Exploring BC Monuments

VOL. 183 ISSUE 3 MAY 25, 2026

NEWS

OPINIONS

FEATURES

HUMOUR

Canvas Cloud access restored

SFU needs better cybersecurity

Compassion and wisdom of Vesak

Stephen Harper needs a baddie

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Volume 183, Issue 3 Celebrating Michelle’s birthday since 1965

THE PEAK PUBLICATIONS SOCIETY

NEWS

Cyberhackers temporarily infiltrate Instructure

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Zainab Salam eic@the-peak.ca

PROMOTIONS MANAGER Juliana Manalo promotions@the-peak.ca

COPY EDITOR Michelle Young copy@the-peak.ca

PRODUCTION & DESIGN EDITOR Mary Gigiberia production@the-peak.ca

FACT CHECKER Sasha Rubick factchecker@the-peak.ca

ASSISTANT PRODUCTION EDITORS Abbey Perley and Minh Duc Ngo

NEWS EDITOR Noeka Nimmervoll news@the-peak.ca NEWS WRITERS Niveja Assalaarachchi and Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik OPINIONS EDITOR Corbett Gildersleve opinions@the-peak.ca FEATURES EDITOR Petra Chase features@the-peak.ca

OPINIONS

BC student aid doesn’t cover the cost of living

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PHOTO EDITOR Gudrun Wai-Gunnarsson photos@the-peak.ca PROJECT ASSISTANT Corbett Gildersleve projectassistant@the-peak.ca BUSINESS MANAGER Yuri Zhou business@the-peak.ca (778) 782-3598 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kalika Bhardwaj, Gurnoor Jhajj, Juliana Manalo, Riley Williams, and Yuri Zhou

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Phone Min Thant arts@the-peak.ca

DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik

HUMOUR EDITOR Mason Mattu humour@the-peak.ca

CONTRIBUTORS Aiden Krysciak, Jackie Peng, and Jen Westling

STAFF WRITERS Maya Barillas Mohan, Marie Jen Galilo, Tomos Land, and Jonah Lazar

PEAK ASSOCIATES Angelina Tran, Cli! Ebora, and Victoria Lo

WEB MANAGER Audrey Safikhani web@the-peak.ca

COVER ARTWORK Maya Barillas Mohan

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ARTS & CULTURE

Exploring romance through war, peace, and politics in Lebanon

05

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The Peak is SFU's weekly student newspaper published every Monday, by students, for students. We’re funded by a student levy and governed by a Board of Directors. Any SFU student can apply to become staff.

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FEATURES

Lessons from the Buddha during Vesak

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TERRITORIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We acknowledge that The Peak’s office is located and our paper is produced, distributed, and read on the Unceded Coast Salish Territories of the xwməθkwəy̓ əm (Musqueam), səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil̓ ̓ (Kwantlen), qicəy ̓ ̓ ̓ Waututh), kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), qʼʷa:nƛʼən (Katzie), Semiahmoo, and Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Peoples.

Unceded means that this land was never surrendered, relinquished, or handed over in any way. We recognize that the unceded land that we occupy includes not only the SFU Burnaby campus, but extends to the land occupied by the Vancouver and Surrey campuses as well.

Contribute to The Peak !

HUMOUR

Radical communists are occupying SFU

10

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NEWS

May 25, 2026

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NEWS

Vancouver Whitecaps in danger of franchise relocation

Community concerned over implications this may have on the local economy JO NAH LAZAR · STAF F W RI TE R

After over half a century playing in Vancouver, Major League Soccer (MLS) club the Vancouver Whitecaps may be relocated, as potential buyers of the club look towards Las Vegas as a new home for the franchise.

Following the Whitecaps being put on sale in December 2024, a potential buyer of the club has been considering relocating elsewhere to increase revenue. Earlier this month, an American investment group led by billionaire Grant Gustavson formally submitted a bid to purchase the club, with the stated goal of relocating the Whitecaps to Las Vegas.

While this potential relocation unfolds, the community has been rallying to keep the team in Vancouver. The Save The Caps movement was founded by the Vancouver Southsiders as an effort to get fans involved in the battle. This movement has garnered support from not just fans of the team, but also businesses reliant on the traffic that the Whitecaps games bring downtown.

Kevin Kerr, director of events for the Vancouver Southsiders, told The Peak, “This is bigger than just a team leaving.” He added that some “downtown businesses basically survive on Whitecaps games [ . . . ] So they lose that revenue, their businesses might not be viable.” Over 400 businesses have called on the province to seek solutions to keep the team in Vancouver, following a canvassing campaign conducted by the Save The Caps movement.

ILLUSTRATION: CLIFF EBORA / THE PEAK

The driving force behind this possible relocation is due to the Whitecaps’ stadium revenue. The club currently plays at BC Place, which they lease from PavCo, a corporation of the provincial government. Their current lease with BC Place is not sustainable, according to MLS commissioner Don Garber, because of the division of revenue between the provincial government and the club.

[Some] downtown businesses basically survive on Whitecaps games [ . . . ] So they lose that revenue, their businesses might not be viable.

K EV I N K E R R D I R E CTO R O F EV E N TS FO R T H E VAN COUVER SOU TH SIDERS

While other MLS clubs are able to sell naming rights of their stadium, advertising rights within their stadium, collect ticket fares, and sell food and beverages, the Vancouver-based club has a contract that requires them to fork over a large amount of the revenue generated from BC Place to the provincial government. The Whitecaps receive just 20% of the food and beverage sales from their matchdays, which is “less than any other team in Major League Soccer,” according to Daily Hive.

