The Plant October 2022 Vol. 57 No. 2

plant

Index

Letter from the Editor

Dearest readers,

October has been a challenging month.

With autumn’s arrival, the days are getting shorter and I’m sure many of you are experiencing the impending doom of seasonal depression. I, myself, am not quite ready to relegate my sundresses into storage for the next nine months. Academically, we have had to face the horrors of midterms: endless evaluations, countless deadlines, long nights at the library, the constant hum of stress in our ears. We’re halfway through the semester, on the home stretch, and I’m manifesting magnificent grades and a significant uptick in R scores for each and every one of you.

The Plant has faced a fair number of challenges this month as well. It is with a heavy heart that I must announce the departure of our former Edi tor-In-Chief, Isabella Blu Ptito-Echeverria. My beloved boss and dear friend has had to resign from the position due to a “decline in health of all forms”. She has left me with big shoes to fill and I am simultaneously excited and daunted by the prospect of this promotion.

On a more joyful note: I have the pleasure of introducing my successor, our new Managing Editor, Mathew Anania. News junkies may rest assured as he will maintain his other duty as News Section Editor, in addition to adopting his new role. He is the calm to my chaos, the neurotic notetaker to my “it’s fine, I won’t write it down, I’ll remember”. Please join me in giving him a warm welcome.

October has not been a walk in the park, but rather an uphill trek through crunchy fallen leaves and strong winds. Nonetheless, there is sun at the top of this hill, a shining golden orb of light waits for us at the end of this challenging trail. At risk of sounding cliché, I will say that it is important to make the most of the journey, as the destination is often unimportant in the end. I encourage you all to use one of your ridiculously long breaks to take an autumnal walk up the Mont-Royal. Standing at the Belvedere, 764 feet above the city, always forces me to see my inconsequential mortal anxieties and dilemmas for what they are. I’ve been trying to exist in the present, instead of hiding in my past or projecting too far into the future. October has made me appreciate the small victories, joys, and delights; the way the orange autumn light reflects off the skyscrapers downtown, the taste of strong black coffee on a crisp morning, or a poem that gets stuck in my head for days.

We’ve got a great issue for you this month. It’s a deeply personal one for me, and I’m incredibly proud of my staff for their perseverance, dedication, and passion throughout these turbulent times. I hope that as this challenging period comes to a close, you will find solace in these pages.

I’ll talk to you in November,

xx Josephine Ross, Your Editor-In-Chief, Fall 2022

The Plant is an editorially autonomous stu dent paper. All opinions expressed in The Plant do not necessarily belong to The Plant, but are those of individuals. All content sub mitted to The Plant or its staff belongs to the paper. We reserve the right to reject or edit all submissions for brevity, taste and legal ity. The Plant welcomes typed and signed letters to the editor under 400 words.

Beyond the Strike

BENJAMIN SAVARD

Contributor

Benjamin Savard is the Vice-Presi dent of Sustainability and Equity from the Dawson Student Union (DSU).

On Friday, September 16th, over 500 students gathered at the third floor cafeteria for a general assembly. It was clear: students wanted to strike for climate justice the following Fri day. The overwhelming attendance surpassed the minimum threshold of 300 students, and the motion passed within minutes.

During preparations for and fol lowing the climate strike, I’ve had several people come to ask me what the point of participating was. It’s a fair question. In the midst of large col lective action, why is our individual participation necessary?

There’s a lot of ways to answer that question. Unsurprisingly, Daw son students going on strike the fol lowing Friday did not single hand edly save the planet. It may even be worth asking if it made any difference at all. On October 3rd, the CAQ still managed to win 90 seats with an en vironmental plan full of contradic tions. Were we better off just going to school as usual, and advocating for climate change in a different way?

On the other hand, strikes have historically been strong agents of change. Worker’s rights would nev er have come into existence without them. We often forget that tuition in Quebec would also be much higher than it is now: the 2012 student strikes still serve as a bitter warning to our legislators. Fundamentally, strikes are a powerful weapon that we’ve suc cessfully wielded before.

So, what makes a movement succeed? What makes a movement stagnate?

Strikes and protests are adver tised as catalysts of change, as some inherent power that forces the govern ment to act. As if, in the minds of our leaders, there’s an off switch that can be triggered by surpassing a certain number of protesters whenever they decide to subsidize another pipeline. It doesn’t work that way; the current power structures are clear-cut. Within

this structure, protests are heavily reg ulated, which diminishes the power of collective uprising. Fun fact – student strikes aren’t recognized as legitimate under Québec law, a roadblock we encountered when mobilizing in Sep tember.

Peaceful protests only have power because of the people behind them; they serve to unify us around a common goal in addition to sending a message. When participating in a stu dent strike, we are telling the govern ment that we want action and we’re going to fight to get it. After all, what better cause to fight for than our own future?

the Canadian bank that invests the most money in oil. Shockingly, they also rank 5th in the world. There have been protests and actions organized specifically around RBC to push them to divest. They haven’t budged, but they’ve been spending more money on greenwashing initiatives in an at tempt to save their image. This is a change that’s still happening; a move ment that’s still hot. Let’s keep it up, because just marching through the streets of Montreal on the 23rd isn’t going to cut it.

To say that we can’t change the course of the following years is unde niably false. We can accomplish a just transition. But that doesn’t mean it’s a fair fight.

September 23rd was a magnifi cent step forward. It’s the first time in our history that Dawson students went on a climate strike.

But for a strike to be an efficient pressure tactic, it needs to act as a threat. We may be off school for just one day right now, but fuck around and you’ll regret it. Unfortunately, François Legault is calling our bluff. There may have been 15,000 people in the streets of Montreal protesting his inaction, but again, he still holds and will continue to hold an over whelming majority at the National Assembly. Why should he listen?

We need to keep pushing. We need to organize. A big march every year is great for spreading awareness, but it won’t solve the overarching problem of environmental degrada tion and systemic exploitation. Let’s follow it up with more direct action, targeting specific issues. The govern ments and corporations we’re fighting need to know exactly what we’re ex pecting from them.

Two years ago, the fossil fuel ex ploitation project called GNL Québec was canceled in response to strong ac tivism that opposed it. One year ago, Université de Montréal agreed to re move all its investments in the fossil fuel industry after students went on strike and occupied one of the main buildings for five days.

The Royal Bank of Canada is

I know some students still op pose it. I get that it was inconvenient, especially when the administration decided to put an extra day in the middle of the reading week. It’s not what we wanted. Personally, I did not show up to any of my classes on the 13th – strikes aren’t supposed to have catch-up days.

But did we do this because it was easy? While I get that some people just showed up for the pizza, I’d like to think that most of us voted to strike because we wanted to act, incite and provoke change.

Significant or not, almost five hundred students showed up to the third floor cafeteria and voted on the motion concerning the environment. That matters. It’s a win.

Let’s build on it. pp

But for a strike to be an efficient pressure tactic, it needs to act as a threat.

The 2022 Provincial Election Results: Highlighting A Broken Electoral System

MATHEW ANANIA News Editor

A mere ten minutes after polls closed across the province, political analysts confirmed that the Coalition Ave nir Québec would form a majority government. Similarly, in the weeks leading up to the provincial election, polls and experts predicted that the CAQ would crush all other parties in a landslide victory - and they certain ly did. The required number of candi dates to form a majority government at the National Assembly is 63, and on October 3rd, voters elected 90 can didates from the CAQ out of the 125 available seats.

CAQ leader François Legault and Québec Solidaire co-spokesper son Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois, won their respective ridings of L’Assomp tion and Gouin with nearly 60% of the votes. Manon Massé, the other co-spokesperson of Québec Solidaire, won her riding of Sainte-Marie-SaintJacques with approximately half of the votes. Leader of Parti Québécois Paul St-Pierre Plamondon won his riding of Camille-Laurin with just over 40% percent of the votes. Dom inique Anglade, the leader of the Par ti libéral du Québec and the official leader of the opposition, won her rid ing of Saint-Henri-Sainte-Anne with just over a third of the votes. How ever, Parti conservateur du Québec leader Éric Duhaime lost the riding of Chauveau to a CAQ candidate, and is the only leader of the six main leaders who was not elected.

The CAQ experienced a 16 seat increase from the previous election and will form a supermajority govern ment, brandishing the ultimate, unop posed power. The PLQ suffered a loss of 10 seats and are going to the Na tional Assembly with 21 MNAs. QS saw an increase of 1 seat, resulting in 11 MNAs, while the PQ lost 7 seats, and were reduced to only 3 MNAs. Although the PCQ did not gather any seats this election, their popular ity increased exponentially, and they amassed approximately 500,000 more votes than in the previous election.

Québec is known for its high vot er turnout rates and this election was

no exception : voter turnout remained the same as in 2018, and around 66% of the electorate participated. Howev er, if anything is to be learned from the results of the provincial election, it’s to highlight how broken the cur rent electoral system is. Aside from it undemocratically representing the electorate, it is a threat to our democracy.

Québec’s electoral system entails the use of a single member, single plu rality electoral system, widely known as the first-past-the-post (FPTP) sys tem. Essentially, political party candi dates run in specific electoral ridings, and are elected after they have gar nered the most votes in that riding.

the island of Montreal and the rest of the province of Québec”. Two weeks before the provincial election, Gill worked tirelessly alongside Diana Rice and the DSU’s Vice-President of External Affairs to organize a pro vincial election candidate debate at Dawson. In attendance were candi dates from the PCQ, Bloc Montréal, QS, Canadian Party of Québec, Parti vert du Québec and the PLQ. How ever, both candidates from the PQ and the CAQ declined the offer. The CAQ’s lack of campaign in the city was reflected in the results: the CAQ collected their seats from the rural and suburban ridings of the province, yet still managed to infiltrate the island in the ridings of Pointe-Aux-Trembles and Anjou-Louis-Riel. Nevertheless, the island remains historically domi nated by the PLQ. According to Gill, although certain ridings in Montreal remained the territory of the Liberals, the PLQ lost the voter turnout support of Anglophones in historically Liberal ridings. This can be attributed to the PLQ’s response to Bill 96, which im parted the Anglophone community with a feeling of betrayal and unsettlement.

