Volume 47, Issue 3

"If I go for it, it's gonna be all teeth" Since 1980 Volume 47, Issue 3 • October 6, 2026 • thelinknewspaper.ca

NEW BYLAW OUTLAWS INSULTING POLICE

News Concordia’s Student Refugee Program p.5

Fringe Arts The works of Martin Dansky p.7

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Sports Sumo takes over Montreal p.11

Opinions Concordia's accessibility problem p.14

EDITORIAL OPINIONS SPORTS FRINGE ARTS

NEWS

Montreal adopts bylaw to ban insults against police, inciting criticism

Insults, harassment, threats, abuse, intimidation and aggressive or offensive conduct are all punishable by fines Kara Brulotte and Sean Richard @kara.brulotte, @sean.e.p.richard

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he City of Montreal adopted a bylaw on Sept. 21 to ban people from insulting police officers and other municipal workers. Under the bylaw, which took effect on Oct. 1, people who insult city staff could face fines between $350 and $1,000 for a first offence. Subsequent offences can lead to fines of up to $2,000. The bylaw has led to an outcry from both academics and Montreal residents. Two legal groups, the Clinique juridique de Saint-Michel (CJSM) and the Association des juristes progressistes (AJP), filed lawsuits to suspend the bylaw. Fernando Belton, the CJSM executive director and a lawyer, said the bylaw gives authorities too much power to dictate what justifies offensive conduct. “Being offended by someone's words should not be enough to justify a fine," Belton said. "Freedom of expression also protects criticism that

makes people uncomfortable." The bylaw follows a similar rule implemented in Quebec City, which has led to more than 11,000 fines since April 2020. It does not specifically define what constitutes an insult towards a city official. It only states that people are not allowed to intimidate, harass, menace or insult officials while they are acting in their position. Béatrice Allard, AJP board member and lawyer, said the lawsuit is necessary for Montrealers to retain their rights as citizens. She said police should not have the power to decide which criticism is or is not acceptable. “We are concerned that it could be used against people speaking out about racial profiling or police conduct, including during protests,” Allard said. “We could wait for several months before hearing on the constitutionality of the bylaw; in the meantime, many Montrealers could have their rights infringed irreversibly.” Montreal residents worry this bylaw will only add to the numerous powers already held by the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM). Ki’ra Prentice has attended protests where the SPVM were present and said the SPVM attacked her while she was leaving a protest in 2024. She is currently pursuing legal action against the City of Montreal. Prentice believes the bylaw does not change anything because of the extensive powers the police already use against people. “People I know have been regularly ticketed

under a noise bylaw because the point is not so much to stick someone with a fine, [but] in that moment detain, arrest and humiliate someone,” Prentice said. She also believes this decision will discourage certain protesters from voicing their concerns when they see police officers behaving violently. “[The bylaw] makes people think, ‘This is one extra risk that maybe I feel like I’m taking on voicing my discontent because if [the police] see it as a quote unquote insult, then here I am risking my own criminalization, even as I wanted to stand up against the criminalization of someone else,’” Prentice said. Academics who specialize in ending police violence are also concerned about the bylaw’s expansion of police powers. Concordia University associate professor Ted Rutland believes the police already have adequate powers to deal with harassment and threatening behaviour, including charging people with obstruction of justice. “Intimidation, threats and violence are already crimes under the code. The police have a law they use in these situations, which in English is obstruction of justice, which they can use if someone impairs their ability to do their job,” Rutland

said. “The police use that abusively all the time.” According to lawyer Julius Grey, the main issue with the bylaw is that it restricts section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which grants Canadians the right to freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, as well as freedom of the press. “Freedom of expression is not only for polite and balanced views. [...] In the case of police officers and municipal employees, it would be a real reduction of freedom of expression to say insulting them is never permitted. Free expression is precisely there to preserve the right to be outrageous,” Grey said. Additionally, the SVPM has been under recent scrutiny due to allegations of racial discrimination, police violence and surveillance. However, Ensemble Montréal has dismissed criticisms of their bylaw. The Canadian Press reported that Mayor Soraya Martinez-Ferrada said: “Just giving the middle finger to a police officer would not justify a fine.” The Link asked the SPVM for comment, and it referred the request to the City of Montreal. The City of Montreal told The Link it would not comment given the

matter is currently before the court. The Fraternité des policiers et policières de Montréal, which represents the SPVM, said it welcomes the bylaw's adoption in a press release on Sept. 21. The hearing on the suspension of the bylaw is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 8. Grey believes the lawsuit has significant credibility and a strong likelihood of succeeding. “There was an earlier bylaw in Montreal that was set aside by Justice Randall Richmond and one in Quebec [City] that was upheld, but I think on the whole this challenge should succeed,” Grey said. However, Parti Québécois (PQ) leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon has shown support for the Montreal bylaw and called it a starting point for expanding restrictions on insulting police across the province. “What the PQ and other right wing populist parties offer is that they’re gonna make things worse for somebody else. So it’s zero surprise that he would support this. And it’ll do the same thing as it does in Montreal,” Rutland said. Rutland thinks the bylaw will be challenged and defeated. "All Quebecers will support, through their taxes, a team of lawyers to defend a law that shouldn’t have been passed in the first place,” Rutland said.

A NEW MONTREAL BYLAW BANS THE INSULT OF POLICE UNDER THREAT OF FINES. GRAPHIC GABRIEL BROTHERS

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OCTOBER 6, 2026 • VOLUME 47

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NEWS

FRINGE ARTS SPORTS OPINIONS EDITORIAL

Concordia Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineers roars to life after years of inactivity The group welcomes all students and now numbers in the hundreds Kara Brulotte

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@kara.brulotte

he Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineers (CSME) is back at Concordia University and thriving after the previous mandate ended due to mismanagement. CSME's co-president, Hasnain Soni, believes the club is an important space to give students practical engineering experience. “Our goal starting off this club was to give students, and engineers in general, hands-on experience in the field and a space to express their experience and creativity," Soni said. "We’re basically redefining what it means to be an engineer." After several years out of commission, CSME is back up and running at Concordia, providing

a space for students across disciplines to learn, create and collaborate on a variety of projects. “We came up with the idea for a club where everyone is invited in. Even if you’re not an engineer, you can come and learn things," CSME co-president Alexandre Vasquez said. "We’ve had film students coming because they wanted to learn how to 3D print their props for plays or movies." According to Soni, the group aims to fill a gap in resources mechanical engineering students have access to at the university. “You’re gonna see students in the halls; they’re on the tables, they’re struggling trying to get stuff 3D printed in the library, every-

thing’s always booked," Soni said. "They don’t have a space to come in and use their potential, and a lot of stuff we learn in school is very theoretical." The CSME’s hub of operation is its lab, located in the B Annex building on the Sir George Williams campus. Inside the room sit rows of computers and 3D printers, tools and soldering stations and a large rack of filaments for printing whatever the group needs. The room is also full of personal touches: a large drawing of its bunny mascot, awards celebrating the success of its recent events, a 3D-printed Beyblade arena for its upcoming Beyblade competition and various dollar-store art covering the unpainted walls. The lab has come a long way, according to Vasquez. “We didn’t have the shelf, we didn’t have these tables, we didn’t have these computers, these 3D printers as well,” Vasquez said. Concordia’s Engineering and Computer Science Association (ECA) funds the society, which oversees the B Annex building and receives a fee levy from every engineering student. The society also receives support from several independent sponsors, including brands like Celsius, as well as charities. The ECA also collaborates with other Concordia University groups such as Women in Engineering.

“We work on getting independent sponsorships so that we can be more of an independent society and also use those sponsorships to help students,” Soni said. However, even the loving decoration from the executive team and support from the ECA isn’t enough to hide the room’s imperfections. In the annex’s basement, the windows are welded shut, which renders the soldering station unusable and the 3D printers problematic. “When the 3D printers are running, the melted plastic dissipates into the air, and you breathe it in. When you have a room that’s sealed shut, we have to leave the door open throughout the summer, but it’s not really feasible in the winter when it’s freezing,” Vasquez said. “So we have to leave only one or two running, not all four. Otherwise it becomes a hazard.” According to Vasquez, despite the hazard, the group is making due. The society recently wrapped up the construction of a mechanical arm, putting its members' theoretical mechanical engineering training to the test. The group is also working on two long-running projects: a prosthetic wrist and an aircraft, nicknamed "the drone," with a wing capable of adjusting mid-flight, which they hope to begin flight testing in summer 2027.

