Humber Et Cetera, Volume 72, Number 4, Nov. 13, 2026.

HUMBER ET CETERA WWW.HUMBERETC.CA

HUMBER’S AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER

NOVEMBER 13, 2026 | VOL.72, NO.4

STUDENTS WALK OUT, DEMAND OSAP RESTORED P. 3, 10-11

FORD VISITS ETOBICOKE LEGION P. 8

HUMBER STUDENT WINS SCHOLARSHIP P. 5

ETC

2 - NEWS

NOV 13, 2026

HUMBER ET CETERA Humber Et Cetera is the Humber Polytechnic journalism program laboratory newspaper. It is created by journalism students in the Advanced Diploma and Post Graduate programs. Et Cetera serves to inform the Humber community and give its readers well-rounded coverage on the things that matter to them. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Laura Rodgers NEWS Joseph Zago HUMBERETC/JO MCRAE

Elizabeth Marculewicz, a University of Guelph-Humber student, reads a first-issue political Solidarity Zine found in North Campus newsracks.

Faculty union backs student zine

Jo McRae

HumberETC News Elizabeth Marculewicz turned a new page. They reflected on the first issue of their Solidarity Zine the night before releasing the second at a walkout on Nov. 5. Marculewicz, the zine’s editor, is also president of Humber Polytechnic’s new Political Action Club. Though Solidarity Zine is not a club project, it shares a similar goal: to educate the student body on politics. Marculewicz worked on the zine with friends over the summer. They describe the Political Action Club as a way for students to use their voices independently from college organizations. Marculewicz said they “take great pride in educating students. “I wanted a tool that I could pass down to students as a summation of all the work that I’ve done in activism,” they said. “The zine is really about amplifying student voices and amplifying student concerns,” Marculewicz said. Sylvia Nowak, a volunteer at the Toronto Zine Library since 2018, said it’s hard to define a zine. “Essentially, it is a publication created with a do-it-yourself ethos, so it is created by someone who cares about something,” Nowak said. She said zines have been around for nearly a century, beginning with sci-fi fanzines in the 1930s. Nowak said the popularity of zines “ebbs and flows. “There’s been big moments around different kinds of musical scenes. The punk scene had a big

resurgence of people creating different kinds of zines and the whole punk fanzine culture developed in the ‘70s,” she said. Nowak said zines are often made by marginalized communities. “But throughout, zines have always existed and it’s always something that will be created because people will always have this desire to have their independent, underground kind of publications,” she said. “There was concerns that perhaps the internet would kill the zine, but it definitely hasn’t,” Nowak said. Marculewicz said they started protesting OSAP cuts in March.

Marculewicz, also a student worker at the Humber Library’s Idea Lab, said they then joined the OPSEU 563 bargaining team for the Humber Support Staff Union. They said they were hired as a student organizer for OPSEU over the summer, and worked on the zine as a ‘pet project’ with their friends. “It was like a real expression of all of our feelings towards the system at the time, and also a space where we could write about things we couldn’t publish anywhere else,” Marculewicz said. Usman Malik, a Humber

librarian and the second vice-president of the Humber Faculty Union, said he was “happy” to supervise the making of the zine. “So the zine came up as one avenue of organizing students, as a tool to communicate,” Malik said. He said the union printed some copies of the zine and handed it out at tabling events. Malik said OPSEU student organizers work to “share our message with the student body, and sort of join our two movements.” “So they basically try to speak to other students about what was happening in Ontario with the defunding of education, and part of that is the cuts to OSAP, also part of that is the closure of programs at various colleges and layoffs,” he said. Marculewicz said they mostly worked with the faculty union and not the part-time support union because it had more resources. They gave credit to their friend, who wished to remain anonymous, for the design work. Marculewicz said the first issue went through multiple iterations before they settled on the design. The zine covers topics such as the three levels of government, how to contact a representative, and how to start a petition. Miloš Vasic, Humber professor and president of the Humber Faculty Union, said the zine was a

great initiative. Vasic said he loves how it addresses the “intersection between faculty issues and student issues. “There is a common enemy out there, if you want to use that kind of war metaphor. And that enemy is the provincial government,” he said. “So I think it’s really important for both workers, whether it be profs or support staff, and students to kind of talk about the issues that matter together. And this zine, I think, is a perfect opportunity to hit on some of those concerns,” Vasic said. “If students cannot afford to pay for the tuition because OSAP has been gutted, that’s not simply a student issue, that’s a faculty issue as well and a support staff issue,” he said. Vasic said the union has “tried for many years” to connect with students. “This is a more sustained way, I hope, of aligning with student interests,” he said. “If the cost of living is hurting students, that concerns all of us as faculty,” Vasic said. “The sooner that we can recognize that student interests align with faculty interests, the sooner we can save the system from itself,” he said. Marculewicz said that “there’s a difference between caring for your neighbour and showing up for your neighbour.” “I want to be there at the food bank. I want to be there educating people on politics. I want to be there helping people in a way that actually matters, and will matter for people in the future,” they said.

CULTURE Giovanna Apelabi FEATURES Olivia Masztalerz SPORTS Madison Boynton Scott Blain OP-ED Mia Badju FACULTY ADVISER Rob Lamberti JOURNALISM TECHNICIANS Gabrielle Austin Aasim Manji FRONT PAGE PHOTO

Simon Gillies

BACK PAGE PHOTO Peter Bhagoutie

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JOURNALISM@ HUMBER.CA HUMBERETC.CA ©2026 All rights reserved Humber Et Cetera is a publication of the Faculty of Media, Creative Arts. and Design at Humber Polytechnic 205 Humber College Blvd., Etobicoke, ON, M9W 5L7 Contact: Lara.King@Humber.ca

ETC

NOV 13, 2026

Humber walkout tests organizers

NEWS - 3 HUMBER SPOTLIGHT •

Demonstration garnered few students

Jo McRae

HumberETC News Student walkouts at Toronto universities drew crowds and attention in protest of OSAP cuts. But at Humber Polytechnic, at a walkout set for 1 to 3 p.m. outside the LRC on Nov. 5, there were often more organizers than visitors. The Ontario branch of the Canadian Federation of Students, or CFS-O, coordinated the province-wide walkout as part of its Hands Off Our Education campaign. Neither CFS-O or IGNITE, Humber Polytechnic’s student union, attended the walkout outside Humber’s North campus. Instead, Humber’s Political Action Club promoted the event with flyers across the North campus. Elizabeth Marculewicz, club president, said that it can take weeks to organize an official event with IGNITE, and that they “didn’t have time to go through the proper channels.” “So I didn’t get approval from anybody. I just said ‘We’re doing this,’” Marculewicz said. Emily Edwards, IGNITE student advocate, said the student union was invited to by CFS to the walkout. Edwards said IGNITE had decided to focus on its own OSAP advocacy, such as Students Write Back events where students can write letters to their MPPs for IGNITE to mail. “Although IGNITE has made the decision to not participate in the walkout, we do fully support any student who wants to participate in

this action,” she said. On the morning of Monday, Nov. 2, some Humber Polytechnic students received an email from an outside address. The email called for students to join the Nov. 5 walkout against rising education costs. At the bottom of the email was a link to marxist.ca/join, the website of an organization called the Revolutionary Communist Party, or RCP. The RCP is not a registered political party with Elections Canada. Valerie Churilov, a Humber student and member of the RCP, attended the walkout and said she had received the email. “I think that is just an invitation, basically, for everybody at the school to know that this is going on,” Churilov said. She said she didn’t know who sent the email, or how, but that she felt “glad” that somebody did to raise awareness. “What we’re asking is ‘How come IGNITE didn’t send out this email?” Churilov said. She said she hoped to see students show up and use their voice. “We believe that students themselves need to start organizing and building political power and, essentially, asserting their interests as the working class, as the majority of society against the ruling elite which are calling the shots and doing these cuts against us,” Churilov said. She said the walkout was “mildly successful.” “I think not as many students came out as we would have hoped, but from the ones that did we saw very positive responses. I think students here definitely do have a

vested interest in this movement, they understand that it relates to them, it’s important,” Churilov said. “I think that we are moving towards where we need to be as a student movement,” she said. Churilov said she would try to promote the event more next time, such as with IGNITE-approved posters on campus. Pam Johnson, now retired after teaching at Humber for 20 years, came out to support the Humber Faculty Union at the walkout. Johnson said it was inspiring to see students “standing up for public education.” She said it was important for faculty to recognize their shared issues. “There have been many times in the past when there’s been an attempt by the administration to sort of divide students and faculty, ‘their interests are different,’ and I feel like this is a moment when we can all how we are connected together,” Johnson said. She said IGNITE was “not very proactive. “We found this out as the faculty when we were on a couple of strikes and we thought they might support the issues but they kind of went with the management side of saying ‘Oh no, this only hurts students’ and we’re saying ‘We’re trying to help students here,” Johnson said. She said her experience with the Political Action Club has been “fantastic. “I just, I’m so impressed. I feel More on OSAP cuts demos coverage on pages 10, 11

like it’s a real step forward,” Johnson said. Marculewicz said the walkout “could have gone better, (but) could have gone worse.” They said that the Political Action Club plans to hold weekly events on campus to teach students about politics, but that any demonstrations may have to wait for warmer weather. Organizers had initially set up tables near the LRC entrance, where Marculewicz said they had requested a permit. Marculewicz and the others were told by security to move their tables in front of the nearby flag poles, where the club president said security told them the permit was for. “For me, it was disheartening. I thought they would support students and their cause, especially with something like OSAP,” Marculewicz said. Cyrielle Ngeleka, the CFS-O chairperson, said it was “really exciting” to see students and workers show up across the province. “It’s really riveting and reassuring to see that students are very much fed up with what’s happening with post-secondary education, and it is abundantly clear that students are not letting up the fight,” Ngeleka said. She said she didn’t know IGNITE decided not to join the walkout. Ngeleka said CFS-O tried “to attend as many rallies as possible during the day.” She said the walkout is not the end. “It is only part of a larger fight for a publicly funded and accessible education system,” Ngeleka said.

HUMBERETC/PETER BHAGOUTIE

Security officers asks the Political Action Club to move its tables away from Humber Polytechnic’s LRC entrance while protesting OSAP changes.

