SINCE 1944
VOLUME 77 ISSUE 9
March 14 2022
Ukraine calls for aid as it stands its ground against Russian invasion
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Good refugee, bad refugee
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Gabrielle Liu
Student run since 1944
SRC election debates underscore prominent issues for BU students
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Musical Theatre Concentration launches with the production of Godspell
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Gas prices in Quebec approach $2 per litre
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Leo Webster
Eva Rachert
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Casey Hebert
Women’s hockey secures first-ever RSEQ playoff series win David Rossiter
Layout design by Gabrielle Liu & Cassie MacDonell
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Liz Beaumont
Graphic courtesy of Leea Rebeca Ruta
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NEWS
THE CAMPUS MARCH 14 2022
Sarah Halberstadt, News Editor » thecampus.news@gmail.com
Bishop’s adopts new online platform to report sexual violence Sarah Halberstadt - News Editor
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n Feb. 17, Bishop’s University announced its partnership with Respect, Educate, Empower Survivors (REES), an online reporting platform for survivors of sexual violence. REES can be used anonymously by students, faculty, and staff 24/7 to report sexual violence and access the options and resources available to support survivors at Bishop’s. Bishop’s University’s implementation of the REES reporting platform is one step of many that the university has taken recently to improve its sexual assault reporting process and sexual violence prevention policy. An anonymous message left on the bridge leading to campus that read, “He raped me. I reported. He’s still in my class. BU take action” on Nov. 3 is what spurred the succession of recent changes in how Bishop’s handles and prevents incidents of sexual violence. The accusation left on the bridge resulted in a public outcry. Over 60 anonymous stories of sexual violence, assault, or harassment, as well as administrative shortcomings have since been submitted to the Instagram @bishops_u_confessions page or appeared next to the original message on the bridge. Since November, Bishop’s has been in constant motion to provide the survivorcentered approach they claimed to have in response to reports of sexual violence in the community. A major driving force behind
the University’s recent changes has been the student-run Sexual Culture Committee (SCC). Identifying shortcomings in the revised 2019 version of the University’s Policy for the Prevention of Sexual Violence, the SCC has been working to improve Bishop’s handling of sexual violence long before the flood of sexual assault allegations. The SCC has since succeeded in implementing changes to the University’s sexual violence policy, which were put into effect in December, and partnering Bishop’s with REES. “It’s been so incredible to see all of the student leadership and action and really advocating for bringing REES to campus,” says Nell Perry, partner liaison of REES, who has been working with SCC members for almost a year to bring REES to the Bishop’s community. REES not only provides information and resources available to survivors in a cohesive and understandable way, but it also introduces new options for victims to report sexual violence. REES allows students, faculty, or staff to create an incident record, which will be saved automatically on the online database. The record is only accessible to the person who wrote it and is timestamped each time new information is added, allowing the victim to work at their own pace on the record. “The goal of the platform is to allow people to go in, create a record of what happened including as much
or as little information as they want, and then nothing has to happen with that information until or if the survivor chooses,” says Perry. There are currently three reporting options through REES. First, a community member can choose to file an anonymous report, which won’t contain any revealing information about their identity. The report contains only multiple-choice questions that determine when and where the incident happened and leaves a space for survivors to write in their gender. The second option, ‘Connect to My Campus’, sends the victim’s contact information to Dean of Student Affairs Dr. Stine Linden-Andersen. LindenAndersen will then reach out to the victim and help them decide how they would like to proceed with their report, what resources they would like to utilize, or support the survivor emotionally. The third option is called Repeat Perpetrator Identification (RPI), which allows the survivor to identify their assailant without submitting a formal report. The platform will notify Bishop’s University should two or more people report a perpetrator’s name. REES also creates a better look into the frequency of sexual violence on campus through data collection. At the end of each semester, Bishop’s will receive a summary from REES of the anonymous reports submitted to
Winterfest 2022: a snowy success
Photo courtesy of Sarah Halberstadt determine if there are patterns in the sexual violence within the community and find areas for improvement without giving the university access to individual reports. Bishop’s continues to look for safe, alternative ways of reporting sexual violence and is currently working with REES to create an additional reporting option that will send the victim’s report to a legal council at Bishop’s to forge a formal complaint against their assailant. “[REES] decreases barriers to reporting sexual violence,” says Perry, who is optimistic for the success of REES at Bishop’s and the way it truly employs a survivor-centered focus.
Rihannon Day - Senior Copyeditor
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here is nothing quite like Lennoxville during Winterfest; with every ski suit in town brought out from the back of closets, ski goggles adorning each snowy hat, and every purple accessory decorating Lennoxville with a flourish, it’s easy to see the excitement and anticipation this event holds for BU students. On Saturday, Feb. 19, students were able to participate in this year’s edition of Winterfest, an annual event organized by the BUSRC to bring students together during the winter semester. The event’s schedule included Rail Jam from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and concluded with dancing between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Students were also able to participate in ongoing activities in the Quad, listen to student DJ Thomas Boivert, and visit the cash-only outdoor bar organized by the Gait. This year, skiers and snowboarders could get involved with the Rail Jam by signing up day-of. Participants were judged in five separate categories: best overall snowboard trick, best off rail trick, best near miss or biggest slam, most creative trick, and best duet trick. Prizes for each category included a $25 Sail gift
card, a LUG speed suit, and an illusion gift pack. “Getting involved was really easy… competing was a lot of fun,” says Grace McArthur, fourth year International Studies major and first time Rail Jam participant. “Overall, as a woman in Rail Jam, it was super nice to have so much support from the school. Everyone kind of knew that it was rare to have women compete… I would love to see more girls participate,” she mentions. “I would definitely recommend it to others, even just to try it out for later on,” she said. The Gait also organized an outdoor bar for students to enjoy. Third-year
psychology student and Gait bartender Maya Bernier worked this event and said that “it was pretty busy during the late afternoon, and people were very nice and cooperative. Loads of people were very excited to be there and a crowd favourite was definitely our hot chocolate with fireball. Overall I had a blast and it seemed like a lot of people did as well.” Ticket sales for this event happened on Feb. 15 and 17 between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. The tickets were $35 and were available for current Bishop’s students ages 18 and older who could present a Vaxicode. In the first episode of the SRC’s presidential
Photos courtesy of Emily Crunican podcast, finance director Ryan Maxwell explains the cost of Winterfest tickets, which was seen by some as expensive. “The rail itself is quite expensive, it’s approximately $10,000, [and] there’s the infrastructure that come along with the event: lights, sound, fencing, portapotties, all sorts of things that we rent, we purchase, and it does create a lot of expenses for the event. So that’s what goes into the cost itself… we’re really not aiming to make a huge profit on the event, we’re trying to make the event work with the COVID restrictions.”
