Ontario’s Bill 33, Supporting Children and Students Act, 2025, received Royal Assent on Nov. 20, creating a set of postsecondary law changes that will take effect only if and when the government proclaims Schedule 3. The schedule would require publicly assisted universities and colleges to publish admission criteria and access applicants on merit, authorize new regulations on admissions and student fees and require institutions to develop research security plans subject to ministerial directives.
On Dec. 1, the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre (PAC) hosted local arts leaders, policy advocates and community members for a presentation on new national research, highlighting the economic and social contributions of Canada’s arts and culture sector.
The Canadian federal and Ontario provincial governments’ 2025 policy decisions were focused on affordability and competitiveness-focused responses to trade pressure and rising electricity demands. The influence of this on Ontario’s climate can be seen in all of the climate adjacent policy decisions made regarding energy, infrastructure, land-use and fiscal decisions that either increased the pace of low-carbon buildout or weakened environmental guardrails and climate accountability, depending on the file.
The Canadian Federal Government is moving in lockstep with Alberta’s Provincial Government towards establishing a new bitumen pipeline through to British Columbia’s northern coast despite objections.
The Auditor General of Ontario, Shelley Spence, provided a news release on a newly tabled report that audits performance in healthcare related areas across the province. The news release highlights physician billing, medical schools and access to healthcare with the procurement of personal protective equipment also making headlines separately.
Before the winter term kicks into high gear, BUSU aims to make sure that you still get your fill of Brock fun — meeting new people, reconnecting with friends and getting some much-needed social time through Frost Week.
Reports of Toronto’s Union Station implementing the use of facial recognition software to better target advertising made media waves a few weeks ago. Here’s what students who may be using the station during this upcoming break should know.
On Nov. 18, Alberta invoked the notwithstanding clause for the second time in under a month — a retaliatory move in the face of pushback from the judiciary that threatens the rights of trans youth and young women across the province.
Dr. Tarek Loubani took the stage alongside his two young children, addressing nearly 200 people about Palestinian healthcare and statehood. While unintentionally forming a dynamic where the audience could witness the lives of children in a safe and comfortable environment, Dr. Loubani shared stories about the atrocities faced by children in Gaza due to Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians.
While the rumours circulating amongst history students that laptops will be banned from the department’s seminars as a bid to prevent the use of artificial intelligence (A.I.) during seminar have been debunked, the prospect of unplugged seminars prompted discussions surrounding education and technology.
As the semester winds down and exams continue to creep closer, schoolwork may swallow your every waking moment. However, December in Niagara is packed with events that encourage holiday spirits, help get you out of study mode and remind you that there is more to life than textbooks. Whether you’re craving lights, music, markets or a quick escape with friends, here are some ways that students can unwind this holiday season.
Brock University’s Market Hall transformed into a bustling hub of culture, flavour and celebration during BUSU’s Night Market, one of the marquee events of this year’s International Education Week (IEW). Hundreds of students packed the space, forming long lines at food stations and entry ways, with some even wrapping around the tables in Market Hall.
On Nov. 21, in the Goodman Atrium from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., The Brock University Young Liberals (BUYL) club hosted federal member of Liberal Parliament and former housing minister Nate Erskine-Smith as part of a club social.
On Nov. 17, a group of approximately 10 to 15 individuals wearing matching hoodies bearing the name “Dominion Society of Canada” gathered above the Ontario Highway 406 overpass in St. Catharines.
The Brock LINC Holiday Market returned to the Rankin Family Pavilion, offering a seasonal marketplace that highlighted the work of student, staff, faculty and alumni creators. Held on Nov. 26 and 27, the event invited the Brock community to browse a wide range of handmade goods and services while supporting early-stage entrepreneurs. The market — organized by Brock LINC as part of its entrepreneurship and innovation programming — is designed to give campus-based creators an accessible venue for showcasing their products
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
