The Campus - October 17th, 2022

Truth and Reconciliation Week

The week of Monday, Sept. 26 to Friday, Sept. 30 marked this year’s Truth and Reconciliation Week, a span of five days with events across four Sherbrooke campuses dedicated to raising awareness about the realities that Indigenous Peoples face in Canada. Events varied from exercises to panels, discussions and movie screenings, and closed with the annual “Every Child Matters” walk through Lennoxville.

The week was funded by the Pôle régional en Enseignement Supérieur de l’Estrie (PRESE), a Sher brooke-based organisation that provides funding to student projects aimed at encouraging collaboration between schools in the Eastern Townships. For the or ganisation of this year’s events, PRESE provided a budget of $10,000 for a collaborative effort between Bishop’s University, the Université de Sherbrooke, Champlain College Lennoxville, and the Cégep de Sherbrooke. Throughout the week, events were arranged between the institutions, with each school having their own day in the week to highlight and plan activities for their campus. This was done in order to facilitate collaboration between the schools and to encourage attendance at all events.

While Truth and Reconciliation Week has been organised by the Indigenous Cultural Alliance at BU in past years, this year was the first that involved collabora tion between the four Sherbrooke institutions. “For me, I just find that’s such a good example for others, what it is to reconcile differences,” said Vicky Boldo, Bishop’s Uni versity’s Special Advisor of Indigenous Student Support. “Everyone needs to be educated about this, and I think the more we collaborate the better,” said Indigenous Student Support Assistant, Shawna Jerome.

The week began on Monday, Sept. 26 with a conference explaining the week’s itinerary and intentions, and two events were held by UdeS: a screening of Devoir de memoire, which depicts the mistreatment of Indige nous Peoples by Canada’s medical system, and a discus sion panel.

On Tuesday morning, Sept. 27, Bishop’s hosted a blanket exercise headed by Vicky Boldo and Shawna Jerome. The exercise opened with a floor covered in blankets, which, over the course of the event, were taken

away to represent the loss of Indigenous land to colonis ing powers. “It’s a very interactive way of learning the history and what was imposed on Indigenous Peoples,” said Jerome. “It highlights a lot of the land that is taken away.”

After the conclusion of the blanket exercise, Boldo hosted a debrief with the attendees in which the main points were reiterated and discussed. “Overall we had a good turnout, and it was well-received,” said Jerome.

Later on Tuesday, the Allyship Panel event took place in the Agora, with student and faculty speakers discussing how best to support Indigenous students. Each speaker had five minutes to talk about their work in allyship and what people can do to be a better ally, before taking audience questions. “It was really more of a conversation that we were trying to create,” said Jerome, “a conversation which is good for everyone to have about allyship.”

The same day, the Anti-Racism and Discrimina tion Committee (ARDC) organized an event for athletes covering the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 calls to action. During the event, athletes learned about the call to action associated with their jersey number.

On Wednesday, Université de Sherbrooke held several events: a conference on the Abenaki language and art, a ceremony, performances, and sharing of songs.

On Thursday, Champlain College Lennoxville organized a panel covering reconciliation, relationships, and land.

The week culminated on Friday, Sept. 30, which also marked Canada’s second annual Truth and Rec onciliation Day, with the march through Lennoxville. The day began with speeches and performances in the Quad; Annick Corbeil, the Manager of International, Indigenous, and Intercultural Relations at BU, gave a land acknowledgement, encouraging attendees to have difficult conversations. Shawna Jerome explained the significance of the orange shirt, and shared the words of Odanak Chief Richard O’Bomsawin, Suzie O’Bomsaw in, and Cree Grand Chief Abel Bosum. SRC President Camilla Rizzi spoke to the audience about her personal experiences growing up in an Indigenous community in

The march started on College Street, went through Lennoxville, and ended on Coulter Field, where planks of orange plywood were distributed amongst attendees. The planks were held up to create a bird’s-eye mural reading “every child matters.”

Fourth year student and march participant Léontyne Haché spoke about how emotional the walk made her. “One thing that really shocked me and hit me emotionally was seeing the little kindergarten kids that were there and were cheering us on. That made me tear up…and really reflect. They might not really understand what they’re cheering on but I hope they keep that mind set throughout their education and keep pushing that message,” said Haché.

Attendees of the march were cautioned against putting aside truth and reconciliation after the end of the day. “It’s a history that involves all of us,” said Boldo. At the end of his speech, Chief O’Bomsawen concluded, “always remember, children first.”

Photos

Nunavut. Vicky Boldo performed Wildflower, an honour song for women and children.

Rhiannon

and Eva Rachert

Learning & unlearning: the truth & reconcilation symposium

Gabrielle Liu - Junior Copy Editor

On Thursday, Sept. 29, students and community members attended a halfday truth and reconciliation symposium titled “Where Reconciliation Happens: Right Relationships & the Land,” held in Bandeen Hall from 1 to 4 p.m. The panel consisted of four main speakers, Dana Lois, Dakota Brandt, Lee McCombe, and David McCombe, as well as a message from the Odanak. The symposium was part of a week of Truth and Reconciliation events supported by the Estrie Higher Education Hub.

Dakota Brandt, from Six Nations of the Grand River, opened with a Haudenosaunee address which is directly translated as the “Words That Come Before All Else.” She explained that the address is recited at an event “to come together as one” and thank people and nature who are present. After a land acknowledgment, Vicky Boldo, Special Advisor Indigenous Student Support, opened with a Cree Thanksgiving song.

Lois Dana, Penobscot, is the Student Life Counsellor at Champlain College, working with Indigenous and intercultural students. She shared the history of the Abanaki on behalf of Odanak Chief Richard O’Bomsawin, who was unable to attend. Dana put up a map on a projector showing the territory where the Abenaki, traditionally called the W8banakiak, lived. She asked the audience what was different about the map, and immediately, someone said, “No borders.” Only geographical features like lakes and mountains were scattered on the map.

“I am a descendant of people who were hunted,” Dana said. She stated that her ancestors, the Penobscot, exist today in far fewer numbers than they did at first contact with European colonizers. In 1755, a proclamation by Spencer Phips

designated the Penobscot to be eliminated, offering scalp bounties for men and women worth about 12,000 and 6,000 CAD in modern currency value.

Next, Brandt spoke about her upbringing and the impact of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). For her, Truth and Reconciliation is as new a concept to Indigenous people as it is to non-Indigenous people. It was only several years ago when the TRC was active that many people heard for the first time what their own family members had endured. It was only then that many began “finding out why (their) family is the way they are” and learning where dysfunction comes from. She drew from a personal anecdote of realizing that the reason her parents never said “I love you,” growing up, was because their parents – her grandparents – never heard it from the nuns in the residential school.

