When you express your personal opinion in an online forum, you must be as courteous as if you were speaking with someone face-to-face. Insults and personal attacks will not be tolerated. To disagree with an opinion, an idea or an event is one thing, but to show disrespect for other people is quite another. Great minds don't always think alike - and that's precisely what makes online dialogue so interesting and valuable.

Netiquette is the set of rules of conduct governing how you should behave when communicating via the Internet. Before you post a message to a blog or forum, it's important to read and understand these rules. Otherwise, you may be banned from posting.

  1. RCInet.ca's online forums are not anonymous. Users must register, and give their full name and place of residence, which are displayed alongside each of their comments. RCInet.ca reserves the right not to publish comments if there is any doubt as to the identity of their author.
  2. Assuming the identity of another person with intent to mislead or cause harm is a serious infraction that may result in the offender being banned.
  3. RCInet.ca's online forums are open to everyone, without regard to age, ethnic origin, religion, gender or sexual orientation.
  4. Comments that are defamatory, hateful, racist, xenophobic, sexist, or that disparage an ethnic origin, religious affiliation or age group will not be published.
  5. In online speak, writing in ALL CAPS is considered yelling, and may be interpreted as aggressive behaviour, which is unpleasant for the people reading. Any message containing one or more words in all caps (except for initialisms and acronyms) will be rejected, as will any message containing one or more words in bold, italic or underlined characters.
  6. Use of vulgar, obscene or objectionable language is prohibited. Forums are public places and your comments could offend some users. People who use inappropriate language will be banned.
  7. Mutual respect is essential among users. Insulting, threatening or harassing another user is prohibited. You can express your disagreement with an idea without attacking anyone.
  8. Exchanging arguments and opposing views is a key component of healthy debate, but it should not turn into a dialogue or private discussion between two users who address each other without regard for the other participants. Messages of this type will not be posted.
  9. Radio Canada International publishes contents in seven languages. The language used in the forums has to be the same as the contents we publish. The usage of other languages, with the exception of some words, is forbidden.
  10. Messages that are off-topic will not be published.
  11. Making repetitive posts disrupts the flow of discussions and will not be tolerated.
  12. Adding images or any other type of file to comments is forbidden. Including hyperlinks to other websites is allowed, as long as they comply with netiquette. Radio Canada International is in no way responsible for the content of such sites, however.
  13. Copying and pasting text written by someone else, even if you credit the author, is unacceptable if that text makes up the majority of your comment.
  14. Posting any type of advertising or call to action, in any form, to Radio Canada International forums is prohibited.
  15. All comments and other types of content are moderated before publication. Radio Canada International reserves the right to refuse any comment for publication.
  16. Radio Canada International reserves the right to close a forum at any time, without notice.
  17. Radio Canada International reserves the right to amend this code of conduct (netiquette) at any time, without notice.
  18. By participating in its online forums, you allow Radio Canada International to publish your comments on the web for an indefinite time. This also implies that these messages will be indexed by Internet search engines.
  19. Radio Canada International has no obligation to remove your messages from the web if one day you request it. We invite you to carefully consider your comments and the consequences of their posting.

Canadian film makers to restore Liberia’s photographic heritage.

Posted on May 2nd, 2012

 

Young Andrew and Jeff Topham in Liberia with their pet chimp Evelyn. 

The Vues d’Afrique International Film Festival, an annual festival of African and Creole film, is currently underway in Montreal. One film featured there, Liberia 77, tells the tale Canadian brothers who spent part of their childhood in Liberia. The brothers, Jeff and Andrew Topham, decided to revisit the country captured in their father’s photographs only to find that the country that had given them those fond memories had lost its own photographic heritage during two decades of civil war that ended in 2003. Our Africa page editor, Awa Dlodlo reports. 

Liberia's President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf (left) with Jeff and Andrew Topham in Montrovia, Liberia in 2010.

http://liberia77.com/ 
http://www.vuesdafrique.org/

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

 

Bookmark and Share

South African scholar wants to help deaf children.

Posted on April 20th, 2012

Simangele Mabena.

 Earlier this week, Awa Dlodlo introduced us to a Canadian grant recipient who hopes to influence policy makers in Africa. Today, she joins Marc Montgomery to talk about another achiever, a young South African woman who won a prestigious Sauvé Scholarship.http://www.sauvescholars.org/en

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Group photo of 2011-2012 Sauvé Scholars. Photo: Tristan Brand.

 

Bookmark and Share

Canadian grant programme supports research in Africa.

Posted on April 18th, 2012

The Africa Initiative has awarded 15 research grants to Canadians and Africans. The research will focus on solving challenging issues faced by African countries including conflict resolution, energy, food security, health and migration, and climate change. Our Link Africa reporter, Awa Dlodlo spoke with one of the grant recipients.  
www.africaportal.org/research

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Bookmark and Share

Business course helps Quebec immigrant women spend more time with their children.