In all electoral ridings, multiple candidates run for power. Given that a majority is not needed, it is oftentimes a matter of a couple votes which sep arates the winning and losing candi dates in a given electoral riding. Fur thermore, given that the FPTP system crowns one winner, this imparts the voter with a feeling of underrepresen tation in the event that their vote did not choose the winner, in addition to an incentive to vote strategically. How can a “democratic” system, which is predicated on the basis of ensuring formal equality through democratic representation, fulfill that promise by not fully representing the entirety of the electorate?

Coordinator of the Law, Soci ety and Justice profile and esteemed political science professor, Dr. Dónal Gill posits, “the election results demonstrate a stark division between

Gill asserts an inconsistency of the FPTP system in Québec pol itics: provided that the CAQ accu mulates their popularity from the suburbs, they should have no say in matters relating to the city. However the CAQ government has tabled and implemented legislation such as Bills 21 and 96, which both serve to dis criminate on the basis of language, ethnicity and religion. Due to seat distribution, Montreal does not stand a chance to revoke or vote against the legislation which specifically targets their demographic. Although most members of the city have demonstrat ed a strong opposition to Bills 21 and 96, the CAQ’s power overrides this. This begs the question: why does the ideological separation and strong opposition to the CAQ in Montreal translate into the implementation of their policies?

However, the biggest flaw and critique of the FPTP system is the dis proportionate representation that re sults. According to our trusted expert Gill, a serious disparity is exhibited

However, if anything is to be learned from the results of the provincial election, it’s to highlight how broken the current electoral system is. Aside from it undemocratically representing the electorate, it is a threat to our democracy.

by dividing the amount of votes cast for a specific party, by the number of elected candidates from that party. Applying this formula to the 2022 election results entails three of the five major parties being dispropor tionately represented.

The Montreal Gazette compiled a bar graph to depict the inadequacies of the FPTP system in the 2022 Qué bec elections. The CAQ received 72% of the seats by only receiving around 41% of the popular vote, while the PLQ received 16.8% of the seats by receiving 14.4% of the vote. QS maintained the second highest per centage of the vote share with 15.4%, yet only received 8.8% of the seats at the National Assembly. Moreover, the PQ gathered 14.6% of the popular vote and were the third most popular party, yet only received 2.4% of the seats at the National Assembly. Last ly, the PCQ were the fifth most pop ular party, and received 12.9% of the popular vote, yet they did not receive any seats at the National Assembly. Astonishingly, the PLQ became the official opposition party, while their percentage of the vote share is equiv alent to the third party of the opposi tion, and the fourth most popular par

ty. Ultimately, the disproportionate relationship between the popular vote and number of seats is a key takeaway from this election.

would have proportionally distribut ed 45 seats out of the 125. However, the bill never came to fruition. The unfulfilled promises to reform the electoral system can be attributed to the fact that political leaders thrive on power, and it would not make sense to reform the system which put them into power.

Whether it be during the pro vincial or federal elections, electoral reform has been addressed multiple times during the campaigning period. It began when Trudeau had promised electoral reform during his campaign in the 2015 federal elections. Legault had also promised to reform the elec toral system during their campaign in the 2018 provincial election, citing that the system was “broken”. How ever, Trudeau and Legault have yet to deliver on the promise to reform the FPTP system. Indeed, during their first mandate, the CAQ had proposed legislation to reform the electoral system into a mixed member propor tional representation system, which

An alternative to the FPTP sys tem is the proportional representation (PR) system,which strives to equally represent the electorate. PR would as sign each party an amount of seats at the National Assembly based on their share of the popular vote. However, the fear of extremist and fringe parties getting a voice has acted as a deterrent to lawmakers from tabling legislation to adopt the system.

For students who feel passion ately about the prospect of elector al reform, Gill adds on: “There are many civil society organizations like Fair Vote Canada and the Broadbent Institute, which are working to push for electoral reform, not just in Qué bec, but in all of Canada.” Gill con tinues: “Students can get involved in those organizations if they wish to see electoral reform.”

Despite the blatantly undem ocratic representation synonymous with the results of 2022 Québec elec tions, many are still in support of the first-past-the-post system, often citing its convenience and convention. As misrepresented as the electorate may be, the CAQ will lead Québec for an other four-year mandate.

Pictured left: Horizontal Bar Chart depicting vote share and National Assembly seats in Québec’s 2022 Election. Source: Élections Québec, Chart: Montreal Gazette.

The election results demonstrate a stark division between the island of Montreal and the rest of the province of Québec.

The Persecution of the Uyghurs: What is Going on in China?

AYA HAFEDA Staff Writer

Like many countries around the world, China possesses many minority ethnic groups. In 2022, the most famil iar being the Turkic ethnic group: Uy ghurs. About eleven million Uyghurs live in the northwestern region of Xin jiang, China and are known to follow the religion of Islam.

In August 2018, a US representa tive at the United Nations Committee of the Elimination of Racial Discrim ination had received credible claims confirming the existence of one million Uyghurs in concentration camps in the city of Xinjiang, China.

forced medical treatment and adverse conditions of detention, are credible, as are allegations of individual incidents of sexual and gender-based violence.” Along with many other charges, the UN has declared that “This has included far-reaching, arbitrary and discrimina tory restrictions on human rights and fundamental freedoms in violation of international laws and standards.”

President Xi Jinping does not toler ate minorities who share values and cus toms that differ from the rest of the Chi nese population. According to Jinping, the Uyghurs and Kazaks’ adherence to Islam and Turkic language was an issue to be dealt with. Jinping had previous ly forced labor onto them in urban and factory jobs in the city in order to avoid divisions such as dissimilar traditions. In 2014, the Chinese government began building various camps meant to assimi late the minor Muslim ethnic groups.

In response to the dismay the world felt with regards to the cruel treatment, the president said: “Incorporate educa tion about a shared awareness of Chinese nationhood into education for Xinjiang cadres, youth and children, and society. Make a shared awareness of Chinese na tionhood take root deep in the soul.”

According to previous concentra tion camp victims, Uyghurs are forced to undergo daily atrocities: rape, forced abortions, sterilizations, physical and verbal abuse, organ harvest, invasive homestay and forced family separation, all because of their Muslim faith. On September 30th, 2022, The NY Times released an article which estimated that “around 8,500 mosques across Xinji ang had been completely demolished since 2017.” Accusations include the destruction of places of worship and tombs, targeting Muslim religious fig ures, banning religious books, clothing and holidays celebrations.

Just recently, on the 31st of August, 2022, the UN released a long-awaited report on the crimes China is accused of committing. This demonstrated their acknowledgement of the urgent situa tion following the numerous complaints on the case. Michelle Bachelet, the UN High-Commissioner of Human Rights stated that: “allegations of patterns of torture, or ill-treatment, including

In Canada, a motion to declare China’s crimes against the Uyghur pop ulation as an ethnic genocide passed 266-0, with not a single objection. This motion makes Canada the second country, after the USA, to acknowl edge the present genocide in China. Furthermore, since July 1st, 2020, Canada adopted a prohibition similar to the United States that was enforced by the Canada Border Services Agency “on the importation of goods from any country produced wholly or partly by forced labor”.

In the United States, during De cember 2021, Congress adopted the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. However, in a CNN Town Hall on Feb ruary 16, when asked about his input on the situation, President Joe Biden stated that “culturally, there are differ ent norms that each country and their leaders are expected to follow”. Many critics spoke out against his statement. Nonetheless, his secretary of state, Tony Blinken, used the term “geno cide” during the confirmation of the de

scription of the Uyghurs’ ill treatments.

The European Union has also issued a ban against work and im ports from Xinjian, after Commis sion President Ursula von der Leyen called for one. According to Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade, Valdis Dombrovskis, their goal in upholding this ban is to “eliminate all products made with forced labor from the EU market, irrespective of where they have been made.” The ban has yet to come into effect.

Surprisingly, on September 13th, 2022, during the 51st session of the UN Human Rights council, 27 govern ments, including Russia, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Egypt signed an official dec laration of support to Chinese policies and condemned the UN’s report on crimes against humanity targeting Uy ghurs. When observing crimes against humanity, it is not unusual to feel help less and that our involvement is in vain. However, in this situation, you can help.

There exists a non-profit orga nization based in Montreal called the International Support for Uyghurs (ISU) located in Lasalle, Quebec. Their organization aids the oppressed ethnic group in China by propos ing helpful methods, and advocating against ill-treatments. You can help by subscribing to their organization and receiving all of the latest news, upcoming events in Montreal, as well as updates, and achievements concern ing the issue. The website offers three ways to help: volunteering, donating, and raising awareness. You can also read an open letter sent to all members of Parliament, including Trudeau, in citing Canada to do more in prohibiting labor work from Xinjiang and speaking about the ongoing crisis.

According to The Business & Human Right Resource Center, 83 companies were exposed for directly or indirectly benefiting from the oppression of the Uyghur people. This included major brands such as Nike, North Face, Apple, and Zara.

The reeducation camps the Uy ghurs are placed in forces them to do labor work for many hours every day. We should not turn a blind eye to the deplorable conditions in laboring camps and the forced labor Uyghurs are subjected to.

When observing crimes against humanity, it is not unusual to feel helpless and that our involvement is in vain. However, in this situation, you can help.

The Plant Recommends: Halloween Movies!

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

The Silence of the Lambs is a classic psychological thriller directed by Jonathan Demme. FBI Agent Clarice Starling leaves her job at the Behavioral Science Unit and is as signed to supervise Hannibal Lecter, a former psychiatrist. What follows is a twisty, cat and mouse game between a violent, cannibalistic serial killer who continuously psy chologically torments his prey and the behavioral analyst who is interested in profiling one of the most dangerous men alive.

