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Homelessness is growing internationally, and resources to guide occupational therapy practice in this area are needed. To identify competencies needed for occupational therapists to support individuals during and following homelessness. We conducted a three-round Delphi study with occupational therapy practitioners and researchers with expertise in homelessness. Of 35 potential participants, n = 16 participated in Round I, n = 20 participated in Round II, and n = 18 participated in Round III. Participants included occupational therapists and researchers in Canada, United States, Brazil, UK, Ireland and New Zealand. Consensus was achieved on a total of 93 competencies in 10 categories after 15 were eliminated in Rounds II and III. The categories with the greatest number of competencies included occupational knowledge (n = 18), followed by psychosocial competencies (n = 16). This study represents the first to identify the competencies needed for occupational therapists working in the area of homelessness. Practitioners and educators are encouraged to view the identified competencies as a guide for the professional development of occupational therapists in this context. Stakeholders consulted for this study were able to communicate in English and situated in middle to high-income countries. As such, the competencies identified in this study only apply to these sociocultural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the value of family caregivers' involvement with relatives in long-term care (LTC) is well recognized, tensions remain regarding their role. Such tensions were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic as strict public health measures restricted family access to LTC homes. Using interpretive description, we examined the impact of visitation restrictions on family caregivers' experiences caring for a relative in LTC between March 2020 and June 2021. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 family caregivers (five spouses and nine adult daughters) and two key themes were identified. The first theme, "seeking to maintain relational continuity," illustrates how caregivers sought to sustain connections with residents prior to and during the pandemic. The second theme, "disrupted relational continuity," highlights the impact of severed relational connections on caregivers' sense of self and ongoing feelings of loss and anger. Findings call for a trauma-informed approach that recognizes the pervasiveness of trauma for family caregivers and the avoidance of re-traumatization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, community-dwelling people living with dementia and their family caregivers have experienced many challenges. The unanticipated consequences of public health measures have impacted these families in a myriad of ways. In this interpretive policy analysis, which used a longitudinal, qualitative methodology, we purposively recruited 12 families in British Columbia, Canada, to explore the impacts of pandemic public health measures over time. Semi-structured interviews were conducted every 3 months and participants completed diary entries. Twenty-eight interviews and 34 diary entries were thematically analyzed. The findings explore ways that families adopted and adapted to public health measures, loss of supports, both formal and informal, and the subsequent consequences for their mental and physical well-being. Within the ongoing context of the pandemic, as well as potential future wide-spread emergencies, it is imperative that programs and supports are restarted and maintained to avoid further harm to these families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: High levels of income inequality and increased opioid-related harm across Canada bring into question the role of socioeconomic status (SES) in the opioid epidemic. Only a few studies have examined this association, and most of those have analyzed this issue on a provincial level. This study examined the association between opioid-related health outcomes and SES, and investigated rate ratios over time. Methods: Administrative databases were used to identify opioid-related mortality, hospitalization and emergency department visits between 2000 and 2017. Patient's postal code was linked to the quintile of median household income at the forward sortation area level. Crude rates and age- and sex-adjusted rates in each quintile were calculated, as well as the adjusted rate ratio of average annual rates between the lowest and highest quintiles. The significance of the time trend of rate ratios for all outcomes was examined using linear regression. Results: A stepped gradient of opioid-related outcomes across all income quintiles emerged from these data. For mortality, hospitalization and emergency department visits, the average annual rate ratio between lowest quintile and highest quintile was 3.8, 4.3 and 4.9, respectively. These ratios were generally stable and consistent over the study period, albeit the opioid-related mortality SES gap decreased gradually (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Area income quintile was found to be highly associated with opioid outcomes. Psychosocial factors (stress, unemployment, housing insecurity) that are typically concentrated in low SES areas may play a significant role in the opioid epidemic. Health policies should address these factors in order to provide effective solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Much of the literature examining the staffing–care quality link in long-term care (LTC) homes focuses on staffing ratios; that is, how many staff are on shift. Far less attention is devoted to exploring the impact of staff members' workplace relationships, or who is on shift. As part of our work exploring workplace incivility and bullying among residential care aides (RCAs), we examined how RCAs' workplace relationships are shaped by peer incivility and bullying and the impact on care delivery. Research Design and Methods Using critical ethnography, we conducted 100 hr of participant observation and 33 semistructured interviews with RCAs, licensed practical nurses, support staff, and management in 2 nonprofit LTC homes in British Columbia, Canada. Results Three key themes illustrate the power relations underpinning RCAs' encounters with incivility and bullying that, in turn, shaped care delivery. Requesting Help highlights how exposure to incivility and bullying made RCAs reluctant to seek help from their coworkers. Receiving Help focuses on how power relations and notions of worthiness and reciprocity impacted RCAs' receipt of help from coworkers. Resisting Help/ing outlines how workplace relationships imbued with power relations led some RCAs to refuse assistance from their coworkers, led longer-tenured RCAs to resist helping newer RCAs, and dictated the extent to which RCAs provided care to residents for whom another RCA was responsible. Discussion and Implications Findings highlight "who" is on shift warrants as much attention as "how many" are on shift, offering additional insight into the staffing-care quality link. