MARTLET THE
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UVic student helping to build Haida Gwaii renewable energy plan
'It's a really big deal to be seeing change like that'
SCOTT VAN HAREN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
This summer, UVic undergrad and member of the Haida Nation Kwia dda McEvoy will be helping their Nation chart its course towards renewable energy.
McEvoy’s internship, officially titled “Identifying pathways to reduce diesel use on Haida Gwaii,” will help build Haida Gwaii’s first Community Energy Plan. This strategy will outline how the Nation makes decisions about the future of energy on the archipelago.
“This is not just affecting now,” said McEvoy. “This is going to be something that the next generations will be dealing with. Whatever I am able to support right now is what will be handed off to them.”
McEvoy’s internship is facilitated through UVic’s Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) initiative. It will involve planning engagement sessions to bring the
voices of Haida members to the table in discussions about how to transition the archipelago to renewable energy.
Haida Gwaii, which derived 60 per cent of its power from diesel in 2020, aims to follow CleanBC’s goal of an 80 per cent reduction in diesel use by 2030. While this may seem like a swift transition, McEvoy is optimistic about its achievability from seeing the progress made by the B.C. government and BC Hydro to support Indigenous communities up and down the coast.
Midori Campos, a Haida Gwaii resident who organizes a Youth Climate Action Fellowship that McEvoy is involved with, said that McEvoy has always had their eyes set on working towards larger solutions — not just creating renewable energy but also systemic change that incorporates Haida culture.
“They have this really holistic view of what a just transition would look like,” said Campos,
"This is going to be something that the next generations will be dealing with. Whatever I am able to support right now is what will be to them."
which “is going to be so important as Haida Gwaii itself moves from diesel to other climate solutions.”
McEvoy has long been involved in climate activism, focusing on bringing renewable energy to Haida Gwaii. As a high school student, they organized Climate Youth Strikes and other community climate events.
Now, studying anthropology at UVic, they are still motivated to make a change. Returning to Haida Gwaii each summer, McEvoy told the Martlet that the roots of the trauma and harm in the community become more apparent — yet recent steps towards reconciliation are a sign of positive change.
Their internship comes two months after the Haida signed a historic Title Agreement with the Canadian government, recognizing the Haida people’s property rights to the entire archipelago.
“It's a really big deal to be seeing change like this happening in my own lifetime,” said McEvoy. “With our recent agreement with Canada, I think things will only be going uphill.”
This title agreement is part of an ongoing series of agreements between the federal, provincial, and Indigenous government that will transfer the roughly 500 000 hectares of Crown Land to the Haida Nation. Over a five-year transition period, the various governments will work together to bring current land use under the guidance of Haida stewardship.
With the recognition of Haida Gwaii as a self-governing body, “there’s a really big emphasis and need” for community involvement in how Haida Gwaii sources its energy, said McEvoy.
These newfound legal rights will grant the Haida Nation more say in how the archipelago will transition away from fossil fuels, ensuring that the move to cleaner energy is done in a way that aligns with Haida values.
“I want to take full advantage of this point in time that we're in,” said McEvoy. “It's not something that I'm doing for myself or my family; it's a lot bigger than I am.”
Courtesy of Kwiadda McEvoy.
UVIC LIFE
Five books to add to your summer reading list
Whether you're staying home, travelling, or taking classes, these books are perfect to pick up this summer
KIERA CLARK VOLUNTEER STAFF WRITER
Finally have time to read now that classes are done, but have no idea where to start? From speculative fiction to cozy fantasy, here are five books you should try this summer.
'BEFORE THE COFFEE GETS COLD' BY
TOSHIKAZU KAWAGUCHI
For over 100 years, a mysterious back alley Tokyo café has offered customers the opportunity to travel to the past. Before the Coffee Gets Cold tells the story of four visitors in the café over one summer hoping to travel back in time, each with their own motivations and desires. However… you can only stay until the coffee gets cold.
'ISLAND WITCH' BY AMANDA
JAYATISSA
Set in nineteenth-century Sri Lanka, Amanda Jayatissa’s Island Witch follows Amara, the daughter of a demon-priest, as she works to clear her father’s name in the wake of a series of attacks targeting men in her village. Jayatissa blends Sri Lankan folklore and gothic horror with an underlying commentary on the influence of British colonisation.
'SHUTTER' BY RAMONA EMERSON
Forensic photographer Rita Todacheene has a secret that follows her to every crime scene: she can see the ghosts of the victims. But when one ghost continues to
with one of the most dangerous cartels in New Mexico. Set in the Navajo Nation, Shutter is described as “equal parts gripping crime thriller, supernatural
Kindness on Campus
PAUL VOLL SENIOR STAFF WRITER
*Student stories have been edited for length and clarity
American journalist and poet George Elliston summarized the power of kindness in the opening lines of her poem “How Beautiful”:
“How beautiful a day can be / when kindness touches it!”
Almost 100 years later, is kindness still magic? The Martlet asked UVic students — and turns out, it is.
SARAH ROBERTS - PHD IN ART HISTORY AND VISUAL STUDIES
I was heading to school on the bus in November. I was having a bad morning — feeling really down. My brother was not well and he'd been having a hard week, so I was thinking about him. I was trying not to cry, but clearly I wear my emotions on my face. This girl a couple seats away kind of looked over at me and then looked away. Then when she got off the bus, she turned around and dropped this piece of paper. I went to pick it up, thinking maybe she didn't mean to drop it. It was folded, and it had a heart drawn on the back of it. Inside was written "Whatever you are going through, remember it's temporary. You are strong and you can do it." Even though she didn’t know me, she went out of her way to try and cheer me up. It was such a sweet thing to do. I keep the note on my desk at home.
horror, and poignant portrayal of coming of age on the reservation.”
