Digital Commons Network^™

Canada's Role As A Clean Technology Innovator: A Governmental Proposal, Charlie Connell

Major Papers

Clean technology innovation and development can play a critical role in climate change mitigation strategies. Targeted at the Canadian government, this paper outlines the important role clean technology can play in achieving Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction targets and recommends strategies to establish the country as an international force in clean technology innovation. This paper evaluates the successes of international leaders in clean technology innovation, identifies hindrances to the progression of clean technology in Canada, and proposes multi-level strategies to overcome the obstacles hampering the Canadian clean technology industry. Lastly, this paper concludes with a call to action for continued research …

Exploring Equity Issues In Education: A Focus On The Rise Private Tutoring In Canada, Yang Xin

Major Papers

Canada has recently seen an explosion in the tutoring industry, in large part due to four key factors: increased immigration from countries where tutoring is popular, the expansion of tutoring franchises from America, parents’ lack of confidence in Canada’s public education, and an excess number of teaching professionals who struggle to find work in a crowded education field. Though the tutoring industry has helped to stimulate the economy, improve student outcomes, and support the transition of immigrants, international students, and refugees, many have concerns that it will widen an already problematic education gap. Thus, to understand the nuances of this …

Sixties Scoop, Historical Trauma, And Changing The Current Landscape About Indigenous People, Shandel Valiquette

Major Papers

Through analyzing current literature on the Sixties Scoop and how it frames it origins and causes, many describe it as primarily assimilatory, even while acknowledging the historical legacies that contributed to problems in Indigenous communities and families. This paper will analyze the various perspectives on the Sixties Scoop, and argue that it was a complex process, a result of historical trauma related to colonial efforts and not a single, unified policy focused on assimilating Indigenous people into mainstream culture.

In pulling the thread of historical trauma rather than assimilation, this paper traces the streams of the past which help to …

Using Tio2 To Optimize The Photocatalytic Degradation Of Kraft Black Liquor Using Response Surface Methodology, Zihan Wang

Major Papers

The Canadian pulp and paper industry has been concerned with reducing annual emissions of pollutants into water bodies, air and landfills. Black liquor is a major byproduct from pulp mills such as Kraft. Black liquor is utilized in boilers to produce steam and electricity. Black liquor is a low-value chemical and researchers have employed thermal and chemical processes to produce products such as oils, adhesives, and dispersants. In recent years, photocatalysis has become an alternative to degrade black liquor into short chain carbon chemicals.

This study aims to optimize the performance of black liquor photocatalytic degradation using the TiO_{2 …}

Stalin’S Foreign Policy “Shift”: Cautious Expansionism, Ussr-Dprk Relations 1945 – 1950 And The Origins Of The Korean War, Jacob Shuster

Major Papers

Despite initially denying Kim IL Sung’s requests for a military reunification in 1949, Josef Stalin decided to support an invasion of South Korea in 1950. This paper explores the origins of the Korean War and the roles of both the Soviet Civil Administration and Kim IL Sung in convincing Stalin that the invasion was necessary, and that it would be neither prolonged, nor involve American interference. Throughout the initial occupation of North Korea, Stalin preferred to maintain the status quo on the peninsula, as he was open to, but deeply suspicious of plans for reunification and restrained Kim’s ambitions. However, …

Energy Supply Chain Of Co-Firing System To Generate Electricity, Abinash Panda

Major Papers

The problem of air pollution on the streets of the national capital of India, New Delhi is a major concern. Majority of the pollutants are generally originated from either the vehicles on the roads or the burning of crops from the neighbouring states of the National Capital Region (NCR). To improve the condition of the air quality by the vehicles, implementation of the Electric Vehicles (EVs) in an energy supply chain is a suitable plan. The objective of this paper is to plan a supply chain of generation of electricity by the process of co-firing that prompts benefits both in …

‘Go Out Museums!’ Museums’ Political Relevance Within The Current Media Environment, Carolina Betancur Botero Ms.

