The role of a university is unique among public institutions. Instead of providing a single service to public users, they exist to establish a space, culture, and work that supports processes of discovery, advancement and challenging existing knowledge for the betterment of society.
Student activists almost come to expect September's flow of sexist and misogynist episodes, which is why student union campaigns are extremely important. However, back to school this year gave activists a painful reminder that violent hate for women and feminists still exist.
When a process is stuck half way through, it is usually a good idea to take a step back and start from the beginning.
This week, the global refugee crisis broke through the noise to become the focus, and not just for Canadian media and politicians. Across Canada, people have had to confront the dangerous reality faced by refugees fleeing their homelands, and the fact that North American and European governments are not doing nearly enough.
The debate around copyright can seem confusing. That these issues are often discussed in complex (and boring) court proceedings or complex (and boring) trade agreements makes it all the more difficult to engage the public at-large. But, make no mistake, these are critically important issues established at a global level through secret agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement.
What's Left This Week will be producing a multi-part series on the different ways in which the education sector in Canada is being privatized, with a focus on universities. Also this week, features on copyright, union organizing and migrant rights.
With the prospect that the Conservatives could lose this federal election and be replaced by a left-wing NDP government, it is important to start considering the legal changes that should be made to better protect Canadian workers.
Factory farms have become a fixture in capitalist food production. Capitalists ignore the rights of animals and factory farms use genetic manipulation and oppressive conditions to turn animals into meat, egg and milk producing machines.
Two features this week. A brief agenda for labour law reform & Factory farms bad for animals, bad for people, bad for the planet. Plus, some light summer reading recommendations.
While private financiers and apolitical, middle-class thirty-somethings love to take Uber cabs because there's lots of cool buzz, governments and workers are not so enamoured. While it can sometimes cost less and seem more convenient, the 'disruptive' (illegal) practices of Uber have been shown to undermine regulation, eliminate wage floors for cab drivers, and encourage other exploitive and unregulated services.
