Volume 44, Issue 11

Volume 44, Issue 11 • March 5, 2024 • thelinknewspaper.ca

"I felt that in my M&M breasts" Since 1980

CONCORDIA’S INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION SINCE 1980

ON STRIKE

NEWS

Engineering and Computer Science students vote to strike

Menna Nayel @mennaanayel

Over 6,800 engineering and computer science students are striking from March 13 to March 15 n March 4, the Engineering $12,000, while international students During the SGM, executives be supported by the ECA if they O and Computer Science Asso- are set to pay a minimum of $20,000. and students discussed the poten- were to face any repercussions for ciation (ECA) held a special generSeventy-one per cent of ECA tial reasons to strike. the missing course material. al meeting (SGM), where around 100 students attended and voted to strike with a 92 per cent majority.

At the time of publication, the current number of Concordia students on strike is 14,524. The ECA will take part in the strike from March 13 to 15.

The vote is in response to the Coalition Avenir Québec’s tuition increases for out-of-province and international students, which the provincial government originally presented in October 2023.

Out-of-province students are facing a minimum tuition fee of

students voted for a hard picket after a motion was proposed to decide how the association will be striking. According to the ECA's resolution, participating in online lectures, asynchronous lectures, holding class in alternative locations, or submitting assignments during the strike period are considered actions that go against the strike and are equivalent to crossing the picket line.

However, internships, co-ops, and lab sections are exempt from the strike in order to fulfill requirements needed for course completion.

According to CSU executives, there has been a 20 per cent decrease in admissions into programs within the engineering faculty. This decrease could result in the cancellation of select classes, bigger class sizes, fewer TA contracts and fewer funding opportunities.

Missing course content was one of the main issues brought up during the discussion. A counter-argument was posed, noting that the result of tuition hikes would be much more detrimental to their future and education at Concordia. However, students were assured that they would

According to Juliana Smith, who was Chair at the SGM, current hikes might have a lasting effect on Concordia. She explained that, due to Concordia's accumulated debt of $362 million, the university might face a shutdown in the far future.

Smith explained this possibility could be detrimental to individuals who have or will receive Concordia degrees.

ECA intends to escalate their striking methods if the current three-day strike is a success.

ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE STUDENTS VOTE TO STRIKE AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY. PHOTO DOROTHY MOMBRUN

Tuition strikes: student mobilization underway Student associations prepare to strike against tuition hikes for the second time in 2023-24 academic year Maria Cholakova

@_maria_cholakova_

n the past two weeks, the Arts ciations (Urban Planning AssoIsociations and Science Federation of As- ciation, Concordia Association (ASFA) and fellow stu- Psychology Association, Condent associations at Concordia have been mobilizing students to vote, attend general assemblies, spread the word and encourage students to protest the Quebec government’s tuition hikes.

According to Angelica Antonakopoulos, the academic coordinator at ASFA, this is a crucial time for the student movement to come together in a university-wide strike. “[Striking] places a lot of economic stress on the government because the government subsidizes education in Quebec[...] So if you're placing this imminent threat of cancelling a semester, the government will have to re-subsidize the students that got held back while also subsidizing a new cohort of students coming in,” Antonakopoulos said.

She continued to explain that apart from the government having to re-invest funds, strikes are withholding an entire group of students from graduating and entering the workforce, which would have a significant effect on the economy.

Currently, 14,524 students are striking from March 11 to 15.

In the upcoming days, five assothelinknewspaper.ca

cordia Religion Student Association, Political Science Student Association, Sustainability and Diversity Student Association) are holding GAs for students to vote on striking.

However, getting students to mobilize has been a challenge, according to Antonakopoulos.

“Nowadays, especially postCOVID, it's really difficult to convince folks to do anything outside the immediate scope of their academic affairs,” she said.

Antonakopoulos added that Concordia hasn’t been too open to the idea of students striking.

“Concordia has done a very elegant job at making any disruption to regular academic life seem like the end of the world, which is why a lot of students are very wary toward striking,” she said.

However, ASFA is not backing down. According to Antonakopoulos, a demonstration during the striking week is being planned, alongside some of the smaller, independent actions that will be occurring within Concordia, like a picketing workshop on March 6 and March 8 on the seventh floor of the Hall Building.

GRAPHIC PANOS MICHALOKOPOULOS THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST, CHECK WITH YOUR ASSOCIATION IF YOU ARE STRIKING

March 5, 2024 • NEWS

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NEWS

Finding sex education resources at Concordia Students asking for better sex-ed access on campus Justine Beaussier

GRAPHIC SAMANTHA LEPINE Canada, sexual education, Sex Lives Report in October 2023, Iasnmost commonly referred to which revealed in a survey of 1,090 sex-ed, is typically taught in Canadians aged 18 to 24 that two high school curriculum. However, statistics have shown that sex-ed taught to young Canadians has been ineffective at best and non-existent at worst.

LetsStopAIDS is a youth-driven Canadian charity that aims to spread awareness of HIV among young Canadians. It released its

out of three young Canadians felt the sex-ed they received did not prepare them for sex.

Students at Concordia University feel the institution lacks sex-ed resources for its student community.

“The perception Concordia might have is that, as adults, we don’t need sex education any-

@ju.st1ne

more, and that is something that should have happened when we were children,” said Gabriella Kennedy, founder of non-profit organization Sex and Self ’s chapter at Concordia.

Phyllida Tuff-West, a Concordia graduate student, said that she does not know where to find condoms on campus. “I would assume it’s at the health centre, but I’ve never used them,” she said.

Tuff-West would like to see more sex-ed at Concordia beyond the mandatory sexual violence prevention training she had to complete before moving into residence. She believes that resources that list places where students can get condoms and period products, could be included in the course syllabus.

According to Kennedy Concordia’s lack of sex-ed-related resources, leaves students without answers

to their questions and problems.

“I saw that a lot of my peers were struggling with challenges regarding their sexuality, their gender identity, their sexual behaviours,” she said. “They were not able to access resources at the university, or outside, to address those.”

This is why in August 2021, after Kennedy met Felicia Gisondi, founder of Sex and Self at McGill, she created the non-profit chapter at Concordia. Sex and Self is a student-led initiative that “creates a bridge between people’s sexual concerns and actual solutions and resources.” She noticed students’ lack of understanding on the topic of sex-ed, especially those coming from different backgrounds.

In April 2022, the non-profit opened the Wellness Pantry at the Le Frigo Vert. It was created for students to access products such as condoms, pads, or binders,

regarding their sexual needs and gender affirmation, for free.

Sex and Self is very active and organizes a lot of events on sex-related topics. Omene Akpeokhai, future co-president and diversity advocate, said the events organized aim to be intuitive and educational for everyone. Their latest workshops, seminars or networking meetings have revolved around themes of body image and body positivity as the themes evoked are changing and evolving.

When looking into the future of Sex and Self Concordia, the two co-presidents hope to establish better connections with the university and potentially connect with the department of women and sexuality studies, or other clubs and non-profits that work in the same field.

Fighting for Palestinian liberation Felix Legault

flegaultphotography

n March 3, a march in supO port of Palestinian liberation took place to protest the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

The march is a part of ongoing protests happening every Sunday, since Oct. 7, 2023.

Since then, Montrealers have been demanding that the Canadian government recognize the ongoing genocide of Palestinians, enforce sanctions on Israel and cut off all political and economic ties to the sate.

On March 1, another pro-Palestinian event took place as Montrealers gathered at the Norman Bethune statue, where a vigil was held for Aaron Bushnell.

Bushnell, a 25-year-old active-duty member of the United States Air Force, self-immolated outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 25.

He live-streamed his protest on Twitch, stating that his extreme act of protest was against the ongoing genocide in Gaza. He declared he would no longer be complicit in the genocide before setting himself on fire and repeatedly shouting "Free Palestine!" until he collapsed.

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PROTESTER HOLDS UP A SIGN TO URGE ACTION. PHOTO FELIX LEGAULT

PROTESTER WRITING A MESSAGE AT THE AARON BUSHNELL VIGIL. PHOTO FELIX LEGAULT

PROTEST ORGANIZER WAVING A PALESTINIAN FLAG. PHOTO FELIX LEGAULT

PROTESTER HOLDING A SIGN. PHOTO FELIX LEGAULT

PROTESTERS GATHER AT THE ESPLANADE PLACE VILLE MARIE TO PROTEST ONGOING GENOCIDE IN GAZA. PHOTO FELIX LEGAULT

March 5, 2024 • NEWS

5

NEWS

Nightlife hazard Students call out systemic sexism at Bar Bifteck Ivan de Jacquelin

@Ivan.2j_22

Content warning: sexual assault, misogyny, violence. The names of Alice, Sam and Lea have been changed for their safety. ocated at the corner of GuilL bault and St. Laurent Blvd., Bar Bifteck presents itself as a his-

toric institution of the Plateau.

Bifteck’s clientele is mainly made up of students and neighbourhood regulars, who don’t expect much more than affordable drinks and complimentary popcorn when entering what has been described as an unpretentious dive bar.

According to the Quebec registry of businesses, the bar is co-owned by José Da Eira, his son Steve Da Eira, alongside another member, Nancy Da Eira.

While he has been affiliated with the bar for 26 years, Steve Da Eira says he took on the role of manager when he moved back to Montreal from Bordeaux, in the midst of the pandemic.

