Disjointed by sports ››It sure would be nice if sports were the neutral arena that could join us together
Matthew Fraser Editor in Chief ometimes I look at the gaps and issues that exist in society and I wonder what it is we can do to bridge them and draw us all together. Whether it’s war or hatred or an inarticulate loathing for the others of our society, I can’t help but wonder if and how we can reframe each other in our minds to live civilly. I would hope that there exists some great unifier that stands separate and above the general mish-mash of squabbles that underlie our deeper divides. Naively, I had once hoped that there really existed a neutral but equally appealing spectacle for which we could all lay down our arms and agree on for just a little while. For some people, that could have been sports. A seemingly neutral opportunity to drop their biases and preconceived notions to waste time and realize that we are all a little alike after all. This could have worked where the personal preferences of music and the political words and evocations of an artist drew attention to our differences. This could have worked where the structures of meaning and differing cultural ideals of acceptance made movies too fraught and touchy for unification. This might have been the place where propaganda didn’t have the chance to invade at all. But like any potential medium, it can be influenced if not corrupted by human desires; though their feats may at times seem preternatural, athletes are still just humans. Humans that can be moved by injustice and convinced to speak on issues. Humans who see themselves as privileged with a platform and are called on to use it. If I am anything, I certainly am not one of those people who think athletes should “shut up and dribble.” I care far more about politics than I do about sports and the feelings of sports fans; I would rather that the political actions of an athlete agitate the masses in a way that I, for all my political chest-beating
Illustration by Athena Little
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and senseless yammering cannot. However, I am also keenly aware that generating conversation and response should not consistently backfire and further divide us. So where does that leave us when we want to bring down the temperature and ease tensions? Unfortunately, I think the answer is nowhere. Not because athletes hate us and want to see the world burn, but because all humans will seek to use the tools available to them to institute the change that they want to see in the world. If nothing else, fame is a fantastic tool for
change. And so, it might not be possible for athletes to stay quiet on injustices or not bring attention to causes they deem important, and if we value a society of free expression they shouldn’t. Instead, we should make do with sports' ability to distract us. It might just be that unification is out of the question but temporary reprieve and mindless consumption are the next best result.
The Other Press has been a student newspaper since 1976. Since 1978 we have been an autonomous publication, independent of the student union. We are a registered society under the Society Act of British Columbia, governed by an eightperson board of directors appointed by our staff. The Other Press is published weekly during the fall and winter semesters, and monthly during the summer. The Other Press is a member of the Canadian University Press (CUP), a syndicate of student newspapers that includes papers from all across Canada. The Other Press reserves the right to choose what we will publish, and we will not publish material that is hateful, obscene, or condones or promotes illegal activities. Submissions may be edited for clarity and brevity if necessary. All images used are copyright to their respective owners.
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Matthew Fraser Editor-in-Chief editor@theotherpress.ca
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Brandon Yip Senior Columnist
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Sports
sports // no. 3
Have an idea for a story? news@theotherpress.ca
• Siakam is officially back to his 2019 championship form folks • GM Patrik Allvin discusses the Canucks’ off-season plans ...and more
Pascal Siakam deserves a spot on an All-NBA Team ››Siakam is officially back to his 2019 championship form folks
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fter a rough 2020 Bubble Playoffs, Pascal Siakam struggled his way through the pandemic shortened 2020-21 season, garnering criticism for his lowered shooting percentages as well as the team's mediocre record as the Raptors missed the playoffs for the first time in Siakam’s career. What made matters worse was the fact that Siakam was in the first year of a four-year 137-million-dollar contract, and his play did not come close to meeting that level. During Siakam’s best season—the post-championship 2019-2020 season where he stepped into the number-one option role vacated by Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard—Siakam averaged a career-high in points per game at 22.9, career-high in rebounds at 7.3, and led the Raptors to the second seed in the Eastern Conference during a year where much of the American media projected them to struggle without superstar Leonard, instead, the Raptors were second place overall.
Then the Pandemic struck, and our world was flipped upside down. On March 9, 2020, the Raptors had just beat the Utah Jazz, a strong NBA team, and were about to start the walk to the end of the season. As we all know, the pandemic hit, and all sports vanished overnight. Eventually, the NBA season would return inside the Bubble in Orlando, with the Raptors facing a severely depleted Brooklyn Nets team without its best players Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant due to injury. The Raptors smoked the Nets sweeping the series 4-0. The Boston Celtics swept the dysfunctional Philadelphia 76ers which led to a matchup against the Raptors in the second round. The Raptors and the Celtics were two very similar teams, with two stars in Siakam and Jayson Tatum, as well as veteran support pieces like Kyle Lowry, OG Anunoby, Kemba Walker, and Jaylen Brown respectively. Before the series started the matchup between Tatum and Siakam was heavily hyped by the media in both Canada and the United States. Tatum, a young star
in the league had just come off a stellar season and was ready to go head-to-head with Siakam, a very similar player. So, who came out on top? Answer: Tatum, and it wasn’t even close. The Celtics star led Boston to a seven-game victory which really could have been over in five or six if OG Anunoby hadn’t hit a miracle buzzer-beating threepointer in game three to save the Raptors from going down 3-0. While the Raptors were arguably behind the 8-ball starting the 2020-21 season by playing in Tampa Bay often in front of crowds filled with opposing fans, Siakam carried his postseason struggles into the year. In a game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Siakam fouled out and walked off the court and into the dressing room. Normally in the NBA, when a player fouls out, they hang out on the bench for the rest of the game with their teammates. Siakam didn’t do that and the Raptors suspended him for the next game vs the New York Knicks.
The rest of the year did not get much better as the Raptors had their worst season in years and missed the playoffs. Siakam’s shooting game fell off a cliff as his once respectable three-point rating fell to an anemic 29%. Siakam clearly had some things to work on that offseason And boy did he ever respond to the criticism. After missing the first month of the season Siakam has silenced his critics, eclipsing almost every career-high stat this season. Siakam is currently averaging more rebounds, steals, assists and minutes than he ever has in his six-year career. While he didn’t make the all-star team, he is making a major push to be included on an All-NBA team when the season concludes. Now that there are only a few more games left in the year, and with the Raptors clinching a playoff spot, Pascal Siakam can focus on getting sharp for what could hopefully be a long playoff run as the Raptors' number one scoring option, just like a certain Kawhi Leonard before him.
