November is Financial Literacy Month in Canada

November is Financial Literacy Month in Canada. Financial literacy means knowing how to spend and save your money. It also means knowing how to invest and borrow money. In November, organizations help Canadians learn to: • manage their money and debt. • save for the future. • understand their financial rights and responsibilities. Here are…

How to Vote

The first thing you need to do is check to see if you are registered to vote. You can check at elections.ca/register. You can also check to make sure your address is correct. How do I register to vote? You can register online, by mail or by calling 1-800-463-6868. You will receive a voter information…

Canada votes in September

Canada is holding a general election. The election is on September 20. What are we voting for? Voters elect 338 Members of Parliament (MPs). Most MPs belong to a political party. The party with 170 or more elected MPs forms the government. The leader of the party becomes the Prime Minister.   Why should I vote?…

Good and bad omens

Some people believe in omens. An omen is an event that predicts the future. It is a sign that something good or something bad is about to happen. Here are some good omens: A butterfly flying into your home brings good news or an important guest. A bird pooping on you is good luck. Itchy…

Still time to complete Census 2021

It is census time in Canada. Statistics Canada collects data on Canada’s population.  The information helps make decisions about programs like employment, education and health care. The census happens every five years. Count every person. You must complete a census form.  It is the law. The deadline to complete the online census form was May…

Black Shirt Day

On January 15, students and teachers in BC wore black shirts to school. They wore black shirts to raise awareness about racism. Why January 15? January 15 was Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Martin Luther King Junior fought for the rights of African Americans in the 1950s and 1960s. He raised awareness about racism against…

$1,000 for families

There is a new benefit for people living in BC. Some families, single parents and individuals are eligible to get money to help them through the pandemic. The Government of BC is making a one-time payment to help people in British Columbia “who have been hit the hardest” by the pandemic. Who is eligible? Families…

BC votes in October

British Columbia is having a general election this month. General Voting Day is October 24. Voting places will be open October 15 to October 21. They are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. Voting places will be open on election day, October 24. They will be open from 8 a.m. to 8…

How to vote in BC

  Advance voting There are ways to vote before General Voting Day. One way is called advance voting. Advance voting is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time from October 15 to 21. All voters can vote at any advance voting place in BC. Your Where to Vote card shows the advance voting…

Anna is a first-time voter

Prevent drowning

Every year, more than 400 people drown in Canada. Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death for children. National Drowning Prevention Week is from July 19 to July 25. The Lifesaving Society of Canada gives tips to promote safety in and around the water. How to prevent drowning: Take the Canadian Swim to Survive program. You can learn what to do if…

Start a petition

Is there something you would like to see changed?  Maybe it’s a law to protect wildlife. Or, you think dental care should be free in Canada.  You can start  or sign a petition.    What is a petition?    A petition is a document that people sign to change something. If lots of people sign, a petition can help change things. You can start or sign a petition online. It is free at change.org.  How to start a…

#DifferentTogether

People in BC are being asked to take a pledge against racism. A pledge is something you promise to do.    The pledge against racism was created by the Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.    Why are people taking the pledge?   During the COVID-19 pandemic, many Asian Canadians have been hurt by violence and hateful words. People are taking the #DifferentTogether Pledge to stand…

Making hearts

The Level 2 LINC class at Windsor Neighbourhood Learning Centre is learning online. The students are staying home to stop the spread of COVID-19. Hearts in the windows The students saw hearts in their neighbours’ windows. They wondered why. Their teachers gave them a story about the hearts. The class learned that the hearts were…

Hearts in windows

Some houses in BC have hearts in the windows. Why are the hearts in the windows? Many people are worried about COVID-19. Most people stay at home. They want to stop the virus. Some people still need to go to work. Doctors, nurses, policemen, and grocery store workers go to work every day. Thank you!…

Single-use item bylaw

A new Vancouver bylaw will start in April. This bylaw will ban food vendors from giving customers disposable straws, forks, knives, chopsticks and spoons. People with disabilities can still get a straw if they need one. No more foam In January, Vancouver banned foam cups and foam take-out containers. Soon, the city hopes to stop…

Lize wins an award

Norma Lize is a refugee from Lebanon. In February, she was recognized as a leader in Vancouver’s LGBT community. She won the January Marie Lapuz Youth Leadership Award. Something was missing Lize grew up feeling that something was missing from her gender identity. At 18, she met a transgender woman. It made her think that…

COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 was declared a pandemic on March 11. The announcement was made by the World Health Organization (WHO). What is a pandemic? A pandemic is the “worldwide spread of a new disease,” said the WHO. COVID-19 is a  new virus and disease. It spread to many countries around the world at the same time. After…

Scam messages

Have you ever received an email saying you won some money? If so, you might have received a scam message. What is a scam message? In a scam message, someone asks you for personal information, like your name, credit card number, passwords, or address. They use that information to take money from your bank accounts…

