In Brief

JENELLE PETRINCHUK STAFF

Norrie re-elected

William Norrie has been reelected for a third term as university chancellor at the University of Manitoba, beginning June 1, 2007. Like his past two, his third term will last for three years.

Norrie, who also served as mayor of Winnipeg from 1979 to 1992, was elected by the chancellor selection committee, which consists of members of the Board of Governors and the university senate. Terry Sargeant, chair of the Board of Governors and of the selections committee, made the announcement on April 4.

President and vice-chancellor of the U of M, Emöke Szathmáry, made the following statement in a university press release: “I am pleased that Dr. Norrie has been re-elected as chancellor. Both he and his wife, Helen Norrie, have represented our University exceptionally well to a community that holds them both in very high regard.”

Among other positions, Norrie served as president of UMSU from 1952 to 1953 and completed a law degree at the U of M in 1955.

U of M grad first aboriginal female judge

Doreen Redhead, a University of Manitoba Law School graduate, is now the first female aboriginal judge ever to be appointed in Manitoba, as reported in the Winnipeg Free Press.

Redhead received her degree in 1996.

Attorney General Dave Chomiak selected Redhead from a list provided by an independent judicial nominating committee that included representatives of the Law Society of Manitoba and the Canadian Bar Association.

$3-million for health research at the U of M

The Canadian Institutes of health Research (CIHR) announced $3 million to nine health research projects at the University of Manitoba on April 5. The projects will be funded through periods of one to five years.

CIHR is a department of the federal government focused on health research. The organization proves support to thousands of researchers.

Researchers that have received funding include Jitender Sareen and Brenda Elias for work with First Nations communities and suicide prevention strategies and Susan McClement for her studies on ethical issues that arise when health care aides are working with dying patients.

New food bank association

The fight towards feeding the hungry has taken another step forward with the formation of a new provincial association. The Manitoba Association of Food Banks (MAFB) is a combination of provincial food banks that will also work closely with the Canadian Association of Food Banks (CAFB).

Winnipeg Harvest, a leading Manitoba food bank and member of the new association claims the MAFB will be focused on sharing food, supporting people, and working for a systemic change.

“Children are hungry . . . still” is the common voice of the groups in the association, according to spokesperson David Northcott of Winnipeg Harvest.