Arian Imtiaz is the director of lab services at CSME Concordia. He is thankful for the hands-on experience he has gained from the club. “I originally came to this club to get hands-on experience and projects, which I got," Arian Imtiaz said. "I worked on this drone, I worked on this robotic arm, and honestly, these projects and the experience they brought me wasn’t even taught in my classes." The drone is in progress, with a proof of concept taking up the centre of the lab’s table. The adjustable wing is painted pink, both as an inside joke with the ECA team and to raise awareness for breast cancer during October, something that the group has a personal connection with. “My director of projects brought it up to me. I was like, ‘this is a great idea,’" Soni said. "We want to use it as a symbol, and promote it while doing rallies and promotions for charity and breast cancer awareness." The group’s prosthetic wrist is also a highlight for the group, allowing students to dip their toes into the biomedical field, something Soni mentioned was lacking across Concordia's engineering clubs. “It actually imitates the motion of a wrist, so it goes all the way around like a wrist mechanism. We’re gonna make it smaller, but it’s gonna be a compact wrist, and we’re gonna connect it to a prosthetic end,” Soni said. “So it appeals to people in mech who want to go into biomedical engineering.” All three projects brought in a lot of support for the club, along with several events, and the group has grown from zero members to almost 400 in its Discord server. According to director of socials Hiba Babiker, the group is only getting bigger. “We’re getting more engagement and more people joining the club, thinking that it’s cool to be in engineering," Babiker said. "It’s not something you would be considered lame for; it’s something that’s fun." THE CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY CHAPTER OF THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS IS BACK AT CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY AND THRIVING AFTER THE OLD MANDATE SHUT DOWN DUE TO MISMANAGEMENT. PHOTO ERIC KLEMPAN

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VOLUME 47 • OCTOBER 6, 2026

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EDITORIAL OPINIONS SPORTS FRINGE ARTS

NEWS

Concordia’s Student Refugee Program gives displaced students a new beginning The revived committee has sponsored six students in the last two years Rahul Balasundaram

@rahulbala_

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rom refugee camps in Kenya and Lebanon to Montreal, Concordia University’s Student Refugee Program (SRP) is giving displaced students a chance at higher education and a new beginning. The nationwide program is administered by the World University Service of Canada (WUSC), an international development and non-profit organization. It has local committees at post-secondary institutions to support newly arrived refugee students. After a few years of inactivity, Concordia’s WUSC local committee relaunched its operations in 2024. The program is funded by student fee levies and covers all costs for sponsored students in their first year, including tuition, housing and living expenses. In subsequent years, students receive financial support to cover their tuition. Local committee members provide academic and social support. The goal is for students to become self-reliant after their first year of living in Canada. The Concordia local chapter sponsored three students each year in

2025 and 2026. Musafiri Fidiya arrived in Montreal through the SRP in August. Originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he was living in the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. “For me, this journey has been one of the best in my life," Fidiya said. "I have been a refugee since 2014, struggling in the camps, but the SRP gave me a chance to live as a citizen and not a refugee." It can take up to two years before students arrive in Canada. Applications, interviews and language exams are part of the requirements. Louis Yacob Bakeri arrived from Kenya in August 2025 through the Concordia SRP and is now the independent vice-president of Concordia’s WUSC local committee. Acceptance into the program is highly competitive, particularly given the number of refugees globally who require resettlement to access safety. “We are some of the luckiest people. Thousands of refugees are applying, but only a few will end up coming to Canada,” Bakeri said.

Asmaa Al Mashhadani is a member of the local executive team as the vice-president of communications and events. She is a Syrian refugee who lived in Lebanon and came to Canada through the SRP last year. She was accepted into a scholarship program in Lebanon but could not continue without official documents. “WUSC was the turning point for me,” Al Mashhadani said, reflecting on her own journey. Now in Canada, she says she feels safe and at home. “It’s my home. I didn’t feel that until I came here,” Al Mashhadani said. The program isn’t entirely smooth sailing, however. Liam Vasquez, the chapter co-president, says one major challenge for students is accessing housing. While placing students in Concordia’s residences is an option, he says it's expensive, and the mandatory meal plan doesn't always meet students’ dietary needs. Alternatively, when students

search for their own housing, they don’t have enough credit to sign a lease, so they need support from other executive members. “We’ve tried a lot of different options. We’ve tried renting apartments under our names,” Vasquez said. The executive team and students work together to solve these day-today challenges while building a tightknit community through internal so-

cial events. “Everyone deserves the basic right of pursuing [their] studies anywhere in the world,” Vasquez said. Looking ahead, the local committee plans to host campus events to raise awareness of the program. Vasquez says they plan to sponsor three students next year but hopes to expand it and support even more students in the future.

THE WORLD UNIVERSITY SERVICE OF CANADAʼS LOCAL COMMITTEE AT CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY HAS REBUILT ITS STUDENT REFUGEE PROGRAM, GIVING SIX STUDENTS A NEW BEGINNING. PHOTO CALLISTA MILLE

Proposed social media ban draws mixed reaction

Concerns were raised about safety, responsibility and whether restrictions can be enforced Dilan Kiki

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anadians remain split in their opinions on the government’s proposed legislation aimed at protecting children and other users from harmful content online. Under Bill C-34, the Safe Social Media Act, certain social media services would be required to prevent children under 16 years old from having accounts. Platforms could apply for an exemption from the age restriction if they can show they have sufficient safeguards in place to protect youth. This bill would also create a Digital Safety Commission of Canada to oversee and enforce the new online safety rules. “The safety of children cannot be an afterthought,” Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller said when introducing the legislation in June. Miller said the bill would place stronger responsibilities on online platforms to make their services safer for children. “I think 15 [years old] is a bit much. Maybe 13 [years old] would make more sense,” Jacqueline Bienvenue, a 60-year-old clothing store manager, said. “At first, people would THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA

probably complain, but after a while it shape the way children see them- Roblox already, and they’re always would just become the new normal.” selves and compare themselves to comparing what they have with what Others pointed to the pressure so- others. other people have, and social media is cial media can place on young people Aida Lopes, a 34-year-old Con- that, but exponentially bigger,” Lopes and the unrealistic expectations they cordia journalism student, said she said. supports the proposed ban or other may encounter online. Lopes says she is in favour of the An 18-year-old Evangeline High safeguards because of the effect social social media ban. School student, who asked to re- media can have on how children see “Some kind of safeguard to enmain anonymous, said she supports themselves. sure that kids are protected and can “I have nieces that are addicted to form their own identity before they restricting social media for young people because she believes it can get to compare themselves with other people on the ingive them an unrealistic view of life. ternet [is needed],” Lopes said. “From perThis sentisonal experiment is echoed ence, I think across all age children under categories. Elias 16 shouldn’t be Al Khoury, a on social media 55-year-old as it negatively Uber driver, affects mental believes the health [due to] proposed ban is the unreal percoming too late. fection that these “I think platforms ask us it’s already to expect of everytoo late,” Al thing in life,” the Khoury said. student said. “Kids have For others, the grown up with concern is how social media can A NATIONAL BAN TARGETING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR CHILDREN UNDER 16 IS IN TALKS. GRAPHIC SEHRA MALONEY @S3HR4._ social media,

and it’s already changed this generation in many ways. I don’t know if banning it will undo that.” Ferial Gassemi, a 50-year-old engineer, does not support the government’s proposed ban on social media for children under 16. She believes parents should ultimately make this decision. “If parents don’t want their children on social media, they should set those rules at home,” Gassemi said. “If kids really want to get on social media, they’ll find a way anyway, so I don’t think the government ban will solve the problem.” Riad Darwish, a 22-year-old college student, supports the proposed restriction but believes verifying users’ ages would be difficult. “I agree with the idea. My only concern is how social media companies would verify people’s ages," Darwish said. "They would probably need more personal information, and that could create privacy and fraud issues.” Bill C-34 has not yet been passed and is still awaiting legislative approval.

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FRINGE ARTS SPORTS OPINIONS EDITORIAL

US-Canada tensions and their effects on academia Academic institutions adapt to recent political developments amid ongoing trade disputes Nathalie Bucur

@_genes1s__

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ensions between the United States and Canada have recently been on the rise. These include, but are not limited to, threats to Canadian sovereignty made by U.S. President Donald Trump and the destabilization of trade relations due to the tariff war. Both countries also possess a deeply intertwined academic world that is adapting to the aftermath of these political realities. These disturbances in a once-long-standing, trusted relationship have rippled into academia, for professors and international students alike. “I gather that some Canadian academics, like many Canadians, are avoiding the U.S. these days," Concordia University political science professor Graham Dodds said, whose specialty is American politics. "I think that Canadians who might, in normal times, go south to the U.S. for a conference, might be thinking twice about it." Historically, Canada and the U.S. have had close trade relations, dating back more than 175 years, according to the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. However, with Trump’s re-election in 2024, this relationship was once again put into question. The then-President-elect infamously suggested making Canada the “51st state” of the U.S. in December 2024, during a meeting with former prime minister Justin Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago. Trump has not stopped making allusions to Canada being the “51st state” since being sworn into office, bringing up Canada’s annexation as

recently as June 2026. Dodds noted that Trump has done a good job sowing confusion and anxiety regarding entering and exiting the U.S. "People who are maybe not American citizens, and are rather on a student visa, are concerned they may not be let back in," Dodds said. "Whether that is a justifiable concern is beside the point, since I think that it’s a concern that people have, regardless of the basis for it." Trump also targeted North American trade relations in his first term, dismantling the North American Free Trade Agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico in June 2020. Shortly after, the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement replaced it, but in 2026, its renewal became subject to an annual review. In Trump’s second term, however, economic relationships between the U.S. and its North American neighbours have soured beyond trade agreements. Notably, he dubbed April 2, 2025— he day he instituted numerous tariffs against trade partners such as Canada, the European Union and China—as “Liberation Day.” In the academic sphere, this turmoil translates to fewer opportunities and less collaboration between the two countries, according to Dodds. “Just like how many Canadians are saying they won’t go to Disney World or Florida, I think similarly, that affects some professional decisions by academics,” Dodds said. According to Dodds, Trump has affected academics' travel to conferences, not just through recent trade

issues, but also through broader immigration policy. For example, the American Political Science Association held a conference in Vancouver a little over a year ago, and relatively few people attended. Vermont-born Concordia student Isabella Lenart, who has previously lived and studied in Quebec, believes that international students are already having a hard time and that these tensions have made it harder for them. “As an international student, what concerns me most is that tensions are arising between Canada and the United States in general,” Lenart said. According to Lenart, her studies have not been directly impacted by the political turmoil between the two countries, but she perceives a cultural shift in attitudes against Americans. “It’s really embarrassing to say you’re American, but we’re not be-

ing punished,” Lenart said. “It’s crazy to be seeing this happen right before our eyes, falling apart more and more, and it’s pretty worrying.” This anxiety has carried over to Canadian students as well, as many would be interested in opportunities and programs offered beyond the border. University of Ottawa criminology student Jasmine Cordea is Canadian, and travelled to New Orleans, Louisiana last year to do field research on the criminal justice system for one of her courses with other University of Ottawa students. “Before my departure to Louisiana, our professor had warned us that she would have cancelled the course had she known that Trump would have gotten elected for a second time,” Cordea said. While her stay in New

