The women and gender-diverse individuals with informed opinions that we’ve trained, inspired or supported have published hundreds of commentaries in daily newspapers and prominent online sites, generating additional interview requests and exposure as a result. Here are just some of the analyses they’ve contributed as a result:
Give the gift of presence and love during the holidays
The Conversation Canada by Nikki Martyn 20 December 2022
The holidays are a time for family, connection and love.
Canada’s immigration policy is at a crossroads
Policy Options by Daniel Béland, Jennifer Elrick and Mireille Paquet 19 December 2022
In Canada, immigration policy remains a hot topic.
Canada needs to plan for a steep decline in oil demand, or risk getting left behind
The Hill Times by Aaron Cosbey and Angela Carter 12 December 2022
Here’s a foreboding story for Canada’s oil patch.
Human Rights Abuses in Tigray Need Global Action
Newsweek by Sarah Teich and Enes Kanter Freedom 07 December 2022
Last week marked the two-year anniversary of the Axum massacre in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, where Eritrean forces killed hundreds of Tigrayans over the course of 24 hours.
Strengthen Bill S-5 to make Canada’s environmental protection law more just
The Hill Times by Jane McArthur 01 December 2022
From controversies about COVID-19 protections to legislative actions around education and health workers to concerns about inflation and food costs, there is no shortage of critical issues that have captured our attention.
Forward on workplace inclusion
The Hamilton Spectator by Julie Cafley 01 December 2022
I recently had an opportunity to encourage hundreds of Canada’s business leaders to consider their contribution toward more inclusive workplaces.
The federal dental plan may fall short of expectations
Policy Options by Jennifer Robson, Tammy Schirle and Lindsay Tedds 01 December 2022
Now that Bill C-31 has received Royal Assent, some Canadian families will soon want to apply for the interim federal Canada Dental Benefit created by the legislation.
Rachel Notley, Danielle Smith and Alberta’s huge political gender gap
CBC News by Melanee Thomas 27 November 2022
In about six months, two powerhouse female politicians will go head to head to decide who will lead the province for the next four years.
Justice on the front lines of the climate emergency
Canada’s National Observer by Ineza Umuhoza Grace and Anjum Sultana 18 November 2022
It has been a difficult year for children around the world, particularly girls.
Soaring cost of living highlights urgent need to tackle housing affordability
Vancouver Sun by Iglika Ivanova and Alex Hemingway 17 November 2022
Affordability has long been a concern for residents of Metro Vancouver — a region notorious for stratospheric housing costs — but with inflation shooting up to a 40-year high this year, the cost of living has become a much more pressing worry for many.
Preventing use of the notwithstanding clause is a bad idea — and unnecessary
The Conversation by Kerri Froc 14 November 2022
During the Cold War era, American military strategists thought the Soviet Union would be deterred from dropping a nuclear bomb on North America only if the United States also built up sufficient nuclear weapons capable of annihilating the Soviets.
Why a workplace strategy for menopause matters
The Toronto Star by Julie Cafley 27 October 2022
We need to talk about menopause.
What Parliament refused to hear about Canada’s new extreme intoxication law
The Conversation by Kerri Froc 18 October 2022
In case you missed it, and if you blinked you probably did, Parliament passed Bill C-28 in June 2022.
Does the global consensus on refusing to pay ransoms to terrorists make sense?
The Globe and Mail by Jessica Davis and Alex Wilner 14 October 2022
When terrorist groups kidnap aid workers, humanitarians, diplomats, tourists and others, the outcome for victims is usually bleak: years of neglect at the hands of their captors, and – if they’re lucky – release only after their families or governments pay a ransom demand.
Stop running from the problem: prevent breast cancer by reducing toxic chemicals
The Toronto Star by Jane MacArthur, Jennifer Beeman and Cassie Barker 11 October 2022
How far do women have to run before we stop getting breast cancer in the first place?
Fiona further exposes income erosion in Nova Scotia
Saltwire by Christine Saulnier 03 October 2022
For many Nova Scotians, life is a constant struggle; the challenge to make ends meet is even tougher this year because of the rising cost of living.
Why women get fewer promotions than men
The Globe and Mail by Jennifer Reynolds 28 September 2022
According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Canada’s wage gap sits at 16.7 per cent – the seventh worst of 38 OECD countries.
How helping others during major life transitions could be a path to greater well-being
The Conversation by Lara Aknin and Tiara Cash 26 September 2022
Nearly 2.5 million students began post-secondary education in Canada this September.
Data has so much power to influence outcomes, so why are women often left out?
The Globe and Mail by Jennifer Reynolds 14 September 2022
As we begin to head back to the office, most women will be pulling warm sweaters and wraps out of the closet to shelter from the arctic office temperatures that prevail in our workplaces.
A bridge to nowhere: Natural gas will not lead Canada to a sustainable energy future
The Conversation by Amy Janzwood and Heather Millar 11 September 2022
The Canadian government has used Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the removal of Russian natural gas exports to justify increasing natural gas production in Canada.
It’s not all coffee shops and hipsters: what we get wrong about gentrification
The Guardian by Leslie Kern 04 September 2022
On a trip to Mexico City, a bus tour whisks me through neighbourhoods teeming with cool cafes, elegant wine bars and stylish twentysomethings.
