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“Food sovereignty,” a term conceived by peasant agriculturalists in South America, has become ubiquitous worldwide in academic and activist circles advocating for greater local control over local food. Its use has been adopted by various actors in North America, most notably by agriculturalists that tend to be small-scale, family-run, or permaculture focussed. While Indigenous food sovereignty has emerged as an adaptation of this concept, ecological, economic, social, and political opportunities and constraints in different locations across Turtle Island make its widespread application challenging, especially in contexts where communities do not want, or cannot (for a variety of reasons) eat exclusively from the land. In addition, “food sovereignty” can become a chimera in contexts where the “Crown” has absolute and final “sovereignty” over the land, which they have demonstrated through multiple enforcements across Turtle Island. Using a decolonial feminist lens within a political ecology community of practice, this paper describes and critiques current and historic framings of northern Ontario boreal forests as variously and simultaneously scarce and abundant. It also analyzes the ways that these framings have been discursively and materially constructed through colonial social, ecological, economic, and political impositions. It asks whether the concept of food sovereignty adequately challenges these constructions. Ultimately, this paper suggests that thinking about Indigenous food sovereignty as sovereignty of and through food may better describe the process, importance, and potential inherent in traditional and alternative Indigenous food harvesting and distribution practices in First Nations communities in northern Ontario, and indeed, beyond.

In the Northern Ontario communities of North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, and Timmins, immigrants have organized and run cricket clubs. Using a social inclusion framework, we surveyed players and conducted interviews with players and sponsors to ascertain their perspectives on the impact of cricket on newcomer social inclusion. We find evidence that participation in cricket increases newcomers’ sense of social inclusion and social capital, with sponsorship playing a moderating role. Institutional support and the ability to secure sponsorship are limited by the low profile of the sport in Northern Ontario. As teams balance increasing competitiveness with inclusiveness, cricket has the potential to provide opportunities for interculturalism, mutual learning, and cross-cultural understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a philosophical framework of epistemic injustice and epistemic resistance (Fricker, 2007; Medina, 2013), we examine the recent deaths of nine Indigenous youths in a Northern Ontario city, Thunder Bay. We first document various reports and then we interrogate the impact of this violence on Indigenous communities, considering the egregious impact of epistemic injustice as it plays out on a personal and on a systemic and structural level. We theorise ways to counterbalance this systemic injustice and highlight the current efforts of epistemic resistance within the Indigenous community. We close with discussion around historical responses to this long history of cultural and epistemic genocide and how we can interrogate the structural construction of epistemic injustice and further promote epistemic resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Northern Ontario has a population of approximately 800,000 people distributed over 806,707 km². Before 2018, the only fertility treatment centre in Northern Ontario was located in Thunder Bay; many patients travelled south for care. In 2018, the Northeastern Ontario Women's Health Network (NEOWHN) opened in Sudbury, providing fertility treatments to people living in Northeastern Ontario. The goal of this study was to determine if proximity to this new fertility centre increases one's chance of achieving pregnancy when undergoing fertility treatment. Secondary outcomes included the quantity and types of fertility investigations and treatments completed by patients. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed for all patients seeking fertility treatment at NEOWHN between January 2019 and December 2020. Traveling >100 km to access healthcare was considered to be a clinically significant determinant of health. Results: Seven hundred and 5 patients were seen in consultation for fertility services at NEOWHN during the study period. One hundred eighty-one of 478 (37.9%) patients living <100 km from NEOWHN achieved pregnancy compared to 39 of 227 (17.2%) patients living >100 km from NEOWHN (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Living in proximity (<100 km) to NEOWHN increased the likelihood that individuals in Northeastern Ontario would seek fertility services and would achieve pregnancy. Financial constraints and inaccessibility likely play a role in this, but further studies are needed to explain this difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As embedded researchers in Northern Ontario, Canada, we offer our reflections on Kasaai and colleagues' 2023 "Early Career Outcomes of Embedded Research Fellows: An Analysis of the Health System Impact Fellowship Program." In our commentary, we draw on our experiences and what is known about embedded research training to examine how to build and strengthen the workforce for equity-centered learning health systems. Does our narrow understanding of outcomes and impacts of embedded research training in Canada affect who benefits and which systems can realize the potential of learning health systems? We identify three areas for deeper analysis: outcomes and impacts at the individual, partnership, and system level, knowledge on the social identities and needs of individuals in embedded research partnerships, and research generalism as a complement to embedded research. Our recommendations suggest tailored approaches to strengthen the workforce capacity for equity-centered learning health systems in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined student experiences participating in a peer-led three-day wilderness canoe excursion in Northern Ontario, Canada. This program is a mandatory outdoor experience program (MOEP) for third-year students and is the final course in a progressive series of outdoor experiences offered at the beginning of the first, second, and third year. Guided by principles of realist evaluation, the written reflections from consenting students in the 2015 MOEP cohort were analyzed to identify the contexts and mechanisms associated with enjoyment or lack of enjoyment of their trip. These findings will help improve the MOEP program and have implications for similar intentionally led outdoor programs offered at other higher education institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1850, 17 years before the Dominion of Canada was created, colonial officers in representation of Her Majesty the Queen, concluded Treaty Numbers 60 and 61 with the Anishinaabe Nation of Northern Ontario. The Robinson Treaties—so named after William Benjamin Robinson, a government official—include land cessions made by the Anishinaabe communities in return for ongoing financial support and protection of hunting rights. The land areas included in the treaty are vast territories that surround two of Canada’s great lakes: Lake Superior and Lake Huron. These lands were important for colonial expansion as settlements began to move west across North America. The treaties promised increased annual annuity payments “if and when” the treaty territory produced profits that enabled “the Government of this Province, without incurring loss, to increase the annuity hereby secured to them.” This amount has not been increased in 150 years. This article reviews Restoule v. Canada, a recent Ontario decision brought by Anishinaabe Treaty beneficiaries who seek to affirm these treaty rights. A reading of the Robinson Treaties that implements the original treaty promise and increases annuity payments would be a hopeful outcome of the Restoule v. Canada decision for it would be the implementation of reconciliation. In addition, the Restoule decision has important insights to offer about how Indigenous law can guide modern‐day treaty interpretation just as it guided the adoption of the treaty in 1850. The Robinson Treaties are important for the implementation of treaty promises through Indigenous law and an opportunity to develop a Canada in which Indigenous peoples are true partners in the development and management of natural resources.

