Volume 56, Issue 2

Volume 56 - Issue 2 September 15, 2022 theeyeopener.com @theeyeopener Since 1967

PHOTO: PEYTON KEELER-COX ILLUSTRATION: VANESSA KAUK

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EDITORIAL

Editorial: Bring back last year’s TMSU election energy this year

By Abeer Khan Just over six months ago, the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) student body made their voices heard and participated to create change on campus by voting for an independent president to head the Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union (TMSU).

On campus, it was a buzzing topic as finally, there was an independent body coming onto the TMSU. There was finally hope to turn an organization heavily embedded in scandal and controversy into a beacon of hope and advocacy for TMU students.

Just over six months ago, that fruitful wish seemed grounded in

reality. Now, not so much.

As we head into a new academic year, the TMSU has already been plagued with many ailments. Before the fall 2022 semester even started, two TMSU executives resigned.

Vice-president operations Salar Syed resigned from his position on Aug. 26, in a letter sent to The Eyeopener. A month prior, vicepresident education Umar Abdullah also resigned from his role for another opportunity in his field.

Aside from internal happenings, Marina Gerges, the president of the TMSU, also broke bylaws by sharing confidential student information—including full names, email addresses and home addresses—

with student groups across campus.

As reported by The Eyeopener’s news team later in this issue, Gerges shared confidential information discussed on-camera without the permission of the Board of Directors (BoD).

That being said, heading into this new year, I urge all students to be aware of what’s happening at your students’ union and be as proactive as you were last year. Let’s bring that same energy back this fall because as much as we all hoped things would be different this year, they are not.

Go to TMSU meetings, regularly keep up with their programming and push for them to act on change you wish to see within the community. Remember that your

VANESSA KAUK/THE EYEOPENER

Editor-in-Chief Abeer “Consolation Caramel Macchiato” Khan News Edward “Bad Influence” Djan Thea “Rain H8er” Gribilas Prapti “Returned To Ontario” Bamaniya

students’ union works for you and your say does matter.

Because we know what happens when we forget who really has the power. (Credit card scandals, broken bylaws, all your dime).

So let’s head into the new academic year ready to participate, advocate and fight for ourselves.

Photo Jes “Panic Texting” Mason Vanessa “Walking Jays Ad” Kauk Peyton “IMA Plug” Keeler-Cox Online Alexandra “Harden Scott Lover” Holyk Abby “Fancy Shmancy” Hughes Features Mariyah “PIVOOOT!” Salhia Arts and Culture Madeline “Cutest Desk” Liao Business and Technology Christina “I’m a Charlotte” Flores-Chan Communities Asha “Transfer Baddie” Swann Sports Gavin “RJ means Rain Jacket” Axelrod Jack “Three-man Security Escort” MacCool

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Contributors Rochelle “We Miss U So Much” Raveendran Rajalaxmi “Speedy” Nayak Chloe “Tote Bag Queen” Bard Nashra “Next Level” Syed Andrew “Hard Body” Yang Jaden “Is Fork” Ho Olga “PR Puzzles” Bergmans Samira “Biz & Tech Vet” Balsara Gabriela “What’s Our Real Name” Silva Ponte Vanessa “Not The TTC” Tiberio Lauren “Health is Wealth” Battagello Laura “D2L Expert” Hall Mariana “Prophecy Unfolder” Schuetze Andrade Sierra “TTC Ambassador ” Finkelshtain Marco “Newbie” Muia Kim “Birthday King” Namjoon

NEWS

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Final-year students express concern over the university name on their degree

By Gabriela Silva Ponte It has been over four months since Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) announced its name change, but the process is not yet complete.

Though the university has changed some signage across campus and is selling TMU merchandise in its campus store, the name is not yet legally in effect.

For this change to be complete, the Ryerson University Act would have to be amended—something only the provincial government can do.

The university states in its Frequently Asked Questions page online that it registered the name immediately, allowing the university to operate under it and are awaiting government approval for the legislative amendment in the Ryerson University Act. In an emailed statement to The Eyeopener, TMU said at this time, there are no government updates on when this might happen.

According to Kristyn WongTam, MPP for Toronto Centre—the riding the school resides in—the university has not reached out to Wong-Tam specifically about this.

Wong-Tam said the name change was robust and thus the university should not have any problems in re-

ceiving legislative approval.

“It would be extremely disrespectful of the legislative assembly and the provincial government if they stalled the TMU name change,” said Wong-Tam. They added that Toronto’s city council will also be embarking on a journey of name changes, with Dundas Street taking priority.

The Eye reached out to the Minister of Colleges and Universities, Jill Dunlop, but did not receive a response.

If legislation is not passed by the time the class of 2023 graduates, their diplomas will still say “Ryerson University.”

Fourth-year politics and governance student Kristina Kisin, said that if this is the case, she will feel like she got a degree from a university that no longer exists.

“In five, 10 years time, it will be known as Toronto Metropolitan University, not Ryerson University anymore,” she said. “If it just ends up being ‘Ryerson University’ on the degree and that’s what I tell employers, I have a worry that they will not know the university.”

Scott Denby, a history student hoping to graduate this December, said he has a fear it would overcomplicate later his education or

job applications.

“As far as I know, the school is currently called Toronto Metropolitan University,” he said. “That’s the website I log into, the signage I see on the street. I would like to get my diploma with the same logo as what I graduated from.”

“The students did not have a voice in this” Kisin said, if possible, she would like to have both university names on her diploma, “because then that diploma would reflect both names that I experienced throughout my journey.”

In a statement, the university said that if the name change does not happen before convocation, students can either choose to take a Ryerson University parchment or wait to receive a TMU parchment once the act has been amended.

Students who choose a Ryerson University parchment will have to pay if they opt to have it reprinted as Toronto Metropolitan University.

TMU announced on their Graduation Award Document Reissues page that if students who have previously graduated would like to

change the name on their diploma, the cost will be $70.

The university did not specify on the page if an exception would be made for the graduating class of 2023.

“Graduated students or alumni having to pay this fee seems a little absurd, considering how large of a budget the university already has on the whole rebranding,” said Kisin.

Denby agrees. “Although the rebranding was positive, the students did not have a voice in this,” he said.

“I didn’t have control over wheth-

er the school was going to change its name,” said Denby.

According to the university, there was no vote on the new name because it is not a “popularity contest,” but rather part of a deliberate and delicate process. One of the most recent universities to have their name changed through legislation was Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) University.

The legislation for OCAD was introduced on April 27, 2010, to add “University” to the official name.

JES MASON/THE EYEOPENER

TMU commuters say they feel uneasy returning to campus

By Vanessa Tiberio Commuter students at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) are dealing with the impacts of transit reduction and construction as they return to fully in-person learning for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With in-person classes resuming and people going back to work, commuters are noticing an uptake in delays and busyness on public transportation, causing them to readjust their schedules in anticipation of cancellations and delays.

Katherine Rita, a second-year accounting and finance student, travels about an hour to get to campus.

She said the prospect of getting to

PEYTON KEELER-COX/THE EYEOPENER

class late and experiencing transit delays makes her worried for the full return to in-person learning.

