Outside Of Canada Research Articles

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.

« J’avais peur de me faire déporter, mais j’ai demandé de l’aide » : Quand l’immigration par le parrainage se retourne contre les femmes

Cette recherche explore les effets que produisent les lois ayant trait à l’immigration sur le parcours des femmes parrainées. Le parrainage d’un conjoint ou d’une conjointe, qui facilite le regroupement familial des couples dont un membre réside au Québec et l’autre à l’extérieur du Canada, implique des démarches qui encouragent une « incorporation dépendante » (Roca Girona 2009) à la société d’accueil pour la personne parrainée. Des entrevues semi-dirigées menées auprès de dix femmes ayant été parrainées au Québec montrent que le processus est complexe et crée des relations de pouvoir asymétriques, menant parfois à la violence, dans un contexte de triple dépendance: légale, économique et sociale.

A Growing Concern: The Emergence and Dissemination of Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) in Canada

Background: Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) have rapidly become a global health concern and are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality due to limited treatment options. Travel to endemic areas, especially healthcare exposure in these areas, is an important risk factor for acquisition. We describe the evolving epidemiology, molecular features, and outcomes of CPE in Canada through surveillance by the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program (CNISP). Methods: CNISP has conducted surveillance for CPE among inpatients and outpatients of all ages since 2010. Participating acute-care facilities submit eligible specimens to the National Microbiology Laboratory for detection of carbapenemase production, and epidemiological data are collected. Incidence rates per 10,000 patient days are calculated based on inpatient data. Results: In total, 59 CNISP hospitals in 10 Canadian provinces representing 21,789 beds and 6,785,013 patient days participated in this surveillance. From 2010 to 2018, 118 (26%) CPE-infected and 547 (74%) CPE-colonized patients were identified. Few pediatric cases were identified (n = 18). Infection incidence rates remain low and stable (0.02 per 10,000 patient days in 2010 to 0.03 per 10,000 patient days in 2018), and colonization incidence rates have increased by 89% over the surveillance period. Overall, 92% of cases were acquired in a healthcare facility: 61% (n = 278) in a Canadian healthcare facility and 31% (n = 142) in a healthcare facility outside Canada. Of the 8% of cases not acquired in a healthcare facility, 50% (16 of 32) reported travel outside of Canada in the 12 months prior to positive culture. The distribution of carbapenemases varied by region; New Delhi metallo-B-lactamase (NDM) was dominant (59%) in western Canada and Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) (66%) in central Canada. NDM and class D carbapenemase OXA-48 were more commonly identified among those who traveled outside of Canada, whereas KPC was more commonly identified among patients without travel. In addition, 30-day all-cause mortality was 14% (25 of 181) among CPE infected patients and 32% (14 of 44) among those with bacteremia. Conclusions: CPE rates remain low in Canada; however, national surveillance data suggest that the increase in CPE in Canada is now being driven by local nosocomial transmission as well as travel and healthcare within endemic areas. Changes in screening practices may have contributed to the increase in colonizations; however, these data are currently lacking and will be collected moving forward. These data highlight the need to intensify surveillance and coordinate infection control measures to prevent further spread of CPE in Canadian acute-care hospitals.Funding: NoneDisclosures: Susy Hota reports contracted research for Finch Therapeutics. Allison McGeer reports funds to her institution for projects for which she is the principal investigator from Pfizer and Merck, as well as consulting fees from the following companies: Sanofi-Pasteur, Sunovion, GSK, Pfizer, and Cidara.

Lessons from across the pond: Student perspectives on the Internal Medicine clerkship experience at an Irish and Canadian medical school.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. There is an increasing number of Canadians studying medicine outside of Canada, with a large cohort studying in Ireland. Studying abroad often means different foci in medical training which may make transitioning to residency in a different system more challenging. Students often enter North American elective rotations with little knowledge of student roles and responsibilities. This paper provides insight into the differences in learning objectives and student experiences in an Internal Medicine clerkship at a medical school in Canada and Ireland. Learning objectives are similar between systems; but there is an experiential discordance. In Ireland, clerks see many different patients, gaining exposure to a breadth of topics and clinical signs, but medical student presentations rarely inform decisions around patient care. In Canada, clerks have more direct patient responsibilities, performing physical examinations, reviewing investigations, writing progress notes, and devising management plans as part of their professional development. Overall, the Irish system places emphasis on the mastery of core clinical skills and maximizing breadth of patient exposure whereas the Canadian clerkship is more focused on graduated responsibility and formulating management plans, at the expense of some breadth of exposure. Such discrepancies may not affect the quality of residents, but are important considerations for Canadians studying abroad when repatriating for electives and residencies.

