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This thesis is an examination of the place of restorative justice in the practice of criminal law in Canada generally and in Saskatchewan in particular. It takes as its focal point the fundamental tension between traditional Anglo-Canadian Law in this area, and the newly founded practices of restorative justice.<p> This project accepts that retribution, vengeance and proportional justice are important components of current practice. It argues that these imperatives find their place not only in practice, but also in justice system structure. This space is made both culturally and legislatively. Earlier societies are examined to develop a sense of the connection between societal norms and punitive paradigms, and an argument is made that Canada is no different from earlier societies in the way its legal values reflect the social values of the dominant settler culture. Into this analysis is then added reflections concerning the effect of colonialism on aboriginal people generally and on Canada in particular.<p> The thesis then goes on to situate this tension specifically in current criminal justice by analysing legislation, policy, courts and practice. It examines restorative justice, and demonstrates that it has significant potential to ameliorate the deleterious effects of the colonial project on aboriginal peoples. However, it remains a marginalised practice precisely because it is an anti-colonial force in a powerful colonial justice structure. It concludes that the forces that have the inclination to change this situation have not acted to do so, and the justice system actors with the power to effect change have proven themselves to be similarly disinclined.<p>

Declining amphibian populations in association with an incidence of deformities have been observed globally. These observations have alarmed the scientific community as well as the general public. Potential causes include exposure to pesticides; therefore two experiments were performed to test the sublethal effects of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on tadpoles of the wood frog (<i>Rana sylvatica</i>). Wood frog tadpoles in the first experiment were exposed to 2,4-D amine at 0.1, 1.0 and 100 ug/L in outdoor microcosms. Morphometric measures (total length, snout-vent length (SVL) and wet weight) were taken at metamorphic climax. Deformities and circulating hormone concentrations (corticosterone - CORT) were also assessed. Results showed that though tadpoles were exposed to various concentrations of 2,4-D throughout their aquatic life, there were no treatment differences associated with any of the endpoints except for total length (p = 0.023). Total length during metamorphosis was highly variable. Although statistically significant, biological significance was questionable. The second experiment was conducted in the field using natural ponds. The experimental groups included forested ponds (removed from pesticide exposure), agricultural ponds (potentially exposed) and treated agricultural ponds (intentionally treated with 2,4-D to achieve a concentration of 10 ug/L). Relatively rapid degradation of 2,4-D occurred in all treated ponds. The mean half-life was 8.0 + 5.5 days. In spite of the degradation, 2,4-D was present in the ponds until tadpoles metamorphosed. Similar endpoints including morphometric measures, as well as deformities and plasma CORT hormone were determined. In addition, total lipid and total protein (of the carcass) were also measured. Unlike the microcosm study, statistically significant differences were observed in SVL, wet weight and total protein although the differences may have been unrelated to 2,4-D exposure. The metamorphs sampled from the forested ponds were smaller in SVL (23% shorter) and wet weight (58% lighter) (p < 0.029) relative to the other two groups. Total protein in the metamorphs from the forested ponds was 22% lower than that of the agricultural ponds (p = 0.020). Reduced hormonal response to acute stress (p = 0.001) was found in metamorphs of the forested ponds compared to those of the other two groups (66% lower response). Herbicide exposure may have induced low level stimulation of growth (a positive impact on the exposed animals), as well as a possible elevation of baseline corticosterone, in the agricultural and treated metamorphs or there may have been a negative stressor present in the forested pond environment. It is not possible to identify the specific factors that were involved. It is unclear if 2,4-D affected the growth and development of wood frog tadpoles.

