Aria Amirmoini, Puneet Aulakh, Cliff Ebora, Zobia Khalid, Yan Ting Leung, Victoria Lo, Mason Mattu, Sarah Sorochuck, Abigail Streifel, and Cindy Wang
COVER ARTWORK
Sonya Janeshewski
The Peak
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The Peak is SFU's weekly student newspaper published every Monday, by students, for students. We’re funded by a student levy and governed by a Board of Directors. Any SFU student can apply to become staff.
We reserve the right to edit submissions for length, as well as style, grammar, and legality. We also reserve the right to reprint submissions at any time, both in print and on web. We will not publish content that is sexist, racist, or otherwise prejudiced.
We acknowledge that The Peak’s office is located and our paper is produced, distributed, and read on the Unceded Coast Salish Territories of the xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), səlilwətaɬ (TsleilWaututh), Kwikwitlem (Coquitlam), Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo, and Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Peoples. Unceded means that this land was never surrendered, relinquished, or handed over in any way. We recognize that the unceded land that we occupy includes not only the SFU Burnaby campus, but extends to the land occupied by the Vancouver and Surrey campuses as well.
It will train the next generation of agrifood innovators who are in tune with community needs, are adaptable to changing circumstances on the ground, who think systematically, and can harness the power of technology to develop an equitable and sustainable food system for all.
TAMMARA SOMA ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF GIA
FIGHTING FOR FREE PRESS
When it comes to disciplining people for aggressive transphobia [ . . . ] the message many students are sent is that as a trans person, this university will not act to make your life easier.
BRIANNA PRICE
SFSS ACCESSIBILITY COORDINATOR
Something seemed to go awry beyond di culties with international student enrollment.
ANDREW BODEN APSA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Gross misuse of public funds is something I see time and time again at SFU, and that’s why we use these FOIs to start to look and dig into what’s going on — and it’s very troubling.
DEREK SAHOTA
TSSU MEMBER REPRESENTATIVE
We must destigmatize social housing
Rethinking home ownership benefits everyone
MANAL KASHIF · SFU STUDENT
Owning a home is a dream for many in today’s society. Yet, have we ever paused to consider when the pursuit of home ownership becomes less about affording a house and more about owning land? Who benefits from that, and who is left with the short end of the stick? The reality is that corporate greed and the commodification of housing have made it incredibly difficult for many to afford a home in this economy. There are more affordable housing options, such as housing co-ops or government-subsidized housing. However, stigma about alternative housing options reinforces stereotypes about marginalized groups — and ends up harming everyone who struggles with housing costs.
Housing co-operatives, also known as co-ops, differ from owning or renting. Co-ops provide housing to their members, who buy into a share of the cooperative as a whole but don’t own their units. They’re either run by private entities or subsidized by the government, such as through BC Housing. The Canadian government used to invest more money in social housing, but cut back its investments after the recession in the ‘80s. Nowadays, people often associate these affordable housing options with lowincome families and marginalized groups.
Many people are against social housing developments due to the assumption that they attract people with complex mental health and substance use issues. This August, some Richmond community members protested a “supportive housing project,” claiming the area would start to resemble Chinatown and lead to criminal activity. People from lowincome families are actually more likely to be victims of violent crime, and separating individuals based on marginalization only exacerbates inequality.
TECHNOLOGICAL COLONIALISM
How does this stigma relate to the reality of social housing? While it’s true that Canada has prioritized providing housing to vulnerable populations, it’s also important to note just how scarce these co-ops and subsidized housing options are. Only 3.5% of Canada’s housing stock is considered social housing, meaning there’s a high demand for such limited space. This leaves many people, including low-income and other marginalized folks, unable to access affordable housing. But the stigma that we as a society have built around social housing also impacts people such as students and others who would be considered middle-income. According to a survey by Ipsos, 80% of Canadians “believe that owning a home in Canada is now only for the rich.”
The growing opposition to new affordable housing developments goes against the self-interests of middle class folks as well.
The growing housing crisis in Canada is evident in a report from the National Bank of Canada, which said “housing
Buying the latest iPhone isn’t worth Congolese lives
Children are dying for your entertainment
Content warning: graphic descriptions of slavery child labour, and amputation.
