STINGERS MEN’S HOCKEY FINISHES HISTORIC SEASON WITH U SPORTS SILVER MEDAL
Concordia earned the second-best ranking in Canada at the 2025 U Sports University Cup.
BY MATT PISCINA // SPORTS EDITOR
The Stingers men’s hockey team made it all the way to the championship game before falling to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees at the U Sports University Cup. After a 4–2 win against the Université de Moncton and a 3–0 win against the University of Saskatchewan, Concordia lost to the Gee-Gees by a score of 3–2 in the goldmedal game.
Understanding Queer Concordia’s gender affirming care loan program pg. 2
SPORTS
Stingers women’s hockey finishes in fourth place at U Sports Hockey Championship pg. 7
LES PAGES FRANCOS
Être ou ne pas être francophone à Concordia pg. 8
ARTS & CULTURE
Fonderie Darling’s spring program walks viewers through a transformative experience pg. 10
The female DJ scene, through the eyes of Aniika pg. 13
The Stingers qualified for the tournament after capturing their first Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Queen’s Cup in program history. This gave them the third seed out of the eight teams participating from around Canada. Their opponent in the quarter-final round of the national championship was the sixth-ranked team, the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus. Continued on pg.6
Voting federal 101: What to know April 28 pg. 15
PHOTO COLLAGE BY HANNAH BELL // PHOTO EDITOR
NEWS Understanding Queer Concordia’s gender
affirming care loan program
Eligible Concordia students can now receive a $2000 loan to access gender affirming healthcare.
BY MEGAN MILLS DEVOE NEWS EDITOR
On March 5, Queer Concordia launched a pilot program that would allow students to receive up to $2,000 in loans to cover the cost of gender affirming care (GAC). This program will provide additional financial support to students using Concordia’s existing GAC healthcare coverage.
Concordia’s insurance broker, Studentcare, currently offers up to $5,000 of GAC coverage per procedure with a lifetime maximum of $10,000. However, the coverage requires students to pay upfront for their procedures and then be reimbursed by the insurance provider, GreenShield.
“The loan program is essentially for people to access the gender affirming insurance that we get as undergraduate students,” said Jessica Winton, President and Treasurer of Queer Concordia. “This insurance remains out of access for a lot of people because most healthcare providers require that you pay up front for their services.”
Many GAC surgeries and procedures are extremely expensive to pay for out of pocket, especially for a student. Facial feminization surgery (FFS), which is covered by Studentcare, can cost between $2,000 and $10,000 for a single procedure. For a full FFS facial reconstruction, patients can expect to pay between $30,000 and $50,000.
Charlotte Mcintyre, a second-year accounting student, said that she has had positive experiences using Studentcare’s coverage to help pay for her GAC. However, she said that without savings and private insurance, the upfront payments would have been difficult to meet.
“I think I ended up paying around $730 for laser hair removal. I happen to have enough of an income where it was not really an issue for me to pay it off, but I’ve had periods of my life where having the option [to take out an interest-free loan] would have made it a lot more accessible to access these services,” said Mcintyre.
Winton echoed a similar sentiment.
“I went through this exact situation a few years ago, before we had the insurance, but I had my parents. My surgery was $33,000. I didn’t have the money to pay for that up front, my parents did, and they were eventually reimbursed by insurance,” said Winton. “If it weren’t for them, I’d probably just be dead.”
Countless studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of GAC in reducing suicidality among trans people.
One 2022 study of 104 transgender and non-binary youths found that those undergoing GAC were 73 per cent less likely to experience suicidality and 60 per cent less likely to experience depression.
FUNDING AND FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN
Funding for Queer Concordia’s loan program comes from leftover fee-levy money that went unused during the pandemic.
“The funds that are used for this program are from the years
that the association was pretty much inactive during COVID,” said Winton. “I figured this would be a good way to put it to use.”
Starting with a net of $20,000, the program aims to provide loans to ten students at a time. As the loans are continuously being reimbursed, the funds will recirculate, which should keep the program running for the planned threeyear duration. 70 per cent of the funds will be allocated to surgical procedures, such as FFS, while the rest will cover non-surgical procedures.
Winton said that Queer Concordia had initially sought to provide larger loans to students, but did not have the funds to do so. The fee-levy group receives just two cents per credit, per student, and has an annual operating budget of around $15,000. According to Winton, this is just enough to cover the basic expenses of the organization.
In September 2024, Winton motioned the Concordia Student Union (CSU) to approve a budget of $100,000 in order to expand the scope of the loan program. This would allow the group to provide larger loans so that students could access the full scope of insurance coverage.
According to Winton, this proposal was met with initial interest from the CSU but when it was passed to the finance committee, the motion was not addressed and ultimately fell through.
In Nov. 2024, CSU Finance Coordinator Souad El Ferjani told The Concordian that the motion was rejected due to the CSU’s previous financial commitments.
“It’s not like we don’t want to help,” she said at the time. “[The finance committee] de-
cided not to go through this project, and that’s it. It did not make sense to us to give that money that was going to other projects and stop those projects for them just to go to Queer Concordia.”
WHAT DOES AND DOESN’T STUDENTCARE CURRENTLY COVER?
GAC procedures that are covered by Studentcare include: facial feminization, tracheal shaving, laser/electrolysis hair removal, vaginal dilators, and vocal surgery.
Studentcare does not currently cover pre-transition fertility banking, post-operative care, procedures over $5,000, lifetime coverage that exceeds $10,000, and procedures that are already covered by RAMQ.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
Concordia undergraduate students who currently have insurance coverage through Studentcare and have met their eligibility standards for GAC can apply for Queer Concordia’s loan program. Studentcare requires a diagnosis of gender dysphoria in order to receive coverage for GAC.
“A lot of people don’t realize they need, like, a doctor’s note basically saying they have gender dysphoria,” said Winton.
Requirements of gender dysphoria diagnosis have been criticized by many medical professionals, both due to the financial burden of getting a diagnosis and the fact that it does not align with the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s Standards of Care. Gender dysphoria is widely considered to be an outdated diagnosis by GAC healthcare professionals.
Mcintyre said that when she started Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), she was required to receive a diagnosis. Despite having a therapist at the time, she said that the requirement delayed her ability to receive HRT.
“I guess it works technically, but it’s definitely not ideal,” said Mcintyre. “For people who don’t have access to a therapist, access to a doctor who’s comfortable diagnosing [gender dysphoria] it definitely limits access to [GAC].”
Due to Queer Concordia’s limited financial resources, students who are not covered through Studentcare are ineligible for the loan program, because the fee-levy group cannot guarantee that the loan would be repaid. In the outline of the pilot project, Queer Concordia states that, “priority will be given to students who have either: a prior claim with insurance, or pre-authorization on file already.”
Any student is welcome to apply, and certain slots will be reserved for BIPOC students in an effort to tackle systemic medical and financial discrimination.
As of March 5, students can visit the Queer Concordia offices by appointment to discuss their eligibility with Winton and get help filing for pre-authorization. Additional assistance from the Centre for Gender Advocacy, Community-University Research Exchange (CURE), and the Trans Patient Project is available.
If you or someone you know are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the 9-8-8 suicide crisis helpline 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Protesters march for Gaza in Montreal after Israel breaks ceasefire agreement
Pro-Palestinian protesters assembled at the front of the United States Consulate General to denounce the death of more than 670 people in Palestine since March 18.
BY NICOLAS TREMBLAY STAFF WRITER
Montreal4Palestine organized a last-minute protest on March 18 following the news that Israel broke the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
Since March 18, more than 670 Palestinians have been killed. According to information from Gaza’s Health Ministry and UNICEF, 200 of them were children, and more than 1170 Palestinians were injured in that period.
50,000 were killed in Gaza since the beginning of the war according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, 17,000 were children.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the recent attacks were only the beginning. Southern Lebanon is also under attack from Israel in response to rocket fire.
According to Montreal4Palestine organizers, a second protest was organized to take place at the same location March 23 at 2 p.m.
Continued on next page
The police had a strong presence, but the protest remained peaceful.
“The U.S. administration is fully responsible by continuing its partnership in this genocide, just like previous administrations,” said this speaker.
Comic by Sam Wong // Contributor
“Boycott Israel!” chanted the speaker as protesters chanted, “Boycott the criminals!” At 5:22 p.m., the police partially blocked the intersection of Stanley St. and Saint Catherine W. St.
Photos by Nicolas Tremblay // Staff Writer
People proudly demonstrated their support to Gaza and peacefully protested during the event.
Hundreds of protesters came together; some cried and some smiled.
CREW reaches an agreement with Concordia
Teaching and research assistants will receive a higher wage and other benefits.
BY MEGHRI GHAZARIAN AND MEGAN MILLS DEVOE STAFF WRITER AND NEWS EDITOR
After eight days of striking, Concordia’s Research and Education Workers Union (CREW) has come to an agreement with the university.
“We’re really proud of the work that our bargaining committee was able to do and also of the effectiveness of our strike,” said Lauren Laframboise, CREW’s external affairs officer.
