Women rule: An alternative voice on the Supreme Court of Canada

Various studies have researched the relative involvement of elected women versus elected men in issues that are generally considered to be of primary interest to women at the legislative level. However, there is only a small body of research in the area of political science on gender and the judiciary, specifically with regard to Canada. The small number of female justices is a limiting factor, but the presence of women in the judiciary offers an important opportunity for academic study. To achieve effective results in this study, case law of the Supreme Court of Canada from the period of 1982-2003 will be examined. This study will also consider the effects of four women on the nine member bench, this is not only unprecedented in Canada, but elsewhere in the world. A certain set of cases that might be considered to be of interest to women will be analyzed to determine whether women judges make a difference, by bringing to their decisions new principles and precedents, or whether their decisions conformed to those made by male judges. This study utilizes tenets of feminist methodology, such as placing women\u27s experiences at the centre, contextualizing women\u27s lives within their social and cultural milieu, and being attentive to the diversity of women\u27s experiences. By using both qualitative and quantitative methods of research, this study will determine the degree of validity of the hypothesis that the appointment of more female justices would increase the likelihood that certain perspectives, shared by many women, would be available on the bench.Dept. of History, Philosophy, and Political Science. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis2005 .G33. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 44-03, page: 1215. Thesis (M.A.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 2005

Qualitative Health Research Involving Indigenous Peoples: Culturally Appropriate Data Collection Methods

Historically, health research involving Indigenous peoples has been fraught with problems, including researchers not addressing Indigenous research priorities and then subsequently often failing to utilize culturally appropriate methods. Given this historical precedence, some Indigenous populations may be reluctant to participate in research projects. In response to these concerns, the Government of Canada has developed the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS2): Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada, which stipulates the requirements for research collaborations with Indigenous communities. Utilizing this policy as an ethical standard for research practices, this paper describes, critiques and synthesizes the literature on culturally appropriate oral-data collection methods, excluding interviews and focus groups, for use with Indigenous people in Canada. Results suggest that photovoice, symbol-based reflection, circles and story-telling can be methodologically rigorous and culturally appropriate methods of collecting data with this population. Suggestions are made for researchers wishing to use these methods to promote respectful and collaborative research partnerships with Indigenous peoples in Canada

Towards healthier Indigenous health policies? Navigating the labyrinth for answers

This research is based on two years of community-based participatory research that draws on Indigenous understandings of health policy in five First Nations in Ontario, Canada. While a number of policies have been put in place to increase Indigenous control over community health services, we argue that policies enacted to promote Indigenous self-determination in health care have been counterproductive and detrimental to Indigenous health and wellbeing. Instead, we suggest that Indigenous health policy exists on a continuum and aim to balance the need for including diverse Indigenous groups with comprehensive control from program funding and design to implementation. This poses some difficult questions: How do Indigenous peoples perceive the concept of self-determination, community-controlled health care and the efforts of the Canadian government to form collaborative arrangements between Indigenous communities, organisations and government? What does an inclusive and comprehensive Indigenous community-controlled health care system look like? The purpose of this article is to explore how Indigenous people and community stakeholders in Canada understand terms such as self-determination and health and draw conclusions about collaborative efforts between the government and Indigenous communities to support community-controlled health care. It further explores participant narratives and describes their experiences, particularly, the strengths and weaknesses of community-government health policy developments

The Future of Indigenous Healthcare in Manitoba: Moving Beyond Soft Reconciliation in Health

This article examines the changing nature of Indigenous healthcare and policy in Manitoba focusing on two critical healthcare gaps in the province: the health transfer policy, a policy that continues to be counterproductive to Indigenous health and well-being; and the intended closure of Grandview’s EMS station and its failure to consider First Nations and Métis perspectives and access to care. Drawing on over a decade of community-engaged research in the province, our research argues for the need to move beyond soft reconciliation efforts in Indigenous health to reinterpreting Canada’s colonial history by recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ hard rights to healthcare. Reconciliation should bring about changes to bureaucratic structures and challenge non-Indigenous peoples’ values. Health system changes in Indigenous communities, without consultation, will continue to negatively impact community life and wellbeing. This article is intended to contribute to a broader discussion about the future of Indigenous healthcare, policy, and reconciliation efforts in Manitoba

Introduction to the Special Issue: Indigenous Self-determination in Health System Reforms

Across Canada, First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and communities live in rural, remote, Northern and reserve places, as well as urban places, and experience health inequities when compared with non-Indigenous peoples. These inequities are founded by pervasive colonial ideologies, policies, systems, and practices, many of which persist today resulting in multiple disparities in health as well as social, political, and economic areas (Adelson 2005; Allan and Smylie 2015). In Canada, the federal government’s role in the provision of health services is primarily through the limited public health and prevention services offered by the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch (FNIHB), now Indigenous Services Canada (ISC). Services are offered to status (registered) First Nations living on-reserve and to Inuit living in their traditional territories. They provide non-insured health benefits (NIHB) such as prescription drugs, dental, and vision coverage to all status/registered First Nations and Inuit, regardless of where they live; however, non-insured health benefits are not offered to Métis or non-status First Nations. As a result of historical legislative vagueness, and the multiplicity of authorities that has resulted, the First Nations, Inuit and Métis legislation and health policy framework is very complex, which itself results in a great deal of diversity in health service provision across provinces and territories. The framework fails to adequately address the health care needs of the Métis or First Nations and Inuit people who are either not registered or not living on reserve or in their traditional territory (Lavoie and Gervais 2012). [continued in PDF / HTML

“It’s Not Just a Picture When Lives are at Stake: Ethical Considerations and Photovoice Methods with Indigenous Peoples Engaged in Street Lifestyles”.

