Human Geography

‘Inadequate and unsafe’: U of T report highlights need for better walking and cycling network in Scarborough

geoff.vendeville — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 15:49:54 +0000

‘Inadequate and unsafe’: U of T report highlights need for better walking and cycling network in Scarborough

geoff.vendeville Wed, 10/13/2021 - 11:49

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André Sorensen, a professor in U of T Scarborough's department of human geography, says new infrastructure is badly needed to encourage cycling, walking and other forms of active transportation in Scarborough (photo by Ken Jones)

Don Campbell

Topic

Breaking Research

Human Geography

Sustainability

Transportation

U of T Scarborough

Cycling and pedestrian infrastructure in Scarborough is “inadequate and unsafe,” ��Ƶ researchers say in a new report offering suggestions to support alternatives to driving.

André Sorensen, a professor in U of T Scarborough's department of human geography, and his co-authors say Scarborough continues to suffer from mid-century urban planning that prioritizes driving over “active transportation,” including walking, cycling, inline skating and mobility aids such as motorized wheelchairs.

“The city has failed to develop a coherent, long-term plan for Scarborough that will meet its own policy goals for sustainability and inclusion,” he says. “As a result, it continues to be dangerous and unpleasant for residents who are walking and cycling in this part of the city.”

Scarborough has the highest per capita rate of fatalities from traffic collisions in Toronto at 3.04 per 100,000 people, the report says. Sorensen says Scarborough's large arterial roads, busy intersections, lack of cycling infrastructure and unsafe crosswalks help explain the alarming rate of traffic fatalities.

Postwar urban planning was based on an assumption that people would get around by car. Yet only 40 per cent of Scarborough households have access to a car, the researchers say. Meanwhile, walking and cycling have grown in importance due to cost and the proven environmental, physical and mental health benefits.

Sorensen says it is feasible to develop active transportation networks in Scarborough. “There’s so much opportunity in Scarborough, mostly because of the wide arterial roads and existing urban form,” he says.

For one, its main arterial roads – including Kingston Road and Eglinton, Lawrence, Sheppard and Finch Avenues – are wide enough to build walking and cycling infrastructure without removing a traffic lane.

Scarborough also has higher residential density compared to other suburbs – not to mention more high-density employment and commercial areas. Finally, it has potential for an extensive off-road cycling and walking trail network.

“There’s so much wasted space – the city grows grass on three-to-four metres on either side of these roads,” Sorensen says. “Unlike downtown, where there’s less space and you have to remove a traffic or parking lane to build cycling or walking infrastructure, that is much easier in Scarborough.”

The report proposes an active transportation network for Scarborough that ensures all residences are within one kilometre of a designated cycling route and that meets other policy targets set out by the city in its sustainability and Vision Zero road safety plans.

The author’s say an interim network is needed to bridge the wide gap between existing infrastructure and the city's goals. It would expand existing cycling routes to around 150 km (six times larger than it is now), mostly along major roads such as Kingston, Eglinton, Ellesmere, Finch, Kennedy and Morningside.

The authors say a key element to creating any cycling and pedestrian network in Scarborough is connectivity. The authors suggest greatly expanding and improving off-road cycling and walking trails while improving connections to the on-road network to get people where they need to go.

These routes will need to run along the major arterial roads that are connected in a grid and already cross major obstacles such as ravines, railways and highways.

“These roads are the most direct route to get people to school, work, appointments, places to eat and shop or public transit stops,” Sorensen says.

“If we want an active transportation network that people can actually use, it has to go along these busy roads.”

The report also identifies an urgent need to improve walking networks in Scarborough. Sorensen says the network needs to prioritize safety and accessibility by creating an inviting and pleasant environment for pedestrians. These improvements include creating safer crosswalks and intersections, as well as wider sidewalks (2.1 metres minimum), more benches and better winter maintenance.

Nadhiena Shankar, a public policy and urban planning student and co-author of the report, says that active transportation infrastructure is needed to ensure transit equity in Scarborough.

“This proposal isn’t unreasonable. It aligns with the city’s existing policies on safety, climate change and accessibility,” says Shankar, who was born and raised in Scarborough.

“We hope this puts the city on notice that we deserve better. It’s also a reminder that Scarborough is for everyone, whether you ride a bike, walk, drive or take public transit – no one should be sidelined.”

The authors received financial and logistical support from the U of T Scarborough Suburban Mobilities Cluster.

Transport poverty: U of T researchers lead national effort to support equity in transportation planning

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 16:46:36 +0000

Transport poverty: U of T researchers lead national effort to support equity in transportation planning

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 06/28/2021 - 12:46

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A U of T-led project is the largest collaboration of its kind to study and address historical and current inequities in Canadian transportation systems, which affect millions of Canadians (photo by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Topic

Research & Innovation

Transportation

U of T Scarborough

A University of Toronto-led project is set to explore the causes of transport poverty in Canada and find ways to address it.

With funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), the project will examine how barriers to moving around combine with social and economic marginalization to limit full participation in daily life for millions of Canadians.

“This is a massive opportunity to create more equitable transportation systems across Canada, where the benefits of transportation investments are felt more widely and are specifically geared towards alleviating transport poverty,” says Steven Farber, an associate professor of human geography who will lead the five-year, multimillion-dollar project.

He says transport poverty occurs when traditional forms of marginalization, such as poverty or being a member of a racialized community, intersect with transport disadvantages like not being able to afford a car, not feeling safe on the sidewalk or not being served by adequate public transit options.

The partnership project, called “Mobilizing Justice,” is the largest collaboration of its kind to study and address historical and current inequities in Canadian transportation systems. It brings together a team of 33 academics from 15 universities and more than 30 contributing institutions including the federal, regional and municipal governments, universities, non-profits, industry partners, unions and professional associations.

The team will conduct a national survey of transport poverty and use it to develop transportation equity standards, evaluation tool kits and community-centred transportation planning processes that will be used by planners, decision-makers and advocates.

One of the project’s primary goals includes developing national transportation equity standards to clearly set equity goals and targets, while at the same time setting a baseline standard level of accessibility that should be provided to all Canadians regardless of their financial means, personal abilities or place of residence. Concepts such as the 15-minute city, an urban design principle that attempts to guarantee walking, biking or transit access to a set of core amenities within a 15-minute trip from any neighbourhood in the city, is one example of a minimum threshold that will be explored by researchers.

Farber says the most important thing to get right is understanding what amenities, resources and investments people want in their own neighbourhoods. He says figuring out how to integrate community-led planning with traditional top-down transportation planning practices is one of the major intellectual challenges of the project – and one the partners are eager to tackle.

“Our research will inform how planners can set actionable equity targets in collaboration with communities at risk of transport poverty,” says Farber, who is an expert on the social and economic outcomes of transportation in urban areas.

He says that vague equity goals are increasingly common in transportation plans, but adds that such plans need to be backed up by evidence, standards, legislation, monitoring and enforcement to ensure sufficient funding. No such legislation or equity-related standards exist in Canada at the moment, he says.

The project comes at a critical juncture for transportation planning in Canada. Farber says COVID-19 has magnified inequities for immigrants as well as low-income, racialized and Indigenous residents. Meanwhile, technological changes such as ride-sharing, on-demand transit and micromobility (e-scooters, for example) present the possibility of either making existing inequalities worse or, if properly managed, offer an opportunity to improve transportation outcomes.

To that end, Farber says the project will experiment with innovative transportation policies and mobility technologies specifically designed to help people living in transport poverty to travel more freely.

The hope, he says, is for a future where a combination of conventional planning, such as the expansion of transit and safe cycling networks, is married with innovative technologies and policies such as e-bike subsidies or e-bike sharing systems.

“This might provide all Canadians with the opportunity to fully participate in the activities of daily life – something that so many of us take for granted,” Farber says.

He adds that the team will also improve understanding of transportation equity and identify the structural changes necessary to reach a more equitable transportation future for all Canadians.

'Give your curiosity free rein': U of T grad Michael Bol offers words of wisdom to incoming students

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 15:30:36 +0000

'Give your curiosity free rein': U of T grad Michael Bol offers words of wisdom to incoming students

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 06/11/2020 - 11:30

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Michael Bol, a member of Victoria College, says his interests led him to co-found the South Sudan Development Club and be involved in a number of other organizations and associations (photo courtesy of Michael Bol)

Alexa Zulak

Topic

Our Community

African Studies

Faculty of Arts & Science

Global

Human Geography

Victoria College

Michael Bol speaks from experience when he offers a piece of advice to incoming University of Toronto students: Get involved.

The Victoria College member — who graduated with an honours bachelor of arts degree this week — co-founded the South Sudan Development Club, aimed at creating a safe space for South Sudanese students and working with marginalized South Sudanese communities to create lasting social change.

He also chaired New College’s Swahili Cultural Showcase, an event celebrating the diversity and rich culture of the Swahili language, and served as an executive member of the East African Student Association and was also an active member of both the Black and African Student Associations.

Bol joined U of T as a World University Service of Canada (WUSC) student. The non-profit development organization, which focuses on education, employment and empowerment for youth around the world, provides post-secondary education opportunities for refugee students on Canadian campuses through its student refugee program. He also served as a WUSC refugee student representative at Victoria College.

Arts & Science News writer Alexa Zulak spoke to Bol about his academic interests – he majored in geographic information systems and minored in human geography and African studies – and what, if anything, he’d do differently if he could go back to first year.

