Field has also been named a Globe and Mail Top 100 for the year.

In 2016, the Auditor General’s Report noted that the military had no strategy to recruit women, even though they are required to meet a target of 25% female uniformed personnel. According to Statistics Canada, 1,000 members of our military say they have been sexually assaulted in the past year. It is exactly this lack of significant progress that has inspired Sandra Perron, Canada’s first female infantry officer and a member of the Royal 22ᵉ Régiment – the legendary “Van Doos” – to tell her story in this revealing and moving memoir.
Though consistently identified as top of her class throughout her training, Perron was subject to harassment by her male colleagues, harassment which continued over two deployments to Bosnia and Croatia. Despite this, Perron served her country with courage and compassion, and forged lasting friendships with the men and women she served alongside. Her story is a testament to the strength and determination of all women working towards full inclusivity in the Canadian Forces.

Sandra is available for comment on all matters military and sexual harassment in workplace.


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Monday 13 November 2017

Deal announced at a press conference in Jamaica on Friday


THC to build a state of the art complex in Manchester
Major Business Milestone For Medical Marijuana Producer
 
Timeless Herbal Care (THC) Jamaica Ltd has recently received its licence to grow and harvest medical marijuana in Jamaica.  On Friday November 3rd the Jamaican company received  a Tier One Ganja Cultivator Licence from the newly created Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA) at the government offices of The Ministry of Industry Commerce Agriculture and Fisheries, in New Kingston.
THC  is one of the first companies to be awarded a commercial licence by the Jamaican Government.  According to Timeless Present Courtney Betty “This completes the cornerstone of the Green Gold Triangle with Timeless operations and partners in Jamaica, Israel and Canada.   In Israel Timeless is partnered with   Bazelet one of the largest medical marijuana companies in Israel. We also have a strong United States partner in Open Vape.  We are also extremely proud of our local Jamaican partner “Everything Oily who was also awarded a commercial license in Jamaica. Together we are all committed to working in communities and be part of the transformation process in Jamaica. 
“This  important milestone means that the company will immediately begin to operate the only certified facility in the Caribbean to grow medical marijuana to produce the highest quality  products. “Timeless Herbal Care is extremely pleased that the licence has finally been granted,” said company CEO Anthony Lawrence.   “This now allows us to push ahead. We have built the best cultivating facility in Jamaica and finalizing GMP certification for our extraction and processing to ensure we meet international standards.  This will be the foundation of our success meeting or exceeding international standards. We thank the CLA for their confidence in giving us this opportunity to help build an industry in  Jamaica.
Timeless Herbal Care has produced and is marketing the Ministry of Health Approved Dr. Williams Original Jamaican Guinea Hen Weed Tonic & Restorative, a 100% local Pain Relief Herbal Massage Oil  call Magic. The company has been a trail blazing medicinal marijuana company signing an agreement with the Government of Jamaica to cultivate medical marijuana mined out bauxite lands. The deal provides Timeless with thousands of acres to grow medical marijuana and other herbal plants.  
The restoration of the Bauxite lands through agriculture will be done in partnership with a World Bank funded employment project. Timeless has  also signed an important agreement with a foreign investor to develop large scale hydroponic medicinal ganja cultivation in Jamaica.
The company has assembled a team that includes the best doctors, scientists, researchers and growers to transform Jamaica into the medical marijuana hub for the world.  This provides medical marijuana companies from across the  world  immediate access to the international markets.
ABOUT TIMELESS HERBAL CARE

 Timeless Herbal Care is an industry leader in the provision of health and wellness related services though the research and development of medical marijuana products. With operations in Jamaica, Israel, Canada and the United States; world-class experts and years of experience, we are uniquely equipped to supply the overwhelming international demand for medical marijuana products.. For further information consult the company’s website at: 
http://www.timelessherbalcare.com/index.php

MEDIA CONTACT

Timeless Herbal Care
Courtney Betty
courtney@timelessherbalcare.com
Phone: +1 876-754-2121
In US/Canada:
Phone: 416-907-0973