41-year-old Tom Hazard has been alive for centuries; moving through
MYA SIMPSON
-
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
I moved to UVic from New Brunswick, and I came here alone because my parents couldn't really afford to fly out with me. The taxi from the airport dropped me off in front of the SUB. I didn't really know where my residence building was and I had two suitcases, a carry-on, and a book bag, so I was really struggling. This guy approached me and offered to help. At first, I was hesitant, but his brother offered too, and he was a lot
younger — maybe in middle school. They both helped roll my bags all the way down to my residence. I didn't have any connection to him at all, so it was so sweet. It was kind of a nice reassurance that things are going to be fine, and moving here was part of what I was meant to do.
IDLE ABBIFD - CIVIL
ENGINEERING GRADUATE
I was at the library about a week ago preparing for a job interview. Around 11:30a.m., I was in a long
time with the help of the secret Albatross Society. How to Stop Time explores Tom’s journey as he navigates through different periods of time, struggling with the burden of his immortality and searching for a way to live a “normal” life.
'SHUT UP YOU’RE PRETTY' BY TÉA
MUTONJI
Shut Up You’re Pretty is the debut short story collection by CongoleseCanadian author Téa Mutonji. From a teenage girl searching for happiness in a pack of cigarettes, to a mother and daughter reconnecting through fish, the collection highlights the challenges of growing up while exploring the experience of immigrants, mental health and suicide, drug use, and issues of race.
'THE HONEY WITCH' BY
SYDNEY J. SHIELDS
If you’re searching for a cozy fantasy to read this summer, The Honey Witch is the perfect mix of queer romance, historical fiction, and magical realism. No man can fall in love with the Honey Witch of Innisfree, but when a skeptical woman shows up at her door, Marigold Claude is willing to do anything to prove her magic is real — even if she risks losing everything.
line for coffee at Biblio. The lady in front of me ordered a coffee. She said she didn’t have her wallet, but she was trying to use her ONECard. It declined. The server was going to give it to her for free, but I was next in line, so I said I’d pay for it. Afterwards, she said, “Next time you come to the library, let me know; I'll buy you something.” But I wasn't expecting anything back. I said: “Just do an act of kindness for somebody else.”
JEDDAH WOODBACHELOR OF SCIENCE
A few days after I first came to UVic, I was waiting for the elevator, and there was this girl beside me. I didn't really know anybody here yet. She said, “Hi” and I think she complimented me on something too, which is really sweet. Then she just invited me over to her dorm. She didn't know me at all. She just met me there at the elevator for the first time. But she was like, “We're all painting our nails, and you can totally come with.” That's how I met Sarah, and we’re still pretty close.
ZAIDEN - MUSIC
I started experiencing mobility issues that led to me borrowing a wheelchair from the Student Wellness Center. Maybe a week later, I was on my way to class in the Hickman Building. I was going to be very late. I’d already cried multiple times throughout that week and it was a very long, tiring day for me because I didn't have much arm strength and I wasn't used to the wheel chair yet. Someone stopped, and I asked if they could give me a little push. They said, “Yeah, I'll push you to class.” It was very sweet. They made sure I got into my class and settled in. It definitely made my day. That person saw somebody who looked like they needed help and offered to help. I think that type of kindness is rare.
'HOW TO STOP TIME' BY MATT HAIG
Photos via amazon.ca, collage by Sage Blackwell.
Illustration by Sona Eidnani.
How to vote in the federal election as a student
BRIANNA BOCK VOLUNTEER STAFF WRITER
The upcoming federal election has been called for April 28. For students
CHECK YOUR ELIGIBILITY
electoral district and candidates. it’s important to update that information. Elections Canada has an Online Voter Registration Service
Elections Canada at 1-800-463-6868, or visit one of the various Elections
WAYS TO VOTE election.
Voter Registration Service also allows
LETTERS
hours to be approved, and several
also available to Canadians living abroad, who should plan ahead as their
have a number of options. You can advance voting from April 18–21, or 7a.m.–7:00p.m. PST, 7:30a.m.–ADT, and NDT, and 9:30a.m.–
WHERE TO VOTE
registration, another important step electoral districts, so it’s important to vote in.
Elections Canada’s Voter Information where to vote in person, both on
Letter from the outgoing editor
SYDNEY LOBE EDITOR - IN - CHIEF
the Martlet ’s office
volunteer information session five
the Martlet for the first time two muster up the courage.
The first article I wrote was a simple listicle, but I remember it on to write culture articles, then news coverage, feature-length investigations. As I practiced, I grew that caused me to change direction as a career. The Martlet operations is: What do we have to which has guided the Martlet of stories that affect the UVic trusted source, and to be a launchpad for the next generation It is the latter part of our organization’s purpose that felt most daunting to me when I started in the role of Editor-in-Chief last public trust in the media is trending downward, and the occupational
some campus outreach, our wanders into the Martlet office and
electoral district and view the into them more. When voting, remember to bring at least one piece of ID, which can be
(federal, provincial/territorial, or current address.
address (examples of alternative IDs are listed on the Elections Canada Website on the page ID to Vote), or address in writing and have someone
REVIEW AND PLAN
during their career. candidate, plan which method of can be declared invalid if the ballot is on it.
volunteering. We receive more excellent pitches than we can assign for each issue.
(editors, photographers, and illustrators, too) who are eager to hold power to account, to tell the
and to shine a light on those who place.
The Martlet example. And the importance of now than it ever has been. As current and prospective world
Canada face mass-scale cuts and scared. In the face of widespread misinformation and ‘citizen
be despairing. I am, too, at times. But I am also hopeful. I believe relentless pessimism, both as people enthusiasm and drive of the Martlet’s growing team to learn how changing, we are not doomed. with whom I’ve had the privilege of find out.
It has been an honour to serve as the Martlet ’s Editor-in-Chief.
