The Toronto Tempo, a new staple for Canadian women’s basketball pg. 6
Les adaptations cinématographiques: Jusqu’où peuventelles exagérer les faits? pg. 8
Blending together art and psychology pg. 11
Duppy Grlz returns to Igloofest pg. 13
Six Stingers athletes competing for Team Canada’s hockey teams played in championship games.
BY MATT PISCINA // SPORTS EDITOR
defender Simon Lavigne represented Team Canada’s men’s hockey team, while Stingers women’s hockey forwards Émilie Lavoie and Émilie Lus-
sier, defender Alexandra-Anne Boyer, and goaltender Jor dyn Verbeek represented Team Canada’s women’s hockey team.
OPINIONS Be still? Impossible! pg. 14
Community members gather to learn about Concordia’s diverse food programs.
BY MEGAN MILLS DEVOE ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Students saw the return of the Loyola Food Fair last week in a celebration of Concordia University’s many food initiatives.
The fair took place on Jan. 23 at the Loyola Student Centre near the Vanier Library and featured free food, a cooking workshop, and information about the on-campus food and nutrition resources.
“We’re really concerned and interested in fighting against food insecurity for students,” said Sheena Swirlz, communication and events coordinator for the Concordia Food Coalition (CFC). She said that the event aimed to increase the food access that students may struggle with.
In 2023, the Concordia University Food Insecurity Report found that 67 per cent of Concordia students said they experienced some degree of food insecurity, and 31 per cent said they ran out of food before they could afford to buy more.
According to Canada’s Food Price Report, the cost of food in Quebec increased by 1.8 per cent in 2024 and is predicted to increase by over 5 per cent across Canada in 2025.
Justin Krieger, one of the coordinators at the Hive Free Lunch, also expressed concern
about the state of food insecurity among Concordia students.
“Our main mission and goal is to provide free or cheap food accessibility, especially for students. In today’s economic climate, it’s really difficult and expensive to just live,” said Krieger.
According to Mugs, a member of the Frigo Vert collective, many students using Frigo Vert’s services have reported that they forgo buying essentials due to the cost of food.
“A lot of people are really having to make choices about how they feed themselves, [and] that is really difficult,” said Mugs. “So they’ll go with things that are more affordable, more filling, but not necessarily very nutritious.”
In 2023, 54.5 per cent of Concordia students said they relied on unhealthy food to get by, according to the Concordia University Food Insecurity Report.
Mugs said they believe that Concordia would need to move away from a corporate food model in order to properly support students experiencing food insecurity.
Aramark, Concor dia’s corporate food provider, has been a controversial pres ence on campus. This is due, in part, to the company’s ties with the prison-industrial complex and complaints of union-busting.
CFC, as well as student groups like FedUp Concordia, have advocated that Concor dia replace Aramark with student-led food organizations.
“[The student-led groups] tend to be more oriented towards what students need and want the most — having more diversity of food, having more plant-based options, keeping the cost low so it’s more affordable, trying to employ student workers as much as possible,” said Swirlz.
Krieger said he is in favour of a student-led food ecosystem, and he noted that student groups face unique challenges regarding funding and organization.
“You want student-run organizations to be able to cater to the entirety of the campus. It’s very difficult because everyone’s at a separate entity, being able to talk effectively between those entities can sometimes be challenging […], and then you have organizations like Aramark that are able to cater to the number of students on campus,” said Krieger. “Whether or not you have biases against [Aramark’s] business models and things like that, they still provide a service to students that can be relied upon.”
In 2022, Concordia renewed Aramark’s contract until 2026.
A quick crash course on Concordia’s recent happenings: Jan. 29 Special General Meeting.
BY JEREMY COX NEWS EDITOR
The Concordia Student Union (CSU) called for a Special General Meeting (SGM) to be held this Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 6 p.m. in room H-110.
According to CSU Chairperson Mya Walmsley at the Jan. 8 Regular Council Meeting (RCM), over 250 undergraduate students signed a petition to call the SGM in order. Its purpose is to present two motions mandating the CSU to demand Concordia act in accordance with the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
The companies named in the motions include the Azrieli Foundation, the Bar-Ilam Field School program, BlackRock, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Bombardier, and Pratt & Whitney.
Here’s what you need to know before the SGM.
The first motion proposes that the university must:
Disclose its investment portfolios, including the banks and firms that oversee the funds. The motion asks Concordia to display transparency in the Concordia University In-
ter-Generational Fund (CUiF).
Divest from investments held in funds the petition considers to be complicit in Israel’s occupation, end memorandums of understanding with universities in Israel such as student travel awards, which would allow student exchanges to Israel, and publish quarterly reports and updates on their divestments.
Defend student activists and the student body and limit SPVM presence on campus, cutting ties to private security, and pardon and re-enroll the students who had been suspended for their actions in support of Palestinian solidarity and who had been charged with violating rules under Concordia’s Office of Rights and Responsibilities.
Declare support for ending all military contracts between Canada and Israel and publish a statement condemning Israel’s actions.
In the second motion, the CSU must bring the first motion to Concordia’s Board of Governors for an official vote. All Concordia undergraduate students are invited to attend the meeting and are invited to ask questions. Student IDs are required to be able to vote, and the meeting will be in-person. To reach a quorum, at least 450 students must be in attendance. The meeting will use Robert’s Rules of Order to maintain efficiency.
The AntiAsian Racism Subcommittee hosts their first event.
BY ASHLEY GAUTHIER CONTRIBUTOR
Veggies were chopped, and dumplings were pinched. Last week, Concordia’s Anti-Asian Racism Subcommittee held its first event.
Students, staff, faculty members, and alumni were invited to exchange and connect at the Dumplings & Dialogue event.
“We invite participation from those with direct experience and also those who have observed structural and identity-based violence (broadly defined) and related to Anti-Asian Racism on campus,” said the subcommittee on their Instagram.
In April 2024, Graham Carr announced the Standing Together against Racism and Identity-based Violence Task Force (STRIVE), citing recommendations from the Indigenous Directions Action Plan and the President’s Task Force on Anti-Black Racism.
By last fall, STRIVE formed subcommittees to probe antisemitism, anti-Arab racism and Islamophobia, transphobia, and anti-Asian racism.
“Let’s kick start an open dialogue about what ‘being Asian’ means on campus and beyond while we make and share a meal together,”
they said on their Instagram.
“The mandate of the Anti-Asian Racism Subcommittee of the STRIVE Task Force is to gather information about concerns and experiences related to bias, prejudice, discrimination, hate, harassment, and/or violence against Asians at Concordia, and about Asian experience in university life more generally,” said the subcommittee in an outreach survey for Concordians.
Organizers hoped to provide a space where the Asian community could discuss their experiences.
“[The event] is a recognition of the need to better understand the experiences of the Asian community at Concordia,” said Felice Yuen, the subcommittee’s leader and professor in applied human sciences. “The process along with this event
was to start the motions by creating a space for people to get together.”
She said that she wanted the space to not just be about trauma but a community experience.
“ Just having this intentional space for connection and gathering and conversation about good things and bad things and everything in between is incredibly important,” said Yuen.
Kevin Jung-Hoo Park re cently graduated from Concor dia’s film production program. As a Korean student, he felt that life at the university was not very positive.
“One day, I was put ting up posters for the Asian film screen ing my friend and I were organiz ing. As I fin ished posting on one of the clipboards in the Faubourg building, there were two white people com ing out and see ing me hanging the posters. As I moved away, I clearly heard ‘Asian film screening, what the f**k,’” said Park.
Park remembers not being able to believe what he heard. He went to the bathroom to calm down and met a feeling of fear. When he came out of the bathroom, the posters had been ripped off from the clipboard and dumped in the trash.
committee] are well-intentioned, but I don’t know about Concordia’s intentions.”
Since their creation, STRIVE committees have organized activities, listening sessions and surveys to support students. They encouraged students to talk about how they feel and how they are treated, with their identities remaining unknown.
“The work of the STRIVE task force and of its subcom-
According to Park, he experienced many other similar events and felt discriminated against. He said these behaviours came from other students and teachers. He tried to address some of his concerns by approaching teachers within his program, but he was turned down or even ignored.
“The response I was constantly getting was that it was not happening at Concordia,” he said.
Despite his overall experience, Park believes in the Anti-Asian Racism Subcommittee. He hopes the members are genuine and have good intentions.