Saturday 11 November 2017

Governor General To Speak This Evening in Brampton



Media Alert

It is happening this evening:  36th Independence Anniversary Celebration and Donations for Barbuda The Antigua and Barbuda Association of Toronto (ABAT) celebrates the 36th Independence Anniversary of the twin Island state of Antigua and Barbuda. 
This year’s celebration is appropriately held under the theme “UNITE TO REBUILD”. Special guest and keynote speaker will be the Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda, His Excellency Sir Rodney Williams. The Gala will be held on Saturday, November 11, 2017; 6:00pm; at the Pearson Convention Centre, 2638 Steeles Ave E., Brampton (at Airport Road).
Entertainment will be provided by the Kuttin Eddge Band, live and direct from Antigua. The band boasts some of Antigua’s most talented musicians who are viewed as one the island’s top entertainment acts. Co-hosting the event will be The Rhyming Chef (Philman George), a certified chef and an accomplished MC. He was born in Canada and both of his parents are from the island of Barbuda which was devastated by Hurricane Irma. An all-inclusive vacation for two (2) to Starfish Jolly Beach Resort and Spa in Antigua onboard Sunwing Airlines, is sponsored by Sunwing Travel Group. 
Based on official assessments and reports, 95% of properties in Barbuda were damaged as a result of Hurricane Irma. The entire population was promptly evacuated to Antigua following Hurricane Irma and just prior to Hurricanes Jose and Maria. 
Relief Efforts are ongoing to help sustain the recovery process. Financial donations can be made through pledges at the event or to The Antigua and Barbuda Emergency Relief Fund that is registered with the Canada Revenue Agency as a charitable entity under registration number 889758579RR0001. 
The account is set up with Royal Bank of Canada. Deposits can be made at any Branch. Transit 06402 Account # 1005040. Tax receipts for deposits in excess of $20 can be issued by providing proof of deposit, with Name and Mailing Address. 
E-mail to abemergencyrelief@gmail.com or mail to: Antigua & Barbuda Association of Toronto; P.O. Box 6, Station F; Toronto. Ontario M4Y 2L4. Eric Delfish, Public Relations Officer, ABAT, abatpro@gmail.com 416 570 5002

Tuesday 3 October 2017

Canada’s Most Prestigious Non-Fiction Award Has A New Jury

RBC Taylor Prize Announces New Jury for 2018


The Trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation are pleased to announce that the jurors for the 2018 RBC Taylor Prize are: Christine Elliott, Anne Giardini, and James Polk.

Christine Elliott
Christine Elliott is Ontario’s first-ever Patient Ombudsman and has been an advocate for vulnerable people for many years. Ms. Elliott has served as a volunteer with numerous community organizations, including the Grandview Children’s Centre and Durham Mental Health Services. A lawyer by profession, she was also a longtime Progressive Conservative MPP (2006 to 2015) representing her home riding of Whitby-Oshawa.

Anne Giardini

Anne Giardini
, O.C., Q.C., is an author, board director and the 11th Chancellor of Simon Fraser University. She has published two novels, The Sad Truth About Happiness and Advice for Italian Boys. In 2016, together with her son Nicholas, Anne Giardini published Startle and Illuminate, a book of writing advice from her mother, the late Canadian author Carol Shields. Giardini has been Chair of the Vancouver International Writers Festival, and a board member of the Writers’ Trust of Canada and PEN Canada.
James Polk
James Polk was the long time editorial director of House of Anansi Press and edited two books by Charles Taylor, as well as work by Margaret Atwood, George Grant, Northrop Frye, and many others. With a literature PhD he has taught at Harvard, Idaho, Ryerson and Alberta, and has written a comic novel, a stage comedy about Canadian publishing, articles, short stories, and criticism about Canadian writers and writing. As an advisor at the Ontario Ministry of Culture, he worked on grants for theatre and books, developed a tax credit for publishers and remodelled the Trillium Book Prize to include Franco Ontarian writing. He lives in Toronto and, trained as a pianist, still practices daily, playing classics and show-tunes in seclusion.
Noreen Taylor, Prize Founder and Chair of the Charles Taylor Foundation, remarked: “Literary non-fiction is the best medium for our nation’s top authors to examine the world beyond the recording of facts and a parade of data. Our esteemed jury will read through 150+ entries and rigorously debate titles to be included on the prize longlist announced in December. Readers across the country look forward with great anticipation to the jury’s selections for the 2018 RBC Taylor Prize.”
Key Dates: The Longlist will be shared on Wednesday, December 6, 2017; the Shortlist will be announced at a news conference on Wednesday, January 10, 2018; and the winner revealed at a gala luncheon on Monday February 26, 2018.
The RBC Taylor Prize recognizes excellence in Canadian non-fiction writing and emphasizes the development of the careers of the authors it celebrates.

