Browsing by Author "Flanagan, Tom"
Now showing 1 - 17 of 17
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- ItemEmbargoBig Oil Goes East: The Regulatory and Public Opinion Battle Surrounding TransCanada's Energy East Pipeline Project(2015-09) Mathieson, Melissa; Flanagan, TomPublic debate surrounding TransCanada’s Energy East pipeline project began immediately after its initial introduction in August 2013 and controversy has surrounded the proposed project ever since. Although the interprovincial pipeline that aims to bring western crude from Alberta and Saskatchewan to refineries and port terminals in Eastern Canada is governed exclusively by the National Energy Board, provinces along its route have taken an active role in the public policy debate regarding its approval. This paper will discuss such provincial participation, with a specific focus on the province of Quebec’s opposition to the project thus far. Although Quebec has no formal role in the National Energy Board’s regulatory approval process, the province is aware that it holds significant political weight and that TransCanada must obtain some level of social acceptance before getting the green light to move ahead with the project. Quebec is not the only province in which opposition to the project exists or stakeholder concerns have been raised. However, it is clear that the Quebec government’s opposition to the project is currently TransCanada’s biggest roadblock. Not only has Quebec’s provincial government been outspoken in expressing its concerns about the project, but many Quebec-based environmental and citizen groups across the province have also demonstrated their opposition to the project. It is too early to know the fate of the Energy East pipeline project. However, there is already much to discuss regarding the challenges Energy East faces in Quebec and how these may impact the regulatory approval process.
- ItemOpen AccessCartels and Casinos: First Nations’ Gaming in Canada(Fraser Institute, 2020-09) Flanagan, TomIn 1985, Parliament amended the Criminal Code to give the provinces jurisdiction over gambling. The provinces have used their new jurisdiction to create cartels for their own profit, in which they are either the owners of licensed casinos or take a large share of the profit. First Nations challenged the provinces in court but lost. Hence, they have had to fit into the cartel system and take leftovers—with a few exceptions, casinos located far from the main action. Only Alberta has let them into lucrative metropolitan markets, with one casino each in Edmonton and Calgary. Saskatchewan and Manitoba have recently licensed First Nation casinos not too far from Saskatoon and Winnipeg. In Ontario, Casino Rama is in a popular resort location, and the Membertou VLT parlours are situated within the small city of Sydney, Nova Scotia.Obviously a lot of money moves around in casinos, but does it benefit the host First Nations? The answer is an emphatic “Yes” for the half-dozen casinos located in or near cities and destination resorts. In all these cases, the opening of a casino was an inflection point in the time series of their Community Well-Being (CWB) index scores. (CWB is an aggregate of income, employment, education, and housing data collected by Statistics Canada.) Their scores rose more rapidly than their previous rate of progress because large profits from the casino can be used to provide better housing and other social services for First Nation members. Money from the casinos can also be leveraged for large-scale business and real-estate development, as is now happening in Edmonton and Calgary.Elsewhere, the answer is only a qualified “Yes”. The casinos in rural locations are generally profitable and honestly run, and they do generate useful amounts of cash and jobs for the host First Nations. However, in most cases hosting a casino has no discernible effect on the Community Well-Being of the hosts. The CWB scores of less favourably located First Nation casinos have not risen more rapidly than the general rate of improvement for First Nations because the revenues generated from their remote locations are not large enough to have a transformative effect.
