Open Letter Re Muskrat Falls

PDF Copy of Letter Re: Open Letter on Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Decision on Muskrat Falls

As professors and health researchers who have had the great privilege and pleasure of working in the Nunatsiavut region of Labrador for almost a decade, we are writing this open letter to express our perspectives on the recent decisions to not act on scientific evidence to remove organic materials (topsoil, vegetation, and trees) from the Muskrat Falls reservoir and surrounding area.

Under the current development scenario, not only will there be dramatic environmental alterations in an area that is historically and culturally significant to the Indigenous Peoples of Labrador, but research indicates that people in the region will be exposed to methylmercury well above regulatory guidelines from Health Canada and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The science is clear: without removing organic material from the site to be flooded, methylmercury levels in the Lake Melville ecosystem are anticipated to significantly increase, leading to contamination of important country food sources in the region, and leading to increased methylmercury exposure for Indigenous peoples in the region reliant on these food sources. Methylmercury exposure can have harmful health impacts: scientific literature and medical studies show that long-term dietary exposure to methylmercury is linked to brain development problems in children and can damage the nervous system in adults; and children who are exposed while they are in the womb can have deficits in cognitive thinking, memory, attention, language, fine motor skills, and visual spatial skills.

It is a cultural right of Inuit and Indigenous peoples in the region to continue to rely on the land for sustenance, livelihoods, and food security, as their ancestors have for thousands of years. To disrupt important keystone food sources such as fish and seal, and render them inedible and harmful to human health, causes serious impacts to food sovereignty in the region and impacts cultural continuity, history, and heritage. Furthermore, this is a human rights issue – the right of Indigenous peoples in the region to continue to enjoy harvesting from the land for food security, culture, and wellbeing. As such, there is a human responsibility to respond based on the best available scientific evidence and Indigenous science and oral history. Economic compensation will never fully compensate for the loss of food security and cultural wellbeing that comes from actively engaging in land-based activities – activities that have sustained Indigenous people in Labrador for thousands of years. There will also be continued health and social disruptions, leading to increased healthcare costs for physical and mental health issues, and further needless financial burden on individuals, communities, and the government.

Mitigation is possible. The future of how this development continues can still be altered. There is still the opportunity to #MakeMuskratRight. There is still the opportunity to value human and environmental life and health above pressures of a large crown corporation, funded by tax payers, and follow the precautionary principle to ensure the continued survival – and thriving – of the First Peoples of Labrador who will experience the downstream effects.

As scientists and scholars, we stand in solidarity with the Nunatsiavut Government and their recommendations for the removal of trees, vegetation, and soil before flooding and for more environment-health monitoring and management with Inuit partnership. We also stand in solidarity with Indigenous peoples of Labrador, with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and with all the concerned citizens and organizations who have expressed concern and condemnation for this development, and call for immediate evidence-based action to support human and environmental health, and for stronger, more respectful, and more authentic Nation-to-Nation relationships.

Sincerely,

Dr. Ashlee Cunsolo Director Labrador Institute of Memorial University College of the North Atlantic Building PO Box 490, Station B Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL, A0P 1E0 E: ashlee.cunsolo@mun.ca | P: 709-896-4702 W: ashleecunsolowillox.ca T: @AshleeCunsolo

Dr. Sherilee Harper Assistant Professor in EcoHealth Department of Population Medicine Ontario Veterinary College University of Guelph Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1 E: harpers@uoguelph.ca | P: 519-824-4120 ext. 58392 W: www.sherileeharper.com T: @Sherilee_H

Emily Meets With The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell

Written by Emily Nunez, Undergraduate Thesis Student In mid-September, I received an e-mail from Janet Doner, Manager of Community Engagement and Global Citizenship at the University of Guelph, inviting me to be part of a small group of students to have a conversation with the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Elizabeth Dowdeswell. Her Honour had specifically requested to meet with a group of students who are engaged in a variety of initiatives on and off-campus, and I was fortunate enough to have been recommended by staff and faculty members.

On Tuesday September 27^th, I entered the Aboriginal Resource Centre to find the group of students sitting on the couch, along with Janet Doner and Charlotte Yates, the Provost and Vice President (Academic). Janet had arranged for the group of students to meet for a few minutes before Her Honour’s arrival. I was surprised to recognize two of the students in the room; a teaching assistant from a first year seminar course I had taken on politics and the environment, and a student from the last cohort of the Certificate in Civic Engagement and Global Citizenship that I am also taking.

We began by going around the circle introducing ourselves by name, program and primary organization that we are currently involved with. When it was my turn, I still hadn’t fully decided which of my engagement opportunities would be considered my primary organization: the College of Biological Science Student Council, Certificate in Civic Engagement and Global Citizenship, UofMosaic Fellowship, the Cross-Cultural Tolerance pilot course, The Harper Lab? I chose an organization, and also voiced how challenging it was to choose a single association to speak on behalf of. The other students in the room agreed, and Janet noted that perhaps we should list all of our current organizations, as we were after all selected due to our multiple engagements on-campus and in the community.

A few minutes after later, there was a flurry of movement in the hallway by the main entrance of the centre. From the doorway emerged three people in business attire carrying clipboards and a camera, a military Aide de Camp, and finally, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

She smiled warmly and approached our circle. She made her way around to each of us, and we introduced ourselves to her and shook her hand. After she sat down, everyone in the circle summarized their main campus and community engagement experiences since we began at the University of Guelph. It was fascinating to hear about the diversity of leadership experiences my fellow peers have had throughout their time on this campus—they ranged from leading voter engagement campaigns to mentoring first year varsity athletes to being actively involved in the Muslim Students’ Association.