COURTESY/LARISSA MAZZOCCA

Student recieves award for Humber at Oxford Larissa Mazzocca is excited for what’s to come post-graduation Mazzocca, 27, completed the program in summer 2026 after previously earning a bachelor’s degree in criminology with a minor in psychology from Wilfried Laurier University. Her path to Humber included a two-year break from university before returning to complete her degree. Her interest in research eventually led her to Humber She sought practical experience and opportunity to explore different career paths from the school. One of her biggest accomplishments was a research project titled, The Cost of Waiting, which examined delays in endometriosis diagnoses in Canada. Working with Riley Lawson, also a research analyst student, Mazzocca spent seven months investigating the issue before winning Humber’s Map the System Competition. The project earned the team an opportunity to represent Humber at the global finals at the University of Oxford in England. There, they received an award for excellence in system mapping and analysis. She said the experience pushed her beyond her comfort zone, particularly as someone who has struggled with confidence and public speaking. “Now that I know, after everything I’ve gone through, I believe that it comes from just doing things that scare you just a little bit,” she said. Mazzocca said her time Humber told her to embrace uncertainty and recognize that everyone’s educational journey looks different. “Everyone’s timeline looks different and a path that doesn’t go as planned doesn’t mean you are doing something wrong,” she said. This report is by Mia Badju Op-Ed editor

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4 - NEWS

NOV 13, 2026

Anudeep Kaur remembered by Humber Business student among five killed in a Brampton house fire

Mia Badju

Senior Reporter

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nudeep Kaur, a business student at Humber Polytechnic North campus, was among five family members killed in a Brampton house fire on Nov.20, 2026. One year after the tragedy, her family, friends and members of the Humber community continue to remember her for the relationships she built, her enthusiasm and the impact she had on those around her. For her sister, Anoop, the past year has been the most difficult of her life. “Losing my sister is a pain that is impossible to put into words. She wasn’t just my sister; she was also my best friend,” she said. “Her absence has left a space in my life that can never be filled.” Anoop described Kaur and someone whose presence brought happiness to those around her. “She was so beautiful, both inside and out. She always had a smile on her face, and her smile could light up a room,” she said. “She brought so much happiness and love into our lives.” Like many sisters, the two occasionally argued over everyday matters. Anoop said those moments have since become some of the memories she misses most. “Like most sisters, we used to fight and argue over little things. Sometimes we wouldn’t agree with each other, but no matter what happened, whenever I needed her, she was always there for me. She stood by my side through every situation,” she said. “Looking back now, I would give anything to have those little arguments and everyday moments with her again.” Kaur also played an important role in encouraging her sister’s education and future ambitions, Anoop said. “One thing I will always remember is how much she cared about my studies and my future. She was always worried about me and wanted me to achieve something good in life. She constantly

COURTESY/ANOOPKAUR

Anudeep Kaur, who died in a fire last year, loved being around family.

encouraged me and wanted to see me successful and happy,” she said. Anoop said she misses the guidance and everyday conversations she shared with her sister. “Sometimes I didn’t realize how much those little conversations meant, but today I miss them more than words can explain,” she said. “I wish she were here to guide me, encourage me, and celebrate my achievements. I wish I could make her proud.” The absence of Kaur continues to be felt in the family’s everyday life, Anoop said. “I miss her smile, her voice, our conversations, our little fights, and simply having her around,” she said. “ If I could ask for one thing, it would be to have one more conversation with her, one more hug, and one more chance to tell her how much I love her.” Kaur’s impact extended beyond her family and into the Humber community, where she was involved with the Hawks Nation team. Michael Kopinak, associate Director at Humber Polytechnic’s, Athletics and Recreation Department, said in an email statement to Humber ETC, that it continued to have a lasting influence on staff members. “Our staff was devastated over the loss. Her impact was real. She

cared, she always smiled and people loved her,” he said. “They gravitated towards her, they wanted to be around her.” Kopinak said colleagues became concerned when Kaur failed to show up for work, prompting fears that something had happened. “When the news spread of the devastating fire they were mortified - shaken to the very core,” he said. He said the loss had a deep effect on the department’s staff and that Kaur’s contribution remained part of the team’s memory. Arshveer Singh, Kaur’s cousin, who lived with her, said their relationship was closer to that of sisters. “She was more like a younger sister to me, we grew up together and shared a very close bond,” she said. Singh said Kaur’s confidence and utlook on life left an impression on her, despite Singh being older. “Anu was such a confident, cheerful, and full-of-life person, she had so many dreams. She wanted to live life to the fullest, travel the world, and experience everything life had to offer,” she said. “She was very passionate about her studies and had so much she wanted to achieve.” Singh recalled Kaur’s playful personality and her ability to make others smile, even during difficult moments.

“She had this beautiful habit of smiling and making others smile,” she said. “Even in the most serious situations. That was just who she was. She brought so much happiness wherever she went.” The loss has permanently changed the lives of Kaur’s family, Singh said, adding that the approach of the fire’s fire anniversary has made grief especially difficult. “Her mom, dad, and sister Anoop miss her terribly every single day, we all do. And now, as we approach the first anniversary of the fire, everything feels even harder,” she said. “It’s difficult to accept that someone who had so many dreams and so much life ahead of her is no longer with us., Singh said. She said the memories they made growing up remain especially important to her. “There are so many memories of growing up together that I will carry with me forever,” she said. “I wish we had more time together, more conversations, more laughter, and more memories to make.” “Anu will always have a special place in our hearts. We will love her, remember her, and miss her each and every day for the rest of our lives,” Singh said. Humber ETC reached out to

Matvii Bezuhlyi, Kaur’s former manager, for comment. At his request, his statement was paraphrased. In a social media post, Bezuhlyi remembered Anu as a kind, hardworking, and positive presence who made a lasting impact on the department. He shared how much she valued being part of Hawks Nation and recalled her excitement about returning the following semester to continue working with the team. “Anu was a great person and someone who contributed greatly to the energy and enthusiasm of our Humber Hawks varsity teams,” he said. “She will be missed but not forgotten.” “No matter how much time passes, she will always be my little sister, my best friend, and a part of my heart,” Anoop said. “I hope people remember her not just for the tragedy that took her away, but for the beautiful person she was, her kindness, her smile, and the happiness she brought into people’s lives.” The Ontario Fire Marshal’s office told Humber Et Cetera in an email response that the investigation is continuing into the cause of the fire. Demetriou said the OFM is unable to provide any details or provide a timeline for completion of the investigation.

Courtesy/Anoop Kaur

Humber’s Anudeep Kaur is remembered as someone who had an infectious smile.

ETC

NOV 13, 2026

NEWS - 5

Humber student wins scholarship prize Student intends to make a difference in literary world

Mia Badju

Senior Reporter

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arah-Marie Scale, a first-year student in Humber Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Creative and Professional Writing program, was named one of three recipients of the 2026 Giller Mantella Scholarship. The Giller Mantella Scholarship, a partnership between The Giller Foundation and the Mantella Corporation, supports Black, Indigenous and racialized students pursuing post-secondary studies in English literature, writing, and creative writing. Each of the 2026 recipients rceived $10,000 towards their education and will be honoured at the Nov. 16 Giller Prize ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The other winners are Sofia Cina, a first-year English Literature student at the University of Toronto, and Audrey Gignac, a fourth-year in English Language and Literature and Concurrent Education student at Brock University. Elana Rabinovitch, executive director of the Giller Prize, said the announcement affirms the importance of emerging Canadian writers. The organization said the scholarship comes at a time when the provincial government is cutting OSAP support for students. Scale’s professor, David Brock, said that she has the qualities which make up a good writer. “The same qualities that can make for a good writing student make for a good writer,” he said. “Asking questions, experimentation, and a sense of creation as play. Sarah-Marie certainly has these qualities. Doing the work can take any writer far, both within a program of study and out in the world, and this award is a fine example that Sarah-Marie is not afraid to do the work.” Sylvia Mantella, vice president of marketing, sponsorship and philanthropy for Mantella, said the recipients have important perspectives to share “and honouring them at the Giller Prize sends a clear message: your voice matters, your stories belong, and there is a community that believes in your future.” For Scale, the recognition represents more than financial support. It is an opportunity to pursue a passion for storytelling that began in childhood, shaped by a family of avid readers and years of encouragement from her mother and father. “I have always loved telling stories. My dad was a librarian, and we had books that filled our house,” she said. “We grew up with

industry. “I think that’s really valuable for a writer to be able to get all that broad experience that will actually help you in your future career,” she said. “And I really like that it was all hands-on and it had a work-integrated learning placement in third year.” She also has begun building professional experience through freelance writing for a Christian magazine. She recently completed an internship as part of her co-op experience. The storytelling allows her to connect with young people navigating their faith and identity. “Sometimes churches are full of older populations who don’t really seem to get it, and just to be a teenager in this generation, while also still trying to be Christian, it gives me slightly of a different perspective than Canadian generations going back,” she said. The news of her scholarship came while she was working in the library on her co-op placement. Scale said she was surprised when she opened an email from Humber and saw the word “congratulations.” She immediately called her mother to share the news. The scholarship, she said, has COURTESY/ART BRONDO given her a sense of momentum as Sarah-Marie Scale shares excitement of being a 2026 recipient of the Giller prize scholarship of $10,000. she works towards establishing a bedtime stories, so it made me love work and bringing her ideas to life. career in writing. to tell stories.” becoming a writer. “At the time, Courtesy/Sarah-Marie Scale It has also strengthened her Scale said she began sharing her I had spent like a couple of hours Her educational journey also desire to use storytelling to constories with her parents at a young on my porch kind of painstakingly differed from that of many Cana- tribute to her community and conage, often finding opportunities spelling, misspelling, erasing. And dian students. nect with people who share similar to tell them while the two com- then I came up with a story called Scale was homeschooled from experiences. pleted houseJunior KinderScale’s professor, Meaghan hold chores. She garten through Strimas, said she is an exceptional initially found “WE HAD BOOKS THAT FILLED OUR HOUSE. WE GREW Grade 7, before student and writer. writing down UP WITH BEDTIME STORIES, SO IT MADE ME LOVE TO transitioning to vir“She’s a joy to teach, and her curiher ideas too tual schooling. In osity and openness to learning will TELL STORIES,” time-congrade 10, she stared take her far. While Sarah-Marie has suming. Over - Sarah-Marie Scale in-prson learning talent to spare, we all know that so time, however, which led to her much about “making it” in creative her ideas develcurrent education industries also depends on an indioped, and her mother encouraged ‘Ben the Pony,’ and I showed it to in post-secondary a Humber’s vidual’s tenacity,” she said. “Sarher to take her passion seriously. her, and that was like from that Lakeshore campus.One of seven ah-Marie has it all: vision, talent, “One time it came to this moment I was hooked. It was my siblings, Scale said she valued and determination. I am so glad moment where my mom said, whole dream,” she said. sharing her homeschooling expe- she decided to come to the Bach‘enough was enough,’” she said. Scale said she once struggled to rience with her brothers and sis- elor of Creative and Professional “She said I needed to write these envision writing as a financially ters and having her parents serve Writing program. ideas down.” Her family’s Chris- sustainable career. as her teachers. However, she also Strimas said she looks forward tian faith also played an important “I couldn’t see myself doing any- remembers wanting to experience to seeing what the future holds for role in her decision to write. Scale thing else. But growing up, I always the traditional school environ- Scale. said her mother encouraged her to thought that writing wasn’t a career ment. “I can’t wait to see her writing trust in her abilities and view sto- that could be profitable. It’s like She said she had been researching career blossom,” she said. “I’ll suprytelling as a purpose worth pur- something that you can only dream writing programs since Grade 11 port her in any way I can. This suing. of and not actually do,” she said. before deciding to pursue the field award is so richly deserved.” A church friend told her that s she considered her future, professionally. Humber stood out Scale said she hopes to reach all if she loved writing, if God gave Scale explored several career because of its early emphasis on marginalized communities with her a dream to write, and if it is her paths, including wildlife cin- specialized writing courses and her storytelling skills. dream, then why not believe that ematography and opportunities in hands-on learning setting. “Being able to do creative and he can help her succeed? science, technology, engineering and Scale said she appreciates professional writing to develop my “It was like a really life-changing mathematics. the program’s interdisciplinary storytelling skills is nice because I moment for me,” Scale said. Sarah-Marie Scale is continu- approach, which combines writing am able to share the experience on The encouragement helped ously working hard on her next with social media, photography a larger basis with other marginalScale take her first steps towards story, producing the best quality and exposure to the publishing ized people,” she said.