On March 20, the Executive Committee called a special general assembly (SGA) for members to vote on the new agreement. The vote passed with a 70 per cent majority.
According to Laframboise, planning and bargaining had been in the works for over a year by the time the agreement was reached.
“We are very happy to have reached an agreement that addresses the needs of both the union members and the university,” said Concordia Deputy Spokesperson Julie Fortier.
According to the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), over 2,000 teaching assistants (TAs) and research assistants (RAs) will be receiving an overall 20 per cent pay raise.
The wage for TAs and RAs before the agreement was $29
per hour. By the last day of the collective agreement, which is on May 31, 2026, the salary will have increased to $35.25 per hour.
The initial demand from CREW was for the salary to be increased to $45 per hour. Jason Langford, a member of the union’s bargaining committee, said that this number was chosen based on what other universities across Canada pay their TAs and RAs.
“UofT [University of Toronto] makes over $50 an hour,” said Langford. “So 45 felt like a good number to strive for, as it would significantly beat inflation, but also [...] be in line with how we should be valuing our work.”
CREW members working during 2024 and 2025 will also receive retroactive wage compensation to match the agreed-
upon increase of 3.2 per cent in 2024 and 3 per cent in 2025.
The university has not yet announced how it will calculate this retroactive pay.
CSN indicated that the union won a new indexation system. This allows for a minimum number of TA hours to be budgeted for each undergraduate student who is enrolled at Concordia. According to Laframboise, this will prevent Concordia from cutting hours to pay for increased salaries.
Laframboise said that besides monetary improvements, there are also many non-monetary changes that come with the new collective agreement.
In the previous collective agreement, CREW members were required to sign their contract prior to signing a workload form which describes job
tasks and the number of hours assigned to each task.
“You would sign your contract without knowing exactly the breakdown of the hours,” said Laframboise. “Now we’ve sort of flipped that process so that you sign the workload form first and then you sign the contract so that you know exactly the terms of your contract [when you start the job].”
The new collective agreement also seeks to protect TAs and RAs against academic retaliation.
“[It includes] explicit mention and protections against academic and professional retaliation for members, [...] better health and safety provisions, and protections from discrimination, harassment and stuff like that,” said Laframboise.
Has pandemic stress led to alcohol misuse?
Concordia research finds that stress induced by COVID-19 could be linked to increased alcohol use.
BY ANA ACOSTA STAFF WRITER
A 2025 study led by Charlotte Corran, a PhD candidate in clinical psychology at Concordia, found that young adults with anxiety were at risk of problematic drinking during the COVID-19 pandemic, turning to drinking to distract and to cope with stress.
Corran’s research involved 143 young adults aged 18 to 29, aiming to explore the relationship between anxiety, perceived stress, and drinking behaviours.
The data was collected between May 2020 and April 2021 through an online questionnaire. The research team explored the reasons and mo-
tivations behind participants’ drinking habits.
“We found that anxiety sensitivity positively predicted alcohol problems, and this was explained by drinking to cope,” Corran said.
People with high anxiety sensitivity tend to be hyper-aware of anxious feelings, making them more sensitive to stress factors heightened by the pandemic, like health, school, finances, and social life.
The study also discovered that the same individuals consumed more alcohol overall.
“People who are high in anxiety sensitivity have a tendency to have alcohol-related problems because they drink to cope,” Corran explained.
“These same people are at risk for alcohol use, because they’re drinking for enhancement or sociability and they’re perceiving stress highly.”
Ultimately, Corran found that people who were already prone to cope using alcohol before the lockdown continued the habit during the pandemic,
despite decreased social drinking conditions.
“We thought that maybe this was due to the unique pandemic context, or maybe just because they have a baseline hypervigilance or sensitivity to stress already,” she said.
This relationship between alcohol and anxiety is not unique to stress induced by the pandemic. According to Thomas Brown, a former professor of psychiatry at McGill University, anxiety and alcohol misuse often go hand in hand.
“People use alcohol as a kind of self-medication. If a person is plagued by chronic anxiety, reverting back to alcohol is convenient,” Brown said.
According to Brown, the limit for alcohol abuse is individual to each person. Characteristics like gender, height, weight, and health conditions are considerations to look into before measuring alcohol consumption.
While alcohol can be used to cope with anxiety, it can also heighten pre-existing stress, creating a vicious cycle.
“Treatment for alcohol misuse almost inevitably has to tackle these adjacent problems, like anxiety, like depression,” Brown said.
Corran echoed the feeling, highlighting the importance of addressing underlying anxiety to mitigate alcohol misuse.
“If we understand why specific people are at risk for drinking, we can better target these thought processes in therapy,” Corran said.
Corran’s research shows the need to tackle anxiety and stress to help young adults avoid alcohol issues, even years after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the study, a better understanding of the correlation between anxiety sensitivity and alcohol use can help mitigate alcohol abuse post-pandemic and during future social crises.
There are many stress factors that can lead to increased alcohol use. Students are often susceptible during tense moments in their studies. For Concordia finance student William Mur-
phy, drinking is mostly a way to distract himself.
“It’s going to distract me, so I’m going to get a beer,” he said. For him, alcohol is something social he can turn to, whether his day has been good or bad. For Concordia Business Technology and Management student Rosa Polti, alcohol is a way to help ease social anxiety.
“At this point in my life, I wouldn’t want to go sober to a party,” Polti said.
Although the research is centered around the lockdown, it didn’t take into consideration any prior stress factors that the participants had. The research also didn’t look at specific stress factors that came with the COVID-19 pandemic, like a complicated living environment, financial problems, or grief.
“We weren’t able to measure all that stuff,” Corran said. “It would have been interesting to see what exactly was happening at home.”
Meet the students who will be representing you in the CSU next year
Newly elected CSU representatives comment on their wins.
BY ANGÉLIQUE BABINEAU ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Note: Although Danna Ballantyne and Vanessa Massot were elected as part of All In, they are commenting as current and incoming executives, not on behalf of their slate.
Newly elected Concordia Student Union (CSU) executives and councilors hope to increase transparency and accountability within the union during their upcoming mandates, which are set to begin at the end of the semester.
The CSU’s Winter 2025 general elections took place between March 11 to March 13. Eight executive positions were at stake, all of which were won by the All In slate.
Council representatives consist of 30 seats, split proportionally between the university’s four faculties and independent students. The student body also voted on two university senate positions, one for the Faculty of Arts and Science and the other for the John Molson School of Business.
It was the first CSU election campaign for elected council candidate in the Faculty of Arts and Science Kinsey El Tanani, who is pursuing a major in political science and a minor in immigration studies.
Her platform centres around “diversity and inclusion for all.”
As a Stingers women’s rugby team member, she also said she wishes to advocate for her team in a time of budget cuts.
“It's disheartening that we are [being] put on the back burner and have no representation within the student council,” El Tanani said. “Be-
ing a voice for the Stingers is also something that I am striving to [be].”
El Tanani received the highest number of votes out of the 31 candidates running in arts and science.
“I really was shocked. I was bracing for the worst, but I know that I worked really hard.
Every day, I was at school, every day I was nagging people, every day I was DM-ing people,” El Tanani said.
This feeling was echoed by Maria Chitoroaga, who was also elected as council representative for the Faculty of Arts and Science.
Chitoroaga is the CSU’s current sustainability coordinator but chose to run for council this year to focus on her academics.
The fourth-year English literature student said her priorities for next year include addressing some of the issues within the CSU she noticed during her current mandate.
“How are students supposed to be updated if our website isn’t backed up? It’s things like that [...] that make it feel like a broken machine,” Chitoroaga said.
Addressing current problems with the CSU is also what motivated Adam Semergian, elected candidate for senate in arts and science, to run in this election.
“A thing I noticed is that we don't really know what goes on in meetings [with higher bodies of the university],” he said. “I want to report back on these meetings and find a way to do it [publicly], obviously within the legal bounds of the senate.”
He said striving to “inform students of the decisions that affect them” is a priority.
Aside from Chitoroaga, other current CSU executives also ran in this year’s election. Danna Ballantyne, the CSU’s external affairs and mobilization coordinator, campaigned to stay in
her current role for the next academic year.
“I can’t see myself in any other role,” she said. “It’s also a role that isn’t very desirable, because it is really conducive to student activism, and often activists don't want to find themselves in a very bureaucratic space. I feel that I’m very well suited to this role because I can walk that line very well.”
Ballantyne also said she looks forward to using the momentum of this year’s campaigns, including the special general meeting that was held in January, for her next mandate.
Vanessa Massot, current academic and advocacy coordinator, ran for general coordinator. Their goals in this new position include increasing visibility for the student body and making students aware of all of the different services the CSU has to offer.
Ballantyne and Massot said they believe having already been part of the CSU’s executive team gives them an advantage.
“We’ve been hearing student concerns and complaints all year through our roles, and so we understood [what students wanted from the CSU],” Ballantyne said. “The reason we are running again was inherently to make sure those concerns are platformed and prioritized.”
