The Campus - February 23rd '21

SINCE 1944

FEBRUARY 22, 2021

Vol. 76, No. 8

Student run since 1944

Alumnus “pro fan” on popular podcast | Page 2

Reopenings in time for spring break | Page 8

Tourism as cultural colonialism | Page 5

Student-Athlete Leadership Council | Page 11

Sexual assault: will the university listen? | Page 6

Face to face with Victoria Black | Page 12

Break for the books

Jack Jack, 2019 alumna Photo courtesy of Theresa Graham Design by Jess Lapenna & Hugh Godman

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NEWS

THE CAMPUS FEBRUARY 22, 2021

Cassie MacDonell, News Editor » thecampus.news@gmail.com

THE EDITORS 2020-2021 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF HUGH GODMAN

thecampus.editor@gmail.com

SENIOR COPY EDITOR CASEY HEBERT

thecampus.copyeditor@gmail.com

COPY EDITOR JUSTINE TREMPE thecampus.jce@gmail.com

LAYOUT EDITOR JESS LAPENNA

thecampus.layout@gmail.com

BUSINESS MANAGER JUSTIN BRANT

thecampus.business@gmail.com

NEWS EDITOR CASSIE MACDONELL thecampus.news@gmail.com

OPINIONS EDITOR SAFIA HAFID

thecampus.opinions@gmail.com

FEATURES EDITOR JEREMY AUDET

thecampus.features@gmail.com

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Promising student enrollment numbers for 2021 Despite risks posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Bishop’s fall 2021 new student enrollment numbers thus far are encouraging.

Bishop’s enrollment numbers have steadily risen over the past years. The school experienced a 15.2 per cent increase in new full-time student enrollment from fall 2014 to fall 2015, a 9.4 per cent increase from fall 2015 to fall 2016, and a 3.3 per cent increase from fall 2016 to fall 2017.

It comes as no surprise that at the beginning of the pandemic, the Bishop’s Student Recruitment and Retention Office expressed concerns about fall 2020 admission numbers. Hardly anyone could blame them, as online classes and closed facilities may lead incoming students to defer admission. Other educational institutions suffered losses too, such as universities in New Brunswick who saw full-time first-year undergraduate student enrollment fall by 16.9 per cent.

Dan Seneker, Director of Student Recruitment and Retention, provides insight into 2020 and 2021 student enrollment. He states that Bishop’s 2020 enrollment rates were higher than anticipated and close to overall targets set by the Bishop’s Admissions Office. However, he explains, certain categories of students were far more affected than others.

The fall student exchange program was cancelled, which stopped the arrival of the 100 to 120 incoming exchange students Bishop’s receives every year. An additional 40 per cent of new international graduate students deferred admission to Bishop’s for a future semester as they could not obtain a study permit to enter the country. Despite

Cassie MacDonell News Editor

this, an increased number of students from Quebec accepted offers which helped maintain enrollment numbers.

The loss of international students affected more educational institutions than just Bishop’s. International enrollment in Canada fell 2.1 per cent this year amid coronavirus restrictions, according to the advocacy group Universities Canada, despite a 45 per cent rise over the last five years. According to Statistics Canada, the average tuition fees for undergraduate international students in Quebec are $26,147 per year, which is approximately eight times the average in-province student tuition price of $3,155 per year. The Quebec graduate program costs are similar, with graduate international students paying $17,689 per year and in-province graduate students paying $3,353 per year.

Due to the absence of some international students, many Canadian schools have noticed the financial impact.

Seneker explains that, based on applications for fall 2021, the number of new student applicants at this point in time is greater than last year’s number. This serves as a promising sign, as the beginning of the pandemic was yet to commence a year previously. Even so, panic has started to set in for the Bishop’s recruitment team as many Canadian higher education institutions are behind last year’s numbers, some as much as 30 per cent. I think that many institutions will take significant hits to their fall 2021 enrollments, but hopefully, Bishop’s is not one of them. *

Alumnus featured on popular Barstool Sports podcast

The Bishop’s community was excited on Feb. 17 BRIDGET BOUCHER when they heard Cameron thecampus.ac@gmail.com “Cheers” Hughes, proud Bishop’s alumnus, being interviewed on the popular Barstool SPORTS EDITOR Sports podcast Spittin’ Chiclets.

DAVID ROSSITER Spittin’ Chiclets is a hockey-centred thecampus.sports@gmail.com podcast hosted by two former NHL players, ECONOMICS & Paul Bisonette and Ryan Whitney, alongside BUSINESS EDITOR writer Brian “Rear Admiral” McGonagle and producer Mike Ginnell. The men invite guests SAMY CAUVET thecampus.businesseditor@gmail.com to their show for interviews, conversations, and to discuss the latest news in the NHL. GRAPHICS It’s no wonder Hughes was invited to LEEA RUTA speak on the podcast; his occupation is a thecampus.graphics@gmail.com Professional Fan. Hughes is paid to attend professional sports matches to cheer on the SOCIAL MEDIA home team and pump up the crowd. This COORDINATOR job has taken him across North America, FIONA DORAN where he has been the lead fan for various sporting events, including NHL, NBA, MLB, PHOTOGRAPHER NFL, and NCAA games. Hughes highlighted THERESA GRAHAM the importance of taking advantage of opportunities. By saying “yes” when hired to THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS cheer at the sporting events, other incredible Andrew Phillips experiences have presented themselves to Charlotte Sabourin him, such as attending the NHL award show, Catherine Blais having a feature at the CFL Grey Cup, and Yutong Zhou dancing at centre court with Novak Djokovic Manu Bissonnette at the US Open Tennis Championships.

Marie Ève Melley Being a professional fan is not a Emily Whalley conventional career. Travelling around the Jakob Laplante continent, dressing up in crazy outfits, and Clara Cardaun dancing more crazily than someone at the Gait on a Saturday night can be exhausting.

Andrew Phillips Contributor

When asked about how he gets fired up to cheer at games, Hughes explains that it can be tough to fly across the country, get off a plane, and perform at a game in the next hour.

He explains that he has to “find that switch” to get in the right frame of mind to do his part in helping the home team win their game.

Although this job is not like one might expect, it almost seems as though Hughes

Cameron Hughes posing with his book.

Photo courtesy of Cameron Hughes

was made for this job, or at least bred for it through his time at Bishop’s. All the cheering and dancing he does at professional sports games now is reminiscent of his time at Bishop’s when he would dress in all purple

and wear a watermelon on his head during 25 Gaiters sports matches. Hughes earned the reputation of having crazy BU passion and the nickname “Melonhead,” doing whatever it took to get people excited about the Gaiters. This included selling Bishop’s spirited T-shirts around Lennoxville before Homecoming or standing on a chair and starting the school song at his graduation ceremony after receiving the award for the greatest contribution to life at school.

After graduating from Bishop’s, Hughes moved directly to L.A., where he kicked off his full-time career in what he calls “fan enhancement.” He recounts some of his most memorable stories throughout his career in his interview on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast.

When asked how he had this opportunity to be interviewed by Paul Bissonette, also known as “Biz,” Hughes explains Biz approached him with the idea of an interview because he knew him from different sporting events he attended. Hughes knows Biz pretty well, but “not enough to be invited to his wedding.” The two discuss what it is like to be a professional fan, but Hughes shared only a taste of his journey.

To hear more about what his life of “fan enhancement” has been about, you can purchase his book called King of Cheer, which was recently released. Inside, he shares stories of “showing up, getting up, and never giving up,” and he even includes a chapter titled “Raise a Toast.”

* https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3710004501 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/university-enrolment-down-covid-1.5786322 https://www.ubishops.ca/bishops-university-sets-enrolment-records-largest-ever-enrolment-universitys-history/ https://www.ubishops.ca/enrolment-numbers-bishops-university-largest-ever-incoming-class-universitys-history/ https://www.ubishops.ca/outstanding-enrolment-numbers-at-bishops-university/

NEWS

SINCE 1944

Revenge bedtime procrastination… what is that?