What did you study and why?

I was drawn to geographic information systems (GIS) and human geography during my first year. A few of my friends spoke about the role of GIS and remote sensing and it really appealed to me. However, it wasn’t until after my second year that I began to develop a highly specific interest in GIS, spatial analysis and remote sensing.

What’s inspiring about GIS is that it’s a computer system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage and present a variety of spatial and geographical data. GIS is used in a variety of industries to help in planning and monitoring.

What advice would you give your first-year self?

One of the first things I noticed about being a U of T student is that everything moves quickly – professors, instructors, TAs, students and time. I used to find this frustrating, trying desperately to rush through my assignments at a breakneck speed and throwing myself into activities without really thinking.

If I could go back, I would allocate my time more effectively, with a more flexible mindset. I would also try to engage more with colleagues, attend more campus and career talks and make good use of school facilities.

What have been some of your most memorable experiences at U of T?

My experiences have been amazing. I have learned and experienced so many new things in such a short period of time – it has gone by so fast and I’m still discovering all the opportunities that U of T offers.

The freedom to choose my major, my friends and what I do with my time have been memorable. Also, exploring different clubs, associations and becoming involved with things that I’m interested in was amazing.

What would you say to someone considering U of T and Victoria College?

Slow down. Things are going to be thrown at you and it can get overwhelming. Breathe, ground yourself and look at doing the things you really want to do – don’t do things for the sake of it.

Group up. The work is likely going to be hard. Find a group of people to study with. With each person participating a bit, you will get things done.

Be intentional with your time and energy. Track what you do, review the results and adjust accordingly. Be open to unfamiliar surroundings, take advantage of the resources and opportunities at Victoria College and find ways to engage.

Above all, explore, give your curiosity free rein and don’t let your program confine you.

Can you tell us a little bit about what you're planning for the future?

A few of my future goals include leading an entrepreneurial team in some capacity, starting my own company and getting involved in learning as much as I can until I eventually take on a leadership role. I prefer to work with others and I believe that I could thrive as a leader if given the chance.

Don't forget about community centres amid Toronto's condo boom, writes U of T's Jeff Biggar in the Globe and Mail

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 13:50:34 +0000

Don't forget about community centres amid Toronto's condo boom, writes U of T's Jeff Biggar in the Globe and Mail

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 11/14/2019 - 08:50

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Construction cranes dot the Toronto skyline in the summer of 2019 (photo by Rene Johnston/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

Topic

With condo construction booming in Toronto, it’s important to not forget about community centres and parks, ��Ƶ researcher Jeff Biggar writes in a Globe and Mail op-ed.

Section 37 of Ontario’s Planning Act allows the city to make deals with developers to pay for community amenities in exchange for allowing them to build higher and denser buildings. However, bureaucratic errors and insufficient enforcement have resulted in some of these deals falling through.

“Pointing the finger at a developer shirking their responsibility to pay up is easy, but when looking deeper we see a municipal system with cracks and blind spots,” writes Biggar, a lecturer at U of T Scarborough’s department of human geography.

“Toronto is tripping over itself to build higher and denser buildings, but if supporting community infrastructure doesn’t follow – reliably, consistently and in a timely manner – the promise of development will fail.”

Read the op-ed in the Globe and Mail

What does transportation equity mean? U of T researcher on why it’s too important to ignore

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 13:31:53 +0000

What does transportation equity mean? U of T researcher on why it’s too important to ignore

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 11/08/2019 - 08:31

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"What we’re trying to do is start the planning process with a clear idea of what inequalities exist in the [transportation] system." says U of T's Steven Farber (photo by Ken Jones)

Topic

Research & Innovation

Transit

Transportation

U of T Scarborough

Canada is on the cusp of some major disruptions to its transportation systems.

Ride-sharing apps, on-demand transit and micromobility (scooters, for example) are already available in some cities. Self-driving vehicles are in development. And as urban centres continue to grow, it is necessary to invest in traditional public transit that will best serve riders in the future.

But social benefits are often an afterthought in transit planning. When new technologies come into use, who gets left behind?

Steven Farber is an assistant professor in the department of human geography at the ��Ƶ Scarborough. Much of his research looks at the social and economic outcomes of transportation use in urban areas. Farber is helping to host a two-day workshop this week called Mobilizing Justice that is bringing together industry, government, community stakeholders and academics to understand the role equity plays in planning transportation systems.

Farber recently sat down to talk about the role technology plays in creating and addressing inequities in transit systems, and why transit planning is a social justice issue.

What does transportation equity mean?

There’s no agreement yet on what it means exactly, but the general concept is looking at how to design transportation systems that are fair. This can be thought of as how transportation ‘goods’ and transportation ‘bads’ are distributed among different populations.