NEWS
SINCE 1944
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Sarah Halberstadt, News Editor » thecampus.news@gmail.com
Ukraine calls for aid as it stands its ground against Russian invasion Eva Rachert - Contributor
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kraine’s sovereign identity has been under attack since Feb. 24 when Russian military forces invaded Ukraine, an aggressive move by Putin to reclaim Ukraine as Russian territory. Ukraine declared independence from Russia in 1991, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and gained true independence in 2014 after overthrowing the Russian-backed president. Ukraine’s separation has led to increased Russian aggression on the Ukrainian border, culminating in the invasion of several Ukrainian cities over the last few weeks. As of Mar. 8, over 2 million people have fled Ukraine in two weeks, half of them children, nearly matching the total of people who have fled Syria since 2015. Estimates from the United Nations suggest that 10 per cent of Ukraine’s population could become refugees before the conflict ends. Poland hosts over a million refugees and has opened all border crossings to permit easier entrance. In addition, other Ukrainian border countries have each taken in around 100,000 to 200,000 refugees. Border countries share concerns of also being invaded by Russian troops, and Moldova, which relies heavily upon Russian oil, has applied for admittance into the EU. Several Ukrainian cities have halted evacuations as heavy Russian shelling has made it unsafe for civilians to move, despite a cease-fire being instituted.
Many Ukrainians have declined to evacuate, staying in their home cities to defend against the invasion. Others — men between 18 and 60 — have been conscripted into the military and banned from leaving the country. The Ukrainian army has just under 200,000 active troops; Russia’s military has almost a million. Experts believe that the Russian military has been deliberately targeting civilian locations, despite Putin’s claim to the contrary. Germany has launched a probe into Russia’s activities to determine if the attacks of civilians are deliberate or the result of military incompetence. U.S. secretary of state Anthony Blinken also stated on CNN that the U.S. has seen “very credible reports” of Russian war crimes. The International Criminal Court has launched an investigation as well. The Russian military also appears to have targeted a Ukrainian nuclear power plant, sparking discussion of criminality and fear of nuclear war. Putin has alluded to Russia’s nuclear force to deter foreign countries from contributing to Ukraine’s war effort and has declared that imposing sanctions on Russia is tantamount to a declaration of war. Despite this, many countries have instituted sanctions on Russia. Canada and the U.S. have banned imports of Russian oil and gas, which is a driving force in the Russian economy. The UK also plans to phase out Russian oil by the end of 2022, and the EU, which is heavily reliant on Russian oil, has detailed plans to reduce
usage by 2030. Russia’s central bank assets are currently frozen, and financial services like Visa have been suspended. In addition, many major corporations like Nike, McDonald’s, and Apple are closing their doors in Russia, halting their operations until further notice. These sanctions, which focus primarily on hurting the Russian economy, have caused the value of the ruble, the Russian currency, to fall to historical lows and is currently worth less than one cent of the U.S. dollar. However, some fear that the sanctions will not be enough to deter Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a virtual speech to the British Parliament on Tuesday that Russia was a “terrorist state,” and requested to
Graphic courtesy of Leea Rebeca Ruta impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, create more sanctions, and called on military support. Russia believed that Ukraine would fall within days of their initial invasion and has attempted to restrategize since this has proven to be false. The attack on Ukraine is the latest of numerous events of Russian aggression against former Soviet states. Many military analysts believe that Putin is attempting to recreate the Soviet Union, while Putin claims Russia is trying to democratize Ukraine. Regardless of the motivation, the invasion of Ukraine has raised concerns in other former Soviet countries and poses questions about the degree to which support of Ukraine is war on Russia.
new ‘normalcy,’ Quebec may not have seen the last of pandemic mandates, as the government is prepared to put regulations back in place should a sixth wave of the virus hit the Province again. March 11 marked the second anniversary since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the spread of the COVID-19 virus a pandemic. Roughly three million Quebec citizens have been infected since the start of the pandemic, though the current progression of cases is difficult to track due to the reservations of PCR tests for high-risk groups only. During a Global News broadcast, Global News medical specialist Dr. Mitch Shulman warns caution during Quebec’s removal of restrictions. “We have more people in the hospital at this time than we did last year. We have had more deaths per week, per day now than we did this time last year,” says Shulman. While Quebec
A vaccine passport notice at Bishop’s Sports Centre, no longer facing the entrance walkway. Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Liu officials remain optimistic for Quebec’s gradual reopening, many advise caution and good judgment within the coming months.
Bishop’s lifts vaccine passport mandate as Quebec phases out pandemic restrictions Sarah Halberstadt - News Editor
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n March 12, Bishop’s University lifted its vaccine passport checkpoints, no longer requiring students to present their Vaxicode to enter nonessential spaces on campus following the Quebec government’s removal of its vaccine passport mandate, which has been in place since Sept. 2021. The Quebec government announced Feb. 15 that the province would experience a gradual phase-out of its pandemic restrictions from February to May and no longer will require vaccine passports to enter nonessential spaces as of March 12. Public venues such as bars, gyms, and restaurants are also allowed full capacity. After remaining closed throughout the last two months, The Gait opened its bar and dance floor Saturday. The Quebec government also announced plans to no longer enforce masks in mid-April and early May.
Bishop’s University, however, will likely continue to enforce the mask mandate until the end of the semester to reduce the risk of illness during exam and travel season. COVID-19 cases have been on a decline since the fifth wave of the pandemic hit Quebec particularly hard during December and January. This gradual decline and projected plateau in cases is what has informed Quebec officials’ confidence in removing restrictions over the next few months. However, public health officials urge caution during the removal of pandemic restrictions. Quebec Premier François Legault said in a statement last month that it will be up to the citizens of Quebec to evaluate their own risk and safety when it comes to public settings, saying, “we will have to learn to live with the virus.” Despite the drastic moves toward a
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OPINIONS
THE CAMPUS MARCH 14 2022
Safia Hafid, Opinions Editor » thecampus.opinions@gmail.com
The current gas crisis may indicate a sooner shift to renewable energy Liz Beaumont - Economics & Business Editor
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ussia is among the top oil producers in the world, trailing behind the United States and Saudi Arabia. In response to Russia’s invasion of sovereign Ukraine, the world has placed tremendous sanctions on the country and its wealthy oligarchs. These sanctions have coincided with the existing global supply and demand trends we have gotten used to seeing for the last few years. The sanctions themselves have placed a near halt to Russia’s exports, including their oil and precious crude oil. Crude oil is what refineries turn into oil that we can actually use, such as transportation fuel. Therefore, this is a direct determinant of gas prices in receiving countries around the world. This global crisis affects more than just the transportation fuel industry. In Canada, we make up about 2.5 per cent of the world’s consumption of oil. Canadians use oil to heat their homes, and it is a direct ingredient in the manufacturing of everyday products. If the price of oil continues to soar, as it is now,
it will become even more financially difficult to maintain the households and everyday practices we have gotten used to. These fossil fuels all contribute to the unfortunate growth of climate change, for their vast amounts of burned carbon dioxide are scientifically proven to become trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere. Receiving countries, such as Canada, rely on this oil in order to provide reasonable gas prices for its population and to keep its own supply chain of goods and services running. However, is this gas crisis perhaps an indicator that the globe should rely less on countries such as Russia for energy, and to turn to reliable and sustainable energy instead? We have seen a rise in the development of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid engine models, both using either no gas at all or minimal gas. We have also seen the rise of wind-powered and sun-powered energy; both are natural resources that
other countries cannot take away from us. This sort of renewable energy is safe and reliable even in times of global uncertainty. Environmentalists are now turning their heads to the less harmful effects of these sources of energy and are using Russia as an example of why we should not rely on their oil to keep our economy turning. Environmentalists, such as Greenpeace, state that the current world conflict between Russia and Ukraine highlights the need to invest in renewable energy. Global dependence on a country such as Russia, one that is currently committing human rights violations in Ukraine, must come to an end. Why should we have to support countries that do not support the international order to keep our own country running? The answer is, we do not necessarily have to. Russia has proven to be unreliable and untrustworthy. As such, countries would benefit in the long term to start their transition to renewable energy now – and to expedite
Five albums by women that I like
The gas price at Lennoxville’s Esso gas station on March 13. Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Liu that transition as much as possible. It is safer for global and economic security, while also ensuring the sacredness of our environment.