Growing up near what was one of the oldest residential schools in Canada – the Mohawk Institute – Brandt recalled family members always referring to it as the “mush-hole”, referencing the food served. The one exception to “mush” was a hard-boiled egg given at Christmas and Easter, the anecdote striking Brandt with the fact her family members were still there on holidays. “(The residential school system) was never about assimilation. It was about subjugation,” she said.

Lee and David McComber, from Kahnawake, were the final panelists of the day. Lee is a Bishop’s biology graduate, and David is a graduate of Champlain College. They echoed each other on the responsibility to maintain the land for future generations. “Our modern world takes but doesn’t leave for future generations,” David said at one point. Later, Lee explained a lost relationship with the river running along the Montreal

BU’s homecoming kickoff

student), Jane Brydges ‘95, and Trevor Lovig ‘96.

South Shore. With a bridge that was built over it, came highways, powerlines, and the dumping of toxic waste. To her, people’s responsibility to and relationship with the land is a gift.

David shared that he didn’t know anything about residential schools growing up. “Not being able to learn my songs, why someone is dancing, I never gave much thought to it.” But, when he got a job at Kahnawake Survival School at the age of 29, moving into a teaching life, he had to learn who he was. From the burning of fields, to how the Indigenous were pushed aside onto “postal-sized stamps of land,” to the symbolism he sees in the presidents carved into Mount Rushmore, he said, “People call us resilient. We don’t want to

be resilient anymore. We want to live.”

The truth and reconciliation symposium was just one of many events hosted that week to engage the community of Bishop’s University, Champlain College, the Université de Sherbrooke, and the Cégep de Sherbrooke in what Dana called, “ongoing unlearning.”

To start off homecoming, Cameron Hughes ‘96, a professional sports entertainer, public speaker, and enthusiastic Bishop’s alumnus, organized the Homecoming Kickoff Event in association with the university’s advancement office. This event took place at Centennial Theatre on Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. and involved a panel of BU alumni with a range of careers, degrees from BU, and advice for current undergraduates. With the idea of bringing current students and alumni together after the space and lack of events during the pandemic, Hughes sought to “feel connected again.” “How do we attach our story of what we did at Bishop’s,” asked Hughes, “to five, ten, twenty years later and inspire students?”

The speakers on Thursday night included Cameron Hughes ‘96, Tom Godber ‘85, Tara Marsh ‘94, Sterling Mawhinney ‘88, Felicity Burns ‘17, Matt Saunders ‘00, Tom Allen ‘69, Camilla Rizzi (current student), Dave Straiton (former

While many topics were discussed by the alumni, advice given to undergraduates included “stretching”, essentially, to reach for goals and to “stretch” in terms of getting involved, trying new things, and connecting with people. Accepting excellence was also mentioned, with an emphasis on getting involved in the community. With nine alumni, one current student, and a former student, the overall consensus was to welcome the challenges and embrace everything that is to come.

“(Hughes’) electric energy fostered a great environment for the other guests and a friend-like intimacy with the audience,” said second-year student Colin Ahern.

During the event, prizes and gifts were offered to the audience for participation and involvement, including BU merchandise, popcorn, and espresso machines. The main prize was a semester’s tuition reimbursement given through a raffle to recipient Thomas Boisvert, a fourth year student in the psychology and

sports studies programs.

Following the event, students were encouraged to join alumni at the Gait, with a free drink ticket offered to all who came.

“I loved how the panel really showcased a diversity of experiences,” said

“We all need someone to cheer us on.”

Sufia Langevin, a fourth year education student and participant at the event. “It was great to see a relatable and realistic representation of what BU students can do after leaving the purple bubble!”

Photo courtesy of Gabrielle Liu

Photo courtesy of Nadia Rochefort

Bishops’ first annual Humanities Week

Isabelle Callan - Contributor

Bishop’s University provides many week-long events throughout the school year for students to get engaged in a variety of ways. So far during this aca demic year, Bishop’s has held events for Sustainable Transportation Week and National Week of Truth and Reconcili ation. Such events are great for students in every program to learn more about areas they may be interested in or to explore opportunities within the school.

The week of Oct. 4-7 was the first an nual Humanities Week, giving students a chance to get involved in humanities courses, hear from speakers with expe rience working in the humanities, and meet staff members in the humanities departments.

Humanities Week offered mul

tiple events for students, faculty, staff, and community members to participate in. Throughout the entire week, students were welcome to sit in on different humanities classes offered by the school, including courses in English literature, classics, arts, religion, film, music, and philosophy. The open classes admitted students from across departments, as well as Lennoxville community mem bers.

On Wednesday, Oct. 5, the school offered the first Donald Lecture of the academic year. Elisapie, an Inuk singer-songwriter, actress, activist, director, and producer, came to Bishop’s from Montreal to speak about her expe riences as a performer and performed two songs for the attendees. Earlier the

same day, faculty and staff members in the humanities departments gave out free hot chocolate to all students in the Quad. This gave students an opportuni ty to meet humanities faculty and staff and talk more about humanities courses.

An event called “Inspired by the Humanities: Good News from Recent Grads” was held on Thursday, Oct. 6. This event brought back five BU alumni to share how their humanities courses made a meaningful difference in their personal and professional lives. The speakers, successful graduates of Bishop’s humanities department, spoke to current students about the impor tance of humanities in the workplace and how best to utilize their degrees. The event also offered refreshments, and

music students performed live jazz for the attendees to enjoy.

Humanities courses provide a great opportunity to students in any program to learn about interest ing topics and explore artistic outlets within the school, such as music and arts. Humanities courses are open to all students and are a great elective option for students in any program. Human ities week provided a great opportunity for students to experience humanities courses, talk to alumni and current stu dents, and meet faculty and staff in the humanities departments. This event will be held annually going forward, and all students are encouraged to participate in the years to come.

The CAQ wins with a resounding majority

Gabrielle Liu - Junior Copy Editor

The Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) swept the National Assembly in Quebec’s provincial election on Oct. 3, winning 90 out of 125 seats in the legislature. Premier François Legault and the CAQ formed an even larger majority government than they won in 2018, increasing from 74 to 90 seats. In the Saint-François riding – where Lennoxville is located – and almost every riding in and around the Eastern Townships, the CAQ rode to victory. The notable exception is the metropolitan Sherbrooke riding where Christine Labrie of Québec Solidaire was re-elected – an orange island in the CAQ’s blanket over the Estrie region.

