Category: The Conversation – Canada

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Susanna Klassen, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Sociology, University of Victoria

Canada’s ongoing trade dispute with the United States has increased consumer awareness of domestic food products, with some experts arguing that food should be considered a matter of national defence.

While support for buying local food is increasing — one study found two-thirds of Canadians were willing to pay more for local food — there is still much that gets left off the table in conversations about local food.

The “buy local” adage doesn’t address the deeper issues with Canada’s food production systems. Inter-provincial trade barriers, outdated pesticide regulations, food insecurity and other gaps in Canadian food policy all undermine Canada’s ability to build an equitable and sustainable food system.

Most critically, discussions about local food often overlook the very people that make food production possible: farm workers. These workers form the backbone of the agricultural sector, yet many face unsafe working conditions, inadequate pay and exclusion from basic labour protections.

The human cost of agriculture

Improving job quality in agriculture is important not just for the economic viability of regional food systems, but also because agricultural work is notoriously dangerous, dirty, demeaning and devalued.

An increasing proportion of Canada’s agricultural labour — about one-quarter — is performed by migrant workers from the Temporary Foreign Worker program. These workers are tied to their employers, and often face dismissal or repatriation if something goes wrong at work. This institutionalized deportability leaves many farm workers vulnerable to exploitation.

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Read more:
Canada needs to overhaul the Temporary Foreign Worker program, not just tinker with it

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Agricultural work in Canada is defined by precarity, suppression and exclusion. Workers often face a lack of access to health care, unhealthy living conditions and unsafe workplaces.

This is not by chance. Farm work has historically been exempt from labour-protective laws due to a long-standing belief in agricultural exceptionalism — the idea that because it’s subject to uncontrollable factors such as weather, and contributes to national food security, agriculture should be afforded special state support and regulatory exemptions.

In practice, many believe agricultural work should not be held to the same standards as jobs in other sectors. Farm workers are often excluded from important safeguards in many jurisdictions, like overtime pay.

When combined with precarious immigration status, even the limited protections that farm workers have access to on paper may not be accessible in practice.

Why organic farmers are struggling

To better understand why some employers provide better conditions for hired farm workers, we surveyed organic farmers growing vegetables — a nutritionally important and labour-intensive industry — in British Columbia.

We asked farmers about what motivates their farming decisions, the characteristics of their farm and about their perceptions of how to improve job quality for hired workers.

We focused on organic farmers because organics are often viewed by consumers as more sustainable, and the industry has aligned itself with the value of fairness in Canada, including worker well-being. In theory, organic farmers should be among the most motivated to provide good jobs for their employees.

Despite this ethical alignment, we found that both certified and non-certified organic farms in B.C. scored poorly on most aspects of job quality that we measured, including employment and grievance procedures, paid time off and extended health benefits.

Organic farms performed better on practices related to occupational health and physical strain, such as using strategies to reduce repetitive motion for workers.

The limits of good intentions

Many farmers reported social justice-oriented motivations for job quality improvement, but they were often unable to translate these ideas into practice.

The most commonly reported barrier to improving job quality was cost, while the strongest predictor of better practices was farm economic size, measured by farm revenue and income.

In larger enterprises, investments in infrastructure and procedural improvements to labour quality can be justified because they are perceived to benefit more workers and support more complex farm operations.

However, the link between larger farms and higher job quality may belie another relationship: bigger farms are better positioned to hire workers through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which has specific requirements for wages and terms of employment. At the same time, the program produces power imbalances that can lead to the mistreatment and structural disempowerment of migrant workers, which is certainly bad for job quality.

Our results also suggest that the price premiums from selling food organically don’t appear to be enough to overcome the perceived financial barriers of implementing job quality measures.

A resilient and affordable food system depends on good quality jobs in agriculture. Failing to address job quality for farm workers is a missed opportunity. Many low-cost improvements to support safe and decent working conditions exist, and programs to ensure living wages for farm workers should ensure organic and ecologically produced food is affordable for all Canadians.

Susanna Klassen receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Hannah Wittman receives funding from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

– ref. Canada’s food sovereignty depends on better jobs for farmworkers – https://theconversation.com/canadas-food-sovereignty-depends-on-better-jobs-for-farmworkers-268166

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Michael Kehler, Research Professor, Masculinities Studies, School of Education, University of Calgary

In a marathon Game 7 of the 2025 World Series at the Rogers Centre, the Toronto Blue Jays fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 11 innings. It was a devastating finish to a series defined by unforgettable plays.

The series left fans with indelible memories of hits, runs and near-misses — unbelievable and inexplicable moments that few will forget in the years to come. But that wasn’t all the stood out.

From chants for Vladdy — first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — to calls for a “Springer Dinger” from designated hitter George Springer, fans also witnessed something deeper: the unmistakable emotional connection among these elite male athletes.

In a post-Game 7 interview, utility player Ernie Clement tearfully expressed his love for his teammates while acknowledging the emotional toll of the series.

Pitcher Chris Bassitt described the bond between the team as “true love.” The sentiment echoed by many of the players was one of love, gratitude and deep friendship — qualities often reserved, if rarely expressed, among men for other men.

With the public outpouring of elation, tears and unabashed love, we are left to wonder if men’s sport culture is beginning to move beyond the toxic masculinity that has too often dominated headlines.

Rather than uphold a dominant, all-too-familiar hyper-masculine image of male athletic competitors, this years’ World Series might have opened our eyes to a counter-narrative in sport.

Masculinity and sport in Canada

Our expectations of sport culture and masculinity in Canada have largely been defined by Canada’s other national pride, hockey. Its narratives frequently valourize toughness, stoicism and physical dominance, reinforcing a narrow vision of what it means to “be a man” in sport.

Recent controversies, including Hockey Canada’s failure to address sexual assault allegations and the misuse of registration fees to settle claims, have highlighted how entrenched these norms can be.

Research shows that boys and men yearn for close male friendships. Yet in national sport, we rarely see the close intimacy, level of support and caring that were evident among the Blue Jays this year.

Men are expected to compete, not care, especially in the gladiatorial arenas of sport.

The more common, and often troubling, side of male bonding in sport has been associated with violence, aggression and locker room cases of bullying, homophobia and misogyny.

