A GREAT TURNOUT AT CONCORDIA’S THIRD ANNUAL POWWOW
The Otsenhákta Student Centre’s yearly event was more popular than ever.
BY JEREMY COX// NEWS EDITOR
The Otsenhákta Student Centre (OSC)’s third annual powwow took place at the Loyola Campus last Friday. Elementary school groups, university students, elders and members of local Indigenous communities gathered under a large tent to enjoy the event.
The OSC teamed up with the Hive Free Lunch to prepare three sisters soup and bannock
bread for the event, which was served with a strawberry drink. The main tent, which hosted the ceremonies, was surrounded by 25 kiosks of local Indigenous vendors.
Concordia student Destiny Thomas was one of the vendors at the event. Thomas, who learned how to bead in middle school, started her beadwork jewelry business in 2020.
“There’s also a lot of people coming in, and kids from schools, from middle schools, even little kids,” said Thomas. “So it’s a learning experience for them and they get to see the culture of the music, the dancing, all of the crafts. And for vendors, it’s way more vendors than [when] we started.”
The powwow was organized by the OSC, the on-campus
resource centre for First Nations, Inuit and Métis students at Concordia. OSC manager Cheyenne Henry was the head of the planning committee.
Kanien’kéha performers highlighted Henry’s work in an honour song during the powwow.
NEWS
Concordia University receives a lawsuit accusing it of permitting antisemitism on campus pg. 2
SPORTS
Preseason action is underway for Concordia Stingers Hockey pg. 6
LES PAGES
FRANCOS
Le soccer à Montréal, un nouveau bassin à talents pg. 8
ARTS & CULTURE
SynBio Expressions pg. 11
MUSIC
Palomosa Festival prevails despite rainy weather pg. 12
OPINIONS
Canada on fire pg. 14
Concordia University accused of failing to combat antisemitism on campus
Four students and two student organizations filed the lawsuit on Aug. 30.
BY FÉLIX-ANTOINE BEAUCHEMIN AND JEREMY COX NEWS EDITORS
Concordia University and its President and Vice-Chancellor Graham Carr received a lawsuit on Aug. 30 accusing them of allowing what the plaintiffs consider to be antisemitism at the university.
The plaintiffs, four students and two organizations from Concordia, notably claim that the university permitted several instances of misconduct, allowed individuals and groups to intimidate them freely and enforces its codes of conduct selectively and arbitrarily.
“[Concordia] appears to overlook these standards when addressing groups like [the Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR) Concordia, Independent Jewish Voices Canada Inc. (IJV), Bara Iyad Abuhamed], and others deemed problematic on Campus while holding Plaintiffs to
a different standard,” states the lawsuit.
The case is headed to trial in the Superior Court of Québec. The date of the trial has not yet been publicly announced. The allegations in the lawsuit have not been proven in court.
Among other things, the plaintiffs are demanding that the Court declare that Concordia University and Carr failed to enforce the university’s policies, by-laws and regulations, and that they “have tolerated and supported an environment where hate and intolerance have flourished and been normalized on Campus.” They also demand that the court order the defendants to rectify the situation, authorize the plaintiffs to call any policing authority should the orders not be respected and pay the plaintiffs’ legal fees.
The plaintiffs and their lawyers declined to comment on the ongoing legal procedure.
Concordia University also declined to comment on the lawsuit. However, the university’s spokesperson, Vannina Maestracci, said the administration has worked to keep everyone safe on campus.
“We’ve taken disciplinary action against people who have violated Concordia’s Code of
Rights and Responsibilities on campus,” she wrote in an email.
The lawsuit lists 15 distinct events which the plaintiffs consider to be antisemitic. The first one, labelled in the lawsuit as the Oct. 7 “Terrorist Attack Celebration,” details reactions from some pro-Palestinian Concordia students and groups to the Hamas-led attack on Israel. One such reaction is a now-deleted Instagram post by SPHR Concordia.
“Last night, the resistance in Gaza led a heroic attack against the occupation and has taken over 30 hostages [sic] including Brigadier General [Nimrod] Aloni,” read the post. “Their march toward liberation is as monumental as their rockets — the resistance will free the prisoners who have been facing a fascist attack by the occupation and liberate our land from the fangs of the enemy.”
The plaintiffs, two of which are organizations Hillel Concordia and The StartUp Nation Montreal, say in the lawsuit that they have felt threatened by antisemitic conduct around campus as well as online. The lawsuit uses the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)’s definition of antisemitism, which both the federal and provincial governments have adopted.
In a 2021 article published in The Conversation, Jewish professors from various Canadian universities criticized the IHRA definition, calling it “a seriously flawed statement” and accusing institutions of using it to silence criticism of Israel.
“We never really addressed them [the plaintiffs’ claims] because they’re just empty accusations, and I don’t think we will,” said a representative of SPHR Concordia, which now stands for Students for Palestine’s Honour and Resistance,
when asked for comment about the lawsuit.
The representative commented on the condition of anonymity.
On May 8, a news conference was held at Parliament Hill in Ottawa to discuss antisemitism on Canadian university campuses. Concordia University student Anastasia Zorchinsky, the president and founder of The StartUp Nation Montreal and one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, detailed some of the experiences she has gone through since Oct. 7.
Among those experiences, she mentioned “waking up one morning with an Instagram comment saying ‘Anastasia, we will find you on campus,’ and on the same day, proceed to be accosted by a group of five pro-Palestinian men during [her] lunch break on campus.”
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit also denounce the use of multiple chants they deem as antisemitic in pro-Palestinian protests at Concordia, such as the ones using the term “intifada.” This word was most recently used in a protest at the Hall Building on Sept. 12, with a banner reading “Dear Concordia / You repress the students / This is how we respond / Long live the student intifada / National Day of Action.”
“Intifada,” the Arabic word for rebellion or uprising, is often used to refer to either of the two historical Palestinian uprisings. The first intifada spanned from December 1987 to September 1993, terminating with the no longer active first Oslo Accords. The second intifada, also known as the Al-Aqsa intifada, began in September 2000.
The ‘Student Intifada’ is a term in part popularized to refer to university campus protests in support of Palestine.
“The word intifada means up-
rising or revolution, so when we say Student Intifada, we mean that it’s a student uprising against their institutions, complicity in the genocide,” said the SPHR representative, who rejected the argument that the term is antisemitic.
On Dec. 17, 2023, the Concordia Student Union (CSU) held an antisemitism training session for its council members and executives, where IJV members presented a PowerPoint. The IJV is in favour of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and is anti-Zionist.
The presenters stated in their presentation that the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism is a “tool in the ‘Weaponization’ [sic] of antisemitism,” that “white Jews — to the extent they can pass as white — benefit from white privilege,” and that anti-Zionism is not antisemitism. The presentation instead supported the definition provided by the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, which explicitly excludes criticizing “Zionism as a form of nationalism” from its examples of antisemitism.
Diana Levitin, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, was a CSU council member last year, and she objected to the IJV giving this antisemitism training. The lawsuit claims that this training was antisemitic.
The CSU’s beliefs and stances can all be found in its website’s bylaws and policies section. According to CSU general coordinator Kareem Rahaman, they aim to follow the policies laid out in the CSU Positions Book. Rahaman declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Concordia Professional Employees Union reaches agreement with Concordia, in principle
The union membership will decide whether to accept the university’s offer on Wednesday.
BY JEREMY COX NEWS EDITOR
The Concordia Professional Employees Union (CUPEU) and Concordia University have reached an agreement in principle, as was announced via email on Thursday night. Strike members returned to work on Friday after seven full days of striking.
Concordia presented an offer to CUPEU’s executive committee, and the union will vote on whether or not to accept it at a general assembly on Wednesday. At least 50 per cent plus one of CUPEU’s approximately
600 members, need to vote in favour to pass this agreement.
“This may be a first of its kind of contract for [university] unions in Quebec. In the sense that if this turns out to be, rights to work from home, all other unions of Concordia, McGill and universities public sector and even private sector are going to follow suit,” said CUPEU communications Vice President Michael Schmid.
“It could be historic, and that word may not be overstated.”
Approximately a third of CUPEU’s funds are provided by the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), as long as CUPEU abides by their contractual obligations with the confederation. For every full
strike week, CSN covers every other day of the picketers’ pay, with CUPEU’s savings covering the rest. Since the union did not strike for two full weeks, they will be unable to receive CSN support for the last two strike days on Sept. 11 and Sept. 12. Details of the agreement, if they are accepted by the membership, will be announced after the General Assembly, which takes place on Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Archive photo of the Hall Building protest on Nov. 8, 2023. PHOTO BY EMMA MEGELAS // MANAGING EDITOR
New language protection and housing bill to set limit to international student number
Quebec government announces new measures to protect the French language and housing costs in Montreal.
BY FÉLIX-ANTOINE BEAUCHEMIN NEWS EDITOR
An upcoming provincial bill is set to limit the number of international students in Quebec institutions. The bill was announced last month, along with a moratorium on temporary foreign workers in the Montreal region.