Orleans was positive, Cordea says she was cautioned against starting political debates or discussions to avoid any conflicts or further escalation. Despite occasional negative interactions, she notes that she met many Louisianans interested in learning more about Canada. “Most Louisianians were interested in learning about our own governments, both federal and provincial, rather than discussing the situation,” Cordea said. For her, these tensions should not discourage Canadian students seeking new experiences abroad. “I wouldn’t say I have been discouraged from visiting the U.S.," Cordea said. "I would say you make your own experience, depending on how you interact with people and the environment you find yourself in."

UNIVERSITY ACADEMICS ARE WORRIED AND FRUSTRATED BY THE RECENT POLITICAL TENSIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. GRAPHIC ANTHONY NAPOLI

Parti Québécois projected to form new minority government of Quebec Paul St-Pierre Plamondon is projected to be the new premier of Quebec Sean Richard

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@sean.e.p.richard

he Parti Québécois (PQ), led by Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, is projected to form Quebec's next government, according to CBC News as of 11 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5. St-Pierre Plamondon is expected to be elected Monday night and will become Quebec's next premier when Quebec Lieutenant Governor Manon Jeannotte swears him in, after the final seat counts are confirmed and the outgoing administration formally steps down.

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He has promised to hold a referendum on Quebec sovereignty after the United States President Donald Trump’s term has ended. The referendum was last held in 1995; the “No” side won with 50.58 per cent of the vote. The Parti libéral du Québec is projected to become the official opposition party to the PQ by winning the second-most number of seats. The Parti conservateur du Québec also made tremendous gains, winning the third-most

VOLUME 47 • OCTOBER 6, 2026

seats. In the previous 2022 provincial election, they won zero seats. Québec solidaire, led by co-spokespersons Ruba Ghazal and Sol Zanetti, is expected to remain at a similar seat count. The Coalition Avenir Québec is projected to win zero seats. Premier Christine Fréchette admitted defeat on Monday night. The PQ is projected to form a minority government, according to CBC News.

DÉSIRÉE MCGRAW (LEFT) AND CHARLIE BOURDAGES SMILE AT THE QUEBEC LIBERAL PARTY'S ELECTION NIGHT WATCH PARTY. PHOTO NICOLAS TREMBLAY @NICOLAS.TREMBLAY.JOURNALISME

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Through the looking glass

Martin Dansky, stalwart of the Montreal art scene, never stops Sebastian Moronell

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artin Dansky peeks out from the opening of his stall like a vendor through a hole in the wall, a seller of wares, on the second floor of the Montreal Art Center and Museum in Griffintown, which has more in common with a labyrinth than a museum or an art centre. Baroque mannequins and antique furniture fill spaces previously used as studios. This transformation was led by owner and artist Allan Diamond. Artists’ works awkwardly present themselves simultaneously as museum artifacts and pieces of expression. A few of Diamond’s artworks hang on the walls of some rooms alongside other artists who call the centre home, either as exhibitors or as artists renting a studio space. Dansky is the latter. In Dansky’s space, pictures hang at slight angles on the makeshift walls. Pamphlets are shyly displayed behind one another. Postcards supporting Ukrainians at war sit for sale, highlighting Dansky’s heritage. Dansky fidgets around his stall, seeming overwhelmed. His movements and eyes portray uncertainty. His studio space comes off a little untidy since he is not there often and spends most of his time working at home. Most of Dansky’s art is at his home, though he brought in artwork to his shop to present and discuss for the interview with The Link. Dansky is most interested in showing his most recent works: abstract geometric forms that use bright primary colours in stark contrast to one another. Some are more figurative than others; one is a cityscape entitled Cityscape Abstract II. Given that Dansky calls Montreal home, it could have been mistaken for a representation of the city, but Dansky clarifies that it is more general than that. “It’s an interpretation of a cityscape,” Dansky explained. The bulk of his recent paintings, which are done in acrylic, use strong, rigid lines with an almost fabric-like

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texture across the canvas. The result can be quite jarring, a busy painting that elicits no sense of place. They are well-composed and situate the viewer in an uncomfortable position, looking at something beautiful but unfamiliar. This style works well when directed towards certain themes. For example, his painting Multidimensional Circuit evokes the shifting geometric scales that make up the interior workings of computers. This aligns with Dansky’s fascination with multidimensions, which intentionally runs through all his latest work. “Multidimensional means that you can see this from various perspectives," Dansky explained. "Everything has several planes, and the planes are juxtaposed. They compete for attention. It helps create this vibrancy. So you have these ripples that seem to be on different planes. And they overlap." A noticeable difference separates Dansky’s contemporary work from his earlier paintings. The latter uses a warmer colour palette and has more familiar subject matter. Quotidian scenes are gently depicted. For instance, one piece shows a summer’s day out on his apartment balcony. A watermelon and menorah are set on the balcony table on the left. To the back-right, an open glass door reflects the scene from another angle, perhaps pre-empting his later interest in multiple views. Windows and openings feature heavily in Dansky’s earlier pieces. Figures who seemed stuck in the frame look through gaps to the viewer. Geometric shapes serve as an escape, or otherwise as windows between worlds. Dansky is a sensitive person, and that sensitivity extends into his art, as shown in his full adoption of an abstract world populated by geometric shapes. This is not a retreat from the real world, but an acceptance of its shifting views. That is the strength of his multidimensional approach to art.

“That square is like a window on life. It's kind of suggestive. She's got a past, let's say, or has a future, and the idea is: how do I show that a person has a past?” Dansky said, describing a painting which shows a young girl with a frame on her chest. The girl in the piece wears a jumper that Dansky’s grandmother made. “She’s got a soul,” Dansky said. Fellow artist Roxanna Kibsey has worked alongside Dansky at the museum in Griffintown since he first took up a studio space in 2012. “Every artist has their own style. As much as you try and change it, it’s difficult," Kibsey said. "We evolve so much, but you are who you are as a person, and you are who you are as an artist. I think Martin is very much that.” Alongside the visual arts, which is Dansky’s mainstay, he also writes and acts. Small books containing his poems and paintings, which keep him creatively busy, were also for sale in his studio-shop. Kibsey points to Dansky’s acting as the area where he most fully developed a personal style, especially in his work for several community theatre productions. Miriam Posner has known Dansky for over half a century, the two having

met when they were teenagers. “He’s always been driven by, and motivated by, the arts,” Posner said. His creative endeavours are outpourings of passion, and his entire life’s work is a testament to what can be done when one pursues what is in his soul, as Kibsey puts it. “Kudos to him. How many people do you know who, from their late teens, never ever wavered? How many people can one say never put money over passion?” Posner asked. In her house hang portraits of her animals that Dansky painted. “And he’s a very kind, gentle, thoughtful person. And that comes through in his paintings as well,” Posner added. Dansky’s part-time tutoring jobs and teaching contracts have helped fund that lifelong ardour. That is not to downplay his success as an artist. Dansky knows his art relies on the patronage of his customers, and he is not naive about their demands. “I’m in the business of making things that

please people too. The artist does what he feels, [so] that he can communicate with people,” Dansky said. “There obviously has to be feedback from them.” This back-and-forth relationship encapsulates Dansky’s relationship with his patrons and admirers. Dansky is still preoccupied with creating and exhibiting his art, mostly paintings nowadays. He has a forward-looking approach to his work, no small feat for someone in their early seventies. He is currently busy preparing for an exhibition at the Leonardo Da Vinci Centre on Nov. 10. Dansky seems unwilling to slow down, keeping a positive view of the future. He is aware of Montreal's highly competitive art market, but he remains resolute in the thick of it.

