La situation démographique du Québec à l’heure du référendum

L’article présente la situation démographique du Québec à l’heure du référendum en resituant son évolution dans le contexte démographique du Canada et des pays industrialisés.Le Québec et le reste du Canada constituent deux entités démo-linguistiques qui se différencient de plus en plus et qui se réfèrent chacune à un territoire bien délimité. Le premier, sous l’effet de la Charte de la langue française (mesure gouvernementale favorisant l’épanouissement de cette langue au Québec), devrait devenir de plus en plus français dans la composition de sa population comme dans sa langue de travail, des communications et de l’affichage. Le second devrait devenir, quant à lui, de plus en plus anglais par suite de l’assimilation grandissante de ses minorités francophones et de l’apport d’une immigration internationale importante qui vient grossir sa majorité anglophone.La population du Québec, comme celle de la plupart des pays industrialisés, est appelée à connaître une croissance lente et un vieillissement de sa structure par âge, situation qui ne présente pas que des désavantages mais qui implique certaines reconversions. Plus inquiétante sans doute est la perte relative de poids démographique du Québec dans l’ensemble canadien et ses conséquences politiques

Mercury in the marine environment of the Canadian Arctic: Review of recent findings

AbstractThis review summarizes data and information which have been generated on mercury (Hg) in the marine environment of the Canadian Arctic since the previous Canadian Arctic Contaminants Assessment Report (CACAR) was released in 2003. Much new information has been collected on Hg concentrations in marine water, snow and ice in the Canadian Arctic. The first measurements of methylation rates in Arctic seawater indicate that the water column is an important site for Hg methylation. Arctic marine waters were also found to be a substantial source of gaseous Hg to the atmosphere during the ice-free season. High Hg concentrations have been found in marine snow as a result of deposition following atmospheric mercury depletion events, although much of this Hg is photoreduced and re-emitted back to the atmosphere. The most extensive sampling of marine sediments in the Canadian Arctic was carried out in Hudson Bay where sediment total Hg (THg) concentrations were low compared with other marine regions in the circumpolar Arctic. Mass balance models have been developed to provide quantitative estimates of THg fluxes into and out of the Arctic Ocean and Hudson Bay.Several recent studies on Hg biomagnification have improved our understanding of trophic transfer of Hg through marine food webs. Over the past several decades, Hg concentrations have increased in some marine biota, while other populations showed no temporal change. Marine biota also exhibited considerable geographic variation in Hg concentrations with ringed seals, beluga and polar bears from the Beaufort Sea region having higher Hg concentrations compared with other parts of the Canadian Arctic. The drivers of these variable patterns of Hg bioaccumulation, both regionally and temporally, within the Canadian Arctic remain unclear. Further research is needed to identify the underlying processes including the interplay between biogeochemical and food web processes and climate change

The Epworth Sleepiness Scale: Self-Administration Versus Administration by the Physician, and Validation of a French Version

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) measures sleepiness and is used for, among others, patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The questionnaire is usually self-administered, but may be physician administered. The aim was to compare the two methods of administration and to validate a French version