Latest news with #McGill
Montreal Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Libman: Wait a minute — where did the time go?
I was blown away last weekend by reports that it's been 35 years since the 1990 Oka Crisis, the standoff that dominated our news cycle that summer. It's also hard to believe last Sunday marked the 40th anniversary of the Live Aid benefit concert for famine relief. The passage of time is something that I have been thinking about more and more of late, trying to make sense of it all. One can be sitting in a waiting room or stuck in traffic agonizing over how long every minute seems to take. On a long trip, moving from A to B, you can only wait patiently, like staring at an hourglass until your destination. Yet, oddly enough, when you look back in time, everything seems accelerated. I graduated from McGill 40 years ago this summer. It seems impossible that it's been that long as I remember so vividly many memories and specifics from those days. How daunting it is to project the same time frame — which doesn't seem so long ago — into the future and realize I'll be (hopefully!) over 100 years old, for heaven's sake. The sense of aging first hit me when I started to realize that police officers, or professional hockey players, say, could be younger than me — and later, even judges and the like. There are teachers I remember from high school who seemed like old men, yet were younger than I am now. When I became involved in politics and elected to the National Assembly in 1989, I was in my 20s without any political experience. Some commentators were condescending, with one in particular — my predecessor on this Opinion page actually — often gleefully referring to me as 'little Bobby.' (That wouldn't get past my editor today!) But by the time I ran for Stephen Harper's Conservatives in 2015, I was described as the older, experienced politician. For much of my work life, whether in provincial or municipal politics, the private sector or in the community, I always seemed to be the young guy. Then suddenly, I'm not sure when, there's that hinge moment where I am now seen as the vieux routier around the office. When looking in the rear-view mirror (or a regular mirror, for that matter) it's hard not to wonder how and when did this sneak up on you. We somehow end up on this Earth and before we know it, we have less time left than the time we've already spent. It's a crapshoot, of course, as none of us can know how long we will have. We can strive to be healthy and increase the odds of a longer life, but sadly we can't anticipate illness or other accidental circumstances beyond our control. Our time here is finite, and then our departure is infinite. It makes you question why we take certain things to heart and fight among ourselves about politics, for example. Forced language laws, immigration rules, constitutional debates and so on rarely alter social realities in significant ways. With the passage of time, societies evolve naturally. Attempts at social engineering breed conflict and diminish valuable individual relationships and quality of life as so much energy is sucked out of us. A few years ago, I attended an event of former MNAs and sat for dinner with some Parti Québécois hardliners who were very combative back then and used to make my skin crawl. Many of them are now elderly and frail. No one can escape Father Time. We talked about those exhausting debates and how many of the same battles are still being fought today. Given where we were now — discussing families, health and the passage of time — much of it seemed so insignificant in the larger scheme of things. Time is a precious resource that we too often take for granted. It's time we start using it more wisely. Robert Libman is an architect and planning consultant who has served as Equality Party leader and MNA, mayor of Côte-St-Luc and a member of the Montreal executive committee.
Montreal Gazette
5 days ago
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
After two turbulent years, McGill University eyes a rebrand
McGill wants a fresh start. The Montreal university is preparing to overhaul its public image after two turbulent years, seeking outside help for a brand repositioning, The Gazette has learned. Despite its standing as one of the world's top universities, McGill has lately been rocked by a series of conflicts and challenges. Clashes with the Quebec government. Hesitation and confusion among out-of-province and international students. Criticism from both pro-Palestinian and Jewish students. Tensions with Indigenous groups. And growing financial strain. In a recent call for tender seeking a branding agency, McGill says it wants to 'reposition how McGill is perceived by key audiences (students, government, donors, public) over a multi-year period.' The new 'positioning/messaging must be as effective in French as it is in English' and should 'illustrate how we are a true bridge between generations, between research and community, between Quebec and the world.' The estimated cost of the contract spans a wide range, from $707,000 to $6.7 million. McGill expects to select an agency in September and launch a multi-year branding campaign one year later. In a statement to The Gazette on Thursday, McGill said it carries out marketing each year to support student recruitment and share knowledge. The public tender, it said, is part of a periodic review to ensure its marketing is as effective as possible. Harold Simpkins, an emeritus marketing professor at Concordia University, said McGill has frequently been in damage-control mode over the past two years. 