Since the bar’s reopening, Da Eira says his main challenge has been hiring staff.

"We have a lot of trouble getting good staff, the employees I take on are often students,” he says. “Students nowadays don't really care about the job.”

While Da Eira claims that the well-being of his staff is his main priority, several students who have worked at the bar claim otherwise.

The Link has gathered three testimonies (of ex-staff) accusing Steve Da Eira of sexism and sexual misconduct in the workplace and denouncing poor working conditions.

In fall 2023, Alice turned to the service industry in hopes of finding a part-time job. After just two shifts at Bifteck, she walked out the door determined to never set foot there again.

Alice’s first shift at Bifteck happened on a packed Saturday night. For seven hours straight, as she was serving a rush of customers, she says she was both a victim and a witness to misogyny and

6

harassment while working alongside Da Eira behind the bar.

“When passing behind me, he grabbed my ass,” she said. Da Eira did not wish to comment on this allegation without the presence of his lawyer.

As the night went on and the bar emptied, the mistreatment of one female customer in particular made Alice doubt that the environment was safe for feminine-presenting customers.

As the woman’s group of friends left, she sat alone at the bar. “She was very young, and really really out of it,” Alice says.

Alice says she was shocked at Da Eira’s inaction when a middle-aged customer sat next to the intoxicated girl, started flirting and then tried to coerce her back to his apartment.

“At one point we heard a huge boom outside and I saw that the girl had passed out right in front of the door,” says Alice. According to her, one of the servers ran to help, only to find the door locked. “Steve told (the server): ‘Come back and finish cleaning the tables, you’ll take care of your girlfriend afterward,’” Alice recalls.

Da Eira says he could not recollect the events of the night in question.

“That's her perception of the facts. I'm not going to go into detail about that,” he says. “Absolutely, [Bifteck is a safe place for women], that I can guarantee. But I can't be on the lookout for everything.”

Alice says she never felt safe that night, and her fear only increased as it came time to close up shop.

As Alice was cleaning the bar, she says she heard Da Eira asking a regular—who was still at the bar after closing—what his impression of the new bartender was.

“He replied ‘It was a beautiful sight,’” says Alice. “To which Steve’s response was ‘If you want her you can have her, just go to the doctor and get the little blue pills (Viagra).’”

Alice said the hardest thing about that evening for her was the

NEWS • March 5, 2024

EX-STAFF ACCUSE BAR BIFTEK OF MISOGYNY, SEXISM AND POOR WORKING CONDITIONS. PHOTO SERENITY MELVIN inaction of all three men present in the room while Da Eira was allegedly throwing sexist comments at her. “All of them heard that stuff, and nobody said anything about it,” she says.

Da Eira justified why he would not respond to Alice’s claims out of concerns of being sued. “It's time we respected women as we should respect them, but what I find now is that you have to be careful what you say. It's really sad,” he said.

Da Eira affirms that he is very protective of his employees. “But I can't be liked by everyone, that's part of the job," he says.

“After seven hours of shift, a passed out woman and him doing nothing about it, having my ass grabbed, I almost felt like I was prostituting myself,” Alice told The Link.

While Alice quit after that night—which she described as traumatic—other staff members said they had to stick around out of financial necessity.

Lea, another McGill student, was one of them. “As you work with management you know it’s not necessarily a safe place. I never

felt fully comfortable. I was always careful with what I wore,” she says.

During her first months behind the bar, Lea thought that Da Eira was protecting her by letting her tell guys off who were being a bit too pushy. “I thought at first that they had my back… But I soon realized it’s just that they didn’t care,” she says.

Lea adds that she tried to protect female customers by being on the lookout for signs of distress, but she would often be dismissed when reporting it to management.

“I felt powerless, I don't feel safe for them (female customers),” Lea says.

When asked about customer safety at Bifteck, Da Eira says: “We do everything to protect them… It's a student bar, sometimes when they have one drink too many [they get crazy]. When there's a problem, the police are there in less than ten minutes.”

One male ex-staff member says he noticed the presence of double standards maintained by the bar’s management.

Hired as an extra over the summer and allegedly paid under the table, Sam was surprised at the

preferential treatment he would receive over the female co-worker he worked with at the time. “[Da Eira] would be demeaning to her all the time,” says Sam. “He would say she was slow, or stupid... He never said anything [demeaning] to me.”

Da Eira denies using the word “stupid” against his staff. “Slow, it could happen, in conversation, if you were too slow to get a table or whatever it could happen. As any manager could tell you,” he says.

The experiences at Bar Bifteck, as recounted by Alice, Lea, and Sam, are symptomatic of old-fashioned practices still present in Montreal's nightlife scene. Da Eira defends the practices: “I was raised in the old school. Many of my peers respect me for it.”

Alice says she chose to speak out to warn others and raise awareness. “As a customer, you have the power to hold institutions and their staff accountable,” she says. “Change is imperative, and in some places, long overdue.”

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NEWS

Women, weed and wellness The gender-based dynamics of cannabis-induced anxiety Cole Cooper hree years ago, Ruby Burns like the lawyer cracking down T got high for the first time. She on a major cannabis player than smoked from a bong in her older actually being a major cannabis cousin’s bedroom.

“God, that was awful,” she remembers. “I couldn’t feel my mouth, but I was laughing and laughing. And then I was like, ‘Oh, I can’t feel my lungs—How am I breathing?’ And then, ‘I’m not breathing.’”

Burns is 19 now, and recalling the memory still shakes her from an otherwise laid-back composure. “I was still laughing while this is all happening, but I was just panicking. My vision literally closed in like a little black tunnel,” she adds.

She didn’t wake up until a minute later.

“My senses slowly, slowly, slowly started to come back and I realized that I was literally just shrieking. I was screaming and I didn’t even know ‘cause I was blacked out,” Burns says. This was her first of many brushes with cannabis-induced anxiety.

Popular depiction has built cannabis a reputation as the world’s most relaxed drug. However, this is far from a universal truth.

According to a University of Ottawa study, 27 per cent of users who visit the emergency department develop a new anxiety disorder within three years. Yet, very little research has been conducted on anxiety episodes which did not result in a hospital visit.

Therefore, it’s unknown exactly how common an issue cannabis induced anxiety is.

In 2017, Dr. Susan A. Stoner published a literature review on cannabis and anxiety through the University of Washington and the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute.

Stoner found cannabis-induced anxiety to be more common when associated with several factors: Consumption in high doses, strains potent with the chemical THC and low in CBD, existing psychiatric disorders, infrequent use, unpleasant settings or contexts and consumption by females.

Stoner’s final point about the consumption of cannabis by females begs a few questions. Does sex influence the brain’s response to cannabis? Are men less likely to report experiences of anxiety? Or is it something else entirely?

If you’re to believe the stereotypes, Holly Hager looks more thelinknewspaper.ca

player herself–that’s sort of the point. Impeccably stylish and articulate, Hager is the COO and co-founder of House of Puff, a “cosmopolitan lifestyle brand inspired by today’s high-functioning woman.”

Hager says her business partner, Kristina Lopez Adduci, first dreamt up House of Puff when she began using cannabis as a treatment for her anxiety. “[Adduci had] tried all the anti-anxiety medications, and they weren’t working for her,” says Hager. She says the effects of cannabis quickly reduced Adduci’s anxiety, but she was deterred from cannabis because she didn’t feel represented in its world.

Hager believes one reason that so many women react poorly to cannabis is that the context of consumption is often intimidating. Surveys by the National Center for Biotechnology Information and Statistics Canada have found that cannabis consumption remains a male-dominated space.

Additionally, a Harris Poll study for the cannabis retailer Med Men found that 65 per cent of female cannabis users feel the need to hide their consumption.

“A gross, dirty bong can be scary,” Adduci says, as can the stigma that many female users still feel.

Hager, who uses cannabis daily to treat anxiety and the symptoms of an autoimmune disorder, says the first step to avoiding a negative response is research.

She recommends potential users research terpenes, the compounds that illicit different effects in each strain of cannabis. She looks for strains with myrcene, a calming terpene found in strains such as Pineapple Express, OG Kush, and the Haze family. Hager also says that strains with a higher content of the chemical CBD are less likely to cause anxiety. This research can be conducted on databases like Leafy, or through conversations with a “budtender” at a dispensary.

Hager suggests beginning with a low dose, such as a twoand-a-half milligram THC beverage, and gradually increasing the dose over several sessions.

“If it is a strain or a formulation that makes you anxious, you don’t

GRAPHIC MYRIAM OUAZZANI want to have a lot of it and figure that out,” she advises.

She also points out that different methods of consumption can widely change the cannabis experience. “By choosing a form factor that’s not inhalation, that’s going to reduce any worries about hurting your health,” she says.

She recommends sublinguals as a discreet method for public consumption, where fear of judgment can be anxiety-inducing. Hager says safety and comfort are the keys to a good experience.

“Have you ever had little shadow guys in the corners of your eyes?” Callista Pitman asks. Pitman, who recently withdrew from McGill psychology, suffers from borderline personality disorder. “[The disorder is] the borderline between psychosis and neurosis,” she says. “And what weed does is it pushes you over the edge.” She says cannabis is recreationally used to produce desirable psychotic effects, but in her case, it could trigger a long-term

psychotic episode. The shadows she’s seen when she’s smoked too much, a common hallucination for patients experiencing psychosis, could stick around for good.

