Congratulations to Professor Cindy Blackstock who was recently named to Chatelaine magazine鈥檚 Women of the Year list for 2018
Professor Cindy Blackstock听was featured on the list 鈥�for being a tireless advocate for Indigenous children鈥檚 rights.鈥�
The Chatelaine citation: 鈥淵ou can be sure that Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott knows the name听Cindy Blackstock. Blackstock, a member of the Gitksan First Nation, is on a mission to ensure the federal government compensates First Nations children who faced discrimination under the on-reserve child welfare system. We鈥檙e in awe of her energy: she鈥檚 a professor at the School of Social Work at 平特五不中, the executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada, and on the interim board of the new Foundation for Sixties Scoop Survivors. She鈥檚 proved an inspiration to child welfare activists everywhere: In September, she was recognized by the Children鈥檚 Aid Foundation, receiving the prestigious Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids National Award.鈥�
To read full article, click听.
Congratulations to听Lillian Iannone & Francine Granner who听received 平特五不中 service pins at the Dean鈥檚 Holiday Brunch!
Every year 平特五不中 recognizes employees who have provided听continuous service to the University with a special pin celebrating this achievement.听
The School of Social Work celebrated听Lillian Iannone who has been working for the School of Social Work for 45 years along with Francine Granner who celebrated 20 years of service. Francine started as a student at 平特五不中 in 1968 so she started her association with 平特五不中 some 50 years ago!
Congratulations to both!
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Congratulations to Professor Wendy Thomson for being newly appointed as Vice-Chancellor at the University of London
The University of London is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Wendy Thomson CBE as its next Vice-Chancellor with effect from July 2019.
The Chair of the Appointments Panel, Sir Richard Dearlove, said: 鈥淚 was pleased that the post attracted a very strong field of candidates and that we have been able to make an excellent appointment. The selection committee were especially impressed by Wendy鈥檚 wide leadership experience, her outstanding performance in a number of very challenging roles and her inclusive management style. I know that the Board of Trustees very much look forward to working closely with her.鈥�
See full details, .
STANDING TOGETHER IN INDIGNATION
On behalf of the ICAN family鈥攐ur advisory board, our current and past fellows, and our partners in Israel, Palestine and Jordan we join in solidarity with the victims and mourners of the Tree of Life Synagogue, the Jewish community of Pittsburgh, and the Jewish community worldwide. We deplore this despicable, outrageous murder of Jewish worshipers. Fueled by a context which has reignited anti-Semitism to an alarming degree, and which has sparked hate crimes against Muslims, against Blacks, and against other minorities, we must rise in indignation rather than cower in fear.
We invite you to join us in solidarity this听Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at the Wendy Patrick Room听with speakers听Rabbi Lisa Grushcow,听Reverend Arlen John Bonner, and听Imam Hassan Guillet听as well as ICAN Fellows as they reflect on their own experiences and commitment to diversity, inclusion, and peace building.
Thursday, November 1st at 5:30PM
Wendy Patrick Room (#118 @ Wilson Hall), 3506 University Street
Thank you for joining us at Open House
We are thrilled to have welcomed visitors to our downtown campus for Open House 2018, held on October 21. Prospective Undergraduate and听Graduate听students along with their parents, families and friends, spent the day discovering campus, attending presentations, and interacting with current students, advisors, and 平特五不中 professors.
Open House" 2018 with Patty Tarica (Administrative Assistant M.Sc. (A) CFT Program), Carmela Sciandra (Student Affairs Coordinator M.Sc (A) CFT Program & QY Admissions), Julia Krane (BSW Program Director), Ashely Orloff (BSW 2016, MSW 2018) and Corinna Masson (BSW 2016, current MSW student).
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Indigenous Access 平特五不中 hosts alumni and students at the annual homecoming lecture on October 13, 2018
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平特五不中鈥檚 School of Social Work held a panel on the indigenous student experience at 平特五不中 on Oct. 13, featuring speakers from Indigenous Access 平特五不中 (IAM) and indigenous students.听
The event is part of the celebration for the School鈥檚 100th anniversary.
See听听for details.
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Congratulations to Dr. Cindy Blackstock for receiving the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Award.
Robson Hall at the University of Manitoba saw the Mahatma Gandhi Centre of Canada present the Peace Award to Dr. Cindy Blackstock, an advocate for First Nations children across Canada through her years of work.
For complete details, see .
Our first SW100 event
In partnership with the CIUSSS Centre-Ouest de L'ile de Montreal, our first SW100 event attracted 160 participants interested in best practices in field education.
