Click here for full job description.

The poll, which surveyed 1,000 Manitobans on their views on Fair Trade, also indicated that Manitobans want to see Fair Trade products more widely available in our restaurants (52%) and workplaces (44%). It also found that also half (47%) say they purchase Fair Trade goods on at least a monthly (31%) or weekly (16%) basis.

MCIC announced these results on May 3, 2012 at Elements – The Restaurant, which serves Fair Trade and locally-sourced food.

Click here to read the poll results in full.

MCIC has produced nine video profiles of Manitobans from all walks of life who are contributing their time and effort to take action as global citizens. Click here to watch these profiles as well as the music video “Unbreakable”, a song about the importance of the empowerment of women and girls, written, composed and recorded by eight young people from around Manitoba. Visitors who view these videos can enter a contest to win a $250 Fair Trade wardrobe. The videos will be premiered at the Public Launch of International Development Week 2012 in Manitoba at the Manitoba Legislative Building on Wednesday, February 8 with a short ethical fashion show, guest speakers and displays from member agencies.

From middle year students to seniors, women and men in urban and rural Manitoba demonstrate that everyone can make a difference in the lives of others. Their actions, such as raising awareness at school events, promoting cooperatives in the developing world and teaching sustainable farming methods, are helping to create a brighter future where women and girls have access to food, education, health care and are able to support themselves economically.

Held during the first week of February each year, IDW is proclaimed by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and “highlights the work of Canada’s development community and connects this work to Canadians”. Visit the CIDA website for more information about IDW and for events happening across the country.

Click here to see events happening in Manitoba to celebrate International Development Week 2012 and follow MCIC’s Facebook page to keep up-to-date with the latest IDW news.

We invite all Manitobans to take up the challenge by only consuming fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate, rather than conventional brands, for the period from Valentine’s Day, February 14th to March 14th.

Click here to sign up

In the past, thousands of Manitobans have participated in the One-Month Challenge. Merchants have reported that their fair trade sales grow noticeably during the OMC and have increased with each annual OMC period.

MCIC has posters, brochures, stickers, tent cards and other promotional and educational materials, as well as speakers, available. Contact us at omc@mcic.ca or call (204) 987-6420.

‘Like’ Fair Trade Manitoba’s Facebook page to keep up-to-date with the latest Fair Trade news and to enter contests during the One-Month Challenge

www.generatingmomentum.ca is the place to go to find information about:

• Generating Momentum For Our World Youth Conferences
• programs and workshops that MCIC offers
• resources provided by MCIC and our member organizations on international development issues
• video profiles of young Manitoban global citizens
• global citizenship in your school and community and much more

The song and video will be created over 3 days in December 2011 and January 2012. You must be available for a full day on December 16th, 2011; January 13th, 2012 and a second day in mid-January 2012 (date TBA) and one day for the launch in early February.

The music video will be launched during International Development Week, February 5th – 11th, 2012. You’ll get media training to help promote issues relating to women and girls in your school/community.

Selected applicants and their parent/guardians must sign a media release form.

The project is open to Grade 9 – 12 students with skill in music, writing, dance and activism. Travel subsidies for youth outside Winnipeg may be available.

Complete this application form before December 2nd, 2011. Contact Bequie at (204) 987-6420 or pe@mcic.ca for more information.

For more information, take a look at their websites.

Canadian Catholic Organization For Development and Peace

Canadian Lutheran World Relief

Canadian Physicians for Aid & Relief

Canadian Red Cross Society

CHF

Christian Reformed World Relief Committee

CUSO-VSO

HOPE International Development Agency

Mennonite Central Committee

Plan Canada

Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund

Save the Children Canada

UNICEF Canada

United Church of Canada

World Relief Canada

World Vision Canada

For every dollar Canadians contribute to registered Canadian charities responding to the East Africa drought, the Government of Canada will set aside one dollar for the East Africa Drought Relief Fund.

There is no limit on the amount of funds that are available through this program from the Government of Canada. To be counted for this purpose, donations must comply with all of the conditions below. A donation must be

• made by an individual Canadian;

• monetary, not exceeding $100,000 per individual;

• made to a registered Canadian charity that is receiving donations in response to the drought in East Africa;

• specifically earmarked by such organizations for the purpose of responding to the drought; and

• made between July 6 and September 16, 2011.

Both tax-receipted and non tax-receipted donations are eligible to be counted towards the size of the relief fund.

