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Fears of job cuts at McGill University
There is growing concern over the financial situation at McGill University raising speculation of potential job cuts, reports the Montreal Gazette.
McGill provost Anthony Masi warned union leaders in a meeting Wednesday that nothing was safe, including jobs.
At risk are people without job security.
Masi stated that the $124 million cut to universities in December following the cancelled tuition increases were a huge blow.
The government recently announced that universities must make at least 50 per cent of their imposed cuts in this fiscal year.
Failing to meet this would mean losing the last of this year’s installment.
McGill could lose a further $32 million if they fail to meet the government’s demands.
Many are worried about how the potential job cuts will affect students and learning.
Flickr Photo by: James D. Schwartz
STORY WRITTEN BY: AISHA SAMU
Montreal roadwork raising questions
Frequent roadwork on certain Montreal streets have raised questions on the necessity and quality of the work and the contracts handed out for it.
A Montreal Gazette investigation found that the city gave contracts for work on Notre Dame Street East three times in eight years.
Estimated values of the work on Notre Dame East and Cote Des Neiges Road were released by the city before bidding began.
Details about the work were hidden from the council and the public.
The removal and pavement of asphalt on the high traffic roads occurred inside of one to six years.
Other major Canadian cities estimate that their roadwork on high traffic roads lasts between fifteen to twenty years.
Testimony at the Charbonneau Commission revealed that collusion existed among construction companies bidding for contracts.
The extensive findings detail who the city manager and executive committee awarded contracts to, the length of road worked, and contract values.
The city told the Gazette that it is looking into their findings.
Flickr Photo by: chrisjtse
STORY WRITTEN BY: AISHA SAMU
February 13th, 2013
Hosted by: Sarah Deshaies
Stories by: Jamie Lee-Gordon, Aisha Samu, Niki Mohrdar, & Sarah Deshaies
Produced by: Spoon Jung
China top economic country in the world
China is now the economic top dog on the planet.
According to the Gaurdian, China’s customs administration released figures stating the country’s imports and exports reached three point eight seven trillion dollars.
The US came at three point eight two according to the American commerce department.
The figures show Beijing’s dependence on foreign markets.
The US market remains twice the size and more self contained.
The Americans also dominate trade in services.
STORY WRITTEN BY: DANIEL J. ROWE
Private daycares go on strike
300 private and non-subsidized daycares in Quebec went on strike on Tuesday in order to protest the how the government is distributing the 28,000 new daycare spaces.
The Coalition for Private Non-subsidized Daycares is asking for the government to change the 10,000 empty spots available into subsidized spots, in order to save millions that would go towards constructing new spots in publicly run daycares.
Jennifer Park, a spokeswoman for the Coalition believes that more money should be spent on established daycares, as opposed to changing the already private daycares.
Parks has stated that by doing so, the government would be saving 260 million dollars.
Parti Québécois has also planned to bring the provincial total of daycares to 250, 000 in the next three years. The already 13,000 spaces set aside by the former Charest government will be allotted, as well as an additional 15, 000 new spaces.
Bruno-Pierre Cyr, a spokesman for Quebec’s family minister, has said that parents have expressed that they want the government to spend more on public daycare spaces as opposed to private centres.
However, some parents are in support of the strike, stating that public daycares take too long to get into.
While many parents support the strike, countless had to stay home today to look after their children who would otherwise be at daycare.
The protest, which occurred on Tuesday, took place at noon outside of the National Assembly in Quebec City as well as outside the premier’s office in downtown Montreal.
CJLO Photo Diary << Igloofest 2013 << February 31-02
Photos and text by AutoBeat DJ MNJIVR
The second weekend of Igloofest 2013 began in Arctic-like weather! Indeed, with temperatures on Thursday hovering around the -30 degrees Celsius mark, one might think that people would stay indoors. Wrong! The frigid temperature didn't stop festival goers, and the stellar lineup could even get a hibernating bear out of its cave for the party.
Igloofest 2013: Equipment
Its ladies Night and the Feeling's Right... at -30 Celsius?!
Opening night featured a trio of the best females DJs rocking the decks! First up was Alicia Hush, DJ/producer and head of Hushlamb records. She got the weekend going with her tech-house grooves. Up next was Miss Kittin, who by her Facebook post clearly enjoyed her Igloofest experience, and Ellen Allien head of BPitch records.
Igloofest 2013: Games
On Friday, a house gangster started off the night! Pierre De Lux opened with an excellent selection of the different variations of house music. It's been a good year for Pierre, first with Piknic Électronik and now opening at Igloofest.
Igloofest 2013: Pierre De Lux
Up next was the superb Nina Kraviz, a Serbian DJ who played a techno-heavy set and seemed quite at accustomed to the freezing weather. The performance was solid, but at some points monotonous, yet she still managed to get the people dancing and ready for the next round of DJs.
Igloofest 2013: Nina Kraviz
As I've seen on more than a few occasions, a set that starts off strong only gets stronger. This was the case for Pan-Pot's set. The crowd started dancing within seconds and continued straight through the night. They have the right recipe for a cold night, and did not stick within the confines of the usual techno and house. The duo branched out to other styles that made the dance floor move in unison, forgetting the current temperature!
