Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian Member of European Parliament (MEP), was denied entry into Canada days before she was scheduled to attend conferences in Montreal on the suppression of Palestinian advocacy and the rise of the far right. Canada’s Office of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship (IRCC) did not provide a specific[Read More…]
Tag: democracy
Passing bills ‘on division’ threatens Canadian democracy
Canada’s current Parliament has passed 50 per cent of its bills through a ‘division’ vote instead of a ‘tallied’ vote in the House of Commons. Parliament has previously used this practice to fast-track legislation or opt for simplicity during online sessions. Today, it is justified in the name of stability,[Read More…]
Point-Counterpoint: On the divine right of groundhogs
For the Divine Right of Groundhogs The media is rich with speculation about The Most Honourable Punxsutawney Phil, the Pennsylvania native behind everyone’s favourite holiday: Groundhog Day. Some doubt his immortality—140 years of age is abnormal for a groundhog—but Phil is no ordinary groundhog. Others argue his eternal rule is[Read More…]
QPIRG-McGill encourages students to run for SSMU
On Jan. 22, McGill’s Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG-McGill) chapter held an information session on how to run for student government positions at the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU), titled “Fix Student Democracy.” The talks explored how student involvement in these administrative positions can enact positive change for[Read More…]
SSMU-hosted municipal debate cancelled after protests from audience
On Oct. 27, the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) hosted a debate in the University Centre Ballroom between representatives from four Montreal parties that competed in the municipal election: Ensemble Montréal, Futur Montréal, Projet Montréal, and Transition Montréal. Angela Campbell, professor in the Faculty of Law and Interim Deputy[Read More…]
Francois Legault’s climate policy is an unforced error
Anxious about his plummeting approval rating, Quebec Premier François Legault is shrinking away from one of his strongest positions: Fighting climate change. Earlier this month, Legault’s government announced it will end funding for the Climate Action Barometer (CAB), an annual survey that allows Quebecers to voice their opinions about their[Read More…]
Term limits on elected officials infringe on democracy
In advance of the upcoming election, Canadians are haunted by a seemingly innocent quandary—do term limits break democracy? But let’s start with a different question, one you probably know the answer to: How long can any given Canadian prime minister govern? If you answered, “Until they’re voted out or resign,”[Read More…]
When democracy is detained, Türkiye’s youth stand alone
Some mornings begin with coffee; others begin with the news that a friend from high school is in jail. As an international student, life abroad feels like a dream—until reality hits and helplessness kicks in. Students, journalists, and lawyers are behind bars—and so is Ekrem Imamoglu, Türkiye’s strongest opposition leader.[Read More…]
Through love, we can protect the heart of democracy
The first time I saw democracy in action, it was not through a cast vote, but a love letter to the future. Before I was old enough to vote, my mom and dad would bring me to the polling stations in my hometown of Barrie, Ontario to watch the events[Read More…]
The convoy should truck off
On Jan. 15, the federal government implemented a vaccine mandate for all cross-border essential workers, including truckers—meaning that unvaccinated drivers would have to quarantine for 14 days, and self-test after the eighth day whenever they enter Canada. Backlash has been fierce ever since, marked most obviously by the self-proclaimed “Freedom[Read More…]