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Government communication is now a large growth industry in many countries. Exactly what is meant by the term, however, varies from author to author. In this paper government communication is conceived as a policy tool or instrument, that is, as a means to give effect to policy goals. Key policy-relevant aspects of the term are examined including differences between the role of government communications in the 'front-end' of the public policy and production processes related to agenda-setting, policy formulation and producer activities as opposed to the 'back-end' of policy implementation, policy evaluation, consumption and distribution. TWo case studies of political and policy-related information campaigns in Canada, one dealing with Elections Canada at the federal level and the second with provincial health policy-making in British Columbia, are examined in order to discern patterns in the use of government communication tools useful as a basis for comparative inquiry into Democratic governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bromazolam is a designer benzodiazepine that was first detected in British Columbia in January 2021. Postmortem cases were analyzed using a comprehensive blood drug screening procedure by liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry before being retrospectively analyzed using an in-house novel psychoactive substances data processing method. Bromazolam was detected in 41 postmortem cases in 2021 and quantitatively confirmed by standard addition, using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The mean bromazolam concentration observed was 11.4 ± 53.7 ng/mL (median concentration: 1.6 ng/mL), with a range from 0.5 to 319.3 ng/mL and the majority of cases co-occurring with fentanyl. These low concentrations may be indicative of a presumed enhancement of opioid effects, rather than being used as a stand-alone drug. Bromazolam was always detected with opioids (fentanyl and carfentanil), stimulants (methamphetamine) and/or other benzodiazepines (etizolam and flualprazolam). To our knowledge, this is the first report to provide concentrations of bromazolam in postmortem blood samples in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wireworms are primary pests of potatoes in Canada. Presently, the highly toxic organophosphate phorate (i.e., Thimet 20G) is the only effective insecticide in use in Canada. As such, there is an urgent need for novel alternative treatments that provide competitive tuber blemish protection and wireworm reduction with a safer human and environmental portfolio. Herein we evaluated broflanilide, a novel meta-diamide insecticide for both tuber protection and wireworm mortality. When evaluated in field trials in Agassiz, British Columbia over 6 yr, broflanilide applied as a seed piece treatment (SPT) to mother tubers at 1.5–2.0 g AI/100 kg seed (approx. 50 g AI/ha), or as an in-furrow spray (IFS) at 0.23–0.25 g AI/100 m row (approx. 25 g AI/ha) was as effective at reducing blemishes to daughter tubers by wireworms (Agriotes obscurus) as phorate (Thimet 20G at 3230 g AI/ha), bifenthrin (Capture 2EC IFS at 300 g AI/ha) and clothianidin (Titan ST at 312.5 g AI/ha). In addition, broflanilide SPT and IFS applied at the above rates reduced resident wireworms (in the field at the time of planting) by 95.4–99.0% and neonate wireworms (produced from eggs laid during the growing season) by 98.1–100%. Similar results were obtained when broflanilide IFS (nonsystemic) was paired with clothianidin SPT (systemic) for broad-spectrum potato insect pest control. Strategies for the use of broflanilide on wheat (e.g., Teraxxa F4) in rotation with potatoes (Cimegra), both registered in Canada in 2020 are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a study which examined the seasonal movements of Marbled Murrelets or Brachyrampus marmoratus through systemic banding programs. Banding of birds with stainless steel leg bands in Theodosia Inlet, part of Desolation Sound, British Columbia; Examination of published papers and reports related to banding of Marbled Murrelets; Direct evidence of the migration between breeding and nonbreeding areas.

