“The 13th IAAF World Junior Championships represent a tremendous opportunity for Canadian athletes to shine, and for Canada to play host to the world once again,” Prime Minister Harper said. “On behalf of all Canadians I thank the organizers and volunteers for bringing this world-class event to Moncton.”

More than 1,400 athletes and team officials from more than 170 countries will participate in various track and field events at the World Junior Championships, which take place July 19 to 25. The biennial IAAF World Junior Championships are open to junior athletes, aged 19 and under in the competition year, and will include 44 medal events over six days. This is the largest sporting event to be held in Atlantic Canada, and the second time Canada has hosted the games. Approximately 50,000 spectators are expected to attend.

Events for the games will be held in the newly built 10,000-seat Stade Moncton 2010 Stadium, a joint project supported by the Government of Canada, the Province of New Brunswick, the City of Moncton, and the Université de Moncton.

“I encourage all visiting athletes, their families, team officials and supporters to visit the beautiful community of Moncton, and experience the splendour of New Brunswick,” the Prime Minister added.

Prior to the opening ceremonies, the Prime Minister took part in an unveiling of the design for a cornerstone that will commemorate the world-class Stade Moncton 2010 Stadium. The cornerstone includes the wording, “a legacy for the development of Atlantic Canadian athletes.”

“We are joining a growing list of Canadians who are urging the government to reverse this ill-conceived cabinet decision,” said OPSBA president Catherine Fife.

Census data is one of the best sources of information about Canadians and helps us to learn what services and programs are needed most, and where they are best located. This is vitally true in the world of education. For example, Ontario has launched the first phase of an extended and integrated full-day early learning program for four- and five-year olds. One of the goals of this initiative is to promote school readiness. Census data allows school boards to connect the readiness of five-year-olds to thrive in school with the social and economic circumstances in which they live. This information allows school boards to find ways to prepare children to get the most out of their school experience which ultimately helps them achieve better outcomes.

“Without accurate data, connecting students to the programs and services they need is compromised. This vital work should not become a guessing game,” said OPSBA president Catherine Fife. “Our students and their families deserve better.”

A specific priority of OPSBA is an increased focus on the educational, mental, emotional, social and physical needs of children. These needs are linked together in terms of successful experience in school and addressing them is connected to having reliable and relevant information. This is especially vital when school boards are trying to measure whether they are doing the right things to help increase achievement in school for specific demographic groups be they First Nations, Métis, Inuit or newcomers to Canada. The long-form census is a key tool for school boards in understanding populations and assessing living conditions.

The census is the only way to track many of Canada’s most pressing social trends and problems. In the information age, finding solutions to those problems requires, dare we say it, Mr. Harper, …information.

“Canada produces the best beef in the world and a strengthened processing sector will help our farmers get prices they deserve from stronger markets,” said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “We’re working with cattle processors to make sure they can become more innovative with specified risk materials, which will help to make them more competitive and the entire value chain more profitable.”

“The cattle industry has faced a number of challenges over the last several years,” said the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State (Agriculture). “These programs will help the cattle processing sector address short-term competitiveness issues and move towards a more efficient management of Specified Risk Material over the longer term”.

The Abattoir Competitiveness Program will make $25 million available to help Canadian cattle slaughterhouses maintain critical slaughter capacity in Canada for over-thirty-month-old (OTM) cattle while the industry undertakes efforts to become more innovative and competitive when dealing with specified risk materials (SRM). Federally, provincially and territorially inspected cattle slaughter facilities that slaughtered OTM cattle in Canada during 2009 and 2010 calendar years will be eligible for support based on their 2010 production of SRM from OTM cattle in Canada.

The Slaughter Waste Innovation Program will make $40 million available to help drive research, development, and adoption of innovative technologies or processes to reduce handling costs or return profits from the use or disposal of SRM. Federally, provincially, and territorially inspected cattle slaughterhouses; stand alone businesses handling SRM; and research or engineering firms in partnership with these parties or with livestock industry associations are eligible to apply.

These programs were developed from the $500 million Agricultural Flexibility fund, announced as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan to help the cattle sector adapt to cost pressures and improve its competitiveness.

For more information on the Abattoir Competitiveness Program, visit www.agr.gc.ca/acp or call 1-877-290-2188.

During the period leading up to the kickoff of the FIFA World Cup(TM) and the first week of tournament matches (1 June through 20 June), spending by international visitors in South Africa on Visa-branded payment cards exceeded US$128 million (R974 million), up 54 percent from US$83 million (R629 million) during the same period in 2009. The number of transactions from 1 June through 20 June was 900,000 (45,000 per day on average), up 60 percent from nearly 600,000 (30,000 a day on average) during the same 20 days in 2009.

