The Queen's Journal, Volume 147, Issue 27

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the

Queen’s University

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journal

Volume 147, issue 27

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Friday, March 27, 2020

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Situated on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples.

since 1873

A century after Spanish Flu, Queen’s grapples with a new pandemic

The intersection of University Ave. and Union St. lies empty on March 26.

The Journal’s coverage of two pandemics a century apart shows similarities, important differences I ain S herriff -S cott Managing Editor On March 16, when Principal Patrick Deane ordered undergraduate classes suspended, it was the first time in more than 100 years Queen’s ceased academic operations because of a public health crisis, and only the second time in the University’s history.

Today’s pandemic of COVID-19, caused

PHOTOS BY IAIN SHERRIFF-SCOTT

by the new coronavirus, has halted most University operations, cleared Kingston’s streets of pedestrians, and caused an early exodus of students from campus.

The last time a disease outbreak caused so much disruption on campus was during the pandemic of Spanish Influenza in 1918, almost 102 years ago, which killed at least 50 million people around the world.

At the time, Queen’s closed its doors to students for more than two weeks in October of the fall semester of 1918 when the flu pandemic was at its height in the region.

When the dust settled, Kingston recorded the most deaths per capita from the illness than any other city in the country.

In the pages of this newspaper, descriptions of campus life grinding to See pandemic on page 5

Shoshannah Bennett Dwara elected next undergraduate trustee R aechel H uizinga News Editor Shoshannah Bennett Dwara was elected the next undergraduate trustee on Wednesday night, beating three other candidates.

“I am incredibly grateful to have the responsibility of advocating for the interests of undergraduate students,” Dwara wrote in a statement to The Journal following the release of the results.

The ranked election was held from March

24 to 25. Bennett Dwara was elected over three other candidates—Aidan Turnbull, Michael Zhang, and Michael Fraser.

Zhang was eliminated in the first round of voting, earning 211 votes. Fraser, with 361 votes, was eliminated in the second round.

Turnbull fell behind Bennett Dwara with 527 votes.

Bennett Dwara was elected with 738 votes in her favour. In total, 2,481 students voted in See trustee on page 3

IN THIS ISSUE: Editorial: the highs and lows of the year p. 6, The Journal’s athletes of the year p. 8, Looking back at the best arts events of the year, p. 9, Co-editors say goodbye to The Journal p. 12. queensjournal.ca

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News

2 • queensjournal.ca

Queen’s preparing for extended remote learning in face of pandemic Principal working with City to navigate challenges ahead Ellen Nagy

the advice he received from Kingston’s chief medical officer during what has now become daily morning meetings.

Queen’s Senate convened for their March “We’ve been advised to make all of meeting via teleconference on Tuesday to our decisions in the expectation that the discuss the short- and long-term impacts of form of our current regime will need to the novel coronavirus. prevail to the end of the year, if not beyond,” John Pierce, vice-provost (teaching and Deane said. learning), opened Senate discussions about According to Deane, more than one COVID-19 by explaining the transition from million students have made the transition to in-person learning to remote learning. remote studies across Canada.

“We always think of the syllabus as a “For the next two weeks, we need to formal contract between instructor and raise our attentiveness to public health students, but we have to make adjustments,” awareness,” he said.

Pierce said.

Professor Jordan Morelli posed a According to Pierce, the four main question about the financial impact cause purposes behind the adapted remote by the inability of international students to learning measures were to reiterate the attend the university.

University’s commitment to student “We all need to look this particular accommodations, to ratify academic challenge very squarely in the face,” Deane adjustments made to syllabi by instructors, said. “The global pandemic is going to to allow for normal appeals students would very dramatically affect student mobility typically make about assignments, and to around the globe and we are certain to see delegate authority over to Senate Committee a dramatic drop in international enrolment.” on Academic Procedures (SCAP) to make Deane also voiced concerns about the adjustments and changes for courses. impact of COVID-19 on domestic enrollment “There will be pass/fail options, but in the coming year. those will be handed over to the faculties to “I would say that it is highly likely that administer,” he said. we will see challenges with domestic Principal Patrick Deane elaborated on enrollment, too since moving anywhere in

Assistant News Editor

Queen’s student worried about finding summer employment, supporting family Student appeals to Kingston’s “caremongering” Facebook group Raechel Huizinga News Editor

As the funds decrease in her bank account, Maysam Ghani can see the stress physically manifesting in her mother.

Ghani, a ConEd student going into her final year, was a residence don who returned to her home in Toronto after Queen’s transitioned to remote learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She lives with her mother, her two older brothers, and her five-year old sister.

“It’s kind of on us to help our mom sometimes,” she told The Journal in an interview. “I already help her in terms of rent payments and getting groceries and babysitting my sister.”

Ghani, who said she’s already receiving less Ontario Student Assistance Program funding because of cuts, doesn’t have much left in her bank account and is anxious about finding summer employment.

“My mom has been so stressed out,” she said. “Her mental health manifests itself physically with her physical health. I can see the physical manifestations of stress on my loved ones. It just really scares me.”

Shortly after Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced a provincial state of emergency, Ghani said her mother and her two brothers lost their jobs. She said while they’re waiting for Employment Insurance to arrive, her family is worried about whether their

Maysam Ghani, right.

funds will be enough to support them if the COVID-19 pandemic continues into the summer.

“A lot of us students who are already low-income are very worried going into the summer without any jobs or sources of income,” she said. “Having to support our families and things like that, it adds another layer that I don’t think every student has to deal with at Queen’s. Especially [for] people of colour and racialized folks who are low- income, it could be harder.”

Ghani is majoring in global development studies, but her teachable subjects are history and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit studies.

“We’re in precarious situations, we’re not guaranteed jobs at this time, [and] we can’t apply for [employment insurance] necessarily, right? What are we going to do if we all rely on summer employment in order to get through the following year?”

While her parents didn’t go to university,

the country is something people will have second thoughts about,” he said.

Morelli also asked how Queen’s will assist the marginalized members of the Kingston community like homeless people.

“We’ve been in discussions for a couple of weeks,” said Deane. “We and St. Lawrence College are very open to being of service to the community.”

According to Deane, the City of Kingston has made appropriate arrangements for homeless people at this time.

Senate also approved the establishment of a Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering degree program in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, effective Sept. 1, 2021, as well as a proposal to establish an endowed Chair for Women in Engineering and Applied Science.

The position is an update to the original role proposed last fall. When the anonymous donor supporting the position visited campus, he was concerned upon discovering that the proposed role was a five-year expendable position. He doubled the donation which led to an endowment of three million dollars, making the position permanent.

Friday, March 27, 2020

Consultation on sexual violence policy deferred until further notice Disclosure requirement to remain suspended Carolyn Svonkin Assistant News Editor After a controversial academic year for the University’s sexual violence policy that included the suspension of a duty to disclose requirement, the process to write a new policy has been deferred.

A decision regarding a new policy was scheduled to be reached at the end of March, following a consultative process undertaken by the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Task Force since January.

“Due to the rapid escalation of issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the completion of the consultation process for the Policy on Sexual Violence Involving Queen’s University Students will be deferred until further notice to ensure all faculty, staff, and students have adequate time to reflect on the Policy and provide thoughtful feedback,” Teri Shearer, deputy provost (Academic Operations and Inclusion), wrote in a statement to The Journal.

According to Shearer, the suspension of the requirement that University employees provide a disclosing student’s name and contact information to the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Coordinator (SVPRC) remains in place.

Currently, employees can report disclosures to the SVPRC once the student who has made the disclosure have given them explicit consent to do so.

Will Greene, AMS vice-president (University Affairs), told The Journal earlier this month that the Task Force planned to consider the Student Voices on Sexual Violence survey results as part of the process to draft a new policy.

University’s available bursaries, teach students English online, or work as a crisis line facilitator at Kingston’s Sexual Assault Centre.

“Those have been really helpful,” she said. “I’ve been thinking about looking into those more seriously and hopefully looking at the bursaries more closely and seeing if I can apply.”

SUPPLIED BY MAYSAM GHANI On its website, Queen’s Financial Aid posted a statement acknowledging that one of Ghani’s older brothers does, the COVID-19 as an extenuating financial increasing the financial stress in her family. circumstance.

“He is also struggling financially, more so I “The University acknowledges the think than I am. If I’m thinking about people COVID-19 situation is creating financial like my brother who has to work two-plus uncertainty, and having an impact for jobs and still do [a] full time course load and some students in the immediate future as help my mom and be there for me and my they consider their budgets for the next little sister and things like that, it’s a lot.” few months.”

Ghani appealed to a local Kingston The Student Awards Office will provide Facebook group called “Caremongering” some assistance to meet immediate and for advice, and said she received a positive short-term needs for students facing response. She said she wanted to plant unplanned financial challenges due to the idea that there’s a need for financial the pandemic. assistance among low-income Queen’s “However, I want to state that our students who support their families. struggles are interconnected. With or “I know I’m not the only student who’s without this pandemic, we all deserve in this situation and I know there’s people better. Homeless folks in our communities who are in worse situations and scarier deserve a safe shelter, my family who live in situations. I thought making this post might a refugee camp in Lebanon deserve reliable be a nice way to start a discussion,” she said. health care, Iran deserves a fighting chance Ghani said some of the online responses against this virus and this can only happen to her post were helpful, including with the US lifting their sanctions that allow suggestions that she explore some of the people to die by the thousands.”