Patient, Caregiver, and Provider Perspectives on Challenges and Solutions to Individualization of Care in Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Study.

Background:Clinical settings often make it challenging for patients with kidney failure to receive individualized hemodialysis (HD) care. Individualization refers to care that reflects an individual’s specific circumstances, values, and preferences.Objective:This study aimed to describe patient, caregiver, and health care professional perspectives regarding challenges and solutions to individualization of care in people receiving in-center HD.Design:In this multicentre qualitative study, we conducted focus groups with individuals receiving in-center HD and their caregivers and semi-structured interviews with health care providers from May 2017 to August 2018.Setting:Hemodialysis programs in 5 cities: Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Halifax.Participants:Individuals receiving in-center HD for more than 6 months, aged 18 years or older, and able to communicate in English were eligible to participate, as well as their caregivers. Health care providers with HD experience were recruited using a purposive approach and snowball sampling.Methods:Two sequential methods of qualitative data collection were undertaken: (1) focus groups and interviews with HD patients and caregivers, which informed (2) individual interviews with health care providers. A qualitative descriptive methodology guided focus groups and interviews. Data from all focus groups and interviews were analyzed using conventional content analysis.Results:Among 82 patients/caregivers and 31 health care providers, we identified 4 main themes: session set-up, transportation and parking, socioeconomic and emotional well-being, and HD treatment location and scheduling. Particular challenges faced were as follows: (1) session set-up: lack of preferred supplies, machine and HD access set-up, call buttons, bed/chair discomfort, needling options, privacy in the unit, and self-care; (2) transportation and parking: lack of reliable/punctual service, and high costs; (3) socioeconomic and emotional well-being: employment aid, finances, nutrition, lack of support programs, and individualization of treatment goals; and (4) HD treatment location and scheduling: patient displacement from their usual spot, short notice of changes to dialysis time and location, lack of flexibility, and shortages of HD spots.Limitations:Uncertain applicability to non-English speaking individuals, those receiving HD outside large urban centers, and those residing outside of Canada.Conclusions:Participants identified challenges to individualization of in-center HD care, primarily regarding patient comfort and safety during HD sessions, affordable and reliable transportation to and from HD sessions, increased financial burden as a result of changes in functional and employment status with HD, individualization of treatment goals, and flexibility in treatment schedule and self-care. These findings will inform future studies aimed at improving patient-centered HD care.

Sarcoidosis: a prospective observational cohort from Northern Alberta.

Introduction:Sarcoidosis is a multi-system disease reported to occur with a higher incidence in Alberta than many other health jurisdictions within and outside of Canada. The reasons for this higher incidence are currently not known. Exposure to beryllium can result in a clinically and radiologically identical disease to sarcoidosis. The purpose of our study was to identify patterns with potential occupational or environmental exposures to beryllium amongst individuals with sarcoidosis in Alberta through a tertiary referral center.Methods:A prospective observational study was carried out at the University of Alberta Hospital. Patients with confirmed sarcoidosis (stages 0-4) were recruited from subspecialty clinics (Respirology, Cardiology, Neurology and Occupational Health). A predetermined list of industries thought to involve potentially relevant exposures for the development of sarcoidosis was used to capture current and previous exposure history. Results were entered into a database and where possible verified by comparing with existing electronic medical records (including histories, physical examination, diagnostic imaging and physiology).Results:A total of 45 patients were recruited, 25 men and 20 women. Of these, 84% of participants reported working in or being exposed to an industry/environment suspected of contributing to development of sarcoidosis over their lifetime. The most frequently reported exposures were within farming and agriculture (27%), oil and gas (20%), metalworking and handling animals (18%).Conclusions:Amongst this cohort, a high proportion reported working with a potentially relevant exposure. Individuals being assessed for sarcoidosis should have their most responsible physician elicit a detailed work and environmental history. (Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis 2020; 37 (4): e2020014)

Improving national surveillance of new HIV diagnoses.