Cutting Off Financing for the Next Capitol Insurrection
Lawfare by Jessica Davis and Elena Martynova 28 August 2022
The attack at the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021, wasn’t cheap.
How Québec’s Bill 21 could be vanquished by a rarely used Charter provision
The Conversation by Kerri Froc 23 August 2022
This November, the Québec Court of Appeal will hear an appeal of Hak v. Attorney General of Québec on the constitutionality of Bill 21, which prohibits public service workers from wearing religious symbols.
Canadians deserve high-quality care, but non-profit hiring crisis is standing in the way
The Toronto Star by Pamela Uppal 22 August 2022
We’ve all heard about the crisis in health care, but what most Canadians don’t know is that this crisis is being driven, in part, by an unprecedented labour crisis in our non-profit community care sector.
The life cycle of plastic is a death spiral
Canada’s National Observer by Jane McArthur and Honour Stahl 18 August 2022
Who doesn’t regard plastic as a necessity of modern living?
Canada’s investments in tech entrepreneurship are paying off and we need to keep up the momentum
The Toronto Star by Mary Wells 16 August 2022
When I graduated with a bachelor of engineering from McGill in 1987, the best engineering students went to big Canadian companies like Pratt and Whitney, IBM, Nortel, CAE Industries, Dofasco and Alcan.
It is Amnesty International and Russia, not Ukraine, that are putting civilian lives at risk
The National Post by Sarah Teich and Shuvaloy Majumdar 12 August 2022
Last week, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine passed its 160th day, Amnesty International published a report accusing Ukrainian forces of unlawfully endangering the lives of their civilians.
Why shouldn’t hockey parents pay into a victims’ compensation fund?
The Globe and Mail by Elaine Craig 10 August 2022
There are many reasons why Hockey Canada’s reported handling of sexual assault allegations should leave us feeling disgusted. But compensation for the victims should not be on the list.
The Toronto Star by Sarah Teich, Daniel Eisen and Mehmet Tohti 25 July 2022
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is committing mass atrocity crimes and grave human rights violations against the Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang/East Turkestan.
Abortion services have improved in Atlantic Canada
Saltwire by Martha Paynter 21 July 2022
The overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States has caused many Canadians to worry about access to abortion in Canada, particularly in the Atlantic provinces, where access has historically been challenging.
Political parties are failing on diversity
The Hamilton Spectator by Erin Tolley 03 July 2022
Recent elections have resulted in increases in the number of women, racialized and Indigenous people holding political office in Canada.
It’s time to fix the rules of the electoral game and widen the pool of players
The Toronto Star by Amanda Bittner 03 July 2022
So, you want to run for politics, but you are worried about the financial costs of taking time off work to campaign.
The Saturday Debate: Should extremely intoxicated people be legally responsible for their actions?
The Toronto Star by Elizabeth Sheehy 02 July 2022
The criminal law must respond to the extremely intoxicated offender.
What the truck? The ‘freedom convoy’ protesters are heading back to Ottawa
The Conversation by Fiona MacDonald 30 June 2022
July 1 marks the first in-person Canada Day celebrations in the nation’s capital since 2019.
Roe v. Wade: Canada can respond to U.S. bans by improving access to abortion care here
The Conversation by Martha Paynter 26 June 2022
As an abortion care provider in Canada, I feel deep solidarity with colleagues south of the border and terror for their patients after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that the U.S. Constitution afforded protection to the right to abortion.
Staffing crisis in the non-profit sector
The Winnipeg Free Press by Cathy Taylor 21 June 2022
Non-profits across this country are at the forefront of helping communities survive and thrive.
Continuing with remote participation can make Parliament more inclusive
The Toronto Star by Erica Rayment and Melanee Thomas 20 June 2022
After two years of pandemic-enforced remote work, many workplaces across Canada are determining the ideal balance between in-person and remote work.
Canada is shirking its responsibility to Afghans by hiding behind counterterrorism financing laws
The Globe and Mail by Jessica Davis 20 June 2022
The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan precipitated an economic crisis in the country, largely because the group is widely recognized as a terrorist organization by the international community.
When health care goes wrong: It’s time for transparency in patient safety
The Conversation by Fiona MacDonald, , , and 16 June 2022
The COVID-19 crisis has both divided and galvanized Canadians on health care.
U.S. facing ‘summer of rage’ over abortion
The Winnipeg Free Press by Joanne Wright 16 June 2022
American pro-choice advocates are promising a “Summer of Rage” in response to the leak of a draft Supreme Court decision that may overturn Roe v. Wade — the landmark case that made women’s right to choose abortion legal in the United States.
Canada’s Arctic is warming faster than expected
The Hill Times by Diane Beckett 13 June 2022
Hudson Bay, second in size only to the Bay of Bengal, brings the Arctic deep into Canada.
Women and racialized political candidates are being set up to fail
The Globe and Mail by Erin Tolley 13 June 2022
Recent elections have resulted in more women, racialized and Indigenous people holding political office in Canada.
The House of Commons should continue to be a hybrid workplace, even after the pandemic
The Globe and Mail by Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant 10 June 2022
For nearly two years, the Canadian House of Commons has used a hybrid model, meaning parliamentarians can attend in-person or by video teleconferencing for House sittings and voting.
Canada’s supply chains have a forced labour problem. Are we ready to seriously act?
