The Prince Edward Island Healthy Eating Alliance encouraged Islanders of all ages to eat healthy the week of Oct.5-11, and to continue eating well for years to come.
The alliance participated in a variety of activities during the week, including the Fall Flavour's Farm Day in the city where it set up stands to promote better eating habits.
Kelsey Kennedy, the alliance’s assistant co-ordinator, said it is trying to encourage all Islanders to take steps towards healthier eating.
“It's intended for the general population, the whole Island. Eating healthy is at home at school and at work so we're trying to encompass all of those areas.”
Although the week only lasted six days, Kennedy said they encourage Islanders, especially the younger generations, to continue the better habits throughout their lifetime.
The alliance is doing this by working with school boards on policies to guide foods served in the school cafeterias and vending machines.
The provincial government is also helping. It provided $100,000 this year to expand and enhance school breakfast and snack programs in schools. It will enlarge menu choices, increase the number of days the programs are offered, fund program coordinators and purchase equipment and supplies.
Kennedy said by starting to promote healthy life styles in the school, it could have a life-long effect.
“It’s modelling. The children are being exposed to these healthy foods, which is a factor, and they're being encouraged to try them. There's also the education component as well, so children are learning to eat healthy at school.”
Kody MacLaren, a Grade 12 student at Morell Regional High School, said he thinks the school changing its eating policy is a good choice.
The policy probably won't have a major effect on student eating habits, but having new, healthier food will cause some change which is a good start. And although the school doesn't sell all healthy foods yet, a small change is better than none, he said.
“A little can go a long way.”
Monday, October 20, 2008
Fire Prevention Week
Fire Prevention Week was held in early October.
This year’s theme was preventing fires in the home.
Charlottetown's fire prevention officer, Cindy McFadyen, said it’s easier than people may think to prevent home fires.
"Be careful around stoves and be prepared to have an escape plan. Have a fire drill from the home and plan and practice all your fire safety rules and regulations."
Fire prevention week has been a yearly tradition since 1922. It started to remember the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that lasted two days, Oct.8-9, and killed more than 250 people. It also left 100,000 homeless and burned more than 2,000 acres.
Every year in Canada there has been a different theme for fire prevention week. Last year’s theme was practise your escape plan.
It is easy to prevent home fires, McFadyen said, but just as easy to let them happen if people don't take the proper steps. Replacing the fire alarm batteries goes a long way, she said.
"They should test their batteries on a monthly basis and change their batteries twice a year as well as smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years."
McFadyen said along with making sure the batteries are in good condition, there should be enough smoke alarms. One is not enough.
"We want people to make sure their smoke alarms are working and make sure they're installed in every level of the home as well as every sleeping room."
Serge Leduc, Spring Park Elementary School’s principal, said they do many things during the week to teach children how to avoid fires and how to react properly if there was one.
They brought in firefighter Bob Chandler, who gave the Grades one to three students a presentation. He showed them a video and brought in real firefighting equipment such as air tanks, boots, gloves and hats so the kids could understand the reality of being a firefighter.
He also showed them how to react to a real fire situation by using the stop, drop and roll tactic.
Leduc said the hands-on experience is the best way to go with younger kids.
“They loved it. It’s best to do it that way so it can have an impression. The more hands on it is the more effective it is because they’ll remember it.”
The kids were allowed to touch and even smell the material.
“It has a much more lasting effect,” said Leduc.
In the future the students from grades one to three will be taken to a firehall to see the firetrucks and take part in different experiments, Leduc said.
There’s always more emphasis on fire safety during fire prevention week, Leduc said, but the school also promotes school safety year round.
Grades one to three students had to take home a fire plan so they could apply what they learned in a real-life situation, and all grades in the school do a fire drill every month.
The school encourages fire safety to make sure the kids won’t forget, Leduc said.
“It’s engrained in you because it’s repetative so if there is a reality you’ll be prepared.”
This year’s theme was preventing fires in the home.
Charlottetown's fire prevention officer, Cindy McFadyen, said it’s easier than people may think to prevent home fires.