Graphic by CJ Sommerfeld
Joseph Agosti Contributor
sports // no. 4
theotherpress.ca
Remembering the “Miracle on Manchester” ››Kings overcame a 5-0 deficit to defeat the Oilers in the greatest comeback in NHL playoff history Brandon Yip Senior Columnist he beauty of sports, especially during the playoffs, is that anything can happen. Sports oftentimes provides dramatic theatre that is even better than most reality TV shows. And 40 years ago, the Los Angeles Kings would make history in one of the greatest comebacks in NHL playoff history—known as the “Miracle on Manchester.” On April 10, 1982, game three of the Smythe Division semi-final series between the Los Angeles Kings and the favoured Edmonton Oilers was held at The Forum in Los Angeles (address is 3900 West Manchester Blvd). The Oilers finished first in the Smythe Division with 111 points and a record of 48-17-15. In contrast, Los Angeles finished fourth in the Smythe Division with 63 points and a record of 24-41-15, 48 points behind the Oilers. Many predicted, like the Oilers themselves, that they would win the series easily. Given the high-calibre talent on the Oilers' roster: Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson, Paul Coffey and goalie, Grant Fuhr this made sense. The series began at the Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton on April 7, 1982. The Kings won the first game by a score of 10 to 8—so much for tightchecking playoff defence. Edmonton evened the series in game two the next day, winning by a score of three to two in overtime. That set the stage for game three in Los Angeles. The Oilers would dominate for two periods, leading by a score of five to zero. The game, from the Oilers’ perspective, was over. Even the then-owner of the Kings, Jerry Buss, had seen enough—leaving the game after the second period. But as legendary New York Yankees catcher, Yogi Berra, once famously stated, “It ain’t over till it’s over.” Over the years, several members of the Los Angeles Kings who played in the “Miracle on Manchester,” remembered the disrespect they received from the Edmonton Oilers—when the score was 5-0. Defenceman, Jay Wells, recalled the looks of derision and mocking from the Oilers— were a motivator for the Kings. “As I skated past the Edmonton bench, the Oilers were mocking us,” he told NHL.com. “Their coach, Glen Sather, was smirking too. That put a fire in our tail.” In the third period, the Kings made an incredible comeback on goals by Jay Wells, Doug Smith, Charlie Simmer and Mark Hardy. The score was now 5-4 with the Kings scoring four goals in a span of 13 minutes and 13 seconds. The number “13” was apropos, as it was a very “unlucky” period for Edmonton. Then with 10 seconds left in the third period, the play was in the Oilers’ zone—with the Kings’ goalie on the bench for an extra attacker (6-on-4 situation as Oilers were also killing a five-minute major penalty assessed to Garry Unger). Wayne Gretzky, with a chance to get the puck out of the zone, had the puck stripped by the Kings’ Jim Fox. He then passed the puck back to a defenceman, Mark Hardy, at the point. Hardy shot the puck, with Grant Fuhr making the save. Kings’ forward, Steve Bozek, backhanded the rebound between Fuhr’s legs—sending the game into
Graphic by CJ Sommerfeld
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overtime. Another Kings’ forward, Bernie Nicholls, told NHL.com, after Bozek’s tying goal, “All hell broke loose in the building.” In the opening minute of overtime, Kings’ goalie, Mario Lessard, came out of his crease to stop a breakaway by the Oilers’ Glenn Anderson. Mark Messier then got possession of the puck with a wide-open net. It was game over. But Messier missed the net on a backhander. Then two minutes later, there was a faceoff in the Oilers’ zone to the left of Grant Fuhr. The Kings’ Doug Smith won the faceoff, with the puck drawn back perfectly to the rookie, Daryl Evans. He positioned himself and fired a hard slapshot above Fuhr’s right shoulder to seal the victory at 2:35. The Forum erupted in euphoria. Evans told the Edmonton Journal after scoring the overtime winner: “I saw the puck laying there and I broke for it. I had a vague idea where the net was, and I just shot and prayed. It was an unreal feeling when the puck went in. I went downtown for a skate to celebrate.” The “Miracle on Manchester” was an improbable moment, being the largest comeback in NHL playoff history. The Edmonton media were not kind to the Oilers after losing game three to the Kings. The next day the Edmonton Journal contained the headline, “Oh Oilers, you choked!” In the same article, Wayne Gretzky spoke about the loss; he was critical of his team’s inability to hold a fivegoal lead. “Stupid hockey,” he said. “It could only happen to us the way we’ve played so
stupid in this series. Wasn’t it bad enough we had to kill so many penalties in the first two periods without being stupid enough to take even more in the third period. Were we stupid enough to think we wouldn’t catch up. It did! This time it wasn’t so much panic as playing stupid.” The Oilers won game four by a score of three to two on April 12 (the game was also played at the Forum). Then it was back to Edmonton the following evening for the fifth and deciding game. Kings forward, Dave Taylor, in a television segment called LA Kings Stories, remembered the Kings and Oilers flew to Edmonton on the same commercial plane. Retired Los Angeles Kings play-by-play broadcaster, Bob Miller, recalled a humourous encounter when the team arrived at their hotel: “I remember walking in [sic] the hotel in Edmonton at 5:30 in the morning. And an elderly [housekeeper] was in the lobby. And she was shaking her fist at the Kings and she said, ‘You didn’t treat my boys very well in Los Angeles.’ And Mark Hardy said, ‘Lady, it’s 5:30 in the morning. Go home and go to bed!’” In game five, the Kings won 7-4 to clinch the series—a stunning upset. Unfortunately, the Los Angeles Kings were unable to build on the “Miracle on Manchester” and subsequent series upset victory over the Oilers. The Kings lost to the Vancouver Canucks in the second round in five games.
But 40 years ago, the “Miracle on Manchester” was a moment for the ages. The moment also showed that sports can be exciting and dramatic— with unpredictable circumstances and outcomes. It was a painful and humbling lesson for the Oilers to never underestimate your opponent. The best team on paper does not always win. The Oilers experienced another painful playoff loss when they were swept 4-0 by the New York Islanders in the 1983 cup final. Edmonton learned from those playoff setbacks; as they built their foundation that won five Stanley Cups in the subsequent years (1984, 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1990). Bob Miller said the Kings’ victory over the Oilers was so satisfying because he believed the Oilers gave the Kings no respect. “They were the most arrogant team I have ever been around,” he said. “And that was so wonderful to be able to go down there and just rub it into them; that the heavily-favoured team got beat by a team they gave no respect to. I ran down to the locker room. I was looking for a phone to call my wife, the only phone I could find was outside the Oilers’ dressing room. And the Oilers’ wives and girlfriends, they’re all in tears—they’re all crying. And I’m on the phone saying to my wife, ‘What a great game!’ I loved it!”
