March 28th, 2022

March 28, 2022

THE VARSITY The University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper Since 1880

Vol. CXLII, No. 23

VIC BACKTRACKS ON SCHOLARSHIP Jessie Schwalb Associate News Editor

Victoria College has reversed a recent decision to alter criteria for recipients of the Victoria University Students’ Administrative Council (VUSAC) BIPOC Leadership Award, which is meant for students who are Black, Indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC).

Under the short-lived change, racialized students who do not identify as Black or Indigenous were ineligible for the award.

In a message to donors motivating the initial change, the college wrote that it was unable to show whether such students experience “any disadvantages.” Following condemnation from VUSAC, which claimed that the change discounted the lived experiences of racialized students, Victoria College changed the requirements to again allow all racialized students to access the award.

The decision to exclude certain students of colour The VUSAC BIPOC Leadership Award was established in 2021 through fundraising efforts spearheaded

by VUSAC. These efforts led to the establishment of a $50,000 fund to be distributed by the Victoria University Senate in $1,000 increments to one or two students every year. The Senate chooses recipients based on their “involvement and service to others through positive and significant contributions to student life, the community at large, or both.”

Although the award was originally open to all racialized students, Victoria College updated the eligibility criteria to only include Black and Indigenous students. The college’s decision stemmed from Ontario’s policy on scholarships and awards, which only allows differential treatment that seeks to remove the “burdens or disadvantages” placed on certain groups.

“When Victoria College announced the VUSAC Leadership Award for BIPOC Students, a concern was flagged regarding whether or not the award was in compliance with the policies for award disbursement, and we adjusted the terms and title to focus on two of our priority groups, Black and Indigenous students,” wrote Sally Szuster, director of communications for Victoria

College, in an email to The Varsity. The only race-based categories on the university’s Award Explorer website are Black and Indigenous students.

After members of VUSAC were alerted to the change, they released a video condemning both the college’s reasoning and its handling of the situation. VUSAC objected to students having to prove the existence of racism against racialized people.

“My labour alone should be proof enough, as I am standing here trying to justify my own daily experiences and the experiences of my peers,” said Jerico Raguindin, the president of VUSAC, in the video posted on social media.

In an interview with The Varsity, Raguindin also commented on the emotional impact this change has had on him as a student of colour. “It’s been the roughest weeks as a student this year,” he said. “We have to prove — time and time again — the racism we face.”

Raguindin acknowledged that racism against Black and Indigenous students is clearly distinct from that against other racialized students. He argued, however, that the award originally intended to address racialization of all people. “If Vic wanted to create an award for Black and Indigenous students, they have more than enough funds, alumni, [and] influence to create an award rather than chop off the legs of an existing one.”

VUSAC also took issue with the way the college communicated the change, saying that Victoria College did not reveal what race-based data informed their decision. Additionally, clarification was only provided to donors and to VUSAC — whom the college consulted on the name for the updated award. Raguindin said that the college should have communicated the change clearly and directly to students and that the lack of communication forced VUSAC to do the work of informing students about the change.

Reversal of the decision In response to the video and a VUSAC-led petition calling on Vic to make all racialized students eligible for the award and release an apology, the college backtracked.

Szuster wrote that the college discussed the decision with students and staff, and consulted with a lawyer. Following these consultations, it decided to once again open up the award to students of colour who do not identify as Black or Indigenous.

“We are pleased that the advice we received aligned with the expressed views of students, and also with our original intent in creating and naming the Leadership Award for BIPOC students as part of our ongoing effort to address systemic discrimination against BIPOC people,” wrote Szuster.

However, Raguindin called for Victoria College to do more beyond reversing the decision. “I’m happy they made the change back to what it should have been and should have stayed as in the first place. However, my happiness ends there,” he wrote, in an email to The Varsity.

“Vic needs to acknowledge that their initial change was egregious and harmful.” He also called on Victoria College to apologize for the initial change.

“They must show that donors and students of colour can trust them, proved with public changes in their practices, policies, and procedure. What’s stopping them from rescinding their feeble allyship in the future when it suits or troubles them?”

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Inspire UTM slate sweeps in UTMSU elections THE VARSITY Vol. CXLII, No. 23 21 Sussex Avenue, Suite 306 Toronto, ON M5S 1J6 (416) 946-7600 the.varsity

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Lexey Burns UTM Bureau Chief

At its Board of Directors meeting on March 25, 2022, the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) ratified the results of its spring elections. The results show that the Inspire UTM slate won all positions for next year’s UTMSU executive committee over the opposing slate, Change UTM. Inspire UTM also received two notices for violations of the elections code during the campaign and voting period while Change UTM received three, along with demerit points for each violation.

Ratification of the results Maëlis Barre, running with the Inspire UTM slate, won the presidential election. Wenhan (Berry) Lou claimed the Vice-President Internal spot and Alistair Kirk received the most votes for VicePresident External. The Vice-President University Affairs position went to Suraqa Noor and VicePresident Equity went to Reagan Roopnarine.

The UTMSU is the second major student union to see one slate win all positions this election season, after the UNIFY UTSC slate won all positions in the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) election.

Chief Returning Officer (CRO) Athisaya Satgururajah also clarified that ElectionBuddy — the online platform that was used to host the UTMSU Spring Election — had inputted an accidental entry under the name of “Anthony Walker” as a candidate for Division II director. Walker received 31 votes for the position, tying for third place.

Satgururajah said that all ballots were accounted for at the end of the election and the board passed a motion to destroy all ballots.

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Demerit points Inspire UTM received a violation notice for unapproved material on March 13. The violation explains that on March 13, while seeking the CRO’s approval on club endorsement graphics, Inspire UTM failed to inform Satgururajah that it was contacting three students’ associations for endorsements. They did not include Satgururajah on any requests or communications for endorsement.

Inspire UTM was given 15 demerit points per candidate for the violation.

The second Inspire UTM violation notice was given on March 17. The violation states that Satgururajah witnessed an Inspire UTM volunteer with flyers campaigning to five to six students in the “no-campaign zone” at the polling station. All Inspire UTM candidates were given 15 demerit points for the violation, as candidates are considered responsible for the actions of slate volunteers.

The first violation notice against Change UTM states that candidates were not enforcing the elections procedure code. On March 10, Change UTM’s presidential candidate participated in a live stream from a third-party student group, Transparent UTMSU. At the end of the event, Transparent UTMSU said that they endorse Change UTM. Screenshots of the livestream also show that Transparent UTMSU was instructing UTM members to vote against Inspire UTM. According to the CRO report, this is a form of sabotage against fellow candidates and “contradicts the spirit and purpose of elections.” Each candidate with Change UTM was then levied five demerit points.

The second violation was based on an unintentional misrepresentation of facts. On March 11, Change UTM hosted a Q&A on their Instagram

story for members to address concerns related to campus life. In response to a member’s suggestion of addressing “sexual violence on campus,” Change UTM noted that “the UTMSU currently has 6 million dollars in reserves that are waiting to be used!”

Satgururajah explained in the violation notice that the “UTMSU had $6,099,607 in cash and cash equivalents under ‘Assets’ as of April 29, 2020 as reported on the ‘Non-consolidated Financial Statements’ presented at the 2021 Annual General Meeting.” Despite this, the financial amount includes $4.8 million in reserves to be allocated toward the Health & Dental Insurance plan and UPass. The remaining cash amount, approximately $1.3 million, “is mandated by the University of Toronto to ensure that the Union can continue to operate in the event of an emergency.”

As a result, Change UTM received three additional demerit points per candidate.

A third violation notice was later added to the website for Change UTM, dated March 16. The notice states that the presidential candidate for Change UTM, Sam Aboul Hosn, was campaigning within the “no-campaign” zone in the William G. Davis Building.

Each candidate was given ten demerit points for the violation.

Additionally, Satgururajah explained that an election violation notice was issued 48 hours after the voting count concluded. They said that there was “substantial evidence” that the violation happened. However, the Elections and Referenda Committee nullified this violation. as it was past the 48 hours deadline where candidates could appeal violations.

Neither slate appealed any of the violation claims.

Robarts Commons opens early, ahead of official fall 2022 launch

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Lexey Burns UTM Bureau Chief

Emory Claire Mitchell Public Editor

Fake candidate ties for third place for Division II director seat

Space aims to provide a “campus living room” for university community Caroline Bellamy Photo Editor

The Robarts Commons, an extension of Robarts Library, opened March 24 for student use. The space opened earlier than the previously scheduled launch date in fall 2022 to accommodate the student body’s need for additional study spaces.

Commons access The Commons’ hours of operation will follow Robarts Library hours, as mentioned on the U of T Libraries website.

Students can book group study spaces now at the library website. The Commons building has a separate entrance at the corner of Huron and Hoskin on the west side of Robarts Library. The Commons are also accessible through hallways connecting the extension to the main Robarts building on floors 2–5, including a direct connection to the food court on the second floor.

Planning of the Commons In an interview with The Varsity at the Commons’ opening, former Chief Librarian Carole Moore said that the idea for the space was developed in the pre-pandemic days, around midterms and finals when the university saw a lack of spaces for students to study in the main Robarts Library. Moore said that students often had to find room on the stairs and floor to work as all of the dedicated study spaces filled up.

With the addition of enough new space for 1,200 students in Robarts Commons, there are now a total of 5,000 seats in the Robarts Library complex.

In an email to The Varsity, Larysa Woloszansky, the director of communications for University of Toronto Libraries, wrote that daily users “will experience the entire library complex as a more collab-

The Robarts Commons.

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orative and human-centered space — a ‘campus living room’ for students and faculty alike to gather, learn, network, and socialize.”

Designing the space The space also aims to shift the university library system to better fit the needs of the twenty-first century student, with outlets provided throughout the Commons. In an interview with The Varsity, Chief Librarian Larry Alford said, “The idea was to provide [a] bright, new, exciting space for students.

There are no books, it’s not collections… and no library services like reference, it is entirely a student space.” Group study rooms are equipped with media sources to allow students to more easily

integrate technology into their studying.

The space was designed with accessibility in mind. There are different types of seating available throughout the Commons and three elevators provide access to all five floors of the building. Eight group study rooms have also been designed as wheelchair-accessible spaces, and are indicated through signage.

While the all-window exterior creates a brighter and more vibrant study space, U of T also took into account environmental ramifications during the design process. Blinds have been installed to block out light pollution at night, and the university used frit glass on the building envelope to reduce risk to birds.

thevarsity.ca/section/news

MARCH 28, 2022

UTSU executive candidate debate focuses on marginalized communities, tuition Only two positions had multiple candidates present Cedric Jiang Associate News Editor

The University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU) held a candidate debate on March 22 as part of its 2022–2023 executive elections.

The debate was held entirely online.

Topics discussed included lowering international students’ fees, supporting marginalized communities, and addressing racism and Islamophobia on campus.

The debate was moderated by Micah Kalisch — founder of the Prevention Empowerment Advocacy Response for Survivors Project and president of the Trinity Against Sexual Assault & Harassment — and Tran Thai, the UTSU’s chief executive assistant.

Despite the title of the event, only two positions saw true debate. The UTSU could not hold a debate for the two uncontested positions — vice-president operations and vicepresident professional faculties — nor could it hold one between the two candidates for the vice-president student life position, as one of the candidates was not present, and the sole present candidates were instead questioned on their vision. There was also no question period for the presidential position since there were no candidates.

The voting for this year’s elections closed on March 27 at 11:59 pm.

Vice-president operations Dermot O’Halloran, former vice-president professional faculties in 2019–2020 and vicepresident operations in 2020–2021, is running unopposed for vice-president operations this year.

Having held an executive position at the UTSU for two years, O’Halloran was asked how he would evaluate his previous work. He praised his former team for their work, saying the student aid policies implemented in the 2020–2021 academic year have been working well, but also acknowledged the importance of reflecting on whether they’re in need of change.

On the subject of what he hopes to do differently this year, O’Halloran said he would focus on the UTSU’s investing strategy and ensuring investment transparency.

When asked about the criticism against UTSU on its transparency, O’Halloran admitted it had been an ongoing issue, but assured students that work has been done to address it. He promised to improve transparency by making financial documents more widely available and accessible to students.

“At the current moment, no appendices, no executive reports, no period [reports] are accessible to the broader public,” said O’Halloran.

“That should have been fixed a while ago.”

Vice-president public and university affairs There are three candidates running for the vicepresident public and university affairs position.

However, one candidate, Sruthy Balakumar, was absent from Tuesday’s debate.

The two remaining candidates, Victoria Liu and Harvi Karatha, focused their discussion on lowering tuition fees, and on community issues such as Palestinian rights and the “Hell Bank Note” incident at Grad House.

Karatha said she is committed to continuing the Same Degree, Same Fee campaign, which pressures the university to lower tuition for students in different programs. If elected, Karatha would like to implement a more robust campaign with support from politicians and seek student representation in governmental discussions.

Liu responded that she would work with each student body and create initiatives to alleviate their financial challenges. For example, she wants to expand scholarships for international students and increase employment opportunities for students through partnerships with businesses.

On the topic of Palestinian rights on campus, Liu recognized that both pro-Israel and proPalestine groups exist on campus and said that she would like to consult with these “diverse student groups” on how to handle the topic.

“I do understand both sides’ perspectives on this. We need to ensure in any kind of future discussion that [the UTSU does not discriminate] against a group [and] that [it] will always hold unconditional responsibility for students’ unmitigated access to goods and services, regardless of their religion, race, or any kind of identification,” said Liu. Karatha responded that her knowledge on Israel and Palestine is not as comprehensive as that of Palestinian students.

“I would always directly refer back to the Palestinian student groups, talk to them in individual meetings, and hold those conversations that we need to hold as representatives of the student union, and make sure that they’re represented in our university guidelines and conversations," said Karatha.