“I moved on, a lot of people move on, and I’m glad that these kinds of events are existing,” he said. “Maybe the people inside of there [the
The Stingers Café celebrates its opening and promises more food options to Concordians.
BY DIEGO CERVANTES AND MEGAN MILLS DEVOE STAFF WRITER AND ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Hundreds of students lined up throughout the day on Jan. 22 and Jan. 23 to grab free snacks and coffee as the Stingers Café celebrated its grand opening.
The Concordia Stingers Café initially opened in the middle of November in a limited capacity and aims to provide a larger variety of food options to students.
Leticia Khairallah, a classics major at Concordia, said that she learned about the opening of the cafe on her way to class.
“I really like the vibe of it. I think it's very comforting and also feels like a mini grocery store,” said Khairallah.
“It's very convenient when you finish class, you could just go down two floors. Or if you're running late to class and you need a quick bite, it's right there.”
The plan to build the cafe started in 2020, when the fourth floor of the Hall build-
ing was being refurbished.
Concordia Food Services
Manager Oliver De Volpi mentioned the need for more food options in the Hall building.
“This is the busiest building on campus,” he said. “If they're not coming here or to the Hive, they're basically going out onto Maisonneuve or to Ste. Catherine St. People wanted to have access to something in the building rather than
having to go out.”
The Stingers Café is located on the 4th floor of the Hall building, and is open Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Aramark is a multinational catering corporation that provides food for Concordia’s dorms and cafes. Over the last few years, the company’s business practices have been controversial on campus.
The law prohibiting religious wear from jobs in the public sector is being challenged.
BY TRISTAN MCKENNA NEWS EDITOR
“She was like, ‘You would have gotten paid for it. I'm so sorry, someone else is going to come in,’ and that's it. There was no other discussion with the principal or anybody else,” said Fatima Khan.
In June 2024, Khan graduated from Concordia University after studying fine arts with a
specialization in art education.
“I always wanted to be a teacher. It's something that I cherish so much,” said Khan.
In 2019, Quebec passed Bill 21. If you wear a hijab, kippah, or turban to work in the province, this law can prohibit you from being employed in the public sector in jobs such as a school teacher, lawyer, or policeperson.
Unable to find work due to Bill 21, Khan was forced to leave home and relocate to Ontario. While her classmates could graduate and work for public schools in Quebec, Khan had to apply for extra certifications in another province. Ontario also charges annual fees to maintain
your teaching certification.
“It was just very sad and very upsetting that I had to leave Quebec because of my hijab,” said Khan. Her family may join her out-of-province.
“I grew up here in Quebec. Quebec, for me, is home. But to have you being discriminated against [for] my faith was not something light for me. And I wasn't going to compromise my faith because of Bill 21,” she said.
On Jan. 23, the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) agreed to hear a challenge of Bill 21.
“I didn't really understand that the bill would actually pass,” said Sara Kennedy, a professor in Concordia’s de-
partment of education.
“It's really heartbreaking to tell [people who wear religious symbols] that if you're going to apply for this program and go through these four years […] as the law is now, you may not be able to be hired at any publicly funded school in Quebec,” said Kennedy.
Khan spent time working as an unpaid intern with no issue. However, when she applied for paid roles, she would be rejected.
“I'm studying the same thing, I'm getting my qualifications, I'm getting a teaching license, I'm graduating, I’m doing amazing academically, yet the government stops me from
getting my compensation,” said Khan.
“[Bill 21 is] telling young people, young students, young members of the community that there are certain professions that they're just excluded from if they want to fulfill their version of their religious beliefs and practices,” said Harini Sivalingam from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA).
The CCLA is one of the groups that is bringing the case forward. According to Sivalingam, the SCC could rule on the case by the end of 2025.
As of 2023, approximately 450 correctional facilities in North America and over 160 mines and oil rigs worldwide contract Aramark. For nearly 20 years, Aramark has managed cafeterias for a controversial Chilean copper mine which has been scrutinized for unsafe working conditions and anti-union practices. Ever wanted to help contribute graphics to the school paper?
Message our graphics editor @kindaokev on instagram, or send an email to graphics@theconcordian.com
Two mandatory seats remain vacant after the council elects only one person out of four candidates.
BY CHANTAL BELLEFEUILLE COPY EDITOR
Two seats still remain vacant on the Concordia Student Union’s (CSU) judicial board, as commerce major Suzana Ek was the only person elected out of four candidates in two backto-back voting periods by the CSU council during its Jan. 22 regular council meeting (RCM).
Some members of the CSU Executive Committee expressed their disappointment with the council’s failure to fill the positions. For the judicial board to be active, at least three seats must be occupied.
“For months, upon months, upon months, councillors have been complaining, ‘Oh, there’s no JB [judicial board], the JB is dysfunctional,’” said CSU General Coordinator Kareem Rahaman.
“It falls on the executives; the executives do the work. [When] it comes to council, the council doesn’t deliver. The work falls on the executives again, and everyone’s upset now. This doesn’t make any sense at all,” said Rahaman.
Kinsey El Tanani, Nicola Woloz, and Saraluz Barton-Gomez were the other Concordia undergraduates considered for candidacy. These candidates were not elected to the judicial board because they did not receive the majority vote.
Coun. Drew Sylver accused candidate Kinsey El Tanani of lying in her interview regarding being politically impartial.
He claimed that El Tanani’s political bias made her unfit for a judicial board seat and wanted to present a video and photo of her alleged presence at the Nov. 8, 2023, protest that occurred in the Hall building’s mezzanine.
“I do not want someone ad judicating a judicial board case that has been present at a riot,” he claimed.
ley confirmed that a debate regarding El Tanani’s political involvement in the protest was per missible during the discussion period but that
presenting the evidence in an open session would be out of order.
“I think it is very concerning that you would share a photo of her,” said Coun. Mohamad Abdallah to Sylver. “That would be an attack on her privacy.”
Candidates were asked to leave the room after their interview was over. They were not allowed to be present during the debate period. CSU Academic & Advocacy Coordinator Vanessa Massot argued that presenting Sylver’s alleged evidence in the absence of El Tanani was against the principles of procedural fairness.
“I don’t feel that it is appropriate for this intervention to
that he requested earlier in the RCM for the candidates to remain while he presented the evidence. A closed session to view the alleged video and photo was motioned to the council and failed to pass. No evidence was presented to the council during the RCM.
CSU will have to hold another election in order to fill the two remaining seats and have an active judicial board.
“I really sympathize with the frustration of the executives after putting in this work. I can definitely assure you that we were very rigorous, having voted twice. It was pretty clear that people wanted to give it a serious try, but there was
“I’m not sure about what the next steps are, but the council voted with the information on hand. The process will need to be done again.”
Monday marked the 80th year since the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp. Nearly 60 survivors attended the site in southern Poland, just over one-quarter of the amount present at the 75th anniversary. Over one million people were murdered within the confines of the camp between 1941 and 1945. Top news of the week.
BY JEREMY COX NEWS EDITOR
Over 300,000 residents of Gaza travelling to the north crossed the so-called Netzarim Corridor by foot on al-Rashid Street. Gaza correspondents say residents returned to devastation. They had already spent two nights in the street and were scheduled to be let in around 7 p.m. local time. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Lebanon had announced an extension of the ceasefire until Feb. 18, as Israel has failed to withdraw from the southern parts of Gaza, killing 22 people. According to Qatar, Hamas has agreed to release four hostages this week.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford will call a snap provincial election on Wednesday. Ford, who assumed office in 2018, aims to maintain and strengthen power in the Legislative Assembly while running on a populist response to counteract U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods. The government will run under the caretaker convention from when the election is called until the new government is sworn in. This means that the government should avoid the appearance of using ministerial offices for political purposes.
Although COVID-19, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and measles cases are now under control, the rate of influenza cases is rapidly increasing. The provincial influenza positivity rate currently stands at 15 per cent. Emergency rooms in the Montreal region are overflowing as hospital occupancy rates are sitting at 145 per cent this past week, and a 9.2 per cent increase over the last year. The best method of protection against the virus is vaccination.
“Honestly, it was a great experience and opportunity,”
Lussier shared.
“We had a good group and hockey players, but even off the ice, we had so much fun.”
This year’s tournament took place in Torino, Italy, starting on Jan. 11, which is when the participating Stingers played their first preliminary round games. Immediately, the Stingers players’ presence was palpable.