Illustration by Sona Eidnani.
Photo by Eric Kwakernaak.
PAUL VOLL SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Financial instability has led to faculty layoffs at several B.C. colleges and universities. However, UVic’s Associate Vice President of Academic Resource Planning, Tony Eder, said that UVic’s 2025-26 operating budget does not
In March, Kwantlen Polytechnic University announced a plan to cut 70 faculty members after the school’s international tuition and fees revenue in 2026 was projected to plummet by $49 million. Camosun College faced similar budget challenges related to international registrants this fiscal year, and has laid off several dozen staff to date.
Other universities such as Vancouver Island University (VIU) and Langara College have also experienced budget cuts and faculty dismissals, highlighted by the resignation of VIU President Deborah Saucier, who stepped down amid pressure from both faculty and students.
Like these schools, UVic has seen significant reductions in international enrolment recently.
According to UVic’s 2024/25 Enrolment Analysis Report, undergraduate international enrolment has dropped by 39.9 per cent over the last seven years. The report states that the decline began during COVID-19 and has persisted since, citing the federal
government's changes to Immigration and Refugees and Citizenship Canada policies and regulations as a significant factor. These systems impact international students’ ability to study in Canada.
In a statement to the Martlet , Eder said, “While UVic is not immune to the challenges facing many colleges and universities across Canada, the measures and approaches we have implemented in the past few years have significantly enhanced our financial stability and outlook.”
Despite a drop in international enrolment at UVic, Eder said the university “has a prudent and realistic enrolment plan and associated budget, and [is] not in financial crisis.”
Universities such as VIU have seen wide sweeping cuts to programs, but Eder assures that no programs at UVic are at risk of closure due to budgetary measures.
Eder also added that faculty layoffs at UVic can only occur in accordance with the collective agreement from the university — such as when a program discontinues, or is under financial exigency to the point that it will impact the university as a whole.
Eder added that UVic has never been in such a situation, and has never implemented faculty layoffs.
Eder stressed that UVic will “continue to prioritize student recruitment and success, [as well as] activities related to expanding [its] program offerings to reach new
learners and markets.” In the fall of 2024, UVic launched the “REACH Farther” marketing campaign, which aims to recruit international undergraduate students. It appears for now, barring any
UVic's independent swamp package
unforeseen circumstances, that UVic expects to meet its enrolment targets, and balance the 2025/26 budget, which was finalized in March. If UVic can accomplish this, the university may be able to
smoothly sidestep the program cuts and layoffs that have impacted other universities in the province.
Finding the '
EDEN CONTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER
In a dark theatre in 2018, Pedro
last for long.
2009.
close attention can lead them to see things that aren’t there. According to Almeida Siqueira, the audience is often so entranced
done right. This, he says, comes unique style of theater, and are understand use their the mask emotion and really things
M. Almeida Siqueira found himself
The Wilds
Siqueira.
Almeida Siqueira says.
' performances move emotions without words
show up.”
CCPA, the opportunity of a lifetime performers. Almeida Siqueira knew he couldn’t he joined the company. do, and their artistry connects with ever since.”
big colorful wigs and noses that squeak Siqueira, however, performs with a normal discounting his thick eyebrows and beard. familiar with the scary horror movie version reframes the common archetype by saying,
meant to entertain. Although there are known as a “clown state.” there’s just a few things that matter,” he a high-stakes art. Upon entering the matter of life, death, and laughter,
as he simultaneously moves it further made with intention, as the performer and the audience. between the audience and the performer, and pull them into that space, says the table in front of him and gestures live here.” The gap represents where
with people,” and not just “clowning around” in your own world.
A combination of theatrical disciplines go into the work that the WONDERHEADS do, says Phoenix. Their mask performances include the
“Mask work is the kind of art form that you’re going to do for four years and you’re going to start to understand the very small basics of it,” Almeida the WONDERHEADS, Almeida Siqueira admits, “I am just starting to understand the complexities of mask itself.”
Siqueira to live in. The downtime gives him more time to pursue training and workshops to help him better his craft, especially when it comes to mask. For example, Almeida Siqueira spent a month in Spain last summer and was introduced to new dimensions of masked performance that he still struggles with now, including the formidable half-mask that he says takes far more energy than the full-face masks. These challenges are welcome inspiration for Almeida Siqueira as he continues to grow as a performer.
A RETURN TO 'THE WILDS'
In 2024, Almeida Siqueira got to perform in the role that had originally inspired him to pursue masked theatre — Wendell in The Wilds. It was a full circle moment.
The Wilds is centered around a man, Wendell, who goes on a journey of grief, loss, and how to cope with profound sadnesses, such as losing the love of your life. Working on this show made Almeida Siqueira aware of his own unprocessed grief, and spending time as Wendell helped him to move
He explained that because the character in the show goes through all the stages of grief, he was able to explore moving past the stage that he himself
The possibility of separating the self from the character is something that concrete answer to. He says that it depends on the role, the person playing it, and where the performer pulls inspiration from.
Of one thing he is certain: “There will always be some truth to living those lives and putting on those masks,” he says. When the actors are stripped down to one static face they have to take on the role of the magician: get the audience to buy into their illusion and forget that it’s really just a person with paper over their face. In essence, they have to become someone new
“Physical theatre and mask performance asks the audience to do a little bit of work … and that work — the wordless work — gets people's guards
Phoenix agrees that vulnerability is what makes mask work so compelling — for the performer and audience alike. Audiences, he says, “want to care about a character. They want to care about people in the world,” and mask
“If you watch a play and you know it's going to be a tragedy,” Phoenix continues, “humans will put up this protective barrier and not allow themselves to feel.” The childlike wonder of mask
Now, a year later, Almeida Siqueira has returned to the same role of Wendell with a newfound depth and appreciation for his character. Finding compassion for every character, no matter how good or evil, is a skill that Almeida Siqueira has learned from a lifetime of acting.