Her Honour then commented on how involved University of Guelph students appear to be in comparison to the average university-aged student. She then asked us whether we believed that volunteer-oriented students were attracted to the University of Guelph, or whether the University of Guelph fostered an environment that encouraged community engagement and volunteerism. The answers were mixed, and very much drew from personal experiences. As I spoke from my own personal experience, I explained how I was drawn to the University of Guelph’s sustainability and community-oriented programs, initiatives and research. A large part of the reason I chose Guelph was the multitude of opportunities to get involved on-campus and in the community, and the resources available to support students in doing so.

During the last part of the meeting, we asked Her Honour if she could briefly share the path that she took to become the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. She laughed and warned us that her story was anything but linear and predictable.

Ms. Dowdeswell was born in Northern Ireland and immigrated to rural Saskatchewan with her parents in 1947. Her academic background is in home economics, teaching and behavioural sciences. She began her professional career as a teacher and university lecturer. Ms. Dowdeswell served as the Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth for the Government of Saskatchewan, after which time she held increasingly senior positions in the Canadian public surface. This included being the first female head of the Atmospheric Environment Service in the world, and the first non-meteorologist in the world to hold the position.

Ms. Dowdeswell then served as Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, during which time she chaired the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit. She also served as Under-Secretary General of the United Nations in Nairobi, Kenya. Upon returning to Canada, she established and became the founding President and CEO of the international Nuclear Waste Management Organization. She was also CEO of the Council of Canadian Academies, and has served on numerous boards of corporate and non-profit organizations.

Today as the 29^th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, she holds 11 honorary degrees and has received a number of high honours, including the Officer of the Order of Canada and the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

When Janet asked if Her Honour had any advice for us young adults, she smiled, and told us to not be afraid to take on unfamiliar positions. She went on to say that whenever the opportunity for a new position or endeavor arose, she would ask herself how much she knew about the subject. If the answer was “not much”, she would be much more apt to take the position than if she had significant experience in the area. She went on to say that, although there is a great need for experts in specific areas, there is also a need for people who have general knowledge and experience in a number of different areas.

Although the meeting was brief, only about 40 minutes in length, I walked out of the Aboriginal Resource Centre feeling inspired and rejuvenated. As I am nearing the end of my undergraduate degree, I also found this experience to be a valuable opportunity for me to reflect back on how my extra-curricular experiences have impacted my values, interests and perspective on the world. I feel extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet such a successful, hardworking and inspiring woman, and to have connected with some incredibly involved students on our campus.

[embed hide_thread=true]https://twitter.com/LGLizDowdeswell/status/781146104847032320/photo/1[/embed]

People, Animals, Water, and Sustenance (PAWS) project: Update from Iqaluit

Written by Anna Manore, MSc Candidate It’s a beautiful, sunny, summer day in Iqaluit, Nunavut, and a dozen rambunctious sled dogs are happily barking and jumping around. Three researchers from the University of Guelph are moving among the dogs, stooping and scooping to collect the stool of these rambunctious animals.

This isn’t just a community service – the three researchers are collecting dog stool in order to detect infectious diseases that could pose a danger to humans. Danielle Julien, Stephanie Masina, and Anna Manore are three graduate students whose work on the PAWS (People, Animals, Water, and Sustenance) project aims to shed some light on potential sources of enteric illness in Iqaluit. Cryptosporidium and Giardia are the two pathogens of interest, and the PAWS project is investigating dogs, surface water, and clams as potential sources for these two potentially harmful protozoans.

“PAWS is a great example of taking a systems approach to health and social issues,” says project manager Anna Bunce, from McGill University. “This is important because it gives us an holistic understanding of a number of issues and how they fit together to create the contemporary context of Iqaluit.”

EcoHealth and OneHealth approaches are being used to guide this project forward, which, in the words of Danielle Julien, offers “an incredible opportunity to work together with fellow researchers from various disciplines within our department [Department of Population Medicine] to accomplish an understanding of health in the North”

“This project couldn’t be done without our wonderful collaborators from the Nunavut Research Institute, Jamal Shirley and Jean Allen,” says Stephanie Masina. Jamal, Jean, and Stephanie have been sampling surface water since the beginning of June, at sites where local residents gather drinking water.

Anna Manore’s project, which will be looking at clams, is gearing up for sample collection to begin in the Fall. “It’s been so helpful being in Iqaluit, being able to meet people and ask questions, and to get feedback on what might or might not work in terms of sampling. Of course, helping out with the dog sampling is a big plus!”

The PAWS team hopes that their work, as a whole, will provide new understanding of the sources of enteric illness in Iqaluit, and inform potential future public health interventions.

Collaborative Arctic Summer School in Epidemiology (CASE): Alaska 2016

Written by Vivienne Steele, Anna Manore, and Carlee Wright -  MSc Candidates It is night time here at Land's End, on the Homer Spit - yet it is still light out. The Homer spit is about 5 hours from Anchorage; it juts out into the bay for 7km and is full of tourist shops and restaurants selling fresh-caught fish and chips. Land's End is located (surprise!) at the end of the spit, with many boats coming and going from the harbour at all hours of the day for fishing trips. The sea surrounds the hotel, with mountains all along the horizon and a volcano in the distance, too. What a place!

Anna, Carlee, LJ and Viv spent the weekend in Anchorage prior to the beginning of CASE's 2016 Arctic Epidemiology course. Based on recommendations from locals, Anna, Carlee and Viv went for a day's hike to Flattop Mountain. We took our time making it up to the clouded summit, seeing great views of Anchorage, the ocean, and mountains all around. The last 30 minutes of the hike were tough, requiring 'crawling' up by selecting the best rock-stepping options and grabbing other rocks to pull oneself up. Great views at the top. Another highlight was a walk past the Ulu museum, where the river in town hosts many salmon passing through. Always cool to see people fly-fishing and catching the big ones!