News

Friday, March 27, 2020

queensjournal.ca • 3

AMS year in review

From left to right: Jessica Dahanayake, Auston Pierce, and William Greene.

PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON

Team AJW reflects on the highs and lows of their year in office Carolyn Svonkin & Ellen Nagy Journal Staff In their final interview with The Journal, this year’s AMS executive reflected on the greatest challenges and triumphs of their term.

“We’ve had to deal with the Student Choice Initiative, COVID-19 now, and the passing of two of our peers,” said Auston Pierce, AMS president. “It’s definitely been a challenging year.”

According to Pierce, the executive team tried to counter the uncertainty posed by the Student Choice Initiative (SCI) by being open and sharing information they gathered with faculty societies.

“A specific accomplishment is the ability to draw on partnerships to get things done,” said William Greene, vice-president (University Affairs).

Jessica Dahanayake, vice-president (Operations), said the SCI also required extra financial planning, with projections made for 30, 50 and 90 per cent opt-out rates. She lauded the AMS team’s hard work as the key that ensured that the services’ success despite position cuts from last year’s restructuring.

“Since we did have to close all of our services in March, it does change our financial outlook significantly; however, as of February 2020, we were $377,000 above last year’s bottom line,” Dahanayake said.

Greene said the ability of student leaders to amplify the student voice was evident in the changes made to the Fall Term Break, but that it also pointed to the need for the University to amend consultation policies.

“Students are an important stakeholder “Our attitude and priorities have shifted. [in the University],” Greene said. “We started A lot of the project we wanted to get up to see with various different advocacy wins and going or wanted to bring to a close or on the student side, the University beginning finalize have been changed.” Pierce said. “It’s to learn that the consultation process needs a disappointing end to the year.” to be rethought and needs to be redone in Dahanayake spoke to the financial side a way that that serves our community in its of the pandemic for Queen’s and AMS best and its best capacity.” services. “There are all these revenue lines AJW also touched on some of the we budgeted for, and services that receive issues students faced on campus this money through a customer transaction, that year. Discussions on racism, diversity and we’re just not getting anymore.” inclusion were catalyzed by racist events, She told The Journal that Mar. 13, the such as a coronavirus-themed party and the day it was announced AMS services would incident in Chown Hall last October. be closed the following day, was the best “These instances do reveal the problems day for TAPs this year. In addition, the AMS that we have,” Greene said. “I think that a lot is looking to innovate new ways to run the of problems are grounded in ignorance.” services, such as moving QP Trivia online.

Pierce noted the reoccurrence of these Greene said, amidst the pandemic, one concerns at Queen’s. “Some of the instances thing he is proud of is the leadership of we saw this year appear to be cyclical. They AMS Head Managers, Commissioners happen every once in a while,” he said. “We and Directors. oftentimes start having these conversations, “It’s kind of wild to say that a bunch we think there’s an outcome, and then it of 20-year-olds are dealing with a global falls flat.” pandemic, but it goes to show what student Due to this cyclical nature, Pierce said he leaders are capable of doing,” Pierce said sees racism as a challenge for the Queen’s in agreement. community and future student leaders Greene took the time to emphasize how to work on. “We need to continue having important AMS services can be, and remain, conversations, bringing up this topic, and to students, noting especially the AMS Food creating safe spaces for everybody to Bank. After attempting to remain open, share their ideas and work through a lot of Greene said, the AMS ultimately decided these problems.” keeping the Food Bank operational was no Dahanayake emphasized the importance longer feasible or safe. of more than just conversations. “It’s also “We called the Kingston Food Bank about having action items from those and asked if they could support Queen’s conversations,” she said. students,” he said. “The [Kingston] Food A pervasive theme of the interview was Bank expressed to us that they could how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected do it, but they’re almost over capacity, the end of their term. and a lot of their volunteers are in the

Bennett Dwara wins 738 votes Continued from front ...

the election.

“I am excited to have the continued involvement of the undergraduate community throughout the next year,” she said. “Thank you for being a part of the revolutionary change we will ignite at Queen’s, together.”

Students also voted a second time for a CFRC fee, which failed to earn success in the January referendum. With 60.9 per cent of the vote in its favour, the storied radio station earned mandatory student fee status for the upcoming school year.

high-risk 65-years-plus age group. So, we put a communication out to all our salaried staff that would be remaining in Kingston and said, ‘Hey, if the food bank in Kingston needs volunteers, who is ready to step up?’

And we had an overwhelming response.”

Besides platform promises they were proud to have achieved, the three also spoke to accomplishments not included in their initial platform, such as the AMS partnership with Queen’s Period.

“There’s things we didn’t include in our platform because we knew how far-fetched they were. One of the things we heard time and time again throughout the year was ‘not possible, not going to happen,’” Pierce said, naming divestment and Fall Term Break as examples. “We adapted, we fought hard, we advocated, and because of that, we came out with some wins that weren’t on our platform at all.”

Last, Pierce, Dahanayake and Greene reflected on things this year has taught them.

Pierce made sure to emphasize the importance of the work everyone at the AMS has done this year. “Every single thing that happened this year that was a positive came because everyone worked together and operated as a team, ” he said. “This isn’t at all us. This is the entire AMS and the entire Queen’s community driving stuff forward.

There’s an entire village of people working towards even the smallest of victories, and they need and deserve credit, too.” journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

News

4 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, March 27, 2020

Medical students push to gather protective equipment City in need of personal protective equipment in fight against COVID-19

Curry, a Queen’s medical student, said in an interview with The Journal. “For all of the frontline workers, including nurses and doctors and even cleaning staff, it’s important to wear PPE in order to prevent contracting the virus.”

Ellen Nagy Curry said it was during an Assistant News Editor anesthesiologist rotation she worked in the early stages of Despite the suspension of health the coronavirus crisis in January professional students clinical that highlighted how essential work, medical students are PPE would become in the fight still pushing to alleviate the against coronavirus. pressures on Kingston’s public “There were talks about health services in the face everyone getting fitted for 95 of COVID-19. [masks] right away, and making As the number of COVID- sure that we have enough 19 cases have increased across supply,” Curry said. “The people Canada, so has the demand for at KGH were already starting to personal protective equipment make preparations for what was (PPE) for healthcare workers, coming before anything had hit including in Kingston.

Canada and before it was declared “We’re running out fast,” Anna a pandemic.”

According to Curry, as the need for PPE in Canada intensified, medical students started to personally source gloves, masks, suits and goggles from friends, relatives, dentists, veterinary clinics, nail salons, tattoo parlours, stores and local businesses to pass along to community clinics and hospitals in Kingston.

“Different universities across Canada have started similar [PPE collection] initiatives,” Curry said. “We had a meeting with representatives from the Ontario Medical Student Association who are now getting involved and thinking about how we can help centralize and unify all of these efforts.”

According to Curry, currently the best way to donate unused PPE supplies to Kingston clinics and hospitals is to email

PPEKingston@gmail.com to indicate what supplies you have, how much you have, and where you’re located.

“By doing that, we’d be able to connect you with somebody who’s able to pick up the supplies, and we’re going to drop the supplies off at a centralized location.”

According to Curry, the Public Health and community clinics will vet the supplies to ensure the supplies meet equipment standards. She also said that hand sewn masks wouldn’t be accepted.

“Evidence shows that some [hand sewn] masks are actually worse than nothing because they can trap particles inside the mask,” she said.

Curry said there were other ways to get involved from home if an individual did not have a PPE supply to donate.

“Go on your social media and blast everybody with a message that we need donations, and if you have any information about that or know anybody who could donate email PPEKingston@gmail.com,” Curry said.

Curry said that social distancing is still the best measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and to promote the safety of Canada’s healthcare workers.

“The whole point of social distancing is to flatten the curve which means to make the spread of the virus happen more slowly so there’s not a surge of people who are sick,” Curry said. “As of now there’s not going to be enough ICU beds in Kingston to help.”

without academic penalty.

“Transcripts will also be annotated In a Wednesday statement, to note this was the year in the University announced late which we all faced extraordinary drop options will be available to demands in response to COVID-19.” students from March 26 to May 20.

Individual faculties will have Students can request a pass/fail administrative control of pass/fail grade after a letter grade has been requests. Students won’t receive posted in May. tuition refunds for dropping any “Students should seek advice courses. and carefully consider the impacts A petition for Queen’s to of these options on government introduce pass/fail options for its financial assistance and future students was launched on March academic requirements before 24. At press time, it had garnered choosing either or both of the nearly three thousand signatures. options,” the statement read.

The petition asked for Queen’s

to follow several other Canadian universities in introducing pass/ fail options for its students, including McGill University, McMaster University, the University of Toronto, and the University of British Columbia.