issue 28// vol 48
sports // no. 5
Vancouver Canucks looking to end their season on a positive note
Graphic by Martha Alejandra Espinoza
››GM Patrik Allvin discusses the Canucks’ off-season plans
Brandon Yip Senior Columnist
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he Vancouver Canucks are playing their last remaining games to end the 2021-2022 season. It has been a season that started with pessimism as the team played poorly, resulting in the dismissals of coach Travis Green and general manager, Jim Benning in December 2021. Bruce Boudreau has since guided the team in the right direction, but it may not be enough to make the playoffs. At the time of writing, the Canucks’ record is 33-28-10 with 76 points—fifth
in the Pacific Division and seven points short of a Wild Card playoff spot. Even though the Canucks’ season has been disappointing, it has not been a complete calamity. Star forward, Elias Pettersson, struggled in the early part of the season—receiving criticism from fans and the media, but he has played better as Canucks fans hope that he continues his improvement. Defenceman, Quinn Hughes, is a rising star on the Vancouver blue line—with incredible speed and offensive instincts when handling the puck. JT Miller has proven to be a topline player that can make an impact
with his leadership and ability to deliver offence. And Thatcher Demko has had an outstanding season, proving to be a number one starting NHL goalie. The Canucks played the Vegas Golden Knights at Rogers Arena on April 3, losing 3-2 in overtime. Vancouver played the Golden Knights again, this time in Las Vegas on April 6. Vancouver was impressive in a decisive 5-1 victory with Elias Pettersson having a four-point game (two goals and two assists) while Thatcher Demko was solid, stopping 33 shots. Canucks coach, Bruce Boudreau, said his team was prepared to play. “For the time of year and what we needed, it was a pretty good all-around game,” he said as reported by Sportsnet. “The goalie had to be great, but the players in front of him were really good, too. When they play 60 minutes, they’re a tough team to beat because we're usually pretty good when we're playing with the lead.” Notably, the win by Vancouver was their first regulation victory over the Golden Knights since entering the NHL in 2017. Vancouver will have numerous decisions to make in the off-season. One of those decisions is the status of coach, Bruce Boudreau. Since taking over coaching duties in December 2021, Boudreau has coached 46 games with a record of 25-13-8—and a .630 points percentage—as reported by the official NHL Records website on April 7. Though Boudreau signed a two-year deal with the Canucks, Sportsnet hockey insider, Elliotte Friedman, elaborated further on Boudreau’s contract during an appearance on the “32 Thoughts” segment on Hockey Night in Canada. “He’s on a one-year contract and there’s an option for next year," he said. “Nobody will tell me exactly what it is but I think that I’ve kind of pieced it together, and that is that the Canucks have an option to keep him or not, but if they don’t, there’s a payment that has to go to Boudreau and also, Boudreau has an option not to return and if that was to happen, I don’t think he gets a payout but it would put him on the open market at the end of the year.” Canucks general manager, Patrik Allvin, spoke with The Province on April 3. He discussed his plans after the season is over. Allvin also emphasized that an organizational philosophy he wants to incorporate regarding assessing players is patience. “It’s not a sprint to get to the NHL,” he said. “My biggest thing would be to tell my staff that you’re not going to find a perfect player, except for maybe one or two in the draft that are exceptional. We as an organization need to work with the players. We need to help them to maximize their chances and we need the scouts to
Canucks’ schedule this week Tuesday, April 12 vs. Vegas Golden Knights (7 pm) Thursday, April 14 vs. Arizona Coyotes (7 pm) Monday, April 18 vs. Dallas Stars (7:30 pm) Tuesday, April 19 vs. Ottawa Senators (7 pm)
see something in them. If it is their hockey sense, their skill level, their character or speed, we need to see something there. And we need to work with every single one. It’s on us.” Several Vancouver players will be needing new contracts including Brock Boeser. As well, Bo Horvat and JT Miller are heading into the final years of their deals. “We have some good players here in place,” Allvin said. “I think every single player down there in the room have something to prove. We don’t have the superstar. We’re not a contending team right now. So every single player has something to prove to us. And that’s going to be the mindset moving forward.” Lastly, for Canucks fans, they are hoping for the team’s new management staff will make the best decisions so the franchise will one day be legitimate contenders for the Stanley Cup. And instead of being runners-up in three cup final appearances in 1982, 1994 and 2011—fans are hoping that the Vancouver Canucks, this time, will finally be champions. Other NHL news Former New York Islanders sniper and four-time Stanley Cup champion, Mike Bossy, is battling lung cancer. Bossy came out publicly with the diagnosis in October 2021. On April 4, 2022, the Spittin’ Chiclets hockey podcast program posted on Twitter that Bossy had passed away. However, this was not true. Spittin’ Chiclets later posted an apology via social media, claiming the news was “based on false information.” Louis Jean, host for TVA Sports, posted on Twitter, “Contrary to speculation, Mike Bossy’s family tells @ tvasports he is resting peacefully at home as he continues his battle with cancer. He thanks everyone for their support and asks for all to respect his privacy.” In a CBC article about Bossy, it was reported that he played 10 seasons in the NHL—all with the New York Islanders (1977 to 1987). He won four Stanley Cups as part of the Islanders’ dynasty (1980 to 1983). In 752 regular-season games, Bossy recorded 1,126 points (573 goals and 553 assists). In addition, the “Boss” won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 1978 (rookie of the year) and the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs in 1982. As well, he won three Lady Byng Memorial Trophies (most gentlemanly player) in 1983, 1984 and 1986. Bossy retired at the end of the 1986-1987 NHL season, due to a back injury. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991. Remarkably, Bossy is the only player in NHL history to score 50 or more goals in nine consecutive seasons (1977 to 1986). And Bossy holds the record for the highest goals-per-game average, during the regular season, at .762.
Arts
Have an idea for a story? arts@theotherpress.ca
arts // no. 6 • The man of vengeance returns • Who’s better than the Dreamville roster? No one, that’s who ...and that's all, folks!
‘The Batman’ review
››The man of vengeance returns Joeseph Agosti Contributor
he Batman simply rules and there’s no other way to put it. There has never been, in my opinion, a more comicaccurate portrayal of Batman put on film. From the dark gritty visuals to the awesome costume, the way Gotham is an absolute shithole instead of being the New YorkChicago hybrid we’ve seen before, The Batman simply gets the idea of what a Batman story should be. In case you couldn’t tell, I enjoyed just about everything about this film. While it's not quite at the level of 2008’s The Dark Knight, The Batman is a more than worthy successor to Christian Bale’s beloved Caped Crusader trilogy. The Dark Knight may be an overall better movie, but The Batman is a better, more accurate Batman movie. To start, the cast is just great, with Robert Pattinson and Jeffrey Wright being the main standouts. Pattinson blends effortlessly into a younger, more inexperienced Bruce Wayne, and really taps into the brutal fighting nature seen in the Arkham video game series. I also loved how the character is much more of a recluse, instead of being a playboy socialite like Christian Bale’s Batman was; this version is much more realistic for a haunted, vengeful Batman. Jeffrey Wright is expertly cast as Lieutenant Jim Gordon, who is Batman’s closest ally throughout the movie. Wright brings a needed sense of humanity to the character, often being the voice of reason when Batman falls astray. Zoe Kravitz’s Catwoman is also worth mentioning as she uses her ample screen time well, and her dynamic with Pattinson’s Batman is fun to play out, especially during the espionage scenes early in the movie. The only character I didn’t enjoy was Andy Serkis’ Alfred, who was barely in the movie. I was looking forward to seeing a more militant Alfred instead of the father figure we had seen many times before. The visuals, were simply stunning, with the fight choreography being leagues ahead of Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, with expert wide shots and a lack of shaky cam which was much appreciated. The use of red in many of the shots was a worthy inclusion as the theme of vengeance hits home. The villains are solid as well, but not perfect, as Paul Dano’s Riddler falls into the common “plan-is-toocomplicated” trope. Which is too bad because he is such a menacing presence, and it was nice to see the Riddler not be treated as a joke for a change. Colin Farrell’s Penguin is fun, if underused, but the main standout was the excellent make-up job which rendered Colin Farrell completely unrecognizable. While this film is excellent and a ton of fun, it's not perfect. The runtime is very long, at two hours and 56 minutes, and there were times in the theatre I was wishing the film would hurry up. Like I said before, the character of Alfred is barely used until the end, where he serves as motivation for Batman after the Riddler wounds him. The ending is convoluted and ends abruptly as the shot cuts away for the final voiceover and montage; I was surprised as the building they were in was still flooding from Riddler’s weird-ass plan. I was also not thrilled with the Joker’s inclusion in the post-release deleted scene. We
Promotional poster for 'The Batman'
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have now seen five live-action Jokers on film since Jack Nicholson debuted as the Crown Prince of Crime in 1989. It would be much better in my opinion if they used a villain unseen on the big screen, as Batman has such a great rogues gallery, and it would be a shame just to see the Joker reused again.
But altogether, I really had a blast watching The Batman. It was the realistic and gritty comic-book movie I had been craving, as the quippy Marvel formula had started to run stale for me. This film's performances, action, cinematography and score are top-tier—especially Nirvana’s “Something in the Way,” which perfectly captures the movie's grounded tone—and I absolutely recommend it and can’t wait to catch it again soon.