The French Counts of St. Hubert is a group of aristocrats who left France for homesteads in the Canadian North-West during the late nineteenth century. They settled near and within the town of Whitewood, Saskatchewan, most notably along the Pipestone Valley. The aristocrats attempted to carve out a living in the Prairie West while at the same time maintaining their connections with Europe. Their attempted numerous business ventures all ended in failure, including forays into sheep-herding, horse-raising, cheese production, coffee manufacturing, and sugar beet refining. The Counts also brought with them a large number of French immigrants to act as labourers and establish a Francophone settlement. St. Hubert would become a vibrant community throughout the first half of the twentieth century. The participation of the aristocrats, however, was short-lived. All returned to France by the early 1900s.<p> One of the homesteads associated with the French aristocrats is called Bellevue (Borden No. EbMo-5), a home erected by Comte de Rouffignac in 1888 and eventually transported to another location in 1926. The location of the original homestead was the subject of excavations by the author in the summer of 2006. Over 3000 artifacts were recovered from 17 square metres of excavation. While most of these artifacts are fragmentary in nature, a number of them have implications for understanding the social identity of the French aristocrats.<p> This thesis discusses the social identity of the French aristocrats as framed through the theoretical perspective of practice theory. This social identity is formulated through the expectations they carried into an unfamiliar social space that required experience and compromise to negotiate a position within the social field accepted by all parties. Ethnicity, class, ideology, and gender all played roles in the formulation of this identity. Artifacts from the Bellevue excavation are used to highlight the materiality of the French aristocratic social identity in the Prairie West.

This qualitative study explores factors affecting the implementation of an elementary science curriculum in three schools in northern Saskatchewan. Data gathered from thirteen elementary level teachers indicate that most teachers interviewed possess a general vision of ideal science teaching and learning close to that presented in the provincial curriculum, but that most teachers believe that they are a considerable distance away from translating that vision into reality. Data indicate that few teachers use the curriculum on a regular basis or possess detailed familiarity with its components.<p>A variety of generic factors not unique to the north are creating challenges for teachers striving to implement the science curriculum. Tight timelines for implementation, as well as challenges such as class size, limited inservice availability, and infrequent networking opprtunities were identified as challenges. Many challenges were linked to the need to refine or acquire skills made more necessary by new curricula, as well as by other provincial and regional initiatives. The need to address such skill deficits is felt by most teachers, but is felt most acutely by those who are not recent graduates of teacher-training programs or those who rely primarily on locally available professional development within the context of the regular school year and setting.<p>Teachers in this study indicated that a greater degree of instructional leadership at the school division and school level would assist them in their efforts to implement mandated changes. Concern was also expressed that little monitoring of the implementation process by either their school division or by the provincial government had taken place.<p>A variety of factors unique to the North were identified as affecting implementation efforts. Teachers found the curriculum to be easily adapted for northern needs, as well as appropriate for students for whom English is a second language. General funding levels and special school division initiatives were also seen as helpful. Respondents, however, identified socioeconomic factors, questionable levels of instructional leadership, as well as distance between community and school as serious challenges to implementation.<p>This study confirms current research indicating that managing changes such as the implementation of an elementary science curriculum is a complex venture necessitating organizational and operational changes at school, school division, and provincial levels to encourage and support efforts to make schools learning organizations for both students and teachers. The study concludes with several recommended areas of further research, as well as with several specific action recommendations to assist with the implementation of new curricula.

This thesis is an examination of the place of restorative justice in the practice of criminal law in Canada generally and in Saskatchewan in particular. It takes as its focal point the fundamental tension between traditional Anglo-Canadian Law in this area, and the newly founded practices of restorative justice.<p> This project accepts that retribution, vengeance and proportional justice are important components of current practice. It argues that these imperatives find their place not only in practice, but also in justice system structure. This space is made both culturally and legislatively. Earlier societies are examined to develop a sense of the connection between societal norms and punitive paradigms, and an argument is made that Canada is no different from earlier societies in the way its legal values reflect the social values of the dominant settler culture. Into this analysis is then added reflections concerning the effect of colonialism on aboriginal people generally and on Canada in particular.<p> The thesis then goes on to situate this tension specifically in current criminal justice by analysing legislation, policy, courts and practice. It examines restorative justice, and demonstrates that it has significant potential to ameliorate the deleterious effects of the colonial project on aboriginal peoples. However, it remains a marginalised practice precisely because it is an anti-colonial force in a powerful colonial justice structure. It concludes that the forces that have the inclination to change this situation have not acted to do so, and the justice system actors with the power to effect change have proven themselves to be similarly disinclined.<p>

