I’m excited for April for two reasons: the completion of my undergraduate degree and the much-anticipated season finale of Game of Thrones. In the wake of Doug Ford’s attack on post-secondary student funding (and francophone education as a whole, but I digress), I have been jokingly warning my Glendon underclassmen that “Winter is coming,” or that “The night is dark and full of debt.” All jokes aside, our situation is pretty dire and I hope you can laugh along with my nerdy-yet-grim sense of humour.

Je serai franche : non, je ne crois pas que l’élimination des frais de scolarité soit possible. Je comprends qu’il est difficile payer les frais de scolarité. Je n’examine pas cette question d’un point de vue élitiste. Grâce au programme RAFÉO (OSAP en anglais), je paie mes propres frais de scolarité. Dans un monde idéal, il serait très agréable de ne pas avoir à payer ces coûts. Cependant, lorsque les étudiants se mobilisent pour éliminer ces coûts, je ne pense pas qu’ils prennent en compte les conséquences d’une telle mesure.

University of Toronto, Scarborough Campus’ (UTSC) new President-elect, Chemi Lhamo, has been at the centre of an ongoing controversy involving freedom of speech and Chinese influence in Canadian universities. A 22-year old Tibetan-Canadian, Lhamo publicly advocates Tibetan independence from the People’s Republic of China. Though not in her campaign platform, she has come under attack from Chinese students who have bombarded her Instagram profile with criticisms—anything from simply reiterating that Tibet is a part of China (followed by a string of Chinese flag emojis) to labelling her a “racist,” a “separatist,” and a series of expletives.

Enfilez donc un bon manteau et prenez un double double : c’est parti pour des vacances incroyables à quelques heures de route seulement de Toronto!

Let it be known that an overwhelming feeling of outrage is what has driven me to write about affirmative action. I am outraged by all the critics who have devoted their lives to ending affirmative action. I have struggled to come to terms with how these critics, some of whom have never experienced racial profiling a single day in their lives, are audacious enough to put down the policy that aims to prevent systemic discrimination in our public and private institutions.

Since legalization kicked in on October 17, 2018, marijuana use has become more openly accepted. In Canada, people who have had an affinity for marijuana can now smoke or consume the drug in its various forms without judicial consequence. The Trudeau government even went as far as to announce their pledge to pardon minor convictions stemming from marijuana-related charges. On the other hand, though legal in Canada, usage of the drug has created problems for Canada Border Services officers, inciting uproar from travellers at the border. Dispensaries have received a great deal of backlash for their close proximity to schools. Not to mention, the overarching problematic scheme set in place to determine what differentiates possession from intent to distribute. The million-dollar question is: has this new legislation, designed to alleviate the difficulties of possession and usage, spurred a multitude of problems in the hopes of solving just one?

With recent investigations surrounding President Donald Trump, the comparisons to the Watergate scandal of President Richard Nixon have come forth strong. At first glance, the similarities between the two presidencies are eerily identical: the investigations, the references to executive privilege, and the resulting instability of the American political system. However, upon closer examination, the two presidential scandals have important differences.

We’re seeing fast food places ethically sourcing their meat, stores doing away with plastic bags entirely, and cafes serving fair trade coffee, just to list a few. This goes to show that the voice of the consumer is important and can create change. So, how does this come into play with regards to our consumption of media?

PHOTO CREDIT : absolutvision (unsplash)

In the midst of a long, biting winter, I found myself whisked away in a mediterranean dream to a time before AirBNB, Cher’s Dancing Queen, and genetic testing. My flights of fancy were made real thanks to a spectacular performance of Mamma Mia! at The Isabel Bader Theatre. Produced by the Victoria College Drama Society and directed by Ronan Mallovy, the cast is brimming with personality and actors who bring the energy of ABBA classics alive.

Photo Credit - Paul Green (unsplash)

Les cours de français à Glendon valorisent avant tout l’orthographe, la syntaxe et la grammaire; on veut absolument perfectionner ses compétences en argumentation, on veut exprimer clairement les idées tirées d’un texte. Ce sont les idées de quelqu’un d’autre. Pour plusieurs étudiants, y compris moi-même, cet aspect des études françaises est pénible. J’ai entendu parler d’étudiants dont la confiance en leurs capacités linguistiques baisse énormément au cours de leurs études à Glendon. Avant de quitter Glendon, suivez mes conseils. Ne passez pas toutes vos études sans savoir la valeur de vos créations et de votre français unique.

Photo Credit - Trust-tru-katsande (unsplash)

On Bell Let’s Talk Day in 2018 I received numerous messages from various individuals who usually ostracize me with regards to mental health, contacting me and pretending to be concerned. In 2019, during Bell Let’s Talk Day, I made sure to turn my phone off. I did not want to be an object that people use for a day so they could feel like a caring individual. In Jamaica, where I grew up, “mental illness” does not exist—you are either considered sane or mad, and frankly, no one wants to be associated with a mad person. Mental disorders exist in Canada, but it would seem as if it is only recognized if a person is diagnosed by a qualified professional.

PHOTO CREDIT : Holly Mandarich (unsplash)

Once again, we’ve come to the end of the school year at Glendon and, despite the still somewhat unpredictable weather, the hazy lazy days of summer are fast approaching. Now over the past few years, we’ve seen some pretty remarkable summer temperatures, getting as high as over forty degrees. How, then, are we to refresh ourselves in this blistering heat?

In this last John Kemp’s Kitchen, John delights us with a refreshing fruit salad recipe.

In my last relationship, I ignored the glaring red flags I saw in my partner. After each one would reveal itself and after each subsequent argument, my partner would insist that he wanted a fresh start; a clean slate. He wanted to walk out of the room like it never happened, preventing me from bringing the same issues up again. I ignored, and eventually forgot, about the red flags, becoming oblivious to the pattern of his controlling and angry behaviour.