VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
The restructuring of the child welfare system in Ontario: a study in the social organization of knowledge
Keywords: Child welfare, Government policy
Child welfare, Ontario
Social work administration, Ontario
Social workers, Ontario

This study describes the social organization of the child protection system in Ontario after the introduction of the “Child Welfare Reform.” The study explores and describes the new “regimes of practices” that bind the child welfare social worker into producing institutional outcomes. There have been significant changes to social work practices as a result of this restructuring. Of particular concern is the considerable reduction in the professional autonomy of social workers and a removal of major decision-making powers from front-line social workers and supervisors. The study explores the increase in the emphasis on social workers' accountability to the system itself and a corresponding decrease in professional autonomy and the commitment to the clients' needs. Procedures and the documentation of social workers' actions and decisions become more important than their relationships with clients and community. The study uses Institutional Ethnography, a method of inquiry developed by Canadian sociologist Dorothy Smith, complemented with the literature on governmentality. I draw on my knowledge and experience of the routine every day work of child protection and how new “technologies of government” such as the New Funding Formula and the Ontario Risk Assessment Model (ORAM) have affected the practices of the restructured child protection system.
The doctrine of political purposes in charity law: its troubled history and problematic rationales
Keywords: Charity laws and legislation, Canada
Charity laws and legislation, History
Charity laws and legislation, Canada

The Charities Directorate of the Canada Revenue Agency recently released a new policy statement on political activities of registered charities (the "Policy Statement"). The release of the Policy Statement provides an opportunity to critically evaluate both the new administrative position of the Charities Directorate but more importantly the legal doctrine---the doctrine of political purposes---that it is intended to reflect. After the various dimensions to the doctrine of political purposes are introduced, two key arguments are advanced against the doctrine. First, the argument is made that the doctrine lacks the wealth of supporting authorities that are often attributed to it, and that it may have even evolved from a mistaken interpretation of law. Second, it is argued that the doctrine lacks a satisfactory rationale. The paper concludes with a few suggestions for reform in this area of the law.
The bureaucratization of creativity: the British Arts and Crafts Movement and its impact on Ontario education, 1880-1940
Keywords: Arts and crafts movement, Ontario
Arts and crafts movement, England
Technical education, History
Technical education, Ontario

This thesis focuses on the cultural influences undergirding the construction and development of technical education in Ontario between 1880 and 1940. Specifically, it examines the ways in which the British Arts and Crafts Movement's social-aesthetic philosophies and practices were embraced by English-Canadian technical education advocates. Arts and Crafts ideas were adopted in large part to fight the encroaching dehumanization of industrialization and urbanization. This groundswell of discontent within the tightly-woven aesthetic communities of British-born and Anglo-phile patriots across Canada was expressed in an on-going critique of contemporary Art and design. Adherents strove to construct a classed, racialized, and gendered moral rhetoric which represented technical education as an “noble artisanal calling.” In the wake of societal, industrial, and urban transformation and the decline of the apprenticeship system, the new technical worker became an important part of Canada's economic policy, and according to Arts and Crafts advocates, the resurrected artisan of old. Artisanal procedures and production became defining features of the technical education rhetoric and curriculum. As a case study this dissertation examines the Art Department at Central Technical School (CTS) in Toronto, in particular its artist-teachers, curriculum, mandate, and its dynamic relationship to educational, business, and cultural communities. Fundamental issues arise, such as the nature of artistic production in Ontario schools, the cultural and educational impact of “Art” on national identity, and the capacity of individuals and groups to impose and redefine intellectual premises and educational structures at critical historical junctures. Within this broader context, the thesis focuses on a series of incidents involving artist-teacher Peter Haworth of CTS's Art Department where many of these issues came to a head in 1931 and percolated for a generation thereafter. Haworth was charged by local stained glass companies with unfair business practices for allegedly using student assistants, school supplies, and taxpayers' property to undertake his own, private artistic commissions. Of particular importance is the role of the Toronto Board of Education in negotiating with these contradictory educational visions.
Implementation of compulsory licensing provisions under TRIPS in China: balance between encouraging domestic innovation and wider access to patented drugs
Keywords: Drugs, Patents
Drugs, China
Patent licenses, China
Pharmaceutical industry, China