Revenge bedtime procrastination. Quite a mouthful… but what does it mean? The term is used to describe the cycle of staying up late to reclaim personal time lost throughout the day, despite regretting it the next morning.

The term bedtime procrastination was first reported in 2014 by researchers in the Netherlands. Two years later, “revenge” was added by Chinese social media users. The idea of bedtime procrastination being revengeful is fitting: since people possess little control throughout their day, “revenge” is taken by staying up excessively late and doing meaningless activities such as scrolling through Twitter or Instagram.

In a society that creates constant busy lifestyles, it makes sense that people experience little control throughout their day. By partaking in revenge bedtime procrastination, the hope is to feel better about lack of control. Control is attempted to be regained at night by forcing ourselves awake. Not only is this a bad idea because of the resulting sleep deprivation, but it also creates a vicious cycle. In turn, it causes people to be tired, moody, self-loathing, and ultimately unwell. Once again, this encourages individuals to take part in revenge bedtime procrastination to improve their mood, worsening the condition and causing a more

unpleasant feeling.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further added to this phenomenon, as some individuals are frustrated with

Photo by Adam Dimmick*

the growing number of restrictions and lockdowns. The general population has little control over the nature of public health directives and the pandemic itself. In

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Charlotte Sabourin Contributor

addition, new work-from-home jobs disrupt normal routines, which allow the chance to create a bad sleep schedule. Therefore, COVID-19 has created a scenario where revenge bedtime procrastination can run rampant.

Our society is collectively moving towards a “revenge” mentality. This can be exemplified when panic-minded individuals stockpiled toilet paper due to the pandemic or when Chinese residents took part in “revenge spending” and “revenge travelling” to compensate for lost time after lockdowns were relaxed.

According to psychologists from China, revenge bedtime procrastination is a form of compensation, a known defence mechanism. The risk of overcompensation is a serious issue, especially among younger populations such as students who are more likely to fall into the familiar endless Twitter scrolling nightmare. University is a highly stressful time, as it is a new and uncertain period. Classes and meetings control student lives. This phenomenon relates to mental health, which is especially important due to the high demand placed on young individuals barely out of high school or CEGEP.

Virtual recruitment provides a personalized experience for prospective students

Cassie MacDonell News Editor

COVID-19 restrictions affected student recruitment events globally, with many being cancelled or halted. All events, meetings, presentations, promotion, brand awareness building, and other Bishop’s recruitment activities since the beginning of the pandemic have been held in a virtual world. The in-person campus tour program is suspended until May 1, 2021, at which point the situation will be reassessed.

“Trying to replicate the intimate community nature of Bishop’s in a virtual world is undoubtedly one of our biggest challenges,” says Dan Seneker, Director of Student Recruitment and Retention. He explains that a personalized and individualized online experience best represents the values of the Bishop’s community. This includes activities, such as one-on-one meetings with prospective students, one-on-one virtual campus tours led by current students, and opportunities to chat with faculty.

Incoming student Faith McRae, a recent high-school graduate, is looking forward to her first semester at Bishop’s. Even with a pandemic, she is excited to start her first-year next fall. Her sister is a current student, which influenced her decision to attend Bishop’s, but the Bishop’s community also appealed to her. “As long as there are some clubs to get involved in, I’m happy,” McRae says.

Ana Santos is a Student Ambassador who leads one-on-one virtual campus tours as a part-time job. Santos and other Student Ambassadors give commentary to incoming students in real time, coupled with a pre-filmed video of campus. Although her job is to give prospective students tours of the campus, Santos and other Student Ambassadors enjoy creating a personal experience. “I like to tell incoming students about times where I experienced the best of the Bishop’s community. An example I often use is during my first-

year when a chemistry professor invited me and my entire class to his house for dinner.”

Although virtual recruitment has its disadvantages, Santos explains that online methods have created positive possibilities. “Typically, we gave tours to several families Students touring the Bishop’s University Campus during at once during in-person tours. the 2019 Open House.

Now, with online tours, we give Photo by Jacob Gerlofs, retrieved from the Bishop’s families tours one-at-a-time, University Facebook page which creates a more personal feeling. The incoming students and I have more time to ask and answer questions.”

Dan Seneker agrees with this notion and explained that students living far from Bishop’s often did not have the opportunity to take a campus tour or meet a student ambassador before the pandemic. “Virtually, I can now meet with students from Sherbrooke, Regina, New Orleans, Nepal, and Qatar all in the same day,” Seneker says, “something we didn’t and couldn’t do before. So we’ve actually learned that whatever the ‘new normal’ looks like, providing virtual options also provides for more opportunity and more diversity in our student recruitment tactics.”

* Photo by Adam Dimmick, title: Tired, Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/fatmanad/2430934584/in/photolist-4GPbaf-24EyFLZ-BPBmWJ-3nBBoV-oX7smA-4pooZa-5tRFuqw8o5Q-bVU3ip-fpwoVK-2aHRu4-5PtXjj-54iDZj-dFfy7c-5jqRAT-bqYHXX-2k6TP28-2hpHacG-CMaTp1-7trKKt-2gG6bRT-2gsb1YL-2iqHHQK-onwimD-GhV3t7-2hcCUqo-2gfMDxk-dLeLuJhi7rg-eernZB-Eh7waQ-2am6mWs-2qn3X-ecz2d-5YM42t-3QpQe-oEWN22-9oDoQX-2h5craN-QQdFTj-M25jDR-PVmRhu-8xqC5d-c2W1d9-7kK5F5-2gJswnn-yjpPbm-2iyVm33-2goo48AK9TJX, copyright, used under CC BY-ND 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/)

“L

and Acknowledgement. We acknowledge the Abenaki people and the Wabanaki Confederacy, the traditional stewards and protectors of the territories upon which we are learning. In performing land acknowledgement, we make what was invisible visible, and invite the land, the First Nations people, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into our conversations. This act of naming - of inviting something into language - is an underlying principle of advocacy and lies at the heart of higher education. The etymology of advocacy is ad (to add) + vocare (call or voice): the origin of the word’s meaning is to give voice to something or to call out in order to initiate dialogue. The “ad’ prefix makes explicit the importance of multiple voices - and by extension multiple perspectives. In this sense, advocacy compels us to acknowledge a diversity of thoughts and opinions as a starting point rather than as an ideal outcome. In institutions of higher learning, we have a responsibility to honour spaces for emerging and established voices to engage in productive, respectful, and sometimes even uncomfortable conversations where individuals are safe to speak truth to power, explore and challenge dominant ideologies, and call out injustices and inequalities in order to imagine new ways of existing.”

Dr. Jessica Riddell

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OPINIONS

THE CAMPUS FEBRUARY 22, 2021

Safia Hafid, Opinions Editor » thecampus.opinions@gmail.com

Work-life balance amid a pandemic Ever since this pandemic began, students have had a particularly difficult time maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

In an age where we are available 24/7 via our phones, it is difficult to shut it off and take a step back from time to time. Some days, it seems like I simply cannot get a break.

A typical nine-to-five work schedule morphs into an eight-to-six, and the next thing you know, you have been staring at a screen for 12 hours straight. This is extremely difficult for the mental health of many students. As such, it is so important to maintain the right work-life balance–especially during COVID-19.

While it can be hard, there are many useful tips and tricks that can help you out.

The first step is to choose a dedicated workspace. This could be anything from a bedroom desk space to a booth at the library. It is crucial that this space only be used for your work, thus helping you spatially separate free time from those committed work hours. It helps if you let your housemates know that this is where you will be doing your work.

Another important tip is to make sure that you take regular breaks.

Researchers have found that short bursts of productivity followed by a quick break can boost concentration, and thus, productivity. Watch out, though! If

the break is too long, you are less likely to return to your work afterward.

