For many Canadians, heading to the pool or the lake in the summer is a special pleasure. But for others, it can be an unpleasant experience. Today in The Conversation Canada, Jacqueline Scott of the University of Toronto writes about the troubled history that Black people have had with swimming – from much higher drowning rates to historic discrimination when it comes to accessing pools and beaches.

We’ve invited a British scholar to offer some thoughts on the ongoing Canadian-Saudi diplomatic row. Jeremy Wildeman of the University of Bath says the dispute presents Canada with an opportunity to rethink its Middle East policy – and that Ottawa “could choose a new path based on universal human rights that would greatly benefit not just Saudi Arabians but those in the broader Middle East and Canadians too.”

High school football season starts soon and Patrick Neary writes about research from the University of Regina about how an athlete's heart can be impacted by a concussion. The research looked at how concussions can also cause damage to the body’s autonomic nervous system.

And finally…Ottawa recently announced its plans to create a new national holiday – a National Day of Reconciliation – but James Miller of the University of Saskatchewan says symbolic gestures on reconciliation like new holidays and removing statues should be backed up with specific actions to address long-standing issues facing Indigenous Canadians.

Regards,