The Conversation – Canada – Page 17

January 8, 2026

Blue Monday is a myth but the winter blues are real — how to cope in the cold months

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Joanna Pozzulo, Chancellor’s Professor, Psychology, Carleton University

In 2005, psychologist Cliff Arnall coined the term “Blue Monday” as part of a marketing campaign for a British travel agency to encourage people to book a holiday during the winter. Using a pseudo-scientific formula, the third Monday in January was determined to be the “bluest” day of the year, marked by sadness, low energy and withdrawal from social interaction.

Although Blue Monday has been debunked, the feelings associated with a colder, darker season are real.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a recognized form of depression connected to seasonal variation, with symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, appetite changes, loss of interest in pleasurable activities and feelings of hopelessness. According to the Canadian Psychological Association, approximately 15 per cent of Canadians report at least some symptoms of SAD.

It’s believed that the disorder may be connected to decreased exposure to sunlight, which in turn disrupts people’s circadian rhythms — the internal clock that co-ordinates our biological processes such as sleep and hormone production.

We can’t dictate when the sun shines, but there are several evidence-based strategies to support “wintering well.” For example, creating a cozy reading nook equipped with a warm blanket, hot chocolate and a good book provides a dedicated space for self-care that promotes relaxation. It also helps with mindfulness, which involves focusing your attention on the present and accepting your thoughts and feelings without judgment.

Why mindset and expectations matter

According to Kari Leibowitz, psychologist and author of How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark Days, the key to better wintering is reframing — changing one’s perspective to find a more positive, constructive or empowering interpretation of the situation.

Cultures that thrive in winter anticipate it, considering it meaningful. Reframing the season as something to look forward to can raise morale.

Try replacing negative language about winter as something to be dreaded or endured with more appreciative language. For example, winter can provide an opportunity to rest and recharge. By adopting a positive mindset, overall well-being may improve.

The benefits of winter outdoor activity

Spending time outdoors can lift the spirit and boost energy. And although winter has fewer hours of daylight, it is important to take advantage of them. Spend some time outside in the late morning and early afternoon, when natural light tends to peak.

Winter weather, however, can make outdoor activity unappealing. Cold and icy conditions can even be hazardous to health. Cold weather can increase the risk of cardiovascular events by constricting blood vessels and raising blood pressure.

To spend time outdoors safely, invest in appropriate clothing suited to the temperature. On colder days, engage in light activity such as walking and keep outdoor stints short (about 15 minutes).

What hygge can teach about slowing down

Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian word dating back to the 1800s used to denote the concept of enjoying a slower-paced life while connecting with people you care about.

Hygge is often associated with creating a pleasant environment, such as lighting candles or staying warm by a fire, to foster positiveness.

When indoors, sit near windows to work or read. Consider increasing indoor lighting brightness. Use light bulbs rated as “daylight,” and think about adding lamps to supplement overhead lighting. This can increase serotonin to improve mood and help regulate circadian rhythms that in turn can support improved sleep quality, energy and focus.

Hygge-type activities, like knitting, colouring and playing board games, can support overall well-being. Enjoying simple meals with others or spending quiet time alone in nature are also ways to embrace the season.

Listening to seasonal changes and self-care

Winter is a natural time to slow down, rest and restore, as evidenced by bears hibernating and bumblebees going underground to survive. Use this time to prepare for a more active upcoming season.

To take advantage of the slower pace of the season, reduce over-scheduling when possible. Adjust sleep routines to suit individual needs. Enjoy quieter evenings and earlier bedtimes. Accept that lower energy levels are normal in winter and that the season offers an opportunity to do less without guilt.

Spending more time indoors during the winter provides an opportunity to reconnect with hobbies and activities that have brought you joy in the past. For example, doing puzzles can provide a break from screens, which can decrease stress. Reading a good book can also provide a mental escape, allowing people to disconnect from worries. Creative activities such as baking can encourage a sense of purpose.

Choosing activities that are enjoyable and meaningful offers the greatest benefits for overall well-being. For more evidence-based strategies and book recommendations, join my Reading for Well-Being Community Book Club.

Joanna Pozzulo receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

– ref. Blue Monday is a myth but the winter blues are real — how to cope in the cold months – https://theconversation.com/blue-monday-is-a-myth-but-the-winter-blues-are-real-how-to-cope-in-the-cold-months-272882

January 8, 2026

How online communities are helping women stay in the skilled trades

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Daniela Gatti, PhD Student, Centre of Industrial Relations and Human Resources, University of Toronto

Canada is facing a significant demographic challenge. Between 2019 and 2028, approximately 700,000 skilled trades workers are expected to retire, leaving a major gap in the future workforce.

Governments have responded with more investments to increase interest in the skilled trades and support training, including a recent announcement by the Ontario government to invest $2.6 million in Skills Ontario.

Canada needs more people in the skilled trades, especially women. Yet despite many recruitment efforts, women remain significantly underrepresented in the skilled trades. Only 7.9 per cent of skilled trades workers are women in Canada.

Our recent research shows that the problem is not only whether women are interested in entering the skilled trades, but if they’re able to remain once they do.