The only character I didn’t enjoy was Andy Serkis’ Alfred, who was barely in the movie. I was looking forward to seeing a more militant Alfred instead of the father figure we had seen many times before.
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arts // no. 7
‘D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz mixtape’ review
Album cover for 'D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz mixtape'
››Who’s better than the Dreamville roster? No one, that’s who
Matthew Fraser Editor in Chief
W
ay back in high school, one of my friends and I would constantly argue over who was the better rapper between J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar. At that time, the two’s first major albums had yet to drop so we were arguing over their mixtapes thus far. But when their albums dropped the conversation changed drastically. Kendrick put out Good Kid M.A.A.D City almost a year after J. Cole had debuted with Cole World: The Sideline Story; and though Cole World wasn’t bad, it certainly wasn’t M.A.A.D City. Now, a decade later, Jermaine Cole has cemented himself as a top-tier lyricist deserving of respect even if he isn’t the hot topic of the day. Along the way he has used his Dreamville label to cultivate a group of talented and multifaceted, rappers, singers and producers who more than hold their own against any and all other rappers in the game today. And after three installments of the Revenge of the Dreamers mixtape
series, J. Cole and his army have dropped a bomb in the form of D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape. Allied with DJ Drama, D-Day showcases not only the depth of Dreamville talent but the range and diversity of each artist. JID’s dizzyingly complex flows captivate listeners every time he grabs the mic as he bounces between threatening lyrics and clever wordplay with the unique clarity he is known for. Bas returns with his nonchalant delivery and cool demeanour while Lute delivers the grounded motivation of a man on a mission to escape the evils of the world. Cozz and Omen though lesser-known, refuse to be forgotten in the blaze of their labelmates and show quite easily why they aren’t the weak links in the Dreamvillle chain. As the lone songstress of the label, Ari Lennox uses her two solo songs to change the pace of the album to represent for the women of the industry. Earthgang showcases their personalities and abilities to switch their personas at will as well. There are guest appearances from artists outside of the Dreamville camp,
and they certainly add to the festivities, but Dreamville is front and centre with DJ Drama’s jokes, threats and encouragement right behind them. The best DJ Drama moment is the interlude of “Starting 5” where he cautions listeners not to get “Chris Rocked out your socks” because anything “can and WILL happen.” Drama indeed. Dreamville boss, J. Cole uses his three spots—two of which are solo—to remind the world of his lyrical ability, technical prowess, and all-around rap superiority. He doesn’t have to prove he is at the top, but in rap, it never hurts to remind people of the truth. If anything, Cole’s songs are just opportunities to let listeners know that there is a lot more in store from The Off-Season architect. Though Dreamville is absolutely a pride of lions, Young Simba has proven he is at the head of the pride. Part of me wants to say that other rap labels should also release collaborative mixtapes and albums like this to drum up listener interest and promote some of the smaller but no less talented artists on their labels. Then I realize, that no
other label has the depth and variety that Drreamville has. JID, Lute and Earthgang could be flagship rappers on other labels (and likely would be if they hadn’t signed to Dreamville) because they out-compete their competition. Seeing that that is so, what would other record labels put out with their inferior rhyme slingers? They might have one or two decent MCs but not a CD’s worth. Of course, they can’t put out something to rival Revenge of the Dreamers or D-Day. If the goal of D-Day was to remind the rap world that Dreamville is the best rap label currently around then they have succeeded. Anyone with two ears and a hankering for rap could tell you that the Dreamvillle roster is stacked. And with rumours of new albums from Bas and JID alongside recent releases from J. Cole, Earthgang, and Lute, fans will continue to have great rap to listen to. As J. Cole once said: “Even when we was broke my team ill / Martin Luther King would’ve been on Dreamville.”
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Life & Style
life & style // no. 8 • A guide to food places nearby both Douglas campuses • As nature re-emerges from the confines of winter, so shall we ...and more
College eats
Graphic by CJ Sommerfeld
››A guide to food places nearby both Douglas campuses
Jerrison Oracion Senior Columnist
D
uring the past decade that I have been going to the college—mainly the David Lam campus—the neighbourhoods surrounding both campuses have evolved. More apartments were built around the David Lam campus, the Evergreen Line allowed faster transfer between both campuses, and the expansion near New West made it a hub for the New Westminster campus including the new Anvil building. Over time, food places and restaurants opened and closed while some historic restaurants including The Old Spaghetti Factory and C-Lovers Fish and Chips are still open to this day. As restaurants cease to require the BC Vaccine Card for dine-in consumers, it is time to explore any menu changes since the pandemic began two years ago. You may already know some of these places, but if this is your first year at the college, here are key places to get to know.
The Spud Shack nearby New Westminster Station is one of the most famous poutine places in the Lower Mainland. Just before the pandemic began, they went back to serving their poutine in reusable plates. Recently, they revised the recipes of some of their poutines to include more topping and fresh ingredients. Nearby both campuses is Snowy Village with its silkysmooth shaved ice that melts in your mouth like snow. If you want to accompany it with lunch, there are grilled cheese paninis and Taiyaki with your choice of filling including the usual sweet fillings like red bean but also savoury fillings including sweet potato. The famous pizzeria Famoso on Commercial Drive expanded to former locations of Ricky’s All-Day Grill including the Coquitlam Centre location where they serve authentic Neapolitan pizza with the same quality that you would expect from the long-running chain. If you want the same quality pizza on a budget, there is Pizza Garden where they have a lunch special where you can get two slices of pizza and a drink.
For a quick bite to eat, there is a place called Whatafood where they have Brazilian street foods like bites including Whatabites that are filled with cheese. Taco Tuesday fans can go to Quesada which also serves burritos. Two restaurants that offer Happy Hour are Kelly O’Bryan’s Neighbourhood Restaurant featuring Irish pub-inspired dishes and Piva for modern Italian cuisine. One dish I like is Bubble World’s fried chicken cutlet with plum sauce on the side that you can either dip the chicken in the sauce or pour on top. There are plenty of bubble tea places competing with Bubble World including the recently opened bubble tea place Tiger Sugar just next door to the entrance of the Anvil building. It is one of the bubble tea places that have a special type of bubble tea where the pearls, as well as boba, are put in the drink warm before being mixed with milk and brown sugar. After a long day at either campus or before or after a meeting or going to a club event, there is something for everyone to eat nearby.