MONTREAL-BASED ARTIST MARTIN DANSKY SHOWS OFF SOME OF HIS PAINTINGS. PHOTO MARGAUX THOMAS

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JenJoon reveals the secret behind his biggest hits after Montreal’s show The Tunisian pop-rap star opens up about fame, family sacrifice and his relationships Racha Rais

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unisian pop-rap singer JenJoon performed in Montreal on Sept. 18 as part of his international tour and the 10th edition of Festival du Jasmin Tunisien à Montreal, marking his second appearance in the province since his last visit in March 2024. Fans told him his concerts felt like a piece of Tunisia had come to Quebec. After the concert, Jenjoon sat down for an interview with The Link two days after his Montreal show. Born Omar Twihri in Jendouba, Tunisia, the 35-year-old has been recording music since 2005 and has over 100 million views on his YouTube videos. However, JenJoon said he still doesn’t feel he's reached the level of fame he once dreamed of, even though his song “Ech Mazel,” made with fellow Tunisian artist RedStar, has more than 127 million views

on YouTube. The song is still getting views today, five years after its release. “I don’t think someone who listens to my music becomes a fan right away,” JenJoon said. “They should listen to the whole story and understand what I am saying, and my philosophy on life. Then they become a fan.” JenJoon said he started writing songs in 2005 just as a hobby. He never expected it to become his job. When his father got sick in 2018, JenJoon had to work as a waiter, painter and plumber to help support his family. He said his parents told him not to make music his career at first. At the time, music didn’t pay well in Tunisia. They supported him pursuing it as a hobby, but encouraged him to find something more stable for his future. However, JenJoon decided to fol-

low his own path anyway despite his parents’ concerns. “I saw pride in their eyes,” JenJoon said, talking about the first time he appeared on television. A big change in JenJoon’s style came when he started singing in his own Jendouba accent instead of the accent from the capital. He also moved away from songs that had, what he called, a “dirty style” and began making cleaner music. Many of his most popular songs, including “Hayala,” “Barrani” and “Zin Ezzin,” are love songs to Tunisia. Two of JenJoon’s childhood friends, Firas Bouslimi and Hamdi Barouni, both moved to Montreal about eight years ago. They said they are still close with him today, even though their lives went in different directions. Barouni said JenJoon’s con-

certs continue to be full of energy. “His concerts are always explosive and exciting,” Barouni said. Bouslimi recalled a time when JenJoon couldn't afford to register for his first rap concert under his own name. Instead, he used Bouslimi’s name. Bouslimi also talked about how fame can change every aspect of a person’s life. Once, someone stopped JenJoon for photos while the artist was rushing his sick father to the hospital. “I was holding my father, who was sick, and he was asking me to take a picture,” JenJoon said, recalling the moment. “I didn’t know what to do.” Despite moments like these, JenJoon said he doesn’t mind the fame that comes with his career. He said he understands why fans react the way they do when they see him, and that he appreciates it rather than resents it. “They always think I am rough because of my appearance,” JenJoon said. “But in the end, they see that I am different from what they imagine.” JenJoon said he feels most comfortable on stage and that something changes in him once he starts performing. Off stage, he describes himself as quiet, shy and a homebody. JenJoon said he likes keeping a small circle of people around him. He goes to the gym four times a week and likes walking his dog, Luna, who has featured in a video clip called “Yekfi Ajrah.” The artist has a girlfriend of six years who has inspired several of his songs, including “Ya Mali Lbit” and

“Manetfergou.” She's also Tunisian, but avoids social media. JenJoon describes his hometown as the place he feels most comfortable. “There is always a nostalgia that attracts me to it,” JenJoon said. He recalled one memory that stuck with him: writing the opening theme for a hit Tunisian series called “El Foundou.” During the concert, the crowd lit up with phone flashlights when the song played. JenJoon said his team tried to set the mood to inspire him while he wrote the song, but it didn’t work. “My team was trying to create an inspirational vibe, and they brought me candles and things with a nice perfume, but I couldn’t write,” JenJoon said, laughing. “I told them, sorry, I can’t do this vibe. I just want to go back to my room, thanks.” He also expressed that inspiration can’t be scheduled. “Honestly, I don’t even know when the time of inspiration is. It’s not something I can control; it just comes like this,” JenJoon said. JenJoon said he has no plans to move to Montreal, even though most of his close friends now live in the city. He still lives in Tunisia most of the year and travels often for concerts, including upcoming shows in Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. “I don’t think I can stay here,” JenJoon said. “It’s far from my home country. I like Tunisia. No matter how hard life can be there, I know I will always stay.” While speaking to the fans who attended his Montreal and Sherbrooke shows, JenJoon said he hopes to visit more cities in the future. “I hope there will be more love between us,” JenJoon said. “I promise to bring you more new things.”

POP-RAP ARTIST JENJOON REFLECTS ON A CAREER THAT TOOK HIM FROM FINANCIAL STRUGGLES IN HIS HOMETOWN TO CONCERTS ACROSS THREE CONTINENTS. PHOTO RACHA RAIS

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Montreal thrash metal band Postluven gets signed Up-and-coming speed metal band currently on tour in Quebec and Ontario has been signed to CDN Records James Bossinakis

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@james_bossinakis

ising Montreal-based thrash metal band Postluven recently signed with CDN Records, a feat that many musicians aspire to. Although they haven't started recording with CDN Records yet, Postluven has 500 CDs on the way, as the record company has partnered with them to distribute their new album, Valley of Mortality. This led the band to the opportunity of connecting with other bands, such as Scottish black metal band Hellripper. "Signing has been a big first step; it's a great opportunity. It's like a dream to meet them,” Postluven bassist Charles Loignon said. CDN Records claims to be Canada's largest independent metal distributor. It has operated for over 30 years and has over 200 releases in its name. The band has grown quickly within the underground metal scene. They published their first EP, Blasphemy of Blood, in November 2025 and were signed on by CDN Records this September. Postluven is now on tour playing across Quebec and Ontario for the second time in the band's history. Postluven consists of Loignon, Alexis Majeau on lead vocals and guitar, Mik Laframboise on drums and Dylan Pasqualotto on rhythm guitar. The band plans to release Valley of Mortality sometime in October. They also aim to release a single titled “Gallows” before the release of the new album. Majeau, Loignon and Laframboise founded Postluven in Mascouche, QC and performed their first shows in the summer of 2024. Their name comes from an inside joke combining the names of hockey players Sergei Plotnikov and Jack Roslovnik. The band began by releasing their first demo, “Blast,” on Spotify in March 2024, and contributed to the song “As We Run” on the compilation album Quebec Thrash Attack, which highlights local talent. “We all worked near each other's workplaces, and we all met on our breaks, and only in the summer did we start jamming all together. But we always had issues finding guitarists,” Majeau explained. Postluven has changed guitarists four times since its founding. Current rhythm guitarist Dylan THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA

Pasqualotto is relatively new, having joined the group as a permanent member on Dec. 17, 2025. Majeau proposed the idea of recruiting Pasqualotto after seeing him perform at a punk venue. “I needed a member for the band, and Charles was cool with the idea, so we tried him out, and he was pretty good and had a good vibe with the rest of the band,” Majeau said. Postluven found their start playing in local venues and backyards. During this time, they played iconic venues in Montreal's underground music scene, such as Piranha Bar and Bar Hemisphere-gauche. The band recorded and released their first EP, Blasphemy of Blood, in this era. “We recorded it at our friend and neighbour Alice’s house. The sound was really raw! [..] We didn't have those [good microphones] so the drums were really raw," Majeau recalled. "But it sounded really good. It sounded old school and underground." Establishing the voice of the band was important to the members early on, and Postluven's style is rooted in the high-octane spirit of classic thrash metal.

more audiences beyond Quebec. “We want to book the Bell Centre, hopefully getting ourselves onto a big stage. We wanted to play Detroit this year but sadly couldn't," Loignon said. "I’d say travelling more, maybe to Asia next year or anywhere else outside of Canada." With these new releases, the

band members expect many fans and newcomers to the underground music scene to come to their shows. “If you're new, you should just go out! People are nice, especially in Montreal," Paqualatto said. "A lot of the older people at venues are really chill, but mainly just start, just go out, jump into the pit.”

POSTLUVEN AT THEIR SEPT. 8, 2026 PIRANHA BAR SHOW. PHOTO NICOLAS TREMBLAY @NICOLAS.TREMBLAY.JOURNALISME

The band's artistic identity has been consistent since its beginnings. “We wanna have fun and make the world a better place. The world is already s—t enough,” Lamframboise said. Postluven plans to finish their tour back in Montreal by opening for Hellripper at the Piranha bar on Nov. 25. After wards, the band's immediate goal is to reach OCTOBER 6, 2026 • VOLUME 47

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Concordia vs. McGill, Montreal’s biggest and best rivalry As the new school year begins, a new season of the Redbirds and Stingers gets underway Colin van den Ameele

@cj.vda

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oncordia University vs. McGill University has always been an enthralling sporting experience for anyone who has had the chance to lay eyes on a game. With the arrival of a new athletic director at Concordia, the rivalry is set to take center stage once more. Claude Morin, the new Concordia Stingers athletic director, began his tenure by hosting a pre-season press conference with five coaches and Concordia University President and Vice-Chancellor

Graham Carr to discuss his goals and ambitions for the university. He began his speech by talking about all the trophies the Stingers won against McGill last season. “Last year we took home the Shaughnessey Cup, the Corey Cup and the Kelley-Ann Drummond Cup,” Morin said. “We dominated McGill last year, and we’re going to do it again this year.” His comments drew a loud cheer from the crowd of athletes and students in attendance. The ovation