The requirement that donations be made by September 16, 2011, is to ensure that the Canadian International Development Agency’s matching contribution to the relief fund can in turn be mobilized quickly to respond to immediate needs in East Africa.

The Government of Manitoba has contributed $200,000 towards the relief effort through the Manitoba Government Matching Grant Program (MGMGP). MCIC distributes these funds to organizations working in the region. MCIC is currently reviewing proposals from its members to assist with the relief effort.

The Government of Manitoba has been supporting the MGMGP since 1975. We appreciate the support that our provincial governments have given to international development efforts over the years.

These four students were selected from many excellent applications from all over the province to be honoured for taking action as global citizens. Through their local and global actions, these students are changing and improving the lives of hundreds including children, youth, people with disabilities and those living in poverty beyond our borders.

The four recipients of the award are Barbara Bucheli from Springfield Collegiate in Oakbank, Jordyn Maduke from Erickson Collegiate Institute in Erickson, Shereen Rashwan from Collège St. Norbert Collegiate in Winnipeg and Matthew James Stewart from Kildonan-East Collegiate in Winnipeg. Click here to read more about the recipients and their actions.

“Through their actions, these students have shown that they are committed to making our world a better place” says Janice Hamilton, Executive Director of MCIC. “They are leaders in their schools and we expect they will continue to be leaders in their communities in the future. Their active global citizenship is an inspiration to us all.”

The Global Citizenship Award was established in 2009 to recognize students who have engaged in meaningful leadership and global citizenship volunteer activities aimed at a more just and sustainable world. Each of the winners were presented with a framed certificate and a $200 award at their graduation ceremony.

Congratulations to Michael Brennan, Brandson Hein, Zac Cardno and Ethan Grycko, Grade 7 students at Robert Andrews School in East St. Paul whose video Stop Child Labour! won the 13 and under category. The video looks at children around the world who are forced into child labour and what we can do here in Canada to help combat the issue.

Alec Peters and Tyler Bell, Grade 12 students at Argyle Alternative High School won the 14-18 age category with the submission Water: A Global Issue. This video looks at problems of water shortage in the Global South as well as here in Canada.

Watch the winning videos and all the submissions here, and be sure to vote for your favourite video from Manitoba for the People’s Choice Award.

The awards were presented at MCIC’s Annual General Meeting on June 14. The winners in each age category won $500 and an opportunity to attend the national gala in Ottawa in September.

The Kaleidoscope Real World Video Challenge is part of a national contest undertaken by the inter-council network of provincial and regional councils of international cooperation.

One of the best ways to show your support is by hosting a Fair Trade Breakfast. According to Fair Trade Canada, last year, more than 110,000 people from 20 different countries sat down to enjoy a delicious Fair Trade Breakfast. These events can range from having Fair Trade tea, coffee or sugar with your breakfast at home to hosting a Fair Trade Breakfast for your friends and family. You could even have a Fair Trade Coffee Break at work. Register your Fair Trade breakfast on the Fair Trade Canada website and let’s get Manitoba on the map!

MCIC kicked off this year’s Fair Trade Fortnight with a Fair Trade Coffee Break at the MCIC office on April 27. MCIC staff members prepared snack items made with Fair Trade ingredients such as sugar, chocolate and tea. Take a look at more pictures from the event on our Facebook page.

More detailed information on the CSF is available at www.mcic.ca. To register for an Orientation, or access further information, please contact Zack Gross at mgmgp@mcic.ca or at (204) 987-6420.

Five of the people in our province who are taking the challenge are sharing their stories through personal blogs. They represent the wide range of Manitobans who are ensuring that they only consume products for which the producers receive a fair wage and safe working conditions. Find which participant matches your fair trade interests and follow them throughout the challenge. How easy is the Challenge proving to be for them? Are they encountering any difficulties in getting their hands on Fair Trade products?

Click on the following names:

• Ainsley Frederickson
• Duane Nicol
• Kevin McPhillips
• U of M Activism Class
• Susan Roe-Finlay

There are many ways in which we can Make a Difference. MCIC has profiled eight young Manitobans who reflect a broad spectrum of involvement and participation. Through actions that range from buying Fair Trade products and educating school students to volunteering overseas and studying International Development, these eight people demonstrate how everyone has the potential to contribute. Watch their profiles HERE and enter to win a $250 Fair Trade Wardrobe.