Two goals from Lussier and one from Lavoie sparked a 16-0 victory for the Canadians over Chinese Taipei. Lussier led the team with 13 shots on goal, and Boyer helped bolster the blue line, holding Chinese Taipei to only seven total shots.
The men’s team saw a similar result. Both Lavigne and Bi-
zier got on the scoresheet with a goal apiece en route to an 11-0 Team Canada victory over Republic of Korea.
The next day, Team Canada’s men’s hockey team faced Czechia in their second game of the tournament. The team would ultimately lose the game in a shootout by a score of 2-1. The women’s team continued their momentum on Jan. 13 by beating the United Kingdom 14-0. Lussier scored a hat trick, giving her the tournament lead in goals through two games.
After a day off, both teams won their games, and the Stingers representatives scored another three goals combined.
The men’s team played one last preliminary round game, where they beat Sweden by a score of 8-4. It was onto facing Japan for both Canadian teams.
The women’s team kicked off the knockout stage on Jan. 18 in the semi-finals, beating Japan by a score of 3-0. This secured their spot in the gold medal game against Czechia.
On the men’s side, Mathieu Bizier scored one of his team’s goals to give the team
a 9-1 victory in the quarter-finals, clinching their spot in the semi-finals against the United States.
The women’s team concluded their tournament on Jan. 20 in the winner-take-all gold medal game.
Canada pressured the entire game, outshooting Czechia 5216. Once again, Lussier led her team in that category, firing 10 shots on target. The game went to overtime, where Lussier believed she had the golden goal as the referee blew the whistle even though the puck was loose in the goal crease. The goal was waved off, and Czechia scored minutes later, snatching gold from Team Canada by a score of 2-1.
It was a disappointing end to a successful tournament for the Stingers and Team Canada. The head coach of the Stingers women’s hockey team, Julie Chu, focused on aspects of the
The Stingers are now 14-0-0 on the season as playoffs creep closer.
BY MATT PISCINA SPORTS EDITOR
The Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team was back in action at Ed Meagher Arena this past week. On an unusual Thursday night game, the Stingers welcomed the Bishop’s University Gaiters to town for the first of two matchups in four days.
The Stingers welcomed back four players to their lineup as they returned from the Fédération Internationale du Sport Universitaire (FISU) Winter World University Games. Forwards Émilie Lavoie and Émilie Lussier, defender Alexandra-Anne Boyer, and goaltender Jordyn Verbeek represented the Stingers on Team Canada’s women’s hockey team.
“They landed on Tuesday; we
had them join us on Wednesday at practice because we played today. If we didn’t play today, they probably would’ve had a day off,” Stingers head coach Julie Chu jokingly said about the returning players.
“We are happy to have our family back together again.”
The fully-rostered Stingers came out of the gate firing on offence, pushing for the game’s first goal. The team led the Gaiters in shots on goal through the first period, 11-3, but could not find the back of the net.
A power play halfway through the second period posed a good opportunity for the Stingers to strike. On the advantage, they did just that.
Lavoie fired a shot from the blue line that found forward Alexis Bedier’s stick blade for the deflection. The
resented our program and also Canada — they should be really proud,” said Chu.
It was the men’s team’s turn to make a run at gold after beating the United States by a crushing 10-2 score. Lavigne and Bizier combined for four assists in their win. They faced Slovakia in the gold medal game on Jan. 22.
The Canadians took a 1-0
Both Bizier and Lavigne secured gold medals for Team Canada to bring back to home soil.
Lussier finished the tournament in fifth place for scoring among all players, while Lavigne led Team Canada in tournament points amongst defenders.
Now that the Stingers athletes have returned to Mon
Stingers led 1-0 and used the momentum to continue their push.
“We have to make sure that any time we get a special teams opportunity, we can create momentum out of it,”
Chu said.
“Our power play did a great job, and our PK [penalty kill] as well. If anything, in the second period, we didn’t love the start of the second — it was a little bit on the slow side, and it was the penalty kill that gave us some energy.”
Six minutes later, the FISU Games fifth-highest scorer would add a tally. Lussier parked herself in front of the Gaiters’ net, found a loose puck, and scored on a rebound. The Stingers brought a
2-0 lead into the third period. Forward Jessymaude Drapeau added the team’s third goal to give the Stingers more insurance, now up 3-0. Bishop’s would add a goal late, but Concordia would hold on for a 3-1 victory.
Lussier shared postgame how it felt to be back with the team.
“Getting back right now, it’s a bit tough being jet lagged,” Lussier said, laughing. “Contributing to this win felt great, [...] it was a great win for the team.”
The Stingers improved to a record of 13-0-0 this season and have won each one of their regular season games since Feb. 9, 2023. The team took their streak to Bishop’s home ice on Sunday for the second leg of the home and home. In this matchup, Concordia added another win by a score of 7-1. The Stingers will look to bring their winning streak to CEPSUM Arena at Université de Montréal to face the Carabins. The puck drop on Jan. 31 is set for 7 p.m.
The Toronto Tempo is set to make history as Canada’s first WNBA team, bringing professional women’s basketball to Toronto in 2026, backed by fan support and experienced owners.
BY MATHILDE COLLS ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
This November, the Women’s National Basket ball Association (WNBA) announced the name of its brand-new Toronto franchise: the Toronto Tempo. The new team will be Canada’s first WNBA team.
The team will begin play ing in 2026 at the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, an 8,500-person capacity arena also home to the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Toronto Sceptres.
The franchise is owned and operated by Kilmer Sports Ven tures, led by Larry Tanenbaum,
a Toronto-based the importance of bringing professional women’s basketballronto’s sports market to grow the WNBA’s global presence.
The franchise could also empower women and advance gender equality, according to the Tempo’s first founding partner, Sephora Canada.
WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert added that the team could help the league expand
Nelly Owusu, an athlete on the Stingers women’s basketball team, has been playing basketball for 20 years.
“When the news came out that the WNBA were expanding to Toronto, I was super excited,” Owusu said. “Last year, Toronto held a WNBA game, and it was literally sold out.”
Her excitement was echoed by other Stingers.
“For young female athletes, I think it’s going to be incredibly inspiring,” said Stinger basketball player Serena Tchida. “They’ll have role models to look up to who are closer to home, players they can actually watch live and maybe even meet someday.”
Toronto recently hosted a WNBA game on May 13, 2023. It was a pre-season game between the Chicago Sky and the Minnesota Lynx held at Scotiabank Arena. This marked the first-ever WNBA game in Canada and was part of the league’s efforts to expand its global footprint and test the market for potential Canadian expansion — a year before the Tempo franchise was announced.
The game was a significant success, with a sellout crowd of 19,800 fans, demonstrating the strong support a Toronto franchise could garner from basket-
Concordia’s hockey teams played three important games this weekend in a quiet week of Stingers sports action.
BY GASPARD BEAUDOIN
CONTRIBUTOR
The Concordia Stingers hockey teams played two important matchups this week, with the women’s team securing two key wins over Bishop’s University Gaiters while the men’s team battled hard but ultimately fell to Lakehead University in a shootout.
Here’s a closer look at the games:
The Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team continued their dominant run with a 3-1 win over the Bishop’s University Gaiters.
The game remained scoreless until the second period when forward Alexis Bédier opened the scoring for the Stingers. Forwards Émilie Lussier and Jessymaude Drapeau then added to the pile to give Concordia a commanding 3-0 lead. Bishop’s managed to score a consolation goal late, but it wasn’t enough to threaten the Stingers’ dominance.
Drapeau was named the player of the match for her key role in the win, while goaltender Ariane Leblanc delivered a standout performance, saving almost 95 per cent of the shots she faced. The team prepared for their second matchup against the Gaiters on Jan. 26.
In this matchup, the Stingers again delivered an astonishing performance and easily beat Bishop’s University Gaiters 7-1. Already sitting at the top of the league, their victory on Jan. 26 extended their lead, widening the gap between them and the second-place Gaiters to 12 points and mathematically guaranteeing they will finish first in the league by the end of the regular season.
The Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team, who are first in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East division, took on the fourth-ranked team of the OUA West division. Lakehead struck early with two goals, making the task for the Stingers even tougher. Concordia responded quickly in the second period, with forward Mikeal Huchette pulling the Stingers within one, 2-1. They continued to push and were rewarded when defender Chris-
ball fans in Canada.
