Gone but not forgotten: A look at the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry

It felt like a turning point. After years of requests by advocacy groups, the Missing Women Commission of Inquiry was finally about to begin. This was back in September, when Nexus covered the epidemic of missing and murdered women in BC. Many hoped that justice would be served. As the commission was preparing to launch […]

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David Mathers’ story

Aspiring teachers have high hopes when they’re studying to become an educator, imagining the impact they’re going to have on their students. But there’s another side to teaching: frustration at students who don’t want to be there, reputation-scarring rumours, the inner workings of the school system. The lines on David Mathers’ face tell the story […]

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State of the Arts: How Arts Funding Affects Our Communities

When Stephen Harper famously declared that “ordinary people” don’t care about arts funding during the 2008 election campaign, artists and arts groups were quickly forced to prove their worth. At that time, $45 million had just been cut from the federal arts budget, and not long after, the government of BC made serious cuts of […]

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Getting Fracked: BC allows extensive fracking, but at what cost?

Jessica Ernst can light her tap water on fire. At least, Jessica Ernst could light her tap water on fire until she recently had the water disconnected from her home because it posed such a safety risk. Natural gas corporation Encana began drilling near Ernst’s property on the outskirts of Rosebud in southern Alberta in […]

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The lizard of Oz: a memoir

David Hudson opened the door to his traditional Queenslander home back in 1988 and welcomed us inside. Glad to be in out of the heat, we made our way to the cool centre of the house. He told us to make ourselves comfortable in the small sitting room while he went to the kitchen; he […]

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Choosing cheer: making bad holidays good again

As any student knows, it can be tough navigating the upcoming holiday season of marketing, family time, and festivities. Despite tired brain cells and weakened bank balances, the odds are good that students will bounce back from exams and be able jump into the holiday spirit. Still, while the holidays are great for some, this […]

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Self-chosen death: a heart-wrenching dilemma

About a decade ago, Camosun university transfer student Joanna Webber’s uncle decided he wanted to be euthanized. Half of Webber’s family lives in Holland, where assisted suicide is legal. When her uncle, who was suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, started considering this end-of-life decision, her entire family was involved and backed him up. “The whole family […]

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Modern Masculinity: Breaking Through the Isolation of Being a Man

In Canada in 2008, 2,777 Canadian men committed suicide; 928 women committed suicide. Males under the age of 18 were physically assaulted 1.5 more times than women. 39,099 people were in Canadian prisons in 2009. Only 5.9 percent were women. * Boys will be boys What are we teaching our boys? And why do men […]

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Heading south: a student’s opinion on Canada’s direction

In the last 15 years Canada has seen a widening gap between incomes of the rich and poor, a situation that will most likely become more extreme under the current government. Income inequality is a global epidemic, and is a key reason behind the Occupy protests. At a time when most of the world is […]

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