Please join us as three JSGS students (Brenda Taylor, Michaela Neetz, and Rhiannon Klein) present their research findings from their MPP and PhD programs, prior to their defense.
Moderated by Professor Ken Coates, each MPP student will be given 10 minutes to present, followed by 5 minutes for questions. Our PhD student will have 15 minutes to present, followed by 5 minutes of questions.
Brenda Taylor, MPP – Supervisor Ken Coates – 12:05 to 12:20 pm (CST)
What Role do Ethnic Enclaves Play in Municipal Agenda Setting: A Comparative Analysis of Indo-Canadian and Indigenous People
The pluralistic or competitive nature of policy problem definition in Canada involves the power to frame the problem and cultivate collective action, the ability to organize the attention of the public, resulting in setting government’s agenda. The collective action problem takes on an alternate meaning when looking through the lens of a Canadian multicultural policy. This thesis identifies where an ethnic enclave’s interests are highlighted at the municipal level. Using communication infrastructure theory as a guide, the conceptual framework elements examine the determinants that constrain municipal agenda setting, the necessary conditions that facilitate it, and forming community structures of policy networks that shape municipal agendas.
Brenda collected data by interviewing community participants in two Canadian cities, Saskatoon (SK), and Abbotsford (BC). Analysis in the interview process went through three levels of coding using NVIVO. The results show that agenda setting occurs both through formal and direct channels that revolve around prior relationships. This thesis primarily addresses issues of interest to public policy analysts and those in bureaucracy charged with developing services and programs at the municipal level.
Michaela Neetz, MPP – Supervisor Jeremy Rayner – 12:20 to 12:35 pm (CST)
The Influence of Public and Media Attention on Policy: Applying the Issue-Attention Cycle to Radon in Canada
Radon is the second leading cause of lung-cancer in Canada. It is a colourless, odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas that can seep into your home through cracks, joints, and gaps in the foundation. The National Radon Guideline is advisory and as radon is a naturally occurring source of radiation it is multi-jurisdictional. The lack of physical cues and the long-term health effect of radon allow the risk to be largely ignored by both the public and policymakers. Each November stakeholders across the country launch a campaign encouraging radon testing and mitigation as a part of Radon Action Month. Campaigns like this work against the dynamics of public attention as described by the issue-attention cycle and have potential agenda setting implications.
This research examines the influence of public and media attention on policy attention by applying the issue-attention cycle and agenda setting theories in the context of the health risk of radon gas exposure. The hypothesis predicts that when an issue passes through the issue-attention cycle, the increased public attention raises awareness of the problem among policymakers and applies pressure, which in turn influences policy attention and action. A mixed methods approach resulted in timeseries data and a timeline of events supported by semi-structured interview data. It was found that peaks of intensity in public and media attention opens a policy window, an opportunity for policy action, and influences policy attention. Although the policy window was opened, policy action was limited. Lastly, discussed are the challenges and achievements, such as competition for attention, that radon policy faces.
Rhiannon Klein, PhD – Supervisor Ken Coates – 12:35 to 12:55 pm (CST)
Reviewing and redefining relationships: Intergovernmental relations and modern treaty implementation in the Yukon, 1986-2016
Northern Canada finds itself caught between the achievement of negotiating a series of major comprehensive land claims agreements and the stalled implementation of many elements of these foundational accords.
Comprehensive land claims, also known as modern treaties, are negotiated and signed in areas where land and resource rights have not previously been settled. There are 26 agreements that have been successfully negotiated and signed in Canada since 1975 and there are an additional 90 negotiations in progress or that have stalled across the country. In the Yukon, eleven of the fourteen Yukon First Nations have completed modern treaties, including self-government agreements.
The negotiation of an agreement is only one part of the complex land claims process. Implementation is where the real work begins, and a greater commitment needs to be made to seeing these agreements put into action. The purpose of this study was to answer two main questions: how have the partners in the negotiation of a modern treaty managed the transition from negotiation to implementation? And what does this transition reveal about the modern treaty process in Canada? This study answered these questions by examining the experience of negotiating and implementing modern treaties in the Yukon between 1986 to 2016. More specifically, through a case study approach, it sought to understand the experience of negotiating and implementing the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, and Vuntut Gwitchin Final Agreements. The dissertation focused on two specific topics: the evolution of implementation policies, processes and structures at all three levels of government, and intergovernmental treaty relationships.
This event will count as one JSGS 990 event for those who have the JSGS 990 requirement.
Event Details
- When:
- Time:
- 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM CST
- Location:
- Delivered by Zoom - Please email Amy Hassett for the zoom link.