MATHEW ANANIA News Editor

Coraline (2009)

A novel first written by Neil Gaiman (2002) cleverly adapt ed into a stop-motion animation that scarred us all as chil dren. 11-year-old Coraline Jones explores her new home, away from everything she’s grown up to love, and finds herself hating it. In an attempt to find adventure, she ana lyzes her new dwelling to find a small and seemingly in significant door through which she discovers a new world, much like hers but glamourized. Little does she know what lurks in the malevolent dimension she’s uncovered.

KARA FUSARO Curiosities Editor

Se7en (1995)

This highly disturbing thriller puts into play two detectives trapped in an increasingly twisted manhunt. The rookie and veteran investigators, respectively embodied by Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman, face seven of the sickest, most sadistic murders. Each victim’s horrid death portrays the deadly sin they perpetrated: pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony or sloth. This climactic psychological thriller in which gore gets blurred with mystery will chill any horror adept’s bones until the very end.

SIMONE BÉLANGER

Arts & Culture Editor

Get Out (2017)

Chris goes on a trip to the countryside with his girlfriend to visit his step parents for the first time. What awaits him: A rich family, a splendid mansion, a kindhearted step-mom, and a convivial step-dad. What could possibly go wrong? Jordan Peele masters the art of suspense from the begin ning to the end, leaving us with shivers crawling down our spine.

ALICE BOULIANNE Visual Arts Editor

Night of The Living Dead (1968)

George Romero’s Night of The Living Dead is the classic zombie flick. A group of strangers is brought together in a farmhouse in rural America due to a vicious zombie inva sion. Made during a turbulent time in US history, the film can be interpreted as a metaphor for any number of social issues, including the Vietnam war, the Civil Rights Move ment, and Second Wave Feminism.

JOSEPHINE ROSS Editor-in-Chief

Artwork by Florence T. Carrier @FLO._.DOODLES Artwork by Josephine Ross

by Wynter Bryant @BRYANTARCHIVE

by Alice Boulianne @ALIEBOULIANNE

by Saya Hidaka-Massicotte

Visual Arts by ALICE BOULIANNE Visual Arts Editor

The Gay Village No Longer Gay

KEVIN LOPEZ Contributor

There is a plethora of local businesses in the gay village situated in Montre al. I had the pleasure to work for one of them. Sadly, the part of the city that was considered a joyous place has now come to a downfall since the pandemic.

Before COVID-19, the gay vil lage had its glorious days. As soon as you would get out of metro stations like Berri-UQAM, Beaudry and Papin eau, you would make direct eye con tact with gay pride flags hung on every lamppost. As you started walking down Sainte-Catherine, you would see these colourful spheres in the sky that would form a rainbow starting from Rue St-Hubert till Av. Papineau. You would feel like you were walking in a parade, surrounded by cheerful people who weren’t afraid to express themselves through their clothing.

As you continued walking down the street, you would be welcomed by local businesses such as souvenir shops, drag shows, bars, clubs and art galleries while simultaneously listen ing to loud pop music and watching people dance in the streets. By going further down Sainte-Catherine, you could smell all sorts of food from dif ferent restaurants. I worked at one of those establishments: an Italian dining place called Mozza.

this magical area of Montreal was no longer the vibrant world we remem bered. There were no more decorations on Sainte-Catherine Street. There were barely any people walking or enjoying the village’s charms. You would see many empty buildings due to bankrupt cy. Luckily, our Italian restaurant stayed open, though it was not doing great. My colleagues and I would receive virtually a third of the tip that we would usually have gotten. We would attract fewer res ervations. Our only busy days became Fridays and Saturdays. On days the restaurant remained quiet, a lot of em ployees simply got their hours cut.

customers became problematic as well. A lot of them would react with aggres sive behaviours over the fact that they needed to cooperate with safety mea sures that were given by the government of Quebec. On a daily basis, we would have to tell them there was a maximum of four people per table, to wear masks at all times except when seated, to write their names and phone numbers, to show us their vaccination passports with an identity card, etc. It was definitely a struggle. But it all stopped when our restaurant came to an end.

On October 29th, 2021, Mozza burned in a fire along with three oth er buildings. According to TVA Nou velles, there had been four fires in less than a year inside the village, and two of those happened in our very building.

My experience while working there during the summer of 2019 was nothing but excitement and entertain ment. Customers would be interacting with strangers and building connec tions. We would receive tourists com ing from all around the globe. The air was teeming with pure effervescence; there was never a day that felt like work. We were one of the oldest estab lishments in the neighbourhood and ev ery day we would greet a considerable number of customers that would fill up the place. And that was the last time I saw the gay village so colourful.

In June 2020, my colleagues and I came back to work after months of un employment due to Covid. We realized

Not only was the business at hands with financial difficulties, dealing with

Coming back to the gay village months after the fire, I see no changes. More than two years have passed since the pandemic began, and the village still looks desolate, miserable. Walking there, I witnessed a conversation between a woman and her friend. Her words were: “It’s no longer an interesting place.”

p

And that was the last time I saw the gay village so colourful.

More than two years have passed since the pandemic began, and the village still looks desolate, miserable.

Cabot Square’s Sapling: Through Gravel and Smog, It Will Grow

HANNAH DANE Contributor

A new tree has started to grow. From the rough, sharp gravel at its roots, its leaves sprout to the sound of students chatting between classes, a drunk man shouting at a woman beside him, cars honking, and metro doors swooshing open as people rush by the Atwater station on the corner of Sainte-Cath erine and Atwater Avenue. With the statue of John Cabot towering above this freshly planted sapling, point ing out to the horizon and watching over Ville-Marie, for 10 years Cabot Square has stood as a beacon of hope in the city I love so dearly.

little to brighten up the atmosphere.

For many, however, Cabot Square is much more than a dull urban green space. According to the Montre al Gazette, the Cabot Square Project has aimed to make this park a safe space for First Nations and Inuit peo ple in the Ville-Marie area since 2014. As part of the project, designated of ficers can often be found in the park, checking up on its residents. “You guys get through the storm okay last night?” one asks two older men sitting by the station. Last year, a small or ange ribbon was pinned on every tree as a symbolic gesture for the “Every Child Matters” movement in Canada, acknowledging the worth of every life affected by the Indian residential school system. Today, however, since the larg est tree that once stood at the core of the square was torn down, not a tree in sight holds the ribbon it once did. Perhaps this too contributes to Cabot Square’s reputation: a ground for desperation and

misery instead of hope and unity.

Nevertheless, I’d like to think the planting of a new sapling in that vacant space, with its shy, budding green leaves and frail branches, con trasting so heavily with the rugged gravel and the harsh smoke-filled air it breathes, could stand as an omen of what’s to come. Through hard ships and suffering, surrounded by a city often too busy to care, the life in Cabot Square never ceased to flour ish. Morning after morning, city gar deners come to water the tenacious, though mostly puny and shriveled plants, while workers from the Native Women’s shelter plow on, giving their all to provide better environments for women our country has failed to protect. Maybe it isn’t especially at tractive or entertaining, but as Cabot Square’s spark refuses to wither, I’ll cherish every morning smile I can get from its occupants and stay confident that the Square will blossom again.

Cutting through the center of the park on my way to school, my feet pick up their pace as I near the station entrance, rocks stabbing my heels in my pink Hello Kitty Crocs. The wom en from the nearby Native Women’s Shelter greet me with their usual smiles as I rush through, barely avoid ing a tree: “Love the blue, baby!” one shouts, coffee in hand, referring to my bright blue hair, hers jet black in con trast. “Have a good day!” I greet back as always, my mouth still bitter from my morning coffee.

Cabot Square isn’t a particularly remarkable park. With a small out door café, a few trees here and there surrounded by numerous benches, portable toilets, and a fairly small skating rink in winter, it barely counts as an actual park. A striking blend of marijuana, cigarette smoke, gasoline and urine, a scent that doesn’t get any less potent the longer you stay, infuses the crisp morning air. Unmistakablely, the imposing centerpiece depicting the Italian-born explorer John Cabot, res ident of the square since 1931 as per the Art Public Montréal website, does

Through hardships and suffering, surrounded by a city often too busy to care, the life in Cabot Square never ceased to flourish.

On Goth and Consumerism

SANAD HAMDOUNA Staff Writer

Goth—in the context of this article— is a music-based subculture that was developed in the 1980s, mostly in the United Kingdom but in other parts of Europe and the Americas as well. The subculture was composed mainly of gothic rock, an underground music genre that evolved from post-punk, which in turn evolved from punk rock. Influences from glam rock, Gothic literature, horror movies, vam pire fiction, and various mythologies also played their part in the birthing of goth. These inspirations made them selves known in the aesthetic itself and in the lyrics of the music at its core. The 80s and 90s are commonly considered the goth golden age, but since then, the subculture has gone through radical changes thanks to the power of mass consumerism.

The aesthetic and fashion of goth subculture first developed as a way for committed goths to stand out from the crowd and identify each other. It was an underground community of like-minded people who shared musi cal tastes: many of them came from the 70s punk scene but had grown tired of its more violent and insurrec tionary tendencies. Still, the two sub cultures had a great deal of overlap. Many venues would host both punk rock and gothic rock bands, and some eventually became fundamental to the development of goth. A great example would be the F Club in Leeds, which first opened in 1977 as a punk rock club and later transitioned to a goth one. It connected potential band mem bers to each other and hosted several bands that would later become influ ential in a myriad of goth subgenres, such as Joy Division for post-punk, the Sisters of Mercy for gothic rock,

and Soft Cell for new wave. In the California scene, this overlap caused the birth of a new subgenre called deathrock, a form of gothic rock that had stronger connections to punk in both style and politics.

Goth’s aesthetic development was heavily influenced by this over lap as early goth fashion adopted many significant elements from punk. With time, the two scenes grew apart and goth started curating a more unique aesthetic inspired by Gothic literature, Victorian fashion, and glam rock.