The provincial government has announced it will present a bill to the National Assembly to reduce the number of international students in Quebec.
There were nearly 50,000 student permit holders in Quebec in the third quarter of 2021 and over 71,000 in the second quarter of 2024.
In its announcement, the provincial government stated that this upcoming bill would limit the number of international students in Quebec by criteria such as the type of institution, the number of international students in a given institution,
and the region or the level of studies of international students. When contacted, Concordia University declined to comment on the bill.
“Concerning the government’s intention to table a bill, we saw the announcement in late August and are awaiting further information from the government, so I can’t comment on something that has not been detailed yet,” wrote Concordia University spokesperson Vannina Maestracci in an email.
In addition to the upcoming bill to oversee the arrival of international students in Quebec, the government announced a
moratorium on the arrival of temporary foreign workers.
The six-month-long moratorium concerns applications to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in the Montreal region for those making less than $57,000 per year, the median income in Quebec. This moratorium took effect on Sept. 3 but includes exceptions for jobs related to certain fields, such as healthcare, education, construction, agriculture, and food transformation. When contacted for comment, the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation, and Integration specified that the Aug. 20 announcement only
(Powwow, continued from cover)
Round dancing is a regular event at powwows. Dancers from the host nation, in this case Kanien’kéha, dance in a counterclockwise motion, while guests from invited nations dance clockwise. Gifts were also offered between nations.
“It’s really nice to come here and dance and sing together with everybody who you don’t see all the time,” said Kanien’kéha dancer Teioronhiáthe Phillips.
“There’s people from different nations that I see at different powwows here. And [the powwow] is always something to bring all kinds of people together. Not just Native people.” Phillips also performed the Haudenosaunee Smoke
Dance, which is considered to be the fastest traditional dance throughout Indigenous cultures.
“That big drum, when you hear it, that represents thunder,” he said. “And when we’re dancing, we’re dancing to give thanks to the rain and the thunder. So you’ll see, sometimes when we dance, it’ll rain a couple of days later.”
The first annual powwow was organized in 2022 to celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the OSC. That year, the OSC also changed its name from the Aboriginal Student Resource Centre, which was previously changed from the original Native Education Centre.
“Otsenhákta” in Kanien’kéha means “close to the fire,” reflecting the centre’s goal of
making students feel welcome and creating community.
Lance Delisle, the powwow’s master of ceremonies and host of Kahnawà:ke’s Reviving Kanehsatà:ke Radio, was impressed with the event’s turnout. The Concordia alumnus, who on average hosts a dozen powwows yearly, enjoyed the OSC’s hospitality.
“Concordia has made a real
concerned temporary foreign workers. The announcement did not mention any changes to the ability of international students to work in Quebec while they study in the province.
This announcement comes as the number of temporary immigrants has more than doubled between 2021 and 2024 in Quebec. According to Statistics Canada, there were approximately 285,000 non-permanent residents in the province in the third quarter of 2021 and nearly 600,000 in the second quarter of 2024.
“We absolutely have to reduce the number of temporary immigrants in Montreal to protect the French language,” said Quebec Premier François Legault in the announcement. “We also must protect our public services and reduce the pressure on housing … Today’s announcement is a first step, and we do not exclude going further. We also expect that the federal government acts quickly to curb the important arrival of temporary immigrants, of which an important part is under its responsibility.”
According to Statistics Canada, 90.2 per cent of people living in Montreal in 2021 had at least a conversational level of French, slightly down from 91.4 per cent in 2016.
conscientious effort to be extremely inclusive and, most importantly, understanding of everyone else who doesn’t understand about powwows,” he said. “So we want to give them the experience. To me that shows that Concordia certainly has a pulse on the community, has a pulse on the Indigenous way of life.”
Student permit holders. GRAPHIC BY KEVEN VAILLANCOURT // GRAPHICS EDITOR @KINDAOKEV
Dancers at the powwow.
PHOTO BY HANNAH BELL // PHOTO EDITOR
Concordia student lands dream internship at SpaceX
When hard work and determination meet a bit of luck, good things can happen.
FÉLIX-ANTOINE BEAUCHEMIN NEWS EDITOR
On Feb. 6, 2018, the day of the Falcon Heavy test flight, SpaceX, an Elon Musk-owned company, launched a Tesla Roadster into space. That was also the day Simon Randy, who now studies mechanical engineering at Concordia University, knew he wanted to work in the space industry, especially at SpaceX.
Now, six years later, he is preparing to intern at SpaceX, on the Starship Components team. Randy will be helping to produce and review designs for new models of SpaceX’s Starship rocket, the most powerful launch vehicle ever built.
Randy landed the SpaceX internship after finishing a different internship in Germany at Rocket Factory Augsburg. As he was returning to Canada, he unknowingly met the person who would eventually recruit him to SpaceX.
“What actually happened is that on my way home from Germany, I was wearing this
[SpaceX] shirt, and I was stopped by a guy who was just there; he asked me if I worked for SpaceX, and I said no,”
Randy recalled.
It turned out that the person who stopped him was a SpaceX employee and worked in the same field Randy specialized in.
Despite his American citizenship, which is required to work in the space industry in the United States, he still felt that living in Canada would be an additional challenge to getting the internship.
“We talked for 15 minutes, and by the end, we had added each other on LinkedIn. I told him I had tried to get hired, but it’s hard when you’re in a different country,” Randy said.
“I felt like the recruiter would throw away my CV if they saw Canada because ‘Oh, well, you can’t be American in Canada’ … I emailed him a bunch over the summer. I finally got my interviews, and I got in.”
Although meeting the man who would eventually hire him at SpaceX was a coincidence, his journey from watching the Falcon Heavy mission to now was anything but.
“I’ve
been super passionate about space ever since
[2018].
That was in high school, and I said, ‘OK, well, how do I get there?’” he recalled. ”So I talked to people who work at SpaceX. They told me, ‘Oh, you need hands-on experience.’
So, everything I’ve done since then has been to maximize hands-on experience.”
This led Randy to the Mechanical Engineering Technology Program at Dawson College, a technical program where most courses are practice-based and where students learn a lot about the realities of working as an engineer in the field.
“Every Monday, we had an eight-hour course, essentially like a work shift in a machine shop,” he explained. “By the
end of three years, you’re super well-versed in machining; I learned how to program robots, do CNC machining and welding, so it’s a really rich experience.”
While at Dawson, Randy knew he wanted to study engineering at Concordia, specifically to join Space Concordia’s student club. He is now its president, as well as the operations manager of its Rocketry Division. The division is currently working to build the first student-built rocket in the world to reach the Kármán line, or 100 km of altitude, which is generally considered to be the begin-
ning of outer space.
The Rocketry Division is targeting to launch their 13-metre-long rocket next summer after having already reached multiple milestones, such as the completion of their launch tower and successful hot-fire tests.
The Space Concordia Rocketry Division at the 2023 Launch Canada competition. PHOTO COURTESY OF SIMON RANDY.
Portrait of Simon Randy. PHOTO COURTESY OF SIMON RANDY
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SPORTS Preseason action is underway for Concordia Stingers Hockey
New recruits, trophies to defend, and a fresh start are all reasons for an exciting the 2024-25 season.
MATT PISCINA SPORTS EDITOR
The Concordia Stingers men’s and women’s hockey teams are back on the ice for another season. The two teams skated in their first preseason games this weekend, with the men playing two games and the women playing three.
For Stingers men’s hockey head coach Marc-André Elé-
ment, the preseason holds substantial value despite the games not counting toward the standings.
“This year, we’re going to talk a lot about good habits — we’ve been preaching that the last two weeks,” Elément said. “Right now, it’s more about the habits because I find habits will help us win the championship.”
The offseason saw three Stingers players graduate — namely Charles-Antoine Giguère, Tyler Hylland, and last year’s captain, Phélix Martineau. It also saw the departure of defenseman Samuel Desgroseilliers and forward Émile Hégarty-Aubin.
Despite the losses to the roster, a new opportunity opens for the up-and-coming play-
ers. The Stingers introduced six new faces ahead of their first preseason game against the Carleton University Ravens on Sept. 13. The list includes Alexander Gaudio, a six-footfive centre who last played for the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. Two weeks into his Stingers career, Gaudio said his new teammates have made the adjustment smooth.
“As soon as I came [to Concordia], I felt welcome,” Gaudio said. “All the guys in here —
second, third year, fourth year — all welcomed me, and I feel great here.”
On a personal level, Gaudio mentioned that his goal is to work on the small details of his game, including his skating and his ability to put the puck in the net. In terms of what he’s looking forward to this season, it’s all about getting the two points in the standings.
“Winning games and being with the group, just being a part of this team is going to be amazing,” he said.
The Stingers have two more games scheduled in their preseason. They will travel to the Maritimes to play the Dalhousie University Tigers on Sept. 20 and the Saint Mary’s University Huskies on Sept. 21.
