Faculty of Health researchers investigate road safety, health equity
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A paper written by Emily McCullogh, a postdoctoral visitor in the Faculty of Health, and colleagues from a pan-Canadian research team examines the built environment and active transportation safety of children and youth (CHASE).
The team consists of researchers from Vancouver, Calgary, Peel Region, Toronto and Montréal, as well as principle investigator Alison Macpherson (York University), and York University alumna Sarah A. Richmond (Public Health Ontario), who were responsible for supervising the work on this paper.
The objective of the CHASE study was to enhance the understanding of barriers and facilitators to built environment change, specifically for vulnerable road users (VRUs) such as pedestrians, cyclists, children, older adults and people with disabilities. Researchers note that currently, the built environment is not designed to support the health and safety of all users, but instead is primarily designed to increase traffic flow and efficiency.
“This work has expanded my knowledge of how the built environment influences the health and wellness of people. Road users are not inherently vulnerable; rather, they are made vulnerable by the design of the built environment,” says McCullogh.
The built environment refers to the “human-made surroundings that provide the setting for all human activity, including those places where people live, work, learn, rest and play,” according to the Canadian Institute of Planners. The design of the built environment, say the researchers, influences people’s health by impacting decisions to take public transit and/or engage in active travel (e.g. walking, cycling, wheeling etc.).
Using qualitative data from professionals working in the fields of injury prevention and road safety, the paper offers insight into barriers and facilitators to equity-focused built environment changes. The team says it is a meaningful step towards removing barriers and ensuring that all community members are served and protected by the built environment as they travel to work or school, or for leisure.
“These findings make an important contribution to York’s commitment to the [United Nations] Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as they highlight important challenges to making sustainable transportation safer for all,” says Macpherson.
“Drawing on the experiences of professionals working in, and across, these sectors shows how HE (health equity) concerns and BE (built environment) change are not contained within a single sector,” the study states. “Alternatively, efforts to improve BE conditions and the health and safety of road users exist across sectors, which bolsters the need for cross-sectoral collaboration and collective efforts to ensure that HE concerns are addressed on multiple fronts.”
McCullogh says given the urgent health concerns around road-related injury and death, people’s physical health and environmental sustainability, this work is timely. Further, McCullogh adds, a result of this research is that communities and local populations should be involved in built environment change planning and processes within their neighbourhoods.
“Through this work, we better understand what helps and hinders public health practitioners in their efforts toward safe active transport in their communities; specifically, public health highlighted the importance of supporting equitable community consultation in the BE change process,” says Richmond.
Researchers and policymakers aiming to enhance people’s health by making changes to the built environment and the design of cities can learn more about the learnings from McCullogh and her colleagues’ work, particularly with regards to changing the built environment to support vulnerable and equity-deserving road users.
Women entrepreneurs thrive thanks to York, Visa Canada partnership
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By Lindsay MacAdam, communications officer, YFile
Last month, Visa Canada announced the 10 recipients of its 2023 She’s Next Grant Program in partnership with York University, supporting women-owned businesses spanning a wide range of consumer products and services. The program rewards business owners with a $10,000 grant and a four-month mentorship from York’s YSpace ELLA accelerator program.
David Kwok
“We are so excited to be partnering with Visa and their She’s Next program to support women entrepreneurs across the country,” said David Kwok, associate director of entrepreneurship at Innovation York. “By pairing the $10,000 grant with expertise mentorship that is catered to business needs, we are driving tangible impacts with each business we support. This partnership will not only elevate York University’s brand as a premier entrepreneurial hub, but also position YSpace ELLA, our women’s accelerator program, as an exceptional resource for women entrepreneurs.”
ELLA is providing the Visa She’s Next Grant Program recipients with valuable mentorship, access to educational resources and networking opportunities. “We offer a bespoke experience by ensuring each participant sets up objectives and key results, and uses the mentorship to drive those,” said Kwok. “The participant connects with the mentors on a biweekly basis to drive through strategic elements, while working with our team to ensure progress and accountability.”
Out of the thousands of applicants to this year’s Visa She’s Next Grant Program, 10 inspiring entrepreneurs were selected as winners, and here are three of their stories.
