Search

The implementation of school reforms to advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples provides an opportunity to explore what Canadians think is important in framing their identities and values. This paper draws on data from a survey of public perspectives on education for reconciliation activities in two Canadian provinces, Alberta and Saskatchewan. We consider the broader community context within which schools are located. By examining public perspectives, we are able to assess how curricular initiatives related to reconciliation are understood by community members, both as a priority in itself and in relation to other key curricular areas. Informed by critical race theory, our findings suggest that reconciliation is restricted to activities that do not involve extensive change to existing curricular and ideational frameworks. These perspectives exist alongside extensive opposition to reconciliation justified by claims that Indigenous experiences and perspectives are receiving undue attention relative to more pressing educational priorities. Our findings suggest that aims to transform dominant understandings about Canadian history and identity remain far from being fulfilled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Brain Tumor Registry of Canada was established in 2016 to enhance infrastructure for surveillance and clinical research on Central Nervous System (CNS) tumors. We present information on primary CNS tumors diagnosed among residents of Canada from 2010 to 2015. Methods Data from 4 provincial cancer registries were analyzed representing approximately 67% of the Canadian population. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using the 2011 Canadian population age distribution. Net survival was estimated using the Pohar-Perme method. Results A total of 31 644 primary tumors were identified for an ASIR of 22.8 per 100 000 person-years. Nonmalignant tumors made up 47.1% of all classified tumors, with mixed behaviors present in over half of histology groupings. Unclassified were 19.5% of all tumors. The most common histological subtypes are meningiomas (ASIR = 5.5 per 100 000 person-years); followed by glioblastomas (ASIR 4.0 per 100 000 person-years). The overall 5-year net survival rate for CNS tumors was 65.5%; females 70.2% and males 60.4%. GBMs continue to be the most lethal CNS tumors for all sex and age groups. Conclusions The low annual frequency of most CNS tumor subtypes emphasizes the value of population-based data on all primary CNS tumors diagnosed among Canadians. The large number of histological categories including mixed behaviors and the proportion of unclassified tumors emphasizes the need for complete reporting. Variation in incidence and survival across histological groups by sex and age highlights the need for comprehensive and histology-specific reporting. These data can be used to better inform research and health system planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth's continental crust has evolved through a series of supercontinent cycles, resulting in a patchwork of Archean cores surrounded by terranes, fragments, and slivers of younger crustal additions. However, the dispersal (and/or stranding) of continental fragments during breakup is not well understood. Inherited structures from previous tectonic activity may explain the generation of continental terranes by controlling first-order deformation during rifting. Here, we explored the influence of lithospheric deformation related to ancient orogenesis, focusing on the impact of the Torngat orogen in the genesis of the Nain Province continental fragment in Eastern Canada. We present three-dimensional continental extension models in the presence of an inherited lithospheric structure and show that a narrow continental terrane could be separated and stranded by deep lithospheric scarring. The results show that continental terranes formed by this method would be limited to a width of 100-150 km, imposed by tectonic conditions during continental suturing. The findings have broad implications, demonstrating an original theory on the fundamental geologic problem of terrane generation and continent breakup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As people live longer, they are at increased risk for chronic diseases and disability. Self-management is a strategy to improve health outcomes and quality of life of those who engage in it. This study sought to gain a better understanding of the factors, including digital technology, that affect public health policy on self-management through an analysis of government policy in the most populous and multicultural province in Canada: Ontario. The overarching question guiding the study was: What factors have influenced the development of healthcare self-management policies over time? Methods: Archival research methods, combining document review and evaluation, were used to collect data from policy documents published in Ontario. The documents were analyzed using the READ approach, evaluated using a data extraction table, and synthesized into themes using the model for health policy analysis. Results: Between January 1, 1985, and May 5, 2022, 72 policy documents on self-management of health were retrieved from databases, archives, and grey literature. Their contents largely focussed on self-management of general chronic conditions, while 47% (n = 18/72) mention diabetes, and 3% (n = 2/72) focussed solely on older adults. Digital technologies were mentioned and were viewed as tools to support self-management in the context of healthcare delivery and enhancing healthcare infrastructure (i.e., telehealth or software in healthcare settings). The actors involved in the policy document creation included mostly Ontario government agencies and departments, and sometimes expert organizations, community groups and engaged stakeholders. The results suggest that several factors including pressures on the healthcare system, hybrid top-down and bottom-up policymaking, and political context have influenced the nature and implementation timing of self-management policy in Ontario. Conclusions: The policy documents on self-management of health reveal a positive evolution of the content discussed over time. The changes were shaped by an evolving context, both from a health and political perspective, within a dynamic system of interactions between actors. This research helps understand the factors that have shaped changes and suggests that a critical evidence-based approach on public health policy is needed in understanding processes involved in the development of healthcare self-management policies from the perspective of a democratic governing system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autosomal dominant (AD) spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) encompass a large group of rare disorders, which occurs in individuals of different ethnic backgrounds. To date, demographics, and clinical descriptions of AD SCA in Canada are lacking. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of AD SCAs was performed at five tertiary centers across Canada in the provinces of Quebec, Alberta, and Ontario. Demographic, genetic, and clinical information were collected and analyzed. Results: A total of 203 patients with AD SCA were identified. Weighted estimated prevalence of AD SCA in three large Canadian provinces was calculated (2.25 cases per 100.000) which is in keeping with the figures documented worldwide. We found that the distribution of the most common SCA differed when comparing provinces. The most prevalent SCA diagnosis in Ontario was SCA3 (49%), while the most prevalent SCA diagnosis in Alberta and Quebec was SCA2 in 26% and 47%, respectively. SCA6 was the third most prevalent SCA subtype in Quebec (14%), which was not seen as commonly in other provinces. SCA1 was uncommonly seen in both Alberta and Quebec, despite being common in Ontario. Conclusions: In this largest Canadian study, we describe the prevalence, distribution, and clinical characteristics of AD SCA. We found that the distribution of the most common SCA differed in the three provinces studied. This finding reflects the heterogenous nature of the Canadian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recently, we identified barriers and facilitators to the screening and treatment of depressive and anxiety symptoms in adult‐onset isolated dystonia (AOID). These symptoms are common, functionally impairing, and often underdetected and undertreated. Objectives: To develop a care pathway for mood symptoms in AOID. Methods: We used a multistep modified Delphi approach to seek consensus among healthcare professionals with experience of AOID on the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of mood symptoms. A combination of face‐to‐face meetings and online surveys was performed from 2019 to 2020. We created the survey and then reviewed with stakeholders before 2 rounds of Delphi surveys, all of which was finally reviewed in a consensus meeting. A purposive sample of 41 expert stakeholders from 4 Canadian provinces, including neurologists, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, and family physicians, was identified by the