Volume 43, Issue 2

NEWS CONCORDIA’S INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION SINCE 1980

Parc-Extension’s Whisker Whisperer

Volume 43, Issue 2 • September 13, 2022 • thelinknewspaper.ca "I’m Not Exotic, I’m Exhausted" Since 1980

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Fringe Arts Welcome Back to the Glassroom P.9

Opinions She is Dead Now, You Can Tear the Crown Apart P.17

Sports I Hated the Summer I Spent Learning to Scuba Dive P.15

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The Link By-Election Here are the open positions: Creative Director -

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Create the visual identity of the newspaper’s print issue.

Assign tasks to the Video Editor, Graphics Editor and Photo Editor to ensure the visual contents of the print issue are tended to in time.

Be responsible for laying out the newspaper on a biweekly basis.

Recruit and train contributors interested in layout.

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Edit the photos that will accompany the articles being published online and in print.

Cover the visual aspect of the News, Fringe Arts, Sports and Opinions section by assigning stories to your contributors or going into the field yourself.

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The Link's By-election will take place Oct. 4 at 6 p.m. over Zoom and in our H-645 office. Applications will be accepted until Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. For any questions about your eligibility email editor@thelinknewspaper.ca.

Who’s eligible to apply and vote: Sheena Macmillan, Elias Grigoriadis, Stella Mazurek, Jaime Kerr, Mohammad Khan, Mariana Chajon Oliveros, Gabriela Vasquez-Rondon, Caroline Marsh, Aude Simon, Joey Bruce, Zachary Fortier, Joe van Wonderen, Diane Yeung, Sophie Dufresne, Marianne Liendo-Dufort, Charlie-Yoko McDonald, Conor Tomalty, Allyson Brownie, Olivia Integlia, Robyn Bell, Iness Rifay, Marilou Brickert, Ivan de Jacquelin, Nadine Abdellatif.

Two contributions needed to apply and vote: Mélanie Tremblay Turgeon, Anthony Issa, Alexa Toguri-Laurin, Autumn Darey, Simon Feisthauer Fournet, Mégan Le Stum, Cèdre Obeid, Kaitlin Gong.

NEWS

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Defund the Police Festival: A Safe Learning and Sharing Space The Festival Hosted Ten Speakers Discussing the Reality of Policing in Montreal Iness Rifay melia, who has requested to remain The Defund the Police festival, organ- right of every Black person to not have to A anonymous for legal reasons, arrived ized by the Quebec Public Interest Re- go above and beyond for the same rights in Canada in 2013 after spending most search Group and the Defund the Police and protections as everybody else, he said. of her life fighting against police brutality back in her home country of Tunisia.

When she sent her child to school in Montreal, Amelia did not expect her to come back with tales of students having to salute the police officers roaming the hallways. Amelia spoke of how the system she stood up against for so long was now forcing her child into submission, behind the four walls of the school, far from her protection.

“Ever since we came here, her and I have attended every police brutality protest each time a member of our community was killed,” Amelia said. “She’s living a strong cognitive dissonance: between what she hears from her community and what she learns in school.”

Coalition, welcomed many people like Amelia, who have had a front row seat to police officers exploiting their power. The speakers and organizations in attendance shared their efforts to combat the abuse.

A few years back, Dashington’s faulty car key caused his vehicle’s alarm to go off, and once he returned from getting the right key from his apartment, the police were there.

“I’m telling them that this is my car. […]

“[Her teacher] asked us to seek mental health support, because she talks too much about racism and police brutality.”

- Amelia

The topics covered included the police’s impact on hate crimes, sex work, drug decriminalization, gentrification, gun violence and schools. Taking the form of workshops, the speakers openly interacted with their audience and vice-versa, creating opportunities for conversations and story-sharing.

Among those invited was Renzel Dashington, a born and raised Montrealer involved in the entertainment industry for 25 years. His talk was a comedy show titled Police Doesn’t Come Where I Live. It was inspired by his experience living around Montreal, being stopped numerous times in the East End and seeing a lot more police downtown.

“Once I moved to Lachine, I saw them once a day and thought about how something must’ve happened. [...] I realized in that moment that the police only [come] in my neighbourhood when they’re called,” he said.

Dashington has had several talks in the past about defunding the police and on the Black Lives Matter movement. He has great faith in the power of education when it comes to getting the police force to restructure. “Police are plumbers, not engineers,” he said.

One of Dashington’s goals is for the

I have my keys in my hand, showing them.

One of the guys said ‘we just told you, there’s two guns pointed at you, move one more time and we shoot you.’ They would’ve killed me over my own car.” He paused for a moment.

“That was a thing. An insured thing. It broke my heart to understand that they can justify saving a thing over me, in that moment.”

His numerous encounters with police left Dashington with post traumatic stress disorder. He now avoids driving as much as possible.

When organizing the festival, the committee behind it all wanted to make sure that it wasn’t depicted as a protest online, but a safe space for people to share difficult stories, as well as learn about what people can do individually to help combat the police’s abuse of power.

“Those who don’t feel comfortable speaking out in a street demonstration are welcome here to discuss with like-minded people,” said Jay S.C., a contributor in the organizing committee.

For Lacey Boudreau, another contributor for the committee, the festival was also an opportunity for those who haven’t had

the chance to learn about the reality of the police as minorities.

“Some people are intimidated by concepts like defunding because they feel like they don’t know enough, […] it’s why I find it important to have a space like this, so they have somewhere to start,” Boudreau said.

“That was a thing. An insured thing. It broke my heart to understand that they can justify saving a thing over me, in that moment.”

- Renzel Dashington

On the sizzling hot evening of Sept. 10, in a corner of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce park, over 200 people had their gazes locked on Amelia as she shared her story. She wasn’t a speaker, but an audience member of the École Sans Police organization panel.

There was one instance where the police went into the classroom of Amelia’s daughter to give a training session. Her daughter questioned her teacher as to why they were teaching them things, as police officers.

“I received a call from the instructor later, questioning me on my daughter’s anti-police sentiment,” she said, followed with audible shock from the people surrounding her. “She even asked us to seek mental health support, because she talks too much about racism and police brutality.”

Photos Ivan de Jacquelin

thelinknewspaper.ca • September 13, 2022

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NEWS

Parc-Extension’s Whisker Whisperer Meet Lady Gatta, the Cat Rescuer Fostering Change in Her Community Dana Hachwa petite woman in an electric blue coat would be easy to fetch after this critical step.

A was sitting in a similarly vibrant blue This was but one of the many requests hatchback, speaking into her phone’s microphone, cradling it like a walkie-talkie.

Nadia Verrucci, Parc-Extension’s cat trapper extraordinaire, was speaking to neighbourhood resident Gina Calandriello.

A week prior, Calandriello had been taking care of a cat who had recently given birth in her front yard. Verrucci’s instructions were simple: get the tuna and treats ready.

“Please don’t throw away the tuna juice, period,” Verrucci said.

A short drive later, she stopped at a two-story rowhouse. Barely two steps from its front door was another home: a makeshift animal shelter—an amalgamation of wooden boards and blankets held together by a thin rope. Propped on top of the shelter was a small portrait of a cat in front of a pink background. From a balcony above hung a ball on a long piece of string, a freefor-all cat toy.

“Here’s the strategy,” Verrucci said as she approached Calandriello in her front yard.

Pulling out her cat capture instruments, mainly a trapping cage and a tbottle of water attached to a ball of yarn, Verrucci methodically set the stage. By the end of it, she would hopefully have a mother and newborn kittens safely in her custody.

She scattered the tuna in a trail leading up to the cage. Then, in what she called the bottle method, she propped open the door with the bottle and retreats, ready to pull the yarn and trap the mother cat. Her kittens

Photo Ibrahim Mahmoud

thelinknewspaper.ca • September 13, 2022

Parc-Ex’s one-woman cat rescue team receives in her day-to-day. Some come from the 400 or so followers of her Facebook page, Lady Gatta Cat Rescue and Adoption—the word gatta meaning female cat in Italian.

