We've come a long way baby
We've come a long way baby . . . 
but not far enough. 

I remember those Virginia Slims cigarette ads about the progress of women, depicting us as strong, versatile and funky. With that progress came more choice. We were looking for more choice, and we got it. We were also looking for more power, but we didn't really get that. But it's a comin' and days like today, International Women's Day, reminds us of how far we have come, and how much further we need to go to reach equitable status in Canada - and in almost every other country in the world.

Two steps forward. One step back.
Two steps forward. Two steps . . .

What is your guess on the challenges Canada will face in the next half century, given the changing demographics?  Will it be the shift in conservative views or the shift in religion? These are some of the issues I discussed at Etobicoke Rotary last night with members of the club and affiliate clubs.

The values we hold in common as a nation will be in a state of flux as we continue to grapple with multiculturalism. What do Canadians hold dear? That needs to be the starting point of the discussion.  

When I talk about the Changing Face of Canada, I look at stats, demographics, citizenship, ghettos and how it all fits together to make a nation.

I was invited to speak about The Changing Face of Canada at Rotary in February. In this photo I am with the Presidents of Etobicoke Rotary and Toronto Rotary.  Details of my next talk are on my Facebook page: Diversity Matters by Gina Valle.

Canada prides itself on getting things right when it comes to diversity, and overall it should, but we all know that there is a long way to go before poor kids get a decent education, aboriginal communities get more respect, women break the glass ceiling, and the list goes on. I became involved in diversity issues over twenty years ago because I believed that all Canadians, no matter their accent, their skin colour or their God, should lead a fulfilling life in this country. All the projects I undertake work towards that goal. It is not always obvious, because if it were, then people would not ask me why I take on the projects that I do. Here's to being part of the solution.

Watch for Enseignants sous leur meilleur jour - Teachers at Their Bestsoon to be available as an e-book.  Bonne lecture!

On Saturday, November 17 Enseignants sous leur meilleur jour will be launched in Montreal at the bistro Detour (www.detourbistro.com). Friends, teachers, colleagues, parents and anyone interested in issues of diversity are welcome. Thank you to the supporters of the launch,Intercultural Dialogue Institute  (www.interculturaldialog.com),Rainbow Caterpillar (www.rainbowcaterpillar.ca), Canada's multilingual bookstore for children, and of course the charming Detour Bistro.

Teachers at Their Best - Enseignants sous leur meilleur jour was launched in Toronto in October at the fabulous bilingual campus of Glendon College.  The evening was lovely, the gardens were superb and the gallery was inviting, as we ate, listened to classic French songs, spoke about the challenges we face in education, and raised a glass to the decent teachers we have all had.

Le livre met en valeur les défis du pluralisme auxquels nos enseignants font face aujourd’hui. Enseignants sous leur meilleur jour relate leurs petites victoires du quotidien. Lorsque les défis du pluralisme sont abordés avec ouverture et compassion, ces petites victoires deviennent source d’inspiration. En parcourant les pages de ce livre, on bénéficiera d’un éclairage pragmatique sur les défis du XXIème siècle.

To order the book, please see my Learn More page and click on 'Books'.

Those are the languages in which the documentary The Last Rite is now available. As we enter a new Fall season, watch for the documentary being aired on television in Hindi, Farsi and Mandarin. This is diversity at its best, I say - a Hindu family sitting in their living room in Canada, learning about Muslim rites in their own language. This is the power of multiculturalism. Learning from one another, and growing more confident as a nation while doing it.

A challenge of our times is how to engage people in critical discussions when the world is moving soooo fast. During the month of March, many women & men around the globe take stalk of the gains women have made in the personal and professional sphere.  Over the course of the month, it is with great pleasure that I have engaged young women at Loretto College (www.tcdsb.org/schools/LorettoCollege.asp), professional women at L'Association des femmes d'affaires francophones de Toronto (http://www.afafcanada.com/) and ethnocultural communities at the Intercultural Dialogue Institute (http://www.interculturaldialog.com/), all in the hopes of breaking down barriers and having frank discussions.  I wish International Women's celebration could last longer than a month!  Full details of each event are outlined on the websites listed above.

June 27 is recognized as Multicultural Day in Canada. But that is not all.  In 2011, we will be celebrating forty years of multiculturalism in Canada. Alot has happened in forty years.

On June 27, Multicultural Day, I will be sharing some insights with Ontario government employees at the Ministry of Economic Trade and Development (EDT) regarding the essence of the 1971 Multicultural Policy; why, as a nation, we needed to move from biculturalism to multiculturalism; the significant milestones to show for the relative success of multiculturalism, and what we can expect in the next forty years.

July 1st is around the corner. On that festive day of celebrations, most of us will raise a glass to this fabulous country of ours, and most of us will also raise a glass to how multiculturalism defines us a nation. Right on.

In May 2010, the Canadian Embassy in Sweden opened its new premises in the heart of Stockholm, where it will continue to conduct business as usual, and showcase Canadian talent from all corners of our country. 

On International Women's Day, March 8, 2011, the photo exhibitLegacies opened at the Embassy, and provided a backdrop for a seminar on the Canadian integration model, which was attended by the Swedish Minister of Integration. If anyone in that room read the insights found in Legacies, then they will have a clear idea of what integration means for new citizens in their adopted homeland. 

Given that the exhibit is also in French, it will stay on in Stockholm and participate in La Francophonie events organized by the Canadian Embassy.

March 8, 2011 is the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day.