Lori Bradford

Practicing the science of sustainability: the challenges of transdisciplinarity in a developing world context

Questions related to how we practice sustainability science remain salient in the face of the failure to achieve broad-scale sustainability objectives. Transdisciplinarity is an essential part of sustainability science. Transdisciplinary conceptual scholarship has been more prevalent than empirical scholarship or applications, especially in developing world contexts. In a single case study of a multiyear project addressing water security issues in HaMakuya, South Africa, we used a framework for assessing transdisciplinary objectives to facilitate more systematic learning for those who practice sustainability science. We found that defining the problem and assembling our team were easier than the co-creation of solution-oriented knowledge and the reintegration and application of this new knowledge. Our singular case study speaks to the potential challenges related to building relationships and co-creating knowledge in an epistemologically diverse setting. Other case studies appear to have negotiated these issues in developing country contexts, and this leaves room further investigation for how to practice transdisciplinarity under these conditions.

Quantifiable progress of the First Nations Water Management Strategy, 2001–2013: Ready for regulation?

Drinking water security is a serious issue for many First Nations reserve communities in Canada. Over the last decade, CAD

Drinking water quality in Indigenous communities in Canada and health outcomes: a scoping review.

2 billion has been invested to improve the situation by way of several key policies. Though action plans have been developed, expert panels have been struck and commissioned assessments have occurred, little progress has been reported, and on-reserve communities suffering through drinking water emergencies continue to be featured in the media. This paper presents an evidence-based critical analysis of federal policies related to drinking water on First Nations lands, and their associated follow-up progress reports and commissioned assessments. The goals and outcomes of policies since 2001 are noted, and the scope and outcomes of each are compared. This study uses an exploratory analysis of government-documented quantifiable indicators to assess the progress made through the implementation of varied policies and expert panel recommendations. The analysis highlights shortfalls in the collection of indicator data that show that communities have the technical capacities to meet policy requirements. The effectiveness of government policies to prepare communities for the imposition of regulations introduced through the passing of Bill S-8, The Safe Drinking Water for First Nations Act (2012), is discussed.

Whiteboard animation for knowledge mobilization: a test case from the Slave River and Delta, Canada

Background Many Indigenous communities in Canada live with high-risk drinking water systems and drinking water advisories and experience health status and water quality below that of the general population. A scoping review of research examining drinking water quality and its relationship to Indigenous health was conducted. Objective The study was undertaken to identify the extent of the literature, summarize current reports and identify research needs. Design A scoping review was designed to identify peer-reviewed literature that examined challenges related to drinking water and health in Indigenous communities in Canada. Key search terms were developed and mapped on five bibliographic databases (MEDLINE/PubMED, Web of Knowledge, SciVerse Scopus, Taylor and Francis online journal and Google Scholar). Online searches for grey literature using relevant government websites were completed. Results Sixteen articles (of 518; 156 bibliographic search engines, 362 grey literature) met criteria for inclusion (contained keywords; publication year 2000–2015; peer-reviewed and from Canada). Studies were quantitative (8), qualitative (5) or mixed (3) and included case, cohort, cross-sectional and participatory designs. In most articles, no definition of “health” was given (14/16), and the primary health issue described was gastrointestinal illness (12/16). Challenges to the study of health and well-being with respect to drinking water in Indigenous communities included irregular funding, remote locations, ethical approval processes, small sample sizes and missing data. Conclusions Research on drinking water and health outcomes in Indigenous communities in Canada is limited and occurs on an opportunistic basis. There is a need for more research funding, and inquiry to inform policy decisions for improvements of water quality and health-related outcomes in Indigenous communities. A coordinated network looking at First Nations water and health outcomes, a database to store and create access to research findings, increased funding and time frames for funding, and more decolonizing and community-based participatory research aimed at understanding the relationship between drinking water quality and health outcomes in First Nations communities in Canada are needed.

Indigenizing Water Governance in Canada

Objective To present the co-creation of a whiteboard animation video, an enhanced e-storytelling technique for relaying traditional knowledge interview results as narratives. Design We present a design for translating interview results into a script and accompanying series of figures, followed by technical steps to create a whiteboard animation product. Method Our project used content analysis and researcher triangulation, followed by a collaborative process to develop an animated video to disseminate research findings. A 13-minute long whiteboard animation video was produced from a research study about changing environments in northern Canadian communities and was distributed to local people. Three challenging issues in the video creation process including communication issues, technical difficulties and contextual debate were resolved among the supporting agencies and researchers. Conclusions Dissemination of findings is a crucial step in the research process. Whiteboard animation video products may be a viable and culturally-appropriate form of relaying research results back to Indigenous communities in a storytelling format.

