Canada Archives | Research & Innovation

Research forum provides new perspective on ways to end youth homelessness

muellerm — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 10:00:00 +0000

A systems approach is needed to respond to youth homelessness in York Region and Canada. This was the message at yesterday’s research forum: Re-Imagining Our Response to Youth Homelessness: A Canadian and Global Perspective, organized by United Way York Region (UWYR) and �첥��Ƶ at the Markham Convergence Centre.

“A multi-sectoral approach is necessary. Non-profit organizations, universities, governments and other key stakeholders have to work together to end youth homelessness and move forward with one clear vision,” said keynote speaker Stephen Gaetz, �첥��Ƶ professor and director of the Canadian Homelessness Research Network. “We need to reconsider our response to youth homelessness and shift our focus away from an emphasis on emergency supports towards prevention and rapid rehousing.”

Representatives from a variety of sectors gathered at the Markham Convergence Centre to talk about an effective response to youth homelessness in York Region and Canada.

The research forum was organized by UWYR in partnership with �첥��Ƶ’s Knowledge Mobilization (KMb) Unit through a one-year Public Outreach Grant from the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

“We see this event as a great opportunity to invite people to think differently about youth homelessness and learn from other jurisdictions,” said Jane Wedlock, knowledge mobilization officer, UWYR. “And we can consider whether we might explore some of these different approaches.”

Stephen Gaetz

Examples were drawn from different Canadian provinces and other countries that have undertaken some innovative approaches to addressing youth homelessness.

"It was impressive to see York research at a forum designed to facilitate relationship building, a two-way exchange between academic researchers and practitioners in social service provision, all with one common vision to support positive changes in addressing issues of youth homelessness in York Region," said Michael Johnny, manager of knowledge mobilization at �첥��Ƶ.

"Research Forums, such as the one held yesterday, are an important process of effective knowledge mobilization by creating a culture of collaboration and realizing the potential for research to have a direct and positive impact for York Region," said Johnny.

For more information, visit the website.

Republished courtesy of YFile– �첥��Ƶ’s daily e-bulletin to research stories on the research website.

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Effects of precarious legal status on immigrants long lasting

muellerm — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Immigrants with precarious legal status, such as temporary foreign workers, often end up in precarious work situations that undermine their economic prospects. Moreover, according to a new study by researchers from �첥��Ƶ and the University of Toronto, these effects are long lasting even for those who subsequently become permanent residents.

, by York sociology Professor Luin Goldring and University of Toronto sociology Professor Patricia Landolt, was published Tuesday by the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP). Given recent major changes in Canada’s immigration system, including large increases in the number of temporary foreign workers and new pathways to permanent residence, this finding has important implications, says Goldring.

Luin Goldring

The study authors define precarious work as employment that is insecure and of lower quality. They point out that immigrants with these types of jobs are often exposed to labour practices that “erode, violate or evade employment standards.” This is especially of concern in a context where “a growing number of newcomers spend time navigating various forms of temporary and probationary legal status before they can apply for permanent residence,” while others remain in a temporary category or stay in Canada without work or residence authorization.

The authors’ quantitative and qualitative analyses are based on original data from a sample of 300 Latin American and Caribbean immigrant workers in the Greater Toronto Area. A key finding is that exposure to precarious work during the initial period in Canada had a lasting negative impact on these workers. As they put it, the effects of living with precarious legal status can be “sticky”; the transition to secure status “does not put people on par with those who entered with secure status.”

In light of this, Goldring and Landolt identify several ways to mitigate the effects of precarious status on immigrant economic outcomes, including faster transitions to secure legal status and permanent residence, open work permits for temporary migrant workers, improvements in workplace equity and broader access to settlement services.

The Impact of Precarious Legal Status on Immigrants’ Economic Outcomes by Goldring and Landolt can be downloaded free of charge from the ’s website.

Republished courtesy of YFile– �첥��Ƶ’s daily e-bulletin to research stories on the research website.

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Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies launches new lecture series

muellerm — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 08:00:00 +0000

The Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies is launching a new series of Annual Robarts Lectures by distinguished Canadianists at York.

Professor Bettina Bradbury of history and women’s studies at Glendon and the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies will speak on Twists, Turning Points and Tall Shoulders: �첥��Ƶing Canada and Feminist Histories Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 4 to 6pm in the Senate Chambers, ninth floor North Ross Building. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Bettina Bradbury

In this “intellectual biography”, Bradbury will reflect on her career in and contributions to the study of Canada. An award-winning historian of Québec and family history, she has served �첥��Ƶ in various roles, including as chair of women’s studies and as director of the graduate program in history, among others. She recently received the Faculty of Graduate Studies Teaching Award.