A double stigma on the job

Women who enter the trades face a double stigma. Trades work is often socially devalued. At the same time, women must work as minorities in workplaces shaped by masculine norms.

While the skilled trades offer financial independence and meaningful work, the reality is that many environments are hostile to women. The double stigma appears in daily interactions that question a woman’s competence and professional identity. To survive this double burden, women are building vital support in an unexpected place: online communities.

In our interviews with women across Canada working in electrical, carpentry and plumbing trades, participants described feeling very isolated. Many were the only woman on their job site.

This isolation often led to exclusion, scrutiny and harassment. One licensed electrician described keeping a running list of who she was mistaken for on-site, including “the carpenter’s wife,” “the painter,” and “the cleaning lady,” rather than being recognized as a professional.

Lack of support beyond the job site

Our research found this isolation often extended beyond the workplace. Family and friends, who should be a key source of career support, were often unsupportive. Participants described that personal networks questioned the legitimacy of their career choices or treated their work as temporary.

Several participants shared that family members viewed their career choice as a “waste” of potential. Parents expressed disappointment that they had not pursued university degrees or traditional office-based careers.

One participant noted that her parents’ disappointment was rooted in a mentality that viewed office work as the only measure of success. Others intentionally delayed telling their parents of their new jobs as trades apprentices because they assumed their families would be disappointed.

Even within the industry, potential role models sometimes reinforced these beliefs. One apprentice described meeting a female instructor who advised her: “Don’t wear pink…just keep your mouth shut.” Another participant was discouraged by her instructor from attending a women-in-trades conference, implying it would be a poor career move and would draw unwanted attention.

Turning to digital communities

When in-person support systems failed, many women turned to the digital world. Our research found that private online groups, particularly on Facebook and LinkedIn, have become essential spaces for building the support needed to remain in the trades.

These online communities offer something job sites often cannot: anonymity and psychological safety. In these spaces, women can ask technical questions, seek advice about workplace dynamics and share experiences without fear of being labelled incompetent or unprofessional. This safety allows them to access knowledge that would otherwise remain closed to them.

Crucially, these platforms provide validation. When women experience harassment or toxic behaviour, online communities help them distinguish between normal industry hardships and unacceptable abuse.

One participant described posting in a group about a supervisor’s behaviour. The group confirmed the situation was toxic and immediately shared job postings to help her exit that specific workplace while remaining in the industry in her city. This intervention directly aided her in her decision to remain in the industry.

Despite persistent stigma, participants found meaning in their work. Many described satisfaction in producing tangible results and valued the physical nature of their labour. For some, the trades offered an escape from unfulfilling desk jobs and a pathway to financial stability that justified enduring difficult environments.

However, staying requires resilience. Women often succeed by learning how to endure repeated barriers. Online groups provide the emotional fuel for this resilience. They gave women space to recharge in a safe environment before returning to the job site.

Why retention matters

If Canada hopes to replace the 700,000 tradespeople expected to retire this decade, focusing on recruitment is not enough. While attracting new workers is essential, retention is equally critical, particularly for women, who continue to face unique barriers that push them out of the trades prematurely.

Employers and policymakers need to recognize that the informal networks that have long supported men in the trades often exclude women, particularly those without generational ties to the industry. Without these networks, women can struggle to access critical knowledge, guidance and opportunities for professional growth.

In the absence of these networks, digital communities have emerged as a low-cost, high-impact solution. By acknowledging the value of these networks and integrating them into training, mentorship and support programs, the skilled trades can begin to address the double stigma women face, and create conditions that will help women to stay in the field.

Daniela Gatti receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

Mark Julien does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. How online communities are helping women stay in the skilled trades – https://theconversation.com/how-online-communities-are-helping-women-stay-in-the-skilled-trades-272554

January 8, 2026

Blue Monday is a myth but winter blues are real — how to cope in the cold months

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Joanna Pozzulo, Chancellor’s Professor, Psychology, Carleton University

Although Blue Monday has been debunked, the feelings associated with a colder, darker season are real.

Why mindset and expectations matter

Cultures that thrive in winter anticipate it, considering it meaningful. Reframing the season as something to look forward to can raise morale.

The benefits of winter outdoor activity

To spend time outdoors safely, invest in appropriate clothing suited to the temperature. On colder days, engage in light activity such as walking and keep outdoor stints short (about 15 minutes).

What hygge can teach about slowing down

Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian word dating back to the 1800s used to denote the concept of enjoying a slower-paced life while connecting with people you care about.

Hygge is often associated with creating a pleasant environment, such as lighting candles or staying warm by a fire, to foster positiveness.

Listening to seasonal changes and self-care

Winter is a natural time to slow down, rest and restore, as evidenced by bears hibernating and bumblebees going underground to survive. Use this time to prepare for a more active upcoming season.

Joanna Pozzulo receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

– ref. Blue Monday is a myth but winter blues are real — how to cope in the cold months – https://theconversation.com/blue-monday-is-a-myth-but-winter-blues-are-real-how-to-cope-in-the-cold-months-272882

January 8, 2026

Blue Monday is a myth but winter blues are real — how to cope in the cold months and ‘winter well’

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Joanna Pozzulo, Chancellor’s Professor, Psychology, Carleton University

Although Blue Monday has been debunked, the feelings associated with a colder, darker season are real.