About The RBC Taylor Prize:
Established in 1998 by the trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation and first awarded in 2000, 2018 marks the seventeenth awarding of the RBC Taylor Prize, which commemorates Charles Taylor’s pursuit of excellence in the field of literary non-fiction. Awarded to the author whose book best combines a superb command of the English language, an elegance of style, and a subtlety of thought and perception, the Prize consists of $30,000 for the winner and $5,000 for each of the remaining finalists. All authors are presented with a custom leather bound version of their shortlisted book at the awards ceremony.
The Prize provides all of the finalists with promotional support to help all of the nominated books to stand out in the media, bookstores, and libraries.
Earlier this year, Ross King won the 2017 RBC Taylor Prize for his book Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the Painting of the Water Liliespublished by Bond Street Books.
Mr. King selected Cassi Smith as the 2017 recipient of the RBC Taylor Prize Emerging Writer Award. This award featuring a $10,000 cash award, and mentorship from the naming author was established in 2013 to provide recognition and assistance to a Canadian published author who is working on a significant writing project in literary non-fiction. Ms. Smith, a Saskatchewan based graduate student, is working on a collection of non-fiction short stories based on her interviews with Saskatchewan’s First Nations Elders.
The trustees of the Charles Taylor Foundation are: Michael Bradley, Vijay Parmar, David Staines, Edward Taylor, Nadina Taylor, and Noreen Taylor. The Executive Director is Su Hutchinson.
The presenting sponsor of the RBC Taylor Prize is RBC Wealth Management. Its media sponsors are The Globe and Mail, Cision, The Huffington Post Canada, Maclean’s magazine, Quill & Quire magazine; its in-kind sponsors are Ben McNally Books, Event Source, IFOA, The Omni King Edward Hotel, and the Toronto Public Library Board.
To download high-resolution images of the trustees and the jury
please go to: www.rbctaylorprize.ca/2018/2018_trustees_and_jury.zip
For general information about the Prize please go to: www.rbctaylorprize.ca.
Follow the RBC Taylor Prize on Twitter at www.twitter.com/taylorprize
Follow the RBC Taylor Prize on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RBCTaylorPrize

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For further information:
Media contact: Stephen Weir & Associates

Stephen Weir: 416-489-5868 | cell: 416-801-3101 | stephen@stephenweir.com

Thursday 28 September 2017

Innocence Canada hosting 4th Annual Wrongful Conviction Day Reception


October 2, 2017 4th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL WRONGFUL CONVICTION DAY


5:30 7:30 p.m
Convocation Hall
Law Society of Upper Canada, 130 Queen Street West, Toronto, Ontario


Toronto, Ontario: This October 2, 2017, people from around the globe will come together in recognition of the wrongly convicted. Innocence Canada, along with the Law Society of Upper Canada (LSUC), will be hosting its 4th annual Wrongful Conviction Day (WCD) reception. The reception will be attended by many of the wrongly convicted, their family members, Innocence Canada Board and Foundation members, staff, volunteers, members, sponsors, funders, donors and members of the public at large.
The highlight of the evening will be the introduction and acknowledgement of the wrongly convicted and their families. Some of the exonerees that will be attending are David Milgaard, Réjean Hinse, Leighton Hay, Anthony Hanemaayer, Jamie Nelson, Tammy Marquardt, Rob Baltovich, John Artis and Maria Shepherd. We are honoured to have Ontario Attorney General, Yasir Naqvi, and David Miller, former Mayor of Toronto, who will each offer short remarks. A keynote speech will be given by renowned criminal lawyer, Marie Henein, who had this to say about wrongful convictions.
“Wrongful convictions remind us of how painfully human our legal system is-and how in these times, we must remain uncompromising and unyielding in protecting those foundational principles that seek to counterbalance our inevitable fallibility.” – Marie Henein
During the evening’s program, the annual Rubin ‘HurricaneCarter Champion of Justice Award will be presented by one of Innocence Canada’s Founders, James Lockyer and exoneree, John Artis, Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter’s co-accused. This award is given to an individual or group who has in some significant way helped champion the cause of the wrongly convicted. In addition, The Tracey Tyler Award will be presented by her sister Angela Tyler and Innocence Canada Co-President, Kirk Makin. This award is given to an individual or group who through the news media, documentary or film has through an article or a body of work over years has helped to expose wrongful convictions.
In conjunction with the events taking place around the world there are 18 confirmed landmarks (twice as many as last year) that will illuminate in recognition of WCD. Among these will be the CN Tower, Toronto City Hall Towers, Niagara Falls and the Peace Bridge.

“What started as a trickle three years ago, has tuned into a global movement,” said Ron Dalton, Exoneree and Co-President of Innocence Canada. In addition to illuminations, cities across Canada have signed proclamations declaring October 2nd as WCD."
Since its inception in 1993, Innocence Canada has helped in the exonerations of 21 Canadians. These innocent individuals combined spent more than 190 years in prison. Innocence Canada has 86 cases currently under review and is undertaking a major initiative over the coming year to cut into this backlog.



For more information and interview requests for exonerees and Innocence Canada representatives please contact:
Win Wahrer
Toll free: 1-800-249-1329 x227
In Toronto: 416-504-7500 x 227, Cell: 416-459-2065

www.innocencecanada.com www.facebook.com/inno