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Research Publications
The Parliamentary Information and Research Service prepares publications for general distribution to all Parliamentarians as background material to policy areas and legislation before Parliament.
- INDIAN STATUS AND BAND MEMBERSHIP ISSUES (New)
This paper examines some of the current issues surrounding Indian band membership. It surveys Indian Act provisions regarding status and band membership and the changes introduced through Bill C‑31. The paper then discusses some of the consequences of that bill and outlines subsequent court cases that focused on band membership and associated rights. The final section of the paper discusses the implications of the resulting judgments and comments on membership issues in the context of self-government for Indian communities. - INDIGENOUS TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS (New)
- Specific Claims in Canada (New)
The document traces the evolution of the specific claims process in Canada, from the period prior to the Supreme Court of Canada’s 1973 Calder decision to the 2005 hearings before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. Noteworthy developments include the creation of the Indian Specific Claims Commission and the Specific Claims Resolution Act, which was adopted in 2002 but never proclaimed. Despite a common desire to ensure a timelier and more effective process, much remains to be resolved. - The Crown's Fiduciary Relationship
with Aboriginal Peoples (New)
These notes are intended to provide a brief introduction to the complex and evolving “fiduciary” relationship between the Crown and Canada’s Aboriginal peoples. - Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and its
BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE (New)
This paper will look at the relationship between BSE and its human equivalent, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). - Chronology of BSE-Related Events and Government Initiatives (New)
- Compositional Standards for Cheese in Canada (New)
This paper outlines the current situation with respect to compositional standards for cheese; focuses on problems or disagreements over interpretation among dairy industry stakeholders; describes the proposed new regulations of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA); and gives an overview of the reaction of the principal dairy industry stakeholders to the proposed regulations. - Corn Ethanomics: A Look at the Recent US Experience (New)
In Brief - Country-of-Origin Labelling (New)
- Farm Size and Financial Health and Government Payments (New)
This study examines the farm problem in Canada, using 2005 figures, and analyzes the government support provided to farm operations to resolve this problem. It reviews all farm operations in terms of various size criteria. The first section gives an overview of the farm problem and its development. The second examines possible disparities among farms of various sizes in terms of their financial health. The third provides figures on government payments according to farm size. The final section discusses the farm problem in the context of government payments. - Glossary of Agricultural Programs, Act and Terms (New)
Agriculture is the subject of many international programs, policies and commitments. From these has emerged a specific vocabulary, on which Parliament must often rely to facilitate a common understanding in the field. This glossary has been prepared for parliamentarians, their staff and others interested in the development of policies directly or indirectly concerning agriculture at the federal level. - International Trade and Public Health Protection:
International Trade and Public Health Protection: International Standards on Animal-Borne Diseases (New)
- Organic Farming in Canada: An Overview (New)
After a brief review of the concept of organic farming and its status in Canada, this paper describes the various government measures that affect this sector of the agricultural industry and discusses organic farming as a model for sustainable agriculture. - The Terminator Technology (New)
- CANADA POST CORPORATION AS A PROVIDER OF FINANCIAL AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES: THE WAY OF THE FUTURE? (New)
- CANADIAN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT: CANADIAN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT: RECENT TRENDS (New)
The aim of this paper is two-fold. First, it seeks to outline the growth in outward-bound Canadian direct investments in the past 20 years, a trend fuelled largely by the financial services industry. The second, related, objective is to demonstrate that Canada is now in fact a net direct investor abroad. This relatively recent phenomenon has been driven in large part by financial services and natural resources firms, areas where Canada has traditionally enjoyed a competitive advantage either because of historical factors or because of natural endowments. FDI trends reveal a growing vitality and maturity on the part of certain Canadian firms and the Canadian economy more generally, and broadly signal that Canada is becoming more active in the integrated global economy. - The Foreign Direct Investment Review Process in Canada and Other Countries (New)
This paper examines the foreign direct investment approval process in Canada and the criteria that are considered in determining whether to accept or reject foreign investments. By way of comparison, it also examines the investment review process in two other major industrialized economies: Australia and the United States. - Natural Disasters: Insurance Availability and Affordability (New)
While natural disasters affect all types of insurance, this paper examines the effects of natural disasters on the property and casualty (P&C) insurance industry, specifically the property side of the business (though automobile insurance is examined where appropriate). The first section describes the structure of the P&C insurance industry. The second discusses the various issues facing that industry, including low interest rates and the effects of climate change. The third section examines potential consequences arising from these issues, including a lack of insurance provision and higher premiums, while the final section reports on what the industry and government are doing to mitigate these trends; it also suggests some other possible courses of action. - The Spam Scourge (New)
This paper examines why spam is a problem and what technological, legal and other approaches are being employed to deal with it around the world. The situation in Canada is discussed, as is the debate about the need for legislation in Canada to control spam. - The Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations (New)
This document deals with Parliament’s attempt to strike a balance between effective protection of pharmaceutical inventions, in order to stimulate research and development (R&D), and keeping the cost of medicines down. Specifically, it examines the Patented Medicines (Notice of Compliance) Regulations (the Regulations), which, along with the Patent Act, attempt to achieve that balance by allowing the generic version of a medicine to be marketed once the patent for the original medicine expires. - Canada's Proposed Decriminalization of Marijuana: International Implications and Views (New)
This paper reviews Canada’s international obligations in relation to cannabis laws and discusses varying interpretations of those obligations. It then examines the impact that marijuana decriminalization might have on Canada’s foreign policy programs. Finally, the paper discusses statements made by other governments and international b