Awards Winners 2025 - Oscar Vincente

Student Award and Scholarship Winner - Oscar Vincente

The Student Award and Scholarship recognizes a post-secondary student who, in the past year, has presented an exceptional project or scholarly work—such as an academic paper, report, or presentation—that is relevant to and adds value to the business continuity, disaster recovery, or emergency management industries.

Oscar Vincente

Royal Roads University

Executive Summary of Scholarly Work

This scholarly paper presents a policy critique of the Emergency Management Act (EMA), Canada’s core legislative framework governing emergency preparedness and response. The analysis evaluates both the strengths and limitations of the EMA and proposes an innovative, equity-focused solution to address its critical shortcomings. The paper contributes to the fields of emergency management and business continuity by identifying systemic governance gaps that undermine effective and equitable disaster response – especially for Indigenous and remote communities, and by proposing a practical, culturally informed framework for reform. The primary objective of the paper is to assess the effectiveness of the EMA in achieving coordinated, resilient emergency responses across Canada. It identifies one of the Act’s greatest strengths: its promotion of multi-level, cross-sectoral cooperation among federal, provincial, territorial, and Indigenous governments, as well as private and non-profit sectors. This cooperative structure fosters resource-sharing, timely response, and unified efforts in the face of disaster. A notable example is the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires, where coordinated response efforts enabled the evacuation of over 80,000 people and rapid deployment of emergency supports. However, the analysis also uncovers a significant limitation of the EMA: the lack of clearly defined jurisdictional responsibilities, particularly regarding Indigenous communities. This ambiguity has led to uneven and delayed responses during critical incidents.

During the 2017 British Columbia wildfire season, for instance, overlapping mandates between federal and provincial governments resulted in delayed aid to First Nations communities, exposing systemic gaps in the legislation’s ability to support marginalized populations. The absence of a federally mandated role for Indigenous emergency management often forces communities to rely on inconsistent provincial responses, which prolongs recovery and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities.

The paper explores the broader implications of these governance failures, emphasizing how jurisdictional uncertainty not only erodes trust and slows emergency response but also perpetuates historical inequities. The lack of clarity around roles and responsibilities diminishes Indigenous self-determination in emergency planning and impairs community resilience in the long term. This issue has cascading impacts on public safety, risk reduction, and recovery timelines – core concerns in both business continuity and disaster management fields.

To address these gaps, the paper proposes a policy innovation: the development of an Indigenous-focused emergency management framework embedded within the EMA. This framework would clearly articulate federal responsibilities and provide dedicated funding and programming for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. It calls for the establishment of Indigenous-led emergency management teams and formal intergovernmental agreements to support rapid and equitable responses. The integration of Indigenous knowledge, leadership, and cultural practices is central to this approach, aligning with Canada’s commitments to reconciliation and promoting locally relevant, community-driven resilience strategies.

This policy critique advances a practical, equity-driven solution that reflects the broader goals of the emergency management profession: to reduce risk, close systemic gaps, and foster inclusive resilience. It also aligns with business continuity and disaster recovery priorities, as jurisdictional clarity and coordinated response mechanisms are essential for timely risk mitigation and service continuity across all sectors.

This academic work was completed as part of the DEMN 601: Disaster and Emergency Management Planning – From Policy to Practice course at Royal Roads University, and received a final grade of 97.5%. The assignment was recognized for its analytical depth, clarity of writing, and thoughtful application of policy critique methodology. Instructors commended the paper for its well-structured argument, integration of relevant scholarly and legislative sources, and meaningful contribution to policy discourse on equity in emergency management. By bridging theory and practice, the paper reflects a high standard of academic excellence and professional relevance. Importantly, the work aligns with the core values of the DRI Canada Student Award and Scholarship by addressing a timely and consequential issue in emergency management and proposing actionable solutions with long-term benefit to Canadian communities.

It advances knowledge in the field by shedding light on how policy design can either support or hinder effective disaster response, particularly for underserved populations. The focus on enhancing jurisdictional clarity, integrating Indigenous leadership, and improving systemic coordination directly supports the goals of building resilient systems and inclusive continuity planning. As such, the paper not only meets the award criteria of quality, relevance, and innovation but also reflects a genuine commitment to advancing the profession and improving outcomes for all Canadians affected by disaster.