(and that you should listen to and discover) Ulrik Doyon - Contributor
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t the time of writing this article, it is Mar. 8, also known as International Women’s Day. I also want to note that March is Women’s History Month in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia (here in Canada, it is celebrated in October). Some people like to waste their time wondering why this day is needed; it is simply because sadly, even in 2022, women around the world continue to face daily challenges and struggles in every aspect of daily life. Conditions that are perpetuated generation after generation, and voices that are left unheard. Although tremendous gains have been made throughout history, there is still much to do, which renders this date important to recognize.
If there is one noteworthy sphere where [women] have been constantly undermined, ignored, objectified, and faced severe discrimination and expectations. . . it is the music industry
While there are many things somebody can do to celebrate the women in one’s life, what better time to tell you about five great albums made by solo female artists or bands fronted by women that, in my opinion, you should listen to? If there is one noteworthy sphere where they have been constantly undermined, ignored, objectified, and faced severe discrimination and expectations (although this argument could be applied to any field of your liking), it is the music
industry. Obviously, the following records reflect my own personal preferences. This small chronicle can only fit five; it is not as if I only appreciate these and nothing else. Arguing over who I should have included and why one album is better than another is – in my opinion – a wild goose chase. Art is subjective, and everyone has their own tastes. In all honesty, not only could I put more than those listed, but there are so many more albums that I have not yet listened to. These are just a few that I really like and that I think deserve more recognition. The aim here is to not only showcase great albums by female artists that I feel are worth listening and discovering, but also to highlight the contributions and impact they have made on the cultural scene so far. New York Tendaberry – Laura Nyro (1969) Laura Nyro is an example of an artist who was only known in intimate circles throughout her lifetime. Sadly, wide recognition came posthumously. She was a commercially successful songwriter for Barbra Streisand, while being noted as an influence on Elton John, Steely Dan, and influential female musicians like Joni Mitchell and Patti Smith. This very intimate and stark album, her third, is a cross between acoustic jazz, soul, folk, and even New Orleans rhythm and blues, while her lyrics about love affairs and romances in late 1960s New York City take you on a reflective journey on a bleak imaginary rainy day. Taking influence from jazz singers like Billie Holiday and Nina Simone, and pianists like Claude Debussy (giving it an impressionistic quality), her compositions are mainly built around her solo pianoplaying featuring emotive whole notes, whilst her voice is able to whisper delicately
and then rise in intensity when you least expect it. Juju – Siouxsie and the Banshees (1981) Arguably one of the most important bands that came out of the post-punk movement, Siouxsie & The Banshees remain pioneers of the early alternative scene and a reference on the gothic subculture (even though they dispute the label). Fronted by Siouxsie Sioux (Susan Jane Ballon), their uncompromising attitude and willingness to experiment sonically and rhythmically have influenced artists stylistically different from one another like PJ Harvey, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jeff Buckley, Paramore, Charli XCX, and many more. While almost all their discography could have been on this list, Juju, their fourth album, is often considered their best. An ominous record, it is driven by Siouxsie’s darkly seductive yet powerful vocal delivery of her cryptic lyrics dealing with mental illnesses, isolation, and surreal terrors, along with the thundering percussions and inventive screeching guitars courtesy of John McGeoch, probably one of the most underrated guitarists. Diamond Life – Sade (1984) This groovy album is a must-have for everyone who likes smooth soul and tasty saxophone licks. Influenced by funk, Latin jazz, soul and adult contemporary, Sade’s elegant debut is a tour-de-force embellished by bright keyboards, thick drums, slick basslines, and singer Sade Adu’s grainy and husky voice that is nevertheless smooth as silk. This carries you throughout the nine tracks, whose lyrics touch upon every aspect of love. ‘Smooth Operator’ has to be one of the best openers. The Highwomen – The Highwomen (2019) Made up of four contemporary country
singer-songwriters – Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris, and Amanda Shires – the Highwomen are an homage to the country supergroup The Highwaymen (with Jonny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson). At the same time, this is a message regarding the lack of representation of female artists in country music (Shires came up with the idea of an all-female group after calling a radio station for more female country singers and was redirected to a Facebook page) and an answer to the recent trend within the genre called “bro-country.” Each track on their first album, with styles ranging from pure Western to Americana and folk, features the voices of the four singers, sometimes together (blending heavenly) or taking solo turns with the lead part, as well as unique and strong songwriting from each of the women part of the ensemble. This impressive and cohesive set takes on different subjects like family ties, motherhood, parenting, the experience of women in already marginalized communities and general female empowerment in maledominated fields. Sour – Olivia Rodrigo (2021) The most recent release here, and also the one that most people will probably know, Rodrigo’s debut album is a juggernaut of musical poppy eclecticism filtered with teenage angst and grief. Each song varies in style but keeps the same intensity while seamlessly flowing into the next one. I was really surprised at how much I like this LP. This album is pure pop that is raw and straight, while Rodrigo’s brutally honest lyrics makes her already a model for future generations. I am eager to see if she will be able to keep on releasing great material like this record.
OPINIONS
SINCE 1944
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Safia Hafid, Opinions Editor » thecampus.opinions@gmail.com
Good refugee, bad refugee Gabrielle Liu- Layout Editor “These are not the refugees we are used to… these people are Europeans.” – Kiril Petkov, Bulgarian Prime Minister
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he invasion of Ukraine is an atrocity, consequential, and needs widespread, material, financial, and moral international support for its resistance. Sanctions, military supplies, immigration pathways; strollers for mothers waiting at Polish train stations, teddy bears for children. This is needed; this is the bare minimum. We stand with Ukraine. Yet recently, I have been wondering why the solidarity with refugees that Ukrainians are seeing is so starkly different for Afghans, Syrians, Iraqis, and more. For Joy Korji, a fourth-year Syrian student at BU, it aches to look at the RussiaUkraine war. “As a refugee and someone who lived in the [Syrian civil] war for five years – in active war – I feel super sorry, and I know what Ukrainians are [going] through,” he shared. “And of course, I stand against war wherever it happens, and that’s the key point,” he shared. I am reminded of what is called the 2015 “European migrant crisis” instead of the European refugee crisis. I’m reminded that tens of thousands of primarily Afghan, Syrian, and Iraqi asylum seekers are still stranded on Greek islands waiting for asylum. I’m reminded of the very real financial and logistical challenge of addressing a flow of 1.3 million refugees into Europe during that time, but also the even more real undertones of Western xenophobia and Islamophobia in conversations around surrounding immigration, right to asylum, border control, resettlement, and assimilation. I am reminded that in Syria, Russian forces also repeatedly targeted civilians, hospitals, and schools with airstrikes, air raids, and bombings. We are dealing with what journalist Muhammad Hamid Zaman calls “hierarchies of empathy.” “As happy and hopeful it is to see the
world fight and work so hard to help Ukraine, it really is at the same time so heartbreaking,” Korji said. This is “the same world and the same people [who] have ignored us and looked down on us for years when we were [at] war.”
