The honest truth about the locals of Brantford

Since coming to Brantford, I’ve heard a lot about “the locals”. How someone pulled a knife at 2 a.m. on one of my friends, how someone started a fight at local nightclub NV, just because one of my friends made…

Categories: Opinion

Cultivating local music, Brown Dog style

The first rain of spring was spitting on the sidewalk and my hair as I entered Brown Dog Bootleg Café last Wednesday night. As I walked in the door I couldn’t help but notice how the raindrops softly struck the…

Categories: Arts & Culture

Brantford: The rebirth of a community

A growing university and a revitalized downtown core have worked to create a sense of community that Brantford hasn’t seen in almost 20 years. The economic recession in the early 1990’s and the loss of the city’s main industry left…

Categories: Features

Unemployment on the rise in Niagara region

The closing of Big Lots and Myers Industries paired with severe winter conditions may be the cause in an unemployment spike. The spike was announced in March after February numbers were officially released. “Two factors during the last month likely…

Categories: News

Suffering from the Flappy Bird flu

You slowly sink your teeth into your bottom lip, the quickening pace of your index finger violently tapping the screen cramps your hand, and your elevated heart rate is causing small beads of nervous sweat to collect on your brow.…

Categories: Arts & Culture

Ontario creates business ties with the Middle East

Business ties with the Middle East are being strengthened to create jobs in Ontario. On Mar. 4, Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Employment, ended a successful “business mission” to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. The…

Categories: News

Coming out: Ellen Page

I freakin’ love the movie Juno, I wish there was a classier way to express my particular sentiments for the film, but that exact word “freakin’” sums it up perfectly.  Canadian born actress Ellen Page flawlessly embodied the starring character…

Categories: Arts & Culture

From no coast to West Coast

Imagine waking up one morning and following through with what you’ve been dreaming about doing, whether it’s going on that special vacation, finally pushing for that career you’ve always wanted or just packing everything you own into a suitcase and…

Categories: Features

James Alfred Cooper back in custody

A 78-year-old convicted sex offender was arrested and taken into custody on Friday. James Alfred Cooper, at one point named the worst sex offender in Canada, moved to downtown Brantford earlier this year to the Salvation Army half-way house on…

Categories: News

LEAF students and the international connections at Laurier

Our small and intimate campus is home to a surprisingly large number of international students. The LEAF program, which draws the most international students to our campus, is designed to build English skills for those who meet the academic requirements…

Categories: Features

Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea outbreak in Ontario

The Ontario government is providing $2 million to help Ontario Pork support industry-wide investments to improve biosecurity measures. Canada’s first case of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) was identified in the Middlesex County a little over a week ago. Two more…

Categories: News

I’m dreaming of a perfect teaching career

On January 17, a woman from the state of California released a YouTube video claiming that her former middle school teacher sexually abused her multiple times during her years as a student. The teacher that abused her had since been…

Categories: Opinion

A plea for inclusive language

I was standing outside of a classroom a few days ago and I overheard a story being shared about a crazy weekend. The punch line was that their friend did something really stupid, but instead of saying the word ‘stupid’,…

Categories: Opinion