Nuria Madrenas
Nuria Madrenas
Nuria Madrenas is the founder of Tacit, an online art gallery and consultancy dedicated to amplifying female creatives to the emerging art collector. Madrenas graduated from York with a bachelor of arts in communications in 2016 and worked in public relations and marketing for various fashion and lifestyle brands before her foray into entrepreneurship. As an artist herself, and having worked with many artists on campaigns and events, she recognized a gap in the market between the entry-level art marketplaces and the often intimidating world of high-end art. Tacit occupies that space in between.
“I would always ask [artists], ‘Where do you sell your work?,’ ” she said. “It felt like there was no suitable platform. It was either these entry-level, oversaturated marketplaces, where you’re competing with makers of all kinds, or the intimidating world of blue-chip art that felt out of reach at the time.”
After doing some research, Madrenas discovered a disturbing disparity between women and men in the visual arts: women account for a mere two per cent of all art sold. “So I set out to create this platform that solved the many pain points I found,” she said.
Madrenas started her business back in 2019 with 10 local artists, and has since expanded to upwards of 70 – from Canada, the U.S., Europe and Australia. Beyond the e-commerce site, Tacit also provides art consultancy services for both residential and commercial clients.
This was Madrenas’s third time applying to the Visa She’s Next Grant Program, and her persistence finally paid off with this full-circle moment: “I graduated seven years ago, and now to get that mentorship from my alma mater, it’s really exciting,” she said. “I’ve been on my own throughout this process, and I find that sometimes it’s a bit isolating. I’m excited to get some fresh, new perspectives, and to get support from somebody with B2B experience…. I’ve identified that as an area of focus.”
Natalie Sabri
Natalie Sabri
Natalie Sabri is the founder of The Dough Parlour, which manufactures sweet, fruit-scented play dough made from non-toxic, all-natural, food-grade ingredients. The mother of four has an undergraduate degree in political science, and studied early childhood education before becoming a preschool teacher and eventually opening her own preschool business.
But after spending nearly a decade experimenting with homemade play dough recipes for her children that other parents would always ask about, Sabri decided to pivot into consumer packaged goods. She branded her sweet-smelling play dough around the idea of an old-fashioned ice-cream parlour, where customers choose their own scents, and that has been her main differentiator in the market.
“Everything that goes into our play dough is food grade,” said Sabri, “so if a child puts it in their mouth by mistake, it’s it’s 100 per cent safe.”
Based in Oakville, Ont., the company launched in 2017, and Sabri made an appearance on CBC’s “Dragons’ Den” just four months later, where she happily accepted a business deal from Boston Pizza founder Jim Treliving.
Her e-commerce business has been steadily growing ever since, with a recent, unexpected boost from famous moms Kim Kardashian and Chrissy Teigen, who accepted her unsponsored product gifting and decided to share their delight on Instagram. “[Kardashian] called it the best-smelling, cutest play dough she’s ever seen,” said Sabri, “and our business saw $25,000 in sales overnight. That’s why they call them influencers, right?”
The Dough Parlour also has a presence in well-known retailers such as Indigo and Anthropologie, and Sabri hopes to take the business overseas in the coming years with the help of the Visa She’s Next Grant Program and the accompanying YSpace ELLA mentorship.
Coincidentally, Sabri enrolled in the ELLA Ascend program in June, just two weeks before finding out she had been selected as a recipient of the Visa grant. The win will extend the length of her existing mentorship by four months, and she couldn’t be more grateful.
“I have three amazing mentors in the ELLA program,” said Sabri. “They have a wealth of knowledge that they so lovingly give to to us. The mentorship has really helped with structuring my business and directing me to loans and government programs. And even from a therapeutic perspective, having them listen to the daily struggles that [women entrepreneurs] go through and offering support has been so valuable.”
Chantal Bekhor
Chantal Bekhor
Born and raised in Montreal, Chantal Bekhor, founder of VG Gourmet Vegetarian Foods, worked as an elementary school teacher for a decade before embarking on her entrepreneurial journey in 2015.
As a consumer of plant-based products for many years, Bekhor saw a gap in the market for a burger made with fresh, gourmet ingredients and without the preservatives and fillers that are all-too common in meat alternatives. She decided to set out to find a partner kitchen to produce her vegan burger recipes, and she hasn’t looked back since.
Today, VG Gourmet has over 13 products available in more than 1,500 grocery stores and restaurants throughout Canada, including Whole Foods and Farm Boy, and she’s hoping to expand to new markets with the help of the the Visa She’s Next Grant.
