Career In Canada Research Articles

20 years of choices: a fight for increased funding for graduate students.

After 20 years of stagnation, federal scholarships have finally been increased within the new budget of the Canadian government. Tuition fees, inflation, and costs of living kept rising, which has resulted a rising number of graduate students in the life sciences living below poverty line, despite working far more than 40 h a week on science research in Canada. This does not only negatively affect the students research projects and thus science and innovation in Canada, but also their downstream decisions on whether to continue a research career in Canada and what jobs and economic endeavors to pursue. Graduate students are not just a line item in the budgets of universities, but integral for science and innovation, as well as the future high-quality personnel of the country. This importance should be reflected in all stipends and salaries of graduate students, not just the ones with a government scholarship.

Vale Doug Campbell (1939–2023)

Doug Campbell commenced his life and career in Canada. He joined the Australian telecommunications sector in mid-career and made extended contributions in many different senior management positions in Telecom Australia and Telstra, particularly in modernising the Telstra network, in establishing and managing Telstra Country Wide, and, then, in the early phase of the national broadband network, in NBN Co. Doug died on 2 December 2023, and is sadly missed by his family, friends and former colleagues. This tribute, to which many have contributed, seeks to set Doug’s life and career in the context of the times. He was at the table, often as the key decision-maker, during many of the significant changes in the telecommunications industry during the last decade of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st.

Introduction: The Olympic Scholarship of John J. MacAloon

Introduction: The Olympic Scholarship of John J. MacAloon

Media crisis and its effects on digital journalism careers in Canada

This article discusses how the evolution of media industry in Canada affects the construction of identities and careers in digital journalism. It is based on 17 in-depth interviews with professionals working in Canadian Anglophone and Francophone media. Based on an interactionist theoretical approach, this article underlines how journalists negotiate their career project in a scenario of precariousness and deterioration of the job market in Canadian journalism. In this regard it highlights the strategies of resistance and resilience adopted by some interviewees in contrast to the international discourses that aim to restructure their practices and identities. This results in a conservative approach to adapting to the professional identity in digital journalism – which in fact translates into segmentation and diversification of the status that comes with this profession.

Correlates of career satisfaction in internationally educated nurses: A cross-sectional survey-based study

BackgroundMore and more high-income countries hire internationally educated nurses as part of their workforce. While the factors that push and pull internationally educated nurses to migrate and influence their workforce integration have been widely reported in the literature, little is known about internationally educated nurses’ career development and whether they are satisfied with their nursing career in Canada. ObjectiveThis study aims to identify the main correlates of internationally educated nurses’ career satisfaction. MethodsA cross‐sectional analysis of data from a pan-Canadian survey sample of 1,951 internationally educated nurses, including registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and registered psychiatric nurses, was conducted. Measures of career satisfaction included individual, job and career characteristics as well as organizational-related and integration process factors. Non-parametric Mann–Whitney U and Spearman rank correlation tests were used to examine the association of the various factors with career satisfaction. ResultsOverall, internationally educated nurses showed a high degree of career satisfaction. At the same time, career satisfaction varied greatly depending on sociodemographic characteristics, organizational setting, and geographic location. Older and more experienced internationally educated nurses tended to be more satisfied with their career than their younger or less experienced colleagues were. Furthermore, male were inclined to be less satisfied than their female counterparts, and having children tended to make all three groups (men, women and overall) more satisfied. The higher the level of education prior to immigrating the lower the career satisfaction. Internationally educated nurses who identified as White or Asian had the highest level of career satisfaction, whereas those who identified as Black tended to be the least satisfied. Career satisfaction was the highest among those who live in the Prairie Provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba), and Ontario, the lowest in the Atlantic Provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador). As for organizational characteristics, full-time nurses were more satisfied than those working part-time or with occasional employment. Finally, internationally educated nurses who thought they had achieved their career goals were more satisfied, while those who experienced discrimination were less satisfied with their career. ConclusionOur findings highlight the need for organizations to ensure a healthy work environment for internationally educated nurses, free of discrimination, where they can attain their career goals.Tweetable abstract: More and more countries rely on internationally educated nurses to ease their nursing shortages. This study aims to identify the main correlates of internationally educated nurses’ career satisfaction, using non-parametric Mann–Whitney U and Spearman rank correlation tests on data from a pan-Canadian survey sample of 1,951 internationally educated nurses, including registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and registered psychiatric nurses. Overall, internationally educated nurses showed a high degree of career satisfaction. At the same time, career satisfaction varied greatly depending on the internationally educated nurses’ sociodemographic characteristics, organizational settings and geographic location. Finally, internationally educated nurses who thought they had achieved their career goals were more satisfied, while those who experienced discrimination were less satisfied with their career. Our findings highlight the need for organizations to ensure environment free of discrimination, where internationally educated nurses can attain their career goals.