On the “Hell Bank Note” incident, Liu said, “being a Chinese student myself [and] knowing that U of T has [a high number] of Chinese students on campus, I don’t know how such a mistake can be made by the Grad House.” She would investigate the incident and advocate for appropriate repercussions, as well as work on adequate counselling supports and avenues for education on equity.

Karatha emphasized immediate action as well

as providing sufficient support in dealing with incidents of racism on campus. “My approach will be focused on firstly protecting and helping the marginalized students who are impacted,” Karatha said.

Vice-president equity Five of the six candidates for vice-president equity attended the debate, and the discussion focused largely on accessibility. The remaining candidate, Ying J Chow, was not present.

Jerico Raguindin, current Victoria University Students’ Administrative Council president, said that the UTSU’s inaccessibility is an equity issue that makes students lose confidence in the union and can further hinder the union’s response to other equity concerns.

Raguindin mentioned that many students consider UTSU “nebulous” because accessing the union’s resources and programs can be challenging — a problem he wants to rectify.

Jessie Wu, currently the UTSU director of humanities, agreed with Raguindin that gaps in accessibility hinder student participation. She said that by not being transparent and accessible to students, executives present an image of having power over students while not being held accountable.

Wu plans to address this issue by enhancing communication. For instance, she would set up anonymous forms to get feedback and open a dedicated equity social media account that accepts direct messages.

“This makes it more simple [to keep] students in the loop… and provides updates for how certain initiatives are progressing and how they’re being addressed and investigated.”

To the same question, Muskan ​​ Nagra — currently a director for University College — said that she would like to improve student access to financial aid. “I think that the financial aid we offer only reaches a few… so we obviously need to work on increasing financial aid [accessibility].”

She continued, “I also [would] like to work on building that relationship and trust with students so our services reach more people.”

Sarah Rana highlighted two problems that the UTSU must address: having both an appropriate channel to raise equity concerns and appropriately trained people to address them.

“Many times, equity officers are aware of the politics around marginalized communities, but they are unable to handle the nuances of it.

You need someone who’s educated on these matters,” said Rana.

Abidur Rahman emphasized expanding mental health resources, describing the current intake process as bureaucratic and burdensome.

“I [would] like to reform our intake process so

students do not need a referral from doctors to see a psychiatrist or psychologist, not health and wellness, for their very first meeting.” Furthermore, Rahman would like to create student bursaries that help alleviate financial barriers to accessing mental health resources.

Vice-president student life Elizabeth Shechtman, who is running for vicepresident student life, was the only candidate for the position present at the debate, since the other candidate did not attend. Previously an associate news editor at The Varsity, Shechtman was questioned about her neutrality and the potential for a conflict of interest.

Shechtman stressed that she left the associate position after confirming her candidacy, and she would no longer represent or be represented by The Varsity. She also emphasized that her previous works at The Varsity were written from an unbiased perspective.

“I’m sure that my previous colleagues… at The Varsity will continue to be unbiased with anything that they share about me [and] any criticism that they have toward my work at the UTSU,” said Shechtman. “It’s definitely not going to have an effect on how I work at the UTSU.” Shechtman further explained that covering student unions for The Varsity helped her understand the UTSU’s structure and procedure as a “bystander,” which she considers an asset. “I did learn a lot about procedural things about the UTSU.” She believes the experience prepared her to reach out to various student groups and understand students’ concerns.

Shechtman also plans to improve transparency and accessibility at the UTSU, saying that these two factors are at the heart of all her ideas. In addition, she mentioned that the pandemic has brought to light the importance of having online options when it comes to event planning.

Vice-president professional faculties The only candidate for the vice-president professional faculties position, Maria Ebeid, was asked about how she would serve all 11 professional faculties. Ebeid assured that she would work with students from all the professional faculties to understand each faculty and its students’ specific struggles.

To address racism and sexual harassment on campus, Ebeid also emphasized the importance of reaching out to programs and organizations that promote anti-racism messaging and provide robust mental health services.

“Obviously, this is an ongoing issue that’s been happening for years on end. But I think that slowly, with more education and better advocacy for those who are getting discriminated against, we can come to a realization that this needs to end for all students of the university, and try to give them a safe place to be,” Ebeid said.

Disclosure: Elizabeth Shechtman was an Associate News Editor for The Varsity during the 2021–2022 school year.

Indigenous people in need of support can call: Indigenous student services at U of T’s First Nations House at 416-978-8227, or email at fhn.info@utoronto.ca, Indigenous student support specialist at UTM’s Indigenous Centre at 905828-5437, Anishanawbe Health Toronto at 416360-0486, Za-geh-do-win Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-669-2538, Indian Residential School Crisis Line at 1-866-925-4419 (available 24 hours a day), Hope for Wellness Helpline at 1-855242-3310, Talk4Healing Help Line at 1-855-5544325.

UTSU spring election debate.

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NEWS

UTGSU campaign period to begin on April 1

UTMSU executives preview April activities

First ever UTGSU president to be elected

Three executives took leave of absences over elections period Lexey Burns UTM Bureau Chief

The UTGSU offices.

CAROLINE BELLAMY/THEVARSITY

Padraic Berting Graduate Bureau Chief

The nomination period for executives and directors of the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union (UTGSU) has been extended, meaning that the campaign period will now start on April 1.

Initially, nominations for all candidates were due on March 21 by 5:00 pm. However, according to an announcement on their social media on the morning of March 22, the executive nomination deadlines were moved to March 23, while nominations for directors were now due by March 25.

This came on the heels of other unions on campus extending their nomination deadlines and struggling with participation. The University of Toronto Students’ Union (UTSU), for example,

extended its nomination deadline and had no candidates for the presidential position.

This UTGSU election will also be the first election under the recent restructuring of the union.

Previously, the executive committee, which manages the functioning of the union, had six commissioner positions. Following the restructuring, the executive committee will be made up of a president with four vice-president positions.

In a conversation with The Varsity, UTGSU Chief Returning Officer Molly Simpson wrote, “[I] and the Elections Committee felt as though additionally [sic] time to submit nominations would help drum up participation. Since the UTGSU [is] introducing a new governance structure this year, I think the extra time will help encourage those who might have been on the fence before.”

During the Board of Directors meeting of the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) held on March 25, 2022, Chief Returning Officer Athisaya Satgururajah ratified the 2022 spring election results. The executives also gave reports on their activities from the past month and highlighted upcoming union events.

UTMSU President Mitra Yakubi, VicePresident Campus Life Tarwah Afrah, and Vice-President External Maëlis Barre all took leave of absences during the election period.

However, Yakubi went over some of the upcoming year-end events, including the UTMSU’s Block Party and Mental Health Awareness week.

Afrah said that the UTMSU’s Kickback will be happening next week, including a free lunch on Tuesday and a “special edition” breakfast on Wednesday. The UTMSU will also give away merch on Monday and Tuesday.

Ryan Tomlinson, vice-president equity, touched on the UTMSU’s sustainability week, where it used the new Food Centre to make

smoothies to give away to students for free.

It also gave away herbs from its plant wall.

Wei Lai, vice-president internal, said that the UTMSU is still recruiting staff for the Blind Duck restaurant.

Barre said that the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) program is beginning to create housing and meal plans for next year.

Barre is also planning on meeting again with the city councillor to discuss safe and affordable housing.

Finally, Vice-President University Affairs Merica Joy Carlos said that the UTMSU headshot service is operating on Thursdays from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm and on Fridays from 12:00–4:00 pm. She encouraged students to reserve their spot in advance because the service spots fill up fast.

Other upcoming events include a Volunteer Cafe on April 7, a puppy destressor called “Take A Paws” on April 8, a knitting event from 2:00–4:00 pm on April 11, and a dinner from 7:00–9:00 pm on April 13 and 18.

First Nations House hosts full moon fire gathering Community invited to celebrate, connect, learn over sacred fire Joel Cormier Varsity Contributor

On March 18, the First Nations House hosted a full moon fire gathering in the Earth Sciences Courtyard, inviting community members to participate and learn about the sacred fire. These gatherings are offered monthly, weather permitting.

In an interview with The Varsity, Jenny Blackbird, the Indigenous student life coordinator at First Nations House, discussed the gathering, as well as the important role the First Nations House plays in fostering a sense of community among Indigenous students and providing necessary resources for them.

The full moon fire gathering Blackbird described the gathering as a teaching opportunity. “People could come and learn if they had questions about how to light a sacred fire, or what a sacred fire is,” she said. There are various types of traditional fires that are lit for different purposes, such as fires for celebrations, cooking, and grieving.

Blackbird remarked that such events provide an avenue for experiential learning for non-Indigenous students. “That’s the advantage of hosting something that U of T students… can come witness, observe, and learn from.”

Beyond an opportunity to learn, the gathering was a chance for members of the community to connect. Around the fire, people shared stories and threw tobacco into the fire as a gesture of gratitude, grieving, or letting something go. Blackbird explained that in different communities, tobacco is used for “communication and intention.”

“Oftentimes people will hold that tobacco while they’re praying or while they’re singing, and then [they] burn it. Then the idea

is that the prayers will go up to Creator in the smoke,” she said.

For Indigenous students and faculty, these ceremonies are equally important in fostering a sense of community. “I think that it might be comforting for them to know it’s here,” Blackbird said. She added that this was a great opportunity for people to get together and learn in a socially distanced manner.

The moon is a particularly important symbol for many Indigenous communities. Blackbird explained that the decision to hold the event under a full moon was in recognition of this. “The moon governs over all of the waters… human beings, and I guess every animal, has water inside of them,” said Blackbird, and added that this can be why different phases of the moon can influence moods and thoughts.

Keeping culture alive Blackbird also commented on how these ceremonies not only facilitate connections between Indigenous peoples, but they also cultivate the sharing of cultures and history. “The folks that came over on the first boats decided that Indigenous people were not human,” she said. “So Indigenous people need to continue to share their teachings with one another.”

The concern of keeping culture alive is especially manifest for urban Indigenous peoples, as they “come from so many different places and different nations.” Blackbird believes that it is critical for there to be spaces available to foster these relationships. Hosting events like the full moon fire gathering helps create these spaces.

The event was held by First Nations House.

SUMAYYAH AJEM/THEVARSITY

Role of the First Nations House First Nations House is a

space designed for Indigenous students that allows them to celebrate their own unique cultures and traditions. Blackbird explained, however, that not all students know that the First Nations House exists or what resources it has.

She continued, “There has to be so much planning put into moving things around or creating spaces, that I think this little area is really important. First Nations House can offer the space for students to do these things.”

Blackbird highlighted two areas that she believes the university can improve upon. “I think that colonized spaces can and should do better in designating spaces,” said Blackbird. She further feels that there should be a responsibility for non-Indigenous people to educate themselves and others. “Oftentimes, we do such a job at having to educate everybody else and we don’t often get to just live our lives,” she explained.

Blackbird stressed that these spaces are important to the broader community of Indigenous peoples at U of T and in Toronto. “[For] Indigenous people, this is our territory… but colonization got in the way,” said Blackbird.

This is why opportunities such as the full moon fire gathering are so important.

The First Nations House is integral to community building, as it provides the space and the means for Indigenous communities to hold events like these.

Apart from this monthly event, Indigenous students always have the option of coming to the First Nations House on Spadina Crescent to receive support. The First Nations House has wellness counsellors and Elders who are available should students need guidance.

thevarsity.ca/section/news

MARCH 28, 2022

Reviewing this year’s SCSU A look back on Abdillahi’s term a first-year support centre, and was more substantial. According to Abdillahi, as she now has had experience as SCSU president in pandemic conditions, she felt she had the necessary skills to work another year online.

Following allegations of misconduct against her opponent, Abdillahi won the 2021–2022 elections unopposed.

Sarah Abdillahi.

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Syeda Maheen Zulfiqar UTSC Bureau Chief

Over the past year, the Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) executive committee has worked on campaigns, a community care centre, and advocacy. However, they have also navigated controversies and seen three executives resign.

Sarah Abdillahi is in her second term as president of the SCSU. As Abdillahi comes to the end of her term as president before the incoming SCSU President Michael Sobowale takes over, The Varsity reviewed the work of this year’s SCSU executives, taking a look at past campaign goals, developments during the year, and the controversies that the SCSU has undergone this year.

Goals of the president Abdillahi’s goals for her presidency in the 2020– 2021 elections were centred on increasing student services. She planned to increase student aid, implement stronger mental health services for students, and ensure an atmosphere of trust between the union and students.

For the 2021–2022 elections, Abdillahi reaffirmed her pledge to improve student aid as well as mental health services. However, her second presidency campaign included plans for

SCSU campaigns Under Abdillahi’s presidency, the SCSU expanded its work in the Building Consent Culture, My Mental Health Matters, and the Education for All campaigns.

The Building Consent Culture campaign advocates for more support staff and training to prevent gender-based violence on campus. The campaign also demands a review of U of T’s 2019 Sexual Violence Policy by September 2022.

In 2021, the union conducted sexual violence prevention training for all staff and executives.

The My Mental Health Matters campaign calls upon the university to provide better mental health support and revise its University-Mandated Leave of Absence Policy (UMLAP). Efforts made on this campaign’s demands included tricampus phone and email zap campaign which relayed the union’s and students’ concerns with UMLAP. The Education for All campaign seeks to create equitable conditions where no student is unfairly disadvantaged. In addition to a broadening of the credit/no credit (CR/NCR) policy, the campaign also demands an earlier exam date release, acceptance of self-diagnosed sick notes, and a consistency of degree requirements throughout a student’s studies. Although the campaign created an avenue for discussion on the CR/NCR policy, the policy has not yet been amended.

Under Abdillahi’s presidency, the SCSU also launched a campaign in response to U of T’s decision to return to in-person teaching in the winter semester. Organized with the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU), the email campaign urged the university to reconsider its plan for the return.

The SCSU and UTMSU initiated the campaign after hearing a lot of student concerns. The cam-

paign is an appeal to the university administration to provide the means for a “safe” return. It has now accumulated over 1,000 signatures.