This paper uses a unique data set to determine which dynamic model of tacit collusion best describes behaviour in a particular industry, The area investigated is a region of the Vancouver, British Columbia retail-gasoline market. Players are service-station managers who compete daily, Firms choose price in each period using strategies that depend on prices chosen in the previous period. Periodically, unanticipated demand shocks precipitate price wars. When shocks occur, the firms in the market must determine the new demand conditions and adjust their strategies. From an econometric point of view, slopes of intertemporal reaction functions are latent variables. The resulting system of equations with time-varying parameters is estimated via the Kalman filter. Different repeated-game oligopoly models correspond to different transition matrices for the latent variables. The models can thus be assessed in terms of their power to explain firm behaviour in this market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern British Columbia, Canada, has undergone a considerable economic, social, and cultural transformation over recent decades. Specifically, economic and political restructuring processes have destabilized commitments to community infrastructure and exacerbated the variability of boom and bust patterns across the north. This paper, drawn from ongoing regional research, provides a critique of emerging arguments that advocate for greater levels of local control over northern development to address these development challenges. Our research reveals strong sentiments from northern people and agencies to construct ‘made in the north’ solutions. Findings illustrate, however, that the assumptions inherent within such calls for local and regional development require critical review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces and critically examines the new British Columbia (Canada) Family Law Act (FLA), which lays out new norms and procedures for the resolution of family disputes and emphasizes out-of-court dispute resolution. These changes are also intended both to reflect and to construct the ‘new’ face of contemporary motherhood and fatherhood post-separation. After identifying the neoliberal context within which the changes will play out, we explain the law reform process and summarize the reforms pertaining to post-separation parenting. Key changes include: replacing the terms ‘custody’ and ‘access’ with an expanded definition of guardianship; a list of specific factors that must be considered in determining a child’s ‘best interests’; a detailed definition of domestic violence; explicit rules to guide relocation; and authority for courts to make conduct and non-compliance orders. The FLA distances itself from presumptions regarding the preferred form of parenting arrangements post-separation, but the post-separation default position is that each parent is the child’s guardian with all parental responsibilities. The last part of the article places the changes in their contemporary social and political context and critically evaluates their strengths and weaknesses. Our conclusion cautions that without adequate resources to support families and improved access to justice, the innovative aspects of the FLA may be thwarted. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The efficacy of various insecticides and application methods in protecting potatoes from wireworm (Agriotes obscurus L.) damage as well as reducing wireworm populations was studied over 5 yr in Agassiz, British Columbia. Protection from wireworm damage was measured by the number of blemishes to daughter tubers, and effects on wireworm populations were measured by sampling soil around seed potatoes and/or by bait traps the following spring. Organophosphates registered for wireworm control in the United States and/or Canada (phorate and chlorpyrifos), significantly reduced blemishes to tubers by, respectively, 92.2 and 90.2%, and populations of large (=9 mm long = 'resident') wireworms by 83.4 and 71.0% relative to controls. Similar reductions in smaller (<9 mm long = 'neonate') wireworms were also observed. Neonicotinoids (imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam) tested as seed piece treatments at ~12.5 g active ingredient/100 kg potato seed reduced blemishes by, respectively, 19.1, 71.6, and 90.6%, but resident wireworms were only reduced by, respectively, 22.0, 29.1, and 51.8%. Significant mortality of neonates was not observed with any neonicotinoid treatment. With the possible exception of thiamethoxam, where significant reduction in resident wireworms occurred, it is likely that the blemish protection provided without significant wireworm mortality with imidacloprid and clothianidin treatments was because of long-term wire-worm intoxication followed by population recovery. The phenyl pyrazole, fipronil, applied as an in-furrow spray reduced blemishes by 94.3%, and resident wireworm populations could not be detected in plots the following spring. Neonates were reduced by 93.3%, indicating excellent residual control had occurred with fipronil. These studies indicate that tuber protection by fipronil and currently registered organophosphates is likely because of significant early season mortality of wireworms, whereas neonicotinoids generally provide control through long-term morbidity without high levels of mortality occurring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through kinship claims, Heiltsuks and other coastal natives established a system of marine space that facilitated effective fisheries management. After overriding Aboriginal claims on the basis of open access, the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans conceded that efficacious regulation required exclusive harvest zones. Nonetheless, courts continued to disregard Heiltsuk spatial claims when assessing fishing rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Quality health care in the home is dependent on having a safe environment to provide care. This analysis is based on the data from a larger study aimed at understanding key issues in the delivery and receipt of home support services from the perspectives of home support workers (HSWs), older adult clients and family members. This analysis focuses on HSWs perspectives of safety. Objective To explore the types and patterns of safety concerns staff encountered in home care settings. Design In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with HSWs. The analysis included topic and analytical coding of workers' verbatim accounts. Setting Interviews were completed in British Columbia, Canada. Participants A total of 115 HSWs participated. The average age was 50 years, and the average tenure in this sector was 11.5 years. Fully, 71% of workers had completed at least some college-level education, and 69% of workers were born outside of Canada. Results Workers identified four types of safety concerns: physical, spatial, interpersonal and temporal. We developed a conceptual model of HSW safety that demonstrates the: types of safety concerns; the multi-dimensional and intersectional nature of safety concerns and the factors that intensify or mitigate safety concerns. Conclusions Our study identifies numerous HSW safety concerns, each requiring tailored interventions