Investing In Social Entrepreneurship and Fostering Social Innovation
Over the past decade or more, “social entrepreneurs” have been a leading force in innovation, experimentation, and change in education, health care, poverty alleviation, and other areas of human need both in the United States and around the world. Social entrepreneurs—individuals who develop innovative, results-oriented solutions to tackle serious social problems—are focused on implementing their solutions on a large scale to change an entire system, either by scaling their organization or inspiring others to replicate the idea. Social entrepreneurs, like their counterparts in the private sector, boast unique personal characteristics that they use to successfully implement their ideas: creativity, inspiration, persistence, focus, and a willingness to take risks. Ventures created by social entrepreneurs are usually organized as non-profits, although some are for-profit but with a clear and direct social mission.
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Why BC's Credit Unions Aren't Melting Down
In all the uproar this autumn about the global financial crisis, one local group of institutions hasn't been in the news. B.C. credit unions. Are they in any trouble? To find out, I talked to Chris Catliff, CEO of North Shore Credit Union, and Ian Smith of Central 1 Credit Union, as well as Charles Priester, a financial consultant based in Metchosin. In general, what they had to say was reassuring. Smith says credit unions weren't involved in the subprime disaster. Central 1, which acts as a credit union for credit unions, had a small investment with some potential exposure to subprime mortgages, which has been written down. All told, Central 1's total investment was $23 million, compared with its $5 billion in assets.
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Northern Cheneyism or a Progressive Coalition: The Choice is Clear
By Ted Jackson
Stephen Harper must have been channeling Dick Cheney. How else can you explain the reckless partisanship and hard-edged social and fiscal conservatism that shaped the recent economic update by Canada’s Conservative government? But, by attacking the right to strike of public sector workers, pay equity for women and the public financing of political parties—and failing to propose a serious economic stimulus package—Prime Minister Harper succeeded in uniting four opposition parties and possibly authoring his own political demise.
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Appealing to youth, Obama issues call to service
By Mike Dorning
MT. VERNON, Iowa—Channeling the inspirational spirit of John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama vowed on Wednesday to make a call to public service "a cause of my presidency" as he rallied students during a two-day swing through college campuses in Eastern Iowa. Introduced by former Kennedy aide and Peace Corps associate director Harris Wofford, Obama invoked a sense of historical moment, the post Sept. 11 bond of common purpose and the idealism of youth as he unveiled an agenda to expand national service programs at Cornell College, a small liberal arts college in Mt. Vernon. "We need your service, right now, in this moment – our moment – in history," Obama said. "I am going to ask you to play your part; ask you to stand up; ask you to put your foot firmly into the current of history. I am asking you to change history’s course." College students and young people have been among the strongest sources of support for Obama and his campaign made them a focus of its efforts. He has devoted two days of precious campaign time during the final month before the caucus to campus rallies in an effort to persuade in-state students to go to caucuses during their holiday break and out-of-state students to return.
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America Serves

"When you choose to serve -- whether it's your nation, your community or simply your neighborhood -- you are connected to that fundamental American ideal that we want life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness not just for ourselves, but for all Americans. That's why it's called the American dream."

As the new administration takes shape, Barack Obama and Joe Biden will call on Americans from every walk of life to serve. President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden will expand national service programs like AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps and will create new service organizations to meet the nation's challenges head on:

• a Classroom Corps to help underserved schools
• a Health Corps to serve in the nation's clinics and hospitals
• a Clean Energy Corps to achieve the goal of energy independence
• a Veterans Corps to support the Americans who serve by standing in harm's way

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