The Stingers women’s hockey team was also on the ice for its first games of the preseason this weekend. Similarly to the men’s team, the women’s team saw significant turnover in their roster this offseason. The graduates include Sandrine Veillette, Madison Oakes, Justine Yelle, Rosalie Bégin-Cyr, and last year’s captain, Emmy Fecteau.
While the loss in scoring production and leadership is notable, a major part of the national championship team from 202324 is returning. The team’s top four leading scorers in points
— Émilie Lussier, Émilie Lavoie, Jessymaude Drapeau, and Chloé Gendreau — will all be back in the lineup in 2024-25.
The Stingers women’s team will be looking to follow up three straight years of success. Three Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) championships in a row, coupled with two USports National Championships in three years, form a dynasty that the Stingers will look to continue this season.
The preseason kicked off with three games in three days for the Stingers. They played on the road against the University of Waterloo Warriors, the York University Lions, and the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. The matchup against the Varsity Blues is the first since meeting in the USports National Championship finals last season.
Though not counting towards the regular season standings, the Stingers went a perfect 3-0-0 against its opponents, setting the tone for the season on a winning note.
Concordia will now travel to the United States to play against three National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I powerhouses. They will face off against the Boston University Terriers, Merrimack College Warriors, and the University of Vermont Catamounts. They will return to Ed Meagher Arena when they play the St. Francis Xavier University X-Women on Sept. 27.
The status of cross-country at Concordia
With less runners than last year, the team’s spirit is still up.
MATT PISCINA SPORTS EDITOR
The Concordia Stingers cross-country teams just ran at their first competition of the season, in the McGill Invitational on Sept. 7. On the men’s side of the 6 km run, the Stingers finished in eighth place out of 14 participating teams. The women’s team for Concordia was unable to score in the event, because they did not meet the required number of runners.
The cross-country team has been fighting against a shortage of runners since the end of last season. Skye Robinson, one of the co-captains of the Stingers, shared that finding players this off-season was exceptionally difficult.
“I think that we definitely didn’t get as many recruits this year as we were expecting,”
Robinson said. “I’m not sure the reason — maybe just the lack of knowledge that the team exists and that people can just come and try out.”
In cross-country competitions, a participating team needs at least five runners in order to be considered eligible to score. At the McGill Invitational, the men’s team had exactly five runners while the women’s team only had two.
Injuries have complicated matters even more, as the women’s team is currently dealing with two injuries. This has made it that much more difficult for the teams to reach the minimum number of runners for a given event.
Robinson said that head coach Justin Pfefferle’s message to the team is to gain experience this season and to come out of the gate flying next season. With the track and field season starting in December,
Robinson hopes that more runners will join.
As a captain on the team, Robinson believes she also holds responsibility for keeping the current roster performing at a high level, whether or not they are scoring in competitions.
“I don’t think I did anything really differently than my previous captain before me,” Robinson said.
“We really want to lift the team spirit up — that’s kind of our role as captains. When the spirits are down at practice, it’s kind of our job to say: ‘Okay, guys, let’s go, let’s lift this back up.’”
While team performance is always key to success, Robinson added that she always encourages her teammates to make time for school. She said that having a well-balanced schedule with school and training is something all her teammates strive for.
With this being her final year at Concordia University, Robinson said that the main message she wants to share with stu-
dents is that the cross-country team is as relevant as any other varsity sport.
“One of our main goals, since we are kind of seen as one of the underdogs, is to keep reaching to expand the program,” Robinson said. “We [want people] saying: ‘Yeah, there’s actually people who do cross-country and track and field at Concordia.”
The Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team warms up before their first preseason game. PHOTO BY MATT PISCINA// SPORTS EDITOR
The Stingers running at the 2024 McGill Invitational. COURTESY PHOTO BY MIREYA PALACIOS
The Scoreboard: Twelve games in three days?!
There was excitement both on the field and on the ice over the weekend.
MATT PISCINA SPORTS EDITOR
The Concordia Stingers experienced their busiest week yet in their 2024 fall sports season, playing 12 games over three days, including major road games, rivalry matches, and the first winter preseason games. Here’s this week’s recap.
SOCCER
The Stingers soccer teams were on the field for four tough road games this weekend.
The women’s team has had a tough start to their season. A 0-0 draw in their season opener was followed by two small-margin losses. The team looked to get into the win column for the first time this season when they played the Université de Montréal Carabins on Sept. 13.
Despite a close battle, the Stingers dropped their third game in a row, 1-0. A quick turnaround, and the team was back on the road against the Université de Sherbrooke Vert et Or on Sept. 15.
The Stingers never gained momentum in this game. They went goalless for the third straight game, losing their matchup 2-0. They will be back in action on Sept. 20 when they face the Université Laval Rouge et Or.
The men’s soccer team picked up where they left off after their 3-0 win over Université Laval. They were on the same road trip as the women’s team, playing Université de Montréal on Sept. 13 and Université de Sherbrooke Vert et Or on Sept. 15.
The Carabins were a perfect 3-0-0 coming into the matchup, but the Stingers were up for the challenge. Stinger’s forward Michael Valentino Santella of the Stingers shot a 30-yard screamer past the Carabins netminder, giving Concordia a 1-0. Once getting the lead, the Stingers never looked back. The Stingers held on to a 1-0 lead to beat the top Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) team. They looked to continue their two-game win streak against the Vert et Or.
In another close affair, the Stingers came out on top once again. A 1-0 win carried the Stingers men’s soccer team to a 3-1-0 record, three points behind the top seed with one game in hand. They will return to action on Sept. 20, facing Université Laval.
RUGBY
Both the men’s and women’s rugby teams faced the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees — the men’s team on home turf and the women’s team on the road.
The women’s team kicked off against the Gee-Gees on Sept. 14, trying to follow up their 53-5 Kelly-Anne Drummond Cup victory with another win. Ottawa had won their first two games of the season coming into this matchup.
Ultimately, the Stingers dropped their matchup by a score of 47-17. They will play when they host Université de Montréal at Concordia Stadium.
The men’s team played against the Gee-Gees on Sept. 15. In an effort to avenge the Gee-Gees, the Stingers men’s team dropped their matchup by a score of 34-22. They will have thirteen days between their games, as they will face École de technologie supérieure (ETS) on Sept. 28. Kick-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
FOOTBALL
Stingers football also played this weekend. Following their win on Aug. 30, the Stingers had a week off to rest ahead of their game against the Carabins on Sept. 14.
The Stingers held the reigning RSEQ champions close for much of the game. After sporting a 13-11 at halftime, the Stingers conceded nine points in the third quarter while they were held to two. Chasing a 2015 Carabins lead after three quarters, the Stingers were ultimately unable to pull off the late-game heroics, dropping a very tough matchup by a score of 30-18.
The Stingers football team will return on Sept. 21 when they host the McGill Redbirds for Concordia’s annual Homecoming game. Kick-off is scheduled for 1 p.m.
HOCKEY
Stingers hockey is officially back on the ice. The men’s team played in two preseason games, while the women’s team played three.
The men’s team played their pair of games against the Carleton University Ravens. They played at Concordia’s Ed Meagher Arena on Sept. 13, then travelled to Carleton the following day.
The Stingers lost their first game by a score of 3-2 but won their second game 3-1 on the road. They will continue their preseason when they face off against the Dalhousie University Tigers on Sept. 20.
The women’s team opened its season with games against the University of Waterloo Warriors, the York University
Lions, and the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. Coming off a USports national championship last season, the Stingers were poised to start their 202425 campaign on a high note.
A 4-1 win against the War-
riors, a 6-1 win against the Lions, and a 3-0 shutout win against the Varsity Blues cemented the clean sweep in the Stingers’ preseason road trip.
Concordia will depart on another three-game road trip, this time in the United States. The Stingers will face the Boston University Terriers, the Merrimack College Warriors, and the University of Vermont Catamounts. The trip will begin on Sept. 20.
En partenariat avec et financé par l’Organe.
Les Le soccer à Montréal, un nouveau bassin à talents
L’accélération du développement du soccer à Montréal.
PAR MATHILDE COLLS
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Pour les fans de soccer de Montréal, des noms comme Mathieu Choinière, Ismaël Koné et Moïse Bombito représentent la présence croissante de la ville dans ce sport. Ces joueurs symbolisent une nouvelle ère où les talents locaux font des percées au Canada et sur la scène mondiale, y compris dans les grands championnats européens.
Montréal est devenue un véritable bassin pour le soccer, produisant des talents qui évoluent désormais au plus haut niveau.
La participation du Canada au tournoi Copa América 2024 a révélé cette croissance, avec cinq joueurs nés au Québec figurant dans l’effectif de 26 joueurs de l’équipe nationale masculine.
Bien que l’Ontario reste la province canadienne la plus représentée avec 15 joueurs dans l’équipe, la représentation du Québec a augmenté depuis la Coupe du monde 2022, lors
de laquelle l’équipe ne comptait que trois joueurs du Québec.