Pitman says the information psychiatrists provide on drug interactions with mental illnesses is limited. Instead, patients are simply told to avoid drug use altogether. “It’s like teaching abstinence in schools, it doesn’t work,” Pitman says.

Instead, Pitman believes nuanced and effective drug education is only provided once drug use becomes a problem. “No one’s going to teach a teenager who’s never done drugs before about harm reduction, because it’s seen as encouraging instead of educating someone,” she says.

Pitman says that, had she only been educated on the subject in treatment, she likely would have put her mental health in further jeopardy. “I haven’t done psychedelics, but honestly if I wasn’t a psych[ology] student I probably

would have,” she says.

The most important asset in reducing the risks of cannabis-induced anxiety, or worse, is information, Hager says. She emphasizes that better understanding the drug, the user and their interaction will universally improve the cannabis experience, but says this is impossible without gathering further information.

“To get the real effect that you want to feel, to get the relaxation without any anxiety,” adds Hager adds, “You have to do some research.”

March 5, 2024 • NEWS

7

FRINGE ARTS

Honouring water through Indigenous fashion The McCord Museum and BACA present “kisewâtisiw miyootootow” Menel Rehab

@phoenicieuse

n Feb. 17, The Contemporary year project to explore and inte- lery of Canada and they are one viduals from Kahnawake as cast- expressed a commitment to susO Native Art Biennial (BACA) grate the profound teachings of of the first artists to ever present ed models. tainability and a holistic approach and the McCord Stewart Museum the Cree medicine wheel. Each fashion in that context of putting “When we think about institu- to fashion, viewing it as a reflecco-hosted a holistic Indigenous fashion show.

Co-curated by Armando Perla, chief curator of the Textile Museum of Canada, and Jason Baerg, a multidisciplinary Métis artist, “kisewâtisiw miyootootow – S/ he is Mercifully” was presented in conjunction with Baerg’s exhibition at Art Mûr from Jan. 13 to Feb. 24.

Doors opened at 7:30 p.m. and the show kicked off at 8 p.m. It lasted about forty minutes.

The show began with three original pieces by Montreal-based Anishinaabe and French visual artist Caroline Monnet and then proceeded with Baerg’s creations.

The venue was an open space with a room featuring black bleachers where people could sit or stand.

The museum buzzed with activity, with people lining up outside as they waited to be let in. Attendees of diverse backgrounds and ages mingled throughout the space, creating a vibrant ambiance.

Sponsored by the McCord Stewart Museum, Textile Museum of Canada, Art Mûr, and BACA, the show featured a screen displaying Baerg's art.

BACA is a non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing and supporting contemporary Indigenous art and artists. They host program events every two years and special projects throughout the year.

There were complementary wine stations and sounds from a live DJ playing music by Indigenous artists filled the room. Additionally, guests had the opportunity to explore a Wampum exhibition upstairs following the fashion show’s conclusion.

Embracing their role as an Indigenous futurist, Baerg drew inspiration from the concept of metamorphosis, highlighting the imperative for profound respect, love, and care for his own community.

Baerg embarked on a four-

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year, they aim to honor a specific aspect of the wheel through their studio artistic practice. With works created during the winter and fall 2023, these pieces reflect the transition period of the medicine wheel, incorporating elements from the south such as earth and metal, as well as elements from the west, such as water, sage and the colour blue.

“I’m really interested in opening the Indigenous imaginary to concepts of arriving safely. I wanna inspire the youth to fulfill all of their dreams,” Baerg said.

“But first, they have to dream.

First, we have to imagine. I’m interested in effective manners of engagement, and I’m really thinking about my motivation in that space. So for this body of work, I’m interested in elevating space for peace and radical Indigenous love.”

Baerg has always been influenced and affected by fashion; they’ve been presenting formally since 2020. Last summer, they presented at the National Gal-

Indigenous voices at the forefront.

They have had pieces in museum shows, notably in the Queen’s Square Gallery and Preston Gallery. They are interested in integrating the runway into contemporary art institutions.

Noting the prevalence of blue in the “kisewâtisiw miyootootow” installation, Baerg emphasized the significance of water, referencing Montreal's island location and the traditional territory of Haudenosaunee, including indi-

"It's all about Earth measurements, it's all about those relationships. Everything is part of a greater cosmology."

- Jason Baerg

tionalizing, iconicizing garments, it’s really about the person on whom that work is,” they added.

“When I think about monumentalizing a human, I’m really interested in who they are as humans.

Sure, you might be what is textbook beautiful, but do you have something original to say, are you supporting a cause or a people that deserve our attention? When I’m casting models, I’m interested in people who are making massive contributions, who will elevate and inspire others.”

Regarding balancing traditional and contemporary influences in their design, Baerg introduced the concept of atemporality, which challenges the linear perception of time. They explained that time is circular, evidenced by various cyclical phenomena like seconds, minutes, hours and moon cycles. Baerg emphasized the importance of integrating wisdom from the past while also addressing contemporary challenges such as plastics and overproduction in fashion. They

tion of people's lives.

"I work with natural materials: silk, leather, cotton. Triangles can create an up or down movement of the eye,” said Baerg. “The way we position a triangle will affect our relationship to the body, to the sky, to the earth. We're drawing attention to specific things. I use geometries, very specifically very intentionally. Geo means Earth, and metric is measurement. It's all about Earth measurements, it's all about those relationships. Everything is part of a greater cosmology."

Michael Patten, director of the BACA, who is Cree and a member of the Zagime Anishinabek First Nations in Saskatchewan, shared how the idea for the Indigenous fashion show originated. The museum's enthusiasm for the concept played a crucial role in finalizing the decision to showcase Baerg’s and Monnet’s creations. Over the years, BACA and the McCord Museum cultivated a longstanding relationship, starting back in 2012. This collaboration has involved various projects.

"Jason proposed the idea to us based on their prior experience with fashion shows, including one at the National Gallery,” said Patten.

“They were looking for a venue to host a show parallel to the exhibition here. I immediately thought of the McCord because they have a long-standing history and interest in collaborating with Indigenous artists and supporting them."

CREDIT MENEL REHAB

FRINGE ARTS • March 5, 2024

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FRINGE ARTS

Exploring identity through a sky of flowers Artist Sierra Barber uses the symbolism of strawberries and flowers to discuss the layered experiences of her identity Olivia Johnson

@24601ivia

COURTESY MICHAEL PATTEN

hen you walk into Galerie lege of Art & Design University Expressing her identity through fell from the Sky World onto the “This journey that she's had of W Shé:Kon, you forget the cold (OCAD) where she majored in art was not easy for Barber. She ex- back of a turtle. When she fell, she transplantation into the new place and gloom of winter. Using oil paints sculpture. Currently, she is pursu- plained that she grew up away from brought with her a handful of seeds, – into Montreal – where her work and beading, Sierra Barber brings life and vibrancy to the space.

On Feb. 17, the gallery invited guests to Sky Flowers, an exhibit that features a mixture of oil paint and beading. Shé:kon is an exhibition space operated by The Contemporary Native Art Biennial (BACA) and focuses on showcasing solo exhibitions by up-and-coming Indigenous artists in Quebec.

“I first encountered Sierra Barber's artwork at Concordia Open Studios approximately a year ago,” said Michael Patten, the Director General of BACA. “I was instantly captivated by the beauty and innovation of her pieces and promptly offered her an exhibition opportunity.”

Barber received her bachelor of fine arts from the Ontario Col-

ing a master’s degree in fine arts in the painting and drawing program at Concordia University.

Using Haudenosaunee imagery such as strawberries and strawberry flowers against a blue sky, Barber explores and engages with her Upper Mohawk and mixed-European identity.

“It makes perfect sense for me to use [these mediums] in my work because they’re material languages with their own historical background,” said Barber. “Oil paintings are a colonial medium or method of creating, whereas beading represents more of my Indigenous side.

Creating a painting or an image that exists within both of these materials at the same time really speaks to this idea of mixed identity.”

her community and her great-grandmother was a residential school survivor. It took a long time to engage with that side of herself, even though it makes up a significant part of who she is. Barber described learning to bead and seeing her work displayed at Shé:kon as “a new beginning.”

“It’s like I’m ready to fully be who I am now. I hesitated for a long time to learn how to bead but I realized it is a powerful thing for me to learn something that was meant to be taken from me,” she said.

The Symbolism of Strawberries Strawberries hold a deep significance for the Haudenosaunee people. According to the Haudenosaunee creation story, Sky Woman

A journey of adoption and discovery Adrian Wills' newest film explores identity and connection Claudia Beaudoin

@claudiaclx

FILMMAKER ADRIAN WILLS AND HIS SISTER AS CHILDREN. COURTESY ADRIAN WILLS

hen presented with an adop- these kinds of invisible spider webs English film in Montreal.

W tion document describing that are connecting us and people “It takes you on a whirlwind his birth mother as "a quiet girl," who are adopted don't have that and you follow his emotions as filmmaker Adrian Wills’ curiosity piqued.

The description of “A quiet girl” propelled Wills into a two-year journey, during which he sought to uncover the truth of his mother’s past. Through the medium of film, he gathered descriptions that crafted a richer and more precise portrayal of her, far surpassing the simplistic three words that had originally sparked his quest.

