In her Sept. 19 column for the Globe and Mail, Margaret Wente compared today’s university students to “fragile flowers,” arguing that increasing concern for mental health on campuses is conditioning young adults to be weak, not resilient. Wente needs to learn a thing or two about resilience. Wente’s staunch disapproval[Read More…]
Opinion
Opinions from our editorial board and contributors.
Snapchat’s partnership with college newspapers keeps students in the loop
With two swipes right on their phone screens, Snapchat’s 173 million daily users arrive at the app’s Discover page, where Publisher Stories—news articles by major media outlets—are featured daily. On Sept. 8, Snapchat announced on its blog that it will be partnering with universities across the United States to bring[Read More…]
True-Bro: The Prime Minister reflects on his student days at McGill
Justin Trudeau (B.A. ’94) recently made his return to McGill for the first time since becoming Prime Minister of Canada. As he exited the front doors of the Faculty Club, a rambunctious hoard of McGill students rushed to greet him. Trudeau proceeded to reminisce about his time as a McGill[Read More…]
The Old Colossus: A case for the removal of the Statue of Liberty
Lately, American cities have been removing statues that have been deemed no longer representative of the nation’s values. I, as an American, wholeheartedly support this trend. That said, I’m utterly shocked by some of the gross oversights that have occurred. Municipal governments have moved to take down Confederate monuments, which[Read More…]
“At least you have Trudeau…”
Since arriving at McGill, I have gotten to know many American students. When speaking with them, it is not unusual for our conversation to quickly move into the realm of politics. We talk, laugh, and cry about US President Donald Trump, and then they say, “Well, you guys are lucky.[Read More…]
Talk is cheap: Canada must act in response to DACA debate
On Sept. 5, in one of his cruellest acts yet, US President Donald Trump ended the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA was an immigration policy enacted by the Obama administration that allowed individuals who moved to America illegally as minors to remain in the country, given a[Read More…]
Airbnb short-term cities are impacting long-term rentals
Most students I know have at some point benefited from the services provided by Airbnb, whether for travel, a night out, or to make some extra cash on the side. However, in recent years, the rapid increase of Airbnb listings has become cause for concern for the housing market, as[Read More…]
Separating criticism from cynicism when evaluating McGill’s student leaders
Often, students at McGill regard the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) as an inefficient, incompetent, and divisive organization. Some of these perceptions are reasonably grounded in SSMU executives’ past mistakes. Last February, campus was rocked by Vice-President (VP) External David Aird’s resignation, following a statement released by the Community[Read More…]
Echo chambers on autoplay: How social media news videos hurt political dialogue
Flashing through countless newsfeeds with bold lettering and eye-catching, often shocking imagery, online news videos have become intrinsic to users’ experience on social media. Painstakingly engineered for maximum impact on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, these brief videos are just one embodiment of social and news media’s increased reliance on one[Read More…]
Gaining a financial education early is an investment in the future
In the months leading up to their first year, undergraduates will hear several not-so-glorious bits about the ‘glorious’ college years that await them. They’ll learn about the clichéd—yet inevitable—‘Freshman 15,’ they’ll be warned of the self-sabotage that is an 8:30 a.m. lecture, and likely, they’ll be introduced to a persona[Read More…]