Entente District 12 Norfolk

06/15/2026

More family can join
Your immediate family can join Entente Education Canada and access full membership benefits, including the Entente Plus Group Insurance Program. Here’s who can join:
• partner, spouse, ex-spouse
• child, stepchild, child-in-law
• grandchild
• sibling, stepsibling and sibling-in-law
• parent, step-parent and parent-in-law

Know someone who might benefit? They can learn more and apply at entente.ca. They'll need your membership number to apply.
Get answers at the Entente Plus help centre
Have questions about your Entente Plus coverage or need help using the portal? The Entente Plus help centre is a great first stop.
You'll find step-by-step articles on:
• Setting up and navigating your account
• Viewing and submitting claims
• Coverage frequently asked questions
Visit ententeplus.zendesk.com anytime.

06/12/2026

Manage your coverage on the go

The Entente Plus mobile app lets you manage your benefits from your phone — anytime, anywhere.
Use the app to submit claims, check your coverage, view your claims history and more. Log in using the same credentials as your Entente Plus portal account.
Download the Entente Plus app today — search "Entente Plus" in the Apple App Store or Google Play.

06/11/2026

A new chapter for the Entente Foundation as they bring their new strategic plan to life

The Entente Foundation is extremely excited about the next three years as they embark on a renewed mission. They will fund, share, and celebrate research, innovation, and community initiatives that build healthy, connected communities engaged in lifelong learning.
They continue to honour their roots in healthy aging, yet moving forward, they will embark on new opportunities that expand their reach, deepen community impact, and provide more inspiring Entente Education Canada members ways to give. These initiatives will position the foundation for renewed growth. Their impact areas reflect this expanded vision, connecting individuals, communities, and what Entente Education Canada members value most.
Purpose: The Entente Foundation exists to amplify the values and generosity of Entente Education Canada members and partners through collective philanthropy and innovative community impact, helping to create a Canada where everyone can live well, learn well, and age well.

Mission: To fund, share, and celebrate research, innovation, and community initiatives that build healthy, connected communities engaged in lifelong learning.

Vision: A Canada where communities foster learning, well-being, and connection across generations, creating places where people can grow, thrive, and give back.

Their Strategic Plan 2028 follows the philosophy of three overarching goals that will guide their work from 2026 – 2028.:
• Significantly increase the number of Entente Education Canada members and philanthropic partners who contribute to the Foundation
• Expand our ability to fund impactful learning initiatives and enhance the well-being of older adults across Canada
• Reinforce the value and connection that members feel toward Entente Education Canada through our shared impact

By 2029, the Entente Foundation will be a recognized national leader in advancing connection, learning and healthy aging through philanthropic giving, evidence-based action, and powerful partnerships.

Here in District 12 Norfolk, we plan to increase the number of donors to a modest 5% or about 32. We currently sit at 2%. Let's take up this worthy cause and meet this challenge!

06/10/2026

A year of growth, change and community: 2025 Annual Report is here
A new name. Nearly 5,000 new members. Over $194,000 invested in scholarships and community grants. And a five-year strategic plan — completed.
Entente Education Canada's 2025 Annual Report is now available, and the numbers tell a compelling story: a national community that keeps growing, a trusted voice that keeps showing up, and a commitment to members that hasn't wavered through a year of significant change.
The achievements in this report belong to the community that made them possible. Read the full report at annualreport.entente.ca to reflect on what we’re building together.

06/09/2026

Supporting the next generation of aging researchers

This summer, Entente Education Canada's Summer Scholars program welcomes two doctoral students to the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) at Toronto Metropolitan University — continuing a partnership that began in 2020 as a long-range investment in the well-being of older adults in Canada and beyond.
"Helping to support the next generation of aging researchers and practitioners is one of the most important things we can do," says CEO Glenn O'Farrell. "The work the NIA and others are doing — on equity, policy and how we care for one another as we age — matters deeply."
This year's scholars are Hannah Gans, a PhD student in Social Psychology at the University of Toronto, whose research examines ageism and intersectionality, and Firoozeh Bairami, a PhD candidate in Health at Dalhousie University, contributing to aging policy research and the Cost of Aging Calculator.
Since 2020, Entente has invested more than $100,000 in the program. Meet this year's scholars:

Two graduate students will join the world-class team at National Institute on Ageing (NIA) at Toronto Metropolitan University this summer through the Entente Education Canada […]

