Latest news with #MountRoyal
Calgary Herald
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Kennedy-Glans: The life of a conservative male on a Canadian campus: 'We are not the demons that you see us as'
Article content 'Mount Royal especially is a very progressive school,' Mitch reports, 'and there are a lot of conservative young men on campus, but they're not necessarily out there with their political opinions.' Article content Because progressives have such negative connotations about conservatism on campus, Mitch explains, he seizes opportunities to sit down with people of different political persuasions, to explain, 'we are not the demons that you see us as.' He insists, believing in fiscal responsibility and conservative values, 'doesn't make me racist; doesn't make me sexist.' Article content Chui's take is slightly different; 'I seldom encounter someone who has been corrupted by the 'manosphere',' he says with a grin, 'and when I do encounter them, it's more a fad than anything. After a few months, after a season, it's over; they're back to normal.' Article content As for the radical right coming for our sons, Chui acknowledges the growth in young men's affiliation with the conservative movement but sees this as pragmatic, rather than ideological. Young people who can't make ends meet, he says, 'are choosing to put their faith in a party that historically runs on economic integrity, runs on fiscal responsibility.' Article content Article content It's all part of a cycle, he suggests; there was a spike in young men's support for conservatives in the Mulroney era, and again with the rise of the Reform Party. 'It is a cycle that keeps on happening over and over, and I don't believe social issues have any play within it. Amongst my friends, social issues are not at the forefront of our minds.' Article content At 6-foot-3, Chui towers over me, cutting an imposing figure in his wide leg jeans and suede jacket. His experience as a Christian street preacher may have shaped him into the most patient 20-year-old I've ever encountered. Article content 'Don't fret too much,' is Chui's primary message (as a mother worried about boys, I'm somewhat comforted); however, his experience door-knocking — most recently, in the Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills constituency on behalf of United Conservative Party MLA Tara Sawyer — sends me reeling. Article content Article content 'At the doors,' Chui shares, 'when I do encounter a conservative and the question comes up, 'would you like a lawn sign?', it is often, more times than not, a 'no.' And almost every single time, it is due to the fact they don't want their neighbours to know they are conservative because of the weight that carries.' Article content 'You're talking about rural Alberta?' I ask, incredulously. Article content 'You would expect to have almost every single house welcoming a lawn sign with open arms,' Chui answers, 'but that's far from the truth. Article content 'A lot of the people you encounter at these doors are centrists, and they cast ballots with their pocketbooks,' he explains. 'They want fiscal responsibility and that takes precedence over social issues… things like trans rights, things like homosexual rights, social safety nets.' Article content They feel disenfranchised and are looking for change, he concludes, 'but when you take up that lawn sign, what does that say to your neighbour? That you're a 'racist'.' Article content Somewhat dumbstruck, I wade into the murky waters of DEI quotas and cancel culture. 'Would you like to see wokeness dialled back at your school?' I ask. Article content 'It's almost like the 'he who shall not be named', Voldemort question, among my circles at least,' Chui quips. 'It's not even spoken about. We almost pretend they (DEI quotas) don't exist and just carry on.' Article content With its rainbow flags, rainbow crosswalk and posters everywhere, 'DEI is very, very fundamentally rooted into the Mount Royal (University) culture,' Mitch answers. While it may be a great idea, at his school, he says it's unrealistic to think about shutting down the whole DEI ideology. 'What we need to do, to lean into that direction,' he offers, 'is foster a sense it's OK to have different opinions.' Article content 'Guilt has allowed this to perpetrate,' Chui observes, 'and that has almost created a world of absolutes where you're either for or against. And it's almost painful to live in because you're gagged.' Article content Article content 'So you silence yourselves?' I say. They both nod. Article content It's a difficult question, Chui reflects, and one he's discussed with a guy from Alberta's Republican Party, who, he reports, 'believes the only way you can fight for change … if you're backed up to the wall, is show you're willing to punch them in the face.' Article content Chui doesn't believe this is the 'proper sentiment' because then the pendulum goes back and forth, and 'you have people disenfranchised on either side, time and time again.' Article content 'It's going to be a long fight,' he says, 'if you want to be cordial. But I think it's the right fight.'