What I like to do for my designated break time is use productivity apps like Forest. My all-time favourite app, though, is Time Timer. It is great because it helps you visualize how much time is left for designated breaks or work sessions. I even use it during my online lectures to help me focus better.

The third trick I would like to share with all of you is a favourite of mine. Generally,

Charlotte Sabourin Contributor

when we have in-person classes, most of us have a special routine where we wake up and ready ourselves for the day. I have personally found that setting an earlier alarm and getting ready for the day–as if I were leaving the house–was very helpful. It assists in setting your mind to “work mode.” The same goes for ending your workday. When you get home, you typically put your work away and sit down to relax, maybe read a book, or just chill.

Regardless of whether all of our classes

Created by Leea Ruta

were online or not, doing this helps us ease into an evening free of work.

Finally, the previous tip plays into the larger picture when setting up a routine.

By having a certain schedule and keeping to it, it becomes second nature over time.

You end up starting and finishing work at about the same time every week. This makes it easier to grasp a sense of control in an otherwise uncontrollable situation.

It also helps to keep you productive, even when you are less motivated or simply do not feel like working. But something to remember is that schedules cannot always go as planned, and they are subject to change.

These are just a few ways to help you create the right work-life balance amid a pandemic. Some tips might work better than others, depending on the person, but that is alright–they are simply habits I have personally found useful. The overall idea is to mix and match different techniques attuned to your own needs.

If one method does not help, there are always more to be found. Each person is different, and it is important to find the tips and tricks that work for you.

In the end, just remember to be kind to yourself. This is a very difficult and unusual situation we have found ourselves in. It is important to always be understanding with yourself and to get the help that you need.

Am I reading too much into the reading week proposal?

Catherine Blais Contributor

On Jan. 25 and 26, the polls were open for all to vote on whether or not the SRC should reading week now, so we are not deluded into thinking this week off is for anything other pursue a fall reading week. 83.3 per cent of voters were in favour (with a voter turnout of than more schoolwork. less than 40 per cent, but that is an issue for another time). This simply means that the I have some friends at other schools who already have a week off in the fall. It is tacked discussion has not ended, but only begun; they will continue to look into it. I expect more on Thanksgiving. This means that students who are away from home for the first time polls on the topic to come. ever get to see their family, even if they live further than is feasible for a visit during a Thinking about it, why would we not have a fall reading week? Both semesters are three-day weekend. Getting through the first month of post-secondary is a lot. However, the same length. Many courses are offered in both this is not comparable to our winter reading week. the fall and the winter; it is not like students have During the winter semester, we get our week off more difficult courses that they need March break after nearly two full months of classes. We have a to recover temporarily from, whereas they can just greater number of assignments that are more difficult. breeze through the fall semester.

Students who are far more organized than me may Talking about it with my parents, my mom noted have even started end-of-semester projects. They will that “back in her day,” most of her university courses have learned enough of the subject at this point to at lasted the whole year. The concept of a March break least do some of it. made sense because it is when a September to May I do not claim that my particular jumble of courses course would be winding down. Students needed is representative of the typical student’s workload, but a break from the onset of “whoops, I said you’d have I rarely have much to do by Thanksgiving. There are seven essays and nine quizzes, but I’ve only assigned a couple of short papers. Maybe a first test is coming three so far, so you get one every week from here on up. The people I know are not on the verge of a mental out.” Granted, I have a lot less of that in university than breakdown at that point (which should never be a I did in high school or CEGEP. standard for education but is a reality for many at the My mom’s experiences differ from mine: getting end of a semester). to take a breather is not the March break format that Not that my say is worth all that much, but I want a I know. At least, it has not been that way since I was fall reading week despite the fact that I do not anticipate in about ninth grade. March break does not give me a being here next fall. I want it to be in November when week to travel south and party (or, in the current world work is starting to pile up. I want teachers to set due climate, take many naps on the couch). March break is dates at least a week after the break is over, so students my chance to catch up on assignments. have the opportunity to do work during that week Sometimes it is not even catching up. Instructions but could also just double down upon their return to are handed out on the Thursday before leaving with a classes. due date on the Tuesday coming back; I am specifically I do not need a full month off between semesters.

Fall Reading Week Referendum results. expected to work on that paper or project during the I need a chance to adjust my academic footing midPhoto courtesy of the SRC’s Facebook page “break.” They even changed the name for us! It is a semester before I slip.

SINCE 1944

OPINIONS

A foreigner’s perspective on Canadian culture I am a third culture kid. Born in Ireland to an American mother and a French father, I’ve often had a difficult time situating my cultural roots. I moved around Europe for the first few years of my life before settling in France but visited New York every summer.

I uprooted my life once more to build a future in Canada. I’ve hopped around many countries and defined myself in many ways, but overall, I have had a very difficult time defining where and more largely what “home” is to me.

When I first came to Canada back in 2018, I was shocked to find that many purebred Canadians struggle with their cultural identities as much as I do. Just last semester in class, a fellow student opened up about their struggle defining where they are from as someone born to two French-Canadian parents in Ontario who later moved to Quebec. For them, the provincial and linguistic divides matched my national and even continental struggles with cultural identification. Upon hearing this classmate’s confession, I immediately wondered: “is being Canadian not enough?”

It struck me that in most conversations I’ve had with Canadians about their origins or heritage, they have rarely used the word “Canadian.” Sometimes it was in favour of designations like “French” or “English,” which on a global scale mean something entirely different than which language dominated your upbringing. Other times, I was pointed to their ancestry while they defined themselves as Scottish or Italian or French or Irish or any number of other European backgrounds that their families emigrated from. In my experience, Canadians have preferred to define themselves through any identity that is not “Canadian.”

On tourism as cultural colonialism When all commercial flights were grounded in March 2020, and the world essentially froze, it was a scene North America had not seen since 9/11.

International travel plans that are so popular amongst the North American middle-class were suddenly put on standby, and for many, this was seemingly a tragedy. We were left stranded, locked in our own countries, looking through endless social media posts by influencers and pretty people who constantly romanticize and portray popular tourist destinations worldwide through rosecoloured lenses.

We all know these posts: the beautiful individual posing for the over-expensive camera, with a nice, aesthetic background, probably holding a multicoloured blanket, or fairy lights, or standing next to the idealized ’80s travel van, or perhaps even strumming the infamous C-chord, the simplest chord, on a guitar or a ukulele.

These posts make us want more than simply to visit the same places they are currently in; rather, they make us want to be just like them. Everyone wishes they were the lucky, attractive, “self-made” photographer or model obtaining an insane amount of likes with every pathetic representation of the world they picture through a phone filter. The temptation spreads like a disease–the word influencer itself sounds a pathogen–and we bite: we buy plane tickets, buy fancy film cameras, spending plenty of money for what are essentially bragging rights.

Social critic Susan Sontag argued that to photograph a place is to remove the experience of that place. How could she be wrong? To go somewhere and take a photograph is to invest some of that experience into the photograph, which never honestly represents the subject. But as much as we enjoy, in our privileged life, travelling to these exotic, unknown, natural

spots around the globe, we are blind, for the most part, to the hidden truth: tourism is a modern form of cultural colonialism.

Say you took a month and travelled to Thailand, a place that has grown in popular tourism culture among young, hip, North Americans who hover over the pretense that travelling will “open my mind” and “help me find myself.” Sure.

You go to Thailand, and you engage in the popular activities that your peers, fellow yoga-crazed middle-class North Americans, have told you about. You rent a motorbike, you do some yoga on the beach, you go to cheap bars, sleep in hip hostels, visit elephant “sanctuaries,” monasteries, and the popular temples. You are out of your comfort zone by being in there, but for the most part, you stay within these safe activities catered to young welloff travellers. The result is simply that some parts of the country are promoted, while others are forgotten.

Now, that is fine. You are allowed to be a tourist (although perhaps not going elephant riding, since it is not very ethical) and likely most of Thailand will be happy that you stay within your touristic confines, while not taking over the entire country for the sake of a few Instagram posts.