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze individuals in rural communities within Ireland and two regions in Canada (Newfoundland and Ontario) to explore the relationship between employment, lifestyles and life satisfaction. A total of 106 participants were interviewed, with the vast majority being over forty years of age. We explore their employment experiences, and address two questions: how strongly is life satisfaction related to employment among older, rural adults?, and are there gender differences with respect to rural employment and life satisfaction? Relatively few of the participants we interviewed within these communities held permanent, full-time employment locally. Many of the ones holding (only) seasonal/casual employment or self-employment indicated that it was difficult to make a living, but were determined to stay and 'make a go of it'. While the participants tended to tolerate, rather than be fully satisfied with, their employment conditions, the vast majority were satisfied or very satisfied with life, and many pointedly described the benefits of living in their chosen community. This held for women and men, and for those near 40 years of age (and among the few in this study who were younger), to those of retirement age. Typically, they were happy, but at a price. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The field of paediatric hospital medicine (PHM) is evolving to meet the needs of an increasingly complex paediatric population, lead quality improvement initiatives, and conduct field-specific teaching and research. Over 50 subspecialty PHM fellowship programs exist in the USA and Canada and more are under active development to ensure trainees are prepared to perform competencies specific to the field following transition to independent practice. Objective The objective of this study was to assess the perceived preparedness of recently graduated general paediatric residents and recently certified staff paediatricians in Canada with respect to the practice of PHM. Methods A survey based on the 'Objectives of Training in Pediatrics' of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) was distributed to graduating paediatric residents and recently graduated staff paediatricians (2013 to 2017) practicing in the hospital setting. Qualitative comments were also obtained. Results Fifty-five surveys were completed (50%). Respondents perceived that, at the on-set of starting practice, they would require assistance or consultation with the majority of representative PHM task competencies. Differences in perception between the two groups were minimal. Our study identified sub-sets of perceived areas of particular strengths (Professional) and deficiencies (Medical Expert, Manager, and Scholar). Conclusions Results may help inform future curricula for general paediatric residency programs and provide insight into competencies that may be better targeted for PHM fellowship training programs. This study may also stimulate discussion regarding entrustable professional activities for paediatric curricula as the medical community shifts to a new paradigm of outcome-based assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Current nursing home policy emphasizes the need for collaborative, team-based care planning in which families and/or residents are actively involved. Resident care conferences are common where care providers, families, and/or residents discuss and coordinate resident care needs and evaluate care goals. This study critically examines the process, structure, and content of care conferences to expand our understanding of how resident care is negotiated among care providers and families in this context. Research Design and Methods This study was part of a larger critical ethnography examining the negotiation of care work among care providers, families, and residents in three purposively selected nursing homes in British Columbia, Canada. Thirty-seven care conferences were observed. Field notes and interview data were thematically analyzed with a focus on what was said, who said what and to whom, whose voice was privileged, and how power manifested between care providers, families, and/or residents. Results As illustrated by three key themes, Exclusion by Process—Following Script, Exclusion by Content—Scripted Reports, and Exclusion through Devalued Knowledge, families were overtly and covertly excluded from contributing to the care conferences. As such, families' presence did not guarantee open communication or active solicitation of their perspectives. Discussion and Implications The use of predetermined agendas and processes, clinically generic reporting, and technical jargon reproduced the structural inequality between care providers and families making collaboration difficult to effectively negotiate. For care conferences to meaningfully contribute to person-centered care, it is imperative that mutual exchange be promoted and families empowered to participate as equals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use simulation models of the winter biology of two forest insects — emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, 1888) and mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, 1902) — to illustrate the anticipated effect of the polar vortex of the winter of 2019 on overwintering survival. Cold spells in late January and early and mid-February were cool enough that relatively high levels of mortality of both species may be expected in many parts of northern Canada. However, the high mortality response is not ubiquitous, and neither is it particularly severe compared with winter weather patterns from earlier decades. Forest insect pest managers will be required to carry on their usual work of population assessment and response. As Earth's climate continues to warm, overwintering survival should, on average, increase in both species. However, the common occurrence of a split polar vortex associated with increasingly meridional jet stream flows should bring the odd winter of heavy mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: In Canada, enteric diseases pose substantial health and economic burdens. The distribution of these diseases is uneven across both geography and time and understanding these patterns is therefore important for the prevention of future outbreaks. We evaluated temporal, spatial and space–time clustering of laboratory‐confirmed cases of Campylobacter spp. (n = 28,728), non‐typhoidal Salmonella spp. (n = 22,640), Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli (STEC; n = 1340), Yersinia spp. (n = 1674) and Listeria monocytogenes (n = 471) infections, reported between 2010 and 2017 inclusive in Ontario, the most populous province in Canada (population ~ 13,500,000 in 2016). Methods and Results: For each enteric pathogen, we calculated the mean incidence rates (IRs) for Ontario's 35 public health unit (PHU) areas and visualized them using choropleth maps. We identified temporal, spatial and space–time high infection rate clusters using retrospective Poisson scan statistics. Campylobacter and Salmonella infections had the highest IRs, while Listeria infections had the lowest. Campylobacter, Salmonella, STEC and Listeria mostly clustered temporally in the spring/summer and sometimes extended into fall, while Yersinia showed a less clear seasonal pattern. The IR visualizations and spatial and space–time scan statistics showed geographic heterogeneity of infection rates with high infection rate clusters detected mainly in PHUs across the southwestern and central‐western regions of Ontario for Campylobacter, Salmonella and STEC infections, and mainly in PHUs located in the central‐eastern regions for Yersinia and Listeria. A high proportion of cases in some of the significant Salmonella, STEC and Listeria infection clusters were linked to disease outbreaks. Conclusions: Results from this study will inform heightened public health surveillance, and prevention and control programmes, in populations and regions of high infection rates. Further research is needed to determine the pathogen‐specific socioeconomic, environmental and agricultural risk factors that may be related to the temporal and spatial disease patterns we observed in our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Métis, with a population of close to 390,000 people, are a culturally