issue 28// vol 48
life & style // no. 9
Three hikes to explore this spring ››As nature re-emerges from the confines of winter, so shall we Ash Sabinin Contributor pring has sprung and in between the days of rain, Vancouver has been basking in the beautiful sun that's been starting to make a more regular appearance. With the rising temperatures and longer hours of sunlight, this is the best time of year to embark on some beautiful local hikes. Getting out and exploring nature is one of the best ways to get more in touch with yourself and the world around you. All the hikes listed are in the Greater Vancouver area and of varying levels of difficulty. Starting off easy, we have Sasamat Lake with just over 3 kilometres of trail surrounded by beautiful scenery. Whether or not this is a hike or simply a walk-in nature is up to debate, but this is a great option for beginner hikers as it's very relaxed with minimal elevation changes and gorgeous views of the lake. It could also be a good option for introducing younger children to the idea of hiking with an option to dip in the water if they get overheated and need to cool down. For more experienced hikers, this is a great option for when you want to get outside but not exert yourself too much physically. Sasamat Lake is home to White Pine Beach which means it can get quite crowded on really nice days, so arriving early is always ideal. Overall, this is a beautiful location to explore and definitely somewhere to check out this season. This next location is quite popular, especially in the summertime, so checking the trails out now before all the kids are out of school is probably a pretty good idea. If you’ve been in Vancouver for a while, you’ve probably heard of Lynn Canyon and that reputation exists for good reason. With tons of space to explore, beautiful nature to take in and tons of trails to follow, it’s no surprise that Lynn Canyon is beloved by many. Lynn Canyon Park has something for every level of hiker: from a short walk to their famous 30-foot pool, to the Baden Powell trail that spans the North Shore area and explores part of Lynn Canyon. There’s also the Twin Falls Trail, which requires a bit more time and exploration so it’s often a little less crowded than the 30-foot pool. One of the best things about Lynn Canyon is the variety of trails and scenic destinations available without needing to be an experienced or advanced hiker; anyone can enjoy the beautiful views regardless of their hiking capabilities. Last but most definitely not least is the Big Cedar and Kennedy Falls Trail. This is the most intense of the hikes listed here, with about 10 kilometres of trail to explore and around 150 metres of elevation gain. This is an absolutely stunning hike that really indulges itself in all the natural beauty we have in British Columbia. The trail offers hikers the chance to take in the spectacular sight of an 800-year-old cedar tree surrounded by an old-growth forest. Farther along, explorers will come across Kennedy Falls, an approximately 7-metretall waterfall coming from Kennedy Lake and flowing into Lynn Creek. This hike is definitely the most rigorous one and it does involve using a rope to climb a cliff; other hikers suggest wearing good, waterproof hiking boots, as the spray from
Photo by Billy Bui
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the waterfalls can create lots of mud in the area and the trail itself is quite uneven. This hike definitely requires a bit more experience and preparation, but it’s so worth it. These are only a few of all the remarkable hikes and trails in the Vancouver area, there are plenty more options available for those looking for
something else more suited to their specific tastes. Spring is one of the best times to get outside and reconnect with nature, but please take care to not disturb any flora or fauna on your adventures. Baby animals are more common at this time so it’s important to be aware and keep back from any wildlife. We want to preserve the beauty
of these places so that others can also enjoy it, so please don’t litter, and pick up trash if you see it. Hiking is one of the best ways to get in touch with your mind, body, and the nature around you, and so I hope this list gives you some inspiration for where to start.
Remembering the 1982 F ››Forty years ago, the tournament was dominated by Paolo Rossi’s unforgettable performance Brandon Yip Senior Columnist
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occer fever has once again overtaken Canadian soccer fans’ psyches. The Canadian Men’s National Soccer Team qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar for the country’s second berth at a World Cup tournament in 36 years. Notably, this year marks a special anniversary of a prior World Cup tournament—one that provided excitement, drama, suspense, disappointment, and heartache: the 1982 FIFA World Cup. It was the 12th World Cup held in Spain, in 17 venues across 14 host cities.
The 1982 FIFA World Cup had 24 teams participating, an increase from 16 teams in the previous World Cup which allowed more teams from Asia and Africa to participate. The tournament also featured the first penalty shootout in the France versus West Germany semi-final match. The World Cup in Spain enthralled and captured the hearts and imagination of “football” fans worldwide; especially supporters of the Azzurri (the Blues)—Italy’s national soccer team. The Italians won the 1982 World Cup, led by the boot and head of striker, Paolo Rossi. He scored six goals in Italy’s final three matches. Rossi was an instinctual and clinical finisher with a knack for
being at the right place at the right time—and then scoring with authority. Significantly, the 1982 FIFA World Cup was a phenomenon and spectacle, broadcasted worldwide. It occurred during the pre-internet era. There were no cell phones, Smartphones, iPhones, or social media. Fans attending matches at the 1982 World Cup with cameras—except for Polaroid cameras—had to wait for days to see their captured images. In 1982, daily life and especially technology were much slower and simpler. But the “beautiful game” remained unchanged. And when the tournament ended, Paolo Rossi emerged as a global soccer star and national hero in Italy. Viva Italia!
1982 FIFA World Cup draw ceremony deserving of a red card The excitement before the start of the 1982 FIFA World Cup had lovers of the “beautiful game” expecting and anticipating another tournament filled with drama, excitement and surprises. However, the pre-tournament publicity would have a troublesome beginning—with the tournament draw ceremony being full of mishaps. In the BBC documentary, Match of the World Cup 1982, there were numerous errors made when the teams were being drawn. One clip showed two teams being entered into the wrong groups. FIFA general secretary, Sepp Blatter, admitted that an “error” had been made. Then the machine, filled with miniature soccer balls (like Bingo)—containing the names of one of the 24 competing countries—stopped working. Also, some of the soccer balls got stuck in the machine, while others broke in half. This caused a considerable delay, leaving the audience confused and dumbfounded.
FIFA World Cup in España Brazil on July 5, 1982. On paper, the Brazilians were favoured to win—as they had top-level players: Zico, Falcão, Sócrates, Éder and Serginho. However, Paolo Rossi would break out of his goalless drought to score a hat-trick. Italy won the match by a score of three to two, eliminating Brazil from the tournament. Legendary BBC announcer, John Motson, stated the Italy and Brazil encounter was the greatest match that he had ever called (as reported by Sportsnet in a June 2018 article). Veteran soccer writer, Gabriele Marcotti, in a May 2014 espn.com article about the 1982 Brazil World Cup team, said although the team was talented, their failure in the loss against Italy was due to Brazil coach, Tele Santana, not adjusting to the Italians’ counterattacks. “This was the team that was so grotesquely and excessively talented and so committed to playing to Tele Santana’s ideal of the ‘beautiful game’ that it existed on a different plane to their contemporaries,” he wrote. “They could lose, but they could not be beaten. Except by themselves.” Marcotti then added, “It’s almost too easy to say they didn’t take it seriously enough, that they were overconfident, that their obsession with style and aesthetics over substance and common sense cost them. And it’s true.” Rossi would score another pair of goals in Italy’s semi-final match against Poland on July 8 (the final score was 2-0). The same day had West Germany advancing to the final with a 4-3 victory over France via penalties. The stage was now set for a compelling all-European final. CBC also covered the final match between Italy and West Germany. A CBC preview segment uploaded to YouTube contained commentary from the veteran broadcaster, Steve Armitage and the late Graham Leggat (who played in the 1958 FIFA World Cup representing Scotland). Leggat stated that he walked on the pitch (a few hours before the final began) and wished he had been playing. “I didn‘t play in the final,” he said. “It would have been a thrill of a lifetime. And I can tell you, that after walking on that field today—I wished I were playing today...”
The emergence and redemption of Rossi at the expense of Brazil Italian striker, Paolo Rossi, had a quiet start to the 1982 FIFA World Cup tournament. In Italy’s three preliminary matches against Poland, Peru and Cameroon, Rossi had not scored. Italy played Argentina in the next round (Second Group Stage), winning by a score of two to one—with Rossi still scoring no goals. Some Italian fans wondered why Rossi was in the lineup and criticism was directed toward Italian head coach, Enzo Bearzot. Italy’s next opponent would be
The 1982 FIFA World Cup Final: Italy vs. West Germany The 1982 FIFA World Cup Final had West Germany playing Italy at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid on July 11, 1982. The first half ended with no scoring. Then in the second half, the Italians opened the scoring on a Paolo Rossi header in the 57th minute—his sixth goal of the tournament. Twelve minutes later, Italy’s Marco Tardelli, after receiving a pass, quickly placed the ball from his right foot to his left foot—then booted a curling shot into the corner of the net.
