Students

Vincent Rigby on the Need for a Canadian Foreign Human Intelligence Service | The Globe and Mail

admin — Mon, 12 May 2025 17:36:00 +0000

May 12, 2025 | Vincent Rigby, Slater Family Professor of Practice, alongside Stephanie Carvin and Thomas Juneau, wrote an opinion piece in The Globe and Mail urging the creation of a Canadian foreign human intelligence service. They argue that while Canada already collects intelligence through agencies like CSIS and the Canadian Armed Forces, the country needs a dedicated service to enhance its strategic autonomy and strengthen national security.

Asif Khan on Why the Canada Disability Benefit Falls Short Without Urgent Fixes | Policy Magazine

admin — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 18:01:42 +0000

May 19, 2025 | MPP ’21 Asif Khan in Policy Magazine critically examines the long-awaited rollout of the Canada Disability Benefit (CDB). While the federal government has promoted the CDB as a landmark anti-poverty initiative, Khan argues it falls drastically short. Capped at just $200 per month, the benefit will only lift a fraction of working-age Canadians with disabilities out of poverty in its first decade.

Ricardo Chejfec MPP '21 and Abigail Jackson MPP '23 on Why Canada’s Nation-Building Projects Need a Skills Revolution | Policy Options

admin — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 15:18:09 +0000

July 16, 2025 | Abigail Jackson, MPP '23, and Ricardo Chejfec, MPP '21, along with Rachel Samson, co-wrote an article in Policy Options arguing that Canada’s push to accelerate major infrastructure and energy projects must be matched by an ambitious strategy to build the local skills needed to support them. They stress that without early investment in training and better coordination among employers, governments, and educators, many rural and remote communities could be excluded from the benefits of these nation-building efforts.

Chris Ragan on Why Central Bank Independence Matters Amid Political Pressure | The Financial Post

admin — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 17:21:43 +0000

August 8, 2025 | Christopher Ragan was quoted by The Financial Post in the context of Ontario Premier Doug Ford publicly urging the Bank of Canada to cut interest rates—a move the article compares to Donald Trump’s public pressure on the U.S. Federal Reserve. Ragan emphasized that central bank independence from “day-to-day politics” is crucial for maintaining market and economic confidence.

Canada Faces an Information War | Toronto Star

admin — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 14:38:09 +0000

March 23, 2024 | An Opinion piece led by Professor Taylor Owen and Peter MacLeod delves into the challenges that stand clear against Canada. The country faces a war on two fronts: an economic campaign to weaken and ultimately annex us, and an information war to manipulate public opinion and destabilize our democracy. "As Canada enters a federal election campaign, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Taylor Owen and Helen A. Hayes on Protecting Canada’s Digital Sovereignty Through Unified Regulation | The Globe and Mail

admin — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 18:08:51 +0000

April 7, 2025 | Taylor Owen and Helen A. Hayes wrote an opinion piece arguing that Canada’s failure to regulate its digital space is no longer just a tech policy issue—it’s a national security concern. With rising disinformation and direct interference from the U.S., Canadians now view the United States as a greater foreign threat than China or Russia. Although the Trudeau government introduced several digital policy bills, including those addressing online harms, AI regulation, and cybersecurity, most were abandoned after Parliament was prorogued.

Pearl Eliadis on Quebec’s Bill 94 and the Deepening Discrimination Under the Guise of Secularism | Law360 Canada

admin — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 15:14:23 +0000

April 11, 2025 | In an interview, Pearl Eliadis critiques Quebec’s newly proposed Bill 94, which expands the province’s secularism rules by extending the ban on religious symbols to all school support staff and volunteers, mandating uncovered faces in educational institutions, and prohibiting religious accommodations across the education system.

Pearl Eliadis on the Role of Human Rights Commissions in Post-Genocide Rwanda | Global Justice Journal

admin — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 14:12:08 +0000

June 2025 | Pearl Eliadis recently authored a journal article published in the Global Justice Journal by Queen’s University Faculty of Law comparing the post-genocide roles of Rwanda’s National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC) and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), both established under the 1993 Arusha Accords but with markedly different approaches. The NURC was closely controlled by the government and focused on promoting national unity through civic education and social programs.