Community care centre Abdillahi had proposed to create a first-year support centre as part of her election campaign, but later realized the need for such support is not limited to first-year students.

“We realized that not just the first-years are a community that needed support. We were looking into all of the ways that SCSU can be a better support system for our membership, and that’s how the community care centre was kind of born,” said Abdillahi when introducing the proposal for the community care centre at the February Board of Directors meeting.

Alyssia Fernandes, president associate and the newly elected vice-president campus life, explained, “SCSU noticed that there was a gap between supports available and vulnerable communities that could benefit these programs and opportunities. This enabled us to think about how we can bridge this gap between the resources and the supports that SCSU can offer students ourselves.”

The centre will provide mental health, sexual violence and prevention, off-campus housing, financial, and vulnerable community supports.

“The support centre will serve as the first step of many in bridging this gap and supporting students’ immediate and personal needs,” continued Fernandes.

If the board of directors approves the proposal at the March meeting, the centre will be launched in the 2022–2023 academic year by the incoming team.

Advocacy for Palestine, controversies over antisemitism The SCSU has often advocated for Palestine this past year. In July 2021, the union participated in UTMSU’s tri-campus phone and email campaign calling on U of T to address the hiring scandal at the Faculty of Law. The campaign also demanded that U of T explain its limited support for Palestine.

The union also reaffirmed its commitment to the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions policy at the

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2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) despite significant resistance from some campus Jewish student groups. The policy has been previously reaffirmed at the 2021 Winter General Meeting and the 2020 AGM, also under Abdillahi’s presidency. The policy had been in place before Abdillahi’s two terms as president.

After the policy was reaffirmed at the 2021 AGM, the SCSU was subject to massive backlash. Jewish student groups raised concerns over access to Kosher food on campus as the policy does not allow any student groups on campus to form contracts with companies that are “found to profit from the occupation of Palestine.”

Jewish groups said that the motion limits access to Kosher food coming from Israel, and U of T President Meric Gertler released a statement condemning both motions.

At the December board meeting, the clause pertaining to Kosher food access was removed in an effort to assure Jewish students that the SCSU did not intend on banning Kosher food at all.

Additionally, a motion written by Max Fine, SCSU Physical and Environmental Sciences Director, declaring SCSU’s respect for Jewish rights at UTSC was heavily amended prior to its presentation at the 2021 AGM. Fine, as well as other Jewish students that were present, felt that SCSU had undermined the spirit of the motion by amending it without consultation with them.

Abdillahi defended the amendments claiming that many of the clauses were redundant, and that, due to very general wording, the motion as it was originally written would be beyond SCSU’s scope.

Contentious statement on Russian invasion of Ukraine The most recent SCSU controversy was a statement released on March 3 regarding Russian invasion of Ukraine. It was written in collaboration with four other student unions and associations.

The statement, which has since been deleted from SCSU’s Instagram account, blamed NATO and the “imperialist” and “capitalist” agenda of the west for the conflict in Ukraine. Students felt that the statement was long overdue and misguided.

Abdillahi explained that while the union wrote the statement highlighting the ‘Western’ agenda as a factor in the war, it did still recognize the suffering of Ukrainians at the hands of Russia.

The Varsity has reached out to Sarah Abdillahi for comment.

Indigenous Career Fair on March 31 meant to promote opportunities for students Event welcomes Indigenous students throughout Ontario colleges and universities Beatriz Silva Associate News Editor

The U of T Career Exploration and Education department, along with First Nations House, is hosting an online Indigenous Career Fair on March 31 from 12:00–2:00 pm.

The event will be open to all Indigenous students and recent graduates across all programs and years of study, and from all Ontario colleges and universities. It is an opportunity to build a network and connect with various employers that are offering full-time, part-time, internship, and volunteer opportunities.

Opportunities focused on Indigenous students In an interview with The Varsity, Mahfam Nikko, the events and communications coordinator within the employer recruitment and engagement team at the Career Exploration and Education Office, acknowledged that equitydeserving groups’ needs are usually overlooked in the labour market. Despite the fact that the Indigenous population in Canada is growing, a 2019 Statistics Canada report found that they are still underrepresented in the workforce.

Nikko said that the Career Exploration and

Education Office tries to tackle making spaces for marginalized people in the workforce. According to Nikko, events such as this fair that focus on Indigenous communities might provide an opportunity of connection with employers that these students might not have otherwise.

How is the event structured?

The event is a self-directed opportunity in which students will receive information and advice on the recruitment and hiring processes, career paths, application writeups, and more. Attendees will have access to a page containing information about the employers, their organizations, and the opportunities, and they can choose which employers to talk to on a video call during the fair.

The event will use a “Talent Zone” platform.

Students will be able to create a profile for themselves, including a résumé and a headshot, which employers will also have access to. That way, not only will students be able to reach out to employers, but employers can also contact students who they believe could fit a position they are offering.

Students will still have access to these pages up to 90 days after the fair. Although the live video call for the event will only be

The event is open to all Indigenous students.

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available during the two-hour time frame, other information and resources will remain available after it ends.

All Indigenous students can register ffor the

event until 9:00 am on March 31 through the Career Learning Network, which they can also use to contact the department if they have any questions.

Business & Labour

March 28, 2022 thevarsity.ca/section/business biz@thevarsity.ca

Three Indigenous-owned businesses to support in Toronto Owners weigh in on operating their businesses throughout the pandemic Support Indigenous creations with Pacha Art Pacha Indigenous Art Collection is a family-run business that sells apparel, home decor, jewIndigenous entrepreneurs in Toronto are serving elry, artwork, and household items made by Inup food, showcasing artwork, hosting events, digenous artists from across the Americas. and creating handmade items that are both conAt their store on Bathurst and Bloor, they temporary and reflective of different Indigenous host workshops, events, and artist talks. Satraditions. The Varsity spoke with the owners may Arcentales Cajas runs the front end of the and representatives of three different Indigenous- business. “My family is Indigenous to Northern owned businesses about what they do and their Ecuador, we’re Kichwa, and so a big part of respective missions. what we do is bridge the gap between Indigenous nations from [the] north and south,” she explained. “[We] acknowledge treaty networks that existed way before these territories were colonized and confined.”

Cajas noted that Pacha Art in its current form is only the most recent iteration of her family’s business.

As a child, the family sold items at events like busker festivals and powwows, and set up kiosks in shopping malls.

They eventually decided to set up a permanent store for two reasons. The first was that constantly travelling and moving boxes was physically taxing. Another reason, as Cajas recalled, was that Indigenous representation in Toronto was overlooked and erased. She observed that this began t.

Ar An h a TY to change in 2014, and she felt that her family’s c t a embr I business had a lot to offer. oidere d m ask fro m P EVARS N /T H During the pandemic, JADINE NG A

“I was in the hospital for two months after that, and I started rehab because I lost most of my motor skills (speech, writing, reading, paralized [sic] on the right side of my body) so I needed to re-evaluate my life. I was out of the commission so to speak for a while,” he wrote.

After a year, Phoenix began to recover and reconnect with his Mohawk and Tayrona roots by volunteering at the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, where he picked up the skill of creating bone chokers and bracelets. In terms of the business’ name, SunHeart Rises, he wrote, “I chose that name for my Indigenous jewelry business to uplift the spirits of the people, as we are the Red Nation, the Children of the Sun.” Phoenix started by selling at the Native Canadian Centre, and eventually got busy vending at powwows, craft sales, Indigenous awareness days at various schools and campuses, and other events.

The administrative side of the job, he described, is not exactly easy. “You need to be aware and be on your toes and catch the calls from the coordinators from different organizations, and to reach out to them and to be professional,” he wrote.

Georgia Kelly Varsity Staff

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The hope is that Pacha Art will be able to open back up sometime this year. Whether it be in the physical store building or online, Cajas emphasized that she wants to continue spreading a positive message about Indigenous representation in the city. “Our goal is to allow people to realize that Indigenous people can thrive, and we are thriving, and we have a lot to offer.

We exist and we’re not gone,” she said.

Embrace Indigenous tradition with SunHeart Rises SunHeart Rises is an online and pop-up store that specializes in jewelry and accessories. The items are made by owner Trip Phoenix,

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SunHeart Rises, like so many other businesses, was forced to turn to online marketing during the pandemic. Phoenix currently showcases his items on Instagram and sells them through the SunHeart Rises website. With government restrictions being lifted this year, though, Phoenix is booked for Toronto’s Indigenous Fashion Week and the Ontario Native Women’s Association conference. He is hoping to do more inperson events as they come up.

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Grab a bite with Pow Wow Cafe Pow Wow Cafe is located in Kensington market. It specializes in weekend brunches and the Indian taco, which owner Shawn Adler calls the “holy grail” of powwow food.

Pow Wow Cafe’s menu is inspired by the food served at powwows, which Adler remembers eating as a kid. Adler explains that, through his mother’s side, his family is a part of the Lac Des Mille Lacs First Nations community near Thunder Bay, Ontario. He wanted his restaurant to be an atmosphere where people could catch up with friends and family that they had not seen in a while, similar to a powwow.

Adler is a professional chef who has owned many other restaurants before Pow Wow Cafe. The idea for the restaurant came from his experience as a food vendor at different events in Toronto, such as music festivals and powwows.

“People would always want to know where they can get Indian tacos, and it just appeared logical to open a restaurant because there was a gap. There was a need for Indigenous cuisine in Toronto.”

Adler mentions that there has been a fairly recent surge of restaurants and catering services specializing in Indigenous cuisine. “The media really caught on and said, ‘Is this a trend?’ ” To this sentiment, he responds: no, Indigenous cuisine is not just some trend. “The reason why you don’t see a lot of Indigenous restaurants, but you do start seeing them open in the last few years is that the [current] Indigenous chefs were the first generation not to attend residential school.”

As with many other restaurants, Pow Wow Cafe had to shut down during the pandemic.

The restaurant has reopened since, but its hours will be inconsistent for the foreseeable future as Adler focuses on running his other restaurant, the Flying Chestnut Kitchen. Pow Wow Cafe will focus on weekend brunch hours and catering at powwows and music festivals this coming summer.

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A sweater from Patc JADINE NGAN

Pacha Art’s physical storefront remained closed. Cajas said, “Our whole business has been online-focused for two years now. We’re still learning how to manage, especially for me, juggling multiple things or responsibilities. It’s always a learning curve.”

She also expresses the growing pains of adapting to a social media-driven world. “Now I have to do the whole TikTok thing and I’m a naturally more shy person, but I’m not allowed to be anymore. I gotta go out there and do it,” she said.

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who uses natural materials such as leather, bone, and glass, and sells items ranging from delicate beaded necklaces to sturdy buckled cuffs.

The story behind SunHeart Rises is a unique one. Phoenix explained that he was a professional musician 12 years ago, performing for films and TV and touring with a rock band. Upon returning to Toronto, he had a stroke, which took a profound toll on his health.

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Comment

March 28, 2022 thevarsity.ca/section/comment comment@thevarsity.ca

Barriers to voting for Indigenous peoples must be eliminated Technical errors and lack of government representation are troubling signs Shiv Bailur Varsity Contributor

Content warning: This article discusses anti-Indigenous racism.

issues. These uncounted votes disproportionately impacted Indigenous communities. In Kenora, an Ontario region with highly contested elections, incorrect voter registration cards were delivered to residents. For example, Angela Petiquan’s card incorrectly stated that her polling station was in Slate Falls where the Slate Falls First Nation resides, which was 260 kilometres — a six-hour drive — from her house.

Other Indigenous votes were not even cast in

Canada’s history has always been a history of colonization, with a legacy of violence and displacement that continues to the present day. It is indicative of how much Indigenous peoples are marginalized today to see the Canadian government’s failure to include Indigenous votes in the country’s democratic electoral system.

In the last election, a sizable 205,000 mail-in ballots went uncounted. Votes were lost in the mail, late, or not cast due to voter registration

the first place, since there was nowhere to collect them. Three fly-in reserves — Poplar Hill, Cat Lake, and Pikangikum — did not have polling stations on election day because it coincided with those communities’ traditional hunting and fishing seasons.

They had advanced ballots, but did not know that they would not be able to vote on election day. As a result, 1,600 potential Indigenous voters could not cast their vote.

For some, such technical errors may seem benign in the grand scheme of the electoral process.

But I think that they are a troubling sign that the Canadian government is not fulfilling its duty to reconcile with Indigenous communities by attempting reparations for the political marginalization that it has been putting them through.

Additionally, some may argue that the Canadian government has done everything in its power to distance Indigenous peoples from its political sphere of influence. For example, the Constitution Act of 1982 recognizes and affirms the inherent and

The Canadian government’s failure to include Indigenous votes is discouraging.

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treaty rights and freedoms of Indigenous peoples, which ideally would lead to more self-governance for Indigenous peoples.

However, such communities are not the norm, and few Indigenous communities are truly selfgoverned. The vast majority of First Nations are still governed according to the antiquated 1876 Indian Act. The policy allows for residents of reserves to elect Chiefs who may only pass bylaws in a limited number of areas.

It is unlikely that a majority of First Nations will shift to self-governance as the process requires several steps, including holding a community referendum and having the legislation approved by the Canadian government. Until then, the Canadian government still reigns supreme, and residents of First Nations will have to live with the policies of the ‘elected’ party.

The Canadian government’s goal to create a state of harmony and reconcile with Indigenous peoples is — historically speaking — recent. Nothing can truly serve as adequate reparations for the racist agenda that Canadian institutions have imposed on Indigenous peoples. Currently, the only way to foster any amount of trust in these institutions is by including Indigenous peoples in the electoral process and thereby letting them exercise their most fundamental civil right — the right to vote.

Shiv Bailur is a first-year social sciences student at University College.

