Brian Mulroney Institute of Government

Congratulations to Mulroney Institute Fellow Dr. Katie Aubrecht (Canada Research Chair, Sociology Department) who is a co-applicant on a research partnership funded and/or supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Partnership Grant: “Care Economy, Aging and Policy: A Partnership Approach” (895-2026-1023).

Led by principal applicant Dr. Allison Williams at McMaster University, the program is made up of ten projects over seven years and includes 50+ national and international partners and collaborators. The seven-year partnership will generate new evidence on the experiences of diverse caregiver populations, and seek to strengthen caregiver wellbeing, improve workforce retention and inclusion, support employers, and advance evidence-informed policies that respond to the realities of an aging society.

Among the partnership collaborators are StFX researchers Dr. Rebecca Wallace, Mila Mulroney Research Chair in Women and Politics, and Dr. Megan MacGillivray, Associate Professor in the Department of Health. Dr. Aubrecht, Dr. MacGillivray and Dr. Wallace are contributing to the project's social prescribing stream, which explores how community-based, non-medical supports can improve the mental health and wellbeing of caregiver-employees experiencing depression.

Learn more about the program co-applicants, collaborators, and partners here: https://sshrc-crsh.canada.ca/en/competition-results/award-recipients/2025/partnership-grants.aspx

Join us as we commemorate Emancipation Day with two events on Tuesday, August 11. Everyone is welcome!

Emancipate Your Mind
3 to 4 p.m. Town Hall (Council Chambers)

A community panel discussion moderated by Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard, exploring Africentric living, lived experiences, and the ongoing significance of Emancipation Day. Hosted by the Delmore "Buddy" Day Learning Institute, the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on The Status of Women, and BCC.

Emancipation Day BBQ
4:30 to 6 p.m. Chisholm Park

Enjoy a free community BBQ provided by the Antigonish Kinsmen. Don’t forget to bring a blanket or folding lawn chair.

Happy August long weekend! We look forward to seeing new and returning students back on campus next month.

Photo by Dr. Anna Zuschlag.

Dr. Michael Follert, Mulroney Research Fellow and StFX University Assistant Professor (Sociology), has authored a new article published in the Journal of Canadian Studies: “Radio Silence: Listening to the North on the CBC, 1945–1958.”

Dr. Follert’s article examines the discourse and aesthetics of radio programming featured on the CBC in the early postwar period to make sense of representations of “the north” for Canadians in the south.

Join us in congratulating Dr. Follert on his latest publication. The full article can be found here: https://utppublishing.com/doi/full/10.3138/jcs-2025-0024.

The Mulroney Institute is saddened to hear of the passing of The Hon. Elmer MacKay, former Member of Parliament for Central Nova.

The Public Policy and Governance (PGOV) Program at StFX offers students the analytical frameworks, tools, and skills needed to tackle complex societal challenges and succeed across a broad spectrum of careers.

Learn more about Level 400 courses:https://www.stfx.ca/sites/default/files/documents/2026-2027%20Academic%20Calendar_July3.pdf (PGOV courses on pages 261–264).

Dr. David Risk, Brian Mulroney Institute of Government Research Chair in Climate Science and Policy and Director of the FluxLab at StFX University, is leading a new project to evaluate and improve the accuracy of methane emissions measurement systems in the coal mining sector.

Supported by the UN Environment Programme International Methane Emissions Observatory - IMEO and the Australian Government, the project will advance credible methane monitoring and inform the development of regulatory policies to reduce coal mining emissions.

Learn more about the project: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/unep-australia-announce-landmark-study-improve-understanding-coal

The Public Policy and Governance (PGOV) Program at StFX offers students the analytical frameworks, tools, and skills needed to tackle complex societal challenges and succeed across a broad spectrum of careers.

Learn more about Level 100 & 200 courses here:https://www.stfx.ca/sites/default/files/documents/2026-2027%20Academic%20Calendar_July3.pdf (PGOV courses on pages 261–264)

The Mulroney Institute wishes a happy birthday to Dr. Mila Mulroney!
Dr. Mulroney received an honorary Doctor of Laws from StFX University in 2004, and, in Fall 2024, she became the university’s 11th chancellor.

Chancellor Mulroney is a dedicated philanthropist and volunteer. The Institute is home to the Mila Mulroney Research Chair in Women and Politics, held by Dr. Rebecca Wallace. Each year, the Institute offers the Mila Mulroney Scholarship for African Nova Scotia Students in Dr. Mulroney’s honour.

Find out more about the Mulroney Institute’s scholarships here: https://www.mulroneyinstitute.ca/scholarships