There is a growing divide among St. Catharines residents as homelessness reaches all new highs across North America. 

As the cold weather intensifies, most Canadians’ biggest concern is scraping off their windshield in the morning, or the frigid walk from their car into work. For the rapidly growing unhoused population in the Niagara region, the start of winter is much more consequential, signifying many more uncomfortable and restless nights outside in the freezing cold. 

On Jan. 1, Mat Sisco, the mayor of St. Catharines, acknowledged that housing issues and homelessness have reached crisis-level highs and that something must change. In an interview with the St. Catharines Standard, Siscoe said that helping those who are suffering is on his list of priorities in 2025. 

In November 2024, Siscoe was included as one of Niagara’s Big Three mayors to support the use of the Notwithstanding Clause (NWC) to remove homeless encampments. At a council meeting on Nov. 4, Mat Siscoe co-signed a letter along with 11 other Ontario mayors that explained their rationale for demanding the Premier override the Charter rights of vulnerable residents and invoke a rarely used legal measure. Welland Mayor Frank Campion indicated in a letter to the Premier that he was requesting the use of the NWC to assist Welland “in finding reasonable and compassionate solutions in addressing the complex legal, social, and public safety concerns and roadblocks.” PelhamToday stated that the clause is essentially “a way for governments to override the rights of their citizens.” 

One unhoused individual told CHCH News that “it’d be basically impossible to move right now, in this weather. There’s nowhere to go. Out here, everyone’s basically ripping each other off — it’s very hard, very hard living. The rent is insane, triple the price it was. Even if you have the money, you can’t get a place because you need good credit.” 

Homelessness in Canada is up 20 per cent since 2018 with the housing crisis pushing many people onto the streets. 

In the letter to the Premier asking for the use of the NWC, Mayor Siscoe said that the large population of unhoused individuals are resulting in “encampments on public land, up against people’s property or adjacent to schools. Whether anyone likes this fact or not, the reality is that encampments tend to have a much higher incidence rate of drug use, of human trafficking, possession of weapons and other illegal activity. We need to be able to prohibit encampments in areas of sensitive use.” 

Executive Director of the St. Catharines Salvation Army Juan Burry pointed out the reason why people desire to remove the homeless encampments: “If there is an encampment, it comes with a whole host of issues (such as) debris, behavioral problems.”  

St. Catharines resident Rob McConnell said to CHCH News, “We’ve found syringes, crack pipes, knives, human feces, used condoms throughout the neighbourhood. There’s prostitution, drug deals going on day and night. The use of drugs in plain view is an everyday occurrence.” 

In an interview with CHCH News, Mat Siscoe insisted that he’s still “pushing Niagara Region because that’s where those dollars are and they’re the ones that make the decisions.” As a lower tier municipality, St. Catharines is not responsible for social services such as housing, shelter and homelessness. 

Reporter Alicia Marshall has spent countless hours offering immediate help such as tents, blankets and food. She states in an article by The Pointer, “I can assure you, our unhoused think the government does not care. Our unhoused have no hope they will be able to access assistance and supportive living conditions. 

There’s no doubt any longer that winter has arrived, and with January’s biting winds comes concern for those without shelter and while supposed sympathy is there, a plan is not.  

Trudeau’s plan to resign has left Parliament in a prorogation period while the Liberal Party searches for a new leader in advance of this year’s election, which may come as early as this spring. 

On Jan. 6, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a news conference in Ottawa to announce his intention to resign as leader of the Liberal Party and Canada’s prime minister. 

Trudeau began his conference by reflecting on the Liberal Party’s accomplishments during their rule of Parliament over the past nine years, referencing efforts to fight for the middle class, support Canadians through the COVID-19 pandemic, work towards reconciliation, strengthen free trade, stand alongside Ukraine, protect the environment from climate change and solidify the economy. 

Trudeau went on to explain that Parliament “has been paralyzed for months,” calling for a new session of Parliament after Canada’s longest session in a minority government.  

With this justification, Governor General Mary Simon approved Trudeau’s decision to begin a prorogation of Parliament until March 24, meaning that Parliament’s current session will be terminated and will essentially remain paused until the new session begins. 

Alongside his decision to prorogue Parliament, Trudeau said that his reflection led him to the conclusion that he “cannot be the one to carry the Liberal standard into the next election” as he promised to resign as both leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister once his replacement is chosen. 

During the question portion of the news conference, Trudeau said that another Liberal leader will be “absolutely” capable of succeeding over opposing politician Pierre Poilievre of the Conservative Party of Canada. 

“We need an ambitious, optimistic view of the future, and Pierre Poilievre is not offering that, and I look forward to the fight as progressives across this country stand up for the kind of vision for a better country that Canadians have always carried,” said Trudeau. 

Since Parliament cannot progress while prorogued, the end of March is the earliest an election can be held. Although Canada’s election is not supposed to occur until October, the opposition parties have asserted their respective plans to call for an early election while sharing their thoughts on Trudeau’s decision. 