"Be careful around stoves and be prepared to have an escape plan. Have a fire drill from the home and plan and practice all your fire safety rules and regulations."
Fire prevention week has been a yearly tradition since 1922. It started to remember the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that lasted two days, Oct.8-9, and killed more than 250 people. It also left 100,000 homeless and burned more than 2,000 acres.
Every year in Canada there has been a different theme for fire prevention week. Last year’s theme was practise your escape plan.
It is easy to prevent home fires, McFadyen said, but just as easy to let them happen if people don't take the proper steps. Replacing the fire alarm batteries goes a long way, she said.
"They should test their batteries on a monthly basis and change their batteries twice a year as well as smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years."
McFadyen said along with making sure the batteries are in good condition, there should be enough smoke alarms. One is not enough.
"We want people to make sure their smoke alarms are working and make sure they're installed in every level of the home as well as every sleeping room."
Serge Leduc, Spring Park Elementary School’s principal, said they do many things during the week to teach children how to avoid fires and how to react properly if there was one.
They brought in firefighter Bob Chandler, who gave the Grades one to three students a presentation. He showed them a video and brought in real firefighting equipment such as air tanks, boots, gloves and hats so the kids could understand the reality of being a firefighter.
He also showed them how to react to a real fire situation by using the stop, drop and roll tactic.
Leduc said the hands-on experience is the best way to go with younger kids.
“They loved it. It’s best to do it that way so it can have an impression. The more hands on it is the more effective it is because they’ll remember it.”
The kids were allowed to touch and even smell the material.
“It has a much more lasting effect,” said Leduc.
In the future the students from grades one to three will be taken to a firehall to see the firetrucks and take part in different experiments, Leduc said.
There’s always more emphasis on fire safety during fire prevention week, Leduc said, but the school also promotes school safety year round.
Grades one to three students had to take home a fire plan so they could apply what they learned in a real-life situation, and all grades in the school do a fire drill every month.
The school encourages fire safety to make sure the kids won’t forget, Leduc said.
“It’s engrained in you because it’s repetative so if there is a reality you’ll be prepared.”
Saturday, October 11, 2008
In a park-Sept.26.2007
I step outside, soon realizing I have to take off my sweater because the heat from the sun is too much to handle under the warmth of the fleece. I make my way downtown and pass a park, so I take a seat on the nearest bench so I can manage to take off my sweater without all my books dropping everywhere. There’s a warm breeze, which sweeps my bangs out of my face, but the heat of the sun still pounds on my back. I can smell the thick scent of freshly cut grass right under my feet.
The small hum of cars nearby is quickly shut out by the loud laughter and constant giggles of the few children in the park. I look up to see but the glare of the sun shining off the bright blue plastic slide catches my eye so I adjust near the end of the bench closer to the shade. I notice the change of color in the leaves, which are now various shades of green, orange, brown and red. Summer is fading to fall.
There about ten kids in the park, all running after each other, laughing non-stop, and one yells, “Lilly’s it! Run!” They all take off, scrambling everywhere, up the big slide and rusty steps. “Haha, you can’t get me!”
They all seem to be having so much fun playing with each other, but I notice one little girl, all alone on a bench. She sits, bangs over her eyes, dirt on her chin and hair half up in a ponytail, singing and mumbling to herself. Her tiny brown fingers pick off individual leaves from a newly planted bush and as she collects them in her hands, she’s staring at them as if she has never seen such a thing. She pulls up her socks, which are bare to the dirt where she stands, climbs and jumps off the bench and moves along to another bush. She picks a flower and some more leaves and keeps singing, “la la la, little flower.” Her mouth never stops, and her eyes are wandering everywhere, having a complete conversation with mid air, until she notices the others holding hands, gathered around a tree, where she runs to join them.
There are many other kids in the park now, filling up all four swings, which rattle and squeak with every movement. Their chanting shows competition develops early, “I’m higher than you are!”
The imagination in kids never ceases to amaze me. One little boy climbs up the side of the bright yellow ladder, covered with sand, and as he approaches his friends on the top of the slide, all I can hear is “There’s a bad guy! Hurry up! Run,” soon followed by “Careful now, don’t fall!”