“The [Toronto Transit Commission] TTC is probably one of the most unreliable transportation methods. There are so many delays and so many subway stops not getting service.”

TTC CEO Rick Leary said in a statement that the TTC anticipates a rider surge in September as students return to school and more people return to in-office work.

According to the statement, the TTC predicts a 10 to 15 per cent increase in the number of riders using their services within the coming weeks and months.

In response to the surge, the TTC

announced it will be increasing the frequency of its subway, bus and streetcar services, including restoring three-minute train service on Lines 1 and 2.

Rita said she is excited by this announcement as she is looking forward to less busy trains.

“After a long day of classes, all you want to do is sit down” “You don’t want to have to stand with all of your heavy textbook[s],” she said. “After a long day of classes, all you want to do is sit down.”

Fudail Syed, a second-year computer engineering student, said he’s

noticed an increase in riders on his 45-minute GO train ride from Brampton, Ont. Syed said the train gets so busythat it’s often difficult to find a seat, leaving passengers to stand for the full duration of the ride.

“In the winter semester, there were a lot of empty seats and I used to study on the GO train, but I can’t do that now if I’m standing,” he said.

Currently, Metrolinx only has plans to increase GO Bus frequency along with line-specific adjustments.

When they were asked about plans to increase services on GO Transit lines, Metrolinx directed The Eyeopener to their blog posts.

“For GO Bus customers, Metrolinx is increasing bus frequency and adding seasonal service for post-secondary students, among other schedule changes,” their blog post reads.

GO Transit’s seasonal bus services for post-secondary students include special routes to schools outside of the Greater Toronto Area, meaning that TMU students don’t get to enjoy the addition of the special routes.

Students also expressed concerns that the removal of mask mandates on public transportation may render their trip unsafe.

Erica Wu, a fourth-year RTA new media student, said she felt especially nervous about taking public transportation because of this increased risk. “[The] majority of people aren’t

wearing masks. And as someone who hasn’t gotten COVID[-19], I want to make sure that my chances are not as high, but there’s only so [much] I can do,” she said.

Rita echoes these concerns stating, “A lot of people didn’t wear a mask, and that made me really scared especially living at home with people who are immunocompromised.”

Tanuson Rajakumar, a secondyear business management student, has a commute that takes him about an hour to get to campus.

“The majority of people aren’t wearings masks...there’s only so much I can do” He said he’s considered driving to school before but it’s not a great option because of increased driving expenses such as gas, parking and idling in traffic.

“I’m pretty sure it would take you longer to drive downtown versus taking the GO train at this point. It’s just not worth it,” he said.

Other TMU students have felt the same way and have come to the same conclusion.

Rita said that for her, driving is off the table.

“Even if I get a parking pass, I don’t have eyes on my car all the time and then I have to pay for insurance and gas. It’s just so much more than just the simple Presto card tap that I have to do.”

4

NEWS

By Edward Djan and Thea Gribilas

VANESSA KAUK/THE EYEOPENER

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) students are hoping for an apology after Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union (TMSU) president Marina Gerges sent confidential student information to TMU student group executives.

Gerges sent a mass email to student groups prior to the July 26 Board of Directors (BoD) meeting with several documents detailing the confidential information of students approved for the transit and the emergency grants meant to be heard during an in-camera session—a meeting only BoD members are privy to.

Documents included full names of students, email addresses, full home addresses and in two cases, filled out cheques that were addressed to students.

The Eyeopener contacted the students involved in the leak. Among those who responded to The Eye, none were aware of the leak.

“I found out about it through The Eyeopener,” said Kaitlyn Alexander, a TMU biomedical sciences graduate. “To say it was upsetting is a bit of an understatement.”

Gerges told The Eye in an email that she meant to send the documents to the students group director’s email rather than the short-

cut address created to send mass communications to campus students groups.

Gerges said she “deeply regrets this error” and that she “immediately asked recipients to delete the email,” although she did not mention contacting students affected by the leak when asked for comment.

Alexander said she deserves an apology for the TMSU leaking in-

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formation that she did not consent to being distributed along with an apology for not being forthcoming with information surrounding the leak.

“If they realize that student information [was shared without consent] they should have been the first people to contact these students,” she said.

Gerges said the documents sent to student groups remain confidential.

According to TMSU bylaw 8.13, BoD members are not allowed to share information discussed incamera without the permission of the board. Bylaw 8.15 also specifies that if voted by a two-thirds majority of the board to be in violation of bylaw 8.13 that, “the [offending party] shall face consequences to be decided upon by resolution of the Board.”

In 2020, former BoD member David Jardine was impeached after it was alleged that they shared confidential information discussed in-camera. Gerges said her actions do not compare to Jardine’s, adding that, “the inadvertent sending of email correspondence to an incorrect email address, then immediately alerting recipients and asking them to delete it, is not the same.”

To Alexander, the issue is the student’s union not taking ownership of their mistake and contacting students involved.

“It’s just sad, because at the very least, if something was done wrong, you want to have ownership of that,” she said.

“To say it was upsetting is a bit of an understatement” Another student who was contacted by The Eye and who asked to remain anonymous so as to not disclose her financial status, said in an

email, “it really sucks that our student union essentially announced that we’re all struggling financially to one another.”

“It was embarrassing to not see any of my classmates’ names on the list of contacts—it’s hard enough being poor, now I know I’m the poorest in my cohort,” she added.

She said she wants an acknowledgement of the mistake and an apology.

“I would appreciate an apology more than anything,” she said. “I think that one of the most important parts of leadership is being aware of your mistakes; this is something that, unfortunately, none of our [student’s union] presidents have had.”

“It’s hard enough being poor, now I know I’m the poorest in my cohort” Esther Deng, a masters student studying professional communications, believes the students’ union should be doing more beyond an apology for those who had more than their email address shared.

“If [the leak] was just a name and email, maybe an apology would be nice. But if it’s an address, another type of compensation [would be warranted],” said Deng. Adding that in some cases, financial compensation may be necessary.

“If something happened to you, then they should help you compensate and make sure that your life doesn’t change because of this issue.

I think it should be a case by case.”

However, Deng also believes that this is a TMU problem and not just a TMSU problem. She said she thinks the school should step in to ensure the safety of students and their information. She added that she is concerned about the

possibility of that information being used maliciously.

“The university is aware of this incident…The University will continue to monitor the situation, and work alongside TMSU to address issues where appropriate. The Toronto Metropolitan Student Union (TMSU) is a separate and independent organization. It is the role of the TMSU to address matters through its own policies and procedures.” Adding that, “The TMSU’s most important obligation is to its membership. In instances where concerns around governance arise, we expect that the TMSU is able to address this with its membership, and we have communicated this expectation to them.”

“I know a lot of people have been hacked regardless of their information being sent out. It just terrifies me a little to have their [student’s] information out there and they can’t change anything,” said Deng.

The documents also featured several emails detailing communications between former TMSU financial controller, Harj Grewal, and members of the TMSU about missing financial information, including missing pay stubs and reimbursements for student groups not being filed.