A different model of male bonding

While sport culture is often centred around competition, dominance and showmanship, interactions among the Blue Jays gave a rare glimpse at how sport culture could be different among men.

A recurring theme among all players was a genuine sense of caring for one another. “It’s not very often you get a group together that genuinely likes one another and genuinely cares about one another,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider after Game 7.

The media and fans were drawn to what appears to be an authentically, emotionally connected group of men. Globe and Mail reporter Marcus Gee called it a “fellowship,” noting how much the players “liked each other.”

Individually and collectively, the Blue Jays were emotionally vulnerable. Gee suggested the lesson the Jays offered was “the power of unity, the power of connection, the power of love.” Whether we call it connection, love or fellowship, there is no mistake that what fans witnessed was a rare and possibly enduring lesson also about sport, masculinity and caring.

Challenging traditional masculinity

Research has shown that while boys and men are aware of the expectations for fitting in and being accepted among their peers, they also have the capacity to resist conventions of sport masculinity. Male athletes can resist the cultural norms associated with being “one of the boys.”

What we witnessed among the Blue Jays’ players was a rare public display of affection and intimacy in sport, going beyond sportsmanship, camaraderie and fellowship. The relationships, respect, friendships and love went beyond the implicit licence granted by being on the field to hug another player.

The traditional codes of masculinity when among the boys were disturbed and maybe challenged by repeated expressions of affection that men regularly avoid off the field.

The level of respect and outpouring of support along with the kindness of words signalled ways that men and boys can resist narratives of stoicism and the enduring challenge of expressing themselves.

There are indeed important lessons that sports fans might all take away along with the vivid memories of this World Series — lessons of caring among men.

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Read more:
Suffering in silence: Men’s and boys’ mental health are still overlooked in sport

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The power of friendship

Images of Guerrero Jr. hugging rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage, the emotional honesty of Clement and the visible love the Blue Jays have for their teammates remind us of the significance of friendships among boys and men, and the power of healthy relationships in which men care for, and about, others.

Sport culture among men and boys is historically a bastion of elite, privileged masculinities. Too often, boys and men are complicit in the lessons we learn about being accepted, about belonging among the boys, about being like the rest of the boys.

Men often fear the isolation and alienation if they do not subscribe to the rules and norms typically promoted and upheld in sport culture, echoed in chants of “man up” or “no pain, no gain.”

Perhaps one of the greatest lessons from this World Series was captured in one final image: a red-haired boy collapsed in tears with his father resting his hand on his back, considering the future, not of sport, but of a son able to cry openly, unashamedly.

Michael Kehler does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Boys do cry: The Toronto Blue Jays challenge sport’s toxic masculinity with displays of love and emotion – https://theconversation.com/boys-do-cry-the-toronto-blue-jays-challenge-sports-toxic-masculinity-with-displays-of-love-and-emotion-268971

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ryan M. Katz-Rosene, Associate Professor, School of Political Studies, with Cross-Appointment to Geography, Environment and Geomatics, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa

Shortly before COP30 talks begin in Brazil, tech billionaire and philanthropist Bill Gates has launched a “narrative grenade” into the discourse of climate politics by publishing a lengthy memo calling for a rethink of how the climate crisis is framed and addressed.

Gates calls for a “strategic pivot” in climate strategy. That appears to have hit a nerve. Both social and traditional media were ablaze with erroneous assertions about Gates’ supposed reversal of opinion on climate change.

Despite reaffirming support for ambitious decarbonization, his letter is being celebrated by climate skeptics while angering some climate scientists. United States President Donald Trump weighed in, writing: “I (WE!) just won the War on the Climate Change Hoax. Bill Gates has finally admitted that he was completely WRONG on the issue.”

This is false. Gates makes no such admission. In fact, he specifically writes that “climate change will have serious consequences — particularly for people in the poorest countries.” He emphasizes that “every tenth of a degree of heating that we prevent is hugely beneficial because a stable climate makes it easier to improve people’s lives.”

Gates goes further, calling for major investments into global health and development (particularly on vaccines), and expresses continued support for pursuing net zero carbon emissions — all of which seems to fly in the face of Trump’s climate and foreign aid agenda.

Given this, why are so many climate skeptics celebrating Gates’ letter? And why are some climate scientists frustrated, despite his steadfast support for decarbonization?

What the memo actually says

The core of Gates’ memo is a request for climate negotiators to consider “three truths:”

First, that they consider climate change a “serious problem” but not the inevitable “end of civilization.”

Second, that temperature targets like the 2015 Paris Agreement’s focus on limiting warming below 2 C are not the best goalposts for measuring progress on climate change.

And third, that the best way to defend humanity against climate change is to pursue global health and economic prosperity.

The centrepiece of Gates’ analysis is the claim that technological innovations — like electric vehicles, renewable energy and battery storage —have already started to reduce the carbon intensity of global economic activity and that new, more consequential innovations in the future will be driven by economic development and healthy societies.

He provides as evidence changes in the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) carbon dioxide emissions forecasts — pointing out that a 2014 IEA projection expected significant growth in emissions, while a 2024 projection now sees significant reductions (though some commentators have contested Gates’ interpretation on this specific point).

Gates wants readers to know progress is being made on climate change thanks to growth and technological innovation, and as such, the “worst-case scenarios” are no longer plausible.

Why climate skeptics see this as a win

It is Gates’ initial framing — that climate change is “not the end of the world” — that seems to have resonated most strongly with climate skeptics. The memo begins by critiquing the “doomsday view” that “cataclysmic climate change will decimate civilization.” Instead, he argues that “people will be able to live and thrive in most places on Earth for the foreseeable future.”

From that point, climate contrarians seized on the memo. One of the largest conspiracy accounts on X falsely declared that “today Bill Gates admitted himself that Climate Change is all a lie.” Others followed suit.

Even media outlets contributed to the confusion, with Futurism running an article with the deeply misleading headline “Bill Gates Says Climate Change Isn’t So Bad After All.”

This reaction is not surprising. The claim that climate change is not a civilization-ending threat aligns closely with long-standing skeptic rhetoric that mainstream climate science relies on fear to justify politically motivated change.

Research shows that climate skeptics interpret the issue through black-and-white thinking, where cognitive binaries are used to help simplify complex systems.