Edmonton Journal
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
The life of a conservative male on a Canadian campus: 'We are not the demons that you see us as'
Article content 'Mount Royal especially is a very progressive school,' Mitch reports, 'and there are a lot of conservative young men on campus, but they're not necessarily out there with their political opinions.' Article content Because progressives have such negative connotations about conservatism on campus, Mitch explains, he seizes opportunities to sit down with people of different political persuasions, to explain, 'we are not the demons that you see us as.' He insists, believing in fiscal responsibility and conservative values, 'doesn't make me racist; doesn't make me sexist.' Article content Chui's take is slightly different; 'I seldom encounter someone who has been corrupted by the 'manosphere',' he says with a grin, 'and when I do encounter them, it's more a fad than anything. After a few months, after a season, it's over; they're back to normal.' Article content As for the radical right coming for our sons, Chui acknowledges the growth in young men's affiliation with the conservative movement but sees this as pragmatic, rather than ideological. Young people who can't make ends meet, he says, 'are choosing to put their faith in a party that historically runs on economic integrity, runs on fiscal responsibility.' Article content Article content It's all part of a cycle, he suggests; there was a spike in young men's support for conservatives in the Mulroney era, and again with the rise of the Reform Party. 'It is a cycle that keeps on happening over and over, and I don't believe social issues have any play within it. Amongst my friends, social issues are not at the forefront of our minds.' Article content At 6-foot-3, Chui towers over me, cutting an imposing figure in his wide leg jeans and suede jacket. His experience as a Christian street preacher may have shaped him into the most patient 20-year-old I've ever encountered. Article content 'Don't fret too much,' is Chui's primary message (as a mother worried about boys, I'm somewhat comforted); however, his experience door-knocking — most recently, in the Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills constituency on behalf of United Conservative Party MLA Tara Sawyer — sends me reeling. Article content Article content 'At the doors,' Chui shares, 'when I do encounter a conservative and the question comes up, 'would you like a lawn sign?', it is often, more times than not, a 'no.' And almost every single time, it is due to the fact they don't want their neighbours to know they are conservative because of the weight that carries.' Article content 'You're talking about rural Alberta?' I ask, incredulously. Article content 'You would expect to have almost every single house welcoming a lawn sign with open arms,' Chui answers, 'but that's far from the truth. Article content 'A lot of the people you encounter at these doors are centrists, and they cast ballots with their pocketbooks,' he explains. 'They want fiscal responsibility and that takes precedence over social issues… things like trans rights, things like homosexual rights, social safety nets.' Article content They feel disenfranchised and are looking for change, he concludes, 'but when you take up that lawn sign, what does that say to your neighbour? That you're a 'racist'.' Article content Somewhat dumbstruck, I wade into the murky waters of DEI quotas and cancel culture. 'Would you like to see wokeness dialled back at your school?' I ask. Article content 'It's almost like the 'he who shall not be named', Voldemort question, among my circles at least,' Chui quips. 'It's not even spoken about. We almost pretend they (DEI quotas) don't exist and just carry on.' Article content With its rainbow flags, rainbow crosswalk and posters everywhere, 'DEI is very, very fundamentally rooted into the Mount Royal (University) culture,' Mitch answers. While it may be a great idea, at his school, he says it's unrealistic to think about shutting down the whole DEI ideology. 'What we need to do, to lean into that direction,' he offers, 'is foster a sense it's OK to have different opinions.' Article content 'Guilt has allowed this to perpetrate,' Chui observes, 'and that has almost created a world of absolutes where you're either for or against. And it's almost painful to live in because you're gagged.' Article content Article content 'So you silence yourselves?' I say. They both nod. Article content It's a difficult question, Chui reflects, and one he's discussed with a guy from Alberta's Republican Party, who, he reports, 'believes the only way you can fight for change … if you're backed up to the wall, is show you're willing to punch them in the face.' Article content Chui doesn't believe this is the 'proper sentiment' because then the pendulum goes back and forth, and 'you have people disenfranchised on either side, time and time again.' Article content 'It's going to be a long fight,' he says, 'if you want to be cordial. But I think it's the right fight.'