Vincent Rigby on the Challenges Ahead for the Canada-EU Defence Pact | Expert Group on Canada-US Relations

admin — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 17:45:02 +0000

June 2025 | Vincent Rigby, alongside other senior experts, co-authored a white paper analyzing the Canada-EU Security and Defence Partnership. While the agreement aims to reduce reliance on U.S. defence suppliers and expand access to the European market, the report warns that its success is far from guaranteed. Rigby and his co-authors highlight major fiscal and political barriers, including Canada’s underinvestment in defence, EU divisions over spending targets, and implementation hurdles in aligning procurement and supply chains.

How disinformation, fake news and foreign interference threaten Canadian election | Montreal Gazette

admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 14:26:49 +0000

March 31, 2025 | Aengus Bridgman, director of the Media Ecosystem Observatory (MEO), spoke with The Gazette about the threats of fake news, deepfakes and foreign interference infiltrating your social media feed have never been higher. He cites an evolving geopolitical landscape, a reduction of safeguards by the main social media platforms and the advent of generative AI as game changers in the lead-up to election day on April 28.

Taylor Owen on Canada’s Fragile Online Media and the Threat of Manipulation | Get Fact

admin — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 18:38:55 +0000

April 13, 2025 | In a recent interview, Taylor Owen warned that Canada’s online media environment is more fragile and susceptible to manipulation than ever before. As trust in journalism declines, he explained that political support for far-right parties abroad often backfires, making Canadian politicians cautious. He highlighted the challenges of detecting foreign interference on platforms like Twitter, especially without strong transparency laws such as the failed Online Harms Act.

Taylor Owen on Gander, a Canadian Social Media App | 1075koolfm

admin — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 15:44:10 +0000

June 25, 2025 | Professor Taylor Owen, founding director of The Center for Media, Technology and Democracy has come together with other advisors to build an application, called Gander. It’s a social media platform that lets you post videos, write updates, and tailor your feed to what you actually want to see — minus the trolls, conspiracy theories, and the “why is this even in my feed?” content.

Zola Mirenge on ESG Opportunities in Emerging Markets | Anthesis

admin — Thu, 21 Aug 2025 14:35:04 +0000

August 19, 2025 | In an article for Anthesis Group, MPP '22 Zola Mirenge explores how emerging markets in Latin America, Africa, and Asia are becoming prime opportunities for corporate expansion, with sustainability at the center of growth. She highlights three areas where strong ESG strategies can give companies a competitive edge: access to sustainability-linked finance, meeting rising consumer demand for sustainable products, and navigating increasingly harmonised regulations aligned with global standards.

Aengus Bridgman on the Rise of Deepfake Scams and Political Disinformation in Canada’s Election | The Guardian

admin — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 17:25:22 +0000

April 18, 2025 | In an interview with The Guardian, Media Ecosystem Observatory Executive Director Aengus Bridgman warned of a dramatic surge in fake political content on social media as Canadians prepare to vote in the federal election. Bridgman explains that, despite Meta’s ban on Canadian news sharing, more than half of Canadians still rely on Facebook for political information—now increasingly shaped by fake headlines, fraudulent ads, and deepfake videos.

Gabriel Blanc on Rethinking Canada's Energy Future and Embracing Renewable Growth | Policy Magazine

admin — Mon, 12 May 2025 17:52:45 +0000

May 12, 2025 | In an op-ed for Policy Magazine, MPP '25 Gabriel Blanc critiques Prime Minister Mark Carney’s energy policy, arguing that increasing oil and gas production is a misguided approach to Canada’s abundance agenda. Blanc highlights how the growth of renewable energy technology offers a more sustainable path to economic prosperity, urging Carney to prioritize climate action as an opportunity for leadership in the green economy.