Canada stands to lose more than it gains by refusing to reopen diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran has shown some movement in a positive direction in terms of willingness to engage with the outside world and moderate its actions on the global stage, which most other Western nations have recognized by reopening communication lines. Continuing a relations freeze in light of this makes Canada appear not only quixotic but ignorant of the consequences.
Politics
OPINION | There Are Risks to Leaving Afghanistan: Biden is Right to Do It Anyways
Given the failure of the United States in Afghanistan to produce measurable results it only makes sense for President Biden to withdraw US troops from the region. However, withdrawing from the region will have some consequences both politically and socially.
OPINION | Wanted: Young Labor Leaders
For the last forty years pundits have wondered if labor unions are still relevant. Pointing to history and the current state of the workforce, most millennials will likely answer yes.
OPINION | Nova Scotia Strong: One Year Later
One year after the 2020 mass shooting in Portapique, Nova Scotia by Gabriel Wortman politicians recognized the tragic day with moments of silence, tweets of remembrance and kind words, and speeches honouring the victims. Yet, none of these acts have significantly shifted either public policy or the societal normalization of intimate partner violence. This lack of action stems from the masculine nature of the state, which has a tendency to subvert feminist issues and voices.
Village Consolidation in China: Unequal Outcomes & Next Steps
In an effort to combat land distortion, improve its food security, and to narrow the gap of the living conditions between urban and rural communities, the Chinese government has implemented the Building New Rural Communities (BNRC) initiative. However, the policy and method used to implement this initiative has led to mixed results due to being rooted in a system without sufficient accountability. This article will put forward the idea that a more democratic process that engages the residents and implementing a bottom-up approach would help to address this issue.
OPINION | Tension in Tiraspol: is Transnistria’s future under threat?
Unlike her predecessors, Moldovan President Maia Sandu has explicitly challenged Russia’s presence in Transnistria and called for its military to leave. This is likely to pose a significant risk to Transnistria’s stability as it put’s her in direct conflict with Transnistria’s capital, Tiraspol.
Abortion Access and Federalism in Canada: Old Struggles With New Possibilities
Despite Justin Trudeau being a self-proclaimed feminist and avid supporter of women’s rights, the province of New Brunswick has continued to undermine access to abortion without significant repercussions from the prime minister. Rather, the issue is being brought to the court system by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association. This article will argue that this has been a missed opportunity for the prime minister to make significant feminist change.
OPINION | The Niki Ashton Case and the Need for Balance on COVID-19 Restrictions
With spiking case counts across the country during the second wave of COVID-19, many Canadians were understandably upset when reports came that a number of politicians jetted off to exotic locales for winter vacations after numerous pleas from politicians to stay at home. This has decreased public trust in government and has lead to individual members of the public not taking the problems posed by COVID-19 seriously. However, the case of New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Niki Ashton highlights that it may be worth questioning how COVID restrictions and regulations could be made more humane in the first place.
Mothering in Poverty: Has There Been Any Progress in Canada?
The shift from a Keynesian welfare state and the Canadian Assistance Plan to a neoliberal governance and the Canada Health and Social Transfer (CHST) model in the 1980s and 1990s and then the implementation of the current Poverty Reduction Strategy has had numerous implications for poverty in Canada. With a focus on single mothers in Canada, this article will assess the impact of each of these policy shifts to determine whether or not poverty has in fact been reduced.
First Port of Call: the Precarious Future of Migration to ‘Fortress Europe’
In response to the recent issues with migration in Europe over the last few years, the European Commission (EC) launched the New Pact on Migration and Asylum. This article examines the implications that the Pact will have for the EU’s ability to handle migration in the long-term.