Thanks to Prof. Marion Bogo for an incredible field education training day on September 28, 2018
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Professors Julia Krane and Shari Brotman celebrate Shari鈥檚 induction into the Quarter Century Club for 25 years of work at 平特五不中.
Congratulations to Professsor Shari Brotman.
Every year 平特五不中 recognizes employees who have provided 15, 20, 25, 30, 40 and 50 years of continuous service to the University with a special pin celebrating this achievement. Members who have been at the University for 25 years are invited to a ceremony where they are inducted into the Quarter Century Club by the Principal and Vice-Principal (Administration and Finance). The Quarter Century Club boasts more than 3,000 members.
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Indigenous Access 平特五不中 - Exploring the Indigenous Student Experience
School of Social Work 100th Anniversary Special Event
Saturday, October 13, 2018
11 AM to 12:15 PM
Join us for a panel discussion exploring the Indigenous student experience at 平特五不中. Featuring Indigenous Access 平特五不中 team members Professor Wanda Gabriel, Ben Geboe, and Professor Nicole Ives, the event will draw on the experiences of current and former students. Discussion will include the success of the School of Social Work's Indigenous Field Course (IDFC 500), which gives students in Social Work, Law, Medicine, and Anthropology first-hand opportunities to learn about Haudenosaunee cultures and worldviews. Now in its 10th year, the 4-week intensive course provides students a holistic approach to learning about Indigenous culture and teaches them to integrate this knowledge into their practice.
Exploring the Indigenous Student Experience听is the first event in the School of Social Work's centennial celebrations. To mark this milestone, celebratory treats will be served. Founded in 1918 and supported through its first hundred years by the generosity of donors and alumni, the school provides world-class social work education, generates leading research, and strives for social justice. Homecoming 2018 will launch a year-long centennial celebration with events scheduled throughout the year.
Location
Arts Building, TBD -听
853 Sherbrooke St. W.
Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2T6
CANADA
RSVP
Register from Sep. 20 to Oct. 2, 2018
Contact
Event Registrar
Phone: 514-398-3554听
Email:听homecoming [at] mcgill.ca听
For further information or听registration, click .
Cindy Blackstock wins Children's Aid Foundation of Canada's inaugural national award
TORONTO, Sept. 12, 2018 /CNW/ - This evening at Children's Aid Foundation of Canada's Stand Up for Kids Night, Cindy Blackstock was announced as the inaugural winner of The Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids National Award, which recognizes extraordinary Canadians or initiatives that have made an indelible mark on the child welfare landscape.
As winner of The Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids National Award, Ms. Blackstock will direct $50,000 and the five short-list nominees will direct $5,000 each in grants from Children's Aid Foundation of Canada to child- and youth-serving organizations in Canada that enable initiatives that advance the lives of vulnerable kids.
"There were so many nominees doing simply outstanding work in their communities, all deserved kudos and recognition," says Donald Guloien, Chair of The Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids National Award Committee. "CindyBlackstock's lifelongdedication to supporting and advocating for disadvantaged children and their families and the rights of Indigenous children made her our unanimous choice as the inaugural recipient of this important award."
Ms. Blackstock is a member of the Gitksan First Nation and has over 25 years of social work experience in child protection and Indigenous Children's Rights. She has dedicated her life to advocating for the rights of First Nations children and families and has become an influential voice within the Indigenous, social work and child rights communities, among many others. She is the Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada and a professor at the School of Social Work at 平特五不中.
As a champion for Indigenous children's human rights, Cindy's contributions led to winning a landmark human rights case that found Canada discriminates against First Nations children by consistently underfunding child welfare on reserves. She was a key leader in the development of Jordan's Principle, named in memory of Jordan River Anderson, which aims to ensure First Nations children can access public service in a way that reflects their cultural needs without any services denials, delays or disruptions. Her work focuses on ensuring that the government complies with the Tribunal orders and implements Jordan's Principle so that Indigenous children can have the same chance to succeed as other children in the country.
"The incredible contributions of the national award winner and five short-list nominees in helping at-risk children and youth is truly inspiring," says Valerie McMurtry, President and CEO, Children's Aid Foundation of Canada. "We encourage Canadians to join them in standing up for kids and help shape the future of children and young people who have experienced abuse, neglect and abandonment."