THE SHAUGHNESSEY CUP REPRESENTS JUST ONE PART OF A LONG-STANDING RIVALRY BETWEEN MONTREAL'S ANGLOPHONE UNIVERSITIES. PHOTO NICOLAS TREMBLAY @NICOLAS.TREMBLAY.JOURNALISME

and the comments themselves were a testament to the deep-rooted animosity that both universities share towards one another. The rivalry spans 51 years, as the Concordia Stingers have played against the McGill Redbirds and Martlets since Concordia's establishment in 1975. As both schools represent the anglophone universities in Montreal, their disdain for one another has been there since the beginning. For alumni, Concordia vs. McGill has always been a part of their university experience. “Whenever it's McGill vs. Concordia, there’s some bragging rights on the table,” Concordia graduate and CBC reporter Blake Saraga said. “These two teams are from schools that are literally down the road from each other, that have so much history. So, these games always bring out the best crowd, and it’s a great environment obviously.” Both schools play in the same leagues, whether that's the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) for football, soccer, rugby,

basketball and women’s hockey or the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) for men’s hockey. Referring to Morin’s opening comments, Concordia plays McGill in a number of cups. They play for the Shaughnessey Cup in football, which will be returning to McGill after the Redbirds took down the Stingers on Sept. 19. The men’s hockey teams clash on the ice for the Corey Cup, and finally in men’s basketball, they compete over the George Lengvari Cup. Historically, Concordia and McGill women’s rugby have also faced off in the Kelly-Anne Drummond Cup, in honor of the former Stinger who was murdered by her boyfriend in 2004. However, budget cuts forced the Martlets to disband its women’s rugby program, shelving the rivalry for the moment. The Concordia Stingers have enjoyed much success against McGill, especially in women’s hockey, where the Stingers have dominated locally and at the national level. Although comparisons between the two schools may annoy

Concordia students, many McGill students and alumni have friends who attend or attended Concordia. Heading out to the games has always been a great opportunity to enjoy friendly competition between them. Zoe Harrington, a former McGill neuroscience student, noted that she always marked the games on her calendar. “We would always be cheering on the Martlets or Redbirds, and I will always be a Red," Harrington said. "It was also really cool when the marching bands would play at the games, and then chants would get going between us and the Concordia fans.” The rivalry is set to intensify once again with the return of the RSEQ men’s hockey first division. The league is set to bring the Quebec teams under one umbrella, and the Stingers and Redbirds will face off against each other a lot more. This storied rivalry will always be a part of Concordia and McGill’s university culture, and a staple of Quebec university sports.

Concordia men’s basketball prepares for battle In the midst of the preseason, the team is developing its identity Samuel Kayll

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@sdubk24

he Concordia University Stingers men’s basketball team has had an eventful preseason, facing off against competition from across the country and even across the border. As another season in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) approaches, the Stingers hope to compete for a title in U Sports' toughest conference. The Stingers underperformed in 2026, a year after finishing fifth at the 2025 U Sports Final 8 tournament. A 10-9 season was still good for third in the conference, but Concordia bowed out of postseason contention after an 85-76 overtime loss to the Université Laval Rouge et Or in the RSEQ semifinals. With a sizable chunk of the roster returning this season, a return to form could be on the horizon. A major boost for Concordia came in June, when the team announced the signing of Damian Buckley as the team’s full-time head coach. Buckley was appointed as interim in 2026 after former head coach Rastko Popovic

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stepped down, and has guided the team through the preseason as they prepare for the year. Concordia played two games against NCAA opponents in August, dropping matchups against the East Coast All-Stars and Baylor University. The team picked up its first preseason win on Sept. 20, an 82-74 win over the University of New Brunswick Reds. The Stingers then headed to the University of Victoria to play in the Guy Vetrie Memorial Tournament, where they took on the host Vikes in their first game. Concordia hung around with the 2026 national bronze medalists, but ultimately fell 86-75. The team secured wins in its final two tournament games, taking down Lakehead University 89-58 and then the University of Alberta 7067. “On the court, finishing 2-1 against three very good teams, three very different teams, gives us a good idea of where we're at and where we need to go and what we need to work on,” Buckley said in a post-tournament dis-

VOLUME 47 • OCTOBER 6, 2026

cussion with Concordia. “So I'm super proud of our guys for coming out and really competing at a high level.” Stingers rookie Jason-Junior Ebinumolise impressed in limited action against Lakehead, with four points, one rebound and three steals in just eight minutes. He hopes to bring the same defensive prowess to the team throughout the season. “I think I'm going to be able to guard one through whatever and be able to stay in front of my guy from the tip-off to the end of the game,” Ebinumolise said. “I feel like I can guard the best players and guard 94 ft.” The Stingers then played three straight nonconference games back in Quebec, the first an 83-74 loss to Queen’s University on Oct. 2. An 84-73 win against the University of Guelph on Oct. 3 got the team back on track, but Concordia then dropped their contest against Mount Royal University on Oct. 4 by a score of 76-68. Fellow Concordia rookie Craig Storah also suited up in

spot minutes throughout the preseason for the Stingers. He recognizes what it’ll take to carve out a role as a first-year player. “As a rookie, there's not like a, ‘You're 100 per cent going to be in the rotation.’ It's more week in, week out, I'll have to earn every minute I get,” Storah said. “Then if I string together a good few practices, [...] I could earn that rotation spot.” With a roster mixed with

rookie contributors and veteran talent, the Stingers have the potential to make a run in the conference and the country. But it remains to be seen how the team will put it all together. Concordia’s next game comes on Friday, Oct. 9, in a preseason game against the University of Ottawa. The team gets its first taste of RSEQ competition on Nov. 7 when it travels to Lennoxville to take on Bishop's University.

CRAIG STORAH AIMS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM IN HIS ROOKIE SEASON. COURTESY MIKHAIL JERBIC

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The Montreal Sumo Club wants you! The Club showed off ahead of the International Sumo Championships on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18 Noah Lakatosh

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vant-Garde Artisans Brasseurs filled up to watch the Montreal Sumo Club in open practice on Oct. 4. Three club members, Lucas Aubé, Maxime Raymond and Nadia Cardin, are preparing to head to Baku, Azerbaijan, for the Sumo World Championships, where they will attempt to put Canada at the top of the sumo world. As the room began to fill up, the rikishi, the formal term for sumo wrestlers, put on their massive traditional belts, known to them as mawashis. Many of them were still stretching and talking to each other, waiting for the event to begin. Aubé took the time to demonstrate to the audience where sumo comes from historically and what its rules are. “At the signal of 'Hakkiyoi!' the fight begins,” Aubé said. “At the end, both combatants bow, and the winner makes a sweep motion.” Among all of the rikishis present, Aubé was among the quickest. He was the only one who, when “Hakkiyoi” was called, stepped around his opponent to surprise them. The first couple of matches were clearly friendly, and the rikishi

used their first few rounds to warm up their muscles. When someone was pushed out of the inner circle with too much force, they would catch one another. Nobody wanted to put in too much effort. As more and more people arrived at the Avant-Garde, the rikishi’s competitive fires grew hotter and so did the intensity of the matches. The rikishi made sure to stand near the bar and on the outside of the wrestling mat in order to prevent the 600-plus pounds of humans from crashing into the bar or the children watching excitedly in the front row. Another rikishi made sure to block the others from pushing each other into the bar as well. With the increased competition, the rikishi gave it their all, no matter the size difference. Many were picked up clean off the ground and forced out of the dohyō, or training ring. It did not matter how large some of these athletes were; their teammates lifted them off their feet too. Iron truly does sharpen iron. Maxime Raymond dominated the field almost without competition. Even the other rikishi who appeared larger than him could

not do much and were quickly evicted from the dohyō. Raymond explained how Canada can make a big statement in these World Championships because of the nature of sumo itself. “It’s not like a game of hockey of 60 minutes where the better team will win out eventually, [...] I believe that maybe I won’t win a medal, but I believe I can win matches at this level,” Raymond said. He encouraged all athletes of any age to give sumo a real chance. “It’s been about three years since I started; I was 31, 30 years old. You can start at that age, and there are no problems,” Raymond said. Nearly all of the afternoon’s most entertaining matches featured Nadia Cardin. Watching her hold her own against considerably larger men was thrilling in a way that’s truly unique to martial arts. With only one other female rikishi in the Montreal Sumo Club, Cardin’s consistent practice against her male counterparts may give her an edge over the women in her bracket two weeks from now. When she first saw Canadian sumo clubs in a report from Radio-Canada, she knew she had

to give it a go. “I thought that it was extraordinary to see these bodies onscreen; they look like me," Cardin shared, encouraging others to join. "Try it! [It’s] essential to take pleasure in the sport you do. Keep trying things, have fun.” Once the competition ended and the teams received their awards, attendees were encouraged to learn the starting technique and attempt to push the club’s biggest member. It was clear that no one in attendance could move the rikishi. One by one, the attendees entering the dohyō gave it their best. Many parents showed up with

their children, who then wasted no time practicing what they saw in the matches. At one point, Cardin noticed two kids play-wrestling and invited them inside the dohyō for an official sumo wrestling experience. After some encouragement from their father, the two squared off much to the enjoyment of everyone watching. The winner of the mini-match then had Cardin herself line up across from her. Smartly, she ran right back to her father. Make sure to watch Team Canada’s men and women fight for a world championship in Baku on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18.