We need new policies to combat homelessness The Canadian government is failing people facing homelessness Katherine E. Todd Varsity Contributor

Content warning: This article mentions domestic violence.

Homelessness is a prevalent issue in Canada: approximately 235,000 Canadians experience homelessness any given year, an additional 450,000 to 900,000 people experience ‘hidden homelessness.’ Hidden homelessness refers to people who experience homelessness but can find temporary accommodations by living with friends or family.

A 2014 study reported that eight per cent of all Canadians had experienced hidden homelessness in their lifetime. The study also found that Indigenous peoples in Canada are twice as likely to experience hidden homelessness compared to non-Indigenous populations, and 13 per cent of Canadians with disabilities have experienced hidden homelessness. Hidden homelessness affects an unimaginable number of Canadians, and it impacts marginalized groups even more acutely.

People who face hidden homelessness are often overlooked by policies or programs meant to mitigate issues associated with homelessness.

Factors that can lead to homelessness include living in poverty, being unemployed, being a migrant to an urban centre, and the local area’s lack of affordable housing. The most common reason for homelessness is unforeseen circumstances or crises, like losing a job or the death of a family member.

Risk factors for homelessness have been heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic, with lockdowns leading to layoffs, a ‘shadow epidemic’ of domestic assault forcing women to flee their unsafe homes, and housing prices rising almost 30 per cent in the last year. Most individuals facing homelessness simply cannot afford rent, do not have access to affordable

housing, or cannot find jobs that would allow them to pay for housing.

If someone facing homelessness doesn’t have the education or job experience required to be employable, it is impossible for them to get back on their feet. We need a dedicated program to help people facing homelessness find employment in competitive job markets. In lieu of a comprehensive program to end homelessness, more feasible policy options could fill the existing policy gap.

One such option could be a Canadian tax incentivization program for businesses to hire people experiencing homelessness, which would be similar to how Ontario incentivizes hiring postsecondary school graduates through the Co-operative Education Tax Credit.

In addition to stimulating the economy, this type of policy would give businesses an incentive to hire people facing homelessness who may otherwise be unable to find work, afford shelter, or obtain necessities of life. Although this program would not address needs for physical shelters or counselling, it would mitigate the issues stemming from stigma related to homelessness and lack of education or experience that precludes individuals from finding jobs.

People experiencing homelessness would be able to enter the job market without needing references or a home address, could obtain valuable work experience to include on their résumé, could have opportunities for further employment at the same company after the incentive ceases, and would make money to pay for housing.

Incentives like these exist in other countries already. In the United States, the Work Opportunity Tax Credit program offers a federal tax credit to businesses if they agree to hire individuals from specific groups, including those experiencing barriers to employment. This program — and its predecessor, the Welfare to Work Tax Credit — have been available to employers in the US since 1996. Canada needs to follow

Hidden homelessness affects marginalized groups disproportionately.

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suit and create a reason for businesses to hire employees who are facing homelessness.

Although an incentive like this could be expensive for the federal government to implement, the cost of the program would be paid back to the government through the income tax of the newly hired employees if they make less than $50,197. For example, if the incentive paid for 15 per cent of an eligible person’s wages, the federal government would receive this money back when it charges the employee 15 per cent on their taxable income.

Along with reintegrating people who are facing homelessness back into the workforce, this incentive would allow these Canadians to make money they would then spend in the economy

by paying for goods, services, and housing. This policy recommendation would help to reduce the number of people facing hidden homelessness and would benefit Canada’s economy.

Canada is currently failing to address issues surrounding homelessness — and, more specifically, hidden homelessness. Creating a tax incentive for businesses to hire people experiencing homelessness is one concrete step that the federal government can take toward reducing the number of Canadians who face homelessness and helping these individuals get back on their feet.

Katherine E. Todd is a fourth-year student studying political science and public law at UTSC.

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What makes performative activism unhelpful?

Three contributors discuss common pitfalls of posting Shiv Bailur, Logan Liut, Sarah Stern Varsity Contributors

Content warning: This article discusses police violence against Black people and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is not the first conflict that has occurred since social media established itself as a platform of change. However, this war is one of the first international conflicts to receive as much attention as it has gotten over the past few weeks.

In light of current issues on social media — including the coverage and activism surrounding Black Lives Matter and Israeli aggression toward Palestinians this past summer — three contributors reflect on what it means to be an activist on social media, and discuss some common pitfalls that people fall into when raising awareness for a particular cause.

Performative activism is no substitution for action When mainstream media reports on police brutality within and across our borders, the casualties of violence in the Middle East, and the recent invasion of Ukraine, we may feel hopeless. Social media offers us a platform to share our opinions — to feel as if we are a part of the effort against global injustice. Yet performative activism has corrupted this effort.

Performative activism involves projecting a positive self-image online in order to prove that one stands with a given cause. Performative activism arises when people post about an issue not to inform others, or because they care, but because they fear that others will think they are on the ‘wrong side.’

Online posts about current events have transformed from demonstrations of solidarity into moral performances that inspire the condemnation of people who have not yet shared that they care and that they stand with social media activists. You see a post of a flag and think, “Good.

They’re with us.” But how does that post improve the lives of all the people that flag represents? A social media post is no substitution for action.

Online activism is not inherently corrupt, but the culture of denouncing someone who doesn’t publicly share their stance does diminish the meaning behind a post. A consequence of this culture is that it commodifies victims of violence and renders them into moral chips. While a picture of a Ukrainian child fleeing their home is indeed meaningful, it is immoral to use this child to prove to an Instagram following of 900 people that one is against the ongoing war — there are more meaningful ways to do that.

If someone does not post about the IsraelPalestine issue, does that mean they do not know it is happening? If someone does not tell you that bombing Ukrainian cities is deplorable, do they side with Putin?

Ask yourself whether you posted a black square and captioned it #blackouttuesday after George Floyd was killed in May 2020. That square didn’t help anyone. What that square achieved was the interruption of news outlets trying to spread word of a man being murdered because he was Black.

Sarah Stern is a second-year English student at Victoria College.

Reductionism discourages us from nuanced thought Social media advocacy often treads into waters that are dangerous, and many people don’t seem to notice. The biggest problem, at least in my opinion, is the normalization of reductionism and oversimplification.

To me, there’s a clear pipeline for people on social media recently. Social media users consume reductionist and ‘digestible’ content, often associated with groups with clear ideological biases, and do not look any deeper into the nuances of the topic.

This happens now with many, if not most, controversies on social media. Social media advocacy, without fail, seems to devolve into delusions that warp the actual situation to make it less complex. For example, a Canada Day post by the very harmful Instagram account Impact insinuated that everyone who celebrates Canada Day “celebrates colonization, cultural genocide, and abuse against Indigenous

people,” which is neither helpful nor accurate.

This statement effectively shames Canadians not just for celebrating Canada Day but, in reality, shames them simply for being Canadian. What does this post contribute other than the ever-sopopular ideological self-flagellation that holds no purpose whatsoever? It doesn’t provide any real change for Indigenous communities, nor does it in any way help reconciliation.

The current war in Ukraine has also prompted fast, reductionist ‘takes’ on social media that can spiral into full-on propaganda. Comparisons between Ukraine and other wars or struggles, for example, are very popular but widely unhelpful.

One post I found compares the Palestinian struggle against the Israeli state and the sudden, unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine, which are completely different. The comparison post — perhaps unintentionally — helps Russia by deflecting from the atrocities happening in Ukraine. The post also implies that the world wasn’t paying attention to Palestine — but there was wide outrage over the Sheikh Jarrah evictions through late 2021 and into early 2022, so this post’s premise is also not based in fact.

These are two tamer posts, purposefully chosen to limit the spread of disinformation. Now, I’m left here asking this: how are posts like these helpful? Sure, these topics are important, relevant, and should be talked about — but how do social media posts about them contribute to achieving justice? The answer is that they don’t: they oversimplify, and often, they harm the cause they’re advocating for.

Social media advocacy is not only one of the most ineffective ways to effect change but it is also one of the most dangerous ones. What I’ve just described can lead — and has already led — to a growing mob mentality and rampant spread of hatred and misinformation. We have to stop this cycle of consuming social media without investigating the issues further. It’s only resulting in oversimplified, reductionist, harmful content that translates into reductionist, harmful rhetoric in the real world.

Put your money where your mouth is Performative activism is only effective when it is backed by material resources. Unfortunately, ‘thoughts and prayers’ do not count as material.

I do personally sympathize with those who are engaging in performative activism. In May 2020, when the Black Lives Matter movement experienced a resurgence after George Floyd’s murder, I remember posting a series of photos on my story, listing names of young Black men who had been murdered. Reflecting on it, I believe that my intentions were pure — as I am sure most other performative activists believe about themselves.

However, my quest to educate my peers about the atrocities against Black people throughout US history had already been achieved by the many accounts doing the exact same thing.

Moreover, my followers consisted of my friend group, and the vast majority of them seem to share the same liberal political stance. I lectured into my social echo chamber, verifying that all my friends supported Black Lives Matter when we could have been donating to the cause or contacting public officials.

I applaud all those who echo educational messages and news about whatever new horror seems to be unfolding in our world today. But to be a true agent of change, you should use these messages as a supplement to donating your money and time.

Whatever assets you have can contribute to a crisis relief effort. Your money could help Ukrainian refugees as they flee their country, support the opposition press in Russia, and aid organizations that can provide medical assistance to the Ukrainian army.

You do not even need to be super wealthy to make a difference. Even incremental amounts of $5, $10, or $15 can help. You may have to forgo a few morning cold brews, but the potential benefit of preventing mass casualties should be enough to incentivize you to put your money where your mouth is.

Logan Liut is a first-year social sciences student at University College.

Shiv Bailur is a first-year social sciences student at University College.

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MARCH 28, 2022

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It is our duty to prevent the burial of journalism Buried journalism during times of conflict prevents honest reporting on many events Sahir Dhalla Varsity Contributor

Content warning: This article mentions institutional transphobia.

Whenever there are times of mass tragedy, a wealth of information and news is buried and hidden, simply because no one is paying attention.

In the past two weeks alone, with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, headlines about the invasion have taken over every major site and news network — and for good reason. This is a major current event, and its coverage should be as thorough as possible. But other governments and corporations have taken advantage of this coverage by releasing news that would usually be incredibly controversial if not for the more prominent headlines.

This has been a pattern throughout the information era. When a major tragedy strikes and takes over global and local headlines, what better time is there to make a controversial governmental decision or company policy? Everyone is looking the other way, and there is no better cover to do something that would be considered massively controversial at any other time.

This ‘burial journalism’ is filled with decisions that would make headlines everywhere and be considered horrifying under usual circumstances, but they are dwarfed by the major conflict going on.

That isn’t to say that the conflict isn’t important to report on. Journalism and media are always some of the most essential parts of global conflicts. Prior major conflicts of the twenty-first century, like the American invasion of Afghanistan and the Syrian civil war, have proved the immeasurable necessity of journalists.

Journalism reports on war crimes and atrocities and, in doing so, keeps the public informed and helps people in war-torn regions ask for aid.

Without reporters from a variety of networks risking their lives in the war zones and continuing their work, we would have a far narrower and more filtered idea of the current state of global affairs. Journalism on these issues are paramount.

But while we focus on this conflict, we must not

let others get away with their harmful decisions and controversies.

This isn’t just prophesying; this is happening as you read this right now. Despite US President Biden starting work on policies that would limit US airstrikes on foreign soil, US forces still recently carried out their first airstrikes on Somalia since August, killing an unknown number of militants and civilians.

While the timing may just be convenient and planned in advance, it becomes far less of a coincidence when you notice that Myanmar also recently launched airstrikes and attacks on a city that its government claims is filled with rebels. At the same time, Saudi Arabia launched numerous airstrikes on Yemen, and Israel-claimed bombings have erupted in Syria. At any other point, these would have all been considered big news that sparked debate, but under the smoke screen of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, they go unnoticed.

Many of these conflicts that don’t make headlines aren’t Eurocentric, whereas the Ukrainian conflict is. War is atrocious and should be condemned, wherever in the world it is. War should also be reported on and paid attention to, wherever it is. The cost of human life is just as

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important everywhere, regardless of geographic location.

During these massive conflicts, politicians also try to push policies that would usually face major backlash, and it isn’t until after the conflicts are over that we realize what has happened. Oftentimes, these policies are incredibly difficult to reverse.

For example, the privatization of education in the United States occurred after the devastating impacts of Hurricane Katrina. Following the hurricane, schools in New Orleans were entirely destroyed, leaving students scattered all over the country waiting for their schools to be rebuilt.

Free-market fanatic Milton Friedman suggested that instead of having a public school system be rebuilt, governments should instead subsidize private schools and provide residents of the area with vouchers to use at those schools.

As a result of this catastrophe, the teachers’ unions were disbanded, causing most teachers to lose their jobs and significantly decreasing the number of public schools in the state. Such incidents, and more, are explored in Naomi Klein’s book The Shock Doctrine, and it is harrowing to see how many examples of this there have been in recent history.

As for what’s happening right now, Vladimir Putin’s main political rival, Alexi Navalny, who was in the news last year for being imprisoned and poisoned by Putin’s government, has been given a nine-year prison sentence in a private trial with very limited access to reporters and even lawyers.

Navalny has condemned Putin’s actions and the invasion of Ukraine, claiming that it was “unleashed to cover up the theft from Russian citizens and divert their attention from problems that exist inside the country.” And, indeed, that is what this war seems to be trying to do. Russia has been facing problems for decades in every area, from infrastructure to economy to military, and this has finally come to a crux.

In other news that has been affected by burial journalism, the former head of Texas’ power grid said he was following the governor’s orders when the companies and governments increased prices and amassed billions in profits during the state’s freeze last year. Meanwhile, some American state governments are considering mandating that any gender-affirming care for transgender children be considered child abuse.