With polling predicting a resounding victory for the CAQ, the provincial elections were more of a race for second place. The Quebec Liberal Party (QLP) formed the official opposition with 21 seats, followed by Québec Solidaire (QS) with 11 seats, and Parti Quebeçois (PQ) winning 3 seats.

Immediately following the results, opposition parties pointed out the discrepancies between the percentage of the popular vote won by each party and the seats distributed in the National Assembly. That is, Legault and the CAQ had about 41 per cent of the popular vote but won 72 per cent of the seats in the legislature. Due to the way the first-pastthe-post system works, where only the winning candidate of a riding is elected to government – regardless of how close the runner-up or competing candidates were – parties with voters concentrated

in certain ridings have an advantage over similarly popular parties that have their voters relatively dispersed.

The parties contending for the official opposition, the QLP, QS, the PQ, and the Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ) all received approximately 1315 per cent of the province’s total votes, but had vastly different spreads of representation in government. Notably, Eric Duhaime with the PCQ won no seats, despite there being less than a 2 per cent difference between the PCQ’s popular vote and the QLP’s. Several ridings in and around the Eastern Townships, including Saint-François, Richmond, and Mégantic (where the PCQ was the runner-up) each received more votes for the PCQ than for the PQ and the QLP, but will see no conservative MP from any riding in the National Assembly.

Another party pointing out problems with the electoral system is Québec Solidaire. “Our political system is broken, our democracy is sick and the electoral map tonight does not reflect the political will of Quebecers,” said spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois during his concession speech. Collectively across the province, QS received about 40,000 more votes than the QLP, but has 11 seats in government compared to the QLP’s 21. Voters in the ridings such as Orford, Saint François, Richmond, and Brome-Missisquoi all had a QS candidate as their runner up behind the CAQ, and might echo discontent about the result.

Sherbrooke is one of the more popular cities in Quebec for immigrants

– comprising 13.7 per cent of the city’s population according to Statistics Canada in 2016. In the leadup to election day, some of the CAQ candidates in the Estrie region – including François Bonnardel who won in the Granby riding, and Caroline StHilaire of the Sherbrooke riding – took care to voice support for immigrants after the CAQ MNA and Labour Minister Jean Boulet incorrectly claimed that “80 per cent of immigrants go to Montreal, do not work, do not speak French or do not

adhere to the values of Quebec society.” Legault campaigned on a promise to limit immigration to 50,000 people per year, and has repeatedly apologised for comments suggesting that immigrants are at odds with Quebec’s values. Thus, what the CAQ chooses to do with their new mandate, given the immigrants and also the English-speaking population in Estrie, will remain a point of contention in the near future.

Graphic Courtesy of Leea Rebeca Ruta

OPINIONS

Colin Ahern, Opinions Editor » thecampus.opinions@gmail.com

Earning grades at the Donald Lecture

Every year, Bishop’s University offers the chance for students, staff, and community members to hear from successful speakers through the Donald Lecture Series. Donald Lectures, supported by Bishop’s alumnus John Donald, provide an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about different fields and hearing from speakers with pertinent perspectives. The most recent lecture was given on Oct. 5 by Elisapie, an Inuk singer-songwriter, actress, activist, producer, and director. These lectures, held in Centennial Theatre, are free to all attendees and are open to the general public.

When choosing speakers, Bishop’s accepts nominations from students, staff, and community members to be reviewed by the Donald Lecture Series Advisory Committee during the selection process, which is composed of select students and staff. Anyone interested in submitting nominations for a Donald Lecture speaker, during the selection process, can contact Denise Lauzière, Chief of Staff, Office of the Principal and ViceChancellor at denise.lauziere@ubishops. ca, or 819-822-9600, ext. 2201.

Despite the uniqueness of these opportunities, the school seems to be struggling with attendance at some lectures. To promote attendance, many professors were asked to provide grade boosts to their attending students, regardless of lecture content. The school has also been using Instagram to inform students of the lectures and provide some information about the speakers, but often, these Instagram posts have limited information aside from location

and time. If anyone wants to learn more about the speakers beyond what the Instagram posts provide, they must go to the Donald Lecture Series web page under Bishop’s website or look up the speaker on their own.

Given the significant number of students present at the Oct. 5 lecture, the combination of grade boosts and advertising worked to boost attendance. I believe it is fair for professors who deem it appropriate to provide a boost to final

grades for students who attend the Donald Lectures. They should not be forced or incited to do so by the administration.

The lectures span a vast array of domains with qualified speakers and poignant messages. For example, having Elisapie discuss her experiences as an Inuk artist was far more genuine than having a white professor discuss Indigenous culture. This provides a more accurate and genuine educational experience for attendees. While many lectures appear

narrow at first, they carry wisdom that can illuminate people in all walks of life. The speakers bring new perspectives and broaden views by sharing their unique experiences. I would encourage all students and anyone else interested to attend the next Donald Lecture offered, whether or not professors are offering grades for attendance.

A call for mindfulness around conventional holidays

Thanksgiving has come and gone, providing much-needed time off for students to visit family and get away. As welcome as the time off was, it is important to address colonial roots that cling to Thanksgiving as a holiday. While many view it as an opportunity to spend time with family and reflect on what they are thankful for, the holiday’s origin is from the early colonial era.

The dominant narrative in the media is that Thanksgiving comes from a time when early settlers struggled to survive the autumn in North America and received aid from the Indigenous Peoples they encountered. They, together, ate the first Thanksgiving dinner, thankful for one another and their food.

While this is a nice story, it omits the conflict, the war and the genocide of Indigenous Peoples that were perpetrated by the colonizers. While Canadians may

want to distance themselves from these origins and claim that is the story of the United States Thanksgiving, which falls later in autumn, Canadian Thanksgiving happens to coincide with Americans’ Columbus Day – perpetuating the idea that the Americas were discovered and that Christopher Columbus is a figure to be celebrated. In short, Thanksgiving is a colonial holiday that erases important pieces of history, specifically for Indigenous Peoples.

So why is it that we get Thanksgiving off, but we don’t get any time off for Eid?

Eid-al-Fitr is a Muslim holiday, one that marks the end of the month of Ramadan, the holiest month, which we spend fasting. For the month of Ramadan, we do not eat food or drink water between sunrise and sunset. Because Islam follows the lunar calendar, this can fall at different times of year. For example, I find it easier to fast during the winter months, when

the days are shorter, as opposed to the summer months. During my time at Bishop’s, Ramadan and Eid have fallen fairly consistently during the final exam period. This year, final exams of the Winter 2023 semester start on April 16. Eid 2023 falls on April 20.

