Volume 50, Issue 20

Ontario students suffer Is AI replacing designers? A Game of Greed

Newly elected Premier of Manitoba, Wab Kinew, has recently announced that the provincial government will provide C$1.35 million dollars toward efforts that tackle child poverty and hunger. According to Global News, Manitoba has the highest rate of child poverty across the provinces, standing around 20 per cent.

>> read more on page 7

You might be shocked to know that Covid-19 is still actively infectious, even in the year 2024. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of new Covid-19 cases increased by four per cent from December 11, 2023 to January 7, 2024, marking a total of 774 million confirmed cases and causing more than seven million deaths globally.

>> read more on page 10

Ontario’s One Fare program marks the future of the province’s public transportation system

In the recently released 2024 TV reality competition, The Trust: A Game of Greed, 11 participants are brought to a luxurious villa to fight for a portion of a US$250,000 prize pool. Challenges force participants to choose between sharing the wealth equally or pursuing their interests for a larger portion of the pot, with opportunities to vote other members off the show.

>> read more on page 13

>> ONE FARE continues on page 2

For generations, the American education system neglected to teach its students about the true history behind America’s formation. Textbooks downplayed the slavery of Black Americans and instead perpetuated a theme of African Americans “born to do the white man’s work.” The US weaponized textbooks to preserve the innocence of whiteness and America. Learning about slavery is ugly and unflattering. At least that’s what children were taught through America’s education system. Since January 2021, 35 states introduced more than 100 bills limiting what schools can teach about various topics, American history and race being among them.

>> GENOCIDE continues on page 6

Omar Khan Sports and Health Editor

In the Leafs’ most recent game against the Ottawa Senators on February 10, a disappointing loss turned into fireworks as Senators forward Ridly Greig sent the Leafs home with a slap shot into their empty net.

Typically, if an NHL team is down by one goal near the end of the game, the team will have their goalie come to the bench. This allows them to put another forward or defenceman on the ice, giving them the best chance of scoring a game-tying goal. This is exactly what the Leafs were trying to do against the Ottawa Senators in this game. Unfortunately for the Leafs, they were unsuccessful in doing so.

For added context, the Senators have always been one of the Leafs’ biggest rivals. Historically, Leafs fans have always shown up in big numbers to games in

Ottawa, outshining the home crowd and making the Senators and their fanbase hate the Leafs almost as much as they hate their own fanbase. Their rivalry is also known as “The Battle of Ontario.”

Greig may have been enraged by the Leafs fans overshadowing Senators fans in their own building. While on a breakaway, Grieg shot a slap shot into the Leaf’s empty net. Defenceman and current longesttenured Leaf, Morgan Rielly, displeased with Greig’s display, cross-checked his face.

>> LOCKED ON LEAFS continues on page 16

DAANISH ALVI/THE MEDIUM

NEWS

EDITORIAL BOARD

Editor-in-Chief River Knott editor@themedium.ca

Managing Editor Jaros Valdes managing@themedium.ca

News

May Alsaigh news@themedium.ca

Opinion

Aya Yafaoui opinion@themedium,ca

Features

Louis Lam features@themedium.ca

A&E

Hannah Wang arts@themedium.ca

Sports

Omar Khan sports@themedium.ca

Photo

Daanish Alvi photos@themedium.ca

Design

Beatriz Simas design@themedium.ca

Copy

Chris Berberian Chris@themedium.ca

Maja Ting maja@themedium.ca

Social Media & Online Belicia Chevolleau social@themedium.ca

Video

Nikolas Towsey video@themedium.ca

TO CONTRI BUTE & CONNECT: themedium.c a/ c ontact

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@themessageUTM @humansofUTM_

Editor | May Alsaigh news@themedium.ca

Ontario’s One Fare program marks the future of the province’s public transportation system

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the One Fare program provides commuters with “real, tangible relief.”

May Alsaigh News Editor

Asannounced November 2023, transfers started on local transit will be valid for two hours and transfers started on GO Transit will be valid for three hours through the One Fare Program. Riders can pay with a PRESTO card, debit or credit card (physical or via mobile wallet) when boarding a TTC bus, a streetcar, or passing through a fare gate.

When transferring between rides, riders should tap the original method of payment on a PRESTO reader as their proof of payment.

Youths, adults, post-secondary students, seniors, and TTC Fair Discount Pass customers are all eligible for the program. Children under the age of 12 can travel for free on the TTC.

According to Metrolinx, the One Fare program supports the province’s 2041 Regional Transportation Plan, which aims to optimize the transportation system and transform transit in the GTA.

To make travel more affordable and convenient, Ontario is investing C$70.5 billion to reconstruct its entire public transit system. According to Ontario News, “By 2031, the province will introduce two-way, all-day GO train service, every 15 minutes in key corridors in the Greater Golden Horseshoe to connect more people to transit, jobs and housing for generations to come.” Ontario’s investment will contribute to the largest subway expansion in Canadian history with the Ontario Line, the Scarborough Subway Extension, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, the Yonge North Subway Extension and the Hamilton Light Rail Transit project.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the government is on a mission to reduce costs for the “hardworking people of Ontario,” not only through the launch of One Fare but among other cost-saving initiatives. According to Ford, “Alongside the hundreds of dollars we’re saving for drivers by cutting the gas tax, scrapping road tolls and eliminating the licence plate sticker fee, we’re providing commuters with real, tangible relief.”

CEO of Metrolinx Phil Verster says, “Ontario’s One Fare Program is a major milestone for fare integration that helps connect more communities across the Greater Toronto Area. Programs like this will reduce barriers to cross-boundary travel and will bring more people to transit, estimating more than 20,000 new riders per day.”

According to Verster, Ontario’s efforts to improve the transit system do not stop with the launch of the One Fare program. “Metrolinx will continue working with the Ontario government to make taking transit from Brampton, Oshawa, or anywhere in between simpler, more convenient, and more affordable than ever before.”

With these new changes, the Ontario One Fare program is not only redefining the commuting experience for riders but also contributing to a more sustainable and accessible future for the GTA.

Students are concerned as a new Canadian report outlines the rising cost of food since last year

Items like fruit juice lead the increase with a 17.5 per cent jump from last year.

Karine Alhakim Associate News Editor

Theincrease in food costs is becoming a burden for many Canadians, including students who are already grappling with the financial strain of education. According to a recent Consumer Price Index (CPI) report from Statistics Canada, the cost of food increased by 4.7 per cent while the overall inflation rate rose to 3.4 per cent year-over-year in December.

Fruit juice topped the list of products experiencing the steepest hike in price, with a staggering 17.5 per cent increase in price from 2023 and a 3.5 per cent increase from November to December 2023.