On Sunday we met with the Russian participants and headed to Land's end via shuttle, arriving in time to enjoy a welcome dinner with the Alaskan hosts and several of the Amercian students. This was a great opportunity for us to make introductions and enjoy a casual evening together.

On Monday, we settled into the classroom for official introductions with the students and faculty, and met up with the Norwegians, as well as Lindsay and Jen Jones who had arrived late from Whitehorse! The morning was full of engaging talks: birth registries in Norway and Georgia, how to compare health data globally (including some weaknesses of WHO data!), the role of contaminants in birth cohort studies, as well as stories of Salmonella enteriditis and Hanta virus outbreaks from a member of the CDC. Anna and Carlee gave their presentations in the afternoon, and got great questions and advice from those in attendance! The day's food highlights included clam chowder and salmon pâté, as well as a dinner of elk meatloaf and seafood tortellini alfredo. It is special to see “nightfall” from our hotel room - the sun appears to go down, but it never really gets dark!

On Tuesday, the organizers asked if anyone had seen the otter giving birth on the beach that morning - apparently otters move from water to shore while in labour. Over lunch break, we were able to check out the golden eagle perched right outside of the classroom window, who is apparently caring for its newborns. We had some great sessions including a talk about drinking water and rural sanitation, how to pass your PhD, and more student presentations (including Jen Jones). In the afternoon we headed out- halibut fishing time! It took 2 hours to boat to the fishing site, and during that time we enjoyed views of endless mountains, the volcano in the distance, sea otters, eagles, and all-around great weather! We all dropped our lines and were reeling in halibut within 5 minutes. Most of us caught 2 and stopped, but some of us kept going until a dozen or so had been caught and released. Finally, we all packed it in while the deck hands got to work filleting the fish - did you know that the halibut's cheek is its tastiest part? Next, the captain took us to Gull Island, which houses approximately 20,000 birds in high nesting season, with some years lacking even an inch for birds to nest, as each is taken by other birds. We saw pelagic cormorants, sea gulls, black-legged kittiwakes, murrs, puffins, immature bald eagles and a golden eagle. During the day, we also saw many otters, humpback whales, and a harbour seal! A late evening walk along the ocean brought us more sea otters, some kelp, and the desire to run out into the very chilly water. We settled into the hot tub immediately after.

Wednesday was spent in the classroom, with student presentations from Lindsay and Viv, as well as an interactive lecture on spatial analysis given by Dr. Philippe Amstislavki. Dr. Andy Gilman also facilitated a great session in the afternoon; students were divided into groups of community members, scientists, and public health officials in an interesting role-playing scenario to demonstrate challenges and opportunities in risk communication. In the evening, we went into town to enjoy the fish that we had caught the day before - much halibut for all - fried, baked and roasted - delish!

By Thursday, many of us were feeling the effects of a long week, but there was still much to do and see! After talks on breastfeeding and occupational health in Alaska (where we learned about aviation safety and some of the truths behind the TV series “The Deadliest Catch”), LJ presented her proposed PhD work on sense of place and birth experiences in Pond Inlet. After lunch, we heard a great talk on leadership from Dr. Linda Chamberlain, who used inspiring anecdotes and metaphors about her dog-mushing team before giving us all an afternoon tour of her Husky Homestead! We visited the dogs and learned a lot about the history of dog sledding and the Iditarod, with many sleds, harnesses, fur coats, fur mittens and photos around for us to admire.

On Friday, the course was wrapped-up with talks on obesity in Alaska and tips on acing academic presentations, as well as each person sharing a word that they felt reflected their CASE experience (see word map). After the return drive to Anchorage, many of us met for dinner at the famous Moose's Tooth Pub & Pizzeria. Overhead, planes (large and small) took off and landed constantly. Although it was past 10pm, it was still very bright out, and we made it back to the hostel in time for a good night's rest.

On our last day in Anchorage, we had a big breakfast to fuel a 25-mile bike ride along the coastal trail, which was fantastic! Anna took charge of the map and guided us along the trail, which detoured past the international airport and the Spenard Lake floatplane base (the largest in the world!). There were hundreds of planes parked in the water, and constant air traffic overhead. We lay on the grass to watch 747s take off above us, and didn’t have to wait long! Although Carlee had hoped to see a moose, and many Alaskans say they see them often along the trail, we weren’t so lucky. We returned our bike rentals by mid afternoon and headed back to the hostel to pack up and take a taxi to the airport. Although we have enjoyed the land of the midnight sun, we are all secretly looking forward to falling asleep under a dark starry sky back home in Guelph. Thank you to all of the organizers of CASE 2016 for a rewarding, engaging, and unforgettable experience in Homer!

On Parliament Hill to talk about why research matters!

Written by Alexandra Sawatzky, PhD Student On May 18^th, Sheri and I travelled to Ottawa to take part in the “Research Matters Pop-Up Research Park” at Parliament Hill. We were both honoured and humbled to represent the University of Guelph at this gathering.

Shortly after our arrival at Parliament, we headed upstairs to attend Question Period in the House of Commons. Having the chance to experience this snapshot of political life firsthand was incredible, an added bonus to our already stimulating day.

Following Question Period, we made our way down the hall to set up for the Pop-Up Research Park. The Research Park served as an opportunity for us, alongside other Ontario university researchers, students, and industry or community partners, to engage with MPs and other senior government officials to discuss and share our research.

Each pair or group of researchers was asked to stand under a banner displaying a photo that described our work, as well as a catalytic question that was meant to ignite conversation. While there was an incredible diversity of research topics around the room, all topics related to issues impacting Canadians where they live and work. Sheri and I were there to speak about our experiences working alongside the Inuit community of Rigolet, Nunatsiavut, Labrador to develop a participatory environment-health surveillance program. As our work is premised on creating and maintaining strong relationships with this community, we posed the question: Can community-university collaboration enhance Inuit health and wellbeing?

