January 19, 2021

The Concordian.

NEWS // ASFA and Jordan Peterson / Lockdown update / Covid Conspiracies / +

COMMENTARY // Ode to Podcasts / @ thegourmetrabbit and mental health / Meaningful work / +

ARTS // ar(t)chives / Underdog / Verses from Montreal / Mank film review /

MUSIC // The End of the Grammies? / Julianna Joy Interview / +

VOLUME 38, ISSUE 8 TUESDAY JANUARY 19, 2021

// theconcordian @theconcordian @theconcordian theconcordian.com

SPORTS // Social Media and Fitness / Student athletes and curfew / +

News.

NEWS EDITORS Hadassah Alencar / @Hadassahalencar Juliette Palin / @PalinJuliette news@theconcordian.com

CONCORDIA

Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) council voted to bar Jordan Peterson from ever being featured at any of their events, indefinitely Over 60 participants attended the council meeting that voted to bar the controversial Canadian intellectual

Hadassah Alencar News Editor

Graphic by Taylor Reddam

Did you hear that rumour during the winter break that the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) was planning on inviting Jordan Peterson to speak at an event?

It caused quite a stir: hundreds of students spoke out in different ways for, and against, the famed and controversial Canadian clinical psychologist being featured at the university.

But the story of Peterson taking the spotlight at ASFA came to a close at the association’s Dec. 16 regular council meeting, when a majority of the council voted against platforming Peterson, in-person or in any medium, forever.

Minutes of the ASFA executive meeting on Nov. 25 reveal that the initial idea, proposed by Student Life Coordinator Natalie Jabbour, was to invite Peterson as a speaker on mental health during the winter semester.

“One of my ideas was to invite Jordan Peterson as a speaker. I know he’s a controversial speaker but I think he has brilliant ideas on psychology.

I messaged his manager yesterday,” stated Jabbour at the meeting.

Curiously, Jabbour later told The Concordian she did not intend on organizing an event that featured Peterson, despite contacting his manager. Her intention was solely to discuss her event ideas during the winter semester, which also included suggesting another enterprise called “The School of Life,” an educational company that gives life advice.

Following the meeting, several executives shared news of Jabbour’s proposal through personal messages, emails to the student media, and posts on social media. The news spread like wildfire.

Various posts, hundreds of emails and signatures on a petition were shared online to support both opinions.

However, Peterson is not available for any guest speaking engagements at the moment, according to his public speaking and engage-

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ments contact.

Since he is unavailable, Jabbour decided to change the event from being about mental health support for students featuring Peterson, to an event solely about Peterson and freedom of speech.

The new event discussed at the council was called “Diversity of Views in Academics at Concordia University.” Organized by ASFA’s Student Life Committee, the event would have been moderated by a Concordia professor, who would help guide the discussion as students watched, and then critiqued, the subject matter.

It would have showcased Peterson in some format, either through a speech, lecture, or written material.

Before the deciding vote to bar Peterson, the council debated for over three hours whether the association should even consider hosting Peterson. ASFA executives and councillors, several students and alumni, participated in the over-attended meeting to speak on the rumoured event.

Opinions were divided between people who thought Peterson’s rhetoric should be protected by freedom of speech ideals and the need to hear different opinions on campus, versus those that thought the responsible course of action is to ban the speaker, citing his rhetoric as harmful and discriminatory.

This reflected the same debate — and backlash — which the University of Toronto professor became internationally known

for in the first place. Back in 2016, he refused to use non-gendered pronouns and spoke out against Canada’s Bill C-16, which was only at it’s proposal stage at the time, to add gender identity and expression to the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Criminal Code.

He feared that refusing to use someone else’s preferred pronouns would be classified as hate speech under the new amendment, and this would infringe on the freedom of Canadians.

Those who spoke in favour of Peterson at the meeting did not address his controversial statements.

Instead, they pointed to the importance of having a civil discussion.

According to an ASFA executive who requested to remain anonymous, while these events would feature Peterson, they weren’t about him, they were about freedom of expression on campus.

They told The Concordian they have noticed an increasingly hostile environment at Concordia, particularly in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, with certain groups of students feeling “disenfranchised.” This individual is “concerned over legitimately not being able to say what’s on their mind.”

According to the source, this has become a widespread issue at the university, manifesting as “hostility towards certain ideas … that’s aimed at censoring and blocking people.”

When asked to provide an example of this hostility, or an even example of the types of ideas being ostracized, the source refused.

The purpose of the events, according to the source, would be to encourage ideas, not censoring or suppressing information

over people’s feelings – no “cancelling,” with the hope of improving critical thinking and discourse on campus.

The idea of freedom of speech on campus and fighting against the cancelling of other opinions is not new, and Peterson is largely to thank for that.

A large part of Peterson’s platform was about freedom of speech, the end of political correctness, and the attempt to end or discourage Marxist/radical left ideology on campus.

Several gender-non-conforming people who spoke at the council meeting said their identity was not up for debate.

Many described the harassment they’ve received over their choice of pronouns and lifestyle, and pointed out that rhetoric like Peterson’s had only helped to inflame the discrimination they’ve faced.

In a statement to the The Concordian, “It is morally inappropriate to sugASFA Communications Coordinator Carmen Levy-Milne said showcasing Peterson’s views gest that a speaker who is openly sexwould contradict the organization’s anti-dis- ist, islamophobic, homophobic, ancrimination regulations. ti-Semitic, racist, and transphobic

The motion to bar Peterson from being featured at the association followed this reasoning.

Proposed by Payton Mitchell, ASFA’s Mobilization Coordinator, the motion outlines that “Allowing Jordan Peterson to have this space would mean ASFA is directly facilitating an environment in which stochastic terrorism may be fostered here at Concordia.”

Peterson may no longer be platformed at ASFA or any of its member associations.

Peterson’s media representative at Penguin Random House Canada told The Concordian

speak at our university … The suggestion to openly platform a speaker contradicts our Policy against Harassment, Discrimination, and Violence,” said Levy-Milne.

they had no comment.

HAPPY NE W Y E A R !

And welcome to Concordia’s winter 2021 term.

Whether you’re in Montreal, elsewhere in Canada, or living abroad, we’re ready and eager to welcome you to the Concordia community. Together, we’ll learn to do things differently and do them well.

Have a great term!

Graham Carr President graham.carr@concordia.ca

T21-68582

CONCORDIA.CA 3

News.

NEWS EDITORS Hadassah Alencar / @Hadassahalencar Juliette Palin / @PalinJuliette news@theconcordian.com

NEWS

Montrealers struggle to cope with ongoing COVID-19 measures

Photo by Kit Mergaert

How the curfew and ban on certain goods impact lives, despite the efforts to halt the rise in COVID cases Juliette Palin News Editor As of Jan. 9, Quebec has put strict confinement measures in place such as the curfew, desperately hoping to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the province. These measures also include the closing of all non essential businesses, and reinforcing the rules regarding indoor gatherings.

The imposed curfew, which runs from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., along with the new measures requiring travelers to test negatively for COVID-19 before coming to Canada, have faced some criticism.

Many civil liberty groups have spoken out against the curfew, questioning its impact on civil liberties, as well as the strain the provincial government is dumping onto its citizens.

According to an article from CBC, the Ligue des droits et libertés has asked Legault’s government to address the more pertinent underlying causes of the hike in case numbers, rather than relying on a curfew. This refers to updating ventilation in old structures such as schools and office spaces, as well as bettering conditions for

healthcare workers.

But these are not the only outcries the government is hearing. The curfew — as well as measures put in place limiting the sale of non-essential goods — has also placed significant strain on individual Montrealers.

Shanique Morris, or laveganbaddie on Instagram, owns a local secondhand shop, with a niche Bratz-Y2K aesthetic, reminiscent of the early 2000s.

Her shop has seen immense growth since she started in October 2019, but the curfew has put a dent in her business endeavors.

Morris explained how in the past, she regularly made deliveries in the evenings. She would travel to a shipment centre far from her home, as well as to individual clients. However, with the new curfew, she said, “My schedule is all over the place.”

“I didn’t have the time to deliver my packages yesterday so I have had no choice but to come [to the shipment centre] this morning because you know, since curfew, [closing] times change,” explained Morris.

She’s also experiencing difficulty purchasing the necessary materials to run her shop from home.

She explained, “If my printer were to break, and I

needed one right away, I couldn’t just go to the store and get one. Because that’s deemed as non-essential — and obviously I do need a printer to be able to print out my labels.”

Kassidy Jordan, a second year student at Concordia, has also faced repercussions due to the new safety measures. She explained that she was recently laid off from her job; despite this, she is understanding of the situation.

She said, “In theory, if you’ve been doing what you’re supposed to be doing, none of the new restrictions … really affect you that much.

It’s just, like, tiring.”