The winner was selected by the inaugural Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids National Award Committee, a group of leaders recognized for their passion and dedication to making a difference in the lives of kids in the child welfare system comprised. The committee members are: Chair Donald Guloien, immediate past President and CEO of Manulife and former board member and long-time volunteer for Children's Aid Foundation of Canada; Lynn Belzberg, social worker and Children's Aid Foundation of Canada Board Member; Dylan Cohen, Youth Organizer, BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition; Phillip Crawley , Publisher and CEO of The Globe and Mail; Dr. Barbara Fallon, Factor-Inwentash Chair in Child Welfare at the University of Toronto; Margot Franssen, O.C., Co-Chair of The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking; Brian Gluckstein, Principal, Gluckstein Design and Children's Aid Foundation of Canada Board Member; Anna Amy Ho, Program Coordinator and Crisis Counsellor, Victim Services Toronto; Former Governor General of Canada, the Right Honourable David Johnston, C.C.; The Honourable Peter MacKay, P.C., Q.C., ; Chair, Boost Child and Youth Advocacy Centre; Susan McIsaac, past President and CEO of United Way Toronto; and David Rivard, former CEO of Children's Aid Society of Toronto.
The award is named after Lynn Factor, a long-standing Children's Aid Foundation of Canada volunteer and past Board Chair, who as a social worker by profession has served for over 35 years on the frontlines of child welfare and has seen the damaging impact on children living under the weight of abuse, neglect and trauma. The Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids National Award is part of Children's Aid Foundation of Canada's Stand Up for Kids national campaign for child welfare, which is mobilizing Canadians who want to help change the future for Canada's most at-risk children and youth.
About Children's Aid Foundation of Canada
Children's Aid Foundation of Canada is our country's leading charity dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth growing up in the child welfare system. We raise and grant funds, and deliver a wide range of high-impact programs and services that support more than 24,000 vulnerable young people annually. Stand Up for Kids is our national campaign for child welfare, which aims to change the futures of Canada's most at-risk kids 鈥� those who have experienced abuse, neglect, and abandonment. We know that by helping these young people to overcome their trauma and break the cycle for future generations, they gain the strength and resilience to create a lifetime of their own unstoppable successes.
For more information, click
Congratulations to Delphine听Collin-V茅zina in publishing the first ever French-speaking released in June 2018.
This is the first French language book to provide an overview of the growing body of research and practice addressing the problem of complex traumas and their impact on the development of children and adolescents. Taking a multidisciplinary and multifactorial approach, this book examines the causes and impacts of complex trauma, discusses explanatory models, and most importantly, presents the most recent developments in evidence-based assessment and intervention programs鈥�.
Her profile was selected to be highlighted in a special issue of Psychologie Quebec on sexual violence
See full French Summary.
Opinion: People can't neatly be categorized by gender, sexuality
It's time to break free of wrong assumptions about binaries; everyone should feel loved and supported for who they are.
Marjorie Rabiau,
Pride season fills me with nostalgia from听joyous memories with friends as well as听an indescribable sadness. Several years ago, a good friend of mine committed suicide. Despite being in a very loving long-term relationship and adored by his friends, he expressed being unable to听shake a feeling of not belonging. I vividly remember a conversation during which he expressed the internal distress he felt about being a gay man,听fuelled by judgment from society and his culture. I wish I could have understood then the depth of his suffering.
We have been programmed to have default assumptions about how the world functions. A subset of these听pervasive听assumptions include听heteronormativity听(that one will be attracted to a member of the opposite sex);听cisgenderism (that one鈥檚 gender identity will be aligned with the gender assigned at birth); and that gender is a binary construct, that you are either male or female, each of which comes with a rigid framework for gender expression and gender roles.
Human beings are complex, multilayered beings and cannot be reduced to a box or even boxes. The essence of a person cannot be contained. We have to keep striving toward looking at the human experience through a much larger lens, one that does not constrain our vision.
Pride season, to me,听signals听the need for a more open discussion about听gender/sexuality/societal norms.听Wouldn鈥檛 it be liberating not to have prescribed roles听to which听we feel we need to adhere? Rather than spending our time fretting about whether we are behaving in ways everyone is expecting us to, we would have more time for introspection and be free to act in accordance with who we feel we really are.
There is no evidence that gender is in fact binary. Biologically, we all fall on a spectrum of masculine and feminine levels of hormones. Gender falls on a spectrum, regardless of genitalia.听This fact has been recognized in several cultures, but surprisingly, not in North American culture. The only exception is the notion of 鈥渢wo-spirit鈥� in First Nations culture听鈥� a sacred social space for non-binary individuals. In contrast, the dominant society seems invested in fitting us into restrictive categories.听If you fall into this category,听you must play with these toys, behave this way, dress this way,听be听attracted to this gender. 听And if you dare to challenge your prescribed role,听society听will be at best judgmental and听at worst vicious and cruel.