Why mindset and expectations matter

Cultures that thrive in winter anticipate it, considering it meaningful. Reframing the season as something to look forward to can raise morale.

The benefits of winter outdoor activity

To spend time outdoors safely, invest in appropriate clothing suited to the temperature. On colder days, engage in light activity such as walking and keep outdoor stints short (about 15 minutes).

What hygge can teach about slowing down

Hygge is a Danish and Norwegian word dating back to the 1800s used to denote the concept of enjoying a slower-paced life while connecting with people you care about.

Hygge is often associated with creating a pleasant environment, such as lighting candles or staying warm by a fire, to foster positiveness.

Listening to seasonal changes and self-care

Winter is a natural time to slow down, rest and restore, as evidenced by bears hibernating and bumblebees going underground to survive. Use this time to prepare for a more active upcoming season.

Joanna Pozzulo receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

– ref. Blue Monday is a myth but winter blues are real — how to cope in the cold months and ‘winter well’ – https://theconversation.com/blue-monday-is-a-myth-but-winter-blues-are-real-how-to-cope-in-the-cold-months-and-winter-well-272882

January 7, 2026

Canada has too few professional archeologists, and that has economic consequences

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Lindsay Amundsen-Meyer, Assistant Professor in Archaeology, University of Calgary

Canadian cultural resource management archeologists — professional consultants involved in environmental assessment and compliance processes — are increasingly finding themselves in the public eye when their work intersects with the development or disaster response related infrastructure projects.

Public or media discussions often arise when delays in construction result from archeological assessments or Indigenous opposition. Yet, many more developments proceed without issue.

Today, these concerns are part of a variety of challenges including labour shortages, meaningful Indigenous engagement and recent legislative changes that guide how development occurs.

These challenges must be addressed to ensure timely assessment and approval of development projects through legally binding processes, without comprising the assessment and preservation of archeological sites — the overwhelming majority of which are Indigenous ancestral sites.

Demand for archeological professionals in Canada is quickly outpacing the number of students graduating with archeology or anthropology degrees. A similar deficit of archeologists has been demonstrated in the United States.

Post-secondary institutions can play a key role in addressing this deficit by altering and improving degree programs to ensure students are equipped with the knowledge needed to succeed in cultural resource management.

The politics of archeology

Cultural resource management (CRM) involves identifying, preserving and maintaining valuable cultural heritage like ancestral artifacts and built heritage. In Canada, this kind of archeological work is required ahead of most infrastructure development through provincial and federal legislation.

Recent political developments in Canada, including federal bill C-5 and similar legislation in Ontario and British Columbia, have the potential to impact the scope of environmental assessment work, including associated archeology work.

In order to speed economic development, these laws allow governments to exempt some infrastructure projects from archeological assessment prior to construction and bypass requirements for Indigenous consultation. This moves decision-making on archeological preservation away from Indigenous communities and trained professionals and into the political sphere.

Such exemptions risk violating the treaty rights of First Nations and causing irreparable harm to Indigenous ancestral sites without consideration or assessment, deepening conflicts between development proponents and Indigenous communities. These conflicts may themselves delay construction of infrastructure.

Where are all the archaeologists?

Our recent study indicates there are between 419 and 713 archeologists employed in cultural resource management in Canada. These are almost certainly underestimates. However, our study further suggests that labour market demand is outpacing supply.

Fifty-five responding employers across the country reported unfilled positions, including for jobs at all levels of experience. Overall, the CRM labour market has not kept pace with rapid industry growth.

Post-secondary institutions have an important role to play in meeting CRM labour market demand by creating robust degree programs which demonstrate that there are viable career pathways in archaeology outside of academia. But universities are simultaneously experiencing a significant decline in funding, and program opportunities are disappearing.

In part due to these challenges, students graduating from archeology and anthropology programs do not complete their degrees with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in CRM. As a result, the burden of on-the-job training becomes high for employers.

There are some exceptions, such as CRM-specific undergraduate and graduate courses and programs at the Universities of Lethbridge and Calgary. However, the general lack of CRM-oriented programs at post-secondary institutions is particularly problematic given that the majority of graduates who stay in archeology will enter the CRM industry, and the overwhelming majority of archeology in Canada today is undertaken within a CRM context.

A path forward

Post-secondary curricula must extend beyond traditional academic programming to better prepare students for the workforce. To be clear, we are not arguing for creation of a CRM trade school for archeologists. Rather, we believe that small changes to curricula and programs can enhance student experience and career successes without compromising academic objectives and rigour.

Post-secondary institutions need to create degree programs that are aligned with the skills and knowledge used in industry and introduce CRM to students early in their undergraduate programs. Doing so will create more robust degree programs that attract students to a relevant education where they see a viable career path in archeology, meeting a market need.

This market need must be met to ensure timely assessment and regulatory approval of development projects, as the CRM workforce is needed to complete “nation-building” infrastructure projects. Archeology risks being seen as a barrier to development and may lose political and public backing if CRM processes are seen to slow or stall economic development.