Within this world view, if climate change is not apocalyptic, then it can be dismissed as exaggerated, and by extension, climate policy is unnecessary, or worse, a cover for social control.

Why some climate scientists are frustrated

The idea that climate change will not literally end civilization is not new — even for Gates. In my own work on the growth-environment debate, I’ve shown how dominant sustainability discourses have long rested on the assumption that even the most pressing environmental problems can be managed, and that economic growth and technological innovation are the best means of addressing them.

For some climate scientists, however, Gates’ memo places too much emphasis on technology — especially exploratory and high-risk technologies like small modular reactors, carbon capture and storage, and geoengineering.

The worry, as climate scientist Michael Mann expressed in reference to the Gates memo, is that this focus on “technofixes for the climate … leads us down a dangerous road,” because such approaches can distract from proven mitigation strategies and provide cover for continued business-as-usual burning of fossil fuels.

Other climate scientists found the memo downplayed the severity of global warming seen to date, not least the warming expected by the end of this century (which, in Gates’ telling could be up to +2.9 C above the pre-industrial era).

For instance, scientist Daniel Swain noted his “dismay and deep frustration” about the framing in Gates’ memo (despite agreeing with some of its central claims), precisely for glossing over the known harms and systemic risks that lie ahead. Swain invoked the late environmental studies professor Stephen Schneider’s reminder that when it comes to global warming, “the end of the world” and “good for humanity” are the two lowest-probability outcomes.

What now?

Like a dazed battlefield after a grenade is detonated, the terrain of climate politics has been unsettled by Gates’ missive, but it is not altogether transformed. The debate will continue. Skeptics will likely add screenshots of misleading headlines about Gates’ “admission” to their repertoire of doubt-casting memes.

Climate scientists, meanwhile, will continue to grapple with the difficult task of communicating climate risk, urgency and uncertainty, in a political environment that is not well-suited to nuance and complexity.

The memo does not change the science. But it does reveal how sensitive climate politics is to framing, and how the same message can become ammunition for very different projects.

Ryan M. Katz-Rosene was the recipient of an Insight grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada to study discourses of the growth-environment debate.

– ref. Why Bill Gates’ climate memo is being celebrated by skeptics while frustrating scientists – https://theconversation.com/why-bill-gates-climate-memo-is-being-celebrated-by-skeptics-while-frustrating-scientists-268940

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Omid Asayesh, Postdoctoral fellow, Sociology, University of Calgary

With more than 85 million people naming it their top choice, Canada has become one of the most desired migration destinations in the world over the past decade.

Yet even in 2024, its highest year on record, Canada only admitted about 480,000 new permanent residents, a small fraction of global demand.

Despite earlier plans to increase admissions, the intake is now set to decline in response to mounting pressures on housing and public services. There’s also been political pushback from opposition parties and segments of the public who argue that the government’s rapid expansion of immigration targets has outpaced Canada’s ability to absorb newcomers.

The challenge, however, is not how few people get in; it is how unpredictable the system has become.

A shifting framework

In June 2022, the federal government amended the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to give itself more flexibility.

It rolled out a new immigration stream to prioritize in-demand occupations in health care, engineering and agriculture, as well as French-speaking applicants.

In the earlier system, fixed points for education and high-skilled work experience provided applicants with a clear way to assess their eligibility. In contrast, the new category-based approach relies on occupational needs that shift rapidly.

The goal was to respond quickly to labour shortages and economic goals by consulting with provinces, industries, labour groups and the public. However, this category-based selection has been rolled out with little consistency or transparency. Announcements come with no clear timelines, fixed numbers or indication of when a stream might close.

In this new framework, broad categories such as health care or STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) encompass hundreds of distinct occupations. Yet the government may single out only a handful of these occupations for invitations while excluding the rest, which makes outcomes unpredictable even within the announced priority categories.

Migration is a long-term project

What this changing immigration policy fails to consider is that immigration is not an instant decision, but a long-term project.

My research shows that people may spend more than a decade preparing for migration by carefully choosing a field of study, seeking related work experience, saving aggressively and even reshaping their personal lives. Some even avoid intimate relationships or postpone having children in hopes of migrating. However, those plans fall apart when the qualifying requirements change quickly.

The uncertainty created by shifting immigration policies is not felt only abroad. Within Canada, roughly three million people are on temporary permits, and many of them are hoping for a chance at permanent residency. They spend years establishing roots in their communities, with the belief that it will ultimately lead to a more secure future. But when policy priorities change unexpectedly, their lives are thrown into limbo.

International students are a clear example. Many spend tens of thousands of dollars on tuition, averaging $41,746 for international undergraduates in 2025–26, encouraged by the promise that a Canadian education will improve their chances of staying.

Yet, as the rules change, they may find themselves with no option to stay in Canada once their studies end. Similarly, temporary foreign workers may fill urgent labour shortages, only to see pathways to permanence narrow or close before they can apply.

A problem for everyone

Quick and unpredictable changes in rules make immigration seem like a lottery rather than a structured system. Success now often depends not on careful planning or merit, but on being in the right place at the right time.

The lottery effect erodes confidence in Canada’s immigration policy. It conveys the idea that long-term planning and investment might not be essential and that today’s standards might change tomorrow.

Uncertainty also fuels a darker consequence: fraud.

When pathways open and close overnight, some people take shortcuts by fabricating credentials, work experience or job offers that match the latest requirements.

These patterns of instability and deception pose significant concerns for a nation that relies on immigration to maintain its labour force, economy and demographic balance. At the same time, immigration has become increasingly politicized in recent years.

Consequently, the political climate has shifted toward risk-averse immigration policies that focus on immediate results instead of developing sustainable approaches.

A more sustainable system

Immigration is essential to Canada’s future because it sustains the workforce as the population ages, with nearly all of Canada’s labour force growth now coming from newcomers.

Despite myths about migration, economic immigrants generally contribute more in taxes than they consume in public services over the long term. Additionally, immigrants start businesses at higher rates, bring diverse skills and perspectives and establish global connections that drive innovation and long-term economic growth.

However, many newcomers struggle to find employment in their designated fields due to barriers such as credential recognition or social integration.