Preserved fruit and fruit preparations also spiked in price, with a year-over-year inflation rate of 13.4 per cent in December, marking a 1.9 per cent increase from November. Although fresh fruit prices rose at a slower pace compared to other categories, the report revealed a 4.6 per cent increase: a 0.8 per cent growth since November.

While food prices overall increased in December, some foods experienced a price decrease. The year-over-year prices of lettuce and tomatoes decreased by 21.9 per cent and 11.3 per cent respectively.

The rising cost of living is especially burdensome for students, many of whom are already strained under the high expenses associated with education. To learn more about students’ opinions on these escalating expenses,

University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) students about the rising costs of food in Canada.

to students who shouldn’t have to worry about affording food to support their nutrition and health.”

Rio Mcken, also a third-year DEM student, echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the substantial impact of soaring food costs on students’ lives. “Canada’s increase in food prices is through the roof,” Mcken said. “I would be lying if I said that Canada’s rising grocery costs aren’t affecting me. On top of other stressors such as tuition costs and housing, I often find myself sacrificing eating nutritious and healthy food for cheaper and less healthy alternatives.”

Jacob Mazze, a third-year student specializing in digital enterprise management (DEM), expressed concerns about the affordability of groceries for students. “Grocery prices are definitely not affordable for students,” Mazze remarked. “Students already have a lot of things to worry about from housing to studies, so grocery prices being high adds extra stress

Hillary Baker, a second-year biology student, emphasized the necessity of affordable, nutritious food options for students.

“Grocery prices are not affordable to students, at least not healthy fresh produce or meats,” Baker explained.

“All processed food is cheaper but not suitable for students to buy 24/7. If [the] UTM Student Union could continue to do their food bank initiatives with fresh produce, it would give students a better opportunity to eat good and healthy food and help save them money, too, so that they may afford tuition or residence or the other costs of university.”

These students’ voices reflect a growing concern among the student body regarding the affordability and accessibility of nutritious food options amidst rising food costs. As prices continue to climb, the ability to afford nutritious meals becomes increasingly precarious for consumers, including students like Mazze,

BEATRIZ SIMAS/THE MEDIUM

February News Briefs

Yana Chopde Contributor

Ontario pledges C$97 million to Toronto for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

OnThursday, February 1, a letter from Ontario to Toronto’s city manager revealed that the province would pay up to C$97 million for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This includes the cost of the five games Toronto is hosting. The US and Mexico will also co-host the upcoming world soccer tournament, which will span 16 different cities. The first game will be on June 11, 2026, in Mexico City.

The funding is provided by Ontario on the condition that the city will use it to construct long-lasting public infrastructure that will benefit the community even after the tournament. The letter also stipulates that the nearly C$100 million must be matched by funding from the federal government. According to the letter detailed by Deputy Tourism, Culture and Sport Minister Sarah Harrison, “The money is not to go toward any costs where the primary beneficiary is a private, for-profit, or otherwise non-public entity.”

The estimated cost of the five games hosted in Toronto is approximately C$300 million. The city will contribute around C$90 million, the province will provide C$97 million, and the federal government will cover the remaining costs. The games, set to be held at the BMO field, are predicted to generate 3,300 jobs and welcome 174,000 tourists.

Instagram will no longer recommend political content for its users

On February 9, the social media platform Instagram announced on its website that it would no longer “proactively recommend content about politics on recommendation surfaces across Instagram and Threads.” This change does not apply to political accounts that Instagram users already follow.

Professional accounts can use “Account Status” to verify if their posts are recommended to users and if their content is regarded as political by the platform. If any users with professional accounts disagree, they have the option to edit or remove their posts, request a

review, or stop posting content temporarily until they are eligible to be recommended again. According to Instagram’s blog post announcement, Facebook will also eventually undergo these changes. While no specific date was provided for when these changes would come into effect, the platform stated that the changes would be enforced “slowly over time to get this right.”

Massive oil spill in Trinidad and Tobago calls for national emergency

On February 7, an unknown 330-foot-long vessel capsized, resulting in a massive oil spill along the coastline of Trinidad and Tobago. Prime Minister Keith Rowley referred to the spill as a national emergency on February 11. When an event is classified as a national emergency, it indicates that the local resources are incapable of containing the situation and require international help.

The oil leak spanned 15 kilometres of the coastline, damaging a reef and some Atlantic beaches. Authorities installed floating barriers to ensure that the spill does not continue to spread. A preliminary investigation found that the overturned vessel was being tugged into Guyana after departing from Panama. Authorities are still searching for the owner.

Tourism is crucial for the dual-island’s economy, and Carnival season is one of the nation’s biggest tourist attractions. Prime Minister Rowley has expressed concern that the spill will impact Trinidad and Tobago’s economy in the coming months.

Gunshots fired amid Super Bowl victory parade in Kansas City

On February 14, gunshots were fired at a Kansas City parade and rally celebrating the Chiefs’ Superbowl victory. About one million people attended. One person died by gunfire and 22 were injured from the shooting, eight of whom had life-threatening injuries. According to a local hospital, 11 of the injured were ages six to 15.

Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves stated during a media briefing on February 14 that firearms had been retrieved but did not provide information on the types of firearms involved in the shooting. The shooting broke out after an argument between two men, both of whom were wounded and charged. Both men are recovering in a hospital while being held on a onemillion-dollar bond.

DAANISH ALVI/THE MEDIUM

Canada places a two-year cap on the number of international students accepted into Canadian institutions

Various stakeholders are concerned with the impacts of the cap while others are in favour.

Samuel Kamalendran Associate News Editor

OnJanuary 22, the Honourable Marc Miller, Federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship announced a temporary two-year cap on the total number of new international undergrad students who will be accepted into the country.

The limit is expected to decrease the number of approved study permits distributed to 360,000 in 2024, a decrease of 35 per cent from 2023. The limit for each province and territory will be proportionate to their populations to ensure that regions with the most unsustainable international student growth will see the largest decreases in permit distribution. The cap does not affect students pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees, K-12 students, or current study permit holders.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will distribute caps to every province and territory, which then will allocate permits to learning institutions. Since the announcement, every study permit application to the IRCC will require attestation from a province or territory to be considered.

The cap responds to a trend that suggests the support students require to succeed, such as health care and housing, has been outgrown by the quantity of students in the country. The measure will aim to protect international students and ensure the sustainability of Canada’s population growth, which ranks as the fastest-growing country in the Group of Seven bloc.

The government will play an active role as the program remains in action, with a reassessment planned at the end of this year to determine the number of new study permits that will be allocated in 2025. Over the next two years, the Federal Government will cooperate with key stakeholders in higher education, including provinces, territories, and institutions to discuss the next steps in creating a sustainable framework for managing study permits.