If the CRM sector does not have the capacity to complete infrastructure assessments, current trends suggest that development will push ahead without archeological assessment or engagement. Archeological sites will almost certainly be destroyed in the process.

Critics will argue that it’s essential to cut red tape and speed up regulatory approval of economically important projects, making CRM a lesser part of the approvals process. We counter that CRM assessment is essential to development approvals, which are increasingly reliant on meaningful Indigenous engagement and Indigenous consent to proceed.

Wanton destruction of Indigenous archeological sites will only lead to further conflict and loss of heritage. Canada must protect that heritage and has a lot to gain from doing so. By protecting heritage, archeologists can help ensure better outcomes for all.

Lindsay Amundsen-Meyer receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Heritage Preservation Partnership Program (Arts, Culture and Status of Women).

Kenneth Roy Holyoke receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research.

Matthew Munro works for Stantec Consulting Ltd.

– ref. Canada has too few professional archeologists, and that has economic consequences – https://theconversation.com/canada-has-too-few-professional-archeologists-and-that-has-economic-consequences-272422

January 7, 2026

Canada risks missing out on Africa’s trade boom under Mark Carney

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Isaac Odoom, Assistant Professor, Political Science, Carleton University

At the G20 summit in South Africa in November, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced several new initiatives, including talks toward a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) with South Africa.

But when asked about prioritizing Africa’s economic opportunities for Canada, Carney said Africa is not among his government’s early priorities because other regions offered “the most immediate return.” That remark was at odds with what many Canadians and African partners have been urging Canadian officials to do: treat Africa as a core partner in Canada’s economic diversification plan, diplomatic and geopolitical future.

Shortly after Carney’s remarks, in December, the Senate’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade released a landmark report entitled Canada–Africa: Seizing a Strategic Opportunity. It urged the federal government to engage Africa now with resources, ambition and a concrete action plan or risk being left behind.

Together, these two developments reveal a central tension shaping Canada’s Africa policy at the moment — and precisely when Africa’s global standing is rising.

Why this matters now

Africa’s demographic and economic trajectory is unmistakable. The continent’s working-age population is expanding faster than any other region, 12 of the world’s 20 fastest-growing economies are in Africa and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to create one of the world’s largest integrated markets, is already in motion.

This demographic dividend and market potential matter not only to African states, but to countries like Canada seeking new trade diversification partners and growth opportunities.

Against this backdrop, the Senate’s report provides 21 recommendations — including the need for a detailed Africa Strategy action plan with timelines and resources, regular high-level dialogue with the African Union, support for AfCFTA implementation, strengthened trade commissioner services and enhanced diaspora engagement. It urges the government to match its promises with real resources and commitment.

Canada’s Africa Strategy

The government’s March 2025 Canada’s Africa Strategy was widely welcomed as a positive step toward a more coherent foreign policy on Africa. It articulates goals for shared prosperity, security and mutual co-operation, acknowledging Africa’s growing place in the world.

My own earlier analysis on Canadian engagement in Africa highlighted that Canada’s new strategy offered a foundation to rethink how it builds partnerships across the continent — not simply viewing Africa as a development recipient, but as a region of strategic partnership and economic opportunity.

I also noted how Canada could learn from China’s long-term engagement model, particularly its emphasis on sustained relationships, infrastructure and market access, while offering a distinct, values-based alternative.

Delivery is the real test

Canada’s Africa Strategy articulates a necessary vision, but follow-through remains limited. That gap is visible in Canada’s broader policy signals.

Even after the launch of the strategy, Africa remains marginal in Canada’s trade and economic planning. The 2025 federal budget identified priority trade markets in Europe and Asia, but not Africa, despite stated support for the AfCFTA. Such inconsistencies suggest lingering hesitation in committing political capital to Africa.

Diplomatic choices reinforce this impression. Limiting Carney’s G20 trip to South Africa alone missed an opportunity to signal a continentwide vision.

A short stop in another regional hub would have underscored Canada’s recognition of Africa’s diversity and strategic importance. Instead, the narrow itinerary conveyed a constrained reading of Africa’s geopolitical and economic landscape. African governments notice these signals, especially at a time when they are actively diversifying external partnerships.

None of this means Canada lacks opportunities. The nuclear co-operation agreement with South Africa signed at the G20 has real potential. A future FIPA could offer greater certainty for Canadian investors in South Africa. And although tentative, the reference to AfCFTA engagement at the G20 is significant.

But for these opportunities to lead to real outcomes, Canada needs a more deliberate and sustained approach backed by resources and political commitment.

Africa’s expanding consumer market

Why does this matter for Canadians? Africa has a young and fast-growing population, a burgeoning middle class and an expanding consumer market. Canadian firms, from clean technology and education to agribusiness and services, can benefit if supported at the right time with the right tools.

Diplomatic influence from a continent of 54 countries also flows from consistency and commitment; not intermittent engagement.

For the first time, the G20 in South Africa was a reminder that Africa is no longer peripheral to global politics. African markets are diverse, fast-changing and increasingly central to the global economy. This requires Canada to look past short-term returns, acknowledging Africa’s critical role in its economic future and investing resources to that end.

Other countries like China, Turkey, Brazil and Gulf states have already recognized this reality. Every year Canada delays, it risks losing ground that will be hard to reclaim.