International training considerations of Canadian Clinician-Scientist Trainees - A national survey.

Canadian clinician-scientist trainees enrolled in dual degree programs often pursue an extended training route following completion of MD and MSc or PhD degrees. However, the proportion, plans and reasoning of trainees who intend to pursue training internationally following dual degree completion has not been investigated. In this study, we assessed the international training considerations of current clinician-scientist trainees. We designed an 11-question survey, which was sent out by program directors to all current MDPhD program and Clinician Investigator Program (CIP) trainees. Responses were collected from July 8, 2019 to August 8, 2019. We received a total of 191 responses, with representation from every Canadian medical school and both MD-PhD program and CIP trainees. The majority of trainees are considering completing additional training outside Canada, most commonly post-doctoral and/or clinical fellowships. The most common reasons for considering international training include those related to quality and prestige of training programs. In contrast, the most common reasons for considering staying in Canada for additional training are related to personal and ethical reasons. Irrespective of intentions to pursue international training, the majority of trainees ultimately intend to establish a career in Canada. While most trainees are considering additional training outside of Canada due to prestige and quality of training, the majority of trainees intend to pursue a career as a clinician-scientist back in Canada. Trainees would likely benefit from improved guidance and mentorship on the value of international training, as well as enhanced support in facilitating cross-border mobility.

Not All Experience is Created Equal: MP Career Typologies and Ministerial Appointments in the Canadian House of Commons, 1968–2015

AbstractWhile there is widespread agreement in the ministerial promotion and resignation literature that experience matters, experience has typically been defined as the length of time a legislator has worked in politics or served in a legislature. This approach fails to account for the different kinds of experience legislators accumulate as they progress through their political careers prior to appointment to cabinet. We demonstrate how researchers can use sequence and cluster analysis to obtain a more complete understanding of ministerial appointment. We identify four data-driven archetypes of political careers in Canada for the period 1968–2015. We find that MPs with diverse political careers are more likely to be appointed to cabinet, while MPs with opposition experience are more successful than MPs with government experience. We also find that parliamentary secretary is not necessarily a stepping stone to a full cabinet position, calling into question traditional conceptions of parliamentary politics as a ‘ladder’.

A Portrait of Composer Steven Gellman for His Seventieth Birthday

This article begins with a short biography of and an exchange with Canadian composer Steven Gellman, who celebrated his seventieth birthday in 2017. The biography outlines his life trajectory from a young boy interested in composition to his studies with Messiaen to his career in Canada. The exchange with the composer consists of fourteen questions on Gellman’s creative process and his reflections on his career as a composer.

Early legal careers in comparative context: evidence from Canada and the United States

This paper explores early careers by drawing on nationally representative surveys of lawyers’ early careers in Canada and the United States. It will examine the sorting of lawyers in sectors and settings as well as the mechanisms that are key to understanding this process. Prior research has pointed to the importance of law school credentials, race, gender and social class, which continue to be important lines of demarcation. The comparative lens provides the opportunity to better understand the ways in which these factors are contingent on national context, which, in turn, shapes the symbolic and cultural value of the forms of capital that can provide access to more prestigious, powerful and remunerative positions in the legal profession.

Local governance and the local political career in Canada: A sample dataset

AbstractThis research note introduces and describes a new dataset of political actors from the city of Kitchener, Ontario. The dataset is comprised of 348 complete political careers, across four local institutions, from 1912 to the present. This research note aims to show that large‐scale databases of local political actors can contribute to our understanding of (a) local political careers, (b) the dynamics of formal and informal local institutions, and (c) the nature and boundaries of local multilevel governance. This note concludes with some practical advice for those who wish to build similar datasets in other Canadian cities.

Herculean efforts are not enough: diversifying the teaching profession and the need for systemic change

Internationally educated teachers (IETs) seeking to resume their careers in Canada often demonstrate tremendous endurance, fortitude, and resilience in the process of navigating their new professional landscapes, yet neoliberalism and the myth of meritocracy obscure the pervasive systemic barriers characterizing their professional experiences. Critical action research undertaken with graduates of an academic and professional bridging program for IETs in Manitoba reveals a complex interplay of challenges with respect to diversifying the teaching force in intercultural settings. Data collected with IETs seeking full-time teaching positions suggest resuming their careers is by no means guaranteed for many IETs who, in spite of what can be deemed herculean efforts to follow the advice of mentors and make themselves as ‘marketable’ as possible, continue to face significant barriers to employment in a context largely characterized by an over-supply of qualified applicants. Guided by Cummins’ work on collaborative relations of power and a Polanyian critique of economic determinism, my analysis illuminates a multi-pronged systemic approach that has the potential to help ensure the numerous contributions of IETs in Canadian schools can be fully realized.