Cumulatively, the effects of resource extraction and climate change have the potential to cause an unprecedented change to the ecosystems and livelihoods of Indigenous communities in Canada’s northern regions. Maintaining environmental and community values in the presence of such change will require a comprehensive understanding of potential long-term risks and opportunities to prevent or mitigate risks at the regional level. However, assessing the cumulative impact and benefits of the multiple disturbances at the regional level is complex due to the interaction of numerous drivers, values, actors, assessment scales, planning, and decision-making processes. We develop an integrated risk and cumulative effects (CE) management methodology to inform regional assessment by combining conceptual modelling through bowtie analysis and quantitative scenario analysis using ALCES Online (AO) simulation. We applied the framework using a case example in the Ring of Fire region of northern Ontario, Canada, to assess the CE of climate change, land use change, and wildlife harvest on the moose (Alces alces)-wolf (Canis lupus)-caribou (Rangifer tarandus) prey-predator system. The bowtie risk analysis provided a mechanism to define the management problem by identifying threats that contribute to risk, associated consequences, and specific management strategies that could be pursued under legislative frameworks and changes to maintain the sustainable dynamics of the moose-wolf-caribou system (MWC). The AO simulation of different levels of development and moose harvest, as well a baseline scenario that excluded climate change and development, allowed for a comprehensive examination of the complex processes driving the social-ecological system. The scenario analysis suggests that moose harvest can promote balance in the MWC system but only if applied in a sophisticated manner that limits moose harvest in areas with high road density, increases moose harvest in more remote regions susceptible to moose population expansion with climate change, and prioritizes Indigenous moose harvest to ensure a sustainable supply of moose for subsistence harvest. The case example shows how conceptual and quantitative modelling can provide the strategic perspective required for regional assessment.

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In 1850, 17 years before the Dominion of Canada was created, colonial officers in representation of Her Majesty the Queen, concluded Treaty Numbers 60 and 61 with the Anishinaabe Nation of Northern Ontario. The Robinson Treaties—so named after William Benjamin Robinson, a government official—include land cessions made by the Anishinaabe communities in return for ongoing financial support and protection of hunting rights. The land areas included in the treaty are vast territories that surround two of Canada’s great lakes: Lake Superior and Lake Huron. These lands were important for colonial expansion as settlements began to move west across North America. The treaties promised increased annual annuity payments “if and when” the treaty territory produced profits that enabled “the Government of this Province, without incurring loss, to increase the annuity hereby secured to them.” This amount has not been increased in 150 years. This article reviews Restoule v. Canada, a recent Ontario decision brought by Anishinaabe Treaty beneficiaries who seek to affirm these treaty rights. A reading of the Robinson Treaties that implements the original treaty promise and increases annuity payments would be a hopeful outcome of the Restoule v. Canada decision for it would be the implementation of reconciliation. In addition, the Restoule decision has important insights to offer about how Indigenous law can guide modern‐day treaty interpretation just as it guided the adoption of the treaty in 1850. The Robinson Treaties are important for the implementation of treaty promises through Indigenous law and an opportunity to develop a Canada in which Indigenous peoples are true partners in the development and management of natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This local history of the Wabigoon Basin surveys food security in the region over the longue durée: from the retreat of the glaciers until the imposition of the Indian Act and industrialization in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Synthesizing local history and ethnohistory with recent archaeological and anthropological readings of landscapes managed by Indigenous peoples as anthropogenic spaces, we aim to critique traditional nineteenth-century historiography that saw Canadian landscapes (especially the Canadian Shield) as untouched wilderness before Euro-Canadian agriculture. Here, we use colonization in the 1890s not as a beginning point for history but, rather, as an end point for nine thousand years of Indigenous peoples' food sovereignty, unhindered by bureaucracy and third-party management. We also discuss the conceptual gap between the reality of Indigenous (specifically Ojibwe/Anishinaabeg) farming food production and farming in the Dryden-Wabigoon and Boundary Waters region, within their long history of innovation and adaptation versus Euro-Canadian fantasies of Indigenous stasis and unpopulated wilderness used to justify late-19th-century colonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining activities lead to serious land deterioration and large scale mine waste generation. Reclamation has been carried out on several technogenic materials to encourage the development of soils. To date no detailed studies have been conducted to assess if soil developed in reclaimed tailings can be suitable for microbial community sustainability and associated plant population. This study investigated if 1) soil metal contamination affects microbial biomass and composition in sulphide tailings and 2) phytoremediation of tailing increases microbial abundance, diversity, and function. Microbial biomass was assessed using Phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA). Soil bacterial and fungal microbiota was determined by high throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene for bacteria and internal transcribed spacer region for fungi using the Illumina platform. Total copper, nickel, iron, and titium were higher in unreclaimed sites compared to vegetated areas but the total microbial biomass was significantly higher in reclaimed sites compared to reference areas. More importantly, the levels of microbial biomass were not impacted by metals since the bioavailable Cu, Ni, and Ti were low in all the sites. Site-specific bacterial