One of the leading figures in the Canadian music industry, Bernie Finkelstein, will receive an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from York University today, reported Mediacaster Magazine and others Oct. 10. For more than 45 years, Finkelstein has been one of the leading figures in both the Canadian and worldwide music industry. Read full story.
York University to Honour Outstanding Olympian Clara Hughes on Oct. 10
Six-time Olympic medalist Clara Hughes, who has inspired Canadians both as a cyclist and speed skater and is now dedicated to breaking down the stigma around mental illness, will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from York University on Wednesday, October 10, reported Pedal Magazine and others Oct. 9. Read full story.
Canada’s legal system leaves the middle class out
Consumers who have an intractable dispute with a manufacturer or retailer often strike out in small claims court unless they hire legal muscle. But many households have too high an income to qualify for legal aid and too low an income — or too minimal a claim — to hire legal counsel to represent them in a civil matter. Michael Trebilcock, a University of Toronto law professor, and two other law professors — Anthony Duggan of the University of Toronto and Lorne Sossin, dean of Osgoode Hall Law School at York University — have written a book, Middle Income Access to Justice, reported the Toronto Star Oct. 9. “We are witnessing a staggering number of individuals trying to navigate an increasingly complex civil justice system without any or adequate legal assistance and feeling increasingly alienated from the system,” they say. Read full story.
The True North strong, free and stylish
Antonio Valente is continuing to build his namesake Canadian clothing company while many in the business pack up operations and move abroad. The company’s shirts and trousers are manufactured in Toronto with staff paid hourly, instead of by volume. But Valente’s competitors have a major advantage thanks to what he calls outdated government regulations. Larger retailers often import finished products – such as shirts, trousers and suits – duty free, while Valente has to pay a 10 to 20 per cent tariff on the raw materials he imports to produce his Canadian- made products. Murat Kristal, an associate professor of operations management and information systems at York University’s Schulich School of Business, says Valente has become a victim of his personal politics. “He wants to produce quality products and he wants to do them domestically,” he says. “The biggest challenge is to cut down his costs if he wants to stay competitive.” Read full story.