distinct and constitutionally recognized Aboriginal group in Canada that suffers from poorer overall health than non-Aboriginal Canadians. One important predictor of good health is physical activity. Guided by frameworks based on social and Aboriginal-specific determinants, we investigated the correlates of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and active transportation (walking) among adult Métis, with a particular focus on how culturally specific variables were associated with these two types of activity. We also examined how demographic, geographic, socioeconomic and health-related factors were associated with physical activity. Design: We used data from Statistics Canada’s 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey and Métis Supplement to analyze the correlates of physical activity among Métis aged 20-64, using a series of logistic regression models. Results: Having attended a Métis cultural event in the past year was positively associated with LTPA, as was a high level of spirituality. Similarly, those who had attended a cultural event in the last year were more likely to report a high level of active transportation. Speaking an Aboriginal language and being a member of a Métis organization were not independently associated with the two types of physical activity. Self-perceived health, being male and household income were other correlates positively associated with LTPA, whereas age, body mass index and smoking were negatively associated with this type of activity. Active transportation was positively associated with self-perceived health and being female, while negatively associated with age and body mass index. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that interventions aimed at increasing physical activity among adult Métis might be more successful if they are connected to cultural activities and spirituality. This research also suggests that demographic, socioeconomic and health-related factors are important considerations when designing initiatives to increase physical activity among adult Métis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater fisheries and biodiversity have substantial economic, socio-cultural, and ecological value, but face severe and mounting anthropogenic threats. Canada's freshwater fisheries are not exempt from this, and provide excellent opportunities to better understand these overlooked and undervalued systems. Using expert and chain-referral sampling, we surveyed practitioners from across Canada about the management of freshwater fisheries. We used a mixed methods approach to identify and describe in detail many important aspects of the above processes, including 10 persistent and innate challenges in (1) bureaucratic sprawl, (2) lack of priority, (3) scope, (4) competing interests, (5) political inconstancy, (6) socio-ecological complexity, (7) limited tools, (8) geographies and scale, (9) reactivity, and (10) intersectoral frictions. Many of these challenges defy conventional problem solving (e.g., advocacy, basic science), leading to chronic incapacity and triage management in some freshwater fisheries. We highlight opportunities to increase management capacity, using innovation where conventional solutions fall short (e.g., using novel technologies to increase management scope). Achieving sustainability in Canadian freshwater fisheries will require ingenuity and supportive contributions beyond those that currently exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radioactive contamination of the Pacific Ocean following the Fukushima nuclear accident has raised public concern about seafood safety, particularly in coastal Indigenous communities. To address this, Health Canada and partners have collected and analyzed a total of 621 samples of commonly consumed salmon, ground fish, and shellfish from the Canadian west coast from 2011 to 2018. While the vast majority of the 137Cs and 134Cs levels were below the Minimum Detectable Concentration (MDC, typically 0.7–1.0 Bq kg−1 fw for a 6 h counting), further examination of 19 fish samples revealed 137Cs concentrations of 0.17–0.53 Bq kg−1 fw with an average value and uncertainty (k = 1) of 0.29 ± 0.02 Bq kg−1 fw. Of these, only two samples were found to have trace levels of 134Cs likely derived from the Fukushima accident. The global fallout contribution from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing to the observed 137Cs in these two samples was determined to be 0.26 ± 0.08 Bq kg−1 fw (49 ± 14%) and 0.12 ± 0.02 Bq kg−1 fw (24 ± 4%) for collection years 2015 and 2016, respectively. The annual average level of 137Cs in fish and shellfish was also determined by spectral summation for collection years 2014–2018. In fish, 137Cs levels determined through spectral summation were relatively constant (0.18–0.25 Bq kg−1 fw) with an average value and uncertainty of 0.21 ± 0.02 Bq kg−1 fw. By contrast, 38 shellfish samples (bivalves) were measured and revealed no radiocesium or other anomalies in either tissue or shell. In all, measurements over eight years showed that the radioactivity in fish and shellfish was dominated by natural radionuclides and that the level of anthropogenic radionuclides, as indicated by the radioactive cesium content, remained small. An upper bound for ingested dose from 137Cs was determined to be approximately 0.26 μSv per year, far below the worldwide average annual effective dose of 2400 μSv from exposure to natural background radiation. We can therefore conclude that fish, such as salmon, ground fish, and shellfish from the Canadian west coast are of no radiological health concern despite the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident of 2011. • We screened 621 marine samples from Canada's west coast for radioactivity since the Fukushima accident. • Gamma spectral summation employed to derive average 137Cs content of fish and shellfish. • Average activity concentration of 137Cs in fish ranged from 0.18 to 0.25 Bq kg−1 (fresh weight) between 2014 and 2018. • Cesium-134 was identified in two screened fish samples upon further examination. • No observed anthropogenic radioactivity in either shells or meat of shellfish. • Radioactive content dominated by naturally occurring radionuclides and poses no health risk.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective . Aboriginal people in Canada are at higher risk to heavy alcohol consumption than are other Canadians. The objective of this study was to examine a set of culturally specific correlates of heavy drinking among First Nations and Métis youth and adults. Methods . Demographic, geographic, socioeconomic and health-related variables were also considered. Data were used from Statistics Canada's 2012 Aboriginal Peoples Survey to predict heavy drinking among 14,410 First Nations and Métis 15years of age and older. Separate sets of binary sequential logistic regression models were estimated for youth and adults. Results . Among youth, those who had hunted, fished or trapped within the last year were more likely to be heavy drinkers. In addition, current smokers and those who most frequently participated in sports were at higher odds of heavy alcohol consumption. Among adults, respondents who had hunted, fished or trapped within the last year were more likely to drink heavily. On the other hand, those who had made traditional arts or crafts within the last year were less likely to drink heavily. Conclusions . Men, younger adults, smokers, those who were unmarried, those who had higher household incomes, and those who had higher ratings of self-perceived health were more likely to be heavy drinkers. Efforts aimed at reducing the prevalence of heavy drinking among this population may benefit from considering culturally