The event is also a celebration of Canadianist research at York featuring a first collective book launch for Canadian themed publications produced in 2011 and 2012 by members of the �첥��Ƶ community. It is an opportunity for the Robarts Centre to highlight the breadth of Canadianist research at York.

Anyone wishing to attend the event, should RSVP to robarts@yorku.ca.

Republished courtesy of YFile– �첥��Ƶ’s daily e-bulletin to research stories on the research website.

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Canada and the United Kingdom commit to social innovation

fmaquito — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 08:00:00 +0000

A joint diplomatic commitment to social innovation between Canada and the United Kingdom that was formalized May 9 has a connection to work underway at �첥��Ƶ in the area of knowledge mobilization.

The signed by David Fast, Canada’s minister of international trade and minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, and Stephen Green, the United Kingdom’s minister of state for trade & development, highlights the importance of collaboration between the two countries in the area of social innovation. Social Innovation takes new ideas and puts them into practice for the public good. David Phipps, director of York's Research Services and Knowledge Exchange and leader of �첥��Ƶ’s Knowledge Mobilization Unit and ResearchImpact-RéseauImpactRecherche (RIR), Canada’s knowledge mobilization network, played a role in realizing the commitment by both countries to social innovation.

David Phipps

It began in September 2011, when British Prime Minister David Cameron met with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The pair discussed many matters, including international diplomacy, national security, the economy and innovation. During their meeting, they decided to build on their countries’ mutual interests in science and innovation by committing to a joint innovation statement. to view a video of Cameron's address to the Canadian Parliament.

In November 2011, some two months after the prime ministers agreed to draft the joint innovation statement, Phipps travelled to the UK for a series of meetings on knowledge mobilization and social innovation. While there, he met with representatives from the at the University of Edinburgh and the at the University of Brighton.

“At that time, I wrote in [a blog about ResearchImpact and knowledge mobilization] about my meetings ,” said Phipps. “What I didn't write about at the time were my meetings with agencies interested in social innovation. I met with the , a global leader in social innovation, and with , the UK’s innovation foundation.”

Accompanying Phipps to the meetings was Caroline Martin, trade commissioner for science and technology with the Canadian High Commission in London. “We discussed the importance of social innovation to Canada and the United Kingdom, a conversation we then continued with Nicole Arbour, team lead for the Science & Innovation Network at the British High Commission in Ottawa. Together we explored opportunities for collaboration on social innovation with Canadian organizations such as and the , organizations whose leadership in social innovation parallels that of NESTA and the Young Foundation.”

Phipps learned that Martin and Arbour were assisting with drafting the Joint Innovation statement that was called for by the prime ministers. “Our conversations helped inform the decision to include social innovation in the text of the Joint Innovation statement,” said Phipps.

Once completed, the Joint Innovation statement included this declaration: “The Participants will consider taking joint initiatives in the following priority areas [including] Social Innovation: Working with academic, government and civil society partners to leverage research and innovation activities for greater societal benefits.”

Phipps said the joint diplomatic commitment to social innovation between Canada and the UK has found another home with the Governor General of Canada David Johnston. On Feb. 17, 2012 he wrote about in an opinion piece published in The Globe & Mail. “So how do we bring about a smart and caring world that is at once prosperous, sustainable and resilient?” wrote Johnston. “Our ability to work together – to practise the diplomacy of knowledge – will be the key to our success.”

"Social Innovation is one outcome of knowledge mobilization for which York is developing an international reputation,” said Robert Haché, York’s vice-president research & innovation. “New discoveries are being made to address persistent social challenges through social innovation. Our conversations with the British and Canadian High Commissions helped inform the decision to include social innovation in the text of the Joint Innovation statement. The outcome reflects the growing international appreciation of the work of York’s Knowledge Mobilization Unit and its leadership role in ResearchImpact, Canada's knowledge mobilization network, in working to turn research into action."

“Collaborating for social innovation is now recognized as a priority for Canada and for the UK,” said Phipps. “RIR-York was there and will be there working with colleagues from Canada and the UK to support knowledge mobilization as a process that enables enhanced social innovation.”