Garber also cited scheduling conflicts with BC Place’s other events, such as concerts and BC Lions games as an additional reason for the stadium situation being unsustainable.

Sportsnet reported that the Whitecaps were forced to play away from home in the playoffs last year due to BC Place having already booked a motocross event, due to the stadium’s lack of scheduling flexibility.

While the future of the Whitecaps may be up in arms, support for the team is unwavering. “Everyone pretty much wants the team to stay,” said Kerr, “I haven’t met someone that goes to a game that isn’t trying [to get the team to stay to] some effort.”

Furthermore, Garber, mayor Ken Sim, and premier David Eby are in continuous conversation about the “the future of the Vancouver Whitecaps,” according to a statement MLS made to The Province, following Eby expressing a committment to keep the Whitecaps in Vancouver.

This could be the second time that Vancouver loses a major sports team franchise to relocation, following NBA team The Vancouver Grizzlies relocation to Memphis, Tennessee, in 2001.

NEWS

Restored access to SFU Canvas following security breach SFU students and staff lost access to Canvas temporarily MA R IE JEN GALI LO · STAF F W RI TE R

On May 7, 2026, a security breach on Canvas Cloud prompted Instructure, the parent company of Canvas, to shut down the learning platform. The breach of Canvas Cloud affected the nearly 9,000 institutions that use Canvas Cloud as a learning platform, including SFU and UBC. According to a previous statement by SFU media relations, SFU made the decision to transfer to Canvas Cloud in January 2026 because it offers “more stability and new features than on-premise systems,” which SFU was using prior to Canvas Cloud.

Instructure first “detected unauthorized activity” on April 29, which prompted the company to investigate. SFU students and staff were first informed of the security breach via email on May 6. The Peak reached out to SFU media relations for a statement, and was referred to SFU’s regularly updated SFU Alerts page.

On May 7, a second breach of the Canvas page led Instructure to put Canvas on maintenance mode. According to Instructure, “no additional data was accessed or exfiltrated in this second attack.” Both attacks were carried out using Instructure’s FreeFor-Teacher accounts, which have since been disabled.

On Monday, May 11, the first day of the 2026 summer semester, SFU restricted access to Canvas Cloud, and stated that the restriction was necessary to protect the “information and intellectual property” of students and staff.

SFU Alerts provided resources to support students following the breach, including tips on how to avoid phishing attempts.

Students requiring accommodations were advised to reach out to the Centre for Accessible Learning. Students were also directed to find support networks in Health & Counselling

Services, the Multifaith Centre, and 24/7 health support on the MySSP app.

The Peak reached out to SFU’s Graduate Student Society (GSS), and spoke with the director of external relations, Kody Sider, on May 13. “Our main concern [was] for vulnerable populations, especially international students,” he said. “If that data becomes publicly available, like things they’ve said in direct messages or assignments they’ve done that might [not be] seen as proper in their home country and might cause reprisals or damage at home,” added Sider.

Another concern was how research will be affected by the breach. According to Sider, if graduate students are “researching vulnerable populations or have confidential information that was stored on Canvas and it gets released publicly, that could be damaging to research participants and also could put students’ research in jeopardy.” The Peak also reached out to the Simon Fraser Student Society for a statement, but did not receive a response by the publication deadline.

According to multiple news sources, Instructure paid a ransom fee to the offending party, ShinyHunters, on May 11.

As reported by Inside Higher Ed, the company shared they received proof of data destruction, indicating that no Canvas data will be made public.

On May 15, the SFU Alerts page shared an incident fact sheet from Instructure, who shared that cyberhackers obtained the “usernames, email addresses, course names, enrollment information and messages” of staff and students in the first breach. However, Instructure shared that “none of the data fields we understand to be impacted are intended to include information like passwords, dates of birth, healthcare information, social security numbers, financial information,

ILLUSTRATION: VICTORIA LO / THE PEAK

student grades or disciplinary records.” The second breach did not take any data.

As of Tuesday, May 19, Canvas was fully operational, although the SFU Alerts page warned that students should “stay aware and alert for phishing scams” following the security breach.

Following the return of classes on Canvas, it will not be necessary for students to change their passwords to log in to the platform. Students will also be given until Monday, May 25 to drop courses as they finalize their course schedules for the 2026 summer term.

For the latest updates on the situation, check ServiceHub and the SFU Alerts page.

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Opinions Editor Corbett Gildersleve · opinions@the-peak.ca

OPINIONS

OPINIONS

Using Canvas means we have 9,000 eggs in one basket Post-secondary institutions need to collaborate to make their own software CO R B ET T GI LDERSLEVE · O PI NI O NS E D I TO R

It’s been an interesting few weeks since SFU announced that there was a cyber-related incident affecting Canvas Cloud on May 5. An estimated 9,000, some during their exam period.

ShinyHunters claimed they had information from 275 million accounts. With all these university customers concentrating on Instructure’s software service makes it a juicy target for hacker groups like ShinyHunters. This is why Canadian universities need to work together to develop and host their own software solutions instead of relying on the same third-party companies.