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ETC

6 - NEWS

NOV 13, 2026

Indigenous veterans honoured Community members gathered at Scarborough cemetery

Marie Pascual

HumberETC Features

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mall red packets of tobacco were distributed at Pine Hills Cemetery on Sunday as veterans, families and community gathered to honour Indigenous military service. “Hold that in your left hand closest to your heart,” Fred Martin, the ceremony’s Mi’kmaq and Ojibwe emcee, told attendees. Martin explained that offering tobacco was a way of showing respect, strengthening relationships and expressing gratitude. The gathering marked Mount Pleasant Group’s first Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony at the Scarborough cemetery on Birchmount Road, near St. Clair Avenue, on Nov. 8, coinciding with its 200th anniversary. Beneath two blue tents, rows of chairs faced the “O Valiant Hearts” monument. The Buffalo Charging singers from Toronto Council Fire accompanied the pipe ceremony with drumming and song before formal remarks

began. As a smoking bowl was carried past, attendees cupped the rising smoke in their hands and drew it toward their faces. First observed in Winnipeg in 1993 following advocacy by Indigenous veterans, Indigenous Veterans Day honours First Nations, Inuit and Métis military service. Many faced discrimination and unequal access to veterans’ benefits after returning home. For the Rev. Levi Samson-Beardy, an Oji-Cree veteran from northwestern Ontario, military service initially meant serving his own community. “When I joined it was to serve our First Nations people in the Canadian military,” Samson-Beardy said in an interview following the ceremony. Samson-Beardy, who served from 1969 to 1990, said he did not learn English until he was six. He recalled feeling uncomfortable during basic training, believing he was the first person from his home community to

enlist. But after entering signals intelligence during the Cold War, his understanding of whom he was serving changed. “The free world, really. That’s what it was,” he said when asked

Pleasant Group’s director of marketing, communications and outreach, said the anniversary prompted the organization to reflect on its history and the land it operates on. She said the group also

“HOLD THAT IN YOUR LEFT HAND CLOSEST TO YOUR HEART”

- Fred Martin

who he felt he was serving while in uniform. Samson-Beardy went on to specialize in Russian-language intelligence work and served as a language instructor. For Samson-Beardy, Indigenous Veterans Day also offers Indigenous people an opportunity to speak to wider Canadian society about their experiences and accomplishments. He encouraged younger Indigenous people considering military service not to be intimidated by the expectations. “You’ll be surprised what you can do,” he said. Abigail Morrison, Mount

wanted to recognize Indigenous veterans whose contributions have historically received less recognition during Remembrance Day services. Morrison credited community partners, including drummers, singers and local organizations, with helping make the ceremony possible. “I think we’d love to continue this annually,” Morrison said. Among those buried at Pine Hills is Brigadier Oliver Milton Martin, a Mohawk veteran from Six Nations of the Grand River who served in both world wars. He reached the highest military rank, now known as brig-

adier-general, attained by an Indigenous Canadian at the time. Speakers at Sunday’s ceremony also acknowledged the brigadier’s family. Royal Canadian Legion Branch 345, named in his honour, supported the event. Barry Peters, speaking for the Last Post Fund’s Indigenous Veterans Initiative, said the program has worked with 60 communities and 30 researchers since launching in 2019. He said more than 300 grave markers have been approved for Indigenous veterans as part of ongoing efforts to identify unmarked graves. “But there is still much work to do, and many graves still to be found,” Peters said. Later in the ceremony, an Ojibwe and English rendition of Amazing Grace preceded the Act of Remembrance and wreath laying. As drums sounded to close the ceremony, Fred Martin raised his left fist toward the sky, clutching a small red packet of tobacco.

HUMBERETC/MARIE PASCUAL

Members of the Buffalo Charging Singers from Toronto Council Fire perform during Pine Hills Cemetery’s first Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony in Scarborough on Nov. 8, 2026.

NOV 13, 2026

ETC

NEWS - 7

HUMBERETC/SIMON GILLIES

Virginia Van Vliet of the Cabbagetown Preservation Association leads a veteran’s grave and monument tour in St. James’ Cemetery in Toronto on Nov 11, 2026 for Remembrance Day.

Breathing new life into stories of death Cabbagetown’s Remembrance included tour of veteran’s graves, memorials

Simon Gillies

HumberETC News There are dozens of headstones in St. James’ Cemetery with no one resting in the ground below them. They contain all the usual hallmarks of regular gravestones: the deceased’s name, date of birth and death, maybe a cross or a Bible verse. But on a closer look, the faded etchings on the crumbling, lichenspotted limestone will point to resting places thousands of kilometres away from the Cabbagetown graveyard. “Somewhere in Belgium” “The British Military Cemetery, St. Pierre, France” “Killed in active duty. Lost at sea” The names on these particular monuments are of Canadian soldiers and military nurses who were killed in the First World War. They were buried, if burial was possible, an ocean away from their families back home in Toronto. The Cabbagetown Preservation Society ran a guided tour of the various veteran’s graves and cenotaphs scattered throughout the cemetery Wednesday, immediately following the Remembrance

Day ceremony hosted on the cem- and Toronto Fire had gathered. grave to grave, through the gently etery grounds. Not long after the final mournful sloping hills and increasingly The ceremony itself took place notes of “The Last Post” rang out barren hardwood trees of the cemat the Chapel of St. James-the- of Silas Friesen’s trumpet, a small etery, pausing at each veteran’s Less, situated at the entrance to crowd had gathered on the chapel monument to tell the group their the sprawling, tree covered prop- steps, ready to learn the stories of stories. erty nestled between Parliament some of the soldiers memorialized One was a stone monument to Lt. Street and Rosedale Valley Road. in the graveyard. Gavin Langmuir, who was killed in The ceremony was attended by The tour was run by Virginia Van action at age 23 in Belgium during members of The Queen’s Own Vliet, a local historian and member the Second Battle of Ypres in 1915. Rifles, former Toronto L a n g “IT’S A VERY POWERFUL WAY TO HIGHLIGHT THE muir lived Mayor Barbara Hall, and diplomatic representawith his MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO GAVE THEIR p a r e n t s , tives from Lithuania, Indonesia, and Chile. Archibald LIVES FOR US MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO,” Elected officials from and Mar- Virginia Van Vliet garet, less all three levels of government were also present, than two including local MP Evan Solomon, of the Cabbagetown Preservation kilometres from the cemetery, MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam, and out- Society, who greeted the group near Bay Street. going city councillor Chris Moise, after most of the crowd from the He worked as an appraiser for who said this was his last official ceremony had spilled back onto the Toronto Trusts Corporation, appearance as councillor. Parliament Street. and was a member of the Royal All three officials spoke during Van Vliet said she runs the tour Canadian Yacht Club. the ceremony, highlighting Indig- not only as a way to tell the human He was reported missing and enous veterans, the recent tragedy stories behind the names etched later presumed to be killed in at CFB Wainwright, and the into the stones, but to situate the action. ongoing need to support Canadian stories locally. Baldwin grew up in Toronto, veterans throughout their lives. “It’s a very powerful way to high- and at age 23 she was the youngest The ceremony concluded with a light the members of our commu- Canadian nurse to be killed during procession outside for a moment nity who gave their lives for us the First World War. of silence and wreath-laying, more than 100 years ago,” she said. Tour participants placed popwhere members of Toronto Police Van Vliet led the group from pies on some of the monuments,

at times touching the crumbling stone and blinking back tears. The tour concluded deep in the cemetery at the gravestone of Captain William Durie, a Canadian soldier who was killed and buried in France in 1917. His mother, Anna, was furious that he was buried overseas. She eventually managed to covertly retrieve his remains from the French cemetery and bring them back to Toronto, where he was subsequently buried in St James’. After regaling the group with Anna Durie’s tale, Van Vliet thanked the attendees for keeping the stories of St James’ veterans alive, and invited everyone to make their way back to the entrance gate, now out of sight, at their own pace. The group dispersed slowly, in different directions, down different paths. As they wove their way back through the same granite and marble headstones they did on their way in, many of them now looked different. It wasn’t just the poppies placed on them, or the fact that their names were now familiar. Now they knew their stories.

ETC

8 - NEWS

NOV 13, 2026

HUMBERETC/ HUE PHAM

Donna Farrell, a 1963 UN peacekeeper in the Congo, shares the memory of her then partner following Doug Ford’s announcement of the province sending burn specialists to Alberta.

Ford joins Etobicoke legion to remember Hue Pham

HumberETC News Donna Farrell followed her thenpartner to be a UN Peacekeeper in the Congo in 1963. When she mentioned missionaries returning “mangled,” it’s when her lip quivered and the tears started to well in her eyes. The memories she wished she could forget. “It’ll always be with me. I mean, I’ve had it since I was 21, 22 years old. I’m 85 now,” she said. As she sat in the auditorium of the Royal Canadian Legion Coronation Branch 286 for Remembrance Day on Irwin Road, she recalled the experience as the moment she understood war did not discriminate, not even peacekeepers were safe. She decided to leave a month early from a 15-month contract because she says her father was suf-

fering from heart attacks because said he grew up during the Second “All the atrocities that were comhe was so concerned about her World War. mitted should never be allowed living in an active war zone. For him, life back then was car- to happen again, that people are The experience helps her under- rying gas masks to school, being treated like that,” he said. stand what other veterans are going allowed one egg a week, and someParticipants were later brought through when they return. What times a girl would just burst out outside to lay a poppy on the she can’t understand, wreath in front of the though, is why it percenotaph. sists. Kevin Dobbyn was “I DON’T UNDERSTAND “I don’t understand one of the officers WHY PEOPLE CAN’T GET ALONG. why people can’t get standing by as particalong. The world’s ipants walked toward THE WORLD GOT SO MUCH TO OFFER ” got so much to offer. the cenotaph. - Donna Farrel He served in Why can’t people…? It’s hard to comprethe military as an hend it,” Farrell said. armoured crewman Chairs were filled, and people in tears remembering her father in the First Hussars from December lined the walls, including local would never return because he 1984 to December 1992. police and OPP, to honour those died in war. For Dobbyn, he says since a who served in the military to He was conscripted to the air reunion of his regiment seven years ensure the freedoms enjoyed today. force and served in Germany and ago, about 20 to 30 members have Poems were read, videos were Cyprus when he was 23 years old passed away. shared, and there was a laying of in 1953. He’s heard plans to make He remembers a few of them for the wreaths ceremony. Remembrance Day a holiday, but Remembrance Day, like one he’d Bill MacAulay read the poem “In he says the last thing it should be known since basic training. He had Flanders Fields” for the service. He called is a holiday. been laughing and joking with him

over the phone, and the next day, he got a call from his mom to let Dobbyn know he died by suicide. “I was the last person to talk to him,” he said. He knows the military wasn’t easy, especially for those who were deployed. Veterans Affairs Canada estimated that up to 10 per cent of war zone veterans, including peacekeeping forces like Donna Farrell’s role, will experience a chronic condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder. Dobbyn was never deployed into any war zones, but instead stayed in the country to train soldiers. He said rigorous training caused enduring pain in his knees, back, shoulders and ankles. He’s still an insomniac because of the training. But he doesn’t regret the decision. “If I didn’t have the service, I wouldn’t have the experience or met the people I met,” he said.

Canadian Legion Coronation Branch 286 for Remembrance Day and told Humber Et Cetera of the efforts of the province for those who were injured in the Oct. 17 fire at the training base. Four soldiers were killed, and 39 others were wounded, 19 of them critically.

Branch President Ron Gregory honoured the four service members who died in the deadly fire at the base during the Remembrance Day ceremony. The service members were Pte. Aidan Goulding, Pte. Shaun Farrell, Pte. Hayden Lykkemark, and Sgt. Morgan Wong.

