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This study analyzed investment projects on some of the best situated Indian reserves in Canada and compared them to projects off-reserve. It found that the lack of opportunities on reserve has resulted from the imposed system of First Nation governance, which has artificially raised the costs of doing business. It can cost four to six times as much to put together a major investment project on reserve and it takes much longer to take a project from the proposal to operating stages. As a result, even favorably located reserves have low business presence and see potential investment diverted to adjacent jurisdictions even when these alternative locations are less favorably sited. Keywords: First Nations, Transaction Costs, Economic Development, Market Failure, Investment, 1. INTRODUCTION Canadians often voice disappointment with the results of government spending aimed at improving the economic fortunes of First Nation persons. They see billions of dollars spent each year [...]

Infrastructure corridors are among the most complicated transactions in Canada. Establishing a pre-determined corridor and completing linear infrastructure projects within it requires transactions related to property rights, infrastructure planning, design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance, securing public support or social licence, and because of the long overdue recognition of Indigenous rights and title, informed support from affected Indigenous communities. This paper uses a comparative systems analysis to identify specific transaction costs in four areas -- historic, infrastructure development process, fiscal and economic systems. We argue these transaction costs can be significantly reduced by systematically implementing Indigenous fiscal, infrastructure and lands jurisdictions because this will permanently ensure that Indigenous communities and people are able to receive similar fiscal and economic benefits generated from infrastructure corridor projects as those enjoyed by other Canadians and other governments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Gold nanoparticles supported on titania and alumina were used as catalysts for CO oxidation. The oxidation of C16O (2 mol%) with 18O2 (2 mol%) in He at ambient temperature and 1.2 atm total pressure was performed in a single-pass, fixed-bed reactor. A mixture of CO2 isotopomers was observed during oxidation over Au/TiO2 and Au/Al2O3. However, no oxygen scrambling was observed in and between O2 and CO. Moreover, no evidence for direct exchange between O2 and CO2 was found. Isotopic transient analysis of a switch between C16O2 and C18O2 showed that oxygen exchange occurred between the metal-oxide supports and CO2. Therefore, the CO2 isotopomer distribution observed during CO oxidation could not be attributed solely to the oxidation reaction on Au. Comparison of the isotopic transients from 13C and 18O studies suggests the primary product of C16O oxidation with 18O2 is C16O18O. The presence of 0.16 mol% H2O co-fed with the reactants significantly promoted the rate of CO oxidation by factors of 2.5 for Au/TiO2 and 10 for Au/Al2O3. Despite the promotional effect of H2O on the rate of oxidation, no significant differences in the level of oxygen exchange in the CO2 were observed. In addition, the presence of H2O did not result in scrambling of oxygen in O2. Labeled oxygen found in the H2O exiting the reactor appeared to originate from 18O associated with the CO2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Titania- and alumina-supported Au nanoparticles were synthesized by a deposition-precipitation method and subsequent thermal treatment in He. X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Au-LIII edge revealed that the as-prepared Au/TiO2 sample contained cationic Au that was reduced to a predominately metallic state after treatment in He at 623 K. Scanning transmission electron microscopy showed the Au to be highly dispersed over both the metal oxides, with an average particle size of 3.3 nm for Au/TiO2 and 2.5 nm for Au/Al2O3. The global rate, apparent activation energy, and orders of reaction with respect to CO and O2 of CO oxidation were different for the two metal oxide-supported samples. Steady-state isotopic transient kinetic analysis was used to explore the intrinsic turnover frequency (TOFintr) and coverage of active carbon-containing intermediates () that led to carbon dioxide during CO oxidation. After correcting for CO2 readsorption, the TOFintr was found to be independent of temperature, approximately 3.4 s−1 for Au/TiO2 (261–303 K) and 2.1 s−1 for Au/Al2O3 (272–343 K). At 293 K, the coverage of active carbon-containing intermediates was greater over Au/TiO2 than over Au/Al2O3. The higher coverage of species-forming product on Au/TiO2 is attributed to the greater availability of active surface oxygen on a titania catalyst compared with an alumina catalyst. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Gold nanoparticles were supported on Al2O3 by a deposition-precipitation method followed by heating in He. The resulting catalyst was then treated with NaCN solutions to remove most of the gold. X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Au LIII edge was used to monitor the oxidation state and atomic structure of Au throughout the procedure. The gold or a Au/Al2O3 sample after deposition-precipitation was in a +3 oxidation state and was subsequently reduced to metal after heating to 623 K in He. Treatment of a reduced sample with either 1 or 2 wt. % NaCN in water removed 79% or 86% of the Au, respectively. Although the remaining Au was cationic, it was also reduced to metal after heating to 623 K in He. The rate of CO oxidation per gold atom, the apparent activation energy, and the orders of reaction were unaffected by the NaCN treatments. These results show that alumina does not stabilize cationic Au species and that metallic Au appears to be important for the CO oxidation reaction. The presence of water or H2 increased the rate of CO oxidation over all of the Au/Al2O3 catalysts. However, the promotional effect of co-fed water was greater over the NaCN treated samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alumina-supported Au particles (1.16 wt %) were prepared by a deposition-precipitation method involving a HAuCl4 precursor. X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Au L(III) edge was used to monitor the evolution of the Au oxidation state and atomic structure during pretreatment in He up to 623 K. Although the as-prepared material had Au present in a +3 oxidation state, thermal treatment at 623 K facilitated autoreduction of Au cations to metal particles. Analysis of the EXAFS revealed a coordination number (Au-Au) of 7.2, which is consistent with spherical particles of 1.2 nm in average diameter. Steady-state isotopic transient kinetic analysis was used to evaluate the intrinsic turnover frequency (TOF intr) and the surface coverage of carbon-containing species (theta COx) on the gold catalyst during CO oxidation at 1.2 atm total pressure and 296 K. The artifacts in the kinetic parameters caused by re-adsorption of product carbon dioxide were removed by varying the total flow rate. The values of TOF intr and theta COx determined from the intrinsic lifetime of surface intermediates at infinite flow rate were 1.6 s(-1) and 4.9%, respectively. The intrinsic turnover frequency was nearly independent of temperature, indicating a very low activation energy for the reaction. However, the rate was significantly accelerated by the presence of water.