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Advocates demand removal of earnings limit for disabled individuals
The limit forces disabled individuals to live under a living wage
HANNAH FRASER · NEWS WRITER
A coalition of over 50 small business owners, non-profit leaders, and advocates have written an open letter demanding the BC Minister for Social Development and Poverty Reduction “remove the earnings limits for people receiving disability assistance so that they can earn a living wage.”
Those currently receiving disability assistance can receive a maximum of $17,802 in benefits alone within a year. However, these benefits are “clawed back” if a disabled person makes more than $16,200 a year. Altogether, a single person with a disability could receive a maximum of about $34,000 a year, equivalent to $17 per hour.
Over the last two years, Metro Vancouver’s living wage has increased from $20.52 to $25.68 — an increase of 25%. The living wage is calculated to include the cost for a person to cover basic expenses — food, housing, clothing, transportation, and more — in their city.
The Peak interviewed Anastasia French, provincial manager for Living Wage for Families BC for more information.
In the press release, Anastasia French, provincial manager for Living Wage for Families BC, said “this does not match the amount that the living wage has increased in recent years.”
The Peak interviewed French for more information.
“If you are disabled, you face additional costs, and yet the government wants you to be surviving on less,” said French. She noted additional costs include medication, specific heating or cooling requirements, more expensive groceries if facing dietary restrictions, and equipment like mobility aids.
SFU research group helps people create air filters for wildfire season
PIPPS built more than 500 air filters last year
The Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics and Society (PIPPS) is a research institute based at SFU Burnaby. They have now “led 25 workshops helping people build more than 500 air filters to clean the air in their homes and reduce exposure to fine particulates from wildfire smoke.”
Dr. Anne-Marie Nicol, associate professor in the faculty of health science, said to SFU News that while wildfire smoke makes its way indoors, “indoor air quality is often overlooked.” This smoke can cause long-term health issues like “lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, exacerbate asthma, and make life miserable for people with existing lung disease.”
With funding from the BC Lung Foundation, the City of Vancouver, and more, Dr. Nicol and her team have built “simplified versions of the Corsi-Rosenthal box.” The box is a cost-effective “DIY method of building your own air filter” and is made with a box fan, air filters (MERV-13), and duct tape. It costs less than $100 to create a single air filter this way.
For many “renters and people in group-living or subsidized housing,” sophisticated air filter systems can be costly, and people in the Okanagan are often subject to smoky air from wildfires. In just March this year, there were two wildfires that came as an “absolute surprise” to Lumby Mayor Kevin Acton. “It is really early in the year for something like this. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before, actually,” he told Global News.
In the press release, Chantelle Spicer, campaign manager for the BC Poverty Reduction Coalition, said the limit “keeps people with disabilities trapped in a cycle of poverty.”
The Peak reached out to the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, who said the “government understands how important earnings exemptions are.” The Ministry explained that in January 2024, they increased the earning exemptions. They added they also recognize the difficulties brought about by global inflation which “is making life more difficult, especially for people on income and disability assistance.”
The minister referred to alternative social structures such as the 80,000 affordable home projects they have delivered or are underway, minimum wage increases, reducing childcare costs, and more. Yet, the minister acknowledged, “While good progress has been made, there’s more work to do to make life better for people and their families.”
“There are many employers that want to pay their disabled staff a living wage,” said the open letter. “However, these employers find themselves having to pay their disabled staff less or offering them fewer hours than their non-disabled peers, so their staff do not lose access to their disability payments and other entitlements such as housing.”
Steve Wright, a disabled worker from Disability Alliance BC, was on disability assistance from January 2008 until late 2023, when he reached his earnings limit in 2023, which halted his disability assistance.
“I kept working because I was able to at that time. But my ability
to work is never guaranteed because I am severely mentally ill. Disabilities are not often set in stone. They are erratic beasts that can alter our existence at any time and which can hinder our ability to work.” Wright added that if his ability to work changed after he reached the earnings limit, he would be “bereft of options.”
The current disability assistance policies force people to “choose between working beyond our abilities and possibly harming ourselves; ceasing work before reaching the earnings limit; or being left without any income at all. The earnings limit is a rule that is targeted squarely at a population known to be vulnerable and which denies us basic dignity.”
Minister Malcolmsom said, “The BC government’s new and ambitious 10-year, cross-government poverty reduction strategy is anticipated to come out at the end of this month and considers ways that government may be able to further improve direct income supports for people in BC.”
Yet, according to Wright, “The only way this can change without a meaningful and substantial increase of the disability assistance rate to the equivalent of a full-time living wage is to remove the earnings limit.”
PIPPS plans to lead 25 more workshops in “Lillooet, Rock Creek, Oliver, and Osoyoos” this summer to surpass the “500 units built last year.” They also want to “pilot the viability of the workshop in smaller, rural and Indigenous communities, where access to extra supplies may be difficult.” The Peak corresponded with Dr. Nicol and Riley Condon, a research assistant with PIPPS, for more information.
It costs less than $100 to create a single air filter this way.
Dr. Nicol said the inspiration behind the project was reading Dr. Angela Eykelbosh’s research review on homemade air filters being effective at reducing exposure to COVID-19. Eykelbosh is an environmental research scientist with the BC Centre for Disease Control, whom Dr. Nicol has worked with.
The homemade air filters PIPPS are building help remove PM2.5 from the air. PM2.5 is a “fine particulate matter” that is a mix of “smoke, soot, liquid, or solid particles in aerosol” that
can “travel deeply into the lungs” and into the bloodstream. “PM2.5 is the main problematic constituent that’s found in fire smoke,” said Dr. Nicol. Research assistant Riley Condon said PM2.5 can cause heart attacks and strokes.
A November 2022 study demonstrated that these DIY air filters are effective as they reduce “simulated wildfire smoke in a controlled chamber environment.”
Condon explained that the PIPPS team created a DIY guide on how to make the air filters and how to organize workshops to help others create the air filters. She also said that on July 2, Dr. Nicol and Prem Gundarah, another research assistant with PIPPS, held a workshop for the First Nations Health Authority.
“People have lots of great questions, and we have answers, as scientists we have answers, we just need to get them into the hands of people who can use those answers,” said Dr. Nicol. She said many individuals who don’t have access to the internet and aren’t used to looking online for help are at the workshops. This is most often experienced by Canada’s rural, Indigenous, elderly, and new immigrants.
Dr. Nicol noted that these are often the individuals disproportionately impacted by environmental exposure, so it’s great to be able to help them in person. “We’re democratizing information and helping make it available to everybody,” she continued.
PHOTO: SHVETS PRODUCTION / PEXELS
PHOTO: PACIFIC INSTITUTE ON PATHOGENS, PANDEMICS AND SOCIETY
HANNAH FRASER · NEWS WRITER
WILDFIRE AID
LARGE LAYOFFS
Concerns raised regarding recent SFU layoffs
Many of the layoffs have affected women and those on medical leave
This summer, SFU laid off nearly 100 staff and eliminated positions citing budget concerns. Some of those positions included administrative staff, such as jobs in Student Services — including positions in SFU Health and Counselling and Work Integrated Learning. These layoffs also included instructors and custodial workers.