Time to act

Despite the strategy’s imperfections, Canada now has a plan for engaging with Africa. But a plan is only as good as its implementation.

The Senate report is timely and calls for committing real resources, expanding diplomatic and trade support structures and elevating Africa in Canada’s foreign policy narrative well beyond occasional summits. It means sustained leadership attention from the prime minister and senior ministers.

If Canada seizes this moment with purpose, resources and political will, it can build genuine partnerships that benefit both Canadians and African partners. The Senate’s report aligns with the view that Africa is not a charity case; it is a strategic frontier for trade, innovation and geopolitical influence. Delivery must be the priority going forward, or Canada will be left behind.

Isaac Odoom does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Canada risks missing out on Africa’s trade boom under Mark Carney – https://theconversation.com/canada-risks-missing-out-on-africas-trade-boom-under-mark-carney-272166

January 7, 2026

Why Canada needs better data on strikes, unions and other labour issues

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Larry Savage, Professor, Labour Studies, Brock University

In the summer of 2025, the federal government quietly pulled national strike and lockout data from public view. The move followed a complaint from the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), the second-largest trade union federation in Québec.

The CSN learned that an employer organization was waging an anti-union campaign using flawed data published by Statistics Canada. The data artificially inflated the number of strikes in the province, leading the Montreal Economic Institute to falsely assert that since 2023, 91 per cent of Canadian work stoppages had affected Québec.

On Dec. 16, the corrected data was restored without comment.

Months of missing data made it difficult for employers, unions and researchers to make sense of trends and emerging patterns in Canadian labour relations. Worse yet, the flawed data helped influence a debate and shape public opinion about labour law reform in Québec.

This episode highlights a persistent problem: Canada does a poor job of gathering vital labour relations information. In a period of rising inequality and renewed union-management conflict, stakeholders need better and more accurate data.

What disappeared and why it matters

For decades, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and Statistics Canada have published national data on strikes and lockouts. These figures allow journalists, members of the public and other stakeholders to track where conflicts are occurring, how large they are, how long they last and the number of workers involved over time.

Labour relations data is a basic need for the purpose of work-related policy analysis. Without timely and reliable figures, it becomes increasingly difficult to analyze current workplace conflicts, compare them across sectors or provinces or place them in historical context.

Long-term, consistent data sets are especially important because they allow researchers to identify trends: whether work stoppages are becoming more frequent, which industries are most affected and how policy changes may be influencing workplace conflict. When that continuity is broken, so is the ability to understand how the labour relations landscape is changing over time.

While ESDC’s public tables were unavailable, Statistics Canada’s historical tables, on which researchers often rely, were also negatively affected. The government offered no public explanation on its website for why the data were taken down, though ESDC now indicates that revisions were made to recent data covering Québec.

Canada lags behind other countries

Other countries show that better labour relations data collection is possible. In the United States, for example, the National Labor Relations Board consistently releases statistics on union certification applications and unfair labour practice cases, giving the public regular insights into trends in unionization and workplace conflict.

Some Canadian provincial labour boards publish annual reports, but nothing at the federal level matches the depth and timeliness of U.S. labour relations reporting. This leaves Canada with a patchwork of partial figures instead of a coherent national picture of how unions, employers and workers are interacting.

Despite the return of ESDC’s work stoppages data, Canada still lacks crucial information on the broader system of labour relations. There is currently no timely national source for data on new union certifications, membership levels in individual unions, unfair labour practices, strike votes, health and safety work refusals, or duty of fair representation complaints.

Researchers looking for this information must often wait for uneven provincial annual reports or file individual requests with provincial labour boards and Statistics Canada, which can be slow and costly.

In some cases, the data is not collected at all. The result is a system in which some of the most important features of labour relations are effectively hidden from public view by administrative fragmentation.

Models Canada could follow

Canada already has models that show how a national labour relations data system could work. The Ontario Ministry of Labour’s collective bargaining database, for instance, tracks public and private sector negotiations, wage settlements, mediation and arbitration outcomes, and even the contents of recent collective agreements.

The Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada shows that provincial data can be combined to create a clear national picture. Working with provincial workers’ compensation boards, it produces national statistics on injuries, fatalities and other workplace safety issues.

The ESDC could use this model to build a national labour relations database that would include information on union certification applications and outcomes, membership trends by sector and region, unfair labour practice complaints and work refusals.

Such a resource would help policymakers see what’s happening in Canada’s workplaces, allow unions and employers to compare bargaining results, and help journalists and the public evaluate how well labour laws work. It would also strengthen academic research and support better labour relations policy.

Expanding public access to labour relations data would also send a clear signal that the federal government understands the value of evidence-based policy decisions. In a period when official statistics on wages, jobs and prices are under political pressure in other countries, Canada has an opportunity and a responsibility to strengthen its own commitment to open, reliable labour relations data.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Why Canada needs better data on strikes, unions and other labour issues – https://theconversation.com/why-canada-needs-better-data-on-strikes-unions-and-other-labour-issues-272776

January 6, 2026

2025 was the year protein ‘jumped the shark’

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Stuart Phillips, Professor, Kinesiology, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Skeletal Muscle Health, McMaster University

Thirty years ago, when I began studying protein metabolism, I would never have guessed that 2025 would be spent explaining why more protein is not always better.