Verrucci had already been in the line of cat rescuing for five years before starting the page in June 2021. It all started when Canadian actor Leni Parker, a friend of Verrucci’s, told her of the non-profit organisation Parker had helped found: The Pussy Patrol Cat Rescue.

Courtesy Nadia Verrucci

“Nobody who does trapping and rescue does it as a business,” said Verrucci. “Everybody loses money, everybody puts out of their own pocket 100 per cent.”

She explained that everyone involved, from trappers to foster parents to those who leave out food for cats in

"It’s all grassroots, it’s all just people like me who have freakin’ jobs and all in our spare time are doing all of the work, and that’s really frustrating" - Nadia Verrucci

Having had cats by her side since early childhood, Verrucci was immediately intrigued. After learning the ins and outs of cat trapping with Parker, she began doing it herself.

Cat rescuing is by no means the only thing on her plate: Lady Gatta is also a full-time elementary school teacher and an actor. Still, she continues her work, despite facing the burnout she says many cat rescuers eventually fall victim to. She gains not a dime from this work.

their backyards, often pay for all supplies—food, litter, cages, toys, veterinarian bills—themselves.

Parc-Extension has long been facing a stray cat conundrum. Estimates place the community’s stray cat population in the several hundreds. And in the summertime, particularly due to the moving season, the high rate of abandoned cats bumps up those numbers.

In recent efforts to amend the problem, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals started a petition to end the no-pets clauses in Quebec rental leases. According to the organization, this disproportionately impacts low-income renters who already have fewer housing opportunities. Finding a pet-friendly apartment for rent is difficult in Montreal, and is often more expensive.

Serving as the primary cat trapper for a lower-income area like Parc-Extension, Verrucci has built a network of contacts who are tapped into the neighbourhood’s several cat colonies—any free-roaming group of cats that live together in a particular area.

“Cats are very territorial,” said Verrucci.

“They hang out in a two to three-block radius, and tend to go back to the same spot all the time to eat or to sleep.”

Stray cats’ only saving grace, particularly in the harsh winters, is their human neighbours. Like Calandriello, they not only leave out food and water, but also build makeshift shelters, lay down blankets and leave out toys for them.

“People have this misconception that cats love being outside and cats are supposed to be outside,” said Verrucci, “and that’s

completely ridiculous, it’s -40 C out there.

Nobody wants to be outside.”

Parc-Extension’s cats aren’t only fighting the harsh elements. Rescuers would frequently recall an incident from August 2021 where a Parc-Extension cat was believed to have been shot dead with a pellet gun. The police were called in, but did not confirm the cause of the cat’s death. Other incidents involving cats shot with pellet guns are not a rarity in Montreal.

To Verrucci, the biggest culprit of exploding stray cat populations is a lack of sterilization.

“More often than not, there’s some nice person who is just feeding the cats. People don’t often think about sterilizing them, which is where the whole problem is, because that’s thousands of cats every year just popping out,” explained Verrucci.

This is where the Montreal SPCA and its Trap-Neuter-Release-Maintain program comes in.

Cats and the TNRM “It’s a well-known fact: cats multiply at a very high rate,” states the opening paragraph on the SPCA’s TNRM program webpage. “An unsterilised female can give birth to three litters of at least four kittens every year.”

Individuals who want to take part in this program must live in a municipality partnered with the SPCA and obtain a mandatory permit from the city, which is what Verrucci has. The story then often goes like this: Verrucci receives a call or a message informing her of a Parc-Extension resident sustaining cats around their home.

The number can range from a few to over 10, and, as Verrucci once witnessed, could reach up to 30 cats. After receiving the initial call, she promptly contacts the individual, arranges a visit, then surveys the colony to determine its friendliness level.

Next, Verrucci sets up a plan—a formula she has come to master in the past six years.

“You have to get the person who’s feeding to feed the cats at very specific times of the day,” detailed Verrucci, adding that they should be fed in precisely the same location. “Usually, right away in the morning or around dinnertime at night.”

A few days later, Verrucci sets up a trap in that location and asks the feeder to place the food inside the cage. The same routine

NEWS is repeated over the course of a week as the cats get used to the presence of the cage.

On the day of trapping, the feeder is asked not to feed the cats, as their hunger increases the likelihood of them entering the cage. Verrucci then waits outside near the cage for anywhere between 10 minutes to several hours depending on the cat.

She waits through snow, rain or shine—no matter the season. Once the cat is trapped

After sterilization, Verrucci scours groups on Facebook for anyone willing to foster her rescued cats. Finding a foster can be quite difficult a process, only slightly eased at the height of the pandemic. If a foster can’t be found, Verrucci may take it upon herself, as she once did with a mother cat and her two newborns.

“I took the mother and the two kittens and they lived in my closet,” she said. “This

“When she says she’s going to be there, she’s there, and it’s not about her: it’s about the cats.”

- Marie-Josée Nantel

in the cage, a cover or a blanket must be thrown over the cage as fast as possible.

“If you don’t, the cats panic and they freak out and they slam against the cage and they can really, really hurt themselves,” explained Verrucci. “But as soon as you throw a cover over the top, they just calm down immediately. It’s very fascinating.”

Unless they are between two and four months of age, in which case they are too young for sterilization, Verrucci then takes the cats to the Mittens-Montreal SPCA Targeted Permanent Sterilization Clinic, where they are sterilized, vaccinated, dewormed, and given a flea treatment. The cat then undergoes an ear-tipping, where an ear is clipped to signify its sterilization.

Her final step is to return the cats to their original location and release them.

From that point forward, the Maintain portion of TNRM falls on the colony’s original feeders to continue feeding the cats and providing shelter.

However, Verrucci’s duties often extend beyond that, and are far more complicated than simply releasing cats back outdoors.

was necessary,” Verrucci explained, considering the unfriendly dispositions of her own two cats, Pants and Julio.

One of Verrucci’s go-to fosters is MarieJosée Nantel, who believes Lady Gatta’s work constitutes a very positive story coming out of Parc-Extension.

“Instead of seeing a problem and complaining about it in the neighbourhood, [Verrucci] is seeing a problem and she’s working very hard to try and fix it,” said Nantel.

Fostering involves a lot of interactions on the part of Verrucci even after a foster has been found, Nantel laughingly described a

situation where a kitten she was fostering had diarrhea. Recalling the event, Nantel put it bluntly: “There [was] poop everywhere!”

“I call Nadia, ‘Nadia help me!’ And she said, ‘Okay, can I come tomorrow morning?’ And I said, ‘Well, it’s everywhere!’,” said Nantel. “She said, ‘Okay, okay, I’ll go to the vet right now, I’ll buy the special food, and I’ll bring it to your house.’”

Eventually, Verrucci finds an individual interested in adoption, and the cat settles into its forever home. The process is tedious, though many cat advocates believe it is necessary and should be a responsibility of the SPCA. Consequently, this has created a love-hate relationship between the organization and Parc-Extension’s cat rescuers.

On the topic of TNRM in an interview with Parc-Extension News, Montreal SPCA Executive Director Élise Desaulniers defended the program and its efficiency, explaining that its ultimate goal is to reintroduce cats to their habitat.

“It’s a technique that has shown in other cities around North America that it is the most efficient way to reduce the population of feral cats,” said Desaulniers.

“What we realize also is that putting a cat in a cage at the SPCA so people can adopt them is not always the best thing to do for the cat welfare,” added Desaulniers.

The reason for this is the lack of homes willing to adopt these cats.

Stray vs. Feral Cats Once sterilization is complete, Verrucci, like many other cat rescuers, breaks with the trajectory set out in the TNRM program. While the SPCA typically re-releases sterilised cats into their original territory, independent cat rescuers often object to this practice. This is due to a very important distinction: the terms “stray” and “feral” are not interchangeable.

