1.

Calls For Delegates

1. ENGO participation in the Teleconference Consultation on Options for an International Instrument for Sustainable Forest Management 

2.

ACTION ALERTS

1. Send Short Letters to Protect the Oldman River Basin
2. Signatures Needed to Save Duffins Creek  

3.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Invitation to Canadian Consultations on UN Commission on Sustainable Development

4.

RESOURCES

1. New Policy Guide on Advocacy
2. How to Organize an Eco-friendly Event, RQFE Training 

5.

CALLS FOR INPUT / COMMENTS / NOMINATIONS / PARTICIPATION

1. There are no Calls for Comments this week.   

6.

Events

1. Stakeholder Workshop on Nanotechnology
2. Earth Day Canada Gala   

7.

Employment

1. Executive Director, Canadian Environmental Network
2. National Caucus Coordinator, Canadian Environmental Network

1.

Calls For Delegates

i.

ENGO participation in the Teleconference Consultation on Options for an International Instrument for Sustainable Forest Management

The Canadian Environmental Network (RCEN) is seeking five (5) delegates to participate in a national teleconference consultation and develop an ENGO position. The consultation and position paper will focus on the elements, mechanisms and ENGO recommendations for the different options for an international instrument on sustainable forest management at the global level. The teleconference consultation is now scheduled for March 13, 2007 and could last up to 4 hours. All selected participants will receive $500 for one day of preparation and $500 for participation in the teleconference. The deadline to apply is TUESDAY, March 6, 2007. If you are interested in participating, visit the RCEN website.
For more information, contact Sarah Heiberg, National Caucus Coordinator, telephone: (613) 728-9810 ext. 224.

2.

Action Alerts

i.

Send Short Letters to Protect the Oldman River Basin

ENGOs are invited to send a short letter to the new Minister of Sustainable Resource Development (SRD), Ted Morton, before the Forest Management Director will sign off on the Branch's decision to lock the Oldman River Basin headwaters into 20 more years of new logging roads, skid trails and clearcuts. Known as the C5 Forest Management Plan, the large-scale logging plan covers all the public forests providing the source of flowing water for the Basin. Ap­proving it will pre-empt the Oldman Watershed Council's upcoming State of the Watershed Report on the protection and management requirements needed to meet the government's Water for Life strategy, for which the report is due this fall. The letters should be sent as soon as possible.
For more info visit the Alberta Environmental Network.

ii.

Signatures Needed to Save Duffins Creek

Sierra Club of Canada (SCC) is inviting ENGOs to contribute to the momentum gathered by the Ontario Chapter's Stop the Pickering Airport and Grow the Greenbelt campaigns and add their signatures for the Save Duffins Creek petition. SCC’s aim is to add the watershed to Ontario's Greenbelt. According to SCC, though the Greenbelt “is a great piece of Legislation, there are many imperilled and environmentally sensitive ecosystems that have been left out and not protected against development such as Duffins Creek.” For more information, visit the SCC Ontario Chapter website or sign and pass on the online petition.

3.

Announcements

i.

Invitation to Canadian Consultations on UN Commission on Sustainable Development

ENGOs and members of civil society are invited to participate in a consultation meeting on March 14, 2007 at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada in Ottawa (Ontario) with Federal government officials to assist in developing a Canadian position for the Fifteenth Session of the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD-15). The CSD has become a useful international forum for consensus-building on sustainable development issues. The CSD-15 will be held in New York from April 30 to May 11, 2007. In preparation for CSD-15, the Commission is hosting an Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting in New York from February 26 to March 2. The outcome of this meeting will be a brief negotiating document that will form the basis of discussion at the CSD-15 session, available on the CSD website. To confirm your participation, in person or via teleconference, contact Thomas Balint of the Sustainable Development Division at (613) 994-5226.

4.

Resources

i.

