Ontario Legislation Research Articles

The Implications of Ontario’s Historical Oil and Gas Drilling and Abandonment Practices for Abandoning Orphan and Legacy Wells

Oil and gas exploration in Ontario began in the mid-1800s, leading to the first oil well drilled in 1858 and the first commercial gas well drilled in 1889. These early discoveries kicked off a boom of exploration and development drilling activity, but well records were not mandatory until 1919 after the introduction of the Natural Gas Act R.S.O.1918, c. 12. The Ontario Bureau of Mines estimated 10,000 operating oil wells in the province at the turn of the 20th century, but there are only records for approximately 1,500 wells. By 1970 there were an estimated 50,000 wells drilled in the province though there are only records for 27,000 wells, indicating there may be tens of thousands of unrecorded or lost wells in southwestern Ontario. Wells that are not properly plugged are a conduit for fluid movement, including brine, natural gas, oil, and hydrogen sulphide, to move from the subsurface to the surface. Historical well abandoning regulations required wells to be plugged with inferior materials including wood, clay, and rubble. Cement was not the standard plugging material until 1964. There are orphaned and legacy wells leaking natural gas and sulphur water (groundwater containing dissolved sulphate and hydrogen sulphide) creating a risk to public safety. Orphaned and legacy wells are also a risk for subsurface energy projects including geological storage of carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and compressed air energy, because the wells may provide a pathway for injected fluids to return to the surface. This study reviews well construction, legislation, and abandonment practices in Ontario beginning in 1858 and identifies five factors impacting the plugging and abandonment of orphaned and legacy wells.Further work is required to locate unreported or lost wells and to develop new techniques to permanently plug wells to limit gas leakage, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve public and environmental safety.

The absence of language: A critical race discourse analysis of Ontario's child welfare legislation and the impacts on Black families

BackgroundThe research pertaining to racial disparities for Black families in child welfare is relatively limited in Canada. Recent research reveals that the overrepresentation of Black families in Canadian child welfare systems typically begins at the reporting or investigation stage and continues throughout the child welfare service and decision-making continuum. This research is occurring against the backdrop of increasing public acknowledgement of Canada's historic anti-Black policy-making and institutional relationships to Black communities. Though there is increased awareness about anti-Black racism, there has been limited exploration of the connection between anti-Black racism in child welfare legislation and how this policy generates disparities for Black families in both child welfare involvement and outcomes – this paper seeks to fill this gap in knowledge. ObjectiveThe objective of this paper is to explore the entrenchment of anti-Black racism within the child welfare system by critically assessing the language and absence of language within the guiding legislative and implementation policies. MethodsUtilizing a critical race discourse analysis method, this study explores the entrenchment of anti-Black racism within the Ontario child welfare system by critically assessing the language and absence of language within the guiding legislative policies that shape practice for Black children, youth, and families. ResultsThe findings revealed that though the legislation does not explicitly address anti-Black racism, there were instances where the legislation indicated that race and culture may be considered in responding to children and families. The lack of specificity, particularly in the Duty to Report, has the potential to contribute to disparate reporting and decision-making for Black families. ConclusionsPolicy makers should acknowledge the history of anti-Black racism that informed the development of the legislation in Ontario and move towards tackling systemic injustices that disproportionately affect Black families. More explicit language will shape future policies and practices to ensure that the impact of anti-Black racism is considered across the child welfare continuum.

Evaluating Tiny Houses as a Solution to the Housing Affordability and Environmental Crises

Tiny houses have captured the attention of North American media, with HGTV, the major cable television channel, alone showing three tiny-house related shows: Tiny House Hunters, Tiny House Builders, and Tiny House, Big Living (“HGTV Canada”). One of the first results to appear is the official “Tiny Homes in Canada” website, which claims that tiny homes sit at “the intersection of the housing crisis and the climate crisis” (Tiny Homes in Canada). Notably, this website also proclaims that the tiny home community is a “culturally idealistic response to financial desperation” (Tiny Homes in Canada) and sustainability. Much scholarly research supports the notion that the two primary drivers for tiny house living are affordability and sustainability (Evans; Shearer and Burton). In this paper, I evaluate the actual potential for tiny houses to serve as a solution to the housing affordability and environmental crises, especially in Ontario, Canada. I find that though tiny houses have the potential to be a solution for the housing affordability and environmental crises, they are not a current solution because Ontario legislation renders them somewhat inaccessible. I also explore the lifestyle choices and social conditions associated with tiny house living, as a housing option that is both idealistic (presented as a solution to the overwhelming housing affordability and environmental crises) and pragmatic (financially feasible).