A stray cat is one that has been abandoned or previously owned, and is often friendly due to it having received a fair amount of human socialization. The high incidence of friendly cats outdoors is usually the result of pet owners letting their cats roam without a collar or microchip. There are also those who abandon their house cats on July 1, Quebec’s moving day.

A feral cat is one that has had rare interactions with humans and is therefore nearly impossible to socialize. Unfortunately, the SPCA is known for returning many socialized cats back onto the streets; cats that rescuers believe can and should be fostered and adopted.

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Courtesy Nadia Verrucci

Consequently, the SPCA rationalises the TNRM program as the most humane way to tackle the dilemma.

Cats vs. The Government Though cat rescuers believe the SPCA still has a lot more to do, many in Parc-Extension have cause to celebrate. The efforts of the borough’s cat rescuers and cat fanatics alike are directly responsible for the existence of TNRM in their neighbourhood. The program is not available in boroughs whose municipalities will not pay the SPCA for the service.

“We had to fight to get that, we had to go to the council meetings more than once to get them to even give money to the SPCA for the TNRM program,” said Verrucci.

She believes the municipality’s help should reach beyond providing funds to the SPCA. “It’s all grassroots, it’s all just people like me who have freakin’ jobs and all in our spare time are doing all of the work,” said Verrucci. “And that’s really frustrating.”

When asked why one of the city’s poorest neighbourhoods should care about cats along with its many other issues, Verrucci had two responses to government officials.

The first was purely emotional: “How could you not give a crap about living creatures?”

The second was pragmatic—she explained she would convince city councillors that a large amount of stray cats could negatively impact property values.

“People don’t have any idea how bad the stray cat problem is. The government does absolutely nothing about it—they should be so incredibly ashamed of themselves,” said Verrucci. “[Montreal Mayor] Valérie Plante jumped through hoops to get the calèche horses off the streets, but she does absolutely nothing for the stray cat population.”

Back in Calandriello’s front yard, after several hours of waiting for the mother cat to unsuccessfully enter the trapping cage, Lady Gatta cornered her in the makeshift shelter with her kittens, taping a piece of cardboard over its entrance. Then, she loaded the entire structure into the back of her small car.

“I’m an expert at making room,” she said.

“When she says she’s going to be there, she’s there,” said Nantel. “And it’s not about her: it’s about the cats.”

Courtesy Nadia Verrucci

thelinknewspaper.ca • September 13, 2022

copy editing workshop

The Link’s workshops are back and we are starting the semester with an absolute classic. Our first workshop of the year will be hosted by our Copy Editor Mariana Chajon Oliveros. You will be able to learn how to edit an article, learn all about the Canadian Press Style Guide, as well as ask questions about our own style guide.

The event will take place on Friday Sept. 16 at 4 p.m. in The Link’s office, which is located in H-645.

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NEWS

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Le Petit Vélo Rouge: The Loyola Campus’ Fix-It-Yourself Atelier An Affordable Bike Repair Shop Set in a Community-Driven Space Ivan de Jacquelin

ucked around a corner of the Loy- shop is pay-what-you-can and lives off doT ola campus, Le Petit Vélo Rouge is a nations and optional subscriptions. non-profit community bike shop that helps As Montreal has been named the cycling cyclists learn how to repair and take care of their two-wheeled ride.

LPVR has been around campus since 2016, but has now reopened after a twoyear closure due to the pandemic. Their doors are open from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays, all year round.

Volunteers at LPVR all share the same goal: making biking more accessible and affordable to Concordia students and the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce community. The

capital of North America, the city has been undertaking major infrastructural changes to accommodate cycling into road traffic over the past few years. The city is now home to 889 km of bike lanes, making biking safer and more accessible to the everyday commuter.

The cost of purchasing and keeping a bike in good shape through Montreal’s rough seasonal changes, however, represents a financial struggle for many students.

“I bought a $70 used bike when I moved to the city last year and spent over $300 in re-

pairs since then. It turned out to be a huge money pit,” said Antoine Bernard, a Concordia international student.

“For a lot of [other] bike shops, it’s not worth the bike shop’s time and it’s not worth the client’s money to work on a lot of the shitty bikes that they get,” said Erik Huang, a volunteer at LPVR since 2016.

“In here, since no one is trying to make money off of you, hopefully that stress can come out and when we teach people how to care for a bike and how to do the maintenance they can do the first major fixes” said Samuel Little, another volunteer.

As Huang explained, the number one way to keep a bike up and running is to do preventive care. “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, so if you’re regularly lubricating your chain, keeping air in your tires, keeping your cables tight, checking your brakes. Things that can take you 15 minutes a week will save you a two-hour maintenance trip once a month,” he said.

While LPVR educates cyclists to be autonomous, it also provides all the specialized tools that most casual cyclists don't have laying around in their garage. “We can basically give everyone the tools and the knowledge they need and all they have to do is be there to use the tools,” said Huang.

Anyone has a rusty old frame in their garage and LPVR encourages people to give it a second life. “It's something they could take on as a winter long or summer long project,” Little said. “And by the end of it, have a bike that maybe their father rode and carry it on.”

Taking an old bike and tearing it apart to build it up again is also a great way to learn. This is the assignment given to new volunteers—who have no prior experience around bicycles—that come into the shop wanting to learn all the ins and outs of bike mechanics. “Once they get to know how things get together, they’ll choose a frame they really like and they’ll build it up into a bike project of their own,” Huang explained.

To cover its expenses, the shop often sells these refurbished bikes and gives them new homes. “It saves everybody money and it also empowers the community to be able to reuse and keep these old bicycles rolling throughout their lives,” Little said.

In total, about eight volunteers currently operate the shop. During the biweekly shifts, the atmosphere is friendly and the room quickly fills with laughter, music and the smell of bike grease.

“There’s a lot of fun things to do and we’re all mostly friends here, we have a good social setting and we get some work done at the same time,” said Little. Spending time at the shop is also a great way to meet people and get connected to other cycling and sustainability initiatives around Concordia and Montreal.

LPVR’s hidden location in Loyola’s Physical Services building next to the Oscar Peterson parking lot makes the place too little-known to students, but it is an invaluable resource to the local community.

Photos Ivan de Jacquelin

Don’t Miss Out: Arts and Science General Assemblies Arts and Science Students Have the Power to Make Big Changes This GA Season Assemblies serve as the first major event for member associations to map our their academic year. This year, the GAs will include an additional question shaking up political life General at Concordia: will students vote on a strike to have a fall reading week. Here is when your MA will be voting.

Sept. 14: CUBCAPS (Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics) 6 p.m.

Graphic Marilou Brickert

Sept. 15: JSA (Journalism) 5:15 p.m.

GA

September Sept. 16: Sept. 19: 2022 Sept. 19:

BSA (Biology) 6:00 p.m.

CUPA (Psychology) 6:00 p.m.

COMS Guild (Communications) 11;45 a.m.

Sept. 27: TESLSA (Teaching

English as a Second Language) 6:00 p.m.

Sept. 27: SCSA (Science College) 6:00 p.m.

Sept. 27: PSSA (Political Science) Sept. 28: CASE (English) 6 p.m.

Sept. 19: WSSSA (Women’s and Sexuality Studies) 7:00 p.m.

thelinknewspaper.ca • September 13, 2022

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NEWS

A Tribute to Nalie Agustin The Concordia Alum’s Family Commissioned a Mural in Her Honour Melissa Migueis new mural in downtown Montreal honA ours the late Nalie Agustin—a Concordia alum, best-selling author, public speaker and

cancer advocate—who touched the lives of many worldwide as she shared her cancer journey online, using her platform to inspire those with and without cancer.

In March 2022, Nalie passed away. To honour and commemorate her, her family commissioned a mural, located at the corner of Pierce St. and Police St., near Concordia’s Sir George Williams campus.