Major Papers

At their best, museums are institutions that create transformative experiences for their visitors. Therefore, many scholars and museum professionals have advocated for museums that do not only display narratives through their exhibitions but also take part in social change. This task becomes even more relevant when digital platforms and social media, today’s predominant sources of information as well as prime providers of spaces for social and political interactions, have proven to have negative effects for society. Despite their beneficial outcomes, new media technologies promote commoditization, ephemerality, immediacy and individualism, effects that disturb the sense of solidarity, empathy and sense of …

The Concept Of The Global Subject In Adorno, Sebastian Kanally

Major Papers

Theodor W. Adorno makes the following claim in his 1962 essay “Progress”: “The possibility of progress, of averting the most extreme, total disaster, has migrated to this global subject alone. Everything else involving progress must crystalize around it.” While this is Adorno’s most explicit articulation of the importance of a global subject, it is not the only one. In multiple places across his work he makes reference to mankind’s current lack of a global subject, and the need for a global subject to develop and intervene. This paper weaves together the first systematic analysis of a “global subject [Gesamtsubjekt]” as …

Lukácsian Reification In The Twenty-First Century, Dominic Kenneth Mario Pizzolitto

Major Papers

This paper examines Lukácsian reification in order to assess its relevance for contemporary critical theory.

Review Of Polymer Gels For Conformance Control In Oil Reservoirs, Saman Kazemi

Major Papers

Excess water production due to conformance problems is a serious issue in oil extraction with severe environmental and economic implications. This is mainly due to the heterogeneity of the reservoir and existence of thief zones which uptake the injected water. Polymer gels have been successfully used to improve the sweep efficiency and to mitigate excess water production. However, due to the complexity of the reservoir, reservoir temperature, salinity, pH, lithology, and permeability, selection of proper gel system is still challenging. This paper aims to provide a literature review on six widely applied polymer gel systems used for conformance control applications. …

#Trippinwithtarte: The Immaterial Labour Of Selling Calculated Authenticity And Glamour On Instagram, Brenna O'Gorman

Major Papers

Since 2016, beauty brand Tarte Cosmetics has been utilizing social media influencers to advertise their new product launches by bringing them on sponsored brand trips, also known as #TrippinWithTarte. This growing phenomenon within the beauty industry involves brands paying for airfare, lodging and other expenses of influencers in exchange for promotion of the brand and their products while on the trip. Trippin’ with Tarte destinations are often luxury beach locations like Bora Bora, Costa Rica, and Hawaii. While this certainly looks glamorous to the consumer, these trips should not be mistaken for a vacation. While participating in various excursions, influencers …

Beyond The Black And White: Using Memoirs For Insight Into Detroit’S Leftist Movement,1930s-1950s, Genevieve Chevalier

Major Papers

The 1930s-1950s saw a significant growth and change in Detroit’s leftist labour movement. Memoirs provide invaluable insight into social movements as they provide personal accounts and insight that institutional and document source materials lack. While they must be approached with caution, they balance objectivity with personal narratives that add the human element to historical studies, ultimately creating a more balanced interpretation. The unpublished memoirs of Maurice Sugar, and Avrahm Mezerick offer insight into Detroit’s leftist movement through their reflections on their childhood experiences. Sugar and Mezerick discuss their childhoods through very different lenses to highlight their inspirations and motivations for …

The Gay Commute: On The Development Of Queer Community And Identity In The Windsor-Detroit Borderlands, 1945-1980, Graeme Sylvio Sylvestre

Major Papers

The development of queer community and identity has always necessitated the delineation of queer-friendly spaces as a locus for socialisation, sexual expression, and freedom from animosity and hostility towards queer sexuality. Within the urban area of post-war Windsor-Detroit, the threat of exposure and possible arrest affected the everyday lives of queer individuals, which necessitated a quest for private locales that were amenable to the expression of queer sexuality and gender identity. What is here referred to as “the gay commute” was a defining characteristic of the lived experiences of the white middle-class gay residents in the Windsor-Detroit borderlands through the …

When Establishment And Social Movements Fail: Exploring The Populist Candidacies Of The 2016 American Presidential Primaries, Nancy Duffy

Major Papers

This paper takes a second look at the 2016 American Presidential Primaries from the perspective of asking what the American people were really after then they chose to ultimately support populism. Media reports and editorial discussions all pointed to a base that was somehow backing misogyny and racism. My research points to an alternative. Populism and social movement theory suggest that the success of anti-establishment candidacies is not credited to populists alone; in the case of 2016, it had support in the credibility and political opportunity left by social movements past. And so to investigate this historic battle between the …

A Review Of Emission Trading Systems, Aaron Matthew Gorski

Major Papers

This paper serves as a review of emission trading systems as a means to achieve reductions in the level of greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants around the world. The review begins with the history of emission trading, beginning with early theoretical frameworks developed by economists in the 1960s and 1970s, followed by early implementations of permit markets similar to modern day emission trading systems. International negotiations related to emission reductions such as the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement are discussed. Next, the economic mechanisms of emission trading systems are discussed, including a brief comparison to carbon taxes as an …