Meanwhile, many temporary residents who have studied, worked in highly skilled jobs and paid taxes for years are ineligible to apply for permanent status because their occupations are not on the list. They end up leaving despite their contributions.

The immigration system should include defined criteria, realistic deadlines and transparent information that lets people inside and outside Canada plan with confidence. Consistency is crucial.

A more sustainable approach would connect permanent residency more closely to proven success in the Canadian labour market. At the end of the day, immigration should be based on preparation, abilities and dedication — certainly not on luck.

Omid Asayesh does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Canadian immigration policy has become a moving target – https://theconversation.com/canadian-immigration-policy-has-become-a-moving-target-264100

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Denise Suzanne Cloutier, Professor, Health Geography and Social Gerontology, University of Victoria

With Canadians now living longer than ever, the question of who will care for them — and under what conditions — when they can no longer care for themselves has become one of the country’s most pressing issues.

According to 2021 census data, the population aged 85 and over and 100 and over are growing at rates much faster than other population cohorts.

And the reality is that the longer we live, the more likely we are to experience chronic, multiple and complex health conditions like hypertension, osteoarthritis, heart disease, osteoporosis, chronic pulmonary disease, diabetes, cancer and dementia.

While most older people will continue to “age in place” in their own homes and in relatively good health, about eight per cent, or roughly 528,000, will require the specialized care provided in long-term care (LTC) or assisted living facilities.

This is especially true if they are experiencing progressive and intense illness or disease, disabilities or injuries, and if home care and family supports are limited.

The LTC workforce under pressure

As the demand for long-term care grows, Canada is simultaneously witnessing an exodus of LTC workers through retirement or by seeking employment elsewhere due to chronic and sustained sector challenges, including lack of funding and the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roughly 14 per cent of the Canadian health-care workforce, or just over 50,000 people, are engaged in LTC. This number does not include every member of the care team but does include those who spend the most time providing care at residents’ bedsides.

These practitioners include personal support workers, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), registered nurses (RNs), nurse practitioners and occupational and physiotherapists — most of whom are racially diverse and female. Many feel overwhelmed and unheard.

Caring for the care providers

It is a well-worn but still valid cliché to say the pandemic shone a spotlight on longstanding challenges within LTC, including rising privatization trends and rigid hierarchical organizational structures.

During and after the pandemic, workers said they felt pulled in all directions. Overtime hours, absenteeism, mental-health issues and sick time escalated as staff performed dual roles as both workers and acting family members due to restrictive distancing protocols.

The Canadian Institute for Health Information reported that in 2023, the number of LPNs, RNs and occupational therapists declined by 6.1 per cent, 2.1 per cent and 9.1 per cent respectively. Despite of these conditions, the LTC workforce is known to go above and beyond the call of duty in providing care.

In the same year, a government consultation aimed at developing national standards for quality of care and safety in LTC reported that LPNs, aides and allied health professionals were calling for action on working conditions, emphasizing the importance of job stability, equitable wages, training, advancement opportunities, reasonable workloads and limits on mandatory overtime in support of their health, well-being and job satisfaction.

Sociologist Pat Armstrong, a leading Canadian expert in transforming care for older adults, has said that “the conditions of work are the conditions of care.” This is a poignant reminder of the critical relationship between workers and each LTC environment in the care of residents.

Her words underline a hard truth — without attending to this relationship adequately, the level of care for residents becomes compromised.

A new model for aging well with dignity

The costs of providing LTC in large-facility settings bear further scrutiny.

The Conference Board of Canada suggested that 199,000 additional LTC beds will be needed between 2018 and 2035, an investment of $64 billion in capital spending and $130 billion in operating expenditures.

A 2021 survey of about 2,000 Canadians conducted by Ipsos and reported by the Canadian Medical Association noted that 97 per cent of those aged 65 and over are concerned about the state of Canada’s LTC system. Over 95 per cent of those same seniors said they will do everything they can to avoid moving into a LTC home.

Older people want to remain at home for as long as possible. But when they cannot, a growing global movement advocates for the development of smaller, less institutional, more home-like environments, including dementia-friendly communities, to care for older people, especially those living with dementia.

These new models are expanding across Canada, based on the De Hogeweyk Care Concept developed in the Netherlands in the 1990s, with the first village established in 2009. These villages offer settings that support social interaction and engagement in everyday life, provide access to outdoor spaces and gardens and help people retain dignity and autonomy for as long as possible.

For people living with dementia and older adults who desire to remain at home as long as they can, this is a silver lining.

Evidence is growing that these inclusive, age-friendly, home-like settings not only give residents a greater sense of comfort, control and autonomy; they also also provide an environment for direct-care workers to thrive and do meaningful work that makes a difference in their lives and in the daily lives of those they care for.

Creating environments that better support the conditions of care — quality of life for residents and workers, and having care labour recognized, respected and adequately remunerated across all sectors, with opportunities for training and career advancement — will encourage long-time workers to remain in the sector and help ensure that new health-care graduates continue to see LTC as a viable and rewarding career path.

If Canada wants to ensure dignity in aging, it must treat care work as essential infrastructure.

Denise Suzanne Cloutier is part of the C.A.R.I.N.G Dementia Collaborative funded by the University of Victoria, Aspiration 2030 initiative.

– ref. Why Canada must transform its long-term care system – https://theconversation.com/why-canada-must-transform-its-long-term-care-system-267285

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Judy Fudge, Professor Emeritus, School of Labour Studies, McMaster University

From hoodies and T-shirts to baseball caps, apparel with university and collegiate names and logos is a booming business in Canada and the United States.

Colleges and universities earn revenue each year by licensing their trademarks to major apparel companies, including Lululemon and Fanatics. These companies, in turn, rely on vast supplier networks located primarily in countries with weak labour protections and regulations.

The result is a disconnect between the values many universities espouse and the practices they enable. Canadian universities have a critical role to play in the advancement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal 8, which promotes sustainable economic growth and decent work for all.

Yet workers who make university-branded apparel often receive low wages, face gender-based violence and harassment, experience retaliation for union involvement and work in unsafe buildings.

As an expert in labour exploitation and modern slavery in supply chains, I believe universities and colleges have a responsibility to ensure these workers have decent working conditions.

