On Oct. 28, Premier Danielle Smith and the government of Alberta passed Bill 2 in response to the ongoing strike between the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and the continued negotiations of new contracts. The bill imposes the province’s most recent offer — one that nearly 90 per cent of teachers rejected — as a binding agreement.
On Oct. 23, a rally and barbeque in solidarity with CUPE 4207 took place at Glenridge A as the labour union continues engaging in collective bargaining with Brock University.
The United States government shutdown created travel woes for passengers travelling to or through the country. As a result of the shutdown, there is currently a lack of air traffic controllers, creating serious travel issues for would-be fliers.
Dr. Emily Grafton — professor at the University of Regina and author of the newly released book Divided Power: How Federalism Undermines Reconciliation — delivered a lecture at Brock University on Nov. 11, encouraging Canadians to rethink the constitutional foundations that shape Indigenous and state relations.
Amazon has announced that their company will reduce approximately 14,000 corporate positions globally with plans to eventually reduce up to 30,000 positions altogether, calling the move a strategic shift towards greater efficiency and innovation in an increasingly A.I.-driven environment. The initial phase of cuts affected white-collar and middle-management functions, while warehouse and frontline logistics jobs remain largely untouched.
Associate Professor in the Political Science department at Brock University, Dr. Stefan Dolgert, has started a small but growing initiative to create a safe and welcoming space for young men to discuss issues they may be facing today: loneliness, emotional isolation and the influence of harmful online ideologies. Spearheaded by Professor Dolgert, the Men’s Reading Club at Brock, has undergone its first official meeting with a second in progress.
The 2025 federal budget announced on Nov. 4 has made waves across Canada. Ballooning deficits, spending cuts, major investments and infrastructure dominate headlines. But behind the chaos is one question: What does this budget actually mean for students and young Canadians?
India and Bangladesh have been singled out as “country specific challenges” by the Canadian government in Bill C-12, which seeks mass visa cancellation powers for circumstances such as pandemics, wars and “country-specific visa holders.”
Brock students, staff and faculty will have the opportunity to participate in a life-saving initiative this month as the Brock Leaders Citizenship Society partners with Canadian Blood Services (CBS) to host an on-campus blood donation event.
Over 80 students and faculty members attended the Brock University event, “Antisemitism: Law, Justice, and Decolonization in a Time of Genocide,” on Oct. 30.
Canada’s response to the latest rupture in its trade relationship with the United States has emphasized the sharp divide between federal and provincial leadership. The fracture emerged after the Province of Ontario aired a U.S. market advertisement featuring Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs — an ad that prompted U.S. President Donald J. Trump to abruptly halt trade talks and impose new tariff threats.
On Oct. 14, the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s World Economic Outlook (WEO) reported that global growth is stabilising, with inflation easing but remaining uneven while risking a downward economic spiral. The WEO emphasizes the need for credible monetary policy, fiscal consolidation and structural reforms to sustain resilience and restore confidence in the global economy.
On the morning of Oct. 20, parents gathered at schools across the province to protest the Ford government’s plans to terminate the speed safety camera program. This day of action centred on the important role speed cameras play for families and young children across Ontario.
Searching for good places to eat in Niagara can be difficult, especially if you don’t know where to look. Too often, we take the path of least resistance and end up at a chain restaurant located conveniently close to Brock. Tempted by a happy hour special or the comfort of a familiar menu, you might leave feeling underwhelmed and overcharged.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has identified a “turning point in Canada-China relations” following a brief meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The meeting falls on the heels of media reports from minor agencies that the federal government is preparing to drop the 100 per cent Chinese electric vehicle (EV) tariff after failed U.S. trade negotiations.
The “Forever Canadian” citizen-initiative petition is moving through Alberta’s direct-democracy process after receiving approval from Elections Alberta earlier this year. The initiative asks Albertans if they agree that the province should remain part of Canada, marking one of the most high-profile petitions launched under the province’s citizen-initiative legislation.
The Liberal Party of Canada, which is currently under Prime Minister Mark Carney’s leadership, lacks the number of votes needed to pass its current budget, threatening to send voters to the ballot box early as the new budget’s spending departs from that of previous governments.
New legislation in the Fighting Delays, Building Faster Act by Doug Ford’s Ontario government contains provisions to end evergreen leases through security of tenure. Critics warn that this act will put many renters on the street as the province aims to “protect tenants while supporting landlords.”
On the evening of Nov. 5, Dr. Loubani will visit St. Catharines’ First Ontario Performing Arts Centre to discuss his experience working as a healthcare professional in Gaza and the impact of global support on Palestinian sovereignty.
In October, the United States Department of Defense (DoD) — recently renamed via presidential directive as the Department of War (DoW) — under Secretary Pete Hegseth, introduced a sweeping set of new press-access rules which have been widely characterised as a “pledge” that credentialed journalists covering the Pentagon must sign. The policy requires reporters to affirm that they will not solicit or publish information that has not been authorised for release, even if unclassified, and threatens revocation of press credentials for non-compliance.
As autumn deepens and pumpkins dot the countryside, the Niagara Region offers a strong mix of chills and thrills for the last week of October. Whether you’re looking for an all-out scare or a cozy, family-friendly outing, the region has plenty of ways to celebrate the week of Halloween.
Every major Ontario university now operates counselling and health programs. Brock University provides same-day “Open Door” sessions and a 24-hour crisis line. McMaster University offers single-session counselling by phone. Western University runs an urgent-care clinic that extends hours to 7 p.m. on some weekdays. Queen’s University lists 24-hour crisis resources through its “Get Help Now” system.