For Owusu, the Tempo sets an important example for young Canadian girls.
“I think it will have a positive impact on female athletes for sure,” she said. “It can give inspiration to young females to get into it and feel like they have a place here in Canada.”
“I wish I had that when I was younger — the same support that we have now,” Owusu added.
Tchida expresses that a WNBA team in Canada inspires her to keep pushing, knowing that opportunities are available close to home.
“As someone who dreams of playing professionally one day, it gives me hope and makes me even more determined to keep working toward that goal,” she said.
The Toronto Tempo will begin their inaugural season in 2026. The schedule is expected to be released in December 2025.
topher Inniss tied the game at two, scoring on a point shot that beat Lakehead’s goalie Christian Cicigoi.
With a draw at the end of the three periods, the game went to a shootout. Unfortunately for the Stingers, Lakehead’s Richard Whittaker scored the winning goal, sending the Thunderwolves to a 3-2 victory.
The men’s hockey team will now prepare for their matchup
against the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks on Jan. 31. The Golden Hawks currently sit in last place in the OUA West division.
The Stingers women’s team will play on the same day and face the Carabins of Université de Montréal who are currently third in the rankings — they will look to continue their incredible 14-win run.
En partenariat avec et financé par l’Organe.
Jusqu'où la réalité peut-elle être modifiée sur le grand écran?
PAR ABANOB SEDRAK
COLLABORATEUR
@ABANOB.VIDS
Les adaptations cinématographiques sont appréciées par de nombreuses personnes, car elles permettent de faire connaître des histoires peu connues du grand public.
Mais ces adaptations peuvent causer des débats quand elles ne respectent pas les faits ou les déforment intentionnellement pour rendre une histoire plus dramatique sur le grand écran. Dans le cas des biofilms, les directeurs changent ou altèrent
certains événements majeurs de la vie de quelqu’un pour que l’histoire respecte des conventions scénaristiques.
Mais jusqu’où peut-on altérer la réalité et quelles sont les conséquences réelles de ses altérations?
Daniel Stefik, un professeur de cinéma au collège Vanier, mentionne le pari financier risqué que représentent ces films. « Produire ces films coûte très cher, alors ces directeurs doivent faire des films poignants, les menant à faire des compromis sur la véracité de l’histoire qu’ils mettent en scène », explique-t-il.
Bien sûr, les films doivent être traités au cas par cas. Certains, comme les biofilms, mettent les spectateurs dans la peau du personnage princi-
pal. C’est là où certaines limites doivent être instaurées pour ne pas causer de la désinformation.
Love & Mercy (2014), réalisé par Bill Pohlad, a été apprécié pour sa subjectivité. Le film se démarque par rapport à d’autres biofilms car il ne suit pas la vie du personnage principal de l’enfance à l’âge adulte, mais se focalise plutôt sur deux moments de la vie de Brian Wilson, un membre du groupe de rock pop les Beach Boys. Certes, le film ne montre pas tous les événements de la vie du chanteur, le rendant plus subjectif, mais c’est là ou réside la force de ce film : en omettant certaines parties de sa vie, le spectateur se plonge dans la psychologie du personnage, rendant le film plus personnel,
bien que moins représentatif. « Je pense que les réalisa teurs doivent être transparents au sujet des changements ap portés à l’histoire originelle », explique Stefik.
« Par exemple, au début du film, ils pourraient inclure un message de mise en garde expliquant que l’histoire à été changée. Dépendamment de l’histoire, cela va être différent, vu qu’il n’y a pas qu’une seule façon qui fonctionne pour toutes les histoires. »
D’autres films, comme The Apprentice (2024), un film qui peint un portrait peu flatteur de Donald Trump, se heurtent à la limite légale de la diffamation. Selon The Guardian, le producteur de The Apprentice a reçu une mise en demeure de la part des avocats Donald Trump. Pourtant, le film inclut au début un avertissement concernant
la fictionnalisation de certains événements. Au moment de la publication de l’article, ni le producteur ni le réalisateur ne font l’objet de poursuites judiciaires.
Déformer les faits de façon maladroite est aussi une autre limite importante. C’est le Braveheart (1995) un film qui met en scène William Wallace, un chevalier écossais qui se bat contre le roi Édouard Ier d’Angleterre lors des guerres d’indépendance de l’Écosse au 13e siècle. Le film contient beaucoup d’inexactitudes historiques puisqu’il est basé sur un poème écrit par Harry l’Aveugle intitulé The Wallace, écrit presque 200 ans après la mort de William Wallace. Le film a été bien accueilli par les Écossais, mais certains critiques dénoncent une représentation maladroite des Anglais, tous représentés comme des bandits qui pillent et tuent les villageois. Cette représentation est le résultat d’un scénariste qui veut à tout prix captiver son public.
Certaines personnes pourraient dire que le cinéma de fiction n’est encadré des mêmes règles qu’un documentaire et donc n’a pas à être factuel, mais c’est une idée dangereuse lorsque les films peuvent inciter à la haine ou engendrer de la désinformation. L’industrie à besoin de plus de transparence par rapport à ces films inspirés d’histoires vraies.
Trouver sa voix en journalisme: Médias indépendants et bilinguisme
Où? CJ 3.307 (Loyola)
Quand? 29 janvier 12h-13h30
Présentation en français
Q&A français/anglais
Inscriptions:
Le parti s’oppose aux mesures de la CAQ touchant les universités anglophones, mais changerat-il vraiment les choses?
BY JASPER BLEHO-LEVACHER COLLABORATEUR
La course pour déterminer le nLa course pour déterminer le nouveau chef du Parti libéral du Québec (PLQ) est lancée depuis le 13 janvier. Quatre candidats s’affrontent dans l’espoir de pouvoir mener la charge contre la Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) à l’Assemblée nationale. Le parti représente actuellement l’opposition officielle à Québec, où il est mené par le chef intérimaire Marc Tanguay. Ce dernier est en charge depuis la démission de Dominique Anglade, après la défaite historique des libéraux aux élections générales de 2022. Les candidats à la direction du PLQ espèrent donc sans doute aussi revitaliser leur parti. La tâche, cependant, risque d’être ardue.
« Le PLQ est éliminé complètement dans le vote francophone, affirme Denis Monière, professeur retraité de science politique à l’Université de Montréal. Il n’existe plus sur la scène politique dans les
comtés francophones. »
À l’Assemblée nationale, le PLQ critique souvent les mesures identitaires de la CAQ, ce qui lui vaut le soutien de plusieurs sur l’île de Montréal, où la majorité des anglophones et allophones résident.
Notamment, en 2023, le Parti libéral avait condamné la décision qu’avait prise la CAQ de hausser les droits de scolarité pour les étudiants canadiens hors-province et les étudiants internationaux venus étudier dans les universités québécoises. Cette décision, appliquée depuis septembre 2024, a eu un effet négatif par-
ticulier sur les universités anglophones.
« Malheureusement, ce que nous avions prévu est arrivé, explique Vannina Maestracci, porte-parole de l’Université Concordia. Nous avons estimé que l’impact négatif de ces mesures [...] était d’environ quinze millions de dollars [en perte de revenus]. »
Ces quinze millions de dollars de pertes sont directement liés à la réduction de 3,4 % de l’effectif étudiant en automne 2024, relativement à l’automne de l’année précédente, d’après Maestracci.
« Le PLQ est opposé à ces
mesures qui affectent les universités anglophones, donc on pourrait croire qu’ils veuillent changer les choses, remarque Daniel Salée, professeur de science politique à Concordia. Mais ce n’est pas clair qu’ils puissent gagner la prochaine élection. »
Le favori parmi les candidats dans la course à la direction du parti semble pour le moment être Pablo Rodriguez, un député fédéral qui, jusqu’en septembre 2024, était ministre des Transports dans le cabinet de Justin Trudeau.
Mais Salée doute que Rodriguez soit le bon choix.
« Il pourrait certainement être élu comme chef, soutient Salée. Mais c’est un politicien qui est associé de trop prêt au gouvernement Trudeau, un gouvernement qui n’est pas très populaire en ce moment. »
L’ancien maire de Montréal, Denis Coderre, prend aussi part à la course, ainsi que l’avocat Marc Bélanger et l’ex-président de la Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, Charles Milliard.
Monière, comme Salée, reste sceptique face à tous ces candidats.
