News

An uprising began against President Bashar Assad this spring. More than five thousand Canadians have been experiencing violence in the country since then.

The United Nations’ Security Council held an emergency meeting this month to consider a draft resolution on Syria.

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News - December 16th 2011

December 17 2011 // News

Read by Joshua Nemeroff

Produced by Erica Bridgeman

Stories written by Joel Balsam, Danny Aubry and Lucianna Gravotta

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Montreal`s crowded emergency rooms

December 15 2011 // News

Winter is a busy time for Ste. Justine`s and Montreal Children`s hospital while they care for children with fevers, coughs, and colds.

Montreal Doctor`s have stated that most of the children who are taken into the emergency room do not need to be there.

They feel that children who are sufferring from the flu or influenza should be taken to the ER.

They have also suggested that parents call Info-sante at 811 to confirm their children`s condition before sending them to the ER.

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Montreal planning new centre for stray animals

December 15 2011 // News

Montreal plans to open a municipal centre for stray animals. The decision comes eight months after Radio-Canada exposed the inhumane treatment animals were receiving at the Berger Blanc. The private pound had been contracted by 10 of the city’s boroughs.

The new municipal facility will offer adoption services and education. It will also ensure that all procedures are carried out by certified veterinarians.

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Mcgill releases report on November 10 incident

December 15 2011 // News

The investigation into the clash between police and protesters on November 10^th at Mcgill University is now complete.

November 10^th was Quebec’s province-wide day of action against proposed tuition hikes. Around 30 thousand people protested on the streets of Montreal peacefully. But as the protest wound down riot police were deployed on McGill campus. They were responding to a call from the University to bring in police.

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Trudeau swears in Commons, apologizes

December 15 2011 // News

Justin Trudeau came under fire yesterday for using foul language in the House of Commons.

The Liberal MP was heard calling Environment Minister Peter Kent a piece of **** during an especially raucous question period.

Kent was being berated by critics in the House for his role in Canada’s withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol.

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News December 15 2011

December 15 2011 // News

Read by Tara Brockwell.

Produced by Sofia Gay.

Stories by Esther Viragh, Shaun Malley and Cynthia Othieno.

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Transgender student gets full support from CSU

December 15 2011 // News

The CSU held its final Council Meeting for 2011 yesterday.

It included a motion to support transgender students in their fight to have whatever name they feel comfortable with on their transcript.

Students who are uncomfortable with their birth name are stuck with it in the current system at Concordia. They must legally change their name and/or undergo invasive medical procedures to physically appear their desired gender.

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2011: Tuition Hike Protest

December 14 2011 // News

As soon as the Quebec government announced higher education fees, student mobilization began.

The fee increase meant an extra $325 a year for the next five years. Making tuition sixteen hundred and twenty five dollars higher in twenty sixteen.

A red fabric square pin has became the symbol of the anti-tuition hike movement.

On November 10th, students from across the province went on strike for the day and marched downtown against the proposed hike.

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2011: Canada votes blue and orange

December 14 2011 // News

Canada’s voters dramatically changed the makeup of their Parliament this year.

2011’s federal election ushered in a Conservative majority while the NDP gained its largest share of seats in its fifty year history. This made Canada’s leftmost major party the Official Opposition to Harper’s right-leaning government.

The most monumental political shift was seen in Quebec, as Bloc blue was swept away by an orange wave of NDP support.

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2011: Canada loses Jack

December 14 2011 // News

This year Canada lost one of its favourite sons. On August 22nd the Official Leader of the Opposition Jack Layton died at 61 years of age.

He had been battling prostate cancer for months, but had apparently gone into remission before the 2011 Federal election.

Fashioning a cane during the debates, Layton was seen as a feisty and inspirational leader to many. Being voted in the CBC election poll as most favourable leader to Canadians.

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2011: Your Concordia wins CSU election

December 14 2011 // News

This year saw another highly contentious Student Union election.

Mostly composed of newcomers, the Your Concordia slate took on the Action-Vision-Fusion dynasty and came out on top.

Before the campaign, VP Morgan Pudwell created chaos in the CSU with her resignation. She said the CSU she ran with was corrupt. So it was not a surprise to many when she showed up just a few weeks later on the challenging slate.

Nothing seemed to go right from there on in. Illegal campaigning and general misconduct were some of the many election violations.

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2011: Wintery Hot Accessible Love-in for Education is a success

December 14 2011 // News

Up sixteen hundred and twenty-five dollars for Quebec residents in five years.

So by joining forces with anti-tuition groups, the Concordia Student Union called a special general meeting to organize a Day of Action.

But there was a dilemma. No area on campus is large enough to house the twelve hundred students needed to reach quorum.

On Valentine’s Day, the Reggies terrace was crammed past capacity.

The Wintery Hot Accessible Love-in for Education or WHALE was a success.

Students also voted to lower the quorum to prevent the same capacity problem from happening in the future.

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YEAR IN REVIEW 2011: Judith Woodsworth "resigns"

December 14 2011 // News

Twenty-eleven began with Concordia finding itself leaderless. Again.

President Judith Woodsworth was pressured to resign less than two years into her term. But not before agreeing to a huge severance package of nearly a quarter million dollars.

Which is equivalent to less than two years pay.

News came out in January that the Board of Governors had given Woods- worth an ultimatum. Resign and collect, or face an embarrassing public dismissal.

Concordia’s previous President Claude Lajeunesse was also told to leave by the Board before finishing his term in 2007.

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China and India blast Canada for leaving Kyoto

December 14 2011 // News

China and India have blasted Canada over their decision to leave the Kyoto Protocol. This comes after Canada vowed to reject the Kyoto Protocol this week. Canada said the two highly populated Eastern nations were barriers to a better climate deal.

China’s state run news agency called Canada’s decision was preposterous and irresponsible. And an Indian official said Canada has jeopardized the whole UN convention on climate change.

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Employee taken hostage at Cowansville Penitentiary

December 14 2011 // News

A staff worker at Quebec’s Cowansville penitentiary was taken hostage by an inmate. After a nine hour hostage crisis the employee was set free. There were no obvious injuries.

No word as of yet on who the employee or inmate are. And the penitentiary has not told the public if they know of a motive behind the abduction.

The penitentiary is just southeast of Montreal. The Sureté de Quebec is investigating the incident.