The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

- Martin Luther King Jr.

We live in an age, and in a country, where more people are standing up for what they believe in, and are encouraged to do so. We are fortunate to live in Canada, where we have the freedom to talk publicly about politics, where women are able to vote, where education for children is free, and where, as a society, we can voice our concerns.

We have the ability and resources to do so much good in the world. Just listen to the stories of others, from this country and from other countries. The things we take for granted, clean water, a blanket, education, is something not everyone in the world has access to. We can either be divided by our differences...or unite and come together... look at our commonalities, and work together for change.

I was exposed a lot to the Coady International Institute, at St. F.X. University, while growing up. Moses Coady believed strongly in education, and the co-operative movement, teaching others to become ‘Masters of Their Own Destiny’. This legacy continues today, locally, and globally. 

The Power of Women

· Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children – www.crvawc.ca
· The Circle – www.brescia.uwo.ca/thecircle
· Antigonish Women's Resource Centre – www.antigonishwomenscentre.ca

Social Justice

· Coady International Network – www.coady.stfx.ca
· Nobelity (movie) – www.nobelitythemovie.com
· Amnesty International – www.amnesty.ca
· Council of Canadians – www.canadians.org
· Canadian Race Relations Foundation – www.crr.ca
· Canada Tibet Committee – www.tibet.ca

Global Community

· Care Canada – Where the end of poverty begins – www.care.ca
· Free the Children – Children helping children through education – www.freethechildren.org
· Grace Educational Trust – www.graceeducationaltrust.com
· Great Gift Ideas – www.agreatergift.org
· Kiva – loans that change lives – www.kiva.org
· Oxfam – www.oxfam.org.uk
· Seva Foundation – “compassion in action” – Helping local communities build solutions
  to poverty and disease – www.seva.org
· Unicef – www.unicef.ca