Being Canadian has never been so confusing. According to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada has transcended the nation-state paradigm to become the first ‘post-national’ state, where ‘openness,’ ‘respect,’ ‘compassion,’ and ‘willingness to work hard’ are the country’s only distinguishing values. Trudeau’s presumable aim is to counteract bigotry and divisiveness by[Read More…]
Tag: Canada
The changing nature of Canadian and American border security
The Canadian border with the United States is the longest un-militarized border in the world, a statistic symbolic of the peaceful relationship the two countries have held for hundreds of years; however, it does not take into account recent efforts or attitudes towards strengthening security along this 8,890 kilometre long[Read More…]
10 Things: Synchronized swimming
1 The first official synchronized swimming competition was held in 1891 in Berlin. Many synchronized swimming clubs were formed around this time, and Canada began developing swimming teams to compete in similar events in North America. These performances would soon be incorporated into music hall events, with theatres in London and[Read More…]
Hank Bull: Connexion communicates art into the everyday
Canadian artist Hank Bull concerns himself with the working process involved in the creation of art, and much of what is on display in the exhibit is a mixture of his own art and the art he has produced in collaboration with other artists. His exhibition Hank Bull: Connexion alludes[Read More…]
Commentary: What does Thomas Mulcair stand for?
Arriving back to Montreal in the heat and humidity of late August, I was greeted by hundreds of smiling Thomas Mulcair signs. My mother, who was with me, asked me how many shots it must have taken to make Mulcair look that friendly. She had a point. Prior to the[Read More…]
The greater goal of the Women’s World Cup
It amazes me when girls, many of whom play soccer themselves, say matter-of-factly that they do not like watching women’s soccer as much as men’s. Perhaps those who watched this year’s Women’s World Cup, held in Canada, might now say otherwise, yet by simply looking at my own experiences, it’s[Read More…]
Considering Canada Day in the context of Bill C-24
Last week, I celebrated my first Canada Day as a new citizen. My family immigrated here a little over five years ago and earlier this year, I took my oath of citizenship. Being Canadian offers opportunities, rights, and privileges that being a citizen of Bangladesh does not. Although I received[Read More…]
Upholding McGill’s student refugee responsibility
The Student Refugee Program (SRP) at McGill is one that few students are aware of. The SRP funds refugees from around the world to come study in Canada. The McGill undergraduate student body currently helps fund two students per year through the program, with a Students’ Society of McGill University[Read More…]
Commentary: Canada needs to renew responsibility towards refugees
Just last month, the Canadian government fulfilled its commitment that it made in 2013 to bring 1,300 Syrian refugees into the country by the end of 2014. The government has announced a decision to receive 10,000 additional refugees in the next three years. However, as the civil war in Syria[Read More…]
Off the board: Gentrification, urban-ecoism, and cultural perspectives
The houses in Kathmandu, Nepal, where my grandparents live are very tall and narrow—there’s not a lot of buildable space in the actual city. My grandparents’ house doesn’t have central heating. It’s wired up to the electrical grid, but the electricity isn’t always there. For several hours a day, electricity[Read More…]