Economic Effects Of Solar Activity: Evidence From Canada, Zichun Zhao

Major Papers

This papers uses a three-sector Real Business Cycle model with a stochastic sunspot volatility shock to estimate the adverse effects of intense solar activity to the economy of Canada. To the best of my knowledge this is the first study to measure the adverse effects of intense solar activity in Canada. Calibrating the model for Canada's economy, I found that a solar activity shock leads to lower output, consumption, and investment. These findings are confirmed from an econometric exercise using Canadian data. Precisely, this paper finds that every percentage point increase in solar activity generates a 0.26 percentage point decrease …

Municipal Government: Social Media And Youth Engagement, Jordyn D. J. Bailey

Major Papers

Social media outlets such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube allow for the development of an online community for individuals to communicate and connect with others throughout the world. For this paper, social media outlets are understood to offer a solution to the ongoing issue of political disengagement found among youth between the ages of 18 and 34. Municipalities commonly experience low voter turnout during elections, causing a shift in candidates’ focus from traditional forms of campaigning towards the use of social media. The political disengagement among youth has been attributed to a lack of knowledge on politics and a lack …

Up From Populism: Re-Visiting The Thought Of Russell Kirk In A Time Of Divisive Politics, Caden Mccann

Major Papers

The past five years has seen populist movements emerge on both the left and right in many Western democracies, disrupting traditional politics on both the center-left and center-right. Clearly, the most large-scale manifestation of this phenomena is the rise of Trumpism, with businessman Donald Trump having won the Republican nomination and U.S. presidency in 2016 with a campaign that challenged the political establishment on issues like free trade and immigration. In the following paper, I use the current populist moment as an opportunity to revisit the thought of Russell Kirk (1918 – 1994), an American political theorist most famous for …

A Comparison Study Of Using Origami As A Teaching Tool In Middle-School Mathematics Class In North America And China, Yueying Liu

Major Papers

This Major Paper compares origami-based mathematics school activities in North America and China. It introduces the current situation of the use of origami in mathematics classes to identify the similarities and differences of using origami as a teaching approach in these two regions. The Paper also attempts the analysis from various perspectives, including mathematics reform, mathematics learning system and environment, as well as the benefits of using origami in mathematics class, and how it relates to students’ mathematics achievement. Both North American and Chinese mathematics educators’ focus on integrating origami into middle schools’ mathematics classes can be found in the …

Analysis Of A Garment-Oriented Textile Recycling System Via Simulation Approach, Reyhaneh Yavari

Major Papers

The textile industry is one of the polluting industries on the planet. Public awareness has increased manufacturers responsibility and forced them to shift from linear to the circular production line to reduce the amount of environmental impact such as; energy and freshwater consumption, toxic and fertilizer usage and cutting down the use of raw material. Also, some new business strategies like fast fashion which is a recent trend in the fashion industry by offering fast changing trend and inexpensive designs accelerate the process of purchasing new clothes that end up in landfills. Recycling, remanufacturing and reusing are some practices that …

Bad Boy Furniture Co.: Case-Based Analyses Of Retail Expansion And Brand-Building, Bradley Lastman

Major Papers

Case-based research facilitates two major objectives. First, it provides insights into a company, which informs managerial decision-making. Second, case-based learning allows a classroom to evaluate a real problem facing a business. In doing so, an instructor focuses on the options, criteria and decision. Also, an instructor uses the case as a tool, from a pedagogical perspective, to reinforce course material.

The following two cases provide scenarios where a business is uncertain of how to overcome challenges. The decision-maker is provided with information in order to evaluate the options, weigh the options against the criteria and decide which option is ideal. …

Development Finance Institutions As Tools For Foreign Aid Distribution: A Comparative Analysis Of The Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Findev Canada And Deutsche Investitions – Und Entwicklungsgesellschaft, Kamal Mann

Major Papers

An understanding of how foreign aid has changed requires a thorough examination of the efforts taken in aid to address the widening finance gap in development, alongside the often-contested issue of aid effectiveness. This is particularly the case when looking at how aid should be paid for. Yet the question of how to best program and deliver foreign aid remains unanswered.