Poilievre posted a video on social media following Trudeau’s conference alleging that members of the Liberal Party are only attempting to oust Trudeau because “he is no longer popular enough to win an election and keep them in power” and called for an election as soon as possible. 

New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh also shared opinions on Trudeau’s resignation at a news conference following Trudeau’s announcement. Singh said that both Trudeau and Poilievre are threats to Canadians and called Trudeau’s decision to prorogue Parliament “completely wrong.” 

Although the search for a new Liberal leader has just begun, many have begun to speculate about which candidates will run for the title. At the time of writing, economist and former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney, Nova Scotia MP Jaime Battiste, Ottawa MP Chandra Arya and Montreal MP Frank Baylis confirmed their intent to run. 

The $350,000 entrance fee and short campaigning time discouraged several other contenders from running, according to CTV News. 

However, those who do intend to run must declare so by Jan. 23 to provide ample time to campaign before the vote occurs on March 9. 

Trudeau’s full news conference can be found on the CPAC website. 

With Inauguration Day steadily approaching on Jan. 20, President-elect Donald Trump has discussed his foremost priorities for the first days of his presidency. 

According to Republican senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, the Trump administration is preparing “almost 100 executive orders” to be signed when Trump returns to office. 

Though Trump has yet to solidify his plans for the first days of his presidency, here are a few issues that he has designated as being his top priorities in addressing as president. 

Immigration 

Ever since Trump was campaigning for the presidential election, he’s said that conducting nationwide mass deportation efforts will be of utmost importance in his next presidential term. 

In an interview with NBC News, Trump said that the administration’s first action when he takes over the White House will be to “do something with the border” that will be “very strong and very powerful,” though he did not exactly specify what will be done. 

Trump alluded that the immigration efforts will be directed toward undocumented immigrants, saying that there are “a lot of people” that should not be in the United States. 

Earlier on in his campaign, Trump also promised to conduct the “largest deportation effort in American history,” solidifying his plans to prioritize undocumented immigration when he returns to presidency. 

Taxes 

In his interview with NBC News, the President-elect said that revisiting the 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act that he pushed forth in his first presidential term is the second paramount priority he plans to take action on when he returns to presidency. 

As several provisions in the act are scheduled to expire in 2025, Trump said that he will extend the act to avoid tax increases that will “anger a lot of people.” Trump also commended the act for providing America with what he views as “one of the greatest economies ever.” 

According to CityNews, the U.S. Treasury’s most recent analysis of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act provisions under this extension would save “the top 0.1 per cent of earners” $314,000 and would amount to a cumulated $4.2 trillion over nine years. 

Tariffs 

After Trump won the presidential election, he posted on his social media platform Truth Social outlining his plans to impose a 25 per cent tariff on goods entering the U.S. on leading trading partners Canada and Mexico in an attempt to control alleged drug trafficking and undocumented immigration from the two bordering countries.  

Trump also shared another post where he said that China will face an additional 10 per cent tariff on top of any others he chooses to place upon their exports to the U.S., citing similar issues of alleged drug trafficking as the impetus. 

Despite many business analysts warning that the President-elect’s tariff plan will lead to higher consumer prices. Trump said he does not believe consumers feel the impact of tariffs and plans to make them an imminent reality to create “a level, fast but fair playing field” with the country’s trading partners and says they have made “a great economy” for the U.S. in the past. 

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Although Trump has listed a plethora of issues which he aims to combat in his first days returning to office, many of them must have support from Congress before they can materialize into law. Regardless, Trump’s lengthy executive order plans show that the President-elect’s administration is still looking to address these issues as soon as possible. 

The President-elect’s full interview with NBC News can be found on their YouTube channel. 

In their November meeting, the BUSU Board of Directors (BoD) rejected a PACHRED referendum, altered BUSU’s wellness policy and discussed some of the BUSU executives’ goals for the 2024-25 term. 

BUSU’s BoD had a lot to discuss on Nov. 26 during their nearly three-hour meeting. Here are some highlights from the BoD’s meeting, which you can see for yourself on their YouTube channel. 

PACHRED Referendum 

Sarah Pierson, an RA for the President’s Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity and Decolonization (PACHRED), and Monique Beauregard, the Manager of the Black Student Success Centre (BSSC) at Brock, filled much of the November BoD meeting with their presentation on a proposed student referendum. 

Joined by students Tiffany Muhindi and Clement Chibueze, the presenters explained that their purpose was to increase the funding of programs and services at Brock for Black, Afro-diasporic and 2SLGBTQIA+ students. 

This funding would expand the BSSC and establish a dedicated space for 2SLGBTQIA+ students: the QMUNITY Commons student centre. The referendum question they sought to ask the Brock population was: 

“Do you support a $4.90 per credit fee to support (1) establishing a ‘QMUNITY Commons’ centre for 2SLGBTQIA+ students and (2) increasing the funds for the Black Student Success Centre (BSSC), as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding?” 