According to the election result, 4,539 out of 30,863 electors voted, representing a 14.7 per cent participation rate. This represents a significant increase from last fall, where 3,677 out of 32,746 electors or 11.2 per cent voted in the by-elections. The 2024 Winter elections gathered 3,793 of 30,630 electors, representing 12.4 per cent, and the 2023 Winter elections 2,733 of 30,060 electors, a 9.1 per cent participation rate.
SPORTS Stingers men’s hockey (Continued from cover).
GAME ONE: STINGERS VS. AIGLES BLEUS
This year’s neutral venue for the U Sports tournament was TD Place Arena in Ottawa, Ontario. The nearly 9,000-seat stadium welcomed a large group of Stingers friends, family, and fans to the team’s opening game on March 21.
“It’s fun, it’s always fun when we have some of our fans here,” said Stingers head coach Marc-André Elément. “It was great to see their support.”
Both teams came out of the gate looking sharp, with Concordia and Moncton trading opportunities in the first period. The first momentum-shifting moment came on a two-onone rush for the Aigles Bleus, where they made a perfect stick-to-stick pass and scored in the open net. It gave the Aigles Bleus a 1–0 lead six minutes into the game.
Minutes later, the Stingers weathered the storm and found their skating legs. Stingers defender Simon Lavigne, who led the team in scoring during the regular season, found a loose puck and wound up for a seeing-eye slap shot that rang the post. On the same shift, he found the puck once more, skated it towards the net, and roofed it past the Moncton goaltender. The Stingers tied the game 1–1 as the first period concluded.
The second period saw Moncton take back the momentum, which they held for the majority of the period. Outshooting the Stingers 8–5 through the middle frame, the Aigles Bleus added a goal to give them a 2–1 lead heading into the third period.
Six minutes into the frame, Lavigne took a shot that rebounded directly to teammate and forward Charles Savoie, who scored five-hole to tie the game 2–2. Just 35 seconds later, Moncton’s goalie vacated
his net to attempt a pass up to a teammate. When the puck found Stingers forward Gabriel Proulx’s stick, his shot towards the net tipped off the blade of forward Édouard Charron’s stick and in. The Stingers had taken a 3–2 lead in the blink of an eye, now 13 minutes away from the semi-finals.
As the clock wound down, the Stingers blocked several shots and tallied an empty-net goal, securing a 4–2 quarterfinal victory.
“Like we did during the playoffs, we demonstrated a lot of character,” Lavigne said postgame. “We were down by one after two [periods], but we never surrendered. It’s part of our identity here at Concordia — we never stop.”
GAME TWO: STINGERS VS. HUSKIES
The next day, the Stingers were right back on the ice, this time in the semi-finals against the second-ranked University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
A very tight game brought a 0–0 deadlock into the final period of the game. Five minutes into the period, the Stingers earned a power play, looking for the game’s first goal. Defender Sean Larcohelle held the puck
as he found forward Julien Anctil skating to the net. A perfect pass found Anctil’s blade and went into the back of the net, giving the Stingers a 1–0 lead late in the game.
The Stingers defended the next 13 minutes by blocking shots and not giving the Huskies quality opportunities. With Saskatchewan pulling their goalie in hopes of a game, the Stingers added two goals with less than a minute remaining, securing their spot in the goldmedal match on Sunday with a 3–0 win. Their final opponent was the host team, the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees.
GAME THREE: STINGERS VS. GEE-GEES
It was a far-from-ideal start to the championship game for the Stingers.
Ten minutes into the game, the Gee-Gees got on the board first. Not only did they have a 1–0 lead, they had all the momentum. This allowed them to get another quality opportunity, scoring about five minutes later. The Stingers trailed 2–0 after the first period.
In the second period, the task got even tougher for the Stingers. Ottawa scored an early goal to extend their lead to 3–0. This was while the Stingers took penalties and failed to find quality scoring opportunities. In the third period, the tables began to turn.
While not finding the back of the net, the Stingers generated numerous scoring chances in the first half of the period.
Playing desperate, Concordia outshot the Gee-Gees by a 19–4 margin in the frame. It wasn’t until there was 2:29 left in the game that the Sting-
ers finally found the back of the net. Defender Sean Larochelle scored top corner on the GeeGees goaltender to make the score 3–1. Still, in desperation mode, the Stingers pulled the goalie. With 1:24 remaining in the game, the Stingers scored again. This time, it was forward Mathieu Bizier burying a loose puck.
In the dying seconds, the Stingers pressed as hard as they could.
They were able to get a handful of chances but could not find the equalizer. Ottawa had captured the championship on home ice by a score of 3–2, while the Stingers earned a hard-fought silver medal.
A Queen’s Cup followed by a silver medal in the national championship marks one of the most successful seasons in the program’s history.
The Stingers men's hockey earned silver medals at the 2025 U Sports University Cup. Photo courtesy of Greg Mason.
Stingers fans who made the trip from Montreal celebrate a goal against the Aigles Bleus on March 21. Photo by Jolene Feltham // Contributor
Stingers women’s hockey finishes in fourth place at U Sports Hockey Championship
Concordia battled until the final whistle but fell short of a podium finish after dropping the bronzemedal game.
BY MATT PISCINA SPORTS EDITOR
The Stingers women’s hockey team finished their season fourth-best in the U Sports national championship. The team began the tournament in Elmira, Ontario, with a quarter-finals win before dropping two hard-fought matchups in the semi-finals and the bronze-medal game.
Concordia concluded their Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) in second place after the Bishop's University Gaiters shocked them in the RSEQ championship. The toptwo finish landed the Stingers a spot in the U Sports national championship for the fourth straight year.
GAME ONE: STINGERS VS. X-WOMEN
StFX controlled play for most of the first period, even if Concordia led in the shot department 12–10.
The start of the second period was a nightmare for the Stingers. The opposing X-Women tallied two quick goals within the first five minutes of the period, putting the pressure on Concordia early.
The Stingers remained calm and collected, even when goaltender Jordyn Verbeek allowed the second goal. Concordia could be seen encouraging their goaltender as they looked to get back into the game, and they did just that.
Head Coach Chu’s squad showed tremendous poise in what was nothing short of pure dominance for the rest of the game. The Stingers tallied five unanswered goals to close things out and punch their ticket to the next round.
Forward Jessymaude Drapeau scored three straight goals to complete a natural hat-trick, whilst forwards Megan Bureau-Gagnon and Emi-
llie Lussier each added a tally of their own. Goaltender Jordyn Verbeek stopped 30 of the StFX’s 32 shots on net to keep the Stingers’ lead.
GAME TWO: STINGERS VS. WARRIORS
The Stingers found themselves in familiar territory in the second period. Waterloo had gone up 2–0 on the scoreboard with the Stingers playing catch up for the second game in a row. They would go into the second intermission with a twogoal deficit, needing to tie the game in the next 20 minutes.
Stingers defender Alexandra-Anne Boyer received a perfect cross-ice pass from forward Zoé Thibault and buried it past the Waterloo goaltender. The Stingers had made the score 2–1 with 11 minutes remaining in the game.
With five minutes remaining, the Warriors found a loose puck and roofed it on Stingers goaltender Jordyn Verbeek. This preceded two empty-net goals from the Warriors who ended up with a 5–1 win. The Stingers’ tournament was not over,
however. They still had a shot at a bronze medal the following day against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues.
GAME THREE: STINGERS VS. VARSITY BLUES
The Stingers trailed by a score of 1–0 after the first period. They responded by tying it with yet another goal from Drapeau. Her tournament-leading fourth goal tied the game 1–1 heading into the final frame.
Six minutes into the third period, the Varsity Blues took back their lead. Although the Stingers outshot their opponent by a margin of 9–5 in the third period, Toronto added an empty-net goal to secure a 3–1 victory and the bronze medal. The Stingers battled hard all season long. After winning 20 out of their 21 regular season games, Concordia will add their fourth-place finish to yet another year of their dynasty.
Early season struggles raise concerns for CF Montréal
Different factors may be playing a part in the belowaverage start of the season that sees CF Montréal sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference.
BY MATHILDE COLLS ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Roster changes from season to season are pretty standard for Major League Soccer teams, and they’re either a hit or a miss. But after four losses and one draw, CF Montréal fans are doubting the stability and goals of their team’s head coach, Laurent Courtois.
A track record of four losses to start the season could either mean a repeat of the 2014 season, in which the club finished last in their conference, or like the famous 2022 season, which began in a similar fashion but in which the team finished second in their conference — one of their best seasons to date.
“The season started badly. It’s hard to even develop an opinion about the team’s true
qualities since the starting 11 is constantly changing, and Laurent Courtois is always trying new things,” said veteran CF Montréal fan Lucas Schmitz.
“Except
for
Atlanta United, there haven’t been any ‘big’ teams to play against yet, and it’s already only been counter performances,” added Schmitz.
Fans explain this bad start by many factors. Instability and the constantly changing players in recent years may play a part.
“It may be too easy to simplify it like that, but it may actually be the club’s eternal problem. Key players leave and are not replaced properly. I’m thinking specifically of Mathieu Choinière and Josef Martínez,” said Schmitz.
