On Feb.10, Liberal McGill welcomed Member of Parliament (MP) Randy Boissonnault to Gerts bar for a conversation with McGill students. Boissonnault serves as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s appointed special advisor on issues pertaining to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and two-spirited (LGBTQ2) community and is the first to serve[Read More…]
Tag: politics
Canada’s 150th: Reflecting on the past while celebrating the present
As Canadians take 2017 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the year ahead should be a time for celebration. However, party preparations have recently been hindered by disagreement over the meaning of the anniversary. The Parti Québecois (PQ) recently announced that they have planned “L’autre 150ième,” a Quebec-focused celebration[Read More…]
Partisan boundaries stifle discourse on Facebook
In theory, social media platforms should be a boundless, intellectual, free market for sharing ideas. It’s a platform for individuals to effortlessly and instantly share their views. In turn, all users would be subjected to a wide range of views from all sides of the ideological spectrum. This, however, has[Read More…]
No party is the ‘science party:’ The problem with politicizing science
The concept of the “anti-science” right isn’t new to political discussion; conservatives are consistently seen as the major perpetrators of anti-science rhetoric. A 2009 Pew Research poll described a mere six per cent of scientists in the U.S. as identifying with Republican views. According to the two-party political system, this[Read More…]
Former Montreal Expos Bill ‘Spaceman’ Lee revives his political career
Despite his strong sense of justice, it is tough to know when to take Lee seriously. A University of Southern California graduate, he is intelligent and funny—he appeared on the cover of High Times after he was indicted by the MLB for marijuana consumption. He is also perceptive—at a recent film screening of his biopic Spaceman, Lee implored questioners not to be caught on the wrong side of history, like a “dinosaur with his stubby arms close to his chest.” It was a comically apt image and message.
A Canadian’s guide to the American election
Despite having little-to-no vested interest in American domestic policy, Canadians have been fixated by the American election. They wouldn’t be directly affected if Donald Trump repealed and replaced Obamacare, or if Hillary Clinton decided to implement debt-free college for American students. Nonetheless, Canadians are very interested in debating these issues[Read More…]
Down the ballot: Presidential hooplah overshadows Congress
For citizens of the United States, this has been the most entertaining—and for some, the most nauseating—presidential election in memory. Disgruntled voters are threatening not to cast their vote because they feel neither large-party candidate suits their interests, and the movement to vote third party is gaining steam, especially among[Read More…]
The disappearance of truth from American politics
American politicians are rarely known for their honesty, and their performances in presidential debates tend to be no exception. From Gerald Ford’s claim in 1976 that “there is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe” to Mitt Romney’s assertion in 2012 that the Obama administration took 14 days before acknowledging the[Read More…]
From dank to dark: The power of the meme
The Second Presidential Debate on Oct. 9 came and passed, delivering the onslaught of ridiculousness that the world was expecting. Unexpected, though, was the individual who truly stole the show—Illinois voter Kenneth Bone. Within seconds of addressing the candidates with his question, Bone’s face and iconic red sweater had been[Read More…]