Despite finding its own distinct style, early goth still upheld the an ti-establishment values of its parent subculture. It displayed distinct D.I.Y and second-hand elements that were discretely displayed in the musical and social aspects of the scene, but obvious in its early aesthetical fea tures. Most of the traditional goth ‘look’ was built around items of cloth ing that could easily be found second hand (or in your grandma’s closet) such as: old blouses, blazers, long skirts and dresses, lace, work boots, and much more.

When asked about their clothes in an interview at the Xclusiv night club in Yorkshire, a group of tradi tional goths described finding them at second hand shops and altering them, or even assembling them from foraged bits and pieces. A young goth man explained: “[I] buy dresses [from second hand shops] and cut ‘em up and just do anything with ‘em.” This serves as an example of how feminin

What did it mean to be goth if the cost became spending two hundred dollars at a fast fashion store instead of the active involvement in the local scene and the hours of needlework early goths would put in?

The story of a subculture’s tragic transformation

ity was not only an accepted charac teristic of men’s goth fashion but an encouraged approach, as it reflected a further middle finger to the establish ment. All three interviewed youths also sported deathhawks, a hair style that evolved alongside the goth scene’s slow separation from punk.

In addition, many fundamentals of the aesthetic were built on the social changes that hippies and glam rock artists had explored through alterna tive sexuality and gender expression. Punks were already starting to exper iment with this fluidity by including kink elements in their clothing, such as collars and leather harnesses, while goths pursued the trend and incorpo rated extra elements such as lingerie, heels, and platform boots. Glam rock was especially influential by bringing Punk’s low effort smudged eyeliner look to new levels with the addition of graphic liner, white foundation, and lipstick.

By the late 80s, the goth subcul ture was well established and thriving. As with every alternative aesthetic

that gained too much popularity, the sharp teeth of capitalism were ready to tear it apart. The fast fashion indus try proceeds by identifying growing trends before cheaply mass-produc ing articles of clothing and acces sories associated with these trends’ aesthetics. Such items would’ve usu ally been DIYed or acquired from less reachable sources like sex shops.

Some might argue this made the sub culture more accessible, but from the perspective of traditional goths, it simply denigrated and deradicalized the aesthetic. What did it mean to be goth if the cost became spending two hundred dollars at a fast fashion store instead of the active involvement in the local scene and the hours of nee dlework early goths would put in?

It wasn’t a welcomed change in the subculture, and people who bought into these aesthetics started being ver bally attacked by older goths. They were called “posers”, “spooky kids”, and “mall goths’’, the last one clear ly showing the implications behind these insults. This wasn’t very effec

tive though, as most of these terms were either reclaimed or overused to the point of losing all meaning.

Ultimately, goth lost its battle against capitalism, and the subcul ture’s face has been forever changed. Nowadays, despite the name tran scending time, goth is mostly per ceived as a fashion style detached from any history, fetishized, and neg atively stereotyped in the media. The goths of the 80s and 90s have now split into disjoint subgroups or adja cent subcultures, and although some active goth musicians remain, the lo cal scene is still in desperate need of a necromancer.

Sources:

Goodlad, L., & Bibby, M. (2007). Goth: Undead Subculture. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Swallow, A., & Swallow, P. (Pro ducers). Anonymous Goth Youth, . (Interviewees). (1984). THE HEIGHT

OF GOTH: 1984 [Online video]. Batley, West Yorkshire, UK: Xclusiv Nightclub. Retrieved from https:// youtu.be/ix1ouhSPOxI.

Aesthetics and the Manufacturing of a Curated Self

SIMONE BÉLANGER Arts & Culture Editor

I started to despise the word aesthetic. Truly, what I started to hate was not the word itself but the postmodernist definition we collectively harvested for it. How it resonates with fraud ulent, restrictive, calculated under tones. How it allures to fast fashion and consumerism and all the bullshit social media normalized, comforted us about, or made us insecure about, especially in relation to the self and its projection. It is common knowledge that aesthetics are conditional to the question Who am I? as displaying an aesthetic is projecting a chosen iden tity. But I believe aesthetics portray another interrogation better: What do I reduce myself to? This is only the tip of the lugubrious iceberg that shapes the postmodern aesthetic phenome non. Let’s now face what remained underwater for too long.

In history, the saga of aesthetics can be traced back to our beloved An cient Greece. Notable philosophers Plato and Aristotle cultivated a fas cination for the notion of beauty, and especially for how it could be defined. As Aristotle described beauty by the “absence of all lust or desire in the pleasure it bestows”, highlighting the goodness in a beautiful object’s char acter, Plato defined beauty as abstract and timeless, as something absolute that does not stand in relation with the observer’s mind. Order, symme try, and harmonious proportions were deemed as essential features as well.

As aesthetics is the branch of philosophy that explores the nature of beauty and of taste, it explores the duality of subjectivity and objectivi ty, the ecosystem that emerges from a coexistence between the observer and the observed. The Greek word aisthētikós is defined as the quality of a “perceptive, sensitive, or pertaining to sensory perception” reality. Ac cordingly, beauty appeals to a myste rious, intuitive sixth sense instead of a more rational reading.

style? And maybe a slight echo of on line chronicity?

I only referred to a few main stream aesthetics, but the list could have gone on an entire page. The number of aesthetics that one can adopt is exponential. This applies to microtrends that we watch vanish as swiftly as they appeared as well. The fashion movements, canalized by the screens on which our fascinated eyes rest for hours every day, have seen their lifespans drastically reduced in the last years. Trends that used to last from five to ten years die after three to five months. In 2019 only, single-use outfits generated 95 million kilograms of wasted, discarded clothes. Society and social media achieved to glori fy wearing an item of clothing once before dumping it in the trash as if it never existed.

Throughout the following centu ries, aesthetics’ purposes and displays shift drastically. Although beauty lies within the Arts, the State, Church, and wealthy patrons parade pompously as its rulers. Religion becomes intrinsic to beauty and, for a multiplicity of cultures, aesthetic value now resides in sacrality. What is holy is spiritually appealing, and therefore beautiful.

Today, beauty still can’t be dis sociated from wealth and privilege. As they decide of the inarguable beauty (while also having the means to buy it), taste is a mystical wisdom only the ones who carry a garnished wallet inherit. This statement, of over whelming absurdity, tackles the won ders of trendsetting and the ability to partake in said trends. The essential ingredient, money.

Now, what of the promised post modernist main course, the notion of aesthetic as offered to us by social media. I wonder, do the words Cot tagecore, Dark Academia, Balletcore, Mall goth, Fairycore, Y2k, Cyber punk, or even Clean Girl, ring a bell?

I bet so. Though what mindsets do they unveil in our social media filled psyche? A goal, an inspiration? A dis play of your personality and interests? A sense of belonging through a shared

Fast fashion and aesthetics cul ture are indissociable. By definition, partaking in an aesthetic binds you to a promise of unnecessary consump tion. The cycle repeats itself when ever a new aesthetic is adopted: a vicious pattern on a mission to wreck an industry already fucked up to the bone. When carried to the extreme, this cycle becomes a cult of novelty, of everchanging trends. Its temple, social media, its leaders, phony influ encers who are more closely related to robots or aliens than to actual human beings.

The postmodernist aesthetics obsession can’t be examined without highlighting the inherent racism be neath it. I decided to play the game

Fast fashion and aesthetics culture are indissociable. By definition, partaking in an aesthetic binds you to a promise of unnecessary consumption.

Sure, enjoying a certain style is awesome, but depleting it of its fundamental implications reflects a certain entitlement, especially towards the ones who witness their lifestyles being lightheartedly cosplayed.

and look up different aesthetics on Pinterest. I have two words: white and femme-presenting. And even when more diverse, aesthetics representa tions are dominated by Eurocentric features. The domination of such fea tures over beauty standards advertised in most mainstream media is the lonely legacy of a colonial past. Many have also said not being comfortable engag ing in a certain aesthetic as they didn’t feel accepted within the community.

partake in any form of consumerism. Therefore, the act of buying “punk” clothes and accessories completely defeats the initial purpose of the cul ture and depreciates the community.

Aesthetics associated with cer tain lifestyles often completely dis tort the meaning of that lifestyle. For instance, Cottagecore glamourizes a solitary existence in the woods and an independent lifestyle from societal influences. Many who experienced living on farms, etc. spoke up on how ridiculous was Cottagecore’s por trayal of what is in fact an extremely laborious and lonely existence. Sure, enjoying a certain style is awesome, but depleting it of its fundamental implications reflects a certain enti tlement, especially towards the ones who witness their lifestyles being lightheartedly cosplayed.

the wardrobe already in your hands. Don’t spend your entire bank account on a three-month basis as you oscil late between disparate styles.

Well, we’ve established that aes thetics kind of suck. But why are we so drawn to them? Why, even though I willingly claimed to dislike the term and its implications, does a part of my brain still wish I had the wardrobe to dress like a magical fairy every day without ever repeating the same look? Because aesthetics allow us to create a fantasy out of our dull lives. A fantasy that lies in romanticization obviously, but it also in a more than needed es capism. The world is sad and misera ble and by creating a curated persona through clothing, we are allowed to escape it. Appealing, right?

But as this crafted persona through a distinct style is often per ceived as a means for creativity, I be lieve it is self-expression’s murderer. After all, by making aesthetics main stream and marketable, what else do we express but the consumerist box into which we fit? Not only do aes thetics define one’s consumption, but they also often lead to the erasure of the culture, history or values original ly associated with that very style. A classic example would be the paradox of the punk aesthetic, often stripped from the lifestyle it originated from. A core belief of punk is the refusal to

Although engaging in an aesthet ic is an individual decision often asso ciated with self-expression, we can’t exclude the performative connota tions of the phenomenon. In an article entitled “Aesthetic Consumerism and the Violence of Photography: What Susan Sontag Teaches Us about Visu al Culture and the Social Web” writ ten by Maria Popova, the importance of capturing and exposing the content of our lives is critical to aesthetics. A photograph freezes a moment in time, granting its author a sense of pow er and control. By posting on social media, we curate a persona, a fantasy available for others’ consumption.