The purpose of national HIV surveillance is to track and summarize trends in newly diagnosed cases as an indicator of HIV transmission within Canada, and supports the development and evaluation of programs and policies for prevention, testing and delivery of care. Accurately capturing and interpreting trends in HIV diagnoses within national surveillance becomes complicated when there is movement of people within a country or when individuals are diagnosed with HIV prior to migrating to a new country. This has been identified as an issue in other countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) recently assessed this in Canada after noting a rise in new HIV cases in Canada between 2014 to 2017. An environmental scan was conducted to better understand how new and previously diagnosed cases of HIV were recorded by and reported to PHAC from provincial and territorial (PT) public health authorities. It was discovered there was variation with respect to the reporting of cases who had received a new diagnosis of HIV within the province or territory, but who had previously received an HIV diagnosis from another PT or another country. Five PTs included cases previously diagnosed in another Canadian PT within the HIV surveillance data reported to PHAC and nine PTs included people who were diagnosed with HIV outside of Canada. The provincial and territorial public health authorities then reviewed HIV surveillance data from 2007 to 2017 to identify cases using a common definition of "previous HIV-positive test result". This included any case who gave a history, or had laboratory evidence, of an HIV-positive result from another PT or another country before presenting for care in the province or territory where they now resided. When these cases were subtracted from the total, a revised number of new HIV diagnoses was calculated for Canada. Re-analysis of surveillance data using this common definition for 2007 to 2017 explained more than half of the increase in HIV cases that had been documented in Canada over the last four years. In the future, national surveillance data will be calculated adopting this new common definition of a previous positive test result, in order to more accurately describe the trends in HIV transmission occurring in Canada.

530. Sequential Screening of High-Risk Patients for Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae Colonization

BackgroundEarly identification of patients colonized with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) facilitates the implementation of appropriate infection control measures and reduces nosocomial transmission. Sequential screening for CPE colonization of close contacts of known cases to confirm initial negative results is recommended. Fraser Health (FH) expanded sequential screening to patients with recent exposure to other risk factors following the identification of CPE in patients who initially screened negative.MethodsFH screens patients for CPE who report healthcare outside of Canada or travel to endemic countries within the previous 12 months. Patients remain on contact precautions and are re-screened 7 and 21 days after the last known exposure date. We reviewed CPE cases with foreign healthcare or travel to endemic countries who screened negative on admission but subsequently screened positive within 30 days. Patients without confirmation of colonization through a rectal screen or possible exposure to a current nosocomial source were excluded. Whole-genome sequencing results were examined to confirm foreign healthcare or travel as the likely source of acquisition. Medical records were reviewed to obtain patient history and clinical details.ResultsBetween November 2015 and January 2019, 21 patients had a positive CPE screen within 30 days of a negative screen, with no known CPE exposures during that time. The median time between the last date of known exposure and positive CPE screen was 20 days (range: 7–77 days). Twelve (57%) cases were hospitalized outside of Canada, 8 (38%) reported other foreign healthcare encounters, and 1 (5%) had no reported healthcare outside of Canada but had traveled to an endemic country. Sixteen (71%) cases received antibiotics prior to the positive CPE screen.ConclusionPatients with unrecognized CPE colonization are a source for nosocomial transmission. Patients screening negative for CPE with recent exposure to risk factors other than contact with a known case may screen positive at a later date. This may be due to higher colonization levels or antibiotic selection pressures. Consideration should be given to sequential CPE screening of high-risk patients based on the last day of exposure.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

National origins, social context, timing of migration and the physical and mental health of Caribbeans living in and outside of Canada

ABSTRACT Objectives: Differences in health among migrant groups are related to the length of stay in host countries. We examined the health of people reporting Caribbean ethnic origins within and outside of Canada; and the possible associations between length of stay and poorer physical and mental health outcomes. Method: Analyses were conducted on population data collected in Canada (2000/2001, 2003, 2005), Jamaica (2005) and Guyana (2005). Physician-diagnosed and self-rated health measures were used to assess physical and mental health statuses. Results: Rates of chronic conditions were generally higher among people reporting Caribbean ethnic origins in Canada compared to those living in the Caribbean region. Self-rated fair or poor general health rates, however, were higher among participants in the Caribbean region. Higher rates of any mood disorders were also found among Caribbean region participants in comparison to those in Canada. Logistic regression analyses revealed that new Caribbean immigrants (less than 10 years since immigration) in Canada had better physical health than those who were more established. Those who immigrated more than 20 years ago showed consistently better health conditions than those who had immigrated between 11 and 20 years ago. This healthy immigration effect, however, was not present for all chronic conditions among all Caribbean origin migrant groups. Moreover, mood disorders were highest among new immigrants compared to older immigrants. Conclusions: When and where ethnic Caribbeans migrate to and emigrate from matters in health statuses. These results have implications for policies related to health and well-being in support of ethnic Caribbean origin individuals who relocate to Canada. The paper concludes with suggestions for future studies regarding the health of ethnic origin Caribbeans living within and outside their regions of birth.