Ontario rushes burn unit staff to Alberta Hue Pham

HumberETC News Premier Doug Ford announced the province rushed Sunnybrook burn unit specialists to Alberta to help care for those injured in the fire on CFB Wainwright. Ford was visiting the Royal

“We have the best burn unit in the entire country at Sunnybrook, and we sent them out there,” he said. Former armoured crewman Kevin Dobbyn of the 1st Hussars said he used to train soldiers at CFB Wainwright. He could see how a fire could get

out of control in the training base. Wainwright was where he first encountered a sandstorm, so he isn’t surprised a fire could move so quickly in the vast training fields. “There’s a lot of small trees, there’s a lot of just wide open plains, like wide open prairie,” he said.

ETC

NOV 13, 2026

NEWS - 9

Collingwood’s deep tribute to veterans Carly Mirrlees

HumberETC News The bronze bugler standing above the city’s cenotaph represents more than a tribute to those who died in war. It reflects a community whose history is tied to the ships built along its waterfront and the soldiers who left home by train to serve overseas. On November 11, residents gathered at the memorial outside the Collingwood Museum to honour those who served and those who died in war. Before the annual Remembrance Day ceremony, a guided tour of the museum grounds offered a reminder of how deeply the community’s military history is connected to its shipbuilding roots. Led by museum co-ordinator Lindsay Cook, the tour brought visitors through the stories behind the memorials, including the railway station that once stood on the site. The museum building is a replica of the original station, built in 1873, where local soldiers departed for war. Across the street stood the shipyards, where generations of Collingwood workers helped build vessels that would serve overseas. The connection between the railway, the shipyards and the cenotaph reflects a community that contributed to the war effort both overseas and at home. During the First World War, approximately 700 people from Collingwood enlisted. Nine local men were among the first to sign up within the opening 10 days of recruitment. The museum’s interactive story map, Beyond the Names, helps bring those service members’

experiences closer to home by connecting the stories of the 108 fallen First World War veterans on the cenotaph to locations throughout the community. The cenotaph itself carries a local story. Designed by Collingwood native Charles MacDonald, a First World War veteran, the bronze soldier was modelled after his brother Fred. Both brothers served with the 48th Highlanders of Canada and were wounded at the Battle of Langemark in April 1915. The figure holds a bugle to his lips, making Collingwood’s memorial distinctive among Canadian cenotaphs. “He’s the only solo bugler I can find,” Cook told tour-goers. “He’s the only one that’s playing.” The names engraved on the cenotaph honour those who died in service, while separate honour walls recognize community members who served and returned home. Collingwood’s contribution to wartime service extended beyond enlistment. During the Second World War, the shipyards built vessels for the Allied war effort, including corvettes designed to protect supply convoys crossing the Atlantic. Women also worked in the shipyards during the war, contributing to the construction of vessels. That maritime history was reflected in the ceremony itself. Lorne Kenny read a naval remembrance poem honouring those who served at sea and airmen lost over the water, including those whose bodies were never recovered. “In ocean wastes, no poppies blow, no crosses stand in ordered row,” the poem reads.

HUMBERETC/ CARLY MIRRLEES

The words offered a reminder that not every sacrifice left a grave or a memorial bearing a name, particularly for those lost beneath the waves. As the ceremony moved toward its 11 a.m. moment of silence, the Collingwood Fire Department sounded its siren before Rob Chambers played the Last Post. Pipe Major Sheila Stewart followed with the lament Flowers of the Forest before the Rouse signalled the end of the silence. Veterans, members of the Canadian Armed Forces, local firefighters, police, cadets, municipal representatives and residents then took part in the wreath-laying ceremony. While the memorial honours generations of service, speakers also emphasized that remembrance extends beyond the two world wars. Gerard Buckley, the Colling-

wood branch’s veterans services officer, asked those gathered to remember the four Canadian Armed Forces members killed during a fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Alberta on Oct. 17, as well as those injured and still recovering. “We’re probably remembering the families of four soldiers that were killed at CFB Wainwright,” Buckley said. He also drew attention to the injured soldiers, including 15 who remained on ventilators and nine who were in critical condition, according to figures he shared during the ceremony. Buckley encouraged the community to remember modern veterans who served in the Balkans, during peacekeeping missions and in Afghanistan, as well as Canadian service members deployed overseas and the families waiting for their safe return. “We don’t have to always go back

to World War I and World War II,” he said, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the experiences of more recent generations of veterans. In remarks reflecting on the meaning of the day, Kenny described the emotions that accompany the annual observance. “Each year as Remembrance Day approaches, I find myself torn between sorrow and gratitude,” Kenny said. For a community shaped by its waterfront, the naval tribute carried particular significance. The shipyards may have closed in 1986, but their contribution remains part of Collingwood’s identity, as does the memory of the people who left the town by train to serve. More than a century later, the station remains a place of remembrance, and the bugler continues to stand watch over the names of those who never came home.

HUMBERETC/CARLY MIRRLEES

Top right, The Beinn Gorm Highlanders lead the march across the veterans’ crosswalk. Bottom left, museum coordinator Lindsay Cook gives Collingwood residents a guided tour of the museum grounds ahead of Remembrance Day ceremony. Bottom right, Rob Chambers plays the Last Post during two minutes of silence to remember those who serve and died in war.

ETC

10 - NEWS

NOV 13, 2026

HUMBERETC/ALITA KOLAR-MURAD

Protesters wear Guy Fawkes masks voicing their outrage toward Doug Ford government’s OSAP decision outside Toronto Metropolitan University campus during the student walkout.

Oppositions calls to restore OSAP cuts Elise Papadogianis HumberETC News

Ontario’s opposition parties say students’ futures are at risk as they’re being scapegoated for the OSAP mess the government created, The Ontario government said OSAP became unsustainable and changed the grant-loan ratios, forcing students to take on more debt to fund their education. Ontario Liberal MPP Tyler Watt told Humber Et Cetera that students were never the problem, pushing back against Premier Doug Ford’s previous suggestions that students were wasting grants on “fancy watches and cologne” and taking “basket weaving

courses.” Watt, the party’s Critic for Training, Colleges and Universities, and NDP Shadow Minister for Colleges and Universities Peggy Sattler argue the real problem was the government’s failure to stop millions of dollars in OSAP funding from going to private career colleges. There are now investigations into alleged fraudulent activity, which have not been proven in court “They were enrolled, and then this government totally abandoned them seven weeks into their program,” Watt said, describing students whose funding was cut off after they had already started school.

Some were relying on that money to pay bills and put groceries on the table. Watt said some are even facing homelessness now. “It’s really unfortunate and frankly cruel because the cost of living is out of control,” he said. “Life is tough. It’s never been harder for young people. During a phone interview, Sattler said the changes transformed OSAP from a program largely built on grants into one that forces students to take on significant debt just to attend college or university. “We are saddling graduates of

our colleges and universities with a significant debt burden at a time when unemployment is at record numbers,” she said, pointing to uncertainty about finding entrylevel employment. Both parties want the previous funding structure of 85 per cent grants and 15 per cent loans restored, along with the removal of interest on provincial student loans. It was changed by the Ford government to 25 per cent grants and 75 per cent loans. The Liberals are also suggesting bringing back free tuition for

HUMBERETC PHOTOS/ALITA KOLAR-MURAD

College students across Ontario are gathered to protest against OSAP freeze for their education without having to worry about financial security.

low-income students and extending the period before loan repayments begin from six months to two years. The NDP says students in financial need should receive grants rather than be forced to borrow. “We do not believe that students should be taking on debt,” Sattler said. “The government should certainly not be making money off of that debt by charging interest.” The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario is also calling for grants instead of loans. The changes intensify barriers for low-income, disabled and racialized students, Chairperson Cyrielle Ngeleka said in an emailed statement. “Students should not have to choose between pursuing an education and maintaining their financial security,” she said. The federation said Nov. 5 walkouts brought students together on more than 20 campuses across Ontario, demanding more grants and an end to tuition hikes. Watt, who drove from Kingston to Queen’s Park to protest OSAP cuts as a nursing student, said he was inspired to see students demonstrating again. “Your voice is important. Your future is worth fighting for,” he said. For students questioning whether they can afford to continue their education, both opposition parties say the fight to restore OSAP is far from over.

ETC

NOV 13, 2026

NEWS - 11

OSAP freeze impacts healthcare future

Alita Kolar-Murad

HumberETC News

Sam Preston joined the paramedic program at CTS Canadian Career College out of a desire to serve his community in a meaningful way. He was considering joining the navy when he learned of the opportunity to train as a paramedic for one year before going on to work in Ontario’s most underserviced regions. Ontario’s Learn and Stay Grant promised fully funded tuition to students willing to work a minimum of six months in high-need, often rural and remote communities after graduating. The grant, which was introduced to address Ontario’s growing shortage of healthcare workers, was paused Oct. 6, when the provincial government placed an indefinite freeze on OSAP to students from private post-secondary institutions. Preston said he woke up Oct. 7 to learn that he might never receive the money needed to cover his tuition. “That was absolute devastation,” he said. “Like, absolute sinking feeling, gut punch, want to vomit. Your entire life has been upended, and financial security has been ripped out from underneath you,” Preston said. “And everything you’ve been working towards is potentially or most likely now not going to happen,” he said. The freeze was instituted following an investigation into suspicious OSAP applications at private career colleges. The Canadian Press reported that Career Colleges Ontario alerted the Ministry of Colleges and Universities to unusual activity in January 2023. Two years and numerous warnings later, the ministry began an official in-person investigation into one of the colleges in July 2025 and in-person investigations into eight of them in October 2026. In court documents obtained by The Canadian Press, CCO said 10

schools received an average 855 per cent increase in OSAP applications from 2022 to 2024. One school had an alleged 2,700 per cent increase, to 2,992 from 107 applicants. In two career colleges, more than half of the financial aid applications allegedly came from a single IP address, according to the court documents. Three Academy of Learning Career Colleges across the GTA were among the 10 flagged by the CCO. Students from those three campuses received more than $219 million in OSAP grants in 20242025, according to The Canadian Press. The ministry recorded more than 220 tips, referrals and investigations relating to three Academy of Learning campuses since January 2024, Liberal MPP Tyler Watt said at Queen’s Park. These included allegations that recruiters were completing OSAP applications on behalf of students. “Uploading documents, completing coursework and in some cases, allegedly using OSAP as a registration tool,” Watt said. The Academy of Learning denies these allegations, which have not been proven, said The Canadian Press. The Academy of Learning campuses are owned by a parent company, Opulence Education Group. Elections Ontario’s public database shows the three co-founders of Opulence, Puneet Khanna, Harit Gaba and Suhail Seth, donated a total of $11,466 to the Ontario PCs headed by Premier Doug Ford between 2024 and 2025. Opulence did not respond to these claims, despite repeated attempts to contact them. Colleges and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn hired a private firm, KPMG, to conduct an audit of OSAP at career colleges in August 2026, brushing aside opposition calls to bring in the provincial auditor general. Quinn said in a statement that preliminary findings from the audit identified risks around

common ownership, ties to immigration firms, weak verification of student enrollment and unusually high OSAP applications from the same area. When contacted about the audit, KPMG declined to comment, citing its policy on private client matters. Quinn has not committed to publicly releasing the audit’s findings. “It is not clear whether this work has actually started, and the results of that review will only be made available to the government, not to the public. I don’t believe that is good enough. “The public deserves to know what is happening here,” Liberal MPP Lee Fairclough said at Queen’s Park. The PC MPPs voted down Fairclough’s motion for the Auditor General to conduct an independent audit, which would have made the audit’s findings publicly

HUMBERETC/ALITA KOLAR MURAD

Most healthcare students worry about their future after the Ford’s government decided to freeze OSAP, above.