'Instead of consistently promoting their strengths — the success of their graduates or the breakthroughs of their faculty — they've been on the defensive,' he said. McGill has to refocus attention on its position as 'a leading university — leading in terms of thought, in terms of the quality of the professionals who graduate.' Simpkins said many of the crises McGill has faced were beyond its control, including 'attacks by the Quebec government.' Premier François Legault has singled out McGill and Concordia, another English university. His government aims to reduce their enrolment, arguing that non-French-speaking students from outside Quebec and abroad pose a threat to the province's French-speaking majority. The universities went so far as to sue the province over a series of measures that targeted them. 'It's definitely not a good look to be at war with your province,' said Ken Steele, an Ontario-based consultant who advises universities on branding and strategy. He said McGill president Deep Saini 'may have the toughest job in Canadian post-secondary education, mostly due to the CAQ government,' which 'seems hell-bent on undermining' and 'starving' English universities, particularly McGill. Among other things, the Coalition Avenir Québec government dramatically increased tuition fees for out-of-province students at McGill and Concordia, with the French language minister blaming anglophone students for anglicizing Montreal. Steele said the government is 'making Quebec unpopular for students (from other places), like (American) detentions at the border have made U.S. travel unpopular for Canadians.' He added: 'Academics elsewhere in Canada have been openly musing why McGill wouldn't simply relocate out of Quebec, to a province that actually wants it.' Universities usually undertake brand repositioning exercises 'to address external or even internal misperceptions,' Steele said. In this case, however, McGill already has 'one of Canada's strongest brands.' Founded in 1821, McGill has 36,000 students and is one of Canada's oldest and most prestigious universities. It was recently ranked as Canada's top university in the QS World University Rankings, a globally influential assessment. Domestically, Maclean's latest rankings named McGill the leading medical-doctoral university. Steele said the university's 'big challenge may be positioning Montreal and Quebec as welcoming for anglophones. It's a bigger brand challenge than merely positioning the university.' In the tender document, McGill includes a list of 'primary audiences' for its branding: prospective students (local, national, international), current students, faculty, researchers, staff, donors, alumni, government, opinion leaders, the business community and the 'general public in Quebec.' Simpkins said securing the backing of Quebec's business community — and of French-speaking Quebecers more broadly — is critical. Francophone business leaders have been largely silent about the government's treatment of English universities, even though their companies heavily rely on the institutions for employees, he said. Many Quebecers appear to hold negative views of McGill, he added. 'Your average francophone Quebecer sees McGill as a threat or as being snobby or anti-French.' They think money spent on McGill should instead be spent on French universities, he added. Yet McGill is one of Quebec's best-known brands internationally. Simpkins said the university could try to 'get Quebecers to stop just focusing on Quebec, to take a broader perspective.' Healthy English universities can help attract quality students and faculty to the province, with well-rounded graduates ending up filling key jobs, he said. Many may not realize that 20 per cent of McGill's students have French as their mother tongue. Simpkins said McGill should 'communicate consistently all of the francophone success stories that have come out of McGill,' including its well-regarded law and medical schools. 'There are thousands of francophone success stories.' Without francophones on board, he said, 'it becomes a much more difficult political sell for the government to support McGill.' McGill's rough two years Once best known for its international academic prestige, McGill University has, since 2023, found itself in the spotlight — not for accolades, but for controversy and crises. Quebec government Since the fall of 2023, Premier François Legault's government has targeted McGill and Concordia, accusing them of undermining the French language. The Coalition Avenir Québec government has framed the issue as a broader clash between anglophone institutions and Quebec's francophone majority. The government hiked tuition for out-of-province students, introduced a new international student funding framework, and announced French proficiency requirements. The measures blindsided McGill and Concordia and attracted national and international attention, largely because of McGill's global reputation. McGill and Concordia went to court, calling the measures unconstitutional and unsupported by any data from Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry. A judge partially agreed. Out-of-province students Quebec initially announced it would almost double tuition for out-of-province students at McGill and Concordia — from $9,000 to $17,000. It later scaled back the increase to $3,000, or 33 per cent. Even so, the new rate priced Quebec's English universities out of the national market. The move triggered confusion and dismay across Canada, with media quoting frustrated students vowing to study elsewhere. Many ultimately opted not to apply to McGill or Concordia, feeling unwelcome and deterred by the higher fees. In April, a court ruled the tuition hike was 'unreasonable,' giving Quebec nine months to revise the fee structure. McGill and Concordia saw the decision as a reversal of the increase. But Déry disagreed, saying the judge objected not to the hike itself, but to 'the path we've taken and the reasons invoked for the increase.' International students For international students, the new rules focused on a government clawback and a new minimum annual tuition rate of $20,000, though in many cases, actual