Republished courtesy of YFile– �첥��Ƶ’s daily e-bulletin.

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York prof featured in COU's new Research Matters campaign

fmaquito — Thu, 24 May 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Through a new province-wide campaign, Ontario university researchers are reaching out to explain the value and benefits of university research.
The Council of Ontario Universities (COU) launched to showcase new stories and ideas emerging from the research underway at Ontario's universities. The campaign, which features a website and blog, speaks to daily issues and reflects the full diversity of university research. It will continue through 2012-2013, with public events held around the province to allow the public to engage directly with researchers. Ontario's Minister of Economic Development & Innovation Brad Duguid announced the launch of the campaign at the Ontario Centres of Excellence Discovery Conference last week.

Among the researchers featured in the campaign is York humanities Professor Andrea Davis. The campaign profiles the work Davis is doing to alleviate the causes of youth violence. Through her research, Davis is working with community partners to help black youth in Canada and Jamaica challenge physical and systemic violence and find new paths toward social and civic engagement. Her work helps young people form new social identities through participation in the arts, social history and literature. to view the profile.

"This campaign provides a unique opportunity for researchers across the province to share the wide range of research they do,” says Davis. “The project my team and I are leading is certainly only one of many amazing research projects at York, but it resonates specifically with Ontarians because it addresses immediate questions about youth violence. There is no doubt that the stakes are high, and the potential for change and transformation is enormous."

“The work of thousands of university researchers in Ontario affects industry, government and community life in a multitude of ways,” says Alastair Summerlee, chair of COU and president of the University of Guelph. “Those stories about how researchers help people build stronger communities, get more out of work and leisure time, and achieve a better quality of life deserve to be told.”

“This campaign will connect more Ontarians directly with researchers and their ideas,” says Bonnie Patterson, COU president and CEO. “Ontarians can rightly take pride in the fascinating and highly diverse research underway here.”

“The Research Matters campaign is highlighting the important contributions that University research makes to the lives of Ontarians through the voices of many of Ontario’s leading university researchers,” said Robert Haché, vice-president research & innovation. “York is most pleased that Professor Andrea Davis and her important research is being highlighted in this initiative. Andrea’s research is making a positive difference in the lives of individuals, locally and abroad. Her project identifies youth violence prevention strategies and facilitates opportunities for youth to engage more constructively in their communities.”

Ontario university research is the common thread that ties these and hundreds of other stories together. Visit the COU's website, follow the campaign on Twitter at , or join the community on .

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Two York psychology profs listed in top 11

fmaquito — Tue, 15 May 2012 08:00:00 +0000

York psychology professors Jane Irvine and Debra Pepler of York’s Faculty of Health have recently been named two of the most published women in the field of clinical psychology in Canada, according to an article in the Canadian Psychology journal.

“Assessing the Publication Productivity of Clinical Psychology Professors in Canadian Psychological Association-Accredited Canadian Psychology Departments,” looked at publication and citation counts for 255 professors in CPA-accredited Canadian clinical psychology programs. Irvine and Pepler were listed among the top 11 women.

“Research productivity data helps one get a sense of how productive one is relative to one’s peers. Moreover, it also speaks to the research environment of one’s host institution,” says Irvine. “Of the top 11 female professors mentioned, two of us are at �첥��Ƶ.”

Debra Pepler

As Pepler, a Distinguished Research Professor at York, notes, “Research is an important aspect of our work in clinical programs because it informs both our teaching and our practice. At the same time our experience of working with clinical populations highlights critical questions for research.” Pepler is known for her research on bullying and co-leads , (Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network), a collaborative and interdisciplinary initiative that brings together 62 researchers from 27 Canadian universities and 49 national organizations.

The authors of the journal paper didn’t just use isolated publication and citation counts – they adjusted for normative data and included ceiling reference points. “This is the first time that normative data for clinical psychologists within academic programs has been summarized from across Canada,” says Irvine.

Usually, she says, professors typically don’t “know how productive one's research is relative to one's peers. Without normative data, such as collected by this study, it is very hard to gauge one's productivity.”

Jane Irvine

Irvine cautions that, as the article points out, it is important to keep in mind that the research productivity data only speaks to one part of the multiple components that comprise academic work. “They do not take into consideration professors teaching impact or service work. Nor do they reflect the full extent of our research productivity because they don’t take into account all of the means by which our research impacts the fields of science and practice.”

