NSAC E-Bulletin

Please forward your submissions to the NSAC E-Bulletin to the newsdesk at (news@nsac.ca). for inclusion in the next edition, which run on Monday and Thursday of each week. Remember you can post notices anytime on the NSAC Forums at http://nsac.ca/forums

Department of Agriculture Business Plan

This is to let you know that the 2007-2008 Business Plans for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture are available online, at: http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsaf/department/business_plans/. Although led by the Policy and Planning Division, the plans are a coordinated effort of all the branches/divisions and their staff and describe the priorities of the two departments for 2007-08. You are urged to take a moment to review them and to share with your contacts in industry and across government.

Further information on how our departments fit within the broader scope of government can be found in the Government Budget documents, also available online, at: http://www.gov.ns.ca/finance/budget07/default.asp.

Regards,
Diane Kenny
Director of Policy and Planning

April Healthy Lifeworks

Click here for an electronic copy of the April 2007 Healthy Lifeworks Newsletter.

Wellness Theme Poster

Wellness Tip of the Month

NSAC Instructional Development Workshop

Two-Eyed Seeing

Two-Eyed Seeing refers to seeing from one eye with the strengths of indigenous knowledge and from the other eye with the strengths of Western and scientific knowledge. Two-Eyed Seeing is currently being taught as a research and educational approach within Cape Breton University's Integrative Science Program. Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students are successfully learning about science from different world views.

A workshop will take place on Tuesday, May 2nd at 1:00 - 3:00 pm in Cox, Room 261.

Albert Marshall is a Mi'kmaq Elder from, Eskasoni First Nation in Cape Breton. As a survivor of the Canadian residential school experience and its efforts to eradicate the languages, identities and cultures of Canada's Aboriginal peoples, Albert has become a powerfully articulate promoter for his Mi'kmaq culture's scientific and philosophic perspectives and he is an exceptionally strong leader in many cross-cultural initiatives.

Nadine Lefort is a research assistant with the Institute for Integrative Science & Health at CBU. She develops curriculum for the program and participates in several community-based research projects. She is passionate about creative approaches to science education and making science relevant to community. She also works with local school boards, developing place-appropriate environmental education programs.

For more information contact Ralph Martin at rmartin@nsac.ca 893-6679

All are welcome!

Ability Management Information Workshops

Last fall you were invited to attend one of 18 Ability Management Workshops held across the province between November 1, 2006 and January 15, 2007. The suggestion arising from the workshop feedback was to make the sessions mandatory for managers who will be responsible for managing the process. Your senior management team have agreed that it will be mandatory for management employees to attend the Ability Case Management Workshops. As well, all employees who haven’t already attended a workshop, are encouraged to do so, so that you have the information you need on accessing processes and procedures for Short Term Illness, Long Term Illness and Workers’ Compensation Board Injuries and Illnesses.

The sessions for managers will be morning sessions, from 9:00 am - 12:00 noon and the employee sessions will be from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm. Please refer to the attached schedule to determine the locations and times. More information...

Thank You Note from Richard Elliott

I would like to thank all those who attended my retirement party. I enjoyed working with staff, faculty and students during the past 29 and a half years. All the best to you all in the future.

Thank you,

Richard Elliott,
Physical Plant Maintenance Department

Performance Management and Career Development

On behalf of the Deputy Minister and Co-chairs of the Employee Survey Implementation Team, the Policy and Planning Division is pleased to provide a letter informing you of a new Human Resource Initiative. This initiative is "aimed at providing the tools to managers and employees to take charge of their career development and advancement in the Nova Scotia Public Service".

We thank you for your consideration in this matter!

Kim Ellamay Cunningham Baldwin
Administrative Assistant
Depts of Agriculture/Fisheries & Aquaculture

Cancer Care N.S.--Living With the Fear of Cancer Recurrence

Cancer Care Nova Scotia will host a public lecture Tuesday, April 10, in Halifax on How to Live With the Fear of Cancer Recurrence.

It is part of the Cancers Answers lecture series, designed to provide Nova Scotians with quality cancer information. It will be presented by Dr. Deborah McLeod, member of the Capital Health Cancer Care Program's Psychosocial Oncology Team.

The lecture will be held in the Royal Bank Lecture Theatre, Halifax Infirmary, 1796 Summer St. It will also be available by video conference at:
--St. Martha's Regional Hospital, Antigonish
--Strait Regional Hospital, Evanston
--Guysborough Memorial Hospital, Guysborough
--Eastern Memorial Hospital Canso;
--Western Kings Memorial Health Centre, Berwick
--Colchester Regional Hospital, Truro
--Lillian Fraser Memorial Hospital, Tatamagouche
--Aberdeen Hospital, New Glasgow;
--Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre, Amherst
--South Shore Regional Hospital, Bridgewater
--Queen's General Hospital, Liverpool
--Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Sydney
--Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital, Inverness
--Yarmouth Regional Hospital, Yarmouth.

Cancer Care Nova Scotia is a program of the Department of Health, created to reduce the burden of cancer on individuals, families and the health care system through prevention, screening, education and research.

ASHCAT Seminar

There will be an ASHCAT seminar in Moncton on April 19.

More information...

Registration form...

NSAC Sponsorship at Regional Science Fairs

NSAC continued this year with offering $100 prizes at each of the regional science fairs to a senior project illustrating an effective application of science to agriculture. This funding is part of the NSERC promotional budget NSAC receives. The winner of the NSAC Agri-Science Prize from the Cape Breton Regional Science Fair was Sheliah MacDonald from Holy Angels High School.

Pictured above is Sheliah MacDonald with her award winnng project

Excellence in Agri-Science Award
Project Title: Organic Food
Participant: Sheliah MacDonald
School: Holy Angels High School
Grade: 12
Abstract: This project examines the methods of organic farmers and determines the factors that sway the consumer towards buying organic food.