The issue of compulsory licensing is one of the most controversial in the WTO Agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (“TRIPS Agreement”) and remains a topic of intense discussion and debate. However, most of the arguments raised in the debate, both for and against compulsory licensing, are generally from the perspective of either developed countries or developing countries, and ignore the specific situation of larger or more developed, developing countries, such as China and India. This thesis aims to unpack some of the pressing aspects of this debate, with specific application to China. I will argue that the Canadian experience in establishing a compulsory licensing system for drugs is relevant to China. In view of the recent Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health (“Doha Declaration”), and certain conflicts between developed and developing countries on its compulsory licensing provisions, it has become less of a risk for China to adopt the Canadian model and be accused of breaching TRIPS Agreement.
Rights, reason and respectthe separation of powers and the application of Section 1 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Keywords: Civil rights, Canada
Judicial review, Canada
Constitutional law, Canada

This thesis examines the influence of the debate over the legitimacy of constitutional rights judicial review ("CRJR") on the judicial application of section 1 of the 'Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ' (the "limitations clause"). Chapter I is mostly historical. It aims at putting arguments over CRJR and the "limitations clause issue" in proper their context i.e. the Canadian constitutional discussions which took place over the second part of the 20th century. It shows that sophisticated arguments were made for and against CRJR during those discussions and that these arguments ended up influencing the debate over the limitations clause. Chapter II revolves around the Supreme Court's 'Oakes' decision, which establishes the general approach to be followed in the application of s. 1. It begins with a brief excursion through pre-'Oakes' judicial decisions and then proceeds to a detailed analysis of the Court's reasons in 'Oakes'. It concludes that although it is somewhat overly "CRJR-enthusiastic", 'Oakes' established an adequate general framework for an examination of whether 'Charter'-infringements are justified. Chapter III, in turn, examines how this framework can be applied more or less stringently to reflect "separation of powers" considerations. It thus contrasts two models of s. 1 decision-making: the more interventionist "Counter-Majoritarian/Basic Rights Model" and the less interventionist "Communitarian-Democratic Model". The remainder of chapter III is devoted to a discussion of further clashes of these models in the Supreme Court of Canada. In the end, it is concluded that the more versatile Communitarian-Democratic Model is the better one. Chapter IV is the thesis' most theoretical chapter and mainly attempts to explain and justify the Supreme Court of Canada's move towards the Communitarian-Democratic Model. The chapter delves into the theoretical debate over the legitimacy of CRJR. It reviews Jeremy Waldron's powerful objections to CRJR and concludes that although Waldron raises important concerns, CRJR can still be shown to be legitimate in appropriate circumstances.
The limitations of ethnic humour: can ethnic humour function as an anti-racist discourse?
Keywords: Ethnic wit and humor
Racism in popular culture

This thesis examines in what ways, if any, the use of ethnic humour can be used to promote anti-racist discourse. Presently, in Canada, ethnic humour is "in". As a result, comedians of minority backgrounds are being recognized and celebrated in the entertainment industry and, particularly, in comedy clubs. Among other comedians, East Indian-Canadian comic Russell Peters has articulated that he uses his comedy to draw out and break down the stereotypes that exist within our society. However, given the aggressive and unstable nature of stand-up comedy and the way its role and the role of comedians in Canadian society are positioned via the media and the war metaphor used to discuss it, it will become evident that a complex site such as a comic's stage is not as conducive to anti-racist work as many seem to believe.
Microanalysis of lexical depth in a second language: the implicit and the expressible aspects of the definitional skill
Keywords: English language, Study and teaching (Elementary)
Vocabulary, Study and teaching (Elementary)
Persian language, Vocabulary

The research found that, in terms of implicit deep word knowledge, the heritage language group, the content-based group, and the monolingual group performed similarly in English on the Word Association Test. In terms of English expressible deep word knowledge, the heritage language group and the monolingual group performed similarly and, in some cases, better than the content-based group on the English Word Definition Task. For Farsi expressible deep word knowledge, there was no difference between the content-based group and the heritage language group on the Farsi Word Definition Task. This research compares three groups of elementary-school children in Toronto by testing their deep lexical knowledge of specific words (implicit aspect) and grading their expression of such knowledge in a standard definition form (expressible aspect). This research concludes that for both aspects of lexical knowledge in children, length of residence in the L2 context and instruction in L2 may be more important than L1 literacy per se. This suggests that L1 literacy in a two-way bilingual education environment, and in combination with simultaneous L2 academic instruction, might have a stronger impact than mere L1 literacy on the development of academic skills and definitional knowledge. The research showed the important role of curricular L2 exposure (or language of instruction) in the development of students' deep lexical knowledge, and the weaker role of L1 academic skill, be it lack of knowledge or transfer, in providing definitions in the L2. In other words, although the findings demonstrate that longer length of residence in an L2 context and L2 schooling correlates with better performance on the implicit and expressible measures of L2 lexical depth, longer residence in Iran with some L1 content-based schooling does not correlate with higher definitional quality in Farsi. To compare the children's lexical depth, all were tested on a Word Association Test (in English) and a Word Definition Task (in English and Farsi.) Their degree of expressible knowledge was derived from the quality of the definitions produced which were analyzed in terms of linguistic and semantic content. Child participants were drawn from three groups of fifth and sixth graders: one monolingual group (English L1) and two bilingual groups (Farsi L1, English L2). These last were immigrant children with some formal content-based schooling in L1 (the content-based group) and immigrant children with basic L1 literacy through Toronto heritage-language schools (the heritage language group).
Eight days a week: how union workload blocks women's leadership in the union movement
Keywords: Labor unions, Officials and employees
Women labor union members
Discrimination in employment
Industrial relations