The Precarity of Extracurricular Education in Ontario Schools during Labour Strife

Labour strife in the education sector in Ontario has repeatedly highlighted the precariousness of certain types of teaching and learning that are delivered under the catch-all designation extracurricular. This paper reviews education legislation in Ontario over the past 40 years that has impacted teachers’ right to strike; examines how teacher unions and the provincial government targeted extracurricular activities during collective bargaining; and considers how extracurricular activities have come to be an expected part of public education.

A legislative scan and literature review of lifeguard staffing requirements at public swimming pools in Canada

Within the Ontario public pool legislation, a certain number of lifeguards are required for a given number of bathers in a pool at a given time. Of note, these ratios vary across Canada, and there is little to no scientific evidence given for the required lifeguard to bather ratios in legislation or if they are sufficient to ensure bather safety. Our objective was to perform a legislative scan of Canadian public pool legislation as well as a literature review of scientific evidence to support the ratios used in legislation. A case study was also conducted to illustrate the methods found in the literature and apply it to a pool scenario using the lifeguard:bather ratios prescribed in the Ontario legislation. Using keywords across databases, papers were categorized based on five elements that correspond to a proper water rescue (ratio, scanning, technique, vigilance, scanning cues, and zoning). The literature review indicated that more lifeguards allow for a heightened vigilance, an increase in proper scanning technique, as well as coverage of zones. However, more research must be conducted with regards to proper staffing. Additional research should also be conducted to determine the ideal lifeguard:bather ratio, as there is a lack of standardization of these ratios across Canada.

IDENTIFYING PUBLIC ACCESS DEFIBRILLATORS IN TORONTO: OPPORTUNITIES AND OBSTACLES

Out-of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is associated with poor outcomes, with only 10% reported survival. Bystander CPR and early defibrillation with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) can increase survival up to 5-fold. Currently, AEDs are used in 3% of OHCA cases in Toronto, compared to 20% in Seattle, where survival rates are double those in Toronto. A small proportion of AEDs in Toronto are registered. Over a one-year period, we set out to improve the AED landscape in Toronto. This study had a 3-phased approach: (1) describe the AED landscape in Toronto, (2) increase AED registration and (3) advocate for mandatory AED legislation in Ontario.

INTERPROFESSIONAL GUIDE to DOCUMENTATION in electonic health records

Abstract In the past two decades, the implementation of the electronic health record (EHR) system has been one of the most significant changes to patient care and service delivery in healthcare settings. Interprofessional practice and EHR's, complement each other and are instrumental to providing better care. At a pediatric rehabilitation hospital in Ontario, Canada, an electronic health record project was successfully implemented to strengthen interprofessional care. A focus group was held with eight professional regulatory colleges to build a common understanding of the standards and risks of liability related to interprofessional documentation in the healthcare record. Drawing on literature, Ontario legislation, and the lessons learned from this focus group, the case study that emerges aims to assist students and healthcare professionals in understanding the imperative to engage in interprofessional practice from a regulatory and legislative perspective. This report identifies the challenges associated with developing and implementing this EHR project within the context of a pediatric hospital. The key lessons learned from this experience are presented here to offer students, clinicians, and management a practical demonstration of how regulatory bodies can join the conversation about interprofessional collaboration, as well as offer a preliminary framework for interprofessional documentation in healthcare settings.

“It takes time to build trust”: a survey Ontario’s school-based HPV immunization program ten years post-implementation

ABSTRACT Objectives Describe Ontario’s school-based human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program from the perspective of local public health units (PHUs). Methods In 2018, Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) managers at each of Ontario’s 35 PHUs were invited to participate in an online survey regarding the organization and delivery of their HPV vaccination program. Questions were asked on the school-based program, training and support of vaccine providers, communication and promotion, assessing coverage rates and perceptions of the program’s strengths and challenges. Descriptive statistics were generated for close-ended items. A thematic content analysis was performed for open-ended items. Results Eighteen PHUs (54%, n = 19/35) responded. All responding PHUs provided the HPV vaccine in publicly funded schools but only 6 reported being permitted to provide HPV vaccine in private schools. Fact sheets, Q&As or other written information locally developed by the PHUs were the main tools used to communicate with parents (n = 17), students (n = 13), school personnel (n = 13) and school board officials (n = 9). The most frequently reported barriers were: limited program resources, negative perceptions held by parents and/or school staff regarding the HPV vaccine, logistical issues (e.g., getting the consents forms returned, collaboration with schools for vaccine delivery) and the fact that HPV vaccination is not mandatory under Ontario legislation. Conclusion Local public health units that implement HPV vaccine programs in schools identified logistical barriers, public perceptions about the HPV vaccine and the voluntary nature of the program as the main barriers.