Vaping

Vaping is similar to smoking.  When someone vapes, they use a small device to breathe in a liquid. The device is called an e-cigarette. The e-cigarette heats up the liquid and turns it into vapour. What is the liquid made of? The liquid inside an e-cigarette is called e-liquid or vaping juice. Often, vaping juice…

City of Richmond says signs in bus shelters must be in English

  LEVEL 3 Bus shelters are good places to advertise. Signs in bus shelters advertise real estate, toothpaste, credit cards, beer, entertainment and more. Most signs in bus shelters in Richmond are written in both Chinese and English. In 2015, 58% of sign permits were for “mixed language” signs. Recently, Budweiser put up an ad…

Crisis in Syria

Crisis in Syria Adapted from The Vancouver Sun, CBC News, CNBC, and Aljazeera America by Nila Gopaul Listen to “Crisis in Syria”– Level 3 Reading by Corey Muench Civil war started in Syria in 2011. The war continues today. Over 100,000 people have died. Syria is a country in western Asia. Its population is 22.5 million. About 5,000 Syrians…

October is National Anti-bullying Awareness Month

Bullying Adapted from bullyingcanada.ca; thebullyproject.com; and The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 2 Bullying happens when a person or people hurt or scare another person, again and again. Bullying is wrong. Bullies want to make a person feel small and powerless. Here are four examples of bullying:

Help for single parents on welfare

Help for single parents on welfare Adapted from the Province of B.C. and The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 3 Listen to “Help for single parents on welfare”– Level 3 Reading by Nila Gopaul Free tuition for 12 months of training. Training must be in 60 in-demand jobs, such as cooking, baking, retail, office support work, early…

Lawyer loves law

Lawyer loves law Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 1 Listen to “Lawyer loves law”– Level 1 Reading by Jessica Heafey Constance Isherwood is a lawyer. She lives in Victoria, B.C. Constance is 95 years old. She has 100 clients. She enjoys going to court. She likes to prepare cases for the judge. “No…

Female “Sherlock Holmes”

Female “Sherlock Holmes” Still practising law at 95 Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nancy Carson Level 3 People ask Constance Isherwood when she will stop practising law. She tells them, “Well, if you keep practising, eventually you’ll get the hang of it.” This Victoria lawyer, 95, still runs Holmes and Isherwood. She and her…

Legal Aid BC: Getting a divorce – Part 6

Submitted by Nate Prosser and Alex Peel, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nila Gopaul • Illustrations by Danette Byatt Legal Aid BC – Getting a divorce, Part 6/6 Sally was in an abusive relationship. Sally and her children left home. They stayed somewhere safe. A few months have passed. A lot has happened. Now Sally is telling her friend Marsha…

Policewoman

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 3 Phyllis Mortimore joined the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) in 1943. At that time, only a few women were police officers. In 1943, none of the women were allowed to carry guns. Women also did not get the same pay as men. One day, Phyllis saw Police…

Today is Pink Shirt Day

Adapted from CBC News by Nancy Carson A pink shirt Level 1 It is 2007.  A boy wakes up early. It is his first day of school. He is excited. He puts on his new shirt. It is pink. Listen to the story “A pink shirt” – Level 1 Reading by Nila Gopaul Visit the link: Anti-bullying video for…

Legal Aid BC: Dealing with separation – Part 5

Submitted by Nate Prosser and Alex Peel, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nancy Carson • Illustrations by Danette Byatt Dealing with separation – Part 5/6 Sally left an abusive relationship. Her husband hit her. She took her children and went to stay with a friend. Sally wants to be sure that she will be safe. She needs help, so…

Directions Youth Services

Directions Youth Services helps homeless and at-risk young people. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Help from Directions Directions is a safe place. Youth can get hot meals there. They can shower and wash their clothes. Youth can also relax, use computers, and learn art and music. Some people get…

Legal Aid BC: Applying for legal aid – Part 3

Submitted by Nate Prosser and Alex Peel, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nila Gopaul • Illustrations by Danette Byatt Applying for Legal Aid, Part 3/6 WCR and Legal Aid BC co-publish a series offering readers information about their legal rights in Canada. Sally was in an abusive relationship. Her husband hit her. Sally left her home….

Students write to a newspaper

Submitted by: Jennifer Partridge, West Point Grey United Church, ESL teacher Jennifer Partridge’s students wrote letters to a newspaper. They wanted to write about Vancouver’s traffic problems. The learners also wanted to talk about solutions. Here are three of their letters: Think about what issues affect your community. Write to your mayor or city council or local…

Legal Aid BC: What is abuse? Part 2

Submitted by Nate Prosser, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nila Gopaul • Illustrations by Danette Byatt What is abuse? Part 2/6 Sally and her children are not living in their home. They are staying with a friend. They left because Sally’s husband hits her. Sally is visiting Lisa. Lisa is a community worker. That means that Lisa helps…

Why can’t girls play baseball?