Categories are听important for policy, advocacy and laws. However, we have to constantly keep questioning ourselves to ensure that no human being is feeling excluded, or worst of all, made to feel invisible. Every time you fill out a form where there is no box to tick that represents who you are, the world communicates the message: 鈥測ou don鈥檛 belong here.鈥� A听sense of belonging is absolutely crucial to the human experience. A听paradigm shift would allow听looking at relationships with the lens of a听human being who loves another听human being who at different points in time could be either male or female or anywhere on the gender spectrum.
Despite above arguments, you may听still听be wondering听to which categories I belong. I would situate myself听as a cisgender, heterosexual woman. However, this does not fully reflect听my听experience, and feels restrictive听and听suffocating. I never felt myself fitting into rigid categories either in terms of gender expression or sexual orientation.听A feeling of love and acceptance is a key听ingredient in one鈥檚听lifelong quest toward our authentic self, what I听 most hope to impart to my children. Everyone should feel loved and supported for who they are by their family,听family of choice,听friends and the society at large.
Marjorie Rabiau is a clinical psychologist and assistant professor听in the听School of Social Work听at听平特五不中.
This year鈥檚 edition of Montreal Pride runs Aug. 9-19.
Undressing Issues in Sexuality in Contemporary Couple & Family Therapy
Undressing Issues in Sexuality in Contemporary Couple & Family Therapy" is held in collaboration with the 平特五不中 School of Social Work and the Couple and Family Therapy Program, with the support of the International Family Therapy Association (IFTA).
Panelists will be discussing relevant issues of developing sexuality within a couple and family context. Our renowned keynote speaker Dr. Peggy Kleinpatz will be exploring sexuality and development and its relevance to examining it in therapy. In addition to Dr. Kleinpatz we have Carm De Santis, who will be discussing sexual literacy: what we really mean when referring to sex, and how our references as clinicians are impacted by our own values, experiences, and level of comfort. Finally, we have Dr. Michael Berry, Bill Ryan and Dr. Shuvo Ghosh who will be presenting both their research and clinical experience. Each speaker will provide insights into their clinical practice and how they provide optimal therapeutic intervention with their clients. The speakers will also explore challenges clinicians face when talking about sexuality and how to overcome such issues within the context of couple and family therapy.听
The target audience will be made up of mental health professionals who work with individuals, couples and families and are interested in deepening their understanding and comfort in working through sexually related themes.
The overall objectives of this symposium are:
-To share research and clinical experience/ expertise relating to sex, sexuality and sexual development within the context of couples and family therapy.
-To address the possible concerns and challenges of the individual and family members related to sex, sexuality and sexual development within the context of couples and family therapy.听听
Coffee/Tea and Lunch will be included.
Details
This event is OPQ accredited for 4.25 hours .RE02600-18 OTSTCFQ credits pending.
Date and Time
Friday, September 14, 2018 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Location
Research Institute of the MUHC (RI-MUHC) -听
1001 D茅carie Boulevard
Glen site
Montreal, Quebec, H4A 3J1
CANADA
View map
Contact
Caroline Hoppenheim
Email:听mtlcft [at] gmail.com听
For full details, click听
Congratulation to Professor Cindy Blackstock appointed Officer听of the Order of Canada听
The School is proud to announce that Cindy has been appointed Officer of the Order of Canada, along with 20 other prominent Canadians, including 平特五不中 Principal Suzanne Fortier.听 It is wonderful to see Cindy's championship for the rights of Canadian children and youth, especially Indigenous children and youth, to receive equitable access to quality child welfare and family support services recognized by the Government of Canada.听 While there is much to criticize about our history -- as a nation, a profession and a school -- of serving children, youth and their families, Cindy's work provides us with a positive path forward towards a just child, family and community centered approach where we will not have to "say sorry听 a second time".
Since confederation, First Nations children and their families have received less funding for public services while often being judged as if they were getting more. This injustice was perpetrated by governments of various eras and resisted by people of those same periods who saw the wrong and did what they could to make it right. About 30 years ago, the torch of justice was passed to me at a time when I felt like an unworthy carrier. I soon found myself surrounded by many other torch bearers and together we have tried to make those early champions proud. The day the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal ruled that Canada鈥檚 conduct was racially discriminatory towards 165,000 children and ordered it to stop was a tribute to these multi-generational efforts and prayers. It has been more of a challenge than it should have been to simply get the government to treat First Nations children fairly and the work is not done. Every child is worth the money and we cannot set down our torches until the discrimination, and the attitudes that enable it, end.
