College Strike – Voting

Voting begins today for faculty at St. Lawrence College and the rest of Ontario’s colleges.

The 12 thousand professors, counsellors and librarians are voting on a contract offer from the colleges over the next three days.

The council representing the 24 colleges says if the contract offer is accepted, students could be back in the classroom as early as next Tuesday.

The strike started on October 15th.

Students – Rally

Students at St. Lawrence College will stage rallies in Kingston, Brockville and Cornwall while faculty are casting their votes over the next three days.

The students say they have had had no voice in the labour dispute…but….they want to have a say in how the lost time will be made up.

P4W for Sale

Queen’s University is selling the property that was once home to the notorious Prison for Women.  The university says it hasn’t been able to identify any viable options or plans for the land and buildings.

The prison opened in 1934 and was closed in 2000.

Queen’s bought the property in 2008 for $2.88 million.

It says capital from the sale will go into the university’s capital reserve for use in future projects.

The main prison building, administration building and attached cellblock are designated as heritage buildings.

When Queen’s bought the site, it promised to preserve the integrity of the historic structures.

Captain Nichola Goddard Fund

A new fund to help military women and their families has been named after the first female Canadian soldier to die in combat.  The Captain Nichola Goddard Fund has been launched by the True Patriot Love Foundation with a donation from Canso Investment Council of $200,000.

Goddard was a graduate of the Royal Military College in Kingston and was 26 when she was killed in an ambush in Afghanistan on May 17th of 2006.

Teddy Bears

Teddy Bears will help buy new equipment for the pediatric department at Kingston General Hospital.  The KGH Auxiliary and Legion Branch 560 launched the annual teddy bear campaign yesterday.

People sponsor the teddy bears for $100 each and they are given to patients in the pediatric department.

The goal is to have 200 bears sponsored to raise $20,000 for syringe pumps and an electrocardiogram machine.

City Tree

The city’s Christmas tree has been set up in Springer Market Square.

The 30 foot tall blue spruce was put up yesterday by city crews.

The official tree lighting ceremony will take place following the Santa Clause parade on Saturday.

The tree was donated by a Kingstonian who wants to remain anonymous.

 

Filed under: Captain Nichola Goddard Fund, Christmas Tree, College Strike, Market Square, P4W for Sale, Rally, Students, Teddy Bears