Transportation goods are things like ease of access to downtown via the subway, how frequent and affordable is the service, and to consider who has access to these good things – is it only the rich? Is it mostly white people? People of colour? In terms of transportation bads, it’s understanding who’s suffering from pollution, lack of access, safety issues or congestion.

Consider someone who is riding the bus because maybe they can’t afford a car. That person may be sitting in traffic caused by all these people driving around in single occupancy vehicles. How is that fair? So it’s also looking at how we can change the balance to improve the experiences of people who are making economic, environmentally and socially responsible decisions about transportation.

When we talk about transportation planning, it’s rarely thought of in terms of social justice. Why is that?

It’s a good question. Take the proposed Ontario Line [subway expansion] for example. The province conducted a full business case analysis based on ridership, costs, mode switching and congestion relief on the Yonge line, which are all good reasons, but the socio-economic impact was done very much after the fact. What we’re trying to do is start the planning process with a clear idea of what inequalities exist in the system. Do we have equity and fairness issues right now and, if so, what are the best transportation plans to remedy it?

A recent study you co-authored found that nearly one million Canadians live in transport poverty. What does that mean?

It’s pretty easy to define. It’s when being economically disadvantaged intersects with what’s called transport disadvantage. Generally speaking, this means a lack of reliable and frequent transit service, services that are too expensive or a lack of accessible transit, so it excludes people.

Some people may have transport disadvantages, but if they’re wealthy, they can overcome these barriers and it doesn’t affect their ability to get to work, to grocery shop or go about their daily lives. So there’s all sorts of reasons to be transport disadvantaged, but when it combines with socio-economic disadvantage, that’s transport poverty.

Some feel that technology has the power to level inequities, and that extends to transportation. What role do you think technology can play in addressing inequity in transportation systems?

At the moment it’s a mixed bag, and there seems to be two visions for the future. One is quite dystopian, with zombie autonomous cars driving across the city, more people taking cars because they can sit back and relax. More cars and more sprawl, causing more congestion. On the other hand, there’s these great things like apps that create better access to carpooling or give opportunities to people who live in poorly serviced transit neighbourhoods access to different forms of transit

There’s massive disruption taking place in the transit space due to technological changes. Things like ride hailing, autonomous vehicles, car-sharing apps, dockless micromobility such as scooters, bikes, and even on-demand transit systems. It’s important to look at the potential impacts of these disruptions and to have conversations about what are the opportunities to use technology for social good.

If certain technologies are only going to create greater inequity in transit systems, it could be equally important to look at how we can regulate them.

U of T students and Regent Park teens team up to bust stereotypes, tell stories of a changing neighbourhood

Romi Levine — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 17:05:48 +0000

U of T students and Regent Park teens team up to bust stereotypes, tell stories of a changing neighbourhood

Romi Levine Fri, 04/05/2019 - 13:05

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(From left) Regent Park resident Samira Abdi is working on a multimedia project with U of T students Sayem Khan and Lena Sanz Tovar (photo by Romi Levine)

Topic

Faculty of Arts & Science

Human Geography

Innis College

Urban Studies

Samira Abdi, 13, has spent her whole life in Regent Park.

With a front row seat to the revitalization of the east Toronto neighbourhood, the Grade 8 student has seen countless changes over the years. She's literally watched the condo towers rise around her.

But the downside of shiny and new is it becomes harder to remember what was there before.

“It has taken memories away because I'm forgetting what was there,” Abdi says.

For the past few months, Abdi has been working with ��Ƶ students to preserve her memories of the neighbourhood, while looking to inform new residents of Regent Park’s history.

They’ve created an interactive timeline of Abdi’s life that coincides with major developments during the Regent Park revitalization project.

“We're looking at her experiences – of losing the landmarks in her life that have been around and the way her and her family and friends have been navigating the new landscape of Regent Park during and after revitalization,” says Sayem Khan, an urban studies and human geography student.

This project is part of a collaborative course between U of T’s urban studies program and Regent Park Focus, a non-profit community organization that seeks to counter negative stereotypes about the neighbourhood. The course is funded by U of T’s School of Cities and the Centre for Community Partnerships.

U of T students are paired with teen girls from Regent Park Focus’s Diva Girls Group – a program for young women in the neighbourhood who meet weekly to participate in media-focused activities. Each group is working on a different media project – from a zine full of social commentary to a podcast about the relationship between policing and rap culture.

The projects will culminate in a public multimedia exhibition on April 8 at the Pam McConnell Aquatic Centre.

