Research profiles

In this digital age, many important documents – from land deeds to photographs – are created in digital form. The convenience of digital files is unparalleled, but how do we ensure that these digital files remain authentic and accessible in the context of rapid technological change? Researchers at the University of British Columbia have developed guidelines for the creation, maintenance and preservation of digital records. The project, which involves 21 countries, has already spurred new legislation in China. Researchers are also working with financial institutions across Europe to ensure authenticity of bank transactions.

A study of purchasing patterns amongst the Chinese population in Toronto has shed some light on how newly landed immigrants integrate into Canadian society, and how integration can vary with income. Conducted by researchers at York University, the study provides useful information for marketers and entrepreneurs, and even government departments that want to tap into or reach out to this growing segment of the Canadian population.

Toxic chemicals and pollution are damaging the Canadian Arctic environment and threatening the health of the Inuit who live there. Researchers at the University of Northern British Columbia are helping Inuit women, who have traditionally been responsible for maintaining the health of their families, reduce and prevent pollution in the north while still preserving their heritage and their health. For example, researchers recently discovered that game fowl were the cause of high blood-lead levels in northern Quebec residents. The women subsequently convinced store owners and game hunters to use non-toxic steel bullets, eliminating lead contamination of the fowl.

Maps are being used increasingly as an interactive tool to deliver large amounts of information, from driving directions and the locations of assets and people, to informing of the spread of illness in a community. Working with Inuit communities in Nunavut and aboriginal communities in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence area, Carleton University researchers are using software developed at the Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre to create multi-sensory maps, called living atlases, so these communities can pass on knowledge and information in ways tailored to their cultures.

Researchers at Memorial University are working in partnership with the Innu of Labrador and Quebec to develop language tools that will promote literacy in the Innu language. The team has created numerous Innu language resources, including an online archive of Innu language materials, English-Innu glossaries of legal, environmental and educational terminology, a set of 10 children’s books written and illustrated by Innu teachers, a lesson book, and a CD of conversational phrases. They are also preparing to launch an Innu-French-English dictionary, which will comprise around 27,000 words from the three main Innu dialects.