Martínez, the Venezuelan striker who left on a free transfer to the San Jose Earthquakes in January, provided 14 goals and three assists for CF Montréal in the 2023–24 season, making him one of the club’s most decisive players. However, not only has the loss of a key player weakened CF Montréal’s attack, but the failure to bring in an adequate replacement has kept the team from regaining their footing.
“Missed technical basics, lack of communication, disorganization…” said Stingers’ soccer player and former
CF Montréal Academy player Lundon Browne. “This is a team that is starting its second season under Laurent Courtois, and we still seem to struggle to find an identity that is ours. We see glimpses of it, but I don’t think they can afford to continue the season without a more visible structure.”
Browne reminisced about Wilfried Nancy’s tenure as head coach, during which time CF Montréal was a ball-playing team with a strong backline at its core.
“Players like Rudy Camacho, Joel Waterman, Kamal Miller,
Victor Wanyama, and Samuel Piette, guys that fit right into the style of play he looked for,” said Browne. “The rest kind of fell into place, and with such a solid core, it allowed more freedom for the other players to shine.”
Despite this tough start, the season has just begun, and more stability, a fixed formation, and recent signings might strengthen the squad enough to form a solid structure. While fans expect struggles for the next few games, they can’t help but hold onto a glimpse of hope.
“My guess is they will be fighting for the last couple spots in the playoffs this year, as they were last year,” said Browne. “However, I hope they prove me wrong.
Aller l’Impact!”
After their fourth season loss on Saturday, CF Montréal released a statement on their social media, revealing head coach Laurent Courtois had been fired, which sparked even more concern regarding stability from fans online.
The Stingers battle for a puck against their Varsity Blues counterparts on March 23. Photo courtesy of Steve Brooks.
En partenariat avec et financé par l’Organe.
Être ou ne pas être francophone à Concordia
Les Être ou ne pas être francophone à Concordia
Huit témoignages sur l’expérience francophone à Concordia.
PAR CLÉMENT LECHAT, ELISA
GALLOT, JASPER BLEHOLEVACHER, SELENA RUIZ, LOUCARLA HERVÉ-BAZIN, NICOLAS
TREMBLAY ET JESSICA
LAURENDEAU-ECHAVARRIA
Être francophone à Concordia en 2025, qu’est-ce que ça veut dire? Étudiants, dirigeants de clubs, membres du corps professoral et de l’administration ont chacun à leur façon beaucoup à dire sur l’expérience des francophones.
UNE IDENTITÉ MULTIPLE
« Être francophone à Concordia en 2025, c’est être un peu plus reconnu qu’en 2024, mais toujours pas suffisamment », affirme Avril Paillot, récemment diplômée en journalisme et co-cheffe de la délégation de Concordia aux Jeux de la communication.
La communauté francophone semble toutefois s’affirmer au fil des années. « Aujourd’hui, il y a plus de plateformes, de médias et d’endroits où l’on peut parler français et discuter de la francophonie à Concordia », affirme-t-elle.
L’université estime que 20 % de sa population étudiante a le français comme langue maternelle. D’après le recensement des étudiants effectué par la firme de recherche SOM, 71 % des répondants indiquaient avoir un niveau intermédiaire ou avancé en 2023.
« Il y a beaucoup de définitions à être francophone. Je pense que dans mon cas, c’est une fierté », indique d’emblée Yasmina Bouabid, étudiante en production cinématographique avec une mineure en philosophie. Impliquée au sein de l’École de cinéma Mel-Hoppenheim en tant que présidente de la Cinema Student Alliance et gestionnaire de projet à Production Kinorino, elle croit en une culture francophone inclusive. Née à Québec et d’origine marocaine, la francophonie est pour elle ce qui permet d’unir des gens de différentes cultures et origines.
Dans son programme de cinéma, elle remarque que les étudiants parlent tant français qu’anglais, en plus d’autres langues. Au final, le cinéma est « un langage universel », qui les unit tous autour d’une
même passion.
En 2023–2024, on comptait 23,4 % d’étudiants internationaux inscrits à Concordia. Les groupes francophones devraient eux aussi représenter cette diversité, selon Ivan Harissi Dagher, un étudiant en statistiques et économie, qui considère que les étudiants québécois et français sont sur-représentés. « On vit dans un environnement très varié, avec des gens de partout, mais on en parle peu. Ou alors, je n’ai pas encore eu l’occasion de découvrir les initiatives qui les mettent en valeur, indique-t-il. Ça pourrait être bien de créer un espace francophone, mais où tout le monde pourrait se sentir bienvenu. »
LA PLACE DU FRANÇAIS EN QUESTION
En théorie, la politique de Concordia est claire : les devoirs et examens peuvent être remis en français, à l’exception des cours de langues et de littérature, d’après les annuaires des études de premier et de second cycle. Il reste cependant du chemin à faire pour faire appliquer ce droit en pratique. Elodie Desrochers, étudiante en science politique, rapporte que certains professeurs anglophones auraient dissuadé des étudiants de remettre leurs devoirs en français « car cela représente une charge de travail supplémentaire pour eux ».
Dans son programme de cinéma, Yasmina Bouabid dit reçevoir le soutien nécessaire.
Elle remet la plupart de ses travaux en français et a participé à des séminaires de cinéma québécois. Puisque la majorité de ses professeurs sont bilingues, elle sait que ses travaux seront bien corrigés. Mais pour sa mineure en philosophie, c’est une toute autre histoire. « Il n’y a pas de soutien en français », affirme-t-elle.
Le Département d’études françaises occupe une place à part au sein de l’université en raison de son bilinguisme. Son directeur, Denis Liakin, est à la tête d’un espace où francophones, anglophones et allophones se réunissent pour en apprendre plus sur la langue de Molière.
« Ils vivent vraiment une expérience différente des étudiants d’autres départements, où tout se passe en anglais », explique celui qui y enseigne depuis 20 ans.
Le Département offre des cours de littérature qui, Liakin le souligne, couvrent la francophonie au grand complet.
S’ENGAGER
EN FRANÇAIS
En dehors des cours, les clubs étudiants font vivre le français sur les campus.
Impliqué dans son lycée en France, Mahomet Houdrouge l’était moins lorsqu’il a rejoint Concordia. Pour y remédier, il a intégré la délégation des Jeux de la Science Politique (JDSP) en 2023 et est devenu co-chef en 2024.
Cette compétition a lieu dans une université différente chaque année. Mahomet raconte que l’expérience crée un esprit de groupe parmi les étudiants tout en les connectant avec d’autres universités québécoises et canadiennes.
Cette mission est partagée par Avril Paillot, co-cheffe de la délégation de Concordia aux Jeux de la communication (JDLC). Sa délégation a notamment remporté cette année le Prix Antidote, récompensant l’université démontrant le meilleur usage de la langue française lors de la compétition. « Je pense que ça veut dire beaucoup plus pour nous que pour une université qui étudie dans un milieu francophone », explique Avril.
Ces clubs font néanmoins face à certains défis. Suite aux coupes budgétaires de l’université, les JDSP souffrent d’un manque de financement. La délégation a néanmoins reçu plus de fonds cette année grâce à l’Association des étudiants de science politique, responsable de l’allocation.
« On a eu la chance d’obtenir plus de financement l’année dernière déjà, même si on estime devoir en recevoir encore plus pour pouvoir pérenniser nos efforts », explique Mahomet Houdrouge.
QUEL AVENIR POUR LA FRANCOPHONIE?
Avril Paillot observe que les initiatives francophones restent trop souvent portées par les étudiants « et non par l’université elle-même, ce qui montre que la francophonie à Concordia repose davantage sur des efforts individuels plutôt qu’une véritable volonté institutionnelle. »
Selon Elodie Desrochers, une solution serait d’avoir plus d’alliés au sein du pouvoir décisionnel. Selon elle, il continue à manquer de support pour
les
Mahomet Houdrouge, co-chef de la délégation de Concordia aux Jeux de la science politique. Photo par Melvin John
Avril Paillot, lors de son épreuve à l’Université de Montréal.
Photo par Nicole Krause Stoelo.
Yasmina Bouabid, étudiante en production cinématographique et présidente de la Cinema Student Alliance.
Photo par Nicolas Tremblay.
Sophie Mailloux, cheffe du centre pour étudiant.es francophone de Concordian. Photo par services de communication de Concordia.
étudiants francophones dans certains cours. « Personnellement, je préfère couler des cours plutôt que de changer mon identité francophone et québécoise, » affirme-t-elle.
Claudine Trahan, directrice du Bureau de la valorisation du français de Concordia, lance l’idée de groupes de travail incluant les associations étudiantes et les membres des facultés et des programmes, pour « bâtir quelque chose ensemble ». « C’est une aspiration sérieuse et prioritaire », indique-t-elle, reconnaissant qu’il n’y a pas encore de plan concret pour y parvenir.