Rise of student activism and monitoring

Concerns about labour conditions are not new. Since the late 1990s, student activism has led many universities to adopt codes of conduct for licenses for upholding workers’ labour rights. However, finding out if these rights were actually being upheld was challenging.

Universities turned to certification programs and social auditing firms to monitor compliance, but research shows these programs are often lax and fail to disclose violations. These monitors are too close to the companies they work for, leading to conflicts of interest and limited transparency.

Because of this, the student anti-sweatshop movement pressed for independent monitoring. In 2000, United Students Against Sweatshops established the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), an independent organization that was initially set up to help colleges and universities enforce their manufacturing codes of conduct. It also performs independent investigations for other organizations and companies when asked to do so.

Unlike most corporate social auditors, the WRC is the only independent organization serving the university community that isn’t affiliated with the apparel industry.

It investigates factories based on worker testimonies. These investigations can be triggered by reports from universities, workers or local non-governmental organizations. Investigations are designed to ensure transparency through public reporting, and the WRC works with apparel brands and factories to secure remediation.

According to the WRC, it has helped more than 700,000 workers through factory investigations and helped them win more than US$150 million of legally owed back pay. It has also helped reverse terminations for 1,810 workers who were wrongfully fired for exercising their right to associate.

Lessons from Rana Plaza

The importance of independent monitoring of corporate labour rights codes was highlighted by the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh in April 2013, which killed 1,131 workers. Factories in the building produced garments for several major brands, including the Loblaw’s Joe Fresh line.

Despite some of the brands having codes of conduct and audits, none identified or corrected safety violations in the months before the collapse.

In the aftermath, the WRC helped implement and enforce the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety, a five-year independent, legally binding agreement between global brands, retailers and trade unions to build a safe Bangladeshi garment industry. Reports of the accord show significant improvements in fire and building safety.

Expanding the fight for workers’ rights

Beyond Bangladesh, the WRC has devised ways for brands to use their economic leverage to persuade suppliers to address systemic problems like gender-based violence and harassment in the garment sector.

Its investigations led to two agreements to eliminate these issues: one in Lesotho in 2018 and one in Central Java in 2024. The WRC’s university-affiliate program was crucial in Central Java, since the supplier produced university-logo goods.

This work shows that reducing and addressing labour abuse in global garment chains is possible. The WRC’s success stems from its institutional features that enhance its legitimacy: independence from unions and corporations, its investigative nature and its focus on workers.

Why university participation matters

University affiliation is crucial for the WRC’s success. While many universities have signed on, the number of affiliates has declined from 186 in 2010 to 154 in 2025.

To become an affiliate, a university must adopt a manufacturing code of conduct, incorporate it into contracts with apparel companies, share a list of factories involved in producing their merchandise and pay an annual affiliation fee.

Only six Canadian universities are affiliates: McGill University, Queen’s University, Thompson Rivers University, the University of Guelph, the University of Winnipeg and the University of Toronto. McMaster University, where I taught in the School of Labour Studies until this year, recently withdrew after 23 years.

For Canadian universities that market themselves as global citizens and champions of the sustainable development goals, affiliation should be seen as a moral obligations. By choosing to become an affiliate, universities demonstrate their commitment to protecting the rights of workers producing the apparel and goods that carry their names.

Judy Fudge receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

– ref. Canadian universities must do more to ensure their branded clothing isn’t made in sweatshops – https://theconversation.com/canadian-universities-must-do-more-to-ensure-their-branded-clothing-isnt-made-in-sweatshops-266330

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Erin Isings, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Information & Media Studies, Western University

Imagine you’re awaiting important feedback. For professionals, this could be a performance appraisal from your boss. For students, it could be written comments and a grade on an important paper.

For many people, this waiting period involves dread, anxiety, stress and other negative emotions. And once the much-anticipated feedback arrives, its reception may be clouded in emotions that result in a disengagement with the feedback process: shock, rejection or confusion. It’s an emotional blow that can really affect the feedback recipient’s well-being and sense of self.

Although feedback can sometimes feel painful, it might be the best gift to help our learning and growth.

Receiving feedback helps us to gain an accurate awareness of our actual performance in relation to the expected or needed outcome — whether that’s on the job or in school.

Feedback helps us understand how to close that gap between where we are versus where we need to be and improve our skills. Without the guidance that comes from feedback, we’re fumbling in the dark.

Feedback literacy

With proper feedback, we can clearly see our strengths and our opportunities for learning. Yet feedback literacy — the process of engaging with feedback and using it to improve — is a skill that is rarely taught in school.

Feedback literacy typically involves four phases:

1. Accepting feedback: Having an open mind and recognizing that feedback is valuable and we can grow from it.

2. Reflecting upon feedback: Considering how the feedback shows gaps in performance and can act as guidance to bring us closer to the desired outcome.

3. Engaging with the feedback: Making sense of the feedback, including asking clarifying questions. It’s at this phase that emotional reactions can derail the feedback literacy process.

4. Applying feedback: Using feedback to make changes to subsequent performance.

Benefits for lower stress

As university educators who teach students in communications, dentistry and undergraduate medical sciences, our previous research on feedback literacy showed that students who have higher levels of feedback literacy also have higher levels of mindfulness and lower levels of overall stress.

From this, we wanted to look at whether students would benefit from learning more feedback literacy skills — and at the same time, have their well-being and emotions supported through mindfulness.

We developed a program to teach students how to become more literate with feedback, while managing their stress responses to that feedback.

Teaching feedback literacy

To support managing feedback-induced stress, we thought that perhaps mindfulness, or focusing on the present moment without judgment, would help minimize the negative emotions around receiving feedback. Without being distracted by the emotion, students could focus on the feedback and improve their learning.

Working with a multidisciplinary team, we designed a “co-curricular course” — an online module that could be completed by students in different disciplines to support core curriculum. This entails six 30-minute lessons that apply mindfulness to feedback literacy, made available through Western University’s online learning management system.

We then met with students who went through the lessons to ask them about their experiences. While we had hoped to hear that they were able to see past the negative emotions when receiving feedback, and develop an appreciation for it, we found some unexpected results.

Students reframing their outlook on feedback

Beyond students no longer focusing on the negative emotions around feedback, they went as far to report that skills from the course helped them reframe their views on the whole feedback process.