The Peak received an anonymous tip alleging that many of those laid off were either on or returning from medical leave, and those impacted were disproportionately women close to retirement. The Peak reached out to the Administrative and Professional Staff Association (APSA), which represents admin staff at SFU, for more information.
The reduction in essential services such as academic advising, co-op support, and health and counselling services directly undermines the quality of education and support that SFU has a duty to provide.
SIMON FRASER STUDENT SOCIETY
Lakshmi Gosyne, APSA associate director, communications explained that within two days, 36 positions represented by APSA were eliminated, out of the near 100. “Some of these members were either on some sort of medical leave and/or maternity leave,” she explained. “Others had recently returned from a medical leave or had a medical leave of absence and returned to work within the last year.” Gosyne added that of those who are represented by APSA, who were on leave or returning from one, made up around 36% of those laid off.
APSA found that most — 77% — of those laid off were women. Their analysis also showed that those who were over the age of 55 or a visible minority made up between 30–40% of the layoffs. Gosyne added she “can’t underscore enough that there were so many other Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) staff who also appear to be disproportionately immigrants, people of colour, or vulnerable persons.” CUPE staff refers to workers such as cleaning staff, who are represented by CUPE.
On June 10, the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) released a statement saying the layoffs “represent a significant erosion of the support structures that enhance our learning environment. The reduction in essential services such as academic advising, co-op support, and health and counselling services directly undermines the quality of education and support that SFU has a duty to provide.” Gosyne added that the administrative team was “concerned about the faculty, students, and other staff who would suddenly not have access to important resources.”
She explained that APSA and SFU have “been in negotiations since May” on behalf of the laid-off workers. Issues, such as extended health benefits, and maternity and medical leave are being slowly resolved. Some of the negotiations have been fruitful, she explained, with SFU Labour Relations extending a “tuition waiver to the children of these affected members for one year, with the caveat being that they are enrolled either in the summer or fall semesters.” However, Gosyne added, “It’s been a difficult process which sometimes has not resulted in any improvements for our members, but we continue with this task in the hope that our members will be properly compensated for their work and dedication to SFU.”
Gosyne also said “there has been a lack of transparency and a top-down approach to a lot of the SFU budget decisions, including the decision to eliminate a number of TSSU, CUPE and APSA positions.” TSSU, or the Teaching Support Staff Union represents teaching assistants, sessional instructors, and other teaching staff. The SFSS called on “the SFU administration to provide greater transparency regarding the decision-making process that led to these layoffs,” and asked for “a clear and detailed explanation of the criteria used for these decisions and how they align with the university’s longterm strategic goals.”
“I can’t adequately describe how dehumanizing this entire process has felt for these folks. Many of these employees have been working for SFU for 10, 15, or 20+ years,” Gosyne said. She added that staff were called into a meeting and “were not told that the scheduled meeting was a position elimination; they were not allowed to ask questions, or if they did, they were refused answers.” She added that staff were only given budget cuts as the reason for their position being eliminated, but “some of these positions were crucial to the department and likely student life.”
The Peak reached out to SFU inquiring about their decisionmaking process, the demographics of the overall administrative staff, and the overlap between the positions eliminated and staff who were on leave. SFU responded with a statement citing budget challenges: “Declining international student
enrollment has had an impact on our financial situation, as have other cost pressures such as inflation. Information about this situation and actions the university has been taking have been communicated regularly and widely across our community this past winter and spring.”
I can’t adequately describe how dehumanizing this entire process has felt for these folks. Many of these employees have been working for SFU for 10, 15, or 20+ years.
LAKSHMI GOSYNE
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS AT ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL STAFF ASSOCIATION
In their statement, the SFSS said, “We emphasize that it is the university’s responsibility, not the student society’s, to ensure the provision of critical services that support our academic journey.” Gosyne explained, “If the university worked with these employee groups and their members, consulted with us in a meaningful way and allowed us to consult with our members, we would have been able to create a better way to support the university with its budget issues. Instead, the layoffs that happened in May and the subsequent announcement of hiring APEX positions make many affected members question if a budget was really the reason these positions were eliminated in the first place.”
In a statement to The Peak, SFU explained that APEX staff refer to Administrative Professional Excluded Staff and are administrative employees who are not a part of APSA “due to the nature of their work.” They added, “This group includes members of the executive, senior leaders, human resources, legal, Board office roles and other roles that may put an employee in a conflict of interest between their duties and their affiliation with an employee group.” Out of the 37 roles open, five are APEX positions.
This is a ongoing story that The Peak will continue to cover.
PHOTO: KRITI MONGA / THE PEAK
MICHELLE YOUNG · COPY EDITOR
Climate change is a class issue
Those with less privilege can’t afford to ignore climate change
In an East Prairie Metis Settlement, the atmosphere has ashened, accompanied by an orange tinge and smokey clouds in the sky. Trees burn and homes are destroyed, causing the community in this reserve to be displaced. About 385 kilometres northwest of this region is the unaffected city of Edmonton. While both of these places are governed by the same province, one region suffers exponentially more than the other. Many of us live comfortably in a suburban or urban area, away from the harsh reality of environmental degradation. We often believe the effects of climate change are approaching us, but when we zoom out, we may not be aware of how climate change currently impacts marginalized communities, especially lower-income people and countries.
The terms climate change and global warming are often confused with each other, and it can be easy to feed into the notion that climate change is eventually going to affect everyone. While that’s true to some extent, climate change tends to impact those living in lower socioeconomic conditions much more than the rest of the population. To understand this, it’s integral to differentiate between climate change and global warming. The difference is described well in a video series called The Climate Explainers. The series likens global warming to one big house with multiple rooms, while climate change impacts each room differently. While the house being affected may cause problems for everyone residing in it, certain rooms tend to bear the brunt harder than others. The entire world is being affected by global warming, but climate change is disproportionately impacting the living conditions of lower-income communities and countries.
According to the United Nations, between 25 million and one billion people — especially those residing in lower-income socioeconomic conditions — will be displaced due to climate change by 2050. Because that number indicates a future problem, it may be easy to overlook the issue in the present day. However, the same report states that tens of millions of people have already been displaced or killed across the world due to climate disasters. This is a clear indication that climate change is not going to just affect the future — it’s affecting the present at an alarming rate.
The reason why the daunting reality of climate change is often hidden from many of us is due to privilege. It is a privilege to not have to worry about ecological disasters. According to the World Bank, “only one-tenth of the world’s greenhouse gases are emitted by 74 lowest income countries,” and yet their number of natural disasters has increased by eight times in the last 10 years. Various new industries are now accelerating the consequences of climate change, a prominent one being artificial intelligence (AI). The carbon footprint required to power AI models will measure up to 14% of the global carbon emissions by 2040.
It is a privilege to not have to worry about ecological disasters.
