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BALANCING NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS WITH PRIVACY, THE CHARTER AND RULE OF LAW: BUILDING CHECKLISTS INTO OPERATION PLANNING
Full text linkOn November 17, 2023, Justin Dubois, Executive Director and General Counsel of the Office of the Intelligence Commissioner, presented Balancing National Security Interests with Privacy, the Charter and Rule of Law: Building Checklists into Operation Planning for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were the Intelligence Commissioner Act, the role of the Intelligence Commissioner in providing quasi-judicial review of certain activities of intelligence agencies, and the Intelligence Commissioner’s use of the principles of necessity, proportionality, and reasonableness to guide its decision-making process.
Received: 01-04-2024
Revised: 01-29-202
The Unimagined
Full text linkAn exploration of the bounds of language and its effects on my cultural identity
Untangling Sudan’s Discord: Decrypting the Intricate Threads of Turmoil
Full text linkThe conflict in Sudan between its military forces and a rival paramilitary group, exacerbated by allied militias, has escalated into a dire humanitarian crisis, reminiscent of past civil wars where hundreds of thousands perished. This ongoing struggle, marked by thousands of casualties and millions displaced, centers on a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with global powers seeking to influence the outcome. Despite initial hopes for democracy following the ousting of former dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019, political turmoil ensued, culminating in a failed transitional government and the assumption of power by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Despite agreements aimed at civilian-led transition, missed deadlines and the contentious integration of the RSF into the national armed forces perpetuate the conflict. Amidst this turmoil, international sanctions target entities funding the conflict, such as Alkhaleej Bank, Al-Fakher Advanced Works, and Zadna International, among others, reflecting broader efforts to disrupt funding sources and facilitate a democratic transition. In this context, this research delves into the underlying factors driving the conflict in Sudan.
Received: 05-19-2024
Revised: 05-27-202
The Quandary of “Cobra Chickens”: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Media Coverage of Canadian Geese in the United States and Canada
Full text linkIn May 2023, the Vancouver Park Board decided to organise a cull in an attempt to control the growing population of Canadian geese. My research aims to uncover how Canadian Geese in the U.S. and Canada are represented by media coverage. My research draws on the concept of geographical imaginaries from political ecology and animal geographies. In particular, I consider the geographical imaginary of cities as places where certain animals ‘do not belong.’
I analysed numerous media sources to find recurring themes: to consider how the geese, their population increase and the threat they are seen to pose, as well as alternative population control methods, are described. I categorised each article to see whether their content fell under that particular theme. To gain further insights, I conducted an interview with the Park Board Authorities to understand what factors led to their decision to cull the geese.
My results shows that a majority of the articles describe the geese in a negative light due to their droppings and aggressive nature. Articles frequently describe or imply that the geese do not belong in urban areas, consistent with the geographical imaginary of cities that animal geographers have identified. This research can be used to encourage more effective co-existence strategies between humans and wildlife.
 
For the worlds we dream of building: On reimagining progress & the aesthetics of gentrification
Full text linkAs a method of perpetuating income-based divides, gentrification carries with it the sentiment that urban spaces must progress from being homes for lower-class, racialized communities, into playgrounds and experimental spaces for the rich. How has sustainability permeated the fields of real estate marketing and urban planning in the Metro Vancouver context? How does the relationship between gentrification and sustainable development unfold in peoples’ understandings of progress, and imaginations of the future?
Turning to semi-structured interviews and field observations, this study examines the cyclical relationship between notions of progress and the aesthetics of gentrification. In dissecting the intersections of gentrification and ideas of progress, what is unearthed is the consequences of sustainability when reduced to mere branding for high rises–commoditized and made exclusionary for those affluent enough to afford greener lifestyles