Social work education in action: How studying for the profession facilitates the adaptation of internationally educated social workers in Canada

This article presents the results and theorization of a 4-year Grounded Theory project that sought to understand the processes and dynamics involved in the professional adaptation of internationally educated social workers now practicing in Canada. In-depth interviews with 66 participants, who undertook social work education outside of Canada and have subsequently settled to practice in the country, were conducted. Results highlight that the social work educational background of the professionals not only offers key conceptual, theoretical, and analytical foundations needed to adapt knowledge and skills to practice abroad, but also provides tools to navigate and negotiate professional adaptation processes as a whole. We conclude that ultimately, social workers may adapt well to their new work contexts because of the transferability of social work skills, knowledge, and values to new practice settings, thus facilitating interventions with services users and also their own process of professional adaptation.

Profile of CPAP-prescribing physicians in Ontario, Canada: A secular trend analysis

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, is on the rise worldwide. In Canada, sleep medicine has not been recognized as a unique discipline, and a minimal amount is known about those who practice sleep medicine. The objectives of this study were to quantify the number of physicians practicing sleep medicine and to describe their demographic and clinical practice.METHODS: We conducted a population based study using linked health administrative data in Ontario, Canada between 2006 and 2013. Sleep physicians were determined to be active if they initiated more than one patient on continuous positive airway pressure in a given year. For each year, we determined the profiles of physicians practicing sleep medicine, including demographics, their primary specialty, and clinical practice characteristics.RESULTS: The number of active sleep physicians in Ontario increased from 133 to 190 or 1.3 to 1.8/100 000 Ontario residents over the study period. Respirology (53%–58%) was the predominant specialty, followed by psychiatry (13%–16%). Sleep physicians were mostly male (75%–84%), with a mean age ranging from 50 to 51 years. Over the years, an increasing proportion completed their undergraduate medical school training outside of Canada (27%–31%). Of their total volume of consultations, 31%–36% were sleep related.CONCLUSIONS: Although the number of physicians practicing sleep medicine is steadily increasing, most devote less than a third of their time to sleep disorders. These findings should be considered when designing provincial and national strategies to increase the capacity of sleep medicine in order to meet the increasing demand.

Results from the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program for detection of carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter spp. in Canadian hospitals, 2010-16.

Globally there is an increased prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter spp. (CRAs) and carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter spp. (CPAs) in the hospital setting. This increase prompted the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program (CNISP) to conduct surveillance of CRA colonizations and infections identified from patients in CNISP-participating hospitals between 2010 and 2016. Participating acute care facilities across Canada submitted CRAs from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2016. Patient data were collected from medical records using a standardized questionnaire. WGS was conducted on all CRAs and data underwent single nucleotide variant analysis, resistance gene detection and MLST. The 7 year incidence rate of CRA was 0.02 per 10 000 patient days and 0.015 per 1000 admissions, with no significant increase observed over the surveillance period (P > 0.73). Ninety-four CRA isolates were collected from 58 hospitals, of which 93 (98.9%) were CPA. Carbapenemase OXA-235 group (48.4%) was the most common due to two separate clusters, followed by the OXA-23 group (41.9%). Patients with a travel history were associated with 38.8% of CRA cases. The all-cause 30 day mortality rate for infected cases was 24.4 per 100 CRA cases. Colistin was the most active antimicrobial agent (95.8% susceptibility). CRA remains uncommon in Canadian hospitals and the incidence did not increase from 2010 to 2016. Almost half of the cases were from two clusters harbouring OXA-235-group enzymes. Previous medical treatment during travel outside of Canada was common.