“Everything exists to end in a photograph,” claimed Shanspeare, a thriving youtuber that also pinpointed the numerous red flags rooted in aes thetics culture. Time’s lack of tangi bility creates a need for palpable mo ments, for grounding, for safety, for guidance. When aesthetics come into play, those needs get partly satiated but the deal remains pricey.

Aesthetics are not fundamental ly bad. They are quirky, comforting, bring people together and solidify a sense of singularity. Still, I don’t be lieve in surrendering to the aesthetics of the hour. Notice the elements you want to embrace about the aesthetics that strike you instead of adopting the entire paraphernalia. Experiment with

Believe me, I understand all too well the societal weight to evolve alongside trends. Developing an iden tity through clothing or style is as draining as it is expected. From now on, allow yourself to be versatile, to be boring, to be eccentric, to wear the same outfit twice or a thousand times because it is a flex to reuse your old clothes and to be conscious that the fashion industry is a slaughterhouse on our cherished planet. Let yourself go (but please, don’t show up naked to Dawson), say no to this foul cate gorization process and to the infini ty of tiny boxes that loiters on your Pinterest board. In a variety of ways, having an aesthetic is great, but some times, labels can simply go to hell. pp

How social media distorted our perception of identity and fashion.

Because aesthetics allow us to create a fantasy out of our dull lives. A fantasy that lies in romanticization obviously, but also in a much needed method of escapism.

Notice the elements you want to embrace about the aesthetics that strike you instead of adopting the entire paraphernalia.

Experiment with the wardrobe already in your hands.

Artwork by Lulu Kaufmann

Artwork by Elysia Da Costa Barros @EDCB_ART

Artwork by Alyssa Scotti @ALYSSA.SCOTTI

by ALICE BOULIANNE

How Halloween Is A Casual Gateway to Racism: A guide to Avoiding Cultural Appropriation

ROKHAYA RODRIGUEZ Voices Editor

Disclaimer: Cultural Appropriation is a delicate subject. This article is an opinion piece; in no way, shape, or form am I trying to speak for a group of people.

Before diving into the issue of cultural appropriation, I will provide some definitions that are not my own. The Cambridge Dictionary describes cultural appropriation as using a cul ture different from your own without respecting it, understanding it, and omitting some elements. Cultural appropriation can take many forms, such as hair, terminology, clothing, etc. Cultural appropriation is often confused with cultural appreciation. Appreciating a culture is rooted in learning and the desire to broaden your horizons, whereas appropriating a culture on purpose or ignorance is self-interest, as explained by Green house. When addressing cultural ap propriation, it usually refers to mate rial culture. Culture can be compared to a gigantic bag that holds inside values, traditions, passed on oral tra ditions, and material objects. So, as my sociology teacher Laura Shea said, material culture is “the tangible aspects of a culture”.

I Feel bewildered and conflicted when I come across white individuals and individuals who identify as white with Black braiding styles. I remem ber when in 2018, the internet called out Kim Kardashian for wearing Fu lani braids. She only found excuses to defend herself without acknowledg ing the point of view of Black wom en. Isn’t it crazy how wearing Fulani braids was deemed fashionable by Kim Kardashian, yet Employers see black women wearing Fulani braids as “unprofessional” and “unkempt”?

Kim Kardashian is known for cultural appropriation. In 2019, she sought to release a new shapewear brand called Kimono Solutionwear. Many called her out for her actions since they disrespected the Japanese culture and the kimonos’ cultural and symbolic representations. Kim Kar dashian was mocking an element of Japanese material culture. I cannot

speak in the stead of Japanese indi viduals, but I can certainly acknowl edge the many comments and remarks by Japanese people speaking against Kim Kardashian’s behavior. Celeb rities like her seem to have a pass to do whatever they want; they receive backlash but never actual sanctions. The internet did not cancel Kim Kar dashian as is frequent nowadays for celebrities.

Is it only for my benefit or is it to gain popularity?

Would I be reinforcing cultural stereotypes by wearing this costume?

Am I uplifting people of x cul ture by wearing this costume, or am I reducing their voices?

Is my costume a form of cultural appreciation? If yes, is wearing this costume the best way of going about it? If not, then am I appropriating a culture?

2. Ask others for their opinions on your costume.

3. Research your costume on the internet before purchasing it or mak ing your own

4. Stay away from a costume that could represent another culture from your own

Another example is Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of Can ada, who did Blackface in 2001 at a Halloween party to impersonate Alad din. Guess what: it happened twice! The first time was in Cegep. What kind of message did these images send? Many found it outright racist, as do I. Justin Trudeau apologized for his actions during his campaign; still, his apology cannot erase the mark of his actions. Therefore, Halloween seems to amplify the presence of rac ism through the use of culturally ap propriated “costumes”. These racist acts make minority groups and cul tures other than the dominant culture (western culture) feel oppressed and discriminated against.

Whether you enjoy watching spooky movies or celebrating Hal loween, the festivities call for a code attire: Costumes! The focus may be to have a cool costume or make a group costume with your friends but think carefully before choosing one. For Halloween 2022, it is crucial to un derstand the cultural backgrounds of costumes on the market.

Here is a guide on: How to avoid cultural appropriation: 1. Ask yourself a few questions: Could this costume be offensive to anyone?

Why am I wearing this costume?

Disclaimer: It is essential to in form yourself about cultural appro priation because you might learn that you have engaged in it. Many things seen as “trendy” can often stem from cultural appropriation. Therefore, it is crucial to inform yourself and educate yourself if someone calls you out and, most importantly, give credit to the culture.

In a diverse and multicultural world, it is vital to understand the different cultures and to see them as equal and not inferior since it is the backbone of interactions between in dividuals; it sets the tone for respect and cultural exchanges.

This Halloween, instead of wear ing a costume because it looks cool, maybe you should think of people on the receiving end.

Sources for the ones who want to inform themselves:

https://dictionary.cambridge. org/us/dictionary/english/cultur al-appropriation

https://greenheart.org/blog/ greenheart-international/cultural-ap preciation-vs-cultural-appropria tion-why-it-matters/ https://www.healthline. com/health/cultural-appropria tion#if-someone-else-does-it https://au.reachout.com/articles/ why-cultural-appropriation-isnt-cool

This Halloween, instead of wearing a costume because it looks cool, maybe you should think of people on the receiving end.

The Black “Little Mermaid”: When Skin Tones Precede Innocent Fantasies

SOPHIE ANABELLE SOMÉ Staff Writer

Surprisingly enough, or not, commo tion against Black women playing lead roles in movies is not an issue born today. It is an ongoing and perpetual battle that Black actresses must face. It is only as of September 9th, the re lease of the Little Mermaid trailer, that Disney counts two Black princesses out of 12 characters. The Princess and the Frog aired in 2009; Princess Tiana being the first Black princess presented on screen. At the time, Disney received backlash and multiple negative criti cisms partly because of blatant racism toward Black women. Some individu als did not like the idea of a Black prin cess in Disney. Others within the Black Community criticized the company because a Black princess’s first appear ance would involve her transformation into a frog. Other people thought that her Prince should be Black and that their love story should do due diligence to Black love.

Instagram feed filled me with warmth and comfort for all the little girls that would have another Black princess to look up to. Providing children with role models in the media that look like them can impact their self-perception as well as their world perception. So, the rep resentation of minorities offers a new vision of beauty standards.

years ago as white to a black character is a large step regarding representation. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Halle Bailey says about the movie, “it’s not just a story about her, you know, falling in love and loving a boy and wanting the above world. It’s more about what she sees in herself and what she wants for her future.” The main effect of the diverging con troversy around the Little Mermaid is the effacement of the movie’s message of courage and passion.

Above all the criticisms and in tolerance from the public, portraying a Black princess was about time for Disney. Representation of minorities matters since children who admire film fantasies want to be seen and represent ed as they grow alongside their role models. It is also important for adults or teenagers to see such representation on television. I, a West African woman, did not grow up with much infatuation for Disney princesses. First, I wasn’t being represented in those characters as much as I would have liked to be, and I couldn’t find a princess that deep ly inspired me. Again, each story is different, and each person has a differ ent experience to tell. However, seeing the trailer of the Little Mermaid on my

The second wonderful Black Disney princess is the Little Mermaid, played by Halle Bailey. Again and again, and sadly to no one’s surprise, negative criticism and controversy emerged after the movie trailer’s re lease. Many wondered, “Why is the Little Mermaid Black?” “Why isn’t her hair bright red?” Point given, I would have liked for Ariel to have long and bright red hair because I’ve always seen her in books that way. The real is sue, however, is; Why does her appear ance matter? Why should Ariel’s phys ical characteristics be permanently set in stone? She remains a mermaid, and no alteration of her hair could make her less uncanny or imaginary. Now, it seems like Halle Bailey’s skin color might be the problem. There is no oth er way to address people’s disfavor of her character than to point out intoler ance and racism on their part. There is a clear line between dismissing some one for their acting skills as opposed to their skin color.

David Dennis Jr. beautifully said in a commentary on Andscape, “This is about white people who detest the notion of Black women centered in any story, let alone those that they’ve enjoyed as symbols of white pride”. Going from a character presented 33

Let’s ask ourselves, why Halle Bailey, a prolific and Grammy-nomi nated actress, is second-guessed in her ability to play the lead role of the Little Mermaid. Critiques towards the scen ery, the costumes, the actors, or the visu als of the movies are welcomed and be yond appreciated. However, criticisms about the validity of the Little Mermaid or labeling her as “unrealistic” are bla tant acts of racism. There should be no such thing as unrealism when it comes to imagination and fairy tales.