The mural was commissioned by Nalie’s brother Justin Agustin. As he was grieving the loss of his sister, he would look out the window of his Griffintown condo and see street art on the buildings. “It just hit me,” he said. He wanted a mural of Nalie on a Montreal wall.

Justin explained that he thought it would be great to do something “creative and artistic” in the city for Nalie. “I wanted her face and her portrait to be somewhere that people could pass by and continue to remember her.”

According to Justin, mural artist Jasmine Dearden “really captured Nalie and the essence behind her.”

Though his sister became famous worldwide, Justin explained that she still called Montreal home. The mural is located in the heart of downtown, where Nalie spent time studying at Concordia’s library and bonding with her friends and family.

Justin commissioned Dearden to paint the mural after seeing some of her previous work online, including a mural of Alicia Keys, Nalie’s favorite singer. “This was super symbolic to us because Nalie’s theme song was ‘Girl on Fire,’ he said. The song was also played at her memorial, Justin added.

Dearden, who garnered attention for her murals by music icons like Alicia Keys, Iggy Azalea and Sia, agreed to create the mural for the Agustin family as she had been a follower of Nalie for years. “She was just so strong, and she's so inspirational,” she said.

The artist explained that she decided to paint this specific photograph of Nalie because “she looks happy, strong and determined.”

According to Dearden, it took approximately 70 hours to complete the entire mural. “I don’t use projectors. Everything I do is freehand. It’s free paint, no brush,” she said. “I have to keep layering the spray paint until it looks the way it should.”

The mural is composed of Nalie’s portrait amidst clouds with a light glare over a part of her face, right by a cardinal bird.

The light radiating on Nalie’s face, the artist said, represented the light she was in people’s lives. The clouds symbolize “being above,” and the cardinal is a sign that those who have passed will continue to live on so long as their memory is alive within us. thelinknewspaper.ca • September 13, 2022

The mural also contains a QR code, which, when scanned with a mobile phone, will bring passersby to a link containing Nalie’s YouTube videos, her social media platforms, her book, The Diary of Nalie, and more.

“I want people to continue absorbing her content and remembering her by what she put out into the world because that stuff is so valuable,” Justin said. “Just because she's not here physically, it doesn't mean that her work can't live on.”

Alyssa Smith, a breast cancer survivor and one of Nalie's followers, explains that on her darkest days, reading Nalie’s latest post or watching her latest video always made her feel better. “I feel like Nalie was sent to all of us in the breast cancer community by a higher power,” she said. “She was never ours to keep.”

Online follower Jennifer Ellson shared that Nalie’s online presence “is still felt, and her videos are still around to lift us when we’re down.”

Nalie’s content was real, raw and honest, reflecting the tribulations of living with a breast cancer diagnosis while simultaneously being an example of positivity and resilience.

Long-time follower of Nalie and cancer warrior Marianella Chavez said that, while she didn’t know Nalie personally, it “felt like she was a close friend [...] she made me feel like she was holding my hand.”

When he first saw the finished mural, Justin said his heart was full.

“I got super emotional. When you look up at it, it’s like that’s her. That’s my sister. That’s Nalie,” he said. “She’s the angel of our city.”

Photos Melissa Migueis

FRINGE ARTS

9

Welcome Back to the Glassroom We’re Baaack! Get Your Corkscrews and Reading Glasses Ready for This Back-to-School Edition of Stop Whining and Start Wine-ing!

Meghan Kerr fter a summer that was hotter A than ever before, a whole new wave of COVID-19 and practically

everyone’s travel plans being screwed to high heaven, it’s almost nice to return to school. Here, students just have to contend with the usual issues: where to find good drinks and who you’re going to drink them with! It can be kind of intimidating, figuring out what to drink while trying not to blow your whole budget in the first week of school, but don’t worry. As your Fairy Winemother, my duty is to make sure you’re as ready as possible to have a good time, so I’ll show you around and introduce you to everyone you need to know.

The Froshers

3 Lacs Gin Fizz Lime Basil $15.60 for 4x355ml at the SAQ They travel in a pack, wear bright shirts to find each other in a crowd and are absolutely the ones chanting “Drink! Drink! Drink!” at the party, and with good reason too! These lime and basil gin fizz ready-to-drinks from Distillerie 3 Lacs are the life of the party and, in my experience, always mean that good time is about to begin! They come from Boucherville, which isn’t too far outside of Montréal, so it feels great to support a local business and have a good time doing it. The drinks are light and really refreshing, with actual lime and basil flavouring, not just their artificial versions. In a sea of RTDs, this one really stands out, just like that bright pink frosh shirt!

The New Kid

The PTA Mom

Who’s the new kid? Where does he come from? What’s his haunting, dark secret that will change your small town forever? Well… Okay I’ll admit, I didn’t believe the origins of this wine at first (what teen movie heroin does?), but my wine snob ways have had to admit defeat in the face of this amazing rosé that comes from…*dramatic pause*… Quebec?!? That’s right folks, this is a Quebec grown and produced wine right out of the Laurentians and it is going to blow your mind. As a very dry rosé, its low sugar content makes it quite refreshing. Even better are its incredible notes of strawberry, raspberry and even some hints of roses on the nose (how’s that for a tongue twister?).

It goes great with cheese and bread, and will be equally at home when served with something like a fresh salad. So, it’s perfect for your back-toschool wine night after the reality of the first few weeks sets in.

This organic white wine hails from Tuscany, Italy. She’s a perky blond with a go-getter attitude, the best power suit collection on this side of the St. Lawrence River and legs (as in what runs down the side of the glass when you swirl your wine aroundoften indicative of alcohol content) for days! Not only is she running the Parent Teacher Association, but she’s also boasting fresh, bright flavours of lime, Granny Smith apples, honeydew melon and chalk. With a really light, minerally mouthfeel and a lingering finish, this wine is not to be missed. Enjoy it outside, soaking up the last of the summer sun before autumn brings us back down to earth (and to midterms).

Vignoble Rivière du Chêne Le Rosé Gabrielle 2021 $16.75 at the SAQ

The Grad Student Meinklang Kontakt 2021 $22.15 at the SAQ

They’re so artsy! So cool! They have tattoos and make their own bread and thrift shop like a pro. You see them walking across the grass at Loyola Campus, talking to their friends, and can’t help but feel like you want to be their friend too. At least, that’s how you’ll feel about this nat-

Fattoria Fibbiano Fonte Donne Toscana 2021 $19.50 at the SAQ

Graphic Nadine Abdellatif

ural (no additives), organic (farmed without the use of pesticides), orange wine from Burgenland, Austria. This wine has notes of mandarin oranges, melon, spice and ripe apple—and is almost effervescent in your mouth.

As with most orange wines, there is quite a bit of tannin here, which is that mouth-drying feeling you typically get with red wines. This is because orange wine is made with white wine grapes in the style of red wine.

This means that the grapes have more contact with the grape skin—the source of tannin– during the winemaking process than a typical white wine. This is what gives orange wine its beautiful colour and funky flavour.

Altogether, a wine that’s great on its own or with food and is always welcome at any party on or off campus!

Delle

Well that concludes our campus (wine) tour. Doesn’t drinking feel so much better in the company of others instead of alone in your basement over Zoom? Or maybe it doesn't, I’m not telling you what to do! All I know is I’m going to be spending lots of time with the wines we met today over the next few months, hopefully I’ll see you there.

Cheers from one struggling student to another!

Ed1: Jaime Ed2: Mariana CE: Gabriela By: Cèdre Obeid

The H-Shirt Times

H: The H-shirt Times

SH: Chapter 1: An Introduction

Chapter 1: An Introduction

Synopsis: Inspired by real events, in an (totally real, really!) underground establishment, three members of a startup company do their jobs while maintaining friendships, bashing each other for not being responsible adults, and arguing over secrets of the universe.