The U of T course, Youth, Art and Engagement in Cities, is taught by Aditi Mehta, an assistant professor, teaching stream, who came to U of T last year after completing her PhD at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Mehta (right) with Diva Girls coordinator Amna Quaid Azam outside of the Pam McConnell Aquatic Centre in Regent Park (photo by Romi Levine)

In Mehta’s previous research, she worked closely with youth media organizations and knew she wanted to centre her urban studies course on a similar kind of collaboration.

“I knew that I wanted to teach a community-engaged course,” she says.

Throughout the semester, the U of T students have been reading academic writings on Regent Park’s redevelopment – gaining an understanding of the successes and challenges that came along with the community’s transformation, while learning about the stereotypes that are perpetuated through news articles about the neighbourhood.

“What we saw in articles about Regent Park and that perspective was very, very different from what the people in this community and, specifically, what the Diva Girls think in particular,” says urban studies student Esi Aboagye.

The large-scale Regent Park redevelopment was initiated in the early 2000s to combat isolation, poverty and crime in the neighbourhood, which was largely populated by public housing complexes. When the construction began, many of the existing residents were forced to relocate – with a promise that there would be housing for them in the new residential buildings. While most households have returned to the neighbourhood, some are still waiting to come back.

There are still three phases of construction left to go – which could take more than a decade to complete.

Grade 9 student Marwa Hassan (left) works with U of T students Anita Ifeadi and Katie Glancy on a podcast about policing in Regent Park (photo by Romi Levine)

The U of T students have gained a whole new perspective on the neighbourhood through the teens. That includes an understanding of how concepts like socially-mixed housing and redevelopment play out in the real world, says Mehta.

“There's been a lot of education and knowledge shared,” she says.

Growing up in a neighbourhood in flux, the Diva Girls are aware – and vocal – about the issues facing Regent Park, and ways to make the community more equitable, says Amna Quaid Azam, who co-ordinates the program.

“This is something where they can put that into action.”

Quaid Azam says she was surprised about how knowledgeable the teens were when she first started working with Diva Girls.

“They are very woke. I didn't expect them to be this woke,” she says.

Sumeya Ali, 15, says she hopes the media projects the course produces help people think differently about Regent Park.

“Clearly the way others see it is different from the way we see it and we want others to see it from our perspective.”

U of T celebrates award-winning researchers at U of T Salutes

geoff.vendeville — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 15:20:28 +0000

U of T celebrates award-winning researchers at U of T Salutes

geoff.vendeville Tue, 02/26/2019 - 10:20

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Klara and Levente Diosady with U of T President Meric Gertler. Professor Diosady (middle), in the department of chemical engineering and applied chemistry, was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in December (all photos by Nick Iwanyshyn)

Topic

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

English

Faculty & Staff

Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering

Faculty of Arts & Science

Research & Innovation

U of T Scarborough

Victoria College

Vivek Goel

Over the past year, ��Ƶ faculty members have collected a glittering array of awards that speak to the high calibre of research at Canada’s top university.

The U of T community came together Monday to celebrate faculty across all three campuses whose work was recognized nationally and beyond in 2018. They range from professors who received lifetime achievement awards to early-career researchers just beginning to make their mark.

In the U of T Faculty Club's Wedgwood Blue Room, U of T President Meric Gertler, Chancellor Rose Patten and Vice-President, Research and Innovation Vivek Goel praised faculty members for their impact in their fields and their contributions to U of T's status as a world-leading institution.

Although U of T faculty make up just six per cent of Canada's total professoriate, they continue to win a disproportionate number of awards across the country, President Gertler said.

In the last decade, he said, U of T researchers have secured: 70 per cent of Steacie Prizes for natural sciences; 40 per cent of Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medals for Science and Engineering; and 40 per cent of Molson Prizes.

“These prestigious Canadian accolades acknowledge the exceptional quality of your work and they also provide you with a springboard for further success on the world stage,” President Gertler said.

This year's honorees include 30 new fellows and college members of Canada's three national academies, as well as new international members of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine and Fellows of the U.K. Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering.

Chancellor Patten extended her congratulations to the guests of honour. “The [event] program stands as a testament to your prominence, your prominence on the national stage, your prominence on the international stage, and the esteem to which you are held by your peers and your colleagues worldwide,” she said.

Goel acknowledged the “astonishing breadth and diversity of the research and innovation efforts taking place across the university.

“These accolades speak to the recognized impacts of your achievements in the quest to extend the boundaries of knowledge and to answer some of the world's most important questions,” he said.

More than 100 faculty members' achievements were listed on the U of T Salutes program this year.

Vice-President, Research and Innovation Vivek Goel (left) with Professors Eric Miller and R. Douglas Hooton, both in the department of civil and mineral engineering. Miller received a lifetime achievement award from the International Association for Travel Behaviour Research, which cited his profound impact during a career spanning almost four decades. Hooton was elected an honorary member of the American Concrete Institute for his contributions to concrete materials, concrete durability and sustainability of concrete construction.

