Earlier this month front runner of the Liberal leadership race Justin Trudeau visited Queen’s. Speaking to an unsurprisingly packed audience, ers young and old eagerly shared words of encouragement and praise.
Lent began yesterday with Ash Wednesday, when Catholics are reminded of human frailty and the need to focus their energies towards the spiritual instead of the material. Lent is marked by intense prayer and fasting. Yet, this year will be different from any other Lent in recent history.
Five years ago I came to Queen’s a closeted queer virgin. As I’m preparing to leave Queen’s, I finally have some space to reflect on the impact rape culture in this community has had on me as a queer survivor of sexual violence.
When I was in first year, I was documented for having a screaming contest on my floor with two other friends. I did it because our floor was too quiet and I know it sounds silly now, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Three years later, I am still living happily in residence partly because of the rules — not in spite of them.
Student politics, and not just in this AMS election, have become derailed. This past week simply serves as an example of how student leaders are letting their personalities overtake their offices.
When it comes to bargaining, a union offers a highly democratic space for Teaching Assistants (TAs) and Teaching Fellows (TFs) to collectively set their agenda for how to improve working, living and learning conditions for ourselves and others at Queen’s and in Kingston. It’s in this spirit that Queen’s undergraduate TAs and Research Assistants can consider the Queen’s TA/TF union an organization they can turn to for advice regarding workplace issues especially in the wake of legislation like Bill 115.
Coming out was recently brought into the spotlight by Jodie Foster’s speech at the Golden Globes. Her words sparked a lot of discussion, but there’s no question that she did come out as gay.
Recently Canadian politics was presented with the beginning debates of those running for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada. The inevitable discussion on where the Liberal Party is heading in the coming weeks, months and years will follow. This discussion is the definitive ground for why getting rid of the political centre is the best thing to happen in Canadian politics in ages.
In November 2012, the Principal’s Commission on Mental Health released its final report with 116 recommendations for a mental health strategy at Queen’s. Of these recommendations, only a small portion (section 3.7: Vulnerable populations) address those who are socially marginalized and have greater experiences of stress.
Last Friday, of the First Nations, activists, environmentalists and many others held peaceful demonstrations across Canada. The Idle No More movement has swept up the nation, causing an awakening over important issues that can’t be ignored.
Often overshadowed by other charitable initiatives, organ donation is a particularly worthwhile cause and an act that doesn’t receive as much recognition as it warrants. The recent university-wide Queen’s Gives the Gift of 8 campaign which encourages students to become listed as organ donors, helped raise awareness and spark conversation on the important issue of organ donation.