On May 9, SFU had alerted us that Instructure — the company that develops and runs Canvas — told them that the system breach included students name, ID number, email addresses, and messages sent on Canvas. SFU decided to restrict the use of Canvas Cloud to everyone on May 11 and gave instructors time to download their course materials. However, after Instructure made a deal with the hackers, ShinyHunters, which included them destroying the information they obtained, SFU changed its course and reinstated Canvas Cloud access on May 19.

Universities in Canada are not under one Federal Privacy Act, instead they follow provincial laws. These acts include BC’s Freedom of Information and Privacy Act (FIPPA) and Alberta’s Protection of Privacy Act (POPA). Private companies must follow the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) or a provincial equivalent like BC’s Personal Information Privacy Act (PIPA). So any company that universities contract services to or use their software tools should follow these laws. However, what if those companies exist outside of Canada? Instructure has offices in the US, England, and the

ILLUSTRATION: ANGELINA TRAN / THE PEAK

Philippines. That’s three different legal jurisdictions that your data might be transferred to and stored in.

SFU should work with other Canadian universities to develop their own software and infrastructure solutions.

Upper Harbour maps software tools to their legal justification and if they’re exposed to the US CLOUD Act. This act compels US-based companies through a warrant or subpoena to turn over data stored on servers regardless of their location.

According to the mapping, Canvas is exposed to it, as is Slack, Zoom, Discord, Turnitin, and a whole host of other software that students regularly use. Additionally, Upper Harbour constructed a provincial data sovereignty exposure index by

looking at their privacy legislation and found that only Québec had strong laws with BC and Alberta coming in next.

SFU should work with other Canadian post-secondary institutions to develop their own software and infrastructure solutions. They can collaborate on the privacy requirements they all need to follow, share the knowledge, skills, and costs, through their different IT and web departments. Larger institutions like the University of Toronto could lead the project as they have more resources than smaller colleges and universities. They have servers, networks, and other existing infrastructure that just needs to be connected for this purpose.

Our private information should only be accessible to organizations that aren’t exposed to other countries’ privacy laws, as we don’t elect their lawmakers and can’t hold them accountable. It wouldn’t be useful for every university to have their own individual Canvas-like software or email system, as that would waste a lot of money by more-or-less creating multiple email or course delivery software. Cyber security is challenging but 109 Canadian universities would be a smaller target compared with the 9,000-ish currently affected, and our personal data wouldn’t be automatically shared with the US government through a warrant or subpoena.

OPINIONS

StudentAid BC should match cost of living A one-size-fits-all amount doesn’t work

CO R B ET T GI LDERS LEVE · O P I NI O NS E D I TO R

Many university students get student loans to help pay for their education and living expenses. According to StudentAid BC, monthly living allowance covers shelter, food, local transportation, and miscellaneous expenses. This amount is set by what the federal government considers a “moderate” standard of living, though it’s unclear how this is estimated.

There are multiple categories based on whether you’re a single student living at or away from home, if you’re married, and/or have children, each with their own allowances. If you’re living away from home in BC, the monthly allowance is $2,423.

However, this number might not be what you receive. There are multiple factors that can affect this amount including your program’s length and your finances. In some cases, your parents might be expected to contribute financially. After doing the math, many students can’t live off this.

BC’s cost of living varies from place to place, but on average, the monthly cost for a single person ranges from $3,300–$3,800, according to Statistics Canada. In 2025, the Burnaby Beacon reported that Burnaby’s average rent for a one-bedroom apartment was as high as $2,366. This leaves you with $57 for all your other expenses, going off of student aid’s aforementioned monthly allowance. There is a clear disconnect between what StudentAid BC asserts to be sufficient and the reality of the cost.

As a student, you don’t get a discount on living costs. You don’t get 10% off on rent because you’re enrolled at SFU. You

PHOTO: VITALY GARIEV / UNSPLASH

have to compete for that one bedroom apartment against a bunch of people with more competitive applications; such as working professionals, and/or a married couple.

As a student, you don’t get a discount on living costs. You don’t get 10% off on rent because you’re enrolled at SFU. Let’s look at SFU. If you’re a new student moved in this summer into a Burnaby campus residence, your average monthly costs are less compared to the market, but you have fewer choices as well. If you’re selected for the Towers (North, West/East), or Courtyard Residence, then you’re required to pay for the meal plan. Adding up the housing and meal plan fee, the cost ranges from $1,771–$2,007 a month. That would leave between $416–$652 a month for transportation, clothing, entertainment, and eating the odd meal outside the dining hall.

While it’s not possible for a single student living away from home to live off of the maximum monthly allowance given by BC student aid alone, it still doesn’t account for additional expenses. This would include the pink tax where buying common items are more expensive when targeted towards women (e.g. razors, hair cuts, deodorant) or additional living costs for international students (e.g. GuardMe and MSP). It also doesn’t give enough of a buffer for emergency situations.

If you have to work and take out a student loan, then you have less time to study, to meet with friends, volunteer in a club, or do all the other opportunities that come with being a student. This can negatively impact what social connections you’d make and perhaps mess with the development of new skills which can affect your graduate and/or job applications.

The BC and federal governments should not have student aid based on some averaged set of costs but instead based on the local cost of living. It should also take into account other social factors like race and gender to counter issues like the pink tax and inequitable costs. This just further stacks the deck against students by requiring them to work more, take on more debt, and in the end, have less employment opportunities. The government needs to think more about equity instead of base equality.

