CFN – The Creative Economy Summit will promote awareness of the creative economy and Brampton’s role within it, educating participants and defining how it relates to our community in the business of the arts. Join us for a day featuring high-profile keynote speakers, such as CBC’s Jian Ghomeshi, along with President and CEO of Artscape Tim Jones, as well as interactive panel sessions and innovative presentations.

WHERE:        The Rose Theatre Brampton

                  1 Theatre Lane
Brampton, ON

WHEN:          8 am to 6:30 pm, Thursday, February 2, 2012

For more information on the summit and to see the agenda, visit www.brampton.ca/en/Business/edo/Pages/CreativeEconomySummit.aspx

and follow us on twitter at @BramptonEcoDev

Attending media are requested to register at the contact below.

About Brampton: The 11^th largest city in Canada, Brampton has a successful, well-diversified economy and is home to more than 8,000 businesses. The City continues to retain a Triple ‘A’ credit rating by Standard & Poor’s, reflecting its successful economy and debt-free position. Brampton celebrates its diverse population that represents people from more than 175 distinct ethnic backgrounds who speak more than 70 different languages. Offering more than 6,000 acres of parkland, Brampton takes pride in being known as the Flower City of Canada. Brampton has been designated as an International Safe Community by the World Health Organization. For more information visit www.brampton.ca

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CFN- People from local churches and faith communities are invited to come together to explore the connections between their spiritual beliefs and their responsibility towards planet earth. The meeting, entitled Greening Sacred Spaces: A Conversation, is organized by Transition Cornwall+ in partnership with the Cornwall Interfaith Partnership and Greening Sacred Spaces, a provincial interfaith program that assists faith communities with the educational, spiritual and practical dimensions of going “green”. The event will be held from 1:30–3:30pm on Sunday, February 5th, at Central Public School.This interfaith environmental event is a response to growing recognition, among faith communities, that caring for the environment is part of their role as stewards of all creation. According to Sister Terry Wilson, member of the Cornwall Interfaith Partnership, care for the environment has been a strong theme in Catholic teaching for many years. She quotes Pope John Paul II’s statement, made 22 years ago “The ecological crisis is a moral issue. Care for the environment is not an option… Not to care for the environment is to ignore the Creator’s plan for all of creation and results in an alienation of the human person.” Sr. Terry also points out that care for the environment is not just a concern among Catholics. It is reflected in the beliefs of every spiritual tradition, making it an excellent focus for the Cornwall Interfaith Partnership.

People of faith around the world are recognizing the sacredness of all creation and their role in protecting it. They are beginning to think about the impacts of their decisions and actions, including purchases, travel and lifestyles. In Ontario, many faith communities are forming environment Green Teams and taking steps to “green” their buildings: switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs, reducing the use of disposables in the kitchen, carrying out energy audits and reducing heat loss through gaps around windows and air ducts. Clearly, environmental stewardship can also result in monetary savings!

The Cornwall Greening Sacred Spaces event will appeal to everyone, from youth to seniors, who recognizes the moral or spiritual dimension of environmental issues, spiritual leaders included. Greening Sacred Spaces representative Kathryn Guindon, an ecologist with a diploma in Theology, will make a brief presentation and then lead a series of small group conversations. According to Guindon, “Environmental issues are often in the news and the news is usually bad. It’s all too easy to feel like your actions don’t matter or to be afraid to take the next step because you’ll be perceived as a “treehugger”.  Coming together with other folks who care as much as you do can be very empowering.”

Everyone welcome, no need to register. Admission is free, donations to Transition Cornwall+ will be gratefully accepted.

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CFN -Eco Farm Day is back for 2012!   It’s at the Ramada in Cornwall Ontario on February 25 & 26th!

The theme of Eco Farm Day 2012 is ”Vibrant Family Businesses in Organic Agriculture and Food”. In the current economic climate, the small business sector is the leading economic engine. Coupled with that, the organic food sector is the fastest growing part of the agri-food economy in Canada. Family-owned organic farms, food processors, and food handlers form a vibrant part of Canada’s rural economy.

Eco Farm Day, hosted by Canadian Organic Growers, Ottawa Chapter, is the largest farm conference in eastern Ontario, and the leading learning and networking conference for organic agriculture and food in Eastern Ontario and beyond. Organic, transitional and conventional farmers of field crops, market gardens, and livestock rely on Eco Farm Day for the best training, information, and commerce opportunities. Over 350 people come back every year for the social event, the networking, the positive atmosphere, and the great food! Over 30 exhibitors cover a wide range of farm inputs, markets, services, and sector associations.

Our key note speaker, Steve Beauchesne of Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co. will describe how his family-run brewery has built a solid brand in an incredibly tough competitive market by firmly sticking to the goals of making organic beer, supporting their community and sustainable business practises. Steve will describe the importance of setting non-financial goals in order to create a culture around your business and turn customers into fans and employees into teammates. Steve will discuss the sacrifices a business must be willing to make to create a truly inspiring story and change from being a company that produces a product into a rallying point for other believers.

Lucy Sharratt from the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network will join us for the evening gala on Saturday to discuss how genetic modification poses new urgent threats to the future of organic food in Ontario with the latest information and strategic updates on GM crops and animals.