- ItemOpen AccessCharter Schools and Educational Diversity in Alberta: Assessing the success of Alberta charter schools and the potential for expansion in Alberta and other Canadian provinces(2018-06-04) MacPherson, Paige T.; Flanagan, TomCharter schools have been operating in Alberta for over twenty years, yet their growth has been limited in the province and the model has not expanded to the rest of Canada. Functioning as autonomous, government-funded, non-profit schools which charge no tuition – each offering a unique educational approach and performing independent research – charter schools represent an innovative model of public education. An analysis of provincial enrollment data shows charter school enrollment is growing relative to total school age population in Alberta, and anecdotal evidence shows strong parental demand for charter schools. An analysis of grade six and nine Provincial Achievement Test (PAT) score data in Alberta between 1997/98 and 2016/17 shows that charter schools on average almost always outperform all other types of schools – notably outperforming independent schools – while operating at a much lower cost to government than traditional public schools. When broken down school by school, it has been shown that charter schools achieve consistently high average PAT scores, and the few charter schools that fall below the traditional public school average scores have shown steady improvement over time. Yet, the provincially mandated cap on the number of schools in the province has not been reached. It appears that regulatory and practical barriers have constrained the expansion of charter schools in the province. The Alberta government could implement policy reforms to remove these barriers, reallocate additional funding for transportation and some capital costs, and encourage charter school growth. For decades, charter schools have served as an integral part of the educational choice frameworks in both Alberta and the United States, and represent an opportunity for other Canadian provinces looking to increase diversity within their education systems and better engage students who are not best served by traditional public schools. A review of the education systems in each Canadian province and a literature review of existing research on charter schools in the United States and Alberta demonstrate that charter schools likely cannot be introduced without overcoming some political barriers. However, charter school policies bring great potential for offering a wider range of educational options to students of all income levels, and may be exceptionally valuable for engaging disadvantaged student populations in classroom learning. By several measures, the Alberta government’s experiment with charter schools has proven successful for students, but there is room to grow. The introduction of charter schools is a worthwhile policy for other provincial governments to consider, and the Alberta model offers useful lessons to aid in the process.
- ItemOpen AccessClarity of the Investment Canada Act with Regards to State Owned Enterprises(2013-09) She, Kay; Flanagan, TomIn April 2013, the Canadian government passed amendments to the Investment Canada Act (ICA), which, for the first time, explicitly treated foreign State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) within legislation. The ICA amendments were intended to provide clarity and signal future direction of foreign SOE investment in Canada. A clear investment framework for SOEs is critical to attract the capital needed to encourage investment, economic growth and employment opportunities in Canada. Weaknesses in the clarity of the ICA will unnecessarily drive foreign SOE investment away with ramifications for Canada’s relations with those foreign countries. Much of the academic literature on foreign direct investments uses nonrestrictiveness as a measure of success to evaluate foreign investment rules. However, this paper focuses on one specific portion of foreign investment rules – SOE provisions. An evaluation of SOE provisions must first understand that the country in question has made a political decision to be restrictive to SOE investors by installing SOE provisions. Therefore, the measure of success for good legislation related to SOEs is not restrictiveness. Rather, clarity is the measure of success for good legislation related to SOEs. A comparative legislative analysis between Canada and Australia’s foreign investment rules reveals some weaknesses of the ICA amendments in providing a clear investment framework for SOEs. In order to begin addressing these issues of clarity, this paper recommends putting a percentage threshold or guidelines around the definition of SOE, striking the retroactivity provisions within the ICA, and providing reasoning as to why oil sands will only be acquired by SOEs on an “exceptional basis” only. This would help create certainty for SOE investors that the deals they strategically and deliberately craft in accordance with legislation will receive approval.
- ItemOpen AccessComparative Analysis of Aboriginal Resource Production(2013-09) Dullet, Sarvmeet; Flanagan, TomThis project examines resource production in Canada but more specifically, resource production on aboriginal land. With First Nations, the Inuit and the Métis all being considered aboriginal people of Canada, they are in reality subject to different legislation that deals with how resource production occurs on their land. This project will focus on the different types of applicable legislation and how it can differently impact the aboriginal way of life. The main cases used in the study are the First Nations in Alberta and the Inuit in Nunavut, both of whom are located on resource rich land. By analyzing the difference between the two groups of aboriginals and their applicable legislation a better understanding can occur of which method promotes better cultural, social and economical growth among aboriginals and whether other methods should be amended or abolished.
