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!

With the announcement that Field Trip, one of Toronto’s music and arts festivals, is going on hiatus, it seems like big musical events in the city are becoming scarcer. If it doesn’t return in 2020, it will join Bestival, Warped Tour, and Riot Fest in the festival graveyard. While cities like Montreal seem to be thriving, why is Toronto on a downward spiral?

En tant que citoyenne de Toronto, je crois que la construction du gratte-ciel de 306 mètres, nommé The One, qui se situera à l’angle des rues Yonge et Bloor et dont l’achèvement est prévu pour 2022, mérite un certain respect de notre part.

“The people have spoken. I’m going to listen to them, they don’t want me to touch the Greenbelt, we won’t touch the Greenbelt,” stated Premier Ford during his candidacy earlier this year before taking the highest chair in the province. While it’s not surprising for politicians to skew statements and promises as it suits their purposes (and to wait for critics to die down), this doesn’t excuse a reversal of policy on ensuring the protection of Ontario’s environmental landscape on which the sustainability of its major urban centres stands on.

Salut tout le monde ! C’est Krysta ! Si vous vous souvenez des articles « Krysta’s Picks » de l’hiver 2018, je suis de retour ! Cette année, je suis devenue encore plus fascinée par la nature. À Toronto et au Canada en général, on est chanceux de pouvoir sortir dehors et de rencontrer diverses communautés plein air. Cette session, je voudrais mettre en vedette certains évènements, communautés et endroits à Toronto et aux alentours de Toronto qui valent la peine d’être découverts. Voici donc quelques idées d’activités en plein air auxquels vous pourriez vous inscrire pour être plus en forme cette année.

Si vous êtes un ou une cinéphile comme moi, vous devenez sans doute surexcité lorsque les lumières s’éteignent au cinéma signalant le commencement du film. Si vous êtes en Études internationales ou en Science politique, vous devriez jeter un coup d’œil au Festival du film de l’Union européenne !

I’ll admit it. I shamelessly paid $35 for a ticket to Happy Place, a pop-up interactive exhibition set up at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto from November until January. We’ve all heard about Happy Place through one of those oh-so tantalizing videos from BlogTO on Facebook and through all of our most Instagram-inclined friends who had undoubtedly bought tickets at the presale. My stormy Seasonal Affective Disorder, as well as my constant academic anxieties as a student, were both fatally attracted to Happy Place’s pomp and glitter and colours. Can visiting Happy Place really cure anxiety, depression, and senioritis? Good thing I checked it out, so you don’t have to.

There was a lot of talk about affordable housing during Toronto’s recent elections. People were intrigued to hear about John Tory’s plan to build 40,000 units in 12 years, or the even more ambitious claim of 100,000 in 10 years by his chief opponent, former chief city planner Jennifer Keesmaat. If you don’t pay for mortgage or rent however, it might be more difficult to imagine what the housing situation looks like in Toronto—and boy, is it a mess.

By now, we have all heard from the various stakeholders about the province’s cancellation of the $305 million funding promised by the previous Liberal government for three new campuses in the GTA belonging to the joint projects of  York University and Seneca College, Wilfrid Laurier Univerity and Conestoga College, as well as Ryerson University and Sheridan College. This sudden event seems to have upset everyone, regardless of their political leanings.

Toronto has quite a sticky—and legitimate—reputation of having the most expensive rent and housing market in the country. In fact, PadMapper.com reported that, as of August 2018, the average rent for a one bedroom apartment stood at $2,140.00—the highest among all Canadian cities.Photo Credit - Usamah Khan

Here’s a riddle for you: name something that goes up but never comes down. If you’re a commuter living in Toronto, the answer is, invariably, our transit fares.

There are many dream-like projects that are currently being assessed, or at least being designed on the city’s drawing board, but it might be best to discuss those with clearer timetables.

Today, it is unbelievably important to have indigenous perspectives represented on-screen, but it is equally important to note who is presenting these stories to the public.

Photo Credit - TIFF

To my fellow Glendonites: Congratulations on completing 12.5% of the school year. While it is my first year, I can guess that it’s only going to get harder from here. So why not take a break and spend the last weekend of September taking advantage of what Toronto has to offer.

There are countless art galleries and institutions in this city: some are properties of design companies, charities and  co-working spaces, but did you know that there is actually a building that houses all of these incredibly varied organizations under one roof? Let me introduce you to 401 Richmond. This unique Toronto locale is a restored (not renovated) industrial building located in the heart of the Fashion District. Personally, I am lucky enough to not only have worked in the space, but also attended writing workshops and art classes, as well as having spent many an afternoon browsing its many galleries dedicated to visual arts, 3D installations, music and so much more!