In one case a Nursing Course Union member was requesting a reimbursement of $150 that was first requested in December. At the time of the follow-up email sent by the course union, it was May. In another case Soccer World TMU requested reimbursement that had been first filed three months prior.

A separate set of emails detailed where a $1,080,000 cheque would be safekept, after Maharaj stated that she did not have the deposit book. Deposit books are typically used to ensure that no deposits are left unaccounted for.

ARTS & CULTURE

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at TIFF

By Rajalaxmi Nayak From a young age, director, producer and writer V.T. Nayani was always drawn towards creative subjects. Performing in theatre and practicing dance were her ways of indulging in her creative side. These interests would soon grow into a full career in filmmaking that led her to this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to premiere her film This Place.

The film is a queer love story about two young women: Malai, who is of Tamil descent and Kawenniióhstha, who is Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) and Iranian.

The story follows the two characters who meet at a laundromat in Toronto, kickstarting their love story. Soon however, they realize their unresolved strained relationships with their parents may get in the way of their own romantic relationship. The film follows their journey together and apart as they navigate their own personal challenges.

Nayani, who graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) journalism program in 2010, began writing This Place with co-writers Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs and Golshan Abdmoulaie in 2017. When she found out that the film would be premiering at TIFF, she remembers just “bawling and blubbering.”

Nayani and her team weren’t prepared for the news after the discouraging rejections they had over

the previous months.

“There [was] about seven months of receiving rejections,” she said. “I think that is really important to say because I don’t want people to feel alone when they’re getting rejections.”

“People didn’t trust me to tell my own story” What made the moment even more special was that Nayani got the news from Kelly Boutsalis, a programmer at TIFF, who happened to be a Mohawk woman herself. “[Boutsalis] genuinely seemed emotional and excited,” Nayani said. “[She] told us how special it was to hear a mother and daughter speaking Mohawk on screen.”

Nayani said she was thrilled for her film premiere in the very city that has shaped the story.

“I think [Toronto] is very unique,” she said. “[From] the number of people from different communities that live here, the history of this land and Indigenous communities here whose land it is and people who have arrived here.”

Nayani was born and raised in Toronto and grew up in Flemingdon Park and Scarborough, neighbourhoods where almost everyone was an immigrant or refugee, she said.

Nayani’s parents came to Canada as refugees in the late ‘80s as a part of the persecuted Tamil community originally from Sri Lanka. The Tamil-speaking community in the

island country of Sri Lanka has faced decades of persecution after Sri Lanka achieved independence in 1948.

This has made her reflect on her own identity as someone from a displaced community. In her work, Nayani often explores the complications of life while also acknowledging the hopefulness and joy that comes with living.

While her peers got to take trips to their hometowns, Nayani couldn’t have that experience. From an early age, she wrestled with her idea of home. She also realized she didn’t have a relationship with Indigenous communities of the land she was currently living on.

Being a storyteller at heart, she contemplated this unique collision of identities between Indigenous communities and racialized immigrants and wondered how she could bring this conversation to life. And thus, This Place was born.

“I’m gonna do what I’m gonna do and no one’s gonna stop me” Nayani was very eager to achieve a more nuanced and detailed style of storytelling in order to better portray the stories of the communities around her.

She first discovered her interest in being behind the camera when she wrote and directed a short documentary in her last year at TMU.

PHOTO BY TRAVIS PEREIRA The project, Shadeism, documented the experiences Black, Indigenous and women of colour have with beauty standards, specifically around skin tone.

Throughout Nayani’s career, she has worked on documentary projects and music videos, as well as working as an associate producer at CBC. Despite the hard-news focus during her education at TMU, she always wanted to create long-form works.

“The goal was always narrative,” she recalled.

Nayani said she’s always been intrigued by human experiences of coming-of-age. She believes that people are always coming-of-age across one’s lifespan.

“I think that we are always coming into ourselves in new ways and I’m interested in what that looks like,” she said.

As a woman of colour in the industry, Nayani’s own anxieties also proved to be a challenge. These anxi-

eties stemmed from experiences surrounding discrimination growing up.

“People didn’t trust me to tell my own story,” she said. “It’s not just based on race, it’s gender, sexuality, you know, how you appear, your physical body.”

Determined to create her own narrative, she learned to trust her gut and take up space. “I’m gonna do what I’m gonna do and no one’s gonna stop me,” she said. “I have courage and confidence to continue to pursue those things, regardless of if people get it or not.”

Nayani shares a close bond with her family. She said her relationship with them informs her ideas as a storyteller.

Being part of a displaced community, they learned to preserve their culture by means of oral stories. She said there was always a fear that their history would be erased if it wasn’t documented in some way.

For her, this mindset drives her to uphold and reimagine such stories.

Dress to impress: TMU students are expressing themselves through campus fashion

By Chloe Bard For the first time in two years, Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) campus is fully open and packed with students shuffling around to their classes. Now that they’re finally back again, students have the chance to show off their unique styles.

Second-year professional communication student Danika Mikic said she is very excited to be on campus for the first time. She is looking forward to finally showing off the clothes she hasn’t had a chance to wear due to the pandemic.

“When I got new clothes and stuff, it felt so silly to wear them in front of the Zoom class,” she said.

Being back gives her a chance to bring her outfits out of the closet. “I get to wear all these clothes that I’ve been collecting during COVID.”

“Now everyone’s got their own style, I want to show off my style too” Mikic said she’s been waiting to show off the outfit she was wearing at the time of her interview with The Eyeopener. Her outfit consisted of

PEYTON KEELER-COX / THE EYEOPENER low-waisted jeans she thrifted, paired with a white t-shirt and matching white sneakers. She dressed up the outfit with layered gold jewellery and a blue two-tone tote bag to carry her school supplies.

When asked about the bag’s functionality, Mikic laughs and shakes her head. “Yeah, no, it’s been killing me. So I definitely will be switching to a backpack,” she said.

“But on my lighter, fun study days, I will totally bring the tote bag.”

Spotted on campus was another tote bag carrier, Kiera Gray, a second-year creative industries student.

She described her colour palette to include a lot of earth tones, evident by the linen skirt she was wearing with a funky brown and

green mesh top.

Gray cited Pinterest as her main source of fashion inspiration.

“Mainly I use Pinterest when I’m trying to pick out an outfit in the morning and I’ve lost inspiration with the clothes that I have in my closet,” she said. “I’ll go through [Pinterest] and get some inspiration from other people. ” Seeing other students’ styles on campus has also given Gray inspiration. “I’ve been noticing a lot of Y2K style,” she said. “Lots of big pants, then they pair it with the small top. I think it looks really cool.”

Second-year professional communication student Sofia Stadler also gets her fashion inspiration from social media. She named TikTok as her

number one source, getting outfit ideas from what others are wearing on the platform. Stadler also credited TikTok as her influence to start making her own clothes.

“TikTok definitely inspires me to make my own clothes because I see so many people being creative on there,” she explained.

For Stadler, fashion is a way to express themselves and push the social constructs of gender.