Additionally, electronic waste (or e-waste, which contaminates soil and water with lead and mercury) produced by the AI industry will measure up to 120 million metric tonnes per year by 2050. That can cause health issues for those residing near where that waste is produced or disposed of. One study found that “China and certain countries within Africa receive up to 80% of the world’s e-waste.” Disposing of these materials is particularly difficult for “low and middle-income countries,” leading to adverse health effects. While AI can be perceived as a useful tool, it is not worth the environmental degradation or human rights abuses.
Most individuals are aware the world is heating up, and most do not outright deny the existence of climate change. Instead of only acknowledging that climate change will affect our future, we need to acknowledge how it has already affected those who are less privileged, and advocate for better climate policies. Climate change for the privileged is an issue for the future, but climate change for those who aren’t is an evergrowing issue of the present day.
The Bright-er Side
The atmospheric experience of the SkyTrain
The excitement of taking the SkyTrain pales in comparison to cars and buses.
Cars and buses are limited to groundlevel views within a congested traffic system. The SkyTrain, on the other hand, offers comfy and scenic views of the city landscape, mountains, and waterfronts. It offers a more accessible and modernized form of travel with the system being automated and efficient. The stations are operational with maps and convenience stores that make travel more comfortable. Even with the occasional technical difficulties, employees usually service the train and resolve delays at a rapid rate.
The SkyTrain is also more environmentally friendly than other vehicles. Being fully electric, it not only reduces greenhouse gases, but also reduces the number of cars on the road. Public transit in general also gives passengers the opportunity to interact with community members — something not experienced when travelling solo. I believe that Vancouver’s SkyTrain allows for a more visually and socially rewarding experience than other vehicles.
PHOTO: SADIQ NAFEE / UNSPLASH
YILDIZ SUBUK · PEAK ASSOCIATE
PHOTO: DIEGO MAZZ / UNSPLASH
SAMUEL AKHIBI SFU STUDENT
OPINIONS IN DIALOGUE Should we worry about
performative activism?
Content warning: brief mentions of death and police brutality.
Performative activism refers to actions taken by someone to project a persona of allyship without true dedication to the cause in their personal life. This can include sharing social media posts to uphold a desired image. Many have expressed valid concern over rising levels of performative activism, but what can we do about it? How do you know the intentions behind someone’s post, especially if you don’t know them personally? Does calling people out for performative activism detract from opportunities to educate?
OLIVIA: Allyship is something that looks different for everyone. While you often can’t know a stranger or acquaintance’s intentions when it comes to their activism, that also doesn’t mean you should make blanket assumptions about their motive. Performative activism is a product of your intent rather than your actions. One instance that comes to mind is #BlackoutTuesday. When people changed their Instagram profile pictures to black squares in recognition of George Floyd and police brutality, others expressed caution about the movement. Many critics have rightfully discussed how #BlackoutTuesday was, for many, a fleeting moment of performative support for Black lives. At the same time, mass demonstrations of support are powerful, and #BlackoutTuesday was spearheaded by Brianna Agyemang and Jamila Thomas, two Black women music executives and activists. I don’t think it’s fair to say people shouldn’t involve themselves in a movement to avoid seeming performative — rather, we should continually evaluate our intentions and make sure our actions line up.
Another example is Orange Shirt Day — a day meant to recognize the legacy of residential schools and honour those affected by them. Some have discussed how the movement has spurred performative activism, but it’s more nuanced than saying a shirt itself is the issue. Orange Shirt Day was founded by Phylis Webstad, a Northern Secwpemc residential school survivor from the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation. Webstad’s orange shirt was “stripped from her” after arriving at a residential school. “The colour orange has always reminded me of that and how my feelings didn’t matter,” she recalled. IndigiNews reported that “if you didn’t know Webstad’s story, you could be forgiven for thinking that Orange Shirt Day is a day for buying and selling orange shirts, and little else,” adding that “what began as a well-intentioned act of solidarity has been tainted by capitalism.” Meaningful movements often get wrapped up in corporate profit, which is why it’s so important to support and uplift the voices of those you’re standing up for.
YASMIN: Calling people out for performative activism does nothing to actually help — it just demeans the pursuit of standing up for a cause and, in turn, discourages and puts people down for trying. I can understand that when sharing a post, one may not know much about the topic at hand. While I agree that online demonstrations of support are powerful, online activism often loses its impact when it becomes a trend to showcase your support without understanding the intent behind it. It’s easy to be influenced by your friends or public figures on social media and be pressured into sharing or reposting content despite your lack of education on the subject.
Back in 2020, I reposted a lot of stories regarding the Black Lives Matter protests. While I did believe in the cause and I was talking to the people around me about it, in retrospect I was neglecting my own self-education about the topic. I believe that first and foremost people should be wellinformed on a subject before clicking share, especially with the presence of unreliable news sources and social media posts. For a high school research paper, I used AllSides, a site that compares and contrasts biases in news. I found that by isolating the hidden biases in individual articles, it was easier for
me to learn about topics. People shouldn’t rely on social media alone for their activism. Changing your profile picture, reposting a story, putting an emoji in your bio — these are all ways of showing your support through a screen. But, they shouldn’t be the extent of your support. Educating yourself, engaging in dialogue, attending rallies or protests, and donating if you can are all acts that contribute to change.
OLIVIA: Small modes of action are important and add up. It’s also worth considering that there are people who can’t attend rallies or organize offline, whether due to disability or various life conflicts. Online activism is valid, and while for many it’s just one part of their allyship, this isn’t true for everyone. Considering how easy it is to reach a mass audience online, social media movements can and do make waves. The #MeToo movement comes to mind, which saw women across the world sharing their experiences with misogyny and sexual abuse. It resulted in many men in positions of high power being called out and boycotted by brands and labels. Today, the #FreePalestine movement has brought crucial information to the news feeds of many who may not otherwise be up to date with current events — especially considering the biased and incomplete reporting from some publications. In cases like these, social media activism has the potential to fill the gaps in mainstream media coverage.
However, you’re right that misinformation (and even disinformation) runs rampant in online spaces — even when intentions are good. Last week, The Lancet published a report estimating that the death toll in Gaza may eventually reach 186,000. Many publications and social media users misinterpreted the article and claimed it says the current death toll is 186,000. While the prediction being made isn’t any less significant, it goes to show how important it is to fact-check your information before sharing. Cross-checking your information with multiple credible news sources is important, as many of these misinterpretations came from Instagram graphics. I’m not saying that online activism is performative in this case, but that it comes with a level of responsibility to avoid spreading misinformation.
YASMIN: Absolutely. Outreach and advocacy knows no bounds, and whatever someone is able to do for a cause should be valued and acknowledged. Online traction is essential for movements, especially those that uplift marginalized groups. The #MeToo movement is a great example of women coming together to engage in dialogue about their experiences and also bringing light to those at fault or who refuse to take action. With enough traction and attention online, it carries over into realworld consequences.
Something that crosses my mind are protests or shows of activism that seem to backfire from their original intent. I think back to the environmental activists who threw soup at the Mona Lisa. Sure, there are different forms of protest and activism, but I feel like the point is lost when it comes to disruptive acts like that. It’s good to have spirit but it’s even better to know how to direct it wisely and effectively.