She expressed her thoughts on the curfew and its impacts on her lifestyle, and said, “It feels like you don’t have very much control over how you want to spend your day.”

Furthermore, Jordan went on to express her beliefs on where Legaut should be concentrating his efforts.

“I’ve walked past some elementary and middle schools here. And you can clearly see that the kids are just all over each other, like close together, not distanced, not doing it in a safe manner.”

NEWS

COVID-19 vaccine: what Canadians should expect in 2021 With over 100,000 Quebecers vaccinated, the province prepares for mass immunization Bogdan Lytvynenko Assistant News Editor Two days before Christmas, Agnes Wong walked into the Berkley Care Centre in North Vancouver to begin her usual shift as a cook.

Having worked at the senior home for 15 years, she was feeling particularly nervous that day.

It was on Dec. 23 when Wong received her first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

As a staff member of a long-term care centre, Wong became part of the first phase of Canada’s mass vaccination plan. This phase also includes residents of such care centres, as well as seniors aged 70 and over, frontline healthcare workers, and adults living in Indigenous communities.

Before the procedure, Wong was concerned about the vaccine’s potential side effects, as it was developed in less than a year. Pfizer and Moderna, the only companies whose vaccines have been approved by the Canadian government thus far, have both warned that patients may experience fatigue, headaches, chills, muscle pain, or fever after getting the vaccine.

However, Wong told The Concordian that she only felt slight pain in her left arm, in the area where the vaccine was administered.

“The pain disappeared two days later, so I don’t feel that discomfort anymore. I’m ready to receive the

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second dose of this vaccine, which should happen in about two weeks,” said Wong.

The World Health Organization recommends people take the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine within 21-28 days. It is expected to cause stronger side effects than the first dose, with 16 per cent of vaccinees aged 18 to 55 having experienced fever after its injection, as well as 11 per cent of those aged 56 and above.

The highest-priority groups are recommended to receive the vaccine before the rest of the population in every province and territory by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). However, each province, including Quebec, is responsible for its own vaccination plan.

Over 115,000 Quebecers have been vaccinated as of Jan. 15, according to Health Minister Christian Dubé. The province has already received 162,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, and this number is expected to reach 250,000 next month.

As of now, Canada has vaccinated 1.1 per cent of its population and thus occupies the 13th position worldwide in terms of the COVID-19 vaccination rate.

The current world leader is Israel, where a whopping 25 per cent of the population already received the COVID vaccine.

The estimated cost of Canada’s vaccination process remains unknown. However, it will be fully covered by the federal government, meaning all vaccine doses will be free of charge for Canadians.

Going forward, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Tuesday that the country is “on track

Graphic by Taylor Reddam to have every Canadian who wants a vaccine receive one

by September.” This year, the government expects to receive a total of 80 million vaccine doses from Pfizer and Moderna.

At the same time, Trudeau made it clear that the COVID-19 vaccine will not be mandatory for the general public. The Prime Minister also reassured Canadians that there is no plan to develop a system of COVID-19 vaccine passports, which would act as official proof of one’s vaccination, as he believes it would create a divisive impact on the country.

According to an Ipsos/Radio-Canada poll conducted in late November, 16 per cent of Canadians definitely oppose taking the vaccine, while 64 per cent would be willing to get vaccinated. However, just 41 per cent of Canadians believe that vaccination should be mandatory for all, a poll from the Association for Canadian Studies reveals.

Wong also believes that mass vaccination will help Canada get through such a challenging period and move in a positive direction. She added, “I believe the vaccine should be widely administered because — just like a flu shot — it would give people a sense of security.”

There is no guarantee that all pandemic-related restrictions will be lifted as soon as the vaccine becomes available to the general public. However, mass vaccination is a major step towards returning to ordinary life in Canada.

“The quicker everyone gets vaccinated, the quicker we’re going to be able to get back to a semblance of normality,” stated Trudeau.

NEWS

The middleman of conspiracy theories

How COVID-19 skepticism could lead to the growth of QAnon in Québec Matias Brunet-Kirk Contributor Dominick Jasmin describes himself as an ordinary guy. At first glance, the father of two and a family man, from the off-island Montreal suburb of Repentigny, seems to be just that.

Jasmin begins to seem less ordinary when you look at the Facebook page he runs, Actualité Politique du Québec, where he shares his views on provincial politics and, more importantly, his objections to COVID-19 sanitary measures.

Jasmin is part of a growing media ecosystem based on disinformation that many say is leading to a growth in radicalization. According to a recent CROP poll, nearly a quarter of Quebecers believe in some sort of COVID-19 conspiracy theory.

Previously publishing fairly benign political commentary, his content took a sharp turn with the advent of the pandemic. Jasmin doesn’t think COVID-19 is dangerous, saying, “There should be ten times more deaths to justify these measures.”

Jasmin has no scientific training and bases his claims on what he calls common sense. Nonetheless, Jasmin is not your run-of-the-mill conspiracy theorist. “I don’t believe in a New World Order,” he said, also adding that not all vaccines are bad.

Regardless, it is clear that platforms like his are playing an increasingly crucial role in the spread of disinformation that kickstarts online radicalization.

Falling into the abyss Casey Babb, a Ph.D. student at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs of Carleton University, is currently researching “How malicious actors are exploiting the pandemic to their advantage.”

“I might call them passive conspiracy theorists,” said Babb, talking about people like Jas-

min. He explained they don’t necessarily buy into the QAnon worldview but are inherently distrustful of the government and mainstream media, showing there is an increasingly blurred distinction at play.

But Babb said this didn’t make them any less dangerous in the “slow, gradual process,” of radicalization. Someone may at first see a seemingly benign tweet that resonates with them, but quickly fall into a cascading conspiratorial rabbit hole. “Next thing you know, they’re on the 8kun or QAnon website,” said Babb.

The process is compounded by the mechanics of social media’s suggestion algorithms, which feed users increasingly extreme content. This is made evident on Jasmin’s page, where Facebook automatically generates recommendations to more extreme pages like that of Lucie Laurier, renowned Quebec conspiracy theory and QAnon influencer.

Part of the plan The Counter Extremism Project, based in Berlin, Germany, recently released a study indicating that right-wing extremist groups were leveraging the pandemic to their benefit.

The study showed that these groups use frustration over sanitary measures and pre-existing anti-vaccine sentiment as a gateway to recruitment. COVID-19 is allowing “the extreme right-wing to strengthen its mobilization around anti-government conspiratorial narratives, aimed at criticizing the lockdown measures,” stated the report.

Therefore, previously marginal extremist groups can sell themselves as an anti-mainstream source of information and gain credibility and adherents, according to the study.

Jasmin’s page is a direct example of this, where content by users is often taken directly from rightwing extremist groups. For example, one of the anti-lockdown videos posted to the group was initially published by Forza Nuova, a right-wing extremist political group based in Italy that holds openly racist views and promotes violence.

Made clear with the recent storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, online conspiratorial beliefs are

In the beginning of January Shina Novalinga, a well-known Inuk TikToker from Montreal, donated 100 gift bags to the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal (NWSM) for the holidays.

Indigenous social media influencer donates to Montreal shelter

Inuk TikToker Shina Novalinga donated over $12,000 in goods to the Native Women’s Shelter in Montreal Fern Clair Assistant News Editor

“This year we want to give back,” said Novalinga in a TikTok alongside her mother Caroline, who also has a popular TikTok account. The two had decided to use GoFundMe, a popular crowdfunding platform, to fundraise money to donate gift bags for the women at the shelter.

“They’re often forgotten on Christmas day,” said Caroline in the video, referencing the Indigenous population in Montreal. The video was posted on Dec. 25 and gained 379,600 views.

now causing real-world consequences. Just this summer, trucker Philippe Côté was arrested for threatening to kill Quebec Premier François Legault and Public Health Director Horacio Arruda, and further found conspiratorial theories on pieces of paper in his truck.

When asked whether he may be contributing to people’s radicalization via his Facebook group, Jasmin said he felt no responsibility for the misinformation he was spreading. “People can believe what they want,” Jasmin said, choosing instead to deride what he sees as an attack on free speech.

Regardless, Jasmin has not seen any form of censorship on his platforms.

Climbing out of the rabbit hole But deradicalization is possible. According to Margaux Bennardi at the Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence, it is essential not to ostracize or judge the people who believe in these theories, as it may entrench them further into their beliefs.

“Calling people covidiots does not help,” said Bennardi.

“We reinforce the productive factors instead of targeting the things that are not working,” said Bennardi. This could lead to encouraging them to spend more time doing something that may expose them to a different viewpoint.

Nonetheless, complete deradicalization is tricky, said David Hofmann, a researcher in right-wing extremism at the University of New Brunswick. “It has to happen on an individual basis,” Hofmann said. “Something has to shake their entrenched worldview.”