“If you're playing a villain, it’s really important to understand deeper why they’re doing something the way that they’re doing it,” he says. “Unless it’s like, Iago from Othello, who’s just a motherfucker.”
Almeida Siqueira has spent a fair share of his life clowning around, but recognizes that his ability to make connections with the audience is really where the heart of his work lies.
“I feel like if I lose that vulnerability on the stage, I don’t know what I’m doing,” Almeida Sequeira says.
After all this time, he has never second-guessed his decision to pursue what he loves. “Not after I chose, in Brazil, to do this,” he says without pause.
“For me I just think, from having studied something else, that’s just not an option for me. I think it would just take the time and energy away from what I want to be doing, which is this.”
Images courtesy of Pedro M. Almeida Siqueira and Andrew Phoenix.
Five activities to commemorate your time at UVic and avoid graduation doom
Can't believe it's over? Here's how to cope
HANNAH LINK SENIOR STAFF WRITER
It was only on my last day of classes a few weeks ago when I realized how many things I have yet to do at UVic. After many years of study here, you might assume that you’ve already explored every square inch of our middle-sized university. But, as we inevitably fall into the routine of classes, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of schoolwork and forget the many quirks of our lovely campus.
I have a feeling that when my actual will be wandering aimlessly around campus, hit with the shock that I’m no longer a UVic student.
Below is a list of activities I have compiled that I think everyone should do at least once before graduation, in the hope that my fellow sentimental graduates will have something to do in the next few months other than sit and stare at a wall.
COMPLETE A FULL LOOP OF RING
ROAD
I can recall being quite excited to attend university on a campus where everything revolves around a perfect, circular road. I owe it to my 17-yearold self to fulfill her dreams and walk around the ring in its entirety. Yes, I have probably walked all of its
my degree, but I feel it necessary to complete one circumnavigation in order to appreciate it properly.
EXPERIENCE A NEW BUILDING
Unless you have a degree in everything, it’s likely that you haven’t been inside every academic building on campus. I suggest exploring a building that’s new to you, to see what it might have looked like if you ended up getting a
degree in biology instead of philosophy, or art history instead of astrophysics. If you still have exams, perhaps you could even study in one of these unfamiliar spaces to shake things up.
DIP YOUR FEET IN PETCH FOUNTAIN
I can’t fully recommend this, since no one is quite sure what’s in that water, but if you feel brave, then try it out! What better way of connecting
with campus than becoming one with UVic’s iconic fountain? After all, some of your tuition has gone towards its upkeep. When you eventually relive your university days, don’t you want to tell the people in your retirement home that you once dipped a toe in that famously murky water?
WALK PAST YOUR FIRSTYEAR DORM
This one is a risky endeavor — not because it’s forbidden, but because only you know what it might do to your mental state. Like most people, I have never again set foot on the concrete courtyard below my dorm building, but this might be the perfect time. Bonus points if you retrace your steps from your building to the parking lot where the infamous MOD dining portable once stood, all while listening to the same music your new friends
SEE CAMPUS FROM A NEW PERSPECTIVE ATOP PKAALS
Pkaals, sometimes referred to using its colonial name of Mount Tolmie, is the perfect place to look at UVic from above. It’s only a ten minute climb from the south-west corner of campus, and there’s no better spot nearby to look down at the place where you spent the last few years. It can be tough to identify buildings had time to get up there sooner. If you’re leaving Victoria to start a new chapter of your life, be sure to take in the view of this little peninsula you’ve come to call home before you say goodbye.
Photo by Hannah Link.
Is BC's ban on US alcohol a sign to drink less?
As American liquor leaves Canadian shelves, BC's alcohol consumption reaches record low
AIDAN NELSON-SANDMARK
WRITER
CONTRIBUTING
On Monday, March 10, in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s “new threats against Canada’s dairy and lumber industries,” the B.C. government decided to strike “all American beer, wine, spirits and refreshment beverages from the shelves at BCLIQUOR stores.” This means a lot of popular brands such as Jack Daniel's, Jim Beam, and Tito’s will not be widely available in the province going forward.
While this is probably desperately sad to some — those who consider a Jack and Coke without Jack Daniel's to be inauthentic — this embargo on American alcohol comes at an interesting time during B.C.’s journey with alcohol. Studies show British Columbians are actually drinking less these days — and that could be a good thing.
According to data collected by UVic’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR), per capita alcohol sales
began measuring in 2001, showing a decrease of nine per cent in terms of alcohol intake per person in 2023-24 from the previous
The recent decrease in B.C. residents’ consumption is more impressive considering that it reached a record high in 2020–21 around COVID, averaging about 550 standard drinks per person, per year. Since then, according to CISUR, per capita sales have fallen nearly 15 per cent.
So, why are British Columbians drinking so much less now? CISUR Director Dr. Tim Naimi believes it could be in part due to Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health, released in 2023. Other possible factors include more people moving to B.C. from countries that consume less alcohol than
Canada, inflating our population and lowering the drinking average, as well as increased costs of living, which make it harder alcohol.
It could also be that, after drinking habits swelled during the pandemic, the general public needed to take a step back and examine health. Perhaps drinking is simply becoming too costly for B.C. residents, physically as well as financially. The recent surge in popularity of ‘mocktails’ and other nonalcoholic beverages certainly indicates a maintained interest in drinking culture, just not the consumption of actual alcohol. It’s no secret that you run less of a chance of physical danger the less alcohol you drink. From colon cancer to a car crash, the more you drink, the higher your risk of health problems and injury. According to Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health, alcohol-
We need to be more chalant When did caring become uncool?
FERNANDA SOLORZA SENIOR STAFF WRITER
For some reason, people from my generation — Gen Z — think earnestness is embarrassing. Passion is now cringe.
