Expand the definition of art as a health tool, and consider it as an essential link, as a bridge between those who heal and those who need healing. The art becomes a shared language, and if culture gets involved the artistic process becomes symbolic. It builds trust, which fosters communication, which lays the foundation for a discussion about, for example, preventing HIV

That's how art is used by Sarah Flicker, a professor in [the Faculty of Environmental Studies] at 91亚色, who studies HIV prevention in aboriginal communities across Canada and uses art to get the interest of young natives.

Flicker is one of three professors who will be a part of "Caf茅 Scientifique," a public roundtable of sorts that will consider how the arts are being used in health programs these days [organized by the ].

. . .

Flicker starts by telling me that aboriginals represent three per cent of Canada's population, but have nine per cent of HIV infections 鈥� and at a younger age. Flicker's project is to find ways of having a meaningful conversation about HIV with young natives. Problem is, some native communities are not interested in "traditional research methods." Enter art.

鈥淔rom theatre to photography to carving to hip-hop,鈥� she says, when I ask her what types of arts her project has employed. She adds throat singing to the list, and graffiti at the Kahnawake Mohawk reserve near Montreal.

鈥淯sing the arts in our particular project has been tremendously successful,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun, it鈥檚 participatory, it helps build pride and self-esteem. . . It really helps them relate to culture and tradition, in a way that鈥檚 non-threatening.鈥�

Using contemporary or traditional art forms 鈥� created by the young natives, with the guidance of artists brought in by the project 鈥� enhances recall of the health information, she says. It also builds skills, as the artists pass on their own knowledge and inspirations, and many young natives have their first opportunity to handle photographic equipment or real artist鈥檚 brushes.

鈥淲e were just astonished with the creativity we had unleashed,鈥� Flicker says, as the research visited reserves from B. C. to Atlantic Canada. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 incredible is how the themes have resonated from community to another.鈥�

They resonated so well that the art of some communities is used in others to get the health message across 鈥� such as a hip hop song composed by young natives in Kettle Creak, near Sarnia. Another group made a stop-motion film, using photography to show how HIV was affecting their community. 鈥淚t鈥檚 in their words that art is healing,鈥� Flicker says.

You can see the art of her project at takingaction4youth.org. The Caf茅 Scientifique will begin at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 23 at Mambo Nuevo Latino, 77 Clarence St. in the Byward Market. 鈥淭he idea is to make health research accessible to the public,鈥� Flicker says.

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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The $2.5-million project is led by Francine Martineau of the university's French department, but includes 13 fellow researchers and 59 "partners" from Canada, the United States, France and Japan.

The seven-year plan is to study 400 years of family histories to examine how language has shaped communities and cultures.

"We are looking at three fields of expansion from France that are all basically located across the St. Lawrence, which is New France, Louisiana and Acadia," explained co-investigator of 91亚色 [Glendon and the ].

"If we just focused on Canada, then we would miss some important components of North American francophonie, mainly Louisiana 鈥� and probably one of the most interesting colonial settings as well, because it involved not only colonization from France, but also secondary migration from Acadia 鈥� basically the French language continued to live, but in a completely different setting from the original."

According to Mougeon, the project team plans to reach beyond linguistics and also focus on history and sociology. The team includes experts in linguistics, anthropology, history, geography and computer science. "We believe that you can only understand the evolution of language if you can actually place it in its broader socio-historical setting," said Mougeon.

. . .

The research team received the grant from the Major Collaborative Research Initiatives Program of the (SSHRC).

The project鈥檚 focus includes four centuries of history of French on the North American continent in three main colonial settings: Louisiana, New France, which is now Quebec, and Acadia.

Mougeon was also interviewed by the (video clip attached) and spoke about the study with CBC Radio Moncton, NB, March 17.

You can also read the project's .

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile 鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Justice Susan Himel struck down all three Criminal Code provisions that had been challenged 鈥� communicating for the purposes of prostitution, pimping and operating a common bawdy house.

The decision will take effect in 30 days unless Crown lawyers return with arguments that are strong enough to persuade her to grant a further delay, Judge Himel said.

鈥淲e got everything,鈥� yelped a 91亚色 law professor behind the challenge, of , as he scanned the judgment seconds after it was released. 鈥淲e did it.... Finally, somebody listened.鈥�

Judge Himel specifically rejected a request from the Crown to suspend the effects of her decision for 18 months on the grounds that doing so would force sex-trade workers to continue working under hazardous conditions. She said the 30-day delay gives the Crown one last chance to persuade her that she should suspend her judgment.

Young said that, in light of how uncompromising Judge Himel鈥檚 findings were, the Crown faces a tough uphill battle in obtaining an additional stay. 鈥淚n 30 days, the ruling kicks in and people can start growing their businesses,鈥� he said.

Regardless of whether or not the decision is appealed, it is likely to plunge Parliament back into a divisive debate over criminalizing the operation of an activity that is itself perfectly legal.

Young warned the press and public not to fall for an inevitable onslaught of misinformation and scare stories that government officials will issue as it bids to prop up the law. 鈥淭his was a big bite out of the heart of government,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey are going to feel this one. I don鈥檛 know what this means now; whether or not we will see five-storey brothels like the ones in Germany.鈥�

However, Young also said that the public need not fear that prostitutes and pimps are about to run amok in their communities. Nor, he said, should people allow any distaste they may have for prostitution to cloud the central issue in the case. 鈥淭his case is all about protecting the security and safety of people working in the sex trade, regardless of what you think of sex-trade work,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have had a moral aversion to the sex trade for hundreds of years, but any time you can do something that increases peoples鈥� safety, you have done something good.鈥�

Both sides in the case spent years amassing a vast body of international evidence, including dozens of witnesses.

Several cities 鈥� including Toronto, Victoria, Windsor, Calgary and Edmonton 鈥� charge fees to license body-rub establishments despite the general understanding that many sell sexual services.

Young ridiculed them on Tuesday for hypocritically reaping licensing fees while pretending not to know that they are fronts for prostitution. 鈥淔or a decade, they have been charging exorbitant licensing fees for rub-and-tugs,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ow, at least we won鈥檛 have to charge them with living off the avails.鈥�

Young was also interviewed in the Globe about the Pickton trial context for this challenge Sept 29:

A historic challenge to the country鈥檚 prostitution laws would likely have failed without the backdrop of serial killer Robert Pickton鈥檚 murderous activities, according to the lawyer behind the case.

Osgoode Professor Alan Young said Tuesday that he purposely delayed his challenge until after the Pickton trial because there could scarcely be a more dramatic illustration of the plight prostitutes are placed in when the law forces them to work on the streets.

鈥淧ickton brought it to light,鈥� Young told a press conference. 鈥淚 had been developing arguments for many years, but I needed something more. Facts drive a case, and when they started to find bodies on that pig farm in 2002, it became extremely apparent to everyone that it is dangerous for sex-trade workers to work on the street.鈥�

He characterized the prostitution challenge as a David and Goliath battle fought by a small band of lawyers who worked pro bono, 20 91亚色 University law students and three tenacious litigants.

Over a five-year period, he said that his team assembled dozens of boxes of evidence and persuaded a sizable group of academics, community workers and prostitutes to testify without payment.

A win at the trial level was critical since the litigants and their legal team would not have been able to obtain funding for an appeal otherwise, Young added.

The case was also covered on , , the , , , , , and , among others.

You can stay current on this developing story by .

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