This is “the same world and the same people [who] have ignored us and looked down on us for years when we were [at] war.”
For Zaman Shakadam, who arrived in Canada in 2016 from Afghanistan, and is now a third-year student at BU, the Western view of refugees from the Middle East is simply wrong: “It’s only the top 3 to 5 per cent of society who manage to get out of the country and get to come to country like Canada,” he said. It is not randomly selected individuals, but the “best of the best,” highly educated, and with resources to surmount border closures and bank failures during war, who could have very well applied to another country for resettlement. However, when the refugees get here, after being hand-picked, Canada gets to simultaneously “treat you as if they saved your life” while society still “looks at you like an alien” and tells you to “go back to where you came from.” This is a sentiment that, for Shakadam, ignores how the refugees who make it overseas are the thousands among the millions, all whom vividly know “immigration or the refugee process is not a good answer to war. Peace is.” We can certainly see that for Ukraine. Talking about war, he stated, “It’s not something you choose. It’s something that happens to you.” Both Shakadam and Korji talked extensively about the role and power of the media in bringing awareness and perspective to conflicts. Growing up, I was always taught that the war in Afghanistan was to
Graphic courtesy of Gabrielle Liu fight terrorism, not the breeding grounds of multiple leaders’ political interests who conveniently got to fight it out on other people’s lands. Western media has shown that Ukrainians are victims of the powerful playing their pawns, while all Afghans are not even afforded that basic presumption. Shakadam thinks the hand extended to Ukrainians is one reaching out because its owner sees them as equals. Can we say the same for other refugees? I am reminded that Bishop’s students never got an email about the school standing with Afghans when the Taliban took over Afghanistan last August, offering them mental health support. “Just because they’re not white, they’re still your students,” said someone who requested to remain anonymous due to their position in the BU community. I can only hope Western media is doing a half-decent job trying to give Ukrainians the dignified platform they deserve, from coverage breaking down the ideology giving rise to Putin’s invasion, analysis of the falsity of his claims, and the social media enabled, masses-reproduced stream of the patriotism, rallying demonstrations, and insurmountable courage of civilians standing against aggression. Media has given space to “Russian warship, go f*** yourself” and the average citizen carrying a mine off a road with his bare hands, children crossing the border alone with a phone number scribbled on their hand – the bits and pieces that humanize the situation. Of course, some of this coverage has
come at the expense of the blatant and unnecessary denigration of other refugees. “This is not the refugee wave we have been used to, people we were not sure about their identity, people with unclear pasts, who could have been even terrorists,” said the prime minister of Bulgaria. A correspondent for ITV: “This is not a developing, thirdworld nation. This is Europe”. It is astronomically confusing and concerning if we feel a need to establish a difference between Ukrainian refugees as “prosperous” or “middle-class” or “welldressed”, as if war should only be tolerated in the Global South. We can support Ukraine without this rhetoric. What they are going through is far more than enough. “It shouldn’t matter what my colour is to decide if I’m a good refugee or a bad refugee. It shouldn’t matter what language I speak. Refugees are refugees all over the world. We all had mothers who cried because their kids were killed. It doesn’t matter if a bomb or rocket killed a Syrian or Ukrainian or Iraqi,” Korji added. Finally, I reiterate that nothing Ukrainians are going through is easy or right, and nor could we claim the international response is sufficient, or ignore how, as one third-year BU student from Eastern Europe pointed out, it’s easy for the majority of Americans and Canadians to #PrayforUkraine from a position of privilege. To better stand with Ukraine, and refugees, we need to be critical of what our current stance is.
leading to my door, keeping a mindful watch of the roach boxes. Unlocking the door was then the biggest challenge of them all. Instead of the key gently gliding through the lock, it was more like a series of bumps and clunks until the door creaked open. My eyes were then met with grease-covered walls, mouldy countertops, and yellow-stained tiles in the bathroom where a hole in the wall could have passed for a cornhole game. Before I shifted my eyes to the cloudy mirror, I noticed the damp, caving-in ceiling and quickly left.
call with maintenance only offered paint for the walls and to have a quick clean on the bathroom done. In frustration I then abandoned my couch and table until the next morning when I picked them up. Soon after, I got rid of the couch, as I assumed that it had probably lost the will to live after spending the night in the roach-infested apartment.
The red flags of renting in Lennoxville Connor Kay - Staff Writer
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The experience of signing my first lease remember, as clear as day, signing the lease for an apartment in Lennoxville. The growing build-up of uncertainty grew between the exchange of emails, as the landlord took what felt like years to respond, leaving me wondering if I would have a place of my own or be left to search for another apartment. Finally, the wait was met by an unpleasant phone call as the landlord ironically felt as if I was playing games when it came to renting the apartment. Seeing that she had not received my end of the paperwork, nor that of my roommate, it became apparent that she did not know how to use email, as I remember the words, “is that G-mail with a G?” leave her mouth. Being genuinely unsure if the landlord was serious or joking, I replied “yes… yes that would be G-mail with a G.” The paperwork was done within a month of the phone call, and I had signed the lease with my roommate. I finally had a guaranteed place to stay in Lennoxville.
Expectations vs. reality… The 31st of the month approached as I went to collect the keys the day before moving in. On the 1st of the month, I acquired an extra set of hands to help move my couch and table. Fitting it up the stairs and through the doorways proved to be a challenge seeing that there was random furniture piled throughout the building that had cumulatively collected dust over what looked like weeks or even months. As the battle with the couch grew in the stairwell, it became apparent that roach traps were an obstacle I had not considered (as I remember nearly tripping over a few of them…). I also did not remember roaches being included in the cost of rent.
I also did not remember roaches being included in the cost of rent. I rounded the corner on the landing
My eyes were then met with grease-covered walls, mouldy countertops, and yellow-stained tiles. . . My quick exit was slowed by the floors, which felt sticky, almost like a combination of maple syrup and dried apple juice grappling at my feet as I made my retreat. A brief phone
Termination of rent… Soon after my couch’s funeral, I had the keys returned to maintenance and immediately began the path to cancel my lease, which thankfully was granted. I must admit, however, that the situation did involve mistakes on my part. I should not have relied on photos to judge the dwellings I was thinking of renting, but I was denied permission to look at the apartment in person. Lesson learned: if a landlord will not let you look at an apartment in person before signing a lease, then they are probably sneaky and trying to hide something pretty nasty.