I look to find the owner of the unexpected older voice, who I see sitting in the corner of the sandbox. Another woman, who is also wearing a red t-shirt and jeans but wearing glasses too, accompanies her. Long brown hair sits to her chin and wrinkles around her eyes show me she’s experienced with life and must have had a few good laughs. The two sit chatting, watching the children, and soon get up and make their way to the end of the park.
“OK everybody, line-up,” one woman says in a soft but demanding voice. The kids slowly make their way over; covered in dirt and sand, jumping up and down with what little energy they have left. Waving goodbye to some other kids in the park they walk away, still laughing and giggling. “Goodbye Lilly, bye Paige!” One little boy yells, “Audios amigos!” The woman repeats him, laughing, “Audios Amigos.”
The kids leave the park empty, but still lively. A small yellow butterfly flutters around the now empty sandbox, soon accompanied by a couple wasps. The swings are still in full motion, rattling to full extent. I’m forced to squint as the sun is still shining bright as ever and as I turn to leave the kids’ laughter is gone and the only noise I can hear are the cars on the street and the crunching of the old fallen brown leaves under my feet.
The small hum of cars nearby is quickly shut out by the loud laughter and constant giggles of the few children in the park. I look up to see but the glare of the sun shining off the bright blue plastic slide catches my eye so I adjust near the end of the bench closer to the shade. I notice the change of color in the leaves, which are now various shades of green, orange, brown and red. Summer is fading to fall.
There about ten kids in the park, all running after each other, laughing non-stop, and one yells, “Lilly’s it! Run!” They all take off, scrambling everywhere, up the big slide and rusty steps. “Haha, you can’t get me!”
They all seem to be having so much fun playing with each other, but I notice one little girl, all alone on a bench. She sits, bangs over her eyes, dirt on her chin and hair half up in a ponytail, singing and mumbling to herself. Her tiny brown fingers pick off individual leaves from a newly planted bush and as she collects them in her hands, she’s staring at them as if she has never seen such a thing. She pulls up her socks, which are bare to the dirt where she stands, climbs and jumps off the bench and moves along to another bush. She picks a flower and some more leaves and keeps singing, “la la la, little flower.” Her mouth never stops, and her eyes are wandering everywhere, having a complete conversation with mid air, until she notices the others holding hands, gathered around a tree, where she runs to join them.
There are many other kids in the park now, filling up all four swings, which rattle and squeak with every movement. Their chanting shows competition develops early, “I’m higher than you are!”
The imagination in kids never ceases to amaze me. One little boy climbs up the side of the bright yellow ladder, covered with sand, and as he approaches his friends on the top of the slide, all I can hear is “There’s a bad guy! Hurry up! Run,” soon followed by “Careful now, don’t fall!”
I look to find the owner of the unexpected older voice, who I see sitting in the corner of the sandbox. Another woman, who is also wearing a red t-shirt and jeans but wearing glasses too, accompanies her. Long brown hair sits to her chin and wrinkles around her eyes show me she’s experienced with life and must have had a few good laughs. The two sit chatting, watching the children, and soon get up and make their way to the end of the park.
“OK everybody, line-up,” one woman says in a soft but demanding voice. The kids slowly make their way over; covered in dirt and sand, jumping up and down with what little energy they have left. Waving goodbye to some other kids in the park they walk away, still laughing and giggling. “Goodbye Lilly, bye Paige!” One little boy yells, “Audios amigos!” The woman repeats him, laughing, “Audios Amigos.”
The kids leave the park empty, but still lively. A small yellow butterfly flutters around the now empty sandbox, soon accompanied by a couple wasps. The swings are still in full motion, rattling to full extent. I’m forced to squint as the sun is still shining bright as ever and as I turn to leave the kids’ laughter is gone and the only noise I can hear are the cars on the street and the crunching of the old fallen brown leaves under my feet.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
New gaming strategy announced
Taking away only some of the VLTs on the Island won’t be enough to ease the problem of gambling addicts, says a UPEI political studies proffessor.