“I was specifically interested in the mentorship that Visa was offering,” said Bekhor. “I thought this could be a really great opportunity for me to grow personally. I find, as an entrepreneur, it’s a little bit lonely. I’m hoping to learn a lot, and to be able to connect with the other entrepreneurs.”
And even though the program has barely kicked off, Bekhor has already benefited from the supportive community it has provided: “We had an event in Toronto a couple weeks ago,” she said, “and it was so refreshing to talk to other women entrepreneurs. We’ve built a little community after spending only one day together – we clicked.”
About YSpace ELLA
ELLA is the women’s accelerator program offered by YSpace, York University’s entrepreneurship and innovation hub, with funding from the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy. The ELLA team consists of experienced professionals with diverse backgrounds in business and entrepreneurship, who provide the tailored support that women entrepreneurs need to be successful.
YSpace works to facilitate and maximize the commercial, economic, and social impacts of research and innovation, and to create a culture of engaged scholarship and experiential learning. To learn more about YSpace and its initiatives, visit yorku.ca/yspace.
York researchers examine history of deep-water oxygen in Lake Erie
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Researchers at York University went searching for the fossilized remains of small insect larvae called chironomids, found in sediment in Lake Erie, to find a history of deep-water oxygen deprivation in the lake that continues today.
“Our results indicate that Lake Erie has suffered declines and depletion of bottom oxygen in the past, including prior to major Euro-American settlements; however, it wasn’t as bad as it is today,” says senior author and Associate Professor Roberto Quinlan of the Faculty of Science.
Retrieval of the box corer containing Lake Erie sediments, from which the sediment cores were retrieved for this study, aboard the Research Vessel (R/V) Lake Guardian, which is owned by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The R/V Lake Guardian is the largest research vessel in its fleet and conducts environmental monitoring across all five Great Lakes. Photo courtesy of Euan Reavie
If oxygen continues to decrease, Lake Erie will likely see more algal blooms occurring in the future.
Until now, understanding the oxygen dynamics in Lake Erie was more speculative. The current research, led by former York grad student Dmitri Perlov, is novel in that it looked at how an organism, such as chironomid larvae, which is highly sensitive to changing oxygen levels, was affected over the past 150 years.
The researchers studied the presence of these tiny larvae, which metamorphosize into midges as adults, in lake sediment cores from today to before pre-industrial times. They found oxygen depletion rates ramped up as populations increased and agriculture intensified after industrialization in the 1950s, which was likely exacerbated by the development and increased use of phosphorus-rich chemical fertilizers and household detergents. It was particularly bad in the 1960s and ’70s. Water clarity started to improve in the ’80s and ’90s following phosphorus abatement programs initiated in the early 1970s, but oxygen levels have not recovered.
Poor water quality has a lot to do with the lack of deep-water oxygen, which can spur summer algal blooms that can affect the drinking water for millions of people around Lake Erie, and it also means that when there is a temperature inversion, which sends deep waters devoid of oxygen to the surface, it can cause a massive kill-off of fish that can have major effects on commercial fishing.
“Of all the Great Lakes, Lake Erie is the most stressed by human influence and has the poorest water quality, so it is of great interest to both the United States and Canadian federal governments, and all the state and provincial governments that border the Great Lakes,” says Quinlan.
Low oxygen levels at the bottom of the lake can produce a chemical environment where phosphorus, a primary nutrient for algae, is released from the sediments.
“A central pillar of water quality research is trying to control phosphorus. If you get a lake that loses its oxygen and all of this stored phosphorus is released from the sediments, all of these efforts by governments and society to control phosphorus, it’s all undone by this chemical process that releases a huge amount of phosphorus back into the water and fuels algal blooms,” says Quinlan.
This creates conditions for algal blooms, including harmful cyanobacterial blooms, which turns the water blue-green, makes it smell and taste bad, and can be toxic to humans, pets and livestock, making tap water unsafe to drink.
Microscope view of a subfossil chironomid head capsule. This specimen belongs to the Tanytarsini. Photo courtesy of Dmitri Perlov
“Our study’s results emphasize the vulnerability of Lake Erie to low oxygen because it naturally had periods of low oxygen prior to large-scale European settlement, urbanization, industrialization, agricultural fertilizers and all these additional stressors that make Lake Erie that much more vulnerable to low oxygen,” says Quinlan.