Comic Cèdre Obeid

The H-shirt Times part two will appear in The Link’s third print issue on Sept. 27.

thelinknewspaper.ca • September 13, 2022

10

FRINGE ARTS

Photo Essay: Inking it Wih The Link Concordia Students Proudly Show Off Their Tattoos

Vic Cody,2

Olivia Integlia

of tattoos on t

one is hand-p

I

n Canada, two in ten people have at least one tattoo on their body. Of

tattooing in w

this percentage, individuals ranging from 18 to 34 are most likely to get

needle is dipp

a tattoo, according to the Ipsos Reid poll conducted by Global television.

repeatedly p

skin poin After roaming around Concordia’s downtown campus, various students were more than happy to show off and discuss their tattoos. For some, these permanent markings served as an expression of their identity. For others, tattoo designs were completely random and simply chosen because of their aesthetic value. The Link went looking for the best tattoos to showcase.

Florencia Vallejo proudly shows off her tattoo done in Mexico. Hand drawn by her mother, it displays a woman wrapped inside an anatomical heart. Growing up, she suffered from mental health issues. Her mother always consoled her in telling her to look to

the

woman

in her heart for strength, she explained.

Her

Anna Hadde, 32, has tattoo-covered

tattoo serves as

hands, the most stricking being a rose.

both a reminder of her resilience and a tribute to her years in gender studies.

thelinknewspaper.ca • September 13, 2022

FRINGE ARTS

23, has a variety

11

Emily Blair shows off a

their legs. Each

minimalist tattoo of a

poked, a form of

scissor on her hand.

which a sterilized

ped into ink and

pierced into the

nt-by-point.

Fam Attia, 22, reveals a large tattoo hidden on his forearm. It is a dove flying through the gates of heaven, he explained.

21-year-old Michael Anna Abbott, 19, reveals a carefully detailed tattoo of a mother and baby whale on their back.

Fritz-Jones’ tattoo of a man with a television head is eye-grabbing.

He does not give much thought to the tattoos he gets and just picks out what he thinks looks interesting, he explained.

Photos Olivia Integlia

thelinknewspaper.ca • September 13, 2022

12

FRINGE ARTS

Coffee or Tea? Fire Cider Rain Showcases Immigrant Existentialism Rhiannon Ng Cheng Hin’s Poetry Collection Explores Experience Extraordinarily Mariana Chajon Oliveros his summer, I read books on the im- genre of literature I was looking for. This bus during the winter as the speaker ponT migrant diasporic experience, such as poetry collection discusses the immigrant ders multiple existential questions: how to Sam Selvon’s The Lonely Londoners, and experience, diaspora, family and genera- understand belonging to the motherland Bhanu Kapil’s How to Wash a Heart. These books, both emotionally captivating, inspired me to search for more immigrant literature that I could continue to relate to as an immigrant myself.

When looking through the different books that are coming out this fall, the poetry collection by the Gatineau based, Chinese-Mauritian, author Rhiannon Ng Cheng Hin’s Fire Cider Rain immediately caught my attention; it was exactly the

Courtesy Reginald Balanga and Crystal Sikma

To the Bug I Walked Around and Thought to Myself Poem Sophie Dufresne

Graphic Nadine Abdellatif

thelinknewspaper.ca • September 13, 2022

tional trauma due to long-lasting effects of colonialism from her perspective as a Mauritian woman of Chinese descent.

Right after reading the first few pages, I knew I had found a gem. The first thing I noticed was the strong use of sonoric devices, like assonance and alliteration, that lend this poetry an air of grandeur when read aloud. These poetic devices, I’ve come to find, are an effective way to convey emotion, since it can oftentimes be too challenging to express cultural nuances and images in a poem. Some of the words Ng Cheng Hin employs don’t always make sense together on a literal level. She writes lines such as “along a fibrous ridge of rain,” and “watching seatbelt signs shudder in amber.”

Even though this bothered me at first, they mesh well sonically and aesthetically.

Besides, isn't it part of the anti-colonial spirit to refute the validity of the English language’s norms? I quickly accepted this characteristic of Fire Cider Rain and set the book down to let those first pages simmer.

Then, I continued to read.

Reading the rest of the book was a true delight. Ng Cheng Hin put her everything into the quality of this collection.

Thematically, she explores maternal relationships, environmental issues, colonization and the coldness of North America, both physically and morally.

The poems I enjoyed most were “THE LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS III” and “THAW.” The former is set at the back of a

while living somewhere else, how to recognize who you were before leaving, how to find that self, how to mediate distance and time away. This internal narrative is juxtaposed by pastoral, landscape imagery and “sterile hallways and white envelopes.”

“THAW” is almost like a sister poem for “THE LAWS OF THERMODYNAMICS III.” It feels like a continuation of a journey, the stanzas being spaced out in a way that makes you cut your breath as you read them, like the start of a train engine.

It is also set in the winter, with the speaker yearning for warmth and spring’s “apologetic return.” The role of the motherland as a muse is felt throughout these poems.

Speaking of her motherland, Mauritius, Ng Cheng Hin also writes striking poems on oil spills, cyclones and other tragedies that happen on her island. In “OIL SPILL I,” her mother shaves her head and sends her hair in a ziploc bag to help clean the oil spill, yet in “OIL SPILL II,” she hears on the news that the spill gets worse. This shows how watching and mourning from afar, she feels powerless. A particularly striking quote from “OIL SPILL II” that shows the frustration felt by many islanders over these accidents reads: “do not tell me, it says that the architecture of this ocean is not built upon the backs of weary islanders.”

Ng Cheng Hin’s mother plays a big role in most of these poems, and she doesn’t shy away from discussing how difficult maternal relationships can be. In “DICTIONARIES

Courtesy Adrian Kiva

IN THE SAND,” she writes: “2 I fear the most painful parts of Māmā have been lying dormant in my sacrum my entire life and my unborn children can taste them in their sleep.” I have yet to read a better description of how terrifying generational trauma feels, not when thinking about oneself, but about one's future children. This line alone completely sold me on Ng Cheng Hin’s Fire Cider Rain, but it captivated me with every page, and I cannot recommend it enough.

Coming out on Sept. 20, this book will certainly resonate with many immigrants here in Quebec. Even if you are not an immigrant, the poetry is written so beautifully it can be enjoyed by all.

Orientation Crossword Key “Ew what is that?”

I’m sorry.

You were probably just taking in some sun And you likely hear that a lot.

No offence, I’m sure you’re good at what you do, Even though I have no idea what that is I don’t even know what I’m doing half the time Or all the time, if I’m being honest.

As I turned the corner, I saw the most beautiful dog, And I’m sorry for thinking that too.

He’ll never know what it’s like to be avoided; You’ll never know what it’s like to be hugged, And told what a good boy you are.

LeFrigoVert, A BIPOC/queer-centred alternative food and art campus commune.

TheLink, Concordia’s independent, student-run advocacy newspaper.

BSU, Group aiming to empower Black youth while educating and spreading awareness about the African diaspora.

TheConcordian, The Link’s rival newspaper.

CUTV, A space to edit and record audio or film video as well as to hang out with experienced reporters.

SARC, Offers support services to survivors of sexual violence.

People’sPotato, A collectively-run soup kitchen offering free vegan meals to students and community members.

TheHive, A student-run solidarity food co-op located on both campuses.

CSU, Serves and defends the rights of Concordia students, as well as act as their highest representative body at Concordia.

ShuttleBus, A dangerous means of inter-campus transportation involving the breaking of every traffic law.

GinaCody, The first woman in Concordia’s history to earn a PhD in engineering.

JMSB, Where all the capitalist dudebros talk about stocks and NFTs.

SPORTS

13

Stingers Wrap-Up: Sept. 5-11 An Almost Perfect Week for the Stingers Conor Tomalty

W

ith a week full of wins and lengthy draws, the only loss was obtained by the men’s rugby group.