According to Hofmann, the individualistic argument for ignorance seems to be a common thread among conspiracy theorists and especially with COVID-19 skepticism. The ‘I haven’t seen it so it mustn’t be true’ viewpoint.

For Jasmin, it was clear that the event had not yet occurred.

By the beginning of January $12,482 was raised, with donations varying from $5 to $500.

The 100 bags were worth roughly $120 each, including items such as disposable masks, hygiene pads, clothing, Indigenous handmade earrings or bracelets, $15 Tim Hortons Cards, and bannock—an Indigenous type of fry bread.

Much more was included in the bags, such as heartfelt handwritten notes that said things such as “I love you for no reason” or “You are worthy of a beautiful life.”

“It’s important to give back to our community and it has always been part of our values,” Novalinga stated on the GoFundMe website.

Novalinga and her mother be-

came popular Indigenous TikTokers through videos of the two throat singing, where traditionally two women face each other and sing in a contest to see who will outlast the other.

The NWSM is the only women’s shelter in Montreal that exclusively serves Indigenous women and their children.

With COVID-19, the shelter is no longer able to pick up donations, but they are currently doing drop-off days for donations twice a month, according to the website.

Kate Legrand, an Administrative Assistant at the NWSM, said that donations can also be made by credit card or cheque, but they are not currently accepting e-transfers.

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Commentary.

COMMENTARY EDITOR Aviva Majerczyk / @aviva_majerczyk commentary@theconcordian.com

PODCASTS

A soundtrack for troubled times An ode to the personal narrative podcast

Mackenzie Lad Staff Writer I first turned to narrative podcasts to get out of my own head in those quiet periods of transit limbo. Those moments of deep listening, of letting someone else do the talking for once, provided a convenient escape hatch from the confines of my cramped inner world, a way to alleviate the claustrophobia of mundane thoughts and profound worries alike. Despite the initial intention to distract and entertain, podcast listening has never felt like time wasted. On any given day I can be brought up to date on Canadian politics, hear a stranger’s deepThe first course of my audio diet was est, darkest secret, and learn about the Smoot– always a daily news podcast, the New York Hawley Tariff Act all before I land back on my Times’ “The Daily” being a longtime favour- doorstep at the end of the day. ite, followed by some NPR show that taught But merely calling a podcast informame something new about economics or racial justice or psychology. If I found myself tive, entertaining, or distracting, though all waiting at the bus stop for longer than usu- these qualities may be applicable, misses al, I’d slip in some media criticism or global the point of what podcasting brings to jourpolitics, but most of the time I impatiently nalism in general and listeners in particular: skipped straight to dessert: personal narra- the podcast, in the words of radio productive audio stories. er Jay Allison, is a medium through which On more than one embarrassing occasion, these podcasts have (literally) stopped the human voice can “sneak in, bypass the me in my tracks, or have made me break brain, and touch the heart.” into a goofy grin at the most inopportune The tradition of oral storytelling has entimes. Once, while listening to a podcast about the #MeToo movement on the met- dured precisely for this reason; stories whisro, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the pered across time and space can instantly window. Unknowingly pointed in the direc- wrench you from your surroundings and transtion of a nice old lady, my face was creased port you to a different place entirely. It’s the into a somber glare as abuse after abuse was strong sensory, emotional connection of audio storytelling that pulls on familiar heartrecounted by the victims themselves.

Writer James Tierney encapsulated strings, the way catching a whiff of a certain the essence of my brief, yet frequent de- perfume you can’t name brings you right back partures from earth: “Podcasts represent to your grandma’s house. A 2015 study by Lene an atomization of experience, muffling the Bech Sillesen, Chris Ip, and David Uberti on sounds of the immediate environment and the empathetic connections between audiencremoving the individual from a synchro- es and personal narrative storytelling showed that such “narratives spark feelings of empathy nous community of listeners.”

Before the world came to a screeching halt, my favourite part of my weekday routine was the morning commute. It was a carefully choreographed dance: put my headphones on, walk to the metro, chip away at the daily New York Times crossword on the blue line, transfer from metro to bus, and so on, all the while listening to a carefully curated queue of podcasts.

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Graphic by @the.beta.lab

… we identify with others’ pain and in ways our brains intertwine our own and others experiences.” This is to say, in the stories of other people we are really just searching for ourselves.

In stark contrast to the thousand car pile up of social media feeds and crowded homepages of news websites, the empathetic connection is strengthened by the direct line of communication between the storyteller and listener. As Jonah Weiner observes in his essay, “Towards a critical theory of podcasting,” “In an antidotal and almost paradoxical way, podcasts are the internet free of pixels.” Somehow these anonymous, fleeting connections are startlingly intimate.

Enter: personal narrative podcasts. A year ago, imagining our current reality would have seemed far-fetched by TV drama plot standards, yet just dystopian enough to write a best-selling YA novel about it. But here we all are, physically distanced yet deeply connected by the blessed, cursed internet and the fact we’re each living our own iteration of the same story. The news doesn’t offer much of a respite from our daily struggles, whatever they may be, but in narrative podcasts I know I will find connection and comfort in a supremely uncomfortable time. There is no cure for this modern loneliness, but podcasts are a pretty good remedy to manage the symptoms.

I no longer commute to work or school, but I do maintain a steady intake of podcasts.

Next up: A 99% Invisible episode about the design philosophy of the NoName brand, or perhaps I’ll listen to This American Life’s episode on isolation (again). I’ve vicariously lived thousands of lives through the stories of other people, and I think I know a little bit more about myself and the world because of it. After all, isn’t that the point of journalism anyways?

POLITICS

who can properly handle the American economy and save them from the looming threat that is socialism.

They have expressed their anger at What does the Capitol Hill siege mean for us? the dilution of (white) American culture through the apparent invasion Elyette Levy ville in 2017.So let’s get this straight: of immigrants.

Assistant Commentary Editor the civil unrest in the US is especially From what we’ve witnessed It’s 100 seconds to mid- concerning to us as Canadians. through their behaviour in recent night. Last year, the symbolCivil wars are started when a years, which culminated with ic Doomsday Clock assessed population loses trust in its govthe attack on the Capitol, that we are closer to a global ernment, and feels strongthese far-right groups man-made catastrophe than ly enough that their ishave shown that ever since the clock’s creation sues can’t be solved they aren’t scared — in 1947. The decision was by other means and are in fact proud made on account of the cli- than organiz— to take arms and mate emergency, rising nucle- ing and takuphold their views ar tensions, growing distrust ing arms. through violence. in governments all around the StatisticalOn the left, the world, weaponization of tech- ly, poorer increasingly vocal connology… and all this before the countries are tenders for the Black whirlwind that was 2020. more at risk of Lives Matter moveentering wars ment have shown their The evening of Jan. 6 saw “As because of their persistence to take to the a Canadian” trending on Twitter, as inability to improve streets and protest — so many of us bemocked America’s the economy, and Graphic by @jamesfaydraws rain or shine, through fate, yet again turning a blind eye financial and polittear gas and pandemic. to our own run-ins with white su- ical inequality also often spark conLeft-wing groups have also demandpremacy in favour of our ‘it’s not as flict. ed universal healthcare, erasure of bad here’ façade. All of a sudden, we Far-right groups have invented student debt, more money towards forgot that the founder of the Proud all kinds of conspiracies to discredit Boys is a Canadian man, or that the media, Democrats, and basically climate action, and defunding the there was a group of Montrealers anyone who doesn’t worship Donald police and the army in the last few who organized to participate in the Trump. They believe he’s the only one months.

Unite the Right rally in Charlottes-

100 seconds to midnight

Though I don’t mean to sound like an alarmist, this seems to me a clear recipe for civil war.

Our economy, national security, military strength, foreign relations, everything down to the results of our elections depend on how the United States is feeling. There’s a reason people say “When America sneezes, Canada catches cold.” Nine days after Trump was sworn in as president, six Quebecers were killed in a Sainte-Foy mosque, a clear message that we haven’t been able to escape Trump’s anti-Islam rhetoric.

Many have also wondered how Justin Trudeau will be expected to handle this. Will officially recognizing the Proud Boys as a terrorist group give the federal government reason to increase our military budget? As political unrest becomes inevitably more violent in the US, will it allow our federal government to take preventive, but invasive measures like increased surveillance and armed law enforcement?

For the past two years, I’ve been saying that I predict a civil war in the United States by 2025, and that I’d be surprised if it didn’t happen in the next three years. I think this is the most sinister ‘I told you so’ moment I’ll ever have.