Pierson and Beauregard discussed the academic and professional importance of forming social networks during university, especially for those who face bias and discrimination based on their identity. 

Citing that queer and racialized individuals face increased levels of unemployment, rental discrimination, mental health struggles and suicide, they said Brock must grow in order to meet the present demand of its students. 

They pointed to an environmental scan of comparable Ontario universities which revealed that while Brock is ahead of the curve in providing services for Black students, the standard is relatively low and still leaves plenty of room for improvement to decrease the gaps between services for racialized and non-racialized students. 

The same scans also showed that Brock is behind the curve in providing services for queer and trans students, with no dedicated space for these individuals even if a few services are available through the Student Justice Centre (SJC), like free chest binders and breast formers, and Brock Pride, a student club offering programs and events. 

They cited “Brock’s institutional report on queer and trans students’ wellbeing and experiences on campus from 2019” — which isn’t readily accessible online — to confound this information, explaining that trans, queer and racialized students are predisposed to severe mental distress and therefore need specialized formal support services in a dedicated space. 

Muhindi, a peer assistant at the BSSC and an international student, helped explain what exactly the BSSC does for students by highlighting mentorship programs, tailored academic support services, career development opportunities, peer support and culturally informed counselling specifically catered to the needs of Black and Afro-diasporic students at Brock. 

Chibueze, a Senor Career Navigator at the CareerZone and Co-President of the Black Students’ Association (BLSA), provided some perspectives from students about the importance of the BSSC, focusing on the fact that everyone who utilizes its services has different experiences and perspectives, meaning the BSSC can always grow and improve to meet shifting demands. 

In terms of precise details, the presenters explained that the nearly $400,000 of yearly funding would help expand the BSSC’s previous services and establish the QMUNITY Commons and its associated supports for queer and trans students. Both budgets allotted significant portions — $112,436 from the BSSC and $59,424 from the QMUNITY Commons — for student employment. 

Pierson cited numerous global events as reasons for the necessity of these additional supports. These included: the international student caps in Canada producing uncertainty among international students; the 1 Million March 4 Children in Canada targeting trans and non-binary children; the Canadian public education sector targeting access to gender education in the classroom; and Trump’s presidential victory following a campaign built on transphobia, xenophobia, homophobia and racism. 

The BUSU BoD had a few questions regarding how services from these organizations differ from those already provided by Brock and BUSU, like the Food First program or Brock’s mental health services, which are ranked first in the country. Pierson and Beauregard said that their goal was not to replace any services but improve them, especially considering that BIPOC and 2SLGBTQIA+ students often require specialized, culturally relevant supports that are not already offered, like personal hygiene products, cultural food or counselling with people who know their struggles on a personal level. 

Board Chair Brielle Kaminsky wondered if they’d approached Brock for funding before BUSU; Beauregard said that the BSSC does receive funding from Brock, but this funding only covers so much. An example given by Beauregard showed that the BSSC was able to curate 60 care packages for students throughout the entire school year, but the BLSA alone has somewhere between 500 and 600 members. They just can’t meet the demands of students from Brock funding alone. 

The presenters left the meeting after answering some concluding questions, and the BoD deliberated in an in-camera session that lasted from 8:20 p.m. to 8:57 p.m. 

Due to the private nature of the BoD’s discussion, there’s no way of knowing why, but they ultimately denied the motion to send the request to a referendum in February with zero votes for, eight votes against and one abstention. 

For now, then, the BSSC will continue to operate as it had before and the QMUNITY Commons space will not be established. 

Wellness Policy 

BUSU’s Director of Governance and Advocacy, Kayleigh Rossetto, explained that the proposed changes to BUSU’s Full-Time Staff & Executive Wellness Spending Account Policy were minor. 

A benefit given to staff to help contribute to staff wellness, physical and mental health, the Wellness Policy was originally set at $400 annually per staff member — this being a fund additional to the standard student coverage — in 2017, and Rossetto explained that the proposed change to $500 was to account for inflation. 

The other significant change would reduce student executives’ funds from $1000 to $500 to promote equality among full-time staff members. 

Drop-in fees would be added to the list of eligible expenses under this change, a list that includes fitness centre memberships, personal trainers, exercise equipment like treadmills and weight machines, protective equipment like hockey pads and boxing gloves, vitamins and more. 

There were other minor changes to the policy to represent shifts in the process by which staff members could claim these funds, and after they were all explained, the motion went to a vote, which passed unanimously. 

Goals and Reports 

BUSU President Anusha Pahuja then answered questions about the Executive Goals report that was distributed among board members before the meeting. 