Just searching things up online, coming to a conclusion, and leaving it at that, isn’t right. Talking with your peers and engaging in conversations about an issue, especially with a variety of people, broadens our understanding about topics and can even strengthen our beliefs. I do believe there should be a line drawn at some point between progressive discussion and hostile disagreement — but that’s ultimately in the hands of whoever’s participating. Effective activism is rarely, if ever, an individual effort. That’s why it’s so important to make sure we continue doing what we can and having these conversations outside of social media when possible.
OLIVIA VISSER · OPINIONS EDITOR
YASMIN HASSAN · STAFF WRITER
PHOTO: SOLEN FEYISSA / UNSPLASH
The avian flu pandemic needs more attention
A 52% human mortality rate is serious
KAJA ANTIC · STAFF WRITER
Avian influenza, specifically the highly contagious and infectious subtype H5N1, has seen increasing cases worldwide since 2020. As its name suggests, the virus is primarily found in birds, but it’s also been found in at least 26 mammals since its classification in 1996. Humans have also contracted the H5N1 avian flu, with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting 889 human cases between 2003 and 2024 — 463 of those cases being fatal. While some continue to ignore the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is another taking hold across the globe that also deserves attention.
The Canadian government has stated that it’s “currently responding” to rising global cases of H5N1. Since 2022, there have been 3,150 positive cases of the virus in Canadian wildlife, and since 2021, over 11 million domesticated birds have been impacted by H5N1. While there have been no reported cases of human-to-human transmission of the virus, the WHO has stated that there is an “enormous concern” with the rampant spread of H5N1, describing it as a global animal pandemic. There have been an estimated tens of millions of affected poultry, with large crossover with mammalian infections. Mammalian infection can lead to higher chances of human infection, which should be concerning considering the 52% mortality rate.
H5N1’s transmission is primarily through materials like feces and saliva, which differs from COVID-19’s airborne quality. Even though H5N1 exposure is less likely in daily life, the
AI isn’t just unethical, it’s inaccurate
Artificial intelligence isn’t so intelligent after all
HAILEY MILLER STAFF WRITER
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is unethical, and it takes away from our originality and skill development. There are many reasons to avoid AI chatbots and writing assistants, at all cost, but what’s the point of using them when they’re extremely inaccurate in the first place?
AI platforms like ChatGPT and Grammarly were never great to begin with, but as of recent months they’ve been going further downhill. A 2023 study shows that ChatGPT has become less accurate over time and reports on certain information — notably medical and legal — with a level of inaccuracy that’s deeply concerning. ChatGPT and other AI platforms such as company chatbots have also reported information that isn’t real, or events that never happened. An Air Canada chatbot gave bad advice for plane tickets to a customer, and, as a result, the airline company had to pay compensation based on their misleading information.
Using a more personal example, if you ask ChatGPT about the ghost at The Peak’s offices, it’ll reply with this: “The office ghost at The Peak, Simon Fraser University’s student newspaper, is a lighthearted and longstanding legend among and contributors. The ghostly presence is often playfully referenced by members of The Peak as part of the newspaper’s lore and culture.” For your reference, this has never been a topic of conversation among staff.
The inaccuracy of AI is not only legally concerning and confusing — it’s harmful. It has significant consequences that aren’t good for any usage, whether professional, academic, or creative. We can’t rely on or trust inaccurate content. When AI
high mortality rate should be more worrying to government health officials than it currently is. Canada may not have had a confirmed human case of the H5N1 in a decade, but scientists have noticed mutations resulting in previously unaffected species being infected with the virus. Typically, mammals are exposed to H5N1 by eating contaminated poultry. However, an outbreak at a Spanish mink farm in 2022 was the result of “mammal-to-mammal” transmission. And while humans outside the livestock industry are at a low risk of infection, viruses are known to evolve — often unexpectedly.
By now we are aware of actions that should be taken during a global pandemic, yet it seems like the world is slow to catch up. With the slow action taken against COVID-19, you’d think governments would hesitate to make the same mistakes — though it seems unimportant in the offices of world leadership. There have been trials since 2006 testing a potential vaccine against the H5N1 virus subtype, though there has not yet been a large-scale roll out of preventative vaccinations. The European Medicines Agency currently has three authorized vaccines meant to prevent a pandemic: Foclivia, Adjupanrix,
and Pandemic
American Food and Drug Administration has also approved a vaccine named Audenz, though there has yet to be any widespread vaccination efforts in the US.
The avian flu is not new, and yet, the preventative measures taken to reduce spread, increase awareness, and produce vaccines is not adequate to combat the highly transmissible and highly deadly virus. With the COVID-19 pandemic, reports found that the initial response from governments and health officials was delayed. As the H5N1 strain of the avian flu has been known for decades to have many negative effects on humans and animals, you would think there would be quicker action to combat the ever-evolving pandemic.
With millions of animals and hundreds of people affected by the H5N1 pandemic worldwide, there should be more action taken to prevent even more horrific outcomes. While H5N1 may not be an immediate threat to humanity, it very well could be one day, and the world needs to take proper action before the circumstances get that dire.
Any work generated with AI will never compare to properlyresearched content.
is used in pieces of writing, it’s evident the work is not original. AI is a waste of time — it fails to provide accurate information, struggles to write a proper draft or paper, and is often too robotic to sound genuine. The risk of misinformation and
a chance your result will be inaccurate or even plagiarized from someone else’s work. In the academic world, AI takes away our ability to learn and absorb content. Unlike properly researching information from books or scholarly databases, most AI software doesn’t disclose sources for their responses. We will never learn about the world around us if we rely on inaccurate or incomplete information, and any work generated with AI will never compare to properly-researched content. It isn’t fair that those who choose not to use AI do all the difficult work and research, only to have their work either stolen by AI or in competition with those who used it.
Consequences stemming from AI errors need to be taken seriously. Corporations and organizations found to be using AI should face social pressure to stop their use of these programs. Education institutions should create universal mandates surrounding AI usage, and hold students accountable. If you really care about the quality of your work, you should avoid AI at all costs — it’s not helping you as much as you may think.
influenza vaccine H5N1 AstraZeneca. The
PHOTO: THOMAS IVERSON / UNSPLASH
PHOTO: MATHEUS BERTELLI / PEXELS
BC PROVINCIAL
ELECTION: CANDIDATES, ISSUES, AND VOTING
General election day is October 19, here’s what you need to know
The provincial election is coming up soon, and for some of us it may be our first time voting in one — or just voting in general! While the election itself is not until October 19, it’s not too early to know who you’ll be able to vote for, what the different parties’ platforms are, when voting dates are, and where to vote.
Voter registration can be done online, by telephone (1-800-661-8683), in person at a registration drive, or directly at the Elections BC offices. To qualify for registration, you must be a Canadian citizen, over 18 years old, and have lived in BC for at least six months before the final voting day on the 19
How do BC elections work?