A Question of Inclusion: BC Hydro’s Site C Dam Indigenous Consultation Process

Site C Dam, a third large hydroelectric project on the Peace River, Canada, could potentially impact many Indigenous groups’ traditional ways of life and cultural lands. Through an explanatory case study, we evaluated the quality of the consultation process between three Indigenous groups and BC Hydro. We reviewed all relevant project documents ([Formula: see text]) from the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency Public Registry site to identify concerns of three affected Indigenous groups, then evaluated the Indigenous consultation process against best management practices (BMPs) of the International Association for Impact Assessment and the World Bank. Overall, BC Hydro did not apply the international BMPs effectively, due in part to the legislated process and the proponent’s own consultation approach, which limited the ability of the proponent to obtain free, prior, informed consent or identify resource rights. Our findings provide new insights into constraints affecting social impact assessments within and outside of Canada.

Travel-related Zika virus cases in Canada: October 2015-June 2017.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging mosquito-borne disease that can cause severe birth defects if contracted congenitally. Since late 2015, there has been a large increase in the number of travel-related cases of Zika virus infection in Canada. The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of travel-related Zika cases in Canada from October 2015 to June 2017 and review them in the context of the international outbreak in the Americas. Zika virus infections were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of viral RNA and/or the serological identification of ZIKV-specific antibodies in serum. Cases of ZIKV infection were identified by provincial and territorial health authorities, and reported on a regular basis to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). Case information requested included date of illness onset, age category, sex, pregnancy status, and location(s) and dates of travel. Estimates for the monthly number of Canadians travelling outside of Canada to other countries in the Americas were obtained from Statistics Canada and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Data to produce the epidemic curves of autochthonous cases for each region of the Americas were extracted from country-specific epidemic curves on the Pan American Health Organization website. As of June 7, 2017, 513 laboratory confirmed cases and two Zika-related birth/fetal anomalies were reported across all 10 provinces. Illness in Canadian travellers generally coincided with outbreak intensity in the country of exposure rather than travel volume. There has been no evidence of autochthonous (local) transmission in Canada. Currently, cases are on the decline both in Canada and internationally. The surge in Canadian ZIKV infections in 2016 was directly related to the incursion and spread of ZIKV into the Americas. Although cases are now on the decline worldwide, it remains to be seen whether a resurgence of cases in previously affected or new areas will occur. Both outbreak intensity and seasonality of ZIKV transmission should be monitored over time in order to inform the timing of public health education campaigns, as some may turn out to be more effective in the off-peak travel season when the risk of disease transmission may be higher. Ongoing education and awareness among travellers, particularly for pregnant women and those planning pregnancies, is still indicated.

Touring Shakespeare: The Stratford Festival, Cultural Funding, and Cultural Diplomacy

This article examines three key tours of the Stratford Festival from 1967 to 1986. In 1967, the Festival undertook its first and only cross-Canada tour in celebration of the Centennial. In 1973, the Festival staged its most direct production of cultural diplomacy with a Department of External Affairs sponsored tour of Europe. The Festival also went on a substantial tour of the United States in the winter of 1985/1986 with support from External Affairs. During these moments when the company left Stratford to perform elsewhere, the theatre brought with it a performance not only of Shakespeare but also of purported Canadian culture, and was motivated by not only by a cultural agenda but also a commercial one. Drawing on archival records of the Festival’s tours and attempts to gain state funding, this article charts the Festival’s turn away from domestic national touring to international touring and the calculations, done by both the theatre and the state, of the value involved in prioritizing touring outside of Canada over touring the nation. Ultimately, touring Canada was expensive, and was not seen as giving the same return on investment in terms of nationalist prestige, cultural diplomacy, and the attraction of tourists. I argue that through a claim to Canadian national culture, the Stratford Festival attempted to secure state support, with commercial interests for the Festival and town of Stratford at stake.

\u201cWe have been forced to move away from home\u201d: print news coverage of Canadians studying abroad at Caribbean offshore medical schools

BackgroundCanadian international medical graduates are Canadian-citizens who have graduated from a medical school outside of Canada or the United States. A growing number of Canadians enroll in medical school abroad, including at Caribbean offshore medical schools. Often, Canadians studying medicine abroad attempt to return to Canada for postgraduate residency training and ultimately to practice.MethodsThe authors conducted a qualitative media analysis to discern the dominant themes and ideologies that frame discussion of offshore medical schools, and the Canadian medical students they graduate, in the Canadian print news. We carried out structured searches on Canadian Newsstand Database for print media related to offshore medical schools.ResultsCanadian news articles used two frames to characterize offshore medical schools and the Canadian international medical graduates they train: (1) increased opportunity for medical education for Canadians; and (2) frustration returning to Canada to practice despite domestic physician shortages.ConclusionFrames deployed by the Canadian print media to discuss Caribbean offshore medical schools and Canadians studying abroad define two problems: (1) highly qualified Canadians are unable to access medical school in Canada; and (2) some Canadian international medical graduates are unable to return to Canada to practice medicine. Caribbean offshore medical schools are identified as a solution to the first problem while playing a central role in creating the second problem. These frames do not acknowledge that medical school admissions are a primary means to control the make-up of the Canadian physician workforce and they do not address the nature of Canadian physician shortages.