Ecological patterns of fish distribution in the Slave River Delta region, Northwest Territories, Canada, as relayed by traditional knowledge and Western science

Water-related governance challenges confronting Indigenous people are well documented and have significant implications for water governance in Canada. Indigenous people have traditionally had a lack of voice, and little participation or significant representation at higher political points of authority to influence or sanction laws of water protection, regulation and enforcement on traditional territories. Canadian water policy and management decision processes are dominated by Western scientific viewpoints and exclude Indigenous values, norms and conceptions of water governance. Indigenous people’s relationship to water is often strongly connected to the spiritual world. Water is thought of as sacred, a sentient being, a gift from, and the life breath of the Creator, and, is fundamental for the wellbeing of the earth and all people. This worldview defines unique socio-cultural relationships with water and informs Indigenous water management and governance processes which are divergent from, and unrepresented within current Canadian water governance frameworks. Indigenous people are responding to water-related governance challenges by voicing their concerns, reclaiming their roles in water governance and calling for adaptation and realignment of current Canadian water policy regimes to include Indigenous water governance processes. This chapter will give historical, social and political context to the water-related governance challenges facing Indigenous peoples of Canada. Water governance challenges will be explored through discussions on Treaty Rights and jurisdictional fragmentation which at times, impedes those rights. We explore how community engagement, participation and empowerment and the duty to consult are challenging for issues of water governance. We find insight in the reclamation of sense of place through water in Indigenous communities. Indigenous socio-cultural relations to water, and traditional strategies of water resource use, monitoring, management and protection will be highlighted drawing on examples across Canada and globally. It will provide a review of literature on some principles of, and models for Indigenous governance of water. A critical discussion of the commonalities and diversities between Indigenous and Western Scientific approaches to water governance will be woven through the text and include debate on the creation of new governance and decision making frameworks that are truly inclusive, respect ancestral knowledge, and introduce culture and governance mechanisms so that Indigenous people can fully participate in the political, organizational, administrative and decision making processes and approaches to water governance in Canada.

People, Places, Protected Areas and Tourism: Place Attachment in Rossport, Ontario, Canada

Abstract Indigenous community members along the Slave River in Canada have voiced their concerns for the health of ecosystems under pressure from resource extraction, hydroelectric development and global climate change. We present a test case of traditional knowledge and scientific results about the spawning and migration patterns of fish in the Slave River and Delta. This dual knowledge system approach elucidates the broader connectivity of local study regions and can improve monitoring programmes by extending beyond the usual context/confines of the present or recent past, increasing the spatial and temporal range of system information.

A mixed-method examination of risk factors in the truck-to-cistern drinking water system on the Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation Reserve, Saskatchewan

Abstract Place attachment is spatially and temporally anchored in the local context, affecting how residents perceive proposed development strategies. As such, we examine, through the analysis of 18 interviews conducted with residents from Rossport, Ontario, Canada, how place attachment and historical antecedents (or lack thereof) have influenced the acceptance of, or opposition to, conservation and tourism strategies in and near the village of Rossport, Ontario. The analysis of the interviews suggests that some of the resistance and scepticism towards conservation and tourism initiatives by long-term residents is rooted in historical approaches to regional development strategies, while a lack of awareness of historical events prevents newer residents, who often supported these initiatives, from understanding the legacy of these proposals in the community. Moreover, analysis indicates that sharing the stories of the community and place attachment through video interviews provides an opportunity to promote social cohesion and a place attachment between long-term residents and more recent amenity migrants.

Polar bear science: characterizing relationship patterns and identifying opportunities

The provision of safe drinking water is a key driver of public health and a pressing health issue facing First Nations communities in Canada. Contaminated water is a perennial issue for reserve communities across the country despite numerous government investments. Many First Nations communities rely heavily on cistern use for their drinking water supply; however, bacterial contamination within these systems is frequent and a common reason for household boil water advisories. The sources of contamination during the process of hauling water to cisterns in First Nations communities have received limited attention in academic research. The purpose of this research is to identify the risks to water quality through the truck-to-cistern water system. In partnership with a Saskatchewan First Nations community, drinking water quality was monitored in the treatment plant, in delivery trucks and at 142 household cisterns and taps from July to October, 2014. Risks to water supply were identified through monthly water sampling and laboratory analysis, key informant interviews, and observation. Coliform contamination in trucks, cisterns and taps was most common during August. Total coliforms were more likely to be found in cisterns compared to household taps and samples from trucks. Chlorine residuals were lower in household tap samples than in cisterns for August and September. Together with the community, investigators identified contamination and bacteriological growth in cisterns and household distribution systems, and variable levels of total chlorine concentrations depending on month and site of sampling. Recommendations are provided for advancing guidelines on management of truck-to-cistern drinking water supply chains in First Nations.

Alternative Policies for Collaborative Publishing in Natural Resource Journals

ABSTRACT The polar bear science network is a relatively young knowledge domain that was originally dominated by natural scientists but has evolved to include social scientists. We used social network analysis (SNA) to examine the existing patterns of collaboration within the network, look for opportunities for collaboration between researchers, and describe the roles of natural and social scientists within the network. We analyzed articles published by polar bear scientists over a 40-year period (1973–2013) using SNA. The results show that the network has a low density, which indicates a sparely connected network. The network cannot be divided into factions according to disciplines, indicating cross-discipline collaboration. The network is also hierarchical and held together by 10 researchers – who, if removed, result in a fragmented network. We discuss the implications of the network structure for research and the opportunities it offers for collaboration amongst polar bear researchers.