“The shift to remote learning in lieu of the COVID-19 pandemic poses unprecedented challenges to learning for many students,” the petition read. “This disproportionately impacts certain displaced students, leading to inequitable learning outcomes,

and a lack of accountability for academic integrity.”

“Despite Queen’s faculties’ best attempts to make their courses accessible, many students are struggling to adapt to these changing circumstances and find themselves unable to concentrate during this stressful and uncertain time. This uncertainty surrounding academics, housing, employment, and health will make it exceedingly challenging for all students to succeed.”

journal_news@ams.queensu.ca

Queen’s introduces academic adjustments over COVID-19

Pass/fail, late drop options now available to undergraduate students Raechel Huizinga News Editor

Queen’s will allow undergraduate students to take pass/fail grades and the ability to drop courses late

Friday, March 27, 2020

queensjournal.ca • 5

Features IN-DEPTH STORIES FROM AROUND CAMPUS AND IN THE COMMUNITY

With the University locked down, Nixon Field sits empty on March 27.

PHOTOS BY IAIN SHERRIFF-SCOTT

Two pandemics a century apart test Queen’s Continued from front ... a halt, students heading home to be with family, growing concern about academics, and sporting events being cancelled, mirror 1918’s reporting on the crisis.

Tracking The Journal’s coverage of the Spanish Flu pandemic at Queen’s reveals marked similarities between the community’s response to the crisis then and now—and some important differences. ***

The Spanish Flu didn’t reach Kingston in earnest until the fall of 1918. When it did arrive, it hit hard. The City, which at the time was a significant military hub, was overwhelmed.

“The ‘Flu,' as it is commonly known, has spread to such an extent in Kingston, that the medical authorities of the city found it necessary to close the University on Wednesday,” an Oct. 18, 1918 report in The Journal read.

“As a result the College is deserted at present, many of those students who live within easy reach of the city having gone home until they learn that the disease has abated and it will be possible for them to resume their studies,” it continued.

Not only were classes suspended for a two-week period, exams at Christmas wound up cancelled, too.

“The reaction [from the community] was somewhat similar to what we’re going through now,” Duncan McDowell, professor emeritus of history at Queen’s, said in a phone interview with The Journal.

“They understood that close proximity to people was not good. So the theatres were closed, churches didn’t have services.

There was this kind of social distancing—they never used that term—and it was mandated by the state.”

Also similar to today, the pandemic caused marked anxiety

among students about the spreading disease’s impacts on the academic session.

“Not a few [students], as they take up again the threads of University life, find themselves asking such questions as:—Will the pace for the remainder of the session be made more strenuous because of the compulsory closing of the University?” a Nov. 5, 1918 editorial in The Journal asked.

“Are the Christmas holidays likely to be interfered with—curtailed? Will the “April nightmares” be postponed two weeks later? As we have not been consulted in the matter, we regret our inability to give the necessary information to those who are perplexed.”

“Our advice, however, would be—Get busy and keep busy.”

Now, similar anxieties can be seen expressed in this newspaper, and by students online. The Journal published an editorial earlier this month urging that students be kept in the loop about academics and University operations so they can try to remain calm.

“Keeping students apprised of what they can do to reduce COVID-19’s spread, what symptoms to look for, and what steps they should take if they suspect they may be infected is extremely important,” the editorial read.

Student leaders also raised concerns earlier this month about the School of Graduate Studies’ preparation after Principal Patrick Deane announced on March 13 undergraduate courses would be suspended from March 16 to 23, while graduate courses continued—though they were suspended three days later. ***

The most significant difference between the 1918 flu pandemic and today’s coronavirus outbreak is Queen’s—and the country’s— preparedness for it. A century ago, Canada didn’t have a

universal health care system to alumni at the time who served in combat illnesses, or the scientific the First World War. Unusually, know-how to diagnose cases. just five years prior, McTavish “What is strikingly different had served as both the AMS from what we’re in now, is of vice-president and Journal editor course, they really didn’t know in chief. what was causing [Spanish Flu],” When news of McTavish’s death McDowell said. “It was unlike reached Kingston on Saturday, confronting COVID-19, where we Feb. 8, 1919, and the front page of know exactly what it is, we have The Journal on the Tuesday that pictures of it.” followed, the global pandemic The 1918 pandemic also took of Spanish Flu had been raging place at the tail end of the First through Kingston for months.

World War, compounding the He died of pneumonia after human and economic impact becoming ill with the Spanish Flu of the influenza. McDowell during military service in France. called it a “crisis within a crisis” Alumni notices, like the one for Canadians. about McTavish’s death, frequently However, even coverage in dotted The Journal’s pages from The Journal couldn’t uniformly September to April, spanning the track the impacts of the pandemic whole 1918-19 academic session. on Kingston because many deaths in the community were attributed to pneumonia and other illnesses caused by the influenza, rather than Spanish Flu directly.

The lack of modern information and treatment about the disease resulted in a significant death toll in Kingston. Dr. John McCullough, Ontario’s provincial health officer at the time, gathered data about Spanish Flu deaths in the province.

Though Montréal and Toronto had the greatest numbers of deaths, 3,128 and 1,600 respectively, Kingston had Canada’s highest death rate, registering at 644 deaths per 100,000 people.

The pandemic also hit home for student services, like the AMS, The Journal, and the Levana Society, who all saw members pass away from the illness.

The pandemic claimed the life of Rosswell McTavish, a Queen’s A usually busy walkway on campus, deserted.

Another alumni claimed by the influenza was prominent Queen’s athlete J.J. “Jock” Harty, M.D. 1897, who succumbed to the illness while in England. The Journal reported Harty’s death on the front page under the headline “Succumbs to Pneumonia—One of the University’s Best Athletes” To honour their friend, Harty’s former classmates collected enough money from the community to build the Jock Harty arena, opened in 1922.

Collective community actions and fundraisers have taken place on campus in the wake of COVID-19, as well. On Jan. 28, The Journal reported Queen’s students from Wuhan, the epicentre of the crisis in China, were gathering medical supplies to send back home. ***

Today’s pandemic has been a shock to campus.

But we’ve been here before, and we’ll more than likely be here again.

When the Spanish Flu abated in Kingston and across the country, and Queen’s resumed classes, a Journal editorial cautiously celebrated the community’s return to campus.

“The toll in human life, especially among the young manhood and womanhood of our country, has been heavy, and it is difficult to say what the outcome would have been had the medical authorities acted otherwise than they did.”

“Glad we are indeed to see the University gates swing open to admit the student once again to the classroom.”

6 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, March 27, 2020

EDITORIALS Darts

COVID-19 updates: The majority of Queen’s academic operations transitioned online in March as students were encouraged to head home early for the summer due to public health concerns over novel coronavirus in Ontario. The virus itself presents a health risk to Canadians, particularly vulnerable populations such as the elderly and the immunocompromised. Social distancing measures, while beneficial to curb the virus’ rapid spread, have challenged students’ learning and resulted in the cancellation of in-person events, including convocation.

Calls for sexual assault centre on campus unanswered for more than thirty years: In 2020, Queen’s has yet to follow through on a 1989 report calling for the University to implement a sexual assault centre on campus. Despite repeated calls for such a centre, the University has failed to address an apparent student need for over three decades. This inaction demonstrates an ongoing pattern of Queen’s failing survivors of sexual violence in our community.

Undergraduate Trustee apologizes for attending coronavirus-themed party: Tyler Macintyre issued an apology following his attendance at a coronavirus-themed party where students drank Corona beers, wore surgical masks, and stuck biohazard symbols on the walls. Macintyre’s actions were insensitive to Queen’s students affected by the spread of the virus in Wuhan, China.

As an elected student leader, his attendance at the party reflected poorly on the Queen’s community as a whole.

Misogynist Facebook page was run by a Queen’s employee: Kings of Queen’s, a misogynistic Facebook page that targeted Queen’s students with anti-women messaging, was run by a Queen’s employee for over two years. Queen’s inability to take timely action to protect students from threatening messages from one of its own employees is unacceptable. It calls into question the institution’s ability to keep students feeling secure on campus.

Amir Moradi, beloved by peers, planned to attend medical school: Queen’s undergraduate student Amir Moradi died in the Tehran plane crash that claimed the lives of 176 people in January. Moradi was beloved by peers, friends, and housemates.

His sudden death was a tragedy that greatly affected the Queen’s community.