Elle indique cependant que son équipe « essaye de trouver différentes initiatives pour favoriser le maillage entre les étudiants francophones qui viennent à Concordia et les anglophones », citant la Francofête comme « une belle occasion de réunir les différentes communautés » lors du Mois de la francophonie.
Le Centre pour étudiant. es francophones, situé au 6e étage de l’édifice Hall, vise notamment à créer des ponts entre l’université et les francophones. Sophie Mailloux, sa cheffe, souligne que son équipe
veille à offrir un espace inclusif où « le but est de créer un sens d’appartenance à Concordia pour toutes les personnes qui parlent français ».
Elle espère que dans dix ans, la francophonie concordienne sera « plus visible, avec plus d’activités culturelles, des collaborations en français, et de la recherche en français ». Si le nombre d’étudiants francophones continue d’augmenter, Sophie Mailloux imagine que « plus de programmes bilingues » pourraient voir le jour.
« Si personne ne se bat pour défendre la francophonie, elle finit par disparaître », souligne Avril Paillot, qui espère que l’université en fera un élément clé de son identité.
Cette meilleure reconnaissance de la francophonie n’a pas besoin de passer par un affrontement avec l’anglais, mais plutôt par une collaboration, d’après Elodie Desrochers. « Les universités anglophones doivent s’ouvrir à la réalité du Québec, qui va forcément déteindre sur elles. Mais déteindre ne signifie pas dénaturer. Concordia peut rester anglophone tout en respectant l’identité francophone de ses étudiants. »
Les réseaux sociaux en politique sont-ils: un
danger pour la démocratie?
Les réseaux sociaux en politique sont-ils: un danger pour la démocratie?
L’utilisation grandissante des réseaux sociaux par les politiques change la nature des débats et menace les valeurs démocratiques.
BY LISON FAURE CONTRIBUTRICE
Que ce soit sous la forme de tweets incendiaires, de mèmes humoristiques ou de courtes vidéos percutantes, plusieurs personnalités politiques rivalisent de créativité sur les réseaux sociaux afin de captiver l’opinion publique.
Bien que l’exemple le plus frappant semble être celui de nos voisins Américains, ce phénomène ne se limite pas à eux. Au Canada, Pierre Poil ievre, le chef du Parti conser vateur, excelle dans l’art de la communication sur YouTube et autres plateformes. Son ap proche repose sur des messages simplifiés, teintés de provoca tion, particulièrement envers le Parti libéral, visant à capter l’at tention des électeurs et à entre tenir un sentiment de défiance envers le pouvoir en place.
En théorie, cette nouvelle accessibilité de la politique pourrait renforcer gagement démocratique, notamment chez les jeunes adultes. Mais à quel prix?
L’un des nom breux problèmes posés par ces ap plications sont leurs algorithmes. Conçus avec l’intention de maximiser notre temps d’écran, ils nous enferment dans une bulle qui conforte nos idées sans les confronter. Ce filtre invisible façonne no tre vision du monde, simplifi ant à l’extrême la complexité du réel. Loin de promouvoir la tolérance et un débat public nuancé, ceci alimente une po larisation croissante et pousse une partie de la population vers les extrêmes.
À cela s’ajoute notre dé sir d’instantanéité, exacerbé par le rythme effréné de la vie moderne. Or, la vie politique, faite de long débats de compromis, n’est pas compat ible avec cette exigence. Nom breux
sont ceux d’entre nous qui se laissent alors séduire par des discours simplistes qui offrent des solutions rapides à des problèmes complexes.
Il suffit de faire défiler le contenu quelques minutes pour le comprendre : ce qui marche sur les réseaux sociaux, c’est l’émotion et la radicalité. Ce développement d’une politique du pathos, qui se concentre bien plus sur la forme que sur le fond, a profondément bouleversé la nature des débats.
Les candidats politiques de tous bords n’hésitent pas à abandonner le politiquement correct afin de mettre toutes les chances de leur côté. La véhémence et l’outrance sont privilégiées parce qu’elles sont rentables. La vérité, ennuyeuse, est reléguée au second plan.
didats peuvent cibler les électeurs leur permet de jouer sur les sensibilités de chacun, tenant des discours en réalité différents et contradictoires. Nous le savons, le mensonge en politique n’a rien de nouveau, mais ces plateformes favorisent une manipulation émotionnelle de la population, bien plus discrète et efficace.
L’exploitation de la peur, par exemple, qui est particulièrement visible dans les discours anti-migratoires à l’échelle internationale, est une stratégie redoutable pour mobiliser l’opinion. On la retrouve notamment en France dans le concept de « grand remplacement », une théorie conspirationniste affirmant qu’une population « de souche » serait progressivement remplacée par
Graphic by Finn Grosu // Creative Director // @tesdoncbenfinn
Claudine Trahan, directrice du Bureau de la valorisation de Concordia. Photo du bureau de la valorisation du français.
Elodie Desrochers, étudiante en science politique.
Photo par Elisa Gallot.
Ivan Harissi Dagher, étudiant en statistique et économie.
Photo par Elisa Gallot.
Arts & Culture
Fonderie Darling’s spring program walks viewers through a transformative experience
The vernissage celebrates the exploration of identity, emotion, and transcendence through powerful, transdisciplinary art.
BY SABBIA ELJARRAT CONTRIBUTOR
Fonderie Darling, a space dedicated to contemporary art in Montreal, hosted a transdisciplinary vernissage on March 20 featuring two immersive exhibitions: Absoluité by Numa Amun and Simile Aria by Maggy Hamel-Metsos. These exhibitions marked the launch of the complex’s spring 2025 program.
The vernissage, which took place in the city’s multimedia district, gathered art lovers, critics, and curators to celebrate the resistance to oblivion through testimony. Through artistic forms of math, both exhibitions challenge viewers to explore the complexities of identity, emotion, and change.
While both artists explore similar themes, their mediums and inspirations are uniquely their own.
Concordia alumna HamelMetsos combined her love for opera and the human body to create a sculpture that functions as a riddle. At first glance, viewers may find their curiosity piqued and wonder what this artistic metaphor means.
The sculpture is a machine called The Organ. Each organ, dispersed throughout the room, is powered by a series of air compressors that mimic the sensation of air being blown into one’s lungs. Facing the organs are two photographs: one of an opera singer screaming and another of a child crying. These grayscale images are positioned in front of two magnifying glasses that burn the images using natural sunlight reflected off a mirror. This process embodies the release and relief of emotional expulsion.
“I worked hours in my studio studying light, figuring out where the mirror needed to be to make these photographs burn. It was a long yet rewarding process,” said Hamel-Metsos.
As each organ breathes in the air, a screeching noise echoes through the room, disrupting the silence. The noise proves that breathing in can often “splinter into a cry under the strain of compressed emotion,” as described in the program’s pamphlet.
Alongside Hamel-Metsos’ Simile Aria, Amun showcased his version of the spiritual and physical human experience through his exhibition Absoluité.
Born in 1974 in Montreal, Amun is a hyperrealist artist whose mesmerizing artwork is the result of an astounding amount of labour. It takes Amun over a year to complete a single artwork.
Absoluité presents three paintings in a small gallery to demonstrate an out-of-body experience that isn’t typically visible to the naked eye. Each painting consists of the separation of two people: one being the human, the other being the spiritual awakening.
With a blend of neuroscience and ancient mysticism, Ab-
Of Sights and Sounds
soluité is an ode to be ing free. Freedom, in combination with astral projection, also known as an out-of-body experience, is the foun dation of Absoluité. Astral projection can occur naturally or can be induced through psychotropic drugs.
“[Being] surrounded by his painting feels almost like a transcendental experi ence,” said McGill student Jasmine Brooks. “I feel at ease because [the paint ings] allow me to take a step back and reflect on myself.”
Absoluité and Simile Aria are on dis play to the pub lic free of charge until May 18 at Fonderie Darling, located on Ottawa St.
In a space and time divide, Pens click, and shutters roll, We take a tango and live the life, Of raking and making it through the muck. A shape to silence? A weight to the truth?
To pull a thread, unwind the seam?
Live the echoes of lives unseen.
As I see right through you,
And you see right past me. As we play our latest game,
Of sights and sounds galore.
MATTHEW DALDALIAN STAFF WRITER
Simile Aria by Maggy Hamel-Metsos. Photo by Sabbia Eljarrat // Contributor
Absoluité by Numa Amun. Photo by Sabbia Eljarrat // Contributor
The Weekly Take: LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL
As we enter our final weeks of school, it’s hard not to get caught up in looming stress and what may feel like never-ending deadlines. With that in mind, the films highlighted this week may help motivate or inspire us to see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Legally
Blonde (2001)
BY FERDAOUS AMRATI
STAFF WRITER
LETTERBOXD: @FERDAOUS
“What are your back ups?” “I don’t need backups. I’m going to Harvard.”
From first runner-up at the Miss Hawaiian Tropics contest to Harvard Law student, Elle Woods embodies the quintessential Los Angeles blonde who, on a whim of heartbreak and self-belief, storms the ivy-covered halls of academia. Legally Blonde refuses to villainize femininity; instead, it celebrates pink-clad resilience and the quiet power of soft things in a hard place.