ARTS & CULTURE

May 25, 2026

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ARTS & CULTURE

War and peace through the lens of young adults in love A Sad and Beautiful World beautifully articulates the politics of Lebanon NIVE JA ASSALAARAC H C H I · NE WS W RI TE R

On May 1, the Centre for Comparative Muslim Studies, Beirut Film Society and Lebanon Cinema Days Canada premiered the film A Sad and Beautiful World (‫ )جنوم األمل واأللم‬by the awardwinning Lebanese director Cyril Aris at SFU Harbour Centre.

The film, set in Lebanon, tells the love story of Nino and Yasmina as they grapple with the Lebanese civil war (1975– 1990), caused by a combination of sectarian divides between Lebanon’s major religious groups and spillover impacts from the violence between Palestinian liberation groups and Israel.

Though I was not able to attend the premiere at the time, I managed to watch the film and wanted to highlight my re!ections. Throughout the film, the couple struggled to deal with the realities they were experiencing. The duo, who first met in childhood, are reunited later in life as the country falls into sectarian violence. This is coupled with their personal circumstances, such as their evolving personal goals and professional careers. All of this makes Nino and Yasmina wonder whether they would want to continue with their relationship and if they want to raise a family considering their unique and difficult circumstances — circumstances very out of their control.

IMAGE: COURTESY OF REYNARD FILMS, ABBOUT PRODUCTIONS, DIVERSITY HIRE, SUNNYLAND FILM, THE RED SEA FUND, AND GIANT LEAP MEDIA

Aris did an excellent portrayal of the innocence of young love and the impacts of the harsh sociopolitical realities of their context. This is all the more painfully re!ected outside the screen today as armed con!ict, ranging from the genocide in Gaza to the war on Iran to continued civil strife in Myanmar, continue to negatively impact countless families — and young

The film did an excellent portrayal of the innocence of young love and the impacts of the harsh sociopolitical realities of the regions they happen to be in.

adults like Nino and Yasmina — around the world. The plot development shows resilience, through how the couple first met in their youth and distanced themselves from each other, yet came back time and again.

One of my favourite scenes in the film, which is portrayed in the trailer as well, is when Nino and Yasmina are innocently running through the streets of Beirut and are stumbling over cars. They then proceed to get yelled at by one of the drivers of one of the vehicles. They make a sprint to a tunnel, where they manage to escape the wrath of the angry man.

The scene is full of music traditional to Lebanon and thus makes it a rich, cultural depiction of the culture that the film is set in, despite the turmoils of the socio-political backdrop.

This scene is a re!ection of the whole movie as it portrays a myriad of emotions of love that co-exist within the realm of war and peace. I believe that it is this combination of an overlying tension between love and society, the drama of two young adults attempting to balance the realities of life and romance, and the film’s overarching commentary on politics in West Asia is what makes A Sad and Beautiful World certainly worth watching.

Need to Know, Need to Go Events for an active summertime J E N W E STL I NG · S F U ST U D E N T

Open level ballet class

Ryan’s forest walks

Mini golf and train

UBC Life Building, Room 26 Every Monday, 5:00 p.m.–6:30 p.m. (May 11– August 24) Drop-in, $5 cash or card at door

Various locations throughout Vancouver Various events run throughout the summer Register at www.ryanforestwalks.ca, free (unless otherwise stated)

Bear Creek Park, Surrey April–May: Wednesdays–Sundays, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

June–August: Every day, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. $7 plus tax per person, or $10 mini golf and train combo

Five, six, seven, eight! UBC’s Ballet Club is hosting weekly ballet classes every Monday this summer, running from May 11 to August 24. Each class is tailored to match the experience of attendees with di$erent instructors leading throughout the season.

Whether you are trying ballet for the first time or already familiar, at only $5 per class, this is a fun and a$ordable activity to enjoy with friends.

While no registration is required, I would recommend arriving early as class sizes are capped at 25 people. Bring your ballet shoes (or a pair of socks) and be ready to plié!

If dancing is not your forte, check out the local Forest Walk tours hosted by Ryan Regier! A forest educator, research librarian, and member of the Nature Vancouver Botany Committee, Regier has multiple walking tours coming up in May and June on their website (all of which are free!) with more to come. Just as a note, these are not your basic run of the mill forest walks — get ready to wander, ask questions, and learn about the world around you on these high-energy tours. Upcoming events in May include a Forest History Walk of the Pacific Spirit Regional Park and Coyote Night at Jericho Beach Park.

Enjoy an 18-hole mini golf course at Bear Creek Park in Surrey for $7 per person, or a $10 combo ticket which includes a ride on the park’s train. The course takes around 30–45 minutes to complete, depending on the group size, featuring unique obstacles and challenges at every hole. If the greens aren’t for you, you can still enjoy a walk around the gardens, visit the outdoor pool, or ride the train around the park. There’s even a challenge at the end of the course: hit a hole-in-one on the final hole, and you’ll receive a certificate to play again for free!

PHOTO: RAGHAV KHERA / PEXELS

FEATURES · 06

Buddhists celebrate the teachings of Vesak 2,570 years on The commemoration brings Buddhists of all sects together to remember the core tenants of the faith

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF NIVEJA ASSALAARACHCHI, CHRIS ROBERT / UNSPLASH (FLAG), AND RATHNA DEEPAYA / UNSPLASH (TEMPLE)

FEATURES · 07

N I V EJA AS S AL AARAC H CH I · NEWS W R ITER Vesak is a religious celebration that marks the birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana (passing away) of Siddhartha Gautama, the Lord Buddha. The day is regarded as the most important religious day of the year for the nearly 506 million Buddhists around the world.

