Nearly 55,000 kids, parents and caregivers in B.C., including in rural, remote and Indigenous communities, can access family literacy programs to improve their reading skills through the annual Raise-a-Reader campaign Sept. 22-29, 2022.
“Literacy is an essential skill that opens so many doors for children and their families throughout British Columbia, and that’s why I love being able to promote Raise-a-Reader Week,” said Nathan Cullen, Minister of Municipal Affairs. “Contributions to this campaign help support year-round programing for children and their families to engage in reading, playing and other activities that help develop these important skills.”
This year, the B.C. government is donating $500,000 to the yearly Raise-a-Reader campaign to support literacy programs offered through community organizations, public libraries and schools. Postmedia raises money through donations to fund virtual and in-person family literacy programs across B.C. annually.
The Province supports literacy in partnership with Decoda Literacy Solutions, which manages the donations and provides resources such as reading materials, training and funds to help with community-based literacy and learning programs throughout B.C. communities.
“Many individuals support Raise-a-Reader through their work and community groups. We are very appreciative of their commitment to this important program,” said Sandra Lee, executive director, Decoda Literacy Solutions. “The program provides children and families across B.C. with literacy and learning resources.”
Money raised through the campaign reaches children and families through programs, such as one-to-one reading and tutoring programs, story walks, English-language learning and Parent-Child Mother Goose.
During Raise-a-Reader Week, the Vancouver Sun’s print and online editions will feature daily stories that highlight community literacy programs.
“Postmedia’s Raise-a-Reader program remains committed to helping children and families obtain the literacy skills they need to improve their lives,” said Harold Munro, editor-in-chief, Vancouver Sun and The Province. “We thank the provincial government for again supporting the annual campaign with a generous donation that will assist thousands of B.C. residents. We are also extremely grateful for the many contributions from other institutions and our loyal readers.”
Members of the public are invited to visit the Canada Helps website to make a donation to the community of their choice: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/42475
Quick Facts:
More than 700,000 British Columbians have significant challenges with literacy.
Nearly one-half of people aged 16 to 65 have difficulty following instruction manuals, reading health information, understanding newspapers and more.
Since 2017, the Province has invested $3 million in support of Raise-a-Reader literacy programs.
Since 1997, the campaign has generated more than $21 million to support literacy initiatives in the province.
In 2021, 54,566 children, parents and caregivers attended 4,293 family literacy sessions made possible with support from Raise-a-Reader.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was down more than 200 points in late-morning trading, weighed down by losses in the technology, base metal and energy sectors, while U.S. stock markets also fell.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 239.24 points at 22,749.04.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 312.36 points at 40,443.39. The S&P 500 index was down 80.94 points at 5,422.47, while the Nasdaq composite was down 380.17 points at 16,747.49.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.80 cents US compared with 74.00 cents US on Thursday.
The October crude oil contract was down US$1.07 at US$68.08 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.26 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was down US$2.10 at US$2,541.00 an ounce and the December copper contract was down four cents at US$4.10 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 150 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in technology, financial and energy stocks, while U.S. stock markets also pushed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 171.41 points at 23,298.39.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 278.37 points at 41,369.79. The S&P 500 index was up 38.17 points at 5,630.35, while the Nasdaq composite was up 177.15 points at 17,733.18.
The Canadian dollar traded for 74.19 cents US compared with 74.23 cents US on Wednesday.
The October crude oil contract was up US$1.75 at US$76.27 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.10 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$18.70 at US$2,556.50 an ounce and the December copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.22 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2024.
The crypto market has recently experienced a significant downturn, mirroring broader risk asset sell-offs. Over the past week, Bitcoin’s price dropped by 24%, reaching $53,000, while Ethereum plummeted nearly a third to $2,340. Major altcoins also suffered, with Cardano down 27.7%, Solana 36.2%, Dogecoin 34.6%, XRP 23.1%, Shiba Inu 30.1%, and BNB 25.7%.
The severe downturn in the crypto market appears to be part of a broader flight to safety, triggered by disappointing economic data. A worse-than-expected unemployment report on Friday marked the beginning of a technical recession, as defined by the Sahm Rule. This rule identifies a recession when the three-month average unemployment rate rises by at least half a percentage point from its lowest point in the past year.
Friday’s figures met this threshold, signaling an abrupt economic downshift. Consequently, investors sought safer assets, leading to declines in major stock indices: the S&P 500 dropped 2%, the Nasdaq 2.5%, and the Dow 1.5%. This trend continued into Monday with further sell-offs overseas.
The crypto market’s rapid decline raises questions about its role as either a speculative asset or a hedge against inflation and recession. Despite hopes that crypto could act as a risk hedge, the recent crash suggests it remains a speculative investment.
Since the downturn, the crypto market has seen its largest three-day sell-off in nearly a year, losing over $500 billion in market value. According to CoinGlass data, this bloodbath wiped out more than $1 billion in leveraged positions within the last 24 hours, including $365 million in Bitcoin and $348 million in Ether.
Khushboo Khullar of Lightning Ventures, speaking to Bloomberg, argued that the crypto sell-off is part of a broader liquidity panic as traders rush to cover margin calls. Khullar views this as a temporary sell-off, presenting a potential buying opportunity.
Josh Gilbert, an eToro market analyst, supports Khullar’s perspective, suggesting that the expected Federal Reserve rate cuts could benefit crypto assets. “Crypto assets have sold off, but many investors will see an opportunity. We see Federal Reserve rate cuts, which are now likely to come sharper than expected, as hugely positive for crypto assets,” Gilbert told Coindesk.
Despite the recent volatility, crypto continues to make strides toward mainstream acceptance. Notably, Morgan Stanley will allow its advisors to offer Bitcoin ETFs starting Wednesday. This follows more than half a year after the introduction of the first Bitcoin ETF. The investment bank will enable over 15,000 of its financial advisors to sell BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC. This move is seen as a significant step toward the “mainstreamization” of crypto, given the lengthy regulatory and company processes in major investment banks.
The recent crypto market downturn highlights its volatility and the broader economic concerns affecting all risk assets. While some analysts see the current situation as a temporary sell-off and a buying opportunity, others caution against the speculative nature of crypto. As the market evolves, its role as a mainstream alternative asset continues to grow, marked by increasing institutional acceptance and new investment opportunities.