The Globe and Mail by Genevieve Lebaron and Priscilla Fisher 07 June 2022
We think of Canada as a beacon for human rights.
What are Canada’s options in Ukraine?
Policy Options by Nicole Jackson 06 June 2022
Whether or not you think it’s time for Canada to push for peace in Ukraine, it’s definitely time to clarify the aims, benefits and limits of its responses.
The Globe and Mail by Thomas Homer-Dixon and Robin Cox 06 June 2022
Chicago, 1995. Paris, 2003. Adelaide, 2009. Moscow, 2010.
Acts of kindness did not decline during the pandemic. In fact, they have risen
The Toronto Star by Lara Aknin and John Helliwell 03 June 2022
If you dropped your wallet on a sidewalk, would a stranger return it?
3 ways Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine is affecting the former Soviet region
The Conversation by Nicole Jackson 31 May 2022
The war in Ukraine is dividing the former Soviet region, making it poorer and less secure. Russia will take advantage of this.
More women in politics would help safeguard access to abortion
The Toronto Star by Katie Davey 23 May 2022
I remember sitting in the back seat of my dad’s truck, driving around Saint John when I was 12.
Supreme Court of Canada ruling a setback for women
The Toronto Star by Elizabeth Sheehy, Isabel Grant and Kerri Froc 13 May 2022
The Supreme Court of Canada decisions in R v Brown and R v Sullivan and Chan, released on Friday, mark a sad day for Canadian women.
Unlocking youth prosperity needs to be a ballot box issue in the Ontario election
The Toronto Star by Anjum Sultana 13 May 2022
It’s not easy being 22 in 2022.
China must not hamper visit by UN rights boss to Uyghur region
The Ottawa Citizen by Sarah Teich and Mehmet Tohti 11 May 2022
The United Nations is finally gaining access to the Uyghur region.
‘The air we breathe, I don’t feel like I have any control over that’
Canada’s National Observer by Jane MacArthur 09 May 2022
With continuing controversy over the federal government’s fossil fuel subsidies, provinces’ climate and emission plans are also being scrutinized.
Here’s why Canada needs more moms in politics
Ottawa Citizen by Amanda Kingsley Malo 06 May 2022
It’s time to elect more moms.
Why Canadians should care about the leaked SCOTUS opinion overturning Roe v. Wade
CBC News by Kerri Froc 06 May 2022
The U.S. Supreme Court’s draft opinion on Roe v. Wade, written by Justice Samuel Alito, would overturn a women’s right to abortion in American law and essentially declare it “open season” for states to make any laws restricting abortion, no matter how draconian.
As Canada’s demographics shift, it’s time to embrace ‘Age Liberation’
Ottawa Citizen by Helen Hirsh Spence 05 May 2022
The world is on the precipice of a new revolution.
We must not allow stateless people to be made outsiders
The Globe and Mail by Jamie Chai Yun Liew 29 April 2022
Growing up, my immigrant father used long-winded lectures to punish me.
Quebec’s Liberal party is playing politics with my son’s education
Ottawa Citizen by Kelly Nolan 28 April 2022
A Liberal Party of Québec amendment to the province’s Bill 96, the controversial overhaul of French-language laws, could force anglophone CEGEP students to take three core courses in French or three French-language courses starting in 2023.
From despair to hope: It’s time for a guaranteed livable basic income
National Observer by Leah Gazan and Kim Pate 28 April 2022
Our social safety net is broken.
The mayor’s office shouldn’t be a men’s club — but where are all the women?
Toronto Star by Erin Tolley 18 April 2022
The mayor’s office shouldn’t be a men’s club.
Report shows racialized women bearing brunt of pandemic stress
Toronto Star by Reyhana Patel 04 April 2022
Two years have passed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and not surprisingly, it’s taken a big toll on our physical and mental health.
Let’s improve environmental justice
The Hamilton Spectator by Cassie Barker and Jane McArthur 31 March 2022
The federal government has a lot of environmental promises to fulfil between now and 2025.
A rights-based approach can address environmental threats to Canadians
The National Observer by Tara Scurr, Ingrid Waldron, Jane McArthur, Naolo Charles, Peter Wood and Kristian Ferreira 30 March 2022
We face one of the biggest human rights crises in history, presented by a triple environmental threat: climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution.
Creating space for women pays off
The Winnipeg Free Press by Susan Franceschet 23 March 2022
Three powerful women in charge of finance, defence and foreign affairs frame the Canadian Prime Minister during press conferences.
Adding fungi to soil may introduce invasive species, threatening ecosystems
The Conversation by Miranda Hart 21 March 2022
Invasive, alien species are bad for ecosystems.
Admit it, you don’t know what CEPA reform means
National Observer by Jane McArthur 18 March 2022
Admit it. You hate having to say, “I don’t know.”
Canada must hold foreign fighters accountable for their crimes
iPolitics by Sarah Teich and David Matas 10 March 2022
Human-rights violations don’t just involve victims; they also involve perpetrators.
Is Canada’s welcome to fleeing Ukrainians a new era of refugee policy?
The Conversation by Adèle Garnier, Jamie Liew and Shauna Labman 09 March 2022
In less than two weeks, more than two million people have fled Ukraine following the Russian invasion.
