Working for the ‘enemy’

Some graduates are opting to work within resources companies to encourage sustainability, rather than working against them, reported Maclean’s in its Sept. 13 issue. José Etcheverry, who teaches in the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University, says his master’s students often ask whether working at resource companies means working for the enemy. “What I say to them is corporations that are doing wrong things are also doing very good things,” he says. “And those good things are emanating from people like them, inside of the system, trying to change the system.” Read full story. 

CAW’s Battle With Big 3 Marks Pivotal Moment For Unions In Canada
One of the most intense rounds of auto-sector contracts talks in recent memory could become a defining moment in the struggle of Canada’s labour movement to regain its footing, reported huffingtonpost.ca Sept. 14. “If they [the CAW] make these concessions, it’s a real disaster,” said Sam Gindin, who has held high-ranking positions within both the Canadian arm of the United Auto Workers and the CAW, and who now serves as the Packer Chair in Social Justice at York University. “Turning away from militancy has created some really important internal tensions in the union — a sense that it’s not the union that it once was, and a sense of dismay or defeat amongst the membership,” said Stephanie Ross, a labour expert at York University. Read full story.

Nordstrom will not be the Canadian retail killer, says retail expert
York University’s Schulich School of Business marketing Professor Alan Middleton says the 2008-2009 recession may start to affect the luxury goods market starting now, but believes the introduction of Nordstrom will be good news for Canadian consumer. Read full story.

Government house leader says fall sitting of legislature unlikely
British Columbia Finance Minister Mike de Jong is strongly suggesting there will be no fall sitting of the legislature, reported News 1130 radio in Victoria. One political scientist says the Christy Clark government will likely hear a lot of opposition because of this. Dennis Pilon with York University says it would mean the Liberals would be able to avoid question period, and awkward questions from the opposition and media. Read full story.