We connected with MPs from across the country, including Yvonne Jones, MP for Labrador. Sheri also had the honour of meeting Dr. Jane Philpott, Minister of Health. Although we were mainly discussing ideas and themes specific to our research, these ideas and themes – such as the theme of collaboration – resonated with everyone we spoke with. Indeed, we also engaged in discussions about the overarching reason that brought us all together in the first place – the importance of strengthening partnerships and communication between research, government, industry, and communities.

Strong partnerships and effective communication are needed in order to support innovation, collaboration, and better futures for all sectors of society. Research-based innovation would not be possible without the partnerships between industry, academia, and government –partnerships that are created and reinforced through events such as this Research Park.

Participating in this event demonstrated to us how important it is to connecting researchers with government, industry, and community representatives throughout the entire research process – from development to implementation to evaluation. Indeed, developing and growing our perspectives on, and approaches to, research and innovation cannot be done in isolation. Rather, creating and pursuing strong partnerships across disciplines and sectors can help us all to pursue better approaches to research, policy, and practice that are aligned with the needs, goals, and priorities of all those involved.

EcoHealth at the Pegasus Conference!

The 2016 Pegasus Conference was, by all accounts, an interesting, thought provoking, and inspiring conference.  With themes of peace, global health, and sustainable solutions, conference delegates shared their expertise in research, education, field experiences, advocacy and policy to reduce disparities, inequities and social injustices. Speakers included leading voices in environmental change, justice, and health, including Naomi Klein, Anne Andermann, Janet Smylie, Peter Donnelly, among other accomplished leaders. It was certainly an honour and privilege for our research group to be a part of a plenary session on Environmental Stewardship & Global Change; Dr. Sherilee Harper joined Dr. Jean Zigby (President, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment), Dr. Peter Victor (professor, York University), and the impressive and fierce Linda Wood-Solomon to explore the topic via short presentations and a discussion facilitated by the very talented Petra Hroch.

To follow the Twitter conversation, follow @PegasusConf and #PEGASUS16.  Here are some highlights from the  Environmental Stewardship & Global Change panel:

https://twitter.com/jaitrasathy/status/731854118785044480

https://twitter.com/TwonClarke/status/731847774916972544

https://twitter.com/twpiggott/status/731844463828606976

https://twitter.com/twpiggott/status/731843363801042947

IHACC end-of-project knowledge sharing workshop in Iqaluit, Nunavut on April 25th

Team members from the IHACC project Arctic team were in Iqaluit on Monday April 25th to host a workshop with participating community members and partners at the Nunavut Research Institute to share knowledge and insights gained throughout the 5 years of the project. Team members present included Dr. James Ford, Dr. Victoria Edge, Dr. Sherilee Harper, Dr. Ashlee Cunsolo Willox, Ms. Anna Bunce, Ms. Mya Sherman and Ms. Jolène Labbé. Workshop participants were given a wealth of materials produced from the project, including copies of scientific papers, reports, results booklets, posters, and presentations. We look forward to future collaborations in the community as IHACC moves to an end, and follow-up projects begin to take shape!

InukBook covered by Canadian Geographic

The InukBook program was recently highlighted by Canadian Geographic in an interview with Dr. Ashlee Cunsolo. "Thawing permafrost and other changes in weather and precipitation patterns are having a number of adverse effects on Inuit culture, not the least of which being climate change-related health impacts like increased risk of injury due to unstable ice. Today, “monitoring” is the foremost recommended health/climate strategy. Many monitoring structures in place in the North, however, aren’t organized to reflect the values and preferences of Indigenous people. Cue the InukSUK program (with SUK standing for strength, understanding and knowledge, principles that underpin Inuit notions of health and wellbeing)...."  Click here to read the article.

PhotoVoices of the Harper Lab: Reflections on the Health-Place Nexus

Written by Alexandra Sawatzky, PhD student Over the course of this semester, members of our lab group have been taking turns facilitating our bi-weekly lab meetings. Jacquie and I were in charge of last week’s meeting, and given that the end of the semester is fast approaching, we thought we would take the opportunity to lead an activity that might help to alleviate some of the end-of-semester stress while also encouraging some self-reflection.

A lot can happen in one semester. The months often fly by without leaving us much time to reflect on what we’ve learned, or how much we’ve grown. It’s easy to feel a little lost and overwhelmed amidst all of the coursework, teaching, travel, and extracurriculars.

“Stress management” techniques such as getting enough sleep, meditation, and exercising can be helpful, but they don’t necessarily help you tackle the root of the problem. Increasing attention has been paid to the benefits of self-reflection, specifically in terms of articulating those “…core values that help us weather the storms and devastations that inevitably rock our lives and careers…followed by action steps to implement those values in interpersonal settings” (Brendel, 2015).

One way to help identify those core values is to reflect on the places that play a role in shaping who you are and how you perceive the world. For example, Basso (1996), writing within the context of a Western Apache tribe, talks about stepping back from everyday experiences and incorporating an awareness of sense of place into self-reflection:

“places possess a marked capacity for triggering acts of self-reflection, inspiring thoughts about who one presently is, or memories of who one used to be, or musings on who one might become” (p. 55).

As such, reflecting on the way certain places make us feel can help us to assess and deal with our current situations, as well as work towards improving our future. Identifying the places where you feel most connected to the world – and to yourself, for that matter – and making conscious efforts to continue connecting with those places can help you to develop your own personal recipe for resilience during stressful times.

Recognizing that we certainly couldn’t accomplish all this in an hour, Jacquie and I came up with a more focused self-reflection exercise, using a photovoice framework. Following an approach laid out by Mulder and Dull (2014) involving the use of photovoice to encourage self-reflection and self-awareness among Master’s of Social Work students, we sought to turn the focus of this method inward, towards ourselves as graduate students.