specific factors, in addition to demographic variables and co-occurring health-risk behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Aboriginal children in Canada are at a higher risk for overweight and obesity than other Canadian children. In Northern and remote areas, this has been linked to a lack of affordable nutritious food. However, the majority of Aboriginal children live in urban areas where food choices are more plentiful. This study aimed to explore the experiences of food insecurity among Métis and First Nations parents living in urban areas, including the predictors and perceived connections between food insecurity and obesity among Aboriginal children. Methods: Factors influencing children's diets, families' experiences with food insecurity, and coping strategies were explored using focus group discussions with 32 parents and caregivers of Métis and off-reserve First Nations children from Midland-Penetanguishene and London, Ontario. Four focus groups were conducted and transcribed verbatim between July 2011 and March 2013. A thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo software, and second coders ensured reliability of the results. Results: Caregivers identified low income as an underlying cause of food insecurity within their communities and as contributing to poor nutrition among their children. Families reported a reliance on energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods, as these tended to be more affordable and lasted longer than more nutritious, fresh food options. A lack of transportation also compromised families' ability to purchase healthful food. Aboriginal caregivers also mentioned a lack of access to traditional foods. Coping strategies such as food banks and community programming were not always seen as effective. In fact, some were reported as potentially exacerbating the problem of overweight and obesity among First Nations and Métis children. Conclusion: Food insecurity manifested itself in different ways, and coping strategies were often insufficient for addressing the lack of fruit and vegetable consumption in Aboriginal children's diets. Results suggest that obesity prevention strategies should take a family-targeted approach that considers the unique barriers facing urban Aboriginal populations. This study also reinforces the importance of low income as an important risk factor for obesity among Aboriginal peoples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Brain imaging is of limited diagnostic use in psychiatry owing to clinical heterogeneity and low sensitivity/specificity of between-group neuroimaging differences. Machine learning (ML) may better translate neuroimaging to the level of individual participants. Studying unaffected offspring of parents with bipolar disorders (BD) decreases clinical heterogeneity and thus increases sensitivity for detection of biomarkers. The present study used ML to identify individuals at genetic high risk (HR) for BD based on brain structure. Methods: We studied unaffected and affected relatives of BD probands recruited from 2 sites (Halifax, Canada, and Prague, Czech Republic). Each participant was individually matched by age and sex to controls without personal or family history of psychiatric disorders. We applied support vector machines (SVM) and Gaussian process classifiers (GPC) to structural MRI. Results: We included 45 unaffected and 36 affected relatives of BD probands matched by age and sex on an individual basis to healthy controls. The SVM of white matter distinguished unaffected HR from control participants (accuracy = 68.9%, p = 0.001), with similar accuracy for the GPC (65.6%, p = 0.002) or when analyzing data from each site separately. Differentiation of the more clinically heterogeneous affected familiar group from healthy controls was less accurate (accuracy = 59.7%, p = 0.05). Machine learning applied to grey matter did not distinguish either the unaffected HR or affected familial groups from controls. The regions that most contributed to between-group discrimination included white matter of the inferior/middle frontal gyrus, inferior/middle temporal gyrus and precuneus. Limitations: Although we recruited 126 participants, ML benefits from even larger samples. Conclusions: Machine learning applied to white but not grey matter distinguished unaffected participants at high and low genetic risk for BD based on regions previously implicated in the pathophysiology of BD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives This paper aims to investigate the transition experiences of students with previous nursing qualifications (nondegree qualifications) entering a nursing degree program. Background Nurses with professional nursing qualifications (nondegree) are an important pool of professionals to draw on to help address nursing shortages through providing alternative pathways to becoming registered nurses. However, research suggests this cohort need higher levels of support and intervention to be successful. Design An integrative review was conducted, guided by Whittemore and Knafl's framework. A comprehensive search was conducted and 14 studies were included in the review. Methods A five-stage approach was used to conduct the review: problem identification, literature search, data evaluation, data analysis and presentation of results. Constant comparative analysis was used to identify commonalities, differences and themes in the relevant literature. Results Themes emerged that suggested students struggled with academic and institutional challenges, becoming learners, managing conflicting demands of outside life, developing a student identity and experienced threat to their sense of professional identity. Additionally, the cohort did not view themselves as 'the same' as traditional students. Holland's framework provides a useful framework from which to conceptualise these students' experiences. Conclusion There are challenges for this cohort of students as they transition into degree level study. Supportive activities that extend and further develop students' personality orientations may be a useful starting point in addressing some of the challenges and providing a more positive transition to university. Relevance to clinical practice The demand for health care is growing and there remains a shortfall of registered nurses. Nurses with professional qualifications (nondegree) are an important pool of professionals from which to increase registered nurse numbers and address workforce sustainability issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta var. latifolia) and jack pine ( Pinus banksiana) hybridize in western Canada, an area of recent mountain pine beetle range expansion. Given the heterogeneity of the environment, and indications of local adaptation, there are many unknowns regarding the response of these forests to future outbreaks. To better understand this we aim to identify genetic regions that have adaptive potential., We used data collected on 472 single nucleotide polymorphism ( SNP) loci from 576 tree samples collected across 13 lodgepole pine-dominated sites and four jack pine-dominated sites. We looked at the relationship of genetic diversity with the environment, and we identified candidate loci using both frequency-based ( arlequin and bayescan) and correlation-based ( matsam and bayenv) methods., We found contrasting relationships between environmental variation and genetic diversity for the species. While we identified a number of candidate outliers (34 in lodgepole pine, 25 in jack pine, and 43 interspecific loci), we did not find any loci in common between lodgepole and jack pine. Many of the outlier loci identified were correlated with environmental variation., Using rigorous criteria we have been