Digital Commons Network^™

Escaping From The Straightjacket That Baffled Houdini: An Analysis Of The Myths And Realities Of Empowering Toronto Through A City Charter, Luis Silva

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the idea that municipalities in Canada – with a specific focus on Toronto – can be legally empowered by a legislative charter to defend their autonomy from the actions of the provincial government. Case studies that analyze the political and legal relationships that selected charter cities – Saint John, Montreal, Halifax, Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Lloydminster – have with their respective province were conducted. The findings reveal that while provinces may politically treat some municipalities differently than others, no legal differentiation exists between charter cities and other municipalities with regards to protecting local self-government.

Community Mobilization In The Waterloo Regional Police Service: A Process Evaluation Of The Community Mobilization Initiative Of The Waterloo Regional Police Service, Matthew Torigian

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines the processes used by the Waterloo Regional Police Service in the implementation of the community mobilization approach based on an analysis of information gathered from a variety of sources, including stakeholder interviews, academic journals, and government reports. The findings reveal that there are disconnections within the Police Service among officers holding various ranks and responsibilities and this divide indicates confusion over the concept, philosophy, practice, and role of community mobilization and community policing.

Capital Expenditures In Metropolitan Toronto: A Comparison Of The Capital Operations And Written Literature On Capital Infrastructure For The Municipality Of Metropolitan Toronto, Caspar Hall

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines whether the assertions made by key literature on capital infrastructure in Metropolitan Toronto are empirically supported based on an analysis of annual capital operations financial statements. The findings reveal that, with a few exceptions, the historical analysis of capital operations does support the assertions made by the literature on capital infrastructure.

Comparing Immigrant Services, Practices, Programs, And Policies In The City Of London And The City Of Toronto: The Implications For The City Of London, Tiwei Huang

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines immigrant services, practices, programs, and policies in the City of Toronto in order to provide recommendations to the City of London on how to address the six key thematic areas of settlement, employment, neighbourhood, cultural competency and access to services, social inclusion, and systemic change. Interviews with key municipal government and community organization players in both cities were conducted. The findings reveal nine recommendations in the areas of systemic change, settlement, employment, and neighbourhood to improve immigrant services, practices, programs, and policies in London.

Watch Your Language: An Analysis Of Local Government Collective Agreement Harassment Language, Anne Macarthur

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines whether collective agreement language in Canada is working to protect unionized employees from harassment in local government based on an analysis of 250 collective agreements – 200 from local government organizations and 50 from private organizations – and their harassment policies. The findings reveal that as a whole, local government unions are working to protect employees from harassment as compared to private organizations, but public sector unions could also be offering their members much more protection than they currently do.

Killing Bambi: Decision-Making When Values Clash, Eha Skaith

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines whether there is a role for substantive rationality in gaining stakeholder acceptance when values conflict in a local government decision-making process. A case study of the Sifton Bog in London, Ontario, which involves the management of urban wildlife, is conducted to demonstrate a decision-making process where there is a conflict of values. The findings reveal that the more values conflict, the harder it is to implement substantive reasoning in the decision-making process.

Assimilation Of The Sami - Implementation And Consequences, Henry Minde

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

In May 2002 the Norwegian Sami Parliament discussed a motion put forward by the government of establishing a Sami people's fund as an act of reconciliation; to compensate for the state's former policy of norwe- gianisation [assimilation]. In conjunction with this case, the present article was originally written as a background paper to depict the present state of knowledge about the minority policy toward the Sami (1850- 1980). The paper shows that on one hand great efforts have been made to clarify the political aspects of norwegianisation towards the Sami and the Kven. One can conclude that the state's efforts …

‘Improving Their Lives.’ State Policies And San Resistance In Botswana, Sidsel Saugestad

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

A court case raised by a group of San (former) hunter-gatherers, protesting against relocation from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve, has attracted considerable international attention. The Government of Botswana argues that the relocation was done in order to ‘improve the lives’ of the residents, and that it was in their own best interest. The residents plead their right to stay in their traditional territories, a right increasingly acknowledged in international law, and claim that they did not relocate voluntarily. The case started in 2004 and will, due to long interspersed adjournments, go on into 2006.

This article traces the events …

“Interaction” And Research Utilisation In Health Policies And Programs: Does It Work?, Anita Kothari, Stephen Birch, Cathy Charles

Anita Kothari

The objective of this study was to assess if interaction between users and producers of research is associated with a greater level of adoption of research findings in the design and delivery of health care programs. Responses to the dissemination of a research report on breast cancer prevention were compared between two groups of public health units in Ontario, Canada. Although all public health units received the report, only a subset of units was involved in the development of the report, while others were not. Research utilisation was conceptualized in terms of stages, including reading the report, information processing, and …