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The Passing of Ms. Joan (Macfarlane) Bailin
It is with great sadness that the 平特五不中 School of Social Work announces the passing of Ms. Joan (Macfarlane) Bailin on Jun 25, 2018 at the age of 94.
Ms. Bailin is a graduate of 平特五不中 with a B.Sc., an M.A. in education, and a B.S.W. and an M.S.W.听 Ms. Bailin was a significant force in Social Work and served as the Director of Professional Services at Ville Marie Social Service Centre for many years before VMSSC was merged into what became Batshaw Youth and Family Centres. Ms Bailin was also an active volunteer with a number of Montreal organizations, including including the CHSLD VIGI, Centraide, and Alzheimer Society of Montreal.
An enthusiastic supporter of the School, Ms. Bailin established the Joan Macfarlane Bailin Research Award at the School in 2006 to recognize and promote academic achievement by students in the School of Social Work. This Award has permitted the recipients to undertake activities relating to aging and/or the aged.
We take this time to acknowledge Ms. Bailin's important contributions to the field of social work and to the School.
Congratulations to Professor Michael J. MacKenzie, newly appointed Professor
The 平特五不中 School of Social Work is pleased to announce that Prof. Michael MacKenzie will be joining the faculty as Professor of Social Work as of July 1st 2018
鈥淎s a Canadian expatriate who has been south of the border for nearly two decades, I am excited about the opportunity to return home and join the leading team of child welfare scholars at the country鈥檚 finest university. I am deeply indebted to the people of the United States and the universities that have nurtured my growth as a scholar, and I look forward to bringing those experiences back to my new colleagues in Montreal and to playing a part in using data to inform child welfare policy in Quebec and across Canada,鈥� says Prof. MacKenzie.
Prof. MacKenzie comes to 平特五不中 from Rutgers University in New Jersey, where he was Chancellor鈥檚 Scholar for Child Well-Being and Associate Professor of Social Work and Pediatrics. At Rutgers, Prof. MacKenzie helped found and lead the Child Welfare and Well-Being Unit, which oversaw a partnership with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families. Prior to Rutgers, he was an Associate Professor at Columbia University in New York. Prof. MacKenzie completed a joint doctorate in Social Work and Developmental Psychology as well as his Master of Social Work and Master of Arts in Psychology from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. His earlier training included a Master of Science in Molecular Genetics from the Department of Zoology at the University of Western Ontario where he also completed his Bachelor鈥檚 Degree in Biology.
Prof. MacKenzie is one of a very small number of social work researchers with graduate training in molecular genetics and endocrinology, allowing him to incorporate work on the stress hormone system and gene expression into his studies of early adversity and maltreatment. Prof. MacKenzie听 is a prolific researcher in the area of dynamic processes in human development.听 His听 work focuses on the accumulation of stress and adversity in early parenting, the roots of harsh parenting, and the pathways of children into and through the child welfare system. He has worked extensively in the U.S. and Canada and in Jordan, where, with Columbia colleagues, he supported the development of their first foster care system and a juvenile diversion probation program. Prof. MacKenzie currently holds a William T. Grant Foundation Scholar Award, and his work has been funded by a variety of sources, including the U.S. Children鈥檚 Bureau, UNICEF, Robert Wood Johnson, and the WK Kellogg Family Foundation. In 2017, Prof. MacKenzie was the recipient of Excellence in Research Award from the Society for Social Work and Research.
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Relationships Matter for Youth 'Aging Out' of Care Project Video and Photo E-Book
Child welfare legislation in Canada requires youth in long-term government care to transition to adulthood and become self-sufficient at the age of majority - a phenomenon termed as 'aging out' of care. Due to this cut-off of services, youth exiting care tend to have limited support networks, and most of their connections during their time in care are formal, paid for and have an expiry date.