But in countries that rely so heavily on tourism to fuel their economy, such as Thailand, Greece, Costa Rica, Cuba, Hawaii, Iceland (you know, the spots), the governments funnel money into the popular practices of that industry. Other practices, perhaps not as popular amongst influencers and their masses of zombified followers, get defunded and sent to the back of the line.

Do you understand yet? The cultural practices that appeal to middle-class travellers (mostly white people) are the cultural practices that get promoted first.

The Western Gaze imprints itself on the foreign country’s culture, basically saying:

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Casey Hebert Senior Copy Editor

There is a lot to be said about Canadian culture, though. From foods to scenic locations and emblematic monuments to celebrity personalities to mediatic offerings to rich histories, Canada does not lack badges of identification. So why, then, don’t Canadians take more pride in being Canadian? Why does their definition of self tend to ignore “Canadian” as a valid identity?

To those who see Canada from the outside looking in, it’s a vast winterland of happy and polite people who pour maple syrup onto all their food (and even their snow!) and apologize for everything. It’s a country of immense beauty showcased in the flora and fauna, the urban and rural, the manmade and natural. It’s seeing a moose on your drive to work. It’s teaching your children to skate before they even learn to walk in hopes they might one day match Wayne Gretsky’s legendary skill. It’s an image made up of wellmeaning cartoonish portrayals paired with awe and envy of policies and outlooks that many aspire their country would adopt. So why, then, is Canadian not an acceptable cultural identity to those it denotes?

No one could argue against the complexity of what it means to be Canadian, encompassing its many provincial divergences, linguistic divides, and colonial legacies, but it seems that those complexities have put the term “Canadian” out of commission for those who fall under its umbrella. As someone who struggles to define her own cultural identity, I would urge Canadians not to overlook that designation, but instead to take pride and find solace in it. It’s an impressive and rich mantle, so why not take it on?

Jeremy Audet Features Editor

“I like this part of your culture, I will now define your overall culture only in terms of this part that I enjoy.” It is a form of cultural colonialism. Slow, typically non-violent, but colonialism nonetheless.

Think of the Caribbean: most tourists go to the safe, very Western resorts where you can walk five minutes and get a McDonald’s meal after your Walmart run.

First of all, that is not travel, that is paying $1,000 for a week at your local mall with added beaches and sunshine. The rest of the country is hidden, and most of the money in the small country is funnelled into the resorts because that is where most of the (foreign, white, middle-class, Western) money comes in. Small business owners in the real Caribbean socialscape are left struggling.

On the subject of humanitourism:

Somewhere in Iceland, June 2016.

Photo courtesy of Jeremy Audet

we have all been appealed by the idea of going to an impoverished country, building a school for the uneducated children, and taking photos with them to amass infinitely more likes on Facebook than Mother Theresa. The truth is, though, that this is mostly performative, surface-level practices–basically White Saviourism.

We get the impression that we are contributing to the world, but, in reality, we are not giving them resources to build themselves up. Most of these schools, typically built by “humanitarian” money factories, are left there without the necessary resources and infrastructure to keep them running and maintain the teaching quality. It is the age-old story of white colonialists going into impoverished countries to “help out,” but failing to engage in real aid or provide the community with the tools they need to get out of poverty and miseducation. Give the man a fish, you feed him for a day, but teach a man to fish, and he’ll never starve.

Now, for COVID. Nobody has been travelling outside of Canada (or at least nobody should be) since last March.

We now have an opportunity to reexamine how we engage with tourism, where and how we travel, why we travel, and how to travel responsibly in relation to the cultures we have the privilege of visiting.

We must keep that privilege in check and engage in fully immersive travel only when we do not overstep our grounds. We must challenge ourselves to experience unconstrained, uncolonized culture. Even better: travel locally.

Yet Canada is a vast country. In your travels, either within this nation or worldwide, simply be mindful to visit small, local businesses and locations, ignore the tourist traps and popular locations, speak with the locals, and put away your phones.

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FEATURES

THE CAMPUS FEBRUARY 22, 2021

Jeremy Audet, Features Editor » thecampus.features@gmail.com

Fall reading week: the SRC’s next steps In January, the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) held a referendum regarding the possibility of a fall reading week. As a topic that had been part of the current SRC President’s platform when running for election, this vote was a highly awaited affair.

The results were straightforward; 1,270 out of 3,206 eligible voters participated, and 83.3 per cent of the votes favoured a fall reading week. Thus, Bishop’s University is set to no longer be an outlier; currently, the university only has a reading week in March, compared to most other Canadian universities who have a week-long break in the fall semester as well.

Nevertheless, now that the referendum has come and gone and the votes have been cast, the SRC must make this fall reading week a reality. While it is easier said than done, SRC President Enzo Evangelisti says, “The SRC remains committed to amplifying the voice of students, and with the large turnout and number in favour, it is clear we need to pursue this.” Furthermore, the SRC will “support the discussion to find solutions to any concerns.”

At the moment, the next step will take place sometime in March. A special meeting of the Senate will convene in order to make the final decision and to ensure that all stakeholders are taken into account during the discussion. Furthermore, the SRC will meet before then to iron out details and take any complications into account. Only once the Senate votes can further steps be taken, and the SRC can begin working on the implementation.

While the topic of a fall reading week at Bishop’s University is not new–surveys about

Safia Hafid Opinions Editor

this very issue were held in 2014 and 2015–it is the first time concrete action has been taken. Moreover, it seems that support for an extra reading week has increased over the years; the previous surveys showed much less interest than this current referendum.

With a pandemic still ongoing, and mental health a topic of great concern as we all find ways to cope with the situation, the addition of a fall reading week can only be beneficial.

Whether a time to connect with family, take a break from school, or catch up on work and studying, a week-long break in both the fall and winter semesters has many advantages.

In any university setting, with the adjustment from high school or CÉGEP, the possible homesickness, and the heavy course load, any student’s mental health can be unduly affected. In the context of the pandemic, this is amplified. Now, we have to contend with the isolation from our peers, the online classes, the uncertainty about the situation as well as the government’s response, on top of the usual challenges. Having the ability to enjoy a long and much-needed break and to reconnect with family has enormous benefits, which is especially relevant in today’s context. The fall reading week, for many, will be a welcome respite from the rigours of university life and the uncertainty of being a student in a global pandemic.

Keeping this in mind, the SRC is focusing on the upcoming Senate meeting with the hopes of reaching a quick and unanimous decision. “We remain optimistic that it will pass at the March Senate and be implemented in fall of 2021,” President Evangelisti says.

“I think this is needed for students and we want to support their needs.”

Sexual assault: will the university listen?

Jeremy Audet Features Editor

At the beginning of February, the SRC sent out the founded and action-driven.”

Sexual Culture Committee Survey. It was extensive, “There most certainly will be obstacles, but there is featuring many sections, with questions that addressed a lot of backing community support that cannot be issues such as sexual assault experience, response, and blocked by the simple answer we’ve gotten in the past, prevention measures; sexual education; sexual assault that one student’s experience of sexual assault doesn’t policies; and safety on and off-campus. The survey, represent the whole,” Audet continues. a project that I started drafting in the fall of 2019 as a Despite these challenges, she recognizes that faculty General Councillor for the BSR, took over a year to offered significant help. Drs. Heather Lawford and be sent out. Delayed due to COVID but revived this Jonathan Carrier, Dominique Pelletier (the Sexual previous fall, the survey was transformed from a general Aggression Response Coordinator), and the Residence 15 questions to a much more extensive and thorough Life department helped review the survey, and Bishop’s study of the sexual culture at Bishop’s University. This Head of Security Carson Brooks also offered his support. is thanks to the efforts of many students and student Having closed the survey on Sunday, Feb. 14, the next groups, spearheaded by the newly formed Sexual steps are to unravel, analyze, and scrutinize the results.