and strategies. Where multiple concerns intersect, the complexity and precarious nature of the home care workspace is revealed. The identification of mitigating and intensifying factors points to future interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attack by the white pine weevil has notably reduced Sitka spruce productivity in British Columbia (BC) (Canada) and western US. By the 1970s, the BC Ministry of Forests established provenance trials of Sitka spruce with the objective of detecting usable genetic resistance to weevil. These early trials reported significant weevil resistance and allowed the production of the first (F1) controlled-cross progeny generation with demonstrable weevil resistance (R) or susceptibility (S). This study reports results of the screening for weevil resistance and the levels of constitutive defenses of this F1 Sitka spruce progeny. Progeny from resistant parents (R × R progeny) sustained significantly fewer weevil attacks than progeny from susceptible parents (S × S progeny) or progeny with one resistant and one susceptible parent (R × S progeny). Individual and family heritability estimates of the weevil resistance were 0.5 and 0.9, respectively. Constitutive defenses, measured by resin canal and sclereid cell density in the cortex, were significantly higher in R × R progeny than in R × S or S × S progeny. We observed a negative correlation between the percentage of trees attacked in each cross and the average density of the resin canals or sclereid cells for each cross. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: research has reliably demonstrated cardioprotection from regular alcohol use. Heavy episodic drinking (HED), however, negates these beneficial effects and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The impact of age on the health effects of episodic drinking has not been evaluated. Objective: to examine the association between alcohol volume and pattern of consumption on the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality across the lifespan. Design and Setting: prospective, community-based cohort study of adults in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Subjects: a total of 1,154 participants (580 men and 574 women) aged 18-64 surveyed at baseline (1990-91) on alcohol consumption levels and pattern of use. Methods: usual alcohol consumption was measured using a quantity-frequency approach. HED was estimated by asking participants how often they consumed eight or more drinks in one sitting in the past year. Questions were asked separately for wine, beer and spirits. Surveillance for cardiovascular events was conducted for 10 years (i.e. up to age 74 years). Diagnoses of CVD were obtained via health utilization records. Cox proportional hazard models were derived for both genders and for `young adults' (baseline age 18-34), `middle-aged adults' (baseline age 35-49) and `older adults' (baseline 50-64). Models were adjusted for marital status, cigarette smoking status and educational level. Results: Reduced risk of CVD was associated with usual consumption, whereas an increased risk was associated with RED. Among male usual drinkers, cardioprotection was afforded only to middle and older age groups. The benefits of regular consumption were seen only in the youngest age group among women. The heaviest usual consumption category was associated with a decreased risk of CVD in men. Heavy episodic drinking increased the risk of coronary heart disease in middle-aged men and was marginally significant in middle-aged women. Risk of hypertension was elevated in older men with heavy episodic drinking. Conclusions: The well-established relationship between regular alcohol consumption and decreased risk of CVD may not become evident until middle age or older in men. Women may benefit from usual consumption at a much younger age. In both sexes, however, these beneficial effects of alcohol use are negated when alcohol is consumed in a heavy episodic drinking pattern, particularly for middle-aged and older men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the regional economic impacts resulting from the current mountain pine beetle infestation in British Columbia, Canada, and proposes a mitigation strategy to reduce the negative impacts. The strategy consists of reducing the abrupt timber supply changes in an infested region through a reciprocal wood flow arrangement with an adjacent region less affected by the beetle. Two study areas facing different levels of beetle pressure are investigated: the Quesnel Timber Supply Area (high beetle pressure) and the combined Williams Lake/100 Mile House Timber Supply Area (low beetle pressure). A computable general equilibrium model is constructed for each region and is used to simulate the sensitivity of a suite of economic indicators to various timber supply scenarios for both regions. The results indicate that the negative economic impacts attributed to beetle damage could be reduced under a reciprocal wood flow agreement between the two regions. The degree to which the impacts are reduced in each region depends largely on assumptions about forest regeneration and growth and the terms of the reciprocal wood flow agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Vancouver Island marmot is the most endangered mammal of Canada. Factors which have brought this population to the verge of extinction have not yet been fully elucidated, but the effects of deforestation and habitat fragmentation on survival rates, as well as those of variation in rainfall, temperature, snowpack depth and snowmelt strongly suggest that marmots on the island are struggling to keep pace with environmental changes. Genetic analyses, however, seem to indicate that the Vancouver Island marmot may merely represent a melanistic population of its parental species on the mainland. Were it not for its black pelage colour, it is unlikely that it would have attracted much attention as a conservation priority. Our study uses three-dimensional coordinates of cranial landmarks to further assess phenotypic differentiation of the Vancouver Island marmot. A pattern of strong interspecific divergence and low intraspecific variation was found which is consistent with aspects of drift-driven models of speciation. However, the magnitude of shape differences relative to the putatively neutral substitutions in synonymous sites of cytochrome b is too large for being compatible with a simple neutral model. A combination of bottlenecks and selective pressures due to natural and human-induced changes in the environment may offer a parsimonious explanation for the large phenotypic differentiation observed in the species. Our study exemplifies the usefulness of a multidisciplinary approach to the study of biological diversity for a better understanding of evolutionary models and to discover aspects of diversity that may be undetected by using only a few genetic markers to characterize population divergence and uniqueness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study that reported a significant male bias in dawn and dusk nest visitations of breeding by radio-marked marbled murrelets during the chick rearing period in Desolation Sound, British Columbia, Canada, from 1998-2000. Methodology; Radio-tracking; Statistical analysis.