All the same, she is thrilled and pleased that York as an institution is obviously providing the right environment for professors to conduct research. Irvine was a clinical psychologist at the Toronto General Hospital for 17 years before joining York. She has conducted research into stress and the cardiovascular disease, modifying cardiovascular behavioural and psychosocial risk factors, optimizing adherence to medical and behavioural therapies, and enhancing adaptation to medical technologies, such as an implantable cardioverter defibrillator for prevention of sudden cardiac death.

Pepler, former director of the LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research, has previously received the Contribution to Knowledge Award from the Psychology Foundation of Canada, the Educator of the Year Award from Phi Delta Kappa (Toronto), the University of Waterloo Arts in Academia Award, and the Canadian Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Contributions to Public or Community Service.

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From prof to publisher of award-winning public policy book

fmaquito — Fri, 11 May 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Osgoode Hall Law School Professor Paul Emond wears many hats, but it’s his publishing business that has grabbed the limelight recently.

On May 1, it was announced that by Peter Aucoin, Mark Jarvis and Lori Turnbull, and published by Emond Montgomery Publications, had won the $50,000 for the best public policy book in 2011 by a Canadian.

Paul Emond

Emond, who is the director of Osgoode’s Professional Master of Laws in Alternative Dispute Resolution Program, founded Emond Montgomery Publications Limited in 1978 with Ann Montgomery and developed it into one of Canada’s top academic publishers.

What started with Emond’s idea to build better teaching materials for Canadian law students, “led to a company that has not only become a leading a voice in Canadian academic and school publishing, but a strong voice in stimulating public policy debate in Canada,” he said in an e-mail message.

The winner of the Donner Prize was chosen from an impressive list of 58 submissions and a shortlist of four by the distinguished five-member jury comprised of: A. Anne McLellan, former MP and distinguished scholar in residence to the at the Institute for United States Policy Studies (Jury Chair); Wendy Dobson, professor at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and director of the Institute for International Business; Kevin Lynch, Canadian economist and former clerk of the Privy Council and secretary to the Cabinet, who is now chair of BMO Financial Group; Marcel Boyer, Bell Canada Professor of industrial economics at the University of Montreal; and Denis Stairs, professor emeritus in political science and a Faculty Fellow of the Centre of Foreign Policy Studies at Dalhousie University.

The Donner Prize jury described Democratizing the Constitution as "an important and timely book -- one that calls into question the legitimacy of our most fundamental institutions of democracy." Aucoin, who died last July, was professor emeritus of political science and public administration at Dalhousie University. Mark Jarvis is a doctoral candidate at the University of Victoria, and Lori Turnbull is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at Dalhousie University.

The Donner Prize, established in 1998, annually rewards excellence and innovation in Canadian public policy thinking, writing and research in Canada. In bestowing this award, the Donner Canadian Foundation seeks to broaden policy debates, increase general awareness of the importance of policy decision making and make an original and meaningful contribution to policy discourse.

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Schulich marketing professor named ACA Gold Medal Award winner

fmaquito — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Marketing Professor Alan Middleton of York’s Schulich School of Business has been named the Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA) Gold Medal Award winner for 2012 for his outstanding contribution to the advancement of marketing communications in Canada.

Director of executive programs at the Schulich Executive Education Centre, Middleton has been praised as one of Canada’s most respected and influential thought-leaders in the field of marketing communications.

"I was totally surprised and delighted with the news of this award – especially as it means joining such luminaries as John Cassaday, Sunni Boot, Claude Lessard and Frank Palmer," said Middleton. "Hopefully, this signals not only my personal efforts, but the efforts of all those engaged in progressing the discipline of marketing."

Alan Middleton

Middleton's career spans the client side, including international oil and gas sector, agencies, such as J. Walter Thompson in England, Canada and Japan, and academia. He is co-author of Advertising Works II and Ikonica – A Fieldguide to Canada’s Brandscape, and he has authored better-practices reports for the ACA on payment-by-results, client-agency relationships and marketing dashboards.

"Alan Middleton personifies the exceptional qualities that constitute the ACA Gold Medal Award. At every level of endeavor, he has served the marketing communications industry with passion, commitment and distinction," said Ron Lund, president and CEO of the ACA. "As an educator, Alan has mentored a generation of successful Canadian marketers and advertising practitioners. As an author, he has been hugely influential in elevating our practice of effective advertising. And as a marketing authority, he has long been the media’s go-to source of expert commentary."