Tardelli then celebrated exasperatedly by running downfield, clenching his fists, eyes widened, mouth open—as he was embraced by teammates. Tardelli’s celebration became an iconic moment. Alessandro Altobelli scored Italy’s third goal in the 81st minute. West Germany scored in the 83rd minute on a goal by Paul Breitner. But the goal was inconsequential as the Italians celebrated a 3-1 victory. Paolo Rossi won the Golden Boot for his six goals in the tournament. He also won the Golden Ball award as the best player in Spain. According to the same article in The Guardian, Rossi retired from soccer in 1987. He later ventured into property development and owned and operated a vineyard near Arezzo in Tuscany. Rossi also worked as a pundit for RAI (a national public broadcasting company in Italy). In December 2020, Rossi passed away from lung cancer at age 64. The legacy of the 1982 FIFA World Cup Clive Gammon, from the same July 1982 article in Sports Illustrated, stated the 1982 World Cup Final between Italy and West Germany was a global phenomenon. Gammon stated the final match captured, “...the howling of 87,000 manic fans in the humid bowl of Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu Stadium—and before possibly the biggest TV audience in history, more than two billion viewers in 130 nations...” And when Italy defeated West Germany 3-1, it was their first World Cup title since 1938 (Italy also won in 1934). Italy had tied Brazil for countries that had won the most World Cups (Brazil won the WC in 1958, 1962 and 1970). Italy would win a fourth WC in 2006 whereas Brazil won two more WCs in 1994 (against Italy) and 2002. The official FIFA website, which has a page dedicated to the 1982 World Cup tournament summarizes its legacy appropriately: “The romantic-minded may have shed a tear for Brazil and France—unlucky losers in two of the finest matches of any [FIFA World Cup]—but few begrudged Enzo Bearzot’s men a 3-1 victory over a rugged West Germany team in a Final in which Rossi’s opening goal secured him the Golden Shoe to complete a personal redemption story even more dramatic than the Italians’ revival after a faltering start.” Lastly, Paolo Rossi, in a 2007 interview with FIFA, spoke about how the 1982 FIFA World Cup had a significant impact on him—while also uniting the country of Italy: “Everything suddenly changed. Nothing was going my way and then suddenly everything was going my way. It was suddenly all so easy. Such is the beauty of sport. A goal can change everything. In my case, it changed my entire life.”
When Italy defeated West Germany 3-1, it was their first World Cup title since 1938 (Italy also won in 1934). Italy had tied Brazil for countries that had won the most World Cups (Brazil won the WC in 1958, 1962 and 1970).
Layout by CJ Sommerfeld and Udeshi Seneviratne
Rossi & the 1980 Totonero match-fixing scandal According to a December 2020 article about Rossi in The Guardian, his professional soccer career began early. In 1972, he signed with Juventus at the age of 16. He later was loaned to the second division team, Vicenza. Rossi was the top scorer for the club during the 1976-1977 season as the team was promoted from Serie B to Serie A. He was later selected to be on the Italian National Team and appeared in his first FIFA World Cup—1978 tournament held in Argentina. Rossi scored three goals in three games, as Italy finished in fourth place. After the World Cup, Rossi continued playing for Vicenza, but he suffered injuries before Vicenza returned to Serie B. Rossi was loaned to Perugia; and it was here that he became involved in the 1980 Totonero match-fixing scandal. According to a July 2006 BBC article, the Totonero scandal “...involved a syndicate attempting to tamper with Serie A and B matches. It culminated in mass arrests and in the aftermath AC Milan and Lazio were [sic] relegated to Serie B.” Clive Gammon, a writer for Sports Illustrated, elaborated further on the scandal involving Rossi in a July 1982 article: “The charges against all the accused were, in fact, dropped by the court for lack of evidence, and no allegation was ever made that Rossi took money, only that he refused to testify against fellow players. Nevertheless, the Italian soccer league held its own hearings, and with 17 other players, Rossi was suspended, in his case for three years. That term was reduced to two on appeal.” In December 2020, The Sun reported Rossi gave an interview for the 2018 book GOAL! He said the bribery scandal was an incident that he wanted to put behind him. “It was as though that whole affair, the scandal, in which I had been involved in was now part of another world—it had had nothing to do with me, I just wanted to put it all behind me," he said. "So, when it came to an end and my two-year suspension finished it was as though I was starting afresh with a new life.”
life & style // no. 12
theotherpress.ca
Managing anxiety after two years of the pandemic
››Recent polling reveals some Canadians are feeling “uncomfortable” with restrictions being lifted Brandon Yip Senior Columnist
he COVID-19 pandemic has been a life-changer. Since March 2020, the pandemic has had a significant impact on people's physical and mental health. While it is a good sign that COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted in BC, there is still a lot of anxiety about returning to our “prepandemic" normal. While many people are reconnecting with friends and family members in person, there is still apprehension among those trying to cope with what has transpired over the past two years. Business in Vancouver reported in a March 2022 article that many Canadians still feel uncomfortable after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Research Co. and Glacier Media conducted a poll in March 2022, asking Canadians about their level of hesitancy—including their plans for the next 14 days: “More than half of Canadians (52 percent) say they are ‘very anxious’ or ‘moderately anxious’ about COVID-19 restrictions and mandates being lifted in their community, while a slightly lower proportion (46 percent) are ‘not too anxious’ or ‘not anxious at all’ about this development.” Furthermore, regarding peoples’ level of anxiety, the poll found that anxiety about life without mandates and restrictions is higher among women (56 percent) than men (49 percent). In addition, the numbers are consistent across generations as the same Business in Vancouver article stated “54 percent among Canadians aged 18 to 34, 51 percent among Canadians aged 35 to 54 and 53 percent among Canadians aged 55 and over.” Additionally, the poll also revealed that some Canadians are still not comfortable being indoors without wearing a mask: “Practically two-thirds of Canadians (65 percent) plan to wear a mask when entering an indoor premise in the next couple of weeks. On this issue, Ontarians are at the top of the list (69 percent) and British Columbians at the bottom (59 percent).” Dr. Steven Taylor, a professor in the department of psychiatry at UBC and a clinical psychologist—believes the easing of restrictions must be gradual. “If you just suddenly lifted all the restrictions, that transition would be quite stressful for some people, particularly the people who are worried about getting infected," he told Dr. Brian Goldman, host of the CBC podcast The Dose. Moreover, Dr. Taylor also states that people should be aware of their own comfort levels. “Let’s say mask-wearing mandates have been lifted, but you don’t feel safe for whatever reason,” he said. “I think it's [ok] that you wear a mask if you want to until you start to feel safer. Ultimately, it’s a question of your own risk tolerance.” He also states that people should not feel pressured to go out in public without a mask. “There’s no race to be ditching your mask,” Taylor told CTV Morning Live in March 2022. “People have been through a lot of stress during COVID-19, they don’t need to stress about
Photo by Billy Bui
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when they should take their mask off. That’s their choice and we should show some compassion for other people.” In addition, Dr. Melanie Badali, a clinical psychologist at North Shore Stress and Anxiety Clinic in North Vancouver, recommends people be aware of their current provincial or territorial health guidelines. Badali says peoples’ emotional response to restrictions being lifted will be different for each person. She understands people are feeling anxious. But she reiterates that there is a difference between anxiety and fear. “Anxiety is our response to potential threat, and fear is our response to imminent, right-now-happening threat,”
she told CBC News. “And with COVID, there's a real dance there to try and figure out what's true danger and what's reasonable risk that we have to take to live our lives.” As well, Dr. Taylor also offers advice for people struggling with anxiety amid restrictions being lifted. “If the anxiety is getting in the way of your life and it seems to be excessive, if friends or family said, ‘Hey, you don’t seem to be your usual self,’ […] then that’s the suggestion that you might benefit from seeing a mental health professional,” he said. Lastly, self-care is important to help people cope with increased stress and
anxiety—with restrictions being lifted. Getting outside and walking in your neighbourhood or at a local park are effective strategies to help keep your mind occupied. But if your levels of anxiety are unbearable to manage, call a friend or family member or seek professional help. Dr. Bonnie Henry’s signature mantra throughout the pandemic has been to always be kind to others. We must instill that kindness and compassion in ourselves. And most importantly if you are struggling—just remember—that you are not alone.