As a Buddhist myself, I regard the date as not only an important reflection of my faith, but an important point of cultural expression as many different cultures who have adopted Buddhism express this day differently.

Though generally held on the first full moon day of May — the interpretation of the date changes depending on the country or sect.

In Myanmar, Vesak was celebrated on April 30 this year and in Sri Lanka, where I’m from, it will be celebrated on May 30.

Though I left Sri Lanka when I was young, I still remember some of the major traditions of the holiday. In Sri Lanka, Vesak is celebrated as a Poya (වෙ�ොවෙ�ොය) day, which is a monthly Buddhist holiday held every full moon. Poyas mark important events in the history of the Buddha, and Buddhism in Sri Lanka, with notable Poyas including Poson Poya (වෙ�ොවෙසැොන් වෙ�ොවෙ�ොය — commemorating the arrival of Buddhism to the land of Sri Lanka) and Esala Poya ( ඇසැළ වෙ�ොවෙ�ොය — commemorating Lord Buddha’s first Dharma sermon). In Buddhism, Dharma refers to the nature of the universe.

Vesak is the most important Poya and the whole country rejoices to celebrate the occasion. Street stands known as Dansal (දන්සැල්) are held on Poya days like Vesak. While a difficult concept to translate into English, Dansal is generally when a type of food or dish (or other good) is freely given to others as an act of faith. The Thorana (වෙ�ොරණ), a type of decorated gateway, is often constructed en-masse and depicts certain scenes in the life of the Lord Buddha. One of my core memories is making Vesak lanterns with my family during the time of Vesak Poya. Vesak lanterns, or kudu (කූඩු), are made from paper with a lit candle in the middle to represent the illuminating nature of the teachings of the Buddha.

Speaking of those teachings, it is this that truly ties Vesak together with all Buddhists around the world. On this day, Buddhists remember the core messages of the faith and the Buddha’s life journey. I spoke to Reverend Dr. Ernest Ng, Buddhist chaplain at the SFU Multifaith Centre.

“The core message from the Vesak is also what the Buddha taught us in terms of compassion and wisdom. Compassion, meaning understanding the commonality — the link that is tied in each one of us, all sentient beings, even of all different kinds of existence in the world — that we all have resistance or refrain from suffering and we all pursue happiness,” he said. “Suffering not in a pessimistic sense, but suffering in a sense that we need to understand the predicaments, the challenges that we have in the world.”

Ng highlighted one of Buddhism’s primary teachings, the Four Noble Truths, which explains why suffering happens in this life. The truths are Dukkha — suffering exists in life, Samudaya — craving and attachments causes suffering, Nirodha — suffering can be stopped, and Magga — following the path of the Buddha and his eightfolded path, we can gain enlightenment and escape the suffering of this life.

These are teachings that are essential to remember on Vesak and in practicing Buddhism in general.

Ng said that during Vesak Poya, Buddhists try to “learn and also to connect with our community and each other and support each other.

So, it’s a good occasion to pay respect but also at the same time, good occasions to connect with our community, to rejoin together.”

For the purposes of this article, I also reached out to my local Buddhist temple, the Buddhist Vihara Society of BC, and connected with a monk who serves there. Venerable Dr. Mirisse Dhammika Thero is a Buddhist monk who is also currently serving as the chief incumbent of the Siri Sudassanarama Senasuna temple in Sri Lanka from abroad.

He is also an SFU alum, gaining a PhD in education. He noted that his research focused on the “secular teachings in the Buddha’s past” in regards to “getting rid of stress and practicing mindfulness,” which are core tenets of the faith.

Dhammika Thero said that Buddhism highlights mindfulness (Sathi) and also further emphasizes the impermanence of this world. “That there is no permanent entity of self,” he explained, and we must train our mind to practice compassion and altruism “without asking for any kind of worldly feelings or sensations.” He continued, “Nothing is permanent, including our thoughts, even this physical body.

“Therefore, when you accomplish your goals, when you come to fulfill your dreams, be honest, be humble, and then give your helping hands to each other in whatever way.” He emphasized that on Vesak — and to follow the Buddhist teachings in general — it is key to give Dana — generosity, Sila — morality, and to do Bhavana — meditate.

Dhammika Thero pointed out that “when we celebrate Vesak, there may be some differences because of culture and tradition [ . . . ] But we are coming to the same one point, that is Nibbana.” Nibbana (also known as Nirvana) is the ultimate goal of all Buddhists, to escape the cycle of rebirth and worldly suffering. As Dhammika Thero put it, it is the “eradication of all kinds of defilement.”

Ng said that “it’s a very significant day for the Buddhist community, celebrating our teacher, the Siddhartha Buddha. It also signifies, of course, his compassion and wisdom that guided us over 2,500 years ago.”

The complexities of Buddhism and its teachings go far beyond Vesak Poya. When I finished speaking with Dhammika Thero, the monks at the temple gave me the book What the Buddha Taught written by the famous Sri Lankan monk Venerable Dr. Walpola Rahula Thero.

The monks pointed out that the book provided a dense yet simple explanation of what Buddhism is and its teachings. It is perfect for anyone who wants to deepen their understanding and learn about Buddhism on a more profound level.