and fungal genera were identified. Proteobacteria was the most dominant bacterial phylum while Ascomicota was the predominant fungal phylum. Interestinlgy, Acidiferrobacter, an acidophilic, thermotolerant and facultatively anaerobic was the most predominant genus in unreclaimed site that is characterized by extreme acidity (pH = 2.8). Analysis of microbial diversity revealed higher Chao 1, # of OTUs, Shannon index, and species richness in bacterial and fungal populations from reclaimed sites compared to controls. The levels of β-glucosidase (BG), cellobiohydrolase (CBH), β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAGase), aryl sulfatase (AS), acid phosphatase (AP), alkaline phosphatase (AlP), glycine aminopeptidase (GAP), and leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) activities were significantly higher in vegetated sites compared to reference areas. Strong positive correlation coefficients were observed between soil organic matter and total microbial biomass (r = 0.99). These two factors were positively correlated with enzymatic activities and bacterial population diversity. Overall, newly developed soils can sustain diverse microbial communities and associated vegetations.

Sarcoidosis is a rare multisystem granulomatous disease traditionally considered to be of unknown etiology. The notion that sarcoidosis has no known cause is called into question with the increasing number of case reports and epidemiologic studies showing associations between occupational exposures and disease published in the past 10–20 years. Occupational exposures for which associations are strongest and most consistent are silica and other inorganic dusts, World Trade Center (WTC) dust, and metals. Occupations identified as at‐risk for sarcoidosis include construction workers; iron‐foundry and diatomaceous earth workers; WTC emergency responders; and metal workers. We report here 12 cases of sarcoidosis in a cohort of hard‐rock miners in Northern Ontario, Canada. To our knowledge sarcoidosis has not been reported previously in hard‐rock miners. The cases are all male and Caucasian, with average age 74 years. At the time of diagnosis, two were never smokers; six, former smokers; and four, current smokers. Five have extrapulmonary sarcoidosis: two cardiac and three endocrine (hypercalciuria). Using occupational histories and air sampling data from the gold, uranium, and base‐metal mines in which they worked, we examined exposure of each case to respirable crystalline silica (RCS). The annual mean RCS exposure for the 12 cases was 0.14 mg/m3 (range: 0.06–1.3 mg/m3); and the mean cumulative RCS exposure was 1.93 mg/m3 years (range: 0.64–4.03 mg/m3 years). We also considered their exposure to McIntyre Powder, an aluminum powder used for silicosis prophylaxis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Some legacies of colonialism are that Indigenous women living in Canada experience higher rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and that violence is often more severe relative to non-Indigenous women. This results in avoidable physical, psychological, emotional, financial, sexual and spiritual harm in the lives of Indigenous women, families, and communities. Trusted primary care providers are well positioned to provide brief interventions and referrals to treatment and services, but little is known about the providers’ preparedness to support Indigenous women. Information on what enables or prevents providers to respond to Indigenous patients who experience IPV is needed in order to ensure this potential lifeline for support is realized. Methods The purpose of this community-based participatory study was to elucidate the barriers and facilitators to care for rural Indigenous women who experience IPV from the perspectives of primary care providers and to recommend strategies to improve their preparedness. Using a Grounded Theory approach, we conducted qualitative research with 31 providers to discuss their experiences with patients affected by IPV. Results The results showed providers often feel a degree of unpreparedness to deal with IPV in a clinical setting. Underlying the feelings of unpreparedness were: Recognition of patients’ under disclosure of IPV due to stigma, shame and fear Lack of formal provider training on appropriate approaches to IPV Lack of referral network due to fragmented, scarce services for IPV Lack of understanding of jurisdictional complexity of First Nations and non-First Nations specific services for IPV Uncertainty how to negotiate cultural safety around IPV Multiple-role relationship & confidentiality dilemmas characteristic of small communities Risk of jeopardizing patient-provider relationship Conclusions Our recommendations to improve provider preparedness to address IPV include reducing the stigma of IPV; creating effective referral pathways; improving cultural safety within the referral network; developing services for perpetrators; engaging natural helpers in the community, and; developing policies, procedures and continuing education related to patients who experience IPV in the clinical and community setting. We suggest that increasing providers’ comfort to respond to IPV for rural and Indigenous women will ultimately lead to improved safety and health outcomes.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of patients with de novo muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who underwent radical cystectomy in Northern Ontario. Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of patients with de novo T2 MIBC who underwent radical cystectomy over a 2-year-period in Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Clinical and pathological characteristics of Trans Urethral Resection of Bladder Tumors and cystectomy specimens were analyzed. Results: Of the 59 patients aged 67 ± 8.8 years, predominated by males (80%), 27.1% were younger than age 60. After surgery, upstaging was noted in 59.3% (T3 in 27.1% and T4 in 32.2%) while node positive was noted in 36% of patients. Prostate adenocarcinoma was incidentally discovered in 20 (34%) of patients with 50% considered significant (Gleason score ≥ 7). Downstaging was found in those who had neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.001). Conclusions: The high prevalence of younger ages (less than 60), a high rate of upstaging, the presence of high-grade incidental prostate cancer, and lymph node positives in T2 de novo MIBC in Northern Ontario, warrants further investigation of potential causes and risk factors at individual, public, and population health levels in the region.