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SPORTS
THE CAMPUS MARCH 14 2022
David Rossiter, Sports Editor » thecampus.sports@gmail.com
Women’s hockey secures first-ever RSEQ playoff series win David Rossiter - Sports Editor
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he Bishop’s Gaiters Women’s Hockey team has made great strides recently. After their transition from club to varsity status in 2017, they had their eyes set on the top level of university hockey in Canada, U SPORTS. This year is the inaugural RSEQ campaign for the Gaiters. The RSEQ is the Quebec division of U SPORTS and houses some of the best teams in the country. It’s been a learning season for the young Bishop’s team. After all, they are almost all playing their first RSEQ game at the university level. After a 15-game regular season, they sat at a record of 3-12. This led to an exciting chance, a post season play-in series versus the 5th place Carleton Ravens. With a best of three format in place, the series between the Gaiters and Ravens was set to begin in Ottawa on Thursday March 3. After a quick goal by Marjorie Bolduc, Bishop’s was in front. The second period started and Bishop’s immediately went up 2-0, courtesy of Angelique Pagé. Carleton then cut the lead to one. After a scoreless third frame, the Gaiters took home their first ever RSEQ postseason victory and claimed
Photo courtesy of Bishop’s Sports Information
a 1-0 series lead. It was a solid game defensively, the Gaiters only allowing 15 Carleton shots to their own 30. Two days later in Lennoxville, the Gaiters had an incredible opportunity to close out the series in front of a raucous Saturday afternoon crowd. Early in the first period, a power play led to a Bishop’s chance. Freshman Neleh Vigneau-Sargeant capitalized and
the Gaiters took a 1-0 lead. Over two full periods later, no one had scored since. Sensing their season coming to a close, Carleton pulled out all the stops, aka their goalie. Since they had a power play, the absent netminder gave the Ravens a 6-4 skater advantage over the Gaiters. Pushing and pressing for the tying goal, the Ravens just couldn’t get it done. In
fact, Maude Pépin notched an empty net goal on the last play of the game, officially laying Carleton’s season to rest. The 2-0 series sweep advances Bishop’s as they continue their RSEQ playoff debut. Catch them in Ottawa on March 17 and in Lennoxville on March 19 as they attempt to take down the University of Ottawa GeeGee’s.
Women’s soccer returns to the pitch David Rossiter - Sports Editor
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fter an extended holiday break due to COVID-19 slowing the start of RSEQ winter sports, the Bishop’s Gaiters Women’s Soccer team returned to action in late February. The team’s main season takes place in the fall, where they finished the regular season with a record of 3-11. In the winter semester, a shorter, indoor, soccer season helps the Gaiters stay sharp. On Feb. 20, Bishop’s took on UQTR (Trois-Rivieres) at an indoor soccer complex in Sherbrooke. Despite both being RSEQ teams, this was the first meeting of the two schools in the entire 2021-2022 season. The Patriotes got off to a good start, notching two goals in the opening 45-minute frame. In the second half, senior striker Alicia Morin gave the Gaiters hope with a skilled chip shot goal. Ultimately, it wouldn’t be enough
and UQTR would drive home with a 2-1 win. The Gaiters then had their first and only bye week of the indoor campaign. On March 6, the team departed from Lennoxville and headed west to face the Carleton Ravens. Two first-half scores from Raven players put Bishop’s in an early hole. Junior Marie-Pierre Beaudoin stifled the damage by contributing her first goal of the indoor season. During the next half, Beaudoin broke through for her second goal of the day and her first multi-goal game of the year. Her performance would lead to her later being named Bishop’s Female Athlete of the Week. A late goal by Carleton broke the tie and left the Gaiters with a narrow defeat. Bishop’s will face their crosstown rivals, the U de Sherbrooke Vert et Or, on March 20 as they continue to hunt for their first win of 2022.
Photo courtesy of Bishop’s Sports Information
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David Rossiter, Sports Editor » thecampus.sports@gmail.com
Bishop’s Basketball battles Laval in consecutive games Men and women both split matches 1-1 David Rossiter - Sports Editor (Note: this article went to print before the March 10 and 12 games versus McGill.)
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March 3 n Thursday March 3, both the male and female basketball teams from Bishop’s University were fresh off big wins over Concordia the Saturday prior. The two teams packed up and headed east to face Laval University. The women’s match started us off and Bishop’s played a very hardworking game right off the bat. After a quarter, they led by three points, and by halftime the Rouge et Or had claimed a one-point lead. The second half was dominated by the Gaiters, finally becoming victorious at 83-66. Star point guard Amaiquen Siciliano led the team with 23 points, adding to her already very impressive senior season. Sicillano demonstrated her playmaking ability by adding seven assists to her scoring totals. Showing their depth, the Gaiters had three other players reach double digits in points: Jael Kabunda, Jennifer Louis, and Katrina Stoupas. Stoupas, a tall center from Montreal, rebounded incredibly, grabbing 13 boards and securing her second straight double double. The Bishop’s Men’s Basketball team hit the floor next, looking to follow up the women’s impressive effort. Unfortunately, they weren’t as lucky. A high-scoring first quarter had the Gaiters ahead 23-16 early on. Over the next three frames, the Laval Rouge et Or took over and finished the game topping the Gaiters 84-75. Senior guard Ibrahim Ngom led the Gaiters with an impressive 26 points. Freshman Charles Robert, a force in the paint at six feet eight inches tall, was close behind at 25 points. March 2 Saturday rematches were in order for the two RSEQ competitors. In the Mitchell Gymnasium, Bishop’s faithful showed support in large numbers. The women’s team began the night with yet another strong first quarter, 2216. However, the Laval attack became too much and the Rouge et Or topped Bishops 84-75. Amaiquen Siciliano led the
Gaiters Jael Kabunda from the women’s team and Connor Kelly from the men’s team at their February 26 game against Concordia University. Photos courtesy of Bishop’s Sports Information
Gaiters with 27 points and her fellow Argentinian Victoria Gauna added a double double. After Thursday’s loss, the men looked to get their revenge on Laval. A large purple crowd cheered for the same.
A crazy back and forth game, Bishop’s trailed by as much as 11, after a second quarter that went 26-8 in favor of Laval. Connor Kelly was present in his offence, knocking down four shots from behind the arc and scoring 14
points. Michel Hakizimana and Mattis Gueret joined Kelly with double digit points as the Gaiters made a late push past Laval. The final score was 79-72 for the home team.
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THE CAMPUS MARCH 14 2022
Manu Bissonnette, Features Editor » thecampus.features@gmail.com
Discovering Indigenous cultures in Belize and Japan Karina Kramer - Contributor
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ew to Bishop’s are the Japan and Belize summer programs. Thanks to a substantial grant from Global Skills Opportunity, these programs have made it possible for Bishop’s University to send a few students to either one of these two locations. As Bishop’s University takes pride in its small setting and its focus on immersive and experiential learning opportunities, it only makes sense that these summer programs are being offered. The program being held in Japan, titled Communicating Across Cultures: Building Intercultural Competencies and Lasting Partnerships in Japan Using an Indigenous Wholistic Framework, works to expand both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students’ cultural mindset and holistic way of thinking. Within the span of three weeks, and with the collaboration of Hokkaido University’s Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies, students will be attending lectures, engaging in talking circles, and exchanging insightful dialogue with fellow students and professors in Hokkaido and Kyoto. Moreover, students who attend this summer program can expect to visit the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park where they will learn more about Ainu culture. Meanwhile, the Belize summer program, titled Nation to Nation: Building Indigenous Knowledge Across International Borders, invites a handful of Indigenous students who attend any one of the universities within the Maple League to engage in this two-week program. These students will be invited to reflect on and share their Indigenous culture, as well as have access to immersive
Graphic courtesy of Leea Rebeca Ruta and first-hand learning of the Yucatec, Mopan, Garinagu, and K’eckchi Indigenous cultures located in Belize. According to Bishop’s University, highlights of this program include meeting the Governor General of Belize, attending workshops led by local traditional healers, and visiting local farming and fishing communities in order to learn more about the agricultural and food scene in Belize.