Every seat in the provincial legislature is voted on by the citizens of electoral districts, or ridings, which are geographical subdivisions. Each district usually has a candidate for each party, and whichever candidate gets the most votes in their district, earns the seat. The total number of seats each party earns determines how much power they hold in the legislative assembly. The party with the most elected candidates is typically the winner, with the party’s leader serving as premier.
When can I vote?
While the official election day is October 19, you can vote before then! Advance voting will be available at select locations from October 10–13 and October 15–16. Voter registration can be done online, by telephone (1-800-661-8683), in person at a registration drive, or directly at the Elections BC offices. To qualify for registration, you must be a Canadian citizen, over 18 years old, and have lived in BC for at least six months before the final voting day on the 19.
Where do I vote?
For the 2024 provincial election, new electoral districts have been created to better accommodate BC’s growing population. Elections BC has created a map where you can enter your address and learn more about your new district boundaries. There are also preliminary locations released for the general election day, as well as advanced voting days. These locations won’t be finalized until closer to the election, and once you register, you will receive a “Where to Vote” card that includes the advanced and general voting locations for your electoral districts. If you would prefer to vote via mail, the last day to request a voting package is October 13, which you can order over the phone or online.
Voting is an important part of adulthood, as it not only affects our lives, but affects those around the province. We have the right to vote, and the responsibility to exercise our opinions in a democratic society. Whether by mail or in-person, if you meet the requirements for voter registration, I highly encourage you to do so. Keep up with campaign news, learn the MLA candidates in your district, research their policy positioning, and get out to the booths!
BC New Democratic Party
Current seats: 55
Leader: David Eby
Conservative Party of BC Current seats: 4
Leader: John Rustad
BC Green Party
Current seats: 2
Leader: Sonia Furstenau
BC United (formerly known as BC Liberals)
Current seats: 24
Leader: Kevin Falcon
The BC NDP principles revolve around creating an affordable province for everyone, reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, fighting climate change, and prioritizing the working class and small businesses. They’ve held the majority of seats since 2017, taking over from the then-BC Liberals.
The party has yet to release an official platform for the 2024 election, though much of the proposed 2024–25 budget has indicated what their focus will be for the fall: While they have projected a deficit of $7.9 billion, the party says those deficits come in the form of benefits for “ordinary British Columbians.” This includes a $248 million one-time bonus to the BC Family Benefit fund (where roughly 340,000 families will receive an average of $445), a one-time BC Hydro credit off-setting about $100 per consumer per year, and a 10% increase to the Climate Action Tax credit, among other changes. While these aren’t new programs, the increments are meant to curb the burden of high living costs in the province for middle and low-income earners. However, some have criticized the budget. BC United’s finance critic Peter Milobar, argues the NDP has a “spending problem.” He pointed out that the new taxes and
The Conservative Party of BC’s principles lie in individual liberty and freedom, social responsibility, and an economic model with minimal government interference. The party is led by MLA John Rustad, who was removed from BC United after questioning the legitimacy of climate change science regarding carbon emissions being harmful to the environment. Rustad briefly served as an Independent MLA, before joining the provincial Conservatives, becoming leader as the only Conservative MLA to hold a seat.
The policies of the Conservative party echo similar declarations as BC United:
Environment: The party wants to scrap the carbon tax — a federal mandate which can’t be repealed by the provincial government. They also aim to expand production and exportation of liquified natural gas, and build more pipelines for the transport of oil and natural gas. Some of their other policies include encouraging the sustainable development of BC’s resource industries, such as mining, hydro-electricity, and fishing — they plan to hold activists protesting resource development legally and financially accountable.
increments to existing ones have resulted in billions in revenue, which he claims, is coming from “small businesses or average British Columbians.”
At the biennial BC NDP convention in November, Eby and hundreds of delegates discussed key priorities for the party going forward. Notable policies that were agreed upon include:
· Expanded speculation and vacancy tax — which aims to reduce the amount of vacant housing by taxing owners who leave units empty, ensuring foreign owners contribute to Canada’s tax system.
· Combating high grocery prices with a proposed price cap on essential goods at the federal level.
· Increasing climate action initiatives — they will continue and expand CleanBC policies, which is the government’s official plan to further reduce emissions and promote sustainable practices.
· Improving rural health care services, though the NDP has not elaborated on their plans to do this.
The BC Green Party is part of the Global Greens network, meaning they follow sustainability, participatory democracy, social justice, ecological wisdom, non-violence, and respect for diversity as their core principles. The party is largely concerned with the electorate’s “wellness and all issues that impact it,” which includes healthcare, housing, climate action, businesses, and more. The party has been led by Sonia Furstenau since 2020, who has been a Vancouver Island-based MLA with the party since 2017.
While the Green Party’s 2024 platform is still unavailable, their BC Green Policy document provides insights into their goals:
Healthcare: The party supports accessible and publicly funded healthcare for all, with a focus on preventive care and early intervention. Other policies include stricter standards for mental health providers, evidence-based strategies and safe supply access for substance use, and prioritizing accessibility and economic support for people with disabilities.
Education: Convervative plan to remove “ideology” from classrooms, however, the party isn’t clear on what “ideology” entails. Other policies include supporting parental choices in their children’s education, provide funding to all forms of education, including public, private, or homeschooling. Finally, the party also intends to re-allocate post-secondary funds towards medicine and engineering rather than arts and social sciences.
Healthcare: The party plans to repeal vaccine requirements and rehire government and healthcare workers who were fired due to them. They also intend to reform the healthcare system, allowing private clinics, reducing wait times, and increasing doctors and nurses by funding and supporting training programs. Other policies include re-opening mental health facilities, ending safe supply of illicit drugs, and rehabilitation.
Content warning: mention of residential schools. Rustad has held numerous transphobic stances in his term, such as a failed bill to ban trans athletes from publicly-funded sports, and compared the “genocide of Indigenous children in residential schools” to the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools, as both were impeding so-called “parental rights.”
Social and Economic: The party promotes income security through a “livable income, low-cost housing, and increased employment opportunities.” Other policies in this area include affordable childcare, promoting intercultural programs led by BIPOC communities to tackle racism, and tackling inequalities in the criminal justice system by collecting disaggregated race data. The party also endorses the integration of Indigenous knowledge and comprehensive climate education.
Environment: The party goals for the environment revolve around “protection, restoration, and remediation.” One of their priorities is to support greenhouse gas reduction targets, ending subsidies for fossil fuels and halting related industries’ expansion, and expanding the carbon tax. Other policies include support for biodiversity conservation by funding conservation efforts and expanding protected areas, support the development of renewable energy projects, and responsible forest, water, and resource management
BC United currently holds the second-largest number of seats in the BC legislative assembly. The party is losing support across the province, with a decrease in funding, defecting candidates, and an increasing number of MLAs leaving to join the Conservative Party.
BC United’s platform for the 2024 election includes proposals for the environment, everyday living costs, housing, and more. Their policies are:
Affordability: To combat high living expenses, they’ve proposed reducing carbon tax hikes, which they argue will also reduce grocery prices. Other proposals include the removal of the electric vehicle subsidy, which they argue only benefits the wealthy. They also plan on affordable child care for all low and middle-class families.