Video lottery terminals will be reduced by 20 per cent and their sites will be cut in half in Prince Edward Island as part of the province’s new gaming strategy.
Peter McKenna said there will still be eight out of 10 VLTs remaining and the problem will still be there.
“To fix the problem, the government has to take away all of the VLTs, not just some. If you say you’re concerned about problem gambling and services, eliminate them all together.”
The new strategy, Leadership, Integrity, and Responsibility: A Gaming Strategy for Prince Edward Island, outlines the future direction for gaming in P.E.I.
Provincial Treasurer Wes Sheridan said he hopes the plan will help people with gambling addictions.
“We don’t want anyone out there losing their home because of problem gambling.”
Government has a major role to play to ensure this, he added.
“Government must show leadership in preventing and reducing the negative impacts of gaming, while ensuring that its benefits are realized for Islanders as fully as possible.”
But McKenna said this is just a cosmetic solution.
“They want to maintain revenue from VLTs. Cutting the amount of VLTs is not going to help the addiction. People will find them and the addiction will still be there.”
McKenna grew up in Halifax and has been around gambling his whole life. He studied problem gambling for 15 years and wrote the book Terminal Damage The politics of VLTs in Atlantic Canada.
The government worries about losing revenue, but should instead worry about the people who are being hurt from VLTs, he said.
“If you’re serious about curbing the addiction, you don’t get rid of 20 per cent, you get rid of 100 per cent. These are deadly, dangerous machines. People have committed suicide over this problem. My government is supposed to be helping people, not killing them, and that’s what VLTs are doing.”
In 1985, provinces were given exclusive control of gaming in Canada. The minister responsible for the PEI Lotteries Commission is responsible for overall leadership, direction, and control of gaming in P.E.I.
There are about 195 retailers in communities across the Island licensed to sell lottery tickets and products. There are about 85 places that are licensed to hold and operate about 385 VLTs.
This reduction in the number of VLTs will make P.E.I the leader in Atlantic Canada for the lowest number of VLTs per capita, said Sheridan.
The plan also includes a new law stating users must be 19 to buy lottery products.
Sheridan said there will be fines for people caught selling lottery products to those under 19.
He also said government will enhance resources for education, awareness, research and treatment to promote and support responsible gaming.
“Public education, awareness and research all play vital roles in preventing problem gaming.”
The strategy is planned to be consistently reviewed and updated as needed.
“Government will continue to monitor, evaluate and measure the impacts of this strategy as it is implemented, and will take action on findings,” Sheridan said.
The entire strategy will be implemented over the next two years, with some measures put in place immediately, he added.
Video lottery terminals will be reduced by 20 per cent and their sites will be cut in half in Prince Edward Island as part of the province’s new gaming strategy.
Peter McKenna said there will still be eight out of 10 VLTs remaining and the problem will still be there.
“To fix the problem, the government has to take away all of the VLTs, not just some. If you say you’re concerned about problem gambling and services, eliminate them all together.”
The new strategy, Leadership, Integrity, and Responsibility: A Gaming Strategy for Prince Edward Island, outlines the future direction for gaming in P.E.I.
Provincial Treasurer Wes Sheridan said he hopes the plan will help people with gambling addictions.
“We don’t want anyone out there losing their home because of problem gambling.”
Government has a major role to play to ensure this, he added.
“Government must show leadership in preventing and reducing the negative impacts of gaming, while ensuring that its benefits are realized for Islanders as fully as possible.”
But McKenna said this is just a cosmetic solution.
“They want to maintain revenue from VLTs. Cutting the amount of VLTs is not going to help the addiction. People will find them and the addiction will still be there.”
McKenna grew up in Halifax and has been around gambling his whole life. He studied problem gambling for 15 years and wrote the book Terminal Damage The politics of VLTs in Atlantic Canada.
The government worries about losing revenue, but should instead worry about the people who are being hurt from VLTs, he said.