These programs, being centered around Indigenous knowledge and understanding, are an important and vital addition to Bishop’s package of experiential learning opportunities. Unfortunately, COVID-19 restrictions mean that the program will not be offered this year. However, they are expected to begin in the summer of 2023. The Campus wishes all students who have been, and will be, selected to participate in these programs a
La journée internationale des droits de la femme Manu Bissonnette - Features Editor
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n French, International Women’s Day is called La journée internationale des droits de la femme – International Day of Women’s Rights. The difference is slight, but non-negligible. Because what we are really highlighting is not how
Photo courtesy of Emily Crunican beautiful and lovely women are – it’s how far we have come in terms of equality and, most importantly, how far we still need to go. “Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and
discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.” According to the organization’s website, International Women’s Day serves three main purposes: “Celebrate women’s achievement. Raise awareness against bias. Take action for equality.” In reality, this holiday means so much more: it is a day to empower women as a whole and to raise our voice for the oppressed – because, yes, women are still discriminated against. The International Women’s Day organization has identified seven missions to empower women and eliminate bias: women and technology, women at work, women forging change, women creatives, women’s empowerment, women’s health, and women and sports. The theme of International Women’s Day 2022 is #BreakTheBias. This hashtag is meant to shed light on the ongoing societal bias that favours men. By breaking the bias, the organization hopes to create a gender equal, inclusive, and equitable world free of stereotypes and discrimination. To do so, International Women’s Day calls out to everybody to pitch in:
“Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions - all day, every day.” It is collective effort that gives power to the holiday and can break the bias for good – starting with our communities, workplaces, homes, schools, universities, and everywhere else. Gloria Steinem, feminist, journalist and activist, explains it: “The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.” Therefore, it is everyone’s responsibility to not only acknowledge the bias, but to take action to destroy it – including men, too. So, for International Women’s Day, don’t wish women a happy day, don’t buy gifts for the women in your life, don’t celebrate femininity, don’t engage in commercial giveaways or promotions. Instead, take the time to reflect on your own thoughts and stereotypes, to google terms like consent, mansplaining, male gaze, or slut shaming, and to talk about the importance of gender equality and what you can do about it. International Women’s Day might be on March 8, but women’s rights should be fought for every day. #BreakTheBias
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Manu Bissonnette, Features Editor » thecampus.features@gmail.com
SRC election debates underscore prominent issues for BU students Leo Webster- Junior Copyeditor
Dhaivat Gohel, Camilla Rizzi, and Jay Rajendrabhai Dasani at the SRC executive election debates. Photo courtesy of Emily Crunican crowd of students and community within the SRC. Doost focused on the members gathered in the Gait on inclusion of academic societies in the SRC, Wednesday, Feb. 16, to hear this having a line of budget for the academic year’s SRC executive candidates debate department of the SRC, and adaptable their positions in anticipation of the accommodation for students during and annual SRC executive elections. There after the pandemic. Parker discussed were four rounds of debating, one for each releasing the exam schedule before the open position, including VP Academic, add-drop date, as well as releasing the next VP Student Life, VP External Affairs, and semester’s timetable well before the end of SRC President. each semester. Two important issues were The debate began with the VP the fall reading week, which will continue Academic candidates: Victoria Perak, next year but must be re-approved by the Mauladad Bashar Doost, and Mark SRC to continue in future, and the issue Parker. Perak, who has since been elected of continuing online classes during the to the position, described a platform of post-pandemic transition. All candidates more accessibility for students, a clearer supported the reading week, and all academic calendar, and more collaboration supported some form of online classes,
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although Perak expressed a preference for in-person learning. Wishah Mahmood, the current co-chair for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) at Bishop’s, was the one candidate for VP Student Life, and she has been confirmed for the position. Her platform focused on introducing more EDI practices and social justice policy at Bishop’s. She also plans to support extracurricular groups through the program SRC Extra. There was also one candidate for VP External Affairs, Lucas Chabane, a second-year business major, who has since been elected for the position. He discussed the off-campus safety of Bishop’s students, including implementing more safety regulations in the off-campus party houses and requiring sexual assault prevention training for external stakeholders. The three presidential candidates were Dhaivat Gohel, a graduate student in computer science, Camilla Rizzi, a pre-med major and current co-lead for the Indigenous Cultural Alliance, and Jay Rajendrabhai Dasani, also a graduate student in computer science. Gohel introduced a platform of focusing on student experiences, forming a new club to create community between students from different countries, a collaborative approach to SRC policy, and improving health and safety on campus. Rizzi focused on issues of EDI and listening to more student voices. Dasani’s goals included inclusivity on campus, transparency of the
SRC, and student safety. Rizzi has since been elected as SRC President. One issue highlighted during the debate was diversity and inclusivity at Bishop’s. Gohel and Dasani both discussed their experiences as exchange students, and Rizzi emphasized her position as an Indigenous woman. When asked by an audience member about inclusivity in the SRC, Rizzi said: “I think the SRC has made immense strides the last few years in trying to include more inclusivity and diversity and kind of reach out to those more minority groups on campus. However, I still think there’s a void that needs to be filled and hopefully if I get elected in that position, I would be able to fill that gap.” Several audience members had questions about gender inclusivity at Bishop’s, especially in terms of sexual assault response policy. The two male candidates were asked to explain their views on mindful masculinity, as well as being asked to elaborate what they knew about the events surrounding the vigil on the Arches bridge last semester. Gohel, in response to a different question, suggested more security at Bishop’s to improve sexual assault prevention, and Dasani had a similar approach. The 2022 SRC Executive Elections took place on Feb. 21-22, with 29.2 per cent of the student population casting their votes. The new executive team will take office on May 1, 2022.
