Village Gamer

Ottawa – The Honourable Helena Guergis, Minister of State (Status of Women), today announced federal support for a project entitled Supporting Women’s Leadership in the Advanced Technology Sectors. Run by the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance, Women in Technology (CATA WIT), the project will encourage more women to consider the advanced technology field, and help those women already working in the field to improve the skills, knowledge and expertise they need for success.

CATA WIT will receive $405,000 over two fiscal years for the project entitled Supporting Women’s Leadership in the Advanced Technology Sectors. It will use mentoring and other tools to help break down barriers facing women. During the project:

• 135 women will participate in development and mentorship workshops on networking
and improved leadership skills;
• 75 women will help identify leading practices for women in the sector;
• 60 women will help develop the tools that support and promote the participation of
women; and
• 25,000 men and women business leaders will increase their knowledge of best practices
with respect to growth-oriented, women-owned firms.

“This industry is growing by leaps and bounds – estimates are that up to 89,000 new information
and communications technology jobs will be created over the next three to five years,” said
Minister Guergis. “There are thousands of women ready to explore and expand the opportunities
available to them in this exciting sector of our economy. Through partnerships with organizations
like CATA WIT, our Government is working to ensure that those women have the tools they need to succeed in this field – for when women prosper, Canada prospers.”

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LOOK OUT WHISTLER – THERE ARE NEW PRODUCERS IN TOWN

Toronto – The Whistler Film Festival presents, in association with Telefilm Canada, the Canadian Film Centre’s GO WEST Project Lab, an intense five-day business and marketplace immersion experience held in Whistler June 21-25, 2009. The CFC GO WEST Project Lab is open only to western-Canada-based producers (from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the Yukon) and is intended to advance a producer’s dramatic feature project, facilitate relationships and collaboration on and investment in film projects that have US & international appeal. The deadline application for the Project Lab is April 6th, 2009.

“We are once again excited to showcase the many skills and projects of western-based producers,” said CFC Director of Film & TV Programs, Kathryn Emslie.”The CFC GO WEST Project Lab strives to build strong collaboration between Canadian talent and industry professionals that will create widespread appeal in Canadian and international markets.”

“The CFC GO WEST Project Lab is unique in Canada, providing western-based producers with invaluable project feedback as well as insights into the international marketplace from some of the best in the industry,” says WFF Director Shauna Hardy Mishaw. “We are thrilled to collaborate on this initiative with the Canadian Film Centre.”
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A Good Life for Youth with Disabilities Beyond High School

Toronto – PLAN Institute for Caring Citizenship and TakingITGlobal announced today the launch of a new online community to support young people with disabilities. BeyondGraduation.ca is a facilitated online community focusing on employment and ensuring opportunities for contribution and community engagement beyond high school.

“Beyond Graduation is about providing a safe and comfortable environment for young people to share inspiring stories and plan for a bright future” says Jennifer Corriero, co-Founder and Executive Director of TakingITGlobal. “It provides youth and their families networking tools and resources, enabling access to the available opportunities that can help them reach their goals.”

Community building is an important component of the new social networking site. Connecting members to each other creates a support network of friends who share their experiences. TakingITGlobal used its expertise in managing a global online community for social change to inform the development of BeyondGraduation.ca.

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Vancouver – The March 22 launch of the Pokémon™ Platinum Version video game for the Nintendo DS™ system is almost upon us, and Pokémon fans are already buzzing with anticipation. This new game in the storied franchise brings a host of new features, including the mysterious new Distortion world, never-before-seen forms of powerful Pokémon, exciting online games in the all-new Wi-Fi Plaza and strategic battles that are the hallmark of the main Pokémon game series.

“Some of the world’s most faithful fans are Pokémon enthusiasts,” said Ron Bertram, Nintendo of Canada’s vice-president and general manager. “Pokémon Diamond Version and Pokémon Pearl Version, the two previous releases in the core Pokémon series, have sold over 5.3 million copies in North America. With Pokémon Platinum Version, fans will be excited to see Giratina in its Origin Forme and lots of other fun and new experiences.”

It has been over a decade since the Pokémon series launched in Canada and close to 2 million Pokémon video games have been sold here. Since their debut, Pokémon video games have become one of the top three video game licenses in Canada, along with NHL licensed video games and Mario™ himself. But the devotion Canadians have for the franchise extends beyond video games; along with the Pokémon Trading Card game and licensed products including clothing and figurines, fans can also enjoy the Pokémon animated TV series and a host of movies.
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Toronto – Equipped with an amazing array of gadgets, including a mallet-wielding robot arm and spring-loaded shoes, the world’s first bionic detective, Inspector Gadget™ has crash landed onto Apple iPhone and iPod touch devices and is available from the AppStore for $5.99.

Inspector Gadget makes its iPhone debut with a little help from Namco Bandai Networks Europe, who developed the game in conjunction with Cookie Jar Entertainment, the producer of the hit cartoon series. The game is being published internationally for Apple iPhone and iPod touch devices by Namco Networks America, a publisher and developer of mobile games and entertainment for mass-market casual gamers.

Using various gadgets and gizmos, players help guide the world’s most absent-minded detective battle against the evil Dr. Claw in a classic platform action game. Players guide the Inspector in his mission across six action packed levels and six mini-games. The game features both Story mode and Quick Play mode, which allows players to play previously unlocked levels.
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