“Being able to look at your biological parent or somebody from your family and being able to see all of the similarities and this lineage that exists, it's almost like thelinknewspaper.ca

and they're aware of it,” Wills said.

Utilizing the evocative power of a 16-millimeter lens, Adrian Wills' journey to Newfoundland became a profound exploration of adoption.

His latest film A Quiet Girl explores the emotions tied to not knowing one's origins, grappling with questions of belonging and confronting feelings of abandonment.

“I knew I wanted it to be as transparent as possible,” said Wills. “To make people understand what it's like to not know your history at all.”

On March 1, Les Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma premiered the

he goes throughout it,” said Chloe Berland, an attendee of the film’s screening. “We were crying at the end of it for sure.”

Born in 1973 and raised in Montreal, Wills pursued his passion for film by obtaining a bachelor's degree from Concordia University in film production. His fascination with the subject began in his youth.

He explained that one of his main inspirations was Walter Ungerer, a friend of his father's, who showed his projects to Wills when he was young.

At about ten years old, Wills secured his first job with the National Film Board as a voice dub-

including seeds for strawberries.

“The strawberry comes from somewhere that is not here,” said Katsitsanoron Dumoulin-Bush, the curator of the exhibition. “That strawberry was brought to this place, to this earth for a purpose. We believe that is a medicine, that it lays the foundations both environmentally and symbolically for life. It protects other plants, it participates in the ecosystem, it provides us with so much throughout the entire year.”

Dumoulin-Bush explained that throughout the exhibition, she noticed how Barber’s personal story connected to the strawberry. Barber is originally from Port Dover, Ont., meaning she is Upper Mohawk, as opposed to Dumoulin-Bush who is Mohawk from the Montreal area.

is enriching to the arts community and the Indigenous community. I think that personal symbolism is very strong and just so beautiful,” Dumoulin-Bush said.

Dumoulin-Bush described the work as inviting and optimistic. The bright colours invite the senses and make it easy to engage with.

“When you start looking at it, you see this meticulousness and commitment to detail to bringing this creation to life, bringing it into the 3D, to the real, into the tangible,” she said. “It really amazed me that someone could display that in their practice so openly and in such a clear, beautiful way.”

Sky Flowers will be on display at Galerie Shé:kon until April 20.

ber for claymation projects.

“Seeing Walter, it kind of demystified what filmmaking was, because I could see that he was making it, so if somebody I knew was making it, it wasn't complete magic,” Wills said.

As mentioned in the film, Ungerer gave Wills his very first pointand-shoot camera.

Wills described his new film as being quite challenging to shoot, as in this project, he found himself at the center of the storyline, feeling exposed and vulnerable.

Wills was additionally discovering information as he filmed, unsure of the result of the final product. He likened the experience to "trying to make something when you're blind."

Wills is currently completing his master's degree at Concordia, focusing on the production process of this film.

He explained the challenge of placing oneself in front of a camera in such a vulnerable state and highlighted the impact of reliving those experiences through the editing process.

In the film, through chance encounters and heartfelt conversations, Wills discovered a profound connection with a family previously unknown to him.

Despite five decades of separation, his birth mother’s relatives warmly

embraced him. One of his encounters included travelling to Texas to meet one of his mother’s sisters.

Highlighting his gratitude towards their receptiveness, Wills remarked, “I think it’s a testament to a certain level of trust and generosity that they extended to essentially a complete stranger, because that's what I was—a complete stranger who showed up at their door.”

Berland expressed that to her, it almost seemed as if the family members were searching for him as fervently as he was searching for them.

When asked about the most memorable aspect of the film, attendee Antoine Foley-Dupont noted, "The path that Adrian had to go along and all the obstacles, I found it incredibly honourable."

As Wills navigates the trials of his journey through the film, the story becomes a stirring reflection of the audience's shared voyage through life. His quest reminds us of humanity's richness.

“Like anything in life, it's not a black-and-white situation. It's all about the nuances and the greys.

This is not just one linear story. It's got all these tributaries of these other emotional colours,” Wills said.

The film will be streaming for free on NFB.ca as of March 25.

With files from Maria Cholakova.

March 5, 2024 • FRINGE ARTS

9

SPORTS

Tyler Hylland’s two-decade hockey career The former Stinger’s trajectory wouldn’t be the same without his family and hockey program Hannah Vogan

@hannahvogann

TYLER HYLLAND SKATES BACK IN THE OPPOSING ZONE DURING GAME THREE OF THE OUA EAST SEMIFINALS AGAINST THE QUEEN’S GAELS. PHOTO ALICE MARTIN hen Tyler Hylland was Hylland wields a hard shot, McGill as a Stinger. At the time, W around three years old, his one he owes to his grandfather.

Hylland said the Redbirds were mother nudged him to try ice skatWhen he took an interest in known as the “big brother” of the ing. With his uncle's girlfriend, Hylland would wake up with the sun to practice on a nearby rink in small-town Mercier, Que. At around five years old, Hylland swiftly became skilled on his skates; this signalled to his parents to sign him up for hockey. Hylland would begrudgingly wake up at 5 a.m. on cold weekend mornings to attend his minor hockey league practices.

His mother used to dress him from head to toe in his hockey gear while still snug in bed. Yet, as soon as his skates touched the ice, his hatred for the piercing morning evaporated, watering the seeds that grew into an impressive hockey career—one he got to share four seasons with on the Stingers men's hockey team.

"Once you get the passion, you just always want to play; whether it was street hockey, I just couldn't stop," Hylland said.

Having now finished his fourth and final season, the 25-year-old alternate captain for the Stingers men's hockey team anticipates graduation in human relations at the end of the semester. He led the team in goals this season, tied with Mathieu Bizier at ten goals.

He noted he had no idea about his lead, as he focuses on how the team moves and wins together.

"He has a missile shot," said former teammate and Stingers forward Alex Katerinakis. "It's a real threat when he releases that puck."

10

hockey, the two of them would get on the ice and exclusively shoot pucks for hours once a week.

Before joining the Stingers, Hylland played in minor AAA hockey and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). His connections on these teams ultimately led to his career as a Stinger.

At 15, Hylland met Marc-André Elément, the men’s hockey head coach for at Concordia. Elément was then Hylland’s coach in AAA. The two had developed a close relationship. "When it came time for him to choose a university, we were after him," Elément said.

In the QMJHL, Hylland met two of his closest friends in hockey, Phélix Martineau and Katerinakis, two guys he says he is just happy to share the ice with.

Martineau describes Hylland as a Swiss army knife: "He's got so many different tools in him, he can do pretty much anything."

Although Hylland's mother wanted him to choose McGill and their hockey program, his heart ultimately laid with Concordia. Elément, Martineau, Katerinakis, and the community the program fostered were all factors that led to his decision. "They believed [in] me and gave me a chance, and I just took it and ran with it," Hylland said.

The watershed moment of Hylland's Stinger career came in 2019—his first season on the team—during his first win against

SPORTS • March 5, 2024

two hockey teams.

“If you played great in [the] QMJHL, you would go to McGill, if not Concordia,” he said. That year, the Stingers beat the Redbirds in the playoffs.

"We were a lot of first years; we're young, we weren't supposed to beat them, but we did," laughed Hylland.

To this day, Hylland says that the feeling of winning goes unmatched. This win was a massive step for the program, attracting many recruits the following season.

The win sent a message, solidifying that Concordia is a serious team.

"Since he got in, the program really took a step forward. And I think he is a big part of that," Martineau said.

In Hylland's third season, he felt his play was off as he began to go through a tough time when his mother grew ill. When his mother was moved to the hospital fulltime, Hylland would spend time with her as much as he could.

There were nights when he would sleep on the hospital floor and then head to practice early the next day. After practice, he would rush off the ice to check his phone to ensure his mother was still okay.

One day, he got off the ice with his father calling to let him know his mother's heart stopped beating and he needed to rush to the hospital.

His mother was his biggest fan. "I never played a bad game in her eyes," smiled Hylland.

Throughout Hylland’s entire

battle with his mom’s illness, the program remained nothing but full of love and support.

The team played a huge role in healing for Hylland. The whole team was present at his mother's funeral and wore stickers with his mother's initials on their helmets.

When Hylland returned to hockey, he knew his mother wasn't suffering anymore; she was at peace, and there was nothing else to think about, just play. He returned with explosive play.

"Hockey was huge in the fact that it gave me somewhere to let my energy go," said Hylland. "I don't know where my grieving process would be without hockey."

A month later, Hylland was invited to play for Team Canada at FISU, where his team ended up in the final round against Team USA. It was the last event of the entire 2023 FISU Winter Games, and the Lake Placid Herb Brooks Arena was sold out.

Halfway through the FISU games Hylland had lost another family member, his grandmother.

Amidst his series of wins with Team Canada, Hylland took a day to drive to spend time with his family, missing a team meeting, before returning to Lake Placid to finalize the team’s win.

Team Canada ended up clinching the gold 7-2, with Hylland making a goal during the game. To say Hylland and his family were overjoyed would be an understatement. He said the win was good for his family to get their minds off the situation.

With his mother passing, his

grandmother passing during FISU and his gold medal, there were a lot of emotions for him and his family—who all attended his win.