MCIC will kick off IDW with a Fair Trade Fashion Show on February 7 at the Park Theatre in Winnipeg. Emceed by Chrissy Troy of Hot 103, this event will feature ethically made clothing and serve as a launch of our video profiles, as well as the Get Up! music video, created by a group of Manitoba students for International Development Week. Watch the music video HERE. MCIC will also be organizing a Generating Momentum Middle Years Conference on February 9 and you can take a look at the Global Citizens: Manitobans Working Together for a Better World exhibit at the University of Manitoba from February 7-9. Click here for a full list of events organized by MCIC, our member agencies and other organizations to mark the week.

Proclaimed by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), International Development Week highlights the work of Canada’s development community. Take a look at the CIDA website for more information about IDW and event listings from across the country.

In the Environmental Club at school?

Volunteering with a local organization?

An artist or writer who is concerned about the world?

Interested in writing to their local Member of Parliament?

Helping with issues like poverty, human rights, climate change, social justice, and the environment?

Ask them to create a video, under 5 minutes in length, about how they are involved in global issues. They can submit their video online before March 31, 2011 for a chance to win a video camera (or equivalent cash prize of $500) and a trip to Ottawa to participate in our national youth conference!

Take a look at the the previous Manitoba winners at the MCIC YouTube Page.

The Kaleidoscope Real World Video Challenge is a contest organized by MCIC in Manitoba and run nationally in conjunction with the other provincial and regional councils. For more information, examples of past winning entries and to apply, check out the Kaleidoscope website or contact Sumeep Bath, Public Relations Coordinator at MCIC at pr@mcic.ca or (204) 987-6420.

Earlier this month, the Government of Manitoba announced it would be providing $200,000 for relief and rehabilitation in Pakistan. These funds were presented to the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation (MCIC) for distribution among its member organizations involved in operations in Pakistan.

“As it has in the past, the Manitoba Government has shown its commitment to those beyond our borders by springing into action and pledging relief right after the disaster struck,” said Janice Hamilton, Executive Director of MCIC.

The $200,000 in funds has been distributed to a four of MCIC’s members including Plan International Canada ($50,000), Save the Children Canada ($50,000), Hope International Development Agency ($50,000) and Canadian Churches in Action ($50,000) (which includes Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, Canadian Lutheran World Relief, Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, Mennonite Central Committee and the United Church of Canada). These organizations, as well as some other MCIC members, are still actively seeking donations from Manitobans. Many accept donations online.

The provincial pledge for Pakistan marks the third time this year that Manitoba has provided relief funds for natural disasters. Earlier in the year, the Government of Manitoba provided $200,000 for Haiti relief and $100,000 for relief in Chile. In late 2009, $100,000 was also provided for disaster relief in the Philippines.

Winnipeg – As part of their World Cup festivities, students at Arthur Day Middle School are getting a lesson in Fair Play. During a soccer clinic at the school, Physical Education teacher Kyle Kushnier took the opportunity to talk about how child labour is often used in soccer ball manufacturing, and how fair trade is an alternative to that system. The school bought fair trade sports balls in May for use in its Physical Education classes.

Currently, 75% of the world’s soccer balls are made in Pakistan. It is estimated that 15,000 children in the country are working in soccer ball factories or stitching the balls from home. Children as young as four are employed because their small fingers are better able to stitch the 690 stitches required to make each soccer ball. Even some manufacturers who claim use ‘No Child Labour’ are paying adult workers so little that they must enlist the full-time help of their children just to make ends meet. Because this work in done in the home, the child labour is less visible.

“The only way to ensure child labour has not been used is to buy fair trade sports balls,” says Janice Hamilton, Executive Director of the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation. “When you buy a fair trade ball, it means that adult workers are being paid enough to support their families and don’t need to enlist the help of their children. These children are then able to go to school and have time to play.”

Kyle Kushnier of Arthur Day Middle School says the World Cup provided the perfect opportunity to highlight these issues with his students. “In Canada, kids are able to have free time and play sports,” he says. “We decided to buy fair trade sports balls for our school because kids all over the world deserve this same right.”

Kushnier ran the soccer clinic with his students on the morning of June 21 with fair trade soccer balls ordered through MCIC. The soccer balls were manufactured by Talon Sports, which specializes in fair trade.

“Fair trade is more than just coffee and chocolate. This is another way to help kids relate to fair trade issues and bring it into their everyday lives,” says Kushnier.

Fair trade sports balls are offered at a comparable price to everyday, name brand balls. In addition to soccer balls, there are also basketballs, footballs, rugby balls, volleyballs and beach volleyballs available. Those interested can contact MCIC.