Middleton sits on the board of ABC Life Literacy Canada, is an Honorary Trustee of the Royal Ontario Museum, co-founder of the annual CASSIES Awards and an inductee into the Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends.

First presented in 1941, the ACA Gold Medal Award will be presented at this year's Marketing Awards gala June 8 at The Carlu in Toronto.

About the ACA Gold Medal Award

It is open to all individuals in activities that have an impact on marketing communications in Canada (client marketers, agencies, media, researchers, academics, associations, etc.)
Awarded for a single achievement, or for accomplishments over time
Awarded to a candidate whose contribution represents a measurable, distinctive advancement in the practice of marketing communications in Canada

Since its inception, the ACA Gold Medal Award has been presented to a distinguished vanguard of industry leaders and visionaries. A full list of past honorees is posted on the 's website.

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Eight from York to receive diamond jubilee medals

fmaquito — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Eight members of the �첥��Ƶ community are among the early recipients of a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in honour of their achievements and significant contributions to Canada.

The medals are in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the throne as queen of Canada and some 60,000 Canadians are expected to be recognized throughout 2012.

Distinguished Research Professor and Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada James Carley of York’s Department of English, a specialist in book history, was nominated for his outstanding contributions to scholarship in Canada and internationally by Senator Nicole Eaton, who is also the chair of the board of the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies in Toronto.

Ronald Pearlman

University Professor Emeritus Ronald Pearlman and Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus Kenneth Davey both of York’s Faculty of Science & Engineering were nominated by the Royal Canadian Institute (RCI) for the Advancement of Science for their outstanding contributions to the institute, as well as their support of a science culture and of science literacy in Canada. In addition, Professor Peter Victor of the Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES) was nominated for his support of the institute’s science outreach activities.

Four members of York’s Learning Technology Services in University Information Technology will also be honoured. They were nominated by the RCI for their work webcasting the institute’s lectures so they could be viewed around the world, increasing the public's awareness and understanding of science. They are Bob McKenzie, assistant manager of media services, Robert Denault (BA Hons. ’05), a digital media support specialist who has worked at the University since 2003, David Gibson, digital media support specialist, and Kelly Parke, program organizer.

Robert Denault

Pearlman, first-vice-president of the RCI and incoming president, is the director of the Core Molecular Biology/DNA Sequencing Facility and former associate dean and dean of York’s Faculty of Graduate Studies. He is also associate scientific director of the Gairdner Foundation and co-ordinates the student outreach program for Gairdner. His research interests include molecular biology and biochemistry, cell biology and genetics utilizing the new genomic and proteomic technologies.

Kenneth Davey

Davey, vice-chair of the Board of Canadian Science Publishing, is co-author of the first-year university textbook, Biology: Exploring the Diversity of Life (2009), and is the former co-editor of the Canadian Journal of Zoology. On the administrative side, Davey once held the positions of chair of York’s Department of Biology, dean of the Faculty of Pure and Applied Science and vice-president, academic. He previously won the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, as well as the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal. He is also an officer of the Order of Canada, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a past president of the RCI. His research explores the control of development and physiology in various invertebrates, principally insects and nematodes.

Peter Victor

Victor, past president of the RCI and the founding president of the Canadian Society for Ecological Economics, is an economist who has worked on environmental issues for 40 years as an academic, public servant and consultant. He is chair of the Greenbelt Council of Ontario, as well as a member of the Board of the David Suzuki Foundation. From 1996 to 2001, Victor was dean of FES, and before that an assistant deputy minister at the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.

James Carley

Carley is an associate fellow of the and an honorary research fellow of Lady Margaret Hall at the University of Oxford. His latest publication is an edition and translation of the De uiris illustribus by the Tudor antiquary John Leland. Carley’s previous works include King Henry VIII’s Prayer Book: Facsimile and Commentary (2009), (2004) and (2000).

Kelly Parke

Parke, an adjunct faculty member in the Schulich School of Business in the MBA program, has worked in the media industry for more than 30 years. As a technical producer and videographer he has worked with most of the major television networks in North America and with the BBC. In the entertainment sector he has worked on projects with the Rolling Stones, Brad Pitt and Hugh Grant and many other celebrities. In the sports world, he continues to be a videographer for many major league sports, as well as the Olympics.