research team. Results: The Delphi process led to consensus on 12 statements that operationalized a pathway of care to screen for and manage depression and anxiety in people with AOID. Key actions of the pathway included yearly screening with self‐rated instruments, multidisciplinary involvement in management involving local networks of providers coordinated by movement disorders neurologists, and access to educational resources. The Delphi panel indicated the 2 core steps as the documentation of the most recent screening outcome and the documentation of a management plan for patients who were positive at the last screening. Conclusions: This new care pathway represents a potentially useful intervention that can be used to build an integrated model of care for AOID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe changes in the comprehensiveness of services delivered by family physicians in 4 Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Nova Scotia) during the periods 1999-2000 and 2017-2018 and explore if changes differ by years in practice. We measured comprehensiveness using province-wide billing data across 7 settings (home, long-term care, emergency department, hospital, obstetrics, surgical assistance, anesthesiology) and 7 service areas (pre/postnatal care, Papanicolaou [Pap] testing, mental health, substance use, cancer care, minor surgery, palliative home visits). Comprehensiveness declined in all provinces, with greater changes in number of service settings than service areas. Decreases were no greater among new-to-practice physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With large volumes of longitudinal data in electronic medical records from diverse patients, primary care is primed for disruption by artificial intelligence (AI) technology. With AI applications in primary care still at an early stage in Canada and most countries, there is a unique opportunity to engage key stakeholders in exploring how AI would be used and what implementation would look like. Objective: To identify the barriers that patients, providers, and health leaders perceive in relation to implementing AI in primary care and strategies to overcome them. Design: 12 virtual deliberative dialogues. Dialogue data were thematically analyzed using a combination of rapid ethnographic assessment and interpretive description techniques. Setting: Virtual sessions. Participants: Participants from eight provinces in Canada, including 22 primary care service users, 21 interprofessional providers, and 5 health system leaders Results: The barriers that emerged from the deliberative dialogue sessions were grouped into four themes: (1) system and data readiness, (2) the potential for bias and inequity, (3) the regulation of AI and big data, and (4) the importance of people as technology enablers. Strategies to overcome the barriers in each of these themes were highlighted, where participatory co-design and iterative implementation were voiced most strongly by participants. Limitations: Only five health system leaders were included in the study and no self-identifying Indigenous people. This is a limitation as both groups may have provided unique perspectives to the study objective. Conclusions: These findings provide insight into the barriers and facilitators associated with implementing AI in primary care settings from different perspectives. This will be vital as decisions regarding the future of AI in this space is shaped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides insights into the little‐explored gendered perspective of the parenting practices of Somali immigrant mothers in a Canadian province (Alberta). We use a critical ethnographic methodology and a transnational feminist framework. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with ten Somali mothers aged 18 to 50. Mothers were interviewed about their parenting practices in a post‐migration context, including challenges. Our results show immigrant mothers combine their cultural values with new values from Canada that they find effective. We find gendered differences in how parenting experiences are perceived. Our results suggest the need for anti‐racist and culturally safe health, education, and child policies and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In 2018, the sale of non-medical cannabis was authorized in the province of Quebec in Canada, within a public monopoly under the Société Québécoise du Cannabis (SQDC). The objective of this study was to offer a description of the cannabis-using population regarding the sources of cannabis supply and to explore whether at-risk individuals are purchasing cannabis at SQDC. Method: We used data from a cross-sectional, representative population survey (age >18 years, n = 1799), the Enquête Québécoise sur le Cannabis, which was completed between February and June 2019. Analyses involved adjusted binary logistic regressions, incorporating population weights, to assess 7 potential indicators of harm. Results: The vulnerability profiles of SQDC consumers (47.8%) and those acquiring their cannabis elsewhere (52.2%) were similar in terms of frequency of cannabis use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.46; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.12-1.67), motivation to use (aOR = 0.62; 95% CI = 0.16-2.46), concomitant consumption of other substances (aOR = 0.80; 95% CI = 0.14-4.75), cannabis-impaired driving behaviours (aOR = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.26-3.36), psychological distress (aOR = 0.99; 95% CI = 0.26-3.79), and problematic cannabis use (aOR = 0.46; 95% CI = 0.13-1.64). However, SQDC consumers were more likely to be aware of the cannabinoid content of the product purchased compared to those who acquired their cannabis from other sources (aOR = 4.12; 95% CI = 1.10-15.40). Conclusions: No association was detected between the source of cannabis supply and potential vulnerability indicators of cannabis-related harms, but SQDC consumers were more aware of the cannabinoid content of the products purchased. These results suggest that the regulated government supply in Quebec is reaching a substantial portion of those with potential high vulnerability to harm. Whether this knowledge translates into a reduction in the negative consequences related to consumption is still to be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid precipitation falling near 0 °C, mainly snow, can adhere to surface features and produce major impacts. This study is concerned with characterizing this precipitation over the Canadian Prairie provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan in the current (2000–2013) and pseudo-global warming future climate, with an average 5.9 °C temperature increase, through the use of high resolution (4 km) model simulations. On average, simulations in the current climate suggest that this precipitation occurs within 11 events per year, lasting 33.6 h in total and producing 27.5 mm melted equivalent, but there are wide spatial variations that are partly due to enhancements arising from its relatively low terrain. Within the warmer climate, average values generally increase, and spatial patterns shift somewhat. This precipitation consists of four categories covering its occurrence just below and just above a wet-bulb temperature of 0 °C, and with or without liquid precipitation. It generally peaks in March or April, as well as in October, and these peaks move towards mid-winter by approximately one month within the warmer climate. Storms producing this precipitation generally produce winds with a northerly component during or shortly after the precipitation; these winds contribute to further damage. Overall, this study has determined the features of and expected changes to adhering precipitation across this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Directly-funded home care (DF) provides government funds to people who need assistance with the activities of daily living, allowing them to arrange their own services. As programs expand globally, many allow DF clients to hire home care agencies to organize their services rather than finding their own workers. In Canada, half of the DF home care programs allow users to purchase agency services. The goal of this research is to describe the role of agency providers in DF home care in Canada and consider potential equity implications for service access from the perspectives of clients and families. Methods: Framed with intersectionality, the study included online focus groups with families and clients (n = 56) in the two Canadian provinces of Alberta and Manitoba between June 2021-April 2022. All transcripts underwent qualitative thematic analysis using open and axial coding techniques. Each transcript was analyzed by two of three possible independent coders using Dedoose qualitative analysis software. Results: The article presents five thematic findings. First, the focus groups document high rates of satisfaction with the care regardless of whether the client uses agency providers. Second, agency providers mediate some of the administrative barriers and emotional strain of using DF home care, and this is especially important for family caregivers who are