Hylland took a lot of pride and loved playing for Team Canada; it was one of the best moments in his career.

On Feb. 24, the Stingers men's hockey team played their final game of the season and the curtains closed on Hylland’s time as a Stinger. Although they lost to McGill in game two of the Ontario University Athletics East semifinals, Hylland couldn't have been prouder of the effort the team left on the ice.

As of March 2, the TroisRivières Lions signed Hylland as a forward for the remainder of the season. After the season, a concrete decision is yet to be made for Hylland’s future as he explores all plausible options, whether he plays pro overseas or scoops up a separate job offer.

However, one thing is certain: hockey is all he has ever known.

He cannot see his life without hockey or his loved ones who've supported him throughout his career, and he will always be checking in on “the guys.”

"He went through a lot last year with his mom," said Elément.

"I am just happy for him to get his degree and be part of the impact that he had on this program; it's huge. It's emotional to talk about your players; he's just a great human being, and all the staff and everyone here, we just wish him the best with his future."

TYLER HYLLAND SHOOTS THE PUCK TOWARDS THE GAELS GOALTENDER. PHOTO ALICE MARTIN.

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SPORTS

A 200-foot presence

Conor Tomalty

@Conor_Tomalty

How hockey All-Star Émilie Lavoie lends to the Stingers’ success

ÉMILIE LAVOIE GOES UP AGAINST A CARABIN DURING GAME ONE OF THE RSEQ FINALS. PHOTO YANN RIFFLARD alking out of the entrance very crucial piece to our success.

According to Chu, the biggest was forced to decide between the pressive, yet it was the program’s W doors to the Ed Meagh- She plays in every scenario… she’s difference in Lavoie’s composure is two sports. According to Kathryn, culture that enticed her the most. er Arena, Émilie Lavoie greets someone that we rely on a lot.” her dedication to controlling her who competed as a figure skat“Being team-first is a big thing her interviewer by finishing off a granola bar as she presents a warm, welcoming smile. Off the ice, Lavoie is personable and willing to talk at length about her time on the Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team.

It makes it hard to believe that this kind, five-foot-seven third-year forward is one of the most physically impactful players in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ).

“She has the ability to do it all,” said head coach Julie Chu. “She’s a complete 200-foot player. She probably has one of the most natural skillsets of any of our players.”

In her first year as a Stinger, she had already made her presence felt in the team. She tallied eight goals and 16 points in a shortened 15game 2021-22 season. Along with winning a National Championship, she was awarded both the RSEQ Rookie of the Year and Concordia Stingers women’s Rookie of the Year along with a spot on the U Sports All-Rookie team.

Two years later, in the 2023-24 season, her role on the team has grown.

“Her first year, ... she was an extremely talented player, but we had a really veteran group as well,” said Chu. “Now, Émilie is a thelinknewspaper.ca

Lavoie plays on a commanding second line where she is often seen communicating and setting up plays between her linemates.

She kills penalties and is frequently placed along the blue line as a defender on the power play.

Lavoie is a key contributor offensively as well. Through the 2023-24 regular season, she registered 15 goals—where she ranked eighth nationally—27 points and a +20 plus/minus in 24 regular season games. This stat line propelled Lavoie to a rightful spot on the RSEQ second All-Star team.

“Obviously, it’s a big honour, but at the end of the day, if I don’t have my team behind me I don’t get this honour,” Lavoie said.

Playing a physical game often comes with a price. For Lavoie, this is through the high amount of penalty minutes she racks up. Lavoie was assessed for a team-leading 33 total penalty minutes this campaign.

“It’s something we’re working on with Émilie… There are good penalties to take, and then there are penalties that come out of frustration or that will hurt the team in the end,” said Chu. “We’re still working on that balance a bit. I think she grew a lot from her first year.”

emotions, “In her first year, when she would make a mistake, it would always be [internalized] towards herself. We’re helping her work on those mental skills to say, ‘Hey, it’s okay. Let’s reset, and refocus so that we can be great on the next shift.’”

Lavoie added that attitude is a dire component of playing a disciplined game.

“Being physical is part of [the game], but you have to deal with it,” she said. “You will get into a battle on the boards, you know.

You can be more physical, but you have to adjust. You have to use your physicality for you and not in taking bad penalties.”

Understanding who Lavoie is and where she comes from shows how she earned this rightful success.

Lavoie was not always a tenacious hockey player. In fact, her first sport was the less combative figure skating.

According to Lavoie’s older sister Kathryn Lavoie, her younger sister was a hyperactive kid looking to try every sport. Lavoie’s dad played hockey, and her older sister was figure skating. Therefore, Lavoie committed to participating in both hockey and figure skating.

By secondary school, Lavoie

er herself, her younger sister was destined to be a hockey player.

“She was funny when she was doing figure skating,” said the elder Lavoie. “The choreography, it was very funny to see because it was [less natural].”

Kathryn recalled a time specifically when she knew hockey was in her sister's best interest.

“We would have improv sessions. It was part of the competition.

You could just sign up, you know the theme, the music started and you had to improvise. That was the funniest number I’ve seen [Émilie] do.”

The routine consisted of Lavoie hilariously exaggerating her movements. “That’s when we thought, ‘Oh, maybe [figure skating] is not for her,’” said Kathryn.

Her skating is a skill that is commendable to Chu, who said that it’s rare to find forwards who are as talented moving forward as they are backward.

Once Lavoie took her talents to the CEGEP level, she caught the attention of Chu. It was there that her future head coach grasped how physically gifted Lavoie was.

The choice for Lavoie to join the Stingers roster was easy. The coaching staff ’s resume was im-

here,” said Lavoie when asked why she chose to attend Concordia.

“We have two Olympians [as coaches] but we also have really good people surrounding them.”

She added that Concordia’s athletic therapy program further enticed her to commit to the Stingers.

However, Lavoie’s end goal has more to do with who she is as a person, not just as a player. She models herself after those who have surrounded her in the dressing room throughout her time as a Stinger.

“We had a captain—Audrey Belzile—when I got here. She was the one that really stuck out to me,” said Lavoie. “She was really on task for everything: blocking shots on the ice, attitude-wise she was perfect.

You couldn’t ask for a better captain.”

With aspirations to turn pro, her physical nature will help her with the jump to the professional level, given that the PWHL has seen an increase in contact compared to other women’s hockey leagues.

“She’s now a really mature person. She’s committed to both hockey and school,” said Lavoie’s older sister. “She has goals and she’s dedicated. I think she’s doing everything she could to have success in life.”

March 5, 2024 • SPORTS

11

SPORTS

Montreal leading the way in Canadian skateboarding A vibrant culture comes through the city’s parks and inclusive initiatives Jared Lackman-Mincoff

@jared_lm02

SKATEBOARDER SAMANTHA SECOURS ATTEMPTS AN OLLIE ON A RAILING AT THE CANADIAN NATIONAL STREET SKATEBOARD CHAMPIONSHIPS. PHOTO JARED LACKMAN-MINCOFF hen thinking of sports in high-quality indoor facilities, like competed in three world chamW Montreal, there are a plethora Le Taz in Ahuntsic-Cartierville pionships in 2018, 2019 and 2021. of disciplines that come to mind: and Spin in Brossard, set it apart She became the first woman to hockey, football, soccer, baseball, perhaps even tennis and lacrosse.

But one back-burner sport deserves more heat on the city stove of athletics and recreation. A sport that recently gained entry into the Olympics, and has many Montreal natives pushing it forward. A sport that merely requires a piece of wood, four wheels, and a can-do attitude.

The city’s years-long journey to the forefront of the Canadian skateboarding landscape has included the construction of several skate parks, the creation of community groups and countless initiatives geared toward diversity and inclusion. Montreal’s Le Taz Skatepark was also the lucky host of the 2024 Canadian National Street Skateboard Championships on Feb. 21-22.

Canada Skateboard is the federal body overseeing skateboarding in Canada. Director of High Performance Adam Higgins expressed his love for Montreal’s skating culture and asserted the city’s merit as hosts of the championships. “It's what Montreal means to skateboarding in Canada and that's why we're here,” he said. “It's an amazing scene and we love it.”

The Greater Montreal Area’s 12

from other Canadian cities. There are also many outdoor parks to offer in Verdun, Lasalle, Lachine, the Mile End and the Plateau.

For many at the Canadian championships, it was far from their first time experiencing the skate scene in Quebec’s largest city.

“We used to have probably two or three contests a year here when I was growing up,” said Burnaby, B.C. native Micky Papa, who represented Canada at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. “I might have skated in Montreal more times than any other place in the world.”

The ones who have grown up in and around Montreal have a special connection to its parks and community groups, and they have also seen its skate culture evolve to become more inclusive over time.

“I started skateboarding in 2000,” said Canada Skateboard President and Montreal-born Annie Guglia. “At the time, if I saw another girl with a skateboard in Montreal, I would get off the bus and be like, ‘Who are you? Where do you skate?’”

Guglia—winner of three consecutive Canadian Championships from 2018 to 2020—

SPORTS • March 5, 2024

represent Canada at the Olympics, placing 19th in the street skateboarding event at the sport’s inaugural appearance in Tokyo.

She says that one of the biggest obstacles in her career was the lack of role models as she was growing up. Pre-social media, the only way she could come across athletes was by seeing them covered in the media. But at the time, mainstream outlets rarely covered women’s sports, and certainly not women’s skateboarding.