How home country industry associations influence MNE international CSR practices: Evidence from the Canadian mining industry

We explore how national industry associations influence the international CSR practices of MNEs. Drawing from a longitudinal case study of the evolution of CSR in the Canadian mining industry, we show how the Mining Association of Canada (MAC) aimed to influence the CSR practices of its member firms operating outside of Canada. Our findings reveal how MAC utilized multiple strategies to influence member firms in both the regulative and normative realm. We uncover the key mechanisms underpinning these strategies and factors that constrained or enabled the degree of their influence. Our study contributes to research on home country influences on MNE CSR practices and research on industry associations as institutional actors.

Cybervictimization among preadolescents in a community-based sample in Canada: Prevalence and predictors.

To examine the prevalence and predictors associated with cybervictimization among preadolescents in a community-based sample from Canada. Data were drawn from a cohort of 5783 students of grades 5-8, aged 9-14 from 109 elementary schools at the Saskatoon Health Region, Saskatchewan of Canada based on the Student Health Survey in the year of 2010-2011. Multivariate logistic regression with the generalized estimating equation was used to determine the individual and contextual factors associated with self-reported cybervictimization. Of the 5783 school children, 5611 (97.0%) responded to the question regarding cybervictimization. Among those respondents, 572 (10.2%) reported being cyberbullied at least once in the past four weeks. The students most likely to be victimized by cyberbullying were girls, students in grades 7 and 8 compared with grade 5, Aboriginal students compared to non-Aboriginal students, those who had lived part of their life outside of Canada compared with those who lived all of their life in Canada, those who reported drinking alcohol in the past, those who reported very elevated depressive symptoms, those who were traditionally bullied, those who had low self-esteem, and those who had a poor relationship with their parents. School-level variation in cyberbullying victimization is negligible. School neighbour-level deprivation is not significant after adjusting for individual-level characteristics and parent-child relationship. Our findings identified important characteristics of preadolescents with higher susceptibility to cybervictimization in a Canadian setting, which can be used to develop intervention strategies for mitigating cybervictimization among the study population.

Youth perceptions of police in rural Atlantic Canada

Canadian research on public perceptions of police is limited, especially studies examining rural youth. Most research examining youth perceptions and experiences of police, both within and outside of Canada, has been conducted in urban areas. In this article, we highlight findings from a case study of rural youth that explores how youth in remote, rural areas perceive the police and the factors that shape their perceptions. We examine the influence of parents and young people’s own interactions with police on the perceptions youth have of Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers in a rural Atlantic province, suggesting the impact of vicarious experience on personal views of police. We then highlight experiences of satisfaction and confidence (or a lack thereof) relating to questions of transparency, trust and police legitimacy. Implications for further research on police practice and with youth based in rural regions and wider comparisons with urban contexts are discussed.

Governance in Canadian Agriculture

AbstractThis paper discusses three broad topics in the development of agricultural and food policies in Canada over the past 150 years. They provide the historical backdrop for these policies in place today and the contorted path they have followed over the years. In some cases, the causes lie outside of agriculture and food, and outside of Canada while in others, the causes lie entirely within the constitutional framework for the agriculture and food industry. The first issue explores the changes in the federal–provincial–territorial relationship in policy constructs for agriculture. Equally, the internal trade arrangements within Canada are explored from this aspect. Tracing the origins of this issue requires exploration of the history, design, and interpretation of the Canadian constitution. The second issue traces the changing role of government in society and the economy and its impact on agriculture and food policy. These changes are not specific to Canada since several countries and international relationships were based on the evolving role of government in the economy and society and its implications for agriculture policy and institutions. The third topic discusses the role that trade and trade agreements have made in Canada's approach to agricultural and food policy development. The emphasis in this topic is on the policies of the past 30 or more years as international agreements began the slow process of liberalizing trade in agriculture and food products. All three of these broad topics are closely linked, providing a mosaic for the understanding of where we have been as a nation and the framework that has emerged today for the agriculture and food industry.