Queen’s cross country team, threatening exodus over coach’s firing, demands answers: Queen’s cross country running coach Steve Boyd was dismissed on Feb. 19 following complaints over the then-coach’s Facebook comments about

THE QUEEN’S

Editorial Board

News Editor Assistant News Editors

Features Editors

Rachel Aiken Andrew Schjerning

Editorials Editor

Shelby Talbot

Opinions Editor

Aysha Tabassum

Arts Editor Assistant Arts Editor Sports Editor

Assistant Sports Editor

Photo Editor Assistant Photo Editor Video Editor Assistant Video Editor

Meredith Wilson-Smith Iain Sherriff-Scott Amelia Rankine Raechel Huizinga Sydney Ko Ellen Nagy Carolyn Svonkin

Copy Editors

Jack Rabb

Alina Yusufzai

Ally Mastanuono Tegwyn Hughes Tessa Warburton Jodie Grieve Jonathon Fisher Lauren Thomas Sasha Cohen Chloe Sarrazin

Contributing Staff Staff Writers

Luca Dannetta Nathan Gallagher Haley Marando

Staff Illustrators

Brittany Giliforte Pamoda Wijekoon

Laurels

Student group and AMS push for period accessibility: In collaboration with the AMS, the club Queen’s Period started a “take one, Two men arrested near campus after leave one” menstrual product campaign on causing disturbance, insulting women: campus this year. Bins for donated sanitary Two men wearing offensive signs were products were installed in female, male, arrested on the edge of campus for making and gender-neutral bathrooms in the JDUC anti-women statements to students on and Queen’s Centre, increasing essential their way to and from campus. The incident hygiene products’ accessibility on campus. was a blatant display of sexism targeting The initiative set a positive precedent for the female-identifying students and making potentially broader implementation of free them uncomfortable near their place period products at Queen’s. of learning.

Yellow House opens its doors: Although Student societies alleged Queen’s overdue, the safe space dedicated to hosting mishandled Student Choice Initiative Queen’s inclusivity groups is an important step in the right direction for implementation: Queen’s student equity on campus. The four societies raised significant student groups chosen concerns over the to occupy the Yellow University’s handling House play an of the Student Choice important role in Initiative (SCI) representing and implementation, advocating for which saw little minority groups collaborative action in the university from Queen’s community and end to aid in deserve a permanent protecting essential place for their student services operations on campus. from SCI-associated losses. Queen’s failure AMS announces to mitigate the provincial ILLUSTRATION BY AMELIA RANKINE complete divestment policy’s fallout resulted from fossil fuels: The AMS’s divestment in a lack of protection for oncemandatory student fees that allowed from fossil fuels was a substantial indication campus groups to provide students with that the student government is receptive to diverse extracurricular opportunities and the interests and priorities of the Queen’s student body. Divestment is a meaningful important services. way to support environmentalism by shifting For Team AJA, an uncontested race money away from oil and gas companies. doesn’t equal an endorsement: The By implementing a full divestment, Journal’s vote of non-confidence in Team the AMS positioned itself to support student AJA, the uncontested team running for the advocacy calling for the University to do AMS executive in the 2020 election, was the the same. second non-endorsement in Journal history.

This year’s executive election marked the Meet the lawyer who’s defending third consecutive uncontested race for AMS students against Kingston landlords: executive, highlighting the larger issue of a Undergraduate students are particularly lack of engagement in student politics in the vulnerable to exploitation from deceitful landlords given that it is often their first Queen’s community. experience renting. John Done and his Professor was under investigation for team are a tremendous resource for sexual harassment before his death: Queen’s students for legal representation Former English Professor Andrew Bretz, and information. who passed away in 2018, was under investigation from Queen’s for sexual Nearly a thousand rally against racism: harassment leading up to his death, The significant turnout at the rally including alleged inappropriate behaviour condemning a racist and homophobic toward a student in one of his classes. note found on the door of a fourth-floor Despite the investigation, Bretz was slated common room in Chown Hall last fall to teach in the upcoming fall semester was a moving display of the strength before his death. This is an unacceptable and unity that exists in the Queen’s administrative decision that undermines community. This solidarity march the experiences of the female students he demonstrated support for the students affected by or targeted by the allegedly harassed. hate crime.

Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Volume 147 Issue 27 www.queensjournal.ca @queensjournal Publishing since 1873

Editor in Chief Managing Editor Production Manager

University of Guelph’s handling of allegations of abuse toward running coach Dave Scott-Thomas. Boyd’s firing has been widely criticized, particularly by students and members of the Queen’s cross country running team, whose season was disrupted by his dismissal.

Lifestyle Editor

JOURNAL

The Journal’s Perspective

Rowan LaCroix Elise Ngo Rose Vatres

Contributors Julia Harmsworth Simone Manning

Samira Levesque

Business Staff Business Manager Sales Representatives

Aidan Chalmers Christina Zheng Mitch McManus

Want to contribute?

For information visit: www.queensjournal.ca/contribute or email the Editor in Chief at journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca Contributions from all members of the Queen’s and Kingston community are welcome. The Journal reserves the right to edit all submissions.

The Queen’s Journal is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University, Kingston.

Situated on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. The Journal’s Editorial Board acknowledges the traditional territories our newspaper is situated on have allowed us to pursue our mandate.

Students from Wuhan organize to send medical supplies home: Although, at the time, the coronavirus health crisis was taking place on the other side of the world, its impact still affected students at Queen’s with family in Wuhan.

The initiative to donate medical supplies to send to Wuhan in the face of the coronavirus outbreak, organized by two international students in partnership with the Queen’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association, set an example for the generosity and compassion Queen’s students should aspire to model.

Student Choice Initiative struck down in divisional court: The Student Choice Initiative was detrimental to student organizations across the province, and Queen’s was no exemption. Our University felt the impact lost funding had on the opportunities and services provided by student organizations. When the SCI was struck down in the Divisional Court of Ontario last fall, it reinforced what students who fought the policy already knew: student-run services are an essential part of campus life.

AMS raises nearly $3,000 for Students for Students: For students at Queen’s impacted by Ontario’s cuts to OSAP, Students for Students showed them that their student union had their back. AMS services and the greater student community banded together to raise money to help low-income students who were disproportionately affected by lost OSAP funding, and the result was a commendable display of support.

Students walk out in support of Wet’suwet’en: The walkout to acknowledge the sovereignty of Wet’suwet’en territory and demonstrate solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en people and hereditary chiefs called necessary attention to a Canadian issue that’s gone overlooked by most Ontario and Québec residents. The success of the event highlighted the strength of the Indigenous community at Queen’s and their allies.

Trustees pass climate change action recommendations: This achievement marks the first time since 2015 that collective action from the Queen’s community calling for changes at the University level to combat the climate crisis has gained enough momentum to make a dent in university operations.

Climate activism on campus this year has inspired tangible and meaningful action. While that action isn’t enough on its own, it’s a promising first step.

—Journal Editorial Board

We recognize our responsibility to understand the truth of our history.

Editorial opinions expressed in The Journal are the sole responsibility of The Queen’s Journal Editorial Board, and are not necessarily those of the University, the AMS or their officers.

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Contents © 2020 by The Queen’s Journal; all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of The Journal.

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OPINIONS

Friday, March 27, 2020

OPINIONS

Your Perspective

PHOTO BY ALLY MASTANTUONO

Dannetta thinks our rapid response to COVID-19 signals hope for the climate crisis.

What COVID-19 can teach us about the climate crisis The response to the pandemic demonstrates the power of sweeping policy changes and individual action The world is in the midst of what could become the deadliest global pandemic in living memory. Even as we lack adequate testing capabilities, global cases of COVID-19 have surpassed 500,000, doubling in the past week.

This epidemic has prompted a drastic and far-reaching shift in how we conduct business, how we manage our resources, and how we live our daily lives—demonstrating a willingness and an ability to dramatically alter

thestatus quo in order to fight a global crisis.

Governments have been proactive and forward-thinking in providing funds and making aggressive policy decisions, and individuals have demonstrated (for the most part) a remarkable willingness to curb our daily behaviour in order to do our part.

But nobody has seen this sense of urgency

these climate crises, “Despite we have collectively done nothing of substance.

”

when it comes to fighting the climate crisis.

In the face of COVID-19, Governments have mobilized vast sums of money for emergency management. The

Canadian government has already pledged over $1.1 billion in its federal budget to combat the pandemic in various ways, including investing $275 million in scientific research.

Policy-makers have also been proactive in mandating social distancing. Ontario’s government moved to prohibit all organized public gatherings of 50 people or more.

Multiple provinces have directed all schools, restaurants, bars, and non-essential businesses to close.

At the individual level, people worldwide are curbing their behaviour to staunch the growth of the virus, specifically through social distancing and self-isolation. Social media platforms have been inundated with calls to stay home and avoid large gatherings.

This urgency isn’t present in the face of the scientific community’s climate warnings.

Climate scientists tell us that global greenhouse gas emissions must be cut in half over the next decade and that global average temperatures must not rise above 1.5 degrees Celsius from preindustrial levels. Failure could mean crisis—such as large-scale flooding, wildfires, and droughts—as early as 2040.

Despite these climate crises, we have collectively done nothing of substance.

A report from the United Nations Environment Program in 2019 stated that under our current emissions trajectories, global average temperatures are expected to rise 3.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2100, more than double what climate scientists tell us is safe and sustainable.

There must be a reason why the response to the coronavirus has been so immediate and strong, while the response to the climate crisis has been so weak and belated.

Perhaps it’s because the world’s most affluent populations have not yet been forced to confront the reality of climate change.