Stadler described using fashion as a way to express how they feel about their identity. “When I step out into the world, I can really just think about what I’m feeling that day, in terms of whether I’m wanting to dress more feminine or more masculine.”

Nathan Ferracuti, a second-year professional communication student, also uses clothes as a way to express himself. He explained that an essential part of his style is thrifted and vintage pieces.

“Thrifting just offers a unique aspect to fashion that you can’t really get when you’re shopping with mainstream stores,” said Ferracuti. “It just allows you to build identity from finding clothes in a personal way.”

Ferracuti’s outfit consisted of entirely second-hand pieces, from their white teddy bear graphic tee to

their green cargo pants.

He hopes to acquire more denim this fall, inspired by campus streetwear.

“One thing that I’m really liking right now is jean jackets. I’ve seen them all over downtown and on campus.”

“I get to wear all these clothes that I’ve been collecting during COVID” Second-year English student Mackenzie Walsh said she has also been a fan of the influx of denim this fall. She recalls seeing so many baggy jeans she was inspired to go to her local Value Village and find her own.

“I have a Value Village near my apartment that I’ve shopped at a lot and got a lot of good jeans there.”

Walsh has been looking forward to in-person classes and a chance to wear something other than her pyjamas she favoured during virtual learning. “Now everyone’s got their own style, I want to show off my style too,” she said.

The return to campus has many students looking forward to using their style to showcase their identities.

“I love seeing people not be scared to wear what they want and seeing so many different styles,” said Mikic.

“It’s super refreshing and nice.”

CAPTURING A NEW HOMETOWN NARRATIVE how tmu alums are reclaiming their hometown pride in the face of stereotypes

O

words by rochelle raveendran

n a spring day in 2021, Amreen Kullar strolled around the Toronto Ontario Temple—also known as the Latter-day Saints Temple—in Brampton, Ont. She spent two hours taking photographs of the stark white building with her trusty pocket-sized Nikon 35mm camera.

The temple is close enough to her home that she can spot the towering spire from her bedroom window, topped with a gilded statue of the angel Moroni.

Photography was a favourite travel pastime of Kullar’s, but after the COVID-19 pandemic grounded her in her hometown of Brampton, she decided to point the camera to places in her neighbourhood that were already imprinted in her memory. Other subjects Kullar photographed included the library she used to visit with her father, who immigrated to the city from India in the ‘90s, and the SilverCity theatre that helped shape her love of cinema.

The resulting photographs formed the visuals for her photo essay, Brampton in the Winter—saturated with nostalgia and accompanied by a punchy spoken word piece that denounced derogatory assumptions aimed at the city and its residents. Visible minorities make up 73 per cent of Brampton’s population, according to census data from 2016. Nicknames given to Brampton by people in and around the Greater Toronto Area, like “Browntown’’ and “Bramladesh,” deride the city’s large South Asian population. In her piece, Kullar flips mockery of the city as an ethnic enclave on its head, making Brampton synonymous with bravery. “In Brampton,” she writes in her piece, “we resist.”

Kullar, a filmmaker who graduated from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) in 2021, wasn’t always affection-

photo by alicia reid

ate toward her hometown; dislike for Brampton was deeply entrenched in her high school experience. She recalls longing to move away for university and days when she thought being called “whitewashed” was a compliment. It was only after Kullar began attending TMU’s media production program that she realised how much of a gift it was to grow up in a community with shared cultural touchpoints. When she’d tell people in Toronto where she was from, responses ranged from assumptions of the city’s inherent inferiority, to uncertainty of how to react, to ‘Of course you’re from Brampton.’

visuals by jes mason ened her accumulated frustrations. Kullar notes positivity rates were blamed on cultural celebrations like Diwali, rather than the lack of protections for essential factory workers.

Brampton also faced disparities in the rollout of vaccines and a longstanding underfunded healthcare system—equity issues also felt in Scarborough, Ont., where 73 per cent of the population are also visible minorities.

For Kullar, Brampton in the Winter was an assertion of hometown pride at a time when her city was facing waves of racist scrutiny. She describes a “heartwarming” response to her photo essay; her comments were flooded with other locals vocalizing their own frustrations, alongside their love for Brampton. People from Scarborough and other GTA suburbs expressed similar sentiments for their own cities. If even a single person comes away from her work feeling proud of their hometown or deciding to take an extra second before cringing at the mere mention of Brampton’s name, Kullar will be satisfied.

“What matters to me is changing tiny universes.”

I

n the ‘majority-minority’ cities of Brampton and Scarborough, where racialized people form the majority of the population, artists and filmmakers are denouncing negative preconceptions about their cities through their storytelling. TMU students and alumni are using their poetry, photography and videography to reclaim narratives in the public imagination about their hometowns, countering stereotypes through art informed by their own authentic experiences.

Min Sook Lee, a documentary filmmaker and as“Even if you don’t live [in Brampton] and you just say that sistant professor at OCAD University, says for too long the you’re from there, it’s automatically like a roast,” Kullar says. arts have been dominated by a homogeneous group of peoMedia coverage of Brampton’s pandemic response height- ple who held the mantle of storytelling power—particularly

7

FEATURES straight white men. The language of reclaiming “contextualizes the act of representation,” she says, while also recognizing that marginalized people have always been storytellers in their own communities.

Lee describes art as essential to social change; dismissing it as frivolous or simply decoration is misguided and troubling. “Cultural work is where social transformative change happens first, because you have to imagine the world you want to live in, in order to move towards building it,” she says. The arts provide opportunities for dialogue and discussion amongst people with diverse beliefs, according to an article in Psych journal. Consequently, it can be a means of raising public consciousness within communities, encouraging them to press for social change.

Scarborough-based singer and poet, Shadel Chavez, says art has the power to rebuild and strengthen. Chavez has been active in the local arts scene for over ten years and compares art to medicine, especially within RISE Edutainment, a Scarborough-based arts organization that seeks to provide an inclusive space for young and emerging artists.

Art is a universal language, Chavez says. “People who feel called to share have a place to speak uninterrupted, in as loud or as subtle forms as they wish. Their art can be a mirror for anyone that encounters it…and it can be a ripple effect of introspection and positive change.”

Kullar has a personal understanding of storytelling’s transformative power. She decided to become a filmmaker after experiencing firsthand how makes viewers more empathetic towards others’ perspectives. Rather than placing blame on specific individuals for their prejudices, Kullar prefers a creative intention that shows people a different way to think.

“The way your emotions and vulnerability come out in pieces of work makes people rethink their stances [and] what they say, and allows them to have more empathy,” she says.

W

arden Station isn’t a needed stop on photographer and filmmaker Alicia Reid’s typical commute.

She mainly finds herself there when she wants to pick up a Fahmee Bakery patty sold at the station, a detour on her commute to TMU from her hometown of Scarborough.

The debate over which subway station sells the best patty is a heated and passionate one in the city. But for Reid, there’s no question that Warden Station surpasses all others—an opinion that would eventually guide her in her artistic documentation of the borough.