Eid is celebrated by sharing food, a feast, with friends and family, as you break the last fast of Ramadan. During Ramadan, as you fast, you reflect on your time without access to food and water. With each meal, and especially during Eid, you are thankful for the food that you have, and which others do not. You give food to those less fortunate than yourself. Almsgiving and fasting during Ramadan represent two of the five Pillars of Islam. During my years at Bishop’s, I have always wanted to host an Eid party. I always loved preparing for and celebrating Eid with my family, breaking our fast with a date and then having a feast and party. I would love

nothing more than to share this aspect of my culture with my friends here at BU, but final exam period is not a time that anyone can take off to celebrate the holiday. I am tired of my academics isolating me from my culture and my religion.

Thematically, both Eid-al-Fitr and Thanksgiving are holidays for sharing food with your loved ones and reflecting on what you have to be thankful for. Only one of these holidays support colonial narratives. Yet, that is the day we are choosing to promote and celebrate. We should reflect on what holidays we are giving space to celebrate, and whose holidays are ignored.

Isabelle Callan - Contributor

Sufia Langevin - Associate Editor

Photo Courtesy of Fanny Essel

OPINIONS

Colin Ahern, Opinions Editor » thecampus.opinions@gmail.com

From wine and cheese to happy hour at the Gait

Eva Rachert - News Editor

Two strong advantages to Bishop’s are the small campus and high student-to-professor ratio since they facilitate opportunities for students to get to know their professors. Students who reach out to their lecturers can find themselves with TA positions, academic accommodations, references, and recommendations for work and graduate school. Bishop’s advertises itself as a school where hardworking students can easily gain recognition for the effort they put in around campus — first-years and second-years can take on work that, in larger schools, would be allotted to upperclassmen or graduate students.

Outside of classes, one of the most-advertised ways for students to meet their professors is department-wide wine and cheese nights. Typically hosted at the Gait, the wine and cheese nights are meant to be mixers for students and professors within a department to talk in a more relaxed setting than class. The events are open to all students with a major or minor in the department; the recent Natural Sciences and Mathematics Wine and Cheese featured trivia games hosted by the BU Science Society, while other wine and cheese events leave the evening free to encourage conversation. The SRC distributes drink tickets and snack boxes to the attendees.

Typically, the wine and cheeses last for two to three hours, with students and professors coming and going as they choose. However, during COVID, the longstanding Bishop’s tradition was interrupted. Attendance for the wine and cheeses dropped. Now, as the campus reopens, the future of departmental engagement is in question. If professors are not interested or available to attend the wine and cheese nights, the value in

attending them is greatly diminished. While it is important for students to have peer connections in their department — to share notes, organize study groups, and have a support system for tough points in the semester — those connections can be made during or after class, at clubs or at academic societies specifically meant to foster connections between students.

Student attendance of wine and

On vs off campus living

Sufia Langevin - Associate Editor

I’m now in my fourth year at Bishop’s. After having spent three years in Abbott Residence, I moved off-campus in April 2022. The two experiences have been incredibly different.

Living on campus was extremely convenient. I didn’t have to worry about cooking since I had a meal plan at Dewies. All-you-can-eat food was only a two minute walk from my bed. No prep, no dishes to clean – it sounded perfect. However, after a while, eating at Dewies got repetitive. There are only so many ways to make the stir-fry station different, and only so many stations. My biggest problem with Dewies was that, as a Muslim, I couldn’t eat any food that had pork. They only started prominently posting whether a food had pork or other allergens partway into my second year, and only did so reliably in my third year. Before then, I either had to assume food was unsafe for me, or ask a staff member. I put in a lot of complaints to the Dining Committee. Once COVID hit,

the Dewies experience changed quite a bit. Clarity around ingredients in dishes was the best change that happened.

I also loved how close residence was to the Gait because I never checked a coat for my entire first year, no matter how snowy it got.

As COVID hit, residence felt too isolating. The community and ease-of-access that had made it so appealing was gone. Living on the ground floor made it easier for me to self-isolate – friends would come up to my window to chat while I stayed inside. In the end, I moved off campus because my life in residence felt too confined and small, never leaving the campus where I lived, worked, ate, studied, and partied. I needed more variety.

Living off campus has been entirely different. I am still fairly close to classes, just on the other side of the bridge. I do find it more tempting to skip classes living off campus – even though the walk may be the same distance, the distinction of walking “to

cheese nights is largely reliant on their expectations of the ability to network and meet professors and students from other programs in one’s department. Wine and cheese nights are useful for students interested in programs within their department that they are unfamiliar with. If professors and staff do not attend wine and cheese nights, the point of the event is lost.

Bishops’ liberal education

model is supposed to ensure that students can easily get to know their professors and make connections in different departments. The system requires engagement from all parties — the wine and cheese nights become Gait happy hours if unattended by the target audience of students and professors.

Graphic Courtesy of Leea Rebeca Ruta

campus” instead of “to class” has changed the way I view it.

The biggest difference is living without a Dewies meal plan. I pay for groceries, rent, hydro and it all comes to approximately the same amount as it was living on campus paying rent and meal plan. However, now I have to decide what I’ll eat, buy groceries for it, cook the food, and do all the dishes. While it’s more work, I appreciate having more control over my diet. I don’t have to worry about whether I’ll be served something I can eat or not, since I’m the one deciding what I’m eating, and I can cater to my cravings easily. I also find it easier to see my friends as an upper-year living off campus. I have more space in my apartment for having people over than I ever did in my dorm. It’s easier to see my friends at cafes, but I do miss running into people at Dewies.

On- and off-campus life offer different benefits. I enjoyed my time in residence, especially as a first year, but find now that I need my life off-campus as a fourth

year. Regardless of where I live, accessing classes, food, and friends are priorities for my wellness.

Photo courtesy of Emily Crunican

SPORTS

Big homecoming win for Gaiters football

Nicolas Baril - Contributor

Oct. 1 vs Mount Allison

The Gaiters football team shone on homecoming weekend as they hosted the visiting Mount Allison Mounties, to whom the Gaiters lost earlier this season in Sackville, N.B. Prior to the game, the football teams of ‘88, ‘90, and ‘94 were hounded and inducted into the RBC Wall of Distinction for their exploits.

