August 8, 2023

The Government of Manitoba has issued a brief statement indicating that it will “not be seeking leave to appeal” the University of Manitoba Faculty Association remedy case in the Supreme Court of Canada. The Manitoba Court of Appeal decided to uphold the decision to order MB to pay the UMFA $19.4M in damages for in labour negotiations. MB Premier Heather Stefanson indicated that it was time to “turn the page” on the events of 2016 for UMFA members and Manitobans.

Northern College has broken ground on its new satellite learning centre in Timmins’ downtown core. A recent ceremony celebrated the start of renovations on the facility, which will be located in the Michael JJ Doody Centre of Excellence building. The location will be renovated to create classrooms, training rooms, student lounges, and college faculty spaces. A selection of training options will be offered at the learning centre, including academic upgrading, the Addiction and Mental Health Worker program, and the Project Management graduate certificate. The learning centre is expected to open in 2024. “We’re proud to be expanding its locations to include downtown Timmins, a high-traffic area, in the hopes of meeting broader educational and employment needs across our community,” said Northern Board of Governors first-vice chair Jeff Molyneaux.

The Government of Saskatchewan has announced new investments in healthcare training opportunities. SK will increase access to healthcare education opportunities in 2023-24 with approximately 550 new training seats in a variety of postsecondary programs, including in a new Phlebotomy Program and an Indigenous Birth Support Worker Program at Gabriel Dumont Institute and the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies’ Health Care Aid Program in Prince Albert. SK also announced $530K in one-time funding to create 58 bursaries for students and new graduates of the Primary Care Paramedic and Advanced Care Paramedic programs who sign a return of service agreement to work with Saskatchewan Health Authority or contracted EMS providers.

Dalhousie University will launch a two-year master’s level physician assistant training program, beginning in January 2024. The program will have 24 seats each year and will give priority to Nova Scotian applicants. Dal medical school dean Dr David Anderson told that the program was developed over the course of the last six months after the university received a commitment of $5.6M to develop the program and $1.5M in annual funding from NS. Anderson stated that officials drew on the existing medical school curriculum and worked with the lead of McMaster University’s physician assistant training program to develop the program. NS reports that the program is the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada.

In an era of rapid change that wants quick resolutions, Victor Aluise (Western Governors University) writes that it is important for leaders in postsecondary education to nurture problem ownership and autonomy within their teams. Emphasizing the importance of maintaining a focus on long-term, sustainable solutions, Aluise encourages leaders to work with their team to fully understand the root cause and bigger picture of any issue they encounter and avoid implementing band-aid solutions that only alleviate the issue temporarily. He advises encouraging creativity and investing in coaching and skills development to prepare team members for complex issues. “By embracing ownership and nurturing a forward-thinking mindset,” he concludes, “leaders create a culture of accountability and empower their teams to overcome challenges and thrive in the face of adversity.”

A final report from the Government of the Northwest Territories shows an improvement in access to skilled trades training and certification. The report assessed the territory’s progress toward key objectives. The areas that improved include awareness of skilled trades training and certification, employer and apprentice satisfaction, and the rate of participation in the Schools North Apprenticeship Program. Indigenous participation in the trades has also increased from 51% of all new apprentices in 2016 to 59% in 2021-2022. The report also found that students who travelled to Alberta to complete their apprenticeship usually returned to work in the north.

A professor from Concordia University recently gained attention online after reportedly calling the French Quebec accent an “affront to human dignity” during a podcast. Gad Saad made the remarks during his appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast and later explained that his remarks were hyperbolic and that he often uses the phrase as a joke. Concordia has distanced itself from Saad’s comments, noting that these are individual remarks that reflect beliefs not shared by the university.

The Government of Yukon has officially introduced a new online student financial assistance application portal. The portal will enable postsecondary students from the territory to apply for grants and loans, check application statuses, and view funding decision letters through one centralized platform. “This system-wide upgrade not only simplifies the processes for students applying for financial assistance, it also represents a significant leap forward in improving access to education for Yukoners,” said YK Minister of Education Jeanie McLean.

The University of Saskatchewan issued a warning about a man trespassing on campus and impersonating university staff. The warning contained a picture of the man, identified as Travis Patron, along with a notification that “Patron continues to trespass on university property, and it has been reported that he has impersonated university staff.” Patron has reportedly been convicted of willful promotion of hatred and assault, and reports that he was arrested last week for posing as a police officer. “The idea of a formerly charged person being present on our campus will be a cause of concern,” said Ishita Mann, president of the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union. Mann told that she was grateful for the swift alert from the university and hopes that people will take caution and look out for one another on campus.

A series of recent viral videos posted on sites such as TikTok have drawn attention to the dire circumstances that some international students are facing. The highlighted a video of an international student who was sleeping under a bridge in Toronto while studying at Conestoga College. Many commenters offered to pay for the student’s rent, provide him with a phone, or share accommodations. BlogTO shared videos of hundreds of people lining up for job fairs in Brampton, Mississauga, and Kitchener. Many of the people are identified as or surmised to be international students “People must have been lined up since 7 am,” said one TikToker. “It’s literally impossible to find a job here.”