Despite their prevalence, the study of Canadian minority governments has been the object of few published studies. In particular, the issue of how governments that must rely on the support of one or more opposition parties in Parliament manage to remain in power (viability) and pass their legislative proposals (effectiveness) has not been thoroughly investigated. This study examines the parliamentary dynamics at play in these situations by applying a majority building framework grounded in and supported by three theoretical perspectives, namely the rational choice tradition, new institutionalism, and the role of party politics and party systems, to four minority governments that have occurred in the last 50 years or so: 1- Diefenbaker (1957-1958), 2- Pearson (1963-1965); 3- Clark (1979-1980); and, 4- Harper (2006-2008). The data on the specific circumstances that held during these minority governments has been gathered from archival records, from the recorded debates and votes in the House of Commons, from previous Canadian studies on minority government, from political autobiographies, and from third party accounts of the events at the time. The study finds that majority building is a function of primarily two interrelated variables: 1- bargaining power (interparty dynamics and intra-party cohesion) and 2- agenda control (House business, confidence tests, other institutional features). It also stresses the importance of government concessions as an effective means of achieving desired goals and outcomes. Furthermore, this study highlights the capacity and skill of individual parliamentary actors in the exercise of legislative politics generally and in manipulating institutional and party system levers specifically, as a contributing factor to their government’s duration and legislative output. This study adds to the empirical knowledge of the minority experience in Canada and provides a conceptual framework to better understand legislative politics and its impact on the success of minority governments in Canada and elsewhere. / Malgré leur fréquence, les gouvernements minoritaires au Canada n’ont pas souvent fait l’objet d’études. En particulier, peu d’attention a été portée à la question de comment un gouvernement minoritaire réussi à obtenir l’appui d’un ou de plusieurs partis d’opposition dans le but de rester au pouvoir (viabilité) et de faire passer ses propositions législatives (efficacité). Notre étude examine les dynamiques parlementaires qui se déploient dans ses situations. Plus précisément, elle cherche à les comprendre à la lumière d’un modèle de stratégies menant au consensus sur un vote parlementaire. Ce modèle est fondé sur trois perspectives théoriques, soit la tradition du choix rationnel, le nouvel institutionnalisme et le rôle de la politique partisane et du système de partis. Nous étudions quatre gouvernements minoritaires des cinquante dernières années : 1- Diefenbaker (1957-1958), 2- Pearson (1963-1965), 3- Clark (1979-1980) et Harper (2006-2008). Nous avons accumulé nos données sur ces gouvernements minoritaires à partir de documents d’archives, de la transcription des débats et des votes à la Chambre des communes, d’études canadiennes sur les gouvernements minoritaires, d’autobiographies politiques et des souvenirs de tierces parties présentes lors du déroulement des événements que nous étudions. Notre étude identifie deux variables liées à la création de majorités législatives au Parlement, soit : 1- le pouvoir de négociation (la dynamique entre les partis et la cohésion à l’intérieur des partis) et, 2- le contrôle de l’agenda parlementaire (affaires découlant de la Chambre, les motions de confiance et d’autres facteurs institutionnels). De plus, elle identifie l’importance des concessions gouvernementales dans l’atteinte de ses objectifs. Notre étude souligne l’importance de la capacité et du doigté des joueurs parlementaires particuliers dans l’exercice de la politique législative en général et dans la manipulation des composantes institutionnelles et partisanes en particulier pour garantir la longévité et l’efficacité de leur gouvernement. Notre étude contribue à ajouter à notre connaissance de l’expérience minoritaire au Canada et nous offre un modèle nous permettant de mieux comprendre la politique législative et sa contribution au succès des gouvernements minoritaires au Canada et ailleurs.

Cuatro estudios meta-analíticos evalúan la eficacia de los programas de apoyo a la lactancia materna, en mujeres con intención de lactar, sobre los resultados en duración de cualquier tipo de lactancia materna (clm) y lactancia materna exclusiva (lme), a los tres y seis meses. Con respecto a la lme, las mujeres que siguen un programa de apoyo (GE), abandonan la lactancia un 18% (dr3meses=0.182) menos a los tres meses y un 12% (dr6meses:0.120) menos a los seis meses, en comparación con las madres que no se adscriben a ningún programa de apoyo (GC). Referente a clm, las mujeres del GE, interrumpen la lactancia un 7% menos a los tres y seis meses (dr3meses=0.076 y dr6meses:0.072), en comparación con las madres del GC. Finalmente, en los estudios de mayor cobertura temporal, se analiza la influencia de variables moderadoras y su efecto sobre la duración de clm y lme.

