Articles from:January 2026

• Badgers to bring heat downtown for Paint the Meridian Red

  Monday, January 26, 2026 | By Brock University

  MEDIA RELEASE — January 26, 2026 — R0009

  When Audrey Ntetani hits the court under the bright lights of the Meridian Centre this week, she plans to give it all she’s got.

  The Brock Badgers guard hopes that energy will resonate with fans — and leave them on the edge of their seats — as they watch their hometown favourites take on the McMaster Marauders in the annual Paint the Meridian Red basketball doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 31.

  Crowds at the annual downtown showdown will be treated to two high-energy matchups, with the women’s game tipping off at 6 p.m. followed by the men’s game at 8 p.m. 

  “I want to leave everything on the court,” says Ntetani, a fifth-year Bachelor of Business Administration student who intends to make the most of her final Paint the Meridian appearance. “I hope to fully appreciate the moment, reflect on how far I’ve come and enjoy the experience in its entirety while representing Brock one last time on that stage.”

  Michael Matas also can’t wait to make his downtown return.

  The Badgers forward, who is no stranger to Paint the Meridian Red, says the big arena game hits differently, providing an unforgettable night for those on and off the court.

  “Playing in the Meridian Centre is an incredible experience,” he says. “Looking up mid-game and seeing a sea of fans dressed in red is something I’ll never forget. It really is a professional-like experience — something most schools aren’t able to offer.” 

  The fifth-year Economics student says playing in front of the Brock and Niagara communities at the Meridian has been a highlight of his varsity career and he looks forward to seeing fans pack the stands again this weekend for his last downtown game.

  It’s the community connection that makes Paint the Meridian Red such a celebrated and highly anticipated experience, says Melissa Krist, Executive Director, Brock Sports and Recreation. 

  “By bringing together Badgers fans of all ages — students, families, alumni and more — the games create an unmatched atmosphere filled with school spirit, community pride and support for our players that leaves everyone in attendance wanting more,” Krist says. “We look forward to welcoming the community back for another memorable night of top-tier basketball.” 

  While the games are the highlight of the evening, fans will also have the chance to explore a community zone with family-friendly activities, browse Brock Badgers merchandise at the Brock Campus Store pop-up and participate in giveaways. 

  Tickets for Paint the Meridian Red are available at ticketmaster.ca

    

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  *Sarah Ackles, Communications Specialist, Brock University [email protected] or 289-241-5483

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  Categories: Media releases

• Trump’s Greenland threats could spur seismic economic, political shifts: Brock experts

  Friday, January 23, 2026 | By Brock University

  EXPERT ADVISORY — January 23, 2026 — R0008

  Discussion about the United States’s intentions for Greenland ramped up this week as leaders gathered for the annual World Economic Forum, prompting some to speak openly about implications for international order.

  Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered what Brock University Associate Professor of Political Science Stefan Dolgert considers one of the “most consequential speeches given by a Canadian leader in decades.”

  Dolgert says Carney’s reference to “The Power of the Powerless,” an essay by anti-communist dissident Vaclav Havel that points to ways ordinary people could resist Soviet totalitarianism during the Cold War, draws a striking parallel to America’s current threats against its fellow NATO member.

  “It’s amazing to hear a Canadian leader say the role of the U.S. in the world today is the equivalent of Soviet totalitarianism, the very thing Canadians oriented themselves against by joining NATO and by being part of the American sphere of influence in the latter half of the 20th century,” he says.

  For Dolgert, the specific lesson Carney pulls from Havel about refusing to “carry out everyday rituals” that empower the ruling party suggests an important shift for Canada, especially in response to recent U.S. actions in South America and threats of aggression in Greenland.

  Although Trump appeared to take military action in Greenland off the table on Wednesday, Jan. 21, the situation is far from resolved.

  “Carney is saying we will no longer go along with the lie that says the American leadership of the rules-based international order is serving the interests of peace and justice and democracy worldwide,” he says. “We can’t look away any longer because now the mask is off. It’s naked aggression.”

  In the face of a looming threat to NATO’s stability, Dolgert says Carney was able to acknowledge the economic challenges associated with withdrawing from dependence on the U.S. while still calling upon other “middle powers” to work together.

  “He argued that we have to go a different way now, even if the world will be poorer because of it,” he says. “The clear implication is that we middle powers need to make our own security guarantees with each other rather than relying on the U.S.”

  Associate Professor of Political Science Paul Hamilton sees Trump’s demands for Greenland as “part of his ambition to build a historical legacy, very much in keeping with his renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, his desire to annex Canada and his willingness to deploy troops in Latin America.”

  But Hamilton says the political and economic costs of these demands could be incredibly high. If the European parliament does not ratify its trade deal with the U.S., which was negotiated in July, for instance, levies of more than $100 billion on U.S. goods entering Europe are set to kick in on Feb. 7.

  “Any move to annex Greenland would likely mean the end of NATO as we have known it,” Hamilton says. “But it would also mean American goods headed to Europe would be subject to a set of tariffs already agreed upon by the EU.”

  The levies were proposed in response to earlier tariff threats from the U.S. but suspended during trade negotiations and were likely to be removed once parliament approved the deal. In light of recent threats to Greenland and Denmark, however, Hamilton says the levies are now back in play.

  Another tool the EU might deploy is the Anti-Coercion Instrument (ACI), a collection of measures that can be taken against a nation attempting to control a member nation through economic sanctions. Though it has existed since 2023, the ACI has never been used.

  While Hamilton predicts that a solution to the levies will likely be reached before the deadline, he also says the EU and other allies are “hastening efforts to find reliable security and trade partners” in the wake of the Greenland threats.

  “The EU’s trade agreement with the Mercosur states — Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay — last week was a sign of a pivot away from the U.S.,” he says.

  Brock University Associate Professor of Political Science Stefan Dolgert and Associate Professor of Political Science Paul Hamilton are available for media interviews on this topic.

  For more information or for assistance arranging interviews:

  *Sarah Ackles, Communications Specialist, Brock University [email protected] or 289-241-5483

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  Categories: Media releases