I study the politics of farmland tenure and distribution. I am interested in understanding how private property relations were established in northeastern Turtle Island, how property is distributed, and alternative forms of land tenure to achieve decolonization and food sovereignty.
My work uses historical materialism and social ecology as a lense to understand private property relations and investigate alternative forms of land tenure. My research has used this appraoch to analyze the distribution of farmland and plant genetic resources in Canada.
I am currently working at Dalhousie University as a research assistant for the SSHRC-funded Common Ground Network, People and Land Research Pillar.
My teaching on political thought uses critical pedegogy and community-based research to assist students to understand the operations of power in their everyday lives.
I am also a parent, vegetable farmer, and volunteer journalist with the Lunenburg Barnacle.
I am based in Sulieweykitk (New Germany) in the Kespukwitk region of Mi’kma’ki-Nova Scotia.
Research and Teaching Interests
Political Theory: Historical Materialism, Social Ecology, Alternative Land Tenure
Political Economy: Land Grabs, Plant Genetic Resources, Canadian Food Systems
Social Research: Critical Pedagogy, Community-Based Research, Local Journalism
Education:
2015 — 2024 Ph.D. Political Science, University of Ottawa. Major: Canadian Politics; Minor: Political Thought.
2010 — 2013 Master of Arts, Geography, Carleton University. Focus on Political Ecology and Land Use Geography.
2005 — 2010 Honours Bachelors of Arts, Geography, Minor in Economics. Carleton University.
Publications
Journal Articles
Katz-Rosene, R. Kelly-Bisson, C., & Paterson, M. (2021). Teaching students to think ecologically about the global political economy, and vice versa. Review of International Political Economy : RIPE, 28(4), 1083–1098.
Massicotte, MJ., Kelly-Bisson, C. What’s wrong with permaculture design courses? Brazilian lessons for agroecological movement-building in Canada. Agriculture and Human Values 36, 581–594 (2019).
Theses
Bisson, C. (2024). The long grab: Dispossession in southeastern Kitchi Sipi Valley, from colonization to financialization. PhD Thesis, University of Ottawa.
Bisson, C. (2013). Forests for the people: Resisting neoliberalism through permaculture design. Thesis (M.A.) – Carleton University, 2013.
Bisson, C. (2010). Cultivating a social ecology: Voices from community gardens on social nature and environmental justice. B.A Hon. Thesis – Carleton University.
Civil Society Reports
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2022). Can I save it? A guide for seed savers on plant intellectual property rights in Canada. Seed Change and the Bauta Initiative on Canadian Seed Security.
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2022). Heritage and heirloom grains regulations fact sheet. SeedChange and the Bauta Initiative on Canadian Seed Security.
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2021). Participatory plant breeding for potatoes in Canada: Pathways for direct distribution, and variety listing and registration. SeedChange and the Bauta Initiative on Canadian Seed Security.
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2021). Participatory plant breeding for wheat and oats in Canada: Pathways for direct distribution and variety registration. Seed Change and the Bauta Initiative on Canadian Seed Security.
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2017). Farmland loss and preservation in Ontario. Sustain Ontario, Policy Area 1 – Farmland Preservation.
Conference Presentations
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2025). The limits to farmland financialization: Mapping farmland ownership patterns in southwestern Kitchi Sipi Valley. 2025 Canadian Food Studies Conference – Congress of the Social Sciences and the Humanities: George Brown College, Toronto, Ontario.
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2019). Capital growth: Evidence of development-focused land grabbing in periurban Ottawa. 2019 Canadian Food Studies Conference – Confress of the Social Studies and Humanities: University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2018). Regulating finance in farmland ownership: Where Canada can intervene to fill policy gaps in Ontario and Quebec. 3rd Annual Interdisciplinary Food Studies Conference, University of Ottawa.
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2017). Panel: Renewing our relationship to the land – Understanding recent changes to Quebec’s Loi pour la protection du territoireterritorie et des activités agricoles Québécois (LPTAAQ). 48th Annual National Farmers Union Convention: Farm Renewal, Ottawa.
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2017). Financialization of farmland in Ontario: Addressing the limitations of Ontario’s existing tools for farmland preservation. Second Annual Food Law & Policy Conference – Taking Stock: The State of Food Law and Policy in Canada
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2017). Farmland preservation in Ontario: Current framework and policy opportunities. Presented at the Bring Food Home Conference, Sustain Ontario.
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2017). Young agrarians vs. global financial capital: Impacts of land grabbing on young farmer land access in eastern Ontario. Presented at the 2nd Annual Interdisciplinary Food Studies Conference, University of Ottawa.
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2017). Contextualizing the political economic direction of the new Trump doctrine. Décadence et déclin du politiques: Colloque des diplômoé(e)s en science politique de l’Université d’Ottawa.
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2016). Sacred Cows: Canadian dairydiary farmers movement resistance to TPP challenges to to supply management. Presented at the 1st Annual Interdisciplinary Food Studies Conference, University of Ottawa.
Kelly-Bisson, C. (2016). Engaging the Ottawa foodshed: Towards a bioregional public sphere. Que se passe-t-il avec la démocratie ? Colloque des diplômoé(e)s en science politique de l’Université d’Ottawa.
Bisson, C. (2013). The murky waters of neoliberalism in urban wetland conservation. Fifth Annual Conference of the Critical Social Research Collaborative – Eulogies for the Public: Capitalism, Warfare and the Conservative Turn. Carleton University, Ottawa.
Bisson C. (2012). Urban permaculture as direct democracy. Permaculture Convergence of Eastern Ontario.
Bisson C. (2012). Left without the state: The new anarchism Occupying North America. Panel: Occupying North America. Critical Social Research Collaborative – 4th Annual Conference 2012: Faultlines of Revolution!
Bisson C. (2012). Labrador and neocolonialism: The political ecology of The Lower Churchill Hydro Project. Panel: Development at Home: Critical Perspectives on Race, the Environment, and Canadian Response. International Development Studies Week 2012 – University of Ottawa.
Bisson C. (2012). Corporate influence on Canada’s climate policy. CUPE 2626 Climate Justice Conference. University of Ottawa.
Bisson C. (2011). Resilient cooperation: A (re)new(ed) alternative to sustainable development. Climate Justice and Politics Conference – Institute for Research and Innovation in Sustainability, York University. Also presented in Durban, South Africa as part of Climate Change Studio: Mini Side Events.
Andree P, Bisson C, Kitmer S, & Levitan T. (2010). Community-based research in graduate studies. Food Sovereignty and the how-to and how-not-to of collaborative partnerships: Opportunities and challenges in community-based research. Food Secure Canada Assembly 2010: Weaving Together Food Policy and Community Action: An Agenda for Change.
Bisson C. (2010). Cultivating a social ecology: Voices from community gardens On social nature and environmental justice. Canadian Association of Geographers Ontario Conference 2010 – Ryerson University.
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