Parmi ces cinq joueurs formés au Québec dans l’équipe de cette année, tous ont grandi dans la région de Montréal.
Les cinq Québécois dans cet effectif historique de la Copa América sont Maxime Crépeau, Ismaël Koné, Mathieu Choinière, Moïse Bombito et Samuel Piette. Deux d’entre eux jouent dans la plus grande ligue nord-américaine, la Major League Soccer (MLS), et trois ont été transférés vers des clubs européens lors du dernier mercato, ce qui témoigne du talent existant dans la ville. Pour des joueurs comme Lundon Durand Browne, un étudiant-athlète de 23 ans des Stingers de Concordia, les récents développements dans le soccer montréalais sont source d’inspiration. Browne souligne que les transferts européens de talents locaux sont une lueur d’espoir pour les nouveaux joueurs.
« Cette croissance apporte plus de visibilité au soc-
cer québécois pour les jeunes joueurs, déclare Browne. Maintenant, il semble plus réaliste pour les joueurs d’ici de franchir le pas. »
La montée en puissance du Canada dans le soccer international est indéniable, mais cette ascension est particulièrement importante pour les fans montréalais. Le mercato estival de 2024 a été riche en transferts excitants pour les joueurs de Montréal.
Ismaël Koné, qui a commencé au CS Saint-Laurent avant de rejoindre le CF Montréal, a franchi une nouvelle étape dans sa carrière en rejoignant l’Olympique de Marseille, un géant de la Ligue 1 française et un club historique. Ce transfert marque un chapitre important dans sa carrière, après avoir évolué en Championship anglaise, la deuxième division du soccer anglais.
Moïse Bombito a suivi un parcours légèrement différent. Après son développement au CS Saint-Laurent, il a joue au Collège Ahuntsic avant de par-
tir aux États-Unis pour poursuivre sa carrière en soccer universitaire. Après avoir commencé sa carrière professionnelle avec les Colorado Rapids en MLS, Bombito a signé avec l’OGC Nice en Ligue 1, devenant ainsi un adversaire direct de Koné.
Enfin, le milieu de terrain vedette du CF Montréal, Mathieu Choinière, a rejoint le club suisse des Grasshoppers de Zurich cet été.
Si le CF Montréal est depuis longtemps la plus grande équipe professionnelle de la ville, la scène du soccer montréalais va au-delà de la MLS.
La Ligue 1 Québec, une ligue semi-professionnelle fondée en 2011, est devenue un terrain important pour les talents locaux. La plupart de ses équipes proviennent de la grande région de Montréal; de grands clubs comme le CS Saint-Laurent ont excellé dans le développement des futures stars, comme Koné et Bombito.
Browne attribue une partie de ce progrès à la compétition con-
tre les équipes américaines, qui a stimulé le développement des talents locaux. « Nous avons été négligés pendant des années », ajoute-t-il.
En vue de la co-organisation par le Canada de la Coupe du monde de la FIFA 2026 avec les États-Unis et le Mexique, Browne pense que le soccer local continuera de prospérer, malgré le fait que Montréal n’accueillera aucun match de la Coupe du monde. « Ce qui se passera après [la Coupe du monde] sera intéressant », dit-il.
L’explosion récente de talents, de transferts et de reconnaissance internationale de la scène du soccer à Montréal en fait une force montante dans le soccer canadien, et son ascension ne semble pas près de s’arrêter.
ARCHIVE PHOTO BY MATT PISCINA// SPORTS EDITOR
Les politiques de la fête
Le Campus Kickoff de la CSU s’inscrit dans un mouvement plus large qui renforce la vie universitaire et donne du pouvoir aux étudiants.
PAR JIA SCHOFER ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Les élèves arrivent petit à petit à l’Esplanade Louvain dans le quartier Ahuntsic-Cartierville. Certains avancent vers le champ de tournesols qui orne le lieu, d’autres en direction des kiosques de vêtements. Le coucher du soleil et la musique dansante annoncent une rentrée festive.
Le 6 septembre, approximativement 500 élèves ce sont réunis. La soirée faisait partie d’une série d’événements incluant des fêtes, tournois sportifs et foires aux clubs ayant lieu du 9 au 26 septembre dans le cadre du Campus Kickoff organisé par l’Union des étudiants et étudiantes de Concordia (CSU).
« Les boissons sont chères, mais l’endroit est sympa, la salle géniale et les DJ bons », commente Nourah Saedan, étudiante en études cinématographiques.
Ces festivités ont pour but de promouvoir une mobilisation politique, une mobilisation que la CSU espère voir se répéter lors des prochaines élections étudiantes.
Lors des élections partielles de l’année 2021-2022, la CSU a enregistré une participation historique de 21,13 % — le plus élevé de son histoire. Cependant, la participation a chuté lors des élections générales de l’année 2023-2024, avec une participation de 12,4 %, soulignant la nécessité de dynamiser le corps étudiant.
Ce désir de motiver les élèves se traduit dans l’attention que la CSU porte à ses choix de lieux. Aire Commune a non seulement la capacité d’accueillir une grande foule, mais collabore également avec l’organisme Scène & Sauve.
« Lors de la sélection du lieu, une chose qui m’a vraiment convaincu, c’était les personnes portant des chandails roses, » explique Moad Alhjooj, responsable de la vie étudiante à la CSU.
Ces chandails roses identifient les représentants de Scène et Sauve, un organisme dédié à la prévention des violences sexuelles en milieu festif.
Ils travaillent en coordination avec les équipes de sécurité présentes pour une gestion ap-
propriée des situations nécessitant une intervention, tout en offrant un soutien aux personnes victimes.
Théo Leblanc, coordinateur de l’organisme, souligne l’importance de ce partenariat : « C’est un green flag que l’organisation CSU nous approche, nous, et non le contraire, car nous n’avons jamais été inutiles lors de soirées ».
Cette attention au choix des lieux reflète l’importance des espaces sociaux pour la vie étudiante.
« Des lieux comme The Hive et Reggie’s sont tellement importants, car cet espace tiers est vraiment essentiel pour créer une communauté », explique
Vanessa Massot, coordonnateur. rice académique et de plaidoyer de la CSU, en quatrième année d’études interdisciplinaires en sexualité.
En parallèle, le Clubs Fair du 9 septembre démontre la manière dont la CSU stimule l’engagement politique pour dynamiser la vie étudiante et encourager une implication active.
Plusieurs clubs comme la Fédération des associations des arts et sciences (ASFA), Révolution communiste et la CSU promeuvent l’activisme à travers des autocollants engagés, des calendriers de manifestations pour la Palestine et le logement social, des projections politiques, et des conférences sur le climat et la révolution.
Cette mobilisation politique
joue un rôle crucial dans la motivation des étudiants engagés.
« Nous étions là presque tous les jours la première semaine de cours, distribuant des pamphlets, parlant politique avec les gens, et récoltant des signatures pour notre pétition sur la question palestinienne », explique Jay Jurdi, étudiant en troisième année en informatique et responsable des réservations du club Révolution communiste (RC).
Des groupes comme RC discutent de sujets politiques, montrant ainsi comment cet engagement peut stimuler la participation étudiante.
Les événements du Campus Kickoff renforcent la vie étudiante à Concordia et favorisent un engagement qui va au-delà du divertissement pour une rentrée enthousiaste et politique.
« J’ai créé les meilleurs souvenirs de ma vie à Concordia, et je veux que tout le monde vive la même expérience. Impliquez-vous dans vos associations, c’est incroyable », partage Alhjooj.
Semaine Mode de Montréal 2024 : Une célébration du talent québécois
Un événement unique qui rend la mode accessible à tous.
PAR MAYA RUEL
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
La quatrième édition de la Semaine Mode de Montréal, organisée par la Grappe métropolitaine de la mode (MMODE), aura lieu cette semaine, du 16 au 22 septembre.
La programmation inclut plus de 130 événements à Montréal, Sherbrooke et Québec visant à mettre en valeur le talent de créateurs québécois.
« Notre semaine de la mode est un peu différente des autres partout dans le monde », explique Sarah-Jade Allard-Théberge, conseillère en communication-marketing pour MMODE.
En effet, les marques participantes sont toutes québécoises et jouissent de beaucoup de liberté créative. Elles sont autorisées à choisir l’événement auquel elles veulent participer, le public auquel elles souhaitent s’adresser et le moment le plus opportun pour promouvoir leurs créations.
Plus de 200 organisations sont impliquées dans le projet, ce qui explique le nombre considérable d’événements qu’inclut la Semaine Mode. Du lundi au dimanche, toutes sortes de projets seront présentés, inclu-
ant des défilés, des lancements de collections, par des expositions et des pop-ups.
« Il y a en pour tous les goûts, que vous soyiez un passionné de la mode ou bien un novice », dit AllardThéberge.