The climate crisis, so far, has mostly killed, displaced, or directly affected communities of colour or impoverished communities.

Notwithstanding the recent wildfires in Australia, California, and British Columbia, the ‘Western world’—mainly Europe and North America—has so far been largely spared the deadliest and most dramatic effects of a warming planet.

Our relative distance from the climate crisis has therefore allowed us to postpone panic. We’re not confronted with the harsh reality of inaction on a day-today basis. We’re not yet seeing up close the negative impacts that ignoring the climate

queensjournal.ca • 7

crisis can and will have on us. We’re still operating under the collective delusion that we’ll be fine.

In contrast to the climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic has reached deep into the heart of the privileged world. The worst outbreaks so far have been centred in some of the most economically developed nations on the planet, such as the United States, Italy, Spain, South Korea, and China.

The immediacy of this public health crisis, the rising case count and death toll, and the visible indicators of an oncoming economic recession have shocked and scared us into action.

The same cannot be said for the climate crisis. But, when it strikes in earnest, it will not discriminate based on race or class or national origin.

The Western world will not be exempt from rising sea levels. The wealthy will not be able to purchase a reprieve from devastating wildfires.

In fact, we’ve already witnessed the beginnings of this new reality.

Record heatwaves in June and July of last year killed over 1,400 people in France. Last fall, parts of the Florida Keys were flooded for over three months, destroying the local communities.

A devastating bushfire season in Australia burned 27 million acres of wilderness, killed at least 29 people, destroyed 2,500 homes, and killed an estimated 1.25 billion animals.

These kinds of climate-related catastrophes will only increase in frequency, severity, and deadliness as emissions grow and global average temperatures rise.

But the response to COVID-19 can give us hope in the face of an oncoming climate apocalypse. The pandemic has shown the world what we, as human beings, are collectively capable of.

Governments are capable of making rapid, sweeping, aggressive, and proactive change based on science and expertise.

Financial support is easy to come by when we perceive a crisis as an existential threat. Individuals are willing and able to dramatically alter their daily behaviour for the greater good of their fellow human beings.

The world is facing a global, existential threat. We need to start acting like that’s the case before it’s too late.

Luca Dannetta is a third-year history student.

Talking heads ... students around campus PHOTOS BY JODIE GRIEVE AND TESSA WARBURTON

What will you miss most about The Journal?

"Singing High School Musical and Jonas Brother songs at 3 a.m. with my buddies. "

“Sitting in old office chairs and laughing with my friends.”

"Apart from the Starbucks runs, inside jokes, and friends, the infectious energy you feel at 2 a.m. on a press day.”

“The incredible friends I’ve made throughout the past two and a half years.”

“Everyone and everything.”

Tegwyn Hughes

Vol. 147 Assistant Lifestyle Editor

Ally Mastantuono

Vol. 147 Lifestyle Editor

Brittany Giliforte Vol. 147 Arts Editor

Pamoda Wijekoon

Vol. 147 Assistant Arts Editor

Amelia Rankine

Vol. 147 Production Manager

8 • queensjournal.ca

Sports

Friday, March 27, 2020

Dylan Young named Sophie de Goede named Journal’s Male Athlete of the Year Journal’s Female Athlete of the Year Scrum half’s extraordinary season earns him the nod Amelia Rankine Production Manager For his dominance, versatility, and leadership on the pitch, Queen’s scrum half Dylan Young is The Journal’s Male Athlete of the Year.

Young, who now plays for the Toronto Arrows in Major League Rugby, racked up the accolades this season: he was named OUA Player of the Year, a first team OUA All-Star, and first team all-tournament at the Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship (CUMRC). He also finished second in the OUA for points with 67.

However, Young still gets surprised by the recognition for his on-field achievements.

“I don’t feel like I deserve it really,” Young, ArtSci ’20, said in an interview with The Journal. “It’s humbling to be recognized for a performance you did but you don’t even think about [it], you just love playing the game [above] anything else.”

Young wouldn’t take any credit for the success his team has had in recent years, instead pointing to the sense of community that ties the team together.

“If you’re in the rugby program, you’ll make friends. Everyone’s nice,” Young said, “No bad guys around.”

All of Young’s roommates are on the rugby team, a fact that Young calls the “added bonus” of being a Gael. He never had to worry about making friends, since he found them in his teammates.

Young has played on the team for five years, giving him the opportunity to watch the team develop under shifting leadership circumstances. When Young started in 2015, Queen’s Head Coach David Butcher had just started being paid a full-time salary.

Young saw the team flourish when the change to full-time status was made.

“He was able to dedicate more time to it, so

obviously [he was] able to get more results,” Young said.

Under Butcher’s leadership, the team has won three consecutive OUA championships, and five out of the last six. “[They are] a lot of fun, and they’ve definitely made us a much better team in the last two years,” Young said.

Young’s success on the pitch has been crucial for the Gaels—he put up 12 points in last year’s OUA Championship in a 27-18 decision en route to being named OUA Peak Performer of the Week.

According to Young, the highlight of his time at Queen’s was travelling to Victoria, B.C. to play in the Canadian University Men’s Rugby Championship.

The rugby team was an older team at the time, with many graduating fourth- and fifth-year members, and spirts were high.

After beating the University of Victoria, the Gaels lost in the finals to UBC. Despite the loss, the energy in the change room was nothing but positive.

“Everyone was in good spirits and happy to have played and had the experience, playing the national finals in their last year,” Young said.

This past fall, Young saw his team make it to nationals once again.

“It was the part of the year you kind of get busy at school, [so] it was great to just go away for four days and play rugby and just hang out with your friends the entire time,” Young said.

After losing to the University of Victoria in the semi-finals, the Gaels beat out Concordia University for bronze.

Since wrapping up the 2019 season, Young has been playing in his hometown for the Toronto Arrows.

He’s holding out hope for some exhibition games later this summer.

Young has set his sights on returning to Queen’s this fall. He’s hoping to study law, which would let him stay on the rugby team and continue to play.

“I think Queen’s is the place to go for the best experience and best coaching for sure.”

Dual-sport athlete garners personal, team successes Haley Marando Staff Writer As Queen’s only standing dual-sport varsity athlete, The Journal has selected women’s rugby and basketball player Sophie de Goede as its Female Athlete of the Year for the 2019-2020 season.

It was evident almost from the moment that the Victoria, B.C. native took her first step on tricolour soil in 2017 that Queen’s had landed one of the brightest stars in the history of Gaels athletics. Since then, personal and team achievements have been the hallmark of her career.

Balancing two sports, the third-year commerce student has to stick to a tight schedule to ensure success in both athletics and academics.

“Usually I’ll wake up early to lift and/ or have a skills session, then go to class, play pick-up at lunch if I can, and go to both practices in the evening” explained de Goede in an interview with The Journal.

“It can be tiring at times,” she admitted, “but I genuinely love playing both sports […] more often than not, the highlight of my day [is] getting to see my friends at [practice].”

Even so, it’s easy to expect the No. 8 back row to get deterred in moments of exhaustion. Not so.

“It helps [to go] back and forth between sports,” claimed de Goede. “I can always change up my focus if I’m feeling burnt out in one … that really helps me stay motivated.”

The decision to name de Goede as Female Athlete of the Year came down to her extraordinary personal success that helped push both of her teams towards monumental seasons.

In rugby, the former OUA and U SPORTS rookie of the year has not allowed her early

success to deter her drive.

De Goede finished the 2019 OUA regular season with the most individual points in the league, her total of 76 comprised of three tries, 26 conversions, and three penalty goals.

Combined with her points from year one and two, de Goede now stands as the second leading scorer in Queen’s women’s rugby history, and with more rugby to play, the No. 8 is in a comfortable position to take over the top spot.

With de Goede at the head of the pack, the Gaels accomplished an undefeated regular and playoff OUA season, including a notable 135-0 win against Western, inevitably clinching the OUA championship for the second time in program history.

“It’s pretty indescribable to be honest.

[Having] such a strong performance in the final on our home pitch in front of friends and family was something I won’t forget.”

The Gaels sustained a top-three national ranking for the entire season, finding themselves in first place for three out of the seven weeks. This marked the first time the Gaels have ranked first in the nation in program history.

After earning her second straight OUA player of the year (Shiels Division) nod, de Goede had her eyes set on a national gold—her Gaels were going into the U SPORTS tournament ranked first in the nation.

Although the Gaels would eventually fall 22-14 to the Laval Rouge et Or in the gold medal game, their closest match of the season, the U SPORTS silver was still historical.

De Goede rounded out the season with a first-team All-Canadian nod, making this her third consecutive year of U SPORTS honours, the most by any Gael.

However, celebrations for de Goede were not long-lasting, as she quickly transitioned into basketball’s regular season having not played in any exhibition games.

Read the full story online at queensjournal.ca/sports

Pawn among Queen’s The Journal investigates sports you can play inside Jack Rabb Sports Editor “People say it’s a game of kings […] You’re playing with the idea of making judgments, making sacrifices. And myself, I particularly prefer to just do weird things with it. It’s what I prefer.”