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of patients with de novo muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who underwent radical cystectomy in Northern Ontario. Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of patients with de novo T2 MIBC who underwent radical cystectomy over a 2-year-period in Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Clinical and pathological characteristics of Trans Urethral Resection of Bladder Tumors and cystectomy specimens were analyzed. Results: Of the 59 patients aged 67 ± 8.8 years, predominated by males (80%), 27.1% were younger than age 60. After surgery, upstaging was noted in 59.3% (T3 in 27.1% and T4 in 32.2%) while node positive was noted in 36% of patients. Prostate adenocarcinoma was incidentally discovered in 20 (34%) of patients with 50% considered significant (Gleason score ≥ 7). Downstaging was found in those who had neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.001). Conclusions: The high prevalence of younger ages (less than 60), a high rate of upstaging, the presence of high-grade incidental prostate cancer, and lymph node positives in T2 de novo MIBC in Northern Ontario, warrants further investigation of potential causes and risk factors at individual, public, and population health levels in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

O Phèdre, tu n’es pas sans avoir remarqué dans les discours les plus importants, qu’il s’agisse de politique ou des intérêts particuliers des citoyens, ou encore dans les paroles délicates que l’on doit dire à un amant, lorsque les circonstances sont décisives, – tu as certainement remarqué quel poids et quelle portée prennent les moindres petits mots et les moindres silences qui s’y insèrent. Et moi, qui ai tant parlé, avec le plaisir insatiable de convaincre, je me suis moi-même à la longue convaincu que les plus graves arguments et les démonstrations les mieux conduites avaient bien peu d’effet, sans le secours de ces détails insignifiants en apparence […]. Le réel d’un discours, c’est après tout cette chanson, et cette couleur d’une voix, que nous traitons à tort comme détails et accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This article aimed to evaluate pilot community paramedicine (CP) programs in northern Ontario from the perspectives of paramedics to gain program recommendations related to both rural and urban settings. Methods: An online questionnaire was created and distributed to 879 paramedics with and without CP experience employed at eight emergency medical services providers in northern Ontario. An explanatory sequential design was used to analyze and synthesize the results from the quantitative survey items and the open-ended responses. Results: Seventy-five (40.5%) respondents participated in a CP program, and the majority of 75 paramedics who indicated they participated in CP (n=41, 54.4%) were from rural areas. CP was generally well received by both paramedics currently practicing CP and those who were not practicing CP. The majority (86.3%) of paramedics stated paramedics should be practicing CP in the future. Paramedics identified developing professional relationships and improving health promotion as positive aspects of CP. Areas for CP program improvement included better organization and scheduling, improved training and a need for better patient tracking software. Conclusion: Engaging and consulting paramedics in the ongoing process of CP development and implementation is important to ensure they feel valued and are part of the change process.

The disparity between rates of food insecurity experienced in households across Canada (8.3%) and in Indigenous households specifically (nearly half) is alarming. Many previous studies have demonstrated the physical, spiritual, mental, social and emotional benefits of consuming traditional foods (primarily wild animal food sources and wild edible plants), yet many Indigenous peoples in northern Ontario feel they do not have access to enough of them. Our research engaged in conversation with sixteen participants from four different First Nations communities in northern Ontario to explore the potential application of Greenland's "Country Food Market" (CFM) as a model to increase accessibility of traditional food while maintaining community sovereignty over the resource. In this model, full-time hunters are financially sustained through selling their harvest at local markets. While participants were curious about the potential an economy around traditional food could have for improving access, this was tempered by cultural ethics, teachings and laws which instruct hunters to share their food and by concerns of resource overexploitation. As our research confirms, conversations and actions must move away from a binary approach to the question—either to sell or not to sell—and move toward a diverse range of economic models that center Indigenous peoples' sovereignty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This article aimed to evaluate pilot community paramedicine (CP) programs in northern Ontario from the perspectives of paramedics to gain program recommendations related to both rural and urban settings. Methods: An online questionnaire was created and distributed to 879 paramedics with and without CP experience employed at eight emergency medical services providers in northern Ontario. An explanatory sequential design was used to analyze and synthesize the results from the quantitative survey items and the open-ended responses. Results: Seventy-five (40.5%) respondents participated in a CP program, and the majority of 75 paramedics who indicated they participated in CP (n=41, 54.4%) were from rural areas. CP was generally well received by both paramedics currently practicing CP and those who were not practicing CP. The majority (86.3%) of paramedics stated paramedics should be practicing CP in the future. Paramedics identified developing professional relationships and improving health promotion as positive aspects of CP. Areas for CP program improvement included better organization and scheduling, improved training and a need for better patient tracking software. Conclusion: Engaging and consulting paramedics in the ongoing process of CP development and implementation is important to ensure they feel valued and are part of the change process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fresh snow and lichens (Cladonia rangiferina) were collected along two ~300-km transects in a regional survey around two smelter areas in Northern Ontario, i.e., the Sudbury and Timmins areas, in 2009–2010, as a part of a monitoring program. The