Tous les soirs de la semaine, excepté le mardi, des événements signature auront lieu. Ceux-ci seront ouverts au grand public et incluront la soirée de lancement, un défilé de collection automnale exclusive ainsi qu’un défilé collaboratif sur l’avenue Laurier Ouest, entre autres. La programmation complète est disponible sur le site Internet de la Semaine Mode.
« La semaine de la mode de Montréal existe bien sûr depuis plus de quatre ans, mais ce n’est que sa quatrième édition depuis que sa philosophie a été revisitée », dit Allard-Théberge.
Les éditions qui ont précédé ce changement étaient plus classiques, exclusives et élitistes.
« C’était surtout fait pour les acheteurs et les grands noms de l’industrie », ajoute-t-elle.
En 2018, MMODE a repris le concept de la semaine de la mode et s’efforce de rendre cet événement inclusif et accessible au public en plus de favoriser les profits d’entreprises locales.
Tous les événements sont différents, mais la vaste majorité
est ouverte à tous et ne coûte pas un sou. Certains événements nécessitent des billets, mais MMODE s’efforce de les vendre à un prix qu’elle juge raisonnable.
« Le but de la Semaine Mode est de rendre la mode accessible à tous, c’est notre plus grand mandat, explique Allard-Théberge. Nous avons énormément de talent au Québec, et nous voulons montrer que nous sommes en mesure
de presque tout créer localement. »
La plupart des événements seront médiatisés et documentés par MMODE, qui publiera du contenu capturé sur place sur toutes ses plateformes (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook) pour ceux qui ne peuvent pas être présents, ou qui ne peuvent être partout à la fois.
Un défilé exclusif de la Semaine Mode 2023. PHOTO PAR LOUIS PAQUIN
Arts & Culture
VAV Gallery’s summer residency showcases diverse artistic journeys
The exhibit Vestiges of Belonging wraps up with a vibrant showcase of fresh perspectives, featuring powerful works from six emerging artists.
BY MAYA RUEL ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
The Visual Arts Visuels (VAV) Gallery in Concordia’s Fine Arts building hosted the fourth edition of its summer residency program in July and August.
The artwork created by the artists was showcased at the gallery from Sept. 3 to Sept. 14 in the exhibition named Vestiges of Belonging, which was VAV’s very first show of the new school year. Six artists were invited into the space, and each of them had one month to complete the project they submitted.
On Sept. 12, four of the six artists addressed the audience during a finissage, explaining their creative process, their techniques, the meaning behind their creations, and the research they had to undergo to complete their work.
The artists’ pieces took many different forms. Colombian artist Felipe Colmenares Betancourt worked on a massive painting depicting the Darién Jungle, which millions of Colombians pass through regularly to try to escape the country.
Betancourt spent a week in the jungle to conduct research for his artwork, speaking to refugees and Indigenous tribes. The result is a colourful piece holding a deep meaning for its
creator, who also had to flee his country when he was young because of the war.
“I left by plane, which is like, VIP refugee,” said Betancourt. “But there are millions of people in Colombia for the last 16 years that have been passing through the jungle.”
The jungle is located between Colombia and Panama, which makes it easier for the refugees, who have to walk thousands of kilometres, to get to the U.S. and Canada.
Kelly Day is an American artist who created the piece How to Read a Room, consisting of a rug and a comforter entirely made out of books and journal pages. The comforter was sewn by hand and displayed on a bed frame. A video playing on a loop accompanied the artwork, where Day read out loud the first chapter of How to Read a Book by Mortimer J. Adler. Since the third grade, Day has had difficulties with reading because of undiagnosed learning disabilities.
“It was always embarrassing and frustrating for me,” said Day. “It just took me a very long time to read anything.”
She realized recently that childhood trauma contributed to these reading difficulties, and she decided to tackle that trauma head-on by making art out of books.
Anna Noel is a design student who explored type print and movement in her artwork. She used her body as a printing press, writing words on herself with lipstick and pressing her bare skin against paper on the walls and the ground. She also filmed herself moving on the paper and projected the film onto sheets of printed paper hung on the wall.
“On the second day of the residency, I was hit by a cyclist as I was crossing the street,” said Noel, explaining that her in-
jured
arm compromised her project, as her body was her main focus.
“My first thought was: ‘I just started my residency! What am I going to do?’” she said.
Because of that experience, the project took a different turn.
Noel documented her healing process as her piece took form.
All six artists were congratulated warmly and given red roses as the event concluded.
The VAV Gallery is now working on its next project, the IUNGO Artist Talk series.
Another Concordia gallery, Leonard & Bina Allen Gallery, is
preparing the exhibition Choublak, which was scheduled to open on Sept. 5. The opening was delayed as one of the featured artists, Ésery Mondésir, stood in solidarity with striking Concordia staff members. The exhibition will open as soon as the strike comes to an end.
I can’t see my veins by Anna Noel, a video performance accompanied by body printing on paper. PHOTO BY MAYA RUEL // Arts & Culture Editor
MIA and FASA hold start-of-the-year movie screening
The Moving Image Arts Collective showcases the work of past and current Concordia students.
SHAGHAYEGH NADEROLASLI ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR
Hosting its second edition start-of-the-year movie screening night at the Sir George William campus, the Moving Image Arts (MIA) Collective kicked off its school year events on Sept. 9. This screening invited viewers to experience the recent film production of Concordia students and alumni.
The evening’s screening was a collaboration between MIA and the Fine Arts Student Alliance (FASA) during its weeklong FASA Fest, an orientation event for first-year students as well as any student interested in the process of filmmaking. Parsa Fard, MIA head coordinator, and Dennis Belopolsky, MIA programming director, organized this event.
This screening featured projects by current filmmaking students, Concordia alumni, and students from various majors experimenting with filmmaking. MIA organizes events that focus on the appreciation and creation of videos and exploration of the filmmaking process to assist Concordia students in their future filmmaking jour-
ney and to provide opportunities for networking.
”For this event, we reached out to our favourite filmmakers that we screened in the past,”
Fard explained. “It is a mix of
the movies that we have already screened and new productions as a way to introduce the type of work that we look for at MIA.”
Among its diverse programs, MIA offers “critique roundta-
The beauty of biology
Where art meets science: SynBio Expressions blends creativity with biology.
SORAYA YALE-RAMANATHAN CONTRIBUTOR
Science and art are often considered opposites, the right and the left brain. Last week, SynBio Expressions showcased the beautiful things that can happen when the two disciplines work together.
From Sept. 10 to Sept. 13, this event explored the interdisciplinary study of BioArt,which combines biology and art. Concordia’s 4TH SPACE, located in the LB building, hosted workshops, panels, live discussions, and performances to help students better understand BioArt. By creating this space where art and science can mingle freely, co-creators and graduate students Kathleen Hon and Zoe Katz hope to democratize science and make it accessible to all.
“You write these papers with very specific jargon; you write them in a very specific context where a lot of people can’t get it,” said Katz. “You write them for a journal that has a paywall, for an audience that has all this training, which is limited by a
lot of access barriers and held in elitist structures.”
Hon and Katz hope to continue to spread the gospel of BioArt. They believe that scientific research needs to be explained in a way where it can reach anyone because it affects everyone.
“Science is not a scary thing that happens in a farremoved place and is intangible or abstract,”
Katz adds. “You
are biology, your health is biology, your food is biology, the interactions you have with people is biology.”
Typically, BioArt is used to communicate scientific ideas to those outside the scientific community using art. It can take many forms, as was visible on the first day of SynBio. The event began with a panel
bles” sessions where people can bring their work in progress and receive feedback.
“It is especially beneficial for people who are in the midst of working,” Fard said. “They want to show their process, get an opinion, meet [like]minded individuals, and also have fun!”
As a club, MIA plans events on a monthly basis, especially for roundtables and workshops. They offer certain events on an annual basis, such as a year-end screening and a start-of-theyear screening. MIA’s events throughout the year are announced on their Instagram page.
“We are also working on a blog, and we are looking for writing contributions to write about the film, moving images, and art history, which will be advertised very soon,” said Fard.
“MIA is always looking for people from all programs because we know that not all filmmakers are studying film. We would like to create a community of diverse artists and filmmakers,” Fard emphasized.
“It is our mission, as a club, to bring together these different departments and gather allaround moving images. And that is how we programmed tonight!”
Among the films presented at the screening night were Marianne Lavergne’s Toothache, Nevin Louie’s I Didn’t Sleep Last Night, Joé Barabé’s Jeremie, Soda!, Fanny Lord-Bourcier’s Abby, Noah Gehman’s The City And..., Noa Blanche Beschorner’s SLSE, Yuki Lafrance-Nagamine’s My Birthday 00:00 - 23:59, and Dennis Belopolsky’s understandably so.
of successful bioartists who highlighted the utility of artistic and scientific collaboration.
One of the panelists, Dr. Matteo Farinella, merges his Ph.D. in neuroscience and his lifelong love of drawing to create works like Neurocomic, an educational comic book. Despite loving both disciplines, it wasn’t until the end of his Ph.D. that he finally dipped his toe into BioArt.