While the government plans to improve the integrity of the international student system, the opinions of stakeholders toward the cap vary. Highly populated provinces like Ontario and British Columbia are generally in favour of the program. Both have adopted proactive stances to ensure the maintenance of adequate support and protection of international students and have pushed for higher standards of university cooperation.

Manitoban premier, Wab Kinew, agrees with the need for adequate student support but is concerned about potential tuition increases due to the cap. Kinew has expressed his opinion that the government has not clarified all of the program’s specifics.

Meanwhile, representatives from New Brunswick are more averse to the plan. Arlene Dunn, New Brunswick’s Minister of Post-Secondary, Training and Labour stated that the policy “unfairly targets all provincial jurisdictions when not all are experiencing the same problems.” New Brunswick higher education institutions are expressing unease at the limited information they have received from the IRCC about the policy and worry that the lack of information will affect the upcoming admissions cycle.

Post-secondary institutions are at the center of the plan, and many have expressed their views on the cap. The University of Waterloo has expressed concern, “especially in light of the current financial challenges” that the University and the higher education sector as a whole are facing.

This stance is echoed by Steve Orsini, president of the Council of Ontario Universities (COU), who is calling for a reverse of the decision. In a written statement, Orsini says the decision is disappointing and may have “unintended consequences for the sector and international students.”

DAANISH ALVI/THE MEDIUM

Editor | Aya Yafaoui opinion@themedium.ca

Genocide is the white man’s weapon

If America wanted to stop genocide, it would.

May Alsaigh News Editor

>> continued from front cover

Earlier, students were taught about slavery, sure, but only about the abolitionists who freed slaves, or about the Black people who fled from their oppressors, but never about why they were fighting for their freedom in the first place. Like social media, textbooks provide only as much context that protects the American identity. Textbooks concealed the truth about the extent of America’s role in slavery and de-emphasized the experiences of Black Americans, which only projected a theme of racial dominance in American culture. For years, white supremacy prevailed and still prevails today. Racial dominance is a powerful instrument that precedes America’s history and contribution to enslavement.

Genocide is another one of America’s most powerful and favoured tools. The US is responsible for centuries of effectuating and overseeing genocide. Yet, many continue today, including the genocides in Palestine and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Being the world’s largest economy, the US is undoubtedly more than capable of stopping genocide. But taking accountability or even acknowledging genocide disrupts America’s powerful economy and its culture dominance—a risk the US is not willing to take.

An argument I make repeatedly across this editorial is that America has both executed and overseen genocide, including its role in Indigenous erasure. The ethnic cleansing of Indigenous peoples and land theft shaped what America is today, after all.

When Christopher Columbus first arrived in North America, there were an estimated five million to 15 million Indigenous peoples living on the land. After America sanctioned more than 1,500 massacres, by the late 19th century, fewer than 238,000 Indigenous people remained—one of America’s first and deadliest genocides. According to researchers, Indigenous peoples across the US lost 98.9 per cent of their land since it was occupied.

Indigenous peoples were painted as “pagan savages” who had to be killed in the name of civilization and Christianity. They had dark skin and spoke an unfamiliar language, features that made it easy for the white man to justify genocide and foster racial hatred.

After decades of trauma and Indigenous erasure, America’s reparation lies in the form of land acknowledgements, nothing but a checkmark for many non-Indigenous peoples to tick. Land acknowledgements are inauthentic and do little to describe the impact of America’s ethnic cleansing. I continue to advocate for Indigenous rights, but at the same time, I fear this day is not far for Palestine.

The genocide against Palestine is multi-faceted; however, I argue one of the reasons why it persists today after years of occupation is because Palestinians are not white. Once again, it is a story of villainizing a race that rises against its white oppressors. If Palestinians were white, the US would not disguise its role in genocide behind the annihilation of Hamas. Instead, the US and Israel harbour a close economic relationship that benefits one another, which is why they are prolonging their genocide in Palestine.

The US is strategic and knows how to capture a target without massacring thousands of innocent lives. When the US assassinated Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi back in 2019, they captured and killed any fighters who resisted at his compound in Syria. At the same time, the US managed to move 11 children to a “safe location” before continuing their mission in alBaghdadi’s assassination. If they were able to successfully capture their target while extracting children from the scene, why can’t they do the same with the apprehension of Hamas? Instead, they are lead actors in yet another modern genocide of another non-white ethnic

This is not the only case of Americans standing idle in genocide. As much as it pains me to report, various genocides continue today, and the common denominator of all is their racial background. The US, a country with the world’s largest economy, has not even acknowledged these urgent crises, as these genocides are not a concern but a benefit for the country.

The DRC is experiencing mass killings and internal displacement. Mines have taken over villages and have forced Congolese people to work in hazardous conditions for only a dollar or two per day. The level of exploitation parallels slave-like conditions from decades ago. Congolese workers are forced to mine cobalt to fuel the emblems of our modern world, including phones, computers, and electric vehicles. Last November, an unidentified man died holding a sign that read, “Stop the genocide in Congo,” before setting himself on fire to capture our attention.

The invasion of Iraq is another instance of genocide committed by the US. Since the invasion in 2003, more than one million Iraqis have been killed. While the US rationalized its invasion around the alleged possessions of weapons of mass destruction, it was really about oil. General John Abizaid, former head of US Central Command and Military Operations, admitted it in 2007 when asked about the invasion, “Of course it’s about oil; we can’t really deny that.” Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan shared the same sentiment when he stated in his memoir that it was “politically inconvenient” to acknowledge the invasion was “largely about oil.”

The US committed one of the earliest genocides against Indigenous peoples to erect a nation on stolen Indigenous land. The US also fails to acknowledge the DRC genocide as it benefits from the exploitation of Congolese workers in exchange for mined cobalt. The US also carried out genocide during the Iraq invasion to obtain oil but disguised its rationale behind weapons of mass destruction. And the US now disguises the genocide of Palestinians behind the narrative of apprehending Hamas in Gaza.

The main theme that manifests in these genocides is that they are committed against different racial groups. The US harbours a culture rooted in white superiority and racial dominance, which is why it will never reckon with its role in genocide. In conclusion, the US employs and oversees genocide for two reasons: to uphold white superiority and for its own political and economic gain.

Ontario students suffer: an

analysis

of Doug Ford’s educational budget cuts

Does Ontario truly not have the funds to put into youth school systems, or is the government simply unwilling?