The guest speaker this year is Gerry Barr, President/CEO of the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC), who will speak on ‘The State of the International Development Sector’. Mr. Barr is a Member of the Order of Canada. He was awarded the Pearson Peace Medal in 1996 for his personal contribution to aid to the developing world, mediation in conflict, and peaceful change through international cooperation. He is also the co-chair of Make Poverty History (Canada).

The AGM will also include the election of the board of directors, the distribution of the Paul LeJeune Volunteer Service Award and the review of audited financial statements. Please pre-register at info@mcic.ca or by calling (204) 987 6420.

With support from Canadian donors and a grant from the Canadian International Development Agency, the program has developed a creative business-based approach to rural poverty that is now attracting international attention. IDE identifies village entrepreneurs and trains them in agriculture and business. These “farm business advisors” offer affordable products and advice to poor farmers in rural areas that typically have little access to quality products or information.

The prize of 500,000 Swiss Francs (over CAD $450,000) will allow IDE to recruit and train an additional 36 advisors, generating approximately CAD $2 million in new income for more than 4,000 rural households across Cambodia.

Nestlé Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, who presented the award to the IDE at a ceremony in London, said: “We congratulate IDE Cambodia on being the first to be awarded the Prize. The work they do is inspirational. The support and training from IDE ensures that all involved work together to create sustainable farming enterprises.”

Accepting the award, IDE Cambodia Country Director Michael Roberts said, “It is an honour to receive this recognition from Nestlé. The prize will help us further IDE’s mission to create income opportunities for poor rural households. We hope to leverage the Prize to reach more than 75,000 rural Cambodian households in the next few years. On a global scale this is still very small but we think there are big implications in what we are learning.”

The CSV Prize – which received more than 500 applications from 79 countries – was awarded during Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value Forum, an international gathering of leading experts in water, nutrition, rural development, and the role of business in society which took place in London on 27 May. The Prize was created to provide financial support of up to 500,000 Swiss Francs to individuals, NGOs, or small enterprises who offer innovative solutions to nutritional deficiencies, access to clean water, or progress in rural development. The prize money will be disbursed over a three-year period to help scale up the project.

The award will be presented this September at the 32nd IBBY Congress in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Osu Children’s Library Fund Director Kathy Knowles and Joanna Felih, the organization’s first librarian, have been asked to attend the award ceremony.

The Osu Children’s Library Fund consists of two teams, one in Canada and the other in Africa, that share the mission of bringing books and literacy skills to African children and adults. The organization works at the grassroots level, seeking support and participation of elders and members of the host community.

For more information, visit the Osu Children’s Library Fund website.

Make a fashion statement!

In buying fair trade and locally made clothing, you are taking a stand against exploitation and child labour. Check out our Photo Gallery for the latest ethical fashions.

These outfits were featured in a Fair Trade Fashion Show event organized by MCIC for International Development Week 2010.

Mention MCIC’s Fashion Show and you’ll get 10% off your next purchase from Global Connections at The Forks and Marigold Fair Trade Clothing.

“Unfortunately, exploitation and child labour are still common practises in our world,” says Janice Hamilton, Executive Director of MCIC. “By purchasing fair trade, ethical clothing, youth can take a stand against these practices and make a positive impact on the lives of people in developing countries.”

Special thanks goes to the stores that provided us with materials for the fashion show. You can see their products in our Photo Gallery.

Ten Thousand Villages

Six Locations around Manitoba – See website for details

Ten Thousand Villages began in 1946 when Edna Ruth Byler, a Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) worker, visited volunteers in Puerto Rico who were teaching sewing classes in an effort to help improve the lives of women living in poverty. From this trip, Edna brought several pieces of embroidery home to sell to friends and neighbours. The pieces became quite popular and she soon added needlework from Palestinian refugees and hand-carved Haitian woodenware to her inventory.

In the early 1970’s, the flourishing project moved out of Byler’s basement and became Selfhelp Crafts, an official MCC program. Thousands of loyal customers and volunteers have helped to build this program into the strong alternative trading organization that, in 1996, became known as Ten Thousand Villages. Often referred to as “Fair Trade”, our philosophy of helping to build a sustainable future is based on the principle that trade should have a conscience. Through Fair Trade, artisans receive respect, dignity and hope from working hard and earning fair value for their work.