Defence was the tail of the day as it was a lowscoring affair on Coulter Field. The Mounties offence was held to 145 yards of total offence on the day and linebacker Gabriel Royer led the way with 10.5 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and a 40-yard interception return, all enough to grant him Subway Player of the Game, Provigo Athlete of the Week, AUS defensive player of the week as well as U SPORTS defensive player of the week. Those are some extremely impressive accomplishments.

On the offensive side of the ball, Mason McGriskin led the Gaiters offence with 181 yards through the air and a rushing touchdown. With the help of a steady leg by Noah Laursen who scored two of two field goals, the Gaiters took a 19-6 win over the Mounties in front of a massive crowd of 2,074 people for a very memorable 2022 homecoming weekend.

Oct. 8 @ St. FX

Unfortunately, the momentum failed to travel with the Gaiters to Antigonish this past weekend when they journeyed to St. FX to take on the undefeated X-men who sit atop the AUS conference. A rainy day was not on the front of the Gaiters’ mind as they stepped onto the field to take on the X-men.

The Gaiters held their own heading into halftime, only trailing 13-3, which was all too familiar after nearly mounting a second half comeback against the same X-men in September. However, St. FX held their own and did not allow any dramatics this time around, with the scoreboard showing a final score of 30-10 at the end of the game.

The X-men moved up to a 5-0 season, comfortably atop the conference. With this loss, the Gaiters fall to 2-3, heading into an off week but looking forward to hosting the Acadia Axemen (0-6) on Coulter field on Oct. 22. The team will have time to regroup, considering the next few weeks will be crucial for their Loney Bowl aspirations.

Lacrosse team’s first loss of the season

Isabella Halliday - Sports Editor

Sept. 29 vs McGill

The men’s lacrosse team hosted the McGill Redbirds for their homecoming game on Sept. 29. The Gaiters were prepared for a big challenge, since McGill has always been a powerhouse in the division. In fact, the last time they won against McGill was at the homecoming of 2017. The Gaiters took home the victory on that previous occasion after three consecutive overtime periods.

With only a goal by senior attack Jacob Gasperetti, the Gaiters were down 7-1 at halftime. Another goal by midfielder Hank Wulder unfortunately could not help the team catch up, and the Gaiters lost their first game of the season 10-2.

Oct. 8 @ Trent

The lacrosse team then travelled to Trent University in Peterborough, Ont. The last time they played the Trent Excalibur, only two weeks prior, they won 9-6 in front of a large crowd at Coulter Field. The team was confident they had what it would take to grab another win since they had already been successful once before. However, Trent had other plans and were quite determined to win on their home turf.

Unfortunately, the Gaiters fell short 5-1 against the Excalibur, bringing their season to 5-2 and Trent to 8-1. The next day the boys travelled to Colchester, Vermont where they had a friendly scrimmage against St. Michael’s College.

The Gaiters are looking forward to their last home game of the season against Carleton University on Saturday. Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. This will also be senior night for the graduating players so be sure to come show your support for the players who will not be

returning next season. After that, the team will travel to Montreal to play McGill again, and they will finish the season off in Ottawa against the Gee-Gees.

There is a CUFLA playoff game at the end of October, then Trent University will be hosting their annual Baggataway Cup

Championship the first weekend of November. We wish our Gaiters lacrosse team the best of luck in these next few weeks of their season!

Isabella Halliday,

Photo courtesy of Hannah McCarthy

Photo Courtesy of Hannah McCarthy

RSEQ golf season comes to a close

Anika Nice - Contributor

The RSEQ golf season wrapped up at the end of September, and four of our very own Gaiters were named to AllStar Teams. Landen Harrison, Shawn Ro billard, Avery Mack, and Michael Brazel all participated in tournaments in Milby, Ki-8-Eb and Bromont. Each of them finished with impressive scores earning Harrison and Robillard places on First Team and Mack and Brazel places on Second Team, along with a second-place finish for the men and a third-place finish for the women.

In golf, you move from the tee box to the hole in the green with the goal of using as few strokes as you can. The number of strokes you take on each hole is your score, and the lower your score the better you do. When playing golf, each hole will have a number of strokes

that the course has decided suits the spe cific hole, called par. Holes can range in size from a par three all the way to a par seven, though most courses will stick to a range of three to five.

Along with par, there are other terms that many golfers use in reference to their shot numbers. When playing, someone might say they “got par” on a specific hole but there are other scores they can get. Par is when a player scores the number indicated at the beginning of a hole. There are also the terms eagle, birdie, bogey and double bogey. Getting an eagle means that a player scored two below par. A birdie is when they get one below par. Bogies and double bogies are when you score either one or two points above par.

Most 18-hole courses will be

around a par 72 like the Old Lennox Golf & Ski. On a course of that size, the aver age golfer normally scores around 90 for men and 120 for women which would be +18 or +48 over par. This really puts into perspective how great our Gaiters are.

Making a big jump up this season, Landen Harrison was able to finish all three tournaments with very impressive scores. He shot +3 at Milby, +14 at Ki8-Eb, and +9 at Bromont. These scores pushed the team ahead in the ranking and earned Landen his spot on the First Team.

Shawn Robillard also did amaz ingly, helping to propel the Gaiters to strong finishes in all three tournaments, shooting +2 at Milby, +10 at Ki-8-Eb, and +12 at Bromont. While this was his first season playing university golf, he played

like a seasoned vet.

After coming off a great season last year, Avery Mack continued to im press. She finished +28 at Milby, +30 at Ki-8-Eb, and +25 at Bromont. At Chateau Bromont, she was the low woman in the second round. This means that she was the woman with the lowest score of the round which is no light feat.

Last but certainly not least we have Michael Brazel, shooting +9 at Milby, +10 at Ki-8-Eb, and +12 at Bromont. He was consistent throughout all three tour naments making him a big asset to the men’s team.

The Gaiters are looking forward to their next golf season where they will continue to bring their best effort to the course.

Men’s rugby dominates Montreal after homecoming loss

David Rossiter - Contributor

Homecoming vs ÉTS

A large crowd showed up at Coulter Field on Friday, Sept. 30 to watch some homecoming rugby. The Gaiters men’s squad faced off against the École Technique Supérieure Piranhas from Montreal.

The stands were filled with fami ly, friends and other Gaiters teams as usu al. But due to homecoming celebrations, there were a large number of Bishop’s alumni as well. There were former rugby players from decades ago, and profes sional entertainer, Cameron Hughes, who kept the crowd energized with his antics all evening long.

