Nova Scotia has proposed legislation increasing political interference in universities. Political interference in education isn’t just an American phenomenon. It’s alive and well in Canada too. Politicians should not dictate the priorities of universities.

One of our brilliant students wrote an analysis of how Universities laid the groundwork for Trump's repressive policies. www.thenation.com/article/acti...

The NIH announced it will slash billions of dollars of support to universities and research centers. This is one of the biggest attacks on science we have ever seen. It could dismantle the biomedical research system, shut down clinical trials, and halt development of treatments.

“Accurate information on how many people in a community die from COVID, or any other cause—is essential for making decisions about public health. It is also important for families. Everyone deserves to know why a loved one died.”

It just occurred to me that my book came out a year ago today. Buy it if you haven't yet: www.dundurn.com/books_/t2211...

Conservative lead in the latest Ipsos sits at +13% Last Ipsos poll on January 7 had their lead at +26%

Come work with us! We're looking for a colleague specializing in Gender and Diversity in Politics. Subfield open, but IR and Conparativists are especially encouraged to apply. careers.ucalgary.ca/jobs/1555649...

I'll have more to say about this later, but for now I want to share this piece I was honored to write for @thesicktimes.bsky.social about friendship & COVID. I hope ppl will read it if they are the covid-cautious friend or if they are not, and find some clarity here thesicktimes.org/2025/01/30/t...

It is simply not enough for universities to say, “Our grants & research offices are looking into how research will be affected by the latest directive.” University leaders must actively and very publicly make the case for the kind of work many of us do. The silence on this front is deafening.

Advocating for privatization is about the worst response to the so-called crisis in public education. thestarphoenix.com/opinion/colu...

In view of the anti-mask, anti-vax, anti-science "report" released by the AB gov't last week, it seems like a good time to reshare our call for a national inquiry into Canada's response to the pandemic. 1/ link.springer.com/article/10.1...

On this day in 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada held that the abortion provision of the Criminal Code was unconstitutional and violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Let's learn more about the landmark R v Morgentaler case 🧵1/15

@adrianecarr.bsky.social, a champion of Green politics and the longest-serving politician on Vancouver’s city council, has resigned from her seat. @bychrischeung.bsky.social interviews Carr on her departure, her time in office and what it means to be Green.

How problematic is the Alberta report on COVID? Very. Recommendations embrace misinformation & run counter to a vast & diverse body of evidence. Policy analysis is nonsensical & displays a lack of knowledge about law or ethics. This is science in Alberta? Dark Age 2.0.

I think some people hear “grants” and think that without them, scientists and government workers just have less stuff to play with at work. But grants fund salaries for students, academics, researchers, and people who work in all areas of public service. “Pausing” grants means people don’t eat.

This shit is discriminatory and dehumanizing, not to mention anti-science (I am speaking in both my professional and personal capacity here)

OK. The richest, most powerful man in history is a fascist. He's using his enormous wealth to install national leaders who'll advance his fascist agenda. Again: What are we going to do with this information?

Freezing scientific funding isn’t abstract. In medicine, life or death is often dictated by time. Temporary delays can cause great harm.

Wider streets are a terrible idea. They are less safe, more expensive to build and maintain, and take up valuable land that could be put to better use like housing or public space. Most streets are already too wide as evidenced by massive “sneckdowns”

The censorship begins: According to officials, the Trump administration is instructing health agencies including the CDC, FDA, NIH, and HHS to pause all external communications, such as health advisories, weekly scientific reports, updates to websites and social media posts.

My new essay comic, Antisemitism in a Time of Genocide, is now up at Le Monde Diplomatique in France. I’ll thread the 8 panels in English here, and link to the French at the end.

Do not obey in advance

Academic Freedom at Canadian Universities Threatened as Schools Police Speech on Gaza, Canadian Organization for Faculty Associations Warns pressprogress.ca/academic-fre...

Are you a supervisor wondering how to better support your neurodivergent postgrads? Go read our latest article in @timeshighered.bsky.social www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/how-s...

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is bragging about distributing N95 masks. Yet, just 6 months ago Bass proposed a ban on masks in LA.

if you’re in Regina or Saskatoon we will bring free masks to your door!! linktr.ee/maskblocsask

I just finished knitting my first sweater and it took around 40 hours from beginning to end (this also obvs doesn't include time spent to shear/spin wool, make knitting needles, learn the craft, etc.). For labour alone this sweater would cost $696 at min. wage in BC.

Covid infection can cause lasting cognitive impairment, memory issues, clinical anxiety and depression, obsessive behaviour, brain fog, PTSD-like symptoms, insomnia, increased risk of psychosis, mood swings, heightened stress responses. And that's just a taste. Wear a mask.

The death of local journalism is an affront to democracy and yet this trend continues because news continues to be the domain of venture capitalists willing to kill news to make a buck. A damn shame.

Disabled and senior people constitute the highest number of deaths in climate disasters like wildfires and flooding due to poor planning and lack of investment by the govt. Something I wrote about wildfires in Northern CA: sf.curbed.com/2018/11/13/1... #LAFires #LAFirestorm2025

The minimum PhD stipend at UBC is about $7,000 below the poverty line www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Surely the resurgence of the r-slur couldn’t have anything to do with tech billionaires’ fondness for eugenics

🧵The University of Alberta has announced it is shifting from “EDI” to “access, community and belonging.” Based on my experiences researching inequality in higher education in Alberta, this is unlikely to have any benefits other than to appease the UCP.

This open letter in support of @seantucker.bsky.social is at 200 signatures. Please add your name so we can hold universities accountable to the principles of academic freedom including discussion and education about Palestine t.co/R4l1oMP4A7?s...

Winter Nocturne Nicki Ault 2020

A race to the bottom that the Canadian government is more or less willing to accept. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Solstice Drive to St. Anthony Christopher Pratt 2008

“Gisèle has waived her right to anonymity, saying she wanted to make "shame swap sides" from the victim to the rapist” We all stand behind Gisèle. I hope this sliver of justice will bring some peace to her and many other women.

What's it like to commute to work by bike in the coldest city in Canada? Double bassist Daniel Perry can tell you all about it. thenarwhal.ca/winnipeg-sym...

Reminder: High quality masks/respirators such as N95s protect against all airborne viruses including bird flu.

Check out our critical neurodiversity studies conference call for abstracts and save the date! ndhumanities.com/2024/12/17/c...

Night Snow Maud Lewis 1958

It still astonishes me that more people in politics and our media pretend to be concerned about kids having missed school than kids having been killed or sickened by Covid.

From 1979

e-pimohtâtamihk paskwâw mostos meskanaw — Travelling the Buffalo Road, a beautiful story from Kayla MacInnis, co-published with our friends at @indiginews.bsky.social, now translated into nehiyawêwin (Plains Cree) by Dorothy Thunder. Read & listen! 🦬

The Flaman Fitness guy is always unsettling but never more so than in winter when he looks like they strapped one of the Everest ice mummies to a treadmill

One of my political awakening moments from early childhood was writing a strongly-worded letter to Stephen Harper about the evils of standardized testing

As a U of R student, I find it appalling that the U of R student union has moved to defund the U of R Women's Centre and URPride. I let them know what I think and you should too (especially if you're a U of R student). The more voices they hear from, the better. Contact here: ursu.ca/contact/