Caretakers could be investigated and fined for simply having and supporting a transgender child. And, just a few days ago in Paris, another associate of Jeffrey Epstein who was part of his sex trafficking ring was found dead in a cell, in similar circumstances to Epstein’s death.

Journalism is a vital and key part of the conflict in Ukraine and should be treated as such. It is the responsibility of news outlets to report on the current invasion of Ukraine and help as many people as they can, but it is also their responsibility to reveal the truth, especially the truths that people try to hide.

To keep tabs on such news, independent news organizations such as the Associated Press and Reuters are always good sources, but local government websites are also useful for looking at what your governments are up to. Burial journalism is something that companies, individuals, and governments are trying to partake in, but it is our responsibility to ensure that does not happen.

Sahir Dhalla is a second-year neuroscience and philosophy student at New College.

Open letter: How students can help advance sustainable development at U of T Student consultation is indispensable for achieving global goals Anisha Hundal and Kehkashan Basu Varsity Contributors

It’s news to no one that the world has a long way to go in achieving a prosperous and sustainable future. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted important health and social inequities, the climate crisis has reached a critical point, and the gap between the rich and poor is growing significantly.

To help guide the world to achieve global peace and prosperity, the United Nations (UN) created the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Adopted by the UN in 2015, the SDGs are a global call to action to ensure that we can achieve a sustainable future by 2030. They are composed of 17 interconnected goals that balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability. The year 2030 is an ambitious target that requires concerted action at all levels within and between nations.

Universities play an essential role in achieving the SDGs by providing education, conducting research, and engaging in both community-level and global partnerships. In addition to the contributions of universities as institutions, the student body plays a valuable role in driving the change we need to achieve the SDGs. How U of T is advancing the SDGs Higher education helps provide future leaders with both the knowledge and tools necessary

to create meaningful change. Through education, universities provide students with a better comprehension of the SDGs as well as relevant training and networking opportunities geared toward SDG solutions. Through research, universities engage students in the process of conducting interdisciplinary projects that may engage stakeholders, identify important gaps, and reveal new SDG solutions.

Furthermore, events led by universities can connect members of local communities with students and faculty to raise public awareness about the SDGs. In 2020, U of T conducted Institutional Strategic Initiatives (ISI) workshops that brought together over 120 participants from the U of T tri-campus community, including faculty, graduate students, and trainees from multiple disciplines.

These workshops began the brainstorming process of identifying practical steps the university can take to advance progress on the SDGs. U of T is currently building on these initial workshops by developing an ISI proposal to further develop current research initiatives, provide more educational opportunities, and generate more partnerships to advance SDGs at U of T. How students are helping advance the SDGs Recognizing the inequalities and obstacles that we face in achieving a sustainable future, students have been advocating for change at U of T. For

example, student activism, including participation in fossil fuel divestment marches, played an important role in U of T’s decision to fully divest from fossil fuels by 2030.

Student activism has been integral in promoting action on and recognition for important sustainability-related issues at U of T. Recognizing the student body as important stakeholders and agents of change, the Student Advisory Committee (SAC) was created as a part of the ISI proposal development process.

The SAC is composed of undergraduate and graduate students from diverse faculties across U of T’s three campuses. Working alongside the faculty-led Steering Committee, the SAC has thus far participated in various brainstorming sessions to identify the SDG strategy’s priorities, research agenda, and action plan.

Taking an action-oriented approach to achieve the SDGs Although pledges and proposals act as blueprints that guide action, student engagement and initiatives drive ideas into action. The ultimate goal of the ISI proposal is to ensure that students and faculty have access to the training and resources they need to bring innovative solutions to light. Therefore, funds secured by the proposal can be leveraged to support faculty and trainee research as well as to provide networking and training opportunities.

Since students are important stakeholders, it is essential that they are involved in the ISI proposal development process. Students can share their insights on important research priorities and resources they believe may help advance the SDGs at U of T. There will be a virtual engagement session co-facilitated by the Steering Committee and SAC on April 19 where students will have a seat at the table along with faculty and staff.

Students can register to participate in the engagement session and share their input by filling out our public consultation form. Students can also direct questions or comments to sdg. admin@utoronto.ca.

Signed, Anisha Hundal Kehkashan Basu Bisma Ali David Allens Lorena Almaraz De La Garza Ilakkiah Chandran Tatyana Graham Thai Dillon Higashihara Yao Yan Huang Elyse Muir Sherry-Ann Ram Hajar Seiyad Saloni Seth

THE VARSITY

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How the mixtape stumbled u Alice Boyle Varsity Contributor

I started collecting cassettes purely out of necessity: my friend’s car only had a tape deck.

On the 30-minute drive to judo practice, we had a shoddy setup where one of us would wedge their phone into a cupholder and then play music through it — but at some point, that just wasn’t cutting it anymore.

At the time, I owned one cassette tape.

I had bought it at the merch table at a small concert where one of my favourite indie bands was playing. I didn’t have a cassette player, and I had all of their music saved on Spotify, but I wanted to support them anyway. The next time we headed to judo practice, I brought the tape with me and slotted it into the tape deck. Music played through the car’s speakers.

Even though it was the most mundane thing in the world, the two of us still stopped for a second, in awe that a plastic cartridge with magnetic tape wound into it was now making sounds. After my friend dropped me off that night, I got a text that read, “Bring a tape next week!”

Despite being an obsolete audio format, cassettes have stubbornly remained part of our popular culture. But we often forget that the development of the cassette and the portable cassette player represented the first opportunity for people to could listen to the music of their choice while on the go.

This format created a period of time where music felt truly personal to the listener. Anyone who owned a Walkman had their own window into appreciating music, and the production of mixtapes further personalized the listening experience.

And the making of mixtapes didn’t die with the cassette. We still strive for the deeply personal connection that hand-picked tracks bring — whether they’ve been curated for a friend or a partner, or they’re a collection of songs to kickstart a productive study session. While writing this piece, I spoke with two U of T students about their thoughts on the peculiar phenomenon of the audio cassette. These conversations, combined with my personal experiences, reveal how music helps say things when our words fail us.

A special medium The cassette tape is made up of a few distinct components. An audio cassette is a flat container, usually made from plastic, that contains a magnetic tape wound into two reels. When inserted into a player, the magnetic tape winds from one reel to the other.

As the tape moves, the playback mechanism produces sound. When the tape finishes winding from one reel to the other, the cassette needs to be taken out and flipped over so the music on the other side of the magnetic tape can play.

If one wants to play an album from the beginning, the tape needs to be rewound. People usually do this by sticking a pencil or a Bic pen in one of the grooves in the holes and then turning it.

Playing a cassette tape may sound straight-

forward, but one often forgets how much we take the ease of music streaming services for granted. Because a cassette tape creates analog sound — meaning that the sound is produced directly from the magnetic tape when played — it requires a mechanical system to work. This means that there are a lot of areas to troubleshoot when something goes wrong — and things always go wrong.

To me, mixtapes are more like art projects than mere vessels to functionally compile a list of songs.

“You wouldn’t know which of the potential [issues] was happening to it,” explained Trevor Bell, a third-year U of T student who grew up with cassettes. Problems with your tape might range from merely needing to replace the two AA batteries that powered the Walkman to needing to stop the player because your tape was being eaten.

“A tape player eating your tape was a common thing,” he said. Longer cassette tapes were thinner, making them more likely to get caught in the tape machine heads meant to read their audio. That would garble the tape.

“If the machine is eating your tape, you want to stop that as [quickly] as possible, because it can wreck it,” said Bell.

Still, there’s a particular value to listening to music on a cassette. While a vinyl sleeve can be showcased on a shelf and a vinyl is played aloud on a turntable, the cassette is a quieter, hidden experience that easily rests in the palm of your hand. As Bell put it, “You can hide a cassette a lot easier than you can hide a vinyl, which makes it feel more personal.”

Meanwhile, the art on the JCard — the piece of paper

covering the plastic window of a cassette cartridge — can be very elaborate. On the surface, it looks like it merely functions to help people identify what album they’re listening to, but it often unfurls to display art up to four or five times its original length. In Bell’s words, “There was an unfolding of the artwork.”

This unfolding didn’t just pertain to the artwork on the J-card, but to “the music and the presentation” as well, Bell pointed out. On the J-Card on my tape of R.E.M’s Automatic for the People, the band members are depicted standing moodily in black and white. The J-Card on my Backstreet Boys tape unfolds to show the band members in egregious ’90s hairstyles and outfits, striking boy band poses. The metaphor of not judging a book by its cover — or in this case, a cassette by its J-Card — was thus packed into a small plastic container.

You can display vinyl; the large area for album art on a vinyl sleeve can almost double as

home décor. You can’t display a J-Card. The art on those extra lengths of paper exists solely for the person who’s listening to the tape.

Following the invention of the audio cassette, the Sony Walkman personal cassette player was developed in 1979. Although it’s now known by most as the key music-playing device on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, the Sony Walkman revolutionized the way we consume music.

Before that, listening to music in public was a strictly communal activity. The Walkman was the first device to make the listening experience private.

At first, this was a widely ridiculed invention.

People didn’t see the need for someone to listen to music in private while outside their homes — but 30 years after its release, the Walkman had sold a cumulative 200 million units.

features@thevarsity.ca

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upon our need for connection The art of the mixtape If half the time we spend listening to cassettes consists of either rewinding tapes or troubleshooting, then why should we even bother?

But then again, is listening to music really just about listening to an audio file on your computer, or does the extra effort add something to the listening experience?

Consider the mixtape, a concept that people often link with cassettes. To me, a mixtape holds vastly more emotional weight than a playlist — something that is already considered very personal — because it takes a significantly larger amount of effort to make one.

Many cassette players have two tape decks.

Recording a mixtape involves playing a song on one deck and recording on the other. When you get to the end of the song, you stop both decks, pop out the song you just recorded, put in the next song that you want to record, then hit record again — rinse and repeat.

Regardless of intent, all the decisions that go into creating a mixtape,

from the duration of the blank tape you want to record on to what to write on the J-card, take meticulous thought and planning. This is why, as Bell explained, making a mixtape also generates a feeling of attachment.

More importantly, in contrast to making a playlist, making a mixtape creates a final product that feels more personal. To me, mixtapes are more like art projects than mere vessels to functionally compile a list of songs.

For Bell, there are two types of mixtapes: “One is the one that you make for yourself, and the other is something that you make for someone else.” Whether you create them to gather someone’s favourite songs, to send to someone you love, or even to send to someone you have broken up with, mixtapes all carry individual artistic intent. Technically, the progression of an entire relationship — from the pining to the breakup — can be documented through mixtapes.

The artistry of the mixtape reveals itself more when one makes a mix in a romantic context, because, according to Bell, that involves “sequencing songs in a way that is intended to show your emotions for that person.” For him, the sequencing of songs could mean something as simple as “ ‘oh, here’s 12 love songs… and I think of love when I think of you,’ or it could be ‘here are 12 songs that tell a story about us together.’ ” Bell explained that when a relationship comes to an end, it creates almost a metaphorical significance behind a Walkman that’s low on batteries. “When batteries would die, typically something would slow down, would get warped, would become distorted in a disorienting way…

That can certainly be tied metaphorically to a warping, a slowing down, a distortion that is occurring in the relationship between the two people who are on either ends of the giving and receiving of the mixtape.”

was an unspoken way for her family to show affection. “It’s just a way of expressing stuff that’s not as easy to say,” she said.

Our conversation also highlighted the ways that music helps us document our lives. Mixtapes — and later, playlists — became a way for us to encapsulate emotions and memories connected to a particular moment in time. That can lend certain songs an emotional charge.

“When I make a playlist in a particularly tough time in my life, I’ll listen to it for however long I need to get through what I’m going through,” Vieira said. “Then it sits on my playlist on Spotify, and then I delete it eventually… I don’t want to feel how I did when I listened to those [songs].”

To her parents, who live in Buffalo, New York, Vieira’s playlists serve as a small piece of her to cherish while she’s away at university. “I feel like providing [my mom] with music that makes her think of me might make it a little bit easier for me to be gone,” she said.

She also noted that she has broadened her The legacy of the mixtape mother’s music horizons through playlist sharThe popularization of mix- ing. After gauging how much her mother bobs tapes demonstrated how her head to any given song when Vieira has the integral music is to how we aux cord in the car, she adds the best songs communicate with each to an ever growing road trip playlist. The playlother, and today, we still ist has an array of genres, ranging from K-pop strive for the same personal groups like Super Junior and SHINee — which, touch that mixtapes offer. thanks to Vieira, are two of her mother’s favouA change in format doesn’t rite K-pop groups — to Broadway showtunes. detract from the connecting Interestingly, when Vieira talks about creating power that music itself has. a playlist, she mentions many of the characCaroline Vieira, a second- teristics that I like about mixtapes. The pheyear U of T student, says that nomenon of knowing someone well enough playlists are integral to her life to compile a list of handpicked songs for them and her relationships. While my — or wanting to capture a feeling or a memory Spotify playlists are a chaotic enough to make a mix — hasn’t changed. Even mishmash of music that I listen something as mundane as a commute can be to, hers are meticulously curated, put to a soundtrack. Still, there was something down to the colour-coordinated really special about the cassette that we tapped pictures she assigns as her playlist into — to me, cassettes offer the perfect comicons. bination of convenience and emotional weight.

Vieira grew up in a household It’s been six months since my friend and I where it wasn’t common to express played the one cassette I owned in his car. emotions through words, so music Since then, my bookshelf has seen my small stack of tapes slowly grow. They consist of a mix of artists my parents listen to and with a few unsigned local indie acts. More recently, I bought a used Walkman. Looking for tapes gave me an opportunity to get familiar with record stores around Toronto — and I got hooked on that pretty fast.

I’ve discovered that there’s a rush to discovering music on my own accord, and cassette tapes have become something that helped me connect with people.