Her first planned goal aimed to help the Student Justice Centre (SJC) with the proposed student centre referendum, but since that motion failed, Pahuja skipped past it in the report. Other goals included: working with Brock’s Office of the Student Ombuds to increase student engagement; working with Brock’s Student Exchange program to increase student engagement; creating a resource bank to aid the process of club funding; conducting a “trending event” to increase student engagement with BUSU; preparing training sessions to help clubs maximize their budgets; and partnering with Niagara College to advocate on shared issue, among other goals that were not visible in the posted video. 

The BoD had a question regarding BUSU’s involvement in the Ombuds program, which BUSU General Manager Robert Hilson answered was given up by a previous cohort of the board, and a concern about the $55 fee associated with Brock’s exchange program, which Pahuja said she could tackle as part of the goal to increase engagement. 

Kaminsky inquired as to why this report had not been presented to the BoD earlier in the year, to which there were a few reasons including BUSU VPEA Mark Chrabalowski’s trip to Ghana in the summer and the variability of the executive team at the beginning of the term, but which a new accountability policy would prevent from happening next year. 

Following a brief, six-minute session in camera, Hilson gave his monthly report. 

Highlights of his report included an update on the new student space, which will cost an estimated $40.5 million and may begin construction in the summer; news of an agreement with Niagara Region Transit until 2028 with student fees increasing by 2.5 per cent each year; an update on Rossetto’s replacement in January when she goes on maternity leave; and an explicit reminder that The Brock Press had not yet posted their budget, audited financial statements, by-laws and meeting minutes on their website — most of which, save the by-laws which are in the process of revision first, have since been uploaded. 

The BoD had questions about the parking situation at Brock, in which there will be no free parking in the winter term and paid parking in the summer. Vice-Chair Charlie Martin suggested that BUSU should share this info with the student population, but Rossetto countered that posting about something out of their control only prompts a flooding of comments asking why that decision was made when it wasn’t BUSU’s decision — BUSU has accordingly not posted about the parking situation on their Instagram or News feed. 

There were some overlapping conversations about The Brock Press regarding its uploaded documents and BUSU’s concerns about its structure and operation. Rossetto mentioned a proposal she’d made with BUSU’s legal representative, but the board ultimately tabled any further discussions for their December meeting. 

After this, President Pahuja gave her report, which included updates about Brock’s launching of the Strategic Plan and International Strategic Plan, her meeting with Brock about the Food First program, and a reminder of BUSU’s new IG Lives and Office Hours at Isaac’s to enhance student engagement. 

Kaminsky mentioned her concern with the wording of VPUA Carleigh Charlton’s report, in which they said they were “not given the opportunity” to attend the OER Conference in person; she wanted to reiterate that while funding was not provided to Charlton for the conference, the opportunity to attend using their own funds was never relinquished. Board member Mohiz Imtiaz echoed these concerns, and Kaminsky asked Pahuja to discuss the matter further with Charlton. 

The lengthy meeting was adjourned at 9:55 p.m. with the promise of a full agenda for the upcoming meeting in December. 

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) gave a strike notice for 24 Ontario colleges. 

On Jan. 3, the union OPSEU gave a five-day strike notice for 24 Ontario colleges including Niagara College, York University’s collegesSeneca, Algonquin and Humber College. College faculty are most concerned with workload, a topic the union has been trying to address for years. 

The union requested a no-board report from the ministry of labour last month, kick-starting a 16-off period which ended on Jan. 4. 

OPSEU is currently in the negotiation stage with the College Employment Council (CEC), but it does not seem that things will be resolved quickly. Former president of OPSEU and Laurentian University professor David Fasciano pointed out in a CTV News Report that “the way faculty workloads are assigned was determined in the 80s.” More than 40 years old, these workloads do not take into consideration technology like the computer, internet, video calls, online courses or other online preparation. 

In an email to CTV News, the College Employment Council CEO Graham Lloyd said the union’s demands ignore financial realities like low enrolment, government policy changes and higher costs. 

OPSEU’s list of requests includes a 25 per cent reduction in teaching times for professors and instructors. This would mean an average of less than 9 hours per week of class time according to College Employer Council. In a post on X, OPSEU shared that a 2021 auditor general’s report found that Ontario colleges had become dependent on international student tuition. They add that the government has “starved this sector for years.” 

On Jan. 7 OPSEU posted an update: “Ontario’s colleges will narrowly avoid a strike this term: faculty signed a MOA today with significant benefit gains, particularly for their 75 per cent precarious membership, and has agreed to resolve outstanding items in med-arb. 

The strike has been averted for the time being, and students are relieved. OPSEU’s message in their last post claims that Doug Ford is the root cause of the problem, and that he’s “gambling away Ontario’s future.” 

You can find the full list of colleges in the OPSEU here. 

Former Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland announced her resignation from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Cabinet on Dec. 16 after her reassignment to a different position. 

In her letter to Trudeau shared via X, Freeland wrote that her resignation is “the only honest and viable path” forward after Trudeau asked her to adopt a new position in the Cabinet instead of continuing as Canada’s Finance Minister. 