Bob McKenzie

McKenzie has taught media production, delivered media storytelling seminars and served as producer/director for several broadcast, promotional and informational videos across North America for more than 35 years. As director of media for Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, he was instrumental in transitioning their distance and hybrid learning systems from satellite to live and on-demand video streaming utilizing a "flipped" classroom model of blended learning. For the last three decades, he has been a media producer/manager with York’s Instructional Technology & Learning Technology Services, working with faculty, students and staff to share their stories and ideas utilizing various media designs and techniques.

David Gibson

Gibson has travelled the world, 15 countries and counting, lived on three different continents and worked on two of them. In addition to working at York, Gibson is the co-founder and producer of Riverlife Productions, where he produces music videos and short films, one of which was funded by Bravo! and played on MuchMusic.

The medal winners nominated by the RCI will be honoured at the RCI’s Gala dinner Thursday, April 26.

For more information, visit the website.

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Conference examines birth of modern liberalism in Spain

fmaquito — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Scholars from Canada, Spain and Mexico will discuss the birth of liberalism amid the tumultuous struggles for independence in Spain during the 1800s, next week at Glendon.

Cádiz, 1812: The Birth of Modern Liberalism will take place Wednesday, March 21, starting at 4pm in the Glendon Hall BMO Conference Centre, Glendon College. The event is free and everyone is welcome to attend as long as seating is available.

There will be presentations by three speakers – York history Professor Adrian Shubert, history Professor José Álvarez Junco of the Complutense University of Madrid and political history Professor Roberto Breña at the Center for International Studies at El Colegio de Mexico – followed by a Spanish musical interlude and a reception offered by Eudaldo Mirapeix, the ambassador of Spain to Canada.

Junco will talk about the political ideas behind the constitution of Cádiz, particularly the contemporary meaning of "freedom" and "nation". A history professor in Madrid, Junco was the former director of the Center for Political & Constitutional Studies, a role that saw him report directly to the deputy prime minister. He was also a member of the advisory committee that prepared the law on Historical Memory of 2007.

Breña will discuss the importance the constitution of Cádiz had in Latin America. The constitution was proclaimed in 1810 in the midst of struggles for independence in most of Spain's American empire, which complicated those struggles.

The idea and funding for the event came from the Embassy of Spain in Ottawa, particularly from Juan Claudio de Ramón Jacob-Ernst, the newly arrived cultural attaché. “Cadiz 1812 is an enormous milestone in the Spanish political and constitutional history. It was our first constitution and arguably one of the most advanced of its time. It marked the passing from the old to the new regime, from dynastic to popular sovereignty, from absolutism to liberalism,” says de Ramon Jacob-Ernst. “It was revolution amidst war."

In the middle of the struggle against the Napoleonic aggressor, elected representatives from all parts of Spain, including the American territories and the Philippines, gathered in a small town besieged by land and sea to assert the sovereignty of the nation.

“It was during this parliament that the word ‘liberal’ was first used as a political label for people who supported constitutional and elected governments. The constitution was intended to apply to Spain and its American colonies, and the colonies sent deputies to sit in the parliament,” says Shubert. He will talk about the constitution's influence in Spain and its colonies, as well as outside the Spanish world, including its reception by one of the forerunners of nationalism in India. “The constitution of Cadiz was also important in other parts of Europe, especially Portugal and Italy."

As de Ramon Jacob-Ernst says, "To put it in Churchillian terms, we could say that Cadiz, 1812 represents our finest hour, the founding stone of our liberal tradition. It was our tragedy and shame that Ferdinand VII, the very same king for whose return from captivity the Spaniards so fierce fully fought, abrogated the constitution when he came back from exile, with the support of the most conservative sections of Spanish society and other European monarchs, fearful of liberalism in their own constituencies.”

The Constitution was revoked following the defeat of Napoleon in 1814, proclaimed again after a revolution in 1820 and revoked again in 1823.

The Portuguese, Italian, Greek, Russian and Latin-American revolutionaries took it as a model for their own constitutions, says de Ramon Jacob-Ernst. “Because of the epic of the moment, the beauty of the text and the failure to make it a living document, the Constitution of Cadiz was soon idealized and look upon ever since with melancholy by Spanish liberals and democrats. Clearly, it laid the foundation for our current Constitution of 1978.”

The event is organized by the Embassy of Spain, Glendon College, �첥��Ƶ, the Consulate General of Spain in Toronto, Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo and Spain Arts & Culture.

To reserve a seat, e-mail emb.ottawa@maec.es or cog.toronto@maec.es.

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