working or have additional care responsibilities. Third, there are out-of-pocket expenses reported by most participants, with agency clients describing administrative fees despite lower pay for the frontline care workers. Fourth, agencies are not generally effective for linguistic and/or cultural matching between workers and families. Finally, we find that DF care programs cannot compensate for a limited informal support network. Conclusions: Clients and families often intentionally choose DF home care after negative experiences with other public service options, yet the results suggest that in some Canadian contexts, DF home care is a privilege only afforded to some. Given the growing inequalities that exist in Canadian society, all public home care options must be open to all who need it, irrespective of ability to pay, degree of social support, or competence in the English language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the nutritional composition of wild-harvested insects in Nova Scotia, Canada, and their potential as a sustainable source of nutrition. The study finds that wild-harvested insects have comparable protein levels but lower fat content compared to industrially-reared insects. They also have similar mineral levels, with some wild insects having higher concentrations of certain minerals. The article addresses concerns about food safety, including the presence of anti-nutrients, heavy metals, microplastics, and pesticide residues in insects. It acknowledges the social perception of consuming insects as a barrier to their widespread adoption and suggests that species selection and processing methods can influence acceptance. The article concludes that while wild-harvested insects show promise as a future food source, further research is needed to improve safety, sustainability, and public perception. The accompanying list of references provides additional resources for further research on insects and related topics. [Extracted from the article]

Some slug species are considered a nuisance in agriculture and horticulture worldwide, causing economic losses to growers. Phasmarhabditis is a genus of bacteria-feeding nematodes that can parasitize slugs and snails and thus potentially serve as a biological control agent. Canada had no record of Phasmarhabditis until a survey conducted in 2019 reported a Canadian strain of Phasmarhabditis californica from a single Arion rufus slug. To build on this discovery, we surveyed three major agricultural sites, ten greenhouses, and nurseries in Alberta from June to September 2021 to collect pest slug species and investigate their associated nematodes, specifically P. californica. Slugs were collected from the field and returned to the laboratory to check for emerging nematodes on White traps. We collected 1331 slugs belonging to nine species, with Deroceras reticulatum being the most common. Only 45 (3.38%) slug samples were positive for nematodes, and the majority were identified to species level: Alloionema appendiculatum, Caenorhabditis briggsae, Caenorhabditis elegans, Panagrolaimus subelongatus, and Mesorhabditis spiculigera. We did not isolate P. californica from any of the slugs collected from these survey sites, which included the original site where P. californica was discovered. However, four D. reticulatum slugs retrieved from a residential garden sample were infected with P. californica. These findings suggest the possibility of a fragmented distribution of P. californica across Alberta. Future research should focus on extensively surveying agriculture and horticulture sites and residential gardens in different provinces across Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Canadian Prairie Provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba) are home to species from 29 of the 45 spider families currently found in Canada. Here we provide a beginner-friendly dichotomous key to the spider families of the Canadian Prairies. The key includes numerous photos, line drawings, and simplified definitions of anatomical characters necessary for family-level identification. For each family we include an illustrated summary of important character states, a whole-body photo of an exemplar of the family, and number of species of the family currently reported from the Prairie Provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Telehealth has the potential to support the care of older adults and their desire to age at home by providing a videoconferencing connection to specialist geriatric care. However, more information is needed to determine how telehealth services affect the care of older adults, and how telehealth services for older adults compare to traditional in-person methods of care provision. The aim of this study was to compare telegeriatric and in-person geriatric consultation methods with respect to outcomes and costs.Methods: This was a retrospective chart analysis of consultation letters from patients' first follow-up appointment with a geriatric specialist during the 2017/2018 fiscal year (N = 95) in a health jurisdiction of a Western Canadian province.Results: Patients seen through telehealth and in person were similar in mean age (M = 79.1 and 78.1 years, respectively) and were predominately female. Telegeriatric consultations resulted in more requests for further testing and screening (p = 0.003), new diagnoses (p = 0.002), medication changes (p = 0.009) and requests for follow-up (p = 0.03) compared to in-person consultations. An average one-day clinic with one geriatric specialist providing consultations through telehealth cost Can$1684-$1859 less than an equivalent in-person clinic.Discussion: Although additional research is needed to explain the differences in outcomes further between telehealth and in-person consultations found in this work, telehealth consultations cost substantially less than in-person consultations and are a promising way to improve access to geriatric care for older adults in underserved areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Canadian province of Nova Scotia recently became the first jurisdiction in North America to pass deemed consent organ donation legislation. The announcement of this legislation generated substantial online discussion, which we analyzed to provide insights on public perception. Methods: We performed directed content analysis on 2663 user-generated comments appearing on two widely-shared Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) articles published online in April 2019. We determined levels of support and opposition in comments and described the specific rhetoric used for doing so. We also performed one-way ANOVA and Pearson chi-square tests to determine how the comments were being received and engaged by other users. Results: A range of commentary was present in both support and opposition to the changes in legislation. There were more negative than positive comments, and negative commentary generated more replies. Positive comments were received more positively by other users while negative comments were received more negatively. The total sum of negative comments was greatly influenced by a small number of very active participants. Negative commentary focused more on broad concepts and principles related to government, power, and individual rights rather than specific issues in the Nova Scotian context. Substantial issues of trust in the government and healthcare system were evident. Conclusions: There were strong positive and negative sentiments expressed in the comments, but the total sum of negativity in the comments was significantly influenced by a small number of commentators. Analysis on the presumed consent concerns can be helpful to inform public outreach efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty species of Curculionoidea (28 Curculionidae and one each of Brentidae and Nemonychidae) are reported as new records from the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, most of them from the island of Newfoundland. As well, 13 species of Curculionidae and one of Brentidae previously recorded from Newfoundland are newly reported from Labrador, and one Curculionidae previously recorded from Labrador is newly reported from Newfoundland. The Palearctic species, Orthochaetes setiger ([Beck]), is herein reported as a new Canadian and North American record, with specimens documented from Newfoundland and British Columbia. Additions to the primary key for North American weevils are provided to help identify this genus among the North American fauna. Of the species of Curculionoidea previously recorded from the province in published literature, there is uncertain evidence for the occurrence of 14 species in the province as a whole or in the Labrador portion. Seven species are hereby removed from the faunal list for the province. One of those, Trachodes hispidus (Linnaeus), is also removed from the Canadian faunal list. The 134 species of Curculionoidea recorded from NL are listed and a brief synopsis of the fauna provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lack of patient access to family physicians in Canada is a concern. The role of recent physician graduates in this problem of supply of primary care services has not been established. We sought to establish whether career stage or graduation cohort were related to family physician practice volume and continuity of care over time. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of family physician practice from 1997/98 to 2017/18. We collected administrative health and physician claims data in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia. We included all physicians who registered with their respective provincial regulatory colleges as having a medical specialty of family practice or who had billed the provincial health insurance system for patient care as family physicians, or both. We used regression models to isolate the effects of 3-year categories of years in practice (at all career stages), time period and cohort on patient contacts and physician-level continuity of care. Results: Between 1997/98 and 2017/18, the median number of patient contacts per provider per year fell by between 515 and 1736 contacts in the 4 provinces examined. Median contacts peaked at 27–29 years in practice in all provinces, and median physician-level continuity of care increased until 30 or more years in practice. We found no association between graduation cohort and patient contacts or physician-level continuity of care. Interpretation: Recent cohorts of family physicians practise similarly to their predecessors in terms of practice volumes and continuity of care. Because family physicians of all career stages showed declining patient contacts, we suggest that system-wide solutions to recent challenges in the accessibility of primary care in Canada are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged health services and governments in Canada and around the world. Our research aims to evaluate the effect of domestic and international air travel patterns on the COVID-19 pandemic in Canadian provinces and territories. Methods Air travel data were obtained through licensed access to the 'BlueDot Intelligence Platform', BlueDot Inc. Daily provincial and territorial COVID-19 cases for Canada and global figures, including mortality, cases recovered and population data were downloaded from public datasets. The effects of domestic and international air travel and passenger volume on the number of local and non-local infected people in each Canadian province and territory were evaluated with a semi-Markov model. Provinces and territories are grouped into large (>100 000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and >1 000 000 inhabitants) and small jurisdictions (≤100 000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and ≤1 000 000 inhabitants). Results Our results show a clear decline in passenger volumes from March 2020 due to public health policies, interventions and other measures taken to limit or control the spread of COVID-19. As the measures were eased, some provinces and territories saw small increases in passenger volumes, although travel remained below pre-pandemic levels. During the early phase of disease introduction, the burden of illness is determined by the connectivity of jurisdictions. In provinces with a larger population and greater connectivity, the burden of illness is driven by case importation, although local transmission rapidly replaces imported cases as the most important driver of increasing new infections. In smaller jurisdictions, a steep increase in cases is seen after importation, leading to outbreaks within the community. Conclusions Historical travel volumes, combined with data on an emerging infection, are useful to understand the behaviour of an infectious agent in regions of Canada with different connectivity and population size. Historical travel information is important for public health planning and pandemic resource allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of schools in the spread of SARS-CoV-2 is controversial, with some claiming they are an important driver of the pandemic and others arguing that transmission in schools is negligible. School cluster reports that have been collected in various jurisdictions are a source of data about transmission in schools. These reports consist of the name of a school, a date, and the number of students known to be infected. We provide a simple model for the frequency and size of clusters in this data, based on random arrivals of index cases at schools who then infect their classmates with a highly variable rate, fitting the overdispersion evident in the data. We fit our model to reports from four Canadian provinces, providing estimates of mean and dispersion for cluster size, as well as the distribution of the instantaneous transmission parameter ß, whilst factoring in imperfect ascertainment. According to our model with parameters estimated from the data, in all four provinces (i) more than 65% of non-index cases occur in the 20% largest clusters, and (ii) reducing instantaneous transmission rate and the number of contacts a student has at any given time are effective in reducing the total number of cases, whereas strict bubbling (keeping contacts consistent over time) does not contribute much to reduce cluster sizes. We predict strict bubbling to be more valuable in scenarios with substantially higher transmission rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many family medicine residency graduates indicate a desire to provide obstetric care, but a low proportion of family physicians (FPs) provide obstetric care within their practice. This suggests personal preference alone may not account for the low proportion of FPs who ultimately provide full obstetric care. If decisionmakers plan to augment the number of FPs providing obstetric care, barriers to the provision of such care must first be identified. Within this paper, we explore the perspectives of both family practice residents and early-career FPs on the factors that shaped their decision to provide obstetric care.Methods: In this qualitative study, we analyzed a subset of interview data from three Canadian provinces: British Columbia, Ontario, and Nova Scotia (n = 18 family practice residents; n = 39 early-career FPs). We used thematic analysis to analyze data relevant to obstetric care practice, applying the socio-ecological model and comparing themes across participant types, gender, and province.Results: Participants described influences affecting their decision about providing obstetric care. Key influencing factors aligned with the levels of the socio-ecological model of public policy (i.e., liability), community (i.e., community needs), organizational (e.g., obstetric care trade-offs, working in teams, sufficient exposure in training), interpersonal practice preferences (i.e., impact on family life, negative interactions with other healthcare professionals), and individual factors (i.e., defining comprehensive care as "everything but obstetrics"). Many participants were interested in providing obstetric care within their practice but did not provide such care. Participants' decision-making around providing or not providing obstetric care included considerations of personal preferences and outside influences.Conclusions: Individual-level factors alone do not account for the decrease in the type and amount of obstetric care offered by FPs. Instead, FPs' choice to provide or not provide obstetric care is influenced by factors at higher levels of the socio-ecological model. Policymakers who want to encourage obstetric practice by FPs should implement interventions at the public policy, community, organizational, interpersonal, and individual levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing literature shows that earnings differentials are explained in part by the fact that workers from different groups sort differently into high-paying and low-paying firms or are paid differently within the same firm. In this article, we explore whether any differences exist in how those two different channels contribute to earnings differentials between immigrants and native-born Canadians in the provinces of British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec, which account for more than 80 percent of all immigrants in Canada. We find a surprising degree of similarity across the three provinces in the way in which firms contribute to the immigrant–native-born earnings gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tier 1 school mental health programs for middle school youth often focus on healthy relationships promotion. However, the vast majority of these programs take a gender‐ and race‐neutral approach (i.e., content that does not focus on the way that gender, race, and ethnicity intersect to shape relationships and mental health). Embedding these intersections into Tier 1 programs is critical to equitably advancing mental health for middle school youth. This article specifically explores associations between participation in a Tier 1 gender‐transformative healthy relationships program and friendship quality for Ethnocultural boys. Data were drawn from 278 White and Ethnocultural boys who participated in the program in 2016–2017 or 2017–2018 in a Western Canadian province. Data were analyzed using three‐level multilevel models. In these data, we found that Ethnocultural