Publisher's Note

How time flies that our publication, PINOY TIMES is now on it’s 4th year since it started in 2008. We would like to thank our advertisers for continously supporting our Filipino community paper for the past 48 months. Without our advertisers, we won’t be here to serve the community. A big THANK YOU also goes [...]
Read full post »

Visitors to Pinoytimes

Start of StatCounter Code

End of StatCounter Code

Page added on February 27, 2012

Email This Post Printable version

Print This Post

View from the Legislature

Jan. 26, 2012

Premier and Ministers meet with Albertans January 23-26

Premier Alison Redford and Alberta’s Cabinet are travelling across the province to talk with Albertans about their priorities for the future.

The Premier and ministers have already met with Albertans and attended events in all regions of the province and will do so again on Thursday, Jan. 26.

“It’s so important for us to continue meeting face-to-face with Albertans in their own communities” said Premier Redford. “It gives us the opportunity to hear from those closest to their local issues and to learn about the community’s hopes for the future. This is the kind of listening and regular interaction Albertans can expect from this government.”

Ministers are visiting more than 25 communities stretching from Medicine Hat and Lethbridge to Fort McMurray and Lac La Biche.

The open meetings are held with seniors, students, health care professionals, business groups, and community leaders among others. For example, ministers are scheduled for various events in Edmonton and Calgary as well as meeting with students in Red Deer, talking with seniors in Cold Lake, visiting an after school program in Lethbridge, and meeting with community foundations in Medicine Hat.

While in communities, ministers are also talking with Albertans about current work, including the upcoming budget as well as ongoing issues like health care, education and infrastructure.

Stollery opens expanded pediatric emergency department

Alberta Premier Alison Redford opened Edmonton’s first emergency department dedicated to pediatric and family-centred care on Monday, Jan. 23, 2012.

A $26.3-million renovation at Stollery Children’s Hospital expanded and separated the Stollery’s emergency department from the University of Alberta Hospital.

The Government of Alberta contributed $21.2 million to the project; the other $5.1 million came from the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation.

The renovated space will be officially open to patients next month. It provides a separate ambulatory entrance for patients and their families, along with a separate child-friendly waiting room, triage area and registration area. A new family consultation room, enhanced work space for the pediatric emergency physicians and a trauma room will open later this year. About 1,240 square metres – 13,350 square feet – of newly constructed space were added to the existing ED.

Nearly 28,000 pediatric emergency department visits were made to the Stollery last year – more than double the 12,000 visits recorded when the ED opened 12 years ago. The newly expanded ED is built to accommodate up to 35,000 visits per year based on appropriate staffing capacity.

The Stollery and UAH EDs will continue to share certain resources, such as diagnostic imaging and a cast room.

Heart health campaign to benefit South Asian community

Edmonton’s South Asian community will benefit from better knowledge of heart disease as the CK Hui Heart Centre at the Royal Alexandra Hospital expands its Multicultural Heart Health Awareness Program this year.

First launched for Edmonton’s Chinese community in 2009, this Alberta Health Services (AHS) program — then the first of its kind in Canada — reached out to young and old alike through community events, health fairs, public lectures, school visits and contests, and radio and print promotion with information that raised awareness of heart health and how to prevent heart disease.

Currently estimated at 50,000 people, Edmonton’s growing South Asian community is now believed to be the city’s largest ethnic group, slightly larger than the Chinese community. People of South Asian heritage — from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka) — develop severe heart disease 10 years earlier, on average, than the Caucasian population, for reasons that remain under investigation.

Dr. Sudheer Sharma will play a leadership role in the South Asian Heart Health Initiative as it enlists the support of cardiologists across Edmonton Zone. Health professionals will work alongside South Asian community leaders and organizations to get the word out on the importance of exercise, a heart-healthy diet and not smoking.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, NWT and Nunavut is also a partner in this initiative.

The sharing of information to prevent and manage chronic diseases, such as heart disease, with programs such as the Multicultural Heart Health Awareness Program, is among the goals outlined in the 5-Year Health Action Plan, jointly developed by the Government of Alberta and AHS, and supported by the province’s stable, 5-year funding.

Alberta marks Family Literacy Day – Jan. 27

Albertans are invited to recognize literacy as a lifelong journey where families can learn through everyday activities during Family Literacy Day.

On Jan. 27, Albertans are encouraged to “Take the Learning Journey” by downloading the Family Literacy Passport. This passport will inspire families to look beyond literacy as reading and writing and to learn through everyday activities.

Learning happens everywhere, at school, at home, and even on a trip to the grocery store. It’s easy to incorporate learning activities in your daily life. At home you can draw a family tree, then locate on a map where each family member lives or grew up. On a trip to the shopping centre, you can count stop signs, compare the prices of grocery items and then estimate the total cost of your grocery bill.

For more information on Family Literacy Day 2012 and a list of events happening around Alberta, visit the Alberta Advanced Education and Technology website at www.aet.alberta.ca and click on “Community Learning.”

As the MLA for Edmonton Mill Woods. I am always available to assist constituents. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the 2012 Cabinet Tour, the opening of the Stollery Emergency Pediatric Department expansion, the Multicultural Heart Health Awareness Program, Family Literacy Day 2012 or any other matter, I can be reached in my constituency office at (780) 414-1000 or in my Legislature office at (780) 422-9299. Also, please subscribe to my e‑newsletter at http://benito.mypcmla.ca/.

View from the Legislature

Heart health campaign to benefit South Asian community

pinoytimes.ca © 2009