Sources: David Dennis Jr. “The attacks on ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘The Woman King’ are unified by a disdain for Black women.” Andscape. September 20, 2022, https://andscape.com/features/ little-mermaid-woman-king-backlash/. Entertainment Weekly. “Halle Bailey on ‘The Little Mermaid’. You tube, 20 Sept. 2022. https://www.you tube.com/watch?v=9AfBlczOiMg

“This is about white people who detest the notion of Black women centered in any story, let alone those that they’ve enjoyed as symbols of white pride”.

However, criticisms about the validity of the Little Mermaid or labeling her as“unrealistic” are blatant acts of racism. There should be no such thing as unrealism when it comes to imagination and fairy tales.

Another Article to be Forgotten The Trendiness of Heart-Hitting News

EMMY RUBIN Copy editor

In 2017, the Uyghurs (aka Wiegers) were all over the news. The Uyghurs, as I’m sure you’ve read about in the News section, are a Turkish-speak ing, Muslim ethnic group living in the Xinjiang territory of China that have been subjected to such griev ances as religious restrictions, steril ization, and forced labor in concen tration camps that go against every law of humanity. The ludicrous story of the Uyghurs’ treatment was the headline of every major newspaper, posted religiously on Instagram sto ries, and was heavily debated in most high school model UNs across the world.

If asked about their opinion on the state of the Wiegers in China in 2022, most people would respond with a “Huh?” and a scratch of the head, probably confusing the term used to describe a still brutally-suf fering ethnic group with weebles, those dopey-looking toys from the 2000s that teetered over with the nudge of a finger and would bounce right back.

The only thing teetering over right now is the human race’s abil ity to empathize with another peo ple’s persecution for longer than the amount of time it takes to scroll down a phone screen.

We haven’t always been like this. Back in the day, before faxing was obsolete and bigger hair equaled better hair, people consumed news and would hold on to it; they would hold it in their mouths and let their saliva break down all the nutrients it contained so that their bodies would be able to absorb it to the fullest. When there was a war, people would not shut up about that war until it was over or everyone was dead. When the hippies in the sixties were waving signs around with peace signs and re belling against the police, they weren’t doing it to show off their super cool bell bottoms or their mood rings; they were protesting against the war in Viet nam. They wouldn’t stop protesting until it was over. Hasn’t anybody seen The Trial of the Chicago Seven?

ing ourselves not only to the over-ex posure of the world around us but to the world, as shown through our ri diculously expensive handheld tech nology. This same technology desen sitizes us to the point where we start resembling the robots that we once feared would take over the world; efficient yet uncaring, the robots that are unable to grasp that sentiments such as grief and empathy are to be felt and shared and that history should not even resemble repetition.

We have a war going on right freaking now in case the general public has forgotten - the war with Russia in Ukraine - the one that ev erybody thought would unravel into WWIII. For about five minutes. And then everybody gave up caring - the support posts trickled away, and the community outreach programs dwin dled until they virtually ceased. And yet, just because we’re no longer as concerned by the plights of others who live halfway across the world, people who we will probably never meet does not mean that they have stopped. Just because we’ve turned our heads away from the television doesn’t mean that Ghostbusters will stop playing.

According to second-year Lit erature student Naomi Labbé-Bad deley, there is such a ‘trendy’ mind set when it comes to crucial world news because “People struggle with separating what is real from what is fake on social media. Instagram has brainwashed humans into normaliz ing tragedies.”

Similarly, another second-year Literature student, Stefanie Capozzo, stated, “The internet has made it so that news spreads incredibly quickly. However, that also means that it dies quickly. Exposure to so much horror and bad news makes it easy to get disillusioned with the world and give up on caring altogether.”

One of the many growing disad vantages of being a technologically advanced society is that we are los

The most recent update on the war in Ukraine is the killing of at least seven people in a Russian missile strike in the city of Zapor izhzhia in Southern Ukraine. So far, Ukrainian forces have rescued 21 people, but there are likely more deaths, as five people are still miss ing. The missile strike was a delib erate attempt to strike civilians to ingrain fear in the larger mind of the public as they were aimed at civilian dwellings.

By the time you pick up this paper and read this article, new atrocities will have already devel oped. There will be more than seven deaths. There will be more to grieve. But if no one is paying attention, if people have given up on caring about the truly heart-hitting news, then the only people who will remember the suffering and the lost are those that may not be remembered themselves. Most importantly, though: remember the Wiegers.

The only thing teetering over right now is the human race’s ability to empathize with another people’s persecution for longer than the amount of time it takes to scroll down a phone screen.

Say Yes to your Local Cafés

ASPEN CRICK Staff Writer

It’s that time of the year again. Time to fall in love with nice things: from pumpkin spice and cinnamon to hid ing in local cafés as you’re soaking in the autumn weather. Before you hit play on “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood, consider going to a café near Dawson rather than doing your typical Starbucks run. While adjusting to the aesthetic yet the chilly month of October, pull on your flannel for gay vibes, your Doc Martens to add to the look, and go get your daily dose of caffeine.

If you’re looking for a place to grab a coffee to go, super close to Dawson as it’s a 5-minute walk, Shaughnessy Café is my recommen dation. From tasty pastries and excel lent coffee to great service, they’ve got you covered. Not to mention the cozy atmosphere and excellent mu sic selection. It is also a good spot for “dining-in”; however, good luck finding a place to sit during their rush hour.

“Students are back, and it brings a great vibe to the neighborhood,” said François Letendre-Joachim, owner of the nearby Shaughnessy Café, during an email Q & A. Closer to Concordia but only about a 15-minute walk away, Myr iade Café and Java U are both vi able options. Disclaimer, they are franchises, but they are also within Montréal with one or two stores that aren’t. I think it’s important to note that both options, located on Mackay Street and Rue Guy, are LGBTQIA+ friendly.

Small businesses and cafés have suffered during the pandemic, so why not give them a hand while getting some kickass coffee? Even though sometimes going to a local coffee shop is pricier, the quality can be better. If you’re lucky, you might even get to know the cool staff work ing at said café!

I asked the owner of Shaugh nessy Café: “What is something you find special about Shaughnessy Café and other local coffee shops?” Leten dre-Joachim answered, “There’s this

consistency in brewing great espres so and [filtering], which seems like a rare thing to come by these days.”

Besides offering great coffee, local coffee shops can be great spaces for creative work or same-old study ing. Sometimes the typical study spots like the school library are not ideal. I personally prefer some back ground noise when doing my work. The cozy atmosphere and bustling environment of a coffee shop bring a sense of community and comfort. I can chat with the person making my drink. Then, they become an ac quaintance of a sort when leaving the café. I recently went to Java U. It was a good experience; it was not

too crowded, with music to vibe to and really nice employees. Although, I won’t tell you when I stop by, or it’ll always be crowded.

Seeing that others are enjoying simple pleasures such as getting their caffeine levels rightly balanced re minds me that a coffee break is better than no break. Students have little time to rest and pause, so why not sit down with a friend and enjoy quality time?

Overall, I hope your spooky season goes well, and you find your new favorite cup of Joe at a local café.

Life After Drugs

JOSEPHINE ROSS Editor-In-Chief

Author’s note: This article mentions drug use and suicide.

I was 14 when I smoked my first cigarette, a milestone that was short ly followed by my first time getting drunk. My brief stint as a stoner at age 15 led me to turn towards hard er drugs by the time I hit 16. By 17, I was a full-fledged addict. I started trying to get sober before I had even reached Quebec’s legal drinking age.

To this day, it’s hard to pinpoint why I fell into addiction so easily. I have my theories, but above all, I think it was the disillusionment I felt upon entering the real world. As a kid, people told me that I was smart and that I would accomplish incred ible things. When harsh realities hit, I wasn’t equipped to handle the blow. Failing to meet the ridiculously high standards I set for myself, installed there by the adults who believed in me, I entered adulthood totally unpre pared, feeling inadequate and worth less. I wasn’t the gold-star student I was supposed to be, so I might as well become a drug addict instead. If I can’t be the best, why not be the worst?

I’m all-or-nothing in every as pect of my life, either giving my ev erything or giving nothing at all. I live at the extremes, unable to exist in-between polar opposites. I like to tell this story of a night when I im pulsively announced, “Tonight is the night I will quit smoking!” I headed to the bar with friends, and after a few drinks, I smoked one, then another, until I caved and walked to the dep to buy myself a whole pack. Pack in hand, cigarette propped in my mouth, smoke filling my lungs, I thought, “Well, seeing as I failed at this, I might as well call my cocaine deal er.” I’ve known for a while that I’m not the type who can stop at “just one drink”. I wouldn’t go to the bar unless I was planning on coming home too drunk to walk straight. I never halfass anything, and that includes addic tion. At some point, I decided that if I

was going to become a drug addict, I had to do it right. I can recognize this logic as counterintuitive, but this irra tional mentality was what enabled me to let everything else go and plummet into the abyss of drugs and partying.

I was in deep, deeper than any one around me knew. I took pills of fered to me by people whose names I could never remember. After my second overdose, I realized that I had taken enough to die three times over. I consumed recklessly and carelessly. While I was not actively attempting suicide, I didn’t care about the conse quences of my consumption.

get myself out of this mess, that maybe it wasn’t as bad as I thought. I pushed away anyone who tried to deter me from my lifestyle. I distinct ly remember receiving a phone call from a friend who I had unintention ally stood up to. I had gone out the previous night and awoken in a bed that wasn’t mine with a heavy head, the previous night’s makeup still clinging to my face. The friend told me that she was at the place we had promised to meet, she asked if I was coming, when I told her I wouldn’t make it she sighed and said: “Jose phine, at some point you’re going to have to make choices.” The threat of departure from my close friends was a wake-up call.

If my friends expressed concern for me, I would lie straight to their faces. I pulled out all the classics: “I can stop whenever I want; I have ev erything under control.” They didn’t believe me, but eventually, they re alized that trying to help me was a futile gesture and let me be. It’s true what they say about being unable to help someone who doesn’t want to help themselves. I didn’t want to tell anyone how far in over my head I was because I knew that there would be no going back once I did. Once they knew that I knew, it would all be over. They wouldn’t let me get away with anything I was doing then. If I took so much as one line of coke at the bar, I would never hear the end of it. I wouldn’t have kept it a secret if I had been ready to give up the drugs.

