Two Ottawa writers make Weston prize for non-fiction shortlist

Two Ottawa writers have been shortlisted for the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction, reported the Ottawa Citizen Sept. 18….York University English Professor Priscila Uppal is nominated for her book Projection: Encounters With My Runaway Mother, which is about her own meeting with her estranged mother, who abandoned her in 1982. Read full story.

The more Toronto changes, the more the Beaches stays the same
York University environmental studies Professor Roger Keil, a 20-year resident of Toronoto’s Beaches neighbourhood and the former director of York’s City Institute, suggests that the residents are struggling, like much of the city, to reconcile two entirely valid truths: We need to grow, and we want to preserve the things we like. “We have to take responsibility. We have the resources, we have the streetcar line, we have very good connections to the subway, we have the best schools in the city, we have tremendous community resources and a cultural history of making things work,” he said in The Grid Sept. 18. “On the other hand, they need to be very careful not to destroy the mixed-main-street character that has defined the quality of life in this neighbourhood.” Read full story.

Ottawa bus victims lay sprawled on ground while VIA passengers waited on train unaware of ‘devastation’: witnesses
David Hugill was on that train, which departed from Ottawa’s east-end train station at 8:32am. He takes the 51 VIA train every Wednesday to teach a Canadian geography course at York University’s Glendon College campus, reported the National Post Sept. 19. Hugill had skipped breakfast and was waiting for the snack cart to make its rounds as the train approached a crossing….After the impact, the VIA train shifted off its tracks and came to a stop. But near the back of the train – in car four, seat 9A – it felt like a minor “rumble,” said Hugill. He thought little of the disturbance, expecting to be back on his way in minutes after the train’s crew resolved whatever mechanical issue he figured had just occurred. Read full story.

Western president releases statement on detention of Loubani
“Recent news reports that Schulich Medicine & Dentistry Professor Dr. Tarek Loubani has begun a hunger strike in protest to his detainment by the Egyptian government has heightened concern for the well-being of our academic colleague,” wrote Western University President Amit Chakma in Western News Sept. 18. “Together with York University Professor John Greyson, Dr. Loubani has been held under arrest in Egypt without formal charges against him since Aug. 16.[…]Given these circumstances, my office has written letters to the Egyptian embassy to add Western’s voice to others across the country and around the world urging Egyptian authorities for the immediate release of professors Loubani and Greyson.” Read full story.

Studying for a part-time MBA
A part-time MBA usually takes between two and four years to complete. However, some MBA programs, such as the one offered by York University’s Schulich School of Business, do allow students to shave a few months off of their program by transferring credits, reported Morningstar Sept. 19. So, if students obtained previous courses that are equivalent to courses in the MBA program, they don’t have to redo them. Read full story.