This qualitative study explores factors affecting the implementation of an elementary science curriculum in three schools in northern Saskatchewan. Data gathered from thirteen elementary level teachers indicate that most teachers interviewed possess a general vision of ideal science teaching and learning close to that presented in the provincial curriculum, but that most teachers believe that they are a considerable distance away from translating that vision into reality. Data indicate that few teachers use the curriculum on a regular basis or possess detailed familiarity with its components.<p>A variety of generic factors not unique to the north are creating challenges for teachers striving to implement the science curriculum. Tight timelines for implementation, as well as challenges such as class size, limited inservice availability, and infrequent networking opprtunities were identified as challenges. Many challenges were linked to the need to refine or acquire skills made more necessary by new curricula, as well as by other provincial and regional initiatives. The need to address such skill deficits is felt by most teachers, but is felt most acutely by those who are not recent graduates of teacher-training programs or those who rely primarily on locally available professional development within the context of the regular school year and setting.<p>Teachers in this study indicated that a greater degree of instructional leadership at the school division and school level would assist them in their efforts to implement mandated changes. Concern was also expressed that little monitoring of the implementation process by either their school division or by the provincial government had taken place.<p>A variety of factors unique to the North were identified as affecting implementation efforts. Teachers found the curriculum to be easily adapted for northern needs, as well as appropriate for students for whom English is a second language. General funding levels and special school division initiatives were also seen as helpful. Respondents, however, identified socioeconomic factors, questionable levels of instructional leadership, as well as distance between community and school as serious challenges to implementation.<p>This study confirms current research indicating that managing changes such as the implementation of an elementary science curriculum is a complex venture necessitating organizational and operational changes at school, school division, and provincial levels to encourage and support efforts to make schools learning organizations for both students and teachers. The study concludes with several recommended areas of further research, as well as with several specific action recommendations to assist with the implementation of new curricula.

Declining amphibian populations in association with an incidence of deformities have been observed globally. These observations have alarmed the scientific community as well as the general public. Potential causes include exposure to pesticides; therefore two experiments were performed to test the sublethal effects of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on tadpoles of the wood frog (<i>Rana sylvatica</i>). Wood frog tadpoles in the first experiment were exposed to 2,4-D amine at 0.1, 1.0 and 100 ug/L in outdoor microcosms. Morphometric measures (total length, snout-vent length (SVL) and wet weight) were taken at metamorphic climax. Deformities and circulating hormone concentrations (corticosterone - CORT) were also assessed. Results showed that though tadpoles were exposed to various concentrations of 2,4-D throughout their aquatic life, there were no treatment differences associated with any of the endpoints except for total length (p = 0.023). Total length during metamorphosis was highly variable. Although statistically significant, biological significance was questionable. The second experiment was conducted in the field using natural ponds. The experimental groups included forested ponds (removed from pesticide exposure), agricultural ponds (potentially exposed) and treated agricultural ponds (intentionally treated with 2,4-D to achieve a concentration of 10 ug/L). Relatively rapid degradation of 2,4-D occurred in all treated ponds. The mean half-life was 8.0 + 5.5 days. In spite of the degradation, 2,4-D was present in the ponds until tadpoles metamorphosed. Similar endpoints including morphometric measures, as well as deformities and plasma CORT hormone were determined. In addition, total lipid and total protein (of the carcass) were also measured. Unlike the microcosm study, statistically significant differences were observed in SVL, wet weight and total protein although the differences may have been unrelated to 2,4-D exposure. The metamorphs sampled from the forested ponds were smaller in SVL (23% shorter) and wet weight (58% lighter) (p < 0.029) relative to the other two groups. Total protein in the metamorphs from the forested ponds was 22% lower than that of the agricultural ponds (p = 0.020). Reduced hormonal response to acute stress (p = 0.001) was found in metamorphs of the forested ponds compared to those of the other two groups (66% lower response). Herbicide exposure may have induced low level stimulation of growth (a positive impact on the exposed animals), as well as a possible elevation of baseline corticosterone, in the agricultural and treated metamorphs or there may have been a negative stressor present in the forested pond environment. It is not possible to identify the specific factors that were involved. It is unclear if 2,4-D affected the growth and development of wood frog tadpoles.