CANADIAN JUDOKA MARC DESCHÊNES (SMILING) WON THE SUMO EXHIBITION OF THE MONTREAL SUMO CLUB AT BRASSERIE AVANT-GARDE ON OCT. 4, 2026. PHOTO JUSTIN LAKATOSH

The games Montreal remembers

The moments, memories and people that shape Montreal sports Aylee Ahmadzadeh

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uring Game 1 of the Montreal Canadiens’ 2026 playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 19, I called my dad as Montreal headed into overtime. I was scared and nervous about what was to come. “I’ll call you back when we win,” he said. A few minutes later, the puck hit the back of the net, and my phone rang almost immediately. I may not remember every detail of that night, but I remember that call. It’s funny what ends up sticking with you. For Shaun Starr, who has spent years talking Montreal sports on TSN 690, one of his most memorable Montreal sports moments was rather atypical. “I was lucky enough, in an unfortunate way–I grew up a huge Patrick Roy fan,” Starr said. He had purchased standing-room-only tickets to watch THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA

the Canadiens face the Detroit Red Wings at the Montreal Forum. After allowing nine goals, Roy was pulled in the second period. He then went behind the Canadiens’ bench and told team president Ronald Corey that he would never play in Montreal again. “Lo and behold, that was the last game Patrick Roy ever played for the Montreal Canadiens,” Starr said. For Starr, losing Roy was more than just the departure of a goaltender. “My whole life, the identity of the Montreal Canadiens was based on who their starting goaltender was,” Starr said. But not every Montreal sports memory involves the Canadiens. Houman Naraghi’s introduction to the city's sports culture came at Olympic Stadium, watching the Montreal Expos.

“I came here from Los Angeles. I was used to Dodger Stadium, which to this day is one of the most gorgeous outdoor stadiums I’ve ever seen," Naraghi said. "Then we walked into this tomb of concrete." The contrast felt immediate. Naraghi attended the game to feel Los Angeles again, but ended up with a completely different experience. His friends had gotten the cheapest tickets in the stadium. “I asked them, ‘How much do I owe you?,’" Naraghi said. "They said, ‘It’s a dollar.’” He soon understood why. “While we were standing up, everything was fine. As soon as we sat down, we realized the problem,” Naraghi said. The bleachers were about 10 ft from the fence, which meant part of the outfield was blocked whenever they sat down. Around them,

fans drank, heckled and cursed in French. Those were the moments that made that night memorable. It was nothing like Dodger Stadium. But for Naraghi, those Expos games in the 1980s became his first real taste of Montreal sports culture. These memories may all be drastically different, but

the reason they stick is often the same. For me, it was a simple phone call; for Starr, it was watching his favourite player leave the franchise he grew up loving; and for Naraghi, it was $1 tickets that were so funny they stuck with him forever.

PEOPLE FALL IN LOVE WITH SPORTS FOR COUNTLESS REASONS—MONTREAL GIVES US PLENTY. GRAPHIC HARRISON CAMPBELL

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The Theresa Humes Cup wraps up as the Stingers look strong ahead of the season The Stingers new lineup looked impressive in the Theresa Humes pre-season tournament Sean McMechan

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he women’s hockey teams of Concordia University, Queen’s University, the University of Guelph and Université de Montréal (UdeM) gathered at the Ed Meagher Arena during the last weekend of September to compete for the Theresa Humes Cup, which honours the advocate and pioneer of Concordia women’s sports, Theresa Humes. In this six-game tournament, the Stingers, coached by Julie Chu, reached the finals but lost to their close rivals, the UdeM Carabins. “We want a different result; we never like to lose,” Chu said of the team’s performance. “[But] if we come out of any game and we have the mindset that there's things we did well and things we want to get better, [...] then we’re gonna get to

where we want to be.” The opening game of the tournament was against the Guelph Gryphons and was very penalty-heavy. Despite this, the Stingers managed to win 3-1 by defending fiercely throughout their many penalty kills. “[We’re] trying to be more disciplined, and have more 5-on-5 time,” defender and captain Camille Richard said. “It’s just nice to have that recognition from my teammates, [though] we’re all leaders on this team." In their second round-robin game, the Stingers faced the Queen’s Gaels, looking to continue their years-long winning streak against the Ontario team. Throughout the game, Concordia showed off incredible team syn-

ergy, ultimately winning 4-1. In the round-robin games, the audience got a treat as the teams went to extra overtimes regardless of the official result, with shootouts at the end of each game. Chu liked the experience these extra periods granted the team. “We got a lot of reps in, a lot of people played, and we were able to throw in a lot of different scenarios based on the format,” Chu said. The final game was the first time Concordia and UdeM have played each other since last year's U Sports National Championship, when the Stingers lost to the Carabins in the final. Despite the disappointing final result of 3-1 to the visitors, forward Kate Furlong’s last-minute one-timer

slapshot into the Carabins net was more than enough to spark hope and ambition for the season as a whole. “It’s good to finish on a high note and go out of the weekend like that,” Furlong said. “It’s a pre-season tour-

nament for us to learn new things, make mistakes and get better." The Stingers will play their regular season home opener against the Carabins on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 2 p.m.

THE 2026 SEASON WILL MARK JULIE CHU'S 11TH CAMPAIGN AS FULL-TIME HEAD COACH. COURTESY CONCORDIA STINGERS

Voices of the world championships Cycling fans from all around the world recount their experiences Jade-S. Vachon-Côté

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he atmosphere was electric in Montreal during the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) World Championships last week, as locals and tourists alike showed up for the events. According to the UCI Montreal 2026 organization, it was “Montreal’s biggest sporting event since the 1976 Olympics,” with a projected attendance

of around 500,000 people cheering on the star riders. Kim Metcalf and his wife travelled from Oakland, California, to attend the event. They decided to come when the current men’s world champion, Tadej Pogačar, crashed in the eighth stage of La Vuelta in Spain at the end of August. “We weren’t going to; we were kind

of iffy on him because he’s so good, he’s such a good rider, and I totally respect his riding, but it’s just like, every race he’s in, he wins,” Metcalf said. With his absence, the race kept the cyclists on their toes as they anxiously awaited the new champion in this year’s elite men's category. Thierry Morinaud, who works

EMILE VANDEWAL TRAVELLED FROM BELGIUM WITH HIS FRIENDS TO WATCH THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. PHOTO JADE-S. VACHON-CÔTÉ

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with the Smurfit Westrock cycling team, was happy to cheer on his team's athletes. Although he was disappointed by how far the fans were kept from the riders, having travelled all the way from France, he found the event well organized. John Frey, who competed with the U.S. national team at the 1988 Grand Prix des Amériques in Montreal, thinks an event like this raises awareness and promotes the sport. “It’s a very intriguing sport; people make chess analogies, but there’s so much going on,” Frey said. “It’s a team sport, but for it to be a team sport, everybody has to be pretty close in fitness as it can impact a whole team’s performance.” Others like Marie Tessier, a cycling coach from Calgary who hosts amateur cycling events in her area, came to Montreal with friends to watch junior talents from her home province in action. The UCI World Championships were also a good opportunity for businesses in the cycling industry to gain exposure and make a name for themselves. Many local brands tended kiosks at the Village des Fans Bonjour Montréal or opened temporary pop-up shops near the events. Yann Gauvin is a manager at Giant Bicycles Quebec, a Canada-based bike seller. He praised the environment created by the race throughout the city.

“There’s a cyclist energy,” Gauvin said. “This event is a lot bigger than some people think,” Argon 18 product manager Carl Oliveira said. “We have the equivalent of the Olympics but for cycling in Montreal at the moment, so it really is a major event.” Mitchell Kellar and Henry Ngan co-founded Etape22, a vintage cycling apparel brand established in 2023. They came from Toronto to open a popup shop on Rachel St. for the World Championships week. Both have noticed an influx into cycling over the past years and are excited to be part of it through their business. While some Montrealers have expressed frustrations with disruptions to their routines and commute, others described it as a once-in-a-lifetime event. “I’m trying to embrace everything that’s happening and to be present as much as I can because I know that it’s probably the last time I’ll experience this in my life,” Jean-Mathieu Vincent from Baumier, a bike manufacturer, said. The enthusiasm in Montreal following the UCI World Championships also contributed to a resurgence of the sport in the city, as the Concordia University cycling club organized its first group ride since 2016 on Sept. 16, 2026, to close out the season. THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA

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The problem with restaurant gap relationships Would you rather have a restaurant gap relationship or eat alone forever? Célina Bourdon

