Get your voice heard - another opportunity in caseyou missed the last one

Hi,
I will be attending the one in Red Deer as I have a previous engagement on the Saturday meeting.
Hope you will attend one of the sessions.  Aboriginal voices should not be silent.
sharon

November 15, 2011
Province launches Our Children, Our Future: Getting it Right public consultations on the Education Act
Government to hold forums in seven communities on education legislation
Edmonton... Students, parents, teachers and others interested in building education as the key to individual and community success are invited to participate in upcoming public consultations on the Education Act.

“Education legislation is not reviewed very often and I am committed to getting it right,” said Education Minister Thomas Lukaszuk. “By opening up this discussion to the public, especially to students, we can ensure this legislation reflects Albertans’ vision for their education system and that it has a direct and positive impact on Alberta classrooms now, and for decades to come.”

One component of the Our Children, Our Future: Getting it Right consultations will be forums conducted in seven communities. The consultations will be exploring four themes:

1. Making schools safe and welcoming
2. Making learning relevant for all students
3. Keeping students engaged in learning
4. Setting students up for success in life

“I encourage Albertans to take part in these discussions,” said Lukaszuk. “For those who cannot participate, we will also be launching an online consultation shortly, so that everyone can have the chance to share their thoughts on the future of education in Alberta.”

Albertans can visit http://education.alberta.ca/engage to register for the opportunity to participate in the following forums.

Date	Location
Saturday November 26	Edmonton
Tuesday November 29	Red Deer
Thursday December 1	Calgary
Saturday December 3	Bonnyville
Monday December 5	Lethbridge
Wednesday December 7	Fort McMurray
Friday December 9	Peace River

While these meetings are open to all Albertans, space is limited. Therefore, confirmation emails will be sent to all who register confirming their space in the community forums. Priority will be given to parents, students and teachers.

Details on the additional elements of the consultation, including online submissions and events in schools, will be announced in the weeks ahead. The results of this public consultation will be incorporated into the new Education Act, to be introduced in the Legislature in Spring 2012.

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Media inquiries may be directed to:
Donna McColl
Communications
Education
780-422-5248
780-965-9210 (cell)
Donna.J.McColl@gov.ab.ca

To call toll free within Alberta dial 310-0000.

Remembrance Day thought

Last night I attended Kristallnacht, Night of Broken Glass.  November 9, 2011 at the Edmonton Talmud Torah, Guest Speakers Robbie Waisman survivor of concentration camp, and Dr. Leon Bass, Afro American who was in US military to saw the concentration camp first hand.

It is an amazing story of how a black man seemed to be an angel to a Jew.  They made initial contact in a concentration camp just after the allies liberated it.  Amazing the similarities between both stories.  Most people know about the holocaust.  There are still some survivors.  Dr. Bass talks about being discriminated against in the US wearing his soldier uniform and being made to stand in the back of the bus wearing his uniform.  His experiences were mild compared to what he saw in the concentration camp.  I don’t have time to detail everything,(apparently the CBC did a documentary about it)  just to say there are many similarities between these two stories and stories of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada.  Let us remember the holocaust, the American civil war, the Riel Rebellion, the Battle of Frog Lake,  . . . . . .  we must tell the stories.  SO THEY WILL NEVER BE REPEATED. “The only thing necessary for evil to flourish is for good people to do nothing.”