Hate-fuelled harassment deserves a firm legal answer. But Canada’s Bill C-9—also known as the Combating Hate Act—risks the criminalization of non-obstructive protests near community institutions, serving more as a tool to stifle political protest than to combat hate. As currently drafted, Bill C-9 would establish new intimidation and obstruction offences[Read More…]
Commentary
Montreal’s new language policy furthers Legault’s war on a ghost of Anglophone supremacy
Last March, the city of Montreal provided a new guide for frontline workers. The internal guide, obtained by the Montreal Gazette, is titled, “Exemplary Conduct in the French Language: Mechanisms for Informing the Public,” and offers instructions on how government employees should speak to anglophone customers. One sample script reads:[Read More…]
Sportswashing will not cleanse Israel of its genocide
Events meant to celebrate athleticism are too often exploited to burnish the reputations of countries responsible for humanitarian crises. On Sept. 14, seven protesters were arrested at the Montreal Cycling Grand Prix. They were rallying against the participation of the Israel—Premier Tech (IPT) cycling team in the race. The arrests[Read More…]
Justifying the murder of Charlie Kirk means embracing his fascist rhetoric
At 12:23 p.m. on Sept. 10, far-right activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated in front of a crowd of 3,000 at Utah Valley University. An hour and 20 minutes later, Ruth Marshall, a professor of religious studies and political science at the University of Toronto (UofT), tweeted: “Shooting is honestly too[Read More…]
Why regulating short-term rentals was a must for Montreal
Following a series of deadly fires in two short-term rental units in Old Montreal, city council passed a bylaw heavily restricting the short-term rental market, most principally limiting the timing and duration for which rental properties can be listed. Despite criticism from some homeowners and Quebec’s tourism department, these regulations[Read More…]
Maple-washing by grocery giants threatens the Canadian domestic market
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed 12 cases of ‘maple-washing’ between February and May 2025, a marketing tactic that exploits Canadian patriotism to encourage sales of imported goods. The agency caught multiple grocery chains promoting non-Canadian products using “Product of Canada” and “Made in Canada” labels, as well as[Read More…]
Quebec cuts into education in a callous attempt to balance its budget
After large public outcry from various parents’ associations, teachers, and administrators, the Quebec government rescinded the $570 million CAD budget cut it made to education back in June, promising to put $540 million CAD towards student services. Though this attempt at financial redress seems like a genuine commitment to meeting[Read More…]
McGill’s notice of default with QPIRG demonstrates hostility towards student activism
On Aug. 8, four McGill unions signed an open letter in solidarity with the Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG) in response to McGill’s notice of default on QPIRG’s Memorandum of Agreement (MoA). In the notice, the university threatened to suspend student funding to the group if it did not[Read More…]
Quebec fines LaSalle College $29.9 million CAD over anglophone student quota
LaSalle College overenrolled 716 and 1066 students in its English-speaking programs in 2023 and 2024 respectively. In response, the Quebec Government imposed a $30 million CAD penalty on the college, forcing the institution to postpone the school year kickoff, initially scheduled for Aug. 25. The cost of such substantial defunding[Read More…]
Quebec’s threshold of grace: Suffering, solace and the right to die with dignity
There is quiet strength in the decisions made at life’s edge—a reality Quebec has been able to realize through its approach to end-of-life care. Quebec has long been at the vanguard of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD)—a medical protocol which allows an eligible individual to receive assistance from a medical[Read More…]