Check.

It’s 9 p.m. in the BioSci auditorium (in the time before social distancing) and I’m playing chess against Chess Club vice-president Tan Guo. Guo won the Canadian University Chess Championship last year, and the Pan-Americans, too. We’ve just started and I’m on the ropes.

“Chess is kind of unapproachable, because skill level is a huge thing, right? If you’re going to play somebody who’s better than you are, you’re guaranteed to lose almost every single time is what it feels like.” Guo takes my rook.

“But it really is not. It’s really not about winning [...] Everybody’s there to have a good time, right? Nobody’s there to explicitly win every single game on that night and go back home with the prize money which doesn’t exist.” Guo puts me in check again.

There are only about six people here, but it’s rainy out and it’s not being held in the ARC like normal because of a scheduling snafu, apparently there’s usually at least a dozen people.

“Sometimes I feel like chess is a kind of cosmic coincidence, where you’re like, ‘Oh, these pieces are on two completely unrelated spots, and they just happen to work by sheer coincidence,’” Guo muses.

That’s not the sentiment I received from Tyler Keung, who I played earlier.

“I won a couple games earlier by pure fluke,” I told Keung, who had just beaten me in fewer than two minutes.

“There’s no such thing as fluke,” he absently rejoined as we set up the board again.

Well, I mean, there could be fate, and then there’s coincidence, I replied.

“No such thing. Skill. All skill.” We started again, this time without a timer so I would be less embarrassed.

“Oh, the English [opening],” he notes. “I always see Magnus Carlsen play this game.”

I’m no Magnus Carlsen (Norway’s chess grandmaster), and in less than a minute my little army is decimated.

It’s Keung’s first time at Chess Club, but he had taken chess lessons as a kid. I asked him why he came back to the game. “It’s just good to get the mind thinking about possible positions, get in your opponent’s head. See what they’re thinking [...] It’s all about just

The Queen’s Chess Club meets weekly on Tuesdays.

thinking ahead.”

Keung handily defeats me again, and I go on to play Kieran McConnell, who’s completing a dual major in physics and economics.

“My brain has to be on a lot. So [chess is] a pastime that kind of keeps your brain on, but also isn’t really school. So it’s easy to just transition back into studying.”

We’re more evenly matched, we trade a couple pieces, and the game spreads across the board. He castles quickly and concentrates his pieces along the right side. “[I try to] form geometries within certain regions of the board that I’ve deemed to be concerning […] Just an easier way to whittle it down to math in my eyes.”

McConnell tells me about how physics breaks down below the Schwarzschild radius, and a book he just finished reading

PHOTO BY JACK RABB

about quantum finance. “It’s pretty crazy.” He leaves a rook hanging, I nab it and eventually take the game.

Guo tells me more about his Club, how they’re always looking for new members, and what they’re planning next. “We’ve been trying to get ourselves into the pub as well.

So yeah, drinking, playing chess sounds like a great idea, what can possibly go wrong?”

“We’re all just here to have a good time, we’re just here to hang out.” He’s not kidding—there’s lots of laughter and people kidding around; it’s a relaxed atmosphere.

Not so on the board. Tan smelled blood.

“I learned to not play with my food anymore,” Guo says to himself. Checkmate. journal_sports@ams.queensu.ca

Arts

Friday, March 27, 2020

queensjournal.ca

Remembering our favourite arts events from Volume 147

Arts contributors look back at the year fondly Pamoda Wijekoon Assistant Arts Editor From Cirque du Soleil’s stop into the Leon’s Centre over the summer to the annual Froid’Art Festival, to a lowkey night meeting friends to listen to jazz at Musiikki, this year was full of high-quality art. The Journal’s staff and contributors take a look back at their favourite events from Queen’s and Kingston. *** “Getting to see the Froid’Art installations around Kingston was definitely a highlight to my year at Queen’s. While I had never Arts contributors remember their favourite arts events. seen the exhibit before, after interviewing David Dossett for a —Chloe Sarrazin, copy editor “In the first few weeks of March, Journal Arts article, I knew I had to I had the pleasure of attending a get out and see the sculptures for “My favourite arts event this Royal Tusk concert at The Mansion myself. year was Queen’s Players. Players in Kingston. They were incredible, What’s fun about the exhibit was fun and funny, and it gave me and their set showed their is that the sculptures—paintings and my housemate an excuse to multi-genred music and encased in 300 pounds of scream loudly and off-key to our enthusiastic performing style. The ice—are scattered across Kingston, favourite old songs. band connected well with the so you never know where you It was exactly the rowdy kind of audience, which was filled with might stumble upon one. They fun we needed to help forget about students and local punk fans alike. offer a map of all their locations, our school stress. By the end of the It was a truly enjoyable evening. but I preferred the randomness show, my face hurt from laughing As an audience member who of finding one on the street, or the whole time. was unfamiliar with the band’s outside one of Kingston’s local Players’ goal seems to be to style, I found myself fueled with businesses. make sure that everybody has adrenaline as the set played out.

These paintings not only a fun night—audience and cast Watching Royal Tusk perform on brought some color to Kingston’s members included—and that’s stage and interact with affection dreary winter days, but also something anyone at Queen’s and humour with their fans, it was seemed to bring the city together, can appreciate.” clear they found a second home in interweaving all different parts of this Kingston pitstop.”

Kingston into one big art exhibit.”

—Tessa Warburton, photo editor —Simone Manning, staff writer

The Wilderness connects with fans via livestream Rock band adapts to self-isolation by coming together online Pamoda Wijekoon Assistant Arts Editor The Wilderness has proven there’s nothing more rock-and-roll than caring for yourself and others.

All six members of the local band just returned to Kingston after spending 10 days together recording their upcoming album just as the CDC recommended Canadians start self-isolating. In the space of one day, the band went from sleeping together in the same room to spending days apart, social distancing in their own homes.

Now, as plans for an album release and the band’s first-ever European tour in May are put on indefinite hold, The Wilderness has taken the shift from the stage

to the sofa in stride.

The group has embraced the new wave of livestreamed content being produced by musicians stuck at home as a way to stay productive, connect with fans, and most importantly, stay sane.

“As a band, our bread and butter has always been playing live and playing together,” lead vocalist Jonas Lewis-Anthony said in an interview with The Journal. “We took a few days to adjust to the new lifestyle.”

“We’ve been doing a band Skype call every day at two o’clock, just to catch up and see how everyone’s doing. In our daily meetings, we figured [...] since we’ve got nothing but time, let’s just livestream as much content as possible.”

As a result, the band has implemented a regular schedule on both Instagram and Facebook, with the various members taking on new tasks three times a week from their remote locations.

On Mondays, saxophonist Nick Lennox has been breaking down the band’s songs into

ILLUSTRATION BY ROWAN LACROIX

“This year, I read Desmond Cole’s The Skin We’re In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power. Back in the 2000s, Cole was a Queen’s student before he dropped out and went on as a journalist and advocate for Black Canadians who have faced ongoing racism in Canada.

His book documents a year of his advocacy, where he fundamentally challenges the mythology of Canada as the pinnacle of multiculturalism.

It’s inspiring to see a former Queen’s student speak out about pertinent issues in Canadian social justice.”

•9

Café for the first time.

It’s a cute bar on Brock St. with a lot of character, tucked between its rustic, exposed brick walls.

Musiiki specializes in whiskies, but what attracted me was its promise of live jazz every Monday night.

The jazz group—made up of Helena Hannibal, Eric Liu, John Torres, Spencer Evans, Alexander Tikhnenko, Brian Howell, and Ron Hackett—plays on a pocket-sized stage tucked away on the second floor.

At first, I felt like a fly on the wall—it’s a smaller bar and everyone inside seemed to know each other—but as soon as the six-piece band started doing their thing, I was spellbound. You could stroll past this bar on the street a million times without realizing what musical magic awaits inside.

I went in with no expectations and left with a renewed love of jazz.

It made me wish I’d stuck with the alto sax after high school.”

—Nathan Gallagher, staff writer

—Samira Levesque, contributor

“My favourite arts event I attended this year was the Dan Studio Series’ winter term production, Lost & Found. This show was a collection of four one-act pieces, all written by students. I genuinely loved each one, and I found them all to be well-written, well-acted, and well-staged.

I was completely engrossed in every moment of the show. Overall, immersing myself in student-made creative work was an enriching and valuable experience that will colour my time at Queen’s in a positive light.”

“In early March, I visited Musiiki

—Julia Harmsworth, staff writer

show,” Lewis-Anthony said. “It’s very personable when people can reach out [online] and ask us questions and we can interact with them. It really made me reassess the way that we’ve been doing things on stage. One thing that I’ve always wanted to put across as a band is that we’re no different from anyone else. I’d love to take some of the lessons we’ve learned from doing these livestreams to the live show and just make it an interactive experience to people.”

For now, the band has committed to livestreaming until

April 3, but plan to keep it going as long as people are stuck in self-isolation.

