PHOTO BY SARA SHEIKH / THE SPUTNIK PHOTOGRAPHY “You keep cutting out.” “Your screen is all blurry.” “There’s an echo in your audio.” “It must be your Wi-Fi.” At this point in the online school year, we have […]
Slow internet in a virtual classroom
The sacred land of Market Square
In 2014 the settlement on the purchase of Market Square was approved and forwarded to Laurier Brantford for $5.8 million dollars. To this day, no renovations have occurred and the space still stands as it did before. Although Laurier may […]
New policy will mass deport workers who have journeyed to work in Canada
On Wednesday April 1, Operational Bulletin 275-C will come into effect, resulting in a mass deportation of temporary foreign workers in Canada. The 275-C was implemented on April 1, 2011, and has been coined the “four in four out”, or […]
No harm in curriculum changes to protect children, advocate equality
Ontario’s health curriculum has not been updated since 1998. Guess what else happened in 1998? Google. One of the biggest online search engines. It put the whole wide world in hands reach, and that could be a child’s hands, and […]
Women’s basketball team loses in double-OT shocker
One of the best women’s basketball teams in Canada had their historic 2014-2015 season cut short on February 28 in a thrilling double-overtime upset at the hands of Queen’s University in the quarter-final of the OUA playoffs, 85-78. The Golden […]
Attention: You may be a rapist
Rape automatically brings up images of violence and alleyways in our minds but in reality, sex without consent happens all of the time: upstairs at a house party in a bed smelling of beer, in the back of your boyfriend’s […]
The Limelight on Brantford’s family violence rate
A report released by Statistics Canada in January has brought to light the growing issue of family violence in the country. Within the report, Brantford is ranked at ninth for Canadian cities with the highest rates of domestic violence, and […]
The Middle East from the eyes of third culture kids
We are ‘third culture kids’ –we grew up in a culture that differs from the culture our parents were brought up in. While some of us go back to our home countries for post-secondary education, many go abroad. Since my […]
The reality of Laurier’s 2014 enrollment numbers
I had set out on an adventure over the past month or so trying to answer the question: Is Laurier’s enrolment down this year? At the time, I did not fully understand the difficulty in answering this question. But I […]
Ontario government working to lighten student’s tuition
The Ontario Tuition Grant (OTG) has undergone its annual increase, and the Province is looking to encourage more post-secondary students to apply. For Ontario undergrads in University and College degree programs, the grant is now valued at $1780, or $890 […]
Callous or complimentary
‘I’d like to ride you like you ride that bike,’ a teenage male said to Sarah Rodrigues, 27, as she rode her bicycle down a path one day. Despite being nervous about being alone, Rodrigues “stopped, turned to them, and […]
WLU piloting new program that records students
For just over a year, Wilfrid Laurier University has been using a program called Respondus Lockdown Browser to ensure that students do not look up answers while writing online tests. In response to the need for new limitations around online […]
Liberals take Ontario election for 59 seats
On June 12th, Ontario took to the polls, and re-elected Liberal Party leader Kathleen Wynne as Premier. Liberals have been in power in Ontario since 2003. Thursday’s election earned the party 57 seats, gaining the Liberal Party their first majority […]
Community Leaders’ Breakfast a whistling success
On June 10, The Brant Community Foundation hosted its sixth annual Community Leaders’ Breakfast. The breakfast was lead by an introduction by Neil Lumsden, a former CFL player and Grey Cup champion, about the guest speaker, Ron Foxcroft. Lumsden was […]
Summer water restrictions hit Brantford
Since May 2003, the City of Brantford has been implementing strict watering restrictions in an effort to lower water consumption throughout the summer months. According to Leanne Knuckle of the City of Brantford Water Conservation Program, water consumption peaks in […]
Canada Day event expected to bring 25,000 people to Lions Park
On June 2, organizers of Brantford’s Canada Day celebration met with Mayor Chris Friel and held a media conference to unveil the festivities planned for Canada’s 147th birthday. Brantford Parks and Recreation hosts the event annually, with help from Brantford Police, […]
Ontario NDP leader takes campaign to Brantford
Ontario New Democrat Party leader, Andrea Horwath visited Brantford Wednesday evening to highlight her campaign, and promote NDP-Brant candidate Alex Felsky. Entering the room to her campaign song, Phillip Phillips’ “Home”, Horwath told her supporters “it feels great to be […]
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 […]
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 […]
Arrest made in York University shooting
After a weeklong investigation, Toronto Police have apprehended and charged a person they believe to be the gunman involved with last week’s shooting at York University. 22-year-old Kemon Edwards has been charged with discharging a firearm and endangering lives. Two […]
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 […]
All aboard the Hamilton ARTBus
The Hamilton ARTbus is one bus you will not want to miss! Throughout the past 7 years it has become one of Hamilton’s visual art scene icons. The Hamilton ARTbus continues to deliver art lovers to the door step of […]
More jobs coming to Brantford
A protein sports supplement factory will bring more jobs to the Brantford area in the near future. NutraBlend Foods is amongst the four newest companies receiving financial support from the Southwestern Ontario Development Fund. “The government’s Southwestern Ontario Development Fund […]
Seniors to get support: Ontario accepting applications
Communities can now begin to apply with the Ontario government for the new Seniors Community Grant. The applications are being taken from not-for-profits which are looking to help seniors feel more connected with their communities. According to Statistics Canada, by […]
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 […]
The Mars One project offers plenty of promise
With less than a week to meet their online crowd-funding goal of $400,000, it’s time to get to know Mars One, the not-for-profit organization aiming to create the first human settlement on Mars. Mars One anticipates that it will […]
Ontario recovers after ice storm hits province hard
On Saturday, Dec. 21, most of southwestern Ontario faced an ice storm causing multiple power outages across the province. More than 1,400 workers from various hydro companies pooled together towards restoring power to more than 160,000 HydroOne customers. By Dec. […]
Ontario plans changes to aboriginal justice system
The Ontario government is creating a special advisory group to look at judiciary issues specifically affecting those in the First Nations population. The new group, which will be known as the Aboriginal Justice Advisory Group, is the official response by […]
Brantford begins Out of the Cold program again this season
As Ontario enters the season of sub-zero temperatures, Brantford’s Out of the Cold program has begun to open its doors again. Based out of the basement of Yes Church on West Street, the program is in its eighth year running. […]
Ford Cracks
November 13th 2013 – Mayor Rob Ford admitted to buying illegal drugs while he was in the position of mayor. The Toronto City Council then voted 37-5, asking Rob Ford to step down as mayor and deal with his personal […]