HUMBERETC/VANESSA FEMIA

available. Kari Slade, a teacher at Southern Ontario Dental College, whose students have been subject to the OSAP freeze, said the government is punishing students for its own lack of oversight. “If you have had a failure in your ability to regulate, that should come down on those specific colleges. A blanket cutting of OSAP funds to thousands of students in Ontario is not the solution,” she said. Slade said many career colleges have small profit margins, contrary to public perception. “If you’re trying to make a million dollars, opening a dental hygiene school is probably the most stressful way you could go about that,” she said. Slade said Ford’s recent cuts to public colleges have led to essential programs shutting down, and private colleges are now filling the gaps. She pointed to Fanshawe College, which she said lost its dental assisting program last year as a direct result of provincial cuts. “We’re actually creating your health-care workers because there are not enough community college placements,” Slade said. Slade said the government’s approach is paving the path to further privatization. “This is just one more ploy from the Conservative government to privatize our healthcare and our education. And it’s sick,” Slade said. She said people don’t realize that prices for health-care services will

increase when student dropouts lead to further worker shortages. CTS student Ashley Comeau said CTS’s paramedic program is already facing a shortage of preceptors, the advanced-care paramedics needed to mentor students before they can graduate. Approximately 160 students across all three CTS Canadian Career College campuses have dropped out after the Oct. 6 OSAP freeze, a CTS representative said. More than 40 of those students were part of the Stay and Learn grant, they said. Comeau said she would have been one of those students if it weren’t for her husband, who works full time. “It feels like it’s no longer about who’s the best fit to go to school, or become a paramedic in this case. It’s about who can afford it,” she said. Comeau was planning to work in Moose Factory, an isolated northern community in northern Ontario, who she said is in need of paramedics. “We just want to help people and it feels like the government is preventing us from doing that,” she said. Preston considers himself fortunate to have found a job at Home Depot, where he now works 30 hours a week in addition to completing his coursework. Like Ashley, his paramedic program comprises of the contents of a twoyear program compressed into one accelerated year. Preston said the additional hours he’s working to afford his tuition in the absence of his OSAP will come at the expense of his academic performance. “I’m going to do worse in the course. It’s going to affect my placements. It’s going to affect my ability to get employment at a hospital,” he said. “You want the guy with an A, or the person with a ninety-five average, to show up when you have a heart attack,” Preston said. He said that graduates from his school are embedded in health care across Canada. “We have a map at the school where our paramedics alone are serving all around this country,” Preston said. He said people are right to be angry over what has occurred with OSAP and government spending, but the majority of private career colleges are not to blame. “To paint all schools with the same broad brush as some people who have exploited the system is just not an intelligent way of looking at it. It demands more nuance, just like the response from the government should,” Preston said.

ETC

12 - FEATURES

NOV 13, 2026

Humber Arboretum guided

The crunch of the leaves, the remaining flowers, wildlife in the lush garden Maryan Yalda

HumberETC News

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s leaves change colour and plants prepare for winter, Canadian goldenrod, asters and milkweed are just some of the many highlights of the seasonal changes in the Humber Arboretum, where visitors can explore and learn about the natural environment. Outdoor education instructor at the Humber Arboretum, Olivia Ypelaar, who gave visitors a guided tour in late October, said that her favourite element of fall is the crunching leaves, that are broken down by footsteps,helping to create nutrient soil. Ypelaar had many other interesting stories to share the tells of fall to the visits. She explained the word arboretum, often described as a tree zoo, showcases all plants from around the world. The oldest maple tree in the arboretum is the 200-year-old grandmother maple that has started to drop her leaves with the changing season. “Grandmother because we think that she is the matriarch of the sugar maples in this area, she’s very special,” Ypelaar said. Arboretum staff used to get sap from the grandmother maple to make syrup because sugar maples as well as black maples have the highest sugar level content and produce the best sap for syrup making, she explained.

Within the arboretum is a lone seasonal changes that show it or when it’s misty in the morning, gate that used to be connected to a She noted that there is no true they help capture moisture so that fence to protect the flowers in the term for autumn but said that the plant life can remain healthy, leaves upper region of the garden. Etruscans, a type of Italian tribe are a great way for the natural Ypelaar explained that deer used before the Romans, had a god called ecosystems to reproduce and proto be able to jump over the fence Vertumnus, the god of changing tect itself over the winter period,” because it was too short for them seasons who might be where the Ypelaar said. and they were getting trapped in name’s origin came from. Differences in the colour of the garden so the decision was As the leaves turned shades of leaves have to do with the sugar made to take the fence down. But red, orange and yellow Ypelaar said levels in the trees as well as difthe gate remains. that inside the leaves are tannins. ferent pigments, she said. The horticulture team at Humber Rafael Lepra, a retired chemical “Chlorophyll is the pigment that Arboretum decides what plants are engineer who joined the arbo- would create all leaves to be green, placed on the grounds to create a retum walk with his wife Anabel some leaves have a higher chlorobiodiverse space phyll content versus and sometimes that other pigments,” can include invaYpelaar said. sive species, which “GRANDMOTHER BECAUSE WE THINK THAT SHE IS “Once the chloroconcerns the educa- THE MATRIARCH OF THE SUGAR MAPLES IN THIS phyll dies off, or the tional team. tree stops producing Ypelaar said that chlorophyll for the AREA, SHE’S VERY SPECIAL,, ” from an ecological - Olivia Ypelaar season, those other standpoint it is not pigments are allowed ideal to have invato come forward and sive species. that’s why we see Japanese cultivar is an invasive Baklayan, a retired executive assis- them,” she said. plant that is in the arboretum. tant, explained that tannins are a Ypelaar said access to light plays Ypelaar said that while the plant polyphenol compound. a strong role in the green colour looks nice in the summer, it is not Ypelaar said that tannins are of trees, and as days get shorter a good enough reason to have it what make natural water a dark causing less access to light there is there. colour, they leach out of leaves and no chlorophyll being produced. Stewardship is part of what the are also found in nuts that are in Squirrels were the prominent arboretum staff should be doing, trees. animal on the walk, she said. Ypelaar explained “Tannins will produce nutrients “This time of year is peak She said it’s supposed to be a for the ground and for the soil,” she squirrel time because they’re pre-colonial land and removing said. rushing around to get all their invasive plants and taking care of Ypelaar said this process helps nuts,” Ypelaar said. the land should be prioritized. new plants to grow. Squirrels hide their nuts in As Ontario’s landscape changed Leaving leaves on the ground random spots and use their saliva with vibrant fall colours, Ypelaar rather than raking them is good for to help them track where they have talked about the mythological his- the environment, she said. hidden them, she said. tory behind the name autumn and “Leaves are great when it rains “Sometimes they don’t remember

where they’ve hidden their nuts and they can help plant a tree,” Ypelaar said. Ypelaar mentioned that Humber Arboretum provides guided nature walks for children participating in their school field trips and staff come up with activities related to topics the schools choose. “It’s cool to see how the forest changes every day, it’s pretty fast,” she said. Ypelaar said that in the wintertime, turtles, frogs, fish and other species living in the arboretum’s pond will go under and bury themselves under water which is the warmer part as the surface freezes over. “They’ll slow their heart rate, doing something called brumation, where they’re kind of asleep, and they make their lungs efficient so they don’t have to take many breaths,” she said. Ypelaar mentioned that many changes happen in all types of ecosystems, not only in forests with leaves changing but also in ponds. Fall marks the beginning of the end of the natural cycle, she said. The arboretum will host a seed saving workshop Thursday, Nov. 12. More information and other events can be found on instagram. com/humberarb/

HUMBERETC/MARYAN YALDA

Olivia Ypelaar explained that leaving leaves on the ground is a great way to help create natural mulch for the environment to the vistors on the walk.

Layout by Olivia Masztalerz

NOV 13, 2026

ETC

d walk explores the tells fall

FEATURES - 13

ns and ponds behind campus are an ecological treasure chest for visitors

HUMBERETC/MARYAN YALDA

Education instructor Olivia Ypelaar and visitor Rafael Lepra examine the textures of a leaf. Lepra collects litter around the Arboretum in an effort to clean the environment in nature walk.

HUMBERETC/MARYAN YALDA

HUMBERETC/MARYAN YALDA

People gather to see the Milkweed, one of the plants discovered on the guided nature walk, is a source of nutrition for monarch butterflies.

ETC

14 - OPINION

NOV 13, 2026

EDITORIAL

Academic integrity needs AI accountability

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AI detectors fail at being 100 per cent reliable

rtificial intelligence has made its way into nearly every corner of education. Students use it to research, write and study and teachers are still expected to determine whether the work in front of them is genuinely their student’s. AI’s presence in education has raised numerous questions about academic integrity, but another concern deserves attention: who is responsible when the technology gets it wrong? Students turn to tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini to research and complete coursework. A University of British Columbia survey of 480 Arts students conducted between Fall 2024 and

OPINION

Spring 2025 found that 10 per cent said they use AI daily for coursework. Students are increasingly held accountable for AI use but the companies that create AI are not being held to the same standard of accountability. With a resource so readily available, distinguishing academic dishonesty has become more difficult. Some post-secondary institutions rely on educators and AI-detection tools to determine misconduct. A 2026 Fraser Institute Leger poll study found that 42.2 per cent of Canadian teachers in grades six to 12 believe more than half of their

students use AI to complete schoolwork.While the figure focuses on grade-school teacher’s perceptions, it brings out the growing uncertainty educators could face when assessing student’s work. AI detection software has its shortcomings. A 2023 study in the International Journal for Educational Integrity examined 14 detection systems and found that none consistently distinguished AI-generated writing from humanwritten work. This leaves students to defend the authenticity of their work against a technology that is not always accurate. A separate 2025 study by researchers Selin Dik, Osman

Erdem and Mehmet Dik tested GPTZero with fifty human written works. It found that GPTZero flagged human-written essays with an average AI-generated score of 29.86 per cent. The score rose to 35.56 per cent for shorter essays. The study’s sample was limited but its findings raise questions about the reliability of AI-detection tools that AI companies have yet to provide all the answers to. Artificial intelligence companies must take greater responsibility for the technology they put into the hands of educators and students. There is little in the way of offering support to teachers who

access a student’s work , and that needs to change. The detection companies should be required to regularly test their products and improve their accuracy. They should establish safeguards for their products that ensure it is not treated as definitive proof of academic misconduct. Some schools have started to move towards no AI in the classroom. The University of Toronto banned computers in multiple classrooms on campus this year. This is one way schools can step up and do what they can to prevent the AI from taking over classrooms.