Climate change is what really concerns Quinlan. A warmer climate means warmer winters and shorter ice coverage as well as warmer summers, which causes a further loss of oxygen in the deep layers.
“Climate warming is already underway, and this is something that will take decades to reverse,” he says.
Some 13.2 million people live within the Lake Erie watershed, the most populated of the Great Lakes, representing about 34 per cent of the total population in the Great Lakes catchment area.
Lake Erie is a bellwether for other Great Lakes, as it has changed the most in response stress and remediation. The researchers say that wide-scale watershed actions are needed if Lake Erie’s water quality and deep-water oxygen levels are to improve.
Recent York University graduate Issa Abdi Jamaa is eager to apply the valuable lessons he has learned both inside and outside the classroom to the professional world.
Jamaa arrived in Canada as a teenager for secondary school before attending university. After exploring various Canadian universities, he says he selected York for its academic excellence and vibrant multicultural and diverse community.
“As a Black international student, I felt that York exhibited real diversity and an authentic sense of belonging,” Jamaa said.
He enrolled in economics, where he excelled, earning an honours BA and graduating summa cum laude in Spring 2023. Jamaa was also a member of the Dean’s circle of student scholars in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS).
Issa Jamaa delivering his speech at the Chancellor’s installation
Beyond academics, Jamaa cultivated a diverse skill set by seeking out challenging campus employment and extracurricular activities. As soon as he arrived at the Keele Campus, Jamaa jumped into governance activities, starting with the Economic Students’ Association. During his first semester at York, he was elected to the student government of Vanier College Council (VCC) as director of finance, then vice-president, academic and external affairs. A year later, he was elected as VCC’s president and orientation Chair.
For more than four consecutive academic years, Jamaa served as a designated student representative on the LA&PS Faculty Council. In that role, he advocated passionately and consistently for students, focusing on the needs of racialized, first-generation and international students.
There, he challenged the tendency to treat international students as “income generators on one hand, and social and cultural challenges on the other,” arguing that both positions are problematic. He encouraged faculty, staff and the dean’s offices to recognize the humanity of all students.
“In his tireless dedication to student issues, he challenged everyone he encountered to think differently and reconsider the needs of racialized, first-generation and international students,” said LA&PS Dean J.J. McMurtry. “Issa exhibits all the qualities we hope to see in our graduates: passion, perseverance and a commitment to social justice and advocacy. Whatever he chooses to do next, I know he will change the future for the better.”
Jamaa further extended his student advocacy as a volunteer on a number of Faculty committees, including the Committee on Teaching, Learning and Student Success, and the Committee on Curriculum, Curricular Policy and Standards, where he combined his support for students with an interest in inclusive pedagogy.
In 2019, Jamaa was elected as a senator for the York University Senate, the University’s highest academic governing body, where he also chaired the Senate’s student caucus. Through the caucus, he supported initiatives that included the University’s Anti-Black Racism Framework. His work in the Faculty Council and Senate opened the door to other opportunities, such as serving as a member of three University search committees: dean for the Faculty of LA&PS; vice-provost, students; and chancellor. His efforts came full circle when was a speaker at the induction ceremony for York University’s 14th chancellor, Kathleen Taylor, in May 2023.
He also participated as a student representative to the advisory committee that created the Division of Students’ most recent five-year strategic plan and was one of President Rhonda Lenton’s ambassadors for three years.
“It is exciting to see students building their leadership skills here at York and bringing the commitments of our University Academic Plan to life. Issa has helped students access opportunities to realize their full potential and his work will have a lasting impact as they in turn create positive change in communities around the world,” said Lisa Philipps, provost and vice-president academic.
“Through all of these opportunities, I learned about how the institution worked, with its complex systems and governance structure,” Jamaa said. “I also found things that needed improvement from a student-centric perspective by taking every opportunity I got to voice the concerns of students.”
For example, Jamaa successfully advocated to make work-study positions accessible and equitable to all international, as well as domestic, students, collaborating with University partners such as York International, and senior University officials.
Throughout his undergraduate career, Jamaa held various professional jobs on campus, such as lead ambassador and senior special projects assistant at the Dean’s Office (LA&PS), as well as a special projects assistant at the Office of the University Registrar. Additionally, he assumed the role of a CCTV operator on campus, joining the team in 2018 and earning a promotion to team lead in 2020. Currently, Jamaa continues working with the community safety department’s CCTV team while focusing on his future endeavors.