Destruction of homes a war crime
The Toronto Star by Bree Akesson and Andrew R. Basso 07 March 2022
In just the first 10 days of the 2022 Russian assault on Ukraine, tens of thousands of homes across the country have been deliberately targeted by Russian forces and left either severely damaged or completely destroyed.
After two years in a pandemic, mothers expressing rage are harnessing their power
The Conversation by Amanda Watson 07 March 2022
Mothering during the pandemic has been covered extensively — from issues of economic hardship, to untenable caregiving responsibilities, acute and ongoing strains on maternal mental health, a swelling mental load and a shadow pandemic of male violence against women.
Protesters need to understand: Canada’s Charter is not the U.S. Bill of Rights
The Globe and Mail by Martha Jackman 22 February 2022
What are we to make of the fact that Canadian protesters in front of Parliament and before the courts are demanding their U.S. constitutional rights?
The ‘freedom convoy’ protesters are a textbook case of ‘aggrieved entitlement’
The Conversation by Fiona MacDonald 16 February 2022
It’s clear the so-called “freedom convoy” is speaking to something much bigger than vaccine mandates.
Meditation won’t fix environmental, public health problems
National Observer by Jane McArthur 11 February 2022
Scrolling the news, I came across an article encouraging self-care as an antidote to the pandemic.
No good reason for Ontario to delay signing child-care agreement
Policy Options by Susan Prentice and Lisa Pasolli 11 February 2022
All Ontarians – not just parents of young children – should welcome Ottawa’s national child-care policy and urge the province to sign on.
Canada’s tool kit for dealing with foreign interference is dangerously limited
The Globe and Mail by Akshay Singh and Jessica Davis 11 February 2022
The global threat of foreign interference activities is high – and Canada is not immune to this threat.
Truck convoy — Ottawans need to step up against white supremacy
Ottawa Citizen by Amy Ede and Amanda Parriag 04 February 2022
The capital city, site of national pomp and ceremony, parks and festivals, is having a crisis of identity.
‘But did he hit you?’ The parallels between the ‘Freedom Convoy’ and domestic violence
Ottawa Citizen by Kaitlin Geiger-Bardswich 04 February 2022
Since Saturday, residents of downtown Ottawa have been under siege from a “freedom convoy” of protesters who have been anything but peaceful.
Gondek vs. Kenney: Competing visions of Alberta’s energy future
CBC by Melanee Thomas and 01 February 2022
In her recent editorial board meeting with CBC News, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek conceded that energy transition “sometimes comes with a lot of pain and angst.”
Racial tokenism: What happened to Miranda in the ‘Sex and the City’ reboot?
The Conversation by Jamie
I was eager to see what the Sex and the City (SATC) franchise had to offer in its new series And Just Like That…
Toronto Star by Reyhana Patel 27 January 2022
Every year on the anniversary of the Quebec City mosque shooting, I am reminded of my visits with the families of the six victims who continue to endure the consequences of deeply rooted hatred for Muslims.
The Conversation by Dayna Nadine Scott 26 January 2022
In the vast peatlands of Ontario’s James Bay Lowlands, a new region-wide approach to considering the potential impacts of northern mining development is dangerously close to sliding completely off the rails.
Helen Naslund appeal offers a look into how justice system fails women who kill their abusers
Toronto Star by Elizabeth Sheehy 13 January 2022
More than 30 years ago, the Supreme Court of Canada expanded self-defence for battered women who kill in R. v. Lavallee, and yet advocates are still fighting for justice for abused women.
COVID-19 vaccine mandates would likely face legal hurdles in Canada
The Conversation by Hilary Young 13 January 2022
Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos wants provinces to make vaccination mandatory.
Hacking the activists fighting for human rights
iPolitics by Sarah Teich and Mehmet Tohti 12 January 2022
Last month, a landmark case went before the Federal Court of Canada.
Federal law banning conversion therapy is the first step toward dismantling heteronormative views
Ottawa Citizen by Sumaya Sherif 07 January 2022
It has been long overdue. Conversion therapy practice is now a criminal offence.
Pandemic proving disastrous for women in Nova Scotia federal prison
The Cape Breton Post by Martha Paynter 07 January 2022
The news that 49 people (24 prisoners, at least 25 staff) have now tested positive for COVID-19 at the Nova Institution for Women, a federal prison in Truro, brings a nightmare we foresaw in March 2020 into reality.
Forced evacuation of pregnant Indigenous women must stop
Toronto Star by Carolina Maass 04 January 2022
Pregnant Indigenous women are being forced to travel hundreds of kilometres to give birth alone and away from their communities.
AI-powered chatbots, designed ethically, can support high-quality university teaching
The Conversation by Nadia Naffi, Ann-Louise Davidson, Auxane Boch, Bruno and
While COVID-19 forced an emergency transformation to online learning at universities, learning how to teach efficiently and effectively online using different platforms and tools is a positive addition to education and is here to stay.
After a big year for cryptocurrencies, what’s on the horizon in 2022?
The Conversation by Erica Pimentel, Bertrand Malsch and Nathaniel Loh 13 December 2021
The year 2021 was marked by several major breakthroughs for cryptocurrencies.
We can’t wait any longer for modern environmental protection
iPolitics by Elaine MacDonald, Tim Gray, Jane McArthur, Lisa Gue and Jennifer Beeman 13 December 2021
The Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) is Canada’s cornerstone environmental law, but it was last updated more than 20 years ago and is showing its age.