STUDENT LIFE

Concordia is not doing enough: the case for tuition reduction

The University has not been lenient towards students amid a global pandemic

Mohammad Khan Contributor Last May, Concordia’s proposed budget was decided by the Board of Governors and was “longterm oriented to address post COVID-19 structural issues.” The 2020-2021 budget assumes the impacts of COVID-19 will go on for three years into the future. However, recent developments in clinical testing by Pfizer and Moderna have led the government to stockpile available doses. This means a return towards pre-COVID life might come sooner than expected. As such, a crucial reduction in tuition is justified despite the university potentially operating under a larger deficit for the current fiscal year.

Thousands of students have petitioned since the beginning of the fall semester to reduce tuition.

Nearly 97 per cent of students who participated in the recent Concordia Student Union (CSU) by-elections of 2020 voted in favour of tuition reduction.

In a town hall meeting hosted by the CSU on Nov. 19, students considered mass organization and protests against tuition hikes, similar to the 2012 student strike. They stated that, “In the context of the pandemic, we need to do that now as well — enough is enough.”

Many feel as though the school is indifferent towards the plight of its students.

“I’m convinced that the university doesn’t really care. They’d let half of us die if it means that the other half will be filled with students, because what they’re really interested in is keeping us enrolled and keeping us paying,” said a student who was interviewed by The Link.

While students continue to voice their concerns, Concordia’s current budget leaves little to no room for financial leniency towards them.

According to Fiona Harrison-Roberts, the outgoing finance coordinator of the Journalism Student Association (JSA), “Concordia will be increasing the price of tuition this year as opposed to reducing tuition.”

“COVID-19[‘s] recurrent and structural impact will need to be integrated into the budget model for fiscal years 2021-2022 and thereafter,” as mentioned in the budget’s PDF document.

With a bulk of students shifting from full-time to part-time as well as a decline in first-year students, Concordia experienced an expected loss of revenue as a result of COVID-19.

“The drop is attributable to lost income from on-campus activities such as residence room rentals, parking and conferences, and diminished tuition revenue because of a decline in international student registrations, particularly at the graduate level,” said Concordia’s President and Vice-Chancellor Graham Carr in a public statement .

Currently, Concordia is operating under a deficit of five to eight per cent for the fiscal year.

“It is a large amount; however, the figures are similar to what the Government of Quebec has invested in proportion to its own budget to address the COVID crisis,” Carr added.

While Concordia is using the government’s actions to justify their current expenditures, the question to be asked is whether comparing themselves to a provincial government that has not done enough in the face of COVID-19 is a smart thing to do.

Regardless, as the student body grows more restless and with vaccines available this upcoming year, a “three-year financial plan” to combat the effects of COVID-19 becomes less pertinent. Students continue their uphill battle this year in paying rent and tuition, working, and studying through “Zoom University,” with

little to no financial relief from their institution.

Concordia boasts of a “solid financial track record” in reference to their “balanced budget for 2019-20” after public funding cuts forced deficits for many years.

“In 2019-2020, before COVID, we had a balanced budget for the first time in six years,” stated Carr.

While it may be a commendable feat for some, Concordia’s members should ask themselves: at whose cost was this achievement realized, if not the student’s?

Operating under a larger deficit to ensure the financial safety and security of nearly 50,000 students during a global pandemic is not an unreasonable demand. Especially when such an operation runs at the detriment of both the financial and mental health of its students.

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Commentary.

COMMENTARY EDITOR Aviva Majerczyk / @aviva_majerczyk commentary@theconcordian.com

PROFILE

One restaurant owner triumphs over the pandemic

@thegourmetrabbit opens up about his mental health struggles Dalia Nardolillo Contributor Quebec’s second lockdown, which began in October, has been a devastating blow to business owners all over the province. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Public health actions, such as social distancing, can make people feel isolated and lonely and can increase stress and anxiety.”

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, restaurant owners have only been allowed to open for takeout. As much as it’s been a financial burden for many restaurant owners to be unable to offer dine-in services, it remains a question as to how restaurant owners deal with their own mental health issues — on top of keeping their businesses afloat during this global pandemic.

Dino Angelo Luciano, an accomplished chef, moved to Montreal shortly after his win on season 8 of MasterChef.

Originally from California, Luciano’s journey has been quite inspiring. As a result of Luciano’s large Instagram presence, he not only uses his platform to show his cooking skills, but he also advocates for mental health awareness. In a video on his Instagram, he explained that he has struggled from a young age with OCD, paired with anxiety and depression.

In a Zoom interview, Luciano explained that he remembers dealing with OCD from a very young age.

Photo by Dalia Nardolillo

“I think I remember being around seven years old, that’s when I was the most conscious of what I was doing, who was around me, where I was living. The first thing I was doing was turning off the waterspout in the bathtub. I would do it over and over again, flick it on and off. I don’t know why I did it, I think it made me feel good. I think my parents always thought I was just messing around.”

Luciano’s mental health struggles followed him during the taping of MasterChef.

“I had my little ticks here and there, like let’s say I had to cut something twice, like if I had to cut an onion at a certain angle. When you are cutting an onion, you’re dicing it up and you maybe get nine to 14 slices. Maybe I had a certain number in my mind, and I would cut the onion x number of slices,” Luciano explained.

After his move to Montreal, Luciano recounted that he always dreamed of opening a restaurant.

“I believe in manifestation, fate is written. I think we have the ability to control destiny and certain things happen at certain times. I came up here three years ago, October 2017. I met a lot of people, maybe not the right people at the time. They helped me build my knowledge on the culture of Montreal. As much as I wanted to open up something a long time ago, I don’t think I was mentally ready for it.”

He put his focus into his cannoli business instead, called ‘The Fat Cannoli.’ His business had done pretty well at the time however, he left this business behind and focused on his dream of opening the restaurant.

During the second lockdown in Montreal, Luciano explained that he wasn’t worried about the state of his future business.

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“I could care less about my own stress at this point, the stress of opening a restaurant, ‘it might fail, we might hemorrhage money, we might not, we might fail.’ Actually, we’re doing pretty well at the moment. But even if we weren’t, the joy of making people happy with food was satisfying enough for me. I know during the first wave, I was going crazy, and I think one of the only things that was making me happy was ordering a lot of take out,” Luciano recalled. He explained that if he can offer the same joy to others, it would make everything well worth it.

No one human is perfect and everyone has their dark moments. However, who does Luciano turn to when things get tough?

“I don’t really talk about the dark thoughts too much, sometimes it manifests into my moods and makes me very grouchy and moody. My girlfriend mainly has to deal with that and she’s my number one supporter.” Luciano said that when his mind goes to the dark place, his girlfriend is able to bring him back.

“I have a secret that got me through this pandemic. You’re forced to be alone and a lot of people are watching Netflix... pay attention to those actors in those movies. When you’re forced to be away from everybody, you kinda get to develop who you want to be … By the time you go out again you can surprise people with who you have become.” Luciano says that the pandemic has been a time for self-growth and reflection, and believes that if people don’t take this as an opportunity to learn more about themselves, another opportunity will be less likely to present itself in the near future.

OPINIONS

Isolate happiness when working alone While many Canadians suffer the toll of social isolation, one man spends six months working in near-total solitude every year, and loves it

Simona Rosenfield Assistant Commentary Editor Photos by Simona Rosenfield

“I’m able to see in my six months of ‘solitude’ something super positive. It takes time. The first weeks when I’m alone here, it’s strange,” says Gabriel Lanthier, in his fourth year as manager of the University of Montreal’s Laurentian Biology Station.

In this role, he spends November until May working alone at the rural site, managing, repairing, and maintaining the 16.4 square kilometres of land.

In turn, during the summer season, it’s all hands on deck, as Lanthier manages a team of eight who run the site that houses many active research experiments andUniversity of Montreal classes, hosts students who are writing theses, and rents the space out to private events.

Why does he love solitude?

“We underestimate in everyday life our need for space, for tranquility. We’re all on a rolling train.” He continues, “People often stop at the point where they’re

about to break. The hard end.”

Lanthier was hired to work in an isolated region in the Lower Laurentians, 75 kilometres north of Montreal, where he lives with his partner and their two children.

His lifestyle for the winter months — quiet, solitary, and slowed down — reflects the “new normal” introduced by social distancing laws enforced in Quebec, especially for remote workers, to curb the spread of COVID-19.

According to Statistics Canada, the percentage of Canadians experiencing poor mental health has tripled to 24 per cent since 2018, and young people are hit hardest over recent social distancing measures. Further, “Over half of participants report that their mental health has worsened since the onset of physical distancing,” according to the study.

Burnout culture is not a new phenomenon. In response to a rise in stress and burnout among Canadian labourers, Quebec has been working to expand its legislation

protecting worker’s health to include mental health as well, according to Canada’s Occupational Health and Safety Magazine.

Recently, experts have warned of the psychological strain that essential workers face during this time, which can ultimately lead to greater risk as employees, facing exhaustion, are more susceptible to mistakes.