“I’d like to gain more work experience for a few years before I return to my academic journey in earning either an MBA, or a law degree, or even a combination of both,” Jamaa said.
In recognition of Jamaa’s leadership, dedication to student advocacy and service to the University community, he earned several University-wide awards, including the eighth Annual Robert J. Tiffin Student Leadership Award, the Robert Everett Exceptional Leadership Award in Student Governance, the Outstanding Student Leadership Award, Faculty of LA&PS (twice), the Marilyn Lambert-Drache Award for Initiative in Governance, and the Alumni Golden GRADitude Award.
“Issa Jamaa exemplifies the core values of York University, showcasing the transformative potential of higher education and the immense impact of actively engaging in various aspects of university life,” said Vinitha Gengatharan, assistant vice-president, global engagement and partnerships. “His relentless commitment to effecting positive change and breaking down barriers, particularly for international students, serves as an inspiration to his peers and the wider community. With his unwavering determination and excellent skills, Issa is poised to make significant contributions in his future endeavors, while leaving a lasting legacy at York University.”
Osgoode students, alumni help build accessible legal chatbot
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3d rendering robot working with digital display
Osgoode Hall Law School students Ryan Boros and Elias Tung have spent the summer, when many of their peers take a break from academic pursuits, working on the recently launched Law Newbie – an online chatbot that makes criminal law research accessible to the public.
The free application was developed by Toronto criminal lawyer Jordan Donich with support from recent Osgoode graduate Camille Melo, who now articles with Collett Read LLP, but previously spent the summer of 2022 conducting initial research for Law Newbie. Boros and Tung, each in their third and second years of studies, joined the project to refine the app leading up to and after its launch.
The encyclopedic resource enables users to access details about criminal code offences and potential defence strategies simply by asking the chatbot questions.
“The whole thing has been built with a lot of effort and it’s very intuitive,” said Boros.
“I feel like it’s given me a much stronger idea of the core concepts of criminal law and the finer points,” he added. “The other benefit for me going forward is it’s inspired me to take more technology focused courses next year.”
One of them will be Osgoode’s Engineering the Law course, taught by adjunct faculty member Al Hounsell, who serves as the Toronto-based director of strategic innovation and legal design for the multi-national law firm Norton Rose Fulbright LLP.
Among other things, the Osgoode course introduces students to how client needs have pushed the boundaries of legal service delivery to include elements of data, computer technology and artificial intelligence (AI), according to the course description. It also gives students the practical skills to break down contracts and legislation into decision trees, to develop markups and workflows for contract development and negotiations, to attain basic experience with common legal technology applications, and to apply design thinking methodology to legal problems.
Ryan Boros and Elias Tung
Tung, who is leaning towards a career in family law, said his work with Law Newbie has helped spark an interest in working at the intersection of family law and criminal law.
“We’re just trying to make the information as accessible as possible,” he said of the project. “There’s definitely a need for criminal law resources like this because a lot of people don’t understand the criminal code – and it’s also important to understand your rights.
“I feel very fortunate,” he added, “because not a lot of people have the opportunity to do this kind of work.”
Melo said the research and writing that she did for Law Newbie last summer gave her a more solid grounding in criminal law.
“I really liked the research component of it and it was good to know as an up and coming criminal lawyer,” she noted. “I really enjoyed working on an access-to-justice initiative like this, too.”
Donich said he is currently experimenting with integrating AI into the chatbot, but is still determining its effectiveness.
“I am manually programming it now,” he said, “and Camille, Ryan and Elias’s brains have been irreplaceable. They’ve all said they wish they had had this experience with technology earlier in law school – and lawyers who are my age are saying the same thing.”
He said he is planning to hire another student to work on the project part-time beginning in the fall.
Along with his work in criminal law, civil litigation and professional regulation, Donich also specializes in cybersecurity and internet-related crime.
“Technology is changing the legal profession, faster than we have anticipated,” he said. “Lawyers and law students need to be part of the change to ensure any innovation improves our client experience and continues to serve the public interest.”
Inaugural events celebrate Black and rainbow grads
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Spring Convocation saw the launch of two inaugural graduation celebrations, one organized by the York University’s Black Alumni Network (YUBAN), and the other by the Sexuality and Gender Advocacy Alumni Network (SAGA).