“It’s hard to be what you can’t see, right?” Guglia said.

She began skating when she was ten years old. In 2002, she helped create the Skirtboarders, a community group in Montreal for women and girls interested in skateboarding. The group had only 13 women at the time.

“Now, it’s not rare to see 13 girls at the skate park at the same time,” she said.

The creation of inclusive community groups specifically for women and girls has been a driving force behind the transformation. One group, Planche Collective, was founded in 2021 as a safe space not only for women in Montreal, but also for

skaters from BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S+ communities. The group, co-organized by Marie Anne Louis-Charles, hosts inclusive skateboard sessions at l’École secondaire Jeanne-Mance’s JM Court Skatepark from 6 to 9 p.m. on Mondays.

But groups like Planche Collective are not meant to be the lone safe haven for under-represented skaters. They are intended as stepping stones for queer skaters.

“People think that it’s their only space in skateboarding. But I would say not at all,” said Guglia, who is also an open LGBTQIA2S+ activist. “The goal of those spaces is to create a space where people feel safe, empowered and build confidence to meet people that look like them,” she said. The end goal of these community groups is for skaters “to go to the skate park by themselves, keep skating and probably inspire other people to do the same thing.”

At the national level, Canada Skateboard has also been heavily involved in making the sport more inclusive. An organization within Canada Skateboard, SheCANSk8, is specifically designated toward promoting accessibility to skateboarding for women. There are currently 34 community groups officially registered under SheCANSk8, such as the Skirtboarders, and Les Vagabonnes, of which Guglia is also a member.

Guglia and Louis-Charles took part in a SheCANSk8 panel discussion at the Canadian championships. Also included in the panel was Montreal-born Samantha Secours, an up-and-coming skateboarder. She greatly admires Guglia, who has taken Secours under her wing, and Secours cannot help but admire the steps that Guglia has taken to open up the sport to anybody and everybody.

“Annie has been a pioneer in that way,” Secours said, adding that Guglia helped her feel comfortable in skateboarding by inviting her to events hosted by Les Vagabonnes.

“The first time I skated with girls was during these events, so it was really nice,” she said.

Aside from Secours, many also look up to Guglia. Papa, a skateboarding veteran who has known Guglia for a long time, has high praise for her, and believes that she is the perfect fit to lead Canada’s na-

tional skateboarding organization.

“I couldn’t imagine a better role for her because she’s been on both sides of things. She knows the frustrations of the athletes, she knows the frustrations of the administration, and she can blend the worlds seamlessly and also be a point of trust for everyone,” he said. “Talk about diversity, inclusion, and the things she’s accomplished. I mean, no-brainer, look up to Annie.”

As for Guglia, she feels that the sport’s entry into the Olympics is a big reason behind its transformation towards inclusivity.

All tournaments surrounding the Olympics give equal exposure to men and women, and she thinks the mere visibility of women on skateboards—which she did not have as a child—does a lot of the heavy lifting.

Nevertheless, Guglia still realizes the influence she has on the sport in Montreal, nationally and worldwide.

“I’m starting to realize the real impact that you can have on a person’s life by just being yourself and just being visible,” she said. Many parents have approached her in skate parks to tell her that seeing her on TV inspired their daughters to pick up a board. “If there’s more girls that see me and they’re like ‘Oh that looks fun. I want to try that,’ then I’ve done my job.”

"Now, it's not rare to see 13 girls at the skate park at the same time."

- Annie Guglia

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OPINIONS

Et tu, Brute?

The backstabbing nature of internalized misogyny and its effects on women’s safety Prabin Singh Sadiwal

@prabin.singhh

o make your dad a cup of only impose regulations on them“G tea!” I must have heard my selves but often project the same grandma shout this across the onto others. These “friendly” jabs room at my sister a million times.

The women in my household have toiled to fulfill the unrecognized labour of domestic work for generations. These instances of enforced standards on women within their household have resulted in a reinforcing cycle wherein women have imposed this pressure on each other.

The subconscious projection of gender stereotypes is dangerous because it is unaware of the underlying damage it causes. By belittling and bringing each other down, we are creating an environment of hostility against ourselves.

For generations, almost every woman around me has been conditioned to follow “ladylike” conduct.

To be docile, sensitive, and dress appropriately. Often it is propagated by elderly women of the family in Asia. However, these teachings that aim to foster “women’s safety” were surprisingly never imparted to me or my brother.

The women in my family were bombarded with warnings to not dress provocatively by my grandmother. She repeated with aphorisms like “men will be men” and “cover yourself,” as if their bodies were something of desirability only to the male eye. These commandments hovered like a constant cloud in my sister’s life.

All were shadowed under the ruse of women’s safety.

It was ironic that a society that valued women’s physical appearance so much, also enforced rules on their dressing. Yet, the main proponents of this violence, men—who are more than 90 per cent of the time the perpetrators of sexual violence—are largely left uneducated on this topic.

They had no clue how to make the women around them feel safe in a society where gendered violence is prevalent.

This environment was not limited to the household. Growing up chants like, “you play like a girl” (as though that word was the definition of weakness) and “she‘s dressed like a whore,” were common in my experience.

What is now surprising to my adult self is that this internalization was often propagated by one’s friends and family. By condoning such behavior they not thelinknewspaper.ca

shadowed under the pretense of care do more damage than good.

The notion of an omnipresent morality around women's conduct feeds into the belief that women's development is deviant or deficient.

For example, similar reinforcements are felt in the sports world, where women are limited to “feminine” sports such as volleyball or softball. This further contributes to the perception of women as docile or submissive.

Any shift from that is deemed as alien or unnatural.

This exclusion fosters a culture wherein women’s opinions and choices are trivialized and their lives are less valued. Their positions in society are disrespected and their existence is more susceptible to violence.

Research has indicated that these microaggressions and sexist comments create a culture of misogyny that allows for the nurturing of violence against women.

The sexualization and marginalization of women, especially from visible minorities, have been shown to contribute to these instances of violence.

In a study, Asian American women were seen to be more susceptible to violence, which observed a sharp rise in post-pandemic incidents. Asian American women constituted 68 per cent of the victims while the men only accounted for 28 per cent.

Investigating this violence often reveals a cycle where the initial hypersexualization, fetishization, and marginalization of these women in public perception contribute to their victimization.

Advocates of traditional gender roles in the East often attribute calls for gender equality to Western influence, labeling such reforms as propaganda. However, this perspective overlooks the significant impact of European colonialism, which severely undermines women's rights.

These undermining standards heavily aggravated hard colonial structures around marriage and the familial institution. Women, who were already isolated, were given a bigger hurdle on their track towards a communal space for safety. It goes completely

GRAPHIC SCAR against the traditional value that was placed onto them, who were considered channels for life. They held leadership roles in various areas ranging from trade, spirituality and polity.

This colonial legacy has exacerbated the suppression of women's rights, embedding a distorted version of gender roles that are both ahistorical and reactionary. This, combined with the internalization and perpetuation of hostility and objectification among women themselves, further entrenches the culture of subjugation and trivializes the value of women.

The adoption of Western family models in East and Southeast Asia, enforced by colonial subjugation,

has left a lasting impact, challenging the notion that the fight for gender equality is merely a response to Western ideologies.

Limiting women's choices and undermining their cognitive abilities thus not only hampers their development but also perpetuates a legacy of marginalization rooted in colonial history.

By identifying and being vocal about internalized misogyny, we can help break down these standards, whether in the household, in front of your elders or at college. Speaking up, and being selfaware can be a good first step as we can address the misogynistic standards we have set for women.

Standards where they have no chance to win. Collectively, we can

raise mothers and sons that reinforce a safe culture for our women.

To all the men out there, next time you cook a meal for your mother, or check your problematic male friend for making a sexist joke, you might be doing much more than you think.

March 5, 2024 • OPINIONS

13

OPINIONS

Sex Ed(itorial): My Bisexual journey as a Muslim Arab Navigating identity, acceptance and erasure in a community bound by tradition Jaz Manchou ’ve always felt different. Just orientations were gay or lesbian; don't do it in front of me.” myself, “Am I bi?” feeling a deep And so that meant telling people.

Imentary like every other girl at my ele- anything in between was disThe yearning to be accepted sense of warmth in my heart but I started with my closest friends and school, I had crushes on missed. "You're just confused, it's was stronger than my sense of self also a knot in my stomach. told them with both excitement and boys. I got the butterflies, the excitement, the feelings; all of it. But why did I also get that same tingly feeling in my chest when I played house with a girl-friend?

She’d be the husband; I’d be the wife. “Is this normal? Am I doing something wrong?” These were the questions posed in my internal dialogue when the game felt too real.

The same butterflies I had felt for boys had made its presence clear.

I grew up in the early 2000s around strictly straight couples.

My parents never talked to me about the birds and the bees, and they certainly didn't discuss whether I was attracted to guys, girls, both or none at all.

This was especially true growing up in a Muslim household with an Arab father; the mention of boys or dating alone was forbidden.

The plan that my dad had for me was that I’d get married in my late 20s to a nice Muslim man— preferably Lebanese—and have a family. Until then, there was to be no talk of dating.

Queerness was not a topic of discussion at the dinner table. In the Arab community, being anything but straight is frowned upon and may be dismissed by others.

