CategoryOpinion

Mentally Black

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The importance of highlighting Black mental health in law school In 2017, I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), moderate depression, and general anxiety disorder. I was at the beginning of my second year of my undergraduate studies, and I felt like a failure in my life. The people closest to me thought I was exaggerating; “How could I get PTSD when I had not been to war...

Clearance sale: All hobbies must go

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The growth of “side hustle” culture and the desire to monetize hobbies What is the value of a hobby? Ask yourself that question and think about the way you frame your answer. If your first instinct is something along the lines of “it brings happiness or fulfillment” or “it satiates the feeling of ennui in my life,” then you will find yourself met with an exasperated sigh from judgmental on...

The issues with medically-assisted death for mentally ill people

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In June 2016, the federal government passed legislation that allows adults to request medical assistance in dying (MAID). On 2 February 2023, the federal government introduced legislation to extend the temporary exclusion of eligibility where a person’s sole medical condition is a mental illness for an additional year. In other words, people solely suffering from mental illness will be able to...

We ain’t deserving of democracy

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I was going to review the Economic Constitution of Canada—but I forgot. I guess I watched too many episodes, mooting, and of course, the grand prize, 1L. So that will be coming in the next issue. Instead, I will focus on something controversial that hopefully angers you, excites you, or at the very least causes some chaos. I say that we as a society have become in many ways undeserving of...

Hamilton vigilantes

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Car-window smashing in Hamilton: A microcosm of archaic approaches to community problem solving At the risk of sounding like a familiar graphic t-shirt or hoodie: Hamilton is my home. I moved to the city in 2017, drawn to the blackened, flaming chimneys that straddle Nikola Tesla Boulevard, and line the shore of the harbour. Though the sight of the factories touched a deep-seated awe for human...

Robo FOMO

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The present intrigue around AI and its potentially detrimental effects on the future In 1984, pop culture staple The Terminator was released in theatres to what I would imagine was largely fanfare and positive reception premised on its interesting concepts of what the future may look like. The chiseled frame of Schwarzenegger enacting sweet violence against another sentient robot touches on a key...

History remains at its end (Part I: Liberal democracy as the thesis)

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The events of 2022 have served to vindicate Francis Fukuyama and his now famous dictum on history Revisiting the End of History “What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the Cold War, or the passing of a particular period of post-war history, but the end of history as such … That is, the end point of mankind’s ideological evolution and the...

Reflection on rejection

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Since coming to law school, I have been rejected more times than ever before. Like many of my classmates, I participated in this year’s 1L Toronto Recruit. This recruit is typically described as a small recruit for Toronto Big Law firms, and I knew my chances were slim. A typical firm may only choose to interview and then hire a handful of extremely qualified candidates from all of Canada’s law...

It’s just a contract

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The normalization of prenups Written on behalf of the Osgoode Family Law Association. As 1L students studying contract law for the first time, we immediately took notice of the intersection between contracts and family law in discussions surrounding the court’s general avoidance of enforcing agreements within the private sphere. Namely, general verbal agreements are typically deemed promissory...

The truth and myth of American isolationism

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History and beyond The resurgence of isolationism in the United States is significantly intensified by a small group of Trump loyalists within the GOP (Republican Party) in recent years. The reality of American isolationism is a complex paradox that never actually departs from the fringes of the foreign policy debate. However, while the debate is always in the air, isolationism is never...

Masculinity in the modern age

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With the recent arrest and looming trial of the Tate brothers, what better time than now to evaluate how we got to the point where people (virtually) shout for the liberation of alleged human traffickers? For those unaware, a police raid of the Romanian residence of popular internet personality Andrew Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, ended with the two in custody on human trafficking charges...

Sorry, or not sorry?

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Note: For those readers looking for more information on the Jake Paul and David Dobrik apologies, please note that they discuss suicide and sexual assault, respectively. In a previous article, I briefly addressed my proclivity for YouTuber apology videos and while I do not engage with the content created by those mentioned in this article, I find their apologies fascinating. This is still an...

The structured 2L recruit is finally over

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People weren’t wrong about the structured 2L recruit: It truly is as energy draining as everyone said it would be. I thought that people were exaggerating, but going through three days of interviews, especially as an introvert, has left me needing multiple days of straight up sleep. Stressful isn’t strong enough of a word to describe this process. People say that going through this process is...