- ItemEmbargoConservative Politics, Policy and the Ethnic Vote(2015-01) Bandali, Farahnaz; Flanagan, TomEthnic and immigrant communities have become a powerful constituency for winning federal elections. The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) has done an excellent job of recruiting, maintaining and increasing the support of this constituency over the past three elections, bringing a triple threat on the basis of values, policies and optics. The Conservatives have communicated common values between the base and ethnic communities, enacted policies on the basis of these values and look more like Canada than the other political parties. Despite receiving a majority government in the 2011 election, which is largely attributed to ethnic voters, the Conservative government has tightened legislation around immigration, making it more difficult to come to Canada. This research study explores the relationship between politics and policy and why immigrant communities are increasing their support for the Conservative party despite stricter immigration policies. Qualitative interviews with seven political and community leaders outline that the CPC was able to institute its policy agenda because of good politics. This paper proposes seven perspectives on why immigrant communities are voting for the CPC despite some perceived unfavorable policies. Political parties have the advantage of presenting issues selectively rather than identifying their position on all policy matters. Politicians control the message and citizens rely on politicians to tell them what the important and relevant issues are. The average voter does not have the time to delve into policy and relies on those responsible for policy setting to steer them in the right direction because there is asymmetric knowledge between politicians and voters. It is rational for the average voter to be apathetic towards policy matters due to the large amount of time and effort needed to maneuver in the political landscape. There is little incentive for an individual to become well versed on all policy matters. The average citizen therefore relies on a leader that they believe has their interest at heart. This is where ethos becomes very important. The character and credibility of a leader is a powerful rhetorical tool and Minister Jason Kenney has been a consistent figure for immigrant communities. Pathos is also a very important tool in persuading voters. The CPC’s emotional appeals on same-sex marriage, crime and family values appear to have made an impact on immigrant communities. Ethnic and immigrant communities have become a powerful constituency for winning federal elections. The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) has done an excellent job of recruiting, maintaining and increasing the support of this constituency over the past three elections, bringing a triple threat on the basis of values, policies and optics. The Conservatives have communicated common values between the base and ethnic communities, enacted policies on the basis of these values and look more like Canada than the other political parties. Despite receiving a majority government in the 2011 election, which is largely attributed to ethnic voters, the Conservative government has tightened legislation around immigration, making it more difficult to come to Canada. This research study explores the relationship between politics and policy and why immigrant communities are increasing their support for the Conservative party despite stricter immigration policies. Qualitative interviews with seven political and community leaders outline that the CPC was able to institute its policy agenda because of good politics. This paper proposes seven perspectives on why immigrant communities are voting for the CPC despite some perceived unfavorable policies. Political parties have the advantage of presenting issues selectively rather than identifying their position on all policy matters. Politicians control the message and citizens rely on politicians to tell them what the important and relevant issues are. The average voter does not have the time to delve into policy and relies on those responsible for policy setting to steer them in the right direction because there is asymmetric knowledge between politicians and voters. It is rational for the average voter to be apathetic towards policy matters due to the large amount of time and effort needed to maneuver in the political landscape. There is little incentive for an individual to become well versed on all policy matters. The average citizen therefore relies on a leader that they believe has their interest at heart. This is where ethos becomes very important. The character and credibility of a leader is a powerful rhetorical tool and Minister Jason Kenney has been a consistent figure for immigrant communities. Pathos is also a very important tool in persuading voters. The CPC’s emotional appeals on same-sex marriage, crime and family values appear to have made an impact on immigrant communities.
- ItemOpen AccessCreating and Evaluating Goal Ordering Structures for Testing Harbour Patrol and Interception Policies(2010-03-24T15:29:21Z) Thornton, Chris; Flanagan, Tom; Denzinger, JoergIn this article, we discuss a method for testing policies that guide groups of agents in simulations for interactions with other agents and the environment that reveal weaknesses of these policies. Our method is based on learning interaction sequences using particle swarm systems and has as one crucial component so-called goal ordering structures that are used to guide the learning towards weakness-revealing interactions. Our discussion centers around the different ways a new measuring idea can be integrated into such an ordering structure using the example of testing patrol and interception policies for harbours. Our experimental evaluation reveals that the position of placement of a new measure in an existing ordering structure can greatly influence the testing results, positively and negatively, but mostly mirrors the intuition associated with the placement.