Through his comics, Farinella hopes he can help communicate important scientific information to the public.
“[It’s about] lowering the barrier,” he explained. “Maybe someone wouldn’t read the paper or even the popular science book, but they would read a comic.”
Farinella pointed out that art is very present in science, as many scientists use figures and diagrams to help explain their research.
“It’s interesting to see how
many scientists actually do sketches,” said Farinella. “Even if they don’t think of it as art, they do use art in their work.”
Armed with a better understanding of what BioArt can do, guests were ready to attend the “Mitochondrial Drama” show. While most of the BioArt showcased in the event was visual, “Mitochondrial Drama” was an evening filled with per-
formance pieces.
The performances included a drag king explaining amoebas, a roller skating clown with cancer, a short film about eggs, a burlesque performance on a mashup of Rihanna’s S&M, and a lecture about the mitochondria. Biological concepts snuck themselves into the audience’s minds as they laughed and applauded.
Tidepool, 2023 by Lumi Mitton. @lumi.inkclay PHOTO BY SORAYA YALE-RAMANATHAN // Contributor
Still shot of Abby, produced by Fanny Lord-Bourcier, a multidisciplinary animated short film. It focuses on Abby’s exploration of the concepts of transraciality and transnationality through her newly adopted dog. COURTESY PHOTO
Music
Palomosa Festival prevails despite rainy weather
Montreal’s newest festival made its debut on Sept. 6.
STEFANO REBULI MUSIC EDITOR
This year, the event formerly known as the MEG Festival was reintroduced as Palomosa, with a diverse lineup spanning multiple genres. With headliners Gesaffelstein and Kali Uchis, it seemed poised to join the big leagues among summer festivals like Osheaga and Fuego Fuego.
The festival’s inaugural edition, which faced numerous challenges, took place at Parc Jean-Drapeau on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7.
Just a week before the festival, a special offer on Palomosa’s website claimed that all tickets would now grant entry to two people instead of one, causing speculation about low ticket sales. Several student associations at McGill (such as the Law Students Association) were also selling single-day tickets for $28.75, down from the original price of $99.
The event took an even bigger hit right before it was set to begin. On Sept. 5, the festival announced on Instagram that headliner Kali Uchis would no longer perform, citing “reasons beyond our control and that of the artist’s.” Refunds were offered as a result. First-year film
animation student Mia Gueli described the cancellation as “devastating.”
“I had no idea what to expect going into Palomosa,” she said. “When I got an email saying one ticket was valid for two people, I knew the turnout was going to be rough.”
The attendance faltered compared with other medium-scale festivals: crowds only began forming a few hours into the day, audiences constantly flocked back and forth between two simultaneously live, contrasting performances, and the stages were never fully packed. For example, horsegiirL pulled the same size crowd as Destroy Lonely, despite him having tenfold the number of monthly listeners she does. Regardless, the diversity of genres succeeded at balancing out the crowd.
DAY 1: RAGING AND RAVING UNDER THE SUN
Yung Lean was the first-day standout artist. From the rattling bass on the mosh pitstarter “Ginseng Strip 2002” to mellow tracks like “Agony,” the cloud rap legend treated fans to everything from aggressive raps to melancholic crooning. The crowd even got an extension of “Brat Summer” as he performed the remix to Charli
XCX’s “360” that he guested on.
The hype increased for Destroy Lonely, the day’s bigticket. This was evident given the swarm of teenagers draped in baggy, all-black clothing. The Opium aesthetic was apparent, with mosh pits erupting during his energetic, hour-long performance (even though he was left in the dark after his visuals cut out 20 minutes into his set). The Playboi Carti protégé cycled through tracks from his latest album, LOVE LASTS FOREVER, plus many other fan favourites.
horsegiirL held it down at the Scène du Jardin, cycling through her hits like “My Little White Pony” and several techno tracks and remixes. The 170 BPM (and higher) rush of these tracks pumped adrenaline into the crowd, with every synth passage adding to the overall energy of her set. For techno fans, her performance was a must-see.
Gesaffelstein closed out day one, performing tracks from his entire discography, including his newest album, Gamma. His stage design featured spotlights, strobe lights, and lasers. Paired with his signature electro-synth-wave-adjacent style, this created an audiovisual trance. The progression of his
precision-guided music elicited cheers with every build-up, drop, and transition. The slow burn yet high intensity of Gesaffelstein’s music and performance capped off the festival’s first day on a stellar, cathartic note.
DAY 2: ROCKING OUT UNDER THE RAIN
Despite the inclement weather, attendees made their best efforts to prevail energetically through the dreary conditions on the second day.
Montreal duo Pelada performed one of the final sets of their ten-year-long career, offering up bouncy house, techno, and EDM beats while vocalist Chris Vargas chanted abrasively in Spanish, truly blending every sound Palomosa had to offer.
New York-based singer-producer The Dare kept the energy high with the performance of his new album What’s Wrong With New York? With his zany, punk-style vocals and frenetic movements, he captured the crowd while rocking out like a sleazy, long-lost fifth Beatle. The following set was Yves Tumor.
“That’s one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. It was the kind of show people would normally
mosh to, but I could tell [Tumor] was upset that nobody was doing anything,” said Nola Tremain, a third-year communications student at Concordia. “They were gesturing to the crowd, but nobody was moving. It was pretty miserable; it was rainy and cold.”
Jai Paul performed in Canada for the first time, taking Kali Uchis’ headlining 10 p.m. slot. He treated fans to songs from his cult-classic demo album Bait Ones, which famously leaked in 2013. Although the wait was tedious, the crowd remained spirited until the end, roaring and even getting an encore of “Str8 Outta Mumbai.”.
Even with people leaving early due to the weather, Gueli commended the festival for what it accomplished.
“Seeing everyone dance with their ponchos and umbrellas for hours under the heavy rain really reminded me what live music is all about,” Gueli said. “I’m not sure what the future of Palomosa holds, considering fewer people showed up than expected after Kali backed out, but all I know is that I had a great time, and I’m definitely hoping they come back next year with another solid lineup of artists.”
Palomosa music festival. PHOTO BY STEFANO REBULI // MUSIC EDITOR. LOGO BY DEUX HUIT HUIT
QUICKSPINS: Infinite Icon — Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton releases her first album in almost two decades.
RYAN PYKE
ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR
With the return of the Y2K aesthetic in recent pop culture, Paris Hilton’s reintroduction to the zeitgeist was inevitable. The businesswoman and heiress has built an empire, and although she isn’t as well known as she once was, she is still influential. Her ditzy persona and carefree attitude align with the ironic tone of a lot of recent music, giving her all the ingredients for a fantastic second album.
The release of Infinite Icon on Sept. 6 introduced Hilton to a new generation. However, if listeners were expecting the mindless escapism of the mid2000s, they didn’t get what they wanted.
Hilton’s 2006 debut album, Paris, was surprisingly competent, given her reputation as a celebrity and a “dumb blonde.”
The socialite worked with talented musicians to create a work that was very indicative of the era in which it was made; it was fun, camp pop.
Her new venture lacks the personality of her first. The track listing has no intentional flow, and every song has a monotonous, overproduced sound. The instrumentals all
heavily rely on synthesizers, a widespread trend in current pop music. The tracks all have roughly the same energy, and the record as a whole lacks the ebb and flow of a great, or even competent, album.
What made Hilton’s first album work was its self-awareness. It didn’t try to make a point. It’s not in and of itself bad to make a statement with
one’s music, but Hilton is not the right messenger given the superficiality of her musical work. Her 2004 book, Confessions of an Heiress: A Tonguein-Chic Peek Behind the Pose, positions her as someone above society, untouchable. As a result, her sudden decision to make personal art is jarring. After opening up about the horrific treatment she re-
ceived at youth rehab facilities, it makes sense that she would go in a more serious direction with this album. Unfortunately, her work doesn’t reflect her growth. Instead of being sincere, fun pop, her songs feel forced and disjointed. The most egregious example is the song “ADHD.” The lack of subtlety in the name alone doesn’t inspire confidence, and the generic lyrics don’t help. Hilton’s voice on all the tracks, particu-
larly this one, is extremely electronically enhanced, creating a disconnect between the subject, which is personal to Hilton, and the sound.
The lyrics gesture at depth while lacking any real meaning. Hilton doesn’t use the music to convey any profound truths or even experiences specific to her. It plays into a false relatability that influencers such as Hilton often employ.
But Hilton isn’t relatable, and she doesn’t need to be. She has a net worth of hundreds of millions. She is an icon of the early 2000s. The title of her 2024 album hints at this glamourous persona, but doesn’t follow through.
The good songs are few and far between. Megan Thee Stallion’s feature on “BBA” lends some character to this lifeless album. On “I’m Free,” Rina Sawayama masters the kind of dance-pop that was featured in Hilton’s first album.
The only thing lending the album any kind of personality is its guest artists. Only Stallion, Sawayama, Maria Becerra, and Meghan Trainor could drag this album from up bland to serviceable pop.