Elle’s academic journey is one of dismantling stereotypes and consistently proving herself, all while navigating the sharp corners of institutional rigour without ever abandoning self-care, joy, or integrity.
As we approach the edge of final papers and looming exams, this uplifting take on success reminds us that ambition does not have to be draped in gray — it can glow under the harsh library lights and linger in the familiar scent of coffee at midnight. As we attempt to romanticize these fleeting weeks of classes, we can take away from Elle that grit and warmth can coexist, even under a pile of unfinished essays.
RATING: 4.5/5
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
BY KRISTINA STAMKOPOULOS
CONTRIBUTOR
LETTERBOXD: @KRISTINA_S
“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
This coming-of-age story follows Ferris Bueller, a high school senior determined to pull off one final attempt at skipping school before graduation. After successfully convincing his parents he’s sick, he enlists his best friend and girlfriend on a day of adventures, featuring a stolen Ferrari, a baseball game, a visit to the art museum, and a performance at the parade.
At its core, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is about rejecting societal norms and pressures, which can be seen both through Ferris’ carefree attitude and through his polar opposite best friend’s emotional arc. This film does a wonderful job of reminding the viewer to slow down and enjoy life’s fleeting moments, a message that only resonates more the older you get.
Full of teenage angst and rebellion, this film perfectly captures the feelings of self-discovery and nostalgia in all of its John Hughes-esque glory.
RATING: 4.5/5
Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)
BY CARLOS JAVIER MONTENEGRO
CONTRIBUTOR LETTERBOXD: @CJPG
Some films feel like they could go on forever, and you’d happily keep watching. Everybody Wants Some!! is one of them.
A spiritual successor to Dazed and Confused (1993), Richard Linklater’s comedy is set in the early ’80s and follows a group of college baseball players as they party, compete, and bond during their last weekend before the semester begins.
Concordi’ART Art Market welcomes the beginning of spring
An opportunity for Concordia art students to sell their work.
BY GINANE DESLAURIERS ASSISTANT ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR @GINANE.DLRS
On March 20, the Webster Library atrium was filled with Concordia students selling their art, from prints to dream catchers. Concordi’ART was hosting its first art market to offer art students an opportunity to showcase their work.
Neltje Green, a Concordia design artist, held a stand where she sold her acrylic paintings. She paints interior spaces on wood panels, playing with perspective and colours.
“I’m still trying to find the words to explain my art, but it’s like a mix of minimalism, abstraction, and classic hyperrealism,” Green said.
While some painted spaces are inspired by dreams or visions, others are places she has lived in, like her apartment.
The film’s highlight is its cast of charismatic characters who make every scene feel authentic. Their interactions are natural, showcasing Linklater’s ability to write dialogue that flows like genuine conversation. With every interaction, we see the athletes fully embracing the moment knowing that soon their fun time is coming to an end.
Backed by a fantastic, electric ’80s soundtrack, the film perfectly captures the feeling of appreciating the present moment. It serves as a reminder that change is coming but that every second before it does is worth cherishing.
As the semester comes to a close, it’s a reminder to value those final nights out, the spontaneous moments, and the people who make it all worthwhile.
RATING: 4/5
*This weekly column is supervised by Kailee Krentz*
memories, you want to remember the space.”
By adding a light, a shadow, or objects that seem to have been recently used, she creates the feeling of a presence without including people in her paintings.
“Most of the stuff that I have made has doorways, or it looks like it’s leading somewhere. I want it to look like just around the corner, there could be someone doing something,” Green said.
Similarly, Rachel James Carrière, an animation major who sells anything from dream catchers to clothing to dolls, also uses her dreams as an inspiration.
“I lucid dream pretty much every night, and in my dreams, I fly, so a lot of it is just based on my ability to fly in my dreams,” she said.
Carrière is also a tattoo artist and has owned her business for six years. Her recent tattoo designs, like her other work, are also dream-like and playful.
“For the older designs, I was just trying to figure out what it
“I wanted to archive the space because I can’t go back,” Green said.
“When you have an old family home, your grandparents’ place, or an old apartment, and you have all these
was I wanted to tattoo,” Carrière said. “It did take some time to figure out how to translate my art into something tattooable in terms of technique and style.”
Out of the spring art market, she hoped to network and have people approach her art with curiosity.
“I hope that when people look at my things, it [awakens their] inner child, you know? It excites that part of your brain,” Carrière said.
For her part, Isabel Yung, a psychology and painting and drawing student at Concordia, enjoys the art market because it’s a way for her to fund her practice and get exposure.
“I feel like I’m still in the early stages of my career, so I don’t have enough paintings to sell yet,” said Yung.
Concordi’ART also had its own table filled with homemade baked goods made by the team. All the money collected from the bake sale will fund their student exhibition on April 3.
Graphic
Concordi’ART Spring art market. Photos by Ginane Deslauriers // Assistant Arts and Culture Editor
Music Silverbirch, a new musical project
Concordia student
Ethan Whidden discusses his latest work.
BY RYAN PYKE ASSISTANT MUSIC EDITOR @PYKENOTPIKE
Ethan Whidden, a Concordia film studies major, first began making music in Ottawa with a band called Fifty Dollar Fine, in which he sang and played guitar.
He first picked up guitar when he was eight and, after a period of not playing, restarted when he was 16.
“I started playing with some friends and then did a couple of shows in Ottawa, and from there, it’s just kind of been a constant in my life,” said Whidden.
He started making solo music when he moved to Montreal, where he chose to study
because of the city’s artistic appeal.
Whidden attends an open mic at Grumpy’s every Wednesday at 10 p.m.
He has been working on a project called Silverbirch, under which he wants to release music, and on a song called “Streetlight” that has been in
development for the last couple of months.
“I’ve only ever really done collaborative stuff before that, and so now coming to Montreal and then doing my own thing, it’s like a whole new frontier,” said Whidden.
He played his first solo show on March 2 at mai/son. It was
the first time he had a crowd there just to listen to him, and he was pleased with the result.
“When you’re at an open mic, everyone’s drinking and doing their own thing, and so you really have to kind of earn their attention,” said Whidden.
The genre of his previous work is ambiguous. He describes his past and current work as alt-rock with a little bit of folk.
Whidden writes about his personal experiences, but not exclusively.
“I also like to write about stuff that’s completely made up, and that’s never happened to me. So, in a way, I’m a liar,” he said.
Whidden’s writing process is very intuitive and very long. He focuses on how words sound together, which gives his work an abstract quality.
Finn Kennedy, Whidden’s friend and bandmate in Fifty Dollar Fine, met Whidden in 2022 in a high school philosophy class.
Kennedy played rhythm guitar and did the lead vocals for Fifty Dollar Fine.
He described Whidden’s music as intimate and methodical and compared some of the songs to Radiohead.
“I think it’s some of the most personal music I’ve ever heard. He can explain the significance of every word and every note he plays,” said Kennedy.
Xavier Lauriault, the bassist for Fifty Dollar Fine, said that Whidden’s knack for rhythm makes his music unique. He likens Whidden to Pinegrove and Modern Baseball.
“His music has the intentionality of a love letter that stays in a drawer because you were too scared to give it,” said Lauriault.
On April 8, Whidden will be opening for Hicus at mai/son. This time, he will be performing under the name Silverbirch.
Resurrection Tour Review: SahBabii keeps Club Soda crowd upbeat
The Atlanta rapper played his first-ever Montreal show on March 14.
BY STEFANO REBULI
MUSIC EDITOR
@DSIIIGN
Atlanta rapper SahBabii finally brought his live talents to Montreal on March 14 with his Resurrection Tour at Club Soda. Joined by opener Che, the artist combined his new and old hits into a setlist that kept the crowd engaged and moving throughout the night.
SahBabii first emerged wearing a black trench coat and a red tie, rapping the lyrics to his mellow and soothing “Don Quan Intro” while sitting at a furnished dining table. The applause from the crowd and the energy from his hypeman set the tone for him to launch into tracks from his latest album, Saaheem, for which he is touring.
Saaheem is the latest testament to the rapper’s style — booming trap beats with light, upbeat melodies over which the rapper delivers melodic flows. These same qualities carried over into his concert and resonated nicely with the crowd. From “Roll Wit Me” to “Bi” to “All The Way,” the crowd went word for word and jumped energetically to the fun, lighthearted instrumentals as
the 808s boomed through the speakers.
The rapper’s delivery was perfect as he rapped every single one of his lyrics with charisma. Not only was his rapping style perfectly clear, but the venue’s sound system perfectly balanced his vocals with the instrumentals, allowing both to shine.
Leading into the show’s second act, the black curtain dropped behind SahBabii, revealing the rapper’s creative stage design: a facade of his childhood home with a giant squid tentacle wrapped around it. It set the stage for the slower-paced “1095 Osborne St,” a track titled after SahBabii’s childhood home address that he performed while sitting on the makeshift house’s front steps.
The lights continued to strobe throughout every song, complimenting the already high energy in the building.