Aid remains one of the largest aspects of international transfers of resources that occur in the world, as such it is important to study it. The rise of Development Finance Institutions, which are publicly owned, private lending institutions helps …

A Comparative Research Study Of Student-Teacher Relationships In Elementary School In China And America, Menghan Wu

Major Papers

Student-teacher relationships are an important part of schooling. They not only affect students' academic achievements but also affect students' behaviors and attitudes. The history, culture, and society are different in China and America. These differences sometimes lead to different relationships between teachers and students in China and America. This paper focuses on exploring the differences and similarities between the student-teacher relationship in China and America and analyzes some of the key factors that influence these differences. I also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the relationship between teachers and students in China and America, and it proposes that the two …

A Review Of Statistical Analysis Of Genetic Case-Control Data, Jin Zhang

Major Papers

This paper considers the analysis of genetic case-control data. We consider the allele frequency in cases and controls. Because each individual has two alleles at any autosomal locus, there will be twice as many alleles as people in the allele distribution. Simultaneously, the serological distribution is bulit by ignoring the difference between homozygous and herterozygous. We also consider the marker loci with multiple alleles. Traditional case-control studies provide a powerful and efficient method for evaluation of association between candidate gene and disease. There has been debate on how the power of tests for association changes with different allelic effect. To …

Access To Justice Meets Opportunity: Reverse Auction Ventures As A Possible Solution To The Unaffordability Of Personal Plight Legal Services And Oversupply Of Lawyers, Shawn P. Quigg

Major Papers

Individuals who experience personal plight legal issues face several barriers to justice. Low- and medium-income earners are especially disadvantaged, given the high financial, temporal, and emotional costs associated with accessing justice. Simultaneously, law schools are graduating more law students than jobs available. The imbalance leaves many young lawyers, with mounting debt, no means with which to pay off the debt. The purpose of this study is to assess the viability of a legal services reverse auction platform as a solution to the access to justice and lawyer oversupply problems.

The feasibility study examines the characteristics of the business models of …

What’S In A Picture? Exploring Children’S Picture Books With A Focus On Gender, Siyang Jiang

Major Papers

This paper explores the relationship between children’s books and gender with a particular focus on images. The aim is to explore gender constructions found in images in children’s books. In the first chapter, the concepts related to gender, children's books and gender education, as well as the importance of gender education of preschool children are introduced. The second chapter surveys the relevant literature to explore what is a children's picture book, and the three historical stages of development of children's picture books: Embryonic period, Growth period and Boom period. The third chapter analyzes two picture books that have gender education …

The Democracy Defibrillator: The Decline Of Canadian Voter Turnout In Federal Elections, And Suggestions For Revitalisation, Andre Real Ouellet

Major Papers

This Major Research Paper analyses the decline of voter turnout in Canadian federal elections since 1988, looking at some of the reasoning for this and discussing some solutions for the growth of turnout in the future. As well as analyzing the issue of youth voting in particular, the paper discusses several possibilities to fix the system, utilising case study to find concepts that worked elsewhere.

Specifically, the extension of the minimum voting age to 16 years old, changes to the voting system (in terms of moving away from First Past The Post) and mandatory voting laws are discussed as possible …

Rethinking Retirement For The 21st Century, Stephen C. Russo

Major Papers

Canada’s labour force has been gradually growing older in recent decades. An aging labour force creates significant problems for the country and the future growth of our economy. With an aging labour force, comes the need to start rethinking how Canadians look at retirement in the 21^st century and how both the government and private sector can contribute solutions to adapting to an older workforce. This problem is not unique to Canada, most of the industrialized west has been or will begin to experience the same demographic shift as we are in Canada. The main challenge this paper examines …

Popular Music And Gender Equity: Integrating Popular Music Into Gender Studies In Grade 9-12, Jiayi Wang

Major Papers

Equity studies has been indicated in Ontario’s social sciences curriculum, and gender equity is included in the grade 11 course “Gender Studies.” Popular music, a crucial part of popular culture, is one of the favourite pastimes among adolescents. The relationship between popular music and gender equity as well as the educational value of popular music has been discussed extensively in both the music and sociology areas. Connecting to gender equity education in schools, this paper demonstrates how gender topics are displayed in popular music and the implications of using 21^st-century popular music to discuss gender equity in grades …

Level Crossing Simulation Of A Queueing Model, Zhanxuan Ding

Major Papers

Simulation of the level crossing method will be used to find approximations of the distribution of the workload for several queueing models. In particular, three different type of queueing models, with different methods of handling workload bound thresholds, will be considered. Simulation applied to workload bound thresholds is new work.