« Ça va dépendre des programmes des différents candidats, parce que pour le moment ils ne sont pas encore bien élaborés, dit-il. [...] Mais en ce moment, je ne pense pas que le PLQ puisse faire une remontée. »
Et même si le parti arrivait à regagner son ancienne popularité, il n’est pas clair qu’il touchera réellement aux mesures controversées de la CAQ, souligne Salée.
« Le problème, c’est que même si le PLQ [...] gagne la prochaine élection, [...] c’est difficile pour un nouveau gouvernement de changer des mesures comme celles-là, explique-t-il. Très souvent ce qui se passe, c’est que même avec des mesures controversées, [...] vle temps passe et les gens s’y habituent. »
Le gagnant de la course à la chefferie du Parti libéral sera annoncé le 14 juin 2025.
Les fils d’écouteurs : branché ou non?
Les écouteurs et leurs connotations de statut social
PAR SELENA RUIZ COLLABORATICE
Depuis la sortie des AirPods en 2016, la préférence des écouteurs sans fil fait largement l’unanimité chez les populations étudiantes. Pour leur côté pratique, discret et confortable, les écouteurs Bluetooth sont favorisés depuis plusieurs années.
L’offre s’est étendue pour les casques d’écoute, avec des propriétés d’annulation de bruits d’environnement et d’audio spatial personnalisé. Les compagnies spécialisées en son comme Sony, Bose et Apple surfent sur cette vague d’achat en proposant des écouteurs de qualité supérieure.
La qualité, cependant, vient avec un prix qui peut aisément dépasser les 200 $, ce qui rend certains produits inaccessibles
à la population étudiante. Pour Carter Griffiths, étudiant en communications à Concordia, il est important de considérer l’utilisation prévue en choisissant ses écouteurs.
« Pour mixer ma musique, j’aime bien avoir un bon casque d’écoute, explique-t-il, mais pour la vie de tous les jours, je préfère utiliser des écouteurs sans fil. Ils ne prennent pas de place et je n’ai pas à essayer de défaire les fils constamment. » Griffiths est artiste sous le nom Carter Kane, donc l’achat d’une bonne paire d’écouteurs était essentiel pour son processus de création.
« Personnellement, j’utilise les écouteurs de la marque Scarlett Studio », dit-il. De son côté, Samantha Padisak, étudiante en journalisme à Concordia, préfère diversifier ses styles d’écouteurs dépendamment de son environnement.
« Lorsque je suis à la maison, je préfère utiliser mes écouteurs
avec fils, mais en public je fa vorise mon casque d’écoute pour ses propriétés d’annula tion de bruits, dit-elle. Je n’ai pas envie de marcher à travers les foules et d’entendre les gens autour de moi. »
Le retour des écouteurs à fils en 2024 peut être attribué à la mode Y2K, style du début des années 2000 qui revit parmi la population étudiante depuis en viron deux ans. Pour leur look rétro, les écouteurs à fils peuvent nous rappeler les publicités ple et d’iTunes du début du millénaire.
« Les écouteurs à fils gardent en popularité grâce à leur fiabilité, estime Padisak. Lorsqu’on les branche, ils se connectent automatiquement au téléphone. J’aime aussi qu’il soit facile de changer le volume avec
non-négociable.
« Les écouteurs intra-auriculaires me font mal aux oreilles, donc qu’ils soient à fils ou non, je préfère utiliser un casque d’écoute, dit-elle. En même temps, le casque d’écoute me crée un mini espace personnel, ce qui est idéal pour les gens qui les écouteurs, mais tous semvblent d’accord pour dire que la qualité sonore peut se trouver à faible coût et qu’il n’est pas nécessaire de dépenser des centaines de dollars pour une bonne paire d’écouteurs, avec ou sans fils.
The famed photographer stopped by the Hall building as a guest for the Wild Talks Lecture Series.
BY ALENA VO STAFF WRITER
On the evening of Jan. 22, the Hall building was abuzz with activity. Outside the auditorium, a line snaked from one end of the room to the other. Everyone was there for one purpose: to listen to Edward Burtynsky speak about his work.
The landscape photographer sat down in conversation with Zoë Tousignant, the curator of photography at the McCord Stewart Museum. He was this year’s guest for the Wild Talks Lecture Series, an annual event hosted in honour of Catherine Wild, the former dean of Concordia’s Faculty of Fine Arts. Burtynsky originally hails from St. Catharines, Ontario, where he began taking pictures
at age 12. Since then, he’s grown from “the kid with the camera” to a world-renowned photographer riding helicopters to capture breathtaking shots of the Earth, or more accurately, of the scars we’ve left upon it.
He specializes in large-scale industrial landscapes. More specifically, he photographs sites like mining plants and landfills, and he often does so from above.
“For me, I’m always trying to show scale,” he said. “There’s something more compelling about photographing man-altered landscapes. A transformed landscape is the world unfolding in front of us.”
But the industrial sector isn’t always the main focus — in fact, the core of his interest lies in nature. He has always strived to look “deep into geological time,” as he puts it.
At one point, he displayed his pictures of glaciers in the Coast Mountains, British Columbia. The image showed greyish ice that seemed to flow down the rock face it sat on, a patchwork of white snow covering it.
He explained that they were the last glaciers at this altitude and latitude in Canada. The ice is estimated to be over 170,000 years old and is rapidly shrinking.
“As it’s melting away, the rock [underneath] will see the sun for the first time in 170,000 years,” he said.
With these photos, he warns us about humanity’s impact on the environment.
Burtynsky’s passion for photography is shown less through overt emotion and more through the careful thought he put into his projects. He spoke extensively on his efforts to make his art viewable in a physical space.
“I want there to be a reason for the viewer to come,” he said.
When gazing up at his pictures, some can hardly believe their eyes.
“I’ve had people standing in front of these prints tell me, ‘It’s not a photograph.’” He shook his head and added, “No, I took it, it’s a photo,” to a gale of audience laughter.
Ultimately, Burtynsky’s goal is to make a viewer ask questions rather than simply marvel at how beautiful his work is. He believes that the isola-
tion of the ordinary turns it into the extraordinary. Each photo invokes a sense of wonder, from the forested North American wetlands to the men sitting among endless piles of plastic bottles.
For someone so concerned with capturing images that are larger than life, his work feels incredibly human.
True north strong and free (to keep scrolling).
BY LEO LITKE STAFF WRITER
An American Supreme Court decision saw TikTok banned in the United States at 12 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 19. The decision was upheld under the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA) after initial concerns were raised about its parent company, ByteDance, being a Chinese company.
However, around 12 p.m. the following day, millions of Americans regained access to the app. Upon logging on, users saw a popup message thanking President Donald Trump for this turn of events. It is currently unclear if the executive order signed by Trump to make this reversal possible is legal, and the longer-term fate
of the app and its users is ambiguous.
So, where does this leave Canadians? Despite often consuming American media and news, a lack of regulatory attention reflects different political and cultural concerns. So far, reactions are varied.
“I’m not quite sure yet,” said Angel Eyram Hounnou, an undergraduate student in political science and sociology at Concordia University. “On one [hand], I am kind of excited to see what the ‘for you page’ is going to look like without Americans. [...] But on the other hand, I will miss the contributions [that] might share some important information about local politics […] we might not get it if it wasn’t for TikTok.”
“I don’t think banning was necessarily the answer,” they continued, noting concerns
around freedom of speech and the loss of community engagement. “Losing access to a part of the population means losing a part of knowledge and a part of culture.”
Others aren’t feeling the effects of the ban at all. For Annalyn Ervas, an undergraduate student in communication studies who works in content creation for Concordia and the Filipino
Organization of Concordia University Students (FOCUS), the ban was never a major concern.
When asked how she was affected, she said that she mostly saw Americans worrying.
“Montreal content creation is much more on Instagram than it is on TikTok,” explained Ervas.
Despite researching trends on the American-dominated platform, she remains hopeful that alternatives, like Instagram Reels, will remain.
“It’s older,” she said. “I’m more certain it’s going to stay.”
“If I were to really get into content creation on a more personal level, I would have always chosen Instagram over TikTok,” added Ervas. “Yes, [on TikTok], you can get a lot more exposure, you could get more followers fast, but it’s not as personal as Instagram.”
When asked about the potential benefits of the ban, Ervas outlined that there’s more to life than TikTok.