The money spent by international visitors on their Visa credit, debit and prepaid cards on the first ten days of the FIFA World Cup(TM) (Friday, June 11 through Sunday, June 20) alone showed an increase of 81 percent over the same period in 2009.

Visa spending data indicates that the United Kingdom, followed by the United States, Australia, France and Brazil have been the strongest contributors to tourism spending to date. These five countries alone accounted for 51 percent of spending. Over 90 percent of spending was in typical leisure and business travel categories – accommodation, restaurants, retail, auto rental and air travel.

“You can see it for yourself on the streets and in the shopping malls of the nine host cities and now we’re seeing the real-time data. The international visitors have come and they are spending with their Visa cards. The spending is spread right across the 159,000 merchants that accept Visa in South Africa,” Michael Lynch, Global Head of Sponsorship Management at Visa Inc. said.

“The sponsorship of the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) in South Africa is working extremely well for Visa with promotional activities occurring in close to 100 countries, involving 500 financial institutions and merchants. We also have approximately 4,000 competition prize winners coming to South Africa for the tournament and the first waves of those have had a great experience,” Lynch added.

    Top Contributors to Visitor Spending in South Africa from June 1 - 20,
2010, as Measured by Spending on Visa-Branded Payment Cards (USD1 = R7.58)

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Ranking   Country/Territory         Total spend     Total spend   Change
                                            (USD)          (Rand)       (%)
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1         United Kingdom            $25.3 million    R192 million   24
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    2         United States             $25.2 million    R191 million   58
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    3         Australia                 $6.2 million     R47 million   108
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    4         France                    $4.7 million     R35 million    60
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    5         Brazil                    $4.1 million     R31 million   390
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    6         Germany                   $3.9 million     R30 million    55
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    7         Mozambique                $3.8 million     R29 million   (20)
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    8         Botswana                  $3.5 million     R26 million    21
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    9         Canada                    $3.4 million     R26 million    43
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    10        Mexico                    $2.9 million     R22 million   527
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Visa provides the most widely accepted payment card in the world, meeting the needs of mobile consumers reaching for credit, debit and prepaid cards wherever and whenever they travel. According to the 2010 South Africa Tourism Outlook report recently released by Visa Inc., international travelers using their Visa payment cards spent over US$1.79 billion while visiting South Africa during 2009 and $566 million during the first quarter of 2010.

Visa is one of six global FIFA partners with exclusive global category rights through 2014, and is the exclusive card for the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM). In recognition of Visa’s sponsorship of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa(TM), Visa credit, debit and prepaid cards are the only payment cards accepted, along with cash, at all FIFA stadiums and the Onsite Stadium Merchandise Booths.

With the state of the global economy and international relations as the major themes of the upcoming summits, the first part of the survey, entitled Canada and the World in 2010, focuses on the perceptions of Canada as an economic and world power.

The online survey of over 18,000 people in 24 countries, conducted by Ipsos Reid, shows that Canadians sometimes overestimate their own influence in world affairs as two in three Canadians (67%) agree that Canada has an influence on the world stage, while only 55% of global respondents agree. Those polled in Brazil and India were most likely (both 74%) to agree that Canada had influence in world affairs, while only one third of Japanese and Swedes agreed, making them least likely of the 24 countries polled to believe that Canada is influential on the world stage.

Other key findings include:

        -  Canadians (68%) are only slightly more likely than global citizens
           overall (62%) to say that Canada is a world economic power. The
           Russians (79%), Brazilians (78%) and Chinese (78%) are most likely
           to agree, while the Swedes (33%), Japanese (40%), Germans (41%),
           and the British (43%) are much less likely.
        -  Canadians are much more likely (81%) than global citizens overall
           (67%) to say that Canada is a leader in working for peace and
           human rights around the world. After Canada, South Africans (80%)
           are most likely to agree, while those living in Sweden (37%) and
           Germany (45%) are least likely to believe that Canada is a leader
           in this field.
        -  While 60% of global citizens believe that Canada does pretty much
           what the United States wants them to do when it comes to foreign
           affairs, even more Canadians (71%) actually believe this. Those
           living in India (81%) are most likely to believe that Canada
           follows the United States' wishes, while those living in Sweden
           and Japan (both 37%) are least likely to agree.
        -  A majority (54%) of Americans believe that Canada pretty much just
           does what the U.S. does when it comes to foreign affairs.

“This survey gives us a real and measurable impression of where Canada stands in the eyes of the world,” says Andrew Cohen, President of The Historica-Dominion Institute. “In a world of more than 200 countries, we can be proud that we are generally well-regarded beyond our borders, although, as Canadians, we tend to be our own biggest fans and, sometimes, our own sharpest critics.”