boys who participated in WiseGuyz reported improved friendship quality with their closest same‐sex friend following the end of the program. We also found that Ethnocultural boys who reported a positive change in male role norms related to emotional restriction reported significant improvements to friendship quality from pre‐ to post‐test. Findings suggest the importance of embedding equity into Tier 1 school mental health programming through a specific focus on intersections between gender, race, and ethnicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the consequences of the environmental transformations of the Laurentian Valley on the timber trade uniting the Province of Canada and the industrialization of Great Britain during the nineteenth century. The notion of ghost acres used to describe the ecological footprint of resource consumption from abroad is extended to accommodate landscape transformations and enrich our understanding of the environmental impacts of imperial trade. Moving beyond the mere calculation of a surface area to assess the ecological ghost acres of British industrialization, we reconstitute the exchange circuits of wood products, from the extraction sites of different forest areas of the Laurentian Valley to their final destination in the British market, to identify the environmental consequences resulting from the insertion of the colonial forest economy into imperial trade networks. We also explore the adaptation of the British market to the material differences of North American pine and spruce compared with the familiar timber from northern Europe and how this, in turn, shaped the geography of extraction. • British urban industrial growth altered the environment in the Laurentian Valley. • Extend the notion of ghost acres to account for the ecological impacts of trade. • The British market adapted to the material differences of Canadian timber. • Shifting geography of extraction shaped the supply of Canadian timber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing literature shows that earnings differentials are explained in part by the fact that workers from different groups sort differently into high-paying and low-paying firms or are paid differently within the same firm. In this article, we explore whether any differences exist in how those two different channels contribute to earnings differentials between immigrants and native-born Canadians in the provinces of British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec, which account for more than 80 percent of all immigrants in Canada. We find a surprising degree of similarity across the three provinces in the way in which firms contribute to the immigrant–native-born earnings gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The use of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) convalescent plasma (CCP) in the treatment of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome‐2 infection has been controversial. Early administration of CCP before hospital admission offers a potential advantage. This manuscript summarizes current trials of early use of CCP and explores the feasibility of this approach in different countries. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT) CCP working group. We recorded respondents' input on existing trials on early/outpatient CCP and out‐of‐hospital (OOH)/home transfusion (HT) practices in their countries and feedback on challenges in initiating home CCP infusion programmes. In addition, details of existing trials registered on clinicaltrials.gov were summarized. Results: A total of 31 country representatives participated. Early/OOH CCP transfusion studies were reported in the United States, the Netherlands, Spain and Brazil. There were a total of six published and five ongoing trials on the prophylactic and therapeutic early use of CCP. HT was practised in Australia, the UK, Belgium, France, Japan, Nigeria, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Norway, the United States and some provinces in Canada. Thirty‐four representatives indicated a lack of OOH CCP or HT in their institutions and countries. Barriers to implementation of OOH/HT included existing legislation, lack of policies pertaining to outpatient transfusion, and associated logistical challenges, including lack of staffing and resources. Conclusion: Early administration of CCP remains a potential option in COVID‐19 management in countries with existing OOH/HT programmes. Legislation and regulatory bodies should consider OOH/HT practice for transfusion in future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

British Columbia and Ontario are two of the Canadian provinces and territories that have enacted a Missing Persons Act, legislation aimed at improving the police investigation of missing person cases. Understanding the Acts in these regions from the policing perspective presents an opportunity to assess their efficacy and utility. Therefore, the purposes of this study are to examine police perceptions of and experiences with the Missing Persons Act in each region. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with police officers from over 20 services across these regions, this article explores police insights into the impacts, challenges, and benefits of the Acts related to missing persons work. Additionally, police support for and perceptions of this legislation are uncovered. Results show that police view the Acts in these regions as enhancing missing persons work through standardization and strengthening abilities to obtain information and records, follow various leads, and use technologies that assist in successfully locating missing people. However, a paradox emerged: Police are reluctant to make use of this legislation. Explanations for this and the implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify factors associated with breast-feeding initiation and continuation in Canadian-born and non-Canadian-born women. Design: Prospective cohort of mothers and infants born from 2008 to 2012: the Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) Cohort Study. Setting: General community setting in four Canadian provinces. Participants: In total, 3455 pregnant women from Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto between 2008 and 2012. Results: Of 3010 participants included in the current study, the majority were Canadian-born (75·5 %). Breast-feeding initiation rates were high in both non-Canadian-born (95·5 %) and Canadian-born participants (92·7 %). The median breast-feeding duration was 10 months in Canadian-born participants and 11 months in non-Canadian-born participants. Among Canadian-born participants, factors associated with breast-feeding initiation and continuation were older maternal age, higher maternal education, living with their partner and recruitment site. Rooming-in during the hospital stay was also associated with higher rates of breast-feeding initiation, but not continuation at 6-month postpartum. Factors associated with non-initiation of breast-feeding and cessation at 6-month postpartum were maternal smoking, living with a current smoker, caesarean birth and early-term birth. Among non-Canadian-born participants, maternal smoking during pregnancy was associated with lower odds of breast-feeding initiation and lower odds of breast-feeding continuation at 6 months, and older maternal age and recruitment site were associated with breast-feeding continuation at 6 months. Conclusions: Although Canadian-born and non-Canadian-born women in the CHILD cohort have similar breast-feeding initiation rates, breast-feeding initiation and continuation are more strongly associated with socio-demographic characteristics in Canadian-born participants. Recruitment site was strongly associated with breast-feeding continuation in both groups and may indicate geographic disparities in breast-feeding rates nationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the book "Imagining the Heartland: White Supremacy and the American Midwest" by Britt E. Halvorson and Joshua O. Reno. The authors argue that the Midwest has been a site of racial violence and white supremacy throughout history, despite its association with kindness and Americanness. They highlight the role of negative tropes about Indigenous populations and the myth of the virtuous white farmer in shaping the idea of the Midwest. The article also includes a review of the book "Great Plains Forts" by Jay H. Buckley and Jeffery D. Nokes, which provides an overview of forts in the Great Plains region. The review notes that the book is recommended for general readers interested in historical sites. [Extracted from the article]