Culture Committee (SCC) and the SRC. The process will take a few weeks, according to Audet, Izzy Audet, the SRC’s Vice-President of Student Life, Poster from the 2020 Take Back the Night stay-at-home march that but there are hopes that before the end of the month had an instrumental role in bringing together the many “There will be some actionable things we can start reads “No means no!” groups that helped draft the survey. “This survey was a working on.”

Photo courtesy of Theresa Graham long time coming,” she says. “Sexual assault has been a Scotia Sharpe, Co-Chair of the SCC, assures me large conversation for a good number of years, as you can that, as the survey is being analyzed, she is receiving from faculty and administration, who could play a bigger tell with Take Back the Night going on three years strong. the results and information relevant to her focus: policy role to lessen the burden. Why wouldn’t they want to be A lot of students have been wanting to talk about this for review. “My focus is to critique our current sexual involved? It’s something to be proud of. It is unfortunate quite some time. The survey brings up a conversation that harassment prevention policy through the eyes of a that it had to be students that initiated this movement. gives power to a lot of voices who’ve been trying to talk for grading system provided to us by the SFCC—Students for It’s sad. Most people around BU would probably assume quite some time.”

Consent Culture of Canada.” The SFCC is an organization it’s the responsibility of the university to take the lead on Amongst those voices is that of Kailey Karahkwin that goes through sexual harassment policies in Canadian issues of sexual assault.”

Nicholas, the University’s Turtle Island Intern and universities in order to review and grade them. Sharpe Izzy Audet also hopes that the communications member of the Indigenous Cultural Alliance (ICA). “It’s says the average score, using the scorecard, is a C-. In the between the university and its student body improve: really empowering to see other students take initiative process of grading our policies, she tells me that Bishop’s, “Sexual assault has to be a consistent discussion—it has and be leaders, but it brings up the question as to why upon her initial review, does not pass. to be constantly brought forward so that students know students have to bear all this responsibility.” The ICA The SCC’s first step, in the wake of the survey’s results, is about the services before they ever have to individually had a prominent role in the drafting of the survey due to draft a proposal using the data gathered. This proposal, reach out for them. Hopefully we get a more digestible to many links between the issues of sexual assault and according to Sharpe, will present suggestions regarding pathway that students can take to seek out what they need racialized harassment. “We know there are connections what students want to change and where there are blatant to support their issues.” to colonialism that shaped how people view [Indigenous issues. “With this survey, we can start to pin down what The survey, having been reviewed by experts, was peoples] today. We are constantly fetishized and sexualized needs to be done sooner than later, and what projects we ensured to be sound and free of bias. Audet says that there in weird ways,” says Kailey. As a result, Indigenous women can work on in the long-term. Some parts of the policy, for wasn’t a lot of bureaucratic resistance to sending it out, but are three times more likely to be sexually assaulted in their instance, will be easier to review than others. It’s simple that “some of the students really struggled approaching lifetime—a jarring ratio. “We [Indigenous women] almost to identify some things, but there’s a difficulty in the the university and having their word be recognized as have to mentally prepare ourselves to be assaulted one language,” Sharpe says. “But the most difficult part will be legitimate.” day and prepare what to do after.” getting our proposals heard and considered, and getting Although the survey is a big step in creating a healthier, For the ICA, there are hopes that this survey will improve what results we can.” safer sexual culture, Audet recognizes the long process communication between the university and its student Another positive note about the survey is that it will ahead. “We’re still learning the framework we’re working body, and minority groups in particular. Kailey says that provide the university with some much-needed statistics. within, and in order to improve it where possible, we have there needs to be more collaboration between parties, At the Take Back the Night Forum of 2019, I asked to know what the limitations of the university are. We and that more faculty support would be ideal on issues Dominique Pelletier what kind of statistics the university have to work in a system which we know is very flawed of sexual assault. “The [SCC] could use more support had on cases of sexual assault and harassment. and limiting, but there’s a student community that is well-

FEATURES

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Unfortunately, the answer orbited around a non-answer, justified by saying that the university was really bad at keeping statistics but that they’re “working on it.”

As of writing, there are no statistics to be found on the university’s website or in its policies.

Georgia Lapierre, the Social Media Coordinator for the SCC, is deplored by the university’s lack of information.

“We have no statistics, we don’t have any information.

With the survey, the university will have a basis to know what’s going on and what students require from them. It’ll

make the university localize where assault happens.”

Sharpe says statistics are a good start: “It will definitely shed some light on the really bad problems at the university and what’s happening regarding sexual assault here. We really don’t see what happens behind closed doors or at parties outside the university itself. The party culture has a huge impact. Drugs and alcohol create some blurred lines about consent.”

Over the years, the movement for reform of the sexual assault policies and response at Bishop’s has been gaining

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numbers and strength. The voices, who have often felt ignored by the university, have finally come together to amplify the message that change is required and demanded by the student body. There is hope that the university, now that it has chosen to hear these voices, will also choose to listen to what they have to say.

Dominique Pelletier, the Sexual Aggression Response Coordinator at Bishop’s, declined my request for an interview.

A message from the International Students Café

Yutong Zhou Contributor

Last March, we all went through something no one expected. A pandemic, as we know, will affect our future status as students is like carrying a big boulder on our backs; that broke out and students were left in a position where they had no idea where to go from is why we decided to implement this idea of the café. that point on. The students who were even more uncertain about what would happen to Certainly, our biggest challenges were the time differences and internet connection them were the International ones. Most of them had to leave Canada abruptly and are changes from time to time, but, overall, we can say that we had a very nice time and we currently taking online courses all the way from home, and with a difference in time all got to know each other a little more, fostering and building a home away from home. zones and unstable internet connections, this has become a particularly challenging We got to answer all sorts of questions and we managed to encourage the incoming period.

International Students to start bleeding purple. They That is why we are here. The International Students seem very excited to come to Canada and to start Representative, the International Peer Academic calling Bishop’s home.

Mentor, and the President of the International Students We are planning on holding the second International Association came up with the idea of having a safe Students Café before the end of this semester, which space where we could bring all of the International aims to help our international Gaiters with their finals students together even if we were kilometres apart and clear up some other doubts that may have been left from each other. behind from the last one. One of the participants, for The International Students Café is a place promoted instance, mentioned the anxiety that he didn’t know as a safe space for students who currently are filled anyone at this new school. Luckily, he found that the with uncertainty and have lots of questions about what café is a great opportunity to start building connections is to come. We encourage students to let us know about with peers and have a sense of community all the way what they are thinking of and if they are interested in from home. knowing something else. We have received questions We were very happy to have hosted the first that range from what life is like as a regular BU student International Students’ Café and look forward to to questions about job opportunities and academics. hosting many more. If you want to know more about For International Students, the unknown and living us or have any concerns or questions, please feel free to Miranda Serrano, international student. with the uncertainties like whether we are going to reach out to us at any time.

Photo courtesy of Theresa Graham be able to afford our flight tickets, if we are going to be Instagram: @bu_intstudents welcomed into Canada, and how our local currencies

Experiencing first year during a pandemic Bishop’s University has the reputation of providing a unique college experience for its students: small school size, teacher availability, lifelong friendships, vibrant residence life, extracurricular opportunities, strong sense of community, etc. Time spent at Bishop’s is more than just school. This experience is unique to Bishop’s, and it is the reason why most of its students choose it. But what happens when the world is struck by a pandemic?

Here are my thoughts as a first-year.

A distinction needs to be made between yellow- or orange-zone Bishop’s and red-zone Bishop’s. Yellow and orange-zone Bishop’s had measures in place but most businesses in Lennoxville remained open, while redzone Bishop’s has reinforced measures and self-isolation.

These are two completely different worlds.