I would call my dad and talk about my new finds and listen to his stories about cassettes while I rewound tapes with a Bic pen. The satisfying click of inserting a tape into a cassette player — the soft, mechanical whirring of the Walkman and the slightly wobbly sound caused by the natural wear on the tape — almost makes the music Cassette tapes are an obsolete format, bu t the sound sweeter. y still offer a special experience.

CAROLINE BELLA

MY/THEVARSITY

Photo

March 28, 2022 thevarsity.ca/section/photo photo@thevarsity.ca

Indigenous art on the Hart House green Murals feature art by Inuk, Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe, Michif, and Sámi artists Caroline Bellamy Photo Editor

Content warning: This article mentions the abuses committed as a part of the residential school system.

Murals completed by eight Indigenous artists are currently on display on the Hart House green to create a central space on campus for Indigenous voices. These artworks aim to bring greater awareness to issues faced by Indigenous communities, something that the national Truth and

Reconciliation Commission and the one at U of T recommended.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC), which was active from 2007 until 2015, sought to inform Canadians about what truly happened in residential schools. It spoke to survivors, people close to survivors, and anyone else affected by the residential school system, to record and share their truth.

In direct response to the TRC’s final report, which was released in 2015, the University of Toronto’s Truth and Reconciliation Steering Committee released its own final report in 2017, focusing its calls to action in six areas.

One of these areas is Indigenous spaces.

The Tree Protection Zone established on the Hart House green responds to the call to create space on campus dedicated to Indigenous experiences.

The Landmark Project currently underway at front campus was an opportunity to create an Indigenous space central to campus.

For the Landmark Project, the trees in the Hart House commons were surrounded by wooden planks to protect them from ongoing construction. Eight Indigenous artists — Shuvinai Ashoona, Susan Blight, Carrie Hill, Christi Belcourt, Isaac Murdoch, Taqralik Partridge, Nils Ailo Utsi, and Que Rock — were invited to use the space created by the wooden planks to express themselves and their cultures through art. According to Hart House’s website, the works are “considering the preservation of life, water, and kin and how each is inextricably linked to the protection of trees.”

The Tree Protection Zone is temporary, but there are plans to create a permanent space dedicated to

Indigenous experiences in the same space.

The Indigenous Landscape project will create a permanent space to honor Indigenous communities and for non-Indigenous students and university community members to learn. It will include space for gatherings and an Indigenous garden.

The space will include references to fire and water as well as Taddle Creek, a creek with cultural importance to Indigenous groups, including the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. The Taddle Creek once flowed through U of T, but was partially buried by the city in 1886.

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Tewarontanonhna (We guard the tree)” by Carrie Hill and Kai: The pattern on the barriers, meant to evoke the art of black ash basketry, surrounds the tree and provides it with a protective basket.

CAROLINE BELLAMY/THEVARSITY

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Arts & Culture

March 28, 2022 thevarsity.ca/section/arts-and-culture arts@thevarsity.ca

U of T courses about Indigenous histories and cultures Learn about cultures, medicine, and land Cote First Nation, a Saulteaux First Nations band government.

Brent Amino, Katherine E. Todd, Gabriela Martins, Urooba Shaikh, Vivien Zhang Varsity Contributors

Recognition and support of Indigenous peoples and their histories is something that has never been handled in an adequate way by the Canadian government — in fact, the country has, and continues to support the genocide of Indigenous peoples.

Given the country’s history of political parties and prime ministers who make empty apologies and promises to Indigenous peoples living in Canada, it rests on the next generation of Canadians to make the actual change Canada needs.

It’s the responsibility of every Canadian to familiarize themselves with the histories and cultures of Indigenous peoples, the original inhabitants of the land that we live on. Taking a class about Indigenous themes at U of T is a great step to becoming the kind of informed citizen that our country needs more of.

Since there are so many options available, we’ve narrowed it down to a short list for anyone who is new to this area of study and is searching for a good place to start.

BIOD13H3 — Herbology: The Science Behind Medicinal Plants The use of plants in medicine has been an important practice in Indigenous communities for millennia, with documentation going back over 2,000 years. This course at UTSC explores medicine through the lens of the original inhabitants of this land, and relates it to more recent advances in plant biochemistry through lectures, seminars, and labs. If you’re a student who wishes to pursue medicine in Canada, this course is a great opportunity to understand the origins, context, and traditions of the land you will be practicing on and provide insight when working with Indigenous peoples. This semester, the course is being taught by Eliana Gonzales-Vigil.

ESTB02H3 — Whose Land? IndigenousCanada-Land Relations For the UTSC student looking to learn more about European-Indigenous relations throughout history, look no further. The course is centred

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INS261H1 — Contemporary Challenges Facing Indigenous Communities If you’re intrigued by sociopolitics and current events, this survey course is for you. It focuses on the challenges that many Indigenous peoples are currently facing, and will engage students from all backgrounds of study. The course often covers topics such as education, culture, economics, and decolonization. This semester, the course was taught by Brenda Wastasecoot, a member of York Factory Cree First Nation.

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INS341H1 — North American Indigenous Theatre Acting is so much more than those overdone Netflix remakes. In this course, students can explore Indigenous theatre in North America.

They’ll learn about traditional oratory, ceremony, community responsibility, and social constructs — and the impact of all these factors on current Indigenous theatre.

around the history of colonization and its impacts.

It also examines recent research and analyses on Indigenous histories from pre-European contact to present day Canada. This semester, the course is taught by Nicole Latulippe, who has some Anishinaabe ancestry.

GGRC28H3 — Indigenous Peoples, Environment and Justice The course is meant to engage with Indigenous perspectives on the environment, and talk about environmental justice and the relationship between humans and the environment in Canada.

Its instructor, Nicole Latulippe, engages students with Indigenous ways of knowing and thinking. In the past, students have read Indigenous Water Declarations and discussed Indigenous water justice and governance.

HIS104H5 — A History of Here This course covers Indigenous histories that are

connected with U of T itself. Students can explore archival studies and embark on a deep examination of the complex relationships between U of T and nearby Indigenous groups as they have progressed over the years. Although this course is offered at UTM, its content explores Indigenous relations with all three campuses of the institution. In fall 2020, this course was taught by Brian Gettler.

POL377H1 — Topics in Comparative Politics I This is an introductory course in the field of comparative politics at UTSG. In 2020, the course was taught by Uahikea Maile, a Kanaka Maoli — Indigenous Hawaiian — scholar and activist. The course’s theme was Indigenous feminist and queer theories, and students looked at how settler colonialism intersects and interacts with race, gender, class, sexuality and Indigeneity across history and in the present day.

INS200H1 — Introduction to Indigenous Truth and Resilience If you’re looking for a course that gives a comprehensive introduction to Indigenous histories with a primary focus on local Indigenous peoples, this class is for you. Not only will you learn about the history of the lands surrounding U of T and the Indigenous peoples that have lived here, but about local debates over land ownership over the last few centuries. This semester, the course is taught by Verne Ross, who is from

If none of these course descriptions have struck your fancy, there’s no need to worry. There are so many more options available to peruse that will help expand your knowledge about topics related to Indigenous peoples.

If there’s no room on your timetable, remember that academia isn’t the only way to learn — books are also a great resource to use, and are a fantastic way to learn about Indigenous peoples without the pressure of a graded environment.

Happy studying!

Remembering Lee Maracle’s impact on U of T Maracle was a writer, scholar, and activist Afra Hameed Varsity Contributor

Content warning: This article mentions missing and murdered Indigenous women.

As a member of the Stó:lō Nation, author and scholar Lee Maracle dedicated a considerable fragment of her life to being a representative of U of T’s Indigenous communities.

Maracle was an instructor at U of T’s Centre for Indigenous Studies and Transitional Year Programme. She was also an instructor in the Aboriginal Studies program and was a visiting professor in the Women and Gender Studies program. Prior to her appointment as the First Nations House’s traditional teacher in 2008, she was its inaugural writer-in-residence. In all of these roles, Maracle’s knowledge instilled in her students a remembrance of the past, an understanding of the present, and an influential perspective on the future.

Aside from teaching students, Maracle was also an active community member. She was a member of U of T’s Elders’ Circle, a group responsible for supporting initiatives, strategies, and programming to advance access, retention, and degree completion for Indigenous students. She was also a former traditional teacher-in-residence at Indigenous Student

Services, a department that offers culturally relevant services to Indigenous students.

These roles allowed Maracle to offer students support and guidance, which encouraged their academic success and personal development.

Alongside the Indigenous Studies Students Union, Maracle was also a prominent figure in the year-long organization of U of T’s first powwow in over two decades. The powwow, held on March 11, 2017, featured performances from Indigenous dancers,

Maracle was one of the most influential Indigenous voices in Canada’s literary community.

MARLON MORTILLA/THEVARSITY

tables of handcrafted beadwork, leather goods and quilts made by Indigenous artisans, and honoured missing and murdered Indigenous women.

Maracle also fought for Indigenous representation and recognition on campus. She was one of two Indigenous Elders who advised U of T’s Truth and Reconciliation Steering Committee in the creation of their final report.

Released in 2017, the report outlined 34 Calls to Action for U of T to implement

to better serve its Indigenous communities. The report suggested changes to better improve the following areas at U of T: Indigenous spaces, Indigenous faculty and staff, Indigenous curriculum, Indigenous research ethics and community relationships, Indigenous students and co-curricular education, and implementing institutional leadership.

In the same year that the report was released, Maracle was honoured with a Bonham Centre Award for her contributions to the advancement of teaching issues involving sexual identification. Maracle also educated people through the several fiction and nonfiction books that she published, such as Ravensong, which explores the struggle of an urban Native community devastated by the 1950s influenza outbreak, and Bobbi Lee Indian Rebel, which tells the story of an Indigenous woman raised in North America who “finds her strength despite the forces that challenge and oppress her.” Maracle was recognized as one of the most influential Indigenous voices in Canada’s literary community by being named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2018.

The impact of Maracle’s writings and teachings has not been lost since her death on November 11, 2021. When she took the Proust Questionnaire on CBC Radio in 2016, Maracle echoed this idea, saying, “Words can’t leave the atmosphere. They bounce around, they go around the earth and hit the same spot again.”

Maracle’s contributions will continue to be vital to the growth of our university for years to come.

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Empire’s Tracks: Reframing the transcontinental railroad Manu Karuka led panel at the Asian Institute Bella Sougaris Varsity Contributor

On March 21, U of T’s Asian Institute and the Centre for Indigenous Studies hosted a virtual discussion with author and Barnard College professor, Manu Karuka. During the talk, Karuka spoke about his book, Empire’s Tracks, which reframes the history surrounding the US transcontinental railway. The book explores the transcontinental railway’s relationship to Indigenous peoples — specifically, the Cheyenne, Lakota and Pawnee. Karuka draws connections between “Asian and Indigenous laborers, the land, industrial and finance capitalism, war, [and] sovereignty.”

At the beginning of the discussion, Karuka mentioned three distinct themes — “continental periods,” “countersovereignty,” and “modes of relationship” — which were the basis for his book.

Karuka explained that the identity of the United States is rooted in imperialism. “To conceive of the United States in national terms is to naturalize colonialism… There’s no national US political economy — only an imperial one which continues to be maintained,” he said. He added that his book focuses on how American history “has often [been reframed by colonizers] as a story about ‘cultural dominance.’ ” Karuka said that the transcontinental railway could be used to “understand the history of North America in relation to the histories of Africa, Asia, [and] Latin America.” Through this understanding, Karuka added, we can see that “railroad construction in North America consistently anticipated historical patterns elsewhere

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in the colonized world.”

Within Empire’s Tracks, Karuka used this theme to demonstrate parallels between railroad networks in North America and South Asia. He connected the US railroad expansions to railroad systems in other countries that also displaced people to make room for avenues of commerce. “[Noticing these patterns] in different parts of the world could tell us a lot about how imperialism changed over time and what stayed the same,” he added.

The second theme Karuka highlighted was “countersovereignty.” Karuka coined this term to capture the US’ history of trampling over Indigenous peoples who had prior claims of sovereignty in order to assert its claim to be the

rightful owner of their territories. He described it as an anxious, violent institutional response to “prior and ongoing collective Indigenous life.” In Karuka’s words: “Indigenous collective life and struggle are positioned as a core contradiction of US political economy.”

Karuka’s final theme, “modes of relationship,” related to philosopher Karl Marx’s analysis of capitalism. Marx believed that the relationship between capitalists and their workers was inherently exploitative.

Karuka does not only recognize the exploitative nature of capitalism, but he also highlighted how capitalism has to contend with “prior and ongoing modes of relationship” that already exist and are important to individual

cultures, such as Indigenous cultures. Karuka further explained that his work was inspired

by Indigenous feminists such as author Sarah Winnemucca and economist Winona LaDuke.

After Karuka explained his book’s main themes, six U of T graduate students described elements of Karuka’s writing that they admired.

They also connected the book to their current research, all which related to colonialism. The students’ remarks emphasized the importance of “[remaining] deeply informed [when] studying Black studies and Indigenous studies,” and the importance of “[recognizing] migration as a part of US expansion for… continental imperialism.”

Thomas Blampied, a PhD candidate in the Department of History, highlighted that Karuka’s book wasn’t just about “irrelevant history” but also about topics that were applicable to Canada. Blampied explained that, similar to the transcontinental railway in the US, the Canadian Pacific Railway also benefited from “land grants, capital, and military protection.”

In his closing remarks, Karuka commented that individuals can rarely “claim mastery over fields like Black studies or Indigenous studies,” noting that anyone who chooses to study history or traditions must do so with humility.

However, Karuka noted that one positive element of studying Indigenous histories is that it allows us to “question who we are.” He noted that, in the twentieth century, we’re seeing “[a] slippage… between where [we] come from and the places where we find ourselves.”

By learning about the struggles of Indigenous peoples, Karuka explained, we are taught a lesson about humility and get an opportunity to reaffirm our stance against imperialism.

