In 2003, Stephen Harper, then the leader of the Canadian Alliance, and Peter MacKay, the Progressive Conservatives’ leader, shook hands to celebrate the merger of their two right-leaning parties. That handshake, political commentator Chantal Hébert argues, changed the Canadian political landscape more than any other event of the decade.
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BLACK & WHITE: Be honest, then be right
I woke up, uncertain and lost, to a staccato burst of screams. I lay in bed for a few more seconds, staring into the darkness, and my heartbeat picked up as the screams rose in pitch. I didn’t want to move. I wanted to go back to sleep and pretend I hadn’t heard anything.
OLYMPIC PREVIEW: Bobsleigh
While Jamaica will not be participating in bobsleigh next week, there’s no need to fret, as this will remain one of the most exciting events at the Olympics. The biggest stars in the sport will be out at the Whistler Sliding Centre to compete in the four-man, two-man, and two-woman events.
McGill student group organizes to raise funding for Wikipedia
Students Supporting Wikipedia, a new McGill club, officially received its interim club status on January 21. The group aims to raise money for the Wikipedia Foundation, and offer contributions to the popular web-based encyclopaedia. The young club currently consists of five executives and eight official members.
EDITORIAL: Cuts to Level II athletics are a sign of things to come
Next year’s projected budget for McGill Athletics (see cover story), which includes a 67 per cent funding cut for Level II varsity sports, is a sign that the first round of funding cuts have begun at McGill, as the university attempts to reduce a projected $14-million deficit within the next year.
U of T prof discusses AIDS
Despite the heavy snowfall outside, students and professors showed up last Friday to hear Antoinette Handley discuss how the AIDS epidemic has shaped the moral and political economy in South Africa. Handley, a political scientist at the University of Toronto, is well-known for her research on the subject.
As more students opt out, campus groups face budget shortfalls
Last Thursday concluded the Winter 2010 student fee opt-out period, which had begun two weeks earlier on January 14, and the current academic year has seen the highest level of opt-outs ever. Each semester McGill gives students a two-week window during which they can, through the online Minerva service, opt out of several fees that support Students’ Society and faculty association groups and funds, as well as a pair of independent student groups: the McGill chapter of the Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG) and Radio CKUT.
OLYMPIC PREVIEW: Skeleton
Remember the name Melissa Hollingsworth: you’ll be hearing a lot about her this month. The Alberta native finished third in Turin, but is the consensus favourite to win gold in Vancouver. Canada has more than one medal threat in this event as well – Amy Gough has slid her way onto the team by posting strong times at World Cup events.
Toilet seats causing irritation
Research led by the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center confirms that diagnoses of “poop” dermatitis, formally known as allergic/irritant contact dermatitis, has recently made a comeback in pediatricians’ offices worldwide. This skin condition is characterized by skin irritations found on the buttocks and upper-thigh regions and is caused by substances found within the toilet seat.
Post-Graduate Students’ Society holds second-annual Green Month
The Post-Graduate Students’ Society recently wrapped up its second-annual Green Month. The PGSS environmental committee spearheaded the series of events, which were held throughout the month of January. “Green Month is a month that is dedicated to everything that is sustainable and focussed on environmental issues,” said Cynthia Nei, environment commissioner for the PGSS.