Posted on April 17th, 2012

The Centre d’encadrement pour jeunes femmes immigrantes (CEJFI) is an organisation whose mission it is to improve the living conditions of young immigrant women.  The Link’s Africa page web editor Awa Dlodlo tells us about a special CEJFI course that helps women start a day care business.  http://www.cejfi.org/

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Bookmark and Share

Mobile clinics offer health care to truckers and sex workers.

Posted on April 4th, 2012

 

As dusk falls, nurse Chama Kangumu counsels a client prior to doing an HIV test in the special container clinic (Roadside Wellness Centre), which is run by North Star Alliance close to the border in Chirundu. This is a transit point on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. It is a HIV transmission hotspot and it has become notorious for its congestion. Photograph: Gideon Mendel.

Truckers and sex workers in Africa are vulnerable to various diseases, but thanks to mobile clinics they now have access to much needed medical care given by a non-governmental organisation called North Star Alliance.   The Link’s Africa page editor Awa Dlodlo has the story http://www.northstar-alliance.org

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

A view of the road leading up to the border post in Chirundu. It is a key transit point of the trucking route from South Africa through to East Africa. Hudreds of trucks try to pass through this border every day. Drivers often end up having to spend days, even weeks in this hot uncomfortable place waiting for customs clearance. Photograph: Gideon Mendel.

 

Bookmark and Share

Dancers incorporate South African gumboot dance with traditional Quebec gigue.

Posted on March 23rd, 2012

Sixteen years ago, Sylvie Mercier fell in love with gumboot dance, a compelling art form conceived by black miners in South Africa during the repressive apartheid era. Today, she fuses gumboot dance and the traditional Quebec gigue in her choreography. The Link’s Africa’s editor, Awa Dlodlo spoke to Mercier about what drew her to this compelling art form.
http://www.bourask.com/compagnie.html

Sylvie Mercier. Photo: Amélie Mélo

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Bookmark and Share

Mozambique-born musician plays with Chiac-Canadian hip-hop band.

Posted on March 16th, 2012

Samito Matsinhe.

Samito Matsinhe came to Canada from his native Mozambique, to continue his studies in music. But he was soon busy playing keyboards with some great musicians on tours around the world. Recently, he joined the Canadian hip-hop band, known as Radio Radio.

He spoke to The Link’s Africa editor, Awa Dlodlo about his experience and how he has made it as a musician on the Canadian music scene.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Bookmark and Share

Canadian uses art to fight HIV/AIDS.

Posted on March 9th, 2012

Hendrikus Bervoets at Reasoma Secondary School in Soweto, South Africa. Photo: Dave Chidley.

Almost ten years ago artist Hendrikus Bervoets, decided to join in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He founded Arts for Aids International, conducting art workshops around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS ,and as a tool to help young people in South Africa talk about HIV/AIDS -related issues in their communities. So far more than 10,000 young people have attended art workshops in over 300 schools in Canada, Europe and Africa. Awa Dlodlo spoke to Hendrikus Bervoets to find out how his workshops are making a difference in young people’s lives. 

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Bervoets at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Dave Chidley.

 

Bookmark and Share

South African becomes resident artist at Montreal visual arts centre.

Posted on February 24th, 2012

Artist Dineo Seshee Bopape with residency coordinator, Esther Bourdages at Darling Foundry in Montreal.

Every year, Montreal’s Darling Foundry visual arts centre chooses a foreign artist to be a resident for six months, and provides that artist with organisational and technical support, promotion and networking opportunities. This year’s resident artist, Dineo Bopape of South Africa, talks about her Canadian experience with The Link’s Africa page editor Awa Dlodlo.http://fonderiedarling.org/index_e.html

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Dineo Bopape's "f for flowers" installation at Durban Art Gallery in 2011.

 

dineo seshee show reel from dineo bopape on Vimeo.

Bookmark and Share

Canadians lend nation-building expertise to South Sudan

Posted on February 22nd, 2012

South Sudanese parliamentarians at a workshop on effective public policy formulation in Juba, South Sudan. Photo by Kennedy Jawoko

By Kennedy Jawoko

JUBA, South Sudan — On a bright and blisteringly hot afternoon in late August in 2011, a few weeks after South Sudan became independent, a group of 50 South Sudanese parliamentarians took part in a workshop on effective policymaking led by Jeffrey Kroeker, a Canadian political consultant. The workshop was part of the ongoing plan to build government institutions in South Sudan.

South Sudan emerged out of Africa’s longest-ever civil war, a war that caused ruinous damage. According to the Africa Medical Research Foundation, 2.5 million people lost their lives, another  four million people emigrated, many of them to Canada where there are now approximately 16,000 South Sudanese Canadians, says Philip Gae, a South Sudanese community leader based in Toronto. Read more…

Bookmark and Share