According to reporting from Bloomberg, Trudeau told Freeland that he no longer wanted her to serve as Canada’s Finance Minister and ushered her into a role wherein she would no longer run a department within Parliament. 

Bloomberg sources say that Freeland perceived this act as a “major demotion” and ultimately chose to resign a few days later — just hours before she was set to present Canada’s Fall Economic Statement. 

The letter to Trudeau suggests disagreements between the two members of Parliament leading up to Freeland’s resignation. Freeland said that she and Trudeau had been “at odds about the best path forward for Canada” during the weeks following Donald Trump’s electoral win in the United States. 

The fast-approaching Trump presidency has been a major point of discussion in Canadian Parliament. Freeland cited Trump’s “aggressive” economic approach — including his tariff threats on Canadian goods — as a “grave challenge” that must be given adequate attention. 

Freeland said that it is of utmost importance that Canada matches Trump’s aggression in their response to his threats, saying that the solution to this challenge includes “pushing back against ‘America First’ economic nationalism” to maintain Canada’s financial stability. 

Following this statement, Freeland said that the Canadian government should avoid “costly political gimmicks” so they can save reserves in the case of an imminent tariff war between the two countries. This concern holds relevance to the recent financial decisions of the Liberal Party, like Canada’s GST holiday and the uncertain $250 rebate that may come this year. 

Freeland suggested that Parliament should continue to prioritize the issue of financial tension between the United States and Canada and craft a “true Team Canada response,” but she warned Parliament to only proceed with the best interests of Canadians in mind. 

Freeland signalled to the widely held suspicion of the motives behind government decision-making, writing that Canadians “know when we are working for them, and they equally know when we are focused on ourselves.”  

Freeland followed this statement by repeating her concern toward the threats that are looming over Canada in advance of the United States’ Trump presidency, writing that the way Parliament deals with aggression and conflict between the two countries will redefine how Canadians view the Liberals’ leadership, for better or worse. 

The letter concludes with Freeland writing that the current state of relations between Canada and the United States have informed the way she approached government spending throughout the fall, saying that the capacity for “flexibility” within Canada’s finances was her top priority. 

According to CBC Radio Canada, Freeland’s resignation left many Liberal MPs frustrated with Trudeau. At the caucus meeting following Freeland’s resignation, some MPs told Trudeau to reconsider resignation as well. 

Despite Freeland’s resignation from the Cabinet, she will continue to work as a Liberal Member of Parliament and plans to run for the seat she currently holds in Toronto once again in the next election. 

A South Korean airplane crash killed 179 people on Dec. 29. 

On Dec. 29 at 9 a.m., the Jeju Air flight 7C 2216 crashed at Muan International Airport in southwestern South Korea after returning from Thailand. Of the 181 people on board, only two people survived, making it the country’s deadliest plane disaster since 1997 and one of the worst in aviation history. This wais the fifth Boeing plane crash of 2024. 

According to ABC News, the pilot sent a distress signal that said, “Mayday, mayday, mayday, bird strike, bird strike, going down.” The plane ascended and made a 180-degree turn before it descended. After crash-landing at the airport, the plane slid down the runway until it hit the embankment at the end, which was used to house navigation equipment. On impact with the barrier, the plane burst into flames. The embankment housed a localiser and an antenna system that emitsted radio signals to guide aircraft toward the runway, an essential for safe landings. 

Investigations are still underway concerning the late touchdown of the plane and the lack of landing gear deployed (both wing flaps and wheels). 

On New Year’s Eve, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board sent investigators to South Korea to help uncover more information on the case. 

A horrifying video captures the moment of the crash. 

Bird Strike 

Collisions between birds and aircrafts are very common, but are very rarely linked to fatal plane crashes. Two minutes before the distress signal, air control warned the plane of a possible bird strike. Engines can stall or shut down if birds are sucked into them, but typically pilots have time to account for this. With the warning from ground control, a safe emergency landing should have been possible. The sudden 180-degree turn and lack of deployed landing gear may suggest a malfunction, and South Korea’s acting president Choi Sang-mox ordered an emergency inspection of the country’s entire airline operation system. 

Choi declared a week-long period of mourning, with flags flying at half-mast. Several memorials have been set up at the location of the craft and other parts of the country. 

Survivors 

Both survivors of the plane crash are flight attendants who were seated by the back of the plane. 

A 33-year-old man with the surname Lee suffered multiple fractures and is under special care due to the possibility of total paralysis but is conscious. Ju Woong, the director of the hospital, told ABC News that although Lee is “fully able to communicate” and there was no indication of memory loss, Lee was not yet questioned about the details of the crash at the time of writing because Ju believed it wouldn’t be helpful to the patient’s recovery. 

The other survivor, a 25-year-old woman identified as Koo, is reportedly in stable condition with injuries to her ankle and head. 