The introduction of the use of Tire Pressure Control Systems (TPCS) to improve the productivity of the Canadian trucking industry is gaining momentum. The imposition of seasonal load restrictions (SLR) on the thaw-weakened secondary roads interrupts the transportation of raw materials to processing facilities For the forestry industry in particular, this has very significant impacts on productivity and costs. FPInnovations-Feric Division (Feric) has investigated the potential for TPCS-equipped trucks to travel with full, legal loading during the SLR period without accelerating road wear and tear. The TPCS monitors and adjusts the inflation pressure of the trucks’ tires while driving and allows the operator to optimize the inflations for changes in loading, travel speed, or road quality encountered in the trip. This thesis describes an investigation to determine whether TPCS can be used to mitigate traffic generated damage to secondary roads and also reduce the need to implement load restrictions. The project involves a partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO), Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada (FERIC), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and the Centre for Pavement and Transportation Technology (CPATT) located at the University of Waterloo. The thesis will describe the methodology, design, and instrumentation of the two test sites which are located in Dryden, Ontario and Chapleau, Ontario. In addition, repeated Portable Falling Weight Deflectometer (PFWD) testing is being carried out at these sites and the initial results of this examination and associated impacts of the environment and traffic on the road will be presented. This study also involves looking into the reliability of using the portable FWD, offering a lower cost alternative instead of the trailer mounted FWD to monitor pavement strength for the identification the SLR period. The use of innovative sensors and data collection techniques are proving to be very informative and are advancing pavement engineering knowledge. Moreover, the thesis is aimed at exploring the possibilities of achieving the current objectives of the government DOTs such as TPCS potential for addressing the timber industry in crisis, reduced road maintenance budgets, and global warming increasing road damage.

The introduction of the use of Tire Pressure Control Systems (TPCS) to improve the productivity of the Canadian trucking industry is gaining momentum. The imposition of seasonal load restrictions (SLR) on the thaw-weakened secondary roads interrupts the transportation of raw materials to processing facilities For the forestry industry in particular, this has very significant impacts on productivity and costs. FPInnovations-Feric Division (Feric) has investigated the potential for TPCS-equipped trucks to travel with full, legal loading during the SLR period without accelerating road wear and tear. The TPCS monitors and adjusts the inflation pressure of the trucks’ tires while driving and allows the operator to optimize the inflations for changes in loading, travel speed, or road quality encountered in the trip. This thesis describes an investigation to determine whether TPCS can be used to mitigate traffic generated damage to secondary roads and also reduce the need to implement load restrictions. The project involves a partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation Ontario (MTO), Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada (FERIC), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) and the Centre for Pavement and Transportation Technology (CPATT) located at the University of Waterloo. The thesis will describe the methodology, design, and instrumentation of the two test sites which are located in Dryden, Ontario and Chapleau, Ontario. In addition, repeated Portable Falling Weight Deflectometer (PFWD) testing is being carried out at these sites and the initial results of this examination and associated impacts of the environment and traffic on the road will be presented. This study also involves looking into the reliability of using the portable FWD, offering a lower cost alternative instead of the trailer mounted FWD to monitor pavement strength for the identification the SLR period. The use of innovative sensors and data collection techniques are proving to be very informative and are advancing pavement engineering knowledge. Moreover, the thesis is aimed at exploring the possibilities of achieving the current objectives of the government DOTs such as TPCS potential for addressing the timber industry in crisis, reduced road maintenance budgets, and global warming increasing road damage.

The aim of this study is to make an inquiry on the nature and the development of dualities in Bergson&rsquo / s philosophy. Since the nature of each duality differs from the others and the dualistic pattern inherent in Bergsonian philosophy is subject to change, we base our study on a chronological structure in order to comprehend better how this pattern changes. We claim that such an inquiry will yield relevant outcomes with regard to ontological and epistemological evolution of Bergson&rsquo / s thought. To state more precisely, we are of the idea that the modification in the dualistic pattern in Bergson&rsquo / s ontology is reflected in a parallel manner in his epistemology. The fundamental question that shows us the way to follow in our study is whether the elements of the dualities (whether they be ontological or epistemological) are reconciled by Bergson or they are left as absolutely distinct elements. At the end of the inquiry regarding that question, which we believe can be taken as an inspiring point in developing new approaches especially to epistemological problems, our conviction is that Bergson points out to a meeting point.