“Raging Against the Machine: Archaeology, Metal Detection and Municipal Legislation in Ontario, Canada”

Archaeological workers in North America are often envious of the supports, initiatives and legislation that other regions have enacted to engage with the detecting community. It seems many cultural heritage laws used to protect sites elsewhere are just not viable, cannot be enforced or are seen as not applicable in the Americas. This leaves North American archaeologists attempting to alter or create new initiatives at a distinct disadvantage. This paper explores municipal by-law creation in two communities in Ontario, Canada, and their complex relationships with metal detecting communities striving to have access to the past through their search for archaeological objects. It reflects on public engagement and the perceptions of power in these two contexts and how Canadian archaeologists manage their authoritative positions. Finally, it considers the power dynamics that prevent metal detectorists from engaging with archaeologists and municipalities, and the concerns that archaeologists have over engaging with the public.

Right to Appeal, Non-Treatment, and Violence Among Forensic and Civil Inpatients Awaiting Incapacity Appeal Decisions in Ontario.

Background: Mental health legislation in Ontario, Canada, permits inpatients to refuse treatment while appealing their incapacity finding to the Consent and Capacity Board (CCB). Lack of treatment during this period poses safety concerns, as inpatients who remain untreated are at higher risk of engaging in violent behavior. The present study explored the relationship between non-treatment and violence among forensic and civil inpatients awaiting their CCB hearing at the largest psychiatric hospital in Canada. Methods: We investigated the electronic health records of 285 inpatients whose CCB applications were heard between 2014 and 2016 to better understand violent outcomes among inpatients and determine whether application timelines differed between forensic and civil inpatients. Results: Three key findings were observed. First, forensic inpatients had more episodes of violence requiring seclusion and restraint during the application timeline compared with civil inpatients. Second, forensic inpatients waited longer than civil inpatients for their appeal to be heard at the CCB. Finally, unwillingness to accept PRN medications and comorbid psychiatric conditions were potent risk factors for violence among all inpatients during the appeals process. Conclusions: Compared with civil inpatients, forensic inpatients waited longer for CCB appeals. They also scored higher on one measure of violent behavior. These findings provide context for the ongoing challenge of clinicians tasked with providing care for inpatients appealing findings of incapacity under mental health legislation in Ontario. We argue for a more streamlined approach to processing appeals for both forensic and civil patients. Better standardization or even revision of current mental health legislation may help eliminate clinical disparities between patient groups.

"Detoxify or Die": Qualitative Assessments of Ontario Nutritionists' and Dietitians' Blog Posts Related to Detoxification Diets.

While the title Registered Dietitian (RD) is regulated under provincial legislation in Ontario and other Canadian provinces, the title "nutritionist" is not regulated in Ontario, which poses potential risks to consumers who place misguided trust in those proclaiming to be nutrition experts. This is concerning as nutrition is a complex health care discipline and RDs, the recognized providers of credible nutrition information, must be registered with an accredited regulatory college that requires them to have undergone rigorous training, practicum placements, entrance examinations, and continuous professional development. The purpose of this study was to determine if Ontario-based unregulated nutritionists and RDs are providing safe, evidence-based, information regarding detoxification diets. Content from 10 blog posts were qualitatively analyzed using deductive content analysis with predetermined categorization matrices. The results revealed that Ontario nutritionists promoted detox diets and provided unproven, misleading, and potentially harmful information, whereas Ontario RDs did not promote detox diets and provided evidence-based, harm-reducing information. Additionally, conflicts of interest arose only in nutritionists' blog posts. RDs provided credible references for their information while nutritionists did not. Protecting the term "nutritionist" for use exclusively by RDs under provincial legislation would be a positive step towards ensuring Ontarians are receiving the highest quality evidence-based nutrition information.

Staying true to Rowan's Law: how changing sport culture can realize the goal of the legislation.

Rowan's Law was recently introduced into Ontario legislation following the death of Rowan Stringer, a young rugby player for whom a string of head injuries culminated in her death. The law mandates the removal from play of any youth athlete suspected to have a concussion and makes concussion education mandatory for certain individuals involved with youth sport. This commentary addresses the larger issues within sport culture that may limit the effectiveness of the law, and describes how awareness alone is not sufficient to generate change. The law can sometimes lead to a false sense of security, as well as retaliatory actions for those who are motivated to hide concussion. We describe the role of all persons involved with youth sport in facilitating a cultural shift to honour the intent behind Rowan's Law.