Tia Cummins Associate Opinion Editor

Newly elected Premier of Manitoba, Wab Kinew, has recently announced that the provincial government will provide C$1.35 million dollars toward efforts that tackle child poverty and hunger. According to Global News, Manitoba has the highest rate of child poverty across the provinces, standing around 20 per cent (more than seven percentage points above the national average). By aiding the Child Nutrition Council of Manitoba, funding will go toward the end of the waitlist for school lunch programs. Extra funding that remains will be used to hire one additional dietitian to manage the new schools added to the program, as well as increase the budgets of schools already in the program to assist with rising food prices.

Only one province over, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has been consistently cutting budgets serving both school programming and child education supports. Budget decreases have only been getting more severe as the Conservative term goes on, with cuts beginning at C$800 fewer per student in the first term in office, to now currently at more than C$1,200 fewer per student.

More specifically, the majority of families requesting core autism therapy from the Ontario Autism Program (OAP) will not be receiving aid in the near future. The current budget of C$667 million only provides enough aid for roughly 30 per cent of the 60,000 total children seeking assistance through therapy programs. Each consecutive year of the program sees 7,000 youth added to the waitlist, quickly exceeding the rate that children age out of eligibility for the program.

Discarding the previous Liberal needs-based autism program created a gap in funding for students already enrolled in the system. Although funding has been stable for some since the switch over, almost half of the 3,000 youth will undergo cuts in their funding. This is because the previous policies and agreements surpass the current Conservative program’s financing limits. The initial scrap of the former program was based on the matter that it had an excessive waitlist. The current program also has a long wait, implying that the division and distinction between separate political parties are more important than any actual concern for the needs at hand of children with autism.

In response to the gaps in funding, the government has provided households that are currently on the waitlist a one-time payment of either $5,500 or $22,000, depending on how old the child is. A second cycle of deposits has been issued, however, only those who registered before March 31, 2021 can receive payment. Families have reported that thorough therapy programs may cost up to $90,000 a year, forcing them to make large out-of-pocket purchases on top of their one-time funding.

Through request, a document with more detailed information about the Ontario Autism Program has uncovered that wait times into the new program will end up being years long. This information is not being publicly disclosed by the government in attempts to undermine the realization that the program has not improved since its revision in 2019. It is also unknown as to how many families are being provided with funding from government services, and it remains hidden from the public. This lack of communication and information regarding the current status of the program comes off as rather suspicious.

Other educational cuts and changes made within only the first year of the Progressive Conservatives election under Doug Ford include, but unfortunately are not limited to: cancellation of the province’s first French-language university, a $100 million cut in the budget for school repairs, revoking free tuition for low-income students, and a complete cessation of the Harmony Movement, an organization that “provides interactive diversity and equity education programs” to youth, educators, and social service workers

The question at hand is why are these cuts being made? Is there a reasonable issue with government budgets or is there something else that the public does not know?

The main factor behind Ford’s notorious cuts is the province’s debt. According to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, as of August 2023, Ontario is $400 billion in debt. In government surplus and deficit statistics, money spent on projects that will contribute to future financial growth is still accounted for in debt. This makes it possible that governments appear to be adding debt when, in reality, it will increase profits. However, this circumstance has been abused by the provincial government in attempts to hide debts that technically fall under current spendings. High income earners have also been experiencing tax cuts, limiting the government’s annual income.

The lack of open communication between the Progressive Conservative provincial government and the public makes it difficult to fully understand the breakdown of our debts and why cuts are being made. Families need to know when they will receive funding from the OAP to manage their household bills and know where to make changes in their own budgets. The last thing students and children in Ontario need is for our government to take away programming or stay silent on these important matters. To stay updated on the current standings of Ontario’s educational budget and join the fight against cuts, sign up for the Building Better Schools newsletter.

BEATRIZ SIMAS/THE MEDIUM

Is AI replacing designers?

Artificial intelligence in the creative industry and how it enhances the work of designers and people.

Louis Lam Features Editor

Adobe Firefly, one of Adobe’s newest inventions, is finally here. Marketed as one of the best tools for creators, it’s able to turn simple texts into generative pictures, edit your work, and apply textures and designs. Not only that, but this powerful companion is also available for only C$4.99 a month and works with almost every single Adobe application. Need to choose colours for your brand? No problem, Firefly can select colours from your mood board. Want to see what you look like as an alien? No problem, Firefly can create you as a cartoon character. We now have the power of a designer at our fingertips. With just a few words, we can generate any design we want, without the expertise or even spending the time to make them.

This is causing an outrage amongst designers. All those years in art school seemingly rendered pointless with the invention of generative artificial intelligence (AI)—and the sentiment is echoed among creative communities.

It all started with the writers and the ability of AI to generate stories. Then it started generating pictures trending on social media. And now, we are in a time where AI can generate about anything you can imagine. While some creators enjoy the convenience and possibilities AI brings, most still frown upon the use of such tools and consider them secondrate and inauthentic.

AI isn’t a new concept, nor is the use of AI in creative fields such as design. It first came to the world as a branch of computer science, in which people tried to engineer machines that could mimic human cognitive functions and solve problems without the need for constant supervision. Flash forward to today, Adobe has been using AI for years in their applications. By automating and simplifying processes, designers save time on tedious work and can spend more energy on creating designs and innovating. A simple auto selection instead of selecting items manually is just one of the many tools Adobe improved using AI and AI learning.

However, the appearance of generative AI is new. These are artificial intelligences that can generate and create on their own art based on a database. ChatGPT, for example, is well loved among students and many others in the academic field for its ability to research, analyze, and compile information. This powerful tool can sift through databases and generate text and summaries in the style or format the user needs. Other generative AI, such as MidJourney, started surfacing on social media, inspiring trends and prompting the public to try out the power of generative AIs and their ability to create designs and realistic photographs. Everyone can now transform themselves into anime characters, take ’90s high school photos, or even picture themselves in their favorite cartoons.

AI is also great for designers who value accessibility and problem solving designs. User interface designers who busy themselves with creating design-based solutions may use AI tools to help generate solutions that are specific to their clients based on their needs, pain points, and preferences. Asking the AI to help integrate accessibility-specific parameters ensures that the design is consistently accessible and frees up the designer’s time in weeding out the problems that need fixing.

There’s no wonder why the creative industry has mixed feelings about this tool. On the surface, it sparks the conversation of whether AI will take our jobs. That was my first reaction to it as well. When I found out about Adobe Firefly, I couldn’t help but think: “I’m spending so much time creating designs, how can I compete with mere programs that can create even better designs? Who will hire me to design their products?”