Focuses on studies of killer whales off northern Vancouver Island. Finding of stable and distinct vocal patterns, or dialects, among a pod of whales that appear to be maintained and transmitted by social learning; Implication that killer whales are highly cultural creatures and may be comparable to chimpanzees; Controversy over the existence of culture in whales and dolphins; Study which used computer analysis of vocal variation in two whale matrilines through time.

Presents a study that deals with heterosis and outbreeding depression among immigrants and their descendants in a population of song sparrows on Mandarte Island, British Columbia. Discussion on the different strategy of immigrants for optimizing reproductive success; Performance of dispersers affected by fine-scale genetic differentiation; Relation of immigration to gene flow and the fitness of small populations.

Presents a study which determined the relationships of the five species of ground beetles of the Nebria gregaria group, found on the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia. Role of the glacial cycles of the late Pleistocene in the biogeography of North America; Information on the study organisms; Materials and methodology; Results and discussion.

Focuses on the experiences of Chinese narcotic addicts on treatment programs in Vancouver, British Columbia. Assertion that social services treating alcohol and drug problems are under-utilized by ethnic minority groups in Canada and the United States; Fact that the Chinese community makes up 3 percent of the Canadian population, but that their utilization of social services is disproportionately low. Emotions during the drug dependency period; Importance of family support in the rehabilitation of drug dependents; Resistance of the drug dependents on attending detoxification centers.

Presents information on a study which assessed the effects of age and proximity to death on costs of both acute medical care and nursing and social care in British Columbia. Design and methods; Pattern for medical care; Discussion and conclusion.

Examines data from inquests of 100 British Columbian women who attempted to induce a miscarriage between 1886 and 1939, to understand the role of women and physicians in the practice of abortion. Criminalization of abortion; Role of the judiciary; Peer pressure as motivation; Use of contraceptives; Abortion centers; Abortion law.

Examines the peculiarity of church-state relations in British Columbia before the confederation in 1867. Influence of the threat of American expansionism and ultimate annexation; Abolition of church reserves in 1854; Establishment of church-supported education in Victoria; Response of the Catholics to public support for free public education.

Presents several conventions and congresses on pediatric dermatology in British Columbia. Schedule of events; Venues; Contact information.