“Tryhard” is used as an insult.
As a young person today, the best thing you can be is detached. We need to be
always the enemy.
This “nonchalant” way of thinking is the modus operandi of Gen Z. When dating people, we can’t like anyone too much, otherwise we are desperate. In fashion, the more it looks like we don’t care how we look, that’s the way to go. We should never dream too big, or we’ll embarrass ourselves. Any one of us who expresses genuine excitement opens ourself up to ridicule.
caused deaths in Canada reached about 18 000 in 2017. The report cited $16.6 billion spent that year on costs associated with alcohol use, $5.4 billion of which was spent directly on health care.
This essentially represents a double cost to Canadian citizens. We pay for alcohol products, as well as the higher healthcare costs caused by alcohol use — at a time when prices, overall, are going up, this is an expenditure we should be looking at seriously.
province’s very identity is often tied to its production of beer, wine, and cider, and it is by virtue simply of being surrounded by it that I think many of us continue to drink at the level we do.
That being said, we now stand at a time when the cost of living is continuing to grow, and B.C.’s drive to drink is lower than it’s been in two decades. With so many popular American brands being pulled from shelves
here in Canada, our motivation will either shift towards supporting more local breweries and distilleries, or further reducing the role of alcohol in our lifestyle.
Public opinion on drinking is evidently changing, and while this does present the opportunity to support the Canadian alcohol sector, the timing couldn’t be more perfect our health and financial wellbeing that drinking less promises.
There are more reasons now than ever to drink less. At the very least, it’s never too late to practice moderation. Whether it’s done for political, economic, or personal health reasons, drinking less helps to prevent a suite of personal issues and solve a series of societal ones.
But here’s the thing: everything amazing and wonderful in our society has been accomplished by people who were deeply, unabashedly, painfully chalant — people who cared about things more than anyone else.
Think about your favourite artists, of them obsess over their craft. Think of they would not be possible if not for people who spend their entire lives researching, learning, and exploring about the things they are passionate about. From activists, to organizers, entrepreneurs and politicians, none of these important roles in society are held by people who are passive or “coolly removed.” All of them care.
But for Gen Z, that seems to be too much is monetized and graded now, and every failure feels permanent and public. We have to act like we don’t care to protect ourselves. But protection does not bring starts to feel like a cage.
Detachment is a defense mechanism that Gen Z developed as we grew up watching the world burn — from climate change, to economic instability, political dysfunction, and brain-rotting social media. Late stage capitalism raised us in a world where nothing should require
your soulmate? Download a dating app. Want to have a cool drawing of yourself?
Ask AI to draw it. Want to have a balancedhome cooked meal? Have it delivered already cooked and assembled at your door, no need to even speak to the driver.
I’m all for accessibility, but if we want to build meaningful connections and have a fulfilling life, we’ll have to be inconvenienced from time to time. That’s life! A deeply rooted apathy in our generation is destroying our ability to build relationships, community, meaning, and it is pushing us further apart. No wonder we are known as the “loneliest generation.”
Sometimes we have to help our friends move, we have to water the plants, we have to pick up a pencil, and we have to make
Pardon our progress
We did not deserve to inherit a broken world, and our detachment is a symptom of a bigger problem. Nevertheless, inaction is what keeps us small and suppressed. If we decide not to care anymore, then the world might as well be over now. Being chalant — caring earnestly and wholeheartedly — is terrifying. We risk disappointment, rejection and heartbreak. But it also opens the door to what makes life worth living: love, art, connection, and joy.
This is a love letter to anyone who still gives a damn. To anyone who still has a dream. To the student who raises their hand, the artist who shares their work, the friend who shows up, and the person who is unafraid to be the most passionate one in the room. You are not cringy or embarrassing. You are what makes the world move forward.
all cultivate. Nothing worth doing has ever been done by someone who didn’t care.
Cadboro Bay construction has gone too far
JASMINE KONKEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Cadboro Bay is a popular place for UVic polar dippers, spikeball tournaments, fun, and relaxation. If you close your eyes, I bet you can picture the scenic walk down Sinclair Road from campus, right down onto the sandy beach. Now, open your eyes. Instead, behold: a maze of orange pylons, excavators, and “Detour” signs. You might be wondering: “how does anyone get to the beach in this mess?” As it turns out, UVic students are city too.
The districts of Oak Bay and Saanich are popular places of residence for UVic students, many of whom rely on access to public roads, buses, and sidewalks to get around. As of Sept. 26, 2024 though, to increasing numbers of construction sites in Victoria (such as on Sinclair Road and Cadboro Bay Road). Many are wondering: why is all of this construction here?
The 24/7 closure of Sinclair Road, for example, is a result of the Sinclair Road Upgrades project. This project is focusing on making the commute through Cadboro Bay safer and more accessible, while prioritizing bicycle and pedestrian
networks. Areas near Cadboro Bay are also part of an Oak Bay Infrastructure Project, which aims to replace the sanitary, storm, and water mains.
It might seem counterproductive to complain about improvements to infrastructure, but at what point does betterment start to get in the way? Secondyear UVic student Grady Ainscough has been struggling to leave the house, let alone make it to school, due to construction in the Lansdowne area.
In an interview, Ainscough told the Martlet: “They’re digging up all the roads and replacing all the sewage pipes, which is long overdue, but is extremely disruptive.”
Ainscough and his roommates heavily rely on BC Transit buses to get to and from school. Due to construction, they’ve been stuck hitting the pavement.
“It has completely disrupted the bus routes to get to school and to get around town,” he says.
Before their neighbourhood was turned upside down, Grady and his roommates had reasonably close access to a bus stop which took them to UVic (about a 10 minute walk, or three minute bike away). It now takes roughly 15–20 minutes to get to a bus stop that will take them to school and back.
