FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2010 -– Toronto, Canada

Dear Office-Politics, the game everyone plays is the winner of a 2010 Axiom Business Book Award.

Franke James’ innovative game-book was awarded the Bronze Medal in the HR/Employee Training category. Dear Office-Politics is a role-playing game that encourages lively discussion of workplace issues. It helps people exercise their ethical muscles, analyze power, increase empathy, and understand why the “right” course of action is actually in their — and the company’s best interests.

Author Franke James responded, “It’s really exciting that Axiom chose to recognize Dear Office-Politics — because it’s a radical departure from standard business books. It’s a Game and a Book — all rolled into one. It’s filled with fun, splashy, full-color graphics. It looks very entertaining. But at its core, it’s an educational, training game that sneaks up and surprises people. You can learn a lot by observing how your coworkers “explain” their ethical decisions. And gain deeper insight — and empathy — into why people behave the way they do.

“So, it’s just great fun that Axiom chose to give it an award. I’m thrilled! On behalf of all the Office-Politics advisers who have helped me in creating this book — and the many people who have written into the site since 2002, I want to thank Axiom for this award! Yeah!! It’s a special victory. Thank you!”

Axiom Award Honors the Best Business Books in North America

The Axiom Business Book Awards are dedicated to identifying the best business books published each year for the North American market. The awards are highly competitive and attract entries from a wide range of publishers. The Axiom Awards are the only U.S.-based award contest focused solely on business books. The awards are presented by Jenkins Group Inc., a Michigan-based book publishing company that has operated the IPPY Book Awards since 1996. Sponsors also include Inc. Magazine and PR firm, Padilla Speer Beardsley.

Dear Office-Politics merges education and entertainment to teach ethics

Dear Office-Politics, the game everyone plays is the dilemma-based social game that teaches you how to play (and laugh at) office politics. Players step into the role of “Office-Politics Advisers” and offer their best, sage advice on thorny issues (drawing on the well-known fact that everyone knows what the other person should do to fix their problems!) It provides a safe way to discuss difficult workplace issues, as well as the opportunity to practice ethical decision-making and creative problem-solving. (And it gives workers the opportunity to observe how their colleagues make ethical decisions — which can be very revealing!) (more…)

Prime Minister Stephen Harper
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What Canadians Can Do

If you’re a Canadian reading this, here’s the action plan from CLIMATE ACTION NETWORK CANADA:

1. Take action to make sure your federal elected official:
   a) Signs the Kyoto Plus Pledge For Elected Officials
   b) Supports and implements the Climate Change Accountability Act

   The Climate Change Accountability Act is currently moving through Parliament. The bill asks Canada to commit to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 and define Canada’s approach to climate change moving into the climate treaty negotiations in Copenhagen.

   Contact Your Federal MP:
   You can find your Member of Parliament using your postal code

2. Educate your friends, colleagues and co-workers about the need to take action on climate change NOW!
3. Attend events in your area hosted by CAN member groups. Also check out The World Wants a Real Deal
   
4. Contact CAN members to find out more ways to get involved
5. Sign the petition at kyotoplus.ca

Visual Essay Credits:

“Fat Cat Canada’s Giant Litter Box” © 2009 Franke James

Photographs, illustrations and writing by Franke James, MFA, except as noted below in order of appearance:

Tailing Ponds illustration features: photo © 2005 The Pembina Institute, Dan Woynillowicz OilSandsWatch.org

“Big as England” illustration features: Tar sands photo by © Jiri Rezac / Greenpeace
Grand Vision illustration uses: Tar sands photo by © EM / Greenpeace

“Sewer Sky” illustration features: Tar sands photo by © Jiri Rezac / Greenpeace

Scaling Parliament Buildings in Ottawa: December 7, 2009 ©Greenpeace Canada

Background Research & Resources:

My thanks to the following people and organizations who helped with research reports and photographs for this essay: Andrew Nikiforuk, Gavin Dew at desmogblog, Greenpeace Canada and Pembina Institute.

Shared Values: Canadians & Sustainability national study by Hoggan & Associates, 2006-2009

Building on a comprehensive national study that began five years ago, this new 2009 survey examines the views of 4,368 Canadians as well as 1,000 of the country’s “thought leaders”senior-level individuals in business, academia, government, non-government organizations, and media. The study explores their beliefs and attitudes about sustainability, global warming and a wide range of social and environmental issues.

Reports

Dirty Oil: How the tar sands are fueling the global climate crisis by Andrew Nikiforuk for Greenpeace, September 2009

Health Canada Report: Harper Government Suppresses Climate Report Now Available Here

Does the Alberta Tar Sands Industry Pollute? The Scientific Evidence
Kevin P. Timoney, and Peter Lee
Cattle statistic: Page 10: “At the Mildred Lake Settling Basin (MLSB), 60-80% of the gas flux across the pond’s surface is due to methane; the pond produces the equivalent methane of 0.5 million cattle/day [11].”

Climate Leadership, Economic Prosperity: Final Report on an Economic Study of Greenhouse Gas Targets and Policies for Canada; The Pembina Institute, October 2009

Taking the Wheel PDF The Pembina Institute [www.oilsandswatch.org]

Survey of Albertans on Oil Sands PDF The Pembina Institute [http://www.oilsandswatch.org]

Carbon 2008 PDF Corporate Knights [www.corporateknights.ca]

[Originally published on Franke James Green Conscience site]