Igloofest 2013: Pan-Pot
TNGHT is the Night!
Probably the most anticipated night of Igloofest (and the warmest of that weekend) was Saturday, February 2nd. The line-up itself spoke volumes about the kind of night it was going be: a memorable one!
Montreal DJ Tronald Trump started it off nicely, getting the assembling crowd ready.
Igloofest 2013: Stage
Up-and-coming beat producer, Kaytranada took it to the next level with his hip hop infused beats. Alongside other local producers like Vlooper, High Classified, and KenLo Craqnuques, Kaytranada has been at the forefront of the "Piu Piu" movement.* It's been a very interesting year for the young producer, with a critically acclaimed first album, invitations to perform with many international acts, and now Igloofest. He did not disappoint with a solid performance that got everyone pumped and ready for the next musical onslaught!
Igloofest 2013: Crowd
TNGHT, a duo composed of über wonder producers Montréal's Lunice and the Scottish Hudson Mohawke, have been setting dance floors ablaze with their self-titled debut EP. Although missing the Scottish half due to illness, Lunice came prepared to flatten most of the Jacques-Cartier Pier by slowly building the mood during the first few minutes with a couple of atmospheric tracks before literally kicking it into overdrive. For once, I was glad that I wasn't in the middle of the crowd, which at that point turned into a sea of bodies dancing and jumping in unison. It was a sight to behold!
Igloofest 2013: TNGHT
After TNGHT came the power-packed set by German duo Schlachthofbronx. Their fast-paced beats and rhythmic tempos kept the sea of people in front of them dancing to the very end of the night! No dance-worthy style of music was left untouched by the duo, everything from techno and house to dancehall/cumbias and hip hop. One could almost say that the proverbial kitchen sink was thrown, it only had adds to one amazing night at Igloofest.
Igloofest 2013: Schlachthofbronx
* For those who might be wondering about the "Piu Piu" movement, it's a new wave of Montreal producers experimenting with and bridging the gap between hip hop sampling and electronic bass music. They create highly intricate rhythms with heavy bass lines and half time beats as opposed to the traditional 4/4 time.
Igloofest 2013: Paskal Daze
Igloofest 2013: Ice Castle
Igloofest 2013: Visual Effects
February 12th, 2013
Hosted by: Gabrielle Fahmy
Stories by: Jenna Monney-Lupert, Gregory Wilson, Danny Aubry & Carlo Spiridigliozzi
Produced by: Carlo Spiridigliozzi
Bill C-30 will not pass due to public opposition
Federal Justice Minister Rob Nicholson said the controversial Bill C-30 will not go ahead due to public opposition on Monday.
According to CBC News, The bill was known as the Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act. Its role was to enable the authorities to conduct online surveillance and warrantless wiretapping.
Opponents fought against the bill claiming it could potentially strip all Canadians to the right to privacy.
Canadians were especially riled up after Public Safety Minister Vic Toews told an opposition MP to ‘‘either stand with us or with the child pornographers,’’ last year.
Nicholson assured that any future modification to the Criminal Code will not contain any of the measures that were present in this bill.
STORY WRITTEN BY: GERGORY WILSON
Study shows obstacles students may face while in school
A new Quebec study was made public on Monday.
The study is called: Les élèves du primaire à risque de décrocher au secondaire: caractéristiques à 12 ans et prédicteurs à 7 ans
According to the Montreal Gazette, the study shows multiple problems that are beyond students’ control can get in the way of their success.
As reported by the study, poverty, family makeup and parenting practices all have a very strong impact a student’s academic performance.
Divorced or separated parents also hinder on how well the student will do in school.
Université de Montréal researchers, found they could tell by age 7 which children would be floundering by age 12
The study is divided into four categories of at-risk students. These include students who are reserved, indifferent, under-performing and maladjusted.
Researchers say that by age 12, about one in seven students was found to be at risk of dropping out.
Two general factors that make students more at risk of dropping out include high difficulties in learning and low self-esteem compared to classmates who were not struggling.
Researchers recommend that schools act quickly to identify at-risk children so that measures to help them could be put in place by Grade 1.
Flickr Photo by: Ryan Stanton
STORY WRITTEN BY: JENNA MONNEY-LUPERT
Bangladesh faces difficult future from climate change
Bangladesh may be facing a difficult future because of climate change.
According to The Star website, climate change will cause a migration unlike anything ever seen. It will leave parts of Asia and Africa uninhabitable.
Bangladesh is expected to absorb the hardest blow. Rising sea levels from melting glaciers could flood seventeen per cent of the country. It is also expected to create twenty to third million refugees and people leave Bangladesh to search for jobs and safety.
The explanation given, is that Bangladesh is a flat surfaced countries six metres above sea level and the majority of Bengalis live in a delta region surrounded by three rivers. The country also faces more extreme weather pattern with tornadoes and cyclones occurring on a more frequent basis.
Climate change is expected to cause a migration of as many as two-hundred fifty million people from parts of Africa and Asia. Small islands in the Pacific Ocean will disappear, as early as the end of the century.
Flickr Photo by: Oxfam GB in Asia
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