Let’s start with the first and perhaps most memorable week of freshman year: Orientation Week. As expected, O-Week 2020 was quite different from past years. Social distancing and masks were the big hit, all events were held on campus, and teams were imposed based on living proximity in residence. The last two mostly impacted my experience. I had lots of fun, but everything felt too organized, too set up. There were do’s and don’ts, certain people to meet, and a schedule to follow. We did not have as much liberty as in previous years. While most of the world was shutting down, we, in yellow-zone Bishop’s, made friends, partied safely, made memories, and had fun. I raise my little brown mug to the O-Week Committee for that exploit.

After O-Week, we settled into residence life. That too was affected by the pandemic. NoPo is still closed, the

Manu Bissonnette Contributor

rest of the residences are only half full, all residence life events are online, nobody is allowed in each other’s rooms, and chairs are so far away from one another in Dewies that we almost need to shout. Residence life this year mostly consists of proximity to friends. However, in true Bishop’s fashion, the first-years have found a way to enjoy and make the most of residence life amongst all the safety measures in place. There are still large groups of friends laughing in Dewies and friendly smiles and greetings in the hallways.

The first-year experience is clearly different than usual, but one thing that remains strong is academic life and extracurricular opportunities. Of course, online learning negatively influenced activities, but in my first semester, I found that the small school size still allows for significant academic and extracurricular opportunities. Teachers and department chairs are still accessible and happy to help, and the SRC is still active. In yellow- and orangezone Bishop’s, teams continued to practise and to spread Gaiter pride, clubs hosted online and in-person events like tree planting, and getting involved stayed easy and possible. Overall, our introduction to college learning and opportunities has been very positive.

In the midst of the pandemic madness, I would argue Bishop’s has adapted effectively and is still able to provide a unique, although significantly different experience to first-year and upper-year students. Sedona Brett, a first-year Education student, agrees: “I think that the university handled it well so that at least some students could get to enjoy a bit of the experience of being on campus.” While red-zone Bishop’s is less vibrant than

yellow- and orange-zone Bishop’s, the school remains unique, and the Bishop’s experience stays strong. I am proud to be a Gaiter!

COVID-19 Taskforce.

Source: Bishop’s University

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ARTS & CULTURE

THE CAMPUS FEBRUARY 22, 2021

Bridget Boucher, Arts & Culture Editor » thecampus.ac@gmail.com

Some reopenings in time for spring break François Legault announced in early February that, considering the decline of cases in the province, some safety measures will be loosened in the following weeks.

The new measures allow, among other things, the reopening of museums, bookstores, libraries and cinemas in red zones, while theatres will be allowed to reopen in orange zones only.

Most artistic and cultural activities have been suspended since last fall now, and with Reading Week coming, the activities will be welcomed by all families, students, and art lovers.

The museums stressed last fall that no outbreak had been traced back to a cultural establishment during the pandemic and that the measures (hand sanitizer, appointments, and a maximum number of visitors) were effective. The museums are also considered safer than most indoor spaces since the buildings already have good ventilation systems in place for the preservation of the paintings.

Justine Trempe Copy Editor

A few buildings will now be accessible to the public in the Lennoxville region: Black Cat Books reopened on Feb. 9, Bishop’s Foreman Art Gallery only two days later, while, on Speid Street, the Uplands Cultural and Heritage Center will reopen starting March 6.

In the greater Sherbrooke area, the Sherbrooke Museum of Fine Arts has now been open since Feb. 10.

However, like the Montreal Science Centre, the Sherbrooke Nature and Science Museum will not reopen for the moment as the exhibits involve more manipulations and interactive activities.

Lastly, although the government gave its okay, as of Feb. 18, La Maison du cinéma and Cinéma galaxy have not yet announced whether or not they would re-open come Feb. 27.

Hopefully, those measures are here to stay as the premier of Quebec stated he would prefer to avoid yoyoing between openings and closures.

National Gallery of Canada.

Photo courtesy of Justine Trempe

Starlight, Starbright Safia Hafid Opinions Editor

Starlight, Starbright You are the only one I see in the night; For by the day I stay inside, Silent, lost, alone

To Be Loved in my Great-Grandmother’s Eyes Emily Whalley Contributor

Starlight, Starbright, You are the only one I ever see Every night I seek you out Longing for company, Yet trapped–in a pitch-black void

I often miss my great-grandmother But then I think that perhaps I am mistaken in that longing For there are others that loved her more than I did Knew her better, Knew her longer And surely their grief is more valuable than mine

Starlight, Starbright, Tonight I bring a better view Letter clutched tight Half-smile rather than none at all

But then I think of the babies I have loved in my life Of my cousin who was born amid a pandemic That though I have never laid eyes on her My love for her is true and real in my heart I would never want her to question my love for her Or her ability to love me in return

You see, my Starlight, Starbright; Tonight one who I call friend Reminded me of Important Truths Though it might seem Like the world is vast, a void, a black hole There are others ready – To come in Waiting in the wings Waiting for their cue Starlight, Starbright You are the only one I see in the night There are days where I remain trapped Alone, in a pitch-black void The feelings fade and waver, Yet always return But, my Starlight, Starbright; Now I remember My friends in the wings Ready to come, Should I ever say the word.

I imagine my future nieces and nephews And I love them already though they are not yet even conceived I imagine that I may one day be blessed to have grandchildren And great-grandchildren And I love them already So I offer this prayer to all those who have loved me Who passed soon after meeting me Or have only known me through their joy at finding out that my mother was pregnant To those who have loved the idea of me Who dreamed of me and let their love lead the way to me.

I am grateful to you I thank you for all of your love For your hopes and dreams For your frivolous wishes and fervent prayers I love you And I feel your love for me And please let us again never doubt how much I miss you

ARTS & CULTURE

SINCE 1944

When COVID-19 takes centre stage: speaking with 2020’s drama grads Marie Ève Melley Contributor

If you’re graduating this spring, you’re surely familiar with the creeping dread of what awaits in the next year, even more so if your entire industry is on hold. To get an idea of what we may be facing, I spoke to three students of the 2020 graduating class: Jessica “Jess” Bournival (22), Noah Mayr (23), and Thomas Watson (22).

Created by Ashley Murphy

Where are you now?

Jess was applying for a job at EA Games when COVID-19 hit. After that fell through, she became a stage-managing apprentice at a theatre company, only for the show she was working on to be shut down, a cruel callback to her last play at Bishop’s: Miracle Worker. Now, she’s a production assistant for a TV series.

Noah, who last performed in Slave Island, has been working for Bishop’s as a TA and jack-of-all-trades. I asked him how he got the job: “I was really bored, my roommate was really bored and we asked Mike and Benoît (editor’s note: Michael Medland and Benoît Brault are the Technical Directors for Turner Studio Theatre and Centennial Theatre, respectively), ‘hey, as soon as we can get into the theatre we’ll work for free; we’ll do whatever you need us to do, we just need to get out of the house,’ and then Mike got in touch with us... ‘Ten o’clock tomorrow: be at Centennial Theatre.’ That was our first day of work.”

Thomas would have been going to Vancouver Film School for their script writing course this year. Instead, he deferred and is working as operations, shipping, and receiving coordinator for a company in Mississauga. “I spent a lot of time on Indeed...

I was originally slated to work in an Amazon warehouse,” he told me. “A friend of mine works in the company [and] made me aware they were looking for an operations coordinator.”

How has Bishop’s prepared you for your current situation?

For Jess, it was the help of professors with professional knowledge who could tell her, “the [kind of] things that you can’t grasp in a classroom. What your life will be like if you’re in that industry. [It] was invaluable.”

Similarly, for Noah it was communication: “Just being able to ask for help, ask people if they have work, ask people if they need x, y, zee done... x, y, zed.”

Thomas was more than a bit surprised by the skills he ended up using most, having focused on acting and writing: “If I hadn’t done those ‘Intro to Tech’ classes I would be so lost... It taught rudimentary things like what kind of screws there are... and it also taught safety... That was really helpful for me.”

Graphic by Leea Ruta

What’s your advice to new graduates?

