Saskatchewan university gets funding for food research, Winnipeg mayor faces lawsuit, Calgary university launches pilot exercise program for kids, and Edmonton students earn credit for yoga.
The Global Institute for Food Security based at U of Saskatchewan
As the world turns and the population grows, hunger becomes a global problem. The Global Institute for Food Security was launched on Monday and will be based out of the University of Saskatchewan. PotashCorp, which is also based out of Saskatoon and known as the world’s largest fertilizer company, donated $35 million to the institute to get things started. The province donated $15 million to aid with their research.
“One of the things that makes this centre unique from other centres is that we will be looking at the entire stream from production to the delivery of food where it is needed, so one way of saying that is, we are looking at the whole process from field to fork,” said university president Ilene Busch-Vishniac.
Bill Doyle the CEO and president of PotashCorp says that food security is a challenge and that statistics show that around the world over two million people are malnourished. Lyle Stewart, Saskatchewan’s Agricultural Minister says the province has a responsibility to help feed the world, a world that by 2050 is projected to have nine billion people.
Winnipeg Mayor facing lawsuit
Katz is in the doghouse, again. Mayor Sam Katz is facing two separate lawsuits. One is against Katz for some of the companies he has owned, including the Winnipeg Goldeyes. And, WOW Hospitality is suing for a breach of contract regarding management and concession contacts that were signed in 2000 and 2003. WOW claims they have been trying to reach a negotiation since 2006.
The second lawsuit Katz is facing is from Joe Chan a local restaurateur. Chan is accusing Katz of spending $2,900 in public monies on a city staff Christmas party that was held at Hu’s Asian Bistro. This case will be tried under the Manitoba conflict-of-interest law. If Katz is found guilty it could result in his removal from office.
University of Calgary pilot program encourages kids to exercise.
In today’s world a child’s amusement comes with the click of a button. And, whether it is television, computer, or video games, their activities are normally indoors. The University of Calgary launched their pilot Physical Activity Challenge for Kids program (PACK) to encourage kids to be physically activity outside of a structured setting such as their gym class.
Grade 4 students at St. Elizabeth Seton School were chosen to participate in the 30-day challenge. The work in the pilot program is based on that of kinesiology researcher Larry Katz, PD. One of the goals is to have the students experience what light moderate exercise feels like, and to encourage them to want to do more of it.
The students of this challenge will wear pedometers and fill out log sheets to track their performance. The Calgary Foundation, the University of Calgary, and Cardal Place are sharing the costs needed to run this program.
Source: http://calgary.ctvnews.ca/program-aimed-at-changing-attitudes-to-exercise-1.1074049
A yoga lesson at Ross Sheppard High School
Downward dog may soon be bringing upward credits for some Edmonton high school students. At Ross Sheppard High School, Kim Hertlein teaches a holistic class that focuses on healthy living, and alternative healing, including yoga. School trustees voted last week to have a yoga curriculum added that was first developed in Calgary. As early as next semester students could have the option to take a Yoga 15 or Yoga 25 class.
“I’m very excited. I would be thrilled to teach a yoga class,” said Hertlein, a certified hatha yoga instructor who teaches social studies at Ross Sheppard, as well as the holistic health option, nicknamed “H2O.”
Steven Wright the supervisor of projects and research with Edmonton Public Schools says “With the public school trustee’s approval last week, the school district will take the yoga curriculum developed in Calgary and make it available to schools here. Alberta Education still has to approve the plan, which shouldn’t take long.”
It would be offered as an elective course and offered in a three credit half-time block. With all the stress that teenagers go through these days in both their social life and school work load, it would improve mental focus, concentration, while also providing a good healthy centre and increased strength and flexibility.
Morning Yoga routine link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rR_Dgn7zdA
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Chadd Cawson is an intern at Spectator Tribune. Follow him at: @ChaddCawson
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