Community Development

Quiet Space and Reflection

Quiet Space and Reflection 

In my heart I hear the beat of the plains, the vast wild space that enlightened my heart to the possibilities and endless opportunities that live within the open heart. Quite spaces where an individual can reflect on what is most important in life, not business, politics, or a new idea but the relationships that define and help make us who we are. It is almost one full year of quiet spaces and reflection, and the loss of love burns the heart. However more than ever it is important to sink deep into thought to acknowledge and protect the best of what was lost. – Jerome L. Downey, April 2014

     

PeaceCountry

African Canadian Hero: Nova Scotia

Downey Politics-3

 

A Black History Month Tribute to My Grandfather Graham Leo. Downey

Transcending The Racial Divide

My grandfather Graham Leo Downey is part of a family that included seven brothers, three sisters and a foster sister. He was born in Halifax in 1939 to George Alexander Downey and Leotra (Tomlinson).  He attended Joseph Howe Elementary School, and he considers himself a graduate of the “school of hard knocks”.

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The United Nations & Canada

 

The United Nations Association in Canada

A Better World Starts HERE.

It starts in our homes. In our schools and communities. In our country. It starts with you.

The United Nations Association in Canada (UNA-Canada) is a national charitable organization established in 1946. Our mandate is to engage the Canadian public in the work of the United Nations and the critical international issues which affect us all. We accomplish our goals through a dynamic staff team at the National Office and a network of volunteer-driven regional branches.

The United Nations Association in Canada strives for a better world through a variety of national projects focused on specific issues and audiences. We work closely with the educational communities in every province and territory to build their capacity to educate young people from a global perspective. We also work directly with youth, challenging them to develop the tools and skills necessary to confront some of the world’s most complex problems.

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Divisive Development

Written by Victoria Goodday, Editorial Intern at Corporate Knights

The A. Murray MacKay Bridge looms behind local politician Jerome Downey; a small memorial is all that marks the community destroyed for its construction. Photo by Paul Trussler.

Halifax, Nova Scotia, is a small port city rich in Maritime history and down-home hospitality. Known for its hard-partying students and sailors, the city’s lively cultural scene has earned it the nickname of “the New Orleans of the East”. The similarities between the two cities don’t stop there. Like New Orleans, Halifax has an urban core characterized by a sharp racial divide and a population plagued by racial tension.

A history tainted by discriminatory policy decisions has left Nova Scotia’s capital fighting to achieve an inclusive society. Home to the largest proportion of Canadian-born blacks in the country, its racially disparate downtown and isolated black neighborhoods challenge Canada’s “cultural mosaic” moniker.

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Halifax Downtown Four-Way Fraces

Written by Tim Bousquet, News Editor at The Coast

The downtown Halifax council election heats up in District 12, with the incumbent facing the young scion of an old political family, a student and an environmental consultant.

For local politics, downtown Halifax is the place to be this year.

In the battle for media attention, Halifax elections lag behind coverage of the American and Canadian federal elections, and what press coverage locals do get is mostly focused on the mayoral race between Peter Kelly and Sheila Fougere. But the most dynamic and interesting local election is arguably the council contest for District 12.

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