The rapper was backed by police-style red and blue strobe lights during “Belt Boyz,” which he hilariously performed with an actual belt in hand. Fans in the crowd rapped the song’s chorus enthusiastically, proving it to be a fan favourite while encouraging the rapper, who was quite literally ready to “put belt to a**” onstage.
SahBabii was also joined by his MC hypeman and a backup dancer decked out with a face mask and chains, jumping all over the stage and contributing to the hype.
In addition to newer songs, the rapper treated the audience to fan favourites from over the years. “Ready to Eat” from his 2020 album Barnacles sent the crowd into a frenzy, and every song from Squidtastic resonated strongly. There was the recently-memed “Tonight” and the sensual “Boyfriend,” which he dedicated to all the ladies in the room.
He even included a theatrical bit to introduce the popular track “Squidrific.” He pretended to unsuccessfully ignite a lighter, flawlessly leading into the track, which begins with a lighter flick.
SahBabii’s frequent collaborator T3 was brought out as a special guest, and their joint collaboration, “Marsupial Superstar,” was met with enthusiastic singing from the crowd during its melodic hook. T3’s solo performance slowed down
the show’s pacing but was the concert’s only lull.
SahBabii kept the momentum up by cycling through his hit singles rapid fire, knocking out a chorus and a verse of a song, one after another. He closed the show on a high by leading his fans into his break-
out hit “Pull Up Wit Ah Stick,” rapping the verse acappella. His recent viral hit “Viking” closed out the night and was met with high energy, excitement, and mosh pits, so much so that the King Squid even restarted the song.
SahBabii at Club Soda on March 14. Photo by Hannah Bell // PHOTO EDITOR // @HANNAHNEVEBELL
Photo by Ryan Pyke // Assistant Music Editor
The female DJ scene, through the eyes of Aniika
The Concordia student DJ has been navigating her way through Montreal’s DJ community.
BY ALEXANDRA FLOYD CONTRIBUTOR @ALLYXFLOYD
Montreal is widely known to be a music-rich city full of opportunity. It is renowned for its many music festivals, and the city’s dedicated female DJs reflect the global rise in women on the DJing scene.
A study by music tech company A2D2 revealed that female DJs play almost twice as many gigs as their male counterparts, with female DJs playing an average of 23 gigs in 2023 compared to 13 for male DJs.
“It’s empowering. I’m so excited to see how women are slowly emerging into this field, especially in a male-dominated field, and I think that they bring such energy and sound to the industry,” said Sabbia Eljarrat, a journalism major at Concordia University.
One DJ rising in popularity within the community is
Aniika. Currently in her third year at Concordia studying liberal arts, she is originally from Toronto and moved to Montreal in 2022.
Aniika began DJing last year but has always been interested in the profession. She has been featured on local radio stations such as CJLO, CKUT, and CIBL, and she has also performed internationally, playing at events in the U.K., at the Brixton radio station, and at fundraisers.
She makes upbeat dance music that spans genres such as electronic, South African house, hip-hop, R&B, U.K. house, Jersey Club, techno, and music from the African diaspora. She incorporates nostalgic 2000s music into her sets as well, with the aim of spreading messages about activism, human rights, and sustainability.
Some of the influences behind the music she makes are KAYTRANADA, Doechii, the Black queer community and its producers and beat makers, and other female DJs around her.
Aniika explained that Montreal has shaped the music she makes with its culture and accessibility. She mentioned that although there is a lot of good to the city and industry, she has faced challenges within the
community as a woman and person of colour.
The DJ recounted that she has felt rushed to finish sets at times or felt like the people around her underestimated her talents, as well as noticed a difference in accommodations compared to male DJs. She has also noticed that promoters may choose female DJs based on conventional attractiveness instead of their music.
Despite these experiences, Aniika believes that speaking up for herself will make a change for the female DJ community.
“My uniqueness is something to be proud of, and I don’t allow myself to feel small just because I may be small within a large group,” she said.
This enthusiasm is felt in fans as well.
“I love seeing women pushing boundaries in a once such male-dominated field. It’s funny to think that now, instead of women in the booths watching men DJ, it will be the opposite,” said Lea Larichelliere, a history major at Concordia.
Many of the opportunities Aniika got at the beginning of her music career were
from other women in the industry. She credits them with opening doors for her in the DJ community.
Aniika wishes for the creation of safe spaces at events to be seen as a higher priority in the future, allowing not only the DJs but members in attendance to feel safe during the set.
Playboi Carti’s MUSIC, a celebration of rap’s most enigmatic superstar
The most anticipated album of the last four years is worth the wait.
BY AIDAN FLANAGAN STAFF WRITER
Most Playboi Carti fans remember where they were on Dec. 7, 2023, when the artist posted a line of black text reading “I AM MUSIC” to his Instagram story, teasing his first album since 2020’s Whole Lotta Red
Most artists would use this to herald the release of a new project in the following weeks. Unfortunately, Playboi Carti has never been like most artists. What followed was a year of false release dates, Instagram snippets, outfit photos, and mass hysteria among the Carti fanbase.
However, MUSIC is finally upon us, and it was well worth the wait.
Clocking in at a whopping 30 tracks, Carti rewards his cultlike fanbase with a buffet of everything that has made him one
of hip-hop’s most mesmerizing personalities since 2017. MUSIC is a celebration, and every version of Carti is in attendance. Songs like “RATHER LIE,” “BACKD00R,” and “I SEEEEE YOU BABY BOI” harken back to the days of Carti’s uniquely high-pitched “baby voice.” The aggressive aesthetic that made Whole Lotta Red a cult classic returns on high-octane cuts like “COCAINE NOSE” and “RADAR.”
Most prominently featured is the guttural growl that Carti debuted on Travis Scott’s smash hit “FE!N.” Carti uses this new voice to its fullest extent on the abrasive-sounding “CRANK,” accompanied by a repetitive beat and ad-libs that would feel at home on a blog-era mixtape. While the album is essentially a non-stop thrill ride, its extensive runtime causes it to drag at certain points. With such grandiose and exciting
production throughout the record, more stripped-back and simpler songs like “PHILLY” and “FINE SHIT” fade into the background. Luckily, these lulls are few and far between, as the production from Ojivolta, F1LTHY, and Cardo contribute the high-energy backdrops that allow Carti’s voice to shine, regardless of which voice he uses.
The rapper has spent his time since his last record making guest appearances on some of the most high-profile songs of the 2020s. Carti has cemented himself as one of the decade’s most valuable collaborators, and his fellow artists have come out in full force to return the favour. Travis Scott makes four energetic appearances on MUSIC, even receiving a production credit for “CRUSH.”
Future brings a hypnotic flow on “TRIM,” The Weeknd provides an infectious hook on the surprisingly emotional “RATHER LIE,” and UK grime legend Skepta has a gripping verse on “TOXIC.”
No appearance on MUSIC, however, has shocked the internet more than that of Kendrick Lamar, an artist most fans wouldn’t even imagine being
in the same room as Playboi Carti. Lamar has been omnipresent since early 2024, and his three guest spots on MUSIC show that nothing is too eclectic for hip-hop’s MVP. He raps with intensity on “GOOD CREDIT,” teams up with Jhené Aiko to provide a melodic hook on “BACKD00R,” and contributes comedic ad-libs on “MOJO JOJO.”
Expectations are a tricky concept when it comes to music. If this album proves anything, it is that Playboi Carti refuses to adhere to them. The progressive evolution and demonstration of artistic range on MUSIC shows Carti’s ability to consistently subvert his demanding fanbase’s expectations as he seamlessly switches from one vibe to another while maintaining his cohesive purpose of causing pure sonic chaos. MUSIC has finally brought an end to the agonizing four-year wait for a new Carti album, yet the question that remains is how long will fans have to wait for the next one.
TRIAL TRACK: “CRANK” SCORE: 8/10
Album cover for MUSIC by Playboi Carti. Courtesy of Apple Music.
Aniika DJing for ElectroFest at New City Gas on Sep. 21.
Photo courtesy of John Vowles
Opinions
On mandatory Indigenous courses
Concordia should have been the one leading the way.
BY DANYLO PERKOV ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR
Over the last decade, more and more universities across the prairies, such as the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Winnipeg, have implemented mandatory Indigenous Studies credits to their undergraduate curricula.
Most Quebec universities, including l’Université du Québec à Montréal and l’Université de Montréal, have an Indigenous Directions Action Plan, but the progress is slow and not enough attention is dedicated to the subject. Canada, and especially Quebec, has a history of Indigenous mistreatment and enslavement — the universities and colleges in our province should have been amongst the first ones to implement similar policies of mandatory classes and other educational resources.
As per the 2021 Canadian census, Quebec has one of the lowest percentages of self-identified Indigenous peoples.
There are a number of reasons for such low numbers, including the awful governmental treatment of Indigenous communities, such as a lack of clean water and a history of systemic racism seen with Residential Schools.
The treatment of Indige nous peoples is a problem rooted deeply in Canada’s his tory. It will take years to begin to compensate for this history, and what better place to start than our college and university campuses?