Unions have reduced the hours workers spend on the job. Ironically, many union leaders, in particular women, find union workload heavy and debilitating. Workload is a barrier to women's union leadership. Women are underrepresented in Canadian union leadership. The demanding workload of top union jobs results from the construction of unionism as men's work. The ideal union worker is an always-available, able-bodied white male. The organization of union work excludes women (and men) with primary responsibility for home/family or who have other life priorities in addition to work. Unions' approach to workload resembles that of employers, thereby compromising union goals. Workload limits union democracy by limiting participation in decision-making. How can leadership, participation, and commitment be reconceptualized and practised to reduce union workload and include more union members? How can workload be reduced to increase women's participation? Recommendations are made to attack the problem of union overwork.
Whose right to what justice?: humanitarian intervention and the administration of justice in refugee camps
Keywords: Refugees, Legal status, laws, etc
Refugee camps
Humanitarian intervention
Dispute resolution (Law)

Under international law, host states have full legal jurisdiction over refugees and refugee camps located within their borders. In practice however, host states rarely devote many resources to the administration of justice in refugee camps. Instead, refugee communities have developed an extensive range of less formal dispute resolution mechanisms frequently based on traditional forms of justice. While the justice systems in refugee camps demonstrate the resilience and resourcefulness of refugee communities, they often fall short of meeting international human rights standards and fail to respect and protect the rights of vulnerable groups, particularly in cases of sexual and gender-based violence. This paper advocates a conception of humanitarian intervention that keeps each participant's dignity intact and proposes a human rights-based framework for the administration of justice in refugee camps that draws upon the strengths of both the host state's justice system and the refugee dispute resolution mechanisms functioning within the camps.
The role of knowledge building in medical education
Keywords: Medicine, Study and teaching
Medicine, Ontario
Physicians, Education
Physicians, Ontario

This thesis investigated the role of knowledge building pedagogy and technology in medical education. The literature in medical education points to a need for change to better address society's needs for greater community orientation in medicine and integration of new knowledge media. These goals are reflected in the Canadian Medical Education Framework of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. Knowledge Building is an innovative theoretical framework and pedagogy with emphasis on the engagement of all community members in contributing ideas of value to local communities and society, facilitated by Internet-based knowledge building environments. The goal of this research was to determine the applicability and usefulness of knowledge building across various levels in medical education. Case studies were conducted in four University of Toronto contexts: undergraduate Foundations of Medical Practice Course, Obstetrics/Gynecology Graduate Residency Program, Graduate Family Medicine Residency Program, and Psychiatry Continuing Medical Education Course. An online knowledge building environment, Knowledge Forum, supported the knowledge building work which was conducted over a series of investigations lasting 1 to 16 weeks, with the investigations largely conducted as add-ons to course work. Fifty-seven participants (teachers and students) were engaged in these four contexts; 75% volunteered for the add-on component. Thirty-six months after the pilot investigations the four professors were interviewed to assess current practices and beliefs. Analyses focus on barriers and challenges in integrating knowledge building principles and technologies into medical education. Discourse analysis revealed expert-dominated discourse---in many ways right-answer-driven and exam-based, and leaving little room for student contributions, constructive engagement with authoritative sources, or self- and group-assessment. Teacher-generated activities, along with a curriculum with large amounts of prescribed information to be learned, made it difficult for students to find time to work creatively with ideas, consult additional sources, or reflect on diagnoses and prescriptions. The belief that knowledge innovation should occur after the acquisition of foundational knowledge, not in parallel, reflected a tension between espoused ideals and "add-on" status for knowledge building pedagogics and technologies. Results are consistent with the literature on change, suggesting that reform will be slow, but propelled by prevailing expectations of change and new knowledge media.
The protest, the public and the state of the nation
Keywords: Protest movements, Canada
Racism, Canada
Racism in mass media
Protest movements in mass media
Peace movements, Canada