tuition didn't increase. Coming amid the outcry over out-of-province tuition hikes, the changes caused confusion and hesitation among prospective students worldwide, leading to a drop in applications. More recently, new federal and provincial limits on foreign enrolment further hampered international recruitment. French requirement In the fall of 2023, Quebec announced French proficiency requirements for non-Quebec students at McGill and Concordia. Starting in 2025, 80 per cent of newly enrolled undergraduates would need intermediate-level spoken French by graduation, with financial penalties for universities that fell short. The move prompted uncertainty and pushback, with concerns that students from outside Quebec might need an extra semester. A graduation test initially seemed possible, but Quebec confirmed in February 2025 that none would be required. The rule's future is uncertain. In April, a court ordered it scrapped. Two months later, Déry said she would 'continue discussions' with McGill and Concordia. Israel and Gaza Within hours of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, which killed 1,200 — mostly civilians — McGill faced controversy when a student group praised the assaults as 'heroic,' prompting a university condemnation. In the following months, McGill became a protest hot spot, drawing international attention as pro-Palestinian activists camped on its front lawn for 75 days. They condemned Israeli attacks on Gaza and accused McGill of complicity for refusing to sever ties with Israel and divest from companies supporting its military. Jewish students also lashed out at McGill. In April 2025, a Jewish undergraduate sought approval for a class-action lawsuit alleging McGill failed to take 'meaningful disciplinary action' against campus antisemitism since October 2023. Mohawk Mothers For years, the Mohawk Mothers, a group of Indigenous women, have criticized McGill's handling of searches for possible unmarked graves at the former Royal Victoria Hospital and Allan Memorial Institute site. McGill and Quebec are redeveloping the area in an $870-million project called the New Vic. As work accelerated over the past two years, the Mohawk Mothers accused them of rushing archeological digs and violating a court-approved investigation agreement. McGill and Quebec maintain they are committed to uncovering the truth. The group has kept attention on the issue through protests, press conferences and legal action. Financial troubles McGill's shaky finances have raised concerns. In February, the university announced plans for up to 500 job cuts to address a $45-million deficit, but ended up laying off about 60 employees. McGill has since warned of 'more hard decisions this year — including cuts and potentially more staff reductions.' It has almost 13,000 employees. The university, whose annual budget is about $1.1 billion, blames factors such as the out-of-province tuition hikes, provincial grant reductions, tuition clawbacks and limits on international student admissions. Despite the fiscal pressure, McGill's $2-billion endowment keeps it far from financial ruin.
Business Wire
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Harleysville Financial Corporation Announces Regular Cash Dividend and Third Quarter Earnings for Fiscal Year 2025
HARLEYSVILLE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Harleysville Financial Corporation (OTCQX:HARL) reported today that the Company's board of directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $.33 per share on the Company's common stock. The cash dividend will be payable on August 13, 2025 to stockholders of record on July 30, 2025. Net income for the third quarter was $2,531,000 or $.70 per diluted share compared to $2,186,000 or $.60 per diluted share for the same quarter last year. Net income for the nine months ended June 30, 2025 amounted to $6,667,000 or $1.84 per diluted share compared to $6,809,000 or $1.87 per diluted share for the same nine-month period a year ago. Brendan J. McGill, President, and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, stated, 'The banking industry continues to adjust to the dynamic financial landscape, contending with evolving fiscal policy and market shifts. Despite those challenges we are pleased with our financial results for the quarter and nine months ended. The expanded net interest margin powered these results, fueled by the growth and repricing of our commercial and consumer loan portfolios, and a decrease in average interest rates paid on deposit balances.' McGill continued 'Strong asset quality and capital levels have been maintained by navigating the economic environment with discipline, making it a competitive and an attractive option to our existing and prospective customers.' The Company's assets totaled $901.8 million compared to $863.9 million a year ago. Stockholders' tangible book value increased 4.9% to $24.80 per share from $23.65 a year ago. Harleysville Financial Corporation is traded on the OTCQX market under the symbol HARL ( and is the holding company for Harleysville Bank. Established in 1915, Harleysville Bank is a Pennsylvania chartered and federally insured bank, headquartered in Harleysville, PA. The Bank operates from six full-service offices located in Montgomery County and one office located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. This presentation may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Actual results may differ materially from the results discussed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions, changes in interest rates, deposit flows, loan demand, real estate values and competition; changes in accounting principles, policies, or guidelines; changes in legislation or regulation; and other economic; competitive, governmental, regulatory, and technological factors affecting the Company's operations, pricing, products, and services.
