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How Can Local Transitional Justice Mechanisms Work Towards Measures Of Non-Recurrence?, Isaac Bayor

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation examines questions of local agency and inclusion. It develops a conceptual understanding of whether, and if so how, local customary justice mechanisms could serve as guarantees of non-recurrence. It looks at how grassroots practices of “justice” could be utilized at the community level to deter the commission of future abuses and prevent the repetition of violent conflict, especially where the state has been completely absent. It specifically explores Acholi indigenous and customary practices of peacemaking and justice in Northern Uganda to understand how local practices could secure a lasting peace and cement communities’ commitment to peaceful coexistence.

While …

An Epidemic Amidst A Pandemic: A Critical Policy Analysis Of Supervised Consumption Sites, Vanisa Ezukuse

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study's primary purpose is to critically appraise current federal and provincial policies regarding supervised consumption sites (SCS), noting intended and unintended consequences; and how these policies could impact SCS users. This study's secondary goal is to compare current policies related to SCS in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec to provide critical insight and suggestions for ongoing policy development. Carol Bacchi’s (2009) “What is the Problem Represented to Be?” framework was applied to the Canadian policy document with a focus on SCS. Four themes are proposed: Public Health versus Criminality, Presumptions versus Assumptions, Policy Unaccountability, and Policy Duality. It …

The Social Identity Approach To Leadership: The Case Of Alberta, Samuel Routley

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The study of political leadership within the discipline of the political science has recently grown into a large, complex, and insightful literature. However, the extensive number of concepts, theories, and frameworks developed by international leadership scholars have been underutilized when it comes to developing further understanding of political leadership in the Canadian context. This thesis attempts to address this gap by focusing on the process by which individuals are selected to be leaders. I utilizes social psychology and Identity Leadership Theory to theorize that leaders are successful to the extent that are able to cohere with broader group processes by …

Political Perceptions Of Modern Quantitative Easing A Qualitative Study Examining The Relationships Between Political Affiliation, The Perceived Institutional Legitimacy Of Central Banks, And Monetary Policy, Patrick Doodnauth Persaud

MA Major Research Papers

The variety of policy and philosophical positions that exist with respect to the legitimacy and functionality of central banking is vast, and this paper aims to address how these positions align with the traditional notions of the ‘left-right’ political spectrum. This research project aims to create a typology of monetary policy and central bank philosophies based on political ideology. The project will attempt to identify group differences in the perception of central bank legitimacy, central bank functionality, monetary policy, and the role of central banks in broader society.

Explaining The Origins And Evolution Of The Global Financial Inclusion Agenda, Tyler Girard

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The idea of “financial inclusion,” understood as the access to and use of a broad range of retail financial services (including bank accounts, payment services, credit, and insurance) by everyone in society, emerged as a global priority in the late 2000s. Financial inclusion now features prominently in global economic governance and the activities of disparate international organizations, states, businesses, and civil society organizations. This dissertation asks: what explains the origins and evolution of the global financial inclusion agenda? Existing scholarship often emphasizes the interests and power of Western states and businesses, asymmetric debt and power relations, and the centrality of …

Emerging Unconventionally; The Mavericks: An Analysis On The Development Of Western Canadian Political Parties Through Canada’S Newest Federal Party – The Maverick Party Of Canada, David Carlson

MA Major Research Papers

Born in 2020 Alberta, the Maverick Party is a new regionally focused federal party that

advocates for constitutional change that will "benefit the west." This party is being studied to

understand better the role it will have in Canadian politics.

Killer Robots On Trial: Autonomous Weapons Systems In The Context Of International Law, Mikaela Heck

MA Major Research Papers

Killer robots are no longer a facet of science fiction, but rather an imminent reality. The development of autonomous weapons systems (AWS) has been something states and military operations have been working towards to build their arsenal and change the landscape of conflict. With this changing landscape, these AWS fit within public international law in a unique way, existing somewhere in between a weapon and a combatant. With increased autonomy and diminished human control over their behaviour, AWS present an interesting dilemma to existing international legal structures, as they are typically written in a fashion designed to be adhered by …

Syrian Refugees In Canada Transition To Resettlement: Through The Perspectives Of Housing, Income, Female Resettlement, And Mental Health, Floranda Agroam

MA Major Research Papers

War, violence, and fear of persecution are three main reasons to seek asylum. Syria has been experiencing an ongoing civil war since 2011 which has resulted in the external displacement of over 6.5 million Syrians. The value that refugees bring to a nation is more than a statistic, but rather refugees help establish the growth and diversity of a nation, contribute to the economy and most importantly, they are guaranteed protection from persecution, war and violence. Asylum seekers benefit from the refugee status they gain upon entry into Canada along with the many welfare services to help their transition to …