- ItemOpen AccessDecentralized Agriculture: Applying Blockchain Technology in Agri-Food Markets(2018-09-04) Green, Samuel; Flanagan, TomBlockchain is a simple yet powerful innovation – a new record keeping mechanism that replaces centralized ledgers and double entry bookkeeping. The technology first arose as a backbone to cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, but has quickly garnered attention for its other applications, such as those in the areas of government record keeping, supply chain tracking, land title management, and, as will be explored throughout this paper, agri-food markets. Blockchain’s potential applications to agri-food markets are wide ranging, and hinge on the technology’s ability to track a physical commodity throughout an entire supply chain and provide easy access to this information for multiple parties. The technology thus enables improvements in food safety programs, by allowing the provenance of a product to be discovered within seconds, tracing the source of a foodborne illness back to its source before it becomes a widespread issue. It will also give credibility to - and increase participation in - environmental certification programs due to its ability to reduce paperwork and simplify the auditing process. Finally, the technology has the potential to change the way farmers market their products, reducing counterparty risk and empowering smallholder farmers in the process. [vi] The technology holds immense promise for the Agri-food sector, and several start-up firms and even governments have initiated pilot programs and studies to further understand its many applications. These pilots are often in their early stages of implementation, but offer insights into the potential and limitations of the technology. This paper explores the potential applications of blockchain to the agri-food market, with a specific focus on food safety, environmental certifications, and commodity marketing. It finds that the technology holds immense potential, but that a number of obstacles must be overcome before this potential is reached. Chief among these obstacles is further integration of real-world links to the blockchain, be it RFID or NFC chips, or changes to precision agriculture equipment and other on-farm machinery. If these obstacles are overcome, however, blockchain could have profound impacts on international agri-food markets. Well thought out government policy and regulation will need to accompany the technological advancements being made in the sector. As such, regulators and legislators alike should maintain a loose regulatory framework that allows new and innovative applications of the technology to flourish. This can be achieved through regulatory sandboxes and an iterative, cautious approach to policy making. Finally, there are areas, such as food safety and environmental monitoring, where the government should become more involved in research and development, either through applied research funding or government run initiatives. Blockchain technology, if accompanied by sensible government policy, stands to improve the way food is sourced, tracked, and sold. The recommendations put forth in this paper serve as guidelines for unleashing the technology’s potential.
- ItemEmbargoEnvironmental Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting in the Oil Sands: New Directions(2012-09) Gacek, Keith; Flanagan, TomThe environmental performance of oil sands development in Canada is under intense public scrutiny. The prevailing narrative positions industry development with an essential contribution to Canada's economy and energy security against potential environmental damage and negative impacts on communities. This research paper studies whether the range of current corporate social responsibility (CSR) indicators used by oil sands companies effectively addresses the main environmental externalities associated with oil sands development. This research finds that, while improvements have been made, there are still significant gaps in reporting methods. This paper then explores ways to both improve these CSR reports and suggests drivers (policy or other) that will help incentivize a more consistent release of information on environmental externalities by corporations. The suggestions for improvement are placed in the context of communicating more effectively with a broad range of multiple stakeholders. Finally, this paper concludes by discussing how improved environmental CSR reporting in the oil sands will not only help enhance the industry's "social license to operate," but will also contribute to our understanding and advancement of the political and socio-economic setting in which oil sands development occurs.