Ever practical, Jess had this for advice: “First, I would say don’t be afraid to try something that you didn’t think was in your field... Just try it out... [The] second thing is... learn about employment insurance... You pay into it with the government with every contract that you do, and you’re entitled to that money back for those few weeks while you’re looking for something!”

In the same vein, Thomas said, “don’t be afraid to not work in your field at first. That’s probably the biggest thing... It’s going to be okay, you just have to be patient.”

Noah was hesitant to give advice: “People are capable of making more informed decisions than I was able to... There are so many more options available now than there were in May of last year.”

And he has a point, a “good time to graduate” is only what you make of it anyway.

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SPORTS

2021 Gaiters football preview

THE CAMPUS FEBRUARY 22, 2021

David Rossiter, Sports Editor » thecampus.sports@gmail.com David Rossiter Sports Editor

The 2020 season was a highly anticipated one for the Bishop’s Gaiters football team.

The previous 2019 campaign was an impressive one that ended with a loss in the AUS championship game (aka. Lonely Bowl) against Acadia University.

This was Bishop’s most successful football season since 2013. Unfortunately, the Gaiters were denied the opportunity to capitalize and build on this success in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling the season. However, the team is looking to carry its momentum into 2021. Looking at some key pieces of their team, one can clearly see why they would be confident about the new year.

A star quarterback returns A huge part of the turnaround season in 2019 was rookie quarterback Charles Aubrey.

Aubrey brought a spark to the Gaiters’ offence and posted great numbers, especially for a freshman. He was one of the best passing QBs in the league, as evidenced by being top three in passing yards, completions, and touchdowns.

Having Aubrey return as QB1 in 2021 bodes well for the Gaiters. The way that he was able to take control of games and execute the offence in his first year showed that he had the potential to be an even more game-breaking elite player in future years.

After having an extra year to familiarize himself with Coach Nichols’s system, Charles Aubrey will be one of the most feared quarterbacks in the AUS. Other returning pieces Aubrey is not the only returning member of the Gaiters core that inspires confidence.

The Gaiters have some talented athletes on both sides of the ball who will bring experience to the table.

First off, offensively, Nathan Lupien had a solid rookie season as receiver. The tall Saint-Jérôme native caught 27 passes for 337 yards and two touchdowns in his first-ever USPORTS season. Having this skilled target return to get open for Aubrey is a treat.

Next on defence, we have some solid pieces from the 2019 breakout season coming back, especially in the secondary (defensive backs). Aaron Franklin is a safety who plays with the speed of a DB while being the size of a linebacker. With 40 combined tackles on the year and two interceptions, the former NCAA D-1 player had a stellar year that Gaiters fans hope he replicates in 2021.

Many other defensive backs that made an impact in 2019 are excited to tackle 2021.

Cornerback Jake Kelly played well before ending his season with a broken arm. Rookie Alexandre Prévost played well at halfback, hitting hard and snagging an interception vs.

Mount Allison.

They each scored two touchdowns in 2019 but have since graduated.

Bulky linebacker Maxx Toutant led the Gaiters in tackles, TFLs (tackled for a loss), and sacks. His intimidating presence will be missed by the Bishop’s defence.

Fortunately, the Gaiters have a ton of new players eagerly waiting to strut their stuff.

The team could be seen practising all semester long on Coulter Field during wind, rain and snow, so don’t doubt their preparedness.

In my admittedly biased opinion, the Gaiters seem destined to build off their impressive 2019 campaign. I think Charles Aubrey will be one of the best football players in the AUS for years to come. I believe that the Gaiters have righted their ship and will fight for a championship in 2021.

The football team taking the field.

Photo courtesy of Emery G, Photography/Bishop’s Athletics

Holes to fill Finally, there are some holes that will need to be filled. Long-time fan-favourite receivers Nathan Walker and Zach Graveson always provided a good passing option.

Looking back and gearing up: Canadians set their eyes on gold The NHL has finally come to an agreement with the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) on the eligibility of NHL players competing in the Olympics. We will once again be able to see our favourite Canadian players crash Olympic ice in Beijing. The winter Olympics will take place in February of 2022 and hold all our favourite events, including ice hockey.

As a Canadian, it’s hard for me to deny—nothing truly compares to the thrill I get from watching our national sport during the Olympics. Some of my best memories come from watching the Olympic Games.

Take Crosby’s Golden goal in Vancouver, for example. I was with my friend Loic Desfosses in 2010, sitting at the Palais des Sports in Sherbrooke, watching the game and feeling numb from start to finish. Seeing “Sid the Kid” score the OT winner on a pass from Jarome Iginla, thinking to myself, “of course it had to be him.”

But Olympic memories don’t stop there. As lame as it may sound, I remember the only time I’ve ever skipped class in High School. It was in 2014, watching Marie Philip Poulin and the Canadian women’s team completing the most absurd comeback against the Americans in the Sochi Olympic games. I vividly recall screaming at the top of my lungs in Alexander Galt’s cafeteria when she finally notched the game-winner on a 4 on 3 power play in overtime.

These memories will stick with me forever and I certainly hope the next few Olympic games will create some more of these long-lasting memories for Bishop’s students.

Nearly a month ago, Canada officially unveiled its management staff for the men’s team competing at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Composed of Ken Holland, Ron Francis, and Roberto Luongo, to name a few, this management staff has a big task ahead of them.

Jakob Laplante Contributor

The likes of Crosby, McDavid, and MacKinnon will surely find their names on the lineup when the puck drops. But who else? Canadians are always so lucky to find themselves with an abundance of star hockey players to choose from, and 2022 will be no exception.

I know some of us have always loved to play GM and create our own “Canadian AllStar” lineup. Canada will be taking 14 forwards, eight defencemen, and three goalies to Beijing. Here’s what I think the lineup will look like: Forwards: Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Mitch Marner, Johnathan Huberdeau, Sidney Crosby, Matt Barzal, Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, Brayden Point, Bo Horvat, Ryan O’Reilly, Mark Stone. Extras: Mark Scheifele and Steven Stamkos Defencemen: Thomas Chabot (OTT), Cale Makar, Shea Theodore, Alex Pietrangelo, Morgan Rielly, Aaron Ekblad, Dougie Hamilton, Drew Doughty Goalies: Carey Price, Carter Hart, Mackenzie Blackwood.

I’d love to hear back from the Bishop’s community on their Olympic stories and get their thoughts on my picks! Feel free to write to me at JLAPLANTE17@ubishops.ca and email me your thoughts on what you would change.

SPORTS

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Bishop’s creates the Gaiters Student-Athlete Leadership Council In early February, the Bishop’s Gaiters announced the creation of a Student-Athlete Leadership Council. In the following weeks, they distributed information through their social media channels about what such a council would look like.

In reality, the groundwork for the “SALC” began almost 18 months ago. While February’s announcement made it public and official, women’s soccer head-coach Paul Ballard has been working on the implementation of this program for a long time.

Through social media posts, the Gaiters released mission, vision, and value statements as well as a complete list of athletes on the council. Every varsity Gaiters team, male and female, has representation on the 16-person council, except for cheerleading. The players are mostly upper-year students (third- and fourth-years) with a couple sophomores sprinkled in.

While the specific purpose and activities of this program are not entirely clear yet, their mission statements shed some light on their role in Gaiter’s culture. “Develop as leaders, while serving our teammates and uniting our community,” it reads ambiguously.

Karl Szabo is a captain and third-year defender for the Gaiters lacrosse team. He is also

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David Rossiter Sports Editor

a member of this new council and he was able to help shed some light on its purpose. “I think it’s a great idea. I hope it will help create a unified group that represents all student athletes,” Szabo said.

Szabo explained that at Bishop’s, varsity athletes are a significant portion of the student body. “I think it’s important to have a group that will represent the needs and interests of student athletes should we need it.”