Thembela Kepe, professor and chair of the department of human geography at U of T Scarborough, with Sharlene Mollett, assistant professor in the same department. To their right: Victor Li, a professor of comparative literature and English, and Tania Li, University Professor of anthropology.

Mollett, who did graduate fieldwork on land conflicts in Honduras and Panama, received the Glenda Laws Award from the American Association of Geographers. “It's wonderful to be recognized,” she said.

Li received an Insight Award from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and a President's Impact Award. She is currently collaborating with an Indonesian anthropologist on an ethnography of plantation life in the country's oil palm plantation zone. “There aren’t that many examples of that kind of collaboration in my field,” she said.

Robert Bothwell, Sean Mills and Alison Smith, all in the department of history. Professor Bothwell, author of The Penguin History of Canada, a biography of C.D. Howe and other books, was named a Member of the Order of Canada last year. Mills, an associate professor and author of The Empire Within: Postcolonial Thought and Political Activism in Sixties Montreal, was elected to the Royal Society of Canada's College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. Professor Smith, a specialist in the history of imperial Russia, is chair of the department.

Karen Davis, a professor in the neuroscience division of the department of surgery, with France Gagnon, associate dean of research at Dalla Lana School of Public Health, and Beverley Orser, a professor in the department of anesthesia. Davis, also a senior scientist at the University Health Network, was named a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, one of the highest Canadian honours in the health sciences community. Orser received the Excellence in Research Award from the American Society of Anesthesiologists, was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in the U.S., and was also elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

Alexandra Johnston (right) is a Professor Emerita of English and was the first woman to serve as principal of U of T's Victoria College. She was named a Member of the Order of Canada for her scholarly contributions to the humanities.

Let Indigenous treaties – not the duty to consult – lead us to reconciliation: U of T expert

noreen.rasbach — Tue, 30 Oct 2018 15:46:31 +0000

Let Indigenous treaties – not the duty to consult – lead us to reconciliation: U of T expert

noreen.rasbach Tue, 10/30/2018 - 11:46

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Chief Archie Waquan responds to the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision on whether the government has a duty to consult Indigenous people on legislation (photo by Amber Bracken/The Canadian Press)

Alexandra Flynn

Clara MacCallum Fraser

Topic

Should governments have a duty to consult First Nations when they craft laws affecting Indigenous and treaty rights? The Mikisew Cree First Nation recently argued yes, that the duty to consult should apply to not-yet-passed legislation that affects their rights to hunt, trap and fish on the land.

In October, the Supreme Court of Canada denied the Mikisew’s claim in a complex judgment. All of the justices agreed that the court could not review the actions of elected ministers before a law was passed. Even so, five justices said the “honour of the Crown” was involved at the law-making stage. What does it all mean?

In a trilogy of cases involving Haida Nation, Taku River and Mikisew Cree, the Supreme Court of Canada established the principle of the “honour of the Crown.” It means the federal and provincial governments have a legal duty to consult and, if necessary, accommodate where their actions negatively impact Indigenous rights.

The purpose of this duty is to work towards reconciliation.

Treaties and nation-to-nation relationships

These cases – and the many that have expanded the duty since them – have led to some changes for First Nations.

However, the courts have not seriously engaged with treaties as part of a nation-to-nation relationship, nor with Indigenous systems of law. The emphasis on colonial constitutional traditions comes at the expense of looking at treaties as foundational constitutional texts in Canadian law.

As geography scholar Nicole Latulippe points out about treaties: “Rooted in the land itself, these living agreements embody Indigenous law and diplomatic protocol signifying respect for autonomy and the stewardship of shared lands.”

Treaties were agreed to in some parts of Turtle Island, also known as North America. They were first made among Indigenous nations and other living and non-living beings, and then later between Indigenous and European nations. Their language signals the long-term nature of relationships, with phrases like “as long as the grass grows, and the water runs.” Treaties require that relationships be nurtured and cared for through diplomatic protocols, like feasting and ceremony.

Aimee Craft, an Anishnaabe-Métis scholar and lawyer, notes: “Indigenous and non-Indigenous legal communities in Canada will benefit from an enhanced understanding of Indigenous laws.” This includes understanding treaties as nation-to-nation agreements.

The Treaty of Niagara

One legal lesson that few Canadians know about is the 1764 Treaty of Niagara, when more than 2,000 representatives from Indigenous nations gathered over a month to deliberate how they could share the land with European settlers.

Wampum belts were exchanged during the treaty deliberations, including the two-row wampum (also known as guswenta) that shows two vessels travelling downstream, parallel but not interfering with one another.