Promoting Protective Factors in Environments of Risk for Young Children: An Organizing Framework for Practice, Policy, and Research

Early childhood is an important developmental period, which lays the foundation for future learning, behaviour, physical and mental health and gene expression. The most vulnerable children in society are often referred to and receive services from the child welfare system because of a concern of abuse and neglect and/or a poor developmental trajectory. This paper presents an organizing framework for how the child welfare system, in concert with allied partners, can support interventions for young children and families by acknowledging its crucial role in improving their development and well-being. The framework is informed by research amassed from numerous disciplines, including child welfare, development, neuroscience, neurobiology and epigenetics. Although the notions of protection and well-being are central considerations in child welfare legislation in Ontario, Canada, the operationalization of wellbeing has proven challenging in child welfare practice, policy and research. The framework proposes ten key indicators and priorities for identifying and promoting optimal child development. Findings from the 2013 cycle of the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (OIS-2013), the only provincial source of aggregated child welfare investigation data, are presented to articulate the divide between the environmental context of a population of at-risk children and the conditions that both protect children and increase the likelihood that they will thrive in adulthood. This paper argues there are different points of entry and intervention across sectors and provides a foundation for further discussion on how to promote well-being for society's most vulnerable children.

Computer-Based Driving in Dementia Decision Tool With Mail Support: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundPhysicians often find significant challenges in assessing automobile driving in persons with mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia and deciding when to report to transportation administrators. Care must be taken to balance the safety of patients and other road users with potential negative effects of issuing such reports.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess whether a computer-based Driving in Dementia Decision Tool (DD-DT) increased appropriate reporting of patients with mild dementia or mild cognitive impairment to transportation administrators.MethodsThe study used a parallel-group cluster nonblinded randomized controlled trial design to test a multifaceted knowledge translation intervention. The intervention included a computer-based decision support system activated by the physician-user, which provides a recommendation about whether to report patients with mild dementia or mild cognitive impairment to transportation administrators, based on an algorithm derived from earlier work. The intervention also included a mailed educational package and Web-based specialized reporting forms. Specialists and family physicians with expertise in dementia or care of the elderly were stratified by sex and randomized to either use the DD-DT or a control version of the tool that required identical data input as the intervention group, but instead generated a generic reminder about the reporting legislation in Ontario, Canada. The trial ran from September 9, 2014 to January 29, 2016, and the primary outcome was the number of reports made to the transportation administrators concordant with the algorithm.ResultsA total of 69 participating physicians were randomized, and 36 of these used the DD-DT; 20 of the 35 randomized to the intervention group used DD-DT with 114 patients, and 16 of the 34 randomized to the control group used it with 103 patients. The proportion of all assessed patients reported to the transportation administrators concordant with recommendation did not differ between the intervention and the control groups (50% vs 49%; Z=−0.19, P=.85). Two variables predicted algorithm-based reporting—caregiver concern (odds ratio [OR]=5.8, 95% CI 2.5-13.6, P<.001) and abnormal clock drawing (OR 6.1, 95% CI 3.1-11.8, P<.001).ConclusionsOn the basis of this quantitative analysis, in-office abnormal clock drawing and expressions of concern about driving from caregivers substantially influenced physicians to report patients with mild dementia or mild cognitive impairment to transportation administrators, but the DD-DT tool itself did not increase such reports among these expert physicians.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02036099; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02036099 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6zGMF1ky8)

High-Dose Opioid Prescribing and Opioid-Related Hospitalization: A Population-Based Study.