According to a Statistics Canada report, those with the most education are more likely to hold positions that can be done from home, illustrating that “The risk of experiencing a work interruption during the pandemic might fall disproportionately on financially vulnerable families.” Further, it poses the dilemma for those working in lowpaid, high contact industries, such as the service industry or factory work, whether or not to absorb high risks by working in person.

So, is solitude really the culprit of this swelling unwellness, or is it merely a symptom of something else?

Lanthier attributes his wellness in the face of solitary winters to three things — he likes his job, he works outside, and he slows down.

Meaningful work is a central factor to job satisfaction.

That and “mastering, leadership, balance, influence, achievements and colleagues,” according to the Happiness Research Insititue’s 2019 Job Satisfaction Index.

This research studies Danes’ work satisfaction, identifying three main issues that workers faced in 2019 — managing the “work-life balance,” “stress,” and fostering a “sense of identity from their job.”

The research found that meaningful work offers labourers a stronger sense of job satisfaction, which in turn heightens their happiness.

“Me, I’m in paradise,” says Lanthier. “I’m sure it’s not the same situation if you ask me to work in a four-and-a-half, no windows, semi-basement, for eight hours in front of a computer. I would not have the same appreciation of isolation than what I have.”

According to the theory of logotherapy developed by psychiatrist and neurologist Viktor Frankl, humans derive happiness from meaning — through purposeful work, relationships, or suffering, as explained in his book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” first published in 1946.

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Commentary.

The connection between human happiness and meaningful work has a long history, with a body of research behind it. Sustainability is a welcome recent addition to the conversation by experts in happiness.

“I really think a sustainable economy needs to be built on meaningful work,” says economic historian Dr. Kent Klitgaard.

“I don’t think you can have this kind of degraded job that everybody hates and you do it just to buy consumption goods that wear out quickly and don’t make you happy.”

The principle that we can be happier if we work less and slow down is on the rise amongst professionals working to scale back human consumption and invest more in well-being.

“We can have better lives, I’m convinced, with a lot less material and energy consumption,” says environmental economist Dr. Christian Kerschner.

The connections between slowing down, engaging in environmentally sustainable activities, consuming less, and happiness are detailed in a United Nations commissioned Sustainable Happiness report, conducted by The Happi-

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ness Research Institute.

According to the report, “The literature on voluntary simplicity provides abundant illustrations of persons who, by virtue of engaging in simpler lives, experience increased feelings of satisfaction and meaning. In other words: less stuff equals more happiness.”

“We have been very comfortable materially, but also if you look at our society’s emotional and psychological health,” says Kerschner, “we are not doing so well.”

What does meaningful work have to do with consumption? Since technology has replaced many — largely manual — jobs across industries, economies have found new uses for this labour force. These jobs tend to be mundane, dead-end, monotonous, with tight deadlines.

“I ask myself at what point is it healthy for the human mind? Something very routine — like a recipe — already established. Every day, 40 hours per week, for 20 years?”

Lanthier asks. “Put it in an isolating mold, all alone, I would go crazy.”

The duality of Lanthier’s job — a busy summer followed by a quiet winter — taps into his need for a

COMMENTARY EDITOR Aviva Majerczyk / @aviva_majerczyk commentary@theconcordian.com

challenge, change, and allows him to grow his skills manually as well as interpersonally.

While routine is a very healthy practice to maintain both bodily and mental health, Lanthier has a point. A job where you do the same thing every day limits how much you can learn or be challenged. “For work to be meaningful, it needs to stimulate me, fill my life,” says Lanthier. “My work needs to help me grow, evolve, progress.”

“There’s studies that show people in the U.S. are working more hours on average than any generation before. So that leads to the question,” Kerschner elaborates.

“Is this really life? Is this really wellbeing?”

Some are finding their wellbeing comes from an active engagement with community and sustainability.

One collective-living community in Denmark began to examine the food waste in their home. With a separate trash can for food, the residents can see “direct proof of what food waste costs them each month and what they save by reducing such waste,” according to the Sustainable Happiness report. With less waste-based financial strain, workers need to earn less mon-

ey and work less hours to afford a high quality of life.

Kerschner hopes that through this experience in social isolation, collectively, society can work to strengthen community ties, and register how important connection is for our health and happiness. When we liberate our time by working a little less, we create more time for the things that matter to us, connecting with our communities, and helping each other.

There is an understanding in mainstream social consciousness that sustainability is incompatible with abundance. On the contrary, cultivating abundance does not need to be expensive.

The Sustainable Happiness report stresses, “To completely unleash happiness potential, it is important to dispense with myths and misconceptions such as the false choice between sustainability and happiness.”

Through community initiatives, sharing, and connecting, abundance can be very cost-efficient, sustainable, and joyous.

Gabriel Lanthier, manager of the University of Montreal-owned Laurentian Biology Station for four years, works in near-total isolation beginning in November until May. Here, he is in charge of caring for the 16.4 square kilometers of land, and preserving any active research projects on the site. For the summer months, Lanthier manages a staff of 8, where many activities take place, such as scientific research, private events, and University of Montreal classes. Photos by Simona Rosenfield.

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Arts.

ARTS EDITORS Lorenza Mezzapelle / @lorenzamezzapelle arts@theconcordian.com

FILM

Mank sets out to pay homage to Citizen Kane

David Fincher’s latest film falls flat

in revealing Herman J. Mankiewicz’s inner life Lola Cardona

Video Editor

Mank was hard to sit through. This is both surprising and disappointing to me, as an avid fan of director David Fincher’s work. But when it comes down to it, Mank simply doesn’t pack the punch it needed to keep me engaged.

The film follows Hollywood screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he heals his broken leg in a far-away lodge, writing what would become Citizen Kane. Meanwhile, we jump sporadically into various moments of his past, exploring the people who’ve inspired the script and significant events that affected the writer.

These flashbacks, which make up most of the film, attempt to reveal Mankiewicz’s inner life.

The problem is that the flashbacks are confusing and feel disconnected from each other.

More generally, Mank has a big editing and writing problem — the entire structure is off. The

introduction of flashbacks and the end of “present-day” scenes lack motivation; nothing in a previous scene clearly triggers the succeeding flashback. At points, it almost feels random.

And while you’re trying to figure out the connections between scenes, the excruciatingly long dialogue sequences only add insult to injury. Everything seems so convoluted as characters talk a whole lot about nothing, only making me wonder “Why is this here, and what am I supposed to be learning?” It seemed as though the real story of the film was hidden somewhere in these flashbacks, but the confusing back and forths only make it difficult to know what exactly that is.

I believe that Mank’s structure fails itself because it tried too hard to pay homage to Citizen Kane. The black and white cinematography and 1940s sound is done well and works as intended, but it should have been kept at that.

The reason Citizen Kane’s heavy use of

such as Leo Tolstoy’s What is art? have attempted to answer the question, while Instagram accounts such as freeze_magazine poke fun at and ridicule how absurd the art industry can often be. And you’ve definitely seen the prank where a group of friends placed eyeglasses on the floor of the museum to observe viewers’ reactions and point out how almost anything can be considered art.

This dispute has veered towards problematic for the reason that it ultimately validates an artist’s career. What one might deem to be worth thousands of dollars can be viewed as a piece of old junk to another. We’ve all heard of the stories of someone selling a famous painting for close to nothing in a garage sale, merely because they did not know its “worth.”

So, let’s look at this etymologically. “Art” is derived from the Latin “ars” meaning “acquired skill” or “craft.” In this sense, it is commonly understood that art requires a certain level of skill in order to achieve a desired aesthetic result. Herein lies the problem. “Aesthetic,” like the notion of “beauty,” is inherently subjective.

Dadaism is an ideal example because it, at its Lorenza Mezzapelle core, rejected standard notions of aestheticism Arts Editor and poked fun at art in society. Let’s take, for example, Marcel Duchamp’s Readymades. The Art has long been a disputed form of acclaimed artist began using and presenting self-expression. The topic has garnered de- everyday objects as pieces of art. This absurd bate among philosophers, art historians, approach to art-making helped redefine what and artists, and even has an entire Wikipe- could be considered art and challenged the dia page dedicated to its controversiality. idea that art had to be something beautiful Many jokes and memes have been made and visually appealing. Instead, demonstrataround the notion of art’s subjectivity. Books,

What is art?

Discussing aesthetics, Dadaism, and intention

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flashbacks works is because the story supports that structure. It’s about a journalist interviewing people who knew the titular character after he died. Its structure is what helps make the story so dynamic.

The film also makes explicitly clear the connection between the present scene and the flashback. Mank falls flat relying heavily on flashbacks because its story just doesn’t support it, or at least it didn’t need it. There is no doubt that Fincher can direct complex films, he’s made an admirable career out of it. He just lost something with Mank.