A visitor views wampum belts, fans and other diplomatic tools of the Indigenous treaty process at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian in September 2016 in Washington, D.C. (photo by Paul Morigi/AP)

The Treaty of Niagara was critical to shaping Canada as a nation. The Royal Proclamation issued by King George in 1763 may not have been accepted by Indigenous nations without the negotiated assurances, conditions and promises that came out of the 1764 Treaty of Niagara.

Treaties are also part of the law. Section 35 of the 1982 Constitution Act affirms the recognition of this and other Aboriginal and treaty rights.

Internationally, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or UNDRIP, which Canada has adopted, acknowledges the rights of Indigenous nations to have treaties and other agreements recognized by settler governments.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission advocates for the federal government to renew or establish treaty relationships based on the principles of mutual recognition, mutual respect and shared responsibility for maintaining nation-to-nation relationships into the future.

Canadians need Indigenous law and treaty education

All Canadians should be taught these and other locally relevant treaties. So should governments.

The Crown’s duty to consult and accommodate has not resulted in the practice of meaningful relationship-building as the foundational treaties called for.

In 2017, the province of Ontario introduced legislation that significantly changed the land-use planning appeals process. As in Mikisew, Ontario did not perceive itself as having a duty to consult Indigenous nations in the province as the legislation was crafted and passed into law.

The province did not engage with the enduring systems of land-use governance practised by Indigenous communities. As Anishinaabe legal scholar John Borrows argues, “First Nations must comply with provincial laws which they have no real role in crafting or administering.”

This oversight is particularly concerning given the relevance of land and planning to Indigenous communities.

If the Treaty of Niagara process had been used as a guide, Indigenous governments would be fully informed of proposed changes in law, with time set aside for representatives to come together in order to discuss, deliberate, debate and decide on the merits of these proposed changes.

Indigenous legal orders would be recognized as a foundational source of land-use law.

‘Inadequate’

The recent Mikisew case reflects the limits of the duty to consult. It is an inadequate tool in urging Canadian governments to build and honour a nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous communities.

There is hope. A majority of the justices leave open that other protections may well be recognized in future cases. Two acknowledge that “the duty to consult is about encouraging governments to consider their effects on Indigenous communities and consult proactively.”

We know it can happen. In New Zealand, Maori customary law already plays a role in common law. In a recent case this year, the court did not accept that pre-legislative actions are immune from judicial review, unlike the Mikisew decision.

Governments should proactively engage with the Treaty of Niagara or other locally relevant treaties, agreements, laws and relationships at all stages of law-making. Instead of the duty to consult and accommodate determining relationships, it should be the relationships that determine the duty.

Alexandra Flynn is an assistant professor of human geography & city studies at the ��Ƶ Scarborough. Clara MacCallum Fraser is executive director of the Shared Path Consultation Initiative and a doctoral student in the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Nicole Latulippe brings passion for Indigenous environmental governance and advocacy to U of T

noreen.rasbach — Tue, 11 Sep 2018 18:44:16 +0000

Nicole Latulippe brings passion for Indigenous environmental governance and advocacy to U of T

noreen.rasbach Tue, 09/11/2018 - 14:44

Cutline

Nicole Latulippe has joined the departments of human geography and physical and environmental sciences at U of T Scarborough as an assistant professor

Tina Adamopoulos

Topic

City & Culture

Environmental Sciences

Nicole Latulippe is excited to bring her expertise in Indigenous knowledge, governance and laws to the ��Ƶ – along with her experience with community-based research and advocacy.

Latulippe is joining the departments of human geography and physical and environmental sciences at U of T Scarborough as an assistant professor. Last winter, she taught Indigenous Environmental Knowledges, a geography course.

“It felt good to know that the department and students were excited and welcoming of the course,” she says.

Latulippe, who has a PhD in geography from U of T, grew up in Nipissing Territory and is from Robinson Huron Treaty Territory in North Bay, Ont. She is of French-Canadian and Algonquin ancestry.

After completing her master’s degree at Nipissing University, Latulippe worked for the Union of Ontario Indians, a political advocacy organization of the Anishinabek Nation that represents 40 Anishinabek communities around the Great Lakes in Ontario.

“That’s what spurred my desire to go back to school for a PhD,” she says. “I wanted to spend more time reading, understanding and doing research around the historic treaties and the state’s failure to implement the relationship.”

After working with Anishinabek communities for the last 10 years, Latulippe says her research is driven by the people she has spoken with and learned from over the years.

“I see what communities are doing, what they try to do in pursuit of their land-based interests and claims,” she says. “They’re really innovative in advancing their rights and responsibilities. I want to communicate that, and the successes, because it’s not what we necessarily see in the media.”

Latulippe collaborates with the York University-based Indigenous Environmental Justice Project – a platform for Indigenous activists, scholars and Elders to share information and to network. The project stresses the importance of understanding the environmental justice framework through Indigenous knowledge systems.