Environment: The party plans to scrap the NDP’s CleanBC climate action plan, as they argue it’s not beneficial for the environment and it’ll come at the expense of jobs. However, in 2023, BC’s environment minister said the NDP’s plan made progress to climate action, as “the province has cut oil and gas methane emissions by 50%” and “22% of new vehicles sold are zero-emission.” Some other proposals by BC United include revamping firefighting services, prioritizing local experience and response teams for wildfire
management, and investing $200 million in revitalizing BC’s habitats.
Safety and healthcare: The party proposes strengthening the justice system by hiring more police, and preventing violent offenders from being released and posing danger to the public. The party also plans to reverse the decriminalization of controlled substances, a measure which has been effective in reducing stigma and drug mortality rates in some of the cities which have implemented it. For healthcare, the party plans to make treatments affordable and treatment beds available to those who need them, and hire back unvaccinated healthcare workers.
Housing and education: BC United intends to establish a rent-to-own program for first-time buyers, and require developers set 15% of participating developments as part of this program. The party will also require universities to provide enough housing for domestic students before accepting international students. For education, they plan to ensure “kids learn the basics and get back to improved results,” which would include reimplementing letter grades, banning cellphones in class, and including parents in the education system, though there is no mention of how these actions correlate to an improved academic output.
Getting shipped away at Junction Public Market
Explore what the Granville Square market has to offer
YASMIN HASSAN · STAFF WRITER
What hides among the tall and looming towers of the Financial District in Vancouver? The Junction Public Market, that’s what! It’s not something that immediately catches your eye and you do have to search for it, but it’s all worth it. With free entry and opening Tuesdays–Sundays (and holiday Mondays) from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., what’s not to love? It’s a short walk up from Waterfront station and is nestled right atop Granville Square, which overlooks the water by Canada Place. I suggest taking transit or walking part of the way as pay parking around the area is quite pricey! Let’s delve into what this quaint nook of a market has to offer, shall we?
If you’re sensing a common theme here with my market reviews, yes, I love being by the water! Something about browsing for trinkets while listening to the faint sound of seagulls and seeing the summer sun glimmering on the currents of the strait just does it for me.
When I first approached the market, I was mesmerized by the array of vendors that were set up in a maze-like fashion, all in shipping containers (what an ode to the shipping dock that was just in view!). I first ventured over to Neo Naturelle, as their skincare and natural soaps caught my eye. Then, I perused Soumak Boutique, which sold gorgeous handmade Middle Eastern crafts ranging from bags, to rugs, to ivory mosaic chess sets. Another vendor I found interesting was All The Good Things From BC, which offered an array of T-shirts, art pieces, and more. The shop gives back to the community by donating to the Indian Residential School Survivors Society and BC Parks Foundation. The last one that caught my eye was EGG Atelier. They offer cute handmade crochet creations that I couldn’t help but ogle over.
I started indulging in the market’s culinary delights by quenching my thirst at the Sipping Container. I had a refreshing can of Wards Cider, which is grown and made here in the Okanagan. I wanted to get something hearty, so my friend and I tried out Yo-Bones
BBQ. He got the pork back ribs, but since I can’t eat pork, I opted for the BBQ pulled chicken sandwich. He said that the ribs were phenomenal, and as much as my sandwich was messy to eat, it was the best tasting mess I’ve had in a while! Finally, I decided to seal the deal with a sweet, egg-shaped custard cake from Meiggo Eggo. The time I happened to go — around 1:30 p.m. during their second week of opening — there weren’t many food vendors open, but the website has a list of them all!
As I sat down to enjoy my dessert, I noticed the crowds of people all sitting in the shade around a tree, shying away from the hot rays of sun. There were transit operators and office workers taking a lunch break, people passing their time, or friends sitting in a circle and enjoying their food from the market. In this intimate outdoor space, so many walks of life all came together to enjoy the sun, the market, and the bustling city that surrounds it. If you happen to be downtown, take an hour or two to stop by and indulge yourself in local culture and food. You’ll thank me later!
When: July 26: 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. and July 27: 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Where: Roundhouse Community Arts and Recreation Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver
Admission: Free!
The Vancouver Art Book Fair will showcase a variety of authors locally, across Canada, and around the world. Local authors and artists featured include Cathy Busby, Dawn Lo, Feiya Zhang, and Daniel Robert Hawkins. This event will be held in the heart of Yaletown for the start of the weekend, and will be followed by a symposium on July 28 at Emily Carr University of Art & Design from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The weekend will present programs, performances, and projects from over 100 authors, publications, and galleries — including works from books, magazines, zines, and more!
When: July 22–28, various times
Where: Various locations in the Eastside Arts District
Admission: Varies
For an entire week, the Eastside Arts Society will present CREATE! Throughout this arts festival, a variety of events, hands-on artistic programs, classes, and experiences will be open to the public. This includes art studios, live mural painting, public art installations, and more. While there, you can also enjoy the beer garden, craft breweries, and food trucks. From Strathcona to East 4th avenue, immerse yourself in the arts, try your hand at a workshop, enjoy live performances, and support local artists.
When: Wednesdays July 3–Aug. 28, 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Where: Lot 19, 855 W Hastings, Vancouver
Admission: Free!
The Vancouver Visual Art Foundation presents Art Downtown, the 5th annual free event that will showcase the work of local artists like Taisha Teal, Maria Ramirez Osses, and more. This also includes performances by artists who have yet to be revealed, so be sure to visit to see which musicians pop up every week. This event will provide an open space for visitors to enjoy the summer weather while also celebrating local artists by learning about their various cultures and art forms. Art Downtown was created as an “open-air gallery and artist studio” that helps unify individuals with the arts.
When: July 26: 5:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m., and July 27 and 28: 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Where: Russian Hall, 600 Campbell Ave., Vancouver
Admission: Adults: $15, Youth: $5, Children under 12: $5 or entrance with any toy or book. Tickets available at the door.
For three days, Leaky Heaven will be producing Slip Slap Trip Wack. This show will bring the imaginary worlds of eight to 12 year old children to life from artists and youth who live near the Russian Hall, where the showcase is taking place. The performance will encourage collaboration from the audience by having them watch and participate. The concept behind the piece is a reminder for kids to be kids, and for adults to find joy in the little things and not lose their sense of playfulness and light. Taking inspiration from Our Gang and The Little Rascals of the 1920s, Slip Slap Trip Wack will have you reminiscing about your childhood while joining in on the fun.
PHOTOS: ZOBIA KHALID / THE PEAK
Campus shopping experiences at New Gen Markets
Find this market at UBC, SFU, and beyond
Step into a cute and quaint world of shopping at New Gen Markets! Many SFU students may already be familiar with this market, as they’ve set up stalls on the Burnaby campus many times this year. One too many times I’ve been late to lectures, work, or even missed a bus due to these small businesses’ alluring products. As “a new generation of small biz’s uniting,” this market provides opportunities for shoppers, vendors, and those looking to build connections with one another.