As millions of people rush to buy the newest iPhone every year, we fail to address that at the very core of its existence is exploitation of the Congolese people.
With the advent of cellular phones came a new feature: rechargeable batteries. This was great for our carbon footprint, as it reduced a lot of waste. However, what these batteries contain is a mineral called cobalt, which is only found in a handful of countries. 70% of cobalt is extracted from mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and sold to a company in China to manufacture our phones. During the extraction process, Congolese people — including children — are forced to put their lives at risk in dangerous mines for a small amount of pay. This is something that isn’t new in our society; we can see the parallels with colonial occupation of land, and human lives for monetary return.
In 1885, King Leopold of Belgium decided to occupy and seize Congo for a “development project.” This resulted in the so-called “Congo Free State,” where forced labour and displacement were used as tactics to get minerals like rubber or ivory. In the seizure of these materials, a lot of abuse and torture occurred. People would get limbs amputated as punishment, or end up suffering from disease.
More than a century later, this abuse of power continues to play out in the DRC. These same power structures are still torturing and enslaving Congolese people, stripping them of basic rights. The systematic exploitation begins with forced evictions, where local communities are displaced from their ancestral lands to make way for mining operations. These evictions destroy entire ways of life that have sustained communities for generations. The environmental impact
is just as devastating, as mining operations contaminate vital water sources and soil, making it difficult for displaced communities to maintain their agricultural practices or access food and water. Their connections to the land are completely destroyed for monetary gain that benefits wealthier countries, and this is what we support when we give money to Apple.
Mining corporations exploit class divisions by targeting vulnerable populations who lack economic alternatives. When faced with extreme poverty and limited options, many Congolese people are coerced into working in very hazardous mining conditions. This is not a choice; it’s a modern form of slavery hidden behind “economic opportunity.” More than 40,000 children are refused an entire childhood just for this. While Apple itself is not employing these workers, they knowingly fund this exploitation by continuing to source cobalt from the DRC. And although Apple is looking to India for future battery sourcing, India is also expanding their imports of cobalt from the DRC.
The smartphone industry’s murky cobalt sourcing practices show the darker side of technology, particularly in the DRC where most cobalt originates from. Tech companies claim to have sourcing efforts in Rwanda in attempts to sanitize their image, but evidence says otherwise — the vast majority of mined cobalt comes from the DRC. Cobalt is extremely toxic to humans, and the fumes from these mines have been found to cause reproductive health issues and birth defects. In a challenge to big tech’s claims, Congolese families have filed a massive lawsuit to show how their children are being exploited. Children have also been voicing their distress, saying they want a future free from mining.
The good news is Apple promises to switch to recycled cobalt by 2025, but moving forward still requires a fundamental shift in how we approach resource extraction and technology production. Companies need to implement fair compensation
affordability nearly hit its worst levels since the 1980s [recession] in the fourth quarter of 2023.” The lack of available and affordable housing options normalizes the problem while pinning the blame on those who rely most on it.
Trying to tackle this stigma requires coming up with solutions for the housing crisis — which includes embracing alternative options to renting and home ownership. According to Global News, “nearly a third of Canadians are considering buying a home with others, renting out a secondary unit and other ‘non-traditional’ paths to ownership.” The fact of the matter is that people are influenced by the idealization of home ownership. But if social housing were more available and normalized for the general population, it would alleviate many financial struggles and reduce strain on the private housing market.
The negative impacts of looking down on affordable housing not only reach society as a whole, but also affect the SFU community. Many students find it difficult to afford housing, and as we have witnessed lately the increasing number of students sleeping on campus, it’s safe to say the situation is only getting worse. The idea of traditional home ownership is becoming less and less of a possibility now for the upcoming generations. This is why it’s important to break down stereotypes surrounding social housing. It’s time to rethink our society’s obsession with home ownership, and consider whether stigma is preventing us from exploring better alternatives.
ILLUSTRATION: CLIFF EBORA / THE PEAK
and safe working conditions, and grant fair economic opportunities to the communities they source from. But what can we as individuals do? Apple isn’t the only smartphone company sourcing materials made through slavery and child labour. However, they are the most popular brand, and people buy new devices from them on a yearly basis.