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Vegetative annuals are currently popular in the ornamental horticulture industry. Many crops are newly domesticated species and little is known about how they perform during shipping or in the retail environment. Nine species and 21 cultivars were grown and underwent simulated shipping after harvest or nitrogen toning two weeks before harvest. Shipping was not found to affect the number of flowers on all but two cultivars post ship. Nitrogen toning affected vegetative growth of most Bracteantha bracteata (bracteantha) cultivars at harvest. All species had an effect due to toning postharvest. Bractenatha and Diascia ×hybrida (diascia) were chosen for further study due to their performance during these experiments. The effect of thidiazuron (TDZ) as a foliar spray and nitrogen toning on leaf yellowing and plant growth of bracteantha were evaluated. The two treatments were then combined to see how the two treatments worked together. It was found TDZ decreased leaf yellowing but its effects can be negated if the plants were not toned. Nitrogen toning reduced vegetative growth of the bracteantha without affecting the number of flowers on the plants. Diascia was found to have flower abscission in response to shipping. Further trials were conducted using 1- methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) an ethylene inhibitor. The effects of shipping duration and temperature were investigated. 1-MCP was found to hold flowers on treated plants longer postharvest than those not treated. Plants shipped for one day had no differences from the control but shipping for two days had a negative effect on plant quality. Postharvest shelf life was decreased when diascia was shipped at 24 °C when compared to cooler shipping temperatures. These results indicate shipping for no longer than one day and at less than 24 °C is recommended for diascia.

The object of this research was to investigate dispersion in surface phononic crystals (PnCs) for application to a newly developed passive surface acoustic wave (SAW) ozone sensor. Frequency band gaps and slow sound already have been reported for PnC lattice structures. Such engineered structures are often advertised to reduce loss, increase sensitivity, and reduce device size. However, these advances have not yet been realized in the context of surface acoustic wave sensors. In early work, we computed SAW dispersion in patterned surface structures and we confirmed that our finite element computations of SAW dispersion in thin films and in one dimensional surface PnC structures agree with experimental results obtained by laser probe techniques. We analyzed the computations to guide device design in terms of sensitivity and joint spectral operating point. Next we conducted simulations and experiments to determine sensitivity and limit of detection for more conventional dispersive SAW devices and PnC sensors. Finally, we conducted extensive ozone detection trials on passive reflection mode SAW devices, using distinct components of the time dispersed response to compensate for the effect of temperature. The experimental work revealed that the devices may be used for dosimetry applications over periods of several days.

<p>The present thesis concerns aspects of the interaction ofmatter in gas, liquid and solid phases, with electromagneticradiation, ranging from the optical to the X-ray region. Overthe last decade the availability of ultrashort strong laserpulses as well as of high power synchrotron sources of tunableX-ray radiation has stimulated a rapid development of newexperimental techniques which makes it possible to analysedifferent physical, chemical and biological processes inunprecedented detail. All of this urges a concomitantdevelopment of adequate theoretical language and methodscombined with simulation techniques.</p><p>The first part of the thesis addresses nonlinear propagationof strong optical pulses. This study is motivated by thebreakthrough in synthesis of novel organic materials possessingprespecified nonlinear optical properties and which has led toa multitude of potential applications such as, for example, 3Dimaging and data storage, optical limiting and photodynamiccancer therapy. In order to clarify the underlying physics, astrict solution has been derived of the density matrixequations of a material aiming at an explicit treatment of itsnonlinear polarization without addressing a conventional Taylorexpansion over field amplitudes. Such a formalism is developedfor many-level molecules, allowing to solve the coupledMaxwell's and density matrix equations for the propagation of afew interacting laser pulses through a nonlinear molecularmedium. The theory presented is capable to account formulti-photon processes of an arbitrary order and for differentsaturation effects. The theory is applied to simulations oftwo- and three-photon absorption as well as to upconvertedstimulated emission of organic molecules in solvents.</p><p>The second part of the thesis is devoted to resonant X-rayRaman scattering from free molecules, solutions and polymerfilms. The temporal analysis of the spectral profiles isperformed using the technique of scattering duration whichallows to select physical processes with different time scales.The slowing-down/speeding-up of the scattering by frequencydetuning provides insight in the formation of the differentparts of the scattering profile like atomic and molecularbands, resonant and vertical scattering channels, anomalousenhancement of the Stokes doubling effect. The lifetimevibrational interference (LVI), playing a crucial role inresonant scattering, is found to strongly influence thedispersion of the Auger resonances of polymers in agreementwith experiment. An almost complete quenching of the scatteringcross section by LVI is observed for the N₂molecule. It is found that the interferenceelimination of the scattering amplitude gives valuableinformation on molecular geometry. The electron Doppler effectis minutely studied making use of a wave packet technique. Thesimulations show an "interference burning" of a narrow hole onthe top of the Doppler broadened profile of the Auger spectraof molecular oxygen. For the SF₆molecule the Auger Doppler effect is found to besensitive to the detuning due to the scattering anisotropy. Inall of these studies the temporal language was foundconstructive and enormously helpful for understanding theunderlying physical processes. Most theoretical predictionsmade have been verified by experiments.</p>