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icture yourself out on a first date, and you're really hitting it off. The restaurant is really fancy, not something you’d usually spend money on. Then, your dinner is served, and you realize your date has a massive steak on their plate while you are a hardcore vegetarian. Later that night, you're starving because your date made you eat three hours earlier than you normally would. This is what is known as “the restaurant gap,” which refers to any difference in meals and eating habits. These can include differences in diet, mealtimes, money spent on food and waitstaff treatment. A New York Times article defines the restaurant gap as “a misalignment in tastes, spending habits and culinary curiosity.” The real question is whether this is a relationship dealbreaker. Let me tell you exactly why it should be. The biggest difference in dining habits (and the hardest to overcome) is how someone treats the waitstaff. When your partner or date treats the waitstaff terribly, it’s an extension of

how they see other people. The restaurant gap can reveal a complete lack of empathy. I can't imagine the audacity of someone to behave disrespectfully toward a person just trying to get through a shift. I’ve heard horror stories beyond belief: your date realizes their steak isn’t cooked the way they wanted it, snaps their fingers to call over a server and berates them for what feels like 20 minutes. Someone is simply doing their job; you don't know how their day has been, and yet you think that it's okay to treat them badly? Maybe they can’t picture themselves in that role, so they act superior. They're showing you that they believe some people deserve to be treated badly simply for trying to do their job and earn a living. If someone can treat strangers like that, how will they treat you? Though such differences in dining habits may not always be as extreme, smaller gaps can still cause irreparable fractures. For example, it might not seem

like a big deal to eat at a different time than your partner, but it could quickly become an issue in the relationship. Say you’re both working full time, or have very different class schedules; you might not have that much time to spend together. Just as opposite sleep schedules can cause issues, losing one or more mealtimes a day can too. Whether we like it or not, much of our social lives are centred around food. When dinner or breakfast times differ for each partner, couples can lose quality time together. For many couples, shared meals at the end of the day are the perfect—and sometimes only—opportunity to connect and check in. Without this joint routine, the window for connection can shrink significantly. The same goes with different diets or food restrictions. If one partner is vegan and the other loves meat, it can quickly cause tension. This mismatch can mean more than just missing out on connecting over food or not being able to cook together. You’re lacking the intimate, shared experience of try-

ing food together. A study found that providing food helped participants connect and start conversations with each other. This means being on the same page about food can be essential to creating that initial connection between partners. One partner might even try to match the other's food habits and say goodbye to some of the food they love. Is that a

sacrifice you’d be willing to make? These might not seem like big issues, and you can choose to ignore them, but I urge you to keep restaurant habits in mind when looking for a partner. Little things add up quickly. If I had to go to a big, expensive steak restaurant every time I went out with someone, I wouldn't be seeing that person very often.

A DINING MISMATCH CAN BECOME A RELATIONSHIP DEALBREAKER BEFORE YOU REALIZE IT. GRAPHIC MIRA DE KOVEN

Nostalgia Nook: Corporations keep trying to cash in on our childhood Corporate nostalgia farming has ruined the magic and fun of our fondest franchises Lea Joy Sabbaghian

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@joyyylea

ach time I walk out of the metro to get to school, I see the Tim Hortons x Harry Potter collaboration, adding to my long-fueled frustration with businesses that take advantage of beloved franchises for profit. For something like Harry Potter that has a seven-part book series,

a movie adaptation for each book and its own world at Universal Studios, I don’t see who this benefits other than the people cashing those checks. Especially since transgender people and allies have already been boycotting Harry Potter due to the author’s bigotry and active harm. The Hufflepuff donut has been the cherry on top of my outrage.

CORPORATIONS ARE DETERMINED TO SQUEEZE EVERY LAST PENNY OUT OF OUR NOSTALGIA. GRAPHIC JAMES ISSA @PIP.NIHIL

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With 1990s nostalgia being glossed over as just a fashion trend, most people probably see their Nirvana shirts more as graphic tees than band merchandise. It can be exhausting to see a shirt, sticker or keychain for something I truly loved when I was younger and feel that, in today’s climate of competitive fandoms, I’m less of a true fan if I’m not spending money. Outside of McDonald’s BTS meals or dozens of Wicked collaboration merchandise, this corporate greed shows up in all the reboots, sequels and live-action remakes we see in film and television. It's becoming increasingly obvious that this is just another opportunity to upsell a beloved series or cult classic. I remember when Fuller House first came out on Netflix. I thought that it was this huge moment in time where 30 years later, the cast came back together to reprise their infamous roles. However, it felt flat, lifeless and just a sloppy excuse to have the audience think, “Hah! I get that reference.” This greed is present even in

music, with Big Time Rush and the Jonas Brothers (whose website is itself in a nostalgic 2008 Internet Explorer style) both miraculously coming back together. It makes huge headlines and garners lots of attention in pop culture, but soon enough, you realize it only aims to sell tour tickets and new merch. The rate at which these reboots and collabs come out is alarming and defeats the purpose of eliciting any nostalgia. It reveals the formulaic structure that they all end up following. The iCarly, Wizards of Waverly Place, That’s So Raven and That '70s Show sequels were so disappointing to see, especially since it hasn’t even been that long since the original shows wrapped. They slightly change the name of the original with a pun, make the original cast parents and give us just enough cameos of past characters to make us stick around a bit longer. The list goes on. This isn’t like the Renaissance, when there was a rediscovery or revival of past artistic achievements—this is pure cor-

porate greed. Studios pass around contracts, retired actors get their checks and the ongoing love of emotionally attached fans gets bought. No matter how cashable a throwback these opportunities might be, it’s also inconvenient for writers to write about characters from 30 years ago. I personally choose not to acknowledge Gilmore Girls: A Year In the Life because of the poor mischaracterization and disconnect in the writing. I’ve seen other people refuse or choose to ignore certain series or launches, online and in person. With opinions spreading online even faster, people agree to boycott the nostalgia bait and leave original intellectual properties in the past with their dignity. There is clearly an increasing demand for original media in the market, and nostalgia farming is no longer effective. The people have spoken, and they don’t want another Super Mario movie; they want genuine art and entertainment!

OCTOBER 6, 2026 • VOLUME 47

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NEWS FRINGE ARTS SPORTS

OPINIONS

EDITORIAL

The age of iced coffee When did we start drinking dessert for breakfast? Kassidy Belle Jacobs

@kassiejacobss

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hat started as a simple drink for energy has grown into an out-of-control lifestyle. Iced coffee has taken the world by storm. When you drive up to your local drive-thru, you will see 10 advertisements for the newest banana bread coffee. Every few scrolls on TikTok shows you an alluring recipe for a teddy bear graham cracker iced latte with a whipped honey and brown sugar cold foam. I know—what a mouthful—but that exact recipe is almost certainly infiltrating the internet as we speak. We have become consumed by outrageous details of what our coffees “should” look like. Is it the correct colour? Does it contain enough pumps of artificial apple-flavoured syrup to give it that crispy Macintosh taste? It is rare to hear someone ordering a coffee with some milk and sugar anymore. The one thing nobody seems to question is the effects of how much coffee we are drinking on average now, and even worse, what we are putting in it. A cup of black coffee on its own is perfectly fine. It contains naturally occurring compounds that are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. It is the added

ingredients like sugars, syrups and highly processed creamers that contribute to long-term health issues. According to the World Health Organization, the recommended daily intake of added sugars is 10 per cent or less. This equals 12 teaspoons or 48 grams for the average cisgender woman, and 15 teaspoons or 60 grams for the average cisgender man. Starbucks’ newest seasonal pumpkin cream chai latte has a whopping 41 grams of sugar, and that is just for a small size. We instantly link excessive sugar to tooth decay, but cavities only cover a fraction of the broader health issues. Too much sugar in our coffee raises blood pressure and inflammation, leading to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. And while these empty calories are killing your heart, they can also contribute to weight gain. As we obsess over the taste of our perfectly curated iced coffees, we seem to have lost sight of an important reality: caffeine is not only a stimulant, but extremely addictive. According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, caffeine is the world’s most popular drug. Imagine waking up and saying

you need a swig of liquor to start your day. Most people would recognize this as a warning sign of addiction. It may sound extreme, but saying you need an iced coffee to function has become completely normalized and overlooked, even though withdrawal can cause some nasty side effects. If you quit caffeine cold turkey, withdrawal can manifest in the form of headaches, irritability and extreme fatigue. Although you may think having one or two buttery pecan breve coffees a day may seem harmless, they can contribute to ongoing caffeine dependence. Eventually, drinking these iced coffees like water can feel less of a choice and more of a necessity throughout your day. It does not help that every other post on our social media is glorifying this habit. Influencers tell you to run to Target to buy the newest cookie dough coffee creamer, praising it like “the best thing since sliced bread!” Other businesses claim their brown sugar macchiato recipe, that includes cream paired with sugary syrups and more cream frothed on top, will “change your life.” According to legend, coffee was

discovered by an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi, who noticed his goats were restless after eating coffee berries. His knowledge spread rapidly across continents, where people began brewing the coffee berries merely because they needed the fuel. Centuries later, this simple pursuit of energy has evolved into an elaborate competition over who can create a better coffee recipe. As all of these additives overshadow our morning cups of brew, we are forced to ask

ourselves a simple question: are we even drinking coffee anymore? The next time you see an influencer insisting you run to your local Starbucks and try the newest limited-edition vanilla birthday cake latte with extra sprinkles on top, save the post for a rainy day and just enjoy a regular cup of joe. Your body will thank you in the long run.