Trial Track: I’m Free (feat. Rina Sawayama) Score: 3/10
What’s old is new: Revivalism in pop music
Concordia students share their thoughts on the familiar sounds in current pop music.
RYAN PYKE
ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR
As most people have moved from the 2000s onwards, the sounds in today’s musical landscape are increasingly moving back in time. With the emergence of artists like Chappell Roan and albums like The Weeknd’s Dawn FM, synthpop is just one of many genres that has circled back into public consciousness.
A simple look at some recent radio hits highlights the popularity of vintage sounds: “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd, characterized by an ‘80s synth-pop style, became the best-performing song in Hot 100 history. Dua Lipa’s 2020 album Future Nostalgia, spawned several successful hits inspired by the nu-disco sound, namely “Don’t Start Now” and “Levitating.” Even this year, there was the success of “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter, an ‘80s-inspired disco-pop tune.
Aria Tessler, a third-year
electroacoustics major at Concordia University, joined the school’s music club this past January but has been following music closely for a decade. She frequently looks at the Billboard Hot 100 to see what’s going on in pop music, and she mentioned noticing more synths and drum machines, and a general pull away from live music for the past few years.
Although she thinks that ‘80s revivalism has overstayed its welcome, she said that there is still quality music being made with the heavy synth sound, with Chappell Roan being a good example. “All of her best songs have synths,” she said.
Roan’s current biggest hit “Good Luck Babe” features old-school synths and an overall retro sound that would fit perfectly soundtracking a prom scene in a ‘70s movie like Grease.
Elisa Niunin is a fourth-year psychology major at Concordia and has been a member of the music club for over a year. She has noticed the tendency of industries like K-Pop to trendhop in business-savvy ways.
“Synth-wave and synth pop were pretty huge, but that was, like, a few years ago. Right now, it’s very much the 2000s,” she said. She highlighted the long-lasting electro-pop era in K-Pop and added that recent styles have been going in
and out of fashion much more quickly within the genre.
Niunin also likened some of the dance-pop on Charli XCX’s BRAT to the synth-heavy style of the late 2000s to early 2010s pop, drawing comparisons with hits by Usher (“OMG”) and Kesha (“TiK ToK”).
“Charli XCX has pretty much dominated the summer,” she said.
The revival of old bands is another factor keeping past styles alive in the present day. One example of this was My Chemical Romance’s reunion tour, announced in 2019 and carried out three years later due to COVID-19-related delays. At their tour, the crowds screamed so loud it was hard to hear the musicians — it was as though they’d never split up.
Stefano Rebuli, The Concordian’s Music Editor, highlights the broad range of vintage styles that have re-entered the mainstream sphere.
“We haven’t just seen ‘80s pop come back into style, but also dance styles with artists like Dua Lipa,” he said. “Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak even borrowed from ‘70s funk and soul on An Evening with Silk Sonic. My dad will be quick to point out how every song sounds like something else, but the reference points are so vast.”
Infinite Icon album cover. COURTESY PHOTO BY APPLE MUSIC
Opinions Canada on fire
The annual destructive occurrence, with insight from David Phillips, Senior Climatologist for Environment Canada.
BY SASKIA WODARCZAK OPINIONS EDITOR
The first distinct memory I have of the increasing forest fires in Canada is from the summer of 2021. Granted, I only really experienced the residue that seeped into Vancouver, but nonetheless, we got a lot of the backlash of what was going on in the interior.
I remember it being so smoky that we were advised to stay inside because of the health risk. When I did go for walks around my neighbourhood, or when we drove out to Steveston, the smoke from the wildfires just hung in the air in a nauseatingly persistent sort of way. The sun was fiery orange and red: it was apocalyptic.
“Very few people see the fires [...], but millions see the smoke,” said David Phillips,
Senior Climatologist at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).
I went into writing this piece knowing nothing about The Canadian Boreal Forest, but quickly learned from David Phillips that it is, “the most dominant forest belt in the world.”
“5 per cent of our precious boreal forest was consumed last year, 2023, from Quebec and Nova Scotia across the West,” he explained.
While that 5 per cent doesn’t seem like a lot, looking at the bigger picture, it is, especially when taking into consideration that in Western Canada, the boreal forests have adapted to be able to burn every few centuries — but not this much, and not on a yearly basis.
“It is a serious loss. It’s a very important resource to our country,” said Phillips.
Forest fires during the summer months have become much more intense and long-lasting than they used to be. Phillips
goes on to mention how forest fires used to be common during the summer only, but have now spread throughout the year: “Forest fires used to be a summer problem; June, July, August... but now it’s become almost a year round situation,” with a lot of the fires even burning into the winter, explained Phillips.
“[British Columbia] has probably got the largest expenditure by a province in terms of fighting fires,” Philips said.
This shouldn’t be surprising, given the vast forested areas. This year, B.C. saw forest fires as early as April, and last years’ fires were the most destructive in B.C. ‘s recorded history.
Quebec also had an early start to the fires this year, the first being recorded in May, with the Southern parts of the province burning faster over the month of June than in the last 20 years combined.
Last year was a big year for forest fires, and according to The New York Times, they burned an area equivalent to the Netherlands.
“Four provinces [British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Quebec] had their greatest loss in history because of the fires last year,” said Phillips. One of the greatest losses for Canada this year would have to
be UNESCO heritage site Jasper. “The thing that is just really concerning is that they had practiced Fire Smart in Jasper, they knew from years that this was potentially a real hot spot,” said Phillips.
Every year, the fires eat up one of Canada’s greatest resources, and Phillips emphasized that it is turning into a health, environment, and resource issue.
“The boreal forest is a great source of carbon. It’s stored in the trees and the landscape and the soil, and forest fires, when they burn, they release that to the atmosphere, which is a concern to Canada,” he said.
And there isn’t much we can do about them once they light up.
“Fighting [them] is a joke. It’s like spitting on a campfire trying to put it out... it’s nature that puts them out,” said Phillips.
Phillips explained that we are now learning to create buffer zones for the fires by clearing out part of the forest to create a break in flammable material and “let the fires burn themselves out.”
“The forest fires are not caused by climate change, but they’re made worse [by it],” said Phillips. “We need to treat this as a real threat.”
Pet ownership is serious business
The rising costs of owning a pet in Montreal.
BY GINANE DESLAURIERS STAFF WRITER
My dog, Loki, is a high-maintenance creature. He loves to eat grass and sticks in secret, so he always comes down with a stomach ache; he also gets seasonal allergies and licks his paws raw due to the itchiness and has chronic ear infections. For that reason, our vet bills have increased exponentially since his arrival.
My cats, on the other hand, are very low-maintenance. I feed them pretty expensive food because I prefer sticking to veterinarian-approved brands, but besides food and snacks, they don’t cost me half as much as my large dog.
According to the Association des médecins vétérinaires du Québec (AMVQ), the average yearly costs for pets vary depending on essential and preventable needs. If you plan to have an outdoor adult cat, for example, you will need to pay more for vaccines, annual preventive screening, and more.
George Korizis is a Greek Montrealer and building manager, and he has been a dog and cat owner for 14 years. For an elderly cat like Korizis’, the AMVQ approximates expenses of $1673 per year. His large breed adult dog should cost him around $1117 annually, which includes medical consultations,
health examinations, vaccines, and insurance programs. If we include premium dry food, the total will rise to $2307.
Korizis doesn’t believe higher costs relate to a better life for his pets. He often puts affordability first in an effort to save money.
“If we can buy our food from Kirkland, then we can buy the dog’s food from Kirkland,” Korizis said.
Valérie Prince, a veterinary technician since 2016, is on the other side of the debate. She believes pet owners should stick to veterinarian-recommended food brands studied and approved by animal health professionals. Since a pet’s diet is vital to their health, she says that many arrive with medical conditions when supermarket food is part of their diet.
Beyond food expenditures and insurance, pet owners often avoid veterinary procedures due to their costs. The price of veterinary equipment is an important factor in the high bill after an operation.
For pet owners who don’t have the funds to pay to neuter their pet, the City of Montreal has a program to offer the procedure free of charge, as long as the individual filing the request fits under specific categories.
“[Neutering] is also recommended by veterinarians to
prevent health problems such as tumours and infections, as well as several undesirable behaviour patterns (scent marking, running away, bleeding, meowing when in heat, etc.),” states the City of Montreal website.
The SPCA recommends pet insurance to help curb veterinary costs for pet owners. For a cat, the AMVQ states that the insurance cost is around $450 per year; for a dog, the price can vary from $600 to $1020, depending on size.
Being a pet owner in Montreal is a huge investment. As a cat and dog owner, I know firsthand how fast vet bills accumulate, especially with a dog that keeps coming up with an ailment – it’s a never-ending list. And for this reason, I decided to follow my vet’s recommendation and get pet insurance, to avoid going bankrupt. If adopting a pet is part of your plans, you need to consider the expenses and, still more, very carefully.
