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Brief of professor Phil Lord in opposition to the proposed class action settlement in Leung v. Uber Canada Inc. et al.
Get PDFThis is a Brief submitted in opposition to the proposed class action settlement in Leung v. Uber Canada Inc. et al
Adapting modular structures for healthcare applications
Get PDFCOVID-19 has highlighted many vital factors to consider when it comes to the healthcare systems.
Some challenges such as personnel, equipment, and space demands. Personnel demand can be met
by calling retired doctors and nurses and doctors from different specializations to participate in
administering to COVID-19 patients. As for the equipment, more equipment can be purchased to
accommodate the increasing number of patients. While for the space demand, this requires
adapting innovative solutions in healthcare applications to ensure faster delivery and better
infection control. Modular Construction (MC) can offer an adequate solution to this arising
challenge. MC relies on using componentized, panelized, or volumetric units produced off-site
and then transported to the site to form various configurations. They can utilize different materials
(e.g., steel, concrete, composites) as they have significant advantages in project adaptability. Since
healthcare space requires prompt delivery, modular structures can excel in this aspect since they
provide a safer working environment, less material wastage, and sustainability. However, using
such modular structures as isolation rooms alone is insufficient, as the ventilation system plays a
crucial role in infection control. Another factor to consider when designing a layout of the modular
structure is the load development on various surfaces within the layout and how this can impact
the overall structural performance and cost of the project. Therefore, the objective of this thesis is
to assess the ventilation system performance by altering the flow rates (i.e., air change per hour
(ACH)) and the placements of the inlet and outlet of the ventilation system, using numerical
modelling (e.g., computational fluid dynamics (CFD)). [...
Assessment and evaluation of soil health indicators with changes from boreal forest to agriculture in Thunder Bay, Ontario
Get PDFThe boreal forest is one of the most extensive biomes in Canada at an estimated 2.7 million ha.
The requirement for a growing agricultural sector, along with a currently warming climate, has
accelerated the conversion of boreal forest to agriculture. The resulting more intensive soil use
may have a significant impact on the soil ecosystem, potentially degrading some ecosystem
services, such as carbon sequestration, water purification, climate regulation, nutrient cycling,
flood regulation, habitat for organisms, climate control, and the provision of food, fibre, and fuel.
Analysis of soil health using a structured synthesis of physical, chemical, and biological
indicators can provide information on the sustainability of soil use. Soil health as a metric of soil
change can inform farm managers and policy-makers of the status of soil and increase awareness
of sustainable farm practices in a region. In this dissertation, I assessed the impact of land
conversion from boreal forest to agriculture near Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. I found that
land conversion created declines mainly in biological soil health indicators, along with total
nitrogen and carbon. Soil health indicators related to soil carbon were the most informative to
land disturbance in plots < 10 years since land conversion; indicators associated with forage
cropping systems on Thunder Bay dairy farms. Carbon and nitrogen mineralization increased
with time since conversion from forest. Archaeal and fungal abundance increased after land
conversion. In addition, land conversion altered the microbial functions related to carbon,
nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling. New knowledge about the effects of land conversion in the
boreal forest will play a critical role in developing and implementing environmental and
agricultural policies supporting Canada’s soil sustainability and soil health
Say my name: name-based racial microaggressions in Ontario’s K-12 school system
Get PDFNames have long been connected with an individual’s perception of themselves and their
identities. Studies have shown that negative experiences with one’s name can impact a student’s
sense of self and belonging, and their overall well-being. Students in Ontario with culturally
diverse, or unique names are at a greater risk of experiencing racial microaggressions relating to
their names. These experiences can contribute to the marginalization of diverse student
populations such as South Asian Canadian students. Previous research has demonstrated this
correlation in various minority populations, but there exists a gap in current literature, with
limited research conducted on the South Asian Canadian experience. The voices of
Canadian-born South Asians have not been adequately heard despite the growing South Asian
population throughout the province. This portfolio was designed to consider these voices, as well
as include three elements (or tasks) which all argue that there exists a current need to overhaul
existing attendance protocols in Ontario K-12 classrooms. The resulting proposal is for the
integration of a name pronunciation tool into existing learning management systems, such as
Power Schools, and Desire2Learn
Factors determining the success of common loon (Gavia immer) nest platforms along the Aguasabon River, Ontario
Get PDFWhen the Ministry of Mines, Northern Development, Natural Resources, and
Forestry in Nipigon, Ontario realized that loon nests in lakes surrounding the Aguasabon
River were being flooded, they built and placed multiple nesting platforms in Hays
Lake, Long Lake, and Aguasabon Lake. The six platforms on Long Lake were
monitored annually utilizing two boat surveys, one in June, and one approximately two
weeks later in July. Loon sightings were recorded using a handheld GPS unit. Using
ArcGIS Pro, I analyzed the area surrounding each recorded waypoint to the Ontario
Forest Resource Inventory data surrounding the lake. Land classification (MNRCODE)
attribute in FRI, stand tree height, tree species, and area were considered. The analysis
determined that loons most commonly nest when water level reaches a stable point
within the month of May. Loons are most likely to be sighted in areas surrounded by
productive forest dominated by black spruce, poplar, and balsam fir trees. The lack of
success observed on the installed platforms is largely based on poor placement and
anchoring. Additionally, it is suggested that platforms be placed in areas where loon
chicks have not previously been sighted, as loons may be struggling to find suitable
nesting habitat within their territory
Teacher's beliefs and perceptions about vocabulary instruction
Get PDFVocabulary is a fundamental component of reading comprehension. Vocabulary are
the words that are recognizable within a learner’s lexicon. Notwithstanding the well-defined
importance of vocabulary, there is limited research on useful vocabulary instructional
strategies and how the information is conveyed to students. This study addresses how
educators perceive and feel towards vocabulary and vocabulary instruction as well as the
effectiveness of commonly known strategies. The results of this study identified that
educators teaching between grades 2 and 5 believe practicing phonics, read alouds, spelling
tests, word fixes, and word sorting to be effective strategies to teach vocabulary. Educators
also believe that they should present vocabulary words and allow for practicing by learners.
