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The Many Ways of Mediation: A Survey of Mediation in Canada
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The Many Ways Of Mediation: A Survey Of Mediation In Canada
March 1998
Dear Practising Mediator:
I am writing to ask for your help in compiling, for the first time, a comprehensive description of how
mediation is conceptualized by Canadian mediators. This research is being conducted as part of my
doctoral studies.
As you know, many debates dominate the field of mediation - who should practice, what standards
should be set, and which model to use, all of which have resulted in conflicting views of “best practice”.
For some time, I have felt that these debates masked much of the richness and complexities of the
work that mediators do. I have also wondered if the practice of mediation in Canada differed in some
ways from what is practiced elsewhere. Both these reasons drew me to design a study that would
examine how mediation is conceptualized in Canada and how these conceptualizations might vary, for
example, by nature of the dispute, or, by occupational background and gender of the mediator.
One way to address these questions is to ask you how you understand your work as a mediator. In an
attempt to uncover new insights about mediation in Canada, this survey covers a lot of ground; I hope
you will take the time to complete it in order that important baseline line research can be established in
our field. You are the only one who can provide this critical view. Many of the questions in this
survey are open-ended, and answering them is likely to take some time. I would suggest that you
approach completing the questionnaire in stages rather than trying to answer all the questions
at once
. 
Please return the completed questionnaire on or before April 17, 1998 in the enclosed