- ItemOpen AccessGender Parity on Corporate Board of Directors: A Public or Private Policy Issue?(2017-08-18) Griffith, Amber; Flanagan, TomGender diversity on corporate board of directors is a policy concern in Canada as women's inequality has broad societal and economic implications. The strength and long-term success of Canadian public corporations depends on the highest quality board management. Significant research and reports show a positive correlation between increased diversity on boards and improved corporate governance and financial performance. Nonetheless, women currently only hold 12 percent of board appointments on publicly-traded companies in Canada and 45 percent of companies listed on the S&P/TSX still do not have any women on their boards. A number of factors have led to the slow progress of board diversification in corporate Canada. While Bill C-25 to amend the Canadian Business Corporations Act proposes disclosure rules consistent with the “comply or explain” rules of current provincial security regulators, gender parity policies must be better informed and carefully designed to ensure that women succeed in board appointments. This project was designed as a pilot project in order to determine the feasibility of government legislating gender parity on corporate board of directors in Canada. Confidential discussions were conducted with 35 informed individuals from public, private and not-for-profit sectors, including mid to top-level professionals, both male and female, from various industries and backgrounds. Qualitative data analysis involved a comparison of respondents' views expressed on government involvement in creating board diversification in corporate Canada, allowing for an in-depth understanding of the current attitude in Canada. Respondents provided insight and shared their views on the current state of affairs as well as policy initiatives including “comply or explain,” quotas, and/or private measures. Key themes from the literature review served to guide the data analysis process. Several explanatory factors have been found to contribute to the continuous low representation of women on corporate board of directors in Canada, specifically around women's life choices, mentorship and sponsorship opportunities, and multiple elements involved in the recruitment process for new board members. Findings propose that the underlying issues impacting female representation on corporate boards are complex and a strong desire to maintain the status quo hinders progress. The explanatory factors identified in this project strongly contribute to the low number of women on corporate boards. Policies involving targets or quotas will not succeed if the organizational culture and “pipeline” questions are not addressed. With organizational policies to address the number of women in leadership roles combined with stricter disclosure requirements to encourage companies to diversify and highlight progress to investors, the status quo can be altered. Moreover, a government-sponsored commission of established industry professionals should be established to coordinate with industry and drive change. Any policy approach designed to increase the number of female board directors should involve a partnership between the public and private sector.
- ItemEmbargoHow Effective is Canadian Bilateral Aid in Improving Access to Quality Education in Tanzania?(2012-09) Chacha, Maisory; Flanagan, TomTanzania is among the poorest countries of the world with approximately one third of its population living below the poverty line of less than $1 a day. The country has been heavily reliant on foreign aid assistance, with close to 40 percent of its national budget and up to 70 percent of its education development budget dependent on donor assistance. Moreover, according to OECD calculations, Tanzania is the third largest recipient country of development aid behind Iraq and Afghanistan, having received $2.811 billion in donations. In this project, I reviewed Canadian bilateral assistance to Tanzania during the period of basic education reform in Tanzania, from 2002 to 2011. I reviewed Canada's policy documents on its support for basic education, a breakdown of Canadian aid funds disbursed to support basic education in Tanzania as reported in the Creditor Reporting System of the OECD, as well as reports of Tanzania's PEDP implementation. I argue that Canada's support for basic education in Tanzania may be ineffective because there is no Canadian policy document to guide the country's engagement in ensuring improvement of learning outcomes (quality education); Canada allocates smaller amounts in improving the education policy and administration management in Tanzania than other education components; Canada has shifting funding priorities and overemphasizes funding its national NGOs and CSOs. Also, the efficacy of Canadian aid is constrained by Tanzania's overreliance on donors, institutional gaps facing the country's education ministry, inflation, and lack of legal responsibility and accountability.
- ItemOpen AccessLost in Translation: Examining Alberta's Duty to Consult Policy and the Challenge Government Faces when Policies are Imposed on them by the Judicial System(2016-09) Smith, Gillian; Flanagan, TomThe province of Alberta created their duty to consult policy following the Mikisew Cree First Nation v. Heritage Canada case. This case extended continuing rights for future and current claims and acknowledged the duty of the Crown to consult when these rights were to be potentially impeded.The Government of Alberta took this as a cue to develop their own duty to consult policy, so to ensure they would never be in violation of this ruling. This is notable in Alberta due to a large provincial focus on resource development. Being required to consult with Aboriginal communities before moving forward with resource development projects is a potential barrier to quick economic expansion.
