Commonwealth

Brian Mulroney should be recognized for increasing the impact of the Francophonie

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, commonly known as the Francophonie, represents French-speaking countries and regions worldwide.

Key Points: 
  • The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, commonly known as the Francophonie, represents French-speaking countries and regions worldwide.
  • Despite enduring criticism about its bureaucratic nature, the Francophonie’s origins date back to the establishment of the first multilateral francophone agency in Niger in March 1970 and was born of political debate and consensus.
  • Read more:
    Brian Mulroney, champion of free trade, brought Canada closer to the U.S. during his reign as prime minister

A political transition in France and Canada

  • In Canada, Brian Mulroney won the Progressive Conservative Party leadership and became a federal MP after winning a byelection in Nova Scotia in 1983.
  • Mulroney’s roots in Baie Comeau and his acknowledgement of Québec’s distinctiveness set the stage for improved relations between Canada, Québec and France.
  • His tenure as prime minister marked a pivotal shift in Canada’s approach to the Francophonie and its relations with France.

The Versailles summit

  • The first Francophonie summit took place in Versailles in 1986 and Canada played a significant role.
  • Many experts believe the Versailles summit strengthened the geopolitical impact of the Francophonie’s institutions.
  • The heads of state and government who gathered in Versailles in 1986 accepted Mulroney’s proposal to host a second summit in Québec.

The Québec City summit

  • The second Francophonie summit in 1987 in Québec City also presented an opportunity to build closer ties between the province and the rest of Canada.
  • He also hosted the 1987 Commonwealth Summit in Vancouver, where he used his diplomatic skills to further condemn the apartheid regime of South Africa.
  • As Mulroney prepared for the Québec City Francophonie summit, the Meech Lake Accord recognized the province as a distinct society.

Proud Canadian and Francophile

  • That included a call to erase a portion of the public debt of African members of the Francophonie at the Dakar summit in 1989.
  • The late prime minister was among them in transforming the organization into the substantive geopolitical entity that it is today.


Christophe Premat received funding from the Nordic and Baltic Cooperation with the educational grant Nordplus for the years 2020-2022. With the help of this grant, he created an introductory online course on Canadian Studies.

EQS-News: German Research Institute Confirms Recycled Graphite Performance

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

EcoGraf contributed its environmentally superior HFfree processing expertise to the research program and purified the recovered graphite particles to battery grade specification.

Key Points: 
  • EcoGraf contributed its environmentally superior HFfree processing expertise to the research program and purified the recovered graphite particles to battery grade specification.
  • The German Government funded program then compared the electrochemical performance of the recycled EcoGraf HFfree™ graphite with a number of commercial battery graphite products.
  • One of EcoGraf's innovative strategies involves blending recycled graphite with high-quality Tanzanian graphite for manufacturing anodes, thereby advancing sustainable battery solutions and ensuring high performance in lithium-ion cells.
  • The research program was undertaken in Germany, through a collaboration between the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) and the Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU).

CPS Technologies Announces MMAP Award

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 4, 2024

NORTON, Mass., March 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CPS Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:CPSH) (“CPS” or the “Company”) today announced it has received an award from the Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerate Program (“MMAP”) in response to a proposal submitted by the Company in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Key Points: 
  • NORTON, Mass., March 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CPS Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:CPSH) (“CPS” or the “Company”) today announced it has received an award from the Massachusetts Manufacturing Accelerate Program (“MMAP”) in response to a proposal submitted by the Company in the fourth quarter of 2023.
  • The award, valued at $200,000, will support the purchase of a 5-axis CNC machine and expand the Company’s manufacturing capabilities to better serve its clients.
  • This new capability will build on the Company’s core competencies while enabling CPS to fulfill a new generation of customer requirements and capture additional business.
  • We are proud to receive this award from MMAP and look forward to passing on the benefits that a 5-axis CNC provides through expanded offerings to our customers.”

EKU Pre-Med Student Aspires to Serve Eastern Kentucky Community

Retrieved on: 
Friday, March 1, 2024

House Bill 407 passed the Kentucky House of Representatives 91-0 on February 15 and now awaits a vote by the Kentucky Senate.

Key Points: 
  • House Bill 407 passed the Kentucky House of Representatives 91-0 on February 15 and now awaits a vote by the Kentucky Senate.
  • Today, only 17% of primary care physicians practice in rural areas of the state, according to the Kentucky Physician Report.
  • After completing her education, Jones’ hope is to return to Barbourville to work, because she wants to serve the people of her Eastern Kentucky community.
  • Eastern Kentucky University is a student-centered, comprehensive regional university dedicated to high-quality instruction, service and scholarship serving approximately 15,000 students.

Methodist Healthcare Ministries Receives 2024 Governor’s Texas Award for Performance Excellence

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 27, 2024

San Antonio, TX, Feb. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. (MHM) has been selected to receive the 2024 Governor’s Texas Award for Performance Excellence (TAPE) by the Quality Texas Foundation Regional Program (QTFRP).