Crossfield is located in the province of Alberta in Canada and is one of the most well-known reservoirs of hydrocarbons. Since the 1950s, there has been continuous exploitation of more than 10 formations such as Cardium, Viking, Ellerslie, Elkton, Shunda, and Wabamun. Because of its location near the Foothills, the southwestern part of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, the Crossfield area has a complex geology and relatively deeper reservoirs, therefore requiring an in-depth examination of each formation. In this study, geological, technical, and economic analyses were performed on each formation within the 10 sections of the study lands in the Crossfield area. As the result of the study, there was potential for drilling 48 horizontal wells in the Cardium A zone and the Viking formation. In addition, it turned out to be economically feasible even at the WTI price of 60 dollars per barrel considering Alberta's Royalty Framework, which is determined by the production rate and the price of oil, and the Horizontal Oil New Well Royalty Rate feature. A further study is required to investigate the exploitation potential of the Cardium B zone, the Ellerslie, and the Elkton formations in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We expand on ongoing debates about the role of economic losses and benefits for a clean energy transition. Rather than focusing on the potential economic benefits of alternative industries and energy sources, we highlight the role of economic optimism people display towards the fossil fuel industry. We argue that people's confidence in the fossil fuel industry to remain an important economic driver in the future can undermine support for climate policies because people do not perceive a need to turn to alternative industries for economic prosperity. Instead, they continue to support the status-quo. We test our argument using survey level data collected in the spring of 2019 in the Canadian province of Alberta, an ideal case due to the province's economic dependence on the fossil fuel industry. The results support our argument, highlighting the need for policymakers to develop communication strategies on future economic benefits of energy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labour markets of oil-exporting regions will be impacted by a global transition to low-carbon energy as oil demand reduces to meet the aims of the Paris Agreement. Together with direct job losses in the oil and gas industry, indirect employment effects on other sectors should also be considered to ensure a just transition. We explore these direct and indirect employment impacts that could result from the low-carbon transition by analysing the effect of oil price fluctuations on the labour market of Alberta, a Canadian province economically reliant on oil sands extraction. We employ a mixed methods approach, contextualizing our quantitative analysis with first-hand experiences of career transitions using interviews with oil sands workers. We estimate a vector autoregression for province-wide insights and explore sector-specific dynamics using time series regressions. We find that the price discount on Canadian oil sands, which is determined by local factors like crude oil quality and pipeline capacity, does not significantly affect employment, while the global oil price does. This finding puts in doubt claims of long-term employment benefits from new pipelines. We find that at a provincial scale, oil price fluctuations lead to employment levels also fluctuating. Our analysis at the sectoral level shows that these job fluctuations extend beyond oil and gas to other sectors, such as construction and some service sectors. These findings suggest that the province's current economic dependence on oil creates job precarity because employment in various sectors is sensitive to a volatile oil market. Furthermore, due to this sectoral sensitivity to oil price changes, workers in these sectors may be especially at risk in a low-carbon transition and warrant special attention in the development of provincial and national just transition policies. Transitional assistance can support workers directly, while economic diversification in Alberta can reduce reliance on international oil markets and thereby ensure stable opportunities in existing and new sectors. Decreased global oil demand is likely to create employment risks for workers in Alberta and other fossil fuel producing regions of the world. Current economic dependence on oil sands extraction in Alberta leads to job precarity across sectors, including in those seemingly unrelated to extraction. Proactive economic diversification in anticipation of the low-carbon transition could reduce precarity by mitigating the effects of oil price fluctuations on employment levels in the long term. Workers in sectors with higher oil price sensitivity (i.e. oil and gas, construction, professional services, manufacturing, accommodations, and food services sectors) could be prioritized in coordinated just transition policies at the local, provincial, and national scales. The details of career transitions gleaned from our interviews suggest that tripartite social dialogue would contribute meaningfully to just transition policy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Thompson River valley hosts 14 landslides along a 10 km section, which threaten the two major railroads connecting the Port of Vancouver and the interior provinces in Canada. The Ripley landslide is one of the active landslides in this section of the valley. Previous research at this site included an analysis of landslide deformations using satellite radar interferometry focusing on deformations measured in the line of sight between the satellite and the slopes, and average downslope displacement (deformations projected in the average downslope direction). Since then, further stratigraphic interpretation has provided an enhanced understanding of the Ripley landslide. In this update, the new stratigraphic interpretation is supplemented with satellite InSAR data from May 2015 to May 2017 to enhance the current understanding of the landslide kinematics. The results indicate that the Ripley landslide has been moving at a rate between 2 and 82 mm per year, corresponding to a very slow to slow landslide. It is also observed that the movements tend to be near-horizontal on areas closer to the toe of the landslide, while the vertical component of deformation increases near the scarp of the landslide. This, together with the interpreted stratigraphy, indicates the kinematics corresponds to a compound landslide. This is consistent with interpreted landslide kinematics of older, more mature landslides in the area that have shown episodes of retrogression and suggests the possibility of a similar future behaviour of the Ripley landslide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors report findings from a 15-month project that focused on the experiences of sex workers who live and work in an Eastern Canadian province. As part of a larger multi-phased study, 15 adults who identified as women, transgender, or non-binary, and received money or goods for sexual services, participated in photo-elicitation interviews. Drawing on a critical framing analysis, findings indicated supports—as identified and experienced by sex workers—encompassed three categories of care: self, community, and collective. These categories are described, with a particular focus on the latter two. Continuing with the care-based framework, recommendations to structure interventions draw on the role of accountability care in identifying how best to operationalize policies that promote health, well-being, and dignity of Canadian sex workers. The paper begins with a brief overview of the Canadian context and the role of supports. It follows with a discussion on the materials and methods and the results. It concludes with recommendations, limitations, and future considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International trade negotiations are no longer largely limited to federal government's constitutional jurisdictions. In this context, substate governments, like Quebec and Wallonia, are aware that their ability to formulate and implement policy, are subject to negotiations in trade talks. This article compares the role of Quebec and Wallonia in the CETA negotiations. While Wallonia was able to force the inclusion of an interpretative legal instrument to clarify certain parts of CETA, Quebec, like the other Canadian provinces, was able to influence the negotiation from within. Quebec's influence was felt on many issues such as regulatory cooperation, certification, labour mobility, cultural diversity, but also on issues that were ultimately left outside the agreement. The comparison provides important lessons: the inclusion in the negotiating process of substate governments, like Quebec, makes it easier for them to make important concessions during the negotiation but also to accept the outcome of the negotiation. Moreover, substate governments are important actors in legitimising these trade treaties. When they strongly oppose them, like Wallonia did, it has a deleterious effect on the legitimacy of the agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The last decade has shown a remarkable increase in the rates of illicit opioid use in Canada and internationally, which is associated with large increases in opioid related morbidity and mortality. While the differences between methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone in terms of retention have been studied outside Canada, the unique location and design of this study, gives it a specific significance. Objectives: This study aims to describe the relative treatment retention