Hundreds of the deceased’s loved ones have been camping out at the Muan International Airport, full of grief and anger. Police superintendent Na-Won-o explained that the identification process of the bodies was slow “due to officials taking their time to carefully identify all 179 victims, whose bodies were badly damaged in the crash.” One grieving man asked if the bodies would be put back together, while another wished for the victims’ remains to be released as they were. But with some remains “too scattered to be recognised,” Na said officials wanted to do the best they could at collecting and matching as many bodies as they could. 

The airline’s chief executive Kim Yi-bae said in a news conference on Dec. 31 that “the plane and its pilots were cleared to be flying before the landing.” While the reason for the late touchdown and lack of landing gear is still being investigated, many blame the airport for the disaster. According to Forbes, the airport’s 2024 operating manual acknowledged the embankment was “too close.” CEO of Aero Consulting Experts Ross Aimer told Reuters that the embankment was the central reason for the disaster, and it “shouldn’t have been there.” 

Kim says the families will be compensated, but that does very little to dim the tragedy for the victims’ loved ones. 

People all around the world celebrate New Year’s Eve in various ways. Here are five traditions from different cultures used to ring in the new year.  

Canada and the United States — Watch the ball drop in New York City 

In North America, specifically in Canada and the United States, it is very common for people to watch the ball drop in New York City’s Times Square. This tradition began at the end of 1907 when the owner of the New York Times, Adolph Ochs, created the countdown to the ball drop to bring attention to the newspaper’s new office and to replace what used to be a huge firework spectacular. The ball was originally designed by Artkraft Strauss and has been updated four times since to include new technology.  

Spain — Eat 12 grapes 

The tradition of eating 12 grapes, called las doce was de la suerte, was born in Spain in the late 19th century. This tradition has since become increasingly popular online and has been changed and adapted for the times. Still, the heart of it remains the same: between the stroke of midnight and 12:01, you must eat 12 green grapes to have good luck in the new year. The story of this tradition’s origin is debatable, but some believe that it started when growers in Alicante had an impressive harvest and had to find a way to sell all their grapes.  

Scotland — The first footing 

In Scotland, one New Year’s tradition is the “first footing,” which says that the first person to cross through the doorway into one’s home after the stroke of midnight sets the tone for the rest of the year. The best kind of the first footer is someone with dark hair, and it is traditional for the first footer to carry a lump of coal. While all the other traditions seem self-dependent, the first footing is the luck of the draw. You’ve just got to hope that it’s a handsome and mysterious stranger and not your boring Aunt Sue.  

Japan — Eat soba noodles 

Some Japanese people start the new year by eating soba noodles, a tradition that dates back to the Kamakura period. Historically, Buddhist temples would hand out these noodles to the poor, and because the noodles are firm in texture, it is believed that chewing them symbolically separates, or breaks one away, from the year that has just passed.  

Greece — Hanging an onion outside the front door 

A popular tradition in Greece is to hang a squill onion from the island of Crete on your door. After the New Year’s Day church service, an onion is purchased and brought home to be hung from a doorway inside the house. Onions represent growth and rebirth, and they are also an important symbol of fertility. Its place in the home helps facilitate growth and rebirth in the upcoming year.  

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While many countries have ascribed New Year’s traditions, celebrating the new year usually has more to do with the actions of individual people rather than their cultural background. Still, it is exciting to learn about and participate in the New Year’s traditions that have become popular in other places in the world so that we can better understand one another going into 2025.  

To improve firefighters’ safety and upgrade St Catharine’s 911 system, The St. Catharines Fire Services will be awarded about $50,000. 

The St. Catharines Fire Services will receive just under $50,000 this January as part of the historic three-year $30 million program announced in the 2024 Budget to prioritize firefighter health and safety.  

Deputy Fire Chief Andrea DeJong explains that this funding will give them “the tools to help reduce our firefighters’ exposure to the harmful long-term effects of fire-related contaminants and chemicals.” 

Firefighters face exposure to hazardous gases and chemicals that greatly increase their risk of cancer. Cancer kills firefighters at a rate up to four times higher than the general population. Every year, 50 to 60 Canadian firefighters die of cancer, half of them being from Ontario. 

This funding will allow St. Catharines Fire Services to buy new gear and specialized washing and drying equipment that will help decontaminate their gear to reduce the long-term effects of fire-related contaminants. 

The Fire Services has also partnered with the Niagara Regional Police and Niagara Parks Police to upgrade to a new and improved 911 system, called Next Generation 911 (NG911). The new emergency call-handling solution technology is now required by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The first phase of NG911 will allow communicators to receive and respond to texts and future phases will allow photos and videos to be shared, and the second phase will have an upgraded GIS mapping system to allow for enhanced location specifics. Constable Tyler Bell-Morena started the 911 awareness campaign in early 2024. Mississauga has noted a drastic decline in 911 wait times since NG911 launched last February. The wait time for 911 dispatch was 85 seconds in March of 2023, and dropped down to 11 seconds in October 2024.  