Protein was once the quiet macronutrient that was always assumed sufficient. Carbs had their era, and fat had its moment in the sun. Protein arrived late, but I welcomed the attention.

The phrase “jumped the shark” comes from a now-infamous 1977 episode of the iconic sitcom Happy Days, when the character Fonzie (Henry Winkler) literally water-skied over a shark. It was the moment the show sacrificed solid plot and logic for spectacle. In 2025, dietary protein repeated Winkler’s performance and crossed the line from evidence-based nutrition into performance theatre.

In 2025, protein became a metabolic Jack-of-all nutrients: protein for fat loss, protein for longevity, protein for weight loss, protein for hormone balance, protein for menopause, protein for people on GLP-1 drugs, protein for people who exercise, protein for people who do not. Protein everywhere, and the more, the better.

Despite a number of prominent voices promoting very high protein intakes in 2025, the reality is that the research data hadn’t changed. It was the messaging and volume that had been turned up.

Protein is not the cake

One reason protein is so easy to overhype is that its effects are real, but conditional. Protein supports muscle function and adaptation, but it does not act in isolation.

I use analogies because they capture biology surprisingly well. Protein does not bake the cake; exercise does. Protein is the (thin) layer of icing (or the sprinkles on the icing). Once the cake is properly iced, adding more icing does not turn it into something else. At some point, you are just decorating.

Biology is full of plateaus. Protein is no exception.

How much protein is enough?

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (g/kg/day) was never designed to optimize muscle mass, muscle strength or support healthy aging. It was designed to be the minimal dose to balance nitrogen in the body. Nitrogen balance is used as a proxy for protein balance since protein is the only significant source of nitrogen we consume.

Over the past two decades, many researchers, including myself and several colleagues, have argued that higher protein intakes are often justified. Intakes of 1.2 to 1.6 g/kg/day appear to support better muscle maintenance and adaptation, but in reality, only when combined with resistance exercise.

But here is the critical point that was lost in 2025’s protein enthusiasm: there is no strong, rational, evidence-based case for going beyond this range for most people (and yes, that includes folks in the process of weight loss and those crushing the big weights five or six days per week).

Meta-analyses pooling dozens of resistance exercise training (strength training) studies consistently show that the benefits of protein supplementation plateau at about 1.6 g/kg/day. Beyond that, additional protein does not increase lean mass or strength.

This axiom is not controversial, even if it became controversial in the minds of online influencers.

Muscle is built by resistance exercise

Protein is the bricks. Resistance exercise is the construction crew. You can deliver bricks all day long, but without workers and a blueprint, nothing gets built. When protein intake is increased to above deficiency intakes in people who are not performing resistance exercise, changes in lean mass are trivial or nonexistent.

When resistance exercise is present, additional protein can (very) modestly enhance gains in lean mass and strength, but the effects are small and saturable. More is not endlessly better.

Protein and weight loss: managing expectations

Protein hype was especially evident in discussions of weight loss. Protein was credited with boosting metabolism, melting fat, preventing fat gain in perimenopause or suppressing appetite indefinitely. These claims sound appealing. They are also grossly overstated.

Protein does not cause weight loss on its own; you need an energy deficit for that. It does not meaningfully increase long-term energy expenditure, and while it can reduce appetite in short-term studies, these effects often diminish over time, leaving a small overall benefit.

Where protein does matter during weight loss is in helping preserve lean tissue, particularly when paired with resistance exercise. But even here, the protein effect is modest, and the distinction between lean mass and muscle mass is frequently blurred.

Protein without resistance exercise, during weight loss, does very little. Exercise is the major driver that helps lean mass retention. Protein is the supporting material.

Protein leverage: Real, but not limitless

Another concept that resurfaced in 2025 was protein leverage, the idea that humans eat until protein needs are met, potentially over-consuming energy when diets are lower in protein.

There is good evidence that protein leverage exists. But it operates within limits. Once basic protein needs are met, adding more protein does not continue to suppress appetite and depress energy intake endlessly. Notably, the intake at which protein’s appetite-suppressing effect wanes is, uncomfortably for social media pundits, only marginally higher than intakes people generally consume. Again, biology is not fooled by abundance.

Why did this happen in 2025?

My best explanation is that it often takes about 17 years for solid scientific evidence to filter into public awareness and practice.

Perhaps the social media world needed time to “do their research” — that is, read papers and form their conclusions — to catch up to what protein researchers had been doing for decades? But social media can spin things, and not always in the right direction.

Protein research matured in the 1990s and early 2000s. We refined methods, tested dose responses and clarified mechanisms. What we are seeing now is not a scientific breakthrough, but a delayed cultural uptake, amplified by social media, marketing and a wellness industry that thrives on extremes.

Unfortunately, as another lesson learned in 2025, neither science nor nuance fares well online.

Bringing protein back to reality

Protein matters. It always has. It supports muscle, function and health across the lifespan. Many people, especially older adults, very likely benefit from consuming more than the RDA.