The Canada Health Act is failing people with mental illness
Ottawa Citizen by Yasmin Khaliq 03 December 2021
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association one in five Canadians is currently living with mental illness.
Time to ban cosmetic pesticides in Edmonton
Edmonton Journal by Raquel Feroe, Jane McArthur and Rod Olstad 26 November 2021
“Pesticides are approved by Health Canada so they’re safe.” If only that were true.
Connecting the dots on climate health
National Observer by Jane McArthur and Anjali Helferty 23 November 2021
Try to remember the last time you did a connect-the-dots puzzle. You were probably a child.
Lessons from COP26 for a Just and Effective Transition
The Tyee by Christina Hoicka 15 November 2021
Globally, we need to transition away from fossil fuels, which are responsible for 80 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.
Overtime at COP26: Toward a Common Future
Policy Magazine by Velma McColl 12 November 2021
As I write, negotiations have gone into overtime in Glasgow, extended into the weekend rather than ending on Friday.
Paying a living wage key to Canada’s post-COVID economic recovery
The Toronto Star by
The cost of living in Canada is on the rise and for workers earning low wages, making ends meet continues to be a struggle.
COP26 Midpoint: Even Doing Better Than Ever, We Can Still Do Better
Policy Magazine by Velma McColl 05 November 2021
We’re at the midway point of COP26 in Glasgow. Some 130 global leaders have come and gone and put their best cards on the table.
Corporate Knights by Christina Hoicka 03 November 2021
As a researcher of just transitions in energy, I have made my way to the UN’s climate summit, COP26, in Glasgow with the University of Victoria delegation.
COVID taught us the government must protect the environment
iPolitics by Jane McArthur 03 November 2021
Yes, we’re all tired of hearing it, but it bears repeating: Many lessons can be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why do we need a diverse government? Because it’s 2021
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 31 October 2021
When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau assembled his first cabinet after the 2015 election, his priority was to have a cabinet “that looks like Canada.”
COP26: Getting past the ‘Blah Blah Blah’ and to Net Zero by 2050
Policy Magazine by Velma McColl 29 October 2021
Climate change is a human problem.
Many Albertans still fine with an oil-and-gas future
Policy Options by Brooks DeCillia, Melanee Thomas and Lori Thorlakson 29 October 2021
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney continues to bet big on Alberta’s oil and gas industry.
Canada needs a gender-responsive pandemic preparedness plan
Policy Options by Julia Smith and Alice Mũrage 27 October 2021
COVID-19 put Canada’s pandemic preparedness to the test, not only in grappling with the primary impacts of illness and deaths, but also in responding to the secondary effects on millions of Canadians, which were sustained and gendered.
Spirit photography captured love, loss and longing
The Conversation by Felicity Hamer 26 October 2021
Photography has always had a relationship to haunting as it shows not what is, but what once was.
The Conversation by Yuan Stevens 20 October 2021
In the wake of the leaks by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, at least one thing remains clear: social media companies cannot be left to their own devices for addressing harmful content online.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month deserves action, not ‘blah, blah blah’
National Observer by Jane McArthur 18 October 2021
Let’s be honest. It was shocking when Greta Thunberg at the pre-COP26 event Youth4Climate boldly described the 30 years of climate promises as “blah, blah, blah.”
‘Premier Yes’ needs better policy, not just TV ads, to win over constituents
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 17 October 2021
For many of us, gratitude was the theme for this past Thanksgiving weekend.
The banality of online toxicity
Policy Options by Maite Taboada 08 October 2021
Online discourse can be both shockingly and trivially toxic.
Few steps forward on diversity in Canada’s election results
The Ottawa Citizen by Fiona MacDonald and Jeanette Ashe 04 October 2021
Much post-election analysis has focused on how Canadians have ended up with a minority Parliament that is effectively similar to what we had before.
Equity and diversity were shamefully ignored during the election
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 03 October 2021
While pandemic recovery, gun control, and even puppies took centre stage during the federal election, we failed to seize the opportunity to hold our leaders accountable on equity issues.
Spirit photography: 19th-century innovation in bereavement rituals was likely invented by a woman
The Conversation by Felicity Hamer 29 September 2021
Spirit photography was an important development within bereavement rituals of the early 1860s.
The Conversation by Petra Molnar 27 September 2021
On the Greek island of Samos you can swim in the same sea where refugees are drowning.
How to empower older adults to become digital citizens in our tech-dependent world
The Conversation by , and
Living in a technology dependent world means we all want to stay connected, regardless of age.
Canada is stuck in a state of carbon lock-in – here’s how we can reverse that
Corporate Knights by Christina Hoicka 21 September 2021
As the dust settles on Canada’s federal election, we can see clearly that climate change was top of mind for many voters.
By punishing Trudeau’s Liberals for an unwanted election, we only hurt ourselves
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 20 September 2021
Canadians have historically used elections to punish or reward political parties, and this one may be no exception — polls suggest the Liberals and Conservatives are virtually tied in a two-horse race.
The Conversation by Benoît Gomis, Julianne Piper and Kelley Lee 13 September 2021
As the 2021 federal election winds down, a fourth wave of COVID-19 is underway amid further easing of restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers.
