Duolingo’s very name—rooted in the Latin “duo” (two) and “lingua” (language)—champions multilingualism, which seems fitting considering the function of the app as a language-learning tool. Yet, ironically, Duolingo’s design choices often speak only one language: The language of exclusivity. In a generation where technology shapes our daily lives, the design[Read More…]
Commentary
‘Flora’ and the price of digital discipline
When the smartphone was invented, to have access to such a coveted—and expensive—piece of technology was an extreme privilege. Now, the smartphone is virtually ubiquitous—with over 90 per cent of Canadians owning one—and 21st-century users must confront a new problem: How to stop using it. Phantom buzz, obsessive notification-checking, and[Read More…]
Point Counterpoint: A debate on pro-Palestine protest tactics 
Aggressive protest methods may alienate moderates, and make for less effective movements Daniel Miksha Over the past year, persistent protests played out on McGill campus in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Though smashed windows, encampments, and sod-pulling make headlines, some of these protest tactics alienate more politically moderate members of[Read More…]
Why the death of a broken USAID is an opportunity for a new world aid system
U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent order to defund the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will undoubtedly have negative global reverberations. One hundred seventy-seven countries currently receive crucial foreign aid from the U.S., of which roughly three-fifths is distributed by USAID. This aid has been a lifeline for impoverished[Read More…]
First Nation children have received a settlement of reckoning, not closure
The federal government’s recent $23 billion CAD settlement with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) and plaintiffs in the Moushoom and Trout class actions for First Nations children harmed by Canada’s discriminatory child welfare system marks an important step in acknowledging the deep injustices and violence against Indigenous communities. The[Read More…]
Facing American tariffs, corporate tax cuts threaten Canadians
To many, American tariffs represent an undeniable threat to the Canadian economy. However, Canadian CEOs and lobbyists have come to see the new trade policy as an opportunity. Under the guise of promoting growth in an economy falling ever further behind its wealthy peers, companies are advocating for tax breaks[Read More…]
Quebec’s budget cuts to sexual violence survey put students at risk
Quebec recently cancelled a survey investigating sexual violence on CEGEP and higher education campuses. This cancellation sets a damaging precedent for future policies on sexual violence and student protection, as well as for the salience of institutional accountability, creating a less regulated and more dangerous campus environment. Without data evidencing[Read More…]
Canada must look to its own history—not the United States’—when forming solutions to the fentanyl crisis
First distributed in the 1960s as an intravenous anesthetic, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50 to 100 times stronger than heroin. As one of the world’s most frequently used opioid analgesics, fentanyl’s high potency poses a severe risk of overdose, particularly when consumed unknowingly through dealer lacing. With a mere[Read More…]
As non-profit Autism Speaks closes operations in Canada, the federal government must learn from their missteps
When the federal government unveiled its new Framework for Autism in Canada strategy last year—following years of activism demanding a plan to address disparities—the reaction from families impacted by autism was strongly critical. Opponents argued that the new autism strategy lacked two essential ingredients: Dedicated funding and firm deadlines. This[Read More…]
President Deep Saini owes McGill students more than his own partisan renditions
McGill President and Vice-Chancellor Deep Saini’s recent messaging surrounding the on-campus pro-Palestine protests against investments and ties to Israel have repeatedly characterized those involved as violent and vandalizing, leaving little mention of the intent behind their actions. His language does not merely criticize the breaking of windows—to me, it paints[Read More…]