The events, designed to celebrate the resilience and achievements of the Black and 2SLGBTQIA+ graduates, joins the existing Indigenous grad event organized by the Centre for Indigenous Student Services (CISS), as part of York’s ongoing support of decolonizing, equity, diversity and inclusion (DEDI) initiatives.
The new events are also the result of efforts by the York alumni engagement team to re-build the Black, Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ alumni networks in recent years.
The Black Grad Celebration, hosted by economics alum Fikayo Aderoju (BA ’22) and Schulich School of Business alum Reni Odetoyinbo (BBA ’18), was marked by inspirational words from Jean Augustine Chair in Education, Community & Diaspora Carl James (BA ’78, MA ’80, PhD ’86), as well as a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by York student Ayokunmi Oladesu, a member of Vanier College Productions.
Black Grad Celebration
“For many Black university students, Black graduation ceremonies are opportunities not only to reflect on their journey through university, but also to celebrate the fact that despite the odds, challenges, doubts and setbacks, they want to celebrate how they managed to obtain their post-secondary credentials that once seemed elusive and unobtainable,” said James.
Actuarial science graduate Kobe Cargill (BA ’23) also took to the stage, sharing his experience as a Black international student, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the achievements of Black graduates.
“I am the first in my family and in my high school to leave Jamaica and get a university degree. I am doing this first and foremost for my family and friends back home,” he shared. “York is a large university with an extensive alumni network, and as Black alumni, we are laying a foundation for those to follow.”
The 2SLBGTQIA+ event, organized by SAGA, was hosted by political science alum Sara Elhawash (BA ’15) who welcomed recent grads and alumni, while acknowledging their accomplishments and challenges in getting where they are today. The event featured food, music and remarks delivered by Alice Pitt, interim vice-president equity, people and culture, and alumnus/current PhD student Gin Marshall (MES ’20) of SexGen, York’s committee responsible for advising and advocating around issues and concerns of sexual and gender diversity.
Rainbow Grad Celebration
“I was truly honored to witness the power of unity and authenticity within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Having graduated in 2015 without a supportive network, it was heartwarming to celebrate alongside my fellow graduates who finally had the opportunity to embrace their true selves,” said Elhawash.
The evening provided an opportunity to network in a safe space and share words of encouragement and advice for future grads. Marshall spoke about their experiences as a queer-identifying university student and their challenges in the workforce. “We know the pendulum is swinging back towards more discrimination, and there is lots of work to be done. Recognize yourself, frame your degree and make sure it represents who you are. It is essential for you to recognize this accomplishment,” they said.
Along with YUBAN and SAGA, these two inaugural events were supported by the Division of Advancement, the Division of Students and the Office of the VP, Equity, People and Culture, and had participation from faculty and staff across the University.
Schulich team studies impact of updated accounting code of ethics
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New research by York University researchers and alumni from the Schulich School of Business shows that the likelihood of professional accountants reporting illegal acts by their employers or clients will increase because of explicit wording that was added to an international code of ethics in 2017.
Linda Thorne
The language introduced via the updated standard for non-compliance with laws and regulations (NOCLAR) clarifies and elevates accountants’ professional responsibility to report fraud and illegal acts to an external authority. The change was established in 2017 to address previous ambiguity around whether or not to maintain confidentiality when accountants suspected a breach of law.
The findings are contained in a forthcoming article in the Journal of Business Ethics. The article, titled “An Experimental Study of a Change in Professional Accountants’ Code of Ethics: The influence of NOCLAR on the duty to report illegal acts to an external authority”, was co-authored by Linda Thorne, professor of accounting at Schulich, together with two former PhD students at Schulich, Pier-Luc Nappert, an assistant professor of accounting at Laval University; Carolyn McTavish, an associate professor of accounting at Wilfrid Laurier University; and Sameera Hassan, a current Schulich PhD student.
The researchers evaluated the effect of NOCLAR’s updated wording on accountants’ perception of their responsibility to report illegal acts to an external authority. To carry out the evaluation, the research team conducted an experiment involving 113 Chartered/Certified Professional Accountants (CPAs) from the U.S. and Canada that showed that NOCLAR increases clarity and elevates CPAs’ perceptions of professional responsibility to report illegal acts externally.
