the journal Vol. 144, Issue 17
Q u e e n ’ s U n iv e r s i t y
Winter break news roundup
F r i day , J a n ua ry 1 3 , 2 0 1 7
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Justin Trudeau holds Q&A in Kingston as part of cross-country tour
A catch-up of campus and Kingston happenings from December and early January
Victoria Gibson News Editor While campus saw a mass exodus for winter break, the University, Kingston Police and national funding groups chugged along with new developments. Here’s what you missed while lighting the menorah, carving up a turkey, singing a carol or just taking a break from the books:
Principal’s Implementation Committee on Racism, Diversity and Inclusion Two months after an off-campus party ignited controversy for allegations of racism and cultural appropriation, the national media spotlight has begun to cool on Queen’s. In the meantime, six individuals have been tasked with a time-sensitive response, having been named to the Principal’s Implementation Committee on Racism, Diversity and Inclusion. The committee will expeditiously analyze past reports on diversity or racism on campus, and make recommendations in both the short and long term. Their role was originally to conduct new reports, but a request by the Queen’s Senate altered the committee’s function. Three of the six members were elected by Senate, with
See Police on page 4
Prime Minister Trudeau addressing the open forum at Kingston City Hall on Thursday.
Prime Minister grilled by locals and students on federal accountability Victoria Gibson and Iain Sherriff-Scott Journal Staff When Justin Trudeau walked into Kingston City Hall on Thursday Jan. 12 under a gold-tinted spotlight, a media flurry followed his every move. But before the glitz, while the Prime Minister’s aides hurriedly set up for his appearance, one of their stories set the tone for the afternoon’s discussion. The individual — a member of the technology team who’ll be hurrying around the country in coming weeks with Trudeau, as part of his open-forum tour — only began in the tech field when she was forced to work night shifts to pay for her university education. The demands of pursuing an education were frequent topics throughout Trudeau’s
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to furthering Indigenous education. In the fall, a briefing note to Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett revealed that the funds were impacting primary and secondary schooling rather than post-secondary. “We committed during the election campaign to removing the cap on funding for Indigenous communities, and education. We are continued to be committed to that,” Trudeau said in response. “There is an awful lot of work to be done and we know that there is a parity gap in education, accessibility and outcomes. That is a priority, not only for this government but for all Canadians.” The National Post reported in September that $90 million was sought by status Indian and Inuit students in Canada through the Indspire program. However, only $15 million was available. At Queen’s, a focus has been placed on Indigenous education in recent years, with a new minor in Indigenous studies and a 133 per cent increase over 2015 in self-identified Aboriginal student enrollment. See Trudeau on page 5
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visit, as he addressed questions of mental health, post-secondary funding and Indigenous learning. “We put billions of dollars of new money on the table for home care and mental health,” Trudeau told the packed City Hall chamber, “which is a personal priority for me.” Health Minister Jane Philpott has been looking into ways to reduce costs for prescription medications, including those for mental disorders, he said. During the forum, Trudeau faced emotional appeals over the malfunctioning Phoenix pay system, with others inquiring when long-term disability would be implemented for veterans and whether the Liberal government would firmly commit to Indigenous lands having access to clean water sources. Several members of the Kingston and surrounding areas’ Indigenous communities approached Trudeau to thank him for hearing out their experiences. Following the Q&A, Trudeau held a press conference in which The Journal inquired about his five-year, $2.6-billion commitment
PHOTO BY IAIN SHERRIFF-SCOTT
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Predictions for the Gaels’ varsity winter season
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New Year, same you: why we make resolutions