But curiosity got the better of me. I had to come up with a quick logo for a project I had and decided to see if I could take some inspiration from ChatGPT. I keyed in some words, described the situation, and provided information I thought was necessary. What it provided was a detailed paragraph on how I could go about designing the logo by showing me inspiration I could use and the different approaches I could take. And the results were amazing. After a few tweaks here and there, it took me about two hours to create something that I would otherwise spend a whole day on. Instead of spending the time brainstorming how to start the design, I poured my energy into creating variations of the logo, explaining the design, and suggesting changes. My client was more than happy about it.

The key here is to use AI as a tool. Think of it as a paint brush and nothing more or less than that. It can certainly do more than any tool we have now, but it creates endless opportunities and frees up our time to focus on things that matter. As much as AI is a powerful tool, there needs to be an idea behind the generative words for it to work well. As I toyed around with wording and coming up with weird, vague ideas, these generative AI tools seem to work the best when enough information is given. Random and sparse words would only generate work that feels “empty.” With no clear direction or creativity behind the prompts, the photos and designs generated were bland at best.

A lot of designers who use AI share the same view: AI is a powerful tool that we can use in the creative process to save time. However, it isn’t enough to create a completely new design. Just as a paint brush cannot paint on its own, AI cannot ideate and create innovative designs that designers can.

Stepping into the new world as this technology continues to grow is a fascinating thing. Our capabilities to create and ideate have grown exponentially with the help of AI, to the point where we sometimes wonder if one day our competition will be the very tools that help us. Generative AI is only going to get better from here, and the use of it will be more and more commonplace with our devices and programs introducing AI into their systems. But the underlying concept stays the same. These AIs are here to help with tasks, freeing up our time and energy for higher-level decisions.

Whether simple tools such as auto selection or removing elements in your photograph to complex tasks such as analyzing and creating a style guide from mood boards, there is still a need for human input to help guide the AI tool and generate the result we want.

The question we should ask ourselves isn’t how we can compete in the world of AI, but rather, how can we use AI to help with our work?

DAANISH ALVI / THE MEDIUM

Changes are necessary for the Democratic Party for re-election

As the 2024 US presidential election nears, what must the Democratic Party do to avoid another Trump presidency?

Joseph Falzata Contributor

Likeit or not, Donald Trump is seemingly poised to win the 2024 US presidential election later this year. President Joe Biden grows increasingly more unpopular, and according to the latest Ipsos poll, his approval rating currently sits at a lowly 38 per cent. The Democratic Party has two choices if they want a shot at winning the upcoming election: beg the Supreme Court to keep Trump off the ballot, or make changes.

On the official White House website, the Biden-Harris administration claims that its main priorities are to “control the Covid-19 pandemic, provide economic relief, tackle climate change, and advance racial and equity rights, as well as immediate actions to reform our immigration system and restore America’s standing in the world.” This sweeping ramble of a checklist is meant to appeal to the variety of concerns that affect liberal voters.

But Democratic Party voters are divided in what they want. According to a February 2024 report from Reuters, Democrats consider the economy, inequality, the environment, abortion issues, and crime as the most important issues to tackle, followed by immigration, the healthcare system, and the war.

In the same Reuters report, immigration and the economy accounted for 65 per cent of the primary concerns for Republican voters. Republican anxiety is neatly condensed between two key issues. As such, Trump can keep reiterating the same ideas during his campaign, knowing it’ll appeal to most of his party. Biden, on the other hand, is forced to diversify his campaign to sympathize with every nook and cranny of his voter base.

The fractured interests between Democratic voters cause challenges for policymakers. Legislature meant to satisfy each corner of their party often lacks the general support needed to pass through the House and Senate.

In November 2023, the Democratic Party’s Appropriations Committee released a statement slamming House Republicans for passing a bill that would slash funding for the Environmental Protection Agency by 39 per cent. The legislation “hinders the U.S. response to the Climate Crisis and fails to address the growing number and severity of extreme weather events by cutting efforts to reduce carbon emissions and community resiliency programs,” the report states.

In 2022, overturning of Roe v. Wade also sparked national protests after the conservativeleaning US Supreme Court ruled against the constitutional right to abortion. Democratic voters in red states were left feeling disenfranchised by their government. President Biden himself has openly stated that he’s “not big on abortion,” and activists say that “he could be doing more.”

Democrats don’t want President Biden to run in the next election, according to a December 2023 CBS News poll. The poll reported that 39 per cent of Democratic voters don’t believe he should run in the next election due to his age.

President Biden’s fitness has been called into question as of late. Last week, he fiercely responded to reporters who questioned him about his mental dexterity, even following a report that suggested he struggled to remember when he was vice president, or when his son died. A few minutes later, President Biden confused the Mexican and Egyptian presidents.

Looming age concerns and intense criticism from liberal Democratic voters seem to plague President Biden’s re-election campaign. But what else can the Democratic Party do to avoid a Trump election? Would a different candidate be the solution? Probably not.

If President Biden and the Democrats have one advantage, it’s the presidential incumbency. In the last 100 years, only five US incumbent presidents have lost re-election. Trump was the first president to fail at becoming re-elected since 1992.

President Biden needs to take a page out of the Republican playbook and try to beat Trump at his own game. It’s not enough to say what he’s done. Biden needs to ditch the loving grandpa act. He needs to get mean. He needs to highlight what Trump wouldn’t do.

Trump is the worst president for an environmentally sustainable future. Trump is the worst president for the funding of public health. Trump is the worst president for addressing inequality. Many American voters know these things, but the public doesn’t care because it has lost its faith in Biden. The Democratic Party needs to change their campaign idea. They must realize that Biden can’t win this election—but Trump can still lose it.

BEATRIZ SIMAS/THE MEDIUM

Editor | Louis Lam features@themedium.ca

Four years after Covid-19, these trends and practices still persist

From remote work to mental health challenges, Covid-19 reshaped post-pandemic life.

Debbie Wong Contributor

You might be shocked to know that Covid-19 is still actively infectious, even in the year 2024. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of new Covid-19 cases increased by four per cent from December 11, 2023 to January 7, 2024, marking a total of 774 million confirmed cases and causing more than seven million deaths globally.

Four years ago, on March 11, 2020, the WHO officially declared Covid-19, the viral disease, a pandemic. March break was extended for high school students, a no sailing order was announced to all cruise ships, and by March 15, 2020, most countries had implemented lockdowns procedures. Suddenly, the once vibrant, busy streets of our world became eerily quiet.

Many of us were able to overcome the initial challenges faced at the early stage of Covid-19 by setting new guidelines, working together, and building resilience. Many of these practices that we started during the pandemic remain crucial and relevant to this day.

many people lost their jobs to Covid-19, others lost their precious teenage years, and many lost the chance to see their loved ones again. The impact and effects of Covid-19 left a permanent scar, another tragic chapter in our history books. With how quickly we were all swept up by the disease, there was nearly no time to adapt or learn about the situation. People were forced to come up with new ideas on the fly to survive the unprecedented and difficult conditions implemented by the government.