AimsTo examine the impact of national clinical practice guidelines and provincial drug policy interventions on prevalence of high-dose opioid prescribing and rates of hospitalization for opioid toxicity.DesignInterventional time-series analysis.SettingOntario, Canada, from 2003 to 2014.ParticipantsOntario Drug Benefit (ODB) beneficiaries aged 15 to 64 years from 2003 to 2014.InterventionsPublication of Canadian clinical practice guidelines for use of opioids in chronic non-cancer pain (May 2010) and implementation of Ontario’s Narcotics Safety and Awareness Act (NSAA; November 2011).MeasurementsThree outcomes were explored: the rate of opioid use among ODB beneficiaries, the prevalence of opioid prescriptions exceeding 200 mg and 400 mg morphine equivalents per day, and rates of opioid-related emergency department visits and hospital admissions.FindingsOver the 12 year study period, the rate of opioid use declined 15.2%, from 2764 to 2342 users per 10,000 ODB eligible persons. The rate of opioid use was significantly impacted by the Canadian clinical practice guidelines (p-value = .03) which led to a decline in use, but no impact was observed by the enactment of the NSAA (p-value = .43). Among opioid users, the prevalence of high-dose prescribing doubled (from 4.2% to 8.7%) over the study period. By 2014, 40.9% of recipients of long-acting opioids exceeded daily doses of 200 mg morphine or equivalent, including 55.8% of long-acting oxycodone users and 76.3% of transdermal fentanyl users. Moreover, in the last period, 18.7% of long-acting opioid users exceeded daily doses of 400 mg morphine or equivalent. Rates of opioid-related emergency department visits and hospital admissions increased 55.0% over the study period from 9.0 to 14.0 per 10,000 ODB beneficiaries from 2003 to 2013. This rate was not significantly impacted by the Canadian clinical practice guidelines (p-value = .68) or enactment of the NSAA (p-value = .59).ConclusionsAlthough the Canadian clinical practice guidelines for use of opioids in chronic non-cancer pain led to a decline in opioid prescribing rates among ODB beneficiaries these guidelines and subsequent Ontario legislation did not result in a significant change in rates of opioid-related hospitalizations. Given the prevalence of high dose opioid prescribing in this population, this suggests that improved strategies and programs for the safe prescribing of long-acting opioids are needed.

Politics and the Art of Indexing: Teamwork in a Legislative Environment

AbstractIn this article Cheryl Caballero, Erica Smith and Rosalind Guldner, members of the Ontario Legislative Assembly indexing team, describe the challenges of indexing legislative text and how they set about meeting them. A version of their article was originally published in The Indexer in June 2015*.

What are We Waiting for, Another Child to Die? A Qualitative Analysis of Regulatory School Environments for Food Allergic Children

Severe food allergy, or anaphylaxis, is an immediate and severe allergic reaction that may cause difficulty breathing, hypotension, unconsciousness, and even death. Given there is no cure, managing life-threatening reactions is limited to strict avoidance of implicated foods and provision of medication for symptomatic treatment of an adverse reaction. A key piece of this management is the regulatory frameworks used in public spaces such as schools. This paper explores the perceptions and experiences of 'school' as a safe place for students with anaphylaxis and their parents in two Canadian provinces with very different regulatory environments in order to assess the impact of alternative regulatory environments on the quality of life of affected individuals. A qualitative research design involving draw-and-tell exercises along with in-depth interviews with elementary school-aged children (n=45) and their parents in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, Canada was used. Results indicate that these very different regulatory environments had differing impacts on kids and parents. Ontario parents found security in the Ontario legislation, while the heterogeneity of the Quebec school regulatory environments resulted in reported stress and anxiety among the parents interviewed. The kids themselves just wanted to feel normal and not be teased or bullied.

Trends in medical and nonmedical immunization exemptions to measles-containing vaccine in Ontario: an annual cross-sectional assessment of students from school years 2002/03 to 2012/13.

Under Ontario legislation, for select vaccine-preventable diseases nonimmunized or under-immunized students must undergo vaccination or provide a statement of exemption, or risk suspension from school. At the time of this assessment, these diseases included measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus and polio. Exemptions data for the school years 2002/03 to 2012/13 were obtained from the Immunization Records Information System used in Ontario. Temporal trends were expressed for 7- and 17-year-old students by exemption classification (medical, prior immunity, religious or conscientious belief, total) at the provincial level, by school year and by birth cohort. Regional analysis was conducted for the 2012/13 school year. A temporal trend analysis of exemptions for measles-containing vaccines was performed by using a Poisson distribution with a 2-sided test (α = 5%). For both 7- and 17-year-old students, religious or conscientious exemptions for measles-containing vaccines significantly increased over the study period (p < 0.001 in both age groups), whereas medical exemptions decreased (p < 0.001 in both age groups). The trends were reproduced when examined by birth cohort. The percentage of Ontario students with any exemption classification (total exemptions) remained low (< 2.5%) during the study period, although considerable geographic variation was noted. Ontario data suggest that nonmedical exemptions have increased during the last 11 years, consistent with trends reported elsewhere. The trend toward increasing religious or conscientious exemptions coupled with declining medical exemptions explains why total exemptions have remained stable or decreased at the provincial level. The prominent geographic variability in exemptions suggests that targeted interventions may be suitable for consideration.

