Publisher's Note

Publisher’s Note
It was 22 years ago when I arrived in Canada and chose Calgary, Alberta to be my home. Leaving my family and friends behind, it was a new adventure for me to be in a new country without knowing anyone. That was the time I looked for a Filipino community paper and never found any, [...]
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Report from the Legislature

Member Statement presented at the Legislative Assembly:

Good News in Health Staffing

We hear that Albertans receive exceptional care in our health care system across the province every day Mr. Speaker, and that’s because we have talented and dedicated health professionals who are committed to delivering the best possible care right here in Alberta.

And, you know what, Mr. Speaker; health professionals across Canada have recognized that Alberta is a great place to practice medicine.

The proof is in the numbers. This province has had the highest percentage increase of physicians out of all other provinces at 22.5% from 2004 to 2008.

The government has also committed to funding 367 seats in the University of Alberta and University of Calgary Faculties of Medicine – a 62% increase from 2005.

Residency positions have also increased nearly 50% in about the same time period.

But it’s not just physicians we are investing in. It is many of the front-line health workers, such as nurses.

Alberta Health Services has committed to hiring at least 70% of our annual nursing graduates – about 1,000 more registered nurse graduates will have jobs when they are finished their programs and one of those is graduates is my daughter Mr. Speaker.

The 3-year collective agreement that Alberta Health Services signed with the United Nurses of Alberta last year will ensure that our nurses remain among the best-paid in the country, so that we can keep them close to home.

Mr. Speaker, we hear time and time again about the great care Albertans experience in our health facilities and it’s because these men and women love what they do, feel pride in their work and this translates to exceptional patient care 365 days per year.

(Visit http://benito.mypcmla.ca/admin/contentx/youtube.cfm?ytid=a0hxl8R5aes to watch member statement)

Community Event

Celebrating Vaisakhi, April 2011

Vaisakhi celebration commemorates the creation of the Khalsa by Siri Guru Gobind Singhji. During this most revered holiday in Sikhism, practicing Sikhs reflect on the values that Vaisakhi represents.

At the 2^nd Annual celebration of Vaisakhi hosted by Hon. Ken Kowalski, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, Sikhs in Edmonton came out en masse to celebrate their faith with family and friends. To kick off the event, students of the Khalsa School led the audience through the rendition of O’ Canada – the Canadian national anthem – and Deh Shiva, the Sikh Anthem. Various groups including the Folk Dance Academy South and North Edmonton performed much to the admiration of the audience. It was a wonderful time with Edmonton’s Sikh community.

Visit my website to see more photos from this event http://benito.mypcmla.ca/admin/contentx/default.cfm?PageId=9950&incPhotoFolder=238

Report from the Legislature – Capital Region

New programs help prevent crime in Edmonton

The Alberta government is providing $2.8 million in funding for four new community-based crime prevention initiatives in Edmonton.

The four Edmonton projects receiving funding over three years through the Safe Communities Innovation Fund are:

Bamboo Shield: $1.4 million will go to the Edmonton City Centre Church Corporation and the Alberta Somali Community Centre, to support at-risk Somali Canadian and immigrant youth in four junior high schools;
The Night Safety Centre: $645,000 will go to the Edmonton Police Service to increase safety for vulnerable sexually exploited individuals, through violence prevention and connection to community resources;
Transition Housing for High-Risk Offenders: $435,500 will go to the Edmonton Police Service to provide transitional housing and wrap-around support services to repeat violent or sexual offenders in order to maintain supervision and help them reintegrate into the community; and
Edmonton Drug Treatment Court (Matrix): $300,000 will go to the Edmonton John Howard Society for a program to implement the Matrix model for outpatient drug treatment program to address crime and social disorder associated with substance abuse and addictions.

As the MLA for Edmonton MillWoods, I am always available to assist constituents. If you have any questions regarding any of the issues discussed in this release, I can be reached in my constituency office at #218; 4128A-97 Street, or in my Legislature office at 780-422-9299. Also, please subscribe to my e‑newsletter at http://benito.mypcmla.ca/. Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/carl.benito, twitter: http://twitter.com/MLACarlBenito and You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/benitomla

Report from the Legislature

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