rates for first episode opioid replacement treatment between methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone for patients receiving daily witnessed dispensed medications in Nova Scotia. Methods: A longitudinal retrospective descriptive study analyzing secondary data from the Nova Scotia Prescription Monitoring Program on patients 18 years of age and older who started first episode opioid agonist therapy with methadone or buprenorphine/naloxone for opioid use disorder in Nova Scotia between 2014 and 2018. Treatment episode was defined as date of initial opioid agonist prescription until there is a gap of greater than 6 days without receiving opioid agonist medication at a pharmacy. Results: One thousand eight hundred sixty-seven of whom were analyzed as they had at least 1 day in treatment. There was significant treatment dropout within the first 2 weeks of treatment, which did not show a significant difference between OAT medication (23.4% of buprenorphine/naloxone; 22.2% methadone). Median duration of retention in treatment was 58 days for those treated with buprenorphine/naloxone and 101 days for patients treated with methadone. Multivariate cox proportional hazards model showed that buprenorphine/naloxone use as compared to methadone lead to increased hazard of treatment dropout by 62% (HR = 1.62). Hazard rate of treatment dropout for patients below 25 years of age was calculated. (HR 1.53). Median duration of retention in treatment for this subgroup of patients younger than age 25 was 37.5 days for patients treated with buprenorphine/naloxone and 69 days for patients treated with methadone. Conclusions: Our data suggests that methadone is a numerically superior medication for opioid use disorder when the metric of treatment retention is viewed in isolation, for our population in Nova Scotia. However, the results should be interpreted carefully considering the number of limitations of this study. There are social/accessibility, pharmacologic/safety, and patient preference factors which are also key in decision making when prescribing opioid agonist therapy. These must all be considered when deciding on which medication to initiate for a patient beginning a new treatment episode with OAT for opioid use disorder. This study should stimulate further research into this important area in addiction medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Substance use is common among people who visit emergency departments (EDs) frequently. We aimed to characterize subgroups within this cohort to better understand care needs/gaps, and generalizability of characteristics in three Canadian provinces.Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study (April 1st, 2013 to March 31st, 2016) of ED patients in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia (B.C.) We included patients ≥ 18 years with substance use-related healthcare contact during the study period and frequent ED visits, defined as those in the top 10% of ED utilization when all patients were ordered by annual ED visit number. We used linked administrative databases including ED visits and hospitalizations (all provinces); mental heath-related hospitalizations (Ontario and Alberta); and prescriptions, physician services, and mortality (B.C.). We compared to cohorts of people with (1) frequent ED visits and no substance use, and (2) non-frequent ED visits and substance use. We employed cluster analysis to identify subgroups with distinct visit patterns and clinical characteristics during index year, April 1st, 2014 to March 31st, 2015.Results: In 2014/15, we identified 19,604, 7,706, and 9,404 people with frequent ED visits and substance use in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C (median 37-43 years; 60.9-63.0% male), whose ED visits and hospitalizations were higher than comparison groups. In all provinces, cluster analyses identified subgroups with "extreme" and "moderate" frequent visits (median 13-19 versus 4-6 visits/year). "Extreme" versus "moderate" subgroups had more hospitalizations, mental health-related ED visits, general practitioner visits but less continuity with one provider, more commonly left against medical advice, and had higher 365-day mortality in B.C. (9.3% versus 6.6%; versus 10.4% among people with frequent ED visits and no substance use, and 4.3% among people with non-frequent ED visits and substance use). The most common ED diagnosis was acute alcohol intoxication in all subgroups.Conclusions: Subgroups of people with "extreme" (13-19 visits/year) and "moderate" (4-6 visits/year) frequent ED visits and substance use had similar utilization patterns and characteristics in Ontario, Alberta, and B.C., and the "extreme" subgroup had high mortality. Our findings suggest a need for improved evidence-based substance use disorder management, and strengthened continuity with primary and mental healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pavement Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a comprehensive method to evaluate the environmental impacts of a pavement section. It employs a cradle-to-grave approach assessing critical stages of the pavement's life. Previous LCA case studies used a wide variety of different functional units and factors in order to achieve different goals and scopes. These inconsistent functional units and factors create confusion in understanding the complete picture of environmental impact during the initial construction. Therefore, a set of models of pavement LCA considering every factor of the pavement life cycle phases is needed. Canada is a very large country and the different provinces have different pavement construction practices. Therefore, the goal of this work is to develop a set of useful models for quantifying CO2 emission from pavement construction in Canada. A total of 141 Canadian road sections from the Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) database are considered to develop models using machine learning algorithms: multiple linear regression, polynomial regression, decision tree regression and support vector regression. These models determine the significant contributors and quantify the CO2 emission in material production, initial construction, maintenance and use phase. The study also reveals the contribution of Canadian provinces' CO2 emission involved in the life of a pavement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Non-zero I/(Ca + Mg) values were detected in Archean and Paleoproterozoic shallow marine carbonates. • The samples are from several locations and range in age from 2.93 to 2.31 Ga. • These non-zero values indicate the original localized presence of dissolved marine oxygen. Marine oxygenation during the Archean and Paleoproterozoic is poorly constrained. Iodine in carbonate is a possible oxygen indicator. We obtained molar ratios of iodine to calcium-magnesium [I/(Ca + Mg)] for 2.93–2.31 Ga from shallow marine Ca-carbonate (limestone, dolostone) platform sediments at several locations in the southern Superior Province in Canada and the USA. Maximum I/(Ca + Mg) ratios obtained are 0.13, 0.26, 0.05 and 0.22 μmol/mol, for 2.93, 2.86, 2.80 and 2.31 Ga samples, respectively. These non-zero carbonate I/(Ca + Mg) ratios indicate localized oxygen in Archean and Paleoproterozoic shallow marine environments. These data support an early origin for biological oxygen-production and, specifically, the idea that mid-late Archean oxygenation was sufficient to facilitate Ca-carbonate precipitation in shallow marine 'oxygen oases' adjacent to anoxic iron-rich seas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deploying negative emission technologies has become crucial for limiting the global temperature rise to approximately 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels. DAC technologies are being explored as one of the prospective options. These technologies have been thoroughly investigated as a potential project to capture CO 2 emissions and provide purified air, natural gas, or fuel oil. An applied approach, on the other hand, was not taken into consideration while evaluating the influence that this technology has on emissions. For this reason, British Columbia provides a substantial chance to examine emissions that were produced after the DAC actions were put into place in 2015. In this study, the difference-in-differences methodology is employed for the very first time to compare the emissions that are produced by the transport sectors in British Columbia with those emitted by other provinces in Canada. The role that GDP and population play in the release of emissions is also taken into consideration in this paper. Based on the research results, it can be observed that the implementation of DAC initiatives has yielded notable effects. Evidence shows that the DAC effort has led to an average reduction of 0.08 in logarithmic CO 2 emissions in the transport sector. By accounting for GDP and population, the empirical results indicate that DAC technology reduced CO 2 emissions in British Columbia compared to provinces without DAC facilities. DAC initiatives are expected to become increasingly prevalent between the mid-2030s and 2040s. Overall policy implications suggest that there