- ItemOpen AccessRecommendations for Alberta's Draft Conservation Offset Framework: Realizing True Market Potential(2015-08) Linley, Kay Deborah; Flanagan, TomIn May 2015, the province released a Draft Conservation Offset Framework. This analysis offers constructive feedback for the draft framework in attempts to improve future revisions. This report finds that the province’s draft framework focuses primarily on conservation offset design elements. In contrast, there is very little mention of the best delivery mechanisms for conservation offsets. To fully realize conservation offsets as a market-based instrument, this analysis recommends embracing market mechanisms, complete with exchange and banking systems for effective offset delivery in the province. This analysis suggests that the next revision for Alberta’s Conservation Offset Framework should include a greater focus on market delivery and a demonstrated commitment to these mechanisms. This analysis goes on to suggest that in order to promote competitive conservation offset markets, certain aspects of the framework need to be reconsidered and modified. The potential market conflicts include: in-lieu fees, stacking, uncertainty, language, commitment, and objectives.
- ItemOpen AccessThe Paradox of Equalization: Solving Inequity by Increasing Disparities(2018-08-07) Fuss, Jake; Flanagan, TomThe design of the equalization system is a policy concern in Canada because it has extensive political, social, and economic implications. Equalization is intended to ensure all provinces can offer similar public services and to reduce fiscally induced migration across the country. The program is entrenched in the constitution and has been in operation since 1957. However, equalization has been reformed numerous times over the decades and controversy has followed with each new iteration of the system. In 2018-19, fiscal equalization payments will total $18.96 billion and will be split between six provinces. Quebec will receive $11.73 billion, or 61.88% of the total amount, while Prince Edward Island will receive the most per capita at $2,835. Conversely, the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland & Labrador will not receive any money. This project was designed to determine the level of success equalization has had in meeting its own objectives and constitutional obligations. Specifically, the focus of the project is on the service comparability aspect of the equalization system. Analysis was conducted by collecting data from Statistics Canada regarding eight different education indicators by province. Provinces were then compared to the national average in each category and any outliers were recorded. This statistical analysis provided insight into how “reasonably comparable” services are across provinces in Canada. Key themes from the literature review include equalization’s ability to reduce fiscal disparities, promotion of bad fiscal policy, political influence, and the system’s lack of focus on service comparability. Authors suggested that equalization was important for national unity, but also emphasized that the system is designed for political motives rather than economic efficiency. Findings propose that equalization has enabled services to improve across the country, but service comparability appears to have faltered over time. In fact, service disparities between provinces have not disappeared despite the existence of equalization and may even be increasing as time progresses. Additionally, fiscal equalization may have the effect of enabling provinces which receive payments to achieve greater levels of service than non-recipient provinces. As a direct consequence, some provinces may have lower quality education services solely because of the design of the system. The equalization program is in need of reform. Moving forward, policy should be designed to legislate what “reasonably comparable” levels of service are and develop concrete tools to measure levels of service in order to compare provinces and assess the program’s ability to meet its objectives. In addition, the government should introduce an independent arms-length agency to provide oversight and direction to the equalization program. The agency would be responsible for ensuring effectiveness, making modifications, and achieving the constitutional requirements of the program. As a result, equalization would become de-politicized and progress towards improving service comparability among the provinces. Any policy approach designed to reform equalization should involve expert consultation and a plan to address service disparities.
- ItemEmbargoA Trans-Pacific Welcome?(2012-09) Brown, Jasmine; Flanagan, TomCanada has built a strong global rapport in foreign relations that provides a solid foundation in which future trade may realize success. The Canadian government has acknowledged the importance of growing trade and investment to the standards of living and future prosperity of Canadians.1 Among Canada's international priorities and objectives stand the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Latin America region as areas of focus.2 Although Canada has specified interest in exploratory discussions with Mercosur to enhance trade relations with related countries, it may not be the only way to access Latin American markets moving forward and consideration should be placed on other multilateral agreements with strict standards and great promise. The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a potential multilateral agreement in which not only Canada, but also multiple Latin American countries have expressed interest. It is from this base and through this connection which this study stems.
