Politics

Ontario has a history of racist police checks—is COVID-19 bringing them back?

Last week, the Ontario government announced a new COVID-19 enforcement protocol allowing police to randomly stop residents. The measure may have been rolled back, but for Black, Indigenous, and other marginalized residents, this kind of enforcement isn’t new.

Could free transit help Canadian cities address climate justice and social equity?

When the COVID-19 pandemic started, some Canadian cities briefly introduced transit fare suspensions. Now, advocates across the country are pushing for these fare-free systems to become permanent.

Postal union VP says the Epoch Times could ‘lead to xenophobia’ if allowed to continue delivering materials

One of Canada’s postal worker unions didn’t succeed in preventing deliveries of this controversial paper, but maintains it puts workers at risk of anti-Asian racism.

What do climate activists think about the Supreme Court’s carbon tax decision?

Canada's top court recently decided climate change poses a great enough threat that it needs federal intervention. Environmental groups are celebrating, but say the fight is far from over.

COVID-19 forced Toronto to prioritize cyclists. Will its momentum last?

New cycling infrastructure was installed throughout Toronto last spring, giving a glimpse into how a pedestrian-first, car-second city could work.

Toronto gig workers continue to organize despite COVID-19 complications

Foodsters United set the precedent for gig workers to unionize. Now, Uber Black drivers continue the fight.

How Janis Irwin became Alberta’s ‘ML Gay’

The Edmonton MLA on provincial politics, self-care, and the upcoming election.

Social media is helping frontline healthcare workers voice COVID-19 concerns

In a Feb. 11 Twitter livestream, health advocates met with Prime Minister Trudeau and Minister Hajdu to discuss vaccine rollout.

Canada’s alt-right pipeline

How young Canadians are indoctrinated into online right-wing extremism

Ontario COVID-19 policies expose the ‘frailty’ of the restaurant industry

Alcohol pricing, indoor dining limits, and unpaid rent are only some of the negative burdens COVID-19 has forced onto Ontario's restaurant industry. Can it recover?

The threat of homelessness looms over Toronto tenants

As evictions increase, tenants say support from the city is nowhere in sight.

Exiled in triplicate

Surrounded by beaches and wintering birds, it's hard to reconcile my peaceful surroundings with the heavy thoughts reverberating in my head.

What will Telesat’s promise to ‘bridge the digital divide’ cost Northern Canadians?

This week, the Canadian federal government announced a $600 million deal with global satellite operator Telesat. The deal is intended to increase internet connectivity in remote areas of Canada, specifically Northern Canada. But Northern Canadians aren’t celebrating just yet.

Teens take office: conversations with Canada’s Gen Z politicians

Youth are no longer being held up as the future of politics—they’re fighting for a seat at the table. We spoke to some of Canada's youngest political contenders about what led them to the legislature.

This month’s election could decide the fate of Vancouver Island’s old-growth forests

With B.C. embroiled in a snap election and old-growth forestry a concern for many Vancouver Island voters, provincial leaders are deciding the future of B.C. forestry one platform at a time. Here’s what each provincial party has to say about forestry and Vancouver Island conservation.

North America’s first socialist government: Following the Saskatchewan NDP from Medicare to Meili

With American political figures like Bernie Sanders and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) raising the profile of democratic socialism and Medicare in political conversations across North America, The Pigeon charts how in just over 50 years, socialist Saskatchewan became a conservative stronghold.

In the name of safety: What go-karting, niqab bans, and Quebec’s Bill 62 have in common

As Quebec approaches the third anniversary of its ban on face coverings—often referred to as its "niqab ban"—Muslim women in the province are wryly noting the government’s recent change in opinion when it comes to face coverings in light of the global pandemic.

Amid looming uncertainty, Canada hospitality workers question their future

Faced with so much uncertainty, and with so many unanswered questions, many hospitality workers are now seriously questioning their commitment to the industry and whether they have a future in it.

‘These are preventable deaths’: Saskatchewan’s growing drug crisis

Prairie Harm Reduction has been working toward opening Saskatchewan’s first safe consumption site for five years. The site is set to open on Oct. 1, directly in the wake of a Saskatchewan Coroners Service report estimating that overdose deaths in the province in 2020 are already higher than any previous year.

Tensions rise as Prince Edward Country struggles to manage booming tourism industry during COVID-19

In Prince Edward County, Ont., business owners and residents are struggling to adapt to a tourism season during COVID-19. Despite initial fears for the economic damage the pandemic would bring, the return of visitors to the county is sparking new tensions for locals.

Victoria’s newspaper box debate shows new challenges for local Canadian media

In a city council meeting on Aug. 6, Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps and Councillor Charlayne Thornton-Joe jointly filed a motion to remove newspaper boxes from city-owned property. This reflects wider perceptions about the dwindling role of physical newspapers in other communities.

Former Ontario student trustees say their 21-year-old governance system is broken

In Ontario, the position of student trustee is coming under fire after being a fixture of the province’s education landscape for 21 years. Former student trustees, many of whom are just finishing their terms in office, are taking to social media to call out racism, sexism, and elitism in their school boards.

Fuel and fire: How a green recovery can save Alberta from itself

As COVID-19 put the world on pause, a decreased demand for oil sent prices plummeting, spelling disaster for the future of Alberta’s oil sands. The province continues to deal with a worsening economy and the impacts of climate change, and climate activists say a green transition might be the solution Albertans need.

COVID-19 reinforces the importance of public libraries for Toronto’s homeless population

“You don't think about the library [as] offering something that's […] essential, but it really does.”