Ng pointed to resources on campus for those interested in engaging with Buddhism. He said that the Multifaith Centre hosts monthly Cha’an and Chat Sessions both in-person at the centre and online. ඔබ සැ​ැමට පින්බර වෙ�සැක් පුන් වෙ�ොවෙ�ෝ දිනයක් වෙ��ො! That’s Sinhala for, “May you all have a blessed Vesak Full Moon Poya day!”

Connect with the SFU Multifaith Centre for their monthly meditation sessions held on a Saturday, primarily during the fall and spring semesters.

Connect with the Buddhist Vihara Society for their weekly meditation sessions on Sundays and their monthly Dhamma sermons held every Poya day.

“When we celebrate Vesak, there may be some differences because of culture and tradition . . . But we are coming to the same one point, that is Nibbana.”

V E N . M I R I SSE D H AMMIKA TH E R O · SR I L ANKAN B UD D H I S T MO NK, SFU ALUMNUS

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Arts & Culture Editor Phone Min Thant · arts@the-peak.ca

ARTS & CULTURE

ARTS & CULTURE

How monuments shape public spaces Dr. Efrat El-Hanany teaches about monuments and public art in this free lecture at Harbour Centre

PHOTO: MAYA BARILLAS MOHAN/ THE PEAK

MAYA BARI LLAS MO H A N · STAF F W RI TE R

SFU’s Harbour Centre campus is not unlike an art gallery; it’s a silent, cool, and dimly lit retreat from the frenzy of West Hastings. It was at Harbour Centre that I attended a free public lecture taught by Dr. Efrat El Hanany, an art history and gender studies professor at Capilano University. She covered landmarks dispersed around the globe. Amsterdam’s “Absorbed by light” is a neat, interactive criticism of smartphone prevalence. Most of the lecture, however, was focused closer to home.

El Hanany urged the audience to touch or caress sturdy, exposed monuments, and even knock on them to see how the brass is hollow. As commemorative structures, many monuments are placed on pedestals to separate the statue from the public (and sometimes, to deter touching), while others are placed much closer to the ground to share space with the viewer. El Hanany used the “Angel of Victory” as an example. The statue is lifted on a pedestal but the public have had a record of marring it with litter from nearby breweries.

El Hanany told the audience that when Steamworks Brewing created a label parodying the statue by replacing the soldier in the angel’s arms with a beer bottle, it was met with considerable backlash, as it was seen as disrespectful due to the memorial’s intention of commemorating those who died in World War I. Though the statue is beautiful to look at, the was monument was commissioned by the Canadian Pacific Railway, who had exploited Chinese migrants and Indigenous land. This tension is fundamental to understanding Canada’s history and is a reminder of who gets to be honoured here.

BC Place has a succession of Terry Fox statues in ascending size rooted right into the asphalt. The first one, representing the beginning of his journey, is life-size. The last commemorates the end of his journey and is nearly twice the

size. I visited this set of statues as a result of attending the lecture and felt everything El Hanany promised I would in its presence: admiration and awe. I gazed at them and reflected on a quote by Andreas Huyssen that was presented at the lecture: “Remembrance is a vital human activity, shaping our links to the past. How we remember defines the present.” I can’t say it’s what Terry Fox wanted for his legacy, but many of my memories of SFU’s AQ courtyard have Fox in the periphery. His non-prosthetic foot is positioned forward at SFU, but El Hanany notes that Vancouver artist Doug Coupland’s version inverts this practice by placing his prosthetic in front instead. This was done to spotlight what is often hidden, and acknowledge the pain Fox endured in his Marathon of Hope.

Coupland faithfully reproduced Terry’s stride, showing off his signature gait. Running with a prosthetic leg can come with its own challenges, such as more core strength for balance, a higher risk of chafing or blisters, and increased risk of injury due to strain.

As advertisements and art compete for attention in our urban environment, I think about the strength contemplation holds.

The last stop on my tour was the Sunset Beach AIDS Memorial. It’s a large, winding iron ribbon engraved with 800 names of lives lost to AIDS. Per El Hanany’s guidance, I put my hand on the oxidized metal. It was made rough from years of salt air and Vancouver rain, but the names remained clean incisions in the material. Some had white carnations or ribbons poked through. El Hanany had explained that the negative space forming each letter reified living with the presence of absence. Sunset Beach, spiky summer grass, and low-rise apartments flank the monument. To view every angle, I stalked up a path trodden into the hill by other visitors. There is a presence of others around this monument in the grass and woven into the monument itself; putting this memorial between the city and the beach drops the heavy feeling of loss right in the middle of an undeniably alive intersection. It’s about tranquility too, El Hanany had said. At about 60 feet long, the monument stirs something a lot larger than the 20 megapixels I tried to capture it with.

One of the most valuable takeaways in El Hanany’s lecture is the lesson to engage with art as a conversation. Art often references art, but it also often references ideas or events the viewer might disagree with. Reading plaques can apply more context and facilitate a meaningful dialogue. In a time of overwhelming advertisement saturation, El Hanany asked the audience if public monuments have lost their power. After the lecture, the answer should surely be no. As advertisements and art compete for attention in our urban environment, I think about the strength contemplation holds. El Hanany had urged listeners to take note of the overlooked by infusing stories of creation into the monuments. Knowing what to look for is one thing, but I understood that knowing how to look is just as important.

