Faculty in the News

Postpone Olympics over Zika, Canadian professor warns (Toronto Star)

Amir Attaran, Common Law Section, outlines the potential health risks of holding the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Could the UN declaration spell the end for Energy East? (CBC News)
Larry Chartrand, Common Law Section, comments on the Liberal government's decision to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 

Will Fort McMurray wildfires tip the pipeline debate? Tim Harper (Toronto Star) – see below for full text
Amir Attaran, Common Law Section, comments on First Nations' rights and 'meaningful consultation'.

Zika concerns prompt call to 'postpone or move' Rio Olympic Games (CBC News)
Amir Attaran, Common Law Section, discusses the potential health risks of holding the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. 

Donor boycott urged at U of O; Prof calls for 'fix' as diversity lags (Ottawa Citizen) – see below for full text
Amir Attaran, Common Law Section, discusses the Canada Research Chairs program's targets for diversity.

Rio Olympics should be postponed or moved due to Zika: professor (CBC News)
Amir Attaran, Common Law Section, explains the potential health risks of the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. "The problem is we're essentially faced with a situation of games versus health." 

Canadian universities fail to meet diversity hiring targets (The Globe and Mail)
In this article, Amir Attaran, Common Law Section, discusses the Canada Research Chairs program's targets for diversity.

Forget a Netflix tax. Here's how to shake up Canada's culture: Geist (Toronto Star)
In this Op-Ed, Michael Geist, Common Law Section, suggests that Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly should introduce new approaches to Canadian cultural policy.

Government for the people, by the people, or else; From public budget-making to drafting laws, governments are learning that they ignore public input at their own peril (Toronto Star) – see below for full text
In this article, Michael Geist, Common Law Section, discusses widening corruption scandals and creating an inclusive government.

Cancer Care Ontario 'covering up' casualties by hiding stem cell data, critics charge (Our Windsor)
Amir Attaran, Common Law Section, discusses Cancer Care Ontario's decision to not reveal the number of patients taken off its waiting list for life-saving stem cell transplants. 

Malhotra and Lieffers: Assisted dying? Let's talk about accessible living first (Ottawa Citizen)
In this Op-Ed, Ravi Malhotra, Common Law Section, analyzes the Supreme Court of Canada’s “Carter” decision, which found the prohibition on assisted dying to be unconstitutional. 

Good riddance to fourth carriers (National Post)
This article references Michael Geist, Common Law Section, and his observations on the Bell/MTS deal.

Sask. government charging $180K for access to GTH land deal documents (CBC News Saskatchewan)
Michel Drapeau, Faculty of Law, analyzes the fee estimates CBC's iTeam recently received from the Global Transportation Hub and the Ministry of Highways for access to information requests

Herders' republic: Nigeria at cusp of another security crisis (Nigeria Punch)
In this Op-Ed, Chidi Oguamanam, Common Law Section, acknowledges the security issues affecting Nigeria. 

Digital Cancon fight could end up as new whine in old bottles: Geist (Toronto Star)
In this Op-Ed, Michael Geist, Common Law Section, acknowledges Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly's announcement for a comprehensive review of Canadian content policies in a digital world.

Senate cleansing is under way, and overdue (The Globe and Mail)
In this Op-Ed, Errol Mendes, Common Law Section, explains the potential implications of Senate cleansing

Why is the government out to destroy vaping? (New York Post)
David Sweanor, Common Law Section, comments on the safety of electronic cigarettes, which Britain’s Royal College of Physicians states reduces harm from smoking by 95%.

Ontario fixing Cancer Care's fatal 'failure' (Toronto Star)
Amir Attaran, Common Law Section, comments on the critical policy, introduced by Health Minister Eric Hoskins, that will make an entire group of cancer patients eligible for life-saving stem cell transplants.

Digital Cancon fight could end up as new whine in old bottles: Geist (Toronto Star)
In this Op-Ed, Michael Geist, Common Law Section, discusses Minister Mélanie Joly's annoucenement plans for a comprehensive review of Canadian content policies in a digital world.

Bumpy road toward an independent Senate a 'work in progress': Harder (iPolitics) 
Adam Dodek, Common Law Section, analyzes the partisan divide of the Senate. “I think that it’s fair to say we are seeing the most uncertain period in the history of the Senate since it was created in 1867