“If you’re serious about curbing the addiction, you don’t get rid of 20 per cent, you get rid of 100 per cent. These are deadly, dangerous machines. People have committed suicide over this problem. My government is supposed to be helping people, not killing them, and that’s what VLTs are doing.”
In 1985, provinces were given exclusive control of gaming in Canada. The minister responsible for the PEI Lotteries Commission is responsible for overall leadership, direction, and control of gaming in P.E.I.
There are about 195 retailers in communities across the Island licensed to sell lottery tickets and products. There are about 85 places that are licensed to hold and operate about 385 VLTs.
This reduction in the number of VLTs will make P.E.I the leader in Atlantic Canada for the lowest number of VLTs per capita, said Sheridan.
The plan also includes a new law stating users must be 19 to buy lottery products.
Sheridan said there will be fines for people caught selling lottery products to those under 19.
He also said government will enhance resources for education, awareness, research and treatment to promote and support responsible gaming.
“Public education, awareness and research all play vital roles in preventing problem gaming.”
The strategy is planned to be consistently reviewed and updated as needed.
“Government will continue to monitor, evaluate and measure the impacts of this strategy as it is implemented, and will take action on findings,” Sheridan said.
The entire strategy will be implemented over the next two years, with some measures put in place immediately, he added.
IRAC stops warnings
The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission recently decided to discontinue giving Islanders a heads up before a fuel or oil price change.
They said giving the public warning of price change isn't fair to business owners, who may lose business when people fill up on gas before the price increases the next day.
The only people who will know about the change are industry retailers and distributers. One Ultramar owner, Guy Cudmore, doesn't think the change will affect his business at all.
"It doesn't bother me much. Our busy time is from four to 10, and I don't think that will change."
Even though they won't get warnings from IRAC, people will still know that the price will change ahead of time, he said.
"People will know by word of mouth. It won't be any different."
Cudmore said although he hasn't gotten many complaints from consumers, he knows people aren't happy and Premier Robert Ghiz will probably end up putting things back to the way they were.
Ghiz was just as surprised about the change as everybody else.
In a release he said he found out the same way the public did-by listening to the news, and he has no input on changes IRAC may make.
Paula Sinnott, a Morell resident and single mother of one, said the price change doesn't really affect her because it will soon change again anyway.
Even when Islanders were warned about gas prices increasing the next day, she never bothered to rush to fill up her tank.
"I just get gas when I need it. By the time I need it again, the price drops again anyway so it doesn't really matter.”
They said giving the public warning of price change isn't fair to business owners, who may lose business when people fill up on gas before the price increases the next day.
The only people who will know about the change are industry retailers and distributers. One Ultramar owner, Guy Cudmore, doesn't think the change will affect his business at all.
"It doesn't bother me much. Our busy time is from four to 10, and I don't think that will change."
Even though they won't get warnings from IRAC, people will still know that the price will change ahead of time, he said.
"People will know by word of mouth. It won't be any different."
Cudmore said although he hasn't gotten many complaints from consumers, he knows people aren't happy and Premier Robert Ghiz will probably end up putting things back to the way they were.
Ghiz was just as surprised about the change as everybody else.
In a release he said he found out the same way the public did-by listening to the news, and he has no input on changes IRAC may make.
Paula Sinnott, a Morell resident and single mother of one, said the price change doesn't really affect her because it will soon change again anyway.
Even when Islanders were warned about gas prices increasing the next day, she never bothered to rush to fill up her tank.
"I just get gas when I need it. By the time I need it again, the price drops again anyway so it doesn't really matter.”
Scam Seminar
“It’s never going to happen to me.”
This is exactly what Helen Power thought about scams, fraud and identity theft, until one of her favourite past times let her down.
Internet shopping on sites like Ebay was something Power had faith in for years. After making about 30 purchases of clothing, jewelrey and make-up, she couldn’t resist a sparkly new necklace and earring set a seller had just put up for sale.
Power did what she has always done. She gave her name, address and credit card information and waited for the mail to come. After waiting a few weeks she became impatient and e-mailed the seller.
He said he had sent out the item and it should have arrived, so he told Power he would put a trace on it. Within a day Power received an e-mail saying it was somewhere in the air, probably on a Chicago airline.
