Have we learned anything about road safety after Humboldt?

For many years, I was editor-in-chief of The Canadian Press and one of my duties there was to conduct CP’s annual yearend polls – including the story of the year. The 2018 story of the year was the terrible truck-bus crash in Saskatchewan involving members of the Humboldt Broncos hockey team. The driver of the transport truck responsible for the crash pleaded guilty to several charges on Tuesday, but is that the end of the story? Today in The Conversation Canada, Ahmed Shalaby of the University of Manitoba uses his expertise as a transportation engineering academic to ask larger questions about road safety and why more funding is needed for federal safety regulators.

Another story that’s been in the news this week: two killer whales who live off the coast of British Columbia will likely die of starvation by the summer. Priyanka Varkey and Tony Robert Walker of Dalhousie University explain one of the reasons why orcas in that region of the Pacific are suffering: the increasing impact of ship noise, which causes many problems for the whales.

As many of us add “losing weight” to our list of new year’s resolutions, we have a compelling story about how “fat shaming” has serious implications – not only are remarks about someone’s weight hurtful, research shows they can also be harmful.

And finally…have you seen Roma yet? I saw it over the holidays and it left me wanting to know more about the time period the movie was set in – Mexico in the early 1970s. Luckily, Alejandro Hernandez of Carleton University has provided some important context about two main storylines that run throughout the film.

Regards,

Scott White

Editor

Today's Featured Articles

The Government of Canada must reassess its responsibility to protect road users. Shutterstock

After Humboldt: What is being done to reduce risks on Canadian roads?

Ahmed Shalaby, University of Manitoba

In the wake of Humboldt bus crash, the federal government must reassess its responsibility to protect road users.

A female resident orca whale breaches while swimming in Puget Sound in January 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Elaine Thompson

Quieter ships could help Canada’s endangered orcas recover

Priyanka Varkey, Dalhousie University; Tony Robert Walker, Dalhousie University

Noisy waters may be making it harder for southern resident killer whales to communicate with each other and find their food.

Fat-shaming is everywhere and research shows that it is very bad for our health. (Flickr/Obesity Canada)

How ‘weight bias’ is harming us all

Sara FL Kirk, Dalhousie University; Angela Alberga, Concordia University; Erin Cameron, Northern Ontario School of Medicine ; Mary Forhan, University of Alberta; Shelly Russell-Mayhew, University of Calgary

From romance to job interviews, people living with obesity are less likely to be successful.

Critics and audiences of the award-winning film Roma may be missing important Mexican historical and cultural facts.

Two things you probably missed in Alfonso Cuarón’s ‘Roma’

Alejandro Hernandez, Carleton University

Director Alfonso Cuarón was awarded best foreign language film and best director at the Golden Globes for 'Roma.' Here, a sociologist explains the hidden historical and cultural context of the film.

La Conversation Canada

L’interdiction du contenu pour adultes sur Tumblr, une perte pour les jeunes LGBTQ. Akshay Varaham

Pourquoi l'interdiction de contenu adulte sur Tumblr est mauvaise pour les jeunes LGBTQ

Stefanie Duguay, Concordia University

La décision de Tumblr prive les jeunes LGBTQ d’un média où ils pouvaient élargir leurs horizons en matière d’identité sexuelle et recevoir le soutien de pairs par le partage de contenu.

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