“We’ve gotten to the point now where we have […] a small platform, but a platform nonetheless,” Lewis-Anthony said. “I think it’s a responsibility of ours to use our platform in a productive way and to encourage people to [stay at home].

So if we can stay sane, encourage people to do the right thing, and also entertain people during this time, then that’s a win-win-win.”

music lessons for fans, explaining how each song was crafted and analyzing the differences between the album and live performances.

On We d n e s d ay s , Lewis-Anthony has been hosting acoustic concerts out of his bedroom, providing viewers with backstage commentary about the band’s song-writing process.

To round out the week, the band invites their fellow musician friends to call them while they’re livestreaming. During these calls, they interview these musicians on how they’re adapting to social distancing, and hanging out with their fans. This past Friday, they Skyped in South Dakotan musician Rosco Wuestewald, who goes by the stage name of Aage Birch and has previously toured with The Wilderness.

The shift to a more intimate setting has brought the band closer to their fans.

“There’s no lights and no glitz PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON and glamour and there’s no spectacle of putting on a live The Wilderness livestream concerts on both Facebook and Instagram.

LIFESTYLE

10 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, March 27, 2020

Queen’s Eats: Cooking through social distancing

vegetable scraps, and odds and ends forgotten at the back of my fridge to make homemade stock. Over St. Patrick’s Day, my boyfriend and I stayed in to make a fleet of festive chicken wings. Afterward, I used the leftover bones along with onion skins, celery, and parmesan rinds to make a rich umami broth. The pot of bubbling bones looked like a horrifying witch’s brew, but after a quick strain, it made a hearty vegetable soup perfect for a day of self-care.

Desserted

During times of crisis, cooking can be a source of comfort.

Michelle Boon Staff Writer We’re about two weeks into social distancing orders from public health agencies, and while a lot of students are figuring out how to finish up final assignments from home, others are already fatigued from binge-watching YouTube videos for the tenth day in a row.

Facing an advisory to stay at home as much as possible, it’s easy to get cabin fever. While you’re taking the precautions to take care of others and prevent further spread of COVID-19, it’s also important to take care of yourself in self-isolation.

Cooking can be an outlet that nourishes both physical and mental health in a time when isolation takes a toll on both.

Here are some of my favourite cooking projects you can take on to practice self-care and combat boredom while social distancing: Just dough it

With classes going online, many of us may suffer from lack of daily routine. Working from home, I’m not nearly as productive as I am when I have classes and clubs to work around.

To add structure to my day, I’ve

employed bread-making.

Mixing, kneading, and rolling out dough act as study breaks, and I work while my creation rises and bakes. I highly suggest trying your hand at pizza dough, as it only requires flour, water, oil, and salt. Additionally, if you prep your dough during the day, you can look forward to a gourmet pizza dinner.

Alternatively, my favourite recipe—Bon Appetit’s Best Morning Buns—requires the brioche dough to rest in the fridge overnight to be rolled out in the morning. Without a schedule, my laissez-faire morning routine usually beings at noon. Knowing that I have fresh pastries to bake in the morning is great motivation to

ILLUSTRATION BY ELISE NGO

get out of bed at a reasonable hour.

Subsequently, I set myself up for a more productive day.

Stock up

Going to the grocery store, even with precautions for social distancing and sanitization in place, can be stressful.

To reduce the number of times I have to shop for things in person, I’ve challenged myself to make my own cooking stock instead of purchasing it. This way I get more out of my food and avoid panic-buying. As a bonus, this helps reduce my overall food waste.

I started saving bones,

I’m eternally grateful that I don’t have to social distance alone, and me and my housemates can support one another through self-isolation.

Baking a sweet treat to share with my friends has been my go-to to make a dull day feel special. As we finish up our fourth year, surprise desserts have helped us find little ways to celebrate our last few weeks as housemates.

I made a batch of sticky toffee puddings the other day, and the act of pouring bubbling caramel over the mini puddings added a little excitement to the day. It brought everyone together in a time when we all needed it most. ***

With major events cancelled and local hangouts closed, it’s hard to find comfort during this pandemic. Fortunately, you can still find solace in comfort foods.

Photographing our quarantine

I FaceTime some friends to forget about the chaos.

Endless days at home mean just as much time to practice music and get better.

PHOTO BY ISABELLE MA

To read the rest of this article, visit queensjournal.ca/lifestyle

I walked my dog with medical gloves on so that I didn’t come into contact with him.

PHOTO BY JULIANA BROWN

PHOTO BY JOSH GRANOVSKY

Friday, March 27, 2020

Five good things that have happened this year

LIFESTYLE

queensjournal.ca •11

2020 hasn't been all bad Julia Harmworth Staff Writer I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to feel like 2020 is an absolute dumpster fire.

COVID-19 has turned the world upside down, and everyone who once vowed that “2020 is going to be my year” is eating their words.

However, I think people have an unfortunate tendency to focus on the bad and ignore the good.

Yes, some terrible things have happened in 2020, but, for the sake of our sanity, we can’t let them overshadow the good that’s occurred. Here are five good things that have happened recently: ‘Wonder chicken’ discovered

The oldest fossil of the modern bird to date was recently discovered, dating back 66 million years—before the age of the dinosaurs. This creature, which scientists have named “the wonder chicken” looks like a chicken from the front and a duck from the back.

Its discovery adds a significant amount of information to the body of scientific knowledge, telling scientists a lot about the early evolution of the modern bird and

opening a debate about its location of origin.

Second person in the world cured of HIV

A couple of weeks ago, the second person in the world was cured of HIV. Thanks to a stem cell treatment, London, U.K. resident Adam Castillejo is free of the disease. Though this treatment is high-risk and, consequently, cannot be offered widely to patients, Castillejo’s cure gives us hope that a future cure using gene therapy is within our reach.

The first in-vitro cheetah cubs born

In late February, the Columbus Zoo in Ohio announced the birth of the first cheetah cubs to be born from in-vitro fertilization. Two cubs, a male and a female, were born to a three-year-old mother, cheetah Izzy. This feat is a breakthrough for both biology and zoology, and comes as a sign that it’s possible for humans to help e n d a n g e re d species survive.

2020 has been hard so far, but bright spots remain.

Australia is no longer on fire The worst thing to dominate the early months of 2020 prior to the coronavirus pandemic has finally come to a halt. Australia is no longer on fire; the fires were put out in New South Wales, the last area to remain burning, as of early March. Now, its forests are recovering, and new plant life has recently emerged from the fire-ravaged landscape. While this is certainly not the end of the battle against the climate crisis, the horrors in Australia have

momentarily come to a pause.

Animal Crossing released on Nintendo Switch

On a less significant but still happy note, Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out on Nintendo Switch on March 20. Now, fans of the classic Nintendo game can play it on Nintendo’s newest console. This game has become a worldwide trend, as many see it as the perfect activity to fill their time in self-isolation. This game is widely considered to be incredibly relaxing—the premise simply involves going to an island and making a bunch of animal

ILLUSTRATION BY SHELBY TALBOT

friends that you complete basic tasks for in exchange for rewards.

I know I’ll be spending much of my newfound time tied to it. ***

Yes, this decade got off to a rough start, but it hasn’t been all bad. Some good things have permeated the darkness that dominates the news today.

Sometimes, I feel as though I just need a break from the rising coronavirus numbers, and it’s those moments that I need good news like this. I hope it gave you at least a small portion of comfort.

Stay safe!

Grieving the end of a long-distance relationship Aysha Tabassum Opinions Editor For people in long-distance relationships, virtual communication isn’t just an alternative to a ‘real’ relationship—it’s the only connection to a loved one that happens to live far away.

In turn, when a laptop or cell phone is used to end a long-distance relationship, it feels just as real as any breakup.

The only downside is that you can’t tell what the other person feels as easily as if you were face-to-face. Perhaps due to the general (misguided) belief that long-distance relationships aren’t as fulfilling as ‘regular’ relationships, you start to question if your often-online romance was actually important to your ex in the first place.

In an effort to figure out how to get over a long-distance breakup myself, I wanted to share the process of healing from one. I documented my findings under the five textbook stages of grief associated with mourning—because losing someone who was a huge part of your life does indeed include a mourning period.

1. Denial

Whether or not you say it out loud to the other person, for a second, you can question if this

Distance doesn’t always make the heart grow fonder breakup is even legitimate. You think that you should get another chance to do this in person. You’re almost certain that if they could see you, and if they weren’t hundreds of kilometres away, they would feel differently, and this wouldn’t be happening.

For the first few mornings and nights after your breakup, you instinctively want to call them to chat, because it’d be odd not to. You’re convinced for a long time that this is temporary, and eventually they’ll come to their senses. They have to, right?

2. Anger

You blame everything on circumstance. Yes, the breakup happened, but you’re convinced that it shouldn’t have. You shared a deep connection with someone, and it seems unfair to you that it was tainted by outside factors.

It wasn’t that you weren’t right for each other—of course not. It’s just the distance was too much pressure, or made you feel like you were missing out on better things. You’re not just angry at the person who ended your relationship. You’re angry at the universe, because you feel like your relationship didn’t get a fair shot to stand on its own.