able to identify potential outlier SNPs. We have also found evidence of contrasting environmental adaptations between lodgepole and jack pine which could have implications for beetle spread risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this short report is on workers who are 50+ years of age and who have a work schedule averaging 50+ hours per week (i.e. a ‘long workweek’), using Statistics Canada's linked Workplace and Employee Survey (WES) 2005 microdata, as well as selected qualitative study findings. The results show that the proportion having a long workweek is actually higher among older workers relative to others. Also, mean job satisfaction among older workers with a long workweek is at least as high as older workers without one, whether or not controlling for other factors. In terms of the characteristics of older workers with a long workweek, this is overwhelmingly a male-dominated group, and the majority are in a managerial/professional occupation. Thus, they do not exhibit the characteristics typically associated with those having poor quality schedules or employment. Since older workers represent a growing proportion of labour markets in industrialised nations, it is important that these workers access sufficiently attractive employment opportunities to keep them in the labour force. However, the findings provide yet another reminder that workers' scheduling realities and preferences are not homogeneous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) published the second edition of its International Principles and Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration in 2019. We conducted a pan‐Canadian study using semi‐structured interviews with restoration professionals to explore the extent to which restoration practitioners are aware of the document and use it. Overall, we found that direct uptake of the document by practitioners was lower than expected, with approximately 37.7% of all participants that were both aware of and consulting the publication for guidance in their practice of ecological restoration. This is due in part to low awareness of the document itself, with only a small majority (56.5%) of interviewees being aware of it. Other reasons listed by practitioners such as the structure of the publication, its added value, and its suitability for on‐the‐ground work revealed why some individuals aware of the existence of the document still failed to consult it. Here, we present a more nuanced assessment of these observations and share our findings with the ecological restoration community to address this disconnection. With intensifying pressures to achieve restoration success internationally, SER's guidance is critical. We analyze why it seems guidance from SER is not being taken up as fully as it might, and ways in which future versions may be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) Canada is an integrative seven-year research program initiated in 2010 with academic, government, and industry partners. The team makes use of novel biotelemetry (primarily acoustic telemetry curtains), biologging, and oceanographic technologies to better understand changing ocean dynamics and their impact on ocean ecosystems, animal movements, and ecology and the dynamics of marine animal populations, many of which are commercially important. The network is organized around three ocean arenas (i.e., the Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific) where specific research projects will occur. However, all projects will contribute toward addressing a single unifying nationalscale question—what are the movements of continental shelf marine animals, how do these movements affect species interactions, and what are the consequences of environmental variability/change and human activities on these species’ distributions and abundance? Taxa that will be tracked include diadromous (e.g., salmon, eels, sturgeon) and marine (e.g., sharks, capelin, cod) fishes and a variety of marine mammals (e.g., grey seals, killer whales). Some of the common activities that occur in all arenas include measurements of oceanographic characteristics and variability at various spatial and temporal scales, movements of key species at several trophic levels, and use of key acoustic “bioprobes” (animals that carry tags that record locations visited, ocean conditions, and interactions with other tagged animals) and “roboprobes” (remotely controlled autonomous vehicles such as gliders that measure physical, biological, and chemical conditions) to complement measurements from fixed OTN acoustic telemetry curtains. Ultimately, scientific information generated will inform resource management, help formulate new socioeconomic policies, and provide some impetus to the reformulation of governance practices and legal standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we compare cohorts of mothers who had their first children between 1970 and 1999, in terms of their probability of beginning work shortly after childbearing. Using the 2001 General Social Survey, Cycle 15 on Family History, we investigate the effects of women's socioeconomic characteristics on labor force withdrawal. Our discussion focuses on the analysis of the transition as a type of life course analysis. We underline the differentiation of the transition by cohorts, educational attainment, income, et cetera. We show that since the mid-1980s, mothers with low educational attainment are dramatically excluded from the labor market within the two years following the birth of their first child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health and social conditions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada remain important policy concerns. The life course has been proposed by some as a framework for analysis that could assist in the development of policies that would improve the economic and social inclusion of Aboriginal peoples. In this paper we support the goal of applying a life-course perspective to policies related to Aboriginal peoples but suggest that the framework needs to consider the unique relationship between Aboriginal peoples and public policies. We provide some illustrations using data from the 2001 Aboriginal Peoples Survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aims: A growing and aging population is associated with an increased incidence of cancer. Advances in radiotherapy technology have changed the way radiation is planned and delivered. This population-based study documented changes in workload and treatment complexity over a 10 year period in a Canadian province. Materials and methods: We examined the population-based radiation records of a provincial Canadian cancer centre from 2000 (or from 2005 for some measures) to 2009 inclusive. We propose new measures of workload and treatment complexity currently used in our centre that can be easily adopted by other cancer centres. Results: Workload measured by total new-to-doctor consultations increased 30% from 2000 to 2009 (3.3% annually, P =0.0008). Total treatment commencements increased 35% over the same time (3.9% annually, P <0.0001) but linear accelerator (linac) commencements increased at a slower rate of 2.0% annually (P =0.0002). The rates of increase in consultations and total commencements were faster than the rates of increase in the total population, the population over age 50 years, or the incidence of cancer. Implementation of stereotactic radiosurgery and increased brachytherapy treatments explain much of the increased workload. Measures of treatment complexity including simulations per linac course and radiation computer plans per linac course increased at steady rates of 3.6% (P =0.0019) and 3.2% (P =0.0088) annually, respectively, but portals (fields) per linac treatment course increased exponentially after the implementation of intensity-modulated radiotherapy. The number of fractions per linac patient declined by 2.6% annually (P <0.0001). Conclusions: This population-based study showed that radiation oncology workload increased at faster rates than the population or incidence of cancer. Measures of treatment complexity indicate an increasing investment for each course of linac treatment, but also the adoption of hypofractionated regimens. These results indicate that radiotherapy manpower requirements cannot be based on population or cancer incidence alone if current technological trends continue. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: To identify what factors affect women's' decisions to delay childbearing, and to explore women's' experiences and their perceptions of associated risks. Design: Systematic procedures were used for search strategy, study selection, data extraction and analysis. Findings were synthesised using an approach developed from meta-ethnography. Data sources: We included qualitative papers, not confined to geographical area (1980–2009). Databases included CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, ASSIA, MIDIRS, British Nursing Index and the National Research Register. We selected qualitative empirical studies exploring the views and experiences of women of advanced maternal age who were childless or primigravidae with a singleton pregnancy or primiparous. Review methods: Twelve papers fulfilled the selection criteria and were included for synthesis. Results: Women appear to face an issue of ‘informed and uninformed decision making’; those who believe they are informed but may not be, those who are not informed and find out they are at risk once pregnant, and those who are well informed but choose to delay pregnancy anyway. Maternity services could provide information to enable informed choice regarding timing of childbearing. Conclusions: Health professionals need to be mindful of the fact that women delay childbearing for various reasons. A strategy of pre-conception education may be beneficial in informing childbearing decisions. Obstetricians and midwives should be sensitive to the fact that women may not be aware of all the risks associated with delayed childbearing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This research focuses on those working weekends and also having a workweek of 20 hours or less, which we define as having a weekend-based short workweek (WBSW). The purpose of this paper is to examine the characteristics of workers with a WBSW, with emphasis on gender, family status, and work-life balance. To our knowledge, this is the first study examining work schedules having overlapping characteristics of both weekend work and part-time hours. The country of research for this study is Canada. We found that workers with a WBSW are more likely to be female, but less likely to be married or have dependent children. They are also more likely to be younger, less educated, less experienced, and low-waged. Nonetheless, job satisfaction among those with a WBSW is only slightly lower than those without one. Moreover, we found a group of older, married females with high job satisfaction notwithstanding having a WBSW. We presume that some have managed to balance the substantial work, economic, and family obligations that they face, but also wonder whether some have become resigned to their available employment options rather than having found decent work per se. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the late 1990s, the Canadian social assistance policy changed to focus on reducing “dependency” or long-term receipt. Using data from the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (1996–2001) and event history models, we investigate the duration of social assistance receipt for lone mothers and other household heads. We find that lone mothers' education and labor force experience were less important predictors for their duration on social assistance than their previous marital history. Although receipt was generally short term, we find evidence of negative duration dependence, or a “welfare trap,” after controlling for unobserved heterogeneity. This indicates one way in which a welfare receipt is not only the result of particular life course trajectories but also shapes lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we argue that a life course perspective on social assistance use in Canada can offer a more nuanced theoretical understanding of both individuals' experiences and the importance of social structure, than more traditional sociological or economic approaches to welfare use. We also propose that examining social assistance use in this way does not require longitudinal quantitative or qualitative data, as is sometimes suggested, but that cross-sectional quantitative and qualitative data can be interpreted through a life course lens. We demonstrate this by examining the covariates of social assistance receipt using crosssectional quantitative data from the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics, and by analyzing qualitative interviews with recipients about the process of beginning and barriers to ending benefit receipt. These analyses show not only how the cross-sectional data can easily be considered from the perspective of the life course, but also how this perspective provides a more satisfactory understanding of how social assistance policies can be thought of as both providing resources that are important in individual decision-making and as shaping lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a brief history of the development of poplar research in Canada within the broader North American context, as background to the present collection of papers on current Canadian poplar research. After the earliest times and European settlement, a few individual scientists played a pioneering role in early selection and breeding of poplars. The development of farm shelterbelts in the prairies over the last 100 years, including the widespread distribution of adapted poplars, has had a significant impact on the landscape. In the last 30 years, industrial strategies for the development and use of poplars have been the most important driver for poplar research. All of these components have in some way foreshadowed the present dramatic leading-edge research in poplar genomics. With the increasing diversity and sophistication of poplar research, particularly in recent years, a need is seen for identification of research priorities and coordination of research activities by disparate parties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poplars are trees of the angiosperm genus Populus, a group of generally diploid, dioecious, and deciduous pioneers that are widespread in forests around the Northern Hemisphere. Canada is a centre of poplar abundance and diversity, with 7 of the 29 global Populus species occurring naturally, and other species being introduced. Numerous interspecific hybrids also occur, including native hybrids that create centres of biodiversity, and artificial hybrid poplars that are planted for wood and fiber production, as well as for environmental and landscape applications. This paper introduces poplars and their distribution across Canada and explores Canadian and international contributions to poplar research. It also discusses papers of the special issue Poplar Research in Canada in the November 2007 and December 2007 issues of the Canadian Journal of Botany, which contains a collection of 19 contributions from Canadian institutions that report on a diverse range of topics including genomics and molecular biology, physiology, ecology, population genetics, and systematics. Many