ÉTS came into the game unde feated while Bishop’s record stood at 2-1, so a tight match up was to be expected. A try scored by Sam Clapinson put the Gaiters up 7-6 going into halftime. The second half was explosive. Fifth year Louis Millet scored a try and so did senior Kyle Corrigan. Axel Montgomery converted all three tries with successful kicks giving Bishop’s a total of 21 points, as they led by one in the dying minutes. Unfortunately, a last second penalty kick from the Piranhas gave them three points and the 23-21 victory.

October 8 vs Montréal

Saturday, Oct. 8 brought another home game for the Gaiters, and this one was a party. They faced the Montréal Car abins who sat at an identical 2-2 record this season.

The same three scorers from the previous game all crossed the goal line again in the first half of this match. Corrigan, Millet, and Clapinson helped give Bishop’s a 22-3 lead at halftime.

Corrigan slipped through twice more in the second half to give himself a stunning four total tries in the match. He now leads the entire Quebec league with nine tries. Clapinson scored again, and senior Liam Priest added a try of his own to top off the victory. With eight tries and one conversion kick, Bishop’s handled Montréal easily winning 44-3 in what

they said was a “statement game”.

Coming up

Now sitting above .500 at three wins and two losses, Bishop’s has just a pair of regular season games left. On Oct. 16 they will host the Carleton Ravens, who have yet to win a match in their first RSEQ season. This will be the last

home game of the season barring a home playoff match. Therefore, Bishop’s will conduct its senior day celebrations prior to the 1 p.m. start. The Gaiters then close out the regular season on the road against the highly ranked McGill University Redbirds on Oct. 23.

Photo Courtesy Nadia Rochefort

Isabella Halliday,

Christina Lépine, Features Editor » thecampus.features@gmail.com

Women-led movement in Iran attracts global support

Elizabeth Beaumont - Layout Editor

The beginning of September marked a memorable period in both Iranian politics and civil society. On Sept. 16, the tragic death of Iranian woman Mahsa Amini sparked both domestic and international outrage. Amini was arrested for allegedly breaking hijab rules and later passed away in law enforcement’s custody.

Since the formation of the mod ern Iran state after the 1979 revolution against the Shah, Iran has gradually de veloped into a strict Islamic state, a state with strict morality and religious laws, often with unequal discrimination orient ed towards women. Iran’s Islamic regime and laws are circulated around their own concept of morality and their interpreta tion of Islam, including the requirement of women to fully cover their heads in public. When Amini was allegedly spot ted by the Iranian morality police with hair showing from underneath her hijab, she was immediately taken into custody. Reports at this moment indicate that Amini suffered multiple blows to the head, however, Iranian police are still rejecting these allegations. Instead, the police are stating that Amini suffered a fatal heart attack after being taken to the hospital.

Consequently, the already fed up Iranian civil society, especially women, have taken the death of Amini as an opportunity to protest and display their discontentment with the Islamic state. Women are burning their hijabs both in support of Amini and in protest to the current government. Iran’s protests thus far have been extraordinarily unique because it is not just a civil disorder

involving women; it is an upheaval about women and women’s freedoms. It affects their freedoms to dress however they would like and to live life freely; freedoms that many people in the West take for granted everyday. The women-led pro tests have attracted worldwide attention, and nations across the globe are protest ing in support.

In Sherbrooke on Oct. 1, there was a protest in solidarity with Iranian women and in protest to the Iranian regime, indicating that women’s freedom of apparel and dress is a fundamental human right. Injustice to women in Iran is protested as injustice to women everywhere. The protest was organized by Nastaran Golchin, an Iranian-Canadian, and was carried out in a peaceful manner through Sherbrooke.

Protestors met at the cor ner of Rue King Ouest and Boulevard Jacques-Cartier, and marched towards Marché de la Gare. In an interview with The Sherbrooke Record and also ex plained in an article written by Michael Boriero, Golchin goes into great detail of what is actually happening in Iran right now. Iranians have been cut off from internet services, cutting off any commu nication they might have had with the outside world and hindering any inter national media that may be covering the protests.

In addition to the censorship, Iranian officials are asking family mem bers of those who have died in police custody to publicly state and admit that their loved one actually passed away from a heart attack. As an Iranian-Canadian, Golchin still has family living in Iran who

Hoco and the purple mass

Bishop’s University hosted its annual homecoming where alumni and active students come together to bond and create memories over the first football home game of the year.

As I approached the tailgate around mid-afternoon in front of the sports complex, the parking lot looked to be flooded with purple attire in celebration of school pride. The Bishop’s University graduates and current students assembled from all walks of life and partook in an open barbeque and drinking event where people generously shared stories and reminisced on their days at Bishop’s University.

On my wandering search through the masses of purple, I had the luck and pleasure to meet Matt Saunders, a graduate in 2000 and former editor of The Campus newspaper. During our conversation when I asked about what he thought HoCo brings to the Bishop’s community, Saunders replied, “The people here speak for themselves, the flags are flying, and there’s purple everywhere to be seen.”

Ironically, just as Saunders says this, the opposing football team’s spectators, dressed in red from Mount Allison University, can be seen enjoying themselves as well, regardless of the colours they wore. Among

other alumni in my series of interviews, the reoccurring comments were related to how inclusive the university is and how the campus facilities have improved.

“The opposing football spectators are literally walking right through the tailgate and enjoying themselves just as much as the roughly 300 Bishop’s students and alumni with no conflict at all,” Matt Saunders said.

Not only was the Ho-Co tailgate extremely inclusive, but the land and crowd were also treated with respect as there were no broken bottles, litter or people in distress to be seen. Security was also notably giving people their space while enforcing safety precautions when needed to ensure everyone could safely participate. Having the reassurance of safety, respect and inclusiveness is what made the 2022 homecoming a major success.

I eventually came across my friend and first-year student, Thomas Dupont, who gladly commented, “It gives everybody a chance to reconnect, have a good time, and even get out of their comfort zone to experience the university for what it is.”

Without the annual homecoming tailgate and football game, the new first-year students wouldn’t have the opportunity

have been attempting to communicate as much information as they can to her. She is now educating the city of Sher brooke and the Eastern Townships on the importance of these protests, as displayed with her organization of the Sherbrooke protest.

These protests are more than just protests, they are a symbol of the extreme oppression women in Iran have been experiencing under each regime. In addition to Sherbrooke, there have been

Connor Kay - Staff Writer

to represent and express school pride or meet and greet other students to expand their circle of friends and broaden their horizons.

