Yearly Archives: 2010

The Time Has Come the Walrus said to ‘Do’ Public Policy Ourselves and establish a Social Finance Task Force – Tips for Solution Based Advocacy(47)

Sean Moore, the wise and big hearted walrus of public policy first remarked this several years ago.  Most government departments have either eliminated or pared to the bare bones their policy development arms.  This means there are few staff dedicated … Read More

Powerful Strangers on the Way to Maybe

While in Toronto I had a chance to introduce two friends, Frances Westley from the University of Waterloo (SiG at Waterloo) and Leighton Jay from the School of Management, Curtin University, Perth Australia.  Both are activists and academics with a … Read More

Ouch – It’s an International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Thing – December 3rd

What do you do when you have an abundance of topics, profiles, initiatives to highlight the extraordinary contributions of individuals with disabilities? Link them to the most irreverent group of people with disabilities you know – Ouch – it's a … Read More

The Spaces In Between – The Back Story of the Task Force on Social Finance – an illustration of Solution Based Advocacy (46)

It took a million steps and thousands of relationships to launch the Canadian Task Force on Social Finance.  Here are a few of those stories. I welcome your contributions, additions, amplifications.  Let's record our history. Eight years ago Tim Brodhead … Read More

Shooting the Rapids – Ballast from the Social Finance Task Force

The community sector in Canada has hit white water and the sound of the waterfalls is echoing louder.  Non profits, charities, co-ops, and citizen groups  are contending with government funding reductions, more competition for the donor and foundation dollar and … Read More

Cairine MacDonald – One of Canada’s Most Powerful (and Loving) Women

   ..one of the secrets of Cairine's success is her intellectual curiosity.  She is driven to discover creative solutions to tough, often unyielding social problems.  She is not content to rest on, 'the way it has always been done.'  With … Read More

The Inner Activist – A Site for Sore Eyes – Tips for Solution Based Advocacy (45)

And for flagging spirits, tired bodies, troubled minds and suffering souls. Social change can be harsh, hard, unyielding work.  It can take a toll on you, your families, your friends, your acquaintances, your adversaries…  It has on occasion turned me … Read More

Flaherty Makes Disability Savings Plan More Accessible

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty continues to be a champion for people with disabilities and their families.  He intends to correct a procedural barrier to eligibility for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC).  Eligibility for the Disability Tax Credit is the only … Read More

Caroline MacGillivray’s Redemption of Beauty

Let the beauty of what you love be what you do There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.  -RUMI There is a young Vancouver woman whose special touch with the invisible women of our society gets … Read More

Ask David Eaves: Is the Internet our new Parliament Buildings? (Part Three)

David Eaves is an app inventor, philosopher, negotiation specialist and one of the world’s leading proponent of Open Government.  Open Government for David consists of making government more transparent, accountable and collaborative.  To give birth to Open Government he, like … Read More