3. Bargaining Long-distance breakups can lead you to convince yourself it’s possible to stay close with your ex as friends. You evaluate all the ways that you used to interact with them, and, on a surface level, they all seemed platonic.

The bulk of your relationship was through Skype, texts, and phone calls—nothing is particularly romantic about those mediums.

It’s tempting to keep this routine, and even more tempting to hold onto someone who was such a big part of your life. You might convince yourself for a while that it’s perfectly healthy to keep talking to them, and that there’s nothing toxic about it.

4. Depression

You realize you’ll never have the same hold on this person that you used to. Interactions with them only make you more upset, but the idea of cutting them out of your life seems even m o r e devastating.

If you were lucky enough to

have had visits with this person, everything they’ve left behind reminds you of them. You hate any presents or care packages they sent, but you can’t bring yourself to get rid of them. You start to count up all the ‘lasts’— the last time you saw them, the last time you held their hand, and the last time you spoke to them—from before the breakup.

You feel robbed because you didn’t realize that those moments were the last times you’d get to do those things.

You realize that this is real. This is usually when all you want to do is huddle under

a pile of blankets and throw your phone as far away from you as possible.

5. Acceptance

Eventually, things will run their course and you’ll learn to cherish your relationship for what it was.

You’ll let go of your resentment for them, but you’ll still delete their number and your photos of them.

You’ll realize that they’re a different person now, and so are you.

You’ll take this as an opportunity for growth. As much as you loved being in your long-distance relationship, you can experience life outside of it. You can meet someone else, or not. You can stay out late without wanting to go home and hear your ex’s voice.

You can learn to look back on your relationship as a good part of your life that’s now over. More importantly, you can look forward to all the good things that are still to come.

ILLUSTRATION BY ROSE VATRES

Postscript

12 • queensjournal.ca

Friday, March 27, 2020

Last Words PHOTO BY TESSA WARBURTON

The editors of The Queen's Journal, Volume 147.

Meredith and Iain say goodbye to the place that gave them a chance

Meredith Wilson-Smith Editor in Chief When I walked into 190 University Avenue on May 1 and saw my name on the office door, I burst into tears.

You never know how badly you want something, nor how overwhelmingly happy you are to get it, until it’s in front of you.

Two years before, I felt the same when I got a call saying the interview I thought I bombed meant that I, a scared and confused 18-year-old, would be The Journal’s copy editor. I spent the rest of the afternoon Googling what a copy editor was. That year, I couldn’t believe I was lucky enough to touch every page of a newspaper created by the smartest people I’d ever met.

Throughout my three years at this paper, that feeling hasn’t changed.

I’m not alone in that: a 1950s ad says, “Journal needs anyone who needs needing.” I’ve needed everything this paper has given me more than it ever needed me.

What that’s taught me is, while the paper may not be able to love you back, it can surround you with enough love to drive your sense of purpose.

We always say this newspaper has survived three centuries and two world wars. This year alone, the Student Choice Initiative kneecapped student journalism, bringing a vastly reduced budget, staff, and print run. The editor in chief role changed this year, leaving me to raise tens of thousands of dollars to support the newspaper’s survival. A global pandemic sent students home early, bringing an unexpected end to the year.

You’d think just one of those events would be cause for despair.

But anybody who’d think that hasn’t met Volume 147.

This is a team of tired teenagers and 20-somethings working every spare moment in a rickety (and probably haunted) house for pennies on the hour. They cover campus sexual assault, sports, and

student mental health with grace and grit. They learn on the job while balancing schoolwork and personal pressures.

This team is The Journal more than any article or issue. They work harder and care more deeply than anyone I’ve ever known.

Volume 147, all I wanted this year was to give you even half as much as The Journal gave me, and you still deserve more. Thank you for your trust.

And thank you to those who made this year as special as it’s been.

Joe and Meg, thank you for giving me a shot. I’ll always admire you for the leadership you modelled and the blueprint you left.

Seb and Nick: when you told me I’d be editor in chief, you said, “Welcome to the club.” Any club of yours is a club I want to be in. Thanks for being my older brothers, and for giving me confidence and kindness when I need it the most.

Julia, Laura, and Kiana: you’ve seen and heard it all since Day 1. Thanks for your listening, your encouragement, and your love—and for running errands for me when Ed Board runs late.

Mum, Dad, and Patch: you’ve given me everything. You’re my morning texts, my teary calls, my sources of energy, and my favourite people. Every tough spot feels easier knowing you’re on my team. Thank you for your patience and unconditional love.

To the staff, it’s felt like a miracle watching you scaffold a newspaper from the ground up every coffee-and-snack-driven Thursday. Seeing you work together and become a family along the way has been the greatest privilege I could imagine. You’ve been perfect.

Aidan, you managed to turn every obstacle into a win. Your ability to finesse sales, manage a budget, and vanish a decades-old deficit is unbelievable. Thank you for giving this old newspaper new life, and for always being around

for a laugh.

Iain, my partner in crime and the dearest of friends. I can’t imagine this year without you.

You’ve kept me sane and been a constant support and sounding board. And who else could make me laugh until I cry during 5 a.m. exporting? I’ll miss our dumb jokes and shorthand, but no goodbyes here—you’re stuck with me, dude.

Raechel and Matt: As I write these last words, I think of how fast next year will fly before you’re writing your own. I know how much you both love the paper and how many experiences lie ahead for you.

Here’s what you should know: you can’t keep the floors clean and the basement won’t unlock. You should catch up on sleep on Sunday nights and always pack a lunch on Thursdays.

Most importantly, there will be times when you can’t imagine having the strength to carry the weight of the paper. When you feel that way, think of everyone you have on your side, and the community of readers keeping you humble and truthful.

You’ll never be alone at The Journal. After all, it’ll always need people who need needing.

Meredith is ready to keep moving forward.

Iain Sherriff-Scott Managing Editor Wearing a haphazard Journal press badge, I was standing across from the prime minister, about to ask the question I’d rehearsed quickly in the mirror earlier that morning, when I thought to myself, “How the f—k did I get here?”

That was three and a half years ago. Nervous, I’d scribbled my question down on a piece of paper that would end up hopelessly crumpled by the time I’d need it. Like the experiences of so many of my peers, I was there that day because someone

took a chance on me.

Now, after pouring innumerable hours into this newspaper I love, it’s finally time to say goodbye.

I could write about how much my time here has meant to me, or how inspired I am by my colleagues—and I will—but I want to first talk about my fears.

It's true that, for a number of reasons, student journalism has been hurting. It hasn’t been easy to handle the impacts of the Student Choice Initiative on campus newsrooms across the province.

There’s no easy way to put it, The Journal took some pretty big punches.

But thankfully, and I say this knocking on wood, we’re on the mend.

Beyond provincial policy trying to hamstring funding for student papers, the downturns of the industry have impacted us too. There are signs of hope, like journalism start-ups with promising new business models, but also a lot of uncertainty.

I’m an optimist. I believe the next generation of journalists can solve the challenges ahead. But that doesn’t mean real barriers don’t exist. Student newsrooms can’t handle a second attempt at disrupting their operations from the province.

When I accepted this job, I never could have expected what a transformational year this would become for The Journal. But amid all the turbulence, what’s always given me hope is the strength of the people who volunteer their time to do the hard work of reporting the news for their peers.

The staffers who bring you The Journal every week are some of the most passionate, honest, gritty, and hard-working students on this campus. Every single one of them believes deeply in the role the free press plays on campus, and each of them holds their integrity above all else.

This year’s team experienced unique challenges. But they also achieved some truly incredible feats, including accumulating the

most website page views and users ever in one volume, along with a string of award nominations.

Meredith and I couldn’t have asked for a better team, and I couldn’t have asked for a better co-editor. At this point, I can only struggle to imagine how many fires put out, Slack messages sent, Journals italicized, and stories edited remotely from, well, remote locations, we’ve pulled off. As our sports editor likes to say, it’s been an absolute slice.

Day-to-day, when sometimes it feels like nobody’s reading, I remind myself how many members of the Queen’s community value the news we publish. How many times we’ve worked into the night on a story that resulted in real change. How many sources came forward to share difficult and personal stories for the benefit of their peers. And how many times we’ve made the difference to a first-year student who’s struggling to find their place.

The people who bring you The Journal are going to be part of Canada’s media future. They’ll occupy top roles at the country’s most trusted news organizations.

They’ll be on the ground reporting from conflict zones around the world. And they’ll have the same commitment to the truth they had here.

For all of these reasons, when I find myself standing in front of the student newspaper I love so dearly one last time this year, I’ll know full-well how I got here.

Like any campus reporter worth his salt, I’ll wrap this one up with a quote.

“There are possibly those who will be tempted to talk of the ‘good old days’ of the Journal.

Very Good. But we cannot rest on past reputation. Ours is the present, and for the part we play in it we are responsible.”

—Editorial, volume 45, issue 1, Oct. 18, 1918 Iain is ready to keep bringing you the news.