Ten Thousand Villages is a nonprofit Fair trade Organization (FTO). FTOs are non-governmental organizations designed to benefit artisans, not to maximize profits. Ten Thousand Villages is a member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), a global network of Fair Trade Organizations. WFTO’s mission is to improve the livelihood and well-being of disadvantaged producers by linking and promoting Fair Trade organizations and speaking out for greater justice in world trade.

Shoe Doctor 893 Westminster Ave., Winnipeg MB, (204) 779-7463

Marigold Fair Trade Clothing, Seattle, WA, 1-888-205-1697

Since 2004 Marigold has been working with a women’s co-op of over 200 women in the slums of Mumbai. We first discovered the women’s co-op at the World Social Forum, an international conference of over 100,000 people representing the grassroots community from all over south east Asia and the World. At the time, the co-op was creating children’s toys but was interested into moving more into fashion. We were struck by the gorgeous hand block printed fabrics and detailed embroidery. As supporters of fair trade we had often found it difficult to find fashionable fair trade clothes in the North American Market. We saw fashionable fair trade clothing as a powerful way to help grow the fair trade movement and to help the women from the co-op craft their own economic independence. We hope that you will enjoy our fair trade fashions.

Fibres of Life

Fibres of Life is a grassroots social entrepreneur project based out of Calgary, Alberta. Credible fair trade goods are designed in partnership with World Fair Trade Organization member groups in Nepal. These products are made from mainly felted sheep’s wool and include knitwear and other expanding textile lines for women’s accessories, baby/children’s goods, and homewear. From bags with removable silk-screened art panels to organic cotton onesies to tea and bodum cozies, these products are whimsical, full of colour, originality, quality and social/environmental integrity. Products and information on the socio-economoic and environmental outcomes of this project can be found at www.fibresoflife.com. Fibres of Life is a retail and wholesale operation.

Brave New World, 141 Sherbrook St., Winnipeg, MB, (204) 774-4222

Brave New World opened for business in May of 2001. We import clothing, jewelry, gifts and accessories from around the world. We also carry locally made products. The buyer for the shop goes directly to the source, shopping in the country where things are made, and visiting factories to ensure good working conditions. Our two main suppliers are in Nepal and Thailand, and have small factories, each consisting of between 10 and 25 employees, all adults (not children) of which some are very skilled and educated tailors. All employees are paid above the minimum wage standard for each country, and the trained tailors and master cutters have quite well paying jobs by Nepal and Thailand standards. One of our main focuses as consumers is to buy from small businesses and individuals. We believe that ethical business extends much further than just fair trade practices in developing countries, and we strive to be honest, fair and moral in everything we do.

Hempyrean, 215-1 Forks Market Road, Winnipeg MB, (204) 947-5223

Global Connections, 25 Forks Market Rd., Winnipeg MB, (204) 989-2173

Global Connections is a global concept retail store, located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Established in 1993, Global Connections has become one of Winnipeg’s most popular stores, offering hundreds of worldbeat music titles, instruments, world folk art, paintings, wooden carvings, glassware, masks, mosaic works, jewelry, women’s clothing, scarves, bags, purses, hats and shoes to local customers, as well as to tourists from around the world. Located in the historic Johnston Terminal building, at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, Global Connections operates under Fair Trade principles wherever possible and offers certified fair trade coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa and sugars. Our attitude and merchandise mix transcend culture, generations and gender. Come see what we can offer you!

Sew DAndee, 105 Osborne St, Winnipeg MB, (204) 453-5110

Find awesome handmade goods of all kinds at Sew Dandee! From smartass all-occasion cards to duct tape wallets, upcycled bags to silk screened baby onesies to reworked clothing and jewelry of all kinds plus much more. Most items are made right here in Winnipeg alongside fantastic designers and crafters from all across Canada and a few from the US. In addition to our handmade goods we’ve got a great array of men’s and women’s gently worn consignment clothing and we can do all kinds of custom sewing and alterations. Come see us today!

Jolica Jewelry, (204)832-1561 or 1-888-456-5422 (1-888-4-JOLICA)

Jolica shares the Art of Giving by empowering women in North America and around the world. Discover our collection of unique, handcrafted pieces from around the world - from stunning sterling silver to funky glass jewelry, from supple leather handbags to colourfully embroidered totes. Every gift from the Jolica Collection supports artisans, their families and communities in developing countries around the globe! Join our team as we share these stunning creations of exotic locations in North American homes and discover the opportunity that is helping North American women achieve their dreams.