Bell-Morena noted the substantial decrease in wait times, saying “it’s a huge win for our organization and the way we’re able to deliver emergency services.” The goal for Bell-Morena is zero wait time. 

NG911 sends automated callbacks, allowing call communicators more time to answer and screen 911 calls. 

Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah describes the call-takers as “the first of the first responders,” adding that they do “remarkable” work. 

Besides sending aid and helping the caller to calm down and deal with first steps like immediate first-aid or removing themselves from danger, 911 communicators are crucial to the safety of first responders. When dispatch takes place, communicators conduct address checks and look for previous occurrences and any weapons registered to the address that could prove to be vital information. Even when doing something as seemingly trivial as traffic stops, the communicators work to run license plates, ensuring criminals are caught and police officers are being safe. 

It should be noted that 911 is for emergencies only, in which a crime or fire is taking place or immediate medical attention is needed. For non-emergencies such as reporting a crime or checking up on an investigation, you can call Niagara Regional Police at (905) 688-4111. 

Lots of Brock clubs and organizations have plenty of fun activities planned to welcome Badgers back for the new year. 

After what was hopefully a relaxing and festive winter break, Brock invites you to start the new year by jumping back into the action. The next four weeks are packed full of fun activities for students. Students should be sure to bring a valid Brock student card to participate in these exciting events. 

Poster Fair: Union Station Jan. 6 – 10 

From Monday, Jan. 6 to Friday, Jan. 10, BUSU’s poster fair is back. From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Friday, check out the huge variety of posters in the Union Station. With a wide range of sizes, themes, colours and styles, students are sure to find something to decorate their rooms with. There’s no registration required and it’s open to all Brock students. 

Crafts and Hot Chocolate: Market Hall Jan. 9 

From 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 9, SWAC and Student Life are hosting a craft session in Market Hall. After customizing your own hot chocolate, you can relax with painting, colouring, bracelet-making and more. Bring a friend or come meet new people as you unleash your creativity. 

Brews and Board Games: Isaac’s, every Thursday until April 

Isaac’s Lounge invites you to come hang out, enjoy weekly menu and drink specials, and choose from a variety of board games on Thursdays from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. Don’t forget your valid student card and come with an appetite; you must purchase a drink or meal to play. There is a game time limit of 90 minutes per group. 

Pottery Painting and Pizza: Isaac’s Jan. 13 

Starting off Frost Week, BUSU’s annual welcome week back into the school term, is BUSU’s Pottery Painting and Pizza, a paid ticketed event with limited seating. Pottery is provided by local pottery store Crockadoodle, and the $5 ticket includes a piece of pottery, paint supplies and pizza. After the event, Crockadoodle will cure all the pottery items in a kiln, and an email will be sent to you when your piece is ready for pick up. Pick up will be at the BUSU Front Desk during office hours. 

During each Frost Week event, students can keep an eye out for the secret QR Poster and scan for a chance to win a gift basket valued at over $600, with a $200 Best Buy gift card, a $200 Foot Locker gift card and over $200 in Brock Campus Store items. 

Tuesday Clubs Fair, Trivia and Sexy Bingo: Jan. 14 

On the second day of Frost Week, students can meet new and returning clubs at the Clubs Fair at Union Station from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or head to Isaac’s for a fun game of trivia from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the first of a weekly event going on every Tuesday until April. Trivia is limited to four students per team and for Isaac’s customers only. The first-place team gets a $75 Walmart gift card, second place gets a $50 Uber Eats card, and third place gets $30 to Isaac’s Lounge. After Trivia, Isaac’s is hosting Sexy Bingo with local drag icon Vanity a la Mode from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are free, but spots are limited, and with $1,200 in prizes up for grabs, you don’t want to miss this popular event. 

Ice Skating at Canada Games and Collage Craft: Jan. 15 

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, the third day of Frost Week, there is a free open skate at Canada Games Park. Skate rentals are available but limited. This is a free drop-in event and no registration is needed, but remember to bring your Brock card. The first 200 students to attend this event will receive a free pair of BUSU mittens. BUSU is also hosting in the evening a “New Year, New Me! Collage Making” event at Isaac’s with special guest host @paperbananas. This event is also free, but tickets are limited. Free pop and snacks will be available throughout the evening as you work on your own personal vision boards for your New Year’s resolutions. 

Free Hot Breakfast: Jan. 16 

Drop by Union Station on Jan. 16 from 7:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. (or until the food runs out!) for a full plate of fresh pancakes, sausages, eggs, crispy potatoes, juice, coffee and fruit. This event is part of the Food First Program which aims to address the growing issues of food and health insecurity among Canadian post-secondary students. 

Follow BUSU on Instagram and keep an eye on Brock’s ExperienceBU page for more information on these events and more. 

If it is passed into law, the GST holiday could provide a two-month tax break on a plethora of consumer items. 