“Prior to NOCLAR, the international code of ethics was seen by the public, the securities markets, audit regulators, and the audit profession as ambiguous,” says Thorne. “The ambiguity of the code prior to the introduction of NOCLAR facilitated the precedence of the principle of confidentiality over that of external reporting of fraud. But as a result of NOCLAR, there is now language in the code that explicitly grants accountants the right to break confidentiality in the face of illegal acts and outlines the steps for accountants to take when encountering them.
“Our findings suggest that the likelihood of professional accountants reporting illegal acts externally will increase,” Thorne concluded.
Five York community members invested to Order of Canada
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Five individuals with connections to York University are among the 85 new appointments to the Order of Canada, announced in June by Governor General of Canada Mary Simon.
The new member list includes one Officer (O.C.) and four Members (C.M.). The Order of Canada is one of the highest honours awarded to civilians in Canada. Created in 1967, it recognizes people whose service shapes society, whose innovations ignite imaginations and whose compassion unites communities.
Officer
The Honourable Robert James Sharpe, donor Sharpe was appointed for his distinguished contributions to the advancement of law in Canada as both a judge and academic.
Members
John Anthony Lederer, alumni, donor Lederer was appointed for his leadership in business, and for his philanthropy in support of the community and health sectors.
Daniel Levy, former student Levy was appointed for his trailblazing advocacy of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and for advancing Canadian television as a critically acclaimed actor, writer, director and producer.
Susan Swan, former faculty, donor Swan was appointed for her contributions to Canadian literature and culture, and for her mentorship of the next generation of writers.
Robert J. Foster, donor Foster was appointed for his visionary leadership and acumen as a successful entrepreneur and for his transformational contributions to developing Toronto’s arts communities.
Wendy Ruth Eisen, donor Eisen was appointed for her commitment to enhancing the welfare of Jewish people and Canadian society as a whole through her philanthropy, volunteerism and activism.
More than 7,600 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order of Canada. Appointments are made by the governor general on the recommendation of the Advisory Council for the Order of Canada. For more information about the Order of Canada program, visit www.gg.ca/en/honours/canadian-honours/order-canada.
Passings: Heather Gore Liddell
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Osgoode Professional Development announced that Heather Gore Liddell, beloved team leader, friend and advocate for Osgoode, passed away unexpectedly from interstitial lung disease at the age of 46 on May 20.
Heather Gore Liddell
Gore Liddell first joined in her role as program lawyer, working on continuing legal education programs (CLE), in June 2005. Having earned her juris doctor (JD) at Osgoode, she was thrilled to return as a staff member. Gore Liddell was a creative people person and ideally suited to creating CLE programs. She was a shrewd businessperson and exceptional people manager. She brought these and other talents to bear as she progressed to senior program lawyer; manager, CLE Programs; and finally, director, CLE programs. She was active in several professional associations, including the Toronto Legal Professional Development Consortium, and the Association of Continuing Legal Education of America. She completed a certificate in adult education from University of Toronto, as well as York University management and leadership programs.
A celebration of life was held on June 9 in the Moot Court at Osgoode. The event brought together family and friends, sharing memories of Gore Liddell’s legendary shopping exploits and road trips, clips of her star turn on “Say Yes to the Dress,” a drag queen, and a visit from an ice cream truck to provide refreshments. Gore Liddell’s ability to connect with people of all kinds, and her tremendous warmth and kindness, were on full display.
Gore Liddell leaves her spouse, Peter Liddell; her father, Craig Gore; her sister, Kerry Haines; her nieces, Holly and Morgan; and extended family, plus a large chosen family. She also had an immense and well-nurtured network of former classmates and professional colleagues.
An Osgoode JD student bursary has been created to honour Gore Liddell ’s memory. It will be awarded annually to a student with financial need and who faces visible and invisible obstacles such as: income; mental health; racial, cultural and gender inequalities; or physical and learning challenges. Donations to the bursary can be made here.
Michael Tulloch offers Osgoode grads three career lessons
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During the June 23 convocation for York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School, Ontario Chief Justice Michael Tulloch used the occasion of receiving an honorary doctor of laws degree to impart critical lessons to guide graduands in their legal careers.
Tulloch began his address to graduands by praising his formative time 30 years ago as a student at Osgoode. “Without the legal education and the community that this law school provided me I know with certainty that I would not be standing here this afternoon as a judge on one of the greatest and most prestigious Courts of Appeal in the Commonwealth and North America,” he said.
