Institut de recherche sur la science, la société et la politique publique - Publications // Institute for Science, Society and Policy - Publications

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10393/42407

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Helping Persons with Cognitive Disabilities using Voice-Activated Personal Assistants
(2021) Lewis, Lundy; Vellino, Andre
The objective of this study was to determine whether Canadians with cognitive disabilities such as autism could benefit from voice-activated intelligent personal assistants to access digital services and increase their participation in the digital economy. We recruited 24 participants aged 18 to 64 with a cognitive disability to serve as advisors in this study. They were each given an Amazon Echo Dot free of charge to use in their home environments for a month and then interviewed to determine their likes, dislikes, intentions, and whatever new ideas they had for improving the Echo Dot applications. Video recordings of interviews with advisors and/or caregivers were collected for offline analysis. We found that the advisors were overwhelmingly positive about using the Dot for variety of information-retrieval tasks ranging from asking for weather reports to satisfying more serious information needs such as answering health-related questions and planning public transportation routes. Both Advisors and their caregivers found that alarms, reminders and Alexa “routines” were particularly helpful features. Alexa skills available in French are not as numerous or varied as those in English and bilingual advisors often interacted with Alexa in English more than in French.
Addressing polarization: what works? Case study: the Alberta Climate Leadership Plan
(2020) Bratt, Duane
The University of Ottawa’s Positive Energy program released a new report suggesting that there is more bipartisan and expert consensus on climate policy in Alberta than commonly believed. This report is the first of four upcoming case studies that focus on initiatives to reduce polarization over energy and climate issues in Canada. The report, written by Positive Energy faculty affiliate and Mount Royal University professor Duane Bratt, reveals that the talks that led to the development of Alberta’s Climate Leadership Plan were started by Premier Jim Prentice in 2014. Following the election of Rachel Notley and the NDP in 2015, these talks grew into the most ambitious climate plan ever put forth by a government in Canada.
Polarization and Canada’s energy future (national survey)
(2019) Bird, Stephen; Lachapelle, Erick; Gattinger, Monica
This online survey gauged the interest, beliefs and attitudes of 2600 Canadians on politics, society, energy issues and climate change. The report is a first assessment centered on carbon pricing, development and commercialization of oil and gas resources, climate change policies, nuclear energy, and participation of Indigenous Peoples on energy projects. Date: December 2019.
Polarization, oil and gas
(2020) Aguirre, Rafael; Bird, Stephen; Frank, Brendan; Gattinger, Monica
This second report on polarization is based on a large survey (n=2600) carried out in 2019. It centers on a larger set of questions on the importance, development, export and phase-out of oil and gas resources in Canada. Date: September 2020.
Climate ambition steady: Urgency to act now trending up
(2021) Positive Energy; Nanos Research
This (telephone and online) survey gauged views of 1000 Canadians on energy, climate change and the necessary ambition of mitigation policies. The survey updates measurements taken in June and November 2020. Results suggest Canadians’ climate ambition is holding steady during pandemic, but the sense of urgency to act appears to be trending up. This survey also asks Canadians how much they trust information about climate change from peer-reviewed science / researchers, traditional news media, NGOs, government agencies, politicians, industry and social media. Date: February 2021.
Polarization over Energy and Climate in Canada: Canada's Climate Performance, Renewables, Nuclear, Community Roles
(2021) Aguirre, Rafael; Frank, Brendan; Gattinger, Monica
This third report on polarization is based on the large survey (n=2600) carried out in 2019. It examines views about the development of nuclear and renewable energy in Canada, and the role of communities, Indigenous Peoples, and the federal and provincial governments.
Climate ambition on the rise
(2020) Positive Energy; Nanos Research
This (telephone and online) survey gauged views of 1000 Canadians on climate change and the necessary ambition of mitigation policies. The survey updates measurements taken in June 2020 and suggests that a growing percentage of Canadians say this is a good rather than a bad time to be ambitious about climate change.
Climate ambition and COVID-19
(2020) Positive Energy; Nanos Research
This (telephone and online) survey gauged views of 1000 Canadians on energy issues, including climate change and the necessary ambition of mitigation policies. The survey suggests that Canadians are still likelier to say this is the best rather than the worst time to be ambitious about climate change.