We asked members of our lab group to share photos of places that were important to them. We encouraged each person to describe why each place was important, how it came to be important, as well as how that place made them feel.

Essentially, these places were important because they told stories. As everyone shared their photos and associated stories, several cross-cutting themes became clear.

1. We use these places as a means to describe our past experiences as well as our future goals. Often, we choose our favourite places based on where we feel most ourselves, or where we feel the best parts of ourselves are brought out. These are places where we get much of our thinking done. From reflecting on past experiences, to envisioning our future, these places, as one individual stated, are “…where everything comes together – [they] put everything in perspective, and help with making decisions.”
2. Familiar places instill in us a sense of consistency. We draw a lot of meaning from places we visit often. Even though we may change substantially between the times where we get to visit these places, we can usually count on the environment itself to stay relatively the same. One person even mentioned that, “it’s been many years since I’ve been there, yet I still know it so well.”
3. Discovering and exploring new places was associated with turning points, or life-changing moments that led to growth, change, and independence. As such, new places can become just as important as places we’ve known our whole lives. It’s a strange but wonderful feeling when you are able to instantly adapt to/fall in love with a new place.
4. With everything we have going on in our lives, sometimes finding a healthy balance seems impossible. As such, we tend to gravitate towards certain places as a sort of escape from reality. Interestingly, the places each of us went to “get away from it all” were just as distinct and diverse as the things we are trying to get away from. However, these places all served a common purpose: for us to reset, rejuvenate, and renew ourselves.
5. These places are special, and the people we’re with make them that much more special. Although the relationship we have with these places are highly personal, friends and family have a strong influence on the depth of our relationship to a certain place. Indeed, our relationships with other people can be an integral part of our relationships with places. For example, when speaking about a place she visited with her family, one individual said, “I am really influenced by the people around me. I love being around jovial groups – people who are as excited as I am to be there.”
6. Certain spots make you feel as though you are in exactly the right place, at exactly the right time. It takes a special place to make us feel fully present and truly peaceful.

Overall, this activity encouraged us to discuss some of the places we hold close to our hearts, and explore how these places helped lead to the development of our values and perceptions. Our discussions combined introspection, creativity, and the integration of multiple perspectives into a comprehensive self-reflection process.

Identifying and understanding those places where we feel most connected can also help us on our journey toward figuring out who we are and what we value. These places serve to remind us where we come from, as well as reveal how much we’ve grown. New places can help us look at old places in different ways, and perhaps understand more deeply what these mean to us.

We need these places for so many reasons – for all aspects of wellbeing. However, these places don’t necessarily need us in this same way. It’s easy to forget that when we’re not in that place, the place is still there. Indeed, our favourite places will be there long after we’re gone. These places give us so much – a sense of connectedness, feelings of peace and tranquility – we don’t think about what or how we can give back. Or if we can give back at all. Maybe the best thing we can give back is simply our pure and utmost gratitude.

References:

Basso, K. H. (1996). “Wisdom Sits in Places: Notes on a Western Apache Landscape.” In Feld, Steven, and Basso (eds.) Senses of Place. Santa Fe: School of American Research Press, 53-90.

Brendel, D. (2015). “Manage Stress by Knowing What You Value.” Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from: https://hbr.org/2015/09/manage-stress-by-knowing-what-you-value

Mulder, C., and Dull, A. (2014). Facilitating self-reflection: the integration of photovoice in graduate social work education. Social Work Education, 33(8):1017-1036.

MSc Graduate Sarah Syer Transitions from Researching Paediatric Malnutrition to Childhood Cerebral Palsy!

After graduating from the EcoHealth Lab where she studied childhood malnutrition, Sarah Syer is continuing her health research career as a Research Assistant at ErinoakKids Centre for Treatment and Development (Mississauga). The research project she is working on is funded by the Ontario Brain Institute (OBI) and is called CP-NET (Childhood Cerebral Palsy Integrated Neuroscience Discovery Network), which aims to improve the understanding of cerebral palsy and accelerate the development of new treatments. She is working closely with a developmental paediatrician, who is the principle investigator at the ErinoakKids site. Interested in learning more about the organization that Sarah is now working with? Click below to learn more about OBI's plan and goals for the project:

http://www.braininstitute.ca/cpnet/CP-intro.html

Farewell and congratulations Sarah!  

Best of luck with all of your future endeavours and adventures!

Alexandra Sawatzky Reflects on her Work in Rigolet, Nunatsiavut

Written by Alexandra Sawatzky (PhD Student) Almost immediately upon returning from my trip to Rigolet in February, I was faced with the unavoidable, arguably unanswerable, question: so, how was it?

Even after having had time to reflect and process everything, I still struggle with answering this question. There is no way I can articulate exactly how I feel about Rigolet, about the incredible people I get to work with here, and about the project that I am lucky enough to be a part of. I think this struggle with putting my feelings into words is largely due to the fact that the project, the people, and the place are all intertwined, and they all became a part of my life so easily and so quickly that my words have trouble catching up to my emotions.

Before my first trip to Rigolet this past October, I was incredibly nervous. I was so intimidated at the prospect of being involved in such a large, interdisciplinary project. I didn't exactly know where I would fit, let alone what the community would think of me. But as soon as I stepped off that first Air Labrador flight, all my fears disappeared and I knew I would never be the same.

Fast forward a few months, and before I knew it, I was back on a plane headed North with Dan, Oliver, and Ashlee. It was an amazing feeling, and an enormous privilege, to have the opportunity to return to Rigolet. Again, I was nervous, but this time my pre-trip jitters had more to do with being overwhelmingly excited to continue moving this project forward, to reconnect with people in the community, and to experience winter in all its Northern glory.