samples were analyzed for Pb isotope ratios in snow from 47 sites, and in lichens from 28 sites, for background airborne lead and to determine the influence of distance versus local sources of Pb on a regional scale. Moreover, the lichen samples were split into two portions, the top portion, corresponding to recent growth (2–4 years), and the lower portion (up to 10+ years old) to determine the regime of recent versus old deposition. The study also investigated whether the isotopic signature in fresh snow (~1–2 weeks old) could correlate to the lichens' recent growth. The Pb isotope signatures, reported as Pb isotope ratios 208Pb/206Pb and 207Pb/206Pb, in both snow and lichen recent growth were uniform over the region, except for localized influences near Sudbury and Timmins, suggesting that the background Pb represented remote sources for most of the region. Three-isotope plots 208Pb/206Pb versus 207Pb/206Pb of snow and lichens followed a linear model typical of mixing lines between two sources. As there are no statistical differences of Pb isotope ratios between fresh snow and recent lichen growth at neighboring stations, either type of sample may be used to describe the short-term record of airborne inputs. Finally, we found a strong relationship between the Pb isotope ratios of the recent growth (upper part) and old growth (lower part) of the lichens, with a slope of 0.9 between the lichen parts. This observation suggests either an isotopic segregation or the older parts of the lichens developed under different Pb source inputs in earlier times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most Indigenous intimate partner violence (IPV) research and interventions are geared toward women, while the experiences of Indigenous men as survivors of IPV are not well investigated or understood. Indigenous men are typically portrayed as perpetrators of violence yet very seldom as survivors of violence, although they experience disproportionately high rates of violence, including IPV, when compared to non-Indigenous men. Our community-based participatory research, conducted in partnership with First Nations communities in Northern Ontario, Canada, completed in 2019, identified this bias as a major barrier for Indigenous men to disclose IPV in a health service setting, where a safe space and support should be available. The primary health care providers involved in this study reported awareness of serious abuse perpetrated against First Nations men in heterosexual relationships. However, they also cited insufficient preparedness within the primary care system to respond to the needs of these men, including significant gaps in culturally safe services. These findings warrant attention and action. We offer recommendations for health and social services and community organizations to help address, in culturally safe ways, IPV experienced by Indigenous men and its effects on families and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scoping includes the establishment of unambiguous spatial boundaries for a proposed development initiative (e.g., a treaty) and is especially important with respect to development on Indigenous homelands. Improper scoping leads to a flawed product, such as a flawed treaty or environmental impact assessment, by excluding stakeholders from the process. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to gather (and collate) printed and online material in relation to Treaty No. 9 and its Adhesions, as well as the Line-AB. We searched academic databases as well as the Library and Archives Canada. The examination of Treaty No. 9 and its Adhesions revealed that there is unceded land in each of four separate scenarios, which are related to the Line-AB and/or emergent land in Northern Ontario, Canada. Lastly, we present lessons learned from our case study. However, since each development initiative and each Indigenous Nation is unique, these suggestions should be taken as a bare minimum or starting point for the scoping process in relation to development projects on Indigenous homelands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we analyze the discourse-pragmatic use of the adverbs there/here , e.g., " So, our grandson there is a real mixture ", in four small northern Ontario towns. 1200 examples contrasted by type of reference, ambiguous locative or non-locative, were coded for social and linguistic factors and analysed using statistical modelling. The results reveal that the strongest predictor of discourse-pragmatic use is date of birth: middle-aged speakers use it most in each town, but no other social factors (e.g. perceived gender, education, job type) are significant. Importantly, the higher the proportion of Francophone populations in the community, the greater the use of there but not here. We argue that alignment between Francophones and Anglophones is a likely explanation. More generally this study highlights the value of discourse-pragmatic features for understanding styles of interaction and underscores the research potential for comparing these phenomena across communities. • Discourse-pragmatic there/here is a vernacular feature of northern Ontario. • Strongest predictor of use is date of birth: middle-aged speakers use it most. • More French heritage individuals in a community correlates with greater usage. • Heightened use is emblematic of alignment between Francophones and Anglophones as defined and reported in the discourse-pragmatic and sociolinguistic literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Residents of Northern Ontario have limited access to local psychiatric care. To address this, three program models exist: (1) telepsychiatry; (2) psychiatrists traveling to underserved areas; and (3) reimbursing patients for travel to a psychiatrist. Evidence shows that telepsychiatry has comparable outcomes to in-person consultations. The objective of this study was to determine the cost difference between programs.Methods: A cost-minimization analysis estimating cost per visit from a public healthcare payer economic costing perspective was conducted. Data on fixed and variable costs were obtained. Evidence-based assumptions were made where relevant. Base-case scenarios and a break-even analysis were completed, as well as deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses, to explore the effects of parameter variability on program costs.Results: Costs per visit were lowest in telepsychiatry (CAD$360) followed by traveling physicians (CAD$558) and patient reimbursement (CAD$620). Among the 100,000 Monte Carlo simulations, results showed telepsychiatry was