Whereas my white mother would always be asking my friends and I, “Any new boys you like at school?”

It was programmed into my brain that heterosexual relationships were the norm. That finding that perfect man would be the cure to all of life’s miseries. Anything else was out of the question.

Not even a possibility.

In sixth grade, a rumor circulated about a girl in my class being a lesbian. Classmates made fun of her, talked bad about her, and shut her out from the little social cliques we ten-year-olds formed.

It seemed as though everyone thought: “How could she like girls, as a girl? Despicable.”

So, there I was, internalizing all of this. I shoved down a part of myself that I hadn’t had the chance to acknowledge was there in the first place.

Bisexuality and pansexuality were never mentioned in my environment. The only recognized 14

just a phase, she's experimenting!" were the typical responses you'd hear. Never did I see a bisexual woman being represented in the media as anything more than confused or seeking attention, especially in the early to mid 2000s.

When it came time to enter high school, I was surrounded by a jungle of horny teenagers and straight couples making out at their lockers was completely normal.

Yet, defying these norms was shameful. When two girls were kissing goodbye at the bus stop, you’d hear, “You can be gay, just

at the time. I carried on ignoring the synchronous flutter of butterflies tickling my heart when I saw a pretty girl.

I kept these feelings to myself for most of my life, completely dismissing them. That was until I went to CEGEP and met a new friend. She was the first person I opened up to about my questioning sexuality. We both related to being Muslim and being attracted to the same gender.

It felt liberating having someone to talk to that understood my confusion. I would think to

My friend would say to me: “I’m trying not to think that way though because it’s bad. And acting on those thoughts is worse.” I felt seen while simultaneously judged.

Repressing my sexuality seemed like the only thing to do to be accepted in my community.

That was until I got tired of lying to myself.

I decided that I wanted to discover the part that I had been hiding for the last 19 years of my life.

I wanted to be able to kiss, hold hands with, talk to and date whoever my heart desired.

nervousness. Their reactions were exactly what I needed.

On the other hand, when I told a man, I’d get the same reaction 90 per cent of the time: a smirk signalling them thinking about something, their smile getting bigger as they’re about to say the thing, then them asking the thing. “So you’d be down for a threesome?” or, even better, “So, like, what have you done with a girl?”

I turn into an object of their fantasy. It makes me feel like a piece of meat being looked at by hungry dogs.

In a society of women being told who they should be, it’s important for us to reclaim our power.

We shouldn’t need to conform to binary sexual identities simply to fit the mass perception of what a woman’s sexuality should be.

Now, at 21, I still am working through discovering more about myself. I still haven’t told my parents and a few other close people in my life, but I’ll get there.

To anyone who is also in the midst of finding out who they are, know that it will happen. Surround yourself with supportive people, talk about it, meet others in your community and dive deep into your soul.

The process is enjoyable, try to experience it.

"I decided that I wanted to discover the part that I had been hiding for the last 19 years of my life. I wanted to be able to kiss, hold hands with, talk to and date whoever my heart desired."

- Jaz Manchou GRAPHIC SCAR

OPINIONS • March 5, 2024

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OPINIONS

Mental Health Support lacking for MENA Students

Amira Berdouk

@yellowjub_

Universities dangerously neglect MENA students’ mental health Disclaimer: The interlocutor interviewed in this piece will be referred to with a pseudonym to protect their privacy. ental health resources “M were not advertised, they were just there,” is what a Mus-

lim Syrian undergraduate student from McGill University told me when I asked about the availability of mental health resources for MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) students. When initiating this conversation with Alma, I did not expect to be surprised.

As a Welsh-Algerian student, I am accustomed to the disillusionments and rejections the healthcare system has to offer MENA patients. However, Alma’s experience as a Kurdish Syrian student impacted by an ongoing string of genocides in the Middle East—the genocide against the Kurds and the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza—served as an important reminder for myself. Adequate mental health support for MENA students remains a distant reality across Montreal universities.

"Universities are making sure that there will always be a MENA student worse off than I am."

This remark was in reference to the advertisement of general mental health resources, an already bleak show of minimal effort. McGill University’s Student Wellness Hub may offer mental health support resources, but the process of successfully accessing such resources feels more like the stress of an intense competition.

This competition offers the winner somewhat adequate health services, and the loser is left stranded, neglected and forced to navigate deteriorating mental health alone. When researching the issue, I came across a post in the r/mcgill subreddit, the comments under which address the very same issue of competition. This post tackled the broader quality of the Wellness Hub’s services, if the average student must compete for an appointment and complains about doing so in the relative anonymous security of a Reddit post, one can only imagine the inaccessibility of mental health support for MENA and other racialised students.

As the conversation unravelled, the experienced access to targeted mental health support for MENA students seemed to deteriorate rapidly. thelinknewspaper.ca

GRAPHIC JUDE M Gen Z is often said to be the most aware of the importance of mental well-being, but it seems that mental health support stops at political boundaries, in particular ones involving marginalized communities.

The reason for this can be found in popular media’s use of simultaneously sensationalist and reductive vocabulary, diminishing a severe human rights issue to a standard historical conflict. Mental health is also a human right. It is time to start humanising university mental health resources.

Alma recurrently described their experience with the lack of MENA-targeted mental health resources as “exhausting.” Upon

successfully navigating McGill’s arguably overwhelmingly complicated Wellness Hub, Alma was disappointed by the lack of diversity in counselling staff. This raises ethical questions concerning the Wellness Hub’s hiring process, but also for MENA and other ethnically diverse students who, in turn, are forced to educate their counsellors on their cultural context.

Alma once again described this experience as exhausting. “Having to explain yourself, without focusing on the [mental health] issue” effectively nullifies the purpose of counselling.

This feeling of exhaustion is further exacerbated when the

scenario in question is the genocide of Palestinians. This is because Palestinians have strong ties not only within their own community but also with other groups in the Levant region and the broader MENA diaspora. These communities are reminded daily of their collective suffering, deepening the impact of their grief.

Alma felt that the lack of prioritisation for students affected by the genocide in Gaza enforces a competition between MENA students and the rest of the student body when trying to access mental health resources.

“When I was trying to book appointments, I was competing with

other students to get the earliest appointment,” said Alma. The effects of the genocide in Gaza have, in reality, been immediate and ubiquitous amongst the MENA and Muslim community in Montreal.

The laborious process of “competing with other students to get the earliest appointment,” whilst juggling the increasing weight of a heavy school load, in addition to coping with the emotional turmoil of another day of genocide in Gaza, accumulates. Alma shared their experience with trying to "reach out," through the school’s peer support centre stating, "It becomes incredibly draining; you end up not wanting to see anyone."

Alma is also a Kurdish Syrian refugee (of a different genocide in the Middle East, although in which the West is still complicit).

After undertaking the immense courage required to “reach out,” they were left mentally burnt out.

“Sometimes I would look at the pictures [of the genocide] and think ‘Oh my god,’ cry, and think ‘I was in those kids’ shoes one day, not losing hope.’”

The daunting task of seeking help, only to be met with barriers and indifference, reveals a stark disparity in access to mental health resources.

The experiences of MENA students highlight a systemic failure to address our unique mental health needs, especially for those affected by the ongoing conflicts in the Levant, Yemen and the genocide in Gaza.

Every university student deserves fair access to mental health resources. But in moments of international distress, when the physical and mental well-being of one community is at much greater risk than the majority of the student body, universities must rethink this system of prioritisation.

To end our conversation on an aspirational note, I asked Alma how they would like to see targeted mental health support in action across campus. Although ambitious by university standards, Alma’s answer was refreshingly simple: hire more mental health professionals of colour.

This strategy would not aim to fulfil a bureaucratic DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) quota, but to ensure that when a MENA student finally wins the resource competition, they won’t feel like they fought for nothing.

March 5, 2024 • OPINIONS

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SHITS N' GIGGLES

@the_marge_mania

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SHITS N' GIGGLES • MARCH 5, 2024

thelinknewspaper.ca

EDITORIAL

GRAPHIC MEIJI GRACE ESTRADA

Systemic transphobia killed Nex Benedict ex Benedict was a 16-year-old tious to his friends, which often got a testament to the sickening big- harmful rhetoric by their own ability to exist in public. This inN non-binary high school student him in trouble during classes. otry that plagues the lawmakers senators that targets these kids. cludes criminalizing gender-afwith Choctaw ancestry living in The world only got to know of of the state. When asked about Benedict was a child, first and firming care for youth, preventing Oklahoma. Benedict went by he/they pronouns and, according to close friends, was a closeted trans boy. The Link mentions this because multiple states have enacted pronoun laws in schools to silence trans youth.

He loved reading, drawing and playing video games. Cats were his favourite animal, and he took very special care of his own kitten, Zeus.

Benedict also had a passion for cooking and often prepared meals for his loved ones. Robin Gray, who dated Benedict, holds a precious memory of him in which he made chicken wings for dinner one night, then pancakes the next morning.

His creative potential extended to the arts, too. In his art classes, he could produce “masterpiece” illustrations in just under 30 minutes according to his loved ones. His laugh was infec-

Volume 44, Issue 11 Tuesday, March 5, 2024 Concordia University Library Building, Room LB-717 1400 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W. Montreal, Quebec H3G 2V8 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

Nex Benedict after his death on Feb. 8.

