McGill celebrated an exciting milestone with the launch of the Pandemic and Emergency Readiness Lab (PERL), a bold new initiative led by Dr. Joanne Liu (IMHL’14) to transform how we prepare for future global health challenges. Designed to bring worldclass science and leadership together, PERL is accelerating innovation in crisis readiness—from pandemics and climate driven emergencies to the growing threat of disinformation.

Professor Patrick Augustin addressed the critical gap between technical risk analysis and executive decision-making at the ALRiM-GARP Banking Risks Conference in Luxembourg in January. Speaking alongside regulators and industry leaders, Augustin argued that risk managers must develop strong communication skills to translate complex metrics into actionable insights for boards and senior leadership.

In January, trade relations between Canada and China began to thaw, when the two countries reached an agreement on several longstanding trade irritants.

Canada committed to lowing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles from 100% to 6.1% for 49,000 units annually, while China agreed to reduce tariffs on canola, seafood and peas, unlocking billions in agricultural exports.

Relatively few job candidates negotiate the terms of their employment, often because they fear losing the offer. Yet surveys show recruiters are open to negotiation, and it is rare for employers to withdraw an offer because a candidate attempted to negotiate. “A common mistake is to negotiate on salary alone or to present multiple terms as non-negotiable conditions for acceptance,” says Jean-Nicolas Reyt, an Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour at McGill Desautels.

To all Finance users,

The month of January 2026 is closed. You may pick up your Minerva Financial Statements by logging into Minerva via https://horizon.mcgill.ca/minerva

This link will bring you directly to the Finance (Fund) Administration Menu >> Financial Statements menu option.

Congratulations to Yan Thériault, a Master of Information Studies (MISt) student at the School of Information Studies, who has been selected as a 2026 Mila-Building 21 BLUE Fellow

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"Playful encounters: Letting whimsy guide our interactions with organizing systems

February 4, 2026 | Vincent Rigby weighed in on Canada's reassessment of its planned purchase of U.S. F-35 fighter jets amid rising trade tensions and strained political relations with Washington. Rigby argued that increasingly sharp rhetoric from the United States prompted Canadian policymakers to rethink the long-standing defence relationship. While both countries will always share an interest in defending North America, Rigby said Canada needs to "walk on a tightrope," pushing back where necessary and reducing its overdependence on an unpredictable partner.