"The Protestor, the Public and the State of the Nation" critically interrogates the representation of protest in the dominant news media. A thematic analysis of The Globe and Mail's reporting of the international and Canadian street demonstrations against the American-led invasion of Iraq, reveals how the rational, 'core' Canadian is problematically narrated as white, middle-class, heterosexual, able-bodied and male. This 'ideal Canadian' upholds the racist foundations upon which the state was built as it erases the numerous actors who were not reported as participating in the protests and reinforces the raced hierarchies prevalent in Canada. In this analysis Canada is understood to be a state that re-colonizes through the discursive production and reinforcement of Canadian protesters in contrast to protesters around the world. The impact of this colonial treatment of the 'core' Canadian is disrupted and finally, the study suggests actions for more inclusive and equitable knowledge production.
Managerial incentive structures, conservatism and the pricing of syndicated loans
Keywords: Accounting
Dissertations, Academic, Canada

Drawing on previous theoretical research, this thesis empirically explores the effect of manager-shareholder incentive alignment, as measured by the extent of equity compensation, on the pricing of syndicated loan contracts. Two principal findings are reported. First, this thesis documents that high levels of alignment are associated with larger risk premiums in loan spreads and more restrictive covenants. The potential endogeneity of managerial compensation contracts is dealt with by implementing a Propensity Score Matching methodology. Second, this thesis documents the effects of ex ante accounting conservatism on loan pricing terms, conditional on the managerial incentive structure as a proxy for managerial ex post reporting incentives. More specifically, it provides evidence that ex ante accounting conservatism decreases loan spreads and increases the number of financial covenants in the loan contract when managers receive average or below-average equity compensation. However, when managers receive above-average equity compensation, ex ante conservatism leads to banks demanding larger loan spreads as well as fewer and tighter financial covenants. These latter results are consistent with the interpretation that banks view ex ante conservatism as an instrument for reducing the monitoring value of financial covenants when managers have incentives to over-report ex post due to large equity compensation.
Early childhood tooth decay: knowledge, practices, and training needs of pediatricians and family physicians in Canada
Keywords: Dental caries in children
Physicians, Canada

Objectives. To assess the knowledge of Early Childhood Tooth Decay (ECTD), and examine the current preventive oral health-related practices and training among Canadian pediatricians and family physicians providing primary care for children younger than 3 years. Methods. A cross-sectional, mailed, self-administered nationwide survey of a random sample of 1,928 pediatricians and family physicians was conducted. Results. A total of 523 completed surveys were returned. Mean knowledge scores among pediatricians and family physicians were 14 ± 2.7 (standard deviation) and 13 ± 3.2, respectively; 74% and 52% reported inspecting teeth; 60% and 44% reported counseling regarding dental care; 3% and 3% reported recommending the first dental visit for children before the age of one; 18% and 22% reported receiving no oral health training in medical school or residency, respectively. Conclusions. Lack of dental knowledge and training were reported barriers that limited respondents in playing an active role in child oral-health promotion.
Stakeholders' perceptions of their influence and that of others on the decision making processes in Ontario's CAATs and public universities
Keywords: Colleges of applied arts and technology, Administration
Universities and colleges, Administration
Universities and colleges, Ontario

The goal of this study was to ascertain stakeholders' perceptions of their influence and that of others on the decision making processes in Ontario's public postsecondary education institutions. The objectives are to contribute to the understanding of college and university decision making processes; to highlight the role of stakeholders in the processes of defining institutional policy and direction; to illuminate how substantive issues are managed and resolved in Ontario's publicly funded colleges and universities; and to add to the small amount of available literature addressing this area in the province of Ontario and in Canada. The literature reveals that influencing the decision making processes in postsecondary education institutions is predominantly a triangular exercise involving administrations, boards of governors, and faculty. However, in Ontario, according to the evidence produced in this study, influence and power overwhelmingly reside with senior administrations, academic senates, and faculty members in general. Faculty, though not an identified stakeholder in this study, were frequently referred to by respondents as being powerful influencers. Based on the findings of this study, a more comprehensive study is recommended using a wider cross section of the institutions' community, and multiple methods of inquiry. Four public postsecondary education institutions in the province of Ontario were selected for case studies. Key individuals from five stakeholder groups in each institution were interviewed. These groups were the governing board, senior administration, academic senate, academic/college council, student association, and faculty association/union. In addition, an official from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities was interviewed. The data were interpreted qualitatively within the theoretical frames of influence theory, stakeholder influence, and institutional decision making.