International students deserve free health care
If international students’ tuition represents such a large amount of the income the university receives, it is fair to expect access to medical assistance in return.
Ivan Nuñez Gamez
Women need better representation in politics
Though the path to a successful career in politics is not the same for all, especially for women who have additional gender-based barriers, it is important that we encourage strong women who are active community leaders. Though progress is slow, we need to start and continue breaking the constructs that have oppressed women. Let this be a reminder that International Women’s Day is not a meaningless reason to congratulate the female figures of your life. Rather let’s make it a daily goal to empower women and offer our authentic support for them so that they can achieve their vision of a more equitable world.
Fame is beating experience in upcoming byelection
As the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba (PC) continues to lag behind Manitoba’s New Democratic Party (NDP) in province-wide polling, the Fort Whyte byelection could not have come at a better time for the traditionally conservative electoral division. The riding, which has remained vacant since the resignation of former premier Brian Pallister, is set to hold its election on March 22.
End of convoy should start conversation about racism
After the federal government legislated the use of the Emergencies Act — legislation that allows the government to have significant temporary powers to freeze the bank accounts and credit cards of protesters or arrest them — on Feb. 14, the protests were on track to end. Despite Conservative pushback on Parliament Hill, “freedom” protests in Ottawa were rapidly cleared and the use of such temporary powers came to an end on Feb. 23. But Winnipeg protesters were one of the exceptions. After receiving a lenient police deadline to end their occupation across the street of the Manitoba Legislative Building, protesters moved to a nearby location in Memorial Park. This lack of dedicated action from the police department suggests the “freedom convoy” extends beyond unvaccinated individuals and appeals to public servants like Winnipeg’s police force.
The Conservatives are facing an unavoidable demise
Six years have passed since prime minister Stephen Harper left office. Since then, the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) has had two leaders, two interim leaders, two leadership elections and another currently underway. Harper’s tumultuous legacy has left a permanent stain on the CPC and seemingly made the party less electable.
Looking away will do nothing to solve Canada’s racism
Canada often brands itself as a perfectly peaceful country when compared with its neighbour to the south. There is a propensity among Canadian liberals to…
Bell, I want action
Though the mission and vision of Bell Let’s Talk certainly materialize positive dialogue about mental illness, the Canadian public must also be aware of the the deep systemic issues the organization fails to tackle. Despite raising over $8 million in donations for this year’s fundraiser, the campaign itself fails to provide further education on mental illness and naively relies on a social media campaign that occurs once a year and then fades from the public eye until the next fundraiser. This creates an image of philanthropic charity that Bell maintains in order to reap tax cuts laid out by the Canadian government for corporations that contribute to social causes.
Motion 0525 lacks appropriate representation
My hope is that one day, when looking back at this motion, student leaders will be able to see beyond the scope efficiency and find themselves more in tune with the appropriate steps they can make toward representing the U of M’s diverse community. But for now, I can only wish that constituents become more aware of who they vote for to represent them in the biggest student-led political body at our university.
Newly arrived international students need more support
Besides being homesick, international students also suffer from a grotesque lack of support. Getting lost around campus, poor signage at facilities and the complete lack of guidance all contribute to the struggles of new arrivals. As a newly arrived student myself, fresh off the plane from Colombia, I know all about it.
Lack of leadership is to blame for Omicron surge
People eagerly come together during the holiday season to celebrate. However, as COVID-19 cases surged across the world, many were forced to change their New Year’s plans yet again. Amid the rising COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant, Canadians were not the exception. While the federal government recommended citizens avoid foreign travel without establishing travel bans, provincial governments established various restrictions to reduce the transmissibility of the virus in their jurisdictions. Lack of preparation has defined most governments’ responses to the new variant.