the least costly program in 71.2% of the simulations, while the reimbursement and outreach programs were least costly in 15.1% and 13.7% of simulations, respectively. The break-even analysis found telepsychiatry was the least costly program after an annual patient visit threshold of approximately 76 visits (compared to traveling psychiatrists) and 126 visits (compared to reimbursed patients).Discussion: Our analyses support telepsychiatry as the least costly program. These results have important implications for program planning, including the prioritization of telepsychiatry, increased integration of telepsychiatry with other modalities of outreach psychiatry, and limiting use of the patient remuneration program to where medically necessary, to reduce overall cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine potential child-level and day-level factors of accelerometer-measured sedentary time in a sample of rural Canadian children. Children (n = 86) from rural Northwestern Ontario participated in this study. Children's sedentary times were identified and logged using an accelerometer. Child-level data (socio-demographic, household, and environment) came from surveys of children and their parents and a passively logging global positioning unit. Day-level data on day type (weekday/weekend) and weather (temperature, precipitation) were based on the dates of data collection and meteorological data came from the closest Environment Canada weather station. Cross-classified regression models were used to assess the relationship between child-level and day-level correlates of sedentary time. Boys were less sedentary than girls (b = 30.53 p = 0.01). For each one-year age increase, children's sedentary time increased (b = 12.79 p < 0.01). This study indicates a difference in sedentary time based on a child's age and gender. However, family, environmental, and weather characteristics did not influence sedentary time in this sample. Health practitioners who deliver care for northern rural youth can provide targeted health advice regarding sedentary time and consider gender and age to be risk factors for these behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the current study, the process of adolescent burnout is considered in relation to perceived contributors, symptoms, consequences, and subsequently, effective and ineffective coping strategies. Through case studies, the researchers sought the burnout experiences of three competitive female gymnasts. Participants were selected based on scores obtained from Raedeke and Smith's (2001) Athlete Burnout Questionnaire. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the process, athlete data were considered in tandem with interviews from at least one parent and one coach. Transcribed data were segmented into meaning units, coded into a hierarchy of themes and verified by each respondent. Despite common trends among the participants, differences were also found in relation to symptoms, contributors, and the progression of the condition. Implications are provided for the athlete/parent/coach triad and also for sport psychologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) has received significant attention since the late 1990s. As it currently stands, its long version has been translated in English, German, Icelandic, Korean, Polish, Spanish, Turkish, and Vietnamese. However no data originating from the self-administered long version (last 7 days) of the IPAQ (IPAQ-SALV) is available for French Canadians. This study developed a self-administered long version (last 7 days) of the IPAQ in Canadian French (IPAQ-SALVCF) and assessed its psychometric properties. Methods: The original IPAQ-SALV was linguistically translated, back-translated, and then reviewed in a focus group to ensure its meaning had been retained. Data were collected on a sample of 34 Francophones from Northern Ontario, and the results compared with step counts assessed by 7-day pedometer recording. Test-retest reliability was examined with a 24-hour delay between questionnaire completion on day 8 and day 9 of the protocol. Convergent validity was assessed by comparing IPAQ-SALVCF (last 7 days) results to average step counts over a 7-day period. Results: Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) revealed that the IPAQ-SALVCF results were stable between days. The ICC for total activity scores was highest at 0.93 (CI: 0.86 to 0.97). Total activity scores were also significantly related to pedometer step counts (Pearson r = .66 P < .01). These results confirm those obtained in prior research Conclusion: The IPAQSALVCF is a reliable and valid measure of physical activity for French Canadians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of illicit and prescription drugs for non-medical purposes among youth and young adults living in Northern Ontario communities is a major public health concern. This problem is amplified in that there is insufficient knowledge on the types of services and treatment centers available for and utilized by young people with substance use issues in Northern Ontario. This needs assessment study aims to examine the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults who use drugs in Northern Ontario communities. Methods/Design: A mixed-methods study design will be used to assess the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults (aged 14-25) who have used one or more illicit drug (excluding cannabis) and/or psychoactive prescription drug for non-medical purposes for at least 3 months and on at least 10 days in the last month. Participants will be recruited from approximately ten Northern, remote and rural communities across Northern Ontario using a mobile research lab. Eligible study candidates from each community will be asked to partake in a focus group and questionnaire exploring service and treatment utilization and needs. We will additionally collect basic socio-demographic information as well as examine patterns of problematic drug use. Interviews with service providers and community organizers will also be conducted in each community. Discussion: Findings from our study will highlight the availability, accessibility and utilization of existing services; identify the gaps and barriers in current service provision; and provide insight into the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults who use drugs in Northern Ontario communities. Assessing the needs of young people who use drugs will allow service providers, community organizers and health policymakers to improve addiction-related services and treatment centers in Northern Ontario.