Let’s talk Stingers…

Women’s Soccer (0-0-3): Ties with Sherbrooke and UQAM There is an obstacle in the way of the women’s team. The obstacle is a hard-topenetrate wall coming from their opponent's back-line. The first win of the season eludes the Stingers’ squad, yet so does their first loss.

Their play has grown to be more cohesive.

Organized efforts have come to fruition.

Next game vs. the Université de Laval is on Friday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m..

Men’s Soccer (1-0-1): Win against Sherbrooke, Tie against UQAM The men’s team has been sharp to start the year. It is the first time since 2001 that the team has started the season without a loss, with an impressive showing against the Université de Sherbrooke winning 4-2. In the standings, Concordia sits in third place.

Next game vs. Laval is on Friday, Sept. 16 at 8:15 p.m..

Women’s Rugby (1-1-0): Win against Bishop’s University

Baseball: Exhibition win against McGill

The nascent year has been good and bad for the women’s rugby team. Suffering a 59-6 loss against the University of Ottawa was one to forget, but the team recuperated with a 28-10 victory against Bishop’s University on Sept. 11. Multiple players contributed to the scoring, both on kicks and tries. At 1-1, the group sits in the middle of the standings. With still plenty of pop passes to chuck, Concordia will try and keep the winning streak alive.

Next game vs. Laval is on Sunday, Sept. 18 at 12 p.m..

The Concordia baseball team took advantage of the lackluster defensive play from McGill University Redbirds on Sept. 6. This 6-3 win does come from an exhibition, however, it gave spectators a glimpse of what to expect when it comes to the Stingers’ respected pitching and sound batting order.

Next game vs. McGill is on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 5:15 p.m..

Men’s Rugby (0-1-0): Loss against Bishop’s University The men’s squad wished for a more successful start to their season. The 33-17 loss on Sept. 11 put a stain on an otherwise clean sheet. The season is young and there are still plenty of defining moments left for the club. A first win will get that dreaded monkey off their back.

Next game vs. École de technologie supérieure Sunday Sept. 18 at 2:30 p.m..

Graphic Marilou Brickert

SCOREBOARD

SCHEDULE FOOTBALL

MEN’S RUGBY L 33-17 vs. Bishop’s University Sept. 11

Saturday Sept. 17 vs. McGill University at 2 p.m.

Friday Sept. 16 vs. Laval University at 8:15 p.m.

WOMEN’S RUGBY

Sunday Sept. 18 @ UQTR at 1 p.m.

WOMEN’S RUGBY W 20-10 vs. Bishop’s University Sept. 11

WOMEN’S SOCCER D 1-1 vs. Sherbrooke University Sept. 8 D 0-0 vs. UQAM Sept. 11

MEN’S SOCCER W 4-2 vs. Sherbrooke University Sept. 8 D 0-0 vs. UQAM Sept. 11

BASEBALL W Exhibition 6-3 vs. McGill University Sept. 6

MEN’S SOCCER

Sunday Sept. 18 vs. Laval University at 12 p.m.

MEN’S RUGBY Sunday Sept. 18 vs. ETS at 2:30 p.m.

WOMEN’S SOCCER Friday Sept. 16 vs. Laval University at 6 p.m.

Sunday Sept. 18 @ UQTR at 3:30 p.m.

WOMEN’S HOCKEY Non-Conference Friday Sept. 16 @ University of Guelph at 7:30 p.m.

Non-Conference Saturday Sept. 17 @ University of Waterloo at 4:30 p.m.

MEN’S HOCKEY Pre-season Saturday Sept. 17 @ UQTR at 4 p.m

E L U D SCHE

’

RD A O EB

ALL

B thelinknewspaper.ca • September OOT 13, 2022 F

17 ept.

S y a d sity Satur niver

MEN

Frida vs. L at 8

TUESDAYS AT THE LINK’S OFFICE Pitch Meetings at 5 p.m.

Do you feel passionate about a current issue? Do you enjoy writing? Come join our editors in our weekly pitch meetings!

FRIDAYS AT THE LINK’S OFFICE Post-Mortem at 5 p.m.

Help us improve our publication in a group critique of our latest issue.

Stay and come drink with The Link afterwards!

SPORTS

15

I Hated the Summer I Spent Learning to Scuba Dive It’s Now Become One of My Favourite Vacation Activities Autumn Darey

T

he summer of 2011 was one I wasn’t looking forward to. Instead of being allowed to stay at home, my mom put me into self-contained underwater breathing apparatus diving lessons—otherwise known as scuba diving. I love swimming, but it was not what I wanted to do with my summer.

My first issue was classes started at eight in the morning, far earlier than I got up most of the time—even now. We went to the pool, sporting our bathing suits, with clothes, lunch, water, towels and some paper and pencils in our bags.

The morning was spent in the pool learning how to swim in fins, with masks and snorkels on. We eventually learned how to use oxygen tanks, how to ensure equipment was safe to use and what to do in case of an emergency.

Around 11 a.m., we ate lunch, in the front of the pool, watching cyclists speed by the Lachine Canal as I dreaded the midday session.

The afternoon in-class session was long. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but it felt like all we did was math—and I hate math.

We’d practice various equations to calculate the amount of oxygen needed depending on the depth of the dive, as well as how much time we needed for decompression from various depths.

After roughly eight weeks of training, we drove to Morrisson’s Quarry in Chelsea, Quebec—a nearly three-hour drive from Montreal.

Once I was in the water, diving down towards the sunken plane and submarine, I found myself really enjoying the experience. Despite how heavy the tanks were and how tight the wetsuit was, I felt weightless in the water and able to manoeuvre around with ease. By the end of the day, I loved diving and couldn’t wait to go back.

In the 11 years since I became a certified diver, I’ve attempted multiple dives. A planned dive I had in Grand Cayman was aborted when I couldn’t equalize. Similar to flying, when you dive down, your body needs to adjust to the new pressure level. Since you can’t chew gum or do many of the other recommended movements, it can be more difficult to equalize underwater. Most often, divers will pinch their noses and try to pop their ears that way, but if you’ve been sick recently or have allergies, that method and others may not work.

When you don’t equalize, it could damage or rupture your eardrum, and that can lead to temporary—or permanent—hearing loss. In the worst case, not properly equalizing can also cause an arterial gas embolism, a blockage to your brain, heart or lungs, and kill you.

While not being able to dive at some of the most renowned spots in the world sucks, there's nothing more important than ensuring my health and safety.

My favourite completed dive by far has been the Great Barrier Reef, in Queensland, Australia. It’s a two-hour boat ride from Cairns to get to the dive site, but diving below rock faces that resemble cliffs was surreal. Seeing fish swim in and around the coral reef was something I’ll never forget and hope to do someday again.

While I’m busy with school for now, when I plan for my next trip, diving will be part of my itinerary. When I’m able to, I plan to learn how to dive in a dry suit, which is when you have an extra outer-layer suit that is waterproof. It’s an extra level of training because it limits mobility and affects buoyancy.

Finding the right level of buoyancy is already tricky for me, as I always need to load myself with extra

Graphic Juliette Uliana

weights on a weight belt. Buoyancy is what allows you to drop further down in the water while still being able to swim freely and resurface at the end of the dive. Having the right buoyancy can help you conserve air and prolong your dive, so you don’t want to add too much weight and be too heavy, or too little and be too light.

Eventually, with proper dry suit training, my goal is to dive at places like Silfra in Iceland, where a hole between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates allows people to swim between them.

thelinknewspaper.ca • September 13, 2022

16

SPORTS

Game of the Week: Concordia Football vs.