But 2025 was not the year protein finally got its due. It was the year protein was oversold, overvalued and overhyped. Protein supports adaptation; it does not cause it. It helps preserves lean tissues (which is not muscle) during weight loss; it does not drive fat loss. And beyond a certain point, more protein is simply more protein, not more benefit.

The science of protein has not been revolutionized; we just need to listen to it again.

Stuart Phillips owns patents licensed to Exerkine and has received honoraria for speaking from Nestle, Optimum Nutrition and Danone. He receives funding from the National Science and Engineering Research Council, the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, the US National Institutes of Health, Dairy Famers of Canada, teh US National Dairy Council.

– ref. 2025 was the year protein ‘jumped the shark’ – https://theconversation.com/2025-was-the-year-protein-jumped-the-shark-272614

January 6, 2026

Digital payments can expand financial inclusion — but only under the right conditions

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Mesbah Sharaf, Professor of Economics, University of Alberta

Digital payments are often presented as a way to bring more people into the financial system. Mobile wallets, online transfers and app-based payment systems are now central to how governments, banks and technology firms talk about expanding access to financial services.

This is particularly significant today. Around the world, governments are investing heavily in digital finance as part of broader development and sustainability strategies. In Canada, public efforts have focused on strengthening digital payment infrastructure and regulation rather than expanding access directly.

Payments Canada is undertaking a multi-year modernization of core payment systems, including the development of a real-time payment rail, while the federal government has introduced a consumer-driven banking framework to support secure data sharing and innovation in financial services.

From emerging economies to high-income countries, digital payments are seen as tools for inclusion, resilience and growth, from India’s Unified Payments Interface to Brazil’s PIX instant payment system.

At the same time, digital payments do not work equally for everyone. Our recent research suggests a more complex picture of digital payments.

A more complex picture

Digital payment technologies can support financial inclusion, especially in places where traditional banking services are limited.

By reducing the need for physical bank branches, digital platforms can lower costs, save time and make basic financial services easier to use, particularly for low-income and rural populations who can access accounts and payments through mobile phones rather than in-person banking.

Evidence from multiple countries shows that digital financial services reduce transaction costs and expand access to formal financial tools for households and small businesses that were previously excluded.

For many households and small businesses — particularly in developing and emerging economies — this has expanded access to accounts and payment services.

Foundations matter for adoption

In our study, we reviewed research from the past decade about how digital payment technologies affect financial inclusion worldwide.

One of our key findings is that digital payment systems tend to perform best when certain conditions are already in place. Reliable internet and mobile networks, affordable devices and basic digital skills all matter for people to be able to use and benefit from digital payments.

Where these foundations are weak or uneven, adoption remains limited, even when digital payment options are widely available. Research shows that limited digital infrastructure, low internet access and weak technology readiness can act as significant barriers to adoption, meaning that simply introducing new technology does not guarantee that people will use it.

Trust also plays a crucial role. People are more likely to use digital payments when they trust the financial system behind them and feel confident their money is safe, and when security and privacy concerns are addressed.

In countries where financial institutions are weak or consumer protection is limited, digital platforms often struggle to gain widespread acceptance. This was the case with Nigeria’s eNaira, where fewer than 0.5 per cent of the population was using the digital currency a year after launch and most wallets remained inactive.

In such settings, cash frequently remains the preferred option, even when digital alternatives exist.

Persistent gender and socioeconomic gaps

Gender gaps are another recurring pattern. Across many countries, women are less likely than men to use digital financial services. These differences aren’t caused by technology itself, but by broader social and economic factors.

Women often have less access to mobile phones, lower digital literacy and less control over financial resources. As a result, digital payment systems can reflect — and sometimes reinforce — existing inequalities rather than eliminate them.

Income and education levels also influence adoption. People with higher incomes or more education are generally better positioned to adopt digital payments and benefit from them.

For lower-income users, concerns about fees, data costs, security and usability can discourage regular use. This helps explain why many digital payment platforms report high registration numbers but much lower levels of sustained activity.

The institutional and regulatory environment also shapes outcomes. Evidence shows that digital payments are more effective when supported by clear rules, strong consumer protections and well-functioning oversight.

When regulation is unclear or enforcement is weak, users may hesitate to rely on digital platforms for everyday transactions. When digital payments are integrated into a broader, trustworthy financial ecosystem, they are more likely to contribute to meaningful inclusion.

Promises and limits of technology

Newer technologies, such as blockchain-based payment systems, are sometimes presented as a way to overcome these challenges. While they may offer advantages in specific contexts, our research shows the evidence remains cautious.

Their effectiveness depends heavily on regulation, institutional capacity and user confidence. As with other digital tools, outcomes vary widely across countries and communities.

It’s clear that digital payments are not a simple solution. Their impact depends on how they’re designed, regulated and used within existing social and economic systems.

For policymakers and firms, this has important implications. Expanding financial inclusion is not just about introducing new technologies or increasing the number of digital accounts. It requires attention to affordability, usability, trust and the barriers faced by groups that are already disadvantaged. Without this broader perspective, digital finance risks widening gaps rather than closing them.

Digital payments can play a valuable role in promoting financial inclusion, but only under the right conditions. The evidence shows that technology can support inclusion, but it cannot replace the institutional, social and policy foundations on which inclusive financial systems ultimately depend.

