Sui Generis and Treaty Citizenship

This article, written from an Aboriginal perspective, explores the problematic invitation to federal citizenship in Canada for Aboriginal peoples. Its focus is on the deficits of such an offering for the constitutional rights of Aboriginal peoples, which is characterized by sui generis and treaty citizenship. Informed by Aboriginal and intercultural perspectives, the article argues that the offerings of statutory citizenship for Aboriginal peoples inverts rather than respects the constitutional relationship. It looks at how the Supreme Court of Canada has located and structured sui generis Aboriginal orders, the concepts of sui generis citizenship, treaty federalism, and constitutional supremacy as compared with the idea of federal citizenship, concluding that such 'invitations' to Canadian citizenship are inconsistent with and infringe upon the constitutional rights of Aboriginal peoples. By understanding the prismatic nature of Canadian federalism in a postcolonial context, this article aims at reconceptualizing Canadian citizenship in terms of ecological belonging, fundamental rights, and respect for human diversity and creativity.     

Fentanyl-related deaths: demographics, circumstances, and toxicology of 112 cases

Since 1979, the potent narcotic analgesic fentanyl and its analogs have been synthesized in clandestine laboratories and sold as heroin substitutes. At least 112 overdose deaths have been associated with their use. In this study, toxicology data, autopsy findings, and coroners' investigative reports were reviewed in order to construct a profile of the typical fentanyl overdose victim and to identify any factors that might heighten the risk of death from fentanyl use. The "typical" fentanyl overdose victim was 32.5 +/- 6.7 years of age (range, 19 to 57 years), male (78%, compared with 22% female), and Caucasian (50%, compared with 29% Hispanic, 20% Black, and 0.9% Asian). With the exception of his or her age, the typical fentanyl overdose victim is quite similar to the typical heroin user. Nearly all the deaths (94%) occurred in California, yet within the state they were widely distributed throughout 17 counties and 44 cities. Pulmonary edema and congestion and needle puncture sites were consistent postmortem findings. No preexisting medical conditions were identified as possible risk factors. Although most of the fentanyl victims had a prior history of intravenous drug use, morphine or codeine were not commonly found, which suggests that the victims had little or no opiate tolerance. Ethanol was present in 38% of the cases and is thought to be a significant risk factor. Mean fentanyl concentrations in the body fluids were quite low: 3.0 +/- 3.1 ng/mL (0.3 +/- 0.31 micrograms/dL) in blood and 3.9 +/- 4.3 ng/mL (0.39 +/- 0.43 micrograms/dL) in urine, measured by radioimmunoassay. Although the potency of the analogs and the purity of street samples varies considerably, it is probably the general availability of the drug rather than the potency of a particular analog that determines the incidence of overdose deaths.     

Between Euroscepticism and Eurosupport: The Attitudes of Urban and Rural Populations in Poland 2000–2008

Three main factors explain public support for EU membership: utilitarian expectations, the role of values and ideas, and class partisanship. In the Polish case, public opinion polls and issues more specific to Poland, such as the role of the Catholic Church, populist political parties and profound Euroscepticism among farmers, suggest that although these theoretical explanations overlap, each of them has a different explanatory value. The economic approach remains the best predictor of support for EU membership, and whereas values and identity are closely linked to and dependent upon economic expectations, the impact of national politics appears largely decoupled from Polish Euroscepticism.     

Parallel universes: Canadian and U.S. public administration study

Abstract: In this article, the discipline/profession of Canadian public administration is compared to its American counterpart. As parallel universes of inquiry and application, both have evolved from administration to management to governance. In spite of this and other similarities, possibilities for greater collaboration and cross‐fertilization have been overlooked and impeded by what the author calls an American attitude of “benign neglect.” The Canadian study of public administration reciprocates with self‐sufficiency and an enviable coherence in spite of similar divisions in the two countries between political science/policy and generic management approaches. To confirm the neglect, the author conducted a mini‐survey of Canadian content in the journal Public Administration Review and in papers presented at U.S. conferences and – for contrast – of American content in the journal Canadian Public Administration and at Canadian conferences. Modest proposals for rectifying the evident parallel but separate trajectories are suggested through greater interaction that would enrich both study and practice. Exploring some of the overlooked successes in Canadian administration would be useful for students of public administration in the U.S. Sommaire : Le présent article établit une comparaison entre la discipline/la profession de l'administration publique canadienne et son homologue aux États‐Unis. En tant qu'univers parallèles d'enquêtes et d'application, les deux ont évolué, passant de l'administration au management, puis à la gouvernance. Malgré cela et d'autres similarités, les possibilités d'une plus grande collaboration et d'enrichissement mutuel ont été ignorées et empêchées par une attitude américaine qualifiée par l'auteur de «négligence bienveillante ». L'étude canadienne de l'administration publique a réagi par l'autosuffisance et une cohérence enviable malgré des divisions similaires dans les deux pays entre les approches de sciences politiques et de gestion générique. Pour confirmer cette négligence, l'auteur a entrepris un mini sondage sur le contenu canadien dans la revue Public Administration Review et lors de conférences américaines et, par contraste, sur le contenu américain dans Administration publique du Canada et lors de conférences canadiennes. De modestes propositions sont faites pour rectifier les trajectoires évidentes, parallèles, et cependant distinctes, suggérant une plus grande interaction qui enrichirait à la fois la théorie et la pratique. Il serait utile pour les étudiants américains en administration publique d'examiner en profondeur certains des succès ignorés de l'administration canadienne.     

Causes of Action: First Findings of the LSRC Periodic Survey

In this paper we report some of the first findings of the LSRC periodic survey of justiciable problems. We confirm the prevalence of justiciable problems amongst the general population. We identify important differences in the experiences of discrete socio–demographic populations, not only in terms of the number of problems faced, but also in terms of the perception of problems and reactions to them. We show that cost is not the principal barrier to taking action or obtaining advice across most problem categories. Other concerns, such as fear or uncertainty as to what can be done are generally more prevalent. We illustrate the range of strategies employed by those who take action, and confirm the rarity of court action. Finally we show that the basic form of Felstiner, Abel, and Sarat's aetiology of lawsuits is recognizable within our findings, although we explain that the manner and form of progression through the various stages is complex and irregular.     

Individual learning and building organisational capacity for development

Building capacities and capabilities for international development is an ongoing subject for debate, further fuelled by recent interest in learning and knowledge. This article focuses on how, and the extent to which, individual learners in education and training programmes for development policy and management interact with their organisations to build capacities and capabilities. It demonstrates some of the ways that individual learning and organisational capacity are linked by examining case studies from Uganda, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The article reflects on the complex nature of this interaction and on the broader challenges of linking learning to development. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.