Fincher has had an ability to adapt real stories and novels and transform them into thematically rich pieces; The Social Network is about the development of Facebook on the surface, but really, it’s about friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and the fine line between ambition and greed.

Zodiac follows journalists’ and detectives’ search for the Zodiac Killer, but it’s really about the consequences of obsession.

Mank just doesn’t have the same spark.

Obviously, it would be ridiculous to assume that every film needs to be deeply philosophical, political, or personal, but Mank seemed like it was setting up something more. When I compare Mank to Fincher’s previous work, I don’t see the same strength in his themes.

Ultimately, Mank is confusing and long, which makes it hard to care about. There is no attempt to connect to its characters, to make them likeable, or to make themes and plot clear. It’s harsh to say this, especially as a fan of David Fincher, but at the end of the day the descriptors “confusing” and “boring” are accurate, and that is just a bad combination to have.

ing that art could be intellectually appealing.

Constantin Brâncuși’s infamous 1923 work Bird in Space (L’Oiseau dans l’espace) is another prime example of the challenges in defining an object as art. The sculpture faced a number of legal controversies when the artist tried to have it shipped to the United States. Customs officers did not believe that the work was art — art, at the time, was not subject to import taxes — and instead were charged with a 40 per cent tax for “manufactured metal objects.”

According to an article titled Is it Art? published by Harvard Law, after a number of years of legal debate, Brâncuși’s Bird in Space was part of the first court decision stating that “non-representational sculpture could be considered art.” In part, on the basis that the artist intended for the sculpture to resemble the movement of a bird.

Intention brings us back to the eyeglasses meme mentioned earlier. Had the glasses been placed on a coffee table in your home, you wouldn’t have thought much of them. Having been placed on the floor of the gallery, viewers automatically begin to search for a meaning and begin to decipher what they believe the artist’s intention was.

For this reason, art is and will remain subjective. While there may never be one true answer as to what constitutes art, one thing is certain: it is personal, self-informed, and different for everyone. So, what do you consider a work of art?

Graphic by Taylor Reddam @5ecret

BOOKS

first year in Montreal, Houtman explores the city and recounts his experiences through a fresh set of eyes.

Houtman decided to spend some time away from his home in Victoria B.C., where he soon fell in love with Montreal and all it had to offer.

Although he had been writing poetry prior to moving, his new surroundings inspired him to devote more time to honing his skill. The writer’s debut poetry compilation captures what it means to be part of something more and how those in the city Ashley Fish-Robertson celebrate life in all its most beauStaff Writer tiful and complicated states. Split into four sections, the book has a B.R. Houtman’s Verses from chapter dedicated to each season, Montréal is for the lovers, the offering something for everyone. wanderers and all those in be“I will say that with the whole tween. Set to the backdrop of his

Verses from Montréal

B.R. Houtman discusses experience, writing, and his debut novel

seasonal theme and the structure, the premise going into it was that every season is a stage from the human life,” explains Houtman. “At the beginning, it’s a lot of poems about falling in love and these new experiences when I was getting to Montreal.”

Through each section, readers are awarded a glimpse into the author’s ruminations as he falls in sync with the bustle of the city. Although many poems in the book are dedicated to the city’s eccentricities, Houtman sheds light on the intricate moments that make up each of our lives.

While numerous poems were scrawled down during rides on the metro and other outings, it took the author about four months to compile his work and another four to prepare it for publishing.

Although the process was arduous at times, the most challenging part for Houtman came after the book had been released.

“Poetry has always been a release and something that is very personal, so I think something that I didn’t expect to be so challenging was making the decision to share it,” he says. “It’s very revealing and you’re mak-

ing yourself very vulnerable, so that took me a while to get over.”

While every writer has a unique routine, Houtman maintains an allotted time every day to write.

“I’m pretty regimented in the sense that I sit down, and I have my times, maybe a few hours in a day,” he says. “I think it has been very fruitful to me, but it may not be how others approach it.”

When his book was finally released back in June, Houtman was pleased to find that readers were connecting to his words on a personal level.

“I think the biggest thing for me is really trying to be true to yourself and recognizing that these things that feel very individual to you are more universal human experiences,” says Houtman. “I think what I’ve realized through this process is if you stay true to representing your own thoughts, you end up being able to connect with people who have those same thoughts in such an intimate way.”

Those looking to purchase a copy of Verses from Montréal can buy directly from Houtman’s website or can visit Librairie St-Henri, Drawn & Quarterly, État de Style, The Word and Librairie l’Échange.

INITIATIVE

Underdog: a space for sharing and promoting the

works of POC artists Ana Lucia Londono Flores

Assistant Arts Editor

While the new year has arrived and COVID-19 is still around, this hasn’t stopped people from being creative and showcasing for themselves through art.

More than ever, it has become important to shed light on multicultural artists that take part in our surroundings. This is precisely what the Instagram platform Underdog aims to do: to display the many people that represent Tiohtià:ke/Montreal.

The initiative was created by multimedia artist Haein Oh in 2018. The idea of founding her initiative came when she submitted some of her work to an exhibition at her university and they weren’t accepted. She later saw the artists that were selected for the art show, which clearly showed a lack of diversity.

An underdog is someone who is expected to lose. Hence, Haein Oh took the word as the name of her initiative as a way to uplift those who are less represented.

“That’s when I realized that I could do my own thing,” said Oh. “To become a curator and show the works of people that aren’t presented enough.”

Oh had the opportunity to curate her first exhibition at her parents’ restaurant, Sushi QnQ, last February.

Underdog is also curated by Montreal-based interdisciplinary artist Joliz Dela Peña, who is originally from the Philippines. Dela Peña presented her art performance last September at the exhibition the “i” word that was curated by Oh and Olivier Stainvil in collaboration with Boiling Point, a collective of BIPOC artists. Stainvil is a graphic designer and photographer who also curates Underdog.

Instagram account aims to showcase the people that surround us

So far, the initiative has been well received. People on social media have been contributing in sharing their projects which gives them the opportunity to be seen.

Oh has been sharing a variety of content: from TikToks and Instagram stories of different people showing dances, cooking, sharing family stories.

“I’m not very hungry for people to like me,” said Oh. “I’m more hungry for people to understand that there is a need for change.”

Despite Montreal being known for its diverse population, there is still a lack of rep-

raisers, such as an initiative that brings winter care packages to the homeless, created by Tessia Balenzano.

Recently, Oh has developed a new project calling out for people to share one or many recipes. This idea allows followers to discover new dishes to try and see the variety of food that is eaten in the city.

“Foodies call out” asks for the ingredients needed, a video demonstrating all the instructions to cook, and a picture of the final product, as well as an optional brief biography of the author with a short story that describes what is being cooked.

For instance, the first recipe was shared

by Le, a student in Design at Concordia who shared a recipe for butter shrimp.

Another dish that was shared with the public was a rice congee, a type of rice porridge, added with radish kimchi, which was prepared by Montreal-based artist Banhmi.

“We have a few ideas for upcoming projects that we would like to create. We still have to see if they will be doable with COVID-19,” said Oh. “Overall, people have been very happy with the platform.”

In these future projects is the creation of a channel on Youtube (udd Tv) that will show a variety of people cooking.

The first video that has been uploaded is from Montreal-based artist Maruco who demonstrates how to prepare ram-don, a Korean noodle dish, inspired

by Bong Joon-ho’s 2019 movie Parasite.

For the moment, Oh is focused on presenting the diversity that lives in the city.

resentation from the mainstream media.

Oh wants to bring positivity to people. With how COVID-19 has impacted people in a meaningful way, she wishes to bring a sense of comfort.

“I don’t want Underdog to only address negative issues that are happening in our society,” she said. “Of course, it’s important.

But I want to demonstrate that the Montreis open for recipe submissions unal community is filled with amazing people.” tilUnderdog Jan. 31 and can be sent by email to underdogUnderdog also shares various fund-

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Music.

MUSIC EDITOR Louis Pavlakos / @louispavlakos music@theconcordian.com

POP CULTURE

Is this the end of the Grammys?

This year’s nominations reveal an industry struggling to reflect the pulse of contemporary music Nadia Trudel Staff Writer Whenever award show nominations are announced you can expect controversy. Especially in recent years as the general public (i.e. white people) have become more aware of systemic racism in the music industry, which manifests itself at award shows. Think Beyoncé losing album of the year to both Adele and Beck, Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly losing to Taylor Swift’s 1989, or Frank Ocean’s channel ORANGE losing to Mumford & Sons.

But the nominations for the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards are outright confusing.

In the general category, which holds the most prestigious awards, there were the expected nominees: Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Post Malone, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, but nominees also included Black Pumas, Coldplay, Jacob Collier, and Noah Cyrus.