“There was a point where they closed
down all the bus stops… for maybe less than a week,” said Ainscough. “We had to call [BC Transit] three or four times before they actually did something about it and reopened some.”
When Ainscough reached out, he said he was told that this inaction was due to the construction companies having the
This is an unfortunate reality for many students living in Oak Bay and Saanich. Although there are several factors that can make getting to school difficult, the be one.
Considering the fact that anyone taking at least one course on campus is subject to an $81 U-Pass fee (automatically added this issue. When asking Ainscough what he felt could improve, he said: “More warning, better accessibility, and maybe a focus on reopening those [transit] routes as soon as possible… many people rely on it on a day-to-day [basis].”
It’s easier said than done, but if the state of Cadboro Bay is any indication, a change needs to be made. It’s time that improvements to infrastructure stop getting in the way of day-to-day transit needs for students.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
BFA Class of 2025 makes its mark
Catch the energy of 35 graduating artists in 'If Traces Remain'
FERNANDA SOLORZA SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Each spring, UVic’s Visual Arts building undergoes a metamorphosis. White walls stretch like blank canvases, and classrooms dissolve into galleries.
This year’s annual Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) graduation show, If Traces Remain , features the work of 35 graduating students, each presenting their final artistic statement before stepping beyond the university’s walls.
“This is a larger group than [I‘ve] taught before, so there’s a great diversity,” Paul Walde, Visual Arts professor who oversaw the graduating class of 2025, said in an interview with the Martlet . “We are seeing more video and sound performance. That is something that hasn’t happened before.”
If Traces Remain showcases an impressive range of mediums — painting, sculpture, photography, digital work, sound installations, and pieces that defy neat categorization. But the exhibit’s most striking quality isn’t the diversity of the medium or the wonderful display of skill, but rather the depth of thought and emotional clarity that many of these artists bring to their work. There’s vulnerability, but also defiance.
This exhibit feels particularly resonant in discussing identity and one’s relationship with the past and the future.
“They are the generation that started their studies during COVID,” said Walde. “There’s a lot of introspection that happened during that time.”
This BFA show is the culmination of four years of study, eight months of collective planning, and eight
days of intense work. The 2025 graduating class is the largest cohort that has participated in the graduating exposition, which presented multiple challenges. One of them was curating the exhibition so that there would be cohesion between such varied works.
“This is the most varied class that I’ve seen,” said Megan Dickie, associate professor and chair of Visual Arts. “And that is great because it means that they are secure on who they are.”
Dickie also explained that the challenge of that variety is that the works can’t be neatly categorized. They differ significantly in intent and ideas, and yet they must be paired in a way so that “they can belong in a room together.”
If Traces Remain , like all the previous BFA graduation shows, is a student-led exhibition. The tasks of curating, fundraising, and other logistics to make the show possible were the responsibility of the students.
“The similarities and differences between all the different works is really a strong point, and finding unexpected ways to associate things,” said Waylon Asp, one of the co-curators of the show. Some of the techniques used by the curatorial team included creating smaller shows throughout the year, such as Lorem Ipsum and the Mezzamallea series. They also thought about space-dependent works, where they could be placed in the exhibit, and how other pieces could branch out from them.
“That’s where I feel our strength is,” said Asp. “Not taking the easiest route, but taking the route that would bring the most questions and
[answers] for people.”
If Traces Remain is held at the UVic Visual Arts building, and it will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Sunday, April 20. Entry to the exhibit is free, and catalogues are available for purchase.
As with all things fleeting, If Traces Remain invites viewers to slow down, look closely, and reflect.
“I recommend folks come and see the show and check out the catalogue,” said Walde. “I think it is our strongest catalogue … this one in particular is quite special. They put a lot of work into it.”
This showcase is a glimpse into a generation shaped by isolation, reconnection, and relentless change. The artists in If Traces Remain reflect on their past and how that has shaped who they are and who they will become, and consider what they are leaving behind. This exhibit, so rooted in identity, complexity, and relationships, makes it clear that these artists' traces are meant to remain.
'A record of time': In conversation with Sam Lynch
TAMSEN MCKERLEY
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
STELLA DRINKWATER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
This is an excerpt from a conversation with Vancouver-based musician Sam Lynch. Originally aired January 27, 2025 on Grace Period on CFUV. This interview has been edited for brevity.
Rumours by Fleetwood Mac. My parents played it a lot, and my sister and I would dance around in the living room. Now, looking back, it's so funny because it's such a dramatic record of heartbreak
I have always liked listening to albums, I like the idea of a record being a literal record of time. I haven't necessarily approached album-making thematically, but both of the albums I put out have been record-of-time collections of songs.
It's just saying exactly what I'm trying to say or exactly what I'm feeling and then deciding how far I want to stray from that — I start with incredibly plain language…... Most of my writing at this point is very tied to feeling, physical space, and body experience for me.
Myself — the last two records have mostly two collections of songs that I've written with music being the primary focus in my life ... It was like, “I'm responsible to myself right now,” so let's take a nice hard look ... Thematically, I ended up circling some of the same things that I had in the With Outline of myself…. It was like holding a similar
had just evolved or changed a little bit.
I really like it — I’ve had the opportunity to work intensely on these songs and it has felt like an extension of my songwriting process, because when I write a song, I'm already thinking about how it feels in its recorded capacity ... So much of production and songwriting is tied to intuition and belief, but there's also so much of it that is tied to skill-building and evolution. I think a lot about how to learn and expand without questioning yourself.
I think a lot about how I want to represent songs, it’s all part of the translation process for me ... I've been really lucky to work with some super creative and supportive people that are based here in Vancouver, like Lester Lyons-Hookham, who I worked with on all the videos for Outline I danced a lot as a kid, and I feel like I never really bridged the gap between dancing in my child body and dancing freely in my adult body. When you're in dance classes, there's this rigidity and structure that gets put into your body. I remember being a kid prior to those days about it, it's just this animalistic response to rhythm and sound.