COFFEE HAS BECOME A NORMALIZED ADDICTION, SPURRED BY INFLUENCERS' SUGARY DRINKS. GRAPHIC LOLA MCCARTHY @LAU.MCC

Concordia does not care about its disabled students Is the university really ready to support its students and faculty? Jaiden Gales

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@jaidennne

s a human relations student at Concordia University, I have had a plethora of opportunities to examine my own privileges. One of the biggest privileges I have—and anyone can have—is an able body. But Concordia seems to forget that many of its students and faculty don’t have this privilege. In fact, they seem more than content to push aside those who need a little extra support. Students and faculty alike face academic hurdles when seeking accommodations for non-visible disabilities and physical obstacles like missing mobility ramps and elevators. As of 2025, 5071 students are registered with the Access Office for Students with Disabilities (ACSD). That is roughly 10 per cent of the student body, not a small amount at all. These disabilities range from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to mobility, hearing, vision and more. While the ACSD provides in-class accommodations, campus building accessibility is out

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of their control. Last semester, during an experiential learning exercise designed to identify limitations for physically disabled students in a given environment, my classmates and I found 18 barriers for disabled students accessing classrooms or bathrooms in a single hallway in the Central (CC) Building on Loyola campus. Elevators, escalators and wheelchair lifts are frequently out of order. Many club annexes and older spaces lack proper retrofitting, and numerous interior doors lack automatic push-buttons. Those that do have buttons are often non-functional. While campus maps do state which buildings are accessible, critical layout details, like the exact placement of accessible doors, ramps and functional elevators, are often missing from standard campus maps. You begin to ask yourself: Are they trying to make it as hard as possible?

VOLUME 47 • OCTOBER 6, 2026

The facilities department at Concordia claims to enhance accessible and inclusive facilities on campus. But the lifts and elevators that have been out of order for longer than is acceptable say otherwise. One user on the Concordia Reddit page shared that they submitted a ticket identifying an issue and received an email weeks later saying it was fixed. Still, when they checked, nothing had actually been done. This is not even to mention the lack of elevators at the Guy-Concordia metro station, despite it being one of the busiest stations in the city. While not explicitly in the university’s control, this is a serious barrier to physically disabled students and faculty when planning their commute to school. The Société de transport de Montréal (STM) claims to prioritize the addition of elevators near schools, yet Concordia seems to have been forgotten. Why hasn’t the university taken it upon itself to advocate for its stu-

dents with the STM by demanding they implement accessibility measures in the metro? Having safe and reliable transport to school should not be at the bottom of its list of priorities. Disability is not a small problem affecting few people that we can simply ignore out of existence. Disability can happen to anyone in the blink of an eye, and Concordia has proven that it cannot—or will not— do what needs to be done for its students. Instead of fixing elevators and broken lifts and enhancing services that help vulnerable Concordians complete their education more easily, Concordia University has shown time and again that it thinks the best allocation of its funds is to give Graham Carr another raise.

CONCORDIA CONSISTENTLY FAILS ITS STUDENTS WHO ARE DISABLED, CAUSING FRUSTRATION AMONGST STUDENTS AND FACULTY. GRAPHIC JAMES ISSA @PIP.NIHIL

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EDITORIAL EDITORIAL EDITORIAL EDITORIAL EDITORIAL EDITORIAL EDITORIAL EDITORIAL OPINIONS SPORTS FRINGE EDITORIAL ARTS NEWS

PHOTO NICOLAS TREMBLAY @NICOLAS.TREMBLAY.JOURNALISME

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Three years of genocide, decades of occupation

t has only taken three years. Since Oct. 7, 2023, 73,470 Palestinians have been killed, including 21,283 children, and this only accounts for the official numbers. 80 per cent of the infrastructure in the Gaza Strip has been destroyed, and thousands of families have been displaced. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 539 journalists have been killed, injured or imprisoned. It has been 78 years since the Nakba—meaning catastrophe in Arabic— which led to the forced displacement of over 700,000 Palestinians from their homes in the conflict that eventually formed the State of Israel. Since then, over 134,000 Palestinians have been murdered by Israeli forces across multiple wars and massacres. Several international organizations have denounced Israel’s actions. On Sept. 16, 2025, following a twoyear investigation, the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory found that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians. This official recognition is long overdue. The International Court of Justice

Volume 47, Issue 3 Tuesday, October 6, 2026 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

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has issued multiple provisional measures demanding Israeli authorities take action, all of which have fallen on deaf ears. Israel is far from the only silent voice in the conversation surrounding the genocide, though. Canada maintains strong diplomatic and economic relations with Israel, historically rejecting the call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) policies. The Canadian parliament also blocked legislation that would have stopped a loophole where arms sold to the United States can be diverted to Israel. Palestinian families across Canada fear for the safety of relatives in Gaza, with little to no knowledge of their status throughout the genocide. Islamophobic and anti-Semitic hate crimes have both sharply risen over the past three years, with violence being perpetuated against both groups with increasing frequency. Pro-Israel groups use the rise of anti-Semitic hate crimes to justify letting Israel operate with impunity while committing a genocide against the Palestinian people, but ignore the fact that both Jewish and Muslim communities are suffering. Furthermore,

the wording regarding definitions in discourse is often unclear. The Canadian government has adopted a definition that equates anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism, adding to public confusion and discourse on what Zionism and anti-Zionism are—drawing criticism from pro-Palestine Jewish groups. In some statistics on the rise in anti-Semitism, pro-Palestinian sentiment is included, further muddying the waters. Even Zionism changes definitions depending on the speaker. To some, it means that the Jewish people deserve a homeland; to others, it means the state of Israel is operating without consequence. Promoting Israeli violence does not support Jewish communities, and more violence against Palestinians won’t lead to less against Jewish and Muslim Canadians. What will make a change is supporting an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestine. Concordia University is complicit in the genocide as well. In April 2025, the university disclosed its full $454 million investment portfolio, which at the time contained investments in the American investment company

BlackRock. BlackRock holds major investments in Israel and in companies like Lockheed Martin, RTX, Northrop Grumman, Boeing and General Dynamics. When students voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Concordia Student Union adopting two pro-BDS motions, university president Graham Carr denounced the decision. Carr’s remarks turned the blame on students for simply exercising their right to vote. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Montreal has remained a hub for pro-Palestinian activism. The city is home to a significant and active Palestinian population and houses the largest Arab population in Canada. In August, the Montreal city council passed a motion in solidarity with the Palestinian people, though it avoided severing institutional ties with Israel. Protests across the city mobilized in support of the Palestinian people, despite harassment and brutalization from law enforcement. Demonstrations called for the enforcement of BDS policies, and the student encampment in protest at McGill University became the longest-running in Canada, lasting from April 27 to July 10, 2024.

The Link is published 12 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 deadine 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 2026- 2027: Voting Members: Iness Rifay, Matthew Daldalian, Geneviève Sylvestre| Non-Voting Members: Dana Hachwa, Safa Hachi, Payton Mitchell, Samuel Kayll. TYPESETTING by The Link PRINTING by Hebdo-Litho. CONTRIBUTORS: Nathalie Bucur, Dilan Kiki, Rahul Balasundaram, Sebastian Moronell, James Bossinakis, Noah Lakatosh, Aylee Ahmadzadeh, Sean McMechan, Jade-S. Vachon-Côté, Célina Bourdon, Kassidy Belle Jacobs, Lea Joy Sabbaghian, Eric Klempan, Callista Mille, Anthony Napoli, Gabriel Brothers, Sehra Maloney, Margaux Thomas, Racha Rais, Harrison Campbell, Justin Lakatosh, Mira De Koven, Lola McCarthy, James Issa, Jinseok Moon COVER: Jinseok Moon, Nicolas Tremblay, Naya Hachwa HOUSE ADS: Halle Keays CORRECTIONS FOR VOLUME 47, ISSUE 1: On p. 4 in the article "Combining the worlds of visual art and theatre," Caroline Boivin was credited as a producer on the song "Tika Tika Tak." This is incorrect, Boivin helped produce the song "Futur Zéro." The Link regrets this error. CORRECTIONS FOR VOLUME 47, ISSUE 2: On p. 4 in the article "No CTRL over AI," Alice Ross was identified as a design student. This is incorrect; they are a student in Concordiaʼs fibres and material practices program. Additionally, on p. 5 in the article "Young Montreal job seekers struggle to get responses," Jacqueline Bienvenue's name was spelled incorrectly. The Link regrets these errors.

On Oct. 7 and Oct. 10, protests will be held in Montreal in solidarity with the struggle that Palestinians still face after decades of occupation by Israel. The Link not only stands with the protesters and their right to protest, but believes it is our collective responsibility to show up for those who cannot. The Canadian Palestinian Foundation of Quebec is an organization based in Montreal that “aims to provide urgent emergency humanitarian funds to support with food and medical care for displaced children in Gaza.” If giving funds is not a form of support accessible to you, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East is an organization that helps citizens stay informed about public advocacy campaigns and local events. Both new and seasoned reporters can learn how to cover Palestinian stories appropriately through our toolkit. As journalists, it is important to challenge the systemic biases legacy media holds over this issue. The most powerful thing you can do as an individual is have conversations about the ongoing genocide. Silence makes you complicit. You can always speak. You should always speak.

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Creative Director Co-News Editors Fringe Arts Editor Sports Editor Opinions Editor Photo Editor Video Editor Graphics Editor Copy Editor Business Manager

SAMUEL KAYLL CLAUDIA BEAUDOIN NAYA HACHWA SEAN RICHARD KARA BRULOTTE RYAN PYKE COLIN VAN DEN AMEELE JAIDEN GALES NICOLAS TREMBLAY SORAYA YALE-RAMANATHAN HALLE KEAYS CHANTAL BELLEFEUILLE PAYTON MITCHELL

OCTOBER 6, 2026 • VOLUME 47

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