“I did my undergraduate in Nipissing University and U of T Scarborough has that same smaller feel, like a very engaged and community-oriented place,” she says. “I also hope to get involved with the university’s partnerships and work on Indigenous place-making initiatives, for instance in the Rouge Valley, to restore the visibility of Indigenous geographies.”

Looking ahead, she’s continuing her research on Indigenous environments in Canada and is turning her PhD dissertation about the Nipissing First Nation fishery, and the community-derived law that governs it, into a book.

She says she will continue her community involvement and bring those experiences back into her research, and ultimately, the classroom.

U of T’s new Trudeau Foundation scholars explore Beirut refugee neighbourhoods and sovereign debt investors

Romi Levine — Thu, 21 Jun 2018 17:16:27 +0000

U of T’s new Trudeau Foundation scholars explore Beirut refugee neighbourhoods and sovereign debt investors

Romi Levine Thu, 06/21/2018 - 13:16

Cutline

PhD students Diala Lteif and Andrew Kaufman are the recipients of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation doctoral scholarship (photos by Sylvain Légaré/PETF)

Topic

Every minute, 20 people flee their countries to escape terror and persecution, the United Nations says – with 68 million people displaced around the world.

And Lebanon, like the U.S., Europe and other Middle Eastern countries, has a long and complicated history of hosting groups of asylum seekers.

Diala Lteif, a PhD student in urban planning at the ��Ƶ, is hoping her research into that history will provide a better understanding of how refugees can shape cities like Beirut, and how migrant groups contribute to the places where they end up.

“The myth that I try to debunk is the portrayal of the immigrants – more specifically the refugee – that is here to steal your job and use the resources of a specific country and not give back,” she says. “The idea is to prove that they are active and positive participants towards the urbanization of a city that is fuller and more inclusive and accepting of everyone.”

Lteif and human geography PhD student Andrew Kaufman are two of 15 social sciences and humanities doctoral students from across Canada who have been given this year’s prestigious Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation doctoral scholarship.

The students were selected from a group of 273 applicants and chosen for their academic excellence and civic engagement. Since 2003, there have been 30 U of T PhD candidates who have received the scholarship.

Foundation scholars are each given $60,000 – opening up new research avenues and giving them more time to complete their PhDs.

“When this money came in, it let me think about how to extend my fieldwork to new areas,” says Kaufman, whose research focuses on the investors who purchase sovereign debt from countries that are struggling financially.

“My interest in urban marginalization made me curious about how larger socio-economic processes change cities,” he says.

Kaufman wants to find out how capital moves around the world through the buying and selling of debt while also exploring different perspectives on investing in sovereign debt. Those in favour of it say it is providing countries with the credit they need while critics say it can prevent countries from recovering from crises.

“I'm really interested in talking with people and understanding the financial networks and how this operates and understanding the different framings of these people’s work,” he says.

Beyond his research, Kaufman is looking forward to the mentoring and networking opportunities built into the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation scholarship.

“It's good to be placed within a space in which you encounter people from other areas, which challenges how you frame your work, how you understand your work and what other ideas you put your work in dialogue with,” he says.

For Lteif, the scholarship has allowed her to spend a year in Lebanon, sorting through archives and conducting interviews with first-, second- and third-generation refugees.

Her work focuses on four waves of refugee immigration: Armenians, who came to Lebanon after the First World War; Palestinians, then Lebanese nationals displaced during the civil war, which began in the 1970s; and the Syrian refugees who are still making their way into the country. Many of those refugees ended up settling in one specific neighbourhood in Beirut.

Lteif has personal connections to her research. Growing up in Lebanon, her family was displaced during the civil war. Her father’s family settled near the neighbourhood she is studying.

“A large realization is that Lebanon, which has been a host to many communities, has not necessarily found effective strategies to welcome these people and help get them back on their feet, despite the long experience with many communities,” she says. “In terms of practical urban and planning policies, not much has been done.”

Lteif says she hopes her research can fill the practical and intellectual gaps.

“All these crises are first framed as a crisis and are studied in isolation, and so what I'm hoping to do is through a longer duration of study, uncover some more long-term effects and patterns we can learn from and refocus our literature,” she says.

Receiving a scholarship of this magnitude is a uniquely Canadian privilege, says Lteif.

“It made me really appreciate Canada's multicultural and inclusive politics that have really allowed me to find my place and be treated equally and be given the equal opportunity as my Canadian peers, friends and colleagues,” she says.

“I hope through the work that I do, I prove that being an immigrant, being given access to such a large opportunity, is actually beneficial for everyone. I hope in one way or another I become proof of the opposite narrative that we see everywhere.”