Georgian College

Environmental contaminant exposure from traditional food consumption presents a risk for Indigenous youth (i.e., children and adolescents) who live in northern Canada; however, there are few studies targeting this demographic. Essential (Co, Cr, Mn, and Se) and non-essential (As, Cd, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Sb) metals and metalloids, and fourteen polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) congeners in 229 tissue samples of traditionally consumed foods were analyzed (i.e., birds, fish, and large mammals) using the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme protocol. Deterministic and probabilistic Monte Carlo risk assessments were used to estimate the risk of exposure to contaminants via the consumption of traditional foods; a maximum cumulative ratio calculation (MCR) to assess the risk of a varied diet of traditional foods for metals and metalloids was also carried out. There was a probabilistic risk of exposure to Hg from the consumption of pike, sucker, and walleye for children; the MCR supported the result that the risk was due mainly to Hg. Dietary exposure to PCB congener 153 (PCB-153) was primarily due to the consumption of pike and sucker. There was also a risk of exposure to three other PCB congeners (PCB-101, -180, -187) from the consumption of sucker. Our assessment indicates a risk of exposure to Hg and certain PCBs; however, the actual risk of exposure varies with season, differences in traditional food consumption, and local levels of the toxicant. Therefore, monitoring and communicating information to affected communities on an annual basis is recommended.

Snow cover is an essential element of the Himalayan region (Third Pole), and it represents the impacts induced by climate change. Recently, studies have reported significant variations in the Himalayan snow cover area, which may impact the livelihood of a large portion of the global population. Therefore, in this study, efforts were made to estimate the association between key climate stressors (CSs), i.e., temperature and precipitation, topography, and temporal variability of snow cover area (SCA) in the Parvati River basin (PRB) of the Indian western Himalayas. In this regard, the PRB has been classified into different elevation zones, i.e., zone I to zone V, ranging from 1100 to 6200 amsl. The databases such as MODIS, MEERA-2, and ASTER DEM V2 have been used to estimate the changes in the SCA and the CSs with changes in elevation and seasons. The linear regression analysis of the dataset from 2001 to 2017 revealed a significant association and increasing trend in the SCA of zone III. However, a significant association could not be established between the elevation and the SCA for the rest of the zones. A zonal seasonal trend investigation of the SCA observed an increasing trend in zones IV and V during the summer season due to a momentous rise in snowfall and a decline in temperature. The SCA has shown a significant declining trend only during the monsoon season in zones IV and V, which is due to a strong negative relationship between the SCA and the temperature of the region. These results demonstrate the amount of SCA in zones of high elevation of the PRB has been declining at an alarming rate, which could negatively influence glaciers' retreat in the near future. Hence, it can be estimated that the outcomes of the study will act as a base for future studies, regional policy formulation, and climate modelling that can further prevent future drastic or extreme events.

Anatomy and physiology courses are an integral part of the curriculum of the many Health, Wellness, and Sciences diploma (e.g., acupuncture, biotechnology, massage therapy, occupational therapy assistant and physical therapy assistant) and degree programs (Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing Honours Bachelor Degree program) offered at Georgian College. In 2020, Georgian College received a Future Skills Centre (FSC) Shock-Proofing the Future of Work: Skills Innovation Challenge grant. As part of this grant, Georgian College is exploring, through two pilot projects, the benefits and challenges associated with integrating virtual reality(VR) technology in anatomy courses in Health, Wellness, and Sciences programs to enhance learning by offering to students in addition to the conventional content, new ways (i.e., VR or non-immersive 2D programs) to engage, experience, and learn course content. More specifically, the goal of the two pilots is to examine the effects of using either VR anatomy or 2D anatomy on experience-based learning outcomes (motivational and enjoyment) and content-based learning outcomes (pre/post-test comparisons). The work-in-progress paper describes the development and implementation of the two pilot projects. For the last eighteen months, students enrolled in specific Health, Wellness, and Sciences diploma and degree programs have had the chance to engage with either human anatomy VR experiences or 2D human anatomy. So far, these pilots have generated important discussions among different interested parties regarding the viability of incorporating VR technology in the curriculum of Health, Wellness, and Sciences diploma and degree programs, as well as how VR anatomy-based experiences can be improved to meet the needs of different diploma and degree programs.

Pesticide use in agriculture has the potential to contaminate groundwater supplies. In reality, according to studies, only about 0.1 percent of toxins widely used in agriculture reach the target insect. At the same time, the rest enters the environment inappropriately and contaminates soil, water, and air, poisoning or harming non-target creatures. Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) were widely used when organochlorine pesticides were prohibited from using in the 1960s and 1970s due to their harmful effects. This study aimed to measure the extent of organophosphate pesticides pollution in the groundwater of the Kota region. Contaminant compounds of several organophosphate pesticides have been identified in the groundwater of the Kota region.

The complexity of nursing in Canada is evident in the diverse designations and jurisdictional approaches to legislation and regulation of the profession. The ever-evolving scope of practice of each designation of nursing shows the ability of nursing and nurses to adapt to the external environment and evolve to meet the needs of clients, the profession and the healthcare system. This commentary highlights the "made-in-Canada" research regarding intraprofessional collaboration. It also presents recommendations to strengthen intraprofessional collaboration over the next decade.

To address food insecurity in northern Canada, some isolated communities started gardening initiatives to reduce dependencies on expensive foods flown in to communities. From 2012–2014, soils in northern Ontario James Bay lowlands were cultivated with bush beans and potatoes, grown in sole and intercropping configurations, in an open field and an agroforestry system enclosed by willow trees. The objective of this study was to compare the supply rates of 15 plant-available nutrients in these soils using in situ ion exchange membranes. After three years of cultivation, the agroforestry site had significantly greater supply of PO4, Ca, and Zn and these nutrients had positive correlations with yield. By contrast, the open site had significantly greater supply of Mg, SO4, and B; these nutrients, and Al, had negative correlations with yield. Whilst there were no differences between sole and intercropping configurations, significantly greater supply of NO3, Ca, Cu, Fe, and Zn occurred early in the growing season, compared to significantly greater supply of K, SO4, B, and Al later in the season. Significantly greater yields have been harvested in the agroforestry site and it is suspected that the presence of a willow shelterbelt improves the microclimate and plant-available PO4, Ca, and Zn.

The challenges and complexity of the reconciliation process are still not well understood by a large number of non-Indigenous people in Canada. As a nation, we are attempting to grasp the intricacy of how to unravel and atone for the damage that has been done in establishing and managing the more than 130 residential schools in Canada. This not only impacted more than 150,000 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children but destroyed generations of families that are still and will continue to be impacted for years to come. The official apology from Prime Minister Stephen Harper on June 11, 2008, to all Indigenous people in Canada for the atrocities of the Indian Residential Schools was the start of a very long and painful continuous journey. The 94 calls to action released in 2015 by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission provide a road map to a complex recovery process for Indigenous people across the country. In January 2018, Health Canada held a national panel discussion with Indigenous leaders and experts on the question “Reconciliation—What Does it Mean?” One of the main themes of reconciliation revolves around education, and, in order to stay focused, we must continue to educate Canadians, including police leaders and new recruits, as we move through the meandering path of econciliation. The book Our Shared Future provides an outstanding in-depth look through the windows into a number of individual perspectives on the reconciliation journey.