S2E10-Opioid crisis in rural Canada – Pt. I

The opioid crisis impacts hundreds of thousands of lives across North America and rural areas are increasingly at risk. To investigate the impacts of opioids in rural contexts, we’re presenting a special two-episode edition of Rural Routes, featuring stories from both individuals and institutions with experience on the frontlines of the rural opioid crisis. These difficult and sometimes inspiring stories address important questions about the fight against opioid addiction; are rural communities disproportionately affected? How are individuals and institutions working, or not working, to help communities heal? Is enough being done? In this we hear stories of personal challenge and determination from Stephen Miller, a recovering user and vivid storyteller, and Susan Boone and Brian Reese, whose personal experiences led them to organize a community-based harm reduction program on a small island off the coast of Newfoundland.

Rural Routes Partners:
The Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development, MUN
Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation 
Rural Policy Learning Commons Partnership
The National Campus and Community Radio Association

CHMR Campus Radio

Music by Laura C. Bates performed by Trent Severn.

EPISODE 15: Community development with Wendy Keats

Wendy Keats is the executive director of the Co-operative Enterprise Council of New Brunswick. We talked about the ground level view of co-ops and social enterprises in rural areas and the need for good legislative support to help them grow and prosper.

Resources:

Co-operative Enterprise Council of New Brunswick

Rural Routes Partners:
The Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development, MUN
Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation 
Rural Policy Learning Commons Partnership
The National Campus and Community Radio Association

Music by Laura C. Bates performed by Trent Severn.

Episode 14: Rural Health with Lars Hallström

In Canada, we recognize 14 social and economic factors that influence human health. These social determinants of health range from income and education, to housing, to gender and race. Lars Hallström thinks we could add living rural to that list. This episode of Rural Routes is the first one in which we tackle health and well being in rural areas.

Resources:
Dr. Lars Hallström’s faculty profile

Social Determinants of Health on Canadian Public Health Association page

Rural Routes Partners:
The Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development, MUN
Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation 
Rural Policy Learning Commons Partnership
The National Campus and Community Radio Association

Music by Laura C. Bates performed by Trent Severn.

EPISODE 13: Rural Immigration with Michael Haan

“Canada is a land of immigrants” is a phrase we hear often. And while that is certainly true in many ways, immigration is a complex issue we don’t spend nearly as much time talking about as we should. Michael Haan is Canada Research Chair in Immigration and Ethnic Relations at Western University in London, Ontario, and he spends a lot of time thinking about immigration in Canada, especially rural Canada. I had an opportunity to talk to Dr. Haan last fall in his office at Western University. This is a part of that conversation.

 

Resources: 
Dr. Michael Haan’s faculty profile
On the Move Partnership

Rural Routes Partners:
The Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development, MUN
Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation 
Rural Policy Learning Commons Partnership
The National Campus and Community Radio Association

Music by Laura C. Bates performed by Trent Severn.

EPISODE 9: On rural libraries

This week we talk about rural libraries. With the provincial government in Newfoundland and Labrador announcing funding cuts to 54 rural libraries, this is an emotional conversation in the province. While I make this show here in NL, I was interested in finding out how other jurisdictions run rural library services. In this episode you will hear voices from Newfoundland and Labrador, Nunavut, and British Columbia.

Resources:
Nunavut Public Library Services
BC Neighbourhood Learning Centres

Rural Routes Partners:
The Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development, MUN
Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation 
Rural Policy Learning Commons Partnership
The National Campus and Community Radio Association

Music by Laura C. Bates performed by Trent Severn.

EPISODE 8: On Local Knowledge with Pam Hall

This week on Rural Routes my guest is Pam Hall, an artist and a scholar who dedicated much of her artistic practices to rural ways of living. Her latest project is called Towards an Encyclopedia of Local Knowledge. This collaborative project is at the same time a celebration, but also a warning that local, place specific, knowledge is something we need to start paying attention to.

Resources:
The Encyclopedia of Local Knowledge

Rural Routes Partners:
The Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development, MUN
Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation 
Rural Policy Learning Commons Partnership
The National Campus and Community Radio Association

Music by Laura C. Bates performed by Trent Severn.

EPISODE 6: Rural Immigration with Philomena de Lima

This episode of Rural Routes takes us to the other side of the Atlantic. Philomena de Lima is a researchers at the University of Highlands and Islands. She is located at the university’s Inverness campus. Philomena’s research is focused on the issues of immigration in rural areas. She is interested in immigrant and grant worker experiences, but, just as importantly, she is also keen to explore impacts of immigration and migrant labour on host communities.

Resources:
Dr. Philomena de Lima’s faculty profile

Rural Routes Partners:
The Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development, MUN
Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation 
Rural Policy Learning Commons Partnership
The National Campus and Community Radio Association

EPISODE 5: Building a community foundation

This week on Rural Routes you can hear a conversation with Dr. Ryan Gibson, a geographer from St. Mary’s University in Halifax. One of the questions Ryan is interested in is:“What if rural Canada did not need any more money from anybody in order to have a sustainable future?” He thinks he just might have an answer.

Resources:
Ryan Gibson’s faculty profile
Ryan Gibson’s website on rural development

Rural Routes Partners:
The Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development, MUN
Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation
Rural Policy Learning Commons Partnership
The National Campus and Community Radio Association