issue 28// vol 48
life & style // no. 13
Photo by CJ Sommerfeld
An anthropological survey: Cabo
››Finding common cause in the margins
CJ Sommerfeld Production Assistant
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omething odd happens when we submerge ourselves in an unfamiliar space. Something similar happens when that space includes novel interactions with new people. You notice more and become intrigued by the components of these people and places that otherwise would have flown under the radar. I spent the last five weeks in Mexico with my partner; we left Canada to escape rain-induced depression and one of its worst by-products: creative paralysis. While there we visited Canadian friends (who ran away from Canada’s winter for similar reasons), and Mexican friends and family who aren’t acquainted with the power vitamin D holds over one’s creative psyche. Despite having been far from home, we were surrounded by social familiarity for most of those five weeks. With that came the emotional ease of already being acquainted with those around us. It was only in the days before we flew back to Vancouver that we entered new social territory. The Alabama girl on her honeymoon A girl who was doing weird things with her face was the first person I acknowledged
after checking into the hostel. She sat in my line of vision at the hostel bar the first time I walked up to buy two of the cheapest beer. I was unable to read her expression(s) because it seemed like even she was confused about how she felt. She ordered in English and the bartender asked where she was from, “Alabama.” Considering her accent, the bartender didn’t understand a word that she’d said. “The United States,” she clarified “we're on our honeymoon.” Her mouth moved a smile and the opposite multiple times during this interaction. I never did see her new husband, she was often laying by the pool reading by herself, or alone drinking lavishly garnished cocktails in tall, curvy glasses. Rory or Roric Rory (or Roric) came into my periphery a day before any conversation occurred. I had just acknowledged the Alabama honeymooner; we had left the bar having instead opted to have our beer by the pool. Rory (or Roric) was also by the pool, except instead of having a beer, he was consumed in his guitar. He wasn’t playing a song; he was quietly plucking strings in a cadence that seemed like he was learning some riff. The reason why I don’t know which of the two variations was his name is that regardless of the time of the day,
he was subdued by some drug or another. I heard ‘Rory’ when he first introduced himself to me, but throughout the next few days, I heard the others referring to him by what sounded like an EasternEuropean version akin to ‘Roric’. He wore the same wrinkled, Hawaiin button-up and straw cowboy hat for the entirety of the four days we spent together. One morning he ate a block of cheese and two bags of popcorn from the OXXO for breakfast. “The hostel shouldn’t claim to offer continental breakfast if all they give you is a couple of pieces of bread and a mini-coffee.” He told us one day while lying on the beach. He was onto something, the 4-ounce coffee cups were hardly enough to be considered a decent coffee portion. When someone with an accent spoke to him, he’d reply extravagantly slow as if he were teaching ESL—regardless of how fluent their English was. He’d left Canada after the vaccine passport was introduced, and had been in Mexico since. As means of income, he would message real estate agents on Instagram and offer them the service of a videographer to create a marketing video of the homes which they were selling. He’d charge the real estate agents a hefty sum, and then pay the videographer a small portion of that; capitalism at its finest.
He told me that he was making upwards of $20,000 per month, although I didn’t believe him considering that he was staying in a hostel’s shared dorm room. The newly married Mexican guy Jaded by the fact that Cabo San Lucas is drenched in legal (pharmaceuticals) and illegal (everything else) drugs, the unnatural position in which this newly married guy’s shoulders were held up to his ears—as if he were permanently shrugging, mislead me into perceiving him as being under the influence of something elevating. I never met his new wife, and in hindsight, perhaps he had married the girl from Alabama, although I never did see the two of them interact. We met him the second morning during breakfast. We decided that we were going to make friends by asking around where the best beach was. We asked the first person our age to walk by our table who happened to be this guy. He pulled up his YouTube channel to show us a video he’d taken of a sea turtle-specked floor: Playa Chileno. He told us that it was a romantic beach and that he’s gone there with his new wife—which is when he flashed us his gold wedding band. We weren’t looking for something romantic, but rather for new friends so we passed.
life & style // no. 14
theotherpress.ca
swimmingtotheisland.ca
VICTORIA TRIP PHOTO STORY ››You can’t be inactive in this island city
Nhi ‘Jenny’ Vo Layout Manager
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f you ask me, Victoria is basically the better version of Vancouver. The city offers so much to do outdoors that I couldn’t spend a second inside the hotel. They have more sunny days throughout the year as they have no mountains blocking the big, dark clouds like we do. They have peaceful pebble and sand beaches where you can meditate on a warm day—unlike Kits or English Bay which get too crowded and noisy. They have water bodies for you to try all different activities like kayaking, stand-up paddling, or swimming. They have their own version of “a giant park in the city centre” named Beacon Hill, with a weirdly high duck to human ratio of 2:1. They have bike lanes on almost all the streets and bridges, along with traffic lights for cyclists at every intersection. They have different flat walkways along the sea that even the laziest bunch can enjoy. They have more diverse food in Chinatown and more cozy coffee shops around downtown if you need to refuel after spending all that time outside. I spent 95% of my trip biking around the city to watch cherry blossoms
BC Parliament Buildings blooming. The remaining 5% was me eating dumplings and steamed roast duck buns. For me, it was one of those weekends where you unplug and forget
A sign of spring
about everything crazy going on in your life. Here are some rare photos besides my dad’s selfies for you all to embrace the beauty of Victoria.
Cold Comfort ice cream shop
life & style // no. 15
Fan Tan Alley
The better means of transport
Beacon Hill Park
Munro's Bookstore
Photos by Nhi 'Jenny' Vo
issue 28// vol 48
Opinions
Have an idea for a story? opinions@theotherpress.ca
opinions // no. 16 • Expect deficit changes after the Liberal/ NDP collaborated budget • Are we really in control of what we eat? ...and that's all, folks!