Montreal Gazette
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Montreal Gazette
Brownstein: Local comics set for big break at Just for Laughs Festival
By Throughout the years, one of the Just for Laughs Festival's most popular series had been the Montreal Shows, spotlighting the best and brightest of this city's anglo wits. For reasons unknown and baffling, the series disappeared for a spell and, with its absence, so did the dreams of many an aspiring local. The good news for these standups as well as their fans is that the 43rd JFL, running July 16-27, will feature the series again with two shows on July 18 at Théâtre Ste-Catherine. Two of the city's sharpest wits, Raajiee Chelliah and Wassim El-Mounzer, will get an opportunity to showcase their talents that night. And another can't miss homegrown comic, Rachid Badouri, will have a chance to dazzle when he brings his wild solo show, The Tale of the Syrian Dragon, to Club Soda on July 23. The three, on hand for a pre-fest get-together at Théâtre Ste-Catherine, should be on the precipice for great success beyond city limits. They all have something in common: their comedy is somewhat based on the immigrant culture shock experienced by them and their families — not unlike that felt by another city star-wit, Sugar Sammy, whose fame has since exploded around the planet. And as is the case with Sugar Sammy, the acts of Chelliah, El-Mounzer and Badouri resonate with audiences of all backgrounds — anglo, franco and allo. Badouri, who is of Moroccan origin, has been a force here on the franco side with his satirical shtick, but now he's seeking same on the Anglo side. Simply put, the three have the funny down pat, regardless of the subject matter. 'If I were Rachid, I'd be insulted to be put in same category as us,' quips El-Mounzer, 37, who was born in Beirut but moved to Montreal with his family when he was two years old. 'I feel so great about this festival opportunity now. I came up watching comics like Sugar Sammy, Rachid and Russell Peters, which was so inspiring and making me think maybe I might have something funny to say with my outsider experience.' The self-deprecating El-Mounzer cut the comedy disc You Can English a few years ago, but it doesn't reflect his cultural experience here. Much to his family's delight, El-Mounzer graduated from McGill with a degree in physiology. But much to his family's chagrin, he decided to give up a career in physiology. El-Mounzer then bolted to South Korea to teach English as a second language at a Seoul school called — really — You Can English. And so his comedy began to bloom. There weren't a lot of laughs for Chelliah's family, whose parents, Tamil Hindu refugees, had fled the civil war in Sri Lanka. They had more pressing concerns, like starting their lives from scratch all over again. 'There's power and there's unity when you're laughing about your experiences together,' Chelliah, 31, says. 'There's a lot of release there to be able to share that with others. I have found so much relief as well as release in comedy, especially as an outsider. I'm very proud of my identity and now it's become something I can use to share as a story with everyone else and bring out some humour at the same time.' After graduating from university in commerce, Chelliah's parents were not initially amused with her choosing to opt for comedy until she showed she could make a living at it. 'They were initially confused by comedy. They used to think I was a motivational speaker, kind of,' she muses. 'The dream now is to go on tour and put together an hour show.' Her soft-spoken demeanour belies her blunt albeit hilarious approach. To wit, Chelliah subscribes to the Nikki Glaser school in 'the way she passively drops her punchlines.' Beyond his background, the chrome-domed Badouri, 48, who could pass for Mr. Clean, is seeking to see how far he can push his comedy limits. Last year, he impressed audiences at the Netflix Is a Joke Fest in L.A. Now, he's become focused on upping his anglo comedy career. 'I've been almost everywhere in Quebec and I have been truly blessed, but on the English side, I'm really just starting,' Badouri says. 'I'm the one who is actually humbled to be included with these guys. They just may be the best English comics in the city. They blow me away. They are so talented. 'I'm just so thankful, though, that Just for Laughs is celebrating local talent. You can't have the biggest comedy festival in the world and not have a special showcase for our local comics who so need and deserve the opportunity.' The comedy world has dramatically changed over the last few decades with the non-stop proliferation of material on the internet, social media, streaming networks and YouTube. Comedy no longer just entails club and theatre gigs. 