On Nov. 21, the Government of Canada put out a news release outlining their latest venture to help provide Canadians with relief from the rising cost of living. Though the government recognizes that they “can’t set prices at the checkout,” they proposed new legislation, Bill C-78, asking for a two-month Goods and Services Tax and Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) break that would be applied to “groceries and holiday essentials” to help Canadians save money. 

The tax break period is proposed to occur from December to February, as the holidays often cause a surge of costs for Canadian families.  

According to the statement, if the bill gets passed into law, Canadians will see “an estimated $1.6 billion in federal tax relief.” 

Businesses would be expected to remove the GST or HST from children’s clothing, including baby bibs, blankets and children’s winter accessories; children’s footwear, diapers, children’s car seats and print newspapers; books, excluding magazines, sales catalogues, some colouring books, books designed for writing in and more; Christmas trees as well as other decorative trees; many food and beverages found at the grocery store; restaurant meals; video-game consoles and select children’s toys. 

The full list of items, which outlines specific exclusions, can be found in the Government of Canada’s news release on the holiday. 

The news release outlines the significance of the proposed legislation especially in relation to the ever-rising cost of groceries, which has been one of the more noticeable consequences of the rising cost of living in Canada. 

The two-month tax break promises to make “essentially all food GST/HST free” so all Canadians can benefit from the government’s efforts to bring down daily costs. 

The news release also outlines that the GST/HST costs would be relieved on the importation of any of the covered items if they are imported during the two months in which the tax break will take effect. 

The tax break would be automatically applied to any of these goods at the register, so there will be no tax on the final price. 

There were mixed reactions to the proposed bill in Parliament. Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, warned that his party would be voting against the bill. 

Poilievre said the bill is only coming from desperation on behalf of Trudeau, who has “lost control but [is] trying to hold on to power.” 

He went on to call the bill an “irresponsible and inflationist […] tax trick” and said that his party will not show their support of it in Parliament. 

The Bloc Québécois sided with the Conservative Party and agreed that they were not supporting the bill, calling it an effort for “the Liberal government […] to buy votes.” 

Despite the Bloc and Conservative’s opposition toward the GST holiday, the bill was passed by a majority in the House of Commons on Nov. 28, bringing it closer to being passed through into law. 

Bill C-78 must still pass through the Senate for it to occur this month. If passed, the tax holiday will take effect from Dec. 14 to Feb. 15, 2025. 

U.S. president-elect Donald Trump threatened to increase his planned tariff on Canadian goods to 25 per cent, leading to prompt meetings with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in an attempt to facilitate negotiations. 

On Nov. 25, Trump made a post on the Truth Social platform outlining his plans to charge Mexico and Canada with a 25 per cent tariff on goods that enter the United States. 

In the post, Trump said that the tariff will be “one of [his] many first Executive Orders” to be signed on Jan. 20 when the presidential transfer of power occurs. 

Trump cited the “ridiculous open borders” where the U.S. connects to Canada and Mexico as a reason for the tariff, saying that the countries allow the flow of illicit substances, “in particular fentanyl,” as well as “illegal aliens” into the U.S. 

He said that the two countries have the “absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem” and said that the increased tariff will be the solution. 

If Trump instates the 25 per cent tariff, experts suggest it will be economically costly for Canada. 

The threat has already begun to ensue chaos in Canada, with impacts being seen in the dropping value of Canadian currency as the government considers their next move. 

Ian Lee, an associate professor at the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University, told CBC News that the threat “is just completely bad news” and could have overwhelming impacts on the Canadian economy. 

He noted that two-thirds of Canada’s GDP is dependent on trade and that the U.S. is Canada’s most significant trade relationship, emphasizing the possible catastrophe that could come from added costs. 

Many Canadian politicians also showed concern to Trump’s proposed tariff. 

In a post on X, Premier Doug Ford called the proposed tariff “devastating,” asking Trudeau to facilitate a “Team Canada” response and urgently craft a plan forward. 

Trudeau mirrored this response, deciding to meet with Trump on Nov. 29 in West Palm Beach, Florida, to discuss the proposed tariff. 

Trudeau commented that he and Trump had “an excellent conversation,” but did not say whether the 25 per cent tariff was off the table. 

Trump echoed Trudeau’s sentiment in a post on Truth Social where he described the meeting as “very productive.” Trump said the two discussed the drug crisis, illegal immigration, Fair Trade Deals with American workers in mind and the trade deficit between the two countries, among other topics important to the relationship between the U.S. and Canada which Trump plans to address during “and before” his time in office. 

Trump said that Trudeau “made a commitment to work with [the U.S.] to end [the] terrible devastation of U.S. families” as a result of the drug crisis. 

Despite the lack of resolution on the topic of the 25 per cent tariff, the seemingly positive state of Canada-U.S. relations signals some optimism in preventing a decision that professionals agree could only do harm to both the trade relationship between Canada and the U.S. as well as Canada’s economy.