Photovoice is an arts-based, participatory research method in which participants take photographs to document their understanding of the research question. It engages participants in a process of creating and sharing photographs and dialogue, supports connections with others and can be a key tool for policy change advocacy. This method has grown in popularity over the years and has been heralded as ideal for research with Indigenous communities and other marginalized populations. While photovoice offers clear benefits, little research has considered the ethical dilemmas that can arise from this method from an Indigenous specific lens. This paper describes the photovoice approach and its benefits, notably its engagement and empowerment aspects. We then explore the ethical challenges photovoice raises drawing on a recent study that investigates the ways in which Indigenous men engage in street lifestyles. We conclude by offering lessons learned to guide the work of researchers using photovoice with Indigenous peoples or other marginalized populations.Photovoice est une méthode de recherche participative lié aux arts dans laquelle les participants prennent des photos pour documenter leur compréhension d’une question de recherche. Cette méthode engage les participants dans un processus de création et de partage de photographies et de dialogue, soutient leurs relations avec les autres et peut constituer un outil essentiel pour les changements politiques. Cette méthode a gagné en popularité au fil des ans et a été proclamée idéale pour la recherche avec les communautés autochtones et autres populations marginalisées. Bien que Photovoice offre des avantages évidents, peu de recherches ont porté sur les dilemmes éthiques de cette méthode pour les Autochtones. Cet article décrit l’approche et ses avantages, notamment ses aspects d’engagement et de responsabilisation. Nous explorons ensuite les défis éthiques que Photovoice soulève en nous appuyant sur une étude récente portant sur la manière dont les hommes autochtones s’engagent dans les habitudes de vie de rue. Nous concluons avec des leçons apprises pour guider les travaux des chercheurs utilisant Photovoice avec les peuples autochtones ou d’autres populations marginalisées

The Future of Indigenous Health Policy in Manitoba: Moving Beyond Soft Reconciliation in Health

This article examines the changing nature of Indigenous healthcare and policy in Manitoba focusing on two critical healthcare gaps in the province: the health transfer policy, a policy that continues to be counterproductive to Indigenous health and well-being; and the intended closure of Grandview’s EMS station and its failure to consider First Nations and Métis perspectives and access to care. Drawing on over a decade of community-engaged research in the province, our research argues for the need to move beyond soft reconciliation efforts in Indigenous health to reinterpreting Canada’s colonial history by recognizing Indigenous peoples’ hard rights to healthcare. Reconciliation should bring about changes to bureaucratic structures and challenge non-Indigenous peoples’ values. Health system changes in Indigenous communities, without consultation, will continue to negatively impact community life and wellbeing. This article is intended to contribute to a broader discussion about the future of Indigenous healthcare, policy  and reconciliation efforts in Manitoba

Using Photovoice to Understand Intergenerational Influences on Health and Well-Being in a Southern Labrador Inuit Community

This research sought to explore one southern Labrador Inuit community’s intergenerational relationships, with a focus on seniors’ perspectives and understandings of health and well-being. This knowledge is important for accessing and responding to social and demographic change to ensure a continued ability to provide for future generations. Our research employed a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach and a qualitative, arts-based methodology, including photovoice. Participants in this study included six seniors and six youth from St. Lewis, Labrador, Canada, who were provided with cameras and were asked to take photographs that represent how their lived experience related to the research questions. Our findings demonstrated that strong relationships between older and younger generations, particularly within families, exist in St. Lewis. We argue that these relationships contribute positively to the overall health and well-being of the community. Little is known about how youth and seniors in Indigenous communities perceive one another and their respective roles in a contemporary context. Our research suggests that learning more about the factors that shape senior–youth interaction and communication in St. Lewis may lead to interventions that will support intergenerational contact and, hence, promote cultural continuity and increase overall well-being. The promotion of cultural continuity and well-being is of particular importance in Indigenous communities, given the disruption of culture due to colonialism and given that Indigenous communities with high levels of cultural continuity are healthier

Indigenous Adoption of Internet Voting: A Case Study of Whitefish River First Nation

Indigenous communities and organizations are increasingly using digital technologies to build community capacity, strengthen community consultation, and improve political participation. In particular, Internet voting is a type of technology to which First Nations have been drawn. This article explores Whitefish River First Nation\u27s (WRFN) experience introducing Internet voting in the course of ratifying a new matrimonial real property law (MRP). Specifically, we examine the implications of Internet voting for political participation and electoral administration at the community level. Although community members’ uptake of Internet voting was very modest, we find the experience of adoption had other subtle impacts on community capacity, specifically in terms of empowering the community to pass its own laws and connecting youth and elders. With respect to administration, Internet voting provided an opportunity to connect with community members using technology, to modernize voting processes, and to better accommodate community members needs