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The first edition of Building Bridges was published nearly twenty years ago, with a second edition following in 2009. Since then, the social and political landscape for queer individuals has changed dramatically around the world. While much progress has been made concerning the protection of existing human rights, a noticeable shift in support for Canada’s queer communities in some parts of the country is evident, largely because of the war on gender and sexual diversity occurring in the United States. In fact, numerous examples of a similar battle abound. This includes the legislated policing of children’s usage of pronouns in schools in some provinces (Ibrahim, 2023; Talati, 2023), recent mass protests organized in response to Ontario’s sex education curriculum (Carter, 2023), opposition to Drag Queen Story Hours, which has drawn ire from many parents (Zoledziowski & Sheldon, 2023), the defamation of Pride flags on the properties of several elementary schools (Mandes, 2023; McGowan, 2023; Peesker, 2023; Sachdeva, 2023) and the current campaign to ban queer-positive children’s books (Beattie, 2023; Froese, 2023; Wong, 2024). Beyond Building Bridges was written, in part, as a response to these inequities and is a reminder that, where queer rights are concerned, the fight is not yet over.

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The university performed particularly well in the category of "research environment," ranking 16th in the world.

For doctoral student Christine and her roommate Bonnie, moving in together was a way to survive the housing crisis. They become fast friends.

Excerpt: "Families in 14 communities throughout the province will benefit from more than 900 new licensed child care spaces that will open this fall, expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care. “Families throughout British Columbia are seeing new child care spaces open in their communities, giving families real options they can count on,” said Lisa Beare, B.C.’s Minister of Education and Child Care. “These spaces mean shorter waitlists, more access to affordable, high-quality child care and peace of mind for parents, knowing children are learning in safe, supportive environments. This is about making life easier for parents today, while investing in stronger communities for generations to come.”"

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Excerpt: "The Landmark YMCA child care centre includes 12 spaces for infant-toddlers and 41 spaces for children 2.5 years to school age. Situated in the heart of Kelowna at Landmark District, a 15-acre business community, the centre will help provide convenient access for local families and working professionals. “The opening of the Landmark YMCA child care centre is a testament to what we can achieve when community partners come together with a shared vision,” said Alyson Graf, president and CEO, YMCA of Southern Interior BC. “We are proud to help Kelowna families access the quality child care they deserve, right where they live and work. This centre reflects our ongoing commitment to building a stronger, more inclusive community for everyone.”"

Excerpt: "The Ontario government is protecting students by increasing its investment in the Student Nutrition Program (SNP) and the First Nations Student Nutrition Program (FNSNP) by $5 million, for a total investment of $37.5 million this year. The two programs will serve more than 800,000 students, projected to deliver over 140 million healthy meals and snacks under the Student Nutrition Program and more than 1.4 million meals and snacks to students in Indigenous communities this school year."