“One Of The Most Elaborate Doping Ploys In Sports History”: The Impact Of The 2016 Russian Doping Scandal On Anti-Doping, Wada And Athletes’ Rights, Mikael J. Gonsalves

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation analyzes the impacts of the 2016 Russian doping scandal from a philosophical and historical perspective. This dissertation’s second chapter, the article entitled (1) “The Brave New World of Athletes’ Rights: A Canadian Perspective on Significant Shifts for the World Anti- Doping Agency” in time for the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) 20 th anniversary, puts into words the new investigative reality of contemporary anti-doping. It explains a new attitude of anti-doping authorities in response to the ‘game-changing’ Russian manipulation of samples, what has been described as “one of the most elaborate doping ploys in sports history” 1 (Icarus, 2016) …

From Stateless People To Citizens: The Reformulation Of Territory And Identity In India-Bangladesh Border Enclaves, Md Rashedul Alam

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation analyzes nation-building in hitherto ungoverned territories of two Indian chhitmahals in Bangladesh and explores the transformation of their residents from stateless Indian nationals to citizens of Bangladesh. Chhitmahals comprised nearly two hundred enclaves located along the Bangladesh-India border that belonged to one country but were located inside another’s territory. Chhitmahals came into existence with the partition of India in 1947; their non-contiguous locations kept them without state administration and citizenship rights. People developed political councils and adopted illicit practices to survive in the absence of the state, but the impossibility of exercising sovereignty in chhitmahals led Bangladesh and …

From Classroom To Polling Station: A Cross-Canada Analysis Of High School Civics Curricula, Elizabeth Kozak

MA Major Research Papers

Public engagement, specifically in the form of voter turnout, has been a topic of discussion in political science since its inception. With recent declines in voter turnout, especially amongst young voters, some experts have begun to fear a generational shift towards political apathy; a shift that could lead to a heavily apolitical society as the generations who value politics are replaced by those who do not. With this context in mind, scholars have been trying to understand what drives turnout, why participation matters, and predict the attitude and behaviours of the Canadian electorate. Through these queries, it has been found …

Public Health Concerns Of Cannabis In Canada: Trends In Public Opinion Before And After Legalization, Cameron O'Dette

MA Major Research Papers

With the legalization and regulation of recreational cannabis in Canada coming into effect on October 17th, 2018, Canada became just the second country in the world to legalize the longstanding prohibited substance after first being outlawed in 1923. While public opinion throughout the country had favoured the adoption of drug-law reformation for some time, limited data existed on the health-related implications and public perceptions of cannabis use before the legislation was introduced. With little to no well-documented evidence available to base their own public policy decisions on, the federal government under newly elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberal …

Local Government Response To Housing Unaffordability In Three Major Canadian Cities: A Study Of Vancouver, Calgary, And Toronto, Charlotte Kurs

MA Major Research Papers

In major cities globally, including those in Canada, many residents struggle to find affordable housing. Canadian municipalities have a growing role in responding to this issue. The objective of this paper is to investigate the municipal-level response to issues of housing affordability in three major Canadian cities: Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto. Specifically, each city has committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing as one of its primary methods of responding to this issue. This paper provides an analysis and comparison of the goals set by each of the three case study municipalities and the real increases in affordable housing …

“Man Camps”: Temporary Housing Facilities Or Sites Of Permanent Devastation? The Cases Of British Columbia, Manitoba, And Nunavut, Jasmine Tordimah

MA Major Research Papers

Violence, harassment, and sexual abuse against Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people is an issue that currently plagues our nation. There is a disproportionately high number of incidents occurring at Canadian resource extraction sites, both on “work camps,” colloquially referred to as “man camps,” and within nearby communities. While arguably the most salient consideration in the assessment process, it often does not receive the attention it requires. Consequently, this issue not only adds to the wider systemic imbalances that reproduce racist, sexist, and colonial patterns, but it further contributes to the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) national …

Decolonizing ‘Femicide’ In International Frameworks: A Decolonial Feminist Approach, Hannah Diebold

MA Major Research Papers

Indigenous women are significantly overrepresented in homocide statistics in colonial states around the world. The term femicide is currently defined in international legal and political frameworks as ‘the killing of women and girls because of their gender.’ This definition, while seemingly straightforward, is limited by its racelessness and by the way colonial logic constructs gender. By deconstructing colonial logic, it becomes evident that the gender binary itself, is a colonial attempt to dehumanize the group which it terms ‘Indigenous women.’ My research evaluates solutions to decolonizing ‘femicide’ in international frameworks through an extensive literature review of decolonial feminist scholarship. The …