Every few weeks, New Gen Markets will park themselves at a new or frequented area to give their customers an opportunity to shop in a variety of settings. Their locations vary from being in the city’s most populated areas, such as Robson Street, to universities such as UBC and SFU. I visited their marketplace on June 9 at Surrey Civic Centre. There were so many wonderful stalls to check out such as fine jewellery from Juve Collection and AW DESIGNS, as well as divine handmade candles by Loft & Light Atelier. Juve Collection is an AQ staple and the perfect place to grab accessories like a gold pendant or delicate leg chain to spruce up your outfit before heading to class.
You can satisfy your hunger with some of New Gen’s foodie favs like delicious cookies from Connie’s Cravings, drinks from the popular mobile tap bar The Rollin’ Taps, and mouthwatering elotes (Mexican grilled corn) from Los Elotes, a
reoccurring must-have. Many of these food stalls also offer premade snacks, such as pastries and cookies, which are perfect for indulging in mid-transit ride.
Each of these businesses have their own story and sustainable practices, from handpicked ingredients to reselling new items from older materials. New Gen combines elements of traditional flea markets while supplying unique products focusing on the most recent or popular fads, and brings them to university campuses for students to check out in their free time. Products can range from sporty, hand-picked fashion must-haves at Baldylox Thrifts to reusable press-ons from Kelly’s Choice.
New Gen’s other business, New Gen Social, hosts events to help entrepreneurs and business networks flourish through immersive experiences. They launched their first “Mix and Mingle” event in May, where business owners can connect. They also offer appetizers and a free drink — the only requirement is to purchase a ticket through Eventbrite.
It’s great having markets like these located only steps away from our lecture halls — taking a short break to peruse some local products might introduce you to your next favourite local business! Don’t fret if you missed their visits to SFU, as you can sign up to their newsletter and follow their Instagram to get notified of the next pop-ups to add to your calendar.
How to spend a day in . . . Downtown Langley
Downtown Langley blends a small-town vibe with the liveliness of a city. This place showcases the talent and culture of artists such as Langley muralist Judy Pohl. An afternoon walk here can reveal the beauty and culture of Langley with attractions such as shops, art, and nature. In Downtown Langley, you’re bound to find something to pique your interest, so here is a guide on how to spend a day in this charming town.
If you’re feeling tired, you can energize before starting your day with a coffee or tea from Hot & Toasty Café, which is home to creamy matcha lattes that match the lime-green colour of the walls. Cozy Bean Bakery is another option for your morning caffeine-kick, where you can enjoy a s’mores drink or sparkling lemonade while sitting near their hand-painted windows. This area along the Fraser Highway boasts a variety of cafés and restaurants, making it a fantastic spot to begin your adventure. If you’re in the mood for brunch, EGG BOMB is an excellent choice. While they do have lovely egg-based dishes, their honey butter bread is a must-try. Make a reservation in advance though, as this restaurant is quite popular.
After fuelling up, explore the thrift stores just up the street, each with their own unique charm. Cherry Pick Vintage provides a comforting atmosphere with their lighting, cozy seating area, and friendly staff. Nova & Co Consignment Shop is a classy boutique where you can bring your sparsely-used clothing to find them a new home. Thrifters’ Paradise and PENNY PINCHER are budgetfriendly options with more than just clothing up for purchase — I was able to get a pot for just 50 cents at PENNY PINCHER.
For later in the day, don’t miss Krazy Bob’s Music Emporium. This gem offers CDs, cassettes, vinyls, and more at very affordable prices. Plus, the sweet-yet-hilarious staff often give out small free gifts, enhancing the overall experience. A few minutes’ walk away is the Hayloft Vintage Mall, a large space with piles and piles of antique furniture and small decorative pieces such as pillows, candles, vases and tables — all of which you’re sure to get lost in.
Downtown Langley is renowned for its beautiful murals, making it perfect for a mural walk — visit the Downtown Langley website to plan your route. After, you can people watch or enjoy lunch at McBurney Plaza, an outdoor space that hosts local performers at various points during the summer. The Tacoholic Taco Shop is a great spot for authentic Mexican food, such as their street tacos and carnitas. Naka Bistro has tons of options in terms of vegetarian food, like their rama delight and tom yum soup — for most dishes, you can substitute any meat ingredient with vegetables or tofu. Looking for a place to eat and park for a bit with friends? The Raving Gamer Bistro lets you play board games while you eat and talk. You can take a look at which games they have available to play on their website.
When you’re ready to explore more, Sendall Gardens is just a 20-minute walk, bus ride, or five-minute drive from Downtown Langley, and hosts beautiful plants and wildlife. Nearby, check out the duck pond at the Nicomekl River Trail, or stop by the Pleasantdale Creek Trail. You can plan a bike trail or walking route by taking a look at what’s listed on the City of Langley website. Remember to stay safe and hydrated when doing so!
ZOBIA KHALID STAFF WRITER
PHOTO: AMRIT KAMAAL / THE PEAK
Saturday Fight Night
The vengeful Ah Choo vs. the undefeated Seasonal Allergies
IZZY CHEUNG · ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
Snee: Welcome back to another installment of Saturday Fight Night! My name is Snee, and tonight, I’ll be one of your co-hosts for this magnificent mid-summer matchup.
Zee: And I’m Zee, the other half of the broadcast. Boy, do we have a doozy for you all tonight! This square-off has long been in the making, dating back to the first time these two entities crossed paths.
Snee: That’s right, Zee! Under the bright spotlights of our stage, directly inside that boxing ring, these two are about to settle a beef that even Alberta can’t produce. Now, let’s meet our competitors!
Zee: Coming out of the right side, donning a snot green silk robe, we’ve got the challenger themselves — Ah Chooooooooooo!
Snee: Ah Choo comes into this fight with a bone to pick. They issued the challenge after countless years of pestering. It started with tickles in their nostrils and even escalated to scratches in their throat!
Zee: Scratches IN the throat?
Snee: You heard me, Zee! That’s why Ah Choo couldn’t take it anymore — they had to settle things once and for all, before they stuck a spoon down their throat in a fit of itchy anger.
Zee: That’s a tough case, Snee!
Snee: It really is. Now, coming out of the left side, sporting dandelion yellow, we have Seeeeeeasonal Allergies!
Zee: Seasonal Allergies has been a force in the fighting industry for years. Nobody’s beaten them.
Ding ding!
Snee: And the bell has been rung! Here comes Ah Choo with a quick right hook —
Zee: Oh, but Seasonal Allergies dodges it! Ah Choo makes another quick move, trying to sweep out Seasonal Allergies’ feet from underneath them —
Snee: But Seasonal Allergies pummels Ah Choo right in the face! Yow, that looked painful. Those eyes are going to be itchy for a long time.
Zee: Oh, but Ah Choo looks mad now, Snee. They look like they’re seeing red.
Snee: I think those are just the allergies, Zee.