In the months following the onset of the pandemic, Reid found herself in a tailspin. Reid, who graduated from the journalism program in 2022, was no longer regularly commuting downtown for school and work, which shifted her artistic inspirations. Much of Reid’s early photography revolved around documenting downtown Toronto. She particularly gravitated towards hotspots like the Rogers Centre and Harbourfront, which were often featured on local sites like Narcity Toronto and blogTO. The events and concerts she typically photographed had also shut down, including the Toronto Caribbean Carnival, which resumed in 2022 following a two-year hiatus. This abrupt absence of her typical subjects led Reid to question whether she could still see herself pursuing a career in photography.

As she pondered her creative future, Reid came across Scarborough’s New View, a photography contest by the City of Toronto and Scarborough Arts, in August 2020. According to the contest website, it intended to create a “new, more accurate narrative” about the borough and its residents. The contest was a response to the discovery that the first result on Google Images when searching up Scarborough

was a photograph of a collapsed home. Outside of computer “Having these art pieces on the wall is reclaiming these spacalgorithms, Reid has witnessed her share of limited, often rac- es, asserting our histories and our presence and saying that we ist, views about her hometown, including descriptions of it belong here, too,” Rajasingham says. being a “ghetto” and a crime-riddled place.

In community spaces like RISE, Chavez likens herself and With her Canon DSLR and new inspiration in hand, the her fellow artists to seeds being nurtured by local mentors in art, including Randell Adjei, the founder of RISE and Ontario’s first poet laureate. She aspires to do the same for others, particularly fellow Filipino artists in Scarborough. “I have been thinking about how I am tomorrow’s ancestor with every project I am involved in,” she says.

As Reid continues developing in her photography and videography journey, she does so with the understanding that she wants people to feel proud about where they come from. Her photography was recently featured in Scarborough Made Resilience, a public art installation outside Cedarbrae Library, that highlights the stories of community leaders. Reid’s creative work brings her joy when she’s able to show people a side to her beloved borough they may have never seen. “There’s a kind of underdog persona that’s wrapped around with Scarborough…but I’m tired of being the underdog,” she says. “I want to be a champion in my own contest propelled Reid throughout her neighbourhood over way for my community.” the course of September 2021, from the Scarborough Bluffs to Thomson Memorial Park. When it came to the contest category “Things,” Reid intrinsically knew the one object that could represent both the food culture that embodies Scarborough and the importance of a transit system that’s as much used by locals as it is maligned by them. She stood on a Warfter Kullar posted Brampton in the Winter on her Insden Station platform, held up a patty with a fresh white manitagram page, the overwhelming social media response cure and took the shot. The result was Warden Station Patty, included messages from fellow artists. One user wrote which made Reid one of three Grand Prize winners in a con- that she had encouraged them to create a similar piece and test that received over 3,700 submissions. another told her of their own writings about Brampton.

She describes her win as a shocking and affirming experiBrampton’s wealth of diversity informs the unique perspecence. Reid had found a new muse, the beautifully dynamic and tive of local arts, says Nuvi Sidhu, the chair of the advisory diverse borough that she’s proud to call her home. In the pro- committee for the Arts, Culture & Creative Industry Develcess, she had also found a renewed sense of purpose. She si- opment Agency, which advocates and provides programming multaneously shot video footage on her phone for what would for Brampton artists. She says funding for community artists become STARBOROUGH, a personal video project and short is vital, as art is what everyone uses to survive. Sidhu is excited ode to her home that includes clips of the Scarborough Town to hear local artists talk about the need to reclaim Brampton Centre and Scarborough General Hospital. with a new narrative that reflects the city’s beauty, in the face “This is what I’m meant to be doing,” Reid says. “I’m meant of out-of-towners and social media posts that treat Brampto be highlightton like “the butt of a ing and uplifting joke.” my community.”

“The best way to For out-of-towners change someone’s who see her work, mind is to make them she hopes they feel something about will question their what you’re creating,” prejudices about she says.

Scarborough and Kullar hopes to conconsider visiting. tinue to platform marBoth Scarborough ginalized communiresidents and visities and show diverse tors can view Reid’s depictions of Brown Warden Station Patty people in her work. as part of a new Another Bramptondisplay in the Scarspecific project she has borough Museum, on the backburner is which features rotating pieces by local artists. Historical in- a visual essay, layering archival footage of the city with VHS terpreter Faith Rajasingham worked with her team to develop tapes from her childhood recorded by her father and her own the exhibit and content. photography of Brampton.

She says this is part of a transitional process by the Toronto Her work emerges from a deeply personal vulnerability.

History Museums collective to move away from primarily tell- After four Sikh factory workers were killed in a shooting in ing white settler histories. This narrow focus “absolutely didn’t a FedEx warehouse in Indianapolis in April 2021, she was do any justice to the history or community of Scarborough,” sobbing in her bedroom as she started writing a new piece.

Rajasingham says, as it didn’t reflect the diversity of locals. The result was Ode to Factory Workers, an angry spoken word Of the largest visible minority groups in the borough, 25 reflection on Kullar’s grief and her evolving perception of her per cent of residents identify as South Asian, nine per cent parents’ own factory jobs. as Black and 12 per cent as Filipino.

With Brampton in the Winter, she applied a similar In the 19th century farmhouse Cornell House, one of authenticity, only photographing places with which she felt four heritage buildings that compose the museum, a por- a personal connection. Kullar says she’s wary of inadvertrait of Queen Victoria and a photograph of Westminster tently presenting herself as a spokesperson of such a large Abbey were taken down to display six pieces, including and varied community. In the comments of her Instagram Warden Sation Patty.

Patty post, one user asked why Kullar hadn’t included a photograph Rajasingham, who was born and raised in Scarborough, of downtown Brampton. says locals have had an overwhelmingly positive response to This was an intentional exclusion, as she was not very fathe new display since it launched last December. In her role as miliar with the area. a tour guide, she says visitors from the borough almost do her Instead, Kullar recalls encouragingly replying to job for her when they see Reid’s photograph; there’s an imme- the comment: “You go to downtown Brampton and diate understanding of how the Toronto patty debate ties into take that photo because I want to see it from your point Scarborough’s identity. of view.”

A

8

COMMUNITIES

TMU nursing students wary of Ontario’s privatization announcement Professors and students at the Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing have mixed feelings as to whether or not more privatization

By Lauren Battagello Nursing students at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) are waiting to see whether new provincial legislation will include more privatization.

In August, the Ford government announced privatization is “on the table” if it might help ease the strain on Ontario’s hospitals and clinics.

The provincial government is also introducing legislation to increase publicly-covered surgeries at private clinics to decrease backlog. The new system will also send senior patients waiting for spots in long-term care homes into an “alternative facility.” Further privatization has not yet been detailed.

“I feel like nurses are not being supported [in] the way they should [be]” This legislation comes after months of hospitals being over capacity and the cancellation of thousands of procedures to make room for COVID-19 patients, according to the Toronto Star.

The plans, which Ontario Nurses’ Association president Catherine Hoy called a “shuffling of deck chairs

on the Titanic,” further complicates what the industry will look like for graduating nursing students.

