In a speech lamenting the vicious tone of the attack ads used against him, former Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff told an audience at York’s Osgoode Hall Law School that his party did the same thing to Stephen Harper, reported the National Post March 14. “We attempted to deny him standing, and now he has taken his revenge. That is where we are,” Ignatieff said. The appearance was one of his first public events since quitting politics to return to academia. Read full story.
Supreme Court mulls effect of jury vetting
Criminal law expert James Stribopoulos, a professor at York’s Osgoode Hall Law School, says jury vetting threatens the fundamental fairness of criminal trials, reported the Vancouver Sun March 14. If Canada’s highest court agrees, it will have little choice but to toss out several murder convictions, he said. Read full story.
Universities face censure over ties to think tank
In a rare move, the Canadian Association of University Teachers has served notice it intends to censure three Ontario universities – including York – in relation to their joint collaborations with a private think tank established by Jim Balsillie, co-founder of Research In Motion Ltd., reported the National Post March 14. “We don’t believe that they have a proper factual basis to proceed with censure,” said Patrick Monahan, York’s vice-president academic & provost. “We have negotiated a series of agreements with CIGI that we think clearly address the issues of academic freedom.” Read full story.
Don Cherry has it wrong: more hits equals less scoring in hockey, study says
Commenting on a wide-ranging study of hockey scoring in the Toronto Star March 14, Jim Wells, men’s ice hockey head coach for the York Lions, said an enhanced ability to predict second-half scoring would be invaluable for a coach, allowing him to alter practice and coaching strategies to create more goals. “It reminds me an awful lot of the movie Moneyball,” he said. “It makes you think, is there another way to look at this game other than just pure talent.” Read full story.
Commercial sector an oasis of stability in Canadian real estate
Real estate expert Andre Kuzmicki, of York’s Schulich School of Business, remembers that 20 years ago experts began to wonder how a growing dependence on technology might alter the way companies operate and the space they need to do so, reported the National Post March 9. Read full story.
Astronomer speaks on the alignment of Venus and Jupiter
Paul Delaney, senior lecturer in York’s Department of Physics & Astronomy, was interviewed on CTV from York’s media studio about Venus and Jupiter aligning. Watch video.