After spending the afternoon among the purple mass at the tailgate, the football game had started, and people made their way to fill out the stands at Coulter Field. The football game had the stands filled with energy and the crowd erupting in cheers, on the edge of their seats, until the secured victory of 19-6 had been achieved. Though the tailgate and football game were over, later that evening I made my way into town, crossing through Reed Street and Little Forks. Without surprise, I witnessed alumni and current students having harmless fun in the name of school pride, continuing to create that same energy I experienced at the tailgate and football game. As the night grew closer, the streets quickly became that same familiar jungle of purple mass that I had seen earlier. The same purple mass also maintained the care and respect for one another as much as the thrill became amplified through a wild and fun-filled night for all participating students.

“I’ve definitely witnessed less responsible drinking events; in fact, this

protests in major cities on nearly every continent.

Such oppression is not unique to Iran and is unfortunately a tragic reality for many countries in the Middle East.

It is unknown whether these protests will have a domino effect on Middle East countries such as Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. This may be a step in the direction towards women’s liberation.

Graphic courtesy of Leea Rebeca Ruta

is probably the most responsible drinking event I’ve ever attended because the university could have told us to take it to Reed Street but are generous enough to let everyone come here instead for the tailgate,” Thomas Dupont mentioned.

Photo Courtesy of Connor Kay

FEATURES

Christina Lépine, Features Editor » thecampus.features@gmail.com

Elisapie shares music and stories at first Donald Lecture of 2022

Centennial Theatre fell into a hush as Elisapie, singer-songwriter and director, stepped up to the microphone and began to sing. The Inuk musician was invited to Bishop’s as part of the continuing Donald Lecture series, and Elisapie shared a deeply personal and inspiring lecture. She spoke about the story of her life, including her childhood in Salluit, QC, her move to Montreal to become a journalist, and her relationship with her three children. She switched freely between English, French, and Inuktitut, answering audience questions in French and English.

The lecture opened with two songs from Elisapie’s latest album, The Ballad of the Runaway Girl. The first, “Wolves Don’t Live by the Rules,” is a cover of Inuvialuit musician Willie Thrasher. Elisapie shared that this song was special to her, since Thrasher is an Indigenous artist who inspires her, and the song holds a lot of meaning. She dedicated the second song, “Arnaq”, to the women in the audience, particularly the mothers and grandmothers.

Elisapie shared that she always loved music, and that she comes from a musical background. Her uncles influenced her by introducing her to rock and roll, and her first performance was with her uncle’s folk rock band, Sugluk. Though she had a passion for singing, she initially did not imagine being a musician as a career because she wasn’t aware that it was a possibility for her. Even now, there is a lack of representation of Indigenous people in the arts, and Elisapie described

the awe of the Indigenous children who see her perform.

The Ballad of the Runaway Girl began as a cover album of songs by Inuit singers such as William Tagoona and Willie Thrasher, some of Elisapie’s earliest influences. While working on this project, she found herself writing original songs on guitar. Many of these songs are inspired by personal stories, such as her adoption, her childhood in the North, and her exodus from her home while living in Montreal. She said in an NPR interview, “I never knew how to make peace with the fact that I left (Salluit) … I think this album is based on the fact that I want to find those traces of my childhood in order to really understand a little bit more who I am.”

Elisapie moved to Montreal in her early twenties to pursue journalism, a choice that took her far from home. Eventually, she became involved in a documentary project interviewing people who live in the Arctic Circle, allowing her to travel around the world and to have the experience of filmmaking. This led to another documentary project, If Weather Permits, which shows life in the village of Kangirsujuaq, near her hometown, capturing Inuit culture in a changing world.

During the lecture, Elisapie described how performance gives her a chance to connect with people and it is usually a rewarding experience. During the Donald Lecture, she created a feeling of close connection by speaking to the audience as if they were a close friend. She spoke with honesty about her own experiences and also emphasized the

value of kindness and loving yourself. Elisapie’s music is available on Spotify and Youtube, as well as other major music platforms.

Osire Glacier: Giving a voice to every surrounding

“The earth is beautiful, and it is too bad that human beings are too busy to look at it,” mentioned Osire Glacier when talking about her passion for hikes and traveling.

This scholar, professor at Athabasca University in Alberta, and adjunct professor with Bishop’s history department specializes in the fields of women’s history, politics of gender, human rights in postcolonial Morocco and sexuality. Her wide array of expertise and passions permits her to find inspiration in every aspect of her surroundings. This open-mindedness towards the world surrounding her is what inspired her for past works, including her book Féminin et masculin: Photos d’affiches publicitaires, and her most recent manuscript, Freedom for Morocco: A family tale, which both serve to deconstruct societal stereotypes.

Osire Glacier reports that stereotypes are often constructed between the Western world and the Middle East, and her book Féminin et masculin, Photos d’affiches publicitaires is a way of deconstructing the

idea that such differences exist between those two regions. More precisely, this book looks at how we view men and women in the public space. Glacier found her inspiration for this work by walking down the streets of Montreal and finding advertisements representing a “highly gendered definition of what a human being is”, portraying women as “romantic, loving, slim and young,” almost as an object, and men as “muscular, strong, not sensitive and aging well.” She finds it ironic to see this representation in Canada which is among the best countries for women’s rights and status in society. With her work, she challenges stereotypes of the mainstream media by demonstrating that we can find the same societal constructs of the visions of men and women in the West as in the Middle East.

Her latest manuscript, Freedom for Morocco: A family tale, was inspired by documents she inherited that portray anti-colonial struggles in Morocco as populations fought for freedom and human rights. She creates a parallel between her personal experiences growing

up in Morocco and the Moroccan history written in these documents describing Morocco’s independence, the rise of Islam and the repressive state present today, using data gathered by Human Rights Watch to supplement her research.

“I am using testimonies. It is accessible, and I just hope that people can read it so that they know there are people on the ground, and their voice never reached us. It never reaches the general public so I hope that they can,” says Osire Glacier as she describes why this new book has such importance for her and for readers. She describes her book as “not as scholarly as others” so it is more accessible to a wider audience. The book deconstructs stereotypes and fear of Islam while attempting to educate people and eliminate discourses of hatred toward people who were just born in a Muslim country.

If you are looking for an educating read, Osire Glacier’s manuscript Freedom for Morocco: A family tale is available at the Bishop’s Library Learning Commons.