Indigenous educator Lorena Garvey discusses the importance of water Garvey’s talk highlights access to safe water, global initiatives Madeline Szabo Arts & Culture Correspondent

On March 24, UTM’s Indigenous Centre hosted a virtual “Lunch & Learn,” featuring presenter Lorena Garvey, an Indigenous consultant and educator. Garvey, who is Anishinaabe, is a Training and Learning Coordinator at the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centers, which, according to its website, is “[a place] for community members and Indigenous people living in urban spaces to gather, connect with one another and receive culturally based services.”

Garvey’s presentation discussed the importance of ‘nibi.’ Nibi means water in Anishinaabemowin, an Indigenous language whose speakers generally range from Manitoba to Québec. Nibi was given to us by Mother Earth, and Garvey described it as “an element that is connected to all beings on this earth.” Garvey’s presentation combined our connections with nibi to different initiatives we can participate in to protect it.

The event was held in honour of World Water Day, which is celebrated annually on March 22. The day is an annual United Nations Observance, and raises awareness about the two billion people who are currently living without access to safe water around the world. As Garvey pointed out, many Indigenous communities struggle with clean water advisories: as of March 22, 29 Indigenous reserves in Canada were under long-term drinking water advisories. On 11

of those reserves, cases had remained unresolved for over a decade.

Garvey challenged the assumption that the lack of safe water in Indigenous communities is because Indigenous peoples live too far north of the city to access the necessary infrastructure. She highlighted that many reserves in southern, urban areas of Ontario have drinking water advisories. For example, the Oneida Nation of the Thames is an Indigenous reserve which is home to over 2,000 residents. The community, located a mere 30 kilometers from London, ON, has been under a boil-water advisory since 2019.

Only this month, the Lake Huron Water Supply System management board voted unanimously to connect Oneida Nation of the Thames to their water supply system.

The decision made the community the first London-area Indigenous reserve to join one of the region’s two water supply systems.

Garvey also highlighted how the importance of water is also emphasized through global advocacy initiatives. The sixth goal of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals — adopted to ensure that all global citizens enjoy “peace and prosperity” — is to achieve universal and equitable access to safe drinking water for everyone by 2030. Not only does this goal emphasize the importance of preserving our planet’s water, but the concrete date of 2030 emphasizes that this change must be achieved for ourselves in the present rather than for future generations.

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There are also many Indigenous initiatives designed to conserve our world’s water.

For example, Garvey discussed Josephine Mandamin, an activist from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island. In 2003, Mandamin and a group of Anishinaabe women started the Mother Earth Water Walk, an event which brought women together to raise awareness about the sacredness of the water. According to Garvey, Mandamin’s final walk, which took place in 2017, was over 8,000 kilometres.

Mandamin’s great-niece, Autumn Peltier, is also an Anishinaabe water rights advocate.

In 2016, when she was 12, Peltier challenged Justin Trudeau’s lack of action about the water crisis during the winter meeting of the Assembly of First Nations, telling him: “I am very unhappy with the choices you’ve made.”

In 2019, Peltier was made Chief Water Commissioner by the Anishinabek Nation. She was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize three times for her activism.

Garvey also emphasized the importance of our personal respect for water. She empha-

sized that honouring water can be as simple as “[going] to your nearest river or stream or pond and talking to it.” It could also be as simple as telling family and friends about ways to reduce their environmental footprint.

Garvey shared that she and her partner put a glass of water on their balcony every full moon. They place sweetgrass in the water, tobacco around it, and let it sit out in the light. In the morning, they take a drink, knowing that the water will give them good luck in the coming month.

Ultimately, Garvey’s talk was about understanding that water is a key component of our world. Approximately 75 per cent of our bodies are made of water. When we drink it, it sustains us and all the living creatures on Earth.

Moreover, Garvey explained that in some Indigenous cultures, water is a living spirit that feels your respect and love for it. We must treat it with this respect to preserve it for our survival and our planet’s survival — because, as Garvey said, “[Water] is what connects all of us.”

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ARTS & CULTURE

Sub-Committee for Indigenous Place Making to rename UTSC’s Social Science Building Renaming follows U of T’s 2016 Reconciliation Response Report Alexa DiFrancesco Arts & Culture Editor

In November 2021, the co-chairs of the UTSC Sub-Committee for Indigenous Place Making — Assistant Director of Indigenous Initiatives Kelly Crawford and Assistant Director of the Department of Health and Society Nicholas Spence — hosted a virtual discussion forum about the importance of place from an Indigenous perspective. During the session — which all U of T staff, students and faculty were able to attend — participants were asked to contribute to the process of renaming UTSC’s Social Science Building (MW).

At the session, participants suggested themes for a name related to synergies between the building and meaningful spaces, flora and fauna, relational accountability, community and pride in place, and Mother Earth. They also suggested that MW’s new name could represent it as a teaching place, or that its name could honour the original inhabitants of the land that it was built upon.

In a statement to The Varsity, Jennifer Adams Peffer, campus architect and director of architecture at UTSC, described that, because MW’s actual usage no longer fits its name, “[U of T] saw this as an opportunity to engage the community in coming up with a new name that reflects its location, as opposed to its occupants.” Similarly, the Microsoft form that U of T used to collect community members’ input outlined that any suggestions must be based on a descriptor or place, not a person’s name.

Following the form’s March 25 deadline, the UTSC Sub-Committee for Indigenous Place Making will bring those suggestions to U of T’s Truth, Reconciliation and Indigenous Initiatives Advisory Committee for consideration. Peffer explained that the sub-committee is responsible for generating ideas, making recommendations, and offering feedback on initiatives “to support creation of welcoming spaces for Indigenous staff, faculty, students, and community members through visible representations of Indigenous language, knowledge, history, cultures, and art on campus.”

“These visible markers of our commitment to Indigeneity at UTSC include new campus wayfinding, revision of existing wayfinding, naming/ renaming buildings, interior, and exterior spaces, and establishing prominent displays of Indigenous art,” Peffer wrote.

U of T reconciliation report MW was previously referred to as UTSC’s ‘Management Wing’ because it housed the campus’ department of management. However, when the campus’ Instructional Centre opened in 2011, the department of management moved to UTSC’s north campus, and MW instead became known as the Social Sciences Building.

Peffer explained that, last year, UTSC’s Truth, Reconciliation, and Indigenous Initiatives Committee (TRIIAC) deemed “Indigenizing the campus a priority for 2021/2022.” Peffer also wrote that the committee “supported the idea of the MW renaming as part of this endeavour.”

MW’s renaming process also reflects U of T’s Reconciliation Response Report, Answering the Call: Wecheehetowin. The report was written by U of T’s Steering Committee in 2016 as a response to the challenges outlined by Canada’s 2015 Truth and Reconciliation final report. The Truth and Reconciliation final report was created to help address the legacy of residential schools in Canada and “advance the process of reconciliation.” It included 94 Calls to Action which were developed after six years of research and consideration by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC).

Answering the Call: Wecheehetowin, whose title was meant to reflect the TRC Calls to Action and the necessity of U of T “building a new relationship with Indigenous communities,” outlined in its preface that the university “must face [the fact that] settler community relations with Indigenous peoples in [Canada] have never been anything other than exploitative and oppressive.”

The preface also mentioned that, “for the first time in history,” U of T is taking the recommendations from the TRC and is “[finding] opportu-

nities for building a genuinely new relationship between Indigenous peoples and other peoples” who share Canada.

Each of the working groups consulted in Answering the Call: Wecheehetowin, emphasized that on-campus spaces are crucial to the Indigenous experience at U of T, and that current spaces dedicated to Indigenous communities “were lacking in both number and features.” One group also emphasized the importance of physical space for Indigenous members of U of T’s community, and pointed out that creating “the right environment” for such members is vital “if the University truly wishes to ensure the recruitment, retention, and flourishing of Indigenous people.”

The report also expressed a desire for “more meaningful dedicated Indigenous spaces on all three campuses.” Working groups added that adding to existing spaces on campus was an important way “to render University space more accessible and meaningful to our Indigenous community members.” It noted that the effort to incorporate Indigenous cultures into existing spaces would “aid in the education of the U of T community as a whole about Indigenous people.”

Impact and next steps In an email to The Varsity, Dr. Angela MashfordPringle, a Timiskaming First Nation and assistant professor and associate director at U of T’s Waakebiness-Bryce Institute for Indigenous Health, wrote, “[Changing names] in western settings like UTSC can help start conversations about the history and contemporary uses of the land.”

“By changing the name of a building at UTSC, students may be drawn to understanding why there is a new name and how it came about,” Mashford-Pringle wrote. “It [is] also extremely important to Indigenous students to see that they are welcome in the space.”

Though changing the names of existing spaces to reflect Indigenous cultures is extremely important, Answering the Call: Wecheehetowin proved that U of T still has many steps to take to make the campus a more inclusive setting.

Aside from its call to action involving Indigenous spaces, the report also highlighted the need for additional action regarding Indigenous faculty and staff, U of T’s Indigenous curriculum, Indigenous research ethics and community relationships, Indigenous students and co-curricular education, and institutional leadership and implementation.

Such calls to action ultimately echo a message that Mashford-Pringle emphasized in her email to The Varsity: “Name changes should just be the beginning of the process of truth leading to reconciliation.”

MW is being renamed because its usage no longer fits its name.

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Science

March 28, 2022 thevarsity.ca/section/science science@thevarsity.ca

Meet Kitty — our blind, feral cat Animal welfare must recognize that animals also lead their own, inherently valuable lives Alyanna Denise Chua Associate Features Editor

When I glanced outside a window from my house in Manila, I saw the usual sight: feral cats of all colours and sizes roaming the single-lane gravel road.

As I walked outside, I saw some of them lying under the metal undersides of cars, plopped under the shades of banana trees, and even relaxed on driveways.

I hadn’t given them much thought before the pandemic. Between the chaos of living with the four dogs we have at home and the hubbub of keeping up with my family, friends, and schoolwork, my mind was already filled to the brim with things to care about.

During the pandemic, however, some community members — including my older sister and 10-year-old brother — decided to actively take better care of these feral cats. In the summer of 2021, they bought sacks of dry cat food and boxes of cat milk formula and began to feed the feral cats and kittens.

New beginnings Two months after they started this makeshift feeding program, they saw her: a kitten so tiny she could fit in the palm of your hand.

She was resting under a tree with her eyes closed. My sister and brother fed her some milk, then left to feed the others.

Three days later, they noticed that the kitten’s eyes were still closed, so they decided to bring her to our vet. In the clinic, they discovered that the kitten was only two weeks old and had a potentially fatal eye infection.

She was most likely already blind.

These eye infections, which are viral in origin, seem to be common among feral cats. Our vet speculated that the virus that caused the infection was passed down from mother to kitten and was exacerbated by the unclean environment the kitten was born in.

They prescribed the kitten four kinds of solutions and syrups. Since the infection could potentially spread systemically to her other organs if left unchecked, she would also need to undergo surgery to have her eyeballs removed.

After that, my siblings brought her to our home. That was when I met her for the first time. I couldn’t believe how small she was — how her tiny body was able to withstand the dust and germs that saturated the streets. Her eyeballs bulged out of their sockets, and they were so cloudy that none of us could see her pupils anymore.

We named her Kitty. Sometimes, we call her Kitty Monster just to joke around with her.

Raising Kitty wasn’t easy. She meowed endlessly for days and kept nibbling at our skin with her tiny teeth. We had to buy a cone to prevent her from scratching her eyes, and to teach her both where and how to pee — but what a joy it was to give some of yourself to someone else and for them to trust you entirely.

The importance of animal welfare According to the World Organization for

Animal Health, animal welfare involves ensuring that an animal is well-nourished, able to express normal behaviours, and not suffering from pain or chronic fear.

Many science journals have emphasized the importance of animal welfare by linking it to human issues like maintaining food quality, sustainable food production, and controlling diseases — but I think that animal welfare doesn’t need to serve a functional purpose for humans in order to be considered important.

We strive to treat our fellow humans with respect, not as a means to anything but as an end in and of itself. I think about treating our fellow animals in the same way: because animals have inherent value, animal welfare could be of value for its own sake.

According to philosopher Markus Wild, “Animals

don’t just have value for us, but also for themselves.” Animals are also agents that lead their own lives, use their abilities to interact with their surroundings, and experience a myriad of emotions throughout the ups and downs of their existence.

We publish scientific articles in order to prove that non-human animals also feel; we even have a scientific concept termed ‘sentience’ to describe this consciousness. But whenever I press my ear against Kitty’s belly and hear her heart beating, or lie down beside her and hear her snoring, I already know intuitively that there’s no way that this being couldn’t also feel happiness, fear, and love.

Overall, my siblings and I realized that we should do something about the broader feral cat population in our community. We couldn’t possibly feed all of them forever, and attempting to do so would only increase their population. Hopefully, my siblings and I will be able to continue with our plans to conduct a trap-neuter-release program in our community someday, which is what numerous animal welfare organizations suggest is the most humane and effective way to control feral populations.

Through this method, trained professionals humanely capture feral cats and send them to clinics for neutering and vaccination.

After the cats recover, these professionals return the cats to their original homes in the outdoors, with their colonies.

I’ve been away from Kitty for six months now, and I can’t wait to see her when I get home to Manila in two weeks’ time. She’s now nine months old, and even though she’s just one feral cat out of countless others, I feel honoured that my family took a chance with her. On top of that, I’m happy that she found a home in us — and that we found a home in her.

When I hear Kitty’s heart beating, I know that she feels happiness, fear, and love.

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Sports

March 28, 2022 thevarsity.ca/section/sports sports@thevarsity.ca

Tomas Jirousek: law student, Varsity Blues rower, and activist How the law student rower sets an example for those that may come after him Mekhi Quarshie Associate Sports Editor

Stepping outside of your comfort zone: for most, the act seems daunting. For rower Tomas Jirousek, a member of the Blackfoot confederacy of the Kainai nation of Southern Alberta — and someone who has been out of his comfort zone for most of his life — it’s child play.