– ref. Digital payments can expand financial inclusion — but only under the right conditions – https://theconversation.com/digital-payments-can-expand-financial-inclusion-but-only-under-the-right-conditions-272555

January 6, 2026

Venezuela attack, Greenland threats and Gaza assault mark the collapse of international legal order

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jorge H. Sanchez-Perez, Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, University of Alberta

The American invasion of Venezuela — along with fresh threats to annex Greenland — provide the world with a unique opportunity to perform a post-mortem examination on what was once known as the international rules-based legal order.

This legal order was based on rules enshrined in the United Nations Charter of 1945. Its collapse creates uncertainty that requires careful consideration from all those interested in world peace.

First, however, it’s important to understand what legal orders are and how they can collapse.

Social rules come in different forms — some might be religious, some moral. But complex political communities tend to be ruled by another set of rules, legal ones.

Legal rules tend to be organized in what are commonly called legal orders, and these orders guide the actions of members of the political communities in their everyday lives. One goal of most legal orders is, usually, co-ordination among those who are part of a social group.

When we think about legal orders, we usually focus on the ones that are closer to our political communities, such as those connected to our cities, provinces and states. But there’s one legal order that tends to be ignored more often than not — the international legal order.

International law

One defining feature of international legal orders is that they are far removed from people within their own political communities, so negotiations to establish shared rules are usually carried out by representatives of large states or other powerful political entities.

Even though the international legal order feels isolated from everyday rules — like city laws telling us which side of the road to drive on — it shares the same basic features that make any system of co-ordination work.

One key feature is meeting the expectations of the people within a political community. For a legal order to last over time, it must do this. In other words, because legal orders are systems of co-ordination, they tend to endure as long as their rules are expected and accepted, even if those rules are unjust.

Although some people believe that a law must be just to count as law, that view is hard to sustain when we look at the past few hundred years of human history. Many periods offer clear examples of both domestic and international legal systems that upheld deeply unjust and morally troubling positions.

Yet it would be difficult to argue that there was no legal order in places like the Ottoman Empire or Nazi Germany. In both cases, genocide — among the gravest moral failures imaginable — occurred within functioning legal systems. This suggests that legal orders can persist even while enabling repeated immoral actions.

History also shows, however, that legal orders do collapse, and often more quickly and more frequently than many might expect.

The Ottoman Empire and Nazi Germany, for example, ceased to exist a long time ago. From a broader historical perspective, the legal order of the Roman Republic in the second century BCE no longer exists and bears little resemblance to the system governing modern Rome within Italy today.

Like the other legal orders mentioned, the post–Second World War order increasingly looks like a relic rather than a binding reality — a fact we must clearly recognize if we hope to save some of its positive features.

Fundamental rights

After the Second World War, one of the main agreements among most political communities around the world was that the previously held right to wage wars against other countries was no longer acceptable. Sovereignty consequently became one of the cornerstones of the international legal order.

This was enshrined in Articles 1 and 2 of the United Nations Charter. The logic was simple: as the charter’s preamble notes, repeated wars had brought immense suffering to people entitled to fundamental rights based on their dignity, worth and equality. As a result, this new order abolished the right of political communities to wage war for any reason.

In practice, however, this order rested on a watered-down version of that ideal. Even when sovereignty and human rights were violated via military action, the appearance of an aim to protect them had to be maintained. Powerful states could breach these principles so long as they preserved the illusion that they were attempting to uphold and safeguard sovereignty and rights.

This unspoken rule — that power could override law if the façade remained intact — underpinned the international legal order from 1945 to 2023.

As the world watched the assault on Gaza unfold — deemed a genocide by the United Nations — many western political communities that had helped build the post-war legal order abandoned even the pretense that sustained it.

Once the illusion of respect for sovereignty and human rights collapsed, the system lost a key element that had kept it functioning. This is why I’ve argued previously that the rules-based international order went to Gaza to die at the hands of those who created it.

Annexation made easy

Unlike U.S. President George W. Bush’s war in Iraq, which was framed by American diplomats as defending human rights, Donald Trump’s invasion of Venezuela and the capture of Nicolás Maduro weren’t presented as respecting any lofty principles.

His actions were grounded on the views that the U.S. has a claim to Venezuela’s oil. The intervention was driven by economic interests and hearkened back to the the Monroe Doctrine, an 1823 U.S. policy that promoted American imperialism.

The events in Venezuela suggest the post-1945 international legal order, which emphasized sovereignty and fundamental rights, has been replaced by one more like the pre-Second World War system, when nations could go to war for almost any reason.

Under the legal order now in place, Canada and Greenland could easily be the next targets of American annexation. Similarly, Taiwan could be annexed by China and Ukraine by Russia.

What the world is witnessing now is the international rules-based order being stripped of whatever value it once had. It is time to accept this reality if we are to build a better international order next time.

Jorge H. Sanchez-Perez receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

– ref. Venezuela attack, Greenland threats and Gaza assault mark the collapse of international legal order – https://theconversation.com/venezuela-attack-greenland-threats-and-gaza-assault-mark-the-collapse-of-international-legal-order-272690