06/08/2026

Crafting connection: How creative practices sustain traditional knowledge
Written by Shaneeka Forrester, Cree artist, mother and advocate from Brunswick House First Nation, planting roots in Simcoe County, Ontario.
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the programs offered within the communities I have been part of. Many of these initiatives centre on creative practices that incorporate cultural teachings and traditional knowledge. Even when I was a youth, the programs I joined paired hands-on creation with the transmission of teachings. To some non-Indigenous observers, this type of programming may appear to be simple arts and crafts. But within every creative practice I have experienced, there are deep, intentional connections to traditional knowledge that shape identity, belonging, and understanding.
Dreamcatchers carry stories of wisdom from some of Creator's smallest beings, guiding and protecting us through dream time. Turtle shell rattles speak to the creation of Turtle Island and the traditional calendar that resides upon the turtle's shell. These teachings are not just symbolic; they are living reminders of our relationships with the land, the animals and the stories that have sustained our people for generations. Each activity I have taken part in has fed and nurtured my spirit, creating space for healing, connection and the restoration of knowledge that might otherwise be lost or overlooked.
As I continue on my life’s journey, I find myself increasingly fascinated by these practices of knowledge transmission. I notice how teachings move through cultures, how they shift and how they adapt, yet always remain rooted in connection. These practices foster revitalization through knowing, remembering, and creating; they remind us that learning is not only intellectual but also deeply relational.
As you sit with your own reflections, I invite you to consider this: are there knowledge traditions within your culture that have shaped who you are?

06/05/2026

Today is World Environment Day. Entente Education Canada continues to advocate for Environmental Stewardship. See our White Paper here https://entente.ca/community/advocacy/environment/

and learn more about this issue at
https://www.worldenvironmentday.global

World Environment Day is the United Nations day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment.

06/04/2026

Celebrate the end of another school year and congratulate our active members. It's Report Card Therapy Time!

06/02/2026

From May 31 to June 6, 2026, join us on social media using . Celebrate and safeguard our environment and take action to protect the places we love.

Some special days include:

June 3: Canada's Clean Air Day
June 5: United Nations World Environment Day
Solutions for a healthier environment

Canadian Environment Week highlights the collective efforts we are taking, both at home and around the world, to build a healthier, more sustainable future. Environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and plastic pollution do not stop at borders.

Canada has the second largest land mass and the longest coastline in the world. Our actions at home have impacts on a global scale. Our commitment to protect 30% of lands and waters by 2030 matters well beyond our borders. When Canada protects nature, we help protect a meaningful share of the planet’s remaining intact ecosystems. Learn more about our plan to do just that by reading A Force of Nature: Canada's Strategy to Protect Nature.

Caring for our shared planet is a global responsibility. Protecting it requires cooperation, both internationally and at home. Canada is working with global partners to advance solutions, such as:

tackling plastic waste
supporting a circular economy
strengthening climate action
protecting nature
These efforts complement actions at home and help drive meaningful progress worldwide.

Clean Air Day in Canada
In Canada, Clean Air Day is celebrated on the first Wednesday of June. On June 3, we will take the time to recognize the importance of clean air for our health, the environment and the economy. Climate change is resulting in longer and drier summers, which contributes to increased wildfire risk. During wildfire events, Environment and Climate Change Canada may issue air quality advisories and warnings when wildfire smoke threatens our communities. Learn more about air quality in your community and what you can do to help protect the air we breathe.

06/01/2026

Entente Education Canada is committed to building and fostering an organization which values diversity, equity and inclusion by encouraging respect for dignity, beliefs and ideas consistent with the principles outlined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

This policy applies to all Entente members, including Board and Committee leaders, all staff as well as individuals acting on behalf of Entente.

Policy objectives
Entente is dedicated to:
the removal of barriers
the elimination of discrimination and harassment
the training and promotion throughout the organization of diversity, equity and inclusion

Definitions
For purposes of this policy, the following definitions apply.

Equity – Equity is the result of a comprehensive pro-active strategy designed to ensure that all members of society have fair and equitable access to opportunities. Equity initiatives may include removing or neutralizing barriers that might limit the participation of individuals in Entente.

Diversity – Diversity refers to characteristics that make people different from each other. As listed in the Ontario Human Rights Code, these differences include race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, s*x, s*xual orientation, age, marital status, family status or disability. Diversity is about the individual, it is about the variety of unique dimensions, qualities, and characteristics we all possess.

Inclusion – Inclusion is about the collective culture in the organization. It is about creating a culture that strives for equity and embraces, respects, includes and values differences.

Barriers – A barrier means anything that prevents a person from fully participating because of a disability. Barriers are often hidden in the rules, procedures, policies and operations of organizations. These barriers limit an individual’s access to services, programs, facilities, as well as the economic, social and cultural participation of people with visible or invisible diversity. Barriers prevent underrepresented groups from maximizing their contribution to the organization.

Canadians are invited to celebrate and participate in Pride Season festivities and events.