For a bit of background, our research involves the participatory development of a surveillance system, led by the community of Rigolet, to to track and respond to changes in the environment and resulting impacts on health and wellbeing. The basis of the approach we're taking to build this project is to listen, learn, understand, and then respond to what the community needs and wants. To start this process, back In October we asked members of the community five main questions in a series of interviews and focus groups: (1) what are some important issues with regards to the environment and health; (2) what sorts of changes in the environment and resulting health impacts are you noticing in your community; (3) of these changes, what do you think is important to monitor/track; (4) how are you already keeping track of these changes; and (5) what sorts of tools/technologies (if any) are you using to do so?

As I was preparing to return in February, I thought critically about what we had learned from the community thus far, and how we might build off these initial discussions surrounding important environment-and health-related issues. However, in order to build from these discussions and move forward with the project in an appropriate way, I first needed to develop a deeper understanding of the reasons why these issues were important, who they were important to, and how they were prioritized. In short, I needed to ask some new questions.

I sat down with many of the same individuals who I had met with in October to present the preliminary findings and ask for their feedback. Then, I asked: (1) why are these issues important to you; (2) how would you prioritize these issues; (3) what are some ideas you have that could help make this program engaging and easy for people to use?

With each person or group I spoke with, my mind was blown over and over again by the depth and breadth of wisdom that is held in Rigolet. One of the key points brought up in this round of brainstorming sessions was that we need to work together to create a program that wouldn't necessarily feel like a "program" - we need to create something that can be seamlessly incorporated into day-to-day life. Conversations like these made me realize over and over again what an honour it is to be working with and learning from this community. As always, the ways in which people described their connections to and relationships with the land absolutely blew me away. Although I will never even begin to know the true depth of the love that’s shared here between the land and its people, I am so grateful to be taking part in this learning journey.

During our trip, we also had the opportunity to engage in some hands-on, experiential learning on the land. Within a few hours of arriving in Rigolet, we took off with Sandi and Karl - our gracious hosts and dear friends - to spend the weekend at their cabin on English River – about a 2.5-hour skidoo ride outside of the community (mind you, this same trip typically takes Sandi and Karl about 1.5 hours). From the moment we left, we knew this would be the adventure of a lifetime. We left Rigolet in the late afternoon, and as we were making our way across Lake Melville we witnessed the most stunning sunset any of us have ever seen. The only description that somewhat captures this experience is that it felt like gliding above the surface of the clouds; hard to tell where the ice ended and the sky began. Unfortunately, I don’t have any photos of this magical experience because it was way too cold to stop and pull out my camera. Yet, there is something to be said for just living in the moment and absorbing the surroundings without viewing them through a lens. Moreover, there is no way a photo could have captured that kind of beauty anyway (at least, no photo that I could take).

Our weekend at the cabin was filled with fun, adventures, and delicious food (everything tastes better when cooked on a wood stove). We had a massively successful ice fishing escapade, and Oliver and I even skinned our first rabbits under Sandi’s patient instruction and watchful eye. Sandi and Karl, I don’t think we can thank you enough for keeping us full, safe, warm, and smiling.

This experience also gave us many important insights that will be absolutely crucial to incorporate into our project as we learn to better understand how technological tools can help people keep track of various environmental observations and changes while they are on the land. For example, our phones and cameras would freeze at times, so using them outside in certain conditions was not feasible and is something we need to account for in developing the project. There was definitely something to be said about learning how to navigate through these unanticipated challenges firsthand.

Upon reflection, I am realizing that this project, these people, and this place all share the same part of my heart - a part of my heart that I most certainly didn’t realize was missing until I found it. I feel so fortunate to be working with a team of community partners and researchers that is so incredibly supportive of each other. We hold the same basic values, share a deep and indescribable love of the North, and we take our research as seriously as we do our long underwear and scavenger hunts. Through these experiences, I’m finding that in order to do your best work and be your best self, it helps to be surrounded by people who bring out the best parts of you.

In terms of the place, its immense beauty never ceases to amaze me. There are really no words, only feelings. The colours are brighter, the food is tastier, the air is fresher, and life feels more authentic. It’s a place where I can let my guard down, open myself to change, and challenge myself to grow. But no matter what I say about it or how I try to describe it, there is so much more that I can't even begin to describe. That which no words can capture. I truly feel as though I left a part of my heart there. This is something I struggle with articulating because I know that no matter how much I learn about/love this place, I will always be an outsider, a stranger to the land. I will never know the love that these people have for their homeland, and that which the land has for them. So thank you, Rigolet, for welcoming us Southerners with open arms and allowing us to share in your incredible beauty and wonder. As I'm slowly running out of words to capture how I feel about working, learning, loving, and growing in this place, I'll call upon the help of Richard Wagamese, an Ojibway author:

“To be struck by the magnificence of nature is to be returned again, in those all too brief moments, to the innocence that we were born in. Awe. Wonder. Humility. We draw it into use and are altered forever by the unquestionable presence of the Creator. All things ringing true together. Carrying that deep sense of communion back into our work-day life, everyone we meet becomes the direct beneficiary of our having taken the time for connection, prayer, and gratitude. This is what we are here for - to remind each other of where the truth lies and the power of simple ceremony.”