For more information on this

scholar, consult her website https:// etudesmarocaines.com/

To know more about Osire Glacier and her photography, consult her photography website https://osireglacier. com/

Photo Courtesy of Osire Glacier

Photo Courtesy of Justine Trempe

& CULTURE

Bury your head and don’t forget to say grace: a short story

Colin Ahern - Opinions Editor

I was in the sixth of the three dozen carts full of armed soldiers on our way to the eastern front. Civil war had broken out over two years ago and I signed up to aid in our countries inter vention as soon as I was old enough. With no job, education, or future I had no reason to stay home. Besides, after the previous war, our soldiers were celebrat ed like heroes throughout the eman cipated cities. My father would tell me stories about the day the war had ended, civilians danced in the streets with the liberating army. Halls sang and bells tolled with their newfound freedom. I clung to these thoughts and the neck

lace my girlfriend had given me before I left tightly. Metal dinged lightly as the wagons bumped over the rough cobble road leading into town. Here tents and temporary battlements were ubiquitous and soldiers ran to and fro barking at each other. The residents of this town stuck to the sides of the road as we pulled in, casting cold and hard looks at us. I couldn’t understand why they weren’t happy to see us, the reinforcements they desperately needed. I nudged the soldier beside me, “Why do they look like we’re the bad guys?” He cast a glare back at me, “You’d better keep that mouth of yours shut until you understand what’s happen ing here.”

My first deployment was in the southernmost point of conflict, the iron mountains. The mountainous landscape consisted of a polished surface of pure iron. During the day it would grow to be so hot and reflected the sun so sharp ly that it was impassable. At night the Mountains served to be horrible terrain for our troop, our armor clanged on the ground and dissolved any hopes of stealth. The battling forces that were native to this land had no armor at all, making them fragile, but highly elusive. We would fan out to cover ground quick ly in order to set up stations in the iron mountains to push out the enemy, but their use of bows and stealth made our

casualty count high. We had little oppor tunities to actually fight our enemies, I myself only actually saw a handful of our enemies during my deployment here. It was at this point that I began to under stand the complexity of our situation, it was very difficult to tell the force we were aiding from the force we were attacking. They all used the same weapons, didn’t wear armor, had the same complexion, and spoke the same language. The only real difference I could see was that we were helping the good ones fight the bad ones.

The good ones and the bad ones on the eve of destruction.

Poems from a mute man to a deaf woman

Boiling stardust, and rumbling vortexes. En tropic geometry. The third day. I can see your crystal soul.

Your name is virtue and patience personified. When I call it out, bells toll and I hear love’s name.

She stoops, squat, at the tree’s base. She turns the earth and toils for generations coming to reap. Mother of unborn children.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Weacknowledge 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

Leea Rebeca Ruta - Graphics Editor

Special moments from the week:

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Economics & Business

Student business feature: NomadShifts

Erik Morrison - Economics & Business Editor

Matt Hornibrook, who is a Bishop’s University student raised in Lennoxville, is the co-founder of the new platform, NomadShifts. NomadShifts is an on-demand staffing platform that helps connect businesses with qualified, vetted workers in real time.

With NomadShifts, businesses can post shifts and job openings that al low workers to view and claim shifts that fit their schedule and skill set. This way, businesses can quickly and easily find the staffing they need, and workers can pick up shifts that work for them without hav ing to go through the lengthy hiring pro cesses that are typical today. NomadShifts will allow users to upload their résumé and skills, and quickly apply for part-time job openings on the fly from businesses who are looking for short-term help in their local area.

Hornibrook describes himself as active in the local community with a passion for using business as a way to improve the community. He woke up one morning with a dream about the idea of the plat form. He shared the idea with a business mentor who suggested he pursue the idea further. Hornibrook then shared the

concept with two friends who had skills in marketing, finance, and information technology that would add additional strengths to the team of co-founders, bringing the idea to life. NomadShifts was born.

The app is ready to be launched for beta testing in the near future. The app will first be launched in Sherbrooke to test functionality and address any potential challenges that arise. Their goal within the next year is to finish testing in the Sherbrooke market then expand across the rest of Quebec. NomadShifts also has a goal of fulfilling 200 shifts per week offered by employers in the Sher brooke area.

When asked about the challeng es of starting NomadShifts, Hornibrook pointed out there have been plenty of little challenges without any specific big ones. There are constantly many mini challenges to overcome as well as some unknowns, such as the hypotheticals around how the app will work as the team has not yet been able to begin beta testing. Some of the challenges so far have included choosing the name, logo, and designing their brand. These may

The Gait hosts Biztech 2022

Erik Morrison - Economics & Business Editor

On Wednesday, Oct. 5, the Gait hosted Biztec 2022, giving busi ness and computer science students the opportunity to meet with prospective employers looking to hire students. The event enabled students to network with 12 organizations and some Bishop’s alumni. Among the organizations in attendance were Fidelity Investments, GlobalExcel, Aerotek, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, the Government of Canada, Ubisoft, Pepsico, Michelin, Royal Bank of Canada, Chartered Pro fessional Accountants, Lemieux Bédard, and an initiative of Sherbrooke Innopole called My career in Sherbrooke. My career in Sherbrooke offers activities for students to connect with industrial and tech companies in Sherbrooke and expand their network through activities with employers, on-campus and online business presentations, career days, as well as internship and job opportunities for students and graduates.

Pepsico’s representative shared a few tips on what they are looking for in students they are hiring. They em phasized that those who are a “people person” and enjoy speaking and inter acting with others are just a few of the characteristics that are valued at Pepsico. Other important traits are being flexible, ambitious, showing a willingness to learn,

and having a desire to grow their career.

Marcia Boisvert, the co-op advi sor for the Williams School of Business, was happy with how the event ran. The event provided value to the students who attended. “Any opportunity a student has to interact with employers prior to gradu ation enhances hiring opportunities upon graduation,” Boisvert stated. For business and computer science students searching for a job, she encourages them to join the co-op program. Statistics indicate that 65-70 per cent of interns are offered employment upon graduation and this percentage rises for interns at larger firms such as Ernst & Young, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Co-ops are an opportunity to get paid while earning three elective credits along with gaining industry experience and expertise.

Boisvert received several comments from the employers on the quality of Bishop’s students and that they would definitely attend a future edition of Biztec. Students also shared positive comments about the event and enjoyed the opportunity to network and speak to the organizations in person.

seem like simple components, but all these factors matter significantly to the business.

For students who have a startup or are looking to start a new business, Hornibrook would recommend students to just persevere. Making sure you have good partners is also essential to a well-functioning team. He explains that having two great partners that can be fully trusted to make smart decisions has helped the platform concept be developed into a product soon ready for launch.

NomadShifts is current ly looking for beta testers. You can sign up to be a part of it at NomadShifts.com. If you have any other questions for Matt Hornibrook, reach out at matt@ nomadshifts.com.

Erik Morrison,

Photo Courtesy of NomadShifts

Photo Courtesy of Marcia Boisvert