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
Quebec singer and Harmonium frontman Serge Fiori dies at 73
Serge Fiori, singer, guitarist and founding member of the legendary Quebec band Harmonium, died Tuesday at the age of 73. His manager of 36 years, Serge Grimaux, said in a statement that Fiori died in the early hours of June 24 at his home in Saint-Henri-de-Taillon, Que., in the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region. Grimaux said he died following a long illness. Serge left us the same way he lived — with that legendary smile that lit up everyone who knew him, everyone he brought immense joy to, and the country that was his, in his heart and in his eternal passion, Grimaux said. He leaves behind his family, his friends, and all those in whom the songs he wrote and the harmonies he created will forever resonate. Premier François Legault praised Fiori in a lengthy social media post, saying he left a lasting mark on Quebec through songs filled with poetry, depth and sensitivity. With Harmonium, Legault said, Fiori touched the hearts of several generations of Quebecers, starting with the band's first album. By pushing the boundaries of rock music, he broadened the horizons of an entire era, Legault wrote. His work helped redefine the place of music in Quebec. Harmonium's three albums have become cult classics for our nation. He put words and melodies to what we were living and who we were. Fiori also helped bring Quebec music to the world stage, the premier noted. From Mount Royal to the stages of Europe, his voice resonated everywhere. Born in Montreal in 1952 to an Italian father and a French-speaking mother, Fiori founded Harmonium in the early 1970s with Michel Normandeau and Louis Valois. The band's three folk-rock albums — Harmonium (1974), Si on avait besoin d'une cinquième saison (1975) and L'Heptade (1976) — became hallmarks of Quebec's musical identity. The band stood out at a time when most Quebec acts leaned toward chanson-style music, combining complex lyrical and instrumental arrangements that helped it gain a following beyond provincial borders. Despite singing exclusively in French, Harmonium became one of the few Quebec bands of the 1970s to gain some recognition in the United States. The group's debut album, recorded in just six days, sold more than 100,000 copies and quickly topped the charts. It included Pour un instant , Harmonium's first commercial success, as well as Un musicien parmi tant d'autres . In 1978, Harmonium toured California, with Fiori joining then-premier René Lévesque in a showcase of Quebec music's vitality in the U.S. The group dissolved shortly after, worn down by relentless travel. Fiori, emotionally and physically exhausted, struggled with the effects of LSD use, which had caused a neurotransmitter disorder — a condition he described in his 2013 biography S'enlever du chemin , written by longtime friend Louise Thériault. After Harmonium disbanded, Fiori teamed up with Richard Séguin to release Deux cents nuits à l'heure in 1978, an album that won three Félix awards. He later contributed music to Yvon Deschamps's stage shows and released a self-titled solo album in 1986. He collaborated over the years with artists including Diane Dufresne and Nanette Workman. Fiori stepped away from the public eye for many years before returning in 2014 with the album Serge Fiori — his first in nearly 30 years. The record featured Le monde est virtuel , which was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2015 ADISQ gala and won Félix awards for best-selling album and adult contemporary album of the year. He also composed music for films, including the 2009 feature Babine , which earned a Félix for best original soundtrack. On Tuesday, Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon called Fiori a true ambassador of Quebec culture. Serge Fiori was an immense lyricist and melodist whose songs have accompanied us for more than 50 years — and will continue to do so, St-Pierre Plamondon said, offering condolences to his family and loved ones. CBC News written by Isaac Olson, with files from Radio-Canada
CTV News
11-06-2025
- CTV News
‘More like a highway than a neighbourhood': TMR residents call for urgent safety fixes on Lucerne Road
Residents in the Town of Mount Royal (TMR) say speeding along Lucerne Road has become a daily safety concern — and they're calling on the town to act quickly.