New Policy Guide on Advocacy

A new policy guide on advocacy, entitled Click Here for Change: Your Guide to the E-Advocacy Revolution, is now available. The guide cites examples of using e-advocacy to reach “hard to reach” communities; organize for mass mobilization; strengthen offline tactics (such as tabling, rallying, and protest marches); reach out to media; connect to more supporters for online donations; and target decision-makers, rapidly and forcefully, to pass or defeat proposed legislation. The report is loaded with technology tips to create an advocacy website, format emails and newsletters for maximum effectiveness, and connect to audiences and enable supporter action. It also examines barriers and opportunities for organizations that want to integrate technology into their communications strategies, and a detailed list of technology vendors.
To receive the guide published in 2007, send an e-mail to Saul, from the Sustainability Network, at info@sustain.web.ca.

ii.

How to Organize an Eco-friendly Event, RQFE Training

The Réseau Québécois des femmes en environnement (RQFE) is currently offering a training session on how to organize an eco-friendly event, in Montreal on March 13, 2007. The cost is $40 for non-members and $25 for members. The training will deal with the following issues : how to make events more eco-friendly; what are the steps to follow; how to make a positive impact on the environment, society, and economy; and what are the important goals to set.To register or for more information, contact Caroline Voyer, Executive Director, Réseau québécois des femmes en environnement (RQFE), tel.: (514) 843-2015 ext. 810953.

5.

Calls for Input / Comments / Nominations / Participation

i.

There are no Calls for Comments this week.

6.

Events

i.

Stakeholder Workshop on Nanotechnology

The Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy (CIELAP) is organizing a workshop on the evening of Thursday March 15th and all day on Friday March 16th 2007 at the MaRS centre in downtown Toronto, subject to the upcoming approval of funding. The workshop will bring together a wide range of stakeholders, including government, industry, non-profits, and academics, to discuss how to move towards an appropriate policy framework for nanotechnology. To focus the discussion, this workshop will look at nanotechnology especially as it is being applied to health; consumer products & packaging; and engineering & materials sciences. If you are interested in attending RSVP and more information will be sent once the funding has been confirmed. Space will be limited to approximately 30-40 participants. For more information, contact Anne Mitchell, Executive Director, CIELAP, tel.: (416) 923-3529 ext. 25.

ii.

Earth Day Canada Gala

The Earth Day Canada Gala will be taking place this year in Toronto on June 1, 2007 at the Intercontinental Toronto. Dr. David Suzuki will be the special guest presenter, alongside host Mark McKinney, one of Canada’s most talented comic writers and performers. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Earth Day Gala website or contact Trevor Zimmer at (416) 599-1991 ext. 114.

7.

Employment

i.

Executive Director, Canadian Environmental Network (RCEN)

The RCEN is seeking a dynamic and proven executive with seasoned leadership skills to fill the position of: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
If you are passionate about the environment and thrive in a lively and fast-paced workplace, this is an opportunity to champion the cause in Ottawa. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director will assist and facilitate RCEN members and Regional Affiliates in achieving their goals both individually and collectively within their own communities, nationally and internationally. The successful candidate will have a proven record as a strategic thinker and manager, and an ability to work cooperatively and lead a dedicated and hardworking team in a small, dynamic organization. S/he will have a solid command of English and French. The deadline to apply is April 9, 2007.

ii.

National Caucus Coordinator, Canadian Environmental Network (RCEN)

The RCEN is currently seeking a National Caucus Coordinator. Part of a team, the National Caucus Coordinator, reporting to the Executive Director, is responsible for facilitating specific national caucuses, implementing and coordinating delegate selections, negotiating and implementing contracts, and ensuring an effective role for RCEN in consultative processes between the federal government and environmental groups. A university diploma in a related field and 3 years of relevant experience in coordination and project administration in the non-profit sector are required. Excellent writing and verbal skills in both English and French are mandatory. Also required are excellent organization skills, ability to manage time and multiple projects, experience with fundraising and contracts negotiation, ability to work cooperatively in a team environment, independantly and under pressure, and a strong affinity with the organization’s mission and activities. The position is unionized and full-time, for a minimum one-year term, and based in Ottawa. The deadline to apply is April 2, 2007.
For more information, visit the RCEN website. (Job offer to be posted on the RCEN website shortly).