The global survey is a project of The Historica-Dominion Institute in partnership with the Munk School of Global Affairs with the support of the Aurea Foundation.

The online poll of over 18,000 people was run across 24 countries that represent 75% of the world’s GDP. The results of the full survey will be released over a three-day period from June 21 to June 23 in the lead-up to the G8 and G20 Summits.

The Historica-Dominion Institute is the largest charitable organization dedicated to Canadian history, identity and citizenship. Its mandate is to build active and informed citizens through a greater knowledge and appreciation of the history, heritage and stories of Canada. Visit www.historica-dominion.ca.

The action is a tongue-and-cheek commentary on spending for the G8 and G20 summits when foreign aid has been frozen and our fair share on climate adaptation has yet to be paid.

“How far can $1 billion go? It can pay for three days of security or it can help millions of people adapt to the impact of climate change over the next three years,” said Robert Fox, Oxfam Canada’s Executive Director. “That’s Canada’s fair share of climate costs and we owe it to the world’s poorest, who are being hit first and hardest. They can’t live with broken promises or wait for the next summit for adaptation financing to finally flow.”

The bankers will be handing out a new $1 billion bill, designed as a spoof of the Canadian five-dollar bill which features children playing hockey and tobogganing. While the cash that’s being distributed Thursday can’t save the world, the At the Table Coalition has identified changes the Canadian government can make to help keep its commitments.

“This government must stop putting $2 billion per year towards subsidizing the oil and gas industry, and invest much more in the clean energy economy,” said Graham Saul, Executive Director of Climate Action Network Canada. “Canada must also step up and put at least $1 billion over the next three years towards supporting poorer countries as they cope with climate change.”

The group is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to commit to the Robin Hood Tax, a 0.05 per cent Financial Transaction Tax on speculative trading that could raise billions each year for fighting climate change and poverty both at home and abroad.

    What: "Harper, his dancing Fossil Fools and the Human Oil Spill"
                     When: Thursday June 17th, 12:15 pm

    (preparations will begin around 10 a.m. at 410 Adelaide St. W.,
                                 Suite 210)
          Where: Union Station, on Front between University and Bay

Come get a taste of the creative events in store for Toronto during the G8 and G20 summits as the At the Table Coalition demands that world leaders Invest in the Future – Now. The June 17th event is part of a Global Day of Action calling on G20 leaders to tackle climate change, fight poverty and inequality, and rethink the global economy. For more information or to view the billion dollar bill, please visit www.atthetable2010.org/dayofaction

Tomorrow evening, at the Grand Banking Hall in Toronto’s financial district, Dr. Michel Kazatchkine, Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, will speak to a couple hundred community members, policy-makers, legal professionals, health researchers, activists and people living with or vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. Some of them attending this free public lecture are delegates registered at the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network’s 2nd Annual Symposium on HIV, Law and Human Rights – see information at www.aidslaw.ca/symposium.

It is expected that Dr. Kazatchkine will deliver a pointed message on the critical importance of human rights advocacy in overcoming the global AIDS crisis. Dr. Kazatchkine has spent the past 25 years fighting AIDS as a leading physician, researcher, administrator, advocate, policy-maker and diplomat – see further background at http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/secretariat/director/.

The evening will also honour the Canadian recipient of the 2010 Award for Action on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights, an award presented jointly each year by the Legal Network and Human Rights Watch.

The Award is being bestowed on Ralf Jurgens, a lawyer with a long history of advocacy on AIDS and human rights in most regions of the world. Ralf co-founded the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and served as its Executive Director from 1998 to November 2004. Since December 2004, he has worked as a consultant and human rights advocate on HIV/AIDS, health, policy and human rights in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, Africa and Canada, including for the International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Open Society Institute, UNAIDS, WHO and most recently the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Ralf is a member of the UNAIDS Reference Group on HIV and Human Rights and of the Leadership and Accountability Committee of the upcoming 2010 International AIDS Conference (July 18-23 in Vienna).

The author of many reports and over 100 articles on legal and human rights issues related to HIV, and the instructor in the first course on AIDS and the law ever to be offered at a Canadian university, Ralf has dedicated himself for more than 25 years to ensuring respect and protection for the human rights of some of those who are most socially marginalized and most affected by HIV from Russia to the Ukraine to Canada. In particular, he continues to be a staunch and persuasive advocate for the human rights of people in prison and people who inject drugs, two groups most heavily affected by HIV and whose human rights are routinely violated, in Canada as elsewhere.

This year is the target date set by G8 countries for achieving “universal access” to HIV prevention services and to HIV care, treatment and support. As Canada hosts the G8, these two experts and advocates, with more than half a century of combined experience working in Canada and globally, will address some of the challenges that must be faced by Canada and other world leaders if we are to succeed in overcoming HIV/AIDS.