McGill University The Battle of the Two English Universities in Pursuit of Their First Win Conor Tomalty

Graphic: Nadine Abdellatif

he Concordia Stingers will take on Stingers’ quarterback Olivier Roy has Sherbrooke Vert et Or, they were staunch, This lively play was nonexistent in week T the McGill Redbirds on Saturday, faced the most criticism on the team. allowing a mere 95 yards. two as Latendresse-Regimbald completed Sept 17. Both teams are still looking for Whereas Roy was the most valuable playWith the ignition of Stingers’ receiv- 13 of 34 passes for a completion percenttheir first win of the campaign in The Link’s game of the week.

Concordia’s early season struggles have surprised avid watchers. The Stingers had arguably the most respected offence at the start of the year; and yet, Concordia has looked like a shell of who they were from the 2021-22 circuit. Through the first two games, they scored 41 points. It has kept games close given the differential is only - 9, alas, anyone who has played a competitive sport will tell you that losing by a close margin doesn’t win games.

thelinknewspaper.ca • September 13, 2022

er in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec in 2021, this year Roy has had apparent issues. Roy has completed 26 of 48 pass attempts for a completion of 54 per cent. On top of this, the Stingers’ gunslinger has amassed 417 yards at an average of 208.5 yards per game.

The good news for the Stingers’ passing game is that McGill has been inconsistent when defending through the air. In week two of the season versus the Laval Rouge et Or, they gave up 345 yards and five touchdowns. In week three, versus the

er Jaylan Greave, in week two, versus the Sherbrooke Vert et Or, scored two receiving touchdowns and 92 yards. This reinvigorated connection between Roy and Greaves will look to exploit the defensive secondary of the Redbirds.

On the other side of the gridiron, McGill quarterback Eloa Latendresse-Regimbald has been hot and cold. Week one against Laval, Latendresse-Regimbald put on a show. His team still lost, yet his ability to escape the pocket and extend plays with his legs was marvelous.

age of 38 per cent. He will look to improve against the Stingers.

Concordia’s defence has been the unsung hero through the first two games. Despite the losses, the unit has held both opponents to 26 and 24 points. These efforts have meant the Stingers have only fallen by one possession.

It will come down to what team performs the best on all sides of the ball. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m..

OPINIONS

17

She is Dead Now, You Can Tear the Crown Apart The Argument for Cultural Restitution Through the Kohinoor Diamond Mohammad Khan

hen the British took the Kohinoor Over hundreds of years, the diamond symbolic object that was transferred from one W diamond from Punjab, more than passed through the hands of a multitude of bloody hand to the next, as Britain sees it. By half of it was cut without hesitation, Afghan, Indian, Mughal and Persian fam- reassessing the object as cultural heritage, the to fit within Queen Elizabeth’s crown.

Stolen, fragmented and appropriated by British legacy—a fitting analogy of their role in the subcontinent.

“B-but the diamond has become a part of British culture!” You’re absolutely right, a culture that is still proud of its imperialist past, and nothing beyond this in relation to the stone.

In Paul Young’s The Kohinoor, the Crystal Palace, and the Mission to Make Sense of British India, the diamond was placed on display in Britain in the 19th century to symbolize the nation’s “strength, economic prowess and imperial dominance” and its ability to impose it onto others. According to Young, the Kohinoor was famously known for its size and martial history as it depicted the “incalculable wealth, mystery, monarchical power, and strength of the British Empire.”

For Britain, their conquests and exploits were believed to have brought unprecedented economic and lifestyle improvements wherever they held influence, in this particular case, the territory known as the British Raj. This narrative was what the British advanced and by remodeling the history of South Asia as one supposedly saved by the British Empire, the historical and cultural value of the Kohinoor and many other cultural artifacts, were diminished and revamped to fit this account.

What is interesting about the gemstone is that although it is shrouded in a complex history of varying origins, ownerships, wars and bloodshed, the Kohinoor’s existence refutes many arguments against the repatriation of cultural artifacts.

The term Koh-I-Noor was originally coined 300 years ago translating to the Persian “Mountain of Light” after Emperor Nader Shah had been mesmerized by its size and beauty. Often cited in popular culture as the 5,000 year old “Symantaka” jewel from Hindu mythology, it was said to have been found in the Kollur Mine. Earliest records date back to ownership by King Porus in 325 BC and continue with Persian dynasties in the 13th century, Babur’s Mughal Empire in the 16th century and finally with the Sikh Empire in 1813.

ilies, remaining in Punjab until the Treaty of Lahore of 1849. As British troops surrounded the 10 year old Maharajah Duleep Singh, the young king was forced to cede it to the British as part of the annexation of the Punjab region, marking the end of the Anglo-Sikh Wars.

With the conquest of the land, Britain’s attitude towards the territory was that without its own economic presence, the Indian subcontinent would remain culturally backward. For them, European policies had to be forced onto uncivilized peoples and that it was the English duty to make them productive. This resulted in a mercantilist ideal for the colony that sought to maximize its economic potential. The Kohinoor became a symbol of glorified economic exploitation only to be later removed from the Crystal Palace, as it was deemed an item of “mere curiosity and rarity” by British institutions. This perverse and shallow cultural significance the jewel holds to Britain cannot be compared to the nations of South Asia—the subject of religious texts, fables, myths and long-held allegories in South Asian culture to this day.

Despite its forceful acquisition and cultural appropriation, mainstream legal bodies uphold the British claim under contradictory premises that quite conveniently encourage repatriation yet systematically prevent any form of it. The British under current international law have no legal obligation to return the stone to the subcontinent because its attainment had occurred before modern international agreements. In the case of the Kohinoor, and every other cultural artifact stolen during the colonial period, prior conquest is a perfectly legal means of justifying the acquisition of property.

To challenge this purposefully biased structure, legal scholars such as Saby Ghoshray have argued that a new framework must be created to redefine cultural property to facilitate their rightful return. This can be done by raising the fact that the Kohinoor diamond’s history demonstrates that it is cultural heritage for South Asians and not simply a

international community would recognize its value that transcends both time and its status as merely an object. Heritage also entails collective ownership rather than individual ownership.

Therefore, declaring the Kohinoor as an artifact of cultural heritage to the peoples of South Asia would invalidate the individual ability to cede it, making its succession to the British after the Treaty of Lahore in 1849, illegitimate. The diamond, under the banner of cultural heritage, cannot be placed under temporal limits as its cultural value rooted in thousands of years of history cannot be quantified or measured in time. Re-labeling and reworking the current framework regarding cultural property as cultural heritage allows for the just repatriation of artifacts that were wrongfully taken during colonial eras through violent and coercive means, that are, to this day, being patronized as imperial accomplishments.

With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, inaction or action against restitution of cultural heritage propagates and tolerates the consequences of Britain’s colonial past and their effects on former colonies. If Britain dismisses it’s oppressive history and chooses to celebrate its progress in the wake of the Queen’s death, it must acknowledge its implications as well, including restoring cultural objects to reverse the acts of imperialism while respecting the self-determination of countries. Refusing to address the impact of colonial claims on cultural artifacts constitute social and cultural injuries on the welfare of formerly colonized nations. Until such cultural justice is initiated, conversations surrounding Britain’s moral advancements are performative, hypocritical and further injurious.

Graphic Lise Caro

thelinknewspaper.ca • September 13, 2022

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OPINIONS

I Am a Journalist, Not Your Sex Doll The Misogyny I Deal With Every Day in the Field Olivia Integlia journalist’s job is pretty straightA forward: find a pitch, track down sources and write the story. As a woman

working in the field there are a few additional things I must consider, however.

Am I wearing clothing that is conservative enough? Will this particular story attract creepy men? Do I have to go up to that group of men alone?

I do not feel respected by most of the men I interact with. Rather than being treated like a professional, I am often treated like a piece of meat. I have been forced to adapt to avoid being harassed—I choose to cover a risky story accepting the fact that it might attract unwanted attention.

One of my main priorities when going out to interview people is finding an appropriate outfit. In fact, the International Women’s Media Foundation reported that 24 per cent of female journalists have modified their appearance when working, often covering up most of their body. This percentage is unsurprising to me. I often wear long sleeved shirts, long pants and a jacket when I head out for a story.

