Tolls from the belltower
author: kristian ferguson & john loeppky | news editor & editor-in-chief
credit brett nielson
Ding-dong it’s news time
Our tolls from the bell tower is a semi-regular series where we highlight stories that we think you should know about, but that we aren’t able to write whole stories on. For your information, the series is called “Tolls from the Bell Tower” because a carillon is a type of bell tower. The more you know. [EIC Note: Cue the jingle]
Ontario Post-Secondary Faculty on Strike
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union [OPSEU] voted to go on strike, putting post-secondary education into a standstill. The union is looking for wage increases, as well as more full-time positions. Additionally, they are looking for more stability for their workers who are regularly on contracts.
The College Employer Council is “extremely disappointed” at the union’s proposal and is claiming that it will be too expensive to accommodate the union’s demands.
Students of affected post-secondary institutions have organized a petition to have tuition refunded for each day they are unable to go to class.
When reached for comment, a representative said that the union’s message is “Get back to the table and listen to what we have to say.”
University of Regina Asbestos
The U of R used to use asbestos as part of its building construction way back when that was a regular thing to do. However, that asbestos has never been removed. The U of R website states, “Intact and undisturbed asbestos presents no direct health hazard but does present a potential exposure hazard should asbestos be released into the atmosphere and taken into the body.”
The university has taken to alerting students of asbestos through the use of red stickers on affected areas. The university has plans to remove asbestos as necessary when immediately dangerous, or during regular renovations to affected areas.
Winnipeg Developer Sues Protestors
Andrew Marquess, owner of Gem Equities, is suing 49 peaceful protestors in Manitoba for damages of $500,000 due to a non-violent protest earlier in the summer.
Indigenous land-defenders and members of the community came out in opposition of the destruction of natural forests and wetlands that Gem Equities planned to remove.
The defendants have set up a legal defense fund in order to help with legal fees.
U of R Receives $3.7 Million for Research
Associate professor Mohan Babu, Psychology professor Heather Hadjistavropoulos, and Dr. Tarun Katapally have received almost $3.7 million in grants for research.
The grants will be applied to research on a variety of topics including Parkinson’s disease, cognitive behavioral therapy, and minimizing suicide amongst Indigenous youth.
