National Adult Literacy Database

(Toronto, ON – August 18, 2010) – During a live press event held earlier today, Ipsos Reid revealed research results of Canadians’ opinions on literacy and life-long learning. Defining literacy as reading, writing and math skills, the research, conducted on behalf of ABC Life Literacy Canada, showed that nine in 10 (90%) Canadians believe that improving literacy levels in Canada is key to improving the country’s economy.

It is a recurrent theme these days that the "baby boomer" generation is beginning to reach the age of retirement. This bulging population has been called a vital cohort for consumer spending and has been designated as a critical target group for politicians trying to garner the most votes.

OTTAWA — With just a few weeks left before the start of the school year, many Canadian post-secondary students say they are worried about making enough money to pay the bills, even though most say working during school will affect their grades, according to an RBC/Ipsos Reid poll released Monday.

OTTAWA, Aug. 12 /CNW Telbec/ - Students and teachers say that a tariff being proposed by Access Copyright - an organisation that licenses literary works to businesses and public institutions - would infringe privacy rights and burden students with tens of millions of dollars in new fees each year.

A New Brunswick woman is being honoured for her work teaching literacy to the mentally ill. Eleanor Kingston, of Miramichi, partnered with the New Brunswick Department of Education in 2003 to develop the first literacy class in the province for people with mental illness.

What do the following careers have in common: conservation officer, wildlife officer, environmental consultant, forestry officer and environmental protection officer?

Organizers of the recent Cultivating Connections Conference held in Edmonton, Alberta, are pleased with the quality of discussion that took place as well as the breadth of perspectives on family literacy that were shared.

What it means to be literate in the 21st century is about much more than just reading and writing — it is about how we communicate in society and how we prepare for a changing world. This is the message being delivered by the Ontario Literacy Coalition as it prepares for its Spotlight on Learning: Becoming Agents of Change conference set for October 18-20, 2010. The conference is a Canada-East initiative to help Canadians prepare for these changes.

FREDERICTON (CNB) – The provincial and federal governments are working with municipal partners to support New Brunswick’s growing knowledge sector with the creation of the Centre of Excellence for Advanced Learning and Technologies (CEALT) in Fredericton.

OTTAWA, July 21 /CNW Telbec/ - Dismissed by generations of parents and educators for being "sub-literate" comic books and graphic novels may hold the key to promoting prose literacy in young boys - who have traditionally lagged behind girls in reading - says the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL).

EDMONTON, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - July 15, 2010) - Improving Canadians' literacy and essential skills will play an important role in developing Canada's workforce and building the country's economy. That was the message Mr. Ed Komarnicki, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, delivered on behalf of Minister Finley at the opening of a national family literacy conference earlier today.

What began as a groundbreaking initiative more than four decades ago by Northrop Frye, one of the greatest literary theorists of the 20th century, is set to become the latest casualty of campus cost-cutting.

EDMONTON, July 12 /CNW Telbec/ - Nine out of ten Canadians favour increased funding for their province's or territory's public elementary and secondary schools, according to a national poll conducted on behalf of the Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF). Results of the biennial National Issues in Education Poll were released today by CTF President Mary-Lou Donnelly at the Federation's President's Forum: The Funding of Public Education: Great Promise, being held today and tomorrow in Edmonton.

July 7, 2010 (Ottawa) – Canada's leading digital literacy organization, Media Awareness Network (MNet), is sounding the alarm that Canada will continue to trail other countries in productivity and innovation unless a national plan for digital literacy is put in place.

Canadians, particularly those of conservative persuasion, love to compare Canada with the United States, which has a lot to learn in the key area of K-12 education. As the United States struggles with mounting deficits and debt, Americans would be well served to look north if they want to raise student performance while saving money. Canadians would be equally well served to understand their own success and expand it.