Turn down the lights, look to the stars in the sky

Christian Lanzillotto

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efore the mass adoption of artificial light, humans spent thousands of years looking up at the night sky and saw the Milky Way stretched above them as a permanent fixture of the night. Because of light pollution, the Milky Way is hidden for 80 per cent of North Americans, according to a landmark global study published In the journal Science Advances. I believe that the view of the Milky Way is one of the most spectacular sights we can see. Municipal governments should take practical steps to reduce light pollution so we can all enjoy what was once the baseline night sky. Uthayan Thurairajah, a senior electrical project manager for WSP, a global engineering and professional services firm, and an advocate for DarkSky International, said that there are four

HUMBERETC/CHRISTIANLANZILLOTTO

The Angus Plaza in Angus, Ont., 70 kilometres north of Toronto, shines brightly with a row of tall floodlights. The brightness drowns out the stars.

components to light pollution; sky glow, trespass lighting, glare, and over lighting. Thurairajah said sky glow is when light gets reflected onto the ground then back in the sky and creates a dome of light that restricts visibility. He said it plays the biggest role in people being able to stargaze and wildlife. Sky glow can have ecological effects on both animals and humans. Thurairajah said animals’ productivity, sleep patterns, and Even hibernation can be affected by light pollution. “Especially in the City of Toronto, there are thousands of birds that are killed by light pollu-

tion at night,” he said. Birds are most affected by light pollution with an estimated 25 million to 42 million deaths a year in Canada, according to FLAP Canada. The main cause of death for the birds are collisions. Light pollution also wastes an absurd amount of energy. Around $45 to $100 million per year is wasted on over lighting, according to EcoFriendly Sask, a Saskatchewan-based environmental advocacy group. That’s enough money to pay the electricity bills for more than 60,000 Canadian households, or put 1,500 teachers in classrooms. Ithink municipal governments

need to realize that there are resources being wasted for no reason, and the wasted money could serve communities in more beneficial ways.The main argument against enacting reduced light pollution policies is that there could be a rise in crime, and public safety concerns. Thurairjah said that vulnerable peI think that people often assume that the roads and sidewalks will be pitch black, and every single light will be off. That’s not the case. Streetlights can have motion sensors, or they can even reduce their brightness during the night. One of the cheapest fixes is

placing plastic shields on the top of streetlights to make sure light is directed downward. Light pollution advocates are not advocating for pitch-black nights, but smarter lights. Every year we hesitate to enact smarter light policies so we waste nearly $100 million and hundreds of millions of birds’ lives. But correcting this does not mean we have to make our communities unsafe. If we make simple fixes, we can pull the urban lighting down and allow future generations to be in awe of the Milky Way. Christiam Lanzillotto, he/him, is a Humber Et Cetera reporter.

ETC

NOV 13, 2026

OPINION- 15

TALES FROM HUMBER

Discovering line between protesting, reporting

Marie Pascual

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pulled a black bandana over my face at the University of Toronto and let my Humber Et Cetera media pass hang around my neck. One act concealed my identity; the other announced it. Students chanted around me, ”No cuts, no fees, no corporate universities,” I’d come to join them, but my editor’s last message kept replaying in my head. That morning, I’d told him that I wanted to join the student walkout over education cuts, not just cover it. He said he didn’t quite see what I meant. I explained. He reacted with a thumbs up, removed I, then wrote: “Ok.” Near the front, I waited to feel like chanting. Instead, I watched reporters interviewing students it had gone the other way: I went to write about a protest and ended up speaking at the press conference. The night before, I’d watched V for Vendetta, 20 years after its release. A masked revolutionary hijacks a television broadcast and urges Londoners to stand against their government. On screen, a mask made resistance look certain. I know of no reason why Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgotten. I wanted that certainty. After a decade in kitchens, bouncing from line cook to menu planning for shelters, journalism is the first work that has felt like mine. I had to ask for my OSAP aid to be restored before I could enrol at all, then explain myself again to transfer to Humber. I was still carrying debt from my earlier time in school. In February, the Ontario government announced that no more than 25 per cent of provincial OSAP assistance would be provided as grants, with the remainder as loans. The changes took effect Aug. 1. They were part of what the students around me were protesting. My first appeal came months before that announcement. I wasn’t sure what resistance looked like for me. The crowd also chanted “From the river to the sea, Palestine will

COURTESY/NELSON LIU

Humber Et Cetera reporter Marie Pascual attended the Nov. 5 demostrations against education cuts. Affording school is difficult without OSAP.

be free.” A few feet away, an older man and an older woman were arguing about what the protest was about. I drifted closer. “Don’t you know there are Muslims here too?” one of them said. Someone answered: “I’m here for the tuition, not this s---.” A protester carrying a Palestinian flag walked past, and it brushed the back of my neck. Later, an organizer asked the crowd, “How many of you guys can’t pay rent?” I cheered. It was about the only time I did, even though I live with my parents. My thinking was that I can’t afford rent either, so maybe I was justified. I also signed a petition called Fix

OSAP ASAP, which asks the province to reverse OSAP grant cuts. Signed pages go to Liberal MPP Tyler Watt’s office. Nigel Barriffe, whom I’d interviewed at the Oct. 24 education rally, began playing music alongside a violinist and saxophonist. Students danced in pairs and groups while I imagined joining them, but stayed where I was. Afterwards, a man handing out Communist Party flyers asked what I thought about the OSAP cuts. “I mean, I’m here, aren’t I?” I said, with more edge than I meant. I told him I was a journalist with Humber, and his eyes lit up. Then I added that I was also a student, somewhere between par-

ticipating and not. “You can do both, right?” I didn’t know how to answer. What does participating look like when you’re also the one taking notes? I didn’t want to bore him with journalism ethics guidelines. I found a bench and opened my notebook. By the time the march reached Queen’s Park, it had gotten louder. Walking up the street, the crowd chanted “F--- Doug Ford,” and later, “Doug Ford is a dropout.” Toronto Police bicycle officers stood off to the sides, some leaning against their bikes. “Who are you really protecting?” an organizer called toward them. One officer shrugged and smiled.

COURTESY/NELSON LIU

Nigel Barriffe plays guitar with band Life to Liberation as students dance during the U of T student walk-out.

Another smiled beside him. I laughed. Then came the insults. Some protesters shouted obscenities. Others brought the officers’ families into it. But I knew nothing about the officers standing before us. The organizer’s question was worth asking. I wasn’t convinced the insults helped answer it. Later, police stopped traffic twice so the march could move down Hoskin Avenue. On the sidewalk, the crowd chanted “It’s your tuition too” at students walking past. One protester told a student, “Don’t be a f---ing scab.” Collective action is not always collective agreement. The man with the flyers had asked if I could do both, report and protest. I left around 3:30 p.m. with one cheer, one signature and a notebook full of what I’d seen. I hadn’t asked a single member of the High School Students Against Austerity I’d planned to follow up with for a name or a quote. If I regret anything, it’s the questions I didn’t ask. I’m less certain I regret the dancing I skipped. Marie Pascual, she/her, is a Humber Et cetera Post-Grad reporter. She covers social issues and cultural events.

ETC

16 - CULTURE

NOV 13, 2026

HUMBERETC/THOMAS MCKENZIE

AGO’s unique look at ‘90s rock scene Visitors looking at photographs from Melissa Auf der Maur’s personal archive at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto. The exhibition of 1990s rock scene features candid images .

Thomas McKenzie HumberETC Culture

Before smartphones and social media were made to document everyday life, Canadian musician Melissa Auf der Maur did something not everyone could: she photographed her life experiences and those of one of the biggest rock bands of the 1990s. Now two decades later, more than 200 of those photographs are on display at the Art Gallery of Ontario, giving visitors a rare look into the personal moments, friendships and backstage experiences that shaped her life as a bassist for the bands Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins. Melissa Auf der Maur: My 90s rock Photographs, which opened in September, brings together candid film photographs, archival videos, personal photo albums and memorabilia from a time before social media changed how people document and share their lives. What began as Auf der Maur’s personal photographic record has turned into three galleries of the musician’s personal life from famous faces to concert photographs it’s a glimpse into her life through her own eyes. For AGO visitor Sydney Brunette, who has photographed nightlife and music scenes herself, the exhibition has brought back memories of documenting her own

experiences through film photography. “It’s a very, almost autobiographical sense of work, you know? Which I find very similar to the work I do,” Brunette said. “I like the aspect where it’s just very reminiscent of her time and her experience, but it’s not planned. That’s more interesting to me.” Brunette said the exhibition stands out in a world where photography is more shaped by social media and the pressure to present a particular image. “It’s really special to see this kind of analog work in an environment now where everything’s filtered through social media and used as a way to further one’s own career,”

sive 35mm cameras and Polaroids. While touring, she developed her film at one-hour photo labs, collecting the images in small plastic albums. Over the years, her personal archive grew to more than 10,000 photographs. According to AGO photography curator Sophie Hackett, Auf der Maur documented her everyday experiences long before taking and sharing selfies became commonplace. In a March press release, Hackett described how Auf der Maur photographed herself at home, backstage, and alongside fellow musicians, creating visual records of her experiences as both an artist and performer.

visitors a glimpse of her life that’s rarely shown. Alongside the photographs, visitors can explore reproductions of Auf der Maur’s personal photo albums, archival video footage, and an immersive installation called Bass Womb Room. Created in 2026, the installation surrounds visitors with images and sound, combining Auf der Maur’s experiences onstage with the more private side of her life. It also features an original musical score composed by the artist. Matthew Short, a musician and bassist who brought Brunette to the exhibition, said his interest in Hole and the history of alternative

formers. That contrast between analogue and digital photography stood out to Brunette and Short as they walked through the exhibition. Brunette said film photography offers a different experience from taking pictures on a smartphone, where hundreds of images can be captured and reviewed almost instantly. “You take one picture and that’s what you get,” Brunette said. “It’s a really beautiful idea to me.” Short agreed, saying the type of camera and film once played a greater role in how photographs looked. “We both had a different camera with different films, different perspectives, it would all look dif“IT’S REALLY SPECIAL TO SEE THIS KIND OF ANALOG WORK IN AN ENVIRONMENT ferent,” Short said. “But if we use different phones, it’d still look the NOW WHERE EVERYTHING’S FILTERED THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND USED AS A same.” For Brunette, seeing Auf der WAY TO FURTHER ONE’S OWN CAREER,” Maur’s personal photographs dis- Sydney Brunette played decades after they were taken has encouraged her to return to documenting her own experishe said. “Everything seems very The exhibition follows those rock drew him to the gallery. ences through film. planned now.” experiences from early years in “It’s just really cool to see actual “It really inspires me to do it Before joining Hole in 1994, Auf Montreal to world tours with Hole stills from some of the most iconic again,” she said. der Maur studied photography and The Smashing Pumpkins. rock tours ever,” Short said. Melissa Auf der Maur: My ‘90s at Concordia University in MonPhotographs of crowds, motel Short said the exhibition also Rock Photographs is on display at treal. As her music career took her rooms, tour buses, between per- highlights the role of women in the Art Gallery of Ontario until around the world, she continued formances and selfies with other rock music and offers a different June 2027. photographing the people and famous faces like Hole’s lead perspective on an era often rememAdmission is free for Ontario places around her using inexpen- singer Courtney Love, it offers bered through its famous per- residents under 25.

ETC

NOV 13, 2026

CULTURE - 17

COURTESY/RIDDELL MURCIA

Advertising and Marketing students took their learning outide of the classroom to the Maritimes for business conferences and connected with Nova Scotia’s Minister of Communications.