The Conservatives’ child care plan will help poorer families but reinforce regional inequity
Policy Options by Gillian Petit, Lindsay Tedds and Tammy Schirle 10 September 2021
One day into the 2021 federal election campaign, the Conservative Party of Canada released its full election platform.
Don’t equate sex work with human trafficking
The Chronicle Herald by Meredith Ralston 08 September 2021
An article in your Aug. 21 edition, “Centre providing support to victims,” states that Nova Scotia has the highest rate of human trafficking in Canada.
Canada Election 2021 is about showing up for women
The Georgia Straight by Jasmine Ramze Rezaee 06 September 2021
The world has changed dramatically since the 2019 federal election.
Time to ask candidates what their party will do to strengthen Calgary charities and non-profits
Calgary Herald by Sue Tomney and Bruce MacDonald 30 August 2021
Here in Calgary, like elsewhere in Canada, this federal election is like no other.
Tokenistic photo ops are no longer enough in this election campaign
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 29 August 2021
This campaign feels a bit strange for me.
MoneySense by Alexandra Macqueen 26 August 2021
As affordability and the rising cost of living shape up to be significant themes in September’s federal election, all three major political parties have come out with proposals to reduce the cost of childcare for Canadians.
The desexualization of OnlyFans is not only sex workers’ problem
The Globe and Mail by Meredith Ralston 25 August 2021
OnlyFans, a website that allows its estimated two million content creators to sell pictures and videos directly to fans via a paid subscription model, announced on Aug. 19 it will ban the very material on which it primarily made its name and money.
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 22 August 2021
With the federal election in full swing, the race is on to capture the hearts — and the votes — of Generation Z.
Mitigating the Pandemic Effects on Future STEM Workforce
The Canadian Business Journal by Mary Wells 21 August 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing full and partial lockdowns that swept across Canada and the world have had unprecedented effects on education.
What will the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan mean for global terrorism?
The Globe and Mail by Jessica Davis 17 August 2021
The speed and decisiveness of the Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan is a humanitarian, human rights and international counterterrorism disaster.
Vaccine booster nationalism is selfish and reckless
Toronto Star by Roojin Habibi 16 August 2021
Over the past year, wealthy countries like Canada have contributed to a growing vaccine apartheid: 83 per cent of the 4.5 billion COVID-19 jabs administered have gone to people in high- and upper-middle-income countries, while 99 per cent of people in low-income countries have yet to receive even a single dose.
Mental health of refugees in Canada calls for urgent attention
The Hill Times by Rukhsana Ahmed 11 August 2021
To various extents, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the deterioration of the mental health of many people in Canada.
Why it makes good business sense to hire people with disabilities
The Conversation by Catherine Connelly 8 August 2021
Managers sometimes assume that hiring employees who live with disabilities will be more expensive. They worry that these employees will perform at a lower level, be absent more often, need expensive accommodations and will then quit.
The Conversation by Catherine Carstairs 5 August 2021
As our minds turn to back-to-school, it is urgent to increase Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination rates among young people.
Notwithstanding the notwithstanding clause, the Charter is everyone’s business
The Conversation by Kerri Froc 26 July 2019
Canadian politicians are beginning to use the Constitution’s notwithstanding clause more than ever expected, raising questions about when it’s legitimate to override rights guaranteed by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
The future of work in Ontario is at a crossroads. Will we ensure decent employment for all?
Toronto Star by Jasmine Ramze Rezaee 26 July 2021
As we recover from the worst of the pandemic, it is clear Ontario’s economic rebound is top of mind for the provincial government. It is, after all, the focus of not one but two recently struck governmental bodies.
As COVID-19 restrictions lift, grief literacy can help us support those around us
The Conversation by Susan Cadell 19 July 2021
COVID-19 has brought about many losses and many deaths. The number of deaths worldwide has reached almost four million, and 26,000 of those deaths are in Canada.
Health workers must help write a happy ending for Canada’s environmental protection law
National Observer by Jane McArthur 15 July 2021
We may not think of doctors and other health professionals as storytellers. At the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), we are helping write a happy ending to the prolonged story of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) update.
Evidence suggests there was no benefit to Ontario closing its schools
Toronto Star by Elizabeth Dhuey 7 July 2021
Among all the debates around our reaction to the pandemic, few have been as fraught as the question of school closures. This was for good reason — education serves as the very foundation of a liberal democratic society.
Will COVID-19 vaccination enthusiasm last? Lessons from polio and H1N1
The Conversation by Catherine Carstairs 30 June 2021
Canadian enthusiasm for COVID-19 vaccination is impressive. After repeated lockdowns, long separations from friends and family and economic losses, Canadians are lining up overnight at pop-up clinics and crashing websites with their eagerness to book appointments.
Oh, Canada! We have a racism problem
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 27 June 2021
We like to think that Canada is a multicultural country.
Anti-SLAPP laws help keep frivolous lawsuits out of the courts, but not every province has them
The Conversation by Hilary Young 20 June 2021
On a recent episode of the podcast The Construction Life, a host and guest were joking about whistling at “a sexy woman on the street” and pretending to grab at her. Carpenter Natasha Fritz then asked to come on the show to talk about sexual harassment in the construction industry.
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 13 June 2021
Muslims are angry; we are grieving.