'So many stories have already been told,' El-Mounzer says. 'Stories about just being from an immigrant background in and of itself is not interesting anymore. It might have been 20 years ago. Now, you have to stand out beyond that. There are so many comedians out there from multiple different backgrounds. Original comedy now has to become a lot more personal for audiences to connect with.' Chelliah concurs: 'I've been really big on not perpetuating stereotypes because they've already been done so much. I'm very intentional about that. A lot of the comics from our kind of backgrounds are very conscious of that. That was the previous generation. Now, we're more open to talking about the experiences outside our cultural identity. I just love that shift we're going through now. 'Comedy really comes out of all manner of chaos, culturally or otherwise. Good comedy comes out of experiences and trauma and pain and sadness.' Or to crack open that old philosophical chestnut, attributed to Mark Twain: 'Comedy is tragedy plus time.' 'It always comes down to math, doesn't it?' Badouri opines. 'And a little exaggeration, too. OK, maybe a lot.' AT A GLANCE: The 43rd Just for Laughs Festival runs July 16-27. Wassim El-Mounzer will be performing in The Montreal Series: The Montreal Show at 8:30 p.m., July 18 at Théâtre Ste-Catherine. Raajiee Chelliah will be performing at 10 p.m., in the late show in the same series at the same venue. Rachid Badouri brings his solo show, The Tale of the Syrian Dragon, to Club Soda on July 23. For tickets and information on all JFL shows, visit
Edinburgh Live
11-07-2025
- Edinburgh Live
Mr Big behind Edinburgh gang war 'confronted' by gangster in Dubai gym bust-up
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A bust-up between Scottish gangsters is understood to have taken place in a Dubai gym. This comes as a gang war continues to rage on the streets of Edinburgh and Glasgow. Stephen 'Jimmy' Jamieson is understood to have confronted Dubai-based Mr Big Ross McGill, reports the Daily Record. This follows a string of firebombings carried out across Glasgow and Edinburgh, gangland sources have said. Dubai-based McGill has been waging a war against targets associated with rival kingpin Mark Richardson and the Daniel clan. Jamieson is one of a number of underworld figures living in Dubai and was reportedly initially supportive of McGill's plans to oust rival crime groups. However, he is now unhappy with the attention McGill's war is bringing to gangsters living in Dubai. A source said: "Jimmy Jamieson chased him around the gym in Dubai. "Jimmy is unhappy with all the heat he's brought with multiple fires. Ross has vowed revenge on Jamieson's people in Glasgow for the attack." Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox Jamieson, 42, was jailed for eight in 2009 after pleading guilty to supplying cocaine. However, he was released in 2013. Jamieson was a close friend of James "Iceman" Stevenson, who was jailed last year after admitting masterminding a £100m drug smuggling plot from South America.. The Record previously reported how Jamieson was believed to be part of leveraging a connection between feared Kinahan crime gang in Dubai, Iceman Stevenson and Glasgow gangster Steven Lyons. (Image: Daily Record) An underworld source said: "Steven Lyons and Iceman Stevenson go back a long way. Stevenson may be behind bars but unlike Richardson, his position remains strong. "Having his good pal, Stevie Jamieson over in Dubai puts him in a position where he can use that Kinahan connection as a lever." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. McGill, who is a former leader of Rangers fan group The Union Bears, launched the feud on the streets of Scotland by ordering his Tamo Junto gang (TMJ) to firebomb and shoot bullets at businesses and homes in Edinburgh and East Lothian linked to Mark Richardson throughout March. In April, the war spread to Glasgow as McGill targeted the notorious Daniel crime clan over their long term association with Richardson. A truce was reported to have been agreed on May 30, but the following day Ross Monaghan and Eddie Lyons were shot dead outside a bar in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol. Last month Spanish cops blamed an 'internal member' of the Daniel clan, who are long term rivals of the Lyons, for the double murder.