Leader’s Survey: Polarization and energy policy
(2019) Positive Energy; Nanos Research
Nanos Research conducted a third panel survey, gathering views of energy and environmental leaders in Canada. Results show a majority of leaders supportive of carbon tax, and warning about increasing polarization in the policy of space affecting energy and climate change.
Public trust in the courts
(2021) Positive Energy; Nanos Research
Since 2015, Nanos Research has conducted national public opinion surveys in partnership with Positive Energy. This (telephone and online) survey gauged interest, beliefs and attitudes of 1000 Canadians on the performance of Canada on energy policies and governance. This survey includes measurements of public confidence on Canadian courts deciding on energy and climate change issues.
Canada’s performance, policy, and who decides
(2017) Positive Energy; Nanos Research
Since 2015, Nanos Research has conducted national public opinion surveys in partnership with Positive Energy. This (telephone and online) survey gauged interest, beliefs and attitudes of 1000 Canadians on: public trust on Canadian energy policies, and the role and capacities of federal, provincial, local and indigenous government on deciding energy projects. This survey also includes views on strenthening the capacity of Indigenous communities to develop energy resources.
Leader’s Survey: Projects, policy, and who decides
(2018) Positive Energy; Nanos Research
Nanos Research conducted a second panel survey, gathering views of energy and environmental leaders in Canada. Among other results, the survey indicates that energy and environmental leaders agree or somewhat agree that Canada needs to better manage cumulative project effects on communities while the ‘final say’ on projects crossing multiple communities should rest in the hands of government.
Survey: Public trust and policy
(2018) Positive Energy; Nanos Research
Since 2015, Nanos Research has conducted national public opinion surveys in partnership with Positive Energy. This (telephone and online) survey gauged the interest, beliefs and attitudes of 1000 Canadians on current energy policy issues; performance of Canada on developing and implementing energy policies, including the development of oil and gas, relations with Indigenous Peoples, climate change and the transportation of fuels across provinces. This survey also includes views on the building of partnerships to develop energy jointly with Indigenous communities.
Projects, oil and gas, renewables
(2015) Nanos Research; Positive Energy
Since 2015, Nanos Research has conducted national public opinion surveys in partnership with Positive Energy. This first (telephone and online) survey gauged interest, beliefs and attitudes of 1000 Canadians on: development of energy and environmental concern, leadership on policies affecting climate change and hydrocarbon pipelines, and weighing local and Indigenous concerns against the national interest.
Energy-Environment Federalism in Canada: Finding a Path for the Future
(2021) Bratt, Duane
The study, written by Positive Energy faculty affiliate and Mount Royal University professor Duane Bratt, examines the role of federalism at the intersection of energy and environment policy in Canada. Energy and the environment are inexorably linked: energy production is a major economic driver in Canada, but energy production and consumption produce significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. There have been major battles between the federal government and provinces, or between provinces, on energy and environment policy in Canadian history. These conflicts have had significant political, economic, and environmental costs. Professor Bratt makes two key arguments. First, he emphasizes the importance of identifying the few windows of opportunity when a consensus can be achieved. Second, when windows of opportunity are unavailable, decision-makers should focus on achieving small levels of cooperation through bilateral or unilateral provincial initiatives.
What Works? Identifying and scaling up successful innovations in Canadian energy regulatory decision making (survey results)
(2020) Larkin, Patricia
This survey reveals broad agreement that innovation in regulatory decision-making is needed, both in interactions between regulators and policymakers and in regulators’ public engagement. While most survey participants see the need for these types of innovations, fewer participants reported experiencing them in their work. According to survey participants from across Canada and those representing different stakeholders in energy regulation: • Evolving social and environmental goals are seen as a very important driver for innovation in energy regulatory decision-making in recent years. • The lack of shared understanding for respective roles and responsibilities of policymakers and regulators is seen as an important driver for innovation in the relationship between regulators and policymakers. • The need to address public trust and understanding in energy decision-making is seen as a key driver for innovation in regulators’ public engagement.