School closures have been hard on students and the economy
Toronto Star by Elizabeth Dhuey & Kelly Gallagher-Mackay 10 June 2021
Many will be relieved as shops and patios reopen this weekend, and turn their mind towards a summer with fewer constraints: not just seeing family and friends, but a broader reopening of the economy.
More transparency is needed on decisions about terrorism charges
The Globe & Mail by Jessica Davis 10 June 2021
The news of the attack on a Muslim family in London, Ont., has left Canadians grappling with many troubling questions.
Jokes about Mayor John Tory’s hair are funny, but his mane is a symptom of an industry in crisis
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 30 May 2021
Toronto Mayor John Tory’s hair crisis has been a topic of discussion for weeks.
How to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake and decrease vaccine hesitancy in young people
The Conversation by Tracie Afifi 27 May 2021
Ending the coronavirus pandemic rests partly on a large uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, with the goal of reaching herd immunity. Recently in Canada, the age for vaccine eligibility has been decreasing to include young adults and adolescents.
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 16 May 2021
I have been watching a lot of superhero movies lately, perhaps because I’m hoping a caped crusader will come to Ontario and save us from the mess we’re in.
Hamas’ use of human shields is a war crime
Toronto Sun by Sarah Teich 13 May 2021
The use of civilians as human shields is a war crime. This is well-established in international law. However, despite the global consensus, innocent civilians continue to be used as human shields.
CBC poll: Looking beyond the stereotypes of rural Albertans and pandemic restrictions
CBC by Melanee Thomas 12 May 2021
It is mighty tempting to look at the current state of COVID-19 in Alberta and conclude that rural Albertans are particularly resistant to public health guidelines designed to mitigate the disease.
The new sexual assault training law is a meaningless political gesture
The Globe & Mail by Elizabeth Sheehy & Elaine Craig 11 May 2021
Persistent gaps in judges’ knowledge about Canada’s sexual assault law have provoked a crisis of public confidence in the criminal justice system’s handling of sexual assault allegations. Unfortunately, the federal government’s solution, the recently passed Bill C-3, is not remotely capable of delivering its promises to sexual assault survivors.
How pandemic’s superheroes are using social innovation to help mitigate the crisis
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 02 May 2021
When Gotham City has a problem it can’t handle, Batman steps in.
Canada underfunds its ability to hold war criminals to account
Troy Media by Sarah Teich 28 April 2021
Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland recently delivered the country’s first federal budget in two years. As Canadians spend the coming days and weeks analyzing the country’s economic recovery plan, one department that merits particular attention is the Department of Justice’s War Crimes Section.
Watchdog report into RCMP investigation of Colten Boushie’s death confirms police racism
The Conversation by Michelle Stewart 28 April 2021
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all counts in the murder of George Floyd on April 20. While the verdict was celebrated as justice, many also said the novel guilty verdict does nothing to address the routine nature of police violence.
The Saturday Debate: Should mainstream businesses use cryptocurrencies?
Toronto Star by Lisa Kramer 24 April 2021
It’s not so much a question of “should” — many businesses already are using cryptocurrencies— and one day, all are going to have to, writes journalist and author Ethan Lou. But University of Toronto professor Lisa Kramer argues there are too many problems for companies to side-step at this time to make using crypto payments practical.
Instead of social cohesion, Ford is only creating more envy and frustration with vaccine rollout
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 18 April 2021
The government of Ontario has had a year to prepare for our province’s vaccine rollouts.
In the military and beyond, more women doesn’t mean more equity
The Conversation by Fiona MacDonald & Stephanie Paterson 18 April 2021
In the wake of the #MeToo movement, both public and private institutions are finally grappling with the insidiousness of sexual assault and harassment within their confines.
Doug Ford’s budget fails to deliver on ‘she-covery’
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 04 April 2021
There is no provincial election currently underway in Ontario.
Nova Scotia budget focuses on regaining surpluses, not caring for people
Cape Breton Post by Christine Saulnier 30 March 2021
Upon tabling the first Nova Scotia budget since the COVID-19 pandemic began, our new finance minister said the province was fortunate that we went into the pandemic in “a strong fiscal and economic position.”
Bursting social bubbles after COVID-19 will make cities happier and healthier again
The Conversation by Meg Holden, Atiya Mahmood, 29 March 2021
The public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic introduced the idea of bubbles to our social lives. British Columbia restricted socializing to core bubbles: immediate household members or, for those living alone, a maximum of two people who could be seen regularly.
Toronto Star by Brenda Spotton Visano 27 March 2021
You have to be rich to be poor in Canada, and even more so if you live in Toronto. The high cost of managing your household finances when you are living on the financial edge leaves you no other option. And it’s about to get worse.
Focus on dignified lives, not facilitated deaths
Lawyer’s Daily by Elizabeth Sheehy and Isabel Grant 24 March 2021
Just as Bill C-7 became law last week, Minister of Justice David Lametti tweeted that this new law supports “the building of the Canada we are fighting for,” one with dignity and autonomy for all. One could be forgiven for not recognizing that what Lametti was tweeting about was offering medically assisted suicide to people with disabilities who experience intolerable suffering.
By responding to pandemic in a reactionary manner, our leaders continue to fail our most vulnerable
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 21 March 2021
“We failed the most vulnerable.”