This qualitative study explored the interconnections among the phenomena of homelessness, family separation, and mental health and substance abuse issues within the social services, geographic, and infrastructure context of northern Ontario. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen participants. Findings revealed the effects of colonization in the form of poor and overcrowded housing conditions in the northern First Nations, difficulties in obtaining affordable and suitable housing in northern towns and cities, reliance on the scarce social services for survival, and valiant attempts to cope with the cold climate of northern Ontario. All participants reported multiple and intergenerational experiences of separation from family due to involvement of child welfare system, placement in residential schools, death of family member(s), flooding, and epidemics. Participants described their lifelong struggles with mental health and substance abuse issues. All three phenomena were tied together in various configurations of causes and consequences. The implications include the need for critical examination of the historical policies and practices, early intervention for mental health and substance abuse issues, greater support for youth transitioning out of care, creation of a continuum of housing options, collaboration across multiple social services sectors, and incorporation of Indigenous worldview and practices in the mainstream services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract River ice breakup and resulting flood risk is a nearly annual concern for communities along the five major rivers draining to the James and Hudson Bay Coasts in Ontario (Moose, Albany, Attawapiskat, Winisk and Severn Rivers). Ice breakup within this region has historically been monitored using flight reconnaissance supplemented by assessment of hydrometric data. More recently, remote sensed imagery have been used to monitor near real-time ice breakup and flood risk. However, the near real-time remotely sensed breakup information was found to have limited utility in the absence of a broader spatial and temporal understanding of breakup progression. The primary purpose of this study was to develop a method for generating a dataset of breakup dates. A secondary objective was to calculate statistics from this dataset that can be used to provide context to operational near real-time imagery analysis and improve understanding of ice processes in the study area. An automated method for detecting river ice breakup dates from 2000 to 2017 using MODIS imagery was developed. This method uses a threshold-based technique that aims to maximize river coverage and minimize effects of cloud obstruction. Image processing was completed in the high-performance Google Earth Engine application which enabled iterative classification and model calibration. The breakup date dataset was used to calculate statistics on breakup timing, duration, annual variability and breakup order. An assessment of patterns within these data is discussed, relationships between breakup timing, duration and highwater years is explored and the operational utility of these statistics is described. The classification compared well with Water Survey of Canada derived breakup dates with mean bias ranging from −2.0 days to 6.7 days and mean absolute error of 3.4 days to 6.9 days across the rivers. Latitude and distance upstream were found to be primary controls on breakup timing with drainage network configuration and reach morphology also having an influence. No relationships between highwater years and calculated breakup statistics were found. It is recommended that future studies use the dataset developed in this study in combination with hydrometric and remotely sensed data to improve prediction of highwater and understanding of breakup processes within these rivers. Highlights • Derive ice breakup dates from MODIS leveraging the rapid processing of GEE • Calculate range of breakup dates, duration, annual variability and sequence • Latitudinal and downstream breakup trends are observed with notable exceptions. • Demonstrate utility of results for informing operational flood monitoring [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of illicit and prescription drugs for non-medical purposes among youth and young adults living in Northern Ontario communities is a major public health concern. This problem is amplified in that there is insufficient knowledge on the types of services and treatment centers available for and utilized by young people with substance use issues in Northern Ontario. This needs assessment study aims to examine the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults who use drugs in Northern Ontario communities. Methods/Design: A mixed-methods study design will be used to assess the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults (aged 14-25) who have used one or more illicit drug (excluding cannabis) and/or psychoactive prescription drug for non-medical purposes for at least 3 months and on at least 10 days in the last month. Participants will be recruited from approximately ten Northern, remote and rural communities across Northern Ontario using a mobile research lab. Eligible study candidates from each community will be asked to partake in a focus group and questionnaire exploring service and treatment utilization and needs. We will additionally collect basic socio-demographic information as well as examine patterns of problematic drug use. Interviews with service providers and community organizers will also be conducted in each community. Discussion: Findings from our study will highlight the availability, accessibility and utilization of existing services; identify the gaps and barriers in current service provision; and provide insight into the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults who use drugs in Northern Ontario communities. Assessing the needs of young people who use drugs will allow service providers, community organizers and health policymakers to improve addiction-related services and treatment centers in Northern Ontario.

The aim of this study was to examine potential child-level and day-level factors of accelerometer-measured sedentary time in a sample of rural Canadian children. Children (n = 86) from rural Northwestern Ontario participated in this study. Children’s sedentary times were identified and logged using an accelerometer. Child-level data (socio-demographic, household, and environment) came from surveys of children and their parents and a passively logging global positioning unit. Day-level data on day type (weekday/weekend) and weather (temperature, precipitation) were based on the dates of data collection and meteorological data came from the closest Environment Canada weather station. Cross-classified regression models were used to assess the relationship between child-level and day-level correlates of sedentary time. Boys were less sedentary than girls (b = −30.53 p = 0.01). For each one-year age increase, children’s sedentary time increased (b = 12.79 p < 0.01). This study indicates a difference in sedentary time based on a child’s age and gender. However, family, environmental, and weather characteristics did not influence sedentary time in this sample. Health practitioners who deliver care for northern rural youth can provide targeted health advice regarding sedentary time and consider gender and age to be risk factors for these behaviors.