Even with four out of five Canadians vaccinated with at least one dose, Covid-19 is still actively affecting us and our society today. As of February 13, 2024, there were a total of 4,389 weekly cases in Canada alone, with 78 new deaths. While we humans are changing and improving our health and safety practices every day, Covid-19 is also being productive, worming its way into our bodies by creating new variants.

JN. 1—known as one of the most recent and dominant Covid-19 subvariants—was first reported in Canada in October 2023, and it is continuing to circulate at a higher level. By December 19, the WHO added JN.1 to their list of Covid-19 variants of interest. The Government of Canada continues to maintain public health measures in support of the Spring 2024 COVID-19 vaccine program. Data on the efficacy, safety, immunogenicity, and new formulations of Covid-19 vaccines are constantly being tracked through clinical trials and real-world investigations. This includes data on the duration and level of protection against circulating Covid-19 variations. The study also considers the clinical ramifications of prior

SARS-CoV-2 (another Covid-19 sub-variant) infection, recurrent vaccination, and postinfection outcomes like the post-Covid-19 state.

Despite these alarming statistics, Covid-19 has also impacted our daily lives with some lifechanging advancements. When lockdown procedures were first introduced, businesses and institutions had to think of alternative ways to support themselves once they got forced to close their office doors. That is when remote work and virtual learning came in handy. Zoom, a video communication platform, soon gained its fame alongside other video conference tools, by providing companies with a space to hold conferences and educators with a space to teach their students while in the safety of their homes. People were also able to connect socially through screen-playing games, watching movies, and simply gathering online to socialize. Use of online platforms for online shopping also significantly increased retail e-commerce sales in 2020. According to Statistics Canada, the share of retail e-commerce sales, as a proportion of total retail sales, rose from 3.9 per cent in 2019 to 6.2 per cent in 2022. During Covid-19’s peak in 2020 and 2021, the shares of retail e-commerce sales were 6.6 and 6.9 per cent, respectively, nearly doubling what they were before the pandemic.

In response to at-home restrictions, universities tried their best to bring student life back to students. At the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), some professors encouraged student interaction through focus groups and activities, such as Kahoot! quizzes to gamify learning. Student societies also pushed forth online events, like game nights and socials to connect new students to their communities.

“It was hard to come up with new ideas and try to give students the same experience when school was in person,” Louis Lam, an alumnus of the 2022 graduating class and a past president of the Canadian Asians Student Society at UTM, stated. “We wanted to make sure new students felt welcome. Our first years were so much fun, it’s so sad that they never got the same experience we did.”

Social interactions, travel restrictions, and mental health problems became challenges for all of us. We experienced a pandemic that was more than just the disease. The world learned that not only do we suffer physically but many of us suffer mentally when faced isolation. Anxiety and depression increased by 25 per cent while disruptions in mental health services made problems worse. We are reminded of the importance of mental health once again and how dire the situation was in mental health care. After four years, some of the trends and practices we picked up from Covid-19 stuck with us in our lives today—from small practices, such as hand-washing and basic hygienic maintenance, to the option of remote working.

Many people benefit from remote work, including young parents, employees with health conditions, and people who work multiple jobs. Technology has since advanced by leaps and bounds, making the remote work process much easier. New virtual reality devices, such as the Meta Quest and the Apple Vision Pro, provided workers with virtual and augmented realities, where they can be speaking and collaborating with colleagues in virtual offices. We have all adapted to these changing times quickly, allowing us to evolve and improve to newer heights.

These trends are likely to continue to endure, influencing our post-pandemic life for years to come. Sanitation and hygiene practices will no doubt continue to be important in preventing the spread of any other diseases. With the shift toward flexible work, remote work will only solidify itself as a staple in most work arrangements.

Reflecting on the past four years, we can’t help but notice how much we have changed, whether it’s personal growth or advancements within society. The community has come together with resilience and adaptability in face of those challenging days, marking a milestone in our lives. Through unity, the world can once again prove that we can conquer any challenges and step toward remarkable advancements, with lessons learnt from the past.

Arts

BETWEEN THE LINES

“Smell of jasmine, pool of blue jacaranda”: A personification of Los Angeles

Eve Babitz and Joan Didion breathe life into the city through their storytelling.

Lina Tupak-Karim Contributor

Editor | Hannah Wang arts@themedium.ca

I’venever been to Los Angeles. Everything I think I know about L.A. stems from music about its warm romance and literature about its jacaranda branches and pepper tree-lined streets. I’ve never been to L.A., but I have a rich simulacrum of it.

In the realm of literature, place writing confronts a challenging task—combining location with story to emerge a breathing, personified place. Writers like Eve Babitz and Joan Didion approach this challenge with ease.

At the beginning of her 1977 collection of essays, Slow Days, Fast Company: The World, the Flesh, and L.A., Babitz writes, “People nowadays get upset at the idea of being in love with a city, especially Los Angeles. People think you should be in love with other people or your work or justice. I’ve been in love with people and ideas in several cities and learned that the lovers I’ve loved and the ideas I’ve embraced depended on where I was, how cold it was, and what I had to do to be able to stand it. It’s very easy to stand L.A.”

Through her vivid imagery and glamorous storytelling, Babitz breathes life into L.A., effectively designating place as the element most conducive to other critical things—like love. Babitz emphasizes a beautified L.A. in her passages, reporting from deep within its confines to create the stories she does.

Ancient philosophies on aesthetics designate beauty as the origin of delight, love, pleasure, and wonderment. Irish philosopher Edmund Burke noted that a critical component of beauty is an evocation of love or a similar such passion. Babitz’s writing establishes her place—L.A.—as beautiful and thus conducive to intrigue.

Didion’s writing on L.A. is far less forgiving: she injects a sombre pessimism into her narrative journalism and historical fiction, illuminating shrouded bleak realities like the drug-hazed teenagers or the fading countercultures. But she similarly draws on L.A. as a place worthy of salvation. She, like Babitz, offers evocative and lucid imagery that appeals to readers’ senses and draws them in, thus producing the need to examine its contrastingly ugly tendencies.

In her 1996 novel, The Last Thing He Wanted, Didion frequently refers to the “smell of jasmine and the pool of blue jacaranda petals,” as common symbols of L.A., which Babitz also draws upon. The effect is the insistence of an essence unique to L.A. that reminds readers of its importance, even while following an ostensibly unrelated narrative.