HUMOUR

May 25, 2026

Exclusive interview with David Eby The premier promises to say nothing, do nothing, and attract centrist voters

PHOTO: BC NDP / Wikimedia Commons

Kyle Monroe • LEGAL CORRESPONDENT Last month, Premier David Eby stirred up controversy after threatening to suspend parts of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA). He then withdrew his threat. Then, he brought it up again. Then, he backtracked again . . . for now.

think your handling of the DRIPA situation is extremely dangerous? That you’re taking away the right to free, prior, and informed consent for Indigenous Nations?

Concerned citizens and literally anyone concerned about human rights are worried that suspending parts of DRIPA could remove the rights of Indigenous Peoples to consultation and debate about major projects conducted on unceded land.

The Peak: Pardon?

Following his perplexing stunt, the premier announced the BCNDP’s new slogan: say nothing, do nothing, moderate to attract centrist voters. We sat down with the premier to learn more about his plan to regain popularity.

David Eby: Say nothing, do nothing.

David Eby: Say nothing, do nothing. How hard is it for you to understand, Kyle? We love the status quo, for fuck’s sake.

The Peak: OK . . . I’m going to turn gears now to talk about affordability. Some people are criticizing your government for not taxing the province’s ultra-wealthy, reinvesting that revenue in public programmes, and thus offsetting the rising costs of living. Can you explain what your government is doing to offset these hard times for British Columbians?

The Peak: Mr. Premier, why this new slogan? What does this mean for the BCNDP?

David Eby: Look, Kyle. I promise. And look deep into my eyes for this one. I promise. I promise to — say nothing and do nothing.

David Eby: Well, thanks for speaking to me. Well, the idea came while I was watching my daughter’s favourite movie, K-Pop Demon Hunters — is that still relatable to voters?

The Peak: But Mr. Premier . . . how do you expect to defeat the BC Conservatives without offering a bold vision for voters —

The Peak: I guess?

David Eby: Look, Kyle. Those guys suck. To win their voters, I have to take a card from my formidable predecessor, Christy Clark. Say nothing and do nothing.

David Eby: Magnificent. Well, I was sitting there, right? And I thought: what are you doing with your life, Dave? People hate you everywhere you go. If I keep on going down this route, the BCNDP will lose the next election. So I had to do something about it.

At this point in the interview, Eby kicked his feet up on the table and crossed his arms. He adjusted his aviators. He then stormed out of the room.

The Peak: But your new slogan is a little concerning — David Eby: No. It’s underwhelming. It’s safe. And safe is the route we need to go. Our new slogan: say nothing, do nothing, moderate to attract centrist voters shows voters that I don’t want to step on anyone’s feathers anymore. I’ll just . . . do nothing.

With support dwindling for Eby’s government, many progressives are flocking to the BC Green Party for proper representation. “What the fuck is this guy doing?” Rob Botterell, house leader for the BC Greens, asked us. “Well, this one’s a win for the trees, I guess.”

The Peak: Well, surely you can’t do that. Your party is government —

A recent poll conducted by Angus Reid has the BC Conservative Party beating the Eby’s BC New Democratic Party by 10-points. Not sure if his plan is . . . going to plan?

David Eby: Well, I’ve been doing it for years. Now, it’s a public statement. Nothing’s changed. I’m still good old Dave — the tallest dude in the legislature.

The Peak: Gotcha . . . well, what do you say to people who

The premier’s office did not respond to our request for a follow-up on what Valariete said. Instead, we got a YouTube link to “Don’t Worry Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin. Worry Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin.

9

Humour Editor Mason Mattu · humour@the-peak.ca

HUMOUR

A man looking for love

A few candidates for this exemplary man

Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry’s glamorous Coachella fling has captured headlines across the world. It’s also got us at The Peak thinking about how Canada’s other, albeit slightly forgotten, political heartthrob is yet to find that special someone on the red carpet. With ice-cold blue eyes and a passion for austerity, I’m of course talking about Stephen Harper. To address this injustice, I’ve compiled a list of five wonderful partners who could be the rose to Stephen’s thorn and get the ultimate bachelor (but not really, because he’s married. We’ll be sure to sort that out before the knot is tied). Perhaps he can even attend the MET Gala next year . . .

The Hamburglar

Hillary Clinton

Harper’s “tough on crime” policy approach mixed with the Hamburglar’s naughty, thieving personality could give these two lovebirds a dynamic mirrored by Batman and Catwoman . . . a real steamy and saucy love/hate relationship could be on the cards here.

Judge Judy Judge Judy interrupting one of Stephen’s stammering drawls about fiscal policy with an “I’m speaking now, sir” would elicit more of an emotional reaction out of him than the 2008 recession. These two are perfect for each other. It’s giving two Karen’s going after each other in a Karen-off.

While Trudeau might be nabbing the front pages of the tabloids now — and making it onto your FYP on TikTok in scenes of steamy edits — Canada shouldn’t forget about our silver fox waiting in the wings for his turn in the spotlight. Beneath all of the tax breaks for the wealthy and privatization of our nations’ natural resources, Stephen Harper is just a simple guy looking for love, just like the rest of us.

PHOTO: Mason Mat

tu / The Peak

ILLUSTRATION: Jackie Peng / The Peak

10

Hillary Clinton and Stephen Harper would be a true Romeo and Juliet story. Stephen, from Canada, Hillary from the US; the most recent Conservative prime minister and an establishment Democrat. Despite their differences, I could see these two having a romantic stroll by the Rideau Canal, giggling about their shared distrust for Bernie Sanders, and whispering sweet, neoliberal nothings.

Katy Perry Steve never got his revenge for Trudeau absolutely destroying him in the 2015 federal election. He cost him his job, honour, prestige, and ego boost. The ultimate form of payback?