Instead of feedback being a painful and nerve-racking experience, students reported that they began to welcome and seek out feedback. One student reported looking forward to receiving it and asking her supervisor at a clinical placement to give her as much feedback as possible.

Another student who had previously avoided speaking to professors out of fear of being seen as a “problem student” began to ask for clarification to decode assignment feedback. Students reported they began to eagerly ask questions to deepen their understanding of the feedback they received and consequently improve their learning.

Another focus group participant, a dental student, reported using the mindfulness techniques to help her stay calm while performing a dental procedure on a patient, recognizing that she needed to stay focused to avoid upsetting the patient and to complete the tooth procedure.

How students used mindfulness

A further surprise was that students reported applying the mindfulness techniques to minimize stress and increase their well-being in scenarios such as:

• Navigating transitions (from post-secondary school to their first professional job)

• Using mindful eating practices to notice what foods they’re consuming

• Slowing down to enjoy a morning cup of tea

• Realizing that post-secondary years are the “best years” and the need to enjoy the time

• Managing emotions such as anxiety when returning to their hometown

• Using mindfulness to notice their physical surroundings (houses and stores on their street)

Overall, focus group participants reported increased well-being due to stronger coping mechanisms for stress in academic work and in other life aspects.

This research contributes to understanding short- and potentially longer-term benefits of learning about feedback literacy or mindfulness as a complementary part of academic study or professional training.

Feedback literacy tips

Whether you’re walking into a performance appraisal, or your child is anticipating a grade return, here are some things to remember:

Feedback is not a personal attack. It’s a gift to help improve your performance.

Accept each feedback moment as an opportunity for personal growth.

If feedback is disappointing, try to put the emotions aside to see where there is actionable guidance.

Seek feedback whenever possible. The more you ask for — and receive — feedback in everyday situations, the easier it is to welcome it.

Take time to celebrate the wins. Reflect on what worked for you and how you can build on that momentum.

Erin Isings receives funding from SSHRC.

Cecilia S. Dong receives funding from SSHRC.

Christine Bell receives funding from SSHRC.

– ref. From nerve-racking to welcome: How mindfulness helps people engage with feedback to improve – https://theconversation.com/from-nerve-racking-to-welcome-how-mindfulness-helps-people-engage-with-feedback-to-improve-261826

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Qianxi He, Faculty Lecturer, McGill University

Have you ever wondered how airplanes, cars, oil and gas pipelines or medical devices are made? It’s not just the materials they’re composed of that’s so important, but also the high-speed machining that shapes them. Improving those processes can improve the industries that use them and the products they make.

Aerospace, automotive, medical devices and oil and gas industries all require materials that resist corrosion and have low thermal conductivity, meaning they don’t transfer heat easily. That’s why materials like austenitic stainless steels, titanium alloys and Inconel super-alloys are crucial to these industries.

But the same properties that make these materials so useful also make them difficult to machine at high speeds, leading to rapid tool wear and shortening the lifespan of cutting tools. Machining refers to a manufacturing process where material is selectively removed from a work piece — typically a raw material in the form of a bar, sheet or block — using cutting tools to achieve the desired shape, dimensions and surface finish.

An innovation in tool coating could solve these machining challenges. The development of what’s known as a bi-layer AlTiN PVD coating enhances cutting-tool performance, improves wear resistance and extends the life of the tool life during ultra-high-speed machining of hard-to-machine materials.

This breakthrough won’t just benefit manufacturers. The development of advanced cutting tool coatings can significantly enhance tool performance under extreme machining conditions and improve the surface quality of the finished work piece. Let’s dive into what makes this discovery so important.

Why it matters

Traditionally, tools have been coated with an AlTiN layer — a hard ceramic coating composed of aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti), and nitrogen (N) — to enhance wear resistance during machining. The coating is applied as an extremely thin film (typically three to five micrometres) through a process called physical vapour deposition (PVD), in which the coating material is vapourized in a vacuum chamber and condensed onto the tool surface.

A single AlTiN layer can improve oxidation resistance and make tools more durable, but these coatings often struggle to balance the hardness, toughness and frictional properties required for demanding machining environments.

The bi-layer coating used in this study overcomes these limitations by optimizing the mechanical properties of each layer. This approach enables the coating to withstand the extreme heat and mechanical loads during the machining of stainless steel.

How does the bi-layer coating work?

A novel coating system was designed: a bi-layer consisting of two AlTiN layers with different ratios of aluminum and titanium. The bi-layer AlTiN coating stands out due to its unique combination of properties.

The top layer, with a higher ratio of aluminum to titanium, reduces friction and improves oxidation resistance. The sub-layer, with an equal ratio of aluminum to titanium, enhances hardness and provides better adhesion to the tungsten carbide substrate used in cutting tools. This combination enables the tool to withstand higher temperatures and mechanical stresses, resulting in longer tool life and more efficient machining.

This bi-layer coating was tested against single-layer coatings on tungsten carbide cutting tools under ultra-high-speed turning of austenitic stainless steel 304 (SS304) — a high-performance material commonly used in the automotive and aerospace industries. The bi-layer coating demonstrated remarkable results, increasing tool life by 33 per cent.

The improved wear resistance is due to the combination of the two layers. It reduced the type of wear caused by high temperatures — known as crater wear — as well as the type of wear caused by mechanical stress — known as flank wear. This balance of properties resulted in longer tool life during high-speed machining.

Better cutting conditions between tool and workpiece

One of the standout features of the bi-layer coating was its improvement in friction, wear and lubrication — three key properties studied in the science of tribology. During machining, these effects were evident in the way chips were formed. Chip formation — the process by which small pieces of material are removed from the whole workpiece by the cutting tool — serves as an important indicator of friction and cutting conditions at the tool–workpiece interface.

In this study, the bi-layer tool produced chips with a smoother surface and a more regular shape compared to the chips produced by single-layer tools.

The smoother chips indicate better frictional conditions, meaning that the cutting tool experienced less resistance as it machined the stainless steel. This reduced friction not only extended tool life but also contributed to a more efficient cutting process, as less energy was required to perform the machining.