“It does make me scared of entering the public field. I feel like nurses are not being supported [in] the way they should [be],” said Vrunda Panchal, a secondyear nursing student. “There is a need to hire more nurses and give them more staff and resources and the quality of the workplace needs to be taken care of.”

Other students say some degree of privatization in healthcare could lessen part of the burden on public health nurses.

“Overall I would agree that a partial privatization for people who do need medical attention would be beneficial and alleviate that stress on nurses,” said Abigail Chang, a fourth-year nursing student.

Chang also explained that there is a significant job shortage in healthcare right now.

“We actually have a large population of young nurses and nursing students that are excited to start nursing,” she said. “I’ve been noticing that a lot of my colleagues, especially the ones that just graduated, are having a hard time finding full-time positions in a hospital.”

Staffing shortages are affecting hospitals all over the province, with two hospitals near Ottawa temporarily closing emergency

JES MASON/THE EYEOPENER

departments because patient demand surpassed hospital staff, according to the CBC. “You would think, given the nursing shortage, they would be hiring left right and centre, but… there are actually not a lot of fulltime positions available for nurses,” Chang said.

Professors in the school of nursing have their own opinions on how this will impact the healthcare sector.

“I am a Canadian citizen, it’s my home and I give credit to the public healthcare system but I’m not sure if I find myself [able] to support that kind of privatiza-

tion,” said Professor Ajeer AlHamad. Al-Hamad worked as a nurse in a long-term care facility during the pandemic.

She explained that while the TMU nursing school’s curriculum is strong, there is more to the profession than physical demand and she believes privatization has the potential to increase the amount of stress on nurses.

“With this announcement of privatization…giving them extra payment to join private sectors doesn’t mean necessarily [that we’ll] solve the problem of the waiting list,” Al-Hamad said.

“You’re giving the chance for more

stress, taking more of the competent healthcare workers towards a private sector, a private organization and you leave the public health sector with more shortage,” she said.

“Extra struggles will be added to the public health system.”

For students nearing the end of their degrees, the already intense field now seems much more challenging.

“I think my outlook has definitely changed from the first year to now,” said Chang.

“There are a lot of my colleagues and friends that are now questioning our careers because of how stressful it is and we’re not even nurses yet.”

Students can now opt for a preferred name on D2L and class roster The Trans Collective has been campaigning the university to allow students to choose how their name appears online since 2013

By Laura Hall After nearly 10 years of rallying led by the Trans Collective, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is now allowing students to decide how their first name appears in class rosters and online.

In a recent news release, the university announced that students can now choose how their first name will appear online. “The chosen name will appear for internal purposes such as the class roster, grade roster, D2L and Google Meet and Zoom display names,”

the statement read.

All official documents will still require students’ legal names.

“This has always been a need within our community,” said Ollie Coombs, coordinator of the Trans Collective.

The Trans Collective is one of the six equity service centres of the Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Union.

In the past, the university said it would be challenging to implement such a change, given that the software that runs RAMSS and D2L Brightspace didn’t allow for the user to input their name change, according to Coombs.

“This has always been a need within our community”

VANESSA KAUK/THE EYEOPENER

The reaction so far has been positive for the Trans Collective.

“Already, folks have come to us and said thank you for passing this information along because we need it,” said Coombs.

He said the group has been pushing the school since 2013 to allow students to use their preferred name. The change is also significant for students who use a nickname, an anglicized name, a cultural name or any other name that’s different from the name they were given at birth, Coombs added.

Being able to alter the way their names appears is also a welcome change for students, who say it promotes inclusion.

“I think having easily accessible name change options fosters an environment of inclusivity and sends a message that TMU is committed to caring for queer students,” said Alison Air, a second-year philosophy student. “I’m really happy I get to use my preferred name on D2L, although I wish [I had] the opportunity to use my chosen last name, too,” she added.

In an email to The Eyeopener, the university said, “Student Records is committed to creating an environment where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and supporting all students to reach

their academic potential.”

Although TMU previously had a process to help students wanting to use a chosen name at the university, it “recognized that this didn’t necessarily meet the needs of all students and we could do better, the statement said.”

Prior to the fall 2022 semester, Coombs said the school only recogonized name changes through legal changes. “The reason that I pushed for my legal name change is because the school didn’t have an option for me otherwise,” he said.

The school has been developing and implementing an official policy that [allows] for the use of a chosen/preferred name for internal purposes for some time.”

Students can make the request for a name change via RAMSS in the ‘Profile’ section under Personal details on the site.

The change will be seen immediately in the Student Administration System, but will take some time to show up across other university systems, according to the official policy released by TMU.

9

BIZ & TECH

as Toronto’s rental market reaches a record high

TMU partners with major corporations to build a data ecosystem for Canadian businesses

By Olga Bergmans

PEYTON KEELER-COX/THE EYEOPENER

By Samira Balsara Toronto’s average monthly rent prices have skyrocketed as people migrate to the city post-pandemic, making for a hot housing market that Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) students are struggling to compete with.

A Rental.ca report revealed that average monthly rent prices have increased 24 per cent since July 2021 for all property types, from $2,168 to $2,691.

“What you’re seeing happening at the moment is this wave of folks that are now moving back into the city that we see in the return to the office,” said Nemoy Lewis, an assistant professor at the TMU School of Urban and Regional Planning.

“Students are having to compete with the interests of those folks, but they’re also competing with international students who are also coming back to in person classes…and as a result, students are facing stiff competition in order to secure housing.”

The latest increase in rent prices has brought the cost of living in Toronto to a two-year high.

According to Zumper’s July 2022 Canadian Rent Report, the median rent for a one-bedroom reached $2,100 this summer, the highest it’s been since July 2020. These prices have made Toronto the secondmost expensive city in Canada, just behind Vancouver.

Defne Yildirim, an international student in her fourth-year in the economics program, said she had a tough time looking for a place to live after being in Turkey for the past two years.

Before she even got back to Toronto, Yildirim was scammed by a seller while looking for apartments on Facebook Marketplace.

“I started looking for a place at the

end of May because I knew that the Canadian way of housing, especially in Toronto, wasn’t really easy to find,” she said. “So I really prepared myself for it.”

She said she would go on Facebook groups to find housing, but there were so many options and she was overwhelmed. Because Yildirim was still living in Turkey while house hunting, she wasn’t able to verify the places she was looking at.

She ended up falling for a scam and paying a fee to view an apartment that was never truly for rent, costing her money.

“I really wanted to believe that I was getting a home.”

After almost four months of searching, Yildirim ended up having to look outside the city, where prices were a little more affordable, finally securing a place about 30 minutes from TMU.

“I really wanted to believe that I was getting a home” While it worked out for Yildirim and her roommates, high prices aren’t the only struggles students are facing when it comes to house hunting. Students are also having trouble with landlords.

“It’s a result-oriented business, especially for the institutional landlord. They have a responsibility to their investors and to their shareholders,” Lewis said.

He added that their motivation is profit-based, and focused on maximizing their return on investment into particular properties. “And one way in doing so is to create essentially a product, so a rental unit, that can command the highest amount of rent possible.”

