A Message From The Director
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Like other organizations, inside and outside the university, the Harris Centre is adjusting its operations to meet the realities of COVID-19. We have several major initiatives in the planning stage, and our team is using this time--with all of us currently working from home--to get all the background work done so we can hit the ground running when conditions allow. We are also looking at ways to increase the online delivery which we have used for years as a complement to our in-person sessions.
Coming out of this pandemic, we will all be changed, as individuals, families, communities and as a province and country. The World Wars, the Depression, the Global Financial Crisis not so long ago--these all changed the way we think and the way we operate individually and collectively. I learned from my first year English Professor (many years ago!) that it is not the problems we face, but the way we handle them, that make us the people we become. I believe the same holds for us collectively as communities and regions and as a province. We know there are many ways in which regional policy and development needs to evolve in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Memorial University will be an integral part of the way we all move forward, and the Harris Centre will be here to help connect, facilitate, and inform the opportunities to come.
In this edition of The Regional, we wanted to share some news from Memorial, as well as some links to news articles we've found helpful, inspiring and thought-provoking over the last couple of weeks.
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Dr. Robert Greenwood, Director of the Harris Centre
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A Goodbye Message from Dr. Gary Kachanoski
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"As I prepare to finish my appointment as president and vice-chancellor, I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for an amazing 10 years.
When I accepted the offer to become Memorial’s president in 2010, I said it was a life-changing decision, and each and every day after, it has been a privilege and honour to serve as president and vice-chancellor.
As my wife Teresa and I reflect back on the past decade, we are amazed at, and so thankful for, the incredible people we’ve met, both at the university and throughout the province we now call home. It’s been an extraordinary experience."
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A Message from the President
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"I am honoured and excited to join Memorial University as president and vice-chancellor, and I am looking forward to meeting as many members of the university community as possible in the very near future.
Since my arrival here, I have been working remotely for two universities, which has been an interesting experience, to say the least.
I have heard a great deal about the tremendous job everyone at Memorial has done to plan and implement measures for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. I am particularly grateful to the Emergency Operations Centre group and the many Memorial people who are keeping the university’s critical functions running."
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Enjoy from Home!
Season 2, Episode 15:
Self-care: Rural Doctors Support Each Other
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Being doctor in a rural community has unique challenges; from knowing too much about your friends and neighbours, to being the first line of defense in difficult life or death situations, it can be hard to find someone who really understands.
This time on Rural Routes, we listen to
a group of women, each practicing in rural Ontario communities, whose informal support network has become a crucial line of support.
Join us as they laugh about their experiences, share their most challenging experiences,
and explain why, despite the distance between them and their busy schedules,
they make time to connect.
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The news updates around COVID-19 are all over local and international media, but we wanted to point out a few stories of local innovators in these difficult times.
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St. John's Small Business Producing and Selling Filtered Masks
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"Items that were once easy to purchase in Newfoundland and Labrador, such as hand sanitizer and face masks, are now difficult to find.
Local companies have stepped up to help produce hand sanitizer and now a St. John’s-based small business has started selling filtered face masks.
Midnight Tailors is owned by Shara King and Dave Mullett and the duo produces a number of pop-culture themed accessories, ranging from bowties to earrings to scarves. A friend came to them with the idea of the filtered masks and it went from there."
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Newfoundland Distillery Pumping Out Hand Sanitizer for Front-Line Workers
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"The Newfoundland Distillery Company in Clarke's Beach has put its spirits on the back burner in order to produce hand sanitizer for doctors, nurses and police officers.
Peter Wilkins, co-founder of the distillery, says the decision was a no-brainer once they realized it was in their wheelhouse to produce a hand sanitizer with enough alcohol content to meet federal regulations.
"We don't want to take our eye off the spirits, but it seems to me now that the spirits are the labour of love while the hand sanitizer is the real work," he told CBC Radio's
On The Go."
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Dynamic Air Shelters building emergency hospital and quarantine shelters for COVID-19
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"When Dynamic Air Shelters started 16 years ago, it made all types of inflatable shelters.
About a decade ago, the company changed its focus to the oil and gas industry.
Now, it's going back to its roots, building emergency hospital and quarantine shelters during the COVID-19 pandemic."
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The current situation has seen many people working from home; businesses adjusting how they operate, or having to layoff staff; and an unprecedented economic hit. Through all this, many of us are looking for helpful advice, strategies, or information to help us cope, adjust, and thrive. We've come across a few helpful sites with resources for business, employees and individuals, which we hope you might find helpful.
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The Conference
Board of Canada
COVID-19's
Implications for Canada and the Economic Impact
"Things are changing quickly,
and an evidence-based perspective on coronavirus
is essential. This site is our
go-to resource for insights
and analysis on COVID-19.
Check this space often for
the latest updates, data,
forecasts, research on the growing spread of coronavirus, and useful tools that will help
you and your organizations navigate these challenging
times."
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Atlantic Provinces
Economic Council
COVID-19: Assessing the Economic Impacts for Atlantic Canada
"Measures to delay and reduce the spread of COVID-19 are already having financial and economic consequences which will grow with the duration and severity of this situation.
Canada and other countries have started to implement policies to help mitigate these economic impacts.
As concerns about the economy grow, APEC is responding by dedicating its research resources to provide insights and analysis as the economic impacts of COVID-19 unfold."
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Business Development
Bank of Canada
How to Cope with the Impacts of COVID-19 on Your Business
"The spread of COVID-19
poses important challenges
to Canadian businesses.
With the situation constantly evolving, you need to be prepared for any disruptions.
Join BDC experts as they
share short-term economic perspectives and advice on
how to manage the crisis."
There is a short webinar available for free viewing,
as well as a detailed toolkit
for Canadian entrepreneurs.
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Here are a few links to articles we've been reading lately -
something a little beyond the everyday news, to keep us thinking.
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Canadian Institute for Climate Choices
Climate Change vs. Economic Growth in a Time of Crisis
"While some have seen the reduction of greenhouse gases and air pollution resulting from a pandemic-driven pause in economic
activity as a possible longer-term solution,
others have been calling for a halt to climate change policies in the face of a massive
economic shock. Neither is good policy.
The best outcomes for Canadians necessitate finding ways to address both simultaneously."
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The Guardian
We Can’t Go Back to Normal: How Will Coronavirus
Change the World?
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"Everything feels new, unbelievable, overwhelming. At the same time, it feels as if we’ve walked into an old recurring dream. In a way, we have. We’ve seen it before, on TV and in blockbusters. We knew roughly what it would be like, and somehow this makes the encounter not less strange, but more so.
Every day brings news of developments that, as recently as February, would have felt impossible – the work of years, not mere days. We refresh the news not because of a civic sense that following the news is important, but because so much may have happened since the last refresh. These developments are coming so fast that it’s hard to
remember just how radical they are."
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Missed our Most Recent Sessions?
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Watch any of our recent sessions from the safety of your home!
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