At the heart of both writers’ stories is the personification of place, the insistence upon geography as wholly relevant and tethered to people and ideas. Whether it’s subtle or overt or fun or serious, both Babitz and Didion rely on place and setting as fundamental to their art.

SARA LI/ THE MEDIUM

Journaling for self-reflection, mindfulness, and

creative expression

Connecting with our past, present, and future selves through written words.

Keira Johannson Contributor

BEATRIZ SIMAS/THE MEDIUM

Betweenpressures at work, full course loads in university, and dwindling attention spans, it’s difficult to set aside time in the day to reflect. The good news, though, is that we are more than capable of doing difficult things. Thus, I present to you my favourite activity for self-reflection, mindfulness, and creative expression: journaling.

As a child, I wrote countless diary entries about new words I discovered in school, boys I had crushes on, and cute Gap sweaters I got from the shopping mall with my mom. Elementary school not only comprised learning proper grammar and multiplication tables, but also learning how to reflect on my life through written words. Unfortunately, like most childhood hobbies, I lost sight of this practice as I grew older. Time spent writing was replaced by studying, partying, or just laying in bed. However, I’ve made a pact with myself that 2024 will be the year I bring my childhood back. I may be turning 21 and officially entering the “adult years,” but I refuse to let my love for journaling be another thing I box up to store in the attic

. On January 1, I posted a video of my journal to TikTok, and it blew up— reaching an audience of more than four million and counting. Clearly, journaling was something other people wanted to do too. However, there’s a major difference between wanting to do something and actually doing it. Creating new habits can be challenging, especially with the busy happenings of everyday life. The key to being consistent with journaling is to make it an enjoyable practice.

Your journal can be anything you want it to be. If writing pages full of daily recaps isn’t your thing, don’t force it. Maybe a simple list of the three main things you accomplished that day gets the job done. Or maybe you like to experiment with different artistic mediums like scrapbooking, painting, or sketching. I enjoy using a variety of supplies, such as postcards, oil pastels, and photographs, to add a personal touch. Combined with written entries, my journal reflects who I am.

Find ways to incorporate your interests into your journal practice. If you like sports, write about what’s going on with your favourite team. If you’re a movie fanatic, maybe some of your journal pages can include reviews. One day, when you’re older, you’ll appreciate the effort that went into documenting the mundanities of your everyday life.

However, I don’t just journal for my future self so she can look back on memories one day. I also journal for my past self who only ever dreamt of the life I live now. I only hope that you, reading this, will do the same. Write down everything—your hopes, dreams, questions, fears, failures—and while you do, picture a younger version of yourself wishing they could be where you are now; and an older version of yourself celebrating what it took to get there.

In no one we trust: a review of The Trust: A Game of Greed

The price of ambition, The Trust reveals the depth of human greed.

Belicia Chevolleau Social Media & Online Editor

Warning: Spoilers ahead. Reader discretion is advised.

Would you split US$250,000 with 11 strangers?

In the recently released 2024 TV reality competition, The Trust: A Game of Greed, 11 participants are brought to a luxurious villa to fight for a portion of a US$250,000 prize pool. Challenges force participants to choose between sharing the wealth equally or pursuing their interests for a larger portion of the pot, with opportunities to vote other members off the show.

Though the possibility of collective victory exists if no one votes anyone off, the game unfolds with dishonesty, deception, and greed. With everyone here for their own purpose and goals, why owe loyalty to strangers?

As much as this is a game of greed, this reality show reveals the systematic barriers that often obstruct individuals from climbing the social ladder, with themes of racism, classism, and sexism coming into play.

A pivotal moment in the first episode is when Black cop, Juelz, earns himself a spot in The Vault—where participants are offered a choice between helping themselves or the group as a whole—alongside 55-year-old “unemployed” mom of two, Simone. Juelz made himself a target by lying to cover up his profession as a cop to avoid any potential negative attention. When he silenced the vote of a Black woman, Tulo, it was game over.

From the onset, the cast almost immediately split into men versus women when the women banded together to act as Tulo’s voice.

Juelz earned himself a spot in The Vault along with Simone. Despite trying to be fair, Juelz faced opposition from women contestants who flagged him as suspicious. In The Vault, Juelz and Simone chose the offer that allowed the group to get more money if they silenced two players’ votes. He chose the first two contestants on the list in The Vault to be fair, but it’s this fairness that sealed his fate.

Despite another member being involved in decision-making, the girls banded together and voted him off the show. As a fellow Black woman, I understand the feeling of being silenced and believing your voice doesn’t matter. However, the intent was neither malicious nor intentional.

Many times, reality television shows us inconsistency in human behaviour. When another contestant, Jake, was encouraged by on-screen beau, Julie, to reconcile with Tolu to save his reputation, Tolu forgives him despite Jake not coming to this decision on his own and his many racially charged comments. Yet Juelz was not given the same grace.

Perhaps this so-called character development is just cast members learning to play the game. Regardless, The Trust proves to me that even if we lived in a world where equality would be possible, self-interest would take precedent.

After all, everyone could have walked away with money, but due to greed, only a few did.

BEATRIZ SIMAS / THE MEDIUM

TheaTre erindale

Cockfight: a review

Cockfight is a darkly funny play about a rooster and trauma bonds.

Megan Freedman Theatre Erindale Correspondent

Cockfight, a play that is about a rooster, but also mostly about trauma, opened at Studio Erindale Theatre on February 15. Written by Canadian playwright, Kat Sandler, and directed by Aaron Jan, Cockfight follows the Chiavetti siblings—Mike (Vivi Valo), Charlie (Sean Lee), and August (Gabby Ibrahim)—as they try to change their luck with the help of a fighting rooster.

It is revealed early in the play that the siblings are foster siblings who chose the name Chiavetti after their foster dad. Mike takes on the role of a protector, determined to make sure that his brothers know how to fight, but he struggles to find legal work, instead opting for pyramid schemes and the underworld of cockfighting. Charlie is heartbroken after his girlfriend, Ramona, leaves him. Jobless and with a self-inflicted broken toe, he spends his time reading letters from Ramona, doing push-ups, stacking cans, and hoping to become more “accountable.” August, often referred to as Auggie, is the smallest of the three and the only one with a legitimate job, working as a dishwasher. He has a crush on a server at work named Ingrid (Maya Lerman).

The first act is Waiting for Godot-esque, as the Chiavetti’s await the arrival of the witlessly nicknamed Scarman Devilman (Andrew Easterling) and the fighting rooster, also named Ingrid. The climax of the play comes during Act II with a bloody brawl between the Chiavetti siblings, proving that no one can hurt you quite as deeply as family.

