Is McGill already not expensive enough? For many, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ)’s announcement of a tuition hike and the requirement of French language proficiency is a definitive sign of the increasing precarity of higher education. Potential out-of-province students will simply be priced out of attending university in Quebec. This[Read More…]
Commentary
Quebec needs to rethink its French tuition agreement
Since 2018, an agreement between the governments of France, Belgium, and Quebec has exempted francophone students from France and Belgium from the skyrocketing international tuition fee supplement. Under this collaborative initiative allowing Quebec to maintain the Francophonie, these undergraduate students are subject to the Canadian rate of tuition, while graduate[Read More…]
Compassion, inclusivity, and respect is impossible without divestment from genocide
Content Warning: Mentions of antisemitism, Islamophobia, violence, rape and death On Nov. 9, I spoke on behalf of McGill’s pro-Palestine Jewish students at a rally organized by SPHR McGill in front of the Arts Building. Within hours, I received anonymous threats that included my full name, which I had never[Read More…]
To Bixi or not to Bixi?
Bixi is my religion – Monique If taking out your first Bixi is an unforgettable experience in itself, riding one also comes with endless benefits. For starters, the convenience is unparalleled. With hundreds of stops all over the city, you can always find a bike and a place to drop[Read More…]
A snapshot of the perils of our phone-first recollection era
Photographs serve as timeless reminders of our lives and permanent homes for our precious memories. Without them, recollections fade unnoticed; so we snap pictures through joy and sorrow, to create a visual record of our journey through life. As cameras embedded in our cellphones have become an omnipresent part of[Read More…]
An Ode to Studio Art and why McGill’s curriculum needs it
At the beginning of this semester, I found myself eating lunch with a new dorm acquaintance, and making the usual small talk about classes. Add-drop deadlines were coming up, exacerbating the already-nagging sense of directionlessness that is so fundamental to collegiate studentdom, and the two of us felt just as[Read More…]
Dominique Ollivier is a symptom of Québec’s long-standing corruption problem
When Montrealers think about where they want their tax dollars to go, they consider meaningful development projects that will tangibly make their lives better. They hope for improved public transit or access to more affordable housing—not a $347 oyster dinner for their city councillor. Once celebrated as the first Black[Read More…]
Point-Counterpoint: McGill’s decision to pause its $50 million French program
McGill must teach Legault a lesson – Liliana Mason Following the Quebec government’s Oct. 13 announcement of a tuition hike for out-of-province and international students, the McGill administration announced a pause to its $50 million Rayonnement du Français initiative—set to teach both students, faculty and staff French and help them[Read More…]
Quebec falls just short of a proactive response to post-pandemic mental health crisis
The Quebec government’s recent announcement of new measures to avoid psychiatric hospitalization emphasizes the importance of patient-centric and holistic mental illness treatment. However, it is also—put bluntly—too little, too late. Both the imminent introduction of medical assistance in dying (MAiD) as a care service for those struggling with severe mental[Read More…]
Bio Locaux invests in the necessary model for Canada’s produce market
Montreal, like so many other cities, has seen a steady rise in inflation of grocery prices. The grocery inflation rate is sitting at about eight per cent, and is expected to increase further throughout 2023. Canadians find themselves on tighter budgets, unable to buy the amount and quality of food[Read More…]