關於Merton (1969) 最適投資組合策略問題，所考慮之投資情境為：一個將其財富資金安排配置於風險性資產(各類證券)與無風險短期現金部位之投資人，在給定此投資人心目中財富效用函數之前提下，希望事先決定出投資組合之最適投資權重(策略)，藉此達成在投資期滿時極大化財富效用之期望值。基於Merton (1974) 公司價值觀點，具有違約風險之證券(公司債與股票)乃是公司價值之衍生性商品，無法以傳統資產配置對股票與債券部位採取現貨方式處理最適投資策略，在此必需同時結合財務工程處理衍生性金融商品計價與避險之技術來解決。本研究利用Kron & Kraft (2003) 彈性求解法來針對市場是否有投資限制、債券提前違約、到期違約及利率隨機與否等假設，基於不同投資組合情境分析來最適投資部位策略。本研貢獻和究創新突破之處在於特別探討公司違約時，債券投資人不再享有全部公司殘值之求償權，此時股東亦享有部份比例之求償權，違約後之公司殘值將由債券投資人與股東兩者比例共分之特殊情境下，對數型態財富效用之投資人對於提前違約風險之接受度高於到期違約風險，若一般情境(股東無任何求償權)則為相反。此外亦特別提供最適成長投資組合之動態避險策略封閉解，藉以提供投資人面臨企業違約風險時應制定之投資決策與動態調整，使本研究臻至週延與實用。 / Under the Merton (1969) optimal portfolio problem, we only consider the specific investor, whose wealth utility follows the type of logarithm function; wants to maximize the expected value of the terminal wealth utility through determine the optimal investment strategy in advance. He divides his wealth into the riskless asset and risky assets such as the money market account and the various-risky securities issued by the corporate. Based on the Merton firm value framework (1974), the defaultable securities, such as the corporate bonds and stocks, are the derivatives instruments of the firm value. It will be inappropriate if we deal with this optimal portfolio problem under the original methods. Therefore, we need to handle this optimal asset allocation problem through the pricing, valuation and hedging techniques from the financial engineering simultaneously. This study apply the elasticity approach to portfolio optimization (EAPO, Kraft ,2003) to solve the optimal portfolio strategy under various scenarios, such as the market contains the investment constrain or not, intermediate default risks, mature default risk, interest rate risky under the stochastic process. The innovation and contribution of this paper are especially breaking the common setting and analysis the optimal-growth-portfolio strategy under the special scenario. In the common setting, as soon as the default event occurs, the residual firm value will be claimed by the corporate bondholders with fully proportion and the stockholder cannot share any residual value. Oppositely, the stockholder will be able to share the residual firm value proportionally with the corporate bondholder together under the so-called special scenario. We found that the investor would have higher acceptance of the premature default risk than the mature default risk in the special scenario. This phenomenon will be reversed under the common scenario. Furthermore, in order to make this study more completely and useful, we do not only illustrate the optimal investment strategy but also provide the closed-formed solution of the dynamic hedge strategy of the risky position, composed by the defaultable securities. This could help the optimal-growth-portfolio-oriented investor to make investment decision while they face the firm value downward decreasing.