Humber creative students take on Halifax Mia Badju

Moving from the classroom to the field to build portfolios

Senior Reporter

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trip to the East Coast offered Creative Media and Arts students an opportunity to explore career possibilities beyond Toronto, connect with industry professionals and gain first-hand experience in the advertising and marketing industry. Riddell Murcia, program coordinator for Advertising and Marketing Communications, said the October trip was transformative for students, allowing them to strengthen their professional skills while building connections with their classmates outside the classroom. “It allows them to see opportunities that are beyond Toronto. We met a lot of big names at Reddit for example, but we’ve also met people who were just starting out, people that were just launching their marketing tech companies,” he said. Murcia said Humber’s program prepares students for the different roles and responsibilities Within the advertising industry, including account management, coordination and strategy. “We focus on training students to be account managers, coordinators and strategizers because we have separate roles in advertising,” he said. “We need to cover the entire industry because you can’t coordinate or strategize if

you don’t necessarily know how “Sometimes we talk to students developments in the field. everything works.” about ‘hey, maybe you are not “If I didn’t go, I would have Through a combination of as comfortable talking to a lot of missed a lot of good information media, data and research courses, people, maybe your small goal is about what’s happening in our students developed a broad just to shake hands with three new industry, so I’m really grateful for understanding of the industry people’ and that will lead to suc- that,” she said. and the skills needed to navigate cess,” he said. One of her biggest highlights its different sectors. Talaynah Douglas, an Adver- was meeting Nova Scotia Minister “We have classes from social tising and Marketing Communica- of Communications Leah Martin, media to content to account tions student, said her path to the whose leadership and representaplanning to analytics to market program began in graphic design. tion left a lasting impression. research to social media, public After exploring her interests, she “Meeting her was really nice relations, copyand she has a very strong writing, and overall, “I HADN’T BEEN TO HALIFAX BEFORE AND position of power,” she everything that has said. “She is an IndigeIT WAS A REALLY PRETTY PLACE,” to do with the advernous woman who is very tising industry,” he - Talaynah Douglas inspiring.” said. Classmate Alexa Bolis For Murcia, providing stu- realized marketing was a better fit said Humber’s emphasis on dents with opportunities to apply for her future. hands-on learning was one of the those skills outside the classroom “Compared to the other stu- main reasons she chose the prois an important part of their edu- dents where they just knew that gram. cation. He encourages students they wanted to do this right away, I After initially studying psyto approach every opportunity feel like it was better for me to kind chology and working part-time at with confidence, regardless of of develop that love and passion Costco, Bolis became interested how big or how small their goals for things like marketing and like in the marketing side of business, may be. social media,” she said. particularly the opportunity to “Take the opportunity with the Having never visited Halifax work on campaigns and collabomentality that you’re going to dom- before, Douglas said the trip rate with others. inate,” he said. “Now, when I say allowed her to combine pro“I found the program at domination, I don’t mean that you fessional development with the Humber Polytechnic, Lakeshore are going to take over everybody’s opportunity to explore a new city. campus and saw that they had the role. I think that the more realistic “I hadn’t been to Halifax before Marketing Advertising program, you can be with a goal and even set and it was a really pretty place,” she and I think what drew my eyes up a small goal for yourself, when said. “My family was telling me the most is how much hands-on you go to opportunities like this, about it prior, and it was nice to learning there was,” she said. the better.” go for networking while getting to Although attending conferHe said stepping outside one’s experience sightseeing.” ences and networking events was comfort zone can begin with someDouglas also had the chance initially intimidating, Bolis said thing as simple as introducing to connect with industry pro- the skills she developed through yourself to new people. fessionals and learn more about Humber’s courses helped her nav-

igate the experience. “I didn’t really know how to go about it, but again, in classes, they teach us that,” she said. “It was really cool to put that skill into the real world when it came to conferences.” Beyond the professional connections, the trip also strengthened relationships among classmates. ‘ Bolis said the experience helped create a stronger sense of community within the program, with students continuing to support one another academically. Bolis said one of the most significant outcomes of the trip was recognizing her own potential and becoming more confident in a professional setting. “Realizing how much confidence I had, I think that was my biggest takeaway from this trip was realizing how much I can do outside in the world when it comes to conferences and networking, workshops, like with Meta ads and more,” she said. This experience helped students grow both personally and professionally by encouraging them to step outside their comfort zones and explore opportunities beyond the classroom. Through attending conferences, participating in networking events, and taking part in hands-on workshops, students gained valuable knowledge, developed new skills, and built confidence in their abilities.

ETC

18 - CULTURE

NOV 13, 2026

HUMBERETC/KAYLEIGH AINSWORTH

Christmas and Halloween decorations share an aisle at Dollar Tree in Etobicoke with merchandise for both holidays on display weeks before holidays, often to the surprise of shoppers.

Holiday merchandise hits stores earlier Businesses push to extend the shopping season

Kayleigh Ainsworth Humber ETC Culture

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t was the middle of October when Emily Gaszynski Adams walked into a Dollarama and came across Christmas merchandise on the shelves. As the program coordinator of Humber Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Commerce Marketing program, Adams has spent years studying consumer behaviour. “I couldn’t believe my eyes. Christmas,” Adams said. She said introducing seasonal merchandise early is a business decision for retailer. Even if shoppers are not ready to buy immediately, the displays can keep the products in their minds and encourage purchases later. Before joining Humber, Adams spent about a decade working at Pepsi, gaining experience in sales and analytics. “Even if people aren’t buying Christmas right now, it’s on a very subconscious level, playing on people’s awareness, and the pressure starts to build: I need to buy for Christmas,” she said. Adams said this reflects the mere exposure effect, a psychological concept in which repeated exposure to something can make it more familiar and appealing. “The more we see it, the more we think we need it,” she said. But the appeal of seasonal merchandise goes beyond marketing. Adams said people also shop because they enjoy the anticipation of a holiday and the excitement of preparing for it. “We don’t just buy because we need something; we buy because it’s fun, it fulfills some kind of a need in us, and that might just be novelty,” she said. That anticipation can stretch the shopping season well beyond the weeks immediately before a holiday. For retailers, earlier displays give customers more time to browse, plan and purchase products. On Nov. 1, as soon as all the Halloween candy had been given out and the last pumpkin turned off, retail shelves were fully stocked for Christmas and the December holidays.

Halloween itself went into high retail display in the summer. Spirit Halloween, a seasonal costume and decoration chain in Canada and the United States, began opening its Canadian stores on Aug. 1. “With many embracing Halloween year-round, we’re here for both seasonal enthusiasts and those who stay spooky all year long,” Shannon Reyes, a temporary marketing and public relations associate for Spirit Halloween, said in an email. Reyes said earlier openings give customers more time to shop and visit stores at different stages of their planning. The retailer’s appeal also comes from the shopping experience itself. dams said large seasonal stores attract customers with their extensive selections, giving shoppers a range of costumes and decorations to explore in one place. “People love Spirit Halloween. I guess it’s because their assortment is so big,” she said. Some consumers, meanwhile, are extending Halloween beyond the traditional fall season. Summerween, a summer version of Halloween popularized in part by the animated Disney series Gravity Falls, gives fans another opportunity to decorate, shop and celebrate before October arrives. Liyah Caitlin, 22, a digital creator based in Florida who shares Halloween, fall and travel content, said seeing Halloween collections in stores during the summer first encouraged her to celebrate early. Social media later inspired her to embrace Summerween more fully. Caitlin celebrates with Halloween decorations, seasonal shopping and horror movie nights featuring themed snacks and drinks. She also built spooky character brick sets, pairing each set with its corresponding horror movie. “Sitting down to work on a set while watching the corresponding horror movie became such a fun and cozy Summerween tradition,” Caitlin said in direct messages on Instagram. Starting early gives her more time to enjoy the activities she associates with Halloween. “One month has never felt like

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enough time to enjoy everything I love about Halloween,” she said. Judy Muhammad, owner of Global Party Supplies in Richmond Hill, has run her store for about 21 years and carries Halloween costumes throughout the year. “For me, I carry Halloween costumes all year round. I don’t wait for Halloween,” Muhammad said. She focuses on basic costumes because a small store cannot stock every possible option. Although demand can increase closer to Halloween, some customers shop early because they cannot find the costumes they want elsewhere. Independent stores such as Muhammad’s also face competition from larger retailers with broader selections and greater purchasing power. Adams said this puts pressure on smaller businesses, even when they offer products customers may not find elsewhere. “We’re losing the small retailers, which is a real shame, because they have really cool stuff,” she said. he growing availability of seasonal products also raises questions about overconsumption. Adams said inexpensive decorations can encourage people to buy more than they need, even when they already have items they could reuse. “The amount of waste that we create is really alarming,” she said. For Adams, the issue reflects a contradiction in consumer behaviour. Shoppers may feel frustrated when holiday merchandise appears months ahead of time, yet the products continue to sell. Adams described the familiar reaction people have when they encounter seasonal displays: “All of us, when we speak to each other, are like, ‘Oh, my gosh, they’re already putting Christmas up. They’re already putting Halloween out.” “But what’s also true is there’s no question. Businesses are making money off of that,” she said.

T

ETC

NOV 13, 2026

CULTURE - 19

OPINION

Hunger Games fans missing the point of series

Grace MacInerney With the upcoming release of the latest movie in The Hunger Games series, Sunrise on the Reaping, I think the enthusiastic culture of the dedicated fans replicates the behaviours of the series’ most notorious ruling class. The Hunger Games is a dystopian book-to-movie adaptation series by author Suzanne Collins. It takes place in a highly classist, futuristic North America where social mobility is nearly impossible, and the wealth disparity is staggering. To punish the oppressed class, the districts, for an uprising, the ruling class, the Capitol, holds an annual event called the Hunger Games. One boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district, region in the nation, are raffled to fight to the death in a televised show

until there is one survivor. The children selected to fight in an arena, a confined, stylized warzone, are tributes. The event is livestreamed. District citizens are forced to watch. Capitol citizens celebrate the Games like it’s their favourite sports event. Comparisons between our society and the dystopia have been a topic of online discourse since The Hunger Games first premiered in 2012. A viral post said that the user’s theatre erupted into cheers when one tribute killed another. It began a larger online conversation about the hypothetical normalization of an atrocious event like the Hunger Games in our society. Capitol citizens’ interaction with the Games and their impact on the potential outcome gamified the slaughter. Tributes became pawns. Extravagant themed arenas made the Games exciting. The mentors, hair, makeup, and costumes are all distractions; they maintain the show. Capitol citizens don’t question why the Games persist generations after the initial uprising, sympathize with the districts or humanize the tributes. Keeping the Games entertaining is essential to maintaining the oppressive government. It is undeniable that real people

COURTESY/LIONSGATE

In The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, Coriolanus Snow was instrumental in marketing the Hunger Games.

replicate the actions of Capitol citizens when engaging with the franchise. They dress up like characters for Halloween or parties. Online posts show The Hunger Games watch parties with themed foods and drinks and Hunger Games-themed birthdays referencing Quarter Quells, where the Games include a surprise element every 25 years. One fan posted on TikTok that she makes miniatures of the arenas based on the information she has gathered about them in the books and movies. She also keeps track of the victors, if stated. There are highly detailed online discussions of the Gamemakers’ and

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the Capitol’s decisions. Some of these details may inform specific pain points of characters which impact and give nuance to rebellion efforts. However, it’s a gray area, and some, I feel, wander too far. The point of the franchise is to spark larger political conversations. The Hunger Games has proven to be a great basis for discussing deep, complex topics. By relating power struggles and systems of oppression to a fictional world it creates distance making conversations less overwhelming. The franchise retains its relevance through universal human nature and familiar political agendas.

It is very important media. It is both entertainment and a tool. But if people are not reading or watching The Hunger Games and having deeper thoughts about society and power structures, they are missing the point. The central theme is that distraction works. The Hunger Games teaches us to question and challenge information and authority. But Collins is also telling us that in the process of questioning others to question ourselves. You may not agree with me, but ask yourself why. Grace MacInerney, she/her, is a culture reporter at Humber Et Cetera.