Climate change doesn’t mean that there will be no more snowfall; rather, it leads to more unpredictable weather in general. As the air begins to cool, experts have started logging their annual predictions for winter weather on the eastern continent, and there’s no clear consensus between meteorologists and weather gurus on social media.
The Government of Ontario has announced that they intend to continue their anti-tariff advertising campaign across the border with $75 million in fresh funding for ads targeting Americans.
As our political climate remains in a troubling state, whisperings that the “end times” are near can be convincing — leading theories to spread rapidly in online spaces.
Mapping MAMM is an ongoing series which gets into the research questions surrounding the Mapping Ann-Marie MacDonald Research Project. My previous articles have introduced the project as well as examined its cross-disciplinarity and ethics of care. In this fourth installment, I’ll get into the “fraught construct” that is CanLit.
Jimmy Kimmel is a late-night comedy staple. Having been on the air since 2003, the comedian is perhaps best known for his viral videos, including “Mean Tweets” — where celebrities read hateful posts on X and his long running YouTube series “I Told My Kids I Ate All Their Halloween Candy.” Kimmel has always been a relatively tame figure in late night media. Though not as politically neutral as Jimmy Fallon, he is certainly not as outspoken as fellow late-night hosts Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert, John Stewart or John Oliver.
The United States is not a fascist state. Elections still occur, courts still sometimes check executive power and journalists and comedians still speak out against the government. Within the remains of a democratic framework, on Sept. 22, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order designating “Antifa” — a composition of autonomous groups affiliated with political movements against fascism and other far-right extremist ideologies — as a domestic terrorist organization. Despite the lack of legal framework for this designation, the executive order purports that dissent against the Trump administration is a threat to national security rather than a legitimate democratic right
When Pete Hegseth — formally the U.S. Secretary of Defense, but ceremonially the Secretary of War — took the stage at Marine Corps Base Quantico on Sept. 30, his first words carried the weight of an era. “Welcome to the War Department,” he said to a packed auditorium of generals, admirals and senior officers. “The era of the Department of Defense is over.”
The 2025 Brock Wellness Fair gave students the chance to explore a wide range of services, supports and community spaces available both on and off campus. From volunteer initiatives and interfaith opportunities to a variety of mental health supports and athletics, the fair displayed a growing list of opportunities for students to take care of themselves, connect with others and make Brock feel like home.
Ten years have passed since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) released their landmark Final Report in June 2015. The Commission, established under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, spent seven years gathering testimony from over 6,000 Survivors to document the devastating legacy of residential schools. This led them to issuing 94 Calls to Action — a roadmap for governments, institutions and Canadians to repair harm and build a more just future. These Calls were never meant as symbolic gestures; they were concrete, actionable steps. A decade later, one question remains: has Canada lived up to them?
In late September, Ottawa announced an official gun buyback pilot program in Nova Scotia — the first step toward removing more than 2,500 models of legally purchased, now-prohibited firearms from licensed Canadian gun owners.
Throughout September, white supremacist groups have become vocal, staging marches to little media attention — but strong public backlash — in both the GTA and Niagara Region.
The provincial Newsroom has floated Premier Doug Ford’s intention to introduce legislation to prevent cities and municipalities from operating automated speed enforcement (ASE) cameras beginning in October amidst commuting and economic concerns.
On Sept. 21, in coordination with the British, Portuguese and Australian governments, the Canadian government formally recognized the State of Palestine internationally, joining a total of 150 out of 193 nations to do so. This official recognition comes in contrast to the current U.S. policy which has called Palestinian recognition performative.
Several new developments in rail transportation have occurred in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas. These developments involve efforts from GO Transit and VIA Rail to increase connectivity and convenience for rail users amidst efforts to combat traffic and increase convenience in the province.
Ethan Huffman, president of the Brock University Creative Writers’ Club, invites writers of all types of media to join the close-knit club to share, enjoy and publish Brock’s creativity.
The film industry is no stranger to occasional upheavals from the arrival of talkies to the more recent streaming wars. The development of the world’s first fully A.I.-generated actress, Tilly Norwood, has shaken up Hollywood unlike anything prior. Unveiled this week at the Zurich Film Festival by British media company, Particle6 and its A.I. arm Xicoia, Norwood has ignited a storm of fascination, fear and fury. Marketed as a digital performer “born from code,” Norwood has been introduced with a comedy sketch, a strong Instagram presence where she cosplays as a “broke uni girl” and promotional clips that simulate everything from tearful interviews to red-carpet glamour. Within days, she’s become the face of a larger battle over the future of art, labour and authenticity.
Welcome to the third chapter of Mapping MAMM, an ongoing series diving behind the scenes of the Mapping Ann-Marie MacDonald Research Project. This week, I’ll get into how MAMM creates a pedagogically interesting and ethical work environment. For more information, you can read my first and second articles on the project.
The Campus Collaborative for Student Food Security aims to help students facing food insecurity with a variety of initiatives open to all students throughout the year.
The federal government’s launch of Build Canada Homes (BCH) in September placed housing policy at the centre of national debate. For students and young workers facing rising rent, stagnant wages and burdensome debt, the program has been described as a long-awaited intervention. Yet questions remain surrounding whether BCH represents meaningful structural change or if it is only a symbolic initiative.
