Thomas College

While Canada maintains one of the highest postsecondary attainment rates among countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), its higher education system is increasingly shaped by changes in institutional funding. This chapter examines the implications of a decades-long decline in government appropriations, rising tuition, and cost-cutting. As institutions shift priorities to offset budget shortfalls, the effects have been widespread. Students face higher costs and greater debt, sessional faculty and staff encounter diminished job security and compensation, and institutions become more reliant on international student tuition. The chapter draws on national statistics and case studies to highlight the consequences of these trends, particularly after global events like the COVID-19 pandemic. It concludes by considering the long-term risks posed by the current funding model and emphasizing the need for coordinated public investment, more equitable labor practices, and sustainable tuition policies to preserve Canada's higher education system.

This study aims to explore the integration of digital tools in values education to support character development among elementary school students. In response to the increasing demand for 21st-century moral competencies, this research conducts a systematic literature review focusing on strategies, challenges, and innovations in digital-based character education. Using qualitative content analysis of 22 peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2025, the study identifies recurring patterns and contextual differences in the implementation of values learning across various countries. The findings highlight that approaches such as digital storytelling, gamified moral tasks, and project-based learning significantly foster student engagement, empathy, and ethical reasoning. However, key challenges remain, including inadequate teacher training, culturally irrelevant content, and limited infrastructure. The novelty of this research lies in its ecosystemic perspective, proposing a holistic framework that links pedagogy, technology, school culture, and local wisdom into one cohesive character education model. Unlike previous studies that isolate digital literacy from moral development, this research emphasizes participatory learning and student co-creation of values-based digital content. The study also introduces the concept of “contextual moral engagement,” where values are integrated into students’ daily lives through culturally grounded digital practices. In conclusion, digital integration in values education should move beyond tool-based interventions toward holistic, culture-sensitive, and participatory frameworks that empower students as moral agents in the digital age.

Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disease that primarily affects the joints, leading to pain, stiffness, and progressive functional impairment. Despite the availability of several synthetic drugs for RA management, many of these treatments are associated with adverse effects and limited long-term efficacy. This has drawn growing interest towards complementary and alternative therapies. Guaiacum officinale is a well-established homoeopathic remedy, and it has been used for managing pain and inflammation. Further scientific studies are needed to better understand its effects. Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of G. officinale Mother Tincture (GUA) as an anti-arthritic agent using the complete Freund’s adjuvant-induced arthritis model. Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Normal control, arthritic control, standard drug-treated and sample-treated group. Arthritis was induced by subcutaneous injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant. After the experimental period, the efficacy of the drug was evaluated by assessing parameters such as antioxidant status, lipid peroxidation end product, pro-inflammatory markers (IL-6 and TNF-α), nitric oxide level and histopathological changes. Results: The results clearly demonstrated that in the GUA-treated group, there was a significant reduction in joint swelling, inhibition of inflammatory mediator activation and infiltration, and an enhancement in antioxidant status. Histopathological analysis also revealed attenuated inflammation and reduced joint destruction in the GUA-treated group. Conclusion: These findings suggest that G. officinale mother tincture possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties and has the potential to ameliorate the symptoms of arthritis. Major Findings: Guaiacum officinale mother tincture markedly lowered arthritis severity by modulating the levels of inflammatory mediators, enhancing antioxidant defence mechanism, and decreasing joint swelling, highlighting its therapeutic potential in managing rheumatoid arthritis.

This paper explores the role of financial literacy in US healthcare access before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We use survey data from the 2018 and 2021 National Financial Capability Study (NFCS) waves. We estimate weighted logistic regression models for the combined 2018 and 2021 samples separately, using two measures of financial literacy, namely subjective (SFL) and objective (OFL) financial literacy. To measure the healthcare access of the respondents, five outcomes are analyzed: health insurance coverage, unpaid medical bills, foregone care due to cost, skipped care due to cost, and not filling a prescription due to cost. The results show that overall, the odds of healthcare access improve with higher levels of both SFL and OFL, as hypothesized. Estimation results from various subsamples, point to varying levels of disparities across socioeconomic and demographic groups. This paper also provides empirical evidence on the minimal yet significant association between financial literacy and better access to health care before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings underscore the need for researchers, social workers, and policymakers to promote financial literacy to improve healthcare access.

This paper takes Hailan Home as an example to deeply explore the impact of the co-branding of clothing brands with different Intellectual Property of Culture on sales. HLA, known as "The Wardrobe of Men", has more than 4,000 stores, which are distributed across 31 provinces in the country. Since its launch, HLA has been well-known for its national chain operation, self-service business model, and one-stop service, and it has quickly won the favor of a large number of consumers. HLA has successively carried out co-branding with various types of cultures, including co-branding culture, film and television culture, celebrity culture, animation culture, sports culture, traditional culture, and game culture. Overall, through precise audience matching, in-depth element integration, and powerful marketing and promotion, HLA has effectively increased its sales through IP co-branding, providing a reference for the co-branding cooperation of clothing brands.