20 - SPORTS

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NOV 13, 2026

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NOV 13, 2026

SPORTS - 21

OPINION

Leafs need to alter their play, fast, competently

Madison Boynton

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et’s talk about the players the Leaf ’s acquired over the summer and what they’ve brought to the team so far. The Leaf ’s made some significant roster changes last season and throughout the offseason, moving on from a considerable number of players. Then, just one day before Game 1, they sent Lorentz and Knies to Columbus in exchange for Kirill Marchenko, who is now sidelined with a week-to-week lower-body injury. Personally, I think Knies was the seller in this trade, and I still believe it was worth it. Marchenko has recorded 14 points in 14 games, including eight goals. His injury is unfortunate, but it doesn’t change the fact that he has already proven to be a valuable offensive addition. Sometimes injuries are simply unavoidable, and I don’t think this trade should be judged negatively because of one. Darren Raddysh was another player expected to make a significant impact. Last season, the Leaf ’s defensive struggles were a major concern, so bringing in defensive talent seemed like exactly what the team needed. With what is almost an entirely revamped defensive lineup, expectations were understandably high. However, Raddysh has recorded one goal and 10 points in 20 games. While those numbers aren’t necessarily terrible for a defenceman, his overall decision-making has raised some concerns. He often seems so determined to score himself that he overlooks opportunities to pass to teammates in better positions, particularly during power plays. This is becoming a recurring issue, and it’s something that needs to change. Offensive defencemen are valuable, but knowing when to pass is just as important as knowing when to shoot. Meanwhile, rookie Gavin McK-

enna has been one of the few bright spots in the Leafs’ current situation, alongside William Nylander and, of course, captain Auston Matthews. So why does Hiller continue to keep him on the third line or limit his opportunities alongside players he has demonstrated chemistry with? McKenna has shown that he can perform well alongside Matthews. If that combination is producing results, why keep breaking it up? I understand the importance of developing a rookie and not putting too much pressure on him too early, but there’s a difference between protecting a young player and limiting his potential. At some point, performance needs to be rewarded. The Leafs had a strong run against Florida before suffering a brutal Game 7 loss. That doesn’t mean Berube was the perfect coach, but it does make me question whether changing coaches was really the solution. Even if Matthews hadn’t been injured during the Olympics and had remained healthy for the rest of last season, I don’t think the Leafs were realistically going to make the playoffs. By December, their struggles were already becoming difficult to ignore. I’m not saying the Leafs are officially out of playoff contention. We’re only six weeks into the season, and there’s still time to turn things around. However, if something doesn’t change soon, we could be looking at another disappointing season and another early end to the Leafs’ playoff hopes. If that happens, I think serious conversations about the future of this entire roster and management structure will be necessary. So, what exactly do the Leafs need to do? I think the answer is simple. Staying healthy would obviously help, but injuries aren’t something players or coaching staff can completely control. What they can control is their defensive play, passing, communication, and overall consistency. A lot of these players are relatively new to the team, and they haven’t had the same amount of time to develop chemistry as some of the established players. Unfortunately, it’s showing. Passing plays often look disconnected, defensive coverage can be inconsistent, and players don’t always seem to be on the same page. Raddysh is a good example of this. His apparent desperation to score sometimes comes at the

expense of making the better play. The Leaf ’s need to focus on working as a unit rather than relying on individual efforts to generate offence. And we can’t keep putting all the blame on Morgan Rielly. He barely seems to get the ice time that would allow him to make a consistent impact. How can we fairly criticize his defensive performance when he isn’t being allowed to contribute regularly? Chris Tanev is another important piece of this puzzle. When he’s healthy and on the ice,

he can make a tremendous difference to the defensive lineup. Keeping him healthy and consistently available would be a huge advantage for the team. Finally, we need to talk about Hiller’s line combinations. This is something a lot of Leaf ’s fans have been questioning, and understandably so. He seems to change the lines constantly, sometimes even when certain combinations are working perfectly well. Why fix something that isn’t broken? If McKenna, Matthews, and Tav-

ares are developing chemistry and producing opportunities together, why not give that combination time to work? Constantly changing lines doesn’t give players the opportunity to build trust, understand one another’s playing styles, or develop the chemistry needed to make successful plays. At the end of the day, the Leaf ’s don’t necessarily need another massive roster overhaul. They need consistency. Madison Boynton, she/her, is a Humber ETC Sports Editor. She covers women’s sports.

HUMBERETC/MADISONBOYNTON

Gavin Mckenna’s new jersey on display for purchase at Real Sports Apparel at Scotiabank Centre in Toronto.

ETC

22 - SPORTS

NOV 13, 2026

Men’s soccer strives for historical three-peat Scott Blain

Senior Reporter The quest to three-peat has begun for Hawks men’s soccer, as Humber opened the CCAA Championship with a 7-0 victory over the CMU Blazers on Wednesday. The Hawks opened the scoring in the 17th minute and never took their foot off the pedal, scoring two more times before the 24th minute. The Blazers couldn’t get any offence going, as Humber continued to push with one more goal before the half, taking a commanding 4-0 lead. CMU looked for an answer to begin the half, but Humber gave them no real chances. The Hawks struck early on after the break to extend their lead to five. The Hawks faced adversity in the second half, as the Blazers pressured with scoring chances, but to

no avail. Two more goals for the Hawks sealed the 7-0 thumping over the Blazers to advance to the semi-finals. Fourth-year wing Joshua Vivero led the way for the Hawks with two goals on four shots, and five more goal scorers for the Hawks made it a team effort. Men’s soccer is riding into the tournament high, as they exorcised demons from last year’s OCAA gold medal match, cruising over Fanshawe 3-0 in the OCAA gold medal game. With the provincial title in the background, the Hawks will look to become the first three-peat national champions since the Seneca Sting’s dynasty from 1984 to 1986. The quest for national gold continues for Humber, with their semi-final match against the VIU Mariners on Nov. 12.

HUMBER ATHLETICS/DIEGO GUILLEN

Hawks midfielder Cisco Thomas dribbles the ball up the field, chased by Centennial Colts striker Evan Murrel.

HUMBER ATHLETICS/DIEGO GUILLEN

Humber hook Sophia Regts gets tackled by Lords back Hayden Venedam (#3) in the 2026 OCAA gold medal game. Humber was shut out 19-0, who won their fifth straight championship.

Heartbreak for Hawks’ rugby in OCAA final

Scott Blain

Senior Reporter It was heartbreak for the Humber Hawks rugby teams, as both teams fell short in their respective gold medal matches in the OCAA rugby championships. The men’s rugby team were looking to three-peat as provincial champions, while the rugby 7s squad vied for their first provincial title since 2021. Men’s rugby went on the road to Cambridge for a date with the

Conestoga Condors in the gold medal match. Humber got out to a strong 14-0 lead, thanks to tries from thirdyears Harry Lutumba-Mpongo and Nick Rakobowchuk, followed by penalty kicks from second-year Brody Feltrin. Condors lock Blake Forester punched in the first try of the game for his side before the end of the half, with the Hawks holding strong at 14-7. Conestoga pulled to within two to begin the second-half push, off

of a try from fourth-year Aidan Vachon. Lutumba-Mpongo quickly answered back with his second try of the game, putting the Hawks up 21-12. The Condors refused to break, as they pulled off an incredible rally, first with another Forester try to cut the lead down to four. Winger Connor Dol punched in Conestoga’s fourth try of the game, with the Hawks looking to rally after blowing their nine-point lead. Despite the push, Humber couldn’t convert, as the Condors

pulled off the comeback to win their first OCAA gold medal in program history. For the Hawks, they walk away with silver, their fourth-straight medal finish. For rugby 7s, revenge was on their minds, as they faced off against the reigning champion Durham Lords, who looked to make it five-straight gold medals, a feat that no other Durham varsity program had done before. In 2025, the Hawks were shut out by the Lords in the gold medal match 34-0, and in 2026, the Hawks

were blanked once more. Durham jumped out to a 12-0 lead at the half, with tries from fifth-year back Shay Morris and third-year Amber Edgerton. The Hawks continued to struggle in the second half, with another successful try for Morris, sealing the deal for the Lords. For Durham, their fifth-straight gold medal ties Humber for most total medals since the introduction of rugby 7s in OCAA with seven. For the Hawks, it’s their thirdstraight medal finish.

ETC

NOV 13, 2026

SPORTS - 23

HOCKEY CANADA IMAGES/THOMAS SKRLJ

A group photo of team Canada Red and staff on the ice after claiming bronze in the game against Canada White on Sunday. Red won 8-4 and the Americans beat Czechia for the gold.

Canada U-17 wins bronze in Oakville Red team beats White in World Challenge medal game

Maia DiNucci

HumberETC/News OAKVILLE — Shelby Licastro wasn’t concerned about choosing sides. She was cheering for both Canadian teams even as her son Jaden Licastro fought it out on the ice. Jaden, who plays for Canada White, trailed the Canada Red team by one point as they competed for bronze at the 2026 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Oakville on Nov. 7. “It’s nice to cheer for both, right?” Licastro said. “Either way, Canada wins.” Canada Red went on to defeat

Canada White 8-4, securing the bronze medal in an all-Canadian matchup. While the game determined which team would leave with a medal, it also highlighted the pride and sacrifices that come with representing Canada on the international stage. The two Canadian teams combined got seven goals in the opening period, with Canada Red taking a narrow 4-3 lead into the first intermission. Red extended its advantage in the second period, outscoring White 3-1 before adding another goal in the third period to secure the vic-

tory. Liam Pue and Jakob Royer led Canada Red offensively with three points each. Pue scored twice and added an assist, while Royer recorded a goal and two assists. Kash Kwajah also secured the victory with a goal and an assist. Despite the loss, Maddox Schultz led Canada White with four points, recording a goal and three assists. Adrian Sgro and Madden Daneault each added three points, with Sgro scoring twice and Daneault contributing a goal and two assists. Beyond the action on the ice,

HOCKEY CANADA IMAGES/THOMAS SKRLJ

Jaden Licastro, above, in a game against the U.S. Kash Kwajah, right, scored five goals during the tournament .

the energy in the stands offered another perspective on the tournament. Davis Kempster, who attended the bronze-medal game, said watching hockey alongside the players’ families brought a different level of emotion to the experience. “There’s something different about sitting among the players’ friends and families, hearing them cheer for goals, flinch at hits and yell at referees,” Kemps t e r said. “ Yo u can tell it comes with a different level of passion.” For families like the Licastros, the tournament represented more than the final score. She struggled to put the feeling into words when asked what it meant to see her son wearing a Team Canada jersey. “I mean, it’s awesome,” she said. “You can’t even describe that feeling. I’m proud of him.” While representing Canada is a proud moment for families,

Licastro s a i d reaching this level of hockey also comes with sacrifices. “But I mean, just being away from family, being away from friends, you know, they’re forced to grow up so much faster,” Licastro said. Although Canada White left Oakville without a medal, Licastro’s pride in watching her son represent Canada extended beyond the final score. For Licastro, the bronze-medal game was about more than which Canadian team took home a medal. It was about watching her son wear the Maple Leaf. The Americans won the tournament defeating Czechia 3-0 in the gold medal game on Nov. 7 at Sixteen Mile Creek Arena..

HUMBER ET CETERA SPORTS WWW.HUMBERETC.CA

NOVEMBER 13, 2026 | VOL.72, NO.4

HUMBER’S AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER

HAWKS RUGBY 7S SILVER AGAIN P. 22

MEN’S SOCCER REIGNS SUPREME P. 22

CANADA’S BRONZE IIHF SHOWDOWN P. 23