Mahmoud Khalil, Alireza Doroudi, Rumeysa Ozturk, Yunseo Chung, Rasha Alawieh, Badar Khan Suri, Ranjani Srinivasan. There is a rapidly growing list of international students and professors in the United States who have been targeted by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and are facing deportation because of their activism.
The alarm bells are ringing. Several high-profile professors who study fascism are leaving the U.S. for Canada.
As is so often the case, the U.S. is a dumpster fire, spurring feelings of Canadian superiority — at least we’re not them! And yet, nationalism here is also moving in troubling directions. A deeply anti-immigrant movement that was present long before Trump is out in full force, hidden barely under the rhetoric of a Canada-first agenda.
In the Ontario election, candidates’ abilities to stand up to Trump became a main talking point. The federal election is shaping up the same way.
Electoral politics is difficult terrain to navigate. At The Grind, we don’t disparage voting and, at the same time, we recognize the severe limits of voting as a way to improve society.
Carney and Poilievre are offering us many of the same stale policies, reheated in two different parties’ microwaves: tax cuts for the ultra-rich, pipelines and slashing public services.
Singh is dragging so low in the polls that the NDP is at risk of losing its official party status. It’s in part because the NDP has for so long failed to present a bold, left-wing vision for tackling the housing and affordability crises.
But we know that bold change only comes with bold action — we can’t wait for it from elections.
Whether it’s getting clean air in Toronto’s classrooms, or resisting being censored for supporting Palestinian refugees, people are taking action.
Also, you’ll notice, the arts section and event listings are back in this issue. Amid the chaos, there’s a lot of creativity and connection happening as well.
As things warm up this spring, also take a moment to smell the flowers.
This article appeared in the 2025 April/May issue.