A new innovation has taken the gaming community by storm and this new technology is called VR (Virtual Reality). It gives all those avid gamers an added dimension to their favourite pastime (so basically, good luck getting them out of the house now). Suffice it to say, the introduction of virtual reality in gaming has become extremely popular, for obvious reasons. The appeal comes from the hyper-realistic feeling it provides for its players and, more often than not, it’s a full body experience that encapsulates the user’s complete attention.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but right now, the only thing keeping this “strikecation” from feeling like early summer is its total lack of good weather! I know we’re all pulling our hair out by the handful as we wait impatiently for actual summer to start; the only things keeping us from kicking our feet up and enjoying a cold one in the sun are the icy wind, the annoying mini-blizzards, the torrential downpour of rain just when it was warming up, and, oh yeah, the imminent, imposing deadlines of assignments we’ve been putting off until now.

I’m sure we’ve all been exhausting our lists of places to check out looking for things to do over the last (several) weeks of strike time, so much so that our lists may need some replenishing for the spring and summer months ahead. So, whether you’re in Toronto for summer school or an internship or if you live here all year round, here are some ideas to help you pass the time. After all, summer is the best time to get outside and explore all that Toronto has to offer!

The Green Room

414 College St.

I am always on the prowl for a comfy and, more importantly, cozy restaurant. Last week, a friend invited me to eat at a bar/restaurant labelled online as an “unpretentious two storey hangout,” so I decided to check it out. At first glance, the Green Room appeared to be a hidden, run down spot with no originality. However, when I entered this establishment, all assumptions and reservations I had walked in with were discarded. It had a laid-back atmosphere, filled with 20-somethings and a vibrant, soulful green-themed surroundings. The Green Room is definitely a place designed for university students, hipsters and music lovers.

Speaking of picks (or pickets), it’s strike time! That means you have time to catch up on assignments during the day and time to have fun at night! If you’re like me, you like a solid venue for unwinding with friends, enjoying some tunes and testing out several of Toronto’s wide range of yummy drink creations. I’ve put together a list of some of my favourite spots for doing just that. So why not grab a TTC day pass and do a little bar hopping for a fun (strike) evening!

After attending the amazing Thailand Symposium organized by Glendon’s International Studies students earlier this month, I was inspired to look further into global Asian affairs in order to learn more about this continent that is so close to my heart. With a couple quick searches, I stumbled upon, signed up and attended a free event discussing urban development in the context of Asia. Students from the Munk School of Global Affairs organize an annual conference called INDePth (Interrogation Notions of Development and Progress) with this year’s theme focusing on Asian cities. This conference delved into the complexities surrounding the concept of a “city” by touching on themes of modernity, urbanization and migration through a multidisciplinary lens.

Going vegan has turned into a trendy-but-healthy lifestyle choice, one which many millennials (and others, although it’s undoubtedly a millennial-dominated affair) are making in hopes of a sustainable, animal-friendly new world. So whether you’re starting with meatless Monday, are just going vegetarian or a full-on planet-saving granola-and-20k-run-every-morning vegan, these restaurants are sure to please the appetite and the soul!

Ce semestre, nous faisons un stage avec Florian et Cyril, les fondateurs de Franc’Open Mic. Ce stage nous offre une variété de possibilités pour améliorer notre français parlé, par exemple en assistant à des soirées open mic. Le 15 février, nous avons eu la chance d'assister pour la première fois à une des soirées.

“I know some in this audience may be skeptical of my positivity as live music venues are closing, but venues are opening too!” proclaimed Mayor John Tory at the opening ceremony of the Canadian Music Week's Music Cities Summit last year. Unfortunately for Tory, his remarks are often drowned out by the sound of bulldozers destroying many of this city’s cultural landmarks. It might surprise some newer Torontonians, but this city was once a hub of grunge, rock, counterculture and musical innovation. Long lost venues — such as the Rockit, Bigbop, Silver Dollar Lounge, Funhaus, Wrongbar and El Mocambo — have hosted (and birthed) many famous musicians. Despite this rich history, it seems every week a new development proposal is tacked on another venue door. Despite Tory’s reassurance, the never-ending conversion of culture into condominiums and Rexalls will continue unabated. Nevertheless, a shift is happening — a retooling, and maybe one that signals a revolution in live music in a city built on NIMBYism and chain pubs.

After a while, Toronto’s grungy music venues all start to feel similar. For those looking to shake it up and experience something new, Cherry Cola’s is the place for you! If you find yourself frequently in the Queen and Bathurst area, you may have actually walked by it several times without having a clue of the wondrous world that exists beyond its extremely non-descript exterior. Here’s a list of all the best things about this extravagant bar:

Valentine’s Day normally goes one of three ways:
1. You have everything thoroughly planned and reserved to perfection (hurrah for you)
2. You procrastinate figuring things out until the day of and now your options are limited or non-existent and you fear the reaction from your friend/partner/beau-for-the-night
3. You’re a broke student, so you settle for a Netflix and pizza night