“If [TikTok] were to be banned in Canada, I think I’d go [towards] the old-fashioned way of how content creation was done back in the 2010s, where it was just getting outside sources and getting more in touch with the world,” she said. “It’s fun, having everything online, but I feel like a lot of content creators have lost touch with the outside world.”
Despite being affected, Concordia psychology and child studies student Rachel Malcomson shared a lack of concern, noting that she would be in favour of banning the app and its American influencers.
“I think most of the media [Canadians] generally consume is probably American,” said Malcomson, despite not using TikTok. “It’s annoying seeing the [American] TikTok creators coming onto Instagram Reels and complaining about it.”
film reviews and recommendations! This week: Recog nized or forgot ten by Oscar nominations
In this new Arts & Cul ture column, we’ll be review ing and rating films weekly, covering various themes and genres. With the new year and plenty of new releases, this week’s theme highlights Academy Award-nominated and snubbed films that you can find in nearby theatres.
The Brutalist (2024)
BY KAILEE KRENTZ
COPY EDITOR
@KAILEELIZ
Overwhelmed by this three-hourand-35-minute film, the audience is left with an enduring feel ing of beauty and emo tion. The Brutalist tells the heart-wrenching tale of László Tóth (Adrien Brody) and his journey from post-war Europe to America as a Jewish Hun garian. Through struggles of abuse, addiction, poverty, and prejudice (to only name a few), László finds happiness in the mundane, shot in VistaVision and 35 mm film, which allows the images to thrive in colour and clarity.
start of a quest for a new purpose. Coppola’s use of 16 mm film evokes nostalgia, beautifully portraying the fading glamour of cabaret in Sin City. Through archival costumes, the film honours the once-shining art of cabaret, paying tribute to the tradition of Lido de Paris. Beneath the glittering facade, it reveals not only the unglamorous side of the industry but also the feminine pain of aging in an unforgiving world. Anderson delivers an emotional portrayal of a woman alienated by an industry that no longer values her artistry. Ultimately, this movie is both a love letter to cabaret and a lament for society.
RATING: 4/5
BY TESS BECHET
The film is divided into three parts — Part 1: The Enigma of Arrival, Part 2: The Hardcore of Beauty, and the Epilogue: The First Architecture Biennale — which allows for complete emotional transparency.
The film cannot be done justice in simple words. The audience experiences hardship and success, never knowing whether the next moment will be happy or sad. The music plays a role in this, as even during moments of bliss, ominous tunes play, leading the audience to suspect that the protagonist’s journey will encounter a fault shortly. This film is meant to be experienced in theatres with the images and sounds strikingly presented in front of you.
RATING: 4.5/5
BY FERDAOUS AMRATI
CONTRIBUTOR
LETTERBOXD:
@FERDAOUS
Pamela Anderson returns with The Last Showgirl. Inspired by the Jubilee! spectacle, director Gia Coppola captures the poignant unraveling of a glamorous dancer and her raison d’être. The film follows Shelly, a onceiconic dancer at “Le Raz zle Dazzle,” as the closure
Artist and Concordia student Isabel Yong discusses her artistic background.
BY GINANE DESLAURIERS ASSISTANT ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR @GINANE.DLRS
“It’s not just what you paint but how you paint … it’s an expression of yourself as an artist, and it’s what makes the painting special because it’s yours,” said Isabel Yong, artist and Concordia student majoring in honours psychology and painting and drawing.
Yong has been drawing her whole life, but it wasn’t until she took a painting class back in 2020 that she decided to pursue art educationally and professionally. Since her only degree option after that class was a major in painting and drawing, she decided to go for it.
“I felt really honoured,” she said about her enrollment in the class. “All I wanted to do was paint in a studio with other people who are painting seriously because I’ve never gone to an art high school or anything.”
CONTRIBUTOR
YOUTUBE: @TESSBECHET
Sean Baker’s Anora presents itself as a comedy, with moments that will have you laughing out loud. Yet beneath this comedic surface is a layer of tragedy, subtly conveyed through the brilliant performances of Mikey Madison and Mark Eydelshteyn.
The story follows a young sex worker from Brooklyn who is swept off her feet by the son of a wealthy Russian oligarch. During a steamy and exciting trip to Vegas, the two get married as an act of rebellion. But when the news reaches Russia, they are forced to annul the marriage, and Anora’s Cinderella dream gets shattered along the way.
She contacted Professor Leopold Plotek, the head of the studio art department at the time, and he not only helped her get into her first art course at Concordia but continued to be a supportive figure in Yong’s artistic career.
“We’ve kept in touch. I still send him paintings, and he did an independent study with me [last summer],” she said. “So he’s helped me a lot through the years I’ve been here.”
Her background in clinical psychology accompanies her artistic self, helping her illustrate the struggles of opening up emotionally.
Yong grew up in an EastAsian environment and attended high school in Singapore, where creative arts were always seen as a hobby. However, she recalled having a high school teacher who encouraged her in her artistic path.
“I hadn’t really painted at all before then. I thought I didn’t like painting because I didn’t like acrylic paint. So when I was introduced to oils, I was like, ‘Oh my god. I actually do like painting,” said Yong.
She explained that the characteristics of oil painting aligned with her drawing background best, especially the flexibility of oil paint when it comes to the drying time or being able to layer paint thinly.
“Personally, I found oils to be very intuitive in the sense that it acts exactly how I expect paint to act,” she said. “I think I realized that I’m the type of person that likes to take things quite slowly.”
She explained that since oil painting takes longer to dry than other paint, it allows her to pause and reflect on her painting. The pauses allow for new decisions and new opportunities to shine through.
“It’s a decision point that makes me access my intuition and my preferences, so whether that be different colours, different forms, those preferences
happen every time I make a decision, every time I make a pause,” she said.
She believes in the importance of a creative outlet like painting and music because they help access hidden facets of oneself.
“You may consciously choose to make certain choices in your painting, but you always make certain choices unconsciously and nonverbally,” she said
She recalled a painting she did called Cold Feet, where the nude subject is in a crow position, back facing the audience. Halfway through the painting, Yong changed the colour scheme.
“I finished painting the bottom before I painted the hands and feet; I was like, ‘Oh s***, this is actually kind of interesting. What if I made the hands and feet a different colour?” she said.
This unconscious decision resulted in a painting that resonated with Yong because she interpreted it as being physically vulnerable but emotionally guarded.
“This resonates with how I feel — getting cold feet and also being physically exposed, physically vulnerable, physically nude, but safeguarded through not showing her face, not showing her identity,” she said.
This is a film about control in all its forms. The power imbalance between a wealthy son and a struggling stripper is exceptionally explored, shown when Anora’s witty and “bad-a**” persona slowly washes off as she realizes how little agency she has in her own life. It is an absolute mustsee this year.
RATING: 4/5
Yong moved a lot growing up and has a rich cultural background, making it hard for her to foster a sense of home. This is something she’s learned to live with throughout her life.
“I think identity and belonging as more central themes were more common [in my art] when I was younger in high school because I think it bothered me more,”
she said.
greater awareness of the underground scene have changed the way music is made. This shift has been especially visible for electronica.
“When I started going to shows and playing in bands in the ‘80s, there were only a handful of bands using synths and drum machines as their main instruments,” said Concordia alumnus Jon Asencio, 59. Asencio’s brother was a DJ who brought him to a lot of raves in the 1990s.
“Back then, in the early days of techno, people in Montreal were not quite wrapping their brains around the music,” he
a curiosity/intellectual/niche type of show.”
A mostly middle-aged crowd gathered in the small room that is Casa del Popolo’s music venue to listen to Quach’s music. The room, which is accessed through the back, features its own bar and a small merch table.
“The most important venues these days are Casa del Popolo and Sala Rosa and
have created spaces for the new thriving music scene,” said Asencio.
That same night, third-year studio arts major at Concordia Ral Parr, who DJs under the pseudonym Esme, played at the Society for Arts and Technology as a part of the Homegrown Harvest raves. These organizations promote new artists and exemplify the continuous innovation of Montreal’s music culture.
Both shows featured a series of duos. Quach’s show opened with the ambient metal act Northumbria before moving on to his collaboration set with Hel
Maggot, and Parr’s set was a joint effort with fellow DJ Esther Côté.