While Coldplay is a recognizable and successful group, it’s safe to say their relevance has diminished in recent years and their 2019 album Everyday Life flew a bit under the radar. Noah Cyrus is also a name many might recognize, albeit perhaps due to nepotism more than her actual music. Black Pumas has a, “relatively low commercial profile” and “negligible

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critical profile” as Jon Caramanica put in in The New York Times.

You’ve probably never heard of Jacob Collier but he’s already won four Grammys for arranging.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing to throw in some more unconventional or unknown nominees, of course. However, these kinds of choices become more questionable when you realize who wasn’t nominated: The Weeknd.

Despite having one of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed albums of the year, and a massively successful single, he didn’t get a single nomination.

This makes The Weeknd the most snubbed artist of the year.

For some perspective, Justin Bieber’s “Yummy” got a nomination. Bieber actually scored four nominations despite his album Changes being met with negative reviews from critics.

On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, it received a score of 57 compared to The Weeknd’s 2020 album After Hours’ 80.

Many have theorized that The Weeknd might have been snubbed because of his Superbowl performance, which will air on the same network a week after the Grammys. Another theory is that After Hours was snubbed because it is a distinctly pop

album and the Grammys prefer to put Black artists in R&B, urban, and hip hop categories.

Notably, in 2020, Tyler, the Creator criticized the Grammys for placing “guys that look like me” in rap and urban categories.

After the nominations were announced, The Weeknd spoke out on Twitter saying, “The Grammys remain corrupt. You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…”

Halsey, who received 0 nominations for her album Manic, said in an Instagram story, “The Grammys are an elusive process.

It can often be about behind the scenes private performances, knowing the right people, campaigning through the grapevine — with the right handshakes and ‘bribes’ that can be just ambiguous enough to pass as ‘not-bribes.’”

Nicki Minaj also took to Twitter saying, “Never forget the Grammys didn’t give me my best new artist award when I had seven songs simultaneously charting on billboard & bigger first week than any female rapper in the last decade- went on to inspire a generation. They gave it to the white man Bon Iver.”

Though the Chairman and Interim President/CEO of the Recording Academy claimed that the nominees would “reflect diversity of race, gender, age, region, and musical genre,” during the nominee announcement, it seems like the Grammys just decided to nominate Korean band BTS and call it a day.

Though this makes BTS the first South Korean act to be nominated

for their music (after they were nominated for Best Recording Package in 2018), BTS was only nominated for Best Pop Duo/ Group Performance for their song “Dynamite” which was coincidentally their first all-English song. Their album Map of the Soul: 7, which received a score of 82 from Metacritic, was named by Rolling Stone as one of the best albums of 2020, and had over four million pre-orders, received 0 nominations.

It seems the Recording Academy thought nominating one Korean group, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, DaBaby, and Beyoncé would be enough to appease their growing list of critics, but the tokenism and performative diversity fell flat on its face.

The Recording Academy has repeatedly failed to be as “diverse” and “inclusive” as it claims to be, and to recognize music that is actually, by all measures, good and popular. This is hurting their credibility and relevance.

If things don’t change I think the Grammys will be totally obsolete in the next few years.

Why should I even care about the Grammys? Are these awards really necessary? How does this contribute value to the lives and careers of musicians or to our culture?

These are questions the Recording Academy might want to consider.

Graphic by Taylor Reddam @5ecret

Julianna Joy wants to comfort people with her music

nearly a year removed from the departure, Joy is not in school — she is now working full-time to support her musical aspirations.

While the move has been one of those bets on yourself, her humility remains unmoved.

“I would say my goals have stayed the same, being in L.A. just made them more achievable.”

Having released Cherries on Valentine’s Day 2020, she currently sits at nearly 70,000 Spotify monthly listeners in addition to having well over a million total plays in just under a year of debuting on the platform.

“I’m hoping to be an important person in the music industry. I want to be touring and recording tons of music,” said Joy. Joy’s instrumental ability spans across a variety of skill sets, including guitar, piano, ukulele, bass and even a bit of banjo. Paired with a desire to keep creating, Joy has been able to bring about something that is gaining traction online. While I have found similarities between Joy and Alessia Cara, she describes her sound as if “Lorde had a lovechild with Taylor Swift, and that child got really really really into classic rock and ‘80s pop music when they turned 16.” She furthers her point on an appreciation for older music with her dream collaborations, dead or alive. “My dream collaboration alive would have to be Jack Antonoff.

Dead would have been Freddie Mercury.”

Muses come and go, but Joy says “Most of the time I write music for myself or for the person I’m trying to talk to, and for the people who find comfort in my weirdly personal stories that I choose to publicize.” Seemingly all of Joy’s tracks have a erything on Spotify, and through countless self contained narrative, but the must-listen new artists I landed on Joy’s track, “Poseidon.” from the young artist comes in the shape Something about the poignant lyricism with of “Cherry Bomb,” an upbeat concoction of a voice like Alessia Cara’s screamed at me guitar and strong percussion that could form even though the song is so beautifully gentle. the soundtrack in a coming of age movie.

Even with things still being cloudy and In a bid to commit to a life of making music, Joy made the move to Los Angeles the same shrouded in terms of when live perforweek her debut EP, Cherries, was released. mances can be held again safely, things “I followed the advice that I got my freshman still look good for Julianna Joy. For the year, which was: ‘If you want to do music, fan of indie music and soothing vocals, you gotta be in L.A. It thrives there.” Now Julianna Joy is not someone to overlook.

The 19-year-old Chicago-born artist discusses her music and feeling like a veteran in the music industry Victor Vigas Staff Writer If you’re good at what you do, age is just a number. Such is the case with 19-yearold Julianna Joy; the Chicago artist is now making her name known. “I’ve been in this industry since I was 15, but I feel like I’ve been in it forever,” she said.

My first impression of Julianna Joy came from one of those nights where you skip ev-

Quickspins

SHAWN MENDES WONDER RATING: 8/10 TRIAL TRACK: “LOOK UP AT THE STARS”

Shawn Mendes reveals his delicate and true self in his recent album Maria Bouabdo On his fourth studio album, Wonder, Shawn Mendes reveals a more delicate side of his life and music, while focusing on his emotions, life experiences, and girlfriend, Camila Cabello.

Mendes starts the album with a slow “Intro,” in which piano dominates, just like deep cuts such as “24 Hours” and “Look Up At The Stars.” This gives a nice break from louder instruments like drums and bass, which can often overpower in more upbeat songs. Overall, this album consists of a perfect balance between slow and fast-paced songs.

Wonder is different from Mendes’ three previous albums, perhaps, because the 22-year-old wanted to be more truthful, which led to him also being delicate. This was not only done by writing and singing about personal topics but also by making gentle beats.

Even the more uptempo songs, like “305” and “Piece Of You,” are delicate because of the lyrics, and some slower parts, like guitar solos. Also, on “Piece Of You,” Mendes sings “I get reckless, I’m obsessive / I’m pathetic and possessive / You’re so sure it makes me insecure,” sharing this darker side of him with the world, and showing that just like everyone, he has flaws and insecurities.

On “Song For No One,” Mendes sings with vulnerability, as only guitar accompanies his vocals. This adds a lot of sensitivity to the album. However, it seems like the

song is, indeed, for someone in particular, as he sings “Told you that I really love you / You did not reciprocate those feelings.”

Mendes’ only collaboration was with Justin Bieber, in “Monster.” The two artists have a similar career story, both having started in their teens. They share their similar experiences in “Monster,” such as the downside of becoming famous at a young age. For example, how they weren’t allowed to make mistakes, or how they would feel guilty if they did (“But what if I, what if I trip? / What if I, what if I fall? / Then am I the monster?”).

On “Wonder,” Mendes not only questions if he is being honest with himself (“I wonder if I’m being real / Do I speak my truth or do I filter how I feel?”), but also ingeniously mentions the stereotype that men shouldn’t cry, bringing up the double standard about men crying (“I wonder, when I cry into my hands / I’m conditioned to feel like it makes me less of a man”).

Overall, Wonder feels so delicate and personal, that it’s almost as if Mendes just wrote his thoughts in a journal and made them into songs as he tried to bring down this barrier between his famous-self and his true-self.

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Sports.

SPORTS EDITOR Alec Brideau / @alecbrideau sports@theconcordian.com

FITNESS

The impacts of social media on training

Social media is changing the way athletes approach their training Liam Sharp Assistant Sports Editor

Photo by Christine Beaudoin

The permeation of social media into mainstream culture over the years has produced innovative opportunities that are unique to the 21st century.

In sports, this notion was perhaps best epitomized at the turn of the decade when internet personality Jake Paul’s second professional boxing bout against former National Basketball Association (NBA) guard and three-time Slam Dunk champion Nate Robinson served as the co-main event, on a fight card headlined by boxing legends Roy Jones Jr. and Mike Tyson.