I was not sure what to expect from a show named Cockfight. Leading up to the play, I wondered if the show would feature a rooster or if it was some sort of double entendre. I was pleased when it was revealed that a rooster was the main focal point of this darkly funny play, but the depth of the characters and the situation was so much more than the roosterrelated jokes scattered throughout it.

Through Ibrahim’s portrayal, it is evident that August has experienced immense pain, which has stunted his character, rendering him nervous and on the brink of snapping. Lee’s performance of Charlie highlighted the character’s fragility even though he is the “biggest” of the siblings and Valo’s portrayal of Mike showcased a person who is just trying to do right by their chosen family, no matter how misguided their actions may be. It is hard to not feel for the Chiavettis in their attempt to find success. Beyond the core family, Lerman’s Ingrid produces another rich character hiding her sadness behind her boredom.

The physicality of the actors as well as the detailed set, which reads more garage than cozy apartment, generate an overall sense of unease. The unease is further exposed to the audience with the entrance of the bike short-clad Scarman Devilman. Easterling’s comedic timing as Scarman Devilman is brilliant, as he emphasizes the silliness of the character while reminding the audience that he is still a dangerous criminal. The balance of fear and laughter is abundant throughout the second act of the play.

Theatre Erindale’s Production of Cockfight is filled with a ton of laughs and heart. It is truthful in the sense that people often hurt those they care about the most. From the Rat Pack music to the sandy cockfight ring in the living room, this play is one that keeps the audience on its toes in the funniest yet most gut-wrenching ways.

Catch Cockfight at Erindale Studio Theatre until March 2!

PHOTO BY SHUNSHO ANDO HENG/THEATRE ERINDALE

sports & health

Editor | Omar Khan sports@themedium.ca

Super Bowl LVIII: Victory, Valor, and Swift Glimpses

A first-in-history overtime led to a victorious Kansas City Chiefs.

Omar Khan Sports and Health Editor

The 2024 Super Bowl, also known as Super Bowl LVIII, has finally come and gone. The game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers took place on February 11, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Star players Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce from the Chiefs and Trent Williams and Christian McCaffrey from the 49ers were all set to entertain the Las Vegas crowd. In addition to the exciting teams and players on display, the much-discussed Super Bowl LVIII Half Time Show was headlined by musical icon Usher, with additional performances from Alicia Keys, H.E.R., will.i.am, Ludacris, Lil Jon, among others.

However, amid all the speculation on how the halftime show would go—whether Justin Bieber would make an appearance, and how much screen time Taylor Swift would get— there was still a game to be played.

Some have deemed the defending champions, the Chiefs, one of the best teams ever. Their quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, has also been deemed one of the best quarter backs of all time. Heading into the Super Bowl LVIII as the favourites, the team still had much to prove, as few teams have ever won back-to-back Super Bowls.

Scoreless at the end of the first quarter, the Chiefs were on the backfoot for most of the game, trailing the 49ers. However, after tying the game late in the fourth quarter, the Chiefs and 49ers headed to overtime for the first time in Super Bowl history.

In overtime, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. scored the winning touchdown, lifting his team to a 25-22 victory in Super Bowl LVIII. This victory sent Chiefs fans into a frenzy. Celebrations surged across the US and, ultimately, across the world.

Swift’s appearance at this year’s Super Bowl was a popular topic of conversation. The widely-celebrated, multi-Grammy-winning artist was seen celebrating with Kelce, her boyfriend, at the end of the game. Swift has been spotted at many of Kelce’s recent games, and many believe she is taking attention away from the actual game or players. Others argue that this is an odd thing to complain about, given the added publicity Swift has brought to the NFL. Regardless, the broadcasters were very careful with how much they showed her during the game. Throughout the entire game, Swift was seen for a total of only 55 seconds, or 0.36% of the entire broadcast.

Following the celebrations at the game, a city-wide parade in Kansas City unfolded. The celebrations were a great time for some, but a tragedy for many others as shots were fired at the Chiefs championship parade, resulting in one death and more than 20 wounded.

BEATRIZ SIMAS/THE MEDIUM

Locked on Leafs: Empty Nets

Controversy surrounding Ridly Greig’s empty net goal and Morgan Rielly’s cross-check response.

Omar Khan Sports and Health Editor

>> continued from front cover

Inthe Leafs’ most recent game against the Ottawa Senators on February 10, a disappointing loss turned into fireworks as Senators forward Ridly Greig sent the Leafs home with a slap shot into their empty net.

Typically, if an NHL team is down by one goal near the end of the game, the team will have their goalie come to the bench. This allows them to put another forward or defenceman on the ice, giving them the best chance of scoring a game-tying goal. This is exactly what the Leafs were trying to do against the Ottawa Senators in this game. Unfortunately for the Leafs, they were unsuccessful in doing so.

For added context, the Senators have always been one of the Leafs’ biggest rivals. Historically, Leafs fans have always shown up in big numbers to games in Ottawa, outshining the home crowd and making the Senators and their fanbase hate the Leafs almost as much as they hate their own fanbase. Their rivalry is also known as “The Battle of Ontario.”

Greig may have been enraged by the Leafs fans overshadowing Senators fans in their own building. While on a breakaway, Grieg shot a slap shot into the Leaf’s empty net. Defenceman and current longest-tenured Leaf, Morgan Rielly, displeased with Greig’s display, cross-checked his face.

Much of the hockey world agrees that Greig broke an unwritten rule, but many also discussed whether Rielly went too far with his response. Some believe he went overboard, others such as his teammate, Ryan Reaves, believes Rielly was completely justified. Reaves

went on to comment that he believes hockey should become more violent, and that players such as Greig should be held accountable when deciding to show up a team on the losing end.

After much speculation on how Rielly would be disciplined, the NHL Department of Player Safety offered Rielly an in-person hearing. In-person hearings typically denote a suspension of six or more games, so this decision sent shockwaves throughout the hockey world. Reaves predicted that Rielly would receive a fine or one game suspension at most, much less than six or more.

However, following Rielly’s in-person hearing, the NHL slapped him with a five game suspension, resulting in the forfeit of almost C$200,000 of Rielly’s salary. This suspension was very surprising to many, including Rielly himself, who decided to appeal the suspension handed to him. As of February 21, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman upheld Rielly’s five game suspension.

While the NHL continues to be unpredictable when it comes to suspensions, the Leafs were forced to fight through five games without their best defencemen. An interesting note, Rielly’s appeal was schedule for February 20, but the league didn’t make a decision until two days later—a slow pace that would have seen Rielly miss the five games even if the suspension was reduced. This is a big loss for the team, who lack mobility and offensive upside in their defenceman, two areas Rielly thrives in.

DAANISH ALVI / THE MEDIUM