Different genres, such as drone and techno, are enhanced by good speakers that let the web audience feel the sound in their bodies. They attempt to draw the listener in by vacillating beats and dissonant sounds.
WAVES OF MUSIC
Quach doesn’t identify too closely with any scene, noting the shifting nature of these social groups.
“Eventually, every existence within a scene ceases; it’s never the same as before,” he said. “It doesn’t necessarily mean better or worse in general.”
By the 2000s, making electronic music had be come much more accessible thanks to computers. Parr men tioned that when DJs used to spin on vinyl, they spent a lot more time with the tracks.
“It’s just changed the way that music is played,” they said.
“I notice, at least for crowds, just playing a lot faster seems to keep their attention more, even though it’s not always what I want to do.”
Delta Jacobs is a firstyear studio arts major at Concordia. She has been writing music for two years and recently released a single under the pseudonym She Takes After. Jacobs has been attending shows in Montreal for eight years. She typically goes to big arena shows but also
engages with the underground scene.
“I think the people of Montreal are so creative and hungry to make an impact with their music. I’ve
met so many people, at Concordia especially,
with a gift for musicmaking,” she said.
Many musicians named social media as one of the most significant changes to
“Social media has changed a lot of things in the way music is consumed and distributed,” said Quach. “But I don’t think it changed the way it’s made, per se — at least for myself. I’m still making music for myself, first and foremost.”
Quach said that while much is different regarding evolving technology, there isn’t a massive shift in terms of the audience. Asencio echoed this sentiment. “Montreal audiences have always been very open-minded and ready to embrace new sounds and ideas. Actually, it is kind of weird how little the audience here seems to have changed over the years,” Asencio said.
Concordia alumna Ms. Baby and her musical partner Niabi talk about their synergy, versatility, and career following their performance at the world’s coldest music festival.
BY STEFANO REBULI MUSIC EDITOR @DSIIIGN
The Duppy Grlz kicked things off on the Videotron Stage at Igloofest on Jan. 18, treating attendees to an eclectic mix of upbeat genres. The DJ duo, composed of Ms. Baby, a John Molson School of Business graduate, and Niabi, have stood out for their noteworthy incorporation of vast musical styles, from house to Afro to Jersey Club and more.
“I think that’s why we work: because we can go from deep Afro to coupé-décalé to anything, and we love going places because we love good music. Good music, in general, doesn’t have to have a specific category. We just go everywhere,” said Ms. Baby about their style.
“There’s no boundaries, and that’s what I love about it. I hate that people box people into
genres. We love so many types of music, and we just demonstrate that we can actually have versatility and just play whatever we like. Organized chaos,” Niabi added.
The pair first met at a party in 2021, shortly after beginning their DJ careers. They started doing back-to-back sets together at Barbossa in 2022 before officially joining forces as the Duppy Grlz in early 2023. Their natural friendship has been foundational to their vibrant dynamic as a duo.
“When you’re in the moment, everything else kind of fades away,” said Niabi. “We’re just focused on having fun together, helping each other, and being present in the moment.
That, for me, was what made it. It’s like we’re hyping each other up as we play. Sometimes I’m blown away by something that she’s doing, so I’m a fan too, at the same moment that I’m playing.”
This year marks their second time at Igloofest, following a set with the Bonne Famille collective last year. For the Duppy Grlz, this year’s set was marked by a closer connection with the crowd.
“Last time, we were high up, so we couldn’t really connect as much, but this time, with the 360 stage, you could really make eye contact with people, sing with people. It felt more present, more grounded,” said Ms. Baby.
The rapper’s second posthumous album is a jazzy, psychedelic album honouring his musical vision.
BY MINH TU CHAU CONTRIBUTOR @MINHTUCHAUU
Mac Miller’s Balloonerism is his second posthumous album following the tear-jerking Circles, which came out in 2020. This latest album was famously leaked years before its official release on Jan. 17, 2025. Just like with Circles, Miller’s estate continues to honour his music by treating it with care and love. The production on Balloonerism is polished with jazzy piano keys, blues-infused guitars, heavy drums, and a groovy bass, giving the songs texture and a psychedelic feeling. Even if these cuts date from years ago, around his 2014 Faces era, we can see Miller’s pas-
sion and vision for music shining through his moody melodic choruses and conscious rapping over jazzy instrumentals.
One of the album’s most admirable qualities is the lack of structure of these songs. It feels meticulously arranged to give the album a spacey feeling that is still heavy, detailed and energetic.
It almost feels like he is bringing his fans into a jam session at the studio.
Lyrically, Miller never fails to illustrate his feelings with intimate yet powerful lyrics that resonate with his listeners on a personal level. Death is a recurring theme throughout this album, with questions like, “How would it feel to die?,” “What does death feel like?,” and “Will she smile at my funeral?” surfacing frequently.
An example of these vulnerable and intimate lyrics is
“Funny Papers,” one of the best tracks on the album. Miller falls in love with this feeling of peace in his own world away from everything when slumbering, and wonders if this peace will transcend when he dies. The catchy chorus describes this melancholic view of the world, that even if he “pays his rent by Tuesday,” he bets he would be “rich by April Fool’s Day.” This reflects the hopelessness of his situation, suggesting that even if he pays his dues diligently, he’ll never achieve his goal of becoming rich in this comically downhearted world.
Miller proclaims himself as an illustrator, not an innovator. He is cursed with the ability of describing his problematic feelings through words but lacks the skills of solving them. The production on “Funny Papers” goes hand in hand with his introspective lyrics. Beautiful piano keys twirl around punchy drums and dance with a groovy bass played by the one and only Thundercat, one of Miller’s best friends.
Most hip-hop posthumous albums never do justice to the
organization and practice space founded by members of the Moonshine collective. Sagacité has been integral to both of their careers.
“It helped me get closer to the community, the DJs within the community, and meet people that would play similar music to us — before Afro was mainstream. It was good to see people who share the same genre and help each other out. It’s really a collaborative space,” Ms. Baby explained.
Having already played prestigious events such as Boiler Room, the duo plans on growing Duppy as a party, event, and brand throughout the year.
Niabi pointed to the evolution that has allowed them to create a different experience this time around.
“We’ve come together more as a duo. We know our sound, we know what we like, and we
just had fun,” said Niabi.
She also described the artist-audience connection as “always an exchange of energy.”
This year, they represented Club Sagacité, a community
Ms. Baby handles their flyers and promotional material, which she said her Concordia degree has helped with.
“Once it started being more of a public thing, I had to be like, ‘How do I do admin?’ ‘How do I do marketing?’” she said. “Social media, all this stuff, it came more naturally to me because I had the background that I had.”
Both members of the group have been surprised by the growth they’ve witnessed but feel that they are right where they deserve to be.
“I didn’t realize to what extent it would grow and become what it is. I don’t really know where we’re going, but I know we’re always elevating, pushing further,” Niabi concluded.
artist’s legacy, since their final input on their own work is not taken into consideration. For example, we constantly see rappers’ estates take unfinished drafts and try to give them life through AI voice-overs or oversaturated production.
However, Balloonerism ’s production was mainly done by Larry Fisherman, Miller’s producer alter ego, before he died, and other carefully selected producers. Miller finished the album and was in the midst of
releasing it to the public in the past, but it never saw the light of day until now.
This is a posthumous masterpiece that will timelessly live on and remind us of the magic Miller brought to this world.
SCORE: 9/10
TRIAL TRACK: “FUNNY PAPERS”
Does being busy mean being worthy?
BY RITA KAMEL CONTRIBUTOR
I really struggle with being still. I always need to have a project or an activity going on. I have a strong desire to play every instrument, speak every language, and read every book that has been written; I want to study as many subjects as I can, and constantly continue to learn and grow.
I don’t want to waste my time being still and doing nothing, and I get bored easily and always try to fill my schedule to feel productive. I think all this comes from a fear of being lazy and of waking up one day realizing that I wasted my potential.
However, constantly being on the go is unrealistic — our bodies are designed to shut down if we’re constantly doing something, and we won’t be able to keep going. Rest, for our minds and bodies, is an essential step to achieve more. And no matter how much I try to achieve, a
lifetime won’t be enough time to accomplish everything.
There is always room for improvement and a sense of pressure to do more, but where do we draw the line? For some reason, we associate someone who has a busy schedule as important and worthy of respect, because they are busy contrib uting to society and making our world a better place.
We are proud to have a full schedule.