While it’s hard to make perfect decisions under capitalism, that doesn’t mean we can’t do anything. We can and should base our purchases on where companies source their materials for phones. Look into refurbished options if you need a new phone, or see if your phone can be repaired. Checking the repairability score of different models is another tip that can help guide your purchasing. At the end of the day, our society’s obsession with continually upgrading to the latest devices has conditioned us to believe overconsumption is a necessity. This not only leads to environmental harm, but contributes to injustices.
PHOTO: ARIA AMIRMOINI / THE PEAK
ZOBIA KHALID · SFU STUDENT
December 2–8
your weekly horoscopes
Your end-of-semester predictions are here!
Aries March 21–April 19
Your laptop is full of unfinished assignments, and that’s OK! What’s more merry and bright than cramming in last-minute papers and exams worth your entire grade? “Catchup Queen” is your middle name. Get to work, you study elf!
Cancer June 21–July 22
You’re a course survey queen. SFU loves you and your fiery little responses. Nothing exhilarates you more than spilling your guts on what you really think about your courses. You sugar-coat it to the perfect sprinkling of holiday magic, like curating a brutally honest holiday wishlist free from course bullshit.
Libra September 23–October 22
You stare wistfully out the window, longing for the autumn leaves and channelling your inner Grinch ‘cause you’d rather still be a goblin from Halloween, you pumpkin spice bitch! You refuse to believe that gingerbread spice is the exact same thing and that haunted houses are superior to gingerbread houses any time of year.
Capricorn
December 22–January 19
Brr, bitch! Time to fa la la la freeze your ass off on campus. Wrap up your semester like the firelog channel that’s burning on your TV. Nothing’s cozier than a fake crackling firelog to thaw your student snowman soul.
Taurus April 20–May 20
You really thought it was your last semester, didn’t you? Wrong! Your holiday wish won’t come true this year. Those pesky little writing, quantitative, and breadth credits are really putting a damper on your scholarly endeavours. Bah humbug! Happy holidays from the Grade Grinch yourself! Maybe next year, you’ll get a parchment in a degree tree.
Leo July 23–August 22
Ain’t no end-of-semester joy like enrollment issues! GoSFU is ho, ho, hopeless. Yule login to a blank screen wrapped in a bow under a tree of holiday stress this course enrollment season. Channel that stress to the enrollment elves and cheers to all your holiday wishes not coming true! All you want for Christmas is your two most important courses.
Gemini May 21–June 20
Time to be transported into a winter wonderland of reading, writing, and regretting every life decision you’ve ever made in your degree. How straight-A student like one who completely questions every single thing they’ve ever submitted or said in class. Crack open that advent calendar of doubt, deadlines, and drowsy weather!
Virgo August 23–September 22
So, you didn’t enroll for your classes on time, and a particularly stressful holiday season is about to ensue. Someone’s on the naughty list this year. Poor you! May the waitlisted courses and closed course sections bring you all the holiday cheer and fill your stocking with anxiety, tuition fees, and a lump of coal in your course cart.
Scorpio
October 23–November 21
Wishing you season’s greetings full of study stress! You’re a big fan of the end-ofsemester shitshow that is deadlines and damned weather combined. Can you feel the fuzzy warmth of snowstorms and lastminute holiday hustles combined with the hopes of your finals being cancelled to top your wishlist?
Aquarius
January 20–February 18
Nothing says holiday cheer like your prof dropping a last-minute syllabus change in the last week of the semester? You love being thrown a Christmas curveball to decorate your tree complete with your final paper as the topper of Stress City!
Sagittarius November 22–December 21
Surprise! Your smart, scholarly ass is about to get snowed in and won’t be able to make it to your final. ‘Tis the season for failure thanks to the skid-out buses sliding uncontrollably down hills, and commuter chaos after a single snowflake lands in the Lower Mainland. Tell Santa that you’re really hoping for a snow day.
Pisces February 19–March 20
You’re surrounded by a cesspool of study sickness and you’ve come down with a severe case of the finals flu. You’ll be drowning in papers and projects, while your profs are busy holiday shopping, drinking eggnog, and sending out postcards plastered with “Seasons Greetings from post-semester wonderland!”