While some friends stuck by me, many disappeared, which is some thing I can’t blame them for; drugs made me a mean, selfish, and destruc tive person. I might have been guz zling pills like they were Tic-Tacs, but I knew that this was becoming a prob lem. Despite my startling self-aware ness, I was still somewhat in denial; some part of me still thought I could

I finally faced my drug problem head-on by telling my parents. After this, they placed greater restrictions on my liberties, for which I was si multaneously grateful and resentful. When I had to explain to my friends why I couldn’t go out anymore, I told them that my parents had found my stash in my desk drawers. I was em barrassed by the fact that I had lost control and that I needed to procure external help. They might have been addicts too, but they still maintained the illusion of control, which was something that I had forfeited.

I knew sobriety was the answer, but I was so scared of leaving a world in which I was a master only to enter one in which I’d be looked down on as nothing but a washed-up, teenage addict. I was great at having unforget table nights, but I struggled with the forgettable yet necessary days in be tween these nights. I was worried that becoming sober would make me bor ing. Over the years of my addiction, I surrounded myself with individuals who built their existence around drugs and partying. Most of them had dis tant parents and a lack of a support system, which entitled them to the un restricted freedom regarded as price less amongst rule-breaking teenagers. I was envious of them, marveling at their stories of crazy drunken nights, bad trips, and encounters with the po lice. I dreamed of having stories like

I started trying to get sober before I had even reached Quebec’s legal drinking age.

that one day. It was only once I had those types of stories that I realized they were but the measly consolation prize for a life dictated by addiction.

Luckily, becoming sober didn’t make me boring, as I feared it would. In fact, I became a far more interest ing and well-rounded person. When my existence revolved around drugs, I was exhausted all the time, either never sleeping enough or sleeping far too much. I didn’t eat properly. I was either too high or too low. I wasted so much time. I felt like I was constantly wearing myself out, doing too much, but I was doing nothing. I stopped reading, stopped writing, disregarded my studies, and isolated myself from anyone who didn’t support my acts of self-destruction. Only once I was sober did I realize how much I had been missing out on. The real world can and will run you down. I feel exhausted at the end of some tough work weeks, but never as much as I did on the Sunday after a bender. At the end of a hard work week, I have something to show for it. The same could not be said about the bender.

I knew sobriety was the answer, but I was so scared of leaving a world in which I was a master only to enter one in which I’d be looked down on as nothing but a washed-up, teenage addict. I was great at having unforgettable nights, but I struggled with the forgettable yet necessary days in between these nights.

In the early stages of sobriety, and even now, I felt like I was play ing pretend. Sobriety was an elaborate facade I was putting on, but it wasn’t

who I really was. I could read as many books as I wanted, dedicate myself to my studies, and choose to spend my weekends in libraries and museums and cafés instead of bars. Still, a voice inside me told me I wasn’t worth that life; I didn’t deserve it. Despite all these changes, I was and would always be a wash-up drug addicteventually, I’d have to return to my ways. I could pretend that I relished in bettering myself, but my former life would come calling back to me in a way I couldn’t refuse, and I would be back to snorting mystery powders in bar bathrooms with strangers. Of course, this isn’t true, but your mind will tell you anything to get what it thinks it wants.

I am virtually unrecognizable from the person I was two years ago. When I run into former friends and acquaintances from this period of my life, I know what they’re thinking. They never explicitly say it, but their gaze says, “What happened to you?” I think this reaction is two-fold. First, it’s genuine confusion, something I can understand. Even I look at my self and wonder how I grew out of the lifestyle that once held me hostage. Second, I know from experience how troubling it is to see someone who I considered a “low life” like myself exit addiction and reintegrate into society, becoming a functioning hu man being. There’s jealousy, a kind of competitiveness. It’s unsettling to see someone else succeed when you once considered them as “bad” as you.

I am not a licensed medical professional, but if you have found yourself in a situation similar to the one I was in two years ago, I’ll offer some advice. Tell someone; it’s the best way to hold yourself account able for your actions. Download one of those sobriety tracker apps; I know they sound juvenile and patronizing, but the little number getting bigger on the screen every day can feel reas suring. Surround yourself with good influences, people who aren’t going to pressure you to consume. If you’re worried about your friends leaving once you get sober, maybe you should

be more concerned about finding yourself some new friends. And most importantly: make a list of everything that addiction costs you. Whether it’s your academics, friends, family, or passions, addiction is a thief, and it’s vital you take inventory of what it’s stolen from you.

The way I’m writing this, in the present, looking back at the past and seeing all of it for what it was, it may seem like getting to this point was easy. It was by no means easy. I relapsed countless times, more than I can count. And it still isn’t easy. It’s hard to order when I go on first dates and order Coca-Cola instead of the gin and tonic that would alle viate the awkwardness of the gettingto-know-you conversation. It’s hard finding drugless activities to occupy my Friday and Saturday nights. It’s hard being an extrovert and feeling so dreadfully alone sometimes because most of the social spaces available to me as a young adult in 21st-cen tury North America are based purely around consumption. Getting sober is difficult, and staying sober can be even worse, but it’s definitely possible and worth it.

I was envious of them, marveling at their stories of crazy drunken nights, bad trips, and encounters with the police. I dreamed of having stories like that one day. It was only once I had those types of stories that I realized they were but the measly consolation prize for a life dictated by addiction.

We have already arrived in October! It is a season that be gins with long walks to see the fall foliage, dressed in big scarves and sweaters, ends with Halloween decorations and costumes, sprinkled with anything and everything pumpkin all month long. Though the Plant is not available in pumpkin spice flavour, I hope that those of us wishing that the study break had been longer are reading these poems alongside the hot fall drink of their choice.

Creative Writing by EMMA MAJAURY Creative Writing Editor

A Borrowed Book, a New Memory

ASPEN CRICK Staff Writer

Rough edges and Mystical content.

Easily whisked away into the world of fantasy Flipping through the pages, A delighted sigh escaping past my lips.

Lamenting when it’s time to put it back in its place. Resisting the urge to call it my precious, Hide it under my coat and make a run for it. That’s the emotional roller coast when you borrow someone else’s old book. But at least while you had it, You found comfort in between the pages, And new fictional characters to dream about in the storyline.

Indigo

ÉLODIE LAVICTOIRE Contributor

If only the multiverse that fills this place was real. If only we could go to these universes and live With the characters we fell in love with. If only we could thank them For helping us in our darkest times. If only life could be one of these fairy tales.

If only they could come to life And bring joy and excitement to our daily life, With it not being fake. A dream. A hopeless wish.

If only all these Weren’t just in our heads, Reality wouldn’t be So lonely, so bleak. If only it wasn’t just Tattooed shavings of dead trees. But flesh and blood.

But at least in our heads Just for a couple of minutes, A couple of hours, they are real to us… If only…

(Screen) Save Me

KARA FUSARO Curiosities Editor

Confirmation, I’ll see you soon Affirmation, wait. You like me too? Brightness up, can’t miss a thing

Volume down, can’t hear you scream.

You don’t need anyone else I’ll take a quiz- lessen myself Send after send I lose less Lower and lower- bottom shelf.

How can I be so naïve?

I never saw past my screen How you saw me And no, not with LED but with my sorry eyes, begging. Please.

My mind from behind my skull, Am I really oh so dull? Or with your ego do you feel full? Save me from falling? With only a pull.

How can I cater myself to you?

I’ll be yours. Call you my creator How I can bend to your will My mountain, your ant hill.

I promise I’ll be better for us

If only one thing I bring let it be trust I’m just sitting here, banished to dust Filled with the idea of our past lust

Don’t leave me- I won’t be weak My yells quiet… meek Can only I hear when I speak ? Mumbling nonsense as if I wore a beak.

Trapped. In a box

Fair to call me cliché, But I leave you to mold me like clay. My body stays as your display.

I’m still here

Full of crippling fear Catch my mind slip, like headlights to a deer I pray that my end is near.

by EMMA MAJAURY

Inquietude

LULU KAUFMANN Contributor

Suspended here and there, and nowhere in between

Familiar awareness blinds reality

Borrowing thoughts from tomorrow Silent screams swarming around my mind Existing only to predict the unforeseen.

Blaming teenage angst or self-preservation I remain on edge

The unknown engulfing every sense

Wondering what comes next. Absurdity releases and casts a spell On untamable thoughts

Questioning the purpose of reason And the abyss of it all.

Bittersweet perceptivity Blurs out consciousness And submerges me into a deep sea of fright, Drowning me without recovery. Hesitantly brushing up against intermittent hope And mindfully diving back into the realm of tangibility.

A Shadow of my Ghosts

LEO HUSSAIN Contributor

A shadow of my ghosts. I stand on a bridge. The voices whisper. Come closer, come closer. A shadow of myself. Regretting the future. Look ing down a bridge. A man with no closure.

The waves sing louder than the voices whisper. A man with no closure, yet at least one with composure. On a floating rock, spinning at 460 meters a second. Like a Ferris Wheel with three rockets strapped on its circumference.

A shadow of my ghosts. Far away from a bridge. With a frightening nonchalance. Tears in my eyes. A lust for life.

After Sex, with a Cigarette

CHRISTOPHE BARRÉ-JOHNSON Contributor

Your face is mesmerizing in the sun’s embrace.

it becomes unrealistic

To think, That such a beauty Be seen again. Under rays of sunshine Or

Rains of stars

Trembling, I’m thinking, Of how weak I feel under Your gaze.

Je

a toi.