Stealing Trudeau’s gal. To be honest, he’d need a lot of rizz to fulfill this one. Sorry, Harpie Warpie. We backtrack on our recommendation.

Jonah Lazar Staff Writer

Joy Johnson reacts to communist positivity on campus

Letter delivered by: Aiden Krysciak, PR coordinator for president Joy Johnson

The following is a letter from the desk of SFU president Joy Johnson, delivered to The Peak by her majesty’s propaganda ministry — we mean PR team.

Strung out, I was, deep as that very night when the visitation occurred. I stopped and watched in terror as the sky broke open and the light reflecting off the moon and stars were again en. diffused in this miasma which had materialized in the AQ-gre and Soon, foreign and equally terrifying vocalizations filled the air slowly. As I walked closer, pulled by that freakish leash of fate, these vocalizations formed words and “laughter.”

Upon the glacis rested a smoky apparition: some students, surely d from possessed by that communist poison — “marijuana.” I watche the shadows for fear of my life and was, therefore, too far to hear really any of what they were saying. I can only deduce that what must have been spoken was threatening to me, this d noble school, and to Simon Fraser himself, who bravely followe the River Fraser for the glory of the white man. It was surely communistic sentiment expressed by those sinister upward turnings of the mouths and revolting dimpled contortions each youngster wore upon their face. If not that, then full-blown revolutionary conspiracy.

Well I’ll tell you, gentle reader, and I’ll tell you better than you’ve ever been told before. Believe you me that I followed these goddamn hippie agitators in their goddamn realtree hoodies and I saw their goddamn sailor caps and goddamn sneaker shoes — and our of those fucking scoundrel ne’er-do-wells paint upon the walls

re already-compromised-by-communistic-interpretation-architectu s etching These heard. or seen before words that I have never made in chalk on ur concrete walls elicited such nightmarish meanings: “You’ve got this!”; “Stay positive?” Messages that mocked you our school such as: “Concrete?” OF COURSE IT’S CONCRETE absolute — anyways.

I could hardly comprehend the filthy and fucking straight up disgusting “socialization” rituals of this evil-ass sect of Anglont to American culture. It makes me, the provost, and this monume EYES OUR RIP to want ly genuine hers our glorious imperial forefat just I no; but jokin’, fucking were I OUT OF OUR SKULLS. I wish I’d hate my students that much. If academia wasn’t so sensitive, our for e practic target as n childre these have already used all of sesh.

Ping or/LAR simulat battle first annual Simon Fraser on It’s now been three days since I saw these two abominations sit I office. this leave to myself bring campus, and I still cannot drift mind my and away wear pill e here as I feel my last caffein of farther from reality . . . and closer towards lofty thoughts justify to having of misery this heaven. Oh, to be free from the every decision to the lousy press! To no longer have to bear last my be may These n! childre ed malfeasances of these wretch words, and if so, may they empower the few students with some actual gumption to fight this scourge of communism.

DIVERSIONS

May 25, 2026

CROSSWORD

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BY ATUM BECKETT: “SUMMER FRIGHTS”

Across

1. Frightening 6. Unfair inclination 10. “It’s __ __ your mom...”

14. Feature presentation 15. Total !xation 17. Follows advice 18. National bird of 10-down 19. Opponent of the Yanks 21. Spirit served on its own 22. “___ my last email...”

23. League of the Hawks and Bucks 25. Pigs 27. University website suffix 28. Philosopher Comte 30. More, in Sicily

31. Pre!x for sense or binary 32. Reading on a tire 34. Sauna locale 36. “The Neverending Story” author 37. Granola flake 39. Long-legged, long-beaked bird 43. Has soda at the party; abbr.

46. What you might go around on a walk 49. Chit-chat 52. Feds in The Simpsons Movie 54. Super Mario ________

55. Make a mistake 56. Large fellas 58. Indicates a maiden name 59. TV company 60. Taj Mahal locale 61. Austrian Empress Elisabeth’s nickname 63. Storage places, usually 66. West-African neighbour of Togo 69. Like most people trick-ortreating 70. Nonsense; foolish ideas 71. Late summer babies; abbr.

72. Hocked a loogie 73. Irritable

16. Prepares a sting 20. The “S” in LASIK 23. Back of the neck 24. Aloe can sooth it 26. Evil Roman emperor 29. Like cheap furniture 33. Consume 35. Has some health issues 38. “Where art ____?”

40. Ethnic group from Herzegovina 41. Slushy brand 42. Scotland’s Isle of ____ 44. Excludes, legally 45. Hose valves 47. Counterpart to Dreyer’s ice cream

48. How you might recognize someone 49. Animal also known as a jird 50. Mysterious or secret 51. Survivor 50 !nalist Aubry 53. “_ _____ of joggers just passed me!”

57. Radiation that created The Hulk 62. An old woman lived in one 64. “Crabbuckit” rapper 65. Get the second touch in volleyball 67. Brazil or pine 68. Madigan or Adams

Down 1. “I disapprove” over text 2. Olympian/politician Sebastian 3. Found a mean or mode 4. Carnival attraction 5. “I’ll get right on it!”

6. Short hairstyle 7. Investment !nancial institution; abbr.

8. In dream land 9. Author/humourist David 10. See 18-across 11. Sty 12. “Holy” Spanish city 13. Some baseball games are won by this

SUDOKU

LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS

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