The theme for this Federal Budget 2022 should be ‘more than you think’ ››Expect deficit changes after the Liberal/NDP collaborated budget
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fter Bill Morneau stepped down as the Minister of Finance in the summer of 2020 when he was involved in the WE Charity controversy, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tapped his Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland for double duty in the newly opened role. This makes her the first woman to be the Minister of Finance in Canadian history. Before and after that, the country’s deficit went significantly up when the Coronavirus pandemic led to the federal government offering relief services, programs, and grants to anyone that is impacted by the pandemic. Add the current supply chain crisis and the invasion of Ukraine and inflation has impacted everything from food to housing. Following the Federal Election last fall, it was unknown if the Liberal Party’s minority government would last for a full election cycle. Just before Freeland presented the Federal Budget this year in person at the House of Commons, Trudeau was able to get a supply and confidence deal with NDP leader Jagmeet Singh which could help the Liberal Party stay in power until 2025. While the speech was shown in its entirety on CPAC, some plans which were aligned with the NDP’s values were not said in the speech but mentioned in the budget book. One such idea by the NDP is funding for dental care beginning with anyone 12 years and younger in households with an income of less than $90,000 and every one by 2025. The speech began with Freeland summarizing the government’s handling of the pandemic so far, they kept their word on heavy spending during the early days of the pandemic and are on track to pay it down to a prudent and shrinking budget deficit. They were also able to recover all of the jobs that were lost at the beginning of the pandemic with three million jobs and also created new jobs almost getting the unemployment rate back to what it was pre-pandemic at 5.5 percent. Housing was one of the key topics in the speech where they reiterated their promise to build more affordable housing by investing in building them faster. The housing plan also includes a tax credit and tax-free savings account for anyone that is buying a house for the first time, as well as banning foreign buyers from buying a house in the country for two years. Freeland then recapped the success of the federal government being able to have an agreement with all of the provinces to offer $10 a day child care cutting fees in half to end the burden of mothers deciding, “to choose between motherhood and a career.” The environment is not only a Canadian issue but also a world issue. Freeland announced more funding on rebate programs to encourage more people
to get electric vehicles—which are starting to be more available and affordable—the building of EV charging stations, factories to build the cars and their batteries, and green electricity plus carbon-capturing technology through an investment fund.
The current Russian invasion in Ukraine led to Freeland announcing that $8 billion will go towards additional funding for the armed forces to make sure that the country is ready when its defence forces are needed.
The Federal Budget this year is described by Freeland as a “feminist economic policy,” but I think it’s also a platform that the federal government would do if Singh was the Prime Minister with Trudeau and the Liberals in a supporting role.
Photo by Anna Machuik
Jerrison Oracion Senior COlumnist
issue 28// vol 48
opinions // no. 17
The identity of our food
Photo by Billy Bui
››Are we really in control of what we eat?
Morgan Hannah Contributor
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e like to be in control of our lives; we like to choose where we live, where we work, what groups we identify with, and what we eat. The problem is we aren’t really in control of what we eat, not in the larger picture anyhow. Between only some of the food options being available worldwide despite our vast transportation systems, to the fact that the preparation and ingredients in our food aren’t exactly what we think they are, our control over what we eat is dependent on manufacturers, farmers, and grow-ops. With costs rising all across North America, family-run farms are being swapped out for factory farms and the few that stick around are growing the only things that make them money: soy and corn to sell to big corporate buyers as feed for livestock. Talk about a lack of control! Not only is this destroying rural communities and causing food biodiversity to decline, but it is making it harder to find foods that haven’t been modified in some way or another. Besides, it’s even more difficult to continue to farm-fresh foods without a backup income.
Today, less than two percent of Americans live on farms (according to Business Insider) with a similar amount living on Canadian farms (according to Statistics Canada). The populations of North America continue to migrate from rural areas to towns and suburbs and are becoming increasingly more disconnected from the agricultural practices that sustain us, making it easier to be uninformed about what we eat and what we grow. Have you ever stopped to consider what it is you’re really getting when you sit down to eat? Would it bother you to find out that your food may not be what it seems? Of course, when thinking of processed foods it’s easy to understand additives such as salt, sugars, and fat, but even when we choose to make healthier food choices, such as meat, fish, vegetables and fruits, because of demand, agricultural changes, rising costs, and hidden agendas, those healthier options often have additives! The way we house and raise livestock and fish leads to cramped conditions and disease, which prompts the use of massive amounts of antibiotics and hormones. Conversely, the way we grow fruits and veggies to optimize the quantity and quality prompts the use of pesticides and
chemicals. It can be very difficult to know what’s safe and healthy to consume without more control over what we eat. One solution is to collectively change our behaviour towards food e.g., meatless Mondays or reduced portion sizes. Every ten seconds humans kill roughly 24,000 animals for food; that adds up to 75 billion (75,000,000,000) each year. While the global human population has more than doubled in the last 50 years, the amount of meat produced has more than quadrupled—this from ourworldindata.org. As a result, the land and water available for meat production are diminishing while the demand for meat and the greenhouse gases produced is increasing! If North Americans can commit to one or two days per week of not consuming meat or cutting back from a 12oz to a 6oz steak, we can globally cut back the demand. This might change the food market and in turn, change the way we produce meat. Another solution is to promote backyard gardens, farms, and homesteading. According to The Boston Globe, to feed a family of four on a homegrown diet of vegetables, 1.76 acres of land is all you would need. That produces 2,300 calories per person per day, which is more
than enough for most people. With the addition of meat, dairy, and grains, a wellthought-out two acres would be enough. There’s a lot of mixed media on backyard farming, but with work, education, and dedication, it is possible for swaths of the global population to each have an acre or two per family and it will solve the issue of control over what we eat. By promoting interest in farming and rewarding those that do, we can encourage the growth of biodiversity in produce, which gains us more control over what we eat. For example, most farmers grow yellow corn, if we have a disease that affects yellow corn we may see a significant change in our diets, and not by choice. We should promote diversity in our food and grow red, blue, or one of the many other varieties of corn that we no longer see on our grocery shelves as a result of focusing our farming efforts on limited, inexpensive crops. There was no reason for us to limit what we grow! By making personal changes to what we eat, how we source our food, and what brands we buy, as well as taking charge and producing our own goods as often as possible, we can influence the market and impact how we produce and grow our food and take back control over what we consume.
By promoting interest in farming and rewarding those that do, we can encourage the growth of biodiversity in produce, which gains us more control over what we eat.
Humour
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humour // no. 18 • A good kick in the ass would sort this out, I tell you what • Comic: Shocking reveal: Days off aren't actually meant for assignments ...and that's all, folks!
The propane man speaks ››A good kick in the ass would sort this out, I tell you what
Tariq Ghanzi Contributor n this trying time, I find comfort in knowing that I sell propane and propane accessories. Yup, propane, is a good clean burning all American energy source with a multitude of uses and benefits. Like all real American men, the knowledge that I get up every day and work hard to provide for my family despite my useless son and defective niece makes me happy. But Goddammit if our president doesn’t get his act together and do something about gas prices I’m gonna have to kick someone's ass. He can't be out here saying Russia is the reason gas prices are high. Dangit, I’m from Texas, the Lonestar state. We make energy and we keep America going. There is no way that our state can’t keep this country going till kingdom come, I tell you what. A little bit of drilling and some good ole fashion American ingenuity is all it’s gonna take. Now, my daddy raised me to respect the President even if I don’t like what he’s up to but this one is making it real hard to do. I hope it’s them sissy long-haired, liberal boys he’s got around him. If you ask me, a couple of good ass-kickings and a few men like me could turn this whole thing around, I tell you what. Who the president has around him now are the type of people I keep away from Bobby. Always begging for something and never making anything on their own. The type of people who will never know the pleasure of a good beer after a hard day’s work selling propane and propane accessories. Dale ain’t the brightest but even he can see that this doesn’t make sense; Bill doesn’t have it all sorted out but at least he can see a bad track when we are on one and even Boomhauer talks more sense than anything there saying on the news. The whole thing needs a good kick in the ass to straighten it out, I tell you what. Anyways, I’m gonna stop writing now because the guys are waiting for me and Luanne keeps asking if I’m writing poetry. I just hope that someone can turn this beautiful country back around before it gets too bad.
Photo by Anna Machuik
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Comic Shocking reveal: Days off aren't
Comic by Nhi 'Jenny' Vo
Credit
actually meant for assignments School Work
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