I worked with an amazing Vancouverbased photographer, Raunie Baker. Lester had set up a little camcorder that was live broadcasting to this old TV, so I just stood in front of the camcorder and Raunie took pictures of the TV. The idea of the photo being a picture of another picture had this nice feeling of separation. Songs to me are like that — it's never the feeling, it's a feeling that you create around another feeling. That’s largely what the album is exploring as well — what happens if I take parts of myself, hold them out, and observe myself a little bit? I'll be exploring it forever.
Photo by Fernanda Solorza.
Photo by Fernanda Solorza.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Local teen author Olivia Hahn releases debut single
MANMITHA DEEPTHI VOLUNTEER STAFF WRITER
Victoria local Olivia Hahn is an inspiring teen artist. In 2023, she released Healing Our Wounded Hearts, a book detailing the experience of navigating grief as a teenager. Now, she’s turning her attention to music with the release of her debut single, “Lust over Love”.
is why she does it, she says — to inspire and connect with others.
Her debut single “Lust Over Love” is deeply personal. It is about being played, disrespected and then reclaiming power. “You just want to be loved for who you are, not just what you see,” says Hahn. She has she faced during her time modeling. “I [was] just being seen for my outside…I want people to understand there is more to me. The energy and soul of a person and personality is more valuable than what you see on the outside.”
Music, for Hahn, became a powerful outlet for emotions she couldn’t express personal loss, she wrote her first book about navigating grief, geared towards by a teenager talking about that because
Hahn’s journey began with dance. Starting ballet at the age of two helped Hahn build a foundation for other dance styles. Passionate about singing and dancing from a young age, she immersed herself in school choirs and bands. Even then, music was an integral part of Hahn’s life. Her dad would make her custom CDs and play a variety of genres from across the world during their drive to school. This helped lay the foundation for Hahn’s love of songwriting and performance. “Growing up with music … has given me a much broader worldview of music, and that is really valuable, because [then] you are not stuck in one genre,” she said.
we don’t learn that in school,” she said.
“I have always loved writing … and performing,” said Hahn. “But with music, I could express more than words.” In her songwriting, she aims to be relatable and inspiring. One of the most rewarding moments in her career came when a girl told Hahn, “I would have broken up with him sooner if I had heard your song.” That
Hahn’s songwriting process is raw and intentional, beginning with real experiences. “When someone writes from their heart … it is more relatable,” she said.
Sometimes she starts with a title or a poem, versions of the same song before she feels
Despite her talent, Hahn admits she is still learning. “I am still new to singing … [and] it takes a lot of work. It is hard to
know what people are going to think of your art.” But, she said, "you can’t let the fear of judgement stop you." What sets herself apart from the others, Hahn said, is her willingness to be a beginner — to learn with patience instead of rushing. Hahn took the time to work on her vocals, watching videos and studying others’ techniques. She says that if you believe in yourself and stay open to learning, you will get there — you just have to start. Currently, Hahn’s focus is on writing and releasing more singles. She has already performed at local venues such as Hermann’s Jazz Club, Friends of Dorothy, and the Duncan Showroom.
“Open mics have been a good way to meet other musicians and test it [in front of] an audience,” she said.
With her drive and openness to growth, Olivia Hahn is one to watch. “I want to put everything into it. This is what I really want to do … if you don’t give up, you never know what could happen.”
New book chaper highlights Indigenous women in sport
Meet Dr. O'Bonsawin, a sports historian who's passionate about Indigenous sport across the globe
HANNAH LINK
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Indigenous sports historian Dr. Christine O’Bonsawin is a UVic associate professor of history and recent author of a book chapter that dives into the history of the Native Indian Football Association (NIFA).
The Martlet got the chance to sit down with her to learn more about her research.
O’Bonsawin is a self-described “sport nut,” whose lifelong love for playing soccer started at age four. After studying kinesiology for her undergraduate degree, O’Bonsawin combined her interest in Indigenous history with her love of sports to specialize in this niche area of research.
“It just combines all of my passions,” she said.
Editors of the book Sports Through the Lens asked O’Bonsawin if she could write a chapter about the experience of an Indigenous athlete or group. The book features famous photographs in sports history and the stories behind them. The chapter she wrote, published in January
of this year, focuses on NIFA.
NIFA was created by local soccer coach Dano Thorne and other Indigenous sports leaders from Vancouver Island, said O’Bonsawin.
“I’ve had this interest for a long time in writing on the all-native sporting spaces that I’ve been participating in since moving to the west coast,” she said.
O’Bonsawin decided to write about the history of NIFA, and one of its “key highlight moments,” which was winning the World Indigenous Games in 2015.
Games, and this team of Indigenous athletes, representing Canada and Indigenous people in Canada,” she said.
The photo that O’Bonsawin chose to highlight in her chapter was taken in 2015, moments after the team won the championship game after a penalty shootout.
“In a lot of ways, it’s a very typical photo, and in a lot of ways, it’s not,” said O’Bonsawin. “You really see the connectedness and the community of the
players themselves,” she said, explaining that the players in the photo are “...not only friends — some of them are relatives, sisters, cousins; there’s leaders, chiefs, mothers, [and] children.”
O’Bonsawin says that it’s important to study Indigenous sport history because so much of it is unknown to the general public.
“One of the calls to action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada is actually to start sharing the histories of Indigenous sporting success,” said O’Bonsawin.
She said she also feels that this type of sporting league offers an important opportunity for Indigenous athletes.
“So often, we’re forced into mainstream sport, and that does come with a lot of racism,” she said. “It’s really important to have those opportunities and alternatives.”