- ItemOpen AccessTransCanada's Pipeline Stalled by Pathos: A Content Analysis of Keystone XL on Twitter(2016-08) Stedman, Ashley; Flanagan, TomGaining public and political support for the Keystone XL pipeline project was impeded by the use of social media as a mass mobilization tool. Online discussions about the Keystone XL pipeline were dominated by negative sentiments that resonated with public audiences. Groups that opposed the Keystone XL pipeline had a consistent and regular social media presence that used both proactive and reactive messaging. This research project analyzes the success of the environmental movement on Twitter in terms of using techniques to mobilize supporters and exert mass message control. The results show that the success of the environmental movement can be attributed to the strategic use of coalition building and emotional messaging on Twitter. Anti-‐pipeline activists recruited like-‐ minded organizations to disseminate consistent and coordinated messaging. Such groups used emotional messaging that evoked fear. Pro-‐pipeline activists attempted to use a job creation messaging to relay the benefits of the pipeline to public audiences. However, the results of this research project show that messages that appeal to logic are disseminated at a negligible rate compared to emotional messaging. The pro-‐pipeline messaging did not resonate with public audiences as it lacked an emotional appeal and an effectively managed dissemination strategy.
- ItemEmbargoUrban Aboriginal Community Engagement(2012-09) Green, Breanna; Flanagan, TomThis paper explores the ways Aboriginal-led organizations use community engagement processes to address the issues underlying many of the challenges urban Aboriginals face. Community engagement refers to processes where people come together to collaboratively address issues that affect and are of importance to the community, and to come up with community-based solutions. It is assumed that programs, services, plans or policies developed with community involvement will be more responsive and effective than those developed from the 'top-down.' Community engagement also has a number of other benefits, which includes supporting the development of a cohesive and active community. Engaging the community, however, is not a straightforward process when engaging with the urban Aboriginal community. Urban Aboriginals are one of the fastest growing and youngest populations in Canada. The policies and attitudes that supported colonization and assimilation have worked to break up Aboriginal communities and destroy positive Aboriginal identities, and have also promoted discrimination against Aboriginals. This has resulted in a number of socio-economic issues affecting urban Aboriginals, and has also presented a number of challenges to engaging the urban Aboriginal community. Mainstream services and programs have not been effective and have resulted in poor outcomes for urban Aboriginals. Given the role of governmental and non-Aboriginal organizations in producing and perpetuating the challenges urban Aboriginals face, Aboriginal-led organizations are at the forefront in involving the urban Aboriginal community in developing community-based solutions. These organizations recognize the impacts colonization and assimilation have had on urban Aboriginals and are utilizing the process of community engagement to not only involve the urban Aboriginal community in finding new and more effective approaches to the issues they face, but to also to help ameliorate these issues through the community engagement process itself. This highlights the importance of the process of community engagement and not only the end result of the engagement, particularly in relation to marginalized groups. By identifying both the methods used by urban Aboriginal-led organizations to engage the community and the values that guide them, some of the promising practices of community engagement that Aboriginal-led organizations are using to promote a positive and involved urban Aboriginal community needed to resist further marginalization are illuminated. In order to better understand the ways urban Aboriginal-led organizations use the processes of community engagement to address the challenges faced by urban Aboriginal communities, a review of the community engagement strategies currently being used by Aboriginal-led organizations based in western Canadian cities and towns was conducted. Aboriginal-led agencies utilize the process of community engagement in order to address some of the roots of the issues they work to alleviate with the urban Aboriginal community: lack of a sense of belonging, negative self-identification, lack of skills and confidence, and few supportive opportunities to participate in decision making. Their approaches are guided by the values that define Aboriginal-led organizations. They address all aspects of a person's life, respect their clients' opinions, are culturally sensitive and use traditional values and knowledge to support positive identities and feelings of community. Most importantly, they work toward the empowerment of individuals and the urban Aboriginal community as a whole. While the government has the material resources to address these issues, the historical relationship and legacy of colonization, combined with the racism that many urban Aboriginals face when accessing mainstream services, highlights the importance of Aboriginal-led organizations in this process. Many of these organizations, however, rely in part on government funding. This funding is often contingent on the evaluated effectiveness of the work the organizations do. Evaluative tools that focus on individual- and family-level impacts of community engagement will be most effective in measuring the change produced by community engagement by Aboriginal-led organizations in the short term. It is important to note that eliminating the systemic discrimination many urban Aboriginals experience is also the responsibility of governments and of other Canadians if wide-spread improvements are to be made.