The Conversation by Jamie Liew 19 March 2021
I am heartbroken but I’m not surprised. The targeted killing of eight women in Atlanta, six of them Asian, is a brutal result of decades-long exclusion and oppression, legitimized in law and colonial reverberations, that allow a white-dominated settler society to thrive, justifying differential treatment of racialized migrants.
Ottawa Citizen by Fiona MacDonald 17 March 2021
Watching Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan’s testimony to the House of Commons committee on March 12, we were struck by his insistence that adding more women to the Canadian military was a proven way of challenging toxic masculinity and creating culture change.
Women struggling due to pandemic need meaningful support to help get back on their feet
CBC by Reyhana Patel 17 March 2021
It’s been a year since the first provinces declared states of emergency due to COVID-19, and it’s fair to say the impact of the pandemic has taken a huge toll on all of us.
Quebec needs a Quiet Revolution 2.0
Riochet by Kharoll-Ann Souffrant 15 March 2021
It was one night in 2020. I was sleeping peacefully, in contrast to many restless nights in that first year of COVID-19.
Google and Facebook’s ‘divide-and-rule’ strategy will hurt publishers and the public
National Post by Sarah Anna Ganter 12 March 2021
Imagine walking into a kiosk, and all national newspaper shelves are empty. This is what Australian Facebook users experienced during the eight days Facebook banned national news from its platform.
Kaitlyn Matulewicz and Iglika Ivanova: To reduce gender inequality, introduce paid sick leave
The Province by Iglika Ivanova 8 March 2021
In the week of International Women’s Day, let’s celebrate B.C.’s positive steps toward gender equality while bringing attention to the change still needed.
Comments like Doug Ford’s ‘nails on a chalk board’ form political rhetoric meant to silence women
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 07 March 2021
A few weeks back, Ontario Premier Doug Ford faced criticism for comparing the voice of Leader of the Official Opposition Andrea Horwath — the only woman leader in the Ontario legislature — to “nails on a chalkboard.”
For too long, talk of gender equality has excluded men – let’s change that
The Globe & Mail by Ivona Hideg 7 March 2021
International Women’s Day is an opportunity to reflect on the progress that’s been made. But perhaps it can also be an occasion to envision meaningful change.
Facial recognition technology speeds ahead as Canada’s privacy law lags behind
Ottawa Citizen by Yuan Stevens & Sonja Solomun 1 March 2021
Recently, a joint investigation by four privacy commissioners in Canada determined that controversial software company Clearview AI had engaged in illegal mass surveillance. The company was found to have scraped three billion images from the web and social media, including photos of children, without consent.
Do we still need to teach judges not to rely on stereotypes about sexualized violence?
The Globe & Mail by Elaine Craig 1 March 2021
A sexual assault sentencing decision released last month reveals how much work has yet to be done to prevent rape mythology from infecting the criminal justice system in Canada.
Did I offend you, reader? Time to have a difficult discussion about privilege and racial equity
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 21 February 2021
Yes, I get it. Discussions about privilege and racial equity are uncomfortable.
3 ways companies could offer more father-friendly policies that will help women
The Conversation by Ivona Hideg 19 February 2021
If you want to help women achieve gender equality in the workplace, it’s time to give more support to men.
Bill C-22 is inadequate for the task of addressing injustice in Canada’s justice system
The Globe & Mail by Kim Pate, Jodi Wilson Raybold and Wanda Thomas Bernard 23 February 2021
Trauma and marginalization are the legacy of colonial and racist policies. And there is a clear link between that fact and the overrepresentation of Indigenous people and Black Canadians in our justice system – as victims, as accused, or as prisoners.
Doug Ford is for some of the people
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 07 February 2021
After months of missteps, it is evident that Doug Ford and his government are not for “all” the people.
Impact on children during pandemic must not be dismissed
Windsor Star by Jane McArthur 5 February 2021
COVID-19 is rendering children’s experiences invisible. Claims of their exceptional resilience obscure their realities.
What is sustainability accounting? What does ESG mean? We have answers
The Conversation by Leanne Keddie 2 February 2021
Sustainability is a hot topic today due to increasing awareness of climate change and inequality, among other pressing issues.
Can a Risk Averse Saver Boost Her Retirement Income?
Morning Star by Alexandra Macqueen 26 January 2021
Marion is a 62-year old college instructor. She earns $80,000 per year and has a paid-off house. She also has Registered Retirement Savings Accounts totalling $114,000 – $14,000 of which is allocated to a balanced Canadian equity mutual fund and the remainder to low-risk GICs.
Access to mental health services must be more equitable
The Toronto Star by Ruby Latif 24 January 2021
Shorter days and colder weather are known to heavily impact the mental health of Canadians every year, but this winter is especially difficult.
6 ways to help kids express their feelings about the coronavirus pandemic through art
The Conversation by Nikki Martyn 18 January 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected children’s worlds in many ways. Due to closures and restrictions, they have experienced the loss of social engagement and the support of friends, school communities or extended family.
Finally, New Brunswick is being sued for unlawful restrictions on abortion access
Briarpatch by Martha Paynter 18 January 2021
On January 7, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association filed a lawsuit against the Higgs government in New Brunswick, challenging the constitutionality of the province’s restrictions to publicly-insured abortion services. Section 2.a.1 of Regulation 84-20 of the N.B.