On March 23, 60,000 post-secondary students went on strike against the Quebec’s government budgetary policies. 20,000 students voted to hold a one-day strike, while the remaining 40,000 will be on strike until April 2, when another demonstration is expected. Although the students were associated under the Association pour une Solidarité[Read More…]
Articles by Philippe Dumais
Cities We Need conference highlights importance of municipal autonomy
The McGill Institute for the Study of Canada (MISC) opened its 20th annual two-day conference on Feb. 19, focusing on the challenges cities across Canada face. Elected officials from cities across the country, scholars, and representatives of non-governmental organizations gathered to discuss topics including governance, culture, infrastructure, citizenship, and social[Read More…]
Bill 10: MUHC concerned about new network structure
On Feb. 7, Bill 10 was passed in the National Assembly of Quebec. The Bill is set to abolish the 18 regional health agencies, which are currently responsible for coordinating the health care and social services of a given area. These include child protection services, elderly care, hospitals, and other[Read More…]
Khan and Syed v. SSMU Council case resolved through mediation
On Jan. 17, Judicial Board (J-Board) case Khan and Syed v. Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Council and Speaker was resolved through a mediation session. Participants signed an agreement mandating the J-Board to investigate and make recommendations on whether adaptations to Robert’s Rules should be adopted in regards to[Read More…]
McGill Administration, SSMU responds to University’s low ranking on journalistic freedoms index
In October 2014, McGill was placed poorly on the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms’ annual ranking of free expression at Canadian universities. The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) was also ranked as one of the 10 worst university unions.
Town hall on libraries: Rethinking McLennan for the 21st century
Students, faculty, and staff were invited to a Town Hall meeting last Tuesday to discuss their priorities for the future of the McLennan Library.
Councillors push for transparency in fee approbation reform process
Non-tuition compulsory fee reform Graduate students will be consulted this Winter on a reform of the non-tuition compulsory student fees approbation mechanism. Non-tuition compulsory fees, or Frais Institutionnel Obligatoires (FIO), are associated with mandatory university services. They are paid by all students to apply, enroll in, or attend university. Currently, they[Read More…]
Seventh global food security conference addresses present challenges
Last Tuesday and Wednesday, the McGill Institute for Global Food Security organized its seventh annual conference. Journalists, NGOs, scholars, and students gathered to discuss this year’s theme, Food Security Beyond 2015. Infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa The conference opened with a lecture by Professor Stephen McGurk, vice-president of the Program and Partnership[Read More…]
Senate discusses safer campus, graduate student advising, and Senate composition
Principal Suzanne Fortier opened Wednesday’s Senate meeting with remarks on the Quebec government’s recent announcement of further budgetary cuts for the university sector. “With regard to McGill, we believe that it means a decrease of approximately 15 million [dollars] that we already know about,” Fortier said. “Earlier this month, [the[Read More…]
Extracurricular transcript system expands on pilot project
After the creation of myInvolvement—a website that aims to track students involvement in extracurricular activities—and its merging with Student Services, the program is now expanding its scope to include activities in student clubs. The co-curricular record (CCR) provided by myInvolvement is a personalized transcript that can be customized for specific[Read More…]
McGill students rally in solidarity with Hong Kong protesters for democracy
McGill students rallied in front of the McConnell Engineering Building near the Milton Gates on Wednesday in solidarity with thousands of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, who are calling for free elections in 2017. The protests come in response to the Chinese government’s laws regulating who will be permitted to[Read More…]
PGSS hosts conference on the future of health research in Canada
Dr. Alain Beaudet, president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), discussed the future of Canadian health research in an event hosted by the Post-Graduate Students’ Society (PGSS) on Sept. 26. The event was intended for graduate students seeking opportunities in academic and private medical research. Beaudet began by[Read More…]
Work on McTavish Street water pipes to continue through October
With the city’s construction on McTavish Street to continue until October, provisions have been made to facilitate students’ usage of the SSMU Building in the upcoming months.