Start the presses! The first bilingual published document in Canada

Article 1 / 8 , Vol 45 No 2 (Summer)

Start the presses! The first bilingual published document in Canada

John Bushell, the owner of the first printing press in what was to become Canada, is well remembered for publishing the first newspaper in the land. However, he also has the distinction of publishing what is believed to be the first bilingual document in the country’s history. In this article, the author explains the story behind this unique and historic government document.

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Racial Diversity and the 2021 Federal Election: Visible Minority Candidates and MPs

Article 5 / 8 , Vol 45 No 2 (Summer)

Racial Diversity and the 2021 Federal Election: Visible Minority Candidates and MPs

A record 53 candidates with visible minority origins were victorious in the federal election of September 20, 2021, itself the fourth in a row to witness an increase in their numbers and, as well, their share of the available seats. As in previous elections, however, there were offsets to these positive aspects. Not only was the absolute increase in numbers from 2019 to 2021 modest at best (three MPs), but a comparison with the visible minority population at large implies a sizeable representation deficit that has barely changed over time. The 2021 election is also notable for a further and quite noticeable jump in visible minority candidacies, solidifying a trend that had become evident in the last few elections. This could be taken as an indication that the candidate data provide an alternative, more optimistic, and, perhaps, even more realistic perspective on the openness of the political process to visible minorities.

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Misfits: Gender, COVID-19 and the Body Politic

Article 7 / 8 , Vol 45 No 2 (Summer)

Misfits: Gender, COVID-19 and the Body Politic

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought about significant changes in many workplaces across the world, and Canada’s legislative assemblies were no exception. Bound by Westminster tradition and usually cautious when implementing new protocols, Canada’s parliaments were required to make substantial and far-reaching operational alterations in a short period of time in order for parliamentarians and parliamentary staff to continue to fulfill their democratic responsibilities. In this article, the author examines how such changes affected this unique workspace for women. She employs and adapts the concept of “misfits” from critical disability studies to demonstrate how a work environment not initially established to accommodate women’s bodies suddenly made all bodies “misfits” as social distancing and capacity limits changed longstanding practices. The author concludes that the response to the pandemic demonstrates that parliament’s gendered traditions could be changed and such a dramatic and blunt method to implement change was arguably more successful at altering the gendered culture of this system than the long term increase in the presence and participation of women in parliament.

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Parliamentary Relatives: Representing the Place of Spirits

Article 8 / 8 , Vol 45 No 2 (Summer)

Parliamentary Relatives: Representing the Place of Spirits

The Newfoundland and Labrador electoral district of Torngat Mountains encompasses the whole northern portion of Labrador. It is the largest district geographically; covering approximately 28 per cent of the province’s total land area. Containing six Indigenous communities, none of which are accessible by road, the district is named for the awe-inspiring Torngat Mountain range. The name Torngat is derived from an Inuktitut word meaning ‘place of spirits’, and the entire region is an Inuit homeland.

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