This study addresses an important first step in understanding how educators approach
vocabulary instruction in the upper elementary years
Recovery from bushfires in Australia
Get PDFThis article will start from the 2019-2020 mega bushfires in Australia and discuss issues related to the Australian bushfires. Therefore, this article will focus on research and discussion around three arguments: the harm of forest fires, the causes of forest fires, and forest fire prevention and reconstruction. Finally, this article will study how to prevent the fire from being destroyed again, and how to protect the forest from fire
Relationships between executive functions and alcohol-related consequences among undergraduates
Get PDFUniversity students in Canada endorse higher levels of alcohol consumption than their noncollege peers. This heavy drinking carries with it the risk of adverse consequences, including
physical injuries, academic struggles, and legal problems. University students also report positive
consequences associated with their alcohol consumption, which may function to reinforce heavy
drinking patterns. Impairments in executive functions (EFs) may be a potential cognitive factor
that increases student vulnerability to alcohol-related consequences. EFs have been found to
continue developing into emerging adulthood and are associated with an earlier age of onset for
alcohol use and heavier alcohol use patterns. With this in mind, the goal of this study was to
examine the relationships between EFs and alcohol-related consequences among undergraduate
students. To do this, undergraduate students from Lakehead University (N = 211; 82.5% female;
82.5% Caucasian) completed an online self-report questionnaire. Emotion Regulation and
Working Memory were significant predictors of both positive and negative consequences, while
Inhibitory Control was a significant predictor of negative consequences only. This study serves
as a preliminary step toward better understanding the link between EFs and alcohol-related
consequences among university students, providing a knowledge base for future prevention and
intervention strategies
Evaluating the utility of a point of care device to assess physiological differences among wild boreal fishes
Get PDFWith the increasing risk of anthropogenic impacts in boreal ecosystems there is a
need for tools to rapidly assess impacts on organisms and properly inform resource
managers. Though well-researched, the i-STAT a portable Point-of-Care device has been
minimally validated in species and environments, especially those that represent
freshwater species in cold, boreal environments. To determine the accuracy of the i7 STAT, blood from Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and White Sucker
(Catostomus commersoni) was collected from the IISD Experimental Lakes Area (ELA)
and analyses compared between traditional lab methods and results of the i-STAT POCD.
The stability of i-STAT-based whole blood parameters was also evaluated over 3-4 hours
for both ELA and captive Lake Trout. Finally, the i-STAT was tested in ambient
conditions that are outside of its recommended usage (<16°C) to assess changes in
physiological status in spawning Lake Trout across various capture and handling methods
from five ELA lakes in October 2020. The time between capture method and blood
sampling was also assessed for spawning Lake Trout. [...
“Look at me now. It is amazing.” exploring the stroke and rehabilitation experiences of older adults with chronic stroke living in Thunder Bay
Get PDFIntroduction: As stroke continues to be the leading cause of adult disability, understanding the
rehabilitative needs of those affected is essential to ensure they are receiving proper care to reach
their own sense of independence. This is particularly important for those living in cities such as
Thunder Bay where there is a lack of resources and services. As seen in the literature, mainly
quantitative measures have been used to gather information about stroke survivors’ experiences.
Through a qualitative lens, only surveys have been used; therefore, using semi-structured
interviews allows participants to share their experiences by being able to expand on their
thoughts. As there has been little research in Thunder Bay regarding stroke survivors’
experiences, there is a need to speak with these individuals to fill this gap in the literature