This past fall, Melanie Doucet, a PhD candidate at the 平特五不中 School of Social Work and a former youth in care, led a collaborative photovoice project alongside 8 former youth in care in the Greater Vancouver area between the ages of 19 and 29. The Relationships Matter听for Youth 'Aging Out' of Care project aimed to take a closer look - through the power of images and accompanying captions - at听supportive relationships in the lives of young people from care and how those relationships can be developed and nurtured over time. A photo exhibit open to the community was held at the end of the project, and was attended by several key government officials and community organization representatives.听
This project video is being released to raise awareness on the issue of relational permanency for youth in and from care, and to showcase the talents of young people from care in BC. You can view it听.听
You can also view the co-researchers' powerful photography work and accompanying captions in the听Relationships Matter Photo :
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Opinion: Waiting, with a broken bone, in a broken Quebec health system
Let's have some compassion for Emergency Room patients held hostage for hours, afraid to venture anywhere for fear of missing their turn.听听
Susan Mintzberg, Special to听
Our health minister may be pleased with how our health-care system is being managed, but when it takes 13 hours of wait time to put a cast on a simple fracture, you find yourself questioning what exactly is broken.
Although the people at the top may want us to believe that there are enough doctors to go around, we, who are left sitting in the hospital hallways and waiting rooms, know that this is an absurd truth.
But instead of arguing about when this might change (since that will not be anytime soon) how about focusing instead on humanity and how it is lacking in our broken system. To explain, I will share a story.
Recently, my 11-year-old boy hurts his thumb. To avoid overcrowding the ER with non-emergencies, we headed to a walk-in clinic, arriving at 9:30 a.m. By noon we had seen a doctor and completed X-rays (at another clinic), which confirmed a small fracture. We were then sent the Montreal Children鈥檚 Hospital for a cast. We arrived at 1 p.m., doctor鈥檚 note and X-ray in hand.
We were told to bypass triage and head for the waiting room. Three hours later, still in the waiting room, we are wondering why we had been sent to the ER and whether perhaps there was somewhere else to go. As we consider alternatives and who might provide us with information, the loudspeaker announces that the wait time for less urgent cases was five hours, then six hours, then eight hours, and that no questions about wait times would be answered.
We understood that we were now hostages of the system: no information, no one to ask, nowhere to go 鈥� just a broken bone in a broken system, waiting for a cast.
Seven hours later, a doctor came to inform us that the thumb was indeed broken and that it would need a cast. Not so helpful: that just confirmed the information that we had presented upon our arrival at the hospital. Another few hours went by and finally at 10:30 p.m., 13 hours after it all began, the cast was placed and the boy and his set thumb returned home.
In the end, we did find ourselves contributing to the unnecessary overcrowding of the ER, but ironically the system itself was responsible.
However, the real point of this story is not about the time it took, nor about the broken system, but about patients finding themselves in situations where they become hostages of a system that makes little effort to treat them with care. We are told to sit and wait, with no further information, and whether that means one hour or 13 hours makes no difference. Patients are stuck in limbo, afraid to venture anywhere on the chance that their name might be called at some random moment and they miss their turn in the queue.
Is this the best we can do? In a time where technology is so smart, might there not be simple ways to add some humanity to our broken system? How about providing information about alternative options when the ER is overloaded? Or integrating a system that sends automated texts to patients who are low priority informing them that their turn may be coming up shortly, thus allowing them to wander until there is an actual chance that they will be seen.
Emergency rooms and wait times are unpredictable, we know this. But we also know that some (if not most) emergencies will take time, so how about we treat this reality with honesty. Patients, families, doctors and staff are in this together, all doing their best to get to the end of the day as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Perhaps it is time to cast some compassion on a broken system that needs healing.
Susan Mintzberg is a听PhD candidate in the School of Social Work at听平特五不中.
Professor Myriam Denov awarded the Faculty of Arts Award for Distinction in Research
Professor Myriam Denov, a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair and a Trudeau Fellow, has been awarded the 2018 平特五不中 Faculty of Arts Award for Distinction in Research.听
This award recognizes Professor Denov鈥檚 outstanding leadership and accomplishments in research, her productivity as a scholar (including 9 books and edited collections, and over 90 articles and chapters), her stellar international reputation, and her research contributions to improving the living conditions of war-affected children around the world. 听
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Social Work Spring Convocation 鈥� June 5th, 2018
The Convocation ceremony will be held Tuesday, June 5th, 2018 at 10:00 am. under the white tent on lower campus.
Following the Convocation ceremony, you are all invited to the听reception being given by the School of Social Work in the Wendy Patrick Room, in honor of BSW, MSW,听MScA and PhD graduating students.
A photographer is available at the reception for all picture taking which will be posted on the School's website.
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School of Social Work Invited Lecture by Michael J. MacKenzie, PhD. , MSW on March 15th at 9:00 a.m., #326, Wilson Hall speaking about Exploring Transactions in Applied Domains: From harsh parenting to out-of-home care.