Anonymous: A Political Ontology of Hope

Imagine if computer hackers, the daredevils of the networked world, suddenly became principled political activists; if they had a mission besides breaking and entering; if they had more to prove than that they are smarter than whoever designed your computer system, if their targets were selected as part of well organized, thoroughly researched, international human rights campaigns. (Naomi Klein, 1998)Whether we know these people personally or not, Anonymous has proven we don't give a fuck about borders. We don't care for your petty racial prejudices, your sexism, your religious ideology, any of it. We are all one. ONE. Singular. Divided by no mother fucker. One solid force standing as a beacon of light, a pillar of hope, in this bleak dark world. These people are our brothers. Our sisters. Our friends. One love. We stand, because the rest can't walk yet. We speak, because they have not found their voices. Our voice resonates around the globe. One voice screaming PEACE! COMPASSION! JUSTICE! And if you fuck with us, with ANY of us, for all downtrodden people are our brethren: Expect us! Expect us like a mother fucking storm. Expect us like a force of nature. Bad Rum Pete (post in Million Mask March Facebook page 2013)And He (Jesus) asked him (the man), What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. (Gospel of Mark 5:9)INTRODUCTIONThere were about fifty of us gathered in front of the Ontario Legislative building in Queens Park Toronto. Most of us were wearing masks. I was quite disappointed in the low turnout but was giving a speech in which I said just the opposite. I said that the small numbers of us there did not matter because we were merely one part of something much bigger, something global. This was true. The Million Mask March had simultaneous events in approximately four hundred and fifty cities around the world. Most of them, however, were small like this Toronto one. But while the London Ontario event was small, the one in London England was not. Thousands of people there blocked Westminster bridge and shot off fireworks in front of Buckingham Palace. The Washington DC event also had many thousand people present. The events, large or small, all had one thing in common besides the ubiquitous Guy Fawkes masks that have come to symbolize Anonymous; they were largely ignored by the mainstream media.The Million Mask March RL (real life) event in Manila was relatively small as well. But their online component gathered much more media attention (the Million Mask March was accompanied by a variety of online operations and attacks around the world) because Anonomous Philippines took down thirty of their government's websites.Before my speech in Toronto, a middle aged Chinese woman led us in a few minutes of silent prayer and meditation to find our inner peace and project these good vibrations out to the troubled globe ... or something like that. A young masked man warned us of the dangers of chem trails and fluoride in the water. After my speech expressing a sense of optimism and solidarity that I was having trouble feeling, a young woman, not wearing the usual Anon mask but instead wearing some kind of cat costume with flowers and horns on head, explained to us personal journey to empowerment, becoming her own superhero, as symbolized by the costume she was wearing.Later that same day I spoke at a different sort of event organized by the Public Interest Research Group at my university. I was among a panel speaking about political manifestos and I was supposed to speak to the Anonymous one. I stated that Anonymous does not have a manifesto; instead it has memes and masks. One could equally say with truth, that it has hundreds of manifestos about every issue conceivable and conflicting positions on many of them.Many people present at the earlier event at Queens Park had maintained their online connections through their phones; and thus we quickly learned the breaking mainstream news that our clown Mayor of Toronto had admitted to smoking crack cocaine and drunk driving. …

Legislating interprofessional collaboration: A policy analysis of health professions regulatory legislation in Ontario, Canada

Changes to Ontario’s health professions regulatory system were initiated through various legislative amendments. These amendments introduced a legislative obligation for health regulatory colleges to support interprofessional collaboration (IPC), collaborate where they share controlled acts, and incorporate IPC into their quality assurance programs. The purpose of this policy analysis was to identify activities, strategies, and collaborations taking place within health professions regulatory colleges pertaining to legislative changes related to IPC. A qualitative content analysis of (1) college documents pertaining to IPC (n = 355) and (2) interviews with representatives from 14 colleges. Three themes were identified: ideal versus reality; barriers to the ideal; and legislating IPC. Commitment to the ideal of IPC was evident in college documents and interviews. Colleges expressed concern about the lack of clarity regarding the intent of legislation. In addition, barriers stemming from long-standing issues in practice including scope of practice protection, conflicting legislation, and lack of knowledge about the roles of other health professionals impede IPC. Government legislation and health professional regulation have important roles in supporting IPC; however, broader collaboration may be required to achieve policy objectives.