The French Counts of St. Hubert is a group of aristocrats who left France for homesteads in the Canadian North-West during the late nineteenth century. They settled near and within the town of Whitewood, Saskatchewan, most notably along the Pipestone Valley. The aristocrats attempted to carve out a living in the Prairie West while at the same time maintaining their connections with Europe. Their attempted numerous business ventures all ended in failure, including forays into sheep-herding, horse-raising, cheese production, coffee manufacturing, and sugar beet refining. The Counts also brought with them a large number of French immigrants to act as labourers and establish a Francophone settlement. St. Hubert would become a vibrant community throughout the first half of the twentieth century. The participation of the aristocrats, however, was short-lived. All returned to France by the early 1900s.<p> One of the homesteads associated with the French aristocrats is called Bellevue (Borden No. EbMo-5), a home erected by Comte de Rouffignac in 1888 and eventually transported to another location in 1926. The location of the original homestead was the subject of excavations by the author in the summer of 2006. Over 3000 artifacts were recovered from 17 square metres of excavation. While most of these artifacts are fragmentary in nature, a number of them have implications for understanding the social identity of the French aristocrats.<p> This thesis discusses the social identity of the French aristocrats as framed through the theoretical perspective of practice theory. This social identity is formulated through the expectations they carried into an unfamiliar social space that required experience and compromise to negotiate a position within the social field accepted by all parties. Ethnicity, class, ideology, and gender all played roles in the formulation of this identity. Artifacts from the Bellevue excavation are used to highlight the materiality of the French aristocratic social identity in the Prairie West.

This doctoral dissertation focuses on the negotiation of power in schools and the social and academic experiences of First Nations and Metis children who speak a non-standard variety of English called Indigenous English. Indigenous English is a dialect of English spoken by many Indigenous peoples in Canada; it is especially discernable in the Prairie Provinces, yet it is not widely recognized by the majority of the population. This thesis explores the experience of dialect speakers of Indigenous English in the standard English School and educator perceptions of their literacy and language abilities. / This classroom study was conducted in an urban community in Saskatchewan. The focus of the research was a Grade 3/4 classroom with 25 students, six of whom were interviewed for this study. Additionally, interviews were conducted with eleven educators. The results of this study indicate that the First Nations children of this study speak a dialect of English that differs phonologically, morphologically, syntactically, and lexically from the Standard English spoken in Saskatchewan. The results of this PhD research indicate that Indigenous English-speaking students use discourse behaviour that differs from that of their White settler classmates. In examining the children's speech and classroom behaviour, it becomes apparent that silence, teasing, and story telling are important discourse characteristics of Indigenous English. / The findings indicate that White settler educators demonstrate little awareness of the systematic linguistic and discourse characteristics of Indigenous English and that this lack of awareness is apparent in White settler educators' descriptions of their approaches to teaching, literacy development, classroom management, evaluation, and referral of First Nations and Metis students for speech and language assessment. Other findings include denial of difference, and a race/class divide in the school and community. / Possible resolutions to the problems faced by these students may include teacher training and dialect awareness classes. This field has not been adequately explored and further research is needed to discover viable solutions to the issues experienced by dialect speakers of Indigenous English in the Standard English classroom.