In September 2013, Paul gained attention and fame through posting videos on Vine, amassing over five million followers and two billion views on the app, which has since been discontinued. After Vine, Paul turned that fame into fortune by expanding his social media exposure across different internet platforms, and has since dabbled in acting, rapping, and boxing.

For better or worse, the influence and power that comes with social media fame is well documented. When it comes to fitness and health, however, social media has its merits and shortcomings that come hand-inhand.

At its core, fitness models and online trainers will share their workouts and personal tips online to inspire their audiences. In doing so, influencers are also promoting their respective sports and encouraging others to follow them by accentuating their content for all skill levels. A multitude of people credit social media and its influencers as the catalyst to their unique and fruitful fitness experience.

The primary reason for social media’s evolution in society has always been its convenience. Not only is content and entertainment readily available, it is accessible at a moment’s notice, which bodes well for fitness enthusiasts. Inquiries about methodology, equipment, training routines, and more can be solved within minutes so long as one possesses a device with internet connection.

The fitness industry has wholly embraced social media as a powerful tool to advertise sports. In the past, aspiring athletes could attend training camps and classes that were incredibly insightful, but strictly scheduled, selective, and generally in-person. The concept exists today, but continues to struggle in catering to all demographics. Beginners who are genuinely passionate but self-conscious due to their skill level or body image, are most notably cast aside in these

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instances.

Nowadays, support groups can be accessed on social media for athletes of all expertise levels and circumstances. These online forums act as communities where members can share their experiences and feedback, post special stories, and make new friends.

Unlike a scheduled traditional class, workouts can typically be performed autonomously with resources and information being made available online. People are more willing than ever to experiment in activities well beyond their comfort zone with the removed fear of embarrassment and potential self-consciousness that comes with in-person gatherings.

However, information from social media must be absorbed with a grain of salt. At the end of the day, fitness influencers have a platform and audience that can overshadow the fact that they may not be professionals in their field. This often leads to the propagation of fitness guidelines that are largely subjective and misleading. A bodybuilder on Instagram might credit an overly extravagant exercise for developing his

physique and claim it as an essential exercise for all beginners, but gloss over important intricacies that can make the activity dangerous if one is unaware.

In addition, while images and videos on these platforms are generally meant to inspire the masses, it can have an opposite effect on some individuals. Fitness on social media offers a constant comparison to others while the images conveyed are meticulously chosen in order to optimize appearance. As a result, most posts selectively highlight success and cast aside failure.

Anyone that has partaken in sports knows that failure is an important part of the process, but a beginner who is seeking approval and understanding may not realize that concept while browsing influencer feeds and subsequently lose enthusiasm for the sport.

The accessibility of online platforms can also negatively impact physical activity. The most efficient workouts are those in which the athlete is fully immersed in the activity and removed from distractions. When people take time out of a workout to update their socials or post online, it has an undesirable effect on the competence of the training regimen. Time that could be allocated to further improve technique, breathing, and mental fortitude is instead devoted to the web that adds up quickly over the course of a workout.

In short, social networks are captivating tools that are full of fitness resources. Understanding and avoiding the traps while being honest with oneself with regards to training will unlock the full potential of the modern-day encyclopedia.

TRAINING

Curfew poses a new challenge for student athletes

Stingers athletes are continuing to face obstacles during the pandemic Alec Brideau Sports Editor

COLOUR COMMENTARY

Graphic by Rose-Marie Dion

A disappointing silver medal for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship

Team Canada lost the gold medal game to Team USA Alec Brideau Sports Editor The World Junior Championship (WJC) is always one of hockey fans’ favourite times of the year, especially for Canadians, as we normally have a great chance of winning gold.

Graphic by Arianna Siviria

Despite not playing this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Concordia Stingers athletes are still doing the best they can to stay active. At first, things weren’t that bad, as they could still gather in small groups at the gym or the Stinger Dome, while respecting health measures such as maintaining a two-metre distance between athletes.

However, since the implementation of red zone restrictions last fall, things got more complicated. Stingers coaches started to use Zoom as their main way of communicating with their teams. Workouts were still done in groups, but virtually. The best those Stingers could do was perhaps go out for a run with a teammate, while ensuring both run at an acceptable distance from each other. Stingers athletes’ backyards and neighbourhoods weren’t necessarily the perfect places to train, but it was better than nothing.

Now, with the implementation of the curfew prohibiting people to go out from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., the Stingers have to find even more creative ways to stay active. With the winter semester now underway, it also makes it harder for them to go out and get some fresh air.

Women’s rugby team Head Coach Jocelyn Barrieau said it’s often hard to work out alone, especially if you’re living under certain conditions, like in an apartment, with people above and below your training place.

“Lisa-Marie Breton-Lebreux builds us training programs to do from home,” Barrieau said. “So far, we’ve tried to keep it up to the beat physically and mentally.

We’re trying to create online events for our team in order to do that.”

Breton-Lebreux is the Stingers’ strength and conditioning coordinator. She has a key role for some members of the Stingers team, but generally helps all Stingers teams in terms of train-

ing. Her role has probably never been as important as it is now.

Men’s basketball team player Louis-Vincent Gauvin said things will probably be harder now with the curfew. He said that even when red zone restrictions started, going out for a run wasn’t necessarily fun.

“Training from home isn’t always motivating, especially compared to [being] with your teammates,” Gauvin said. “I know Concordia lends stationary bikes, so I asked for one and now I’m doing some at home, along with my other exercises.”

Gauvin said players are still very well surrounded despite not meeting in person.

He said they have access to personalized training plans, and that things not related to workouts, such as mental health support, are included and taken seriously.

On the same idea, Barrieau said that the advice she would give to student athletes, and to people in general, is to take advantage of the minutes you have between tasks to go out, or at least free your mind.

“When you have the chance to get outside, even if it’s just 30 minutes between classes, do it,” Barrieau said.

“Sometimes just going out for a few minutes, and getting some fresh air, doing yoga or whatever, can help. We encourage our players to send a little message text to a teammate during the day. Something positive can really make a difference in a day, especially with school.”

This year, Team Canada competed with a roster of 22 talented players, 20 of whom were selected in the first round of the National Hockey League (NHL) Draft.

Hockey analysts had high expectations for the team. In other words, many people had already given the gold medal to Team Canada before the first game of the tournament was even played.

Led by Head Coach André Tourigny, Team Canada started the competition with a crushing 16-2 win against Germany on Dec. 26. The squad dominated the round robin — where each team of the same group played each other once — winning their four games and finishing first in Group B for the start of the elimination round.

Having scored 33 goals and allowed just four in the same amount of games, Team Canada showed fans that they had nothing to fear entering their quarterfinal game against Czech Republic; and they were right thinking that way.

It almost felt weird seeing Team Canada win so easily in an elimination round game. Yes, it was the Czech Republic, but a 3-0 win meant a second shutout, and also another game where our country didn’t seem to have trouble getting past its opponent. Moreover, it was the fifth straight game where Team Canada didn’t allow an evenstrength goal.

Our semifinal game against Russia was anything but a close contest. That game probably confirmed many fans’ thoughts, which was that we could win it all. I’ll admit my own confidence was boosted after beating Russia the way we did. The two countries normally offer great battles, but this time it was totally one-sided, with a 5-0 victory for Team Canada.

Another shutout for Canada and a second consecutive one entering the final game of the tournament was as perfect of a scenario as you could imagine. A great way to present yourself to your last opponent.

Unfortunately, things seemed to stop working for a team that had been almost perfect up until then. Team Canada was the only country that didn’t lose a game in the tournament. However, a great showing from Team USA, added to a normal performance by Tourigny’s team, was all our long-time rivals needed to grab gold with a solid 2-0 victory.

It’s hard to judge this WJC for Team Canada, considering they still won the silver medal, something that isn’t that bad in the end. But for a team full of NHL first-round picks that had high expectations, that second place hurts a little bit.

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Editorial:

Round Two

Hey Concordia, it’s been awhile!

The winter semester of 2021 is officially underway, and we at The Concordian are back in action for our first issue of the new year. The months of December and January were a wild ride, to say the least — while everyday life has felt largely the same since March, major events, decisions, and changes have undoubtedly taken place these past few weeks, and will undoubtedly shape our lives moving forwards.

does the storming of the U.S. Capitol mean for Canadians? And what on earth is going on with the Grammys?

This semester, The Concordian promises to keep asking the questions that matter most to our community. It’s round two of Zoom university, and like you, we’re buckling up.

Welcome back!

This week, our staff and contributors caught up with Concordia, Montreal, and the wider world, and addressed a few key questions: how is the 8 p.m. curfew impacting students? Was ASFA really planning on inviting Jordan Peterson to speak at a Concordia event? How (and when) will the general public become vaccinated? What

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