Lewis explained that institutional landlords, such as banks and insurance companies, will charge whatever price will match the amount they’ve promised to their investors.

“Typically, students don’t meet this particular threshold because of the fact that students aren’t making a whole lot of money,” he said.

Alexis Lorette, a first year performance dance student who moved from Montreal ahead of the semester, had trouble finding a landlord who would rent to her.

“It was really hard to find apartments that actually took students as well,” she said. “They took one look at me and they’re like ‘No we don’t trust you with rent.’”

She added that the prices were incredibly high and she is currently paying about $1,800 a month for a studio apartment in the heart of the city. Lorette lives with her boyfriend and has support from her parents to help pay the high rent fees.

“We were lucky in that regard, but for a student to pay that on their own, it’s absolutely ridiculous, not feasible,” she said.

Lorette said she saw several apartments at higher prices than she’s paying right now that barely included amenities.

Rhiannon Corrigan, a first-year student also studying performance dance, had similar struggles while moving to the city.

Corrigan is currently living on her own, paying $2,150 for a one bedroom apartment. Luckily, all her utilities are included in that price, but she said it’s “rare” to even find that.

Corrigan is also receiving some support from her parents with tuition and rent.

“Obviously I’m coming from a very privileged standpoint and I

think for someone who maybe isn’t as privileged, it would be very difficult to find housing that you can afford and feel safe in,” she said.

Lewis noted that students coming from families with lesser income are the ones struggling the most in the midst of the unfeasible Toronto prices.

When it comes to finding solutions for students, Lewis suggested for schools to try partnering with with non-profit organizations to construct housing, rather than private developers.

He added that the government could enforce certain policy changes that would benefit students more.

For example, the Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act reads that new buildings, additions to existing buildings and most new basement apartments that were occupied for the first time for residential purposes after Nov. 15, 2018, are exempt from rent control.

A CTV News article from February of this year reported that a couple living in a newer Toronto building were surprised when they found out their rent was increasing by 25 per cent.

Lewis said policies like this don’t guarantee a level of affordability for students year over year and changing them could enhance the level of affordability for students and the broader public.

Above all, Lewis said that what Canadians and especially students, need is affordable housing, “where students are not having to make difficult decisions of ‘do I attend my classes or do I work that extra five, six hours shift in order to pay my rent?’”

“We have to think about how those particular decisions students are being forced to make are then impacting their scholastic performances within school,” he said.

Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), in partnership with artificial intelligence-focused data company SCALE AI, is funding a digital data collection program aimed at improving the supply chain flow of Canadian businesses.

The program, Canard Bleu, will target future supply chain issues, provide cost and saving insights and monitor the overall success of national businesses.

Alongside TMU, Canard Bleu is backed by three other major corporations: TD Bank, Flybits and CEVA Freight Canada Corp. Together, they’ve invested a total of $9.2 million dollars into the project.

Since the pandemic, Canadian businesses have endured supply chain disturbances and labour shortages, which have posed a threat to the country’s economy.

Canard Bleu will work to improve the interdependent relationship between suppliers, clients and vendors by organizing and tracking data, so businesses can operate with more efficiency and less disruption.

“Businesses need that extra support right now to recover from the labour shortages and slow delivery of the supply chain,” said fourthyear business technology management student Jacob Tran. “I think it’s great that the school is teaming up with tech companies to help reboot the economy.”

Hossein Rahnama, Flybits founder and CEO, said in SCALE AI’s press release that artificial intelligence (AI) will help to “forge effective and sustainable business relationships in the availability, mobility and effective use of privacy-preserved data.”

Other TMU-affiliated AI projects include Supply AI, an AI-focused stream under the university’s business incubator DMZ, as well as an independent student-made app called Glucose Vision Inc, which uses AI to identify glucose control and insulin requirements for diabetic individuals.

“I really believe in the future of artificial intelligence, and the fact that the school is investing into it means a lot to me,” said Alizarin Hirani, a member of the Ted Rogers Students’ Society and thirdyear business technology management student.

10

SPORTS

TMU Bold women’s hockey team hyped up for HOCO

By Gavin Axelrod One of the biggest parties at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) this semester won’t take place in a residence space, campus pub or club but rather in a hockey arena.

The TMU Bold women’s hockey team hosts the Concordia Stingers—U Sports’ reigning national champions—Thursday night at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC).

If playing the defending champs wasn’t enough of a reason to get out to the MAC, it’s also TMU’s fall Homecoming (HOCO) game, which is expected to draw a large crowd.

“We definitely were surprised that it was us, because we normally don’t get that many fans to begin with,” said Rams veteran Olivia Giardetti.

“The fact that they are trying to get more awareness with the students starting goalie in the game, told The around campus is awesome and ob- Eyeopener it blew his expectations viously we’re super excited.” away in a story following the event.

TMU’s women’s hockey team is looking for a repeat performance as “Maybe we could the spotlight shifts to their squad. have a smaller “We do still know in the back of turnout because it’s our minds that there’s almost a stiga commuter school” ma around women’s hockey and our goal is to hopefully prove to everyTMU’s last fall HOCO was in body that shows up and does come September 2019 and received rave and watch that we are competitive reviews. Students decked out in blue athletes and we can play a good and gold school merchandise turned game of hockey that they hopefully out in large numbers for a pre-game will have fun watching.” tailgate at the Pitman Hall Quad beThe homecoming festivities will fore packing the MAC for the game. begin at Lake Devo with a pre-game The then Ryerson Rams men’s tailgate party starting at 4:15 p.m. hockey team knocked off the Queen’s Toronto Metropolitan Students’ Gaels 4-1 in front of an electric Union (TMSU) vice-president stucrowd. Taylor Dupuis, the team’s dent life, Ozioma Molokwu, said

on the team that’s gotten a boost in practice knowing the big game was right around the corner. She also didn’t shy away from the fact that she wished she’d be able to be part of the pre-game festivities.

“Hopefully they will like the atmosphere and that they will come back for more”

MARIO RUSSO/THE EYEOPENER

the tailgate was planned by the studnets’ union in a joint effort with the school’s athletic department.

Although this year’s fall HOCO game takes place on a Thursday, she said she doesn’t see it being a problem despite the fact that many TMU students commute to campus.

“Maybe we could have a smaller turnout because it's a commuter school but I'm pretty much expecting it to be a pretty big turnout, just because this is the first homecoming game in a while,” said Molokwu.

“Students pretty much just want to be on campus as much as possible, so that wasn’t really a big concern.”

Hosting the tailgate at Lake Devo was a conscious decision. Molokwu said the tailgate in 2019—that took place at the Pitman Hall Quad—was

more accessible to residence students, but moving things to Lake Devo means anyone on campus can see the festivities and be enticed to go to the game.

Molokwu added that students should come out to the tailgate because there will be lots of opportunity to win prizes, play games, listen to great music from a DJ and to enjoy an outdoor event before the cold winter weather arrives.

“I think us being involved in an event like this, really does speak to what we're trying to accomplish this year, which is collaborating more with the university and just rebuilding those relationships,” said Molokwu.

