Let’s imagine that the peculiar universe that is Canadian politics has a referee hulking in the shadows. Careful not to infringe on the Game of the Great North, she—Canada’s ref would naturally reflect anti-gender discrimination policies, and will preferably belong to visible minority—hasn’t called a time-out in decades. But, given[Read More…]
Author: Johanu Botha
Letter to the Editor
The Plate Club would not exist if not for QPIRG. From our humble beginnings hand-washing in 2007 to today’s solid collective complete with an incredibly hygienic dishwasher (SSMU Best New Club 2008, now a full SSMU service), we have maintained the original mandate of QPIRG/Greening McGill’s reusable plate initiative to reduce styrofoam waste through our daily lunch[Read More…]
QPIRG should admit to its mistakes
As an organization that funds many worthwhile causes, I find no fault with the goals and actions of QPIRG as a whole. Where I take exception, rather, is with the duplicity and incoherence with which QPIRG has made, and continues to make, its case regarding opt-outable fees. In particular, its public statements regarding the constitutionality and[Read More…]
Letter to the Editor
The current situation in Queer McGill (QM) is one of corruption and infighting which continues to push the organization further and further towards irrelevance. In Tribune columnist, Abraham Moussako’s article “Safe Space Strife” on March 26, he outlined how I had been dismissed from my position as QM Treasurer due to violations[Read More…]
As exam period nears, students still on strike
On Monday, April 2 the McGill Social Work Student Association (SWSA) voted in favour of renewing their unlimited strike against the Quebec government’s proposed tuition fee increases, with 49 for, 30 against, and 2 abstentions. As of today, SWSA has been on strike for four weeks. Over the past several[Read More…]
QPIRG, online GA ratification questions on ref. ballot
Polling for SSMU’s exceptional referendum period opened on Tuesday, April 10. The voting period features two referendum questions—one regarding the existence of the Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG), and the other concerning the online ratification of motions passed by the SSMU General Assembly (GA). Created following a two-thirds majority[Read More…]
An educational outing with a sweet twist
The island of Montreal is encircled by sugar shacks. Every spring, workers tap into the melting, sugary ichor of the maple tree, and together produce 77 per cent of the world’s maple syrup. This year, a mild winter and an early burst of heat may have put a damper on the bottom[Read More…]
2011-2012 Year in Review
MUNACA On the first day of classes, McGill students arrived on campus to the sound of picketing. MUNACA, the union representing roughly 1,700 of McGill’s non-academic staff, went on strike starting Sept. 1 after months of strained negotiations between the union and the university finally broke down. A better wage scale,[Read More…]
MUNACA and admin prepare to finalize agreement
The McGill University Non-Academic Certified Association (MUNACA) and the McGill administration have resolved the remaining outstanding issue on their collective agreement and are preparing to finalize proceedings. The agreement, ratified by MUNACA’s members on Dec. 5 after months of negotiations, marked the end of the union’s three-month strike last fall. On March[Read More…]
Government won’t back down on fee increases
Last Thursday, April 5, Quebec Education Minister Line Beauchamp proposed a new student loans plan, in response to the student movement that has been opposing planned provincial tuition fee increases of $1,625 over five years. Beauchamp said that the government will not back down from the plan to increase tuition fees. In protest[Read More…]