Giving priority to corporations will reduce the potential positive effects of legalization The Liberal government has continuously pursued the decriminalization of marijuana and is finally on track to begin thinking about how to draft legislation. This comes as no surprise since this change would be a large source of revenue for the government, and an …
Women deserve the right to safe and calm abortions in Canada Imagine going to the clinic for surgery and feeling anxious, the only thing keeping you together is thinking about how all of this will be over in a few hours and how much better you’ll feel after it. As you approach the clinic, a …
Increase in funding means more jobs, but still no solutions beyond summer Earlier this month Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the government will be doubling its funding for the Canada Summer Jobs Program. Expanding this program is good news for students, and a much-needed recognition of the fact that the current job market isn’t …
With all of the attention given to the American circus election, many Canadians are under the impression that this election could have massive consequences for us. While it’s certainly a story that’s equal parts interesting and terrifying, what really has implications in this election for Canada is the recently signed Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade …
Proposed bill cuts down on landfill waste, frees up government funds The Waste-Free Ontario Act is an excellent step forward in dealing with a world that is increasingly seeing the effects of environmental degradation. The proposed law, currently under public consultation, would shift the cost of recycling products that currently go into the black or …
Movie ratings focus too much on sex, rather than violence The latest Marvel release, Deadpool, broke several records for R-rated movies, including highest grossing opening weekend for an R-rated movie. With the release of such a successful movie, that wears its R rating as comfortably as Deadpool wears red spandex, it’s the perfect time to …
Infringing on someone’s safety is never okay Over the past two weeks, the Internet has been abuzz over the latest human rights debate —the Return of Kings (ROK). For those who haven’t heard about it, they’re a group of men who, according to their website, believe in “the intellectual inferiority of women,” that “feminism (is) …
Last week the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States released a statement advising the 3.3 million women who are sexually active and not on birth control that they should stop drinking entirely due to the risks it poses to a potential fetus. This is a policy based on hypotheticals—being pregnant, that the …
Focus on better testing, not limiting potential donors We’ve all heard the slogan “It’s in you to give” or the idea that just one pint of donated blood can save a life, now especially at the U of O as Canadian Blood Services was on campus this week collecting donations while reminding students of the …
Soon the City will decide on how to use LeBreton Flats, and Fulcrum writers believe some options better than others—here are a few of the many options, brought to you by this week’s forum.
Ontario schools’ satellite campuses don’t respect employment and education values Recently political figures and faculty associations have expressed concerns about Algonquin College and Niagara College’s satellite campuses located in Jazan and Taif, Saudi Arabia, respectively. While these institutions were established years ago, it seems the media has only recently caught on to the flaws in …
Millennials are facing a job market with more freedom to move While “not being able to hold down a job” would be seen as a character flaw for any Baby Boomer, switching jobs—and even fields—has become commonplace, and even a positive experience for many Millennials. Far from being a simple case of generational itchy feet, …
On Feb. 9-11 the Student Federation University of Ottawa will be holding an election for various unfilled positions as well as a referendum asking students to vote on three different issues. There’ll be polling stations set up where students can vote on the price of a summer U-Pass, if the price of the dental and …
Taking a smaller role means fewer invites to be expected On Jan. 20, a meeting was held in Paris that brought world leaders together to discuss plans to combat ISIS. The United States, Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Australia, were all invited to the meeting, but not Canada. Since then, various media outlets have made …
Microsoft move highlights need for transparency on security breaches Microsoft announced last month that the company would begin alerting users of their e-mail service, Outlook, when a government is responsible for a security notification on their account. With major tech companies paving the way, this practice might eventually become an industry standard—a move that is …
U of O raises to upper admin is unacceptable A recent lawsuit launched by the Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa (APUO) against the University of Ottawa, regarding some of the pay raises to members of the upper administration has raised concerns about how much those who run our universities are making. In …
While their techniques may be illegal, hacktivist collective is force for good Anonymous, a global network of hacktivists, is gaining international attention and praise for their recent high profile operations. As their name entails, Anonymous is a group of unknown individuals which uses cyber-technologies to advocate and advance their agenda—they’re also a necessary force of …
While it can impact your life obesity can in many cases be reversed Last week a retired Canadian navy seaman won his appeal to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board, and will now begin receiving disability payments for the effect his obesity has had on his quality of life. The former seaman won his case …
Some restrictions for public use needed, but have to be specific Last week the government of Ontario announced, and then reversed, its policy on where medical marijuana users could use their medicine. The one-day policy moved to exempt users from the laws regarding public smoking, which meant that medical marijuana users could light up pretty …
Only international courts should be able to try politicians for war crimes Earlier this month, a Spanish judge issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and seven other current and former government officials involved in an Israeli Defence Forces raid in 2010 that left nine dead. The investigation was brought forward by …
Canada’s past can show us how not to handle crises that happen today If all goes according to the Liberal government’s plan, 10,000 Syrian refugees will be admitted into our country before the year is out. Unfortunately, many people are adamantly against the idea of letting refugees into the country, citing security concerns. A quick …
Ignorance towards a natural human condition needs to go Thinx, a New York City-based company, recently faced controversy and backlash for ads that they applied to have posted in New York City metro stations. The reason? These ads depict women modelling Thinx’s newest product—a line of period underwear. These innovative undies, which promise to provide …
Ontario’s break-up of Beer Store and LCBO monopoly way overdue The government of Ontario is moving to let grocery stores sell beer, in a plan to modernize alcohol sales in the province. Allowing more stores to sell beer is a good start, and with this move comes an opportune time to break up other government …
Earlier this year, Joe’s Crab Shack, a large restaurant chain in the U.S. eliminated the practice of tipping and increased the pay of its workers. As several other American restaurants have moved towards ending tipping, the future of this long held practice is being called into question. The idea of abolishing tipping shouldn’t be completely …
Canadian monarchy question would cause constitutional chaos Thirty-eight years after Pierre Trudeau’s infamous pirouette behind the Queen, Justin Trudeau’s government has sparked another monarchy-related controversy. Less than a week after being sworn in, newly appointed Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion removed the Queen’s portrait from the foyer of the Foreign Affairs building, to be replaced …