What is Fairtrade? Tayna O’Reilly - Contributor
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n the modern world of globalisation, there have been major impacts on societies and the environment. A lot of those consequences have had negative social and economic impacts on developing countries. This is due to the exploitation of workers from these countries by companies from developed countries, caused by capitalist production practices. Most of the time, it is international companies who tend to come and establish their production in countries that do not have the proper economy or regulations to afford to say no. Fairtrade is a large trading movement that prevents these consequences by implementing regulations that work in favour of the producers and work directly with these companies. This cuts off the middleman and the set of standardised norms, no matter the country, which allows fair working conditions with a reasonable pay and respect of the environment. Thus, Fairtrade allows for an alternative to common practices that are detrimental to the environment, the workers, and the overall community surrounding these
productions. Fairtrade increases the long-term relationships between various countries, enhancing their relations and understanding of each other because of their middlemanfree relationship. It also provides access to credit since workers have access to the profits and can put their investment back into the farms they work at to develop their production. It also contributes directly to the encompassing communities of these underdeveloped countries by investing some money back into providing better living conditions. This in turn creates more opportunities and ways to become a developed country instead of stealing all their resources and leaving them with many hardships. Fairtrade enables the basic human rights of the workers by preventing terrible working conditions with little to no pay in large factories, like in the fast fashion industry. Another underlying principle of Fairtrade is the protection of the environment. How can we be fair to humans if we do not consider the environment they live in? As such, a lot
of basic rules are set into place that the producers must follow to conserve the environment. These regulations allow workers to be able to still live off their land, instead of diminishing their natural resources and leaving the citizens with nothing. As an example, a developed country like Canada can only produce certain types of products, which forces it to import a lot of goods that the public desires, such as coffee or chocolate, from the southern hemisphere. This is where a lot of underdeveloped countries reside and are exploited by major companies that farm Tanya O’Reilly and Maïté Dumont these products. However, if you look out from Sherbrooke Ville Équitable. Photo for the Fairtrade logo when shopping for courtesy of Tanya O’Reilly goods, it will mean you are supporting a company that has harvested their products Due to their influence, Bishop’s affiliated food services now all have Fairtrade coffee in a sustainable and fair way. Fortunately, Bishop’s is slowly (except the ones in vending machines)! becoming a certified Fairtrade campus! This is also the case for most teas and The sustainable development team has chocolate sold on campus. Keep your eyes out for the Fairtrade started to change all the products sold by Bishop’s into products that are Fairtrade logo before buying any products to help certified, in accordance with goal number support the workers that have been long four on the Sustainable Development Plan. exploited!
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Quinn Ruby, Arts & Culture Editor » thecampus.artsculture@gmail.com
Glory to Ukraine Tetiana Lyubenko - Contributor
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grew up in a small town in Ukraine called Pereyaslav which is one of the oldest towns in the country, founded more than a thousand years ago in 907. Ukraine has always been a part of me. Whenever I would get homesick after I moved to British Columbia, I would visit a Ukrainian restaurant in Vancouver, and it made me feel a lot better. I moved to Canada on my own, so my whole family and my friends are still there. I would visit them twice a year for winter and summer breaks, but as of right now I haven’t seen any of them for almost two years. I was going to bed on Feb. 24 and decided to check the news on the situation back home. I called my mom right away after reading about our cities being bombed. The missiles hit around 4 a.m to 5 a.m. local time so she had no idea they were under attack. My mom and my brother live in a house that they share with her parents and for the first few days they had to hide in the basement which is always very cold, especially in February. After a couple days of hiding, my mom decided that it was time for her to go back to work at the hospital to be ready to accept any injured soldiers. She was in constant shock and disbelief that this is the new normal now. My 16-year-old brother was very happy to get out of the basement. He and a couple of his friends decided to go help the soldiers outside of our town where they helped them dig trenches, learned how to make and throw Molotov cocktails, and were genuinely ready to join the soldiers in defending our country, but they are too young. My two cousins, on the other hand, decided to join the army on the first day of the war and are currently in Kyiv defending the capital and doing an amazing job at it.
On one particularly hard day, when my mom and my brother heard explosions close by, they had to go back into hiding again. It was clear that they couldn’t stay at home anymore, so my mom had to make the hard decision of leaving everything behind and trying to get to a safer place. It was especially hard for her to leave her parents behind, but she knew she had to get my brother out of there. They were absolutely devastated to leave our home, not knowing if they would ever see it again. They are safe right now, but my brother wants to go back home and fight. Putin has completely forbidden any news outlets in Russia that have not been approved by the government. I was watching the news and a Russian reporter admitted that the word ‘war’ was banned and that they are told to use ‘special operation’ instead. The vast majority of the population does not see anything wrong with that because they have lived their whole life there and that’s what they are used to hearing. They are used to thinking that Russia is the victim of the Western aggression and that the Russian government started the ‘special operation’ as a last resort to protect themselves. To put it lightly, I believe Russian leadership has convinced their nation that they are doing everything in their power to preserve their values and culture, while the truth is that Putin is obsessed with the idea of overthrowing our leadership due to them being “nationalists and neo-Nazis.” But the truth is that for the first time in a very long time, our president is not proRussian and is actively pushing for us to join the West. Putin doesn’t like that and wants to get rid of our government, and put his people there to “save the Ukrainian
Photo courtesy of Benjamin Tabah people.” People living under the Russian regime do not know what’s true and what’s a lie anymore, and that horrifies me. Russian families, whose sons and fathers and husbands are currently occupying Ukraine, have no idea that their relatives might be dead because their media claims to only have under 500 casualties. Living under the Russian regime might even be easier for them, only hearing what they want to hear. Russian aggression is being portrayed as the “salvation of Ukraine from nationalism and Nazism” that our Jewish president is imposing on us. Frankly, I do not understand how they can blindly believe these lies. Maybe because it’s easier for them to live that way. Thankfully, the school’s attempts to help do not just end with an email and the flag being raised. We had a meeting with Principal Goldbloom who gave us a few ideas of what we can do and what we can organize. We are going to have a fundraiser/speaker night in Centennial
Theater, an event at the Gait, and some workshops. We are very grateful to the school for being so supportive and helpful in these tough times. I want people to know how harmful it is when people share false information. When spreading information from sites like Tik Tok, Reddit, Twitter, people have to make sure that it’s from the official news channels. This does not apply, of course, to people asking for help or sharing their stories. A lot of posts on Twitter end up being pictures and videos from years ago from different wars which lowers the credibility of other relevant information that is being shared. False information only spreads panic, which is something that we need to stay away from. I reached out to my best friend of fifteen years to ask her if her and her family are planning to leave somewhere to get to safety. What she told me describes how most Ukrainian people are feeling right now. She said, “Where would we run? To Poland? We would be no one there, or anywhere else besides our home.”
Bishop’s Arts Festival: event updates and volunteering Leea Rebeca Ruta - Graphics Editor
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here are only two weeks left until ArtsFest! The production team has been working hard to put everything together for the festival, running from March 27 to April 3. The students are also working diligently to assemble a calendar of events. For the time being, here’s a teaser of some confirmed events. For a sneak peek event, a workshop will take place one week before. On March 18, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., there will be a workshop in the lobby of the SUB entitled “Unraveled,” led by the ArtsFest human resources and volunteer recruiting lead Xutianrui (Rachel) Wang. Participants are encouraged to use unconventional materials to abuse women’s garments, evoking the casual violence against women that is chronically perpetrated. Wang, a fibers artist and
fourth-year student, invites participants to creatively engage with the materials provided in a collective performance for the destruction. She will then lovingly mend, stitch, and repair every cut and mar that’s been endured for the second part of the project. From March 25 to April 4, a Golden Egg Hunt will take place on campus where students will be encouraged to hunt for surprise-filled eggs. During the same dates, there will be two forged metal sculptures in the Quad, created by Quebecois artist Philippe St-Denis. St-Denis is a self-taught artist who has been forging and welding recycled metal for four years. A part of his creation is to use people’s trash to give it a new life. Artists Do Lessard (painter) and Marco Deslandes (artist-sculptor) also
contributed to the creation of the pieces. To see the artwork of all the artists, scan the QR code to the Linktr.ee. On March 30, there will be an Earth Pigment Painting workshop from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Molson Studio. In partnership with the Sustainable Agricultural and Food Systems (SAFS) Club, this event is a surprising combination of contemporary dance and painting with materials made from the earth that grants participants permission to move their bodies instinctively and intuitively. Perhaps the most anticipated event of the festival will be the Origin of Species Drag Show at the Gait on April 1 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Students who did not purchase the ticket pass can access this event independently for $10. As the festival confirms more events, they will
QR code for the volunteer application form continue to update the social media and send emails to the school. Additionally, the ArtsFest is looking for volunteers, which comes with the added bonus of a pass to all events. All the events’ information, including volunteer application form, can be found by scanning the QR code.