Feasibility of a Dual Neurosurgeon-Scientist Career in Canada: A Survey Study

Performing 'good work' in either neurosurgery or neuroscience alone is a challenge. Despite this, a large number of neurosurgeons divide their careers between the two fields, and attempt to excel in both arenas simultaneously. The purpose of this study is to explore perceptions on whether it is possible to do good work in both neurosurgery and research simultaneously, or whether one field suffers at the expense of the other. This question was put to practicing neurosurgeons via an electronic survey that was distributed to resident and staff neurosurgeons in Canada. 54 surgeons completed the survey, 32 of whom were current or intended neurosurgeon-scientists. Themes explored through the survey included motives behind the pursuit or absence of research in one's neurosurgical career, the quality and feasibility of a dual career, and alternatives to one individual assuming a dual role. The opinions obtained revealed that it is possible to do good work in both neurosurgery and neuroscience simultaneously, but in reality it is very difficult to do. Alternatives to this dual career, such as collaboration between clinical neurosurgeons and pure scientists for example, may help bridge the gap between clinical and research arenas.

Sir Gerald Campbell and the British High Commission in Wartime Ottawa, 1938-1940

In 1938 Sir Gerald Campbell arrived in Ottawa to take up the position as the United Kingdom’s high commissioner. Not much has been written about the man or his period in office (1938—41). Indeed, the sketchy and simplistic assessments of Campbell, which historians on both sides of the Atlantic have relied on for more than four decades, are seriously flawed and out of date. Using the fraught negotiations of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan as a backcloth, and in the light of the rich archival material now available, the article seeks to redress and revise the hitherto poor assessment of Campbell’s performance as Britain’s third high commissioner in Canada. Far from being a weak or second-rate official who was constantly being manipulated by the wily and politically savvy dominion premier W.L. Mackenzie King, Campbell proved more than equal to the challenge. However, this analysis is not simply an examination of the personal and professional relationships between Campbell and Mackenzie King. An examination of Campbell’s career in Canada provides an important insight into the ever-changing relationship between Britain and its increasingly restless dominion partners, which overlapped with a critical period of the Second World War when Britain and its empire stood virtually alone against the Axis powers.

Sir William Osler, the Bibliotheca Osleriana and the creation of a history of medicine collection

In addition to being the most famous English-speaking physician of his time, Sir William Osler (1849–1919) was an important bookman. After completing an illustrious medical career in Canada and the United States, he became Regius Professor at Oxford University where he formed an outstanding History of Medicine collection, bequeathed to McGill University, Montreal, Canada. This study considers Osler's qualities as a collector and bibliographer. Also considered is the role of his bibliographic executors in successfully completing the compilation and publication of the collection's catalogue, Bibliotheca Osleriana.

2003 survey of Canadian radiation oncology residents

Radiation oncology's popularity as a career in Canada has surged in the past 5 years. Consequently, resident numbers in Canadian radiation oncology residencies are at all-time highs. This study aimed to survey Canadian radiation oncology residents about their opinions of their specialty and training experiences. Residents of Canadian radiation oncology residencies that enroll trainees through the Canadian Resident Matching Service were identified from a national database. Residents were mailed an anonymous survey. Eight of 101 (7.9%) potential respondents were foreign funded. Fifty-two of 101 (51.5%) residents responded. A strong record of graduating its residents was the most important factor residents considered when choosing programs. Satisfaction with their program was expressed by 92.3% of respondents, and 94.3% expressed satisfaction with their specialty. Respondents planning to practice in Canada totaled 80.8%, and 76.9% plan to have academic careers. Respondents identified job availability and receiving adequate teaching from preceptors during residency as their most important concerns. Though most respondents are satisfied with their programs and specialty, job availability and adequate teaching are concerns. In the future, limited time and resources and the continued popularity of radiation oncology as a career will magnify the challenge of training competent radiation oncologists in Canada.