As a second-year law student and Varsity Blues rower, Tomas has already made an impact on the athletic and academic community here at U of T. However, his journey to becoming a great rower at one of the best law schools in the country was not an easy one. It was even harder considering there were few people that looked like him in the spaces that he entered.

Jirousek started rowing at McGill University while pursuing an undergraduate degree in political science. He displayed significant talent

right off the bat. In his first year at McGill, he had the opportunity to represent the province with Team Quebec in the Canada Games, leading a fourth-place finish in the men’s eight. The race was in Montréal, and the team was ready for it — except for one minuscule detail. Jirousek, the stroke rower, barely knew French.

In retrospect, he deems that experience as one of the greatest accomplishments of his rowing career, despite the language barrier that he had to overcome. Jirousek explains how the boaters got into a fishy situation in the middle of the race: “We were at our opening heat at the Canada game and we were between Ontario and Alberta. We got off the starting line pretty well but we’re drifting toward Manitoba… Without thinking, I make a call to my teammates, ‘Plus fort aux bâbord!’

But it was the [wrong] direction. So instead of going the way I thought, all of a sudden our

boat starts going the other way.”

Despite the French curse words that were making their way around the boat, the team made it out of their heat and was able to capture fourth place. Jirousek said that the Canada games were “one of the best experiences of [his] life.”

Jirousek has also been a social activist since his time as an undergraduate student. When he was at McGill, he led the campaign that changed the derogatory name of the McGill sports teams to the “McGill Redbirds.”

The idea for the campaign started during the times when Jirousek felt uncomfortable participating in athletics under the old name, which was tied to harmful and stereotypical depictions of Indigenous peoples. His efforts resulted in a rally on the McGill campus on October 31, 2018, where students chanted, “Change the name!” After a persistent effort by

Jirousek, McGill finally announced that it would drop the name. “It snowballed into something bigger than I ever expected,” Jirousek said.

The success of the campaign was formative in Jirousek’s decision to pursue law school at U of T. However, law is something that has been on his mind from a young age. “My grandparents struggled with the legal system. When [my grandparents] were born, they couldn’t hire a lawyer… I wanted to do them justice by going into this field.” He noted that the campaign against the old team name made him realize the actual difference that he could make.

Despite Jirousek’s efforts, and universities’ attempts to make their spaces more inclusive, Jirousek said that in many of the spaces he encounters, he doesn’t see anyone else who is Indigenous. “I’m the only Indigenous person on the rowing team both at McGill and at U of T,” he added.

Jirousek said that financial limitations prevent Indigenous students from pursuing athletics.

“Varsity rowing [is] an expensive sport… it needs to be more heavily subsidized,” he argued.

Jirousek explained that since social services are underfunded on Indigenous reserves, many families have to spend money on things that would otherwise be public goods, therefore leading to less disposable income. Offering scholarships, or subsidies as a way for Indigenous families to “get over the financial burden of playing a sport” could help inclusivity, he said.

While Jirousek is an attendee of one of the top law schools in Canada, he still sees sports as one of the most important aspects of his life. “My grandma used to tell me, sports is a kind of a medium where you shed racial barriers. You step on the water and despite everything else, the money, the politics… it’s just you and them. Nothing else. Just how quick you can push, how quick you can race — and I loved that about the sport.”

Jirousek continued, “[When] no one looks like you… it’s scary. But people are nicer than they seem. It’s easier once you get involved…

Being a varsity athlete is amazing. It’s been transformative for my life.”

Much like varsity athletics have transformed his life, the stories of Tomas Jirousek could be transformative to many student athletes that come after him. So follow his example! Go out there and grab a ball, a stick, or a paddle — you never know what you’ll accomplish.

Jirousek’s activism has inspired real change in sports.

COURTESY OF TOMAS JIROUSEK/THEVARSITY

The real history of lacrosse The quintessential Canadian summer sport has its roots in Indigenous cultures

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Helen Guo Varsity Contributor

In 1994, lacrosse officially became Canada’s national summer sport. The sport of lacrosse does not originate from European colonizers. Rather, Indigenous peoples invented and played the sport, albeit with different rules, even before the arrival of Europeans to North America.

Lacrosse was played by many different Indigenous communities who had their own versions of the game with varied names. The first Europeans who observed tewaarathon — a Mohawk term for the game that would later be known as lacrosse — reported that it did not resemble any sport they had seen before. Early versions of the sport are very different from how modern lacrosse is played. Much of the rules of modern lacrosse were invented later on by European settlers after they adopted lacrosse from Indigenous peoples.

In fact, European settlers’ initial observations — that lacrosse looked similar to war — might not be far from the truth. Indigenous peoples often used lacrosse games to settle disagreements between groups. During these games, entire valleys could be filled with hundreds of players for a single game. It was believed by the Haudenosaunee that the Creator would watch the game enthusiastically, soaking in the fun.

And since lacrosse was a gift from the Creator, playing lacrosse meant that the Haudenosaunee could show appreciation and give thanks toward the Creator for their gift. In conjunction with this tradition, the Haudenosaunee lacrosse games were also played before a medicine person who was looking for a way to treat a sick person, in hopes that the Creator would see the appreciation and in turn guide the medicine person to the right treatments for the sick.

Despite Indigenous cultures’ strong connections to the sport, why is it that people do not automatically associate the sport of lacrosse with Indigenous peoples? The answer, as with many things, is colonization. The erasure of the Indigenous histories of lacrosse is just one

of the ways Indigenous cultures were stolen through colonization.

In 1860, the first iteration of modern lacrosse was created by the dentist and lacrosse enthusiast Dr. William George Beers. However, in the rulebooks that he wrote for the game, he included a rule forbidding Indigenous peoples from playing for white lacrosse clubs, “unless previously agreed upon.”

Additionally, in 1880, Indigenous players were barred from championship competitions when The National Lacrosse Association became an amateur organization. Despite the fact that they were the creators of the sport, it wasn’t until over one hundred years later that the Iroquois National Lacrosse Team was given membership in the Federation of International Lacrosse — now known as World Lacrosse —and allowed to compete in international competitions.

So the next time you come across a game of lacrosse on the back campus fields or catch a game on the television, you should remember that this sport has a rich history within Indigenous cultures — and it is up to all fans of the game to continually remind the world of this fact.

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Opinion: Sports teams can do more for Indigenous peoples Why we must demand substantial change for the future of athletics Alessandra Chiu Varsity Contributor

The significance of the Washington Football Team — now called the Commanders — retiring their past name and logo is undeniable. But after an extensive line of demands for change and countless calls for recognition of the name’s damaging effects, it is hardly acceptable to believe this is the extent of our ability to make lasting reparations for our history.

In July 2020, the Washington Commanders announced the retirement of their name and logo following years of criticism from Indigenous people. Among them was Suzan Shown Harjo, of Cheyenne and Hodulgee heritage, a long-time activist for Indigenous rights for well over five decades and the lead plaintiff in a 1992 court case against the Washington Commanders.

Although this issue had garnered public attention since the late 1900s, it took economic pressure from major investors and sponsors for a change in Washington’s prejudicial rhetoric. Harjo and other activists faced unjust backlash for their work, with Harjo saying, “We were treated as if we were hooligans who had just conducted some sort of heinous operation against humanity.”

The name change was met with both support and backlash. Although those who oppose the change argue that the use of Indigenous names and mascots stems from support and honour for these groups, many Indigenous activists, scholars, and peoples argue that this usage misrepresents and trivializes Indigenous cultures and lives. University of Michigan Professor Stephanie Fryberg, who is a member of the Tulalip tribe of the Puget Sound region in the state of Washington, in an interview with The Ringer, said that the use of names such

as the prior name of the Washington Commanders “is no different than the celebration of Thanksgiving or Christopher Columbus when they’re all based on misinformation, romanticization, and dehumanizing of Native people.”

In an interview with Politico, Fryberg emphasized the existence of underlying psychological effects from the usage of stereotypes, whether positive or negative. Fryberg said, “Being shown the mascot actually lowered [Indigenous] high schoolers’ self-esteem more than giving them negative statistics about [Indigenous communities], like high suicide rates, depression, dropout rates.” The normalization of integrating harmful expressions into the sports industry under the false notion of honour illustrates how easily we can feed into stereotypes without even realizing it.

Should it be this simple to worsen our implicit bias?

In the three major sports leagues of the NFL, NHL, and MLB, franchises continue to use explicit Indigenous wording and imagery, such as the Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Blackhawks, and Atlanta Braves. For example, the Braves choose to use the “tomahawk chop” during games as a fan activity. However, members of the Muscogee nation, whose historical homeland included part of Georgia, disagree with the use. Jason Salsman, a spokesperson for Chief David Hill of the Muscogee nation, was quoted in NBC news saying that the tomahawk chop is a caricature, not an accurate depiction of Indigenous culture.

The twisted establishment of these symbols sustains the appropriation of Indigenous cultures. These misrepresentations of Indigenous identities promote prejudicial associations between particular attributes and Indigenous peoples. The simple use of these names and logos have allowed for cultural appropriation to

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develop and fester, as the indifference of those in power illustrated their refusal to recognize the impact of their actions. The use of these names, imagery, and mascots give way to reinforcing stereotypes that originate in systematic oppression.

As we continue to make steps toward conciliation, it is clear that we must do more than acknowledge our wrongs and instead take action to create a safe place for Indigenous peoples. If franchises want these changes to mean more than an empty gesture, they cannot stop here, as more will be expected.

Teams must work further to shift away from the appropriation of Indigenous identities and work further to change the systemic oppression and discrimination that the Indigenous communities face.

As a society, we must call on teams to support the growth of Indigenous cultural practices, including music, religion, and ceremony — such as through donations to Indigenous causes and by creating a platform for Indigenous activists and performers to let their voices be heard and amplified. It is critical to address harms caused by the cultural appropriation in

team names and mascots, but we must also urge teams to create a larger impact.

In addition to advocating for the removal of harmful representations, franchises must dedicate time and resources to encourage education about Indigenous traditions, values, and heritage. Management for franchises must make a significant effort to make amends for the effects of their actions by encouraging education regarding various Indigenous cultures.

Over the years, the impact of sports teams’ cultural appropriation can be seen in the acceptance of these stereotypes, whether it is intentional or not. The Washington Commanders have taken a step toward acknowledging their wrongdoing, but more action must be taken.

They must make efforts to advocate for other teams to recognize the harm of their cultural appropriation.

It is vital to recognize we can never make up for the suffering of the Indigenous communities throughout history. As teams like the Washington Commanders look to create an inclusive community for all, it cannot be done without the integration and acceptance of Indigenous cultures.

Varsity Blues: March recap Summing up recent Varsity Blues games and looking at what’s yet to come Audrey Miatello Associate Sports Editor

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Hockey This year, I’ve had the opportunity to work behind the scenes at the Varsity Blues men’s and women’s hockey games. As a result, I’ve been at a number of their matches this season, including some of their recent playoff games.

On March 17, the Varsity Blues men’s hockey team played their first playoff match of the 2021–2022 season against the Waterloo Warriors. Although the Varsity Blues scored first that evening, the Warriors responded by scoring two goals within as many minutes. The Blues ended up falling 4–1 in this quarterfinal game.

The night before, on March 16, the Varsity Blues women’s hockey team played their semifinal match against the Nippising Lakers at Varsity Arena. The first period saw these two teams score four goals in total, and the athletes headed into the dressing room with the game tied 2–2. After the intermission, the Lakers were able to find the back of the net in the second period and ended up winning the playoff match 3–2.

While the Blues were unable to win that night,

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As the month of March comes to an end, so do the 2021–2022 seasons for a number of Varsity Blues teams. In case you’ve missed some of the exciting playoff matches that have taken place lately, let’s recap some of the recent Varsity Blues’ games.

some women’s hockey team members did win other awards for their work this season. The team’s coach, Vicky Sunohara, was named the U SPORTS FOX 40 Coach of the Year, as she guided the Blues to a first place finish in the league.

In addition, Varsity Blues goalkeeper Erica Fryer and defender Gabrielle De Serres were named U SPORTS All-Canadians this year. Fryer had the fourth highest save percentage in the country, at .954, and secured four shoutouts for the Blues. De Serres collected the most assists — a whopping 10 — in her league and, with

13 points, also accumulated the second most points on her team.

Volleyball On March 19, the Varsity Blues women’s volleyball team played against the Brock Badgers in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) final. The Badgers and Blues finished second and third in the regular season respectively, and both teams were undefeated heading into the playoffs.

Although the Badgers started the finals strong, winning the first two sets, the Blues were able to win the third set 25–16. In the fourth set,

though, the Blues fell 25–15, finishing second in the OUA overall.

The Varsity Blues men’s volleyball team had a successful regular season, collecting 22 points and only losing one match out of 12. In their OUA finals, the team faced off against the McMaster Marauders, who finished the regular season in first place. Although the Blues won the first set, the Marauders went on to win the next three in a row and ultimately claimed the 2022 championship.

The women’s volleyball team travelled to Calgary for the U SPORTS championship, which took place between March 25–27. The team has won this competition once before, during their 2015–2016 season, and took fifth place this year after defeating the Calgary Dinos three sets to one.

The men’s volleyball team also competed in the U SPORTS championship during the weekend of March 25. Their competition was hosted in Winnipeg, and the Blues faced the Sherbrooke Vert & Or, who were ranked fifth overall, in their first game.

Upcoming games The 2021–2022 Varsity Blues season is not done yet — teams for sports like figure skating, track and field, fencing, and wrestling are still wrapping up competitions over the next few days.

To all of the athletes with upcoming matches, good luck! And to all of the teams whose seasons have already ended, we’re looking forward to watching you compete again next year!

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