Fast hearing for BCE shows ‘national significance’, says Monahan

BCE Inc. scored a much-needed legal victory with the Supreme Court of Canada agreeing to hear its appeal of a lower court’s decision that said the telecom company’s privatization plan was unfair to its bondholders, wrote the National Post June 3. Canada’s highest court will hear arguments from representatives from BCE and its disgruntled bondholders on June 17.

"The Supreme Court does not commonly take corporate law cases," said Patrick Monahan, dean of Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. "This tells you that it’s a case of national significance."

Monahan added it normally takes a number of months before the Supreme Court even agrees to hear a case. BCE, however, won the right to have the case heard on an expedited time line.

Pro-life defence

I attended York University at a time when students were hungry for open discussions on politics, society and academics, wrote former York student Karen MacDougall in a letter to the National Post June 3. We were challenged to think outside of our own worldviews and broadened our horizons as a result. How times have changed.

According to a 2007 Environics poll, "A total of six in 10 Canadians think human life should be legally protected some time prior to the point of birth." Surely Emily Shelton and her ilk would not choose to muzzle the conversation of so many of their fellow citizens. .

Durie gets green light, rarin’ to go

Andre Durie could scarcely believe his ears when he was told he could play football again without a knee brace, wrote the Toronto Star June 3.

"When they first gave me the news, I was kind of shocked," the 26-year-old York University product said yesterday at the Toronto Argonauts training camp in Mississauga. "I was expecting them to say I should keep it on.

"But I’m grateful that the strength in the muscle is enough to convince the doctors who once told me I’d probably never walk again that I’m ready to go without a crutch."

That diagnosis, which came three years after Durie’s left knee was almost destroyed in a game, wasn’t just good news for the Mississauga native. The Argos had seen enough of the speedy back’s skills last season that the clean bill of health prompted them to dispatch import running back Anthony Davis to clear the path.

Now, after three surgeries and endless rounds of physiotherapy, Durie is a key part of what head coach Rich Stubler calls a vastly improved running back corps.

Corporate values drive L’Oreal’s inner beauty

L’Oreal’s newest business game, the L’Oreal e-Strat Challenge, places MBA and business undergrads into the role of GM, wrote Strategy June 1, in a feature story about the cosmetics company. Their goal? To achieve the highest Share Price Index. This year’s competition marks a new partnership with Google, which is helming the game’s e-commerce aspect. This was a banner year for Canucks competing in the firm’s business games. Robbie Agar, Amelia Miao and Fady Abdel-Nour from the Schulich School of Business at York University took the gold in the L’Oreal e-Strat competition.

On air

  • James Laxer, political science professor in York’s Atkinson Faculty of Liberal & Professional Studies, spoke about his latest book, The Perils of Empire, on CBC Radio’s "Maritime Morning" (Halifax) June 2.