Community Consultations on the PAWS Project

Written by Anna Bunce Consultations for the People, Animals, Water, and Sustenance (PAWS) project continued last week in Iqaluit as Dr. Jan Sargeant and myself were in town meeting with community stakeholders to determine the priorities for the quantitative portion of the work. As a goal of this work is to provide useful, relevant information to stakeholders we have been consulting with a variety of stakeholders in Iqaluit since the idea for this project first came to be. Last week was just another part of our consultation, but an exciting one. Dr. Sargeant and I presented a series of potential scenarios to stakeholders and asked them to help prioritize which pathogens we should test for and what sources we should test. With so many options it immediately became clear that we would need something to break down all the options, and so a “menu” of sorts was created, laying out the options of what pathogens we could look at and which sources we could test for these various pathogens. The outcome was a very productive and informative meeting, where we were able to brainstorm ideas and talk about the pros and cons of each possible scenario. After having a “dotmocracy” session, where stakeholders ranked their preferences using a series of dots, we have a clearer idea of priority areas and are looking forward to following up with more meetings in March. A big thank you again to all the stakeholders who took time out of their busy day to meet with us!

Anna Bunce is the project manager for the PAWS Project. Having recently completed her Masters at McGill University looking at how Inuit women are experiencing and adapting to climate change in Iqaluit, she is excited to continue working in Iqaluit, Nunavut with the PAWS project.

Summer Undergraduate Research Assistant Needed!

We are hiring a summer undergraduate research assistant.  Please see the job post and application instructions for details: https://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/studentfinance/ura/jobs/ids/221

Report was #1 Story! CPHA Discussion Paper on the Ecological Determinants of Health

The Canadian Public Health Association published a report entitled, "Addressing the Ecological Determinants of Health" in May 2015.  The report has received attention from academics, policy makers, and media - and recently ranked as the CPHA's #1 most-read item for 2015! Click here to view the report (free, open-access).

This discussion document was based on the report Global Change and Public Health: Addressing the Ecological Determinants of Health: The Report in Brief developed by a Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) working group:

• Lead Author: Trevor Hancock
• Lead Editors: Donald W. Spady and Colin L. Soskolne
• Chapter 1: Trevor Hancock, Donald W. Spady
• Chapter 2: Donald W. Spady, Trevor Hancock,
• Chapter 3: Trevor Hancock, George McKibbon, Colin L. Soskolne, Donald W. Spady
• Chapter 4: Sandra Allison, Sherilee Harper, Blake Poland, Trevor Hancock
• Chapter 5: Colin L. Soskolne, Donald W. Spady, Trevor Hancock
• Chapter 6: Margot Parkes, Andrea Chircop, George McKibbon, Blake Poland, Trevor Hancock
• Chapter 7: Trevor Hancock, Blake Poland, Margot Parkes, Andrea Chircop, George McKibbon
• Chapter 8: Trevor Hancock, all authors

Student Reflection: ArcticNet ASM 2015 – Vancouver, BC December 7-11, 2015

Written by Lindsay Day, MSc Candidate

This year’s Arctic Net Annual Scientific Meeting in Vancouver did not disappoint as a fabulous conference to attend. In addition, it also marked the launch of a survey I am doing as part of my thesis research, looking at the practices and approaches being used to bring Indigenous and Western knowledge together in Northern-focused research, practice and policy.

The survey builds on, and aims to assess on a broader scale, some of the key findings from in-depth interviews I’ve conducted with university and community-based researchers who have sought to bring together Indigenous and Western knowledge in their work addressing issues at the intersection of ecosystem and human health.

As the largest annual Arctic research conference in Canada, ArcticNet was certainly the perfect venue for us to promote the survey and I’m thoroughly grateful for the support the ArcticNet team provided. Overall we collected over 300 survey responses! I can’t wait to analyze the data to see what we find and I look forward to sharing the results next year!

Lab Members Win Poster Presentation Prizes at ArcticNet Annual Scientific Meeting!

Congratulations to MSc students Carlee Wright and Manpreet Saini, who earned 2nd and 3rd place, respectively, in the student poster competition at the ArcticNet Annual Scientific Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Congratulations to Rebecca Wolff!

  Congratulations to Rebecca Wolff for winning the overall prize and poster competition for the "most innovative research" at the Canadian Conference For Global Health.

Poster Citation: Wolff, R., Harper, S.L., et al. "Its spirit is strong: Shawi healers, spirits and diarrhea in the Amazon" Canadian Conference of Global Health, Montreal. 5-6 November 2015. 

Abstract

Waterborne illness remains a public health challenge faced by many Indigenous communities. The Shawi, a dominant Indigenous group in the Peruvian Amazon, have retained the majority of their cultural practices and belief systems. Indigenous illness perceptions may not always reflect known biomedical causes of disease, making some health interventions ineffective. The goal of this research was to explore how Shawi perceptions on the causes of diarrhea, as a symptom of waterborne illness, related to Shawi beliefs and cosmology about water. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in two Shawi communities in August 2014 to document beliefs regarding water spirits and the role of traditional healers in causing diarrhea. Results of this study showed Shawi perceptions on the causes of diarrhea were predominately based in beliefs around water spirits and the ability of traditional healers to cause diarrhea, as opposed to a belief in diarrhea caused by biomedical risk factors for waterborne illness, such as the consumption of contaminated water. This research highlights how understanding Indigenous perceptions of illness is essential to informing the design of more effective health interventions to reduce waterborne illness in Amazonian Indigenous Communities.

Key words: Cosmology, Gastrointestinal illness, Indigenous, Peru, Shawi, Water

Camila and Paola Engaging with Shawi in the Amazon

Written by Camila Angarita, Undergraduate Research Assistant at the University of Guelph After long airport layovers I was able to make it to Lima, Peru. Here I met Dr. Paola Torres-Slimming (MD), a PhD Candidate whom I was going to assist while visiting the Shawi communities of Nuevo Progreso.

We arrived late at night to Yurimaguas after a one-hour flight and a three-hour drive over treacherous roads; this was the closest town to our final destination. The next day we took the opportunity to meet with stakeholders and authorities who have dealt with water-security matters around the region. These included the head of vicariate, NGOs, and members of the health ministry; the discussions allowed us to have better insight on the health-related issues that existed, before we entered the community.