of these contributions address issues pertinent to silviculture and other applications, and one article chronicles poplar research and poplar utilization in Canada. These studies that appear in this special issue reflect the growing international emphasis on poplar, not only as an important and widespread group of trees, but also as a model that provides broader insights relevant to fundamental and applied sciences involving trees and forest systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Canada, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand consistently place near the top of the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Index (HDI) rankings, yet all have minority Indigenous populations with much poorer health and social conditions than non-Indigenous peoples. It is unclear just how the socioeconomic and health status of Indigenous peoples in these countries has changed in recent decades, and it remains generally unknown whether the overall conditions of Indigenous peoples are improving and whether the gaps between Indigenous peoples and other citizens have indeed narrowed. There is unsettling evidence that they may not have. It was the purpose of this study to determine how these gaps have narrowed or widened during the decade 1990 to 2000. Methods: Census data and life expectancy estimates from government sources were used to adapt the Human Development Index (HDI) to examine how the broad social, economic, and health status of Indigenous populations in these countries have changed since 1990. Three indices -- life expectancy, educational attainment, and income -- were combined into a single HDI measure. Results: Between 1990 and 2000, the HDI scores of Indigenous peoples in North America and New Zealand improved at a faster rate than the general populations, closing the gap in human development. In Australia, the HDI scores of Indigenous peoples decreased while the general populations improved, widening the gap in human development. While these countries are considered to have high human development according to the UNDP, the Indigenous populations that reside within them have only medium levels of human development. Conclusion: The inconsistent progress in the health and well-being of Indigenous populations over time, and relative to non-Indigenous populations, points to the need for further efforts to improve the social, economic, and physical health of Indigenous peoples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The migration of Canadian Aboriginal people to cities has usually been understood as economically motivated, with return migration to Aboriginal communities resulting primarily from failure to adapt to urban life. However, the reasons underlying migration have rarely been directly addressed, and recent studies of migration have focussed on the size of flows, rather than relating this migration stream to theories of migration developed in other contexts. This paper suggests ways in which a systems perspective on migration can be used to incorporate elements of the political, economic and social context, as well as individual, institutional and mass culture links between the two areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore emergency department (ED) patient expectations regarding staff communication with patients, wait times, the triage process and information management. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional English-language telephone survey among patients aged 18 years or older who visited the EDs in the Calgary Health Region in 2002. Survey items were based on a preceding qualitative study. Results: Of the 941 surveys, 837 were analyzed. Patients placed the highest importance on the explanation of test results (96.5%), a description of circumstances that would require the patient to return to the ED (94.4%), the use of plain language (92.1 %) and the reason for the tests (90.8%). Seventy-six percent of patients felt that ED staff should update patients every 30 minutes or less, 51.3% expected patients with non-life threatening problems should wait <1 hour, and 58.3% expected that the tests should be done within 1 hour. Almost two-thirds of the patients (64.4%) believed that the most serious patients should be seen first; 59.3% felt that the seriousness of medical concern should be determined by a triage nurse, and 63.9% thought that their personal health records should be immediately available to the emergency physician without their consent. The actual length of stay was significantly longer than expected length of stay for all patient groups, with Canadian Emergency Department Triage and Acuity Scale Levels IV and V patients expecting a shorter wait than patients in more urgent triage groups. Triage level effects on other expectations were not observed. Conclusions: ED patient expectations appear to be similar across all triage levels. Patients value effective communication and short wait times over many other aspects of care. They have expectations for short wait times that are met infrequently and are currently unattainable in many Canadian EDs. Although it may be neither feasible nor desirable to meet all patient expectations, increased focus on wait times and staff communication may increase both ED efficiency and patient satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult greater redhorse Moxostoma valenciennesi, were seined from the Grand River, Ontario, and artificially spawned in May 1997 and May 1998. Eggs hatched after 6-8 d at a mean temperature of 19 C. Eggs and larval development of 9-22-mm specimens are described. Ontogeny of larval greater redhorse was compared to that of other syntopic Moxostoma species from previously published studies, including river redhorse (M. carinatum), black redhorse (M. duquesnei), golden redhorse (M. erythrurum), shorthead redhorse (M. macrolepidotura), copper redhorse (M. hubbsi) and spotted sucker (Minytrema melanops). There was significant overlap between most meristic variables that were compared. However, the majority of greater redhorse (up to 18-mm) have myomere counts (27-33 pre-anal myomeres, 9-10 postanal myomeres and 39-42 total myomeres) that are different from other sympatric redhorse species and spotted stickers and may allow identification of greater redhorse as small as 9-mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Editorial introduces the Special Issue on 'Biotechnology Clusters and Beyond'. Drawing on the interventions of five commissioned articles from Canada, Germany, Israel, the UK and the US it suggests that biotechnology clusters are interesting and important intellectually and for policy deliberation. They pose questions about basic cluster theory because localized networks, though intense, may not be as extensive as global ones infirm practices, especially as these evolve over time. Moreover, innovation is more deeply embedded in the publicly landed science base than for 'Porterian' clusters. Regarding innovation, biotechnology is also less obviously Schumpeterian, there being little market-driven 'creative destruction', and is arguably, with its strong emphasis on both large- and small-firm 'capabilities'—Penrosian—an emphasis in clustering research and applications that warrants further investigation. Finally, at the specific technology-exploitation phase, market interactions assert themselves over milieu characteristics because scientists know the value of their discoveries and there is accordingly high appropriability associated with such knowledge capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an essay on the appeal of fictional food characters to consumers in the decades between 1920 and 1980 in Canada and exposes some of the paradoxes of fictional food figure claims.