On Feb. 7, he was physically attacked by three girls in the women’s bathroom at Owasso High School until he blacked out.

Oklahoma passed a bill mandating students use the bathroom corresponding to the sex listed on their birth certificate in May 2022.

While he regained consciousness afterwards, the school decided no ambulance was needed to check on his health, despite his face being badly bruised and scratched.

Instead, he was suspended for two weeks for getting into a fight.

The next day, Benedict’s condition suddenly worsened. He was taken to the hospital, where he died.

Not only is his death a catastrophic failure on the school, but

Benedict’s death, Oklahoma Senator Tom Woods made a controversial remark regarding the LGBTQIA2S+ community, stating he represents a constituency that "doesn't want that filth."

Even in death, Benedict was not granted respect for his existence as a trans person. A month later, the completed autopsy has yet to be made public. The police claim he did not die due to trauma.

A toxicology test is still pending by the time of publication.

Even if his death was a result of a possible suicide, the school, state, and country had a duty to safeguard him against the abuse he faced, including bullying that he endured for a year. This responsibility also extends to protecting all queer youth from

foremost. Beyond his trans identity, he was a person equally as deserving as anyone else to live, grow and learn about himself.

Benedict’s death should sound alarms within Quebec as well.

The Coalition Avenir Québec’s comité des sages, or ‘committee of wise men,’ whose purpose is apparently meant to offer advice to the government on gender-related matters, does not platform a single transgender or genderqueer person. This committee of so-called (cis, pasty and old) wise men seems ill-informed given the tens of thousands of people attending anti-trans protests occurring in the province.

On the federal level, the Conservative Party is openly admitting its desire to limit a trans person’s

The Link is published thirteen 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 permision 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 to edit 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 2023-2024: Voting Members: Caroline Marsh, Jordan McKay, Menna Nayel | Non-Voting Members: Adam Gibbard, Zachary Fortier TYPESETTING by The Link PRINTING by Hebdo-Litho.

CONTRIBUTORS: Menna Nayel, Justine Beaussier, Felix Legault, Ivan de Jacquelin, Cole Cooper, Menel Rehab, Olivia Johnson, Claudia Beaudoin, Yann Rifflard, Jared Lackman-Mincoff, Prabin Singh Sandiwal, Scar, Jaz Manchou, Amira Berdouk, Jude M. House Ads: Panos Michalakopoulos and Meiji Grace Estrada Cover: Dorothy Mombrun

Corrections for Vol. 44, Issue 10: A previous version of “Better feedback avenues for CHS in the works” on p. 4 stated that Elana Bloom is the director of Health and Wellness. That statement was incorrect. Bloom is the director of Campus Wellness & Support Services. The Link regrets this error.

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access to public bathrooms and gutting affirmative action employment programs. On every front, people like Benedict are viewed as inconveniences to heteronormative ways of living.

The cost of colonial understandings of gender and sexuality is always paid in the suffering of queer Indigenous children. Our dangerously heteronormative institutions have always, and will always act in the best interest of the status quo. Our failure to shield trans children is not just negligence; it's a deliberate act of harm and exclusion.

Editor-in-Chief ZACHARY FORTIER Managing Editor AUTUMN DAREY Coordinating Editor OPEN Creative Director MEIJI GRACE ESTRADA Co-News Editors MARIA CHOLAKOVA INESS RIFAY

Features Editor HANNAH VOGAN Outreach Coordinator PANOS MICHALAKOPOULOS Fringe Arts Editor GABRIELLE LAPERRIÈRE-LEBLANC Sports Editor ALICE MARTIN Opinions Editor ANTHONY ISSA Photo Editor DOROTHY MOMBRUN Video Editor DANA HACHWA Graphics Editor MYRIAM OUAZZANI Copy Editor CONOR TOMALTY Operations Manager ADAM GIBBARD Systems Administrator SHREYA SAVANT Bookkeeper MIKE TALAMANTES Distribution GUY LANDRY

March 5, 2024 • EDITORIAL

17

Local newspapers produce game-changing coverage We have boots on the ground, and often our stories get picked up by larger media.

Nikki Mantell, publisher, Low Down to Hull and Back News

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COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS do a lot with a little. The result is game-changing coverage that not only informs the immediate regions they serve, but reflects the issues that contribute to the public conversations on a provincial and national scale.

While large media outlets were debating the possible ramifications of Bill 21, Quebec’s so-called secularism law that prohibits civil servants and other public-sector workers from wearing religious clothing or jewelry, the editor of The Low Down to Hull and Back News was interviewing Grade 3 teacher, Fatemeh Anvari, in the little town of Chelsea, Que., in the Outaouais region. She had just been fired for wearing a hijab.

“That’s one of the stories that wouldn’t get picked up if we wouldn’t do them,” said The Low Down’s publisher Nikki Mantell.

The story, broken by a newsroom with a staff of three, was picked up by the Ottawa Citizen, The Globe and Mail, the National Post and international outlets, including Newsweek and The Guardian.

It put a human face on Quebec’s often-virulent secularism debate.

And, as Mantell put it, “changed the discourse.”

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Mantell continued: “Before The Low Down published Ms. Fatemeh’s story, support for Bill 21 was hovering around 64 per cent. Following the story, which every major news outlet in Canada picked up, support for the bill dropped to 55 per cent.”

In another corner of the province, in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region west of Montreal, when Bill 96 threatened to strip small bilingual towns of their dual-language status, the mayor of one of those tiny communities appeared set to let the deadline for the municipal council to affirm its will to keep the status expire. The local English-language paper in the region, The 1019 Report, questioned the mayor. On repeated occasions that spanned months, the mayor refused to commit whether council would vote on the needed resolution.

In response to the coverage, residents in the tiny town of 120 grew concerned. Two reporters with The 1019 Report started working the phones and going door to door. By the time they were done, the paper reported on the results of an exhaustive survey: a clear majority of residents of the island community of Île Cadieux wanted the town to keep its official bilingual status.

“Most of the residents credit the paper” when the resolution was finally renewed, said The 1019 Report’s editor Brenda O’Farrell, adding that large media outlets would never have bothered to do the legwork.

“We spread ourselves thin. We work really hard. And we’re good at stretching a buck,” said Mantell. “We put our hearts and souls into this.”

This is the type of journalism the Local Journalism Initiative helps produce. The federal funding program provides resources to hire journalists who produce civic content – coverage of health, education, rights, public policy and other essential issues.

It also ensures that members of Quebec’s English-speaking community continue to be informed. As Lily Ryan, publisher of The Aylmer Bulletin and the West Quebec Post, points out, as the province’s language of business and politics is French, English-language papers offer the minority community the opportunity to stay in touch with what is going on in their communities and government decisions.

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PAID ADVERTISING CONTENT SUPPLIED BY QCNA

Community newspapers emerging as last journalistic soldiers standing LAST MONTH, Bell Media announced its largest workforce restructuring in 30 years, laying off 4,800 workers.

In December, CBC/Radio-Canada announced plans to cut 800 jobs.

One month earlier, Quebec television network TVA cut 547 jobs.

Earlier in 2023, Postmedia, one of the largest media companies in Canada with a daily newspaper in almost every major city in the country, announced it was cutting 10 per cent of its staff, just the latest in a long string of downsizing moves that has spanned more than a decade. The cuts planned for Quebec went much deeper.

Almost every month, evidence of the continuing shift in the media landscape can be seen. And the result is fewer and fewer journalists reporting the stories that keep Canadians informed.

But in many communities a singular journalistic soldier remains standing: The community newspaper. These small, often privately-owned outlets are the last providers of reliable, professional local news.

“Community newspapers aren’t

just filling the gap, they’re the whole fabric,” said veteran journalist and president of the Quebec Community Newspaper Association Brenda O’Farrell.

That is why support for community newspapers is so important, O’Farrell says. As the media landscape continues to shift, the role these news outlets play is not only crucial, but gaining importance.

And they need to be supported by initiatives like the federal government’s Local Journalism Initiative, O’Farrell explains, referring to the funding program that helps qualified outlets hire reporters in communities across the country. But readers in these communities, have to do their part, too, she added, by subscribing to papers that offer that option, especially in Quebec where the minority-language community needs to maintain access to information in English.

Without programs like LJI and reader support, many community papers would struggle to survive.

Since 2012, journalist Marie-Ève Martel has tracked community news outlet closures across Quebec.

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“For the moment, I’ve counted more than 80,” she reported late last year, after the abrupt shuttering of the Montreal daily Metro and its offshoots in several Montreal suburbs and Quebec City.

Each closure represents not only jobs lost, but “a hole in our social cement,” as Martel describes it.

Local media “makes us more informed, more aware and more likely to vote,” she said.

“CBC and the Ottawa Citizen aren’t going to cover a byelection in Chelsea,” said Nikki Mantell, the publisher of The Low Down to Hull and Back News, which covers the small towns in the Gatineau hills. “We have boots on the ground, and often our stories get picked up by larger media.”

“Local papers are where you hear about the most important things — health care, schools, getting your roads paved, the environment,” said Sharon McCully, publisher of The Record in Sherbrooke and the Brome County News, two papers that cover about 30 municipalities for the English-speaking community in the Eastern Townships. “These are stories that impact people directly.”

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