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Quinn Ruby, Arts & Culture Editor » thecampus.artsculture@gmail.com
Musical Theatre Concentration launches with the production of Godspell Casey Hebert - Contributor
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Leea Rebeca Ruta - Graphics Editor
he creation of a new Musical Theatre Concentration has been a particularly hot topic in the Music and Drama departments in the past few years. Before the pandemic hit, students were invited to interview potential professors, sit in on their classes, and give input throughout the hiring process. In the past week, though, the fruits of this labour have finally been enjoyed with Bishop’s production of Godspell in Centennial Theatre, directed by Art Babayants. This musical was the first Bishop’s has put on in many years and it stands out as one-ofa-kind in recent Bishop’s history. The show doesn’t follow a particularly narrative structure, depicting scenes and teaching from the Bible in disparate lessons separated by musical numbers. However, each moment is engaging and keeps audience members on the edge of their seats. For instance, two shadow puppet acts illustrated popular segments of the Bible with levity and humour. The show perfectly balanced the absolutism of religious teachings with mirth and festivity. As an ensemble distribution, nearly every character was given their own chance to shine, allowing audience members to engage with each distinct character. Some particularly memorable moments included Tyler Casat’s tap dance number, Maude Zulauff’s heart-breaking betrayal song, and Andrew Rutherford’s solo, though most all soloists dazzled with their impressive vocals accompanied by breathtaking harmonies from the rest of the cast. The live accompaniment further supported the
Photo courtesy of Emily Crunican enchanting musical numbers and contributed to a transportive experience for audience members. Not only did the performers amaze, the stage design and technical support strengthened the performance’s impact. Whether using simple lighting like flashlights (to a great effect!) or making use of Centennial Theatre’s follow spotlight and overhead lighting, Babayants certainly has an eye for striking stage pictures. The flashlights in particular were employed with exceptional ingenuity and impact, for instance when held up behind Sarah Caddell’s Jesus to create wings. The final moments of the play were wrought with beautiful stage pictures, including a recreation of the Last Supper painting by DaVinci. This show’s hopeful message and at times grandiose production contrasted strongly with the last production put on in Turner Studio Theatre, Speech and Debate. Where the Fall production was more restrained and verisimilar, the Winter production of Godspell indulged in levity and balanced muted and splendid beats. The Musical Theatre concentration has certainly differentiated itself from recent Drama productions, showing the value of an alliance between the Drama and Music departments. With such an impressive opener, the Musical Theatre concentration is sure to be a thrilling addition to the Bishop’s stage. Looking for more live theatre? Don’t miss Clue (dir. Wade Lynch, A.D. Shane McFarlane) and Everybody (dir. Mary Harvey), two plays opening at the end of March. Tickets are available online and at the Centennial box office.
THE CAMPUS STAFF 2021-2022 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
NEWS EDITOR Sarah Halberstadt
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STAFF WRITER Connor Kay
This issue’s contributors: Eva Rachert Ulrik Doyon Karina Kramer Tanya O’Reilly Tetiana Lyubenko Casey Hebert
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Elizabeth Beaumont, Business and Economics Editor » thecampus.businesseditor@gmail.com
SAQ removes Russian products to show solidarity with Ukraine Liz Beaumont - Economics & Business Editor
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fter an order from the Quebec government, SAQs across the province removed any Russianmade products from their shelves at the end of last month. Similar to provinces across the country, this act was in response to Russia’s latest acts of war and invasion of Ukraine. This public act follows the majority of Canadian provinces of Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Manitoba. Each has similarly removed Russian-made products from the shelves of liquor stores and other government-run organizations, all condemning Russia’s violent and deadly invasion of sovereign Ukraine. Quebec Finance Minister, Eric Girard, publicly stated that the removal of Russianmade products in SAQs “was an act of
solidarity with the people of Ukraine.” All political parties from both provincial and federal levels, such as the Parti Quebecois, have made public statements paralleling the ones made by the province. In addition to the removal of Russian liquors from SAQs and other governmentrun institutions, Quebec Premier Francois Legault stated that Quebec “was looking at imposing economic sanctions on Russia and its president Vladimir Putin” such as the potential “of ceasing imports of Russian vodka products.” Russian vodka that was to be exported to Quebec would be immediately cut and halted. Legault acknowledges that ceasing these imports would not place a detrimental impact on the Russian economy, but instead serves as a symbolic act of solidarity with Ukraine.
Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Liu
Gas prices in Quebec approach $2 per litre Liz Beaumont - Economics & Business Editor
Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Liu
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s we’ve all noticed at the gas pumps recently, prices have been on a constant slope upwards. Gas is currently averaging a price of 188.9/L, much higher than the normal average which is closer to 100/L. This price climb was expected and predicted by experts. The conflict in Ukraine and the crippling sanctions on Russia have impacted the global oil industry. Russia is the third-largest oil supplier in the world, and Ukraine is also a supplier of oil and natural resources. The war that Russia has begun on Ukrainian soil has prompted oil supply to be dramatically behind its demand, sending prices to be the highest they’ve been in approximately a decade. The sanctions that the world has
placed on Russia include its fast-paced and highly-utilized oil industry. Sanctions from countries have affected Russia’s ability to sell their crude oil, one of the biggest determiners for global gas prices. Because Russia is one of the largest global energy suppliers, crude oil prices have dramatically risen and the wallets of Canadians are taking a hit. Canadians are feeling this pinch at the gas stations and when heating their homes. Goods and services that Canadians use daily will also be impacted if this conflict continues. Because fuel prices are on the rise, this will affect production and transportation costs for these goods and services, and therefore raise the prices of goods as well.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
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e acknowledge the Abenaki people and the Wabanaki Confederacy, the traditional stewards and protectors of the territories upon which we are learning. In performing land acknowledgement, we make what was invisible visible, and invite the land, the First Nations people, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into our conversations. This act of naming - of inviting something into language - is an underlying principle of advocacy and lies at the heart of higher education. The etymology of advocacy is ad (to add) + vocare (call or voice): the origin of the word’s meaning is to give voice to something or to call out in order to initiate dialogue. The “ad’ prefix makes explicit the importance of multiple voices - and by extension multiple perspectives. In this sense, advocacy compels us to acknowledge a diversity of thoughts and opinions as a starting point rather than as an ideal outcome. In institutions of higher learning, we have a responsibility to honour spaces for emerging and established voices to engage in productive, respectful, and sometimes even uncomfortable conversations where individuals are safe to speak truth to power, explore and challenge dominant ideologies, and call out injustices and inequalities in order to imagine new ways of existing.” —Dr. Jessica Riddell