Dr. MacKenzie鈥檚 presentation, Exploring Transactions in Applied Domains: From harsh parenting to out-颅鈥恛f-颅鈥� home care, will focus on his use of the transactional model of development to explore the dynamic processes across underlying the experience of early stress, maltreatment, and child welfare system-involvement.听 Following an overview of his broad program of research, he will present more in depth key findings from some of his recent projects.听 The presentation will conclude with an overview of future directions in his program of research and discussion of potential connections to current听 opportunities at 平特五不中 in Social Work and across campus.
For full details, click here.
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Jewish General Hospital, Child Psychiatry Department & Couple and Family Therapy Training Program in Collaboration with 平特五不中 School of Social Work.
Presents: Daniel Shaw, PhD Director of the Pitt Parents and Children Laboratory Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh
THE FAMILY CHECK-UPAN INNOVATIVE ECOLOGICAL AND DEVELOPMENTALLY INFORMED (TAILORED) APPROACH FOR HIGHRISK FAMILIES
Wednesday, March 21, 2018, 8:20 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Institute of Community & Family Psychiatry, (Amphitheatre),
4333 Cote Ste-Catherine, Montreal (Quebec)
For further information, click here.
Have a Heart Day 平特五不中 is a reconciliation event in collaboration with the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society that brings together caring Canadians to help ensure Indigenous children have the services they need to grow up safely at home, get a good education, be healthy, and be proud of who they are.
On February 1st, 2018 the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal issued a fourth compliance order finding Canada鈥檚 approach to First Nations child welfare to be unlawful and discriminatory. Have a Heart Day is a chance for everyone to get together, learn more about the injustices in our society, and get involved in the process of reconciliation. This event seeks to build on the momentum of the Human Rights Tribunal latest ruling in favour of First Nations kids.
At the core of the event will be a Valentine card writing campaign, where everyone is encouraged to send a message to Parliament in support of safe schools, clean water, and good healthcare for Indigenous children. Paper and pens will be provided for anyone who needs them and postage to Parliament is free!
The events at 平特五不中 will consist of presentations and a panel discussion with a number of prominent figures who have devoted themselves to promoting reconciliation and raising awareness about issues facing Indigenous people. We are honoured to have Dr. Cindy Blackstock, Alanis Obomsawin, Samir Shaheen-Hussain, and Stephen Agluvak Puskas.
Seating is first come first serve, and entry is free. There will be catering at the event for anyone who is rushing from class or work and is worried about not having time to eat!
Presenters:
Dr. Cindy Blackstock:
Dr. Blackstock is the Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada and began teaching at 平特五不中鈥檚 School of Social Work in January 2018. A member of the Gitksan First Nation, Cindy has 25 years of social work experience in child protection and Indigenous children鈥檚 rights. Her promotion of culturally based equity for First Nations children and families and engaging children in reconciliation has been recognized be the Nobel鈥檚 Women鈥檚 Initiative, the Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, Frontline Defenders and many others. An author of over 50 publications and a widely sought after public speaker, Cindy recently completed a Master of Jurisprudence degree and currently serves as a Commissioner for the Pan American Health Organization Commission on Health Equity and Inequity.
Samir Shaheen-Hussain:
Samir Shaheen-Hussain got involved in social-justice movements in 2001. He obtained his medical degree at 平特五不中 in 2003, where he later went on to complete his pediatric residency training. He has been the pediatric consultant for M茅decins du Monde's Projet Migrant initiative since 2011 and is currently a board member of M茅decins qu茅becois pour le r茅gime public. Over the years, he has been part of Indigenous solidarity, migrant justice and anti-police violence organizing and has contributed texts to various publications, including Le Devoir, Briarpatch Magazine and Nouveaux cahiers du Socialisme. He currently works full-time in a pediatric emergency department. Most recently, he has been involved in spearheading #aHand2Hold efforts to reverse provincial policy that prevents caregivers from accompanying their children during medical evacuation by air-transport, a practice that disproportionately impacts Inuit children from Nunavik.
Alanis Obomsawin:
Alanis Obomsawin, a member of the Abenaki Nation, is one of Canada鈥檚 foremost documentary filmmakers. The many films that she has directed with the National Film Board of Canada explore the lives and concerns of Canada鈥檚 First Nations. Her 50th and most recent film, Our People Will Be Healed, reveals how a Cree community in Manitoba has been enriched by an adequately funded school that nurtures Indigenous culture.
