Sex education classes are making a partial comeback in Quebec this year. The pilot program is an improvement, as it fills a void that has existed since 2005 (the last year that Quebec had dedicated sexual education classes).However, the Ministry of Education, Recreation and Sports (MERS) does not go far[Read More…]
Tag: quebec
Commentary: What austerity means for the children of Quebec
Every week, I go to Ecole FACE to volunteer at an after school program, taking the students around Montreal to explore the community. As I arrived for my shift last week, I was surprised to find myself greeted by gloomy expressions from the children, shades different from their usual chipper[Read More…]
Student Services budget reallocations and reductions
I n Winter 2015, the McGill administration announced changes in Student Serves funding, stating that it would cease to supply Student Services with a yearly transfer from McGill’s operating budget. McGill also announced that in the event of further budget cuts by the federal government, the McGill administration would redistribute to[Read More…]
Anti-austerity march draws estimated 75,000 protesters
Tens of thousands of participants marched in a protest against provincial austerity measures on April 2. The protest was organized by student federation Association pour une Solidarité Syndicale Étudiante (ASSÉ). According to the organizers, around 75,000 people participated in the march, which convened at Square Victoria at 1 p.m. and[Read More…]
Editorial: SSMU membership within federation necessary to advance students’ interests
The Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) is currently taking part in discussions to create a new student federation following turmoil within the largest provincial student federation, the Fédération Etudiante Universitaire du Québec (FEUQ). SSMU is currently not a member of FEUQ, but the recent disaffiliation from the federation by[Read More…]
Emily Boytinck elected SSMU VP External by 13 per cent margin
Emily Boytinck, U3 Science, was elected the Vice-President (VP) External of the Student’s Society of McGill University (SSMU) last Friday with 56.3 per cent of the vote. The opposing candidate, Joanna Schacter, U3 Arts, earned 43.7 per cent of the vote. 2185 students in total voted in the election, with[Read More…]
Commentary: Religious education and the pursuit of secularism in Quebec
In the latest addition to the debate on secularism in Quebec, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled last Thursday to allow Loyola High School to teach its students about religion, ethics, and religious culture from a Catholic perspective. The Court decided that the provincial government’s refusal to grant the school’s[Read More…]
Senate discusses funding for Office for Students with Disabilities
Allocation of government funding for students with disabilities Arts & Science Senator Chloe Rourke expressed concerns regarding funding for services for students with disabilities, including the Office of Students with Disabilities (OSD), in conjunction with the uncertainty behind McGill’s budget cuts. In response, Provost Anthony Masi stated that although[Read More…]
Commentary: Language requirements necessary for Quebec’s culture and economy
Quebec’s incessant language war found new fuel as McGill and Concordia recently released statements criticizing the province’s strict French language requirement for granting permanent residency, which was introduced in 2013 by the Parti Québécois (PQ). The universities claim that strict rules requiring proficiency in French are making it difficult to[Read More…]
Commentary: Diffusing anglophone tension in Quebec
Anglophone-francophone relations in Quebec have not been off to a good start in 2015 as the tension and unrest within anglophone communities is reaching a climax. Graham Fraser, the official language commissioner of Canada, recently made a call for the Quebec government to create an Office of Anglophone Affairs, a[Read More…]