How Dollarama Poisons its Consumers and Still Makes a Profit: A Loophole in Safety Regulations

NATASHA MURMU Science and Environment Editor

Let’s admit it: With Dollarama so con veniently located a couple steps away from our school, it’s tempting to grab a quick snack from there in between classes. If you need a last-minute birth day gift, or if you forgot your head phones at home, no need to worry! The Alexis Nihon dollar store’s got you. However, recent studies might make you reconsider shopping there.

safe limit on lead. Children’s products should not contain this hazardous sub stance.” Even if the bulk of it is found in the internal structure of products, these items can break down with use, and they do, thus exposing the lead-laced parts. “The way that kids use products, and you know they break things, and so that internal (lead) quickly becomes external lead,” Barker confirms.

There is a lack of regulation con cerning the amount of lead allowed on the interior parts of consumer products, which, according to ED, must be ad dressed. This loophole is why stores like Dollarama can get away with selling products containing such high amounts of the toxic substance.

such as tomato juice, or to heat, be cause they are heated, they will tend to detach and migrate into food.”

Even the store’s receipts contain harmful substances. All test samples from Dollarama contained bisphenol S, a relative of BPA that can cause reproductive issues. The ETERC confirms that the receipts “should not be handled hundreds of times by cashiers and given to each customer.”

If so many items distributed by Dollarama are detrimental to public health, why isn’t it common knowl edge? Environmental Defence says “many of these ingredients and formu lations are considered ‘trade secrets”

Out of the dozens of products test ed by Environmental Defence, includ ing toys, food, and household supplies, 1 in 4 contain toxic substances regu lated by the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. In several products, the quantities of toxins exceed the al lowable surface limits. In others, they are within the permissible limits, but ED states that these limits aren’t low enough.

A study by the organization re vealed that Dollarama and Dollar Tree stores in Canada sell products con taining 3000 to 8000 times the recom mended surface amount of lead. A test on a pair of headphones revealed that its solder contained 170 times the limit of lead for the outside of products. For the inner components of a pair of earbuds, this limit was exceeded by 300000%.

In addition, the metal inside elec tronic toys like Disney headphones and fart guns was found to contain up to 70% lead. High exposure to the substance, especially at a young age, causes significant cognitive and devel opmental delays. In adults, it increases the risk of high blood pressure and kid ney damage. These adverse effects on health are why lead has been banned from use in gasoline, food cans, and paint.

Although up to 90mg/kg of lead is allowed on the surface of products, ED’s Toxics Senior Program Manager Cassie Barker states that “There is no

In addition to lead, plasticizers are found in clips, dolls, pony toys, and fake teeth meant to be worn in mouths. These substances can affect hormone sys tems, including testosterone levels, genital development, and sperm counts. They have also been shown to cause cardiovas cular, reproductive diseases, and cancer.

Not only are harmful compounds found in objects, but there is a cocktail of toxic chemicals in the food on Dol larama’s shelves. One such chemical is bisphenol A, which causes prostate dis ease, breast cancer, infertility, as well as behavioural problems in children. Although it’s banned from plastic baby products, it’s allowed in food cans. Bark er reports that 60% of cans contain BPA, and 40% contain PVC and polyester res in, all detrimental to human health.

Unfortunately, according to Baker, Dollarama’s lack of concern for safety disproportionately affects lower-income households and marginalized commu nities, who shop there more often by necessity. However, it’s a source of concern for all consumers regardless of socioeconomic status, because all shoppers deserve transparency on the contents of the products they’re buying.

Dollarama’s response to the stud ies doesn’t acknowledge that the com pany distributes harmful products nor does it indicate that it’s willing to change anything about it. In response to LaPres se’s questions, it answered “Consumer product safety is our utmost priority and we have strict processes and controls in place to monitor product safety and quality. [Our products] meet applicable Canadian product regulations and are safe to use for their intended purposes.”

Following the study conducted in dollar stores, ED calls on Environment Canada to require companies to label all hazardous ingredients in products, including those inside electronics and used in the packaging. Furthermore, the organization vouches for more reg ulatory enforcement and product test ing in order to identify harmful prod ucts before they are sold.

Along with BPAs, microwave popcorn bags tested positive for PFAs, also known as “forever chemicals,” which cause a plethora of cognitive issues. The presence of BPA in con tainers is a problem because it can leach into the food. According to Lou ise Hénault-Ethier, director of the Eau Terre Environnement Research Center, “If bisphenols are exposed to acids,

There is hope things will change, as a similar study conducted in the United States two years ago prompted Dollar Tree to remove 17 chemicals from its products. Due to increased public awareness of the topic, gov ernment officials have started to take action. The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, which oversees the use of toxic chemicals, will be updated.

If so many items distributed by Dollarama are detrimental to public health, why isn’t it common knowledge?

Environmental Defence says “many of these ingredients and formulations are considered ‘trade secrets’ ”

Artwork by Anisia Alexe

HOROSCOPES

ARIES (mar. 20 - apr. 18):

With all your spontaneity comes forgetfulness and your halloween costumes reflect your disorganization, but you still pull it off. This is your official reminder to plan ahead! I think no to the devil and angel backup you had.

TAURUS (apr. 19 - may 20):

You really did try to make the friend group costumes work this year. The whole idea was probably planned to a T. Unluckily for you, though, your friends probably hated it or just completely forgot and did their own thing anyway :,( With your resilience you’ll try again in ‘23 and hope for the best!

GEMINI (may 21 - june 20):

Geminis! I promise, your last minute costume looks like a last minute costume. It was done, and now, it’s tired. Don’t wear another basic outfit with accessories you got at Dollarama the night before the party… Again.

CANCER (june 21 - july 22):

Yes; I agree the whole “funny costume” thing is quintes sential to Halloween culture but it doesn’t always have to be you! Feel good and confident this year, no matter what form that takes.

LEO (july 23 - aug. 22):

Honestly, just embrace it and go full Glam-Lion this Halloween. We all know you’ll only wear your costume for the entrance and take it off to change it to your second, granted, more comfortable costume of the night.

VIRGO (aug. 23 - sept. 22):

Dressing in the same color scheme as your favorite drink is not a costume. You’re kind of in the Gemini boat with this one, try to become friends with a Taurus for next time!

LIBRA (sept. 23 - oct. 22):

You learned very early on that with the right confidence, even your favorite sweats can be transformed into the most magical of outfits. Whether it be bear costume related or lazily inspired, you did great!

SCORPIO (oct. 23 - nov. 21):

I’m almost positive that the guy who dressed as Borat last year is a scorpio. You guys are fearless and unapologetic with your costumes, serving the upmost creativity year af ter year.

SAGITTARIUS (nov. 22 - dec. 21):

Dressing up as Santa Claus are we? I get it. You’re so ex cited for it to be your birthday season again - it’s felt like sooo long! But live and love the moment as you’re in it :)

CAPRICORN (dec. 22 - jan. 19):

You’ve been getting this costume ready since november 1st 2021 and you won’t let anyone forget it. After months of preparation it’s finally your time to strive!!

AQUARIUS (jan. 20 - feb. 18):

As an Aquarius, you too will already have your costume prepared, ironed, and nicely hung up in your closet. Your plans for Halloween are already rigidly set in stone and nothing can stop you from having the best time.

PISCES (feb. 19 - mar. 19):

With absolutely no reason behind this whatsoever; you should definitely dress as a fairy or princess. Regardless of gender, you will look fantastic :)

PUZZLES

FOR

by KARA FUSARO Curiosities Editor

Photo Courtesy of Emmy Rubin

DAWSON SPEAKS

“Shit You Don’t wanna see this Halloween?”

And you responded with...

“I’m gonna be sad if I don’t see Borat” @klab.14

“Someones ass” @alaaben.10

“Sexy costume versions of characters who are literal children” @ma.ma.red

“Borat’s ass cheeks” @giordano_digi

“Cultural appropriation costumes! Its not fun and shows ur bigotry” @jojoenby

“Dawson Lmao” @ysaak_benny

“Borat’s ass again” @xii.me.na

“Those alcohol costumes with the cowboy hats” @av01d.k4ra

“If i see one more rock in my candy bag I will start throwing them back” @alesabrewery

“A myriad of Eddie Munson cos tumes. I know I will, i just don’t want to see them” @sarahkatefoster

“Those inflatable dinosaur costumes” @kpoirierr

“Wearing a hoodie and calling it a day” @gracia_s_garin

“My actual psychotic hallucinations ringing trick or treat past 9” @mirrenoz

“Boys dressed as ‘girls’ – just wear a skirt whenever you want it doesn’t have to be a “costume”” @sunshinepipaaa

“No jeffrey Dahmer costumes” @radicalpear

“Dahmer costumes. Let’s not sensa tionalize serial murder” @athenabouas

“Racial costumes” @dawson.confessions2

“A cheesy, straight couple Halloween costume” @anonymousplantmember

MASTHEAD

Josephine Ross Editor-in-Chief

Mathew Anania Managing Editor Emmy Rubin Copy Editor Alessa Orsini Graphic Designer

Mathew Anania News Editor

Simone Bélanger Arts & Culture Editor

Rokhaya Rodriguez Voices Editor

Natasha Murmu Sciences Editor Emma Majaury Creative Writing Editor

Alice Boulianne Visual Arts Editor

Kara Fusaro Curiosities Editor

Pipa Jones Cover Artist

Alessa Orsini

Social Media Manager

Aspen Crick Staff Writer

Sophie Anabelle Some Staff Writer

Aya Hafeda Staff Writer

Sanad Hamounda Staff Writer

CONTRIBUTORS

Benjamin Savard

Florence T. Carrier

Wynter Bryant

Saya Hidaka-Massicotte Kevin Lopez Hannah Dane

Elysia Da Costa Barros

Alyssa Scotti Lulu Kaufmann

Élodie Lavictoire

Christophe Barré-Johnson Leo Hussain

Anisia Alexe

CONTACT

The Plant Newspaper Dawson College

3040 Rue Sherbrooke O Montréal, QC H3Z 1A4 2C.15 theplantnews.com theplantnewspaper@gmail.com @theplantnews