MANDATORY INDIGENOUS CREDITS IN CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES
Not counting the territories, the provinces with the highest Indigenous populations, such as Manitoba and Alberta, should not be the only ones leading the change, as under standing Indigenous identity and history is not solely a pro vincial issue. All Canadians have a duty to take account ability and attempt to rectify previous wrongdoings.
Starting in their Fall 2021 semester, the University of Man itoba introduced
three mandatory credits of Indigenous Studies to their programs. It offers a vast array of courses, so students can choose an Indigenous Studies course that is relevant to their degree. More recently, the University of Saskatchewan followed suit, providing its undergraduate students with a list of mandatory Indigenous credits. These mandatory courses are not about guilt or about preaching reparations. With reconciliation being the main goal, students learn about challenges faced by modern-day Indigenous communities and how they interact with Canadian society and government. Recognizing the ongoing issues is key to understanding the continued violence in our society that keeps the pain alive, and addressing it to the best of our combined knowledge and abilities.
Many students support mandatory Indigenous studies courses at the university level — however, an alternative option is to implement Indigenous studies earlier in the education cycle. Alternatively, Indigenous studies courses could be offered to all departments but made optional.
Cole Roszell, a University of Saskatchewan student, thinks that more courses on Indigenous studies should be available to students but is also wary of making them mandatory.
Especially since, on average, 84 per cent of Canadians finish high school, and only 32.9 per cent of Canadians go on to pursue a bachelor’s degree or above. More than only onethird of our population should attend courses on Indigenous identity and history.
Making Indigenous studies mandatory may take away courses specific to each program, but poor execution and learning materials can also discourage student interest.
QUEBEC’S HISTORY CURRICULA
The current history curricula in Quebec high schools and CEGEPs is outdated and heavily influenced by Canada’s discriminatory past in an attempt to sweep our country’s bloody history under the rug. By moving long overdue mandatory Indigenous courses to the high school or CEGEP level, current history curricula can be adjusted.
Such changes to the curriculum are urgently needed — what do you truly remember about Indigenous history and identity from high school or college history classes?
The current education system in Quebec and the rest of Canada provides very little understanding of Canada’s Indigenous peoples, and the oppression they have faced is presented as something
distant past. That dark side of Canadian history is attributed to the colonizers of New France, people we don’t fully label Canadians for convenience’s sake, which lets us easily shift the blame.
In reality, as time went on, we simply got skilled at masking the problem as a thing of the past. With the majority of Residential Schools closing in the latter half of the twentieth century, and the last one nationally closing in 1997 (1979 in Quebec), this is a chapter of history that is still pertinent for Canadians today.
“I wanted to take Indigenous courses in CEGEP but they were very rarely available or inaccessible to me for some other reason,” said Concordia film studies student Leti Clark Bautista of their time in CEGEP. “Everything that I learned was done outside of my educational institutions.”
DECOLONIZING CONCORDIA
In 2019, Concordia began a process of decolonizing its teaching methods and has made great progress on some of its promises, like guides on better pedagogy for teachers and support resources. Concordia’s Indigenous Direct Action Plan outlines what the university has already achieved and all the planned future steps —
amongst them, a “creation of a mandatory training module on Indigenous peoples.”
Recommended Action 2.2 of Concordia’s plan draws suggestions from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as well as engagement from Concordia’s Indigenous students, stating that, “[We] create teaching and learning opportunities for all Concordia students to gain awareness of Indigenous peoples, their histories, cultures and contemporary issues.”
However, multiple actions are behind schedule, partially due to the Indigenous students, faculty, and staff leading the initiatives that face a lack of support from the university and student body. Along with this, the government of Quebec’s tuition hike for English universities has had effects across the university. A decrease in the university’s budget leaves the Indigenous Directions Leadership Council assessing next steps as fewer Indigenous students enter the university and less attention is paid to the decolonization.
This is an issue that reaches everyone in different ways. As a student body, Concordia students should be more aware of the university’s proposed Action Plan and its implementation.
Graphic by Keven Vaillancourt // Graphics Editor
// @kindaokev
Voting federal 101: What to know before April 28
Your cheat sheet to political party promises.
SASKIA WODARCZAK
OPINIONS EDITOR
@SASKIA.WODARCZAK
It has been four years since the last Canadian federal election, and many things have changed. For one, Justin Trudeau stepped down as both our prime minister and the leader of the Liberal party and was recently replaced, as Mark Carney became Canada’s prime minister. On Sunday, he called a snap federal election set for April 28, following a campaign that will last around five weeks.
A lot of Canadians are getting concerned about how the future of Canadian politics will look, especially given recent tariffs and underlying aggression from our neighbours to the south.
It’s sometimes hard to know which party to vote for and to understand what each party is promising. So, here’s your little breakdown of some of the things they each plan to bring to the table.
CONSERVATIVE PARTY (LED BY PIERRE POLIEVRE):
Poilievre is putting forward a plan to “boost training and employment for workers in the skilled trades” by expanding training halls, creating grants, and giving faster access to employment insurance (“more boots, less suits”).
A Conservative government will “repeal the entire carbon pricing law for consumers and big industry” by increasing the eligibility for clean technology and manufacturing tax credits and plans on providing a “reward” for those businesses that produce emissions lower than the world average.
Poilievre promised to scrap the federal carbon pricing rules, returning carbon pricing decisions to the provincial level.
When it comes to retaliat ing to Trump’s tariffs, Poil ievre states that he’s confident
that Canadians can depend on themselves concerning goods that we don’t need from America specifically or can get elsewhere. He promises that any money we get from tariffs should go to tax cuts and a small sum of targeted relief, and not to a new administration spending and programs.
LIBERAL PARTY (LED BY MARK CARNEY):
Carney intends to “have free trade [within Canada] by Canada Day” to ease transport, energy, critical minerals, and digital connectivity restrictions and wants to “maintain a carbon emissions cap” to reduce emissions.
Carney announced “the removal of the GST on new homes under $1 million for first-time homebuyers.”
He promises to invest around $187 million to repair Jasper National Park and “expand the Canadian Armed Forces’ presence in the Arctic” as well as “monitor threats from adversaries like China and Russia.”
He supports dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs that have little impact on Canada but a big one on the United States and wants to have trade negotiations with the United States.
In terms of supporting businesses and the Canadian economy, the Liberal government promises that businesses will be able to delay paying their corporate income taxes and any GST/HST from April 2 until June 30, which will give them up to $40 billion in extra cash. This program will help businesses get the financing that they need, while more money will be given to regional development agencies nationally “to better support businesses.”
NEW DEMOCRATIC PARTY (NDP)
(LED BY JAGMEET SINGH):
On March 23, Singh reinforced the NDP’s accomplishments in terms of “pushing for workers’ rights, dental care, and pharmacare,” laying a foundation for his campaign.
Singh promised to improve Canadian employment insurance and create “jobs by investing in infrastructure and using Canadian resources” — really making the move to step away from trade with the United States.
The party also prom ises to remove the GST on “essentials” (inter net, cell phone bills, children’s clothing, etc.) and to lower taxes for small and medium-sized businesses.
GREEN
PARTY (LED BY ELIZABETH MAY AND JONATHAN PEDNEAULT):
trol over immigration,” which is currently both a provincial and federal responsibility, as the Bloc believes that “federal immigration policies “endanger the French language.”
The Bloc has promised to propose a bill that aims to “support buying locally at the government level,” to “guarantee a certain percentage of Canadian products in public and federal contracts.”
Blanchet is looking to “be a strong leader to promote Quebec interests” rather than running to be prime minister.
HERE ARE A OF COUPLE THINGS TO REMEMBER AS WE ANTICIPATE HEADING FOR THE POLLS:
The Green Party promises to create affordable housing by stopping larger corporations from buying single-family dwellings and “closing loopholes to stop criminals from using real estate to hide dirty money.”
The party also promises to invest public money in clean energy as opposed to oil and gas companies, to create a tax system that reflects the country’s current economy, and to give Canadians free basic dental care.
BLOC QUÉBECOIS (LED BY YVES-FRANÇOIS BLANCHET):
Blanchet contends that Quebec “must have exclusive con-
• The 45th Federal General Election will be on Monday, April 28, 2025.
• Advanced voting dates are: Friday, April 18; Saturday, April 19; Sunday, April 20; and Monday, April 21.
• Canada has a “first-past-thepost” electoral sys tem, which means that the candidate who re ceives the most votes in a certain riding wins that seat — candidates do not need a majority (50 per cent or more) to win their riding.
• Do your research before going to vote. The information in this article is constantly subject to change and may no longer be relevant by April 28. Consult sites such as the Global News Promise Tracker or the Public Service Alliance of Canada website for any updates.
• Check news outlets, research party platforms, and understand the key issues that are pertinent now and in the future. Remember, who you vote for now is likely who will be in office for the next four years.
Especially as university students, our votes count so much in shaping Canada. Your vote is your voice, so please make sure you vote in the upcoming 2025 federal election.
Graphic by Finn Grosu // Creative Director // @tesdoncbenfinn
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