Power never received her jewelery set and the seller has stopped acknowledging her.
Corporal Jeannette Doucette of the RCMP said scams happen to everybody. She held a seminar Oct.1 to help people protect themselves from scams.
Having education sessions are important for everybody, because people of all ages fall victim to scam every day, she said.
“It gives them tips, tells them what’s out there, what types of fraud, scams, identity theft, what to be careful about, what to provide like as far as personal information."
It is important to pay attention scams and fraud and not pretend they’re not out there, she said.
"There's always a lot of scams out there and you just have to be cognoscente of what they are and not to fall prey to these particular scams and just to be vigilant as to what type of information these people are asking for and not provide that
information."
Rita Arsenault attended the seminar and said it helped make the scams a reality.
"It's a great way to be reminded to be careful. That's what I found helped me. You're not just imagining you have to be careful, you know you have to be."
Power also attended the meeting and learned a lot to help her escape from going through the same scam experience.
Scams are disappointing, and sometimes people just don’t want to believe they’re out there, she said.
“It’s just the thought that you feel it’s a legitiamate service, and then it doesn’t work. It’s a big let down.”
But scams are out there. Doucette said one in five people in Canada fall victim to scams and fraud every day and the only people who are feeling bad are the victims themselves.
One of the biggest things scam artists go after, Doucette said, are things like charities. One scam artist used to call people and ask for money for the Child’s Wish Foundation, knowing people would think they meant the Children’s Wish Foundation. She said people must be very careful because you never know what these con artists will come up with.
“Scam artists are so smart. This is what they do, they go after your heart and soul.”
Ever since her Ebay let down, Power hasn’t used the service, and she won’t do any more online shopping.
This is exactly what Helen Power thought about scams, fraud and identity theft, until one of her favourite past times let her down.
Internet shopping on sites like Ebay was something Power had faith in for years. After making about 30 purchases of clothing, jewelrey and make-up, she couldn’t resist a sparkly new necklace and earring set a seller had just put up for sale.
Power did what she has always done. She gave her name, address and credit card information and waited for the mail to come. After waiting a few weeks she became impatient and e-mailed the seller.
He said he had sent out the item and it should have arrived, so he told Power he would put a trace on it. Within a day Power received an e-mail saying it was somewhere in the air, probably on a Chicago airline.
Power never received her jewelery set and the seller has stopped acknowledging her.
Corporal Jeannette Doucette of the RCMP said scams happen to everybody. She held a seminar Oct.1 to help people protect themselves from scams.
Having education sessions are important for everybody, because people of all ages fall victim to scam every day, she said.
“It gives them tips, tells them what’s out there, what types of fraud, scams, identity theft, what to be careful about, what to provide like as far as personal information."
It is important to pay attention scams and fraud and not pretend they’re not out there, she said.
"There's always a lot of scams out there and you just have to be cognoscente of what they are and not to fall prey to these particular scams and just to be vigilant as to what type of information these people are asking for and not provide that
information."
Rita Arsenault attended the seminar and said it helped make the scams a reality.
"It's a great way to be reminded to be careful. That's what I found helped me. You're not just imagining you have to be careful, you know you have to be."
Power also attended the meeting and learned a lot to help her escape from going through the same scam experience.
Scams are disappointing, and sometimes people just don’t want to believe they’re out there, she said.
“It’s just the thought that you feel it’s a legitiamate service, and then it doesn’t work. It’s a big let down.”
But scams are out there. Doucette said one in five people in Canada fall victim to scams and fraud every day and the only people who are feeling bad are the victims themselves.
One of the biggest things scam artists go after, Doucette said, are things like charities. One scam artist used to call people and ask for money for the Child’s Wish Foundation, knowing people would think they meant the Children’s Wish Foundation. She said people must be very careful because you never know what these con artists will come up with.
“Scam artists are so smart. This is what they do, they go after your heart and soul.”
Ever since her Ebay let down, Power hasn’t used the service, and she won’t do any more online shopping.
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