The success of forest fire initial attack systems is believed to be affected by many factors including the initial attack response time. Despite the fact that fire managers typically strive to dispatch initial attack resources to most fires soon after they are reported in order to minimise their response time, they may not always be able to do so as the timing of the initial attack dispatch can be influenced by many factors. We examine the effects of the following factors on the initial attack dispatch process: the daily fire load (the number of fires reported each day), the time of day the fire was reported, fire weather conditions, fire cause and the month of the fire season, on the probability that initial attack resources are dispatched on the day that a fire is reported. Logistic regression methods are used to analyse a dataset composed of 4532 forest fires that were reported in our study area in a portion of northeastern region of Ontario, Canada, during 1963–2012 fire seasons. Our results indicate that the time of day a fire is reported, the total number of fires reported on that day and the Initial Spread Index are key factors that influence the timing of the initial attack response in our study area. We examined some of the factors that influence fire managers in northeastern Ontario when they dispatch initial attack resources to fires. Our results suggest that their decisions are influenced by the total number of fires reported the day the fire is reported, the time the fire is reported and the fire weather conditions that day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In North American boreal forests, woody biomass is increasingly becoming an attractive bioenergy feedstock as it represents a more renewable, and low carbon alternative to fossil fuel. However, concerns over the ecological sustainability of an intensification of biomass harvesting over the long term remain. We assessed the effects of a gradient of biomass removal established 20 years ago in five jack pine ( Pinus banksiana ) stands across northeastern Ontario on the taxonomic and functional structure of ground-dwelling Collembola and Oribatida communities. Essential to soil functioning, these two major taxa of mesofauna are dependent on microhabitats and food supply such as fungi provided by woody debris. Three treatments were considered including stem-only harvesting, whole-tree harvesting (stem, tops and branches removed), and blading (whole-tree harvesting plus removal of stump and forest floor). Adjacent uncut mature (±90 year-old) stands were considered as reference state conditions ( i.e. the endpoint of stand development following stand replacing disturbance). Soil mesofauna were collected and environmental variables measured across all treatments. We identified species of both taxa and measured a suite of functional response traits such as body length and reproduction strategy. Compared to mature uncut forests, soil mesofaunal communities remained modified 20 years after biomass harvesting, notably in the most intense practice (blading). Treatment effects were more evident in Oribatida communities both taxonomically (lower density, biomass, species diversity and shifted composition) and functionally (lower diversity and modified trait composition resulting from fewer surface-dwelling, fast-dispersing and micro-detritivorous species) than in Collembola communities. This taxa-specific response may reflect generally shorter lifespans, higher reproduction rates and faster dispersal of Collembola than Oribatida. Incomplete recovery of mesofauna was consistent with persistent modifications of soil environmental conditions in harvested plots, notably after blading. Modifications included a reduced organic cover (ground vegetation, mosses and woody debris) as well as lower organic soil thickness and moisture, which likely resulted in fewer suitable microhabitats for many species. Using complementary taxonomic and trait-based approaches to highlight the underlying mechanisms of mesofaunal responses, our study revealed that recovery is incomplete within 20 years after intensive biomass removal in these boreal conifer-dominated stands, and is likely linked to stand development and associated processes. As a result, longer-term monitoring will be required to track mesofaunal community recovery through these later developmental stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: We used data from aerial surveys of wolverine tracks collected in seven winters over a 10‐year period (2003–2012) within a 574,287 km2 study area to evaluate the broad‐scale pattern of wolverine occurrence across a remote northern boreal forest region, identifying areas of high and low occupancy. Location: Northern Ontario, Canada. Taxon: Wolverine (Gulo gulo Linnaeus, 1758). Methods: We collected wolverine tracks and observations in 100‐km2 hexagonal survey units, making a total of 6,664 visits to 3,039 units, visiting each 1–9 times. We used hierarchical Bayesian occupancy modelling to model wolverine occurrence, and included covariates with the potential to affect detection and/or occupancy probability of wolverines. Results: we detected wolverines on 946 visits, 14.2% of total visits. Probability of detecting a wolverine varied among years and between the two ecozones in the study area. Wolverine occupancy was negatively related to two important covariates, the geographical coordinate Easting and thawing degree‐days. A site occupancy probability map indicated that wolverine occupancy probabilities were highest, and standard error lowest, in the western and northern portions of the study area. Main conclusions: The occupancy framework enabled us to use observation data from tracks of this elusive, wide‐ranging carnivore over a vast, remote area while explicitly considering detectability and spatial autocorrelation, yielding a map of probable wolverine distribution in northern Ontario that would not be possible using other methods of detection across a large region. With resource development pressures increasing in this globally significant region in the face of a changing climate, it is important to monitor changes in distribution of species like wolverines that have low population growth rates, large spatial requirements and sensitivity to human disturbance. This study demonstrates a relatively cost‐effective and non‐invasive alternative to monitoring based on wolverine harvest records, which have not been available since 2009 in Ontario due to changes in the provincial regulatory regime for this threatened species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many generations, the seasonal mobility pattern over the territory has been an important factor defining family relations and land-use systems for the northern Anishinabeg in Canada. Using the case study of Slate Falls First Nation, this article, going beyond ecologically and economic-driven explanatory models, integrates history and indigenous perceptions of the environment as powerful instruments to record the people’s knowledge of the land and to assert self-determination. The emphasis is placed on people’s daily itineraries and cyclical practices with their ancestral territory, by using their year-round activities as the guiding temporal framework to connect their current lives with the old process of creating and maintaining a region that became their homeland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there are many tales of mining companies polluting the Canadian communities in which they have operated, Sudbury's early history stands out. It is arguably the most extreme example of an industry dictating to government how the latter dealt with the local pollution problem – in this case, sulphur dioxide emissions. The capstone achievement was the creation of an extrajudicial solution to the problem that permanently suspended the legal rights of residents seeking redress for their grievances. Moreover, the Ontario government was duplicitous in this affair – namely, by zealously luring settlers to the region in an effort to develop farming there even though it was acutely aware of the local pollution problem. Finally, this story is truly tragic because the pollution need never have happened to the extent that it did. The provincial politicians knew full well that the means existed – within a short jaunt of Sudbury no less – to mitigate the problem, but the politicians refused to force the mining firms to adopt them. Retelling Sudbury's story thus highlights how the Ontario government's decision to grant the mining firms practical impunity to pollute the local environment – both human and non-human – was a matter of political choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]