Fewer Canadians than ever are lacing up skates, swimming lengths at the pool, practicing their curve ball, and experiencing the thrill of competition. However, despite a decline in active participation, Canadians spend enormous amounts of time and money on sports, as fans and followers of sporting events and sports culture. Never has media coverage of sports been more exhaustive, and never has it been more driven by commercial interests and the need to fuel consumerism, on which corporate profits depend. But the power plays now occurring in the arena of sports are by no means solely a matter of money. At issue as well in the media capture of sports are the values that inform our daily lives, the physical and emotional health of the population, and the symbols so long central to a sense of Canadian identity. Writing from a variety of perspectives, the contributors to this collection set out to explore the impact of the media on our reception of, and attitudes toward, sports—to unpack the meanings that sports have for us as citizens and consumers. Some contributors probe the function of sports as spectacle—the escalation of violence, controversies over drug use, and the media’s coverage of tragic deaths—while others shed light on the way in which the media serve to transform sports into a vehicle for the expression of identity and nationalism. The goal is not to score points but to prompt critical discussion of why sports matter in Canadian life and culture and how they contribute to the construction of identity.

The contributors to this first volume of How Canadians communicate focus on the question what does Canadian popular culture have to say about the construction and negotiation of Canadian national identity?

Canadian Communication Policy and Law provides a uniquely Canadian focus and perspective on telecommunications policy, broadcasting policy, internet regulation, freedom of expression, censorship, defamation, privacy, government surveillance, intellectual property, and more. Taking a critical stance, Sara Bannerman draws attention to unequal power structures by asking the question, whom does Canadian communication policy and law serve? Key theories for analysis of law and policy issues—such as pluralist, libertarian, critical political economy, Marxist, feminist, queer, critical race, critical disability, postcolonial, and intersectional theories—are discussed in detail in this accessibly written text. From critical and theoretical analysis to legal research and citation skills, Canadian Communication Policy and Law encourages deep analytic engagement. Serving as a valuable resource for students who are undertaking research and writing on legal topics for the first time, this comprehensive text is well suited for undergraduate communication and media studies programs.

This volume highlights those instances in the work of international organizations where advances have been made concerning indigenous rights. It also devotes attention to the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and to a number of thematic issues in the field. The human rights situations facing indigenous peoples in Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nicaragua, Nigeria and South Africa are dealt with in separate chapters.

Maps the UN legal instruments relevant for the protection and promotion of the rights to freedom of expression and information.

Babe examines the writings of ten major thinkers in the context of their physical and cultural environments and finds that there is indeed a mode of theorizing that is quintessentially Canadian.

Food nourishes the body, but our relationship with food extends far beyond our need for survival. Food choices not only express our personal tastes but also communicate a range of beliefs, values, affiliations and aspirations—sometimes to the exclusion of others. In the media sphere, the enormous amount of food-related advice provided by government agencies, advocacy groups, diet books, and so on compete with efforts on the part of the food industry to sell their product and to respond to a consumer-driven desire for convenience. As a result, the topic of food has grown fraught, engendering sometimes acrimonious debates about what we should eat, and why. By examining topics such as the values embedded in food marketing, the locavore movement, food tourism, dinner parties, food bank donations, the moral panic surrounding obesity, food crises, and fears about food safety, the contributors to this volume paint a rich, and sometimes unsettling portrait of how food is represented, regulated, and consumed in Canada. With chapters from leading scholars such as Ken Albala, Harvey Levenstein, Stephen Kline and Valerie Tarasuk, the volume also includes contributions from “food insiders”—bestselling cookbook author and food editor Elizabeth Baird and veteran restaurant reviewer John Gilchrist. The result is a timely and thought-provoking look at food as a system of communication through which Canadians articulate cultural identity, personal values, and social distinction. Contributors include Ken Albala, Elizabeth Baird, Jacqueline Botterill, Rebecca Carruthers Den Hoed, Catherine Carstairs, Nathalie Cooke, Pierre Desrochers, Josh Greenberg, Stephen Kline, Jordan Lebel, Harvey Levenstein, Wayne McCready, Irina Mihalache, Eric Pateman, Rod Phillips, Sheilagh Quaile, Melanie Rock, Paige Schell, and Valerie Tarasuk.

After almost 90 years, the CBC, Canada's public broadcaster, has reached a crossroads. This book examines the political, economic, social, media, and cultural forces that have pushed the CBC to the point where it must be reimagined and re-invented.

Text and Materials on International Human Rights offers a carefully tailored overview of the subject, divided into four sections that cover: sources and theories; institutions and structures; substantive rights; and a new concluding section on the challenges for human rights law. The third edition is fully updated to include all key developments, in particular issues around torture, terrorism and international criminal law. This collection of materials offers a comprehensive overview of the institutional structures relevant to international human rights law, crucial to the understanding of how law works in this challenging area. Designed to guide students through the fundamental texts for this subject, the author’s commentary contextualises each extract to explain its relevance, while highlighted further reading makes links to cutting edge academic commentary to provide next steps for student research. Offering a clear text design that distinguishes between materials and author commentary, and including reflective questions throughout to aid understanding, this book is ideal for students seeking to engage with the key issues in the study of International Human Rights.

Experts in public relations, marketing, and communications have created the most comprehensive textbook specifically for Canadian students and instructors. Logically organized to lead students from principles to their application—and generously supplemented with examples and case studies—the book features chapters on theory, history, law, ethics, research methods, planning, writing, marketing, advertising, media, and government relations, as well as digital, internal, and crisis communications. Chapters open with learning objectives and conclude with lists of key terms, review and discussion questions, activities, and recommended resources. Fundamentals of Public Relations and Marketing Communications in Canada will be essential in post-secondary classes and will serve as a valuable reference for established professionals and international communicators working in Canada. Contributors: Colin Babiuk, Sandra L. Braun, Wendy Campbell, John E.C. Cooper, Marsha D’Angelo, Ange Frymire Fleming, Mark Hunter LaVigne, Danielle Lemon, Allison G. MacKenzie, Sheridan McVean, Charles Pitts, David Scholz, Jeff Scott, Charmane Sing, Amy Thurlow, Carolyne Van Der Meer, Ashleigh VanHouten, Cynthia Wrate, and Anthony R. Yue. Sponsor: Hill + Knowlton Strategies