Ginane’s dog. PHOTO BY GINANE DESLAURIERS
GRAPHIC BY KEVEN VAILLANCOURT// Graphics Editor
Jack of all trades master of none
Though oftentimes better than a master of one.
BY DANYLO PERKOV ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR
Everyone has their own way of understanding and interpreting what’s essential in life. For some, it means dedicating their lives to a specific subject, becoming a prima ballerina or a head rocket scientist at NASA.
For others, myself included, a broader knowledge and understanding of the word means being able to navigate it more smoothly.
Recently, I’ve been participating in numerous projects and activities that have nothing to do with my classes, let alone my field of study. Painting Warhammer 40k miniatures and writing short stories was definitely challenging at first.
However, the skills I learned have allowed me to relax and distract my brain from math equations and calculus homework. It also allows me to see problems from a different perspective.
That’s why I firmly believe that everyone should partake in projects and hobbies outside their field, at least once in a while.
Although this outlook has already become necessary in many fields, people can expand the idea further. Art students learn about human biology for realist paintings and science students take English courses
to submit more articulate lab reports. More students can use this opportunity to put their “general education electives” to use by obtaining a minor in another field.
Not all of us discover our interests by the time we begin university. I have two friends studying engineering simply because they “like math” and “the program offers a good career,” which is a little disheartening. Why stop the search now? We have a lifetime ahead of us, with decades to discover our true interests.
A 2023 study published in the National Library of Medicine draws parallels between having multiple hobbies and factors such as life expectancy and national happiness levels. The study associated a multitude of different hobbies with fewer depressive symptoms and higher levels of happiness, as well as higher life satisfaction. Another study in the Journal of Epidemiology associated hobby engagement with a lower risk of disabling dementia in later stages of life. The study followed over 20,000 participants and their hobby involvement on different levels for ten years.
Personally, I would never have gone into STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) without studying music. No matter your instrument of choice, music is often associated with stron-
ger performance in math, as it activates the same parts of your brain. I partially attribute higher performance in high school and CEGEP math classes to playing in my air cadets’ band at least biweekly during those times. And with today’s access to knowledge, it has never been easier to borrow an instrument from a local library and learn from countless free resources (YouTube, Yousician, YMCA, etc.).
In brief, showing interest in painting, writing, and such has made me a better engineering student. I believe I’ve gotten better at applying real-world scenarios to my ideas and projects while making them prettier, considering the non-technical applications of my projects and how people with non-technical backgrounds will interpret them. We, humans, aren’t designed to perform one task or job for the rest of our lives. Trying out new activities, taking a science elective, or joining a sports team or an arts club can lead to discovering new passions and mastering all aspects of our lives.
Go join a chess club, or apply for that theater minor you always dreamed of.
Why Gen Z prefers home over the hype of going out
With rising costs and the convenience of technology, Gen Z is turning to homecentered activities.
GIOVANE ALMEIDA CONTRIBUTOR
Gen Z is redefining what it means to socialize. Instead of spending money on nightclubs and crowded events, many are opting for the comfort of their own homes, choosing digital experiences over in-person meetings and embracing a stayat-home lifestyle.
Far from being anti-social, this shift reflects a broader cultural trend: this generation is prioritizing convenience, control, and cost-effectiveness, creating new norms around how young people engage with entertainment and each other.
One of the key reasons for their preference for staying at home is the rising cost of social activities and a shift in priorities. According to the Guardian, the financial burden of going
out — whether it’s clubbing, attending events, or even casual social gatherings — has made staying home a cheaper option.
Awareness of mental and physical well-being makes Gen Z more likely to prioritize self-care over the indulgences of going out. The rise of wellness culture and the accessibility of health information have empowered young people to make choices that align with
their long-term well-being. For them, staying in can mean maintaining a balanced lifestyle while still staying connected through virtual channels.
This generation might be the first to truly prioritize well-being, showing a deeper understanding of their limits. I think this is a double-edged sword: setting boundaries is healthy, but we also grow by stepping outside our comfort zones.
The question is, does Gen Z genuinely have more freedom to choose to stay in, or are they held back by a fear of trying?
With the cost of living rising and wages not always keeping pace, many Zoomers are focused on saving rather than spending on expensive nights out. Streaming services, gaming, and social media allow them to connect with friends and have fun without the financial strain, ensuring they can prioritize their well-being and wallets.
This generation is far more likely to invest their time and resources into building a space they can call their own, which explains why the concept of “home” holds such significance for them. This desire for personal comfort and independence reflects a broader trend where Gen Z is more focused on their individual needs, mental health, and creating a life that brings them joy rather than following societal expectations.
As an English literature teacher in high school, I observed this phenomenon quite often. When we discussed topics like success, for example, my students frequently highlighted the importance of protecting their space and well-being, but I also noticed a certain hesitancy to step beyond what felt safe. This balance between caring
for their mental and emotional space and what sometimes appeared to be a reluctance to explore new challenges often came up during our debates on what it means to achieve success.
The evolving definition of success and fulfillment naturally aligns with their preference for staying home. Rather than seeking excitement and connection in crowded social venues, they find meaning and satisfaction in a home-centered lifestyle. While Gen Z still values spending time with friends in person, they tend to prefer doing so at home or in public spaces that are free and accessible.
This shift is less about isolation and more about creating environments where they feel authentic, safe, and fulfilled. Rather than seeking connection in crowded social venues, they find meaning in home-centered gatherings, while maintaining their digital connections to the wider world.
GRAPHIC BY FINN GROSU// Creative Director
Until today, if you looked for The Concordian’s mandate on our website, you would only have found a 40-year-old document, created when a group of students restarted the newspaper after its decade-long hiatus. While intriguing as an important part of The Concordian’s history, we no longer felt that it accurately represented our goals and ambitions for our paper.
So, this summer, we voted on a new mandate, one that reflected values that we aim to follow in our reporting this year. Our new mandate is what you see on this page today.
Our wish was to have a mandate that was not only written in this millennium, but that also lays out our vision for what journalism should and could be, guiding us as we continue to report on our community.
We hope this new mandate and everything it represents will allow our staff to become leaders in a new generation of journalists.
- Marieke Glorieux-Stryckman, Editor-in-Chief
Mandate 2024
Our first mandate was published in January of 1984. In honour of its 40th anniversary, here is a renewed mandate that highlights our priority as student journalists in 2024.
The Concordian is a newspaper by Concordia students, for Concordia students. We cover stories that impact our community and so often remain untold by the media. From student projects to up-and-coming artists to decisions by the uni-
versity administration to the way international events affect students, our first duty is to our audience, the Concordia community.
Part of this duty to the community is to reflect its diversity. Through the stories we cover and the voices we include, we want to represent the vast array of perspectives and interests that exist within Concordia. We are open to suggestions and feedback from the Concordia community on our blindspots and what we can do to make sure our coverage is well-rounded.
The Concordian wants to be a safe place for students to share their experiences and thoughts. We strive to practice ethical, trauma-informed journalism. This includes discussion of anonymity with the team to protect sources in dan-
gerous situations.
Our coverage is based on facts and rigorous investigation. The conclusions we draw in our articles are found after research, interviews, and fact-checking. Our goal is neutrality and fairness in our coverage. We are responsible for any error that is published in our newspaper.
Lastly, The Concordian is a place for students to experiment with journalism and what they may want their career and projects to look like after they leave the university. We want our staff and writers to learn, grow, and have fun in their time with the newspaper.
- The Concordian, Vol. 42 team
WRITE WITH US!
Masthead OUR TEAM
// 20242024
Editor-in-Chief: MARIEKE GLORIEUX-STRYCKMAN editor@theconcordian.com
Creative Director: FINN GROSU creative@theconcordian.com
Managing Editor: EMMA MEGELAS managing@theconcordian.com
News Editors: J EREMY COX, FÉLIXANTOINE BEAUCHEMIN
News Assistant: JIA SCHOFER
Sports Editor: MATTHEW PISCINA
Sports Assistant: MATHILDE COLLS
Opinions Editor: SASKIA WODARCZAK
Opinions Assistant: DANYLO PERKOV
Music Editor: STEFANO REBULI
Music Assistant: Ryan Pyke
Arts & Culture Editor: MAYA RUEL
Arts & Culture Assistant: SHAGHAYEGH NADEROLASI
Copy editors: CHANTAL BELLEFEUILLE, KAILEE KRENTZ
Photo Editor: HANNAH BELL
Graphics Editor: K EVEN VAILLANCOURT
Video Editor: EMILY PASQUARELLI
Video Assistant: DIEGO CERVANTES
Podcast Editor: SEMIRA KOSCIUK
Production Manager: MAC CHAPLIN
Business Manager: LITHUN SARKER
Distribution: GUY LANDRY
Printing: H EBDO-LITHO
Board of Directors: HADASSAH ALENCAR, AVIVA MAJERCZYK, LILY COWPER, SAKIB HOSSAIN, JAMES FAY, GABRIEL GIUNDI