The bi-layer coating’s ability to reduce friction was evident in the lower cutting forces recorded during tests. The bi-layer tool consistently showed lower forces, indicating it required less energy to cut through material. This efficiency could lead to energy savings in industrial settings where high-speed machining is frequently used, making the process more cost-effective and sustainable.

Evidence of superior wear resistance

The study used several advanced techniques to analyze the wear mechanisms affecting the tools, which showed how the bi-layer coating effectively reduced both crater and flank wear.

Crater wear occurs on the tool’s rake face — the surface of the cutting tool that comes into direct contact with the chip as it is formed — due to the intense heat generated in the cutting zone, while flank wear happens on the tool’s side, typically as a result of mechanical abrasion. The combination of properties in the bi-layer coating helped reduce both forms of wear. This allows the tool to last longer even under the harsh conditions of ultra-high-speed turning.

The impact of high-speed machining

The development of this bi-layer AlTiN coating represents a significant advancement in cutting tool technology. By enhancing wear resistance and reducing friction, the coating extends tool life and improves the efficiency of machining difficult materials like SS304. For industries that rely on high-speed, precision machining, this innovation could lead to cost savings, reduced downtime and greater productivity.

By enhancing wear resistance and reducing friction, the bi-layer AlTiN coating extends tool life and improves the efficiency of machining difficult materials like austenitic stainless steel 304 (SS304). SS304 is widely used in products that require high strength, corrosion resistance and a smooth surface finish — such as automotive exhaust systems, aerospace components, food-processing equipment and medical instruments. For industries that rely on high-speed, precision machining, this innovation could translate into significant cost savings, reduced downtime and greater productivity.

This research highlights the exciting possibilities of advanced coatings in machining and manufacturing technologies. Innovations like this demonstrate how materials science and mechanical engineering can drive progress across industries such as aerospace, automotive, energy, and medical device manufacturing — where precision, durability and efficiency are critical to performance.

Qianxi He does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. An innovative tool coating could improve the way products — from aerospace to medical devices — are made – https://theconversation.com/an-innovative-tool-coating-could-improve-the-way-products-from-aerospace-to-medical-devices-are-made-238186

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Amy Fitzgerald, Professor, Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology, University of Windsor

The federal government has announced it’s introducing legislation to make bail more difficult to secure, along with lengthening sentences for certain offences.

These actions are intended to make Canadians feel safer, which makes sense politically. But does it make sense practically?

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Read more:
The federal government tables bail reform bill: 5 ways to strengthen Canada’s bail system

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Invoking the term “bail reform” has been politically strategic for politicians at both provincial and federal levels.

As I explain to my criminology students, “tough on crime” rhetoric has long been useful for garnering political support, while more nuanced examinations of the realities of crime and what could and should be done to reduce it struggle to gain traction.

The federal government’s new bail reform legislation would ensure that more people are incarcerated and for longer periods of time. As someone who lost a close relative to the prison system while he was awaiting a court appearance, I know how problematic this approach will be.

There’s also been no mention of corresponding investments in federal and provincial corrections systems that would enable them to keep up with this looming increase in prison populations.

In a news release, the federal government said:

“[The proposed changes] will only be effective if provincial and territorial governments do their part in supporting their implementation. This includes properly managing and resourcing the administration of justice, including police and Crown attorneys under their jurisdiction, bail courts, bail supervision programs, provincial courts, jails and victim services. The federal government looks forward to continuing to work with provincial and territorial governments to ensure the proper functioning of the criminal justice system.”

If meaningful plans are not in place, then the likely default will be reactionary responses, at best, at the provincial/territorial level.

Two risk areas

I am most concerned that failure to rectify the correctional status quo will compromise safety, both inside and outside of these facilities, in two critical ways.

First, larger prison populations without increases in programming will result in reduced access to the programming that does exist. This can be expected to increase the risk of recidivism, which is when people reoffend after they’re released.

Most people who are incarcerated will be released eventually. Therefore, the conditions inside these facilities in effect spill over into the community. With this in mind, correctional programming that helps inmates deal with trauma, addiction and provides meaningful vocational training should be enhanced.

Investing in such programming may not be as attractive as the rhetoric of bail reform, lengthening sentences and hiring more RCMP officers, but it’s essential if reducing the risk of reoffending — in other words, keeping Canadians safe — is truly an objective.

Second, there are significant risks associated with incarceration, particularly among those on remand — people not convicted and awaiting trial, mostly for non-violent charges. People on remand currently comprise approximately two-thirds of the population in provincial jails; that number is nearly 80 per cent in Ontario. The proposed bail reform would undoubtedly increase those numbers.

In 2021, my 21-year-old nephew was criminally charged and spent nine days on remand awaiting his day in court to explain why he was not guilty. He never got his day in court because he died in jail of drug toxicity caused by fentanyl. Sadly, what happened to him wasn’t an anomaly.

The problem is so acute that Ontario’s Chief Coroner initiated a formal death review to examine the 192 deaths in Ontario custodial facilities from 2014 through 2021. In their report, An Obligation to Prevent, the expert panel noted a dramatic increase in deaths across those years, and in each year, the vast majority of deaths were among those on remand — most attributable to accidental drug toxicity.

Dying in custody

Fentanyl has made the pervasive problem of contraband entering custodial facilities particularly hazardous, both for those in prison and staff. This hazard is illustrated by the finding in the report that people in Ontario jails have a greater chance of dying while there than in the community.

The increased likelihood is significant; for instance, those who are 25 to 34 years of age are approximately seven times more likely to die while in custody than in the community. People like my nephew, who were not using fentanyl prior to incarceration, are at greatest risk of dying from the drug because they do not have a built-up tolerance.

This troubling situation was summed up by the Chief Coroner’s expert panel as follows:

“The panel has determined that over recent years, these conditions have significantly decreased the safety for persons-in-custody. They have also led to alarming deteriorations in the safety, wellness and career satisfaction for the dedicated individuals who work within the current environment of custodial corrections.”

The panel accordingly made 18 recommendations to improve the safety inside Ontario jails. Yet it was evident during the inquest into my nephew’s death, held in September, that acting on these recommendations is very much a work in progress, to put it generously.

The jury at the inquest into my nephew’s death issued 23 additional recommendations. These recommendations will be added to the many others that have resulted from inquests into inmate deaths.