Finally, Szabo explained how being trained in a leadership position could help in the future. “The program is a great way to prepare for leadership opportunities outside of school, not just members of the council either. Coach Paul from women’s soccer is bringing good things to this process.”

Editor’s note: the Bishop’s Gaiters announced the creation of another student-athlete group: the Anti-Racism and Discrimination Committee. Details were announced after this article was submitted but are available on official Bishop’s Gaiters social media channels and will be part of an upcoming story in The Campus.

Student Athlete Leadership Council.

From the Bishop’s Sports Information Department

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ECONOMICS & BUSINESS

THE CAMPUS FEBRUARY 22, 2021

Samy Cauvet, Economics & Business Editor » thecampus.businesseditor@gmail.com

Face to face with Victoria Black: newly elected BUCS president On Feb. 11, Victoria Black was chosen as the next BUCS (Bishop’s University Commerce Society) President by the WSB students. I took the time, as the outgoing BUCS President, to sit down with her and ask her some questions.

Congratulations Victoria, on being elected for the upcoming academic year! I am really happy to see you stepping into this leadership role and following in my footsteps. This past year has been challenging for BUCS, but the future’s looking bright with you at the head of this organization.

Clara Cardaun Contributor & BUCS President 2020-2021

What was the driving factor for you to apply for the position of BUCS President?

Victoria: “I was on the fence about applying for a really long time because I didn’t want to overcommit to many things at once. And I remember being in a meeting with one of my colleagues who was thinking about running and told me, ‘You should do this, this and this.’ And all these ideas I have are things that I really care about and it took me a while to realize that I really wanted to take the opportunity to put these into motion.

The other part of it was the symmetry of things and moving up the BUCS ladder: Going from director to VP and now President. I wanted to continue to grow, and I made sure I would. I want to provide more opportunities to students. As the head of the BUCS hiring committee, I would like to pick and choose those who want to get involved, and it is my mission to support them in any way possible. That is really what I enjoy the most.”

What are your main goals for next year as BUCS President? What is your first course of action and how will you achieve these goals?

Victoria: “I really want to stress the collaboration aspect.

For example, I’d like to further collaborations with BUAS (Bishop’s University Accounting Society) and BUFS (Bishop’s University Finance Society). Looking back at last weekend’s case competition, BUCS collaborated with the Accounting Society and we were able to reach so many students from all business concentrations and years. That

was amazing!

So really my main focus is the collaboration between faculty, students and other student societies. Actually, the Dean brought up to me an event opportunity in New York which I definitely want to pursue, so stay tuned!”

With Bishop’s returning to in-person classes next semester–fingers crossed–and you starting your presidency, how do you think your experience as a student leader will be affected?

Victoria: “This is definitely a hard question because when we do see that shift from virtual to in-person, the engagement for our events will go up and it really will be a challenge to accommodate our efforts to how many people want to attend events and how we can allow this while adhering to government regulations. I don’t think we will be allowed unlimited capacity in September, so it will be a challenge to navigate through this grey area between completely normal and completely not. There is lots of pressure going into the hope that everything will be normal again in September. And to be honest, I am one of those who works better under pressure, so I am hoping that this huge pressure on everyone to go back to normal life translates into higher levels of interest in our events.

This pressure will drive me to provide something great to business students, which is up to the standard that they expect after being distant for so long. I will use this pressure as a positive reinforcement rather than a stressor.”

In light of BUCS Vice-President and Director positions opening up soon and you being the head of the hiring committee, what are you looking for in a candidate?

Victoria: “It really varies from position to position. In general, the people I tend to work best with are people who value communication. I am the type of person who always answers a message after twenty minutes at the latest because I enjoy completing work and being on top of my commitments. When we are inviting candidates to interview and they are taking a few days to get back to me, that already is something I don’t favour.

“I am also looking for someone who wants to bring something new to the team. Not someone to just fill the role, but someone who wants to drive change, has a

New Business in Lennoxville: Bekkah’s Bakery Despite a few setbacks due to the current pandemic, at the end of December 2020, Bekkah’s Bakery (La Pâtisserie de Bekkah) finally opened its doors to Lennoxville residents.

Rebekkah Gallagher, the 24-year-old business owner, first thought about her business idea while working for Bistro Kaapeh Espresso in Sherbrooke. In 2018, when she was writing her business plan, she wanted to set up her bakery where we can now find the Mediterranean restaurant Rima’s. Life being full of surprises, a spot opened up in the center of town with bigger kitchen space, so Gallagher immediately adjusted her finances with her accountant to ensure she could start a sustainable business and jumped on the opportunity. The shop is currently located in front of Familiprix, at the corner of Speid and Queen Street in Lennoxville, where the florist shop formerly was. If you happen to stop by the store, you’ll become acquainted with Julia, Emma, and Daniel at the register.

Additionally, you might have a chance to meet Rebekkah, and Lea, who is helping her in the kitchen.

Since January, they have been serving a significant volume of clients. “We get to see on average fifty people per day come to the store and close to one hundred per day on weekends,” explains Gallagher. Victim of its own success, the bakery already has two regulars that come every day and eight who stop by at least three times a week for coffee and a sweet treat.

The menu includes pastries, coffee, bread, and lately, smoothies. They were added only in late January because Rebekkah was waiting for students to be back in Lennoxville.

However, is this new product a good move? In addition to the potential high demand, it comes with low risks of wasted products since smoothies are kept in the freezer—frozen fruits can last several months–therefore, it appears to be a viable product. She plans to keep expanding her product offerings in the future to light lunches such as soups, salads,

specific idea or wants to implement this new thing they thought about.”

On that note, where would you like this society to go in the next few years?

Victoria: “Right now, BUCS puts on events for students, and we make the decision internally on which format it will be in. I wish to bridge the gap between students and BUCS, and I know that has been said many times, but I really want students to feel more comfortable to approach us. This should start with feedback boxes and surveys to initiate a two-way conversation. I want to bridge the gap between students and BUCS. But for real.”

Finally, in three words, how would you like to be remembered by business students at the WSB? Victoria: “Approachable, Enthusiastic, and Reliable.”

Thank you, Victoria, for taking the time to answer my questions! I am looking forward to seeing your goals and initiatives becoming reality and I wish you all the best for the future!

Victoria Black, newly elected BUCS President.

Photo courtesy of BUCS Samy Cauvet Economics & Business Editor

and sandwiches. She would need to wait until after the lockdown and see if there is a demand for this type of product because it goes bad fast.

What are some challenges Bekkah’s Bakery must face?

Covid-19 impact. As expected by the business owner, the opening revenues have been impacted by the current pandemic. Nevertheless, Gallagher keeps thinking of innovative ways to create margins. Apart from the sale of goods, she generates unexpected revenues by renting her kitchen on Saturdays to a baker from Montreal who is looking to open his bakery in Coaticook. Furthermore, the latter prepares five kinds of croissants for the week’s bakery inventory, which brings the production costs down substantially. After the pandemic, she hopes to seat around ten people inside and twenty outside.

Competition. The new family-friendly bakery has to compete with well-established institutions such as Faro, one of the students’ most coveted spots in Lennoxville. In order to differentiate herself from the competition, Bekkah has brought back from her fiveyear stay in Australia the local coffee culture that she refers to as “the third way of coffee” comparatively to Faro, offering what she calls “the second way of coffee.” If you’re curious to know the distinction between those coffee-making techniques, you should visit the bakery and ask Gallagher about it. “I could talk about coffee for hours,” she says.

On the food side of things, she has an edge over McDonald’s and other fast-food restaurants in the centre of town by offering fresh baked goods that she likes to call “blissful bites.” She is hoping to attract students as well as families. “Lennoxville is a family town,” she says.

One piece of advice from the young entrepreneur for readers who would like to start their own businesses: “Surround yourself with mentors, start small, accept that everything is not going to be perfect at first, learn from your mistakes—better take risks while you are young with no family depending on your income—and keep growing.”