Families who were gathered in “El Salon Comunal” welcomed us with great joy when we arrived, and of course lots of “Masato”- a traditional fermented drink made up of mashed boiled cassava. As I approached the women to greet them “Wikama Kai” bowls and bowls of Masato were given to me, as a gesture of appreciation.  We introduced ourselves to the community and asked the community members if we could come back at a later date to collaborate on a research project about water security.

Every day was a completely different journey, you can never predict or expect anything when in the jungle. The long walks to reach the farther houses were enjoyable, especially when you fall several times, cross bridges made out of branches or get stuck in quicksand. I named the walks from one house to the next “the reflective walks”. We would always learn a fact, hear a story, analyze the last visit, or predict the new one.

I’m thankful for having this amazing opportunity as an undergraduate student, to being able to engage with community members in their remote community. This will allow me to have a better perspective on the community and will facilitate my work during my fourth year research project. A special thanks to Paola, Guillermo and Rosa for teaching me and sharing their knowledge throughout our time there.

Lindsay in Saskatoon at Integrated Training Program in Infectious Diseases, Food Safety and Public Policy

Written by Lindsay Day, MSc Candidate I recently had the opportunity to travel to Saskatoon to participate in the 4^th International Summer School for the Integrated Training Program in Infectious Diseases, Food Safety and Public Policy (ITraP). ITraP is an interdisciplinary NSERC-CREATE program based at the University of Saskatchewan, and is founded on a One Health approach that encourages collaboration across disciplines to address and improve the health of people, animals and the environment, recognizing that these are interconnected.

The week-long Summer School is the final course-based component of the training, following an online problem-based learning course and an online student-led seminar course that were held over the winter term and early summer. In addition, students enrolled in the program arrange and participate in a 2-4 month externship in industry, government or academia, during the course of their graduate studies.

The theme of this year’s ITraP Summer School was team science, and provided an excellent opportunity for us to learn about collaborative science in action. We enjoyed presentations from speakers from Canadian, American, Indian and Australian academic institutions, as well as from those in industry and government. It was great to learn about team science from people with such diverse expertise, working in different fields and capacities to address a range of pressing One Health issues. Interactive sessions were also an important part of the Summer School, and covered topics in risk assessment, management and communication; communicating with policy makers; the dynamics of team science; CV preparation; grant writing; and media training.

With a focus on experiential learning, a team competition was also held as part of the Summer School. Over the course of the week we formed and worked together in international, interdisciplinary teams of 3-6 students to develop a letter of intent to apply for a grant to address a One Health issue of our choosing. Teams presented their proposals to a panel of peers (students and faculty) at the end of the Summer School, with the top two placing teams receiving seed funding to assemble a full application. (Our team ended up being one of them!).

Overall, this action-packed week was a great experience and valuable learning opportunity. Perhaps most important of all, it provided a chance to meet, in-person, fellow students from the online components of the program. We are a diverse group, with students coming from Brazil, India, South Africa and across Canada to take part in the Summer School (unfortunately our colleagues in Germany were unable to join us). It’s been wonderful learning from everyone in the ITraP program, and these are connections I am sure we will maintain as we move forward in our academic careers and beyond.

Inaugural Harper Lab Retreat!

Written by Carlee Wright & Manpreet Saini On Thursday August 13th and Friday August 14th, members of Dr. Harper’s lab went to Creiff Hills Community Retreat and Conference Centre for a 2-day overnight retreat. Thursday morning we left bright and early to the place that would be our residence- the House of Ruth. Our day started with a yoga session. We completed stretches and exercises to prepare us for the activities and events to come. Following the relaxing yoga session, we participated in a teleconference with Dr. James Ford from McGill University. He discussed topics such as writing, productivity, and grant proposals. He addressed questions we had in regards to graduate student work as well as building a strong CV.

During the lunch period we took advantage of the beautiful weather to sit outside. The afternoon activities started with a walk along the Red Trail on the property and participating in an adaptation of a water walk. This activity involved stopping at various points along the walk and reflecting on how we are affected by the immediate natural and/or built environment. We discussed how these spaces made us feel as well as different topics of discussion that were coming up as we spent time walking with one another. The trail covered a wide range of scenery as we moved between forested areas and cornfields. The views were breath-taking, and a fresh change from the sights and sounds of the city we are so used to. The opportunities to stop and reflect also gave us the chance to share things about one another and learn new things about each other. Making our way back, we participated in a sharing circle that covered topics such as being non-Indigenous but working with Indigenous populations. As always, the sharing circle provided us with a safe space to express thoughts, share stories and state what was on our minds.

On Thursday afternoon we had Natalie Carter, a soon-to-be PhD graduate, speak to the group. Natalie joined us to talk about gender-related research, and some of the opportunities and challenges related to conducting gender research in different countries and cultures. This was a great opportunity to learn and share experiences that students have faced in their own research. After the planned sessions, we enjoyed a chilli dinner and had a campfire complete with hot dogs and s’mores. Several of us even saw meteors from the Perseid meteor shower!

Friday morning started off with another sharing circle that covered topics such as staying motivated and time management tips. PhD candidate Warren Dodd then did a great session that covered concepts that we are exposed to in research with Indigenous populations, methods that we use within research, and values that we hold as researchers. Throughout his session we were able to reflect on these various components of research and discuss what our thoughts and perceptions were of each. Furthermore, we were given the opportunity to reflect on our most important values within ourselves and how the concepts and methods align with and impact our work. It was a very interesting session that really got us thinking of how our values intertwine with the research that we do, and hope to do in the future.

The retreat ended with an amazing pizza lunch and a final opportunity to mingle. The retreat was a great opportunity to spend time with each other, as we are not always able to when at the university. Overall, it was a phenomenal experience and I’m sure all of us cannot wait for the chance to repeat it next year.