is a need for DAC technologies to collaborate with alternative mitigation technologies, or alternative technologies should collaborate with DAC technologies that are more efficient to achieve the targeted goals in a short time. • The study offers empirical evidence of DAC technology's impact, providing insights beyond theoretical conjectures. • Based on the research results, it can be seen that the implementation of DAC facilities has yielded notable effects. • DAC technology in British Columbia has led to a significant and negative impact on CO 2 emissions compared to other provinces without DAC facilities. • The study highlights the differential effectiveness of DAC across transport sectors, pointing toward a need for tailored implementation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of e-waste collection and management trends across six Canadian provinces, focusing on e-waste collection rates, provincial stewardship model attributes, program strategies and budget allocations from 2013 to 2020. Temporal and regression analyses were conducted using data from Electronic Product Recycling Association reports. A group characterization based on geographical proximity is proposed, aiming to explore the potential outcomes of fostering collaboration among neighboring provinces. The analysis emphasizes the significant impact of stewardship model attributes on e-waste collection rates, with Quebec emerging as a standout case, showcasing a remarkable 61.5% surge in collection rates. Findings from group analysis reveal a positive correlation between per capita e-waste collection rate and the growth of businesses and collection sites in Western Canada (Group A - British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba). This highlights the potential benefits of a coordinated waste management approach, emphasizing the importance of shared resources and collaborative policies. Saskatchewan and Manitoba allocated only 6.6% and 7.0% of their respective budgets to e-waste transfer and storage. British Columbia's observed steady decrease of e-waste collection rate. In Group A, stewards handled 2.18–13.95 tonnes of e-waste during the study period. The cost per tonne of e-waste tended to be lower when more e-waste is managed per steward, suggesting the potential benefits of an integrated e-waste collection and management system. [Display omitted] • Six Canadian e-waste stewardship models from 2013 to 2020 were examined. • E-waste collection rates were gradually declining in Canada jurisdictions. • Collection site density, expenditure, efficiency may have affected collection rates. • Eastern and western stewardships had different operational characteristics. • Region-specific collaborative approach may improve stewardship effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Canada, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue to remain high despite the federal government's commitment to reduce GHG emissions. Environmental policy across Canadian provinces has largely lacked consistency with some provinces implementing targeted policy such as carbon taxes while others have strongly resisted the federal government's attempts to encourage such policy. This study examines the impact of environmental policy on GHG gas emissions across Canadian provinces with policy uniquely measured by public and business sector spending on environmental protection as well as notable province-specific policies. An extended STIRPAT model is specified with the inclusion of proxies for environmental policy using panel data from Canada's ten provinces from 1995 to 2019. The cointegration and the error correction modelling approaches are employed to estimate the non-stationary panel data. A pooled mean group estimation is applied to provide short run and long run coefficients. The findings indicate that although per capita GDP is the main driver of GHG emissions in Canada, environmental policy has a significant mitigating effect, as shown by the negative association between emissions and private and public sector spending on environmental protection in the long run. Furthermore, provinces with targeted policies, such as Ontario's coal phase-out and British Columbia's carbon tax, experienced significant emissions reductions. The theoretical implication is the successful addition of policy variables to the STIRPAT model, providing the model a new application for future research. [Display omitted] • Assess the impact of environmental protection policies on per capita greenhouse gas emissions in Canada. • Utilize public and private expenditures on environmental protection, along with provincial policies. • Extend the STIRPAT model to incorporate environmental protection policies in an empirical model. • Demonstrate a significant negative relationship between environmental protection policies and GHG emissions. • Offer insights with implications for global environmental sustainability efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was met with rapid development of robust molecular-based detection assays. Many SARS-CoV-2 molecular tests target multiple genetic regions of the virus to maximize detection and protect against diagnostic escape. Despite the relatively moderate mutational rate of SARS-CoV-2, numerous mutations with known negative impact on diagnostic assays have been identified. In early 2021, we identified four samples positive for SARS-CoV-2 with a nucleocapsid (N) gene drop out on Cepheid Xpert® Xpress SARS-CoV-2 assay. Sequencing revealed a single common mutation in the N gene C29200T. Spatiotemporal analysis showed that the mutation was found in at least six different Canadian provinces from May 2020 until May 2021. Phylogenetic analysis showed that this mutation arose multiple times in Canadian samples and is present in six different variants of interest and of concern. The Cepheid testing platform is commonly used in Canada including in remote regions. As such, the existence of N gene mutation dropouts required further investigation. While commercial SARS-CoV-2 molecular detection assays have contributed immensely to the response effort, many vendors are reluctant to make primer/probe sequences publicly available. Proprietary primer/probe sequences create diagnostic 'blind spots' for global SARS-CoV-2 sequence monitoring and limits the ability to detect and track the presence and prevalence of diagnostic escape mutations. We hope that our industry partners will seriously consider making primer/probe sequences available, so that diagnostic escape mutants can be identified promptly and responded to appropriately to maintain diagnostic accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans and has led to the deaths of millions of North American bats since it was first documented in New York in 2006. Since the first cases were recorded, WNS has spread rapidly across North America and is now confirmed or suspected in 40 US states and seven Canadian provinces. Often, the presence of P. destructans is detected in a cave or hibernaculum before signs of WNS manifest in the resident bat population, making presence of the fungus a more reliable assessment of potential epidemic spread than expansion of manifested WNS. An analysis of 43 cave internal climates across the state of Texas revealed a pattern of thermal suitability for P. destructans that correlated significantly with landscape (elevation, lithology) and external climate (mean surface temperature and precipitation). We generated a predictive model to assess the potential spread of P. destructans through Texas karst systems based on external features that correlate with suitable internal climates for fungal growth. Applications of this model to external climatic variables from 2019 showed seasonally varying patterns of suitability for fungal growth in select regions of Texas karst systems. Results from these surveys and models showed that internal climates of Texas caves are likely able to sustain the growth of P. destructans and could cause disease and resulting declines in Texas bats, and act as stepping-stones for the fungus, allowing it to travel southward into Mexican and Central American cave systems. The resulting work will inform researchers and natural resource managers of areas of significant concern to monitor for the spread of WNS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many Western societies, support for policies concerning the secularization of the public sphere or the state often seems to be driven by secularized majority populations considered to be largely homogeneous. In this article, by contrast, I draw on the case of the Canadian province of Quebec to show that, as a fundamental element of conflicts over secularism, secularist activism emerges from particular generational dynamics, especially those of the so-called 'baby boomers'. My main argument is that while the baby boomers' collective experiences have shaped their secularist outlook, there are a variety of biographical trajectories and engagements with spirituality that the public image of this generation tends to hide. The article is based on biographical and ethnographic research carried out between 2012 and 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]