Investments are essential

Canadians should therefore be aware that there are real risks to the federal government’s legislative proposals. To mitigate these risks, there must be significant investments by the federal and provincial/territorial governments to ensure:

1. Access to effective, evidence-based correctional programs that address the causes of reoffending and keep up with the growing prison population;
2. Improved safety in custodial facilities, with a particular focus on addressing increasingly lethal contraband that poses serious threats not only to those who are serving sentences, but also to those on remand and prison staff;
3. Urgent action to address the many unresolved recommendations to improve conditions and safety. Failure to do so will result in even less access to programming than currently exists, which will actually make it more challenging to reduce the risk of reoffending, and more people, like my nephew, will die while in custody.

Without these investments, the federal government’s proposed legislation can be expected to shift the correctional status quo in the country into a state of crisis, if it is not there already. In short, the legislation would reduce, not enhance, safety and justice.

Amy Fitzgerald receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

– ref. I’m a criminologist and grieving aunt. Here’s why Ottawa’s bail reform won’t make Canada safer – https://theconversation.com/im-a-criminologist-and-grieving-aunt-heres-why-ottawas-bail-reform-wont-make-canada-safer-268639

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Mohammed Estaiteyeh, Assistant Professor of Digital Pedagogies and Technology Literacies, Faculty of Education, Brock University

Distance learning far precedes the digital age. Before online courses, people relied on print materials (and later radio and other technologies) to support formal education when the teacher and learner were physically separated.

Today, there are varied ways of supporting distance learning with digital communication. With “asynchronous” online courses, teaching does not occur live. Students access course materials on the learning management system and complete assignments at their own pace. This allows flexibility across time zones and work schedules and affords accessible learning.

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Read more:
Professor flexibility, recorded lectures: Some positive university legacies of the pandemic

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Nevertheless, some researchers have raised concerns regarding the quality and student outcomes associated with asynchronous online courses. As well, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has exposed fundamental challenges to this mode of delivery.

While GenAI poses serious challenges to academic integrity in many formats of learning, including synchronous online and in-person learning, asynchronous courses face the most acute risk. Without real-time interaction or time constraints, students can use AI undetected while instructors never observe their thinking processes.

Compromised learning models

Asynchronous courses have long relied on conventional assessments: discussion board posts, written reflections, essay assignments and pre-recorded videos. These models in asynchronous assessment are now compromised. Distinguishing AI-generated content from human-written text has become increasingly difficult.

Text discussions and reflections present the highest substitution risk. GenAI can generate personalized reflective posts and discussion replies rapidly, complete with a polished academic tone. An instructor may spend hours responding to these contributions yet gain little evidence about who actually learned and produced the material.

AI agents like ChatGPT’s Atlas browser can now navigate course sites, consume materials and complete some assignments with minimal student intervention — if any.

In written assignments, requiring precise citations from assigned course materials may seem like a safeguard. However, AI-enhanced tools can easily meet such requirements. This approach provides false security and fails to address underlying problems, including authorship with integrity in an AI world.

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Read more:
ChatGPT and cheating: 5 ways to change how students are graded

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Students can be asked to provide time-stamped drafts, version history and checkpoints to document their process. But these can be easily fabricated — while instructors become overloaded with policing rather than focusing on students’ learning and progress.

AI-generated infographics and videos are also becoming hard to distinguish from human-made ones.

Detectors, remote proctoring not solutions

AI detectors cannot solve the problem. Research suggests detection tools produce false positive rates far higher than advertised, with disproportionate harm to neurodivergent and second-language learners. Several universities now explicitly advise against using detection software as evidence of academic misconduct.

Remote proctoring is intrusive and raises serious ethical, equity, privacy and reliability concerns. Students requiring accommodations, whether for disabilities, inadequate technology or lack of private space, must be granted leniency that undermines the system’s purpose, rendering it unsustainable while diverting instructors away from their educational mission.

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Read more:
Online exam monitoring can invade privacy and erode trust at universities

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These mounting challenges are neither hypothetical nor distant. Without meaningful intervention, institutions risk credentialing students who have not demonstrably engaged with course content, thereby undermining the integrity of academic credentials.

Two less-than-ideal strategies

Genuine protection against AI substitution requires approaches that fundamentally alter how instructors deliver asynchronous courses. Two strategies that somewhat meet this threshold are:

1) Short oral examinations can be scheduled for major assignments or throughout a term. While not without limitations, these conversations verify authorship and assess the depth of understanding.

2) Experiential learning components with external verification: Students can apply course concepts to real-world settings and include brief attestations from workplace supervisors, community partners or other external stakeholders in their capstone assignments that will be graded by course instructors. Combined with short oral examinations, this approach would deter offloading all learning to AI and augment asynchronous coursework with practical components.

However, assessment strategies alone cannot solve the authenticity crisis.

Rethinking program design

The Community of Inquiry framework, a tool for conceptualizing online learning, identifies three essential elements for effective online learning: social presence (students engage authentically), cognitive presence (students construct understanding through inquiry) and teaching presence (instructors facilitate learning).

GenAI threatens all three of these elements: it can simulate social engagement through generated posts, substitute for cognitive work and force instructors to focus on policing rather than teaching.

Institutions must evaluate whether their asynchronous programs can maintain these elements given GenAI capabilities.

Confronting an uncomfortable reality

Institutions and educators must be honest about limitations. Few strategies provide genuine protection against AI substitution; most merely create friction that determined students can overcome. The recommended approaches named above require synchronous elements or external verification that fundamentally alter asynchronous delivery.

Implementation of these imperfect solutions requires genuine institutional commitment, resources and policy support. Institutions now face a choice: invest substantially in what is required to restore some degree of assessment authenticity or acknowledge that asynchronous programs (as currently structured) cannot credibly assure learning outcomes.

Band-aid solutions and deflection of responsibility to instructors will only deepen the credentialing crisis. In the absence of robust institutional efforts, asynchronous programs risk becoming credential mills in all but name. The question is not whether institutions can afford to act, but whether they can afford not to.

Rahul Kumar received funding from SSHRC in the past.

Mohammed Estaiteyeh does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. How AI is challenging the credibility of some online courses – https://theconversation.com/how-ai-is-challenging-the-credibility-of-some-online-courses-264851