When it comes to misconceptions about Indigenous sport, O’Bonswain says that the biggest one she sees is that people are surprised by the talent in these spaces.
“They are very much communityorganized and community-centered, but they are [also] very much about competition
and athleticism,” she said.
O’Bonsawin’s work has also involved studying Indigenous participation in the Olympics. Her Master’s thesis looked at the experiences of Indigenous women who have competed in the games.
Her PhD focused on “misrepresentations and appropriations of Indigenous peoples and Indigenous cultures in Olympic Olympics held outside of Europe, in St. Louis, Mo., in 1904.
“There’s a lot of really awful things that were included in those [early] Olympic games,” said O’Bonsawin, adding that the 2010 Olympics held in Vancouver were particularly interesting to her.
“The slogan ‘No Olympics on Stolen Native Land’ really stuck with me,” she said. “What does it mean to bring the Olympic games onto unceded Indigenous territories?” she asked.
O’Bonsawin says that people also often forget that sport history goes beyond competitions themselves. “[Sport] has environmental impacts,” she said.
In order for regular sports fans to become more involved in the world of Indigenous sports, O’Bonsawin suggests that people look to the athletic spaces close to them.
events and possibly go to them, and talk to people.”
For UVic students who want to learn more, O’Bonsawin teaches HIST 385B — History of the Modern Olympic Games, where she discusses Indigenous participation and representation at the Olympic games. She also teaches HIST 328B — Indigenous-Settler Relations in Canada since 1850, where she draws on sporting examples to highlight Indigenous resilience.
“The stories that come out once you start to peel back the layers and learn these histories… there are beautiful moments that need to be shared,” said O’Bonsawin. “There is so much history left unwritten.”
Vikes golfer named Male Rookie Athlete of the Year Inside Owen Croft's improbable journey to varsity golf
PAUL VOLL
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Five years ago, UVic varsity golfer Owen Croft wasn’t even playing competitive junior golf. In March, he won Male Rookie Athlete of the year.
“I remember getting into arguments with my dad because I didn’t want to go to the golf course,” said Croft. He only golfed occasionally as a teenager, usually to spend time with his grandfather. At that time, Croft was shooting scores that most recreational golfers wouldn’t be envious of:
“I wasn’t breaking 100,” he said. Instead, Croft’s passion was hockey. Like many young hockey players growing up in Ontario, he hoped to be drafted to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). That changed when he was hit into the boards during a AAA major bantam hockey game. The impact separated his shoulder and broke his collarbone in two places. After his return to the ice seven months later, he broke the same collarbone again — all but assuring he would go undrafted. Croft was devastated.
hockey — he began going to a golf simulator with his mother.
“You could take mulligans at the simulator,” laughed Croft. “I had so much fun, so I just kept going back. And I learned how to hit it a little better.”
Then COVID-19 hit, and golf became his new obsession. Croft almost never left the course. In under a year, his golf handicap (a numerical score that measures a golfer’s playing ability) dropped to four over par — an average score that less than ten per cent of recreational golfers hold.
Eventually, Croft’s parents suggested that he try entering junior golf tournaments. A year and a half later, he placed second in the 2022 Canadian Junior Match Play Championship and won the National Junior Golf Championship — Canada’s most prestigious junior golf event.
In less than two years, Croft had gone from average to exceptional, and set his sights on playing university golf.
recruitment tour at the University of British Columbia (UBC), but he found out he didn’t have the grades to get into the Bachelor of
Commerce program.
“I thought, I might as well go check out Victoria,” said Croft.
He was accepted into UVic’s economics department. However, there was one problem. The golf team was full.
He emailed Vikes golf coach Justin Clews — no reply. So, Croft became a member of Uplands Golf Club, where the Vikes golf team trained.
“My goal was to show up every day and basically just be seen,” said Croft, who began playing practice rounds regularly with the of the year, Clews asked him to sign. In September 2023, Croft returned to UVic for his rookie season. range,” he said. “So, when I came in the second year, it was a lot of pressure ... My goal was … to prove to this coach that he made the right decision.”
On the golf course, he did just that. But the team’s demanding travel schedule for the Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate
“I struggled heavily with school,” said
Croft. “[One week] we were going to Arizona, [then we would] come back home days . . . It was tough to balance.”
Croft ended up failing a couple classes that year.
By the second semester, his golf game for second individually at the Vikes Spring Shootout, helping his team win the men’s side of the event. A month later, at the CAC Championship, Croft played some of the best golf of his life.
The Championship spans three rounds to play in the NAIA National Championship.
Croft started the tournament with an even par round of 70. In round two, he was four over par after nine holes.
“I was telling myself, ‘hey, stay in it. Stay present’,” recalled Croft.
incredible seven birdies to shoot a 29 — one of the rarest feats in tournament golf. The the individual title and helping the Vikes secure a third-straight CAC championship.
He was named the CAC men’s golfer of the year.
However, before the CAC Championships even began, Croft almost dropped out of UVic altogether.
“I had a big conversation with my parents because of the way academics was going . . . It was really, really dark. [But] my parents told me, just grind [away at] school . . . So, I kept my head down, I grinded through it. It was tough. And then I won.”
In the car to the airport after his win, Croft called his father.
“I was bawling my eyes out on the phone,” he said. “I remember saying [to him], I wouldn’t have had this opportunity [if I dropped out]. This is the craziest thing that's ever happened in my life.”
Two weeks later, Croft capped his rookie Canadian University Championships, earning him All-Canadian honors.
"Did I expect [to win Vikes] rookie of the year? No, I did not. I had no clue.” Now, Croft’s focus is on helping the Vikes win another 2025 CAC Championships this April — where he has the chance to repeat as champion.
Photo courtesy of Olivia Hahn.
FUN STUFF
NARRATED BY SAM NEILL