Canada’s Minister of Finance and National Revenue, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, has announced that he will soon bring forward legislation to rescind the digital sales tax.
Allison Christians, Professor, Faculty of Law, H. Heward Stikeman Chair in Tax Law can speak about tax law and technology, domestic and international tax law and policy, and international law and institutions.
allison.christians [at] mcgill.ca (English, French)
With a hot start to summer and the swimming season, health experts are urging caution around water. Drowning remains one of the most common causes of accidental death in Canadian children.
Hussein Wissanji, MD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatric Surgery at McGill University and a pediatric emergency physician at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, is available to speak on how to prevent drowning incidents, particularly in young children.
The federal government is expected to overhaul Canada’s cancer screening task force following criticism that its recommendations are outdated and lacked expert input. Breast cancer screening is a key focus, with growing pressure to lower the starting age to 40.
McGill University experts are available to speak to the debate, including:
The United Nations Charter, a treaty that is the founding document of the UN, was signed on June 26, 1945. These McGill experts can provide insights into various aspects of the UN’s role today:
Megan Bradley, Professor, Department of Political Science and Director, Institute for the Study of International Development (ISID) can speak about refugees and migration, human rights and humanitarian relief.
According to data from Statistics Canada for the first quarter of 2025, the unemployment rate in Canada among those between the ages of 15 and 24 is the highest it has been since the mid-1990s. These McGill experts can provide insights:
Matissa Hollister, Assistant Professor, Desautels Faculty of Management, can speak about the labour force and labour market, the changing nature of work, comparative labour and industrial policies, and employment instability and insecurity.
Figures from Statistics Canada show that in April and May 2025, tourist travel by car and air between the U.S. and Canada continued to decline in both directions compared to 2024 levels.
These McGill experts are available to comment on this subject:
As measles cases surge in Canada, six babies have been born with congenital measles to unvaccinated mothers in Ontario since last fall. The MMR vaccine isn’t safe during pregnancy, so doctors urge anyone who could become pregnant to check their immunity now. In addition to being dangerous to newborns, measles can cause pneumonia, miscarriage and other life-threatening complications for expectant mothers.
Here is an expert from McGill University who can provide comment on this issue:
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Monday that the government of Canada will be spending 2 per cent of its GDP on defence by the end of the current fiscal year in March –meeting the NATO target – and will take various steps to strengthen Canada’s military capabilities.
This McGill expert can provide insights:
As wildfires continue to burn across Western Canada, thick smoke is triggering widespread air quality alerts and raising concerns about health, infrastructure and environmental impacts, including in neighbouring provinces and parts of the United States. McGill University experts are available to provide insights on these topics.
Quebec is in for a hot and humid summer, with above-normal temperatures, muggy nights and a heightened risk of violent storms, all resulting from a forecast “heat dome” over central North America, according to MétéoMédia.
The Montreal Police (SPVM) announced Monday that a new policy has been put in place for police street checks: Police must clearly inform people they stop that, unless they are being detained, they have no obligation to identify themselves and are free to leave.
This McGill expert can provide insight into the matter:
Tick season returns each spring, bringing a renewed risk of Lyme disease. In Quebec, the number of reported cases has been rising in recent years.
Michael Libman, MD, is a Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and member of the Centre for Tropical Diseases at McGill University. He can discuss the increase of Lyme disease cases and the northward spread of ticks, driven in part by climate change.
michael.libman [at] mcgill.ca (English, French)
More than half of Canadian girls and young women ages 15 to 29 with a mental health or substance use disorder received formal supports in 2022, but many are deterred by wait times and cost, according to a new Statistics Canada report. The report highlights a need to improve care, especially for racialized youth, who were less likely to find the support helpful.
Montreal has seen a threefold increase in fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in just two years, according to the city’s latest fire department report. E-bikes and e-scooters are the main culprits, but the batteries that power everything from cellphones to power tools are increasingly being flagged as fire hazards.
As climate change and urbanization reshape how we grow food, a McGill University horticulture expert is available to discuss a wide range of topics related to innovative, sustainable gardening practices.
David Wees is a Faculty Lecturer and Associate Director of the Farm Management and Technology Program at Macdonald Campus. He specializes in urban horticulture, greenhouse production, hydroponics, and community-based food systems.
