Foreign Service Community Association Bulletin
March 2005
Volume 32 # 1
New Brunswick - Ana Iriondo de Bryson
FSCA Art Exhibition 2005 more...
The FSCA'S Annual General Meeting June 14th more...
Spousal Employment – a departmental priority
David Paget
Co-coordinator for spousal employment
There has been an encouraging development about spousal employment – an area of great concern to FSCA for many years. It is contained in the progress report on the human resources action plan issued on January 13, 2005 by Gisèle Samson-Verreault, ADM, Human Resources Branch. more...
Did you know...
FAC and ITCan employee's spouses can take lauguage courses by e-mail. These courses are given free by the Center for Language Training of the Canadian Foreigh Service Institute (CFSL) a few gtimes a year. Ask your spouse to keep you posted on the next courses.
List of wines served at Christmas Gala click here
Report on the Conference
The World of Islam and Its Arts
By Margaret Harman
The Foreign Service Alumni Group met on Wednesday, January 26th at the home of Tudy McLaine. Our guest speaker was Beth Merklinger who spoke on and showed slides of «The World of Islam and Its Arts". Beth has a Ph.D. in Art History and History, as well as degrees in Political Science, Slavonic Studies and Slavonic Languages, and admits to some Arabic. more...
A word from the President
Vivek Sharma
I have been overwhelmed by the news of the loss of life and devastation suffered by the victims of the terrible natural disaster in Southeast Asia.The big question, which I have discussed at great length with the FSCA committee members and spouses, is: How can we help in a meaningful way? more...
Suggestions
From Jennifer McCrea-Logie
Spring is almost here and one of the best things about spring is that it is maple sugar time. If you live in the Ottawa or Gatineau area there are many opportunities to visit a maple sugar cabin and taste the products such as maple taffy on snow. It can be relaxing and fun to visit one of the sugar cabins with your friends and family. At the beginning of March you could try contacting a maple sugar cabin to find out about their traditional meals and sleigh rides:
Do you enjoy French crosswords? Want to enrich your French vocabulary while learning about maple sugar season? If so, check out the website of the Office québécois de la langue française:
http://www.olf.gouv.qc.ca/ressources/divertissements/mots_croises/
motscroises_20040407.html
Participate!
You would like to write in this bulletin? Do you have an event you want us to know about? A point of view to share? Members are invited to send articles, poems, adds. The deadline for the next e-bulletin is May 11th 2005.
Volunteers needed:
The FSCA is in great need of volunteers. The Spousal Employment Committee, Membership Committee would appriciate a few new members. We are also looking for a volunteer manager, a webmaster, and general office work.
If you are interested in helping us Please contact us at fsca.acse@international.gc.ca or call (613) 944-5729
The FSCA has elaborated a Volunteer Plan. Do you want to know more...?
Words from the Bursary Winner
By Frédéric Gauthier
In my years of living overseas, I have come across many challenges and opportunities that would serve me well in my future. The first thing I learned was that establishing networks are just one of the criteria into gaining full participation into your new society. Without the knowledge to do so, more...
New post ? New car ?. . . or ship the one you have ?
For helpful and independent advice on makes and models suited to your destination, ask the people who know.
MAPSUPPORT.COM
Suppliers of: new and used vehicles to officers with FAC, ITC, CIDA, CIC, DND and Embassy fleets, at some seventy posts since 1996.
Shipped from: Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, the U.K. and the U.S.,
makes have included:
Audi, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Jeep,
Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Peugeot, Plymouth,
Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota and Volkswagen.
Specialists in tax-free vehicles for export.
Not only are our prices competitive, we also offer an emergency
tax-free parts service, help with technical and warranty matters
and advice on tax and duty issues for certain models.
Call or write to Robert@mapsupport.com
for information on vehicle exports and for free advice on model selection.
Tel: +1-514-725-4509
PRE-POSTING BRIEFINGS AND WORKSHOPS 2005
The Services Centre (SERV) will offer mandatory administrative briefings, a number of optional workshops as well as spousal employment workshops for employees and their families who are being posted abroad this year. All the sessions will be held in the Training Room located in SERV (unless otherwise mentioned), in Lester B. Pearson Building, 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa. more...
Recruitment Process for Rotational Administrative Assistants
Recruitment Process for Rotational Administrative Assistants
Launch of a recruitment process for positions within the rotational administrative assistant stream. Employees at Headquarters in both Departments (including term employees), Canadian citizens residing abroad and the general public are eligible to apply
To apply, access the PSC's jobs.gc.ca Web site, where you will find, starting on February 25, 2005, the poster for this process and the statement of qualifications. The competition will be open Monday, March 14, 2005. (part of a Panorama message of March 8, 2005)