Addressing Polarization: What Works? Case Study: The Alberta Climate Leadership Plan
(2020) Bratt, Duane
The University of Ottawa’s Positive Energy program released a new report suggesting that there is more bipartisan and expert consensus on climate policy in Alberta than commonly believed. This report is the first of four upcoming case studies that focus on initiatives to reduce polarization over energy and climate issues in Canada. The report, written by Positive Energy faculty affiliate and Mount Royal University professor Duane Bratt, reveals that the talks that led to the development of Alberta’s Climate Leadership Plan were started by Premier Jim Prentice in 2014. Following the election of Rachel Notley and the NDP in 2015, these talks grew into the most ambitious climate plan ever put forth by a government in Canada. Dr. Bratt finds that while the Climate Leadership Plan was polarizing within Alberta, it opened a policy window across the country. Many of Canada’s subsequent energy and climate policies would not have been possible without it. The Climate Leadership Plan was a success in terms of agenda setting and policy development, but a failure of implementation and communication. It was also undermined by many external factors, including delays to the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, the elections of Donald Trump and BC premier John Horgan, and federal policies perceived to be anti-energy.
What is ‘Transition’? The Two Realities of Energy and Environmental Leaders in Canada
(2020) Beck, Marisa; Richard, Aimee
The University of Ottawa’s Positive Energy program released a new study suggesting that decision-makers in the energy and environmental communities occupy two separate realities over energy transition in Canada. The report’s lead author, Positive Energy researcher Dr. Marisa Beck, uncovered the two realities by asking over 40 energy and environmental leaders about their use and interpretation of the term “transition”. Individuals within both realities agree Canada is undergoing an energy transition of some kind. However, they disagree on the necessary pace and scope of transition. One reality views “transition” as a gradual process that will be driven largely by market forces, with a diverse energy portfolio that includes oil and gas. The other reality views “transition” as a set of broader social and political changes that must occur quickly, with a phase-out of oil and gas, and emissions reduction targets that should be as aggressive as necessary to hold global temperature increases below 2 degrees Celsius.
Addressing Polarization: What Works? The Just Transition Task Force
(2020) Frank, Brendan; Girard Lindsay, Sébastien
This report examines the work of Canada’s Just Transition Task Force, a panel commissioned by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change in 2018. Its mandate was to engage stakeholders affected by the national phase-out of coal-fired power. This report is the second of four case studies that focus on initiatives to reduce polarization over energy and climate issues in Canada. Authored by Positive Energy Senior Research Associate Brendan Frank and uOttawa Ph.D. candidate Sébastien Girard Lindsay, this report examines elements of the Task Force’s activities that may have helped to depolarize opinions over the coal phase-out. Most important were the neutral, non-partisan approach and the demonstration of ethical commitment of Task Force members, aided by a dynamic, iterative approach to consultations that took regional realities into consideration. However, the Task Force’s work may have been undermined by several factors. First, the composition of the Task Force was vocationally but not geographically representative of the communities and groups with which it consulted. Second, the Task Force was not responsible for implementing its own recommendations. As such, its ultimate effect on polarization rests in part on how Ottawa proceeds with the phase-out. Lastly, the Task Force’s work also involved areas of both federal and provincial jurisdiction, which complicates the implementation of some of its recommendations.
What Works? Identifying and scaling up successful innovations in Canadian energy regulatory decision making
(2021) Larkin, Patricia
Ongoing innovation is needed in energy regulatory decision-making in Canada. Important broad drivers are the evolving social and values context, the need for operational decision-making efficiency, economic and market interests, rapid technological change, and demands for communication and stakeholder engagement, as well as policy uncertainty affecting each of these. As Canadian energy regulators take action and introduce innovative processes, there are benefits, barriers, and tradeoffs. At the same time, key success factors may influence what works in innovations in Canadian energy regulatory decision-making. This study focused on quasi-judicial energy regulators and examined the following two questions: 1. How might formal policymaker-regulator interactions be strengthened while maintaining regulatory independence?; 2. What innovative mechanisms support meaningful regulatory agency public engagement processes? To answer these questions, we conducted interviews with senior executives representing regulatory and stakeholder organizations that created, implemented, use, or are affected by innovations in policymaker-regulator interactions or regulatory public engagement processes. Results may be useful to regulators in planning, implementing, or evaluating innovative practices.

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