Key Points: 
  • San Antonio, TX, Feb. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. (MHM) has been selected to receive the 2024 Governor’s Texas Award for Performance Excellence (TAPE) by the Quality Texas Foundation Regional Program (QTFRP).
  • MHM is one of two Texas organizations receiving this honor in 2024.
  • QTFRP recognizes the most outstanding organizations regarding best business practices following the National Malcolm Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence.
  • “This honor affirms that Methodist Healthcare Ministries is heading in the right direction, as we continue our excellence journey and we are now recognized as a role model organization demonstrating exceptional performance in all areas of management and operations,” said Jaime Wesolowski, President & CEO of Methodist Healthcare Ministries.

Pace-O-Matic Congratulates Casino Industry on Record Profits

Retrieved on: 
Friday, February 23, 2024

The U.S. casino industry recently reported a record $66.5 billion in winnings for 2023.

Key Points: 
  • The U.S. casino industry recently reported a record $66.5 billion in winnings for 2023.
  • While casino reps curiously blame skill games for “losses”, in 2023, Pennsylvania casinos brought in a record $5.7 billion in revenue from gambling.
  • "It's not every day you see such record profits.
  • "The casino industry continues to attack skill games for loss of revenue, yet these losses don’t seem to appear in any of their reporting.

Commonwealth of Virginia Selects Voltus as its Demand Response Provider

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Voltus was selected by Virginia Energy to help participating Commonwealth facilities earn revenue and generate savings by reducing electricity use in response to grid signals, such as high demand, inadequate supply, high prices and high emissions.

Key Points: 
  • Voltus was selected by Virginia Energy to help participating Commonwealth facilities earn revenue and generate savings by reducing electricity use in response to grid signals, such as high demand, inadequate supply, high prices and high emissions.
  • The Voltus platform will enhance performance during dispatches, track demand response earnings and avoided carbon emissions, and identify new energy efficiency and demand response opportunities, thus creating an increased financial opportunity for Commonwealth facilities.
  • “Most of our existing customers, like the Commonwealth, participated in PJM demand response programs for years prior to partnering with Voltus.
  • Voltus is deeply committed to delivering more demand response value to our customers, in some cases tripling demand response value compared to previous providers.

Metrc Announces New Track-And-Trace Government Contract with the Commonwealth of Kentucky

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, February 21, 2024

In March of this year, Governor Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 47, legalizing medical cannabis in the commonwealth effective January 1, 2025.

Key Points: 
  • In March of this year, Governor Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 47, legalizing medical cannabis in the commonwealth effective January 1, 2025.
  • Seamless data tracking in Metrc also helps operators optimize inventory control, accurately report sales data, and improve cultivation management.
  • “As Kentucky works to establish its medical cannabis market, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to launch the state’s first-ever track-and-trace program,” said Michael Johnson, CEO at Metrc .
  • Metrc continues to be the favored partner of regulators and businesses in serving their unique needs and goals.

Avangrid Releases Kitty Hawk Wind Economic Impact Report

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 7, 2024

Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, today announced the release of a comprehensive economic assessment, the Kitty Hawk Wind: Economic & Fiscal Impact report.

Key Points: 
  • Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, today announced the release of a comprehensive economic assessment, the Kitty Hawk Wind: Economic & Fiscal Impact report.
  • The report finds that the Kitty Hawk Wind project will deliver approximately $4.8 billion in economic impact across Virginia, including $1.2 billion in the City of Virginia Beach.
  • “Kitty Hawk Wind is a transformational opportunity for Virginia and offers significant economic benefit to the City of Virginia Beach and the entire Hampton Roads region,” said Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra.
  • The Kitty Hawk Wind: Economic & Fiscal Impact report was prepared by Chmura Economics & Analytics, a top labor market data and analysis software consultant based in Richmond, VA.

Eastern Bank Announces DPV Transportation (DPV) As A Commercial Banking Customer

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Eastern Bank is pleased to announce global ground transportation company DPV Transportation, Inc. (DPV) as a new commercial banking customer.

Key Points: 
  • Eastern Bank is pleased to announce global ground transportation company DPV Transportation, Inc. (DPV) as a new commercial banking customer.
  • After working with Eastern Bank as a small business banking customer during its start-up, DPV is now transitioning to the bank’s commercial banking portfolio.
  • By working with community-focused banks like Eastern Bank, we are able to create financing packages that meet the needs of our clients.”
    Greg Buscone, Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Banking Officer of Eastern Bank, added, “MassDevelopment leads important work involving the expansion of businesses in our community, and we appreciate their additional financing as we proudly announce DPV Transportation as a commercial banking customer.
  • The Commercial Banking team advising DPV Transportation includes Executive Vice President, Chief Commercial Banking Officer Greg Buscone; Senior Vice President and Commercial Group Director Dan Field; Senior Vice President and Commercial Relationship Manager David Nussbaum; and Commercial Portfolio Manager Tom Barcikowski.