Randy Whitteker, general manager of the Ontario Natural Food Coop, will join us on Sunday to discuss the markets and opportunities for local farmers and food processors in the growing organic retail in Ontario.

Besides the keynote speaker, the conference on Saturday includes 12 one-hour workshops on production techniques, marketing, and subjects of general interest. Although the conference is presented in English, it will have simultaneous translation in French for the keynote speech on Saturday as well as the 3 selected workshops.

Full list of Speakers   LINK

Registration is now open, along with the program, on the conference website at www.ecofarmday.ca.

Conference Chair Tom Manley of Homestead Organics from the 2011 Eco Farm Day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg04mzNf7mU

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CFN –  Are you a photographer, writer, or artist?   We’re will be hiring some extra talent for our Online Magazine;  SPOTLIGHT CORNWALL which will be announcing more on in the coming month.

Email your cv or web link to info@cornwallfreenews.com before February 15, 2012.

These will be paid and you have to have experience in your field and extremely talented as our subjects deserve nothing short of the best our area talent has to offer.

SPOTLIGHT CORNWALL will be a tribute to the people and culture of Cornwall Ontario and will not be supported by or directed by any City Organization.  It’s going to really be about you Cornwall!   For more information email info@cornwallfreenews.com and for sponsorship inquires for SPOTLIGHT CORNWALL or CFN contact Don Smith below!

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CFN- The organizing committee for the local British Home Child Day activities is pleased to announce that it is partnering with the Cornwall Public Library to increase awareness of the British Home Children.

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On Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 1 pm at the Cornwall Public Library, there will be presentations and information on these children who were brought to Canada, overcoming obstacles as they worked as indentured servants in the homes, factories, farms and stores of Canadians.

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For further information please contact Carolyn Goddard at carol.goddard@sympatico.ca  or Paul Dufour at pdufour@library.cornwall.on.ca.

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CFN – I am a big supporter of the buy local movement and not just because I am a local food processor (if you don’t know that I roast coffee then where have you been). When Jacqueline Milner brought this fair to our attention in her column two weeks ago, I made a note on my calendar that I should go. It was a beautiful day for a drive and an opportunity to test out my new Tom-Tom car navigator so my wife and I climbed into our car and it was off to Russell.

What a jewel this fair is. To start with I had to circle the parking lot to find a space for my car. Once inside I was amazed at the number (78) of vendors that were present, especially the food vendors. I have to say that the fair in Ingleside in November had as many vendors but the focus there seemed arts and crafts and not so many food vendors. Of course they had one excellent coffee roaster who made delicious coffee for all present. In this case the Living Locally Fair also had an excellent coffee roaster serving a delicious brew in the name of Poppa-Bean Coffee Co.

www.poppabean.com

The vendors varied from coffee roaster, bakers, butchers, cranberry growers, dairy processors, ice cream makers, to maple syrup and hot sauce vendors. There were also home and garden designers, artists, solar power system installer, and even a community activist group.

There was even a booth promoting the local farmers market in Metcalf.

The one thing they all have in common is that they are local businesses and they are co-operating to promote the local economy. What a novel concept! (Please excuse the sarcasm but I just had to put it in given my experience with our local market.)

Of course not everyone was happy there but at least everyone is engaged in the community events.

www.copperhill.ca

I fully participated in the event of course sampling a lot of the wares, eating chilli and homemade beans, drinking some fresh brewed coffee, buying some duck sausage for supper, purchased a beanbag foot warmer, dipping bread in A Pinch of Penny’s bread dipper sauce, talked solar panels with Copperhill Solar and watched a couple of ladies knitting. This fair had just about everything, at least everything I could think of.

Knitting Ladies

I have to mention one last vendor, Pascale Berthianume All Natural Ice Cream, Glaces Naturelles. I sample her Cranberry Plum Ice Wine Glaces and just had to bring a pint home with me to have after my duck sausage.

I was on my way home when I realized that I never attended any of the information sessions that were on going. OK, now you know, I think with my stomach. My apologies Jacqueline.

Bearbrook Game Meats Inc.

www.bearbrookfarm.com

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CFN- The Women Entrepreneurs of Cornwall & Area are once again preparing for their annual Conference and Business Show to be held on Thursday February 23rd, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Best Western Inn and Conference Centre. Women of all ages and from all walks of life are invited to join us for an evening of inspiration, personal development and 

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CFN - Thanks to local Environmentalist, Artist, and our own Columnist for our Column; Earth Matters,  Jacqueline Milner for sending us the poster for the Living Locally Fair which is happening Saturday January 21, 2012 in Russell Ontario.

With 30% tree coverage needed to support bio diversity there’s always room to learn more!

You can also visit their website at www.Livinglocallyfair.ca

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Open your heart and welcome the best year of your life.  

This retreat will be a new beginning; an awakening of the body, mind and spirit.

You will learn how to awaken your passion and reenergize yourself. Kundalini yoga is called the yoga of awareness.  We will do several yoga sessions as well learn about meditative journalling, yogic diet and lifestyle, stress reduction, how to relax and much more.

Come for a weekend of fun and relaxation. Surround yourself with positive energy and prepare yourself to receive the New Year.

Join us….

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CFN - This is nothing short of amazing and will certainly put you in the holiday spirit.

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