It was late August. The time was 7 a.m. The occasion was Beach Day. As I entered a quaint dépanneur in the Milton-Parc neighbourhood to stock up on alcohol before heading to the bus, I was immediately struck by the brightly coloured cans neatly aligned in a fridge in the[Read More…]
Tag: quebec
Students have the power to effect change in Quebec through political volunteerism
The importance of youth involvement in politics was evident to me well before I started my studies at McGill. The mayor of my hometown–Moncton, New Brunswick–once told me, “I hear from a lot of older people, every day. Unfortunately, I don’t hear from many young people […] and yet every[Read More…]
Bill 151 exposes gaps in McGill Policy Against Sexual Violence
At the Nov. 1 sitting of the National Assembly of Québec, Minister for Higher Education Hélène David introduced Bill 151, which aims to prevent and fight sexual violence in higher education institutions. The bill would require all universities in the province to develop a policy against sexual violence that is[Read More…]
“Bonjour-Hi:” The value of multiculturalism
Valérie Plante, Montréal’s new mayor, has openly supported providing services to citizens in the language that they are most comfortable with, be that English or French. Plante recently proposed promoting bilingualism in the Société de Transport de Montréal (STM) by providing emergency messages in multiple languages. However, the current provincial[Read More…]
McGill’s sexual violence policy lacking on professor-student relationships
Quebec’s proposed Bill 151 requires all postsecondary schools to have a campus sexual violence policy by September 2019. Among other things, the bill stipulates that an acceptable policy must provide a clear code of conduct on relationships between faculty members and students. In Fall 2016, McGill introduced a Policy against Sexual[Read More…]
Quebec’s new weed laws are prudently vigilant
Quebec’s proposed legislation regarding the regulation of marijuana—set to be legalized federally on July 1, 2018—will likely be the harshest in the country, amassing much criticism since it was tabled on Nov. 16. On one side, the Quebec Liberal Party has come under attack from news sites, such as Vice, and[Read More…]
McGill Faculty of Law weighs in on Bill 62
On Nov. 8, the McGill Muslim Law Students’ Association (MLSA) hosted a panel discussion at which Law Professors Colleen Sheppard, Mark Walters, and Johanne Poirier weighed in on the constitutionality of Bill 62. Panelists offered different perspectives on the legislation—which the National Assembly of Quebec passed three weeks prior—to discuss[Read More…]
A difficult transition into the adult care of chronic conditions
Anyone who has ever been a first year in university can remember how overwhelming it can be at times: Navigating campus, taking on large course loads, making new friends, and perhaps even living away from home. Eighteen-year-old freshmen who live with a chronic illness, like type 1 diabetes, face the[Read More…]
McGill students protest passage of Bill 62
The National Assembly of Québec passed Bill 62 on Oct. 18 by a vote of 66 to 51, mandating that all recipients of government services, as well as the officials providing them, keep their faces uncovered during public exchanges. The legislation, introduced by Minister of Justice Stephanie Vallée in 2015,[Read More…]
McGill must take a stand against Bill 62
Bill 62 is a xenophobic piece of legislation that is not reflective of the multicultural values upheld at McGill. The bill, passed by the provincial government on Oct. 18, prohibits citizens from covering their faces while giving and using public services. Justified under the guise of religious neutrality and security,[Read More…]