Obomsawin originally launched her career in 1960 as a professional singer in New York City. In 1967, NFB producers Joe Koenig and Bob Verrall invited her to act as a consultant for a film on Indigenous people. Obomsawin quickly fell in love with the camera and never looked back.
As an activist filmmaker, Obomsawin has always been driven by a desire to give Canada鈥檚 first peoples a voice. This can be seen in all her films, from Christmas at Moose Factory (1971), which depicts life in a Cree village in James Bay through children鈥檚 drawings, to We Can鈥檛 Make the Same Mistake Twice (2016), which describes the legal battle that First Nations waged from 2007 to 2016 so that their children would receive the same care as other Canadian children. Throughout her career, Obomsawin has consistently focused her lens on the importance of roots and intergenerational bonds in preserving First Nations culture.
Obomsawin is no stranger to documenting emerging conflicts, as evidenced by her four films on the Oka Crisis of 1990: Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (1993), winner of 18 international awards; My Name Is Kahentiiosta (1995); Spudwrench: Kahnawake Man (1997); and Rocks at Whiskey Trench(2000).
Her other documentary films include Incident at Restigouche(1984), a gripping account of the provincial police raids on a Quebec Mi鈥檊maq reserve; the moving Richard Cardinal: Cry from a Diary of a M茅tis Child (1986), about a teenager who commits suicide; and No Address (1988), which looks at homelessness in Montreal. Obomsawin鈥檚 more recent films include The People of the Kattawapiskak River (2012), which exposes the housing crisis facing the Cree of James Bay and was named Best Social/Political Documentary at the Canadian Screen Awards (2014), and Hi-Ho Mistahey!, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival Film (TIFF) in 2013 and was nominated for Best Feature Length Documentary at the 2014 Canadian Screen Awards.
Especially close to Obomsawin鈥檚 heart are the Odanak people and their stories, as witnessed by her short film Sigwan (2005) and her follow-up, the multi-award-winning Waban-aki: People from Where the Sun Rises (2006). In Our Nationhood (2003), Obomsawin captures the determination of the Listuguj Mi鈥檊maq people to manage the natural resources of their traditional lands. With Is the Crown at War with Us? (2002), the accomplished filmmaker takes a close look at the conflict between the Mi鈥檊maq and their Acadian neighbours over fishing rights in Burnt Church, New Brunswick.
Obomsawin was inducted into the Playback Canadian Film & Television Hall of Fame in 2010 and honoured during the inaugural Birks Diamond Tribute to the Year鈥檚 Women in Film at TIFF in 2013. In 2014, Obomsawin also received the Humanitarian Award for Exceptional Contributions to Community and Public Service from the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television.
Stephen Agluvak Puskas:
Stephen is an Inuit visual artist and radio host living in Montreal. He is a Indigenous community representative for both the Montreal police and Dawson College. He helped start Montreal鈥檚 first Inuktitut radio show and has extensive experience speaking at schools in order to raise cultural awareness within the greater Montreal community.
#HaveaHeartDay #FNwitness #Waiting4UCanada #AHand2Hold
Caring Society Statement on Latest Human Rights Tribunal Ruling:
Quebec policy for children during medical evacuation:
Proudly supported by:
First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada
平特五不中 Faculty of Law
the International Relations Student Association at McGil
平特五不中 Social Work Career Fair
Date: Friday, March 16, 2018
Time: 10:00am -1:30pm
Location: Wendy Patrick Room and Room 105, Wilson Hall
Participating Organizations: For a full list, clickhere from winter 2017
For more information, please contact:
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Melanie Walkty, Social Work Career Advisor
Tel: 514-398-3304 x0768
E-mail: melanie.walkty [at] mcgill.ca
Jean Hepworth
Tel: 514-398-3304 x0598
E-mail: jean.hepworth [at] mcgill.ca
Professor Cindy Blackstock鈥檚 advocacy work for First Nations children highlighted in the Lancet鈥檚 Series on Canada
The Lancet鈥檚 Series on Canada, the first-ever for the journal, examines the country鈥檚 system of universal health coverage and its global role in health, including Canada鈥檚 legacy, challenges, and future path on issues such as access to health care, gender equality, global health diplomacy, and Indigenous peoples鈥� health. Professor Cindy Blackstock鈥檚 more than 20 years of advocacy work for the First Nations children was highlighted in the Series which sets the stage for accelerated Canadian leadership on health at home and abroad, as Canada marks 150 years since confederation. Details see .