Second-year Bold defender Saije Catcheway is one of many players

Initially she was excited to go out and see the people at the tailgate.

However, she realized the team wouldn’t be able to go, because they’d need to be on the ice by 6 p.m.

But beyond the expected crowd size and pre-game party at Lake Devo, TMU’s hockey homecoming is an opportunity for the university to renew its school spirit when it comes to sports. That is something that wasn’t lost on Giardetti in the lead up to the big game.

She said because TMU is a commuter school, students want to have a shared atmosphere, whether that’s through partying, friendships or watching sports. Giardetti added that getting immersed in the school’s sports scene is a great way to do that, especially starting with Thursday’s contest against last year’s champion, Concordia.

“Hopefully the people that do come and watch this time are going to be like ‘Oh, damn, this is pretty fun,’’’ she said. “Hopefully they like the atmosphere and they will come back for more. I think that's the ultimate goal.”

Life after El-Chanti begins for TMU Bold men’s team

By Nashra Syed The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men’s soccer team hits the pitch this week with a new squad. And they’re ready to put up a fight in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) conference.

Abdallah El-Chanti, the team’s previous captain and the top goal scorer in TMU men’s soccer history, has graduated and will no longer be part of the squad. Midfielder Jacob Carlos, who is currently playing for the Canadian Premier League’s Winnipeg Valour FC will not be returning to the team either.

“I’m always of the opinion that top programs don’t rebuild, they reload” “Abdallah was not only our captain, most experienced player and a great leader but he's also now the university and our program’s alltime goal scorer,” said head coach

Filip Prostran. “I'm always of the opinion that top programs don't rebuild, they reload.”

Coming off a hamstring injury, midfielder Faisal Ghaffur is looking forward to seeing the team come together to have a great season following their annual pre-season training in Ziontario—about two hours northwest of campus.

“It was good for obviously training, but also team bonding, getting together and really coming together as a unit,” said Ghaffur. “Getting to know the newer guys coming in as well was really important.” He added that the training allowed them to make new team members comfortable and teach them the squad’s philosophy, culture, and goals.

The Bold will start their season with a match against the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks on Sept. 15. They will see a familiar face on the sidelines, with former assistant coach Kasy Kiarash now assistant coaching the Ridgebacks.

The TMU men’s soccer program holds a 10-3-1 record against the

Ridgebacks. Their last victory over them came all the way back in 2018.

“We don't want to lose to Kasy, that's all it is,” said second-year forward Zakaria Abdi. “We don't want to hear it from him after the game if we lose to him.”

“We’re much more than just a soccer team, it’s a really tight-knit group” The Bold will be part of the OUA’s East Division this year as the conference shifts back to a two division format. They play two matches in one week, with the second being their home opener against the Trent University Excalibur on Sept. 18.

“I think it's important to have, obviously a really deep team,” said Prostran. “I don't just mean the numbers, but I mean personnel that are capable of filling in for one another.”

The team finished atop the OUA Central Division last year, losing to the York University Lions in

JAHNICK LAMBERT/THE EYEOPENER

the OUA semi-finals. TMU’s final match last year was a heartbreaker, as York scored the game-winner minutes before it would have came down to penalty kicks.

“I've always just been right there but haven't been able to win it all,” he said. “The absolute most important thing is team success. Being my last collegiate year, I really want to win, I'm looking forward to doing

whatever it takes.”

The Bold have built strong relationships off the field between athletes and coaches. It’s something they’ll be leaning on this season to put them over the edge.

“We're much more than just a soccer team,” said Prostran. “It's a really tightknit group of guys that are kind of on this journey to get the best of themselves collectively and individually.”

11

FUN & SATIRE

Mascots that “suck” but are better than TMU’s choice

By Sierra Finkelshtain and Zarmminaa Rehman Rest in peace Eggy lovers, because there is a new name and mascot on the horizon for Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU). On the plus side, both choices are extremely unpopular and utterly confusing for the majority of the student body.

Is the mascot a font—The Bold— or is it a bird—the falcon? Both? A bold falcon? No one is really sure but our contribution to this new dilemma is underlining what could have been instead.

To first years who wanted an authentic greeting with a headbutt from an enigmatic ram at frosh and the remainder of the student body who just yearn to no longer be laughed at by competing universities: let us comfort you with five The “trash” in Trash Pandas is a beautiful but also terrible alternate reflection of the amount of trash mascot options. and weird smells that dominate a section of campus, courtesy of the TMU Trash Pandas, also known Gould street dumpsters. as Raccoon Residents Raccoons are known as spunky lil’ The TMUBits creatures that could definitely be Here’s a chance for TMU to have your pet if you domesticated them. its own product placement with Incorporating our animal neigh- our version of Tim Hortons merbours reflects the metropolis of To- chandise, showing our modern ronto more than any other name Canadian culture and devotion potentially could. to mediocre coffee! By devotion,

Super Fun, Totally Accurate Word Hunt How will YOUR year turn out?

By Mariana Schuetze Andrade Visuals by Jes Mason We all wish there was a way to predict what will be coming our way in the near future. Now, there just might be a way. We came up with a list of possible outcomes students can expect for their first university year or just their first year back on campus at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU).

Unfortunately for you, we also decided to hide those outcomes in this word search.

The rules are simple: the first three words you see foreshadow the kind of year you will have. In which order will these prophecies come to fruition? Nobody knows because even The Eye’s fortune-telling abilities have limits.

Or, if you’re bored, you can also just find as many words as you want.

ford the royalties), the hype of our sports will be an all-day-everyday event. We’ll also never get tired.

PEYTON KEELER-COX/THE EYEOPENER we mean the alternative to when you’re hungover or late and can’t go to the campus Starbucks. You would definitely miss your next class—and really any class that day—if you decided to wait in a line that wraps up, down and around the building.

We believe that incorporating a Tim Hortons and TMU partnership would be extremely reflective of our campus culture, a student body that has a dash of caffeine addiction. It’s a

Toronto Metropolitan Station Most TMU students spend at least 73.98 per cent of their time on subways. This is actually not a real statistic but TMU isn’t actually a subway station, so anything goes.

Not many people can put up with constant closures and delays or adapt easily when bus drivers drive past whilst making eye contact. But TMU students are of course built different, which makes us all the more deserving to be named as a station on the 2017 North American top-rated transit system. We’ll have all the opposing teams taking shuttle buses with a knockout name like this!

smart move for business and might very well also encourage the Cana- TMU Tops dian coffee giant to do better.

Our final choice shows a lack of effort and enthusiasm, on the part of The TMU Tires us at The Eye. What can we say, we’re Bear with us when we ask you to just following in the school’s footconsider all the benefits of being the steps. Granted, The Bold is a modTMU Tires. Yes it may seem stupid, erately cool name but does it convey but as a theme song we could bor- the same emotion as letting everyone row the lyrics “They see me rollin, know that TMU students will always they hating” of the Chamillioanire come out on TOP? And that we can song “Ridin.” Once we get that as TOP everyone (in more ways than our song (we’re sure TMU can af- one *wink, wink, nudge*)?

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