Undergraduate Students

Round-up: Coverage of New Research on Second-Stage Shelters for Women Fleeing Violence

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 20:44:44 +0000

Over the past week, Pearl Eliadis has joined multiple media outlets to discuss new research from the Quebec Homelessness Prevention Policy Collaborative on the province's delays in delivering second-stage shelters for women fleeing violence.

Jennifer Welsh on Potential Impacts of the Proposed Russia-Ukraine Peace Plan | CTV

admin — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 16:15:13 +0000

November 24, 2025 | Jennifer Welsh spoke with CTV Your Morning on the recently released 28-point Russia-Ukraine peace plan.

Vincent Rigby Weighs In on Halifax International Security Forum | POLITICO

admin — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 19:29:39 +0000

November 2025 | POLITICO’s Canada Playbook featured Vincent Rigby in its preview of this year’s Halifax International Security Forum, highlighting the absence of a U.S. delegation. Rigby said democracies must stay aligned and show that their defence commitments and political values continue to guide their choices. He explained that Canada can affirm its partnership with allies while avoiding any actions that could be perceived as deliberately provoking the Trump administration.

Jennifer Welsh on Protecting Civilians in a Turbulent Age | 2025 Keenan Lecture

admin — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 18:45:22 +0000

November 19, 2025 | Jennifer Welsh delivered the keynote address at the 36th Michael Keenan Memorial Lecture at St. Thomas More College, speaking on the weakening of civilian protection in contemporary conflict. Welsh explained that impunity now shapes conflicts in a way that weakens long-standing commitments to civilian protection.

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.

Pearl Eliadis on Challenging Quebec’s Bills 21 and 96 at the UN | City News Montreal

admin — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 17:42:05 +0000

July 12, 2025 | Pearl Eliadis spoke to CityNews Montreal about the potential to challenge Quebec’s Bills 21 and 96 before the United Nations Human Rights Committee. Eliadis explained that bringing the case to the UN would aim “to get the UN committee's view” on whether the laws violate international human rights obligations. The interview highlights growing legal interest in using international mechanisms to confront the controversial legislation.

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.

Pearl Eliadis on the Controversial Legal rule of Notwithstanding Clause | Global News

admin — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 13:44:59 +0000

September 19, 2025 | In a news segment on the Global News with Touria Izri, Flora Pearl Eliadis spoke about the urgency Ottawa posit on the notwithstanding clause, stating: "There was this tradition of legislative restraint, this was something you were not really supposed to use." However in reality, legal experts warn right-leaning premiers are using it more often to ram through legislation. Now, the federal government wants the Supreme Court to step in and set limits.

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.

Vass Bednar, Denise Hearn, and MPP Shane Joy Named Hunter Prize Finalists | The Hub

admin — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 19:07:05 +0000

September 6, 2025 | The Hub has announced the 10 finalists for the third annual Hunter Prize for Public Policy, which awards $50,000 in cash prizes for bold ideas to address Canada’s stalled GDP per capita growth and improve living standards.

Current Master of Public Policy student Shane Joy was selected for his proposal to create a Canadian Productivity Commission, an independent body that would analyze national productivity trends, assess sectoral performance, and advise on reform opportunities. His idea is aimed at tackling Canada’s long-term productivity challenges.

Jennifer Welsh on Israel-Iran Tensions and What’s at Stake at the G7 Summit | CBC Radio

admin — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 18:48:10 +0000

June 15, 2025 | Jennifer Welsh joined CBC Radio’s The Sunday Magazine with Piya Chattopadhyay to analyze how rising tensions between Israel and Iran are shaping the global security landscape—just as G7 leaders gather in Alberta. Speaking alongside former Canadian ambassador Arif Lalani, Welsh described Israel’s latest military strikes as unusually ambitious in scale and timing.

Anil Wasif on Confronting Institutional Decay After the Dhaka School Tragedy | Policy Magazine

admin — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 17:44:57 +0000

July 23, 2025 | Anil Wasif, MPP ’21, writes in Policy Magazine about the painful disconnect between high-level development discourse and lived tragedy, reflecting on the deadly crash of a military jet into a school in Dhaka, Bangladesh that claimed 32 lives. Writing from the World Bank’s Annual Conference on Development Economics, where he was attending as a Government Analytics fellow, Wasif describes how the academic conversation on institutional decay and populist anger mirrored the catastrophic reality unfolding in his home country.

Pearl Eliadis on the Risks of Quebec’s Secularism Report | CBC

admin — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 15:57:07 +0000

August 28, 2025 | In a story reported by CBC, a Quebec government committee has issued 50 recommendations, including extending the religious symbols ban to subsidized daycares and requiring people to uncover their faces for public services. These proposals have drawn criticism from community leaders, who argue they discriminate against religious minorities, particularly Muslim women.

Vincent Rigby on Canada’s Accelerated Defence Spending | CDA Institute

admin — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 15:23:32 +0000

June 9, 2025 | In an interview for the Conference of Defence Associations (CDA) Institute’s Expert Series, Vincent Rigby reacts to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement that Canada will accelerate defence spending to reach 2% of GDP by the end of the 2025–26 fiscal year. Rigby unpacks the hurdles ahead—including the recruitment and retention crisis, slow procurement processes, and the complexity of aligning new investments with operational readiness.

Pearl Eliadis on Potential United Nations Challenge to Bills 21 and 96 | Montreal Now with Aaron Rand

admin — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 17:50:48 +0000

June 16, 2025 | Speaking on Montreal Now with Aaron Rand, Pearl Eliadis cautioned that if Canada’s Supreme Court does not act to limit Quebec’s use of the notwithstanding clause in laws such as Bills 21 and 96, the anglophone community may need to seek recourse through the United Nations Human Rights Committee. Eliadis noted that Canada, as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, has a duty to uphold principles of equality and non-discrimination—protections she believes are being undermined by the legislation.