The Cuban government recently decided to relax restrictions for Cuban residents to access their e-mail on mobile phones, reported the Vancouver Courier April 22. Julio Fonseca, a Cuban-Canadian professor at York University in Toronto, says he’s been following the new changes over e-mail access in Cuba and applauds the government for “taking the right steps”. “We have paid dearly for communications with Cuba because of this problem,” he said. “It is true that it would make our lives easier.” Read full story.
Ryerson president believes innovation can be learned
Ryerson University President Sheldon Levy, a rare PhD-less academic administrator, earned two degrees at York University in the 1970s before becoming a lecturer in computer sciences and math there. He eventually became the school's vice-president of institutional affairs – "It was clear that I was better at that than I was at the academic part," he said in The Globe and Mail April 23. Read full story.
UNBC makes green list
The University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) has been named one of Canada's Greenest Employers for the third year in a row, reported the Prince George Citizen April 23. . . . This year, UNBC is one of only four universities on the list alongside York University, the University of Alberta and the University of B.C. Read full story.
Canadian startup turns to TSX after $11 million raise
Visual product search platform Slyce announced today that it will be going public, reported Techvibes April 22. . . . Over the past six months the Toronto- and Calgary-based startup has completed a $10.75-million Series A round financing, acquired Toronto visual search startup Hovr.It, acquired computer vision technology from York University and recruited at Techvibes Toronto Tech Fest. Read full story.
Greek politics four years after the financial crisis
In Greece, a recent survey done by the Roman Catholic charity Caritas said that the social fabric of Greece is at a breaking point, reported Truthout April 22. The survey reports growing inequality and the appearance of a whole new class of poor. . . . To discuss all of this and more is Leo Panitch, the Canada Research Chair in Comparative Political Economy and a Distinguished Research Professor of political science at York University in Toronto. Read full story.