The ceremony led him to reflect on what it was like when he was in the graduands’ position, when he graduated as part of the Class of 1989. “At the time, I had no idea where I, or any of my classmates, would be 20 years later. But one thing we all had was a lot of hope and a real sense of pride in our accomplishments,” he said.
Decades onward, he assured grads that they’ll marvel – as he has – where that hope might take them. “Many of my classmates became outstanding lawyers, judges and academics. Some with international renowned reputations for their contributions,” he said. As Professor Emerita Mary Jane Mossman’s introduction of Tulloch made clear, he resides among the most successful from his class thanks to an accomplished career as a crown prosecutor and private practice lawyer, before being appointed to the Ontario Superior Court in 2003, to the Court of Appeal in 2012 and as Ontario Chief Justice in 2022.
“There is no doubt that 20 years or 30 years from now, most of you will be distinguished leaders within the legal profession and the Canadian society as a whole,” he said.
Tulloch proceeded to then offer graduands three important lessons that have helped keep him grounded and focused throughout his career.
“Be grateful for the privileged position that we are in his lawyers here in Canada,” he cited as the first lesson. “Where we have an amazing scientific, medical and legal infrastructure. Where political and economic stability is the norm. Where the majority in our society aspire to create a just society with a social safety net that tries to catch those in our society that may be less economically and socially fortunate.” While he acknowledged that there are now notable challenges Canada and the world face, he encouraged graduands to remember to keep those privileges and benefits in focus in order to keep preserving them.
“The world is smaller than we think, and the legal profession is even smaller,” Tulloch said of his second lesson. “Someone used to tell me that there are six degrees of separation between us, but I strongly believe that there’s only one degree.”
Provost and Vice-President Lisa Philipps, Michael Tulloch and Chancellor Kathleen Taylor
He asked a graduand in attendance named Ali Kwinter to stand up as way of example. “You don’t know me, as you and I have never met,” he said to Kwinter. However, he proceeded to reveal that he did know her uncle – also a lawyer – with whom he has worked out with once a week for nearly 30 years. That morning the two men had been talking, and her uncle happened to mention that his niece would be graduating that day. “That’s how I got to know who you are,” said Tulloch to Kwinter. “That’s evidence, in my view, that we’re all only one degree of separation apart.
“The moral message of this is that the world and the legal profession is so small, and we’re so interconnected, that our reputation matters and we must always guard our reputation fiercely. As the end of the day, our reputation is all that we have.”
For his final lesson, Tulloch stressed that, “People matter, especially in a global world.” As the law changes – through technological advances, globalization and equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization initiatives, to name a few – he stressed one thing should remain steadfast.
“Amidst all these changes, one thing remains constant and that is the power of the human connection. The essence of our work lies in the relationships we build, the compassion we show and the difference we make in the lives of others,” he said. “Always remember that the people that you’re interacting with are human beings, and you need to understand and empathy. To try to relate to their situation and condition. The law is not just a set of rules. It is a powerful instrument of change, aimed at fostering the spirit of compassion, empathy, and unity.”
He ended his address reiterating the importance of working together to create change in the world. “Recognize that our collective strength far surpasses the sum of our individual capabilities. Each one of you possesses a unique set of skills, experiences and perspectives. And it is by harnessing the power of our collective diversity, that we can truly affect change. Remember, the legal profession is not a solitary endeavor. It is a tapestry woven by countless hands, each thread contributing to the greater whole. It is our duty as custodians of justice, to support and uplift one another. In a world that sometimes seems fractured and divided, and at times, politically polarized, or ideologically disconnected, it is through cooperation and unity that we can build bridges, restore trust, and create a more just society,” he said.
“Together we can create a legal system that is truly reflective of the diverse society we serve, and as you leave these hallowed halls today filled with hope, knowledge and ambition, I urge you to strive not only for personal success, but also for a broader vision of a more just, and equitable society. Seek justice not only within the confines of the courtroom, but also in your communities, in the boardrooms and in every aspect of your life,” he said. “Let us rise above adversity fueled by our collective determination to pursue justice, uphold the rule of law and create a brighter and more equitable world. Congratulation graduates, the world eagerly awaits the mark you will make.”