“Not your keys, not your coins”

Fallout of the FTX collapse If you invest in crypto, you should know how risky it is to keep your coins on an exchange. “Not your keys, not your crypto,” as the saying goes. It is no doubt that it is convenient to keep your coins on a platform—the ease of being able to trade, withdraw, store, or otherwise transact with your coins is much simpler. But in the wake of the latest crash of a once...

The lack of administrative oversight into vaccine exemptions

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Polio vaccination in POC 3 at UN House. The Ministry of Health has been conducting the 4th (and last) round of its national immunization campaign for 2014, targeting children aged 0 – 5 years. Magna, a local NGO, has been working with the Ministry of Health, with the support of UNICEF and WHO, with the aim of immunizing 300,000 children in Central Equatoria State, and 2.4 million children...

I’m a little sleepy, but here are my thoughts on Kanye’s statements

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Kanye West’s inflammatory statements have doubtlessly caused fervour over the past few weeks. What began as a series of tirades against other members of the fashion and music industries culminated into a slew of provocative statements and actions from Kanye. In early October, Kanye and right-wing commentator Candace Owens brandished shirts with the phrase “White Lives Matter” printed on them at...

Rethinking my reflex for republicanism

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The liberal case for preserving the constitutional monarchy in Canada Death of a Sovereign  On 8 September 2022, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II (“QEII”), passed away at the age of ninety-six. Ascending to the throne in 1952 and being crowned a year later, QEII reigned for nearly seven decades, witnessing the world transition from World War II, to the Cold War, to the end of the millennium, and...

Put it on the tab

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The watering down of DEI through personal preferences Recently, I read a post on LinkedIn which had one of the hottest takes I have ever seen on the platform, but that does not say a lot considering that most posts are cookie-cutter motivational pep-talks and pitchfork-in-hand rants about someone’s crappy day. The post in question, with almost 10,000 reactions when I read it, discusses the...

My own worst enemy

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The double-edged sword of stoicism “I am doing good” may be my favourite white lie. We, as professionals, as friends, as family members, tell it to those closest to us all the time. Not only is it grammatically incorrect (Superman does good, I am doing well), it communicates nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to avoid spilling our stresses and our worries onto unsuspecting victims. What...

TikTok sells tickets, though does not fill seats

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Steve Lacy’s current Give You The World Tour showcases the limits of TikTok pandemonium There can be no denying the significant effect TikTok has had on the music industry. Artists can achieve global superstardom with a single thirty second (or shorter) snippet of their song. This phenomenon is happening once again, with artist Steve Lacy. Lacy, who is not a newcomer to the music industry, is...

Government liability in tort

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The need to reanalyze the questions posed in Paradis Honey Ltd v Canada Since 2015, there has been a lack of progress in assessing whether a public body (such as the government) can be held liable for a tort. The case of Paradis Honey Ltd. v Canada, 2015 FCA 89 sought to answer arguably one of the most interesting administrative law questions of the last decade: “whether there can be sufficient...

Don’t turn the page on used bookstores

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As much as it currently pains me to say it—while floating in the endless ether of law school readings—I really do love to read. Specifically, I love physical books, and more specifically than that, I love second-hand books. There is something special about an old book; maybe it’s the names of its owners scrawled behind the cover, maybe it’s the prose underlined in red pen, or maybe it’s the dirty...

Fallen leaves

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Shadows paint the sidewalk in all shapes and sizes, a slight breeze whistles in the air, and the sun is bright but calm. Leaves spread across forest trails, gently being carried onwards by the wind, unknowing in their journey. Fall is as beautiful a reminder to take it easy as it is a time to think back on where you have been, and where you will go. I have gone through several different phases of...

Law school is hard but having a bit of support makes it a whole lot easier

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A Thanksgiving reflection of a 1L student October is here. The days are getting colder and the nights somewhat lonelier. As quick as our t-shirts turned to sweaters, the brisk air painted the trees crimson and gold. It’s clear that the season for the “manly sport” of cricket is over. I hope my silly introduction emulating Lord Denning in Miller v Jackson doesn’t deter you from reading on. Since...

Absolutely ambiguous justice

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A philosophical inquiry into criminality, vindication, and morality We as humans are capable of so much good; we are inventors, liberators, and teachers, driven by the desire to selflessly improve life around us. Yet, we have just as much potential to be dictators, thieves, and narcissists. Just as easily as we create worlds, we can be their destroyers. Many live under the assumption that...

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