Clothing choice, tone of voice, wearing makeup and posture are just a few superficial things that play a role in deciding whether I am treated seriously or not. Deep misogynistic ideas ingrained in society have forced women to take extra steps to avoid being devalued as a person and discredited as a journalist simply for being a woman.

When I was working on a story an interviewee told me, “in exchange for taking pictures of me, I want to take a picture of your pretty eyes.” I awkwardly laughed as I fought the urge to tell him off since he was an important source for the story.

“Are you single? Can I have your personal Instagram handle?” I’ve been asked.

I gave into the pressure out of fear of what might happen if I refused.

These instances are just routine for most female and femme-presenting journalists. According to a 2014 online survey conducted by the IWMF and the International News Safety Institute, almost 50 per cent of female journalists experience sexual harassment and remarks on their appearance at work.

Even when men do not openly make uncomfortable comments, their demeanor is equally inappropriate. Touching my arm, staring at my chest as I am speaking or simply interrupting me to mansplain common knowledge are frequent occurrences. Each microaggression makes me more uncomfortable than the last.

Yet, time after time, I accept it and remain quiet to ensure that I stay professional and respectful to the exact people who are unprofessional and disrespectful towards me—the irony.

The worst part is that sometimes conservative outfits are not enough. 73 per cent of gender-based harassment occurs online, according to the IWMF.

Almost every time I make a post on my social media to reach out to as many potential sources as possible, I receive unsolicited sexual comments in my inbox.

“I saw your post [asking for sources] and wanted to connect. I’m pretty new to Montreal; just moved from Toronto. So, I thought it would be great to have some friends around and you looked so sweet, that’s why I wanted to write you a DM,” said a potential source. Ugh, not again. I am just trying to do my job.

“Can you come over to my house?” another asked. When I said that I would rather meet in a public location, the source bailed.

Women should not have to accept sexual harassment as a condition of their job. Next time a female journalist approaches you, ask yourself: will my actions make this person uncomfortable? If the answer is yes, or even maybe, then immediately reconsider.

Five Fun and Free Things to do This Fall See What Montreal Offers This Season

By Mariana Chajon Oliveros

ow that a lot of us have quit our summer jobs or lowered our hours to allocate N more time to our studies, we need cheaper (or free!) things to do this fall. Grab a buddy or a date, and try out these activities!

1. Take a walk and vandalize election signs 2. Steal from Walmart 3. Fuck 4. Loiter 5. Pick flowers at the park Have fun!

This is a satire piece and is not meant to be offensive to anyone.

EDITORIAL

GUSS

COMMS GUILD

PSSA

LAS

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SHAC

CUPA

CASE Graphic Marilou Brickert

Arts and Science Referendums: You Better Vote! s general assembly season approaches, agenda they all have in common is a referen- the matter. Don’t be the student who cross- the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the A students are once again faced with a dum to decide if students will strike during es the picket line if you didn’t even bother risk of burnout and mental health probchoice: to vote or not to vote. GA partici- the week of Oct. 3, which is the fall reading voting in the referendum. lems, making the need for a fall reading pation rates have been unfortunately low these past few years. This is unfortunate, given the radical history of student activism at Concordia—notably the 1969 Computer Riot and the 2002 Netanyahu Riot.

If students cannot advocate for themselves during GAs, how will we fight broader socio-economic and political disparities?

Getting involved in student politics may seem like a daunting task, but doing so is crucial for getting our voices heard.

Throughout September, member associations of the Arts and Science Federation of Associations will be hosting their respective annual general assemblies. One point on the

Volume 43, Issue 2 Tuesday, September 13, 2022 Concordia University Hall Building, Room H-645 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W. Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8 editor: 514-848-2424 x. 7407 arts: 514-848-2424 x. 5813 news: 514-848-2424 x. 8682 business: 514-848-7406 advertising: 514-848-7406

week for most Canadian universities.

If you study the humanities, social sciences or natural sciences, your participation in these upcoming referendums is pivotal to determining the faculty’s students’ course of action.

A reason GAs have low participation rates may be because students feel disenchanted by politics—they don’t see how their lives are impacted by the decisions made in these assemblies.

The question on student strikes will directly impact your academic semester.

If you don’t vote during your member association’s GA, you will not have a say in

In March 2021, the Senate approved the fall reading week, but it will only be implemented in 2023. In late August of this year, The Link asked Concordia President Graham Carr why it’s taking two and a half years for the university to carry out this plan. He claimed that since the fall semester will go from being 13 weeks long to being 12 weeks long, adjusting the curriculum of courses accordingly “takes time.”

Students first started asking for a fall reading week in March 2019. Only having it enacted nearly half a decade later is a slap in the face for those who fought for this well-deserved break. On top of this,

The Link is published fifteen times during the academic year by The Link Publication Society Inc. Content is independent of the university and student associations (ECA, CASA, ASFA, FASA, CSU). Editorial policy is set by an elected board as provided for in The Link ’s constitution. Any student is welcome to work on The Link and become a voting staff member.

Material appearing in The Link may not be reproduced without prior written permission from The Link.

Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters 400 words or less will be printed, space permitting. The letters deadline is Friday at 4:00 p.m. The Link reserves the right to­­­edit letters for clarity and length and refuse those deemed racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, libellous, or otherwise contrary to The Link ’s statement of principles.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2022-2023: Voting Members: Caitlin Brady-Lomoth, Caroline Marsh, Diane Yeung | Non-Voting Members: Rachel Boucher, Adam Gibbard, Colin Harris, Michelle Pucci, Gabriela Vasquez-Rondon | Advisor: Laura Beeston TYPESETTING by The Link PRINTING by Hebdo-Litho.

CONTRIBUTORS: Lise Caro, Autumn Darey, Dana Hachwa, Meghan Kerr, Melissa Migueis, Ibrahim Mahmoud, Cedre Obeid, Iness Rifay, Juliette Uliana House Ads: Nadine Abdellatif, Marilou Brickert Cover: Nadine Abdellatif

week even more critical.

On Sept. 9, the Geography Undergraduate Student Association voted to join the Urban Planning Association’s lead in striking during the first week of October.

However, the results indicated a severe lack of student participation, with 11-10 votes in favour of the strike and 11 abstentions.

The upcoming referendums are the first major opportunity for student unity and potential discourse since the return to campus, and it would be a waste to pass up on it simply because politics is messy.

Please consult our GA schedule to know when to vote, which can be found on p.7.

editor-in-chief coordinating editor managing editor co-news editor features editor fringe arts editor sports editor opinions editor community editor copy editor interim creative director interim photo editor video editor interim graphics editor business manager operations manager computer technician distribution

GABRIELA VASQUEZ-RONDON MOHAMMAD KHAN OPEN ZACHARY FORTIER MARIANNE LIENDO-DUFORT OPEN JAIME KERR CONOR TOMALTY OLIVIA INTEGLIA SOPHIE DUFRESNE MARIANA CHAJON OLIVEROS MARILOU BRICKERT IVAN DE JACQUELIN AUDE SIMON NADINE ABDELLATIF RACHEL BOUCHER ADAM GIBBARD ANURAG MOPALA GUY LANDRY

Corrections for Vol.43, Issue 1: In “Con U 101:Essential Resources” p.8, the term Kanien’kéha (Mohawk), which defines the language was wrongly addressed as Kanien:keha’ka, which defines the people. In the same article, The Student Success Centre is mentioned to be open Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the 4th floor of the Hall Building, which is wrong. They are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday, and are located on the 7th floor of the Hall Building. Their Office is located in the basement of the Loyola campus, not the first floor. In “Prominent Profiles: The Back-to-School Edition” p.13, the definition of Salat al-Juma’a reads as Friday prayers instead of Halaqua: Religious gathering. The Link apologizes for these mistakes.