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e-blast

The first edition of Building Bridges was published nearly twenty years ago, with a second edition following in 2009. Since then, the social and political landscape for queer individuals has changed dramatically around the world. While much progress has been made concerning the protection of existing human rights, a noticeable shift in support for Canada’s queer communities in some parts of the country is evident, largely because of the war on gender and sexual diversity occurring in the United States. In fact, numerous examples of a similar battle abound. This includes the legislated policing of children’s usage of pronouns in schools in some provinces (Ibrahim, 2023; Talati, 2023), recent mass protests organized in response to Ontario’s sex education curriculum (Carter, 2023), opposition to Drag Queen Story Hours, which has drawn ire from many parents (Zoledziowski & Sheldon, 2023), the defamation of Pride flags on the properties of several elementary schools (Mandes, 2023; McGowan, 2023; Peesker, 2023; Sachdeva, 2023) and the current campaign to ban queer-positive children’s books (Beattie, 2023; Froese, 2023; Wong, 2024). Beyond Building Bridges was written, in part, as a response to these inequities and is a reminder that, where queer rights are concerned, the fight is not yet over.

Excerpt: "The Ontario government is investing $43.9 million over three years to continue the province’s After School Program (ASP), keeping more than 13,000 children and youth in underserved communities active and healthy each year. As part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario, this funding will ensure the ASP can continue to provide safe, supervised activities and tutoring for students, along with nutritious snacks, at low or no cost, setting them up for success, inside and outside the classroom."

e-News

Current as of October 21, 2025: The Education Act specifies goals for Alberta’s Early Childhood Services to Grade 12 (ECS-12) education system and identifies the roles and responsibilities of the Ministry, school boards, charter schools, private schools, teachers, parents and students. The Act came into force on September 1, 2019.

Excerpt: "Openness, transparency and accountability are guiding principles of the Government of Canada, and we agree with the Auditor General that regular analysis and reporting on the Canada-wide system is essential to protect its integrity and ensure it continues to empower families by meeting their evolving needs. More work is needed to improve reporting practices. We are working with provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners to provide Canadians with clear and accurate information on the progress being made to build a stronger system, reduce costs and empower families across the country."

The university performed particularly well in the category of "research environment," ranking 16th in the world.

For doctoral student Christine and her roommate Bonnie, moving in together was a way to survive the housing crisis. They become fast friends.

Excerpt: "Families in 14 communities throughout the province will benefit from more than 900 new licensed child care spaces that will open this fall, expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care. “Families throughout British Columbia are seeing new child care spaces open in their communities, giving families real options they can count on,” said Lisa Beare, B.C.’s Minister of Education and Child Care. “These spaces mean shorter waitlists, more access to affordable, high-quality child care and peace of mind for parents, knowing children are learning in safe, supportive environments. This is about making life easier for parents today, while investing in stronger communities for generations to come.”"