A girl from Vancouver becomes part of history. Adapted from The Province by Nancy Carson Level 2 South Vancouver’s Little League baseball team was in the U.S. for two weeks this summer. The team won the Canadian championships in Quebec, in early August. So, they won the chance to go to the Little League World Series. The series…

Legal Aid BC: Getting help with abuse – Part 1

Submitted by Nate Prosser, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nila Gopaul • Illustrations by Danette Byatt Getting help with abuse – Part 1/6 WCR and Legal Aid BC co-publish a series offering readers information about their legal rights in Canada. Sally and Marsha are friends. One day they meet. They sit and talk. Then Sally talks…

Anti-bullying

  Adapted from bullyingcanada.ca; thebullyproject.com; and The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Illustrations by Nola Johnston” Level 2 In June, 2012, Premier Christy Clark announced the B.C. government will spend $2-million to help stop bullying in schools. Did you know? About one in seven children in Canada (aged 11 to 16) is bullied. There are many…

B.C. First Nation wins land claim

Level 3 [stextbox id=”audio”]Listen to the story B.C. First Nation wins land claim – Level 3 [/stextbox]Reading by: Corey Muench Watch a video of this news story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4tptaN3Fio Visit the links Read more about this landmark case (with video). For more background on this case, read this CBC article (with map).

Immigration problem worries Maria

Submitted by Nate Prosser, Legal Aid BC Level 3 Maria is a refugee from Mexico. Maria is scared. She thinks she might have to leave Canada. In 2005, Maria came to Vancouver from Mexico with her two kids. She claimed refugee status. Maria and her children stayed in Canada as refugees. They became permanent residents….

Successful foster kids: Chris Tait

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 Chris Tait lived in foster care from the age of one. Tait is 22 years old now. He is an aboriginal youth. He lived in one foster home until he was 13 years old. His five brothers and sisters lived with him. At age 13, Tait moved to…

Foster care and education in BC

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 Who graduates from high school in BC? About 80 percent of kids graduate from high school. Only 32 percent of kids in foster care graduate from high school. How long do young people get help from their parents? Many young people live with their parents until they are…

Young girl fights bullying

Adapted from The Province and the Nanaimo Daily News Reposted February 24, 2016. This year Pink Shirt Day is February 24. Level 2 Alvena Little-Wolf Ear is 9 years old. She is in grade 4. Alvena was unhappy. Children at school made fun of her. They would not play with her. Annette Little is Alvena’s mother….

Legal Aid can help

Contributed by Nate Prosser, Legal Aid BC Level 3 Do you have a legal problem? Are you unable to pay for legal help? Call Legal Aid. Legal Aid is free. Legal Aid BC helps people with legal problems. Legal Aid BC can help you in many languages. Ask Legal Aid for help if: you have been…

Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 1 What is it like after the typhoon? The cities have little food and water. People are hungry and thirsty. People are searching for food and water. They have no shelter. Doctors are desperate for medicines. Read the PDF and do the exercise Typhoon Haiyan Watch the videos “We Are…

Survivor stories

Survivors of Indian Residential Schools tell their stories. Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 Alvin Dixon Alvin Dixon was 10 years old. He was taken from his home in Bella Bella. After that, he lived at a residential school for 8 years. Visit the links: Residential School Survivor Margaret Commodore speaks. Click here to watch the video.

Truth and Reconciliation

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 What were residential schools? Aboriginal children were taken away from their homes. They were forced to live at schools away from their families. The schools were called Indian Residential Schools. Read the PDF. Try the Exercise. Truth & Reconciliation-Level3PDF

New homes for women in the downtown eastside

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 This apartment is made from old shipping containers. The containers are stacked and finished inside. They are painted bright colours. Visit the links: 11 uses for shipping containers 15 awesome ways to reuse shipping containers Each apartment has a kitchen, bathroom and living room. Photo: Courtesy of Atira…

A new family law in B.C.

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun and Statistics Canada Level 1 Every year, many couples think of love on February 14. Many couples like Valentine’s Day. They say it is romantic. Some couples go to a restaurant. Some men give women flowers. Some women give men cards. Different couples Some couples are boyfriend and girlfriend, for…

Shipping containers become homes

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 We have seen these huge boxes before. They are large and strong.  We call them containers. These boxes are strong.  They are made out of metal. People use them for many things. Visit the links: Atira Women’s Resource Society The Street to Home Foundation A new use for…

ELSA students helping the homeless

In our ELSA level 3 class, we learned about the problem of homelessness. For a 2nd year, we are collecting clothing donations (socks, toques, and gloves) for the homeless. We will distribute the clothes at a shelter for the homeless in downtown Vancouver near Christmas time.