Zee: Doesn’t matter now — here comes Ah Choo with a wild charge! They’re running like a bull!
Snee: But Seasonal Allergies handles that deftly with a blast of boogers! Oh boy, somebody better get the clean-up crew down there.
Zee: Ah Choo is out of control! Look at that sneeze!
Snee: They just sent themselves backwards with the force of that thing!
Zee: Oh, no — Ah Choo is down. The fight is over.
Snee: No, no, it’s not — Seasonal Allergies is advancing on Ah Choo. But, Ah Choo is already down!
Zee: Nothing can stop them once they’ve started, Snee. Not even overpriced medication.
Snee: Well, that’s a whole lot of sneezing and nose-blowing from inside the ring, Zee. I think that means our work here is done.
Zee: How long do you think Ah Choo will be like that for?
Snee: It’s hard to tell, Zee. It could be forever.
Zee: Well, that’s all from Saturday Fight Night, then. I’m your co-host, Zee.
Snee: And I’m your other co-host, Snee. We hope you enjoyed this week’s fight . . . though it wasn’t much of one.
Zee: It never is when Seasonal Allergies is your opponent.
Why do we live in a world where the only reward for hydrating is a large amount of piss?
C Icart ·
Humour Editor
Calling all members of the overhydration nation!
Why did you recruit me? I can’t live like this anymore; I have things to do other than constantly running to the bathroom. There is such a thing as performative hydration, and I’m calling it out today. There are THREE main ways this doctrine manifests online (which is the same as everyday life, duh).
WaterTok
This phenomenon taught us there is no consensus over what is and is not water. How many sugar-free Skittles drink packs can you add to your water bottle before it’s no longer water? In some ways, it’s similar to this question that also rocked the Internet: what corpse to water ratio would you not be willing to swim in? In other ways, it’s not similar at all, and I just wanted to squeeze that question in there. Edit: I’ve been asked to explain this for those of us who are not constantly surfing the web for little hits of dopamine. Humans sometimes swim in bodies of water that definitely have corpses in them, like oceans, but would not swim in a pool with a corpse in it. Thus, there is an acceptable corpse to water ratio to swim in. What’s yours? Discuss. Now let’s get back to our regularly scheduled programming. WaterTok makes drinking water (or juice or punch or wannabe KoolAid) an event, and the FOMO is causing me to chug more water than there was in Finding Nemo
Stanley Cup
It’s hard to believe that just earlier this year, people would bodycheck strangers at Target for this stainless steel bottle. Then, they would decorate it and attach fancy accessories to remind you they’re not poor. Many WaterTok beverages have been made in Stanley Cups. People attribute this behaviour to the cult of consumerism, but I think there’s a much darker truth behind this all. You know how some of us are just possessed by demons that make us overwater our plants? I think there’s a demon of overhydration that controls certain segments of the population. (Yes, I’m aware that that sentence made me sound like the type of person who would buy M.I.A’s tin foil hat that allegedly “blocks 5G waves”).
75 Hard
The 75 Hard challenge is the cockroach of fitness trends. It won’t dieeeee. I have beef with the entire thing, but I gotta stay locked in and talk about how this challenge is clearly pushed by Big Water. Why is it making people drink one GALLON (3.8 litres for the metric girlies) of water a day? I’m not a bio major so I cannot tell you how big my bladder is but it is not that big! Why is 75 Hard called a mental toughness program? It should be called a bladder toughness program! I have never had that much water in a day and I have still had days where my pee came out so clear I could bottle it and call it Dasani.
I never thought I’d say this, but clearly some of y’all have too much access to safe drinking water. You have forgotten how to act. I know you want to fight back against beverage companies like BlueTriton (Nestlé in a trenchcoat) extracting water in our communities for profit at the expense of the land and people. But chugging it all at once is not the solution. I am breaking free from the overhydration movement once and for all and I’m sure my toilet paper costs are going to go down too #FrugalEra.
Not a message from the president: Everything I missed in the 2023–24 community report
KAJA ANTIC STAFF WRITER
As we come to the end of this mundane, troublesome, and cost-ineffective academic year, it’s time to jog down memory lane and remember everything that happened this year. And yes, I mean everything
You have heard a lot from our administration this year as we steadfastly fought against paying our staff fair wages and tirelessly drew programs from a hat to see what to cut next. Lots of work was done for the betterment of our salaries!
We remain committed to our core values in the creatively named “What’s Next: The SFU Strategy.” We may have had some commitment issues in the past, but we promise this time is different! Just don’t ask the football team, cleaning staff, dining workers, or TSSU members, for example.
While faculty and staff contribute to this strategy, I will continue to take credit for it all! Without further ado, the most outstanding achievements of my administration — whether I should be proud of it or not:
UPHOLDING TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION
Continue to use the name Simon Fraser to represent the university. Why should I cut my pay to change a silly name? It’s not like it’s John A. Macdonald University. Get over yourselves! Simon was one of the good ones! Addressing colonialism by continuing to fund it through our support of Israeli military equipment, something a university that claims “budget issues” every month should definitely invest in.
ENGAGE IN GLOBAL CHALLENGES
Divert our Board of Governors meetings online to avoid facing any consequences for funding an ongoing genocide.
• Avoid difficult conversations on our contributions to the Israeli military industry by refusing to directly mention proPalestine protests during convocation ceremonies.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR BC
• Cutting the Interpretation and Translation and English Language and Culture programs to aid in the estrangementof newcomers to the Lower Mainland Closing the climbing wall to make students pay full prices at other climbing gyms in the province rather than accommodating their needs ourselves. Why on earth would we do that?
Contributing to the destruction of greenspaces by interrupting an environmental conservation area to build the long-overdue gondola.
Continuing to contribute to the rising cost of living in the area by increasing tuition and laying off staff. These contributions are crucial for the padding of my retirement fund!
TRANSFORM THE SFU EXPERIENCE
Close half of the athletics building, no one was using the pool anyway!
• Correction: we do have a swim team! Their space is just hidden away, and if we can’t see it, we can cut it! The football team should’ve just gone somewhere else.
Refuse to elaborate on the “red leaf” branding. No, you are not getting your mascot back. McFogg the Dogg is at a lovely farm in the Okanagan. Leave him alone!
• Scale back our cleaning team to make campus feel more like home. What? It’s not like you clean your bathroom at home every day, so why should we?
Removing our Woodward’s Cultural Programs so we can spend more money on conferences that are totally for advancing the university and not just for us to pad our LinkedIn connections lists. What more culture do we need anyway? We even have an Italian program, haven’t we done enough for you people?
THANK YOU
You all have sparked joy in my life this academic year unless you are one or more of the following:
TSSU member, cleaning staff, any member of any union, student-athlete, Health and Counselling user, mascot lover, current faculty member, current graduate student, current undergraduate student, raccoon in the convocation mall, alumnus who doesn’t give us money, searching for friends/ life on campus, international student, against our questionable military investments, or English (we have to stay with our Scottish roots that we only occasionally acknowledge).
See you all again soon, you’re stuck with me for another term!