Trends in occupational and earnings attainments of women immigrants to Canada, 1971-1996

This study examines the extent to which immigrant women arriving in Canada between the 1960s and the early 1990s were able to attain occupations and earnings equivalent to those of Canadian-born women using a data file created by merging public-use microdata files from Censuses of Canada between 1971 and 1996. We study both changes in country of birth effects on the earnings and occupational status of women aged 25 to 29 immigrating prior to each of the five census years and the experience of successive female immigrant cohorts as they age to determine the extent to which the effects of birthplace on occupational status and earnings change over their careers. In both cases we find a considerable advantage associated with being educated in Canada compared to being educated abroad. For those visible minority immigrants just beginning their careers in Canada, we could find no evidence that more recent cohorts have lower attainments than earlier cohorts, though this was true for some European groups. In our analysis of aging cohorts we find evidence of a tendency for immigrant earnings to converge with those of the Canadian born and for that tendency to be stronger in more recent cohorts.

Reflections on lichenology: achievements over the last 40 years and challenges for the future

In June 2000, at the joint meeting of the Canadian Botanical Association and the Canadian Society of Plant Physiologists, the author of this review was presented with the George Lawson Medal for lifelong contributions to botany and was invited to prepare a special contribution for the Canadian Journal of Botany. Subsequently, an invitation was received to give the Swinscow Lecture to the British Lichen Society and the Linnean Society in London. This commentary is a written version of that January 2001 lecture and presents a personalized view of developments in those areas of lichenology studied by the author during a career in Canada and other parts of the world. Aspects touched upon include lichen identification, spore dispersal, nutrient transfer between the symbionts, water relations, and lichen strategies in particular climatic regions. The value of lichens for monitoring pollutants is noted, and the developing problem of lichen conservation is discussed. Finally, a plea is made regarding the value of field teaching and field excursions with respect to recruiting the next generation of lichenologists.Key words: lichens, asci, carbohydrate transfer, ecophysiology, pollution, old-growth forests, lichen societies.

Norman John Berrill. 28 April 1903 — 15 October 1996

Norman John Berrill, known to colleagues and family as Jack, was born in England, pursued the summit of his career in Canada, had a post-retirement career in the USA, and died at home amid his family in New Hampshire. His reputation as an embryologist was based on analytical studies of the development, morphogenesis and regeneration of invertebrate organisms. At the personal level, his shyness, long silences and penetrating utterances were legendary; as mentor and teacher, he intimidated some and inspired others. I first came to know Professor Berrill as an undergraduate student attending the extraordinary course he taught on invertebrate biology. Looking back over time, this proved to be one of the formative events in my own academic career; later I met Jack Berrill and his family many times and over many years at a warm and gentle personal level. It was at the invitation of his family that I have written this memoir.

Shorter measures: the changing ministerial career in Canada

Abstract: Characteristics of ministerial careers ‐ the length of time cabinet ministers hold office, the number and type of portfolios they hold, ministers' pre‐cabinet political experience, the circumstances of their leaving cabinet, and the like ‐ constitute an important but understudied aspect of Canadian cabinets. This article examines career patterns among the 1,375 individuals who held ministerial office in the ten provinces between the mid‐1940s and the mid‐1990s. Evidence of sweeping changes in the basic contours of provincial ministerial careers since World War II is presented and analyzed. Possible implications of these changes on internal cabinet dynamics are discussed.Sommaire:Les caractéristiques des carriers ministérielles (la durée du mandat des membres du Conseil des ministers, le nombre et le type de leurs portefeuilles, leur expérience politique pré‐ministérielle, les circumstances dans lesquelles ils ont quitté le Conseil des ministers, et ainsi de suite) sont un élément important mais peu étudié des Conseils des ministers au Canada. Cette étude examine les schémas de carriére des 1 375 personnes ayant occupé le poste de ministre dans les dix provinces entre le milieu des années 1940 et le milieu des années 1990. On y présente et analyse les changements profonds qu'ont subis les carrières ministerielles provinciales depuis la Seconde Guerre mondiale. On discute aussi des répercussions éventuelles de ces chanagements sur la dynamique interne du Conseil des ministres.

Parliamentary Careers in the Canadian Federal State

AbstractThe authors examine the political career paths followed by the 3,803 individuals who served in the House of Commons and/or Senate between 1867 and 1984 inclusive. Given Joseph Schlesinger's argument that career patterns significantly affect political integration in federal states, particular attention is paid to the provincial experience of national parliamentarians, and to variations in that experience over time and across regions. The data show that national recruitment from provincial legislatures has declined over time, and is particularly uncommon in Ontario and Quebec. Overall, the structure of political careers in Canada is bifurcated rather than integrated; politicians do not move through the ranks but rather face a choice between provincial or national careers.