While it has been known for some time that there is a considerable amount of migration from Canadian cities to reserves, this migration has been overshadowed in the literature by movement from reserves into the city. Migration to reserves is largely seen as the result of a failure to adapt to urban life. This paper describes an attempt to relate individual demographic and human capital characteristics to migration of Registered Indians to Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta reserves between 1986 and 1991, using 1991 Aboriginal People Survey data and logistic regression models. The relationships found between human capital variables and mobility are less clear than human capital models predict. However, an interaction of the effects of gender and education on the probability of having moved to a reserve suggests that labour markets in reserve communities play a role in the different migration patterns of men and women. Approaches considering the pull of reserves in addition to pushes from cities are encouraged in order to present a more complete picture of migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angler diary programmes (n=46, 1979–1997) implemented in Ontario by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources are reviewed, and the different uses of angler diary programmes, levels of participation and differences in programme design are reported. In Ontario, angler diary use is common, but successful application is limited. This review revealed a variety of uses and approaches for administering angler diary programmes. Problems arise when programmes are initiated without the complete commitment of the administrators and agency, or when there is no regular review so adaptive changes can be made. If administrators realize the potential biases and problems associated with diaries, and design programmes to control them, angler diaries can provide favorable cost-effective results. With reduced funding and staffing constraints, angler diary programmes could become the primary method of data collection for specialized and remote fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study that documented the frequency of pair reunions in Harlequin Ducks on breeding streams in Alberta and a molting/wintering area in southwestern British Columbia. Methodology; Results and discussion; Why males should attempt to reunite with their previous mates.

Provides information on a study that examined a population of individually marked Harlequin Ducks at White Rock, British Columbia. Considerations in expecting population genetic differentiation among birds which pair away from breeding grounds during the winter months; Methodology; Results and discussion.

Regulated waterways, interconnected by navigation barriers (locks and dams), are uniquely difficult to manage, given interest in enabling native species connectivity while minimizing invasions. Canada's historic Rideau Canal Waterway, a 202 km navigable route located in eastern Ontario and connected by 24 lockstations, embodies this challenge. The lock(s) and water-control dam that compose each lockstation may respectively offer a connectivity pathway, though to what extent is unclear. We used acoustic telemetry (native largemouth bass (Micropterus nigricans) and northern pike (Esox lucius), and invasive common carp (Cyprinus carpio); n = 224) to evaluate fish connectivity relative to lock operations and environmental data over three years (2019–2021). Thirty-five passages by 23 native fishes were recorded, with 49% of passages through locks. No common carp passages were detected; movements indicate that they favour higher flow areas downstream of dams, regions with no pathway upstream. Most passages were downstream and, of concern to obligate upstream migrators, we found that multi-flight and higher-lift locks appear impassable to upstream movements. Our results suggest that these lockstations limit, but not entirely restrict, connectivity. [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.

Presents a study which documented the chronology of pair formation in a population of wintering Harlequin Ducks, in southwestern British Columbia. Methods used to conduct the study; When pair bonds are formed in migratory bird species; Results of the study.

The article presents information on the efforts to counter racism faced by children, taken care by First Nations (FN) communities in Canada, in out-of-home care. First Nations children in out-of-home care are at risk of oppression arising due to ethnocentrism. A long-term government policy of assimilation is reflected by the overrepresentation of Native children in care. The initial approach of the government to FN people was to judge them as incapable of rearing their own children. In the absence of the children, FN parents tend to lose their child-rearing skills, and communities lose their traditions of mutual child care.

Examines some of the challenges faced by a Canadian example of community-based policing (CBP), with focus on the Halton Regional Police Service in Ontario. What is represented by community policing; Background information on CBP; Examination of the implementation of CBP in the 1970s; Brief look at the problems that emerge in Halton that should be relevant to other communities; Success of CBP at Halton.