Why are we always in a hurry? Why do we look for ward to our next event or accomplishment, without appreciating present victories? Why do we struggle to live in the moment, and burn our selves out early on in life?
We are a generation that suffers from hurry sick ness. According to the Har vard Business Review, hurry sickness causes physical and mental exhaustion. Being in a hurry isn’t always a good thing, and could
be the reason that you end up making bad decisions that you’ll end up regretting later.
My current reality as a young adult used to be a dream. I am trying to be still and savour it as much as I can.
This is the best time of our lives, and we are too busy look-
I suffer from that as well. While work and school are important, we need to take a step back and consider our priorities, to slow down and leave a place for wonder in our lives. I find it helpful to schedule some free time in my calendar. I love playing my guitar, or spend-
the lake, in colouring at a cafe, and in silence.
Slowing down may feel unproductive and cause some discomfort at first, but remember that it is more beneficial for the long run.
Take a break, do something that you like just because you
Accidentally tripping over your own success.
SASKIA WODARCZAK OPINIONS
EDITOR
easy to be our own worst en emy because we’re naturally inclined to behaviour that un dermines ourselves or even sabotages our hard-earned efforts — why can’t we be happy or let our selves succeed? Why is there a need to act contradictory to our goals?
Freud outlined that our mind is held responsible for our conscious and subconscious decisions and that “our human behaviour is driven by two fundamental instincts: life instincts (leading to growth, reproduction, survival) and death instincts (destructiveness, self-sabotage, aggression, and a desire to return to non-existence or peace through death).”
Self-sabotage is commonly rooted in unconscious fears, one of the big ones for students being the fear of failure (atychiphobia), which can also morph into a fear of success. The pressure put on students to get good grades, excel in courses, and maintain an outstanding GPA because it will help them get a good job is insane.
It’s almost as if we make one faux pas, our entire future crumbles.
Another big factor in self-sabotage is developmental trauma. What we see in our formative years is what we’ll be programmed to think is right — for example, children show love in the way they see love being shown, and seeing self-sabotage as a child can lead us to (unintentionally) repeat that
behaviour later on, thinking that it is right.
Wherever there is room to succeed and grow, there is also room for self-sabotage.
There are invisible behaviours that are self-destructive and rooted in self-sabotage but also socially acceptable and encouraged. The biggest one I’ve been seeing a lot of is drinking alcohol. Personally, I drink socially — I love a fun night where I’m in a “woohoo mood” and can still float into bed with the success of not having belched my guts out.
However, alcohol is a drug, even though we don’t consider it on the same level as heavier substances. It might be the most dangerous, just because it’s almost a “norm” to go out drinking and isn’t considered as “taboo” as heavier substances. It’s also intergenerational and can be linked to trauma. It can be common to have an underlying, subconscious conflict that dictates your life — sometimes, the internal conflict allows for some peace before taking over once again, clouding the good from the bad.
But just know that if this is something that’s happening on a deeper level, your support system will be there to help and hold you.
AMALIA LEMESIANOU
CONTRIBUTOR
In the digital age, journalism has expanded to include new forms of storytelling. While most people associate journalism with written or visual media, dance has begun to be recognized as a powerful medium for communication. Similarly to a reporter sharing news through words, a dancer can express social, political, and cultural issues through movement.
Dance, like traditional journalism, serves as a tool for storytelling and conveys emotions and issues in ways that words sometimes cannot. Renowned choreographer Martha Graham once said, “Dance is the hidden language of the soul.” Her work, Lamentation (1930), tackled themes such as loss and grief, engaging viewers emotionally.
Investigative journalism can uncover hidden truths, and dance can bring personal and
collective stories to light in an immediate and impactful way and offer marginalized communities a platform. Dancers like Alvin Ailey, whose work has been performed at the Theatre of Harlem, have used movement to protest and raise awareness of racial injustice, provoking reflection and inspiring action.
In 1980s New York, the ballroom scene captured in Paris Is Burning (1990) used dance as a form of resistance to mainstream culture. Through voguing, a dance style with sharp poses and dramatic movements, 2SLGBTQI+ people of colour told stories of marginalization, giving voice to an often invisible community.
Similarly, choreographers such as Akram Khan use dance to address global issues, as seen in Desh (2011), where Khan explores themes of identity and migration, sparking important dialogue on globalization and displacement.
Dance’s ability to communicate without words makes it
especially compelling in today’s noisy media environment. Its visual and physical language transcends cultural and linguistic barriers. Global dance companies like Alvin Ailey’s raise awareness about social issues, reaching diverse audiences. Revelations by Alvin Ailey, for instance, expresses African-American history and pain without spoken words, allowing universal themes of suffering, resilience, and hope to resonate across all backgrounds.
With the rise of digital platforms, the boundaries between journalism and art are increasingly blurred. The Square (2017), a film exploring art, activism, and journalism, features performance art, including dance, to address social issues. Digital dance performances shared on platforms like YouTube have the potential to go viral, offering commentary on societal issues.
To elevate dance as a recognized form of journalism, we should encourage collaborations between journalists
and dancers and support digital dance content. Creating awards for dance that address journalistic themes would help integrate it into the broader media landscape.
Performances such as Swan Lake, which explores themes of love and betrayal, or contemporary works that comment on political unrest exemplify the way choreography can serve as a potent form of storytelling, transcending words to connect
More people are playing summer sports in December.
BY DANYLO PERKOV
ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR
I was recently invited to play frisbee outdoors in the mid
double digits, are occuring consistently later each year. With the first months of winter becoming progressively warmer, sports teams have continued practicing sports they’d have already stopped playing for the season or moved indoors at the end of October. At the same time, more and more matches in the middle of
deeply with audiences.
Dance is an essential form of journalism that deserves recognition. Through its ability to reflect on societal issues and communicate across language barriers, dance offers a unique emotional lens on the world. It moves people to inform, provoke thought, and inspire action, much like a well-crafted news report or investigative story.
in chilly weather is solved with layers of clothing, while no cheap and widespread solution to dangerous heat waves exists yet.
While playing summer sports in 0 C temperature with a few centimetres of snow isn’t the most optimal thing in the world, it is doable, and sometimes even pleasant if there’s
this presents a unique opportunity, as indoor playing space is limited and sells out quickly.
Being able to go to the field or park where people usually play in the summer would give many the chance to practice their sport without paying indoor terrain rental prices and stay in shape without being crammed into a gym.
anytime soon. The temperature change isn’t yet consistent enough and could still have an impact on professional matches, with possible cold snaps in December. Playing a lot of summer sports in the snow or on ice might also cause dangers to athletes. With less traction, there’s a high chance for peo
However, it’s possible that in a couple of years, we will see treal extend their game dates
BY YUUYA COOK // CONTRIBUTOR
ACROSS
1. Alum
23 New York state capital
5. When tripled, “and so on”
10. Volunteer’s response
14. Like many of 3 down
15. Vin Diesel, for Mark Sinclair
16 . Clean prefix
17. “I do”, eg.
Bassist Ramone 25 "This appendage is composed of 5 digits, including a thumb" eg.
19. Abbr. for urgent business
20. Copenhagen native
21. Linguistic Navajo relative
33. Diver’s affliction, with “the”
34. Some jeans
35. Farming tool sometimes associated with your mother
36. Sums up
37. ___ talking (2022 film)
38. Longtime rival of a Cath., and root of a Luth.
26 Organism which houses clownfish
23. Stick (to)
26. In that capacity
28. Had an inclination?
29. Roost
30. High degree
38 Enemy of alien in a fusion franchise 40 Popular paint producer 41 Under 44 They're found in turbines, wheels, and lathes
39. Novel
46 Fixes
40. Bovine whose name is the same pluralized
48 Diner potato
44. ___ Peanut Butter Cups
45. “Buzz me in”
47. Like your first-born child
48. Its not homo
50. Greek portico
51. Y___ Yankee
52. “I got firm, semi-firm, soft, and hypoallergenic!”
58. Beach amenity
59. Go in
60. Twistable treats
61. Embraces
DOWN
1. Rte. finder
2. Like tartares
3. Pub fixture
4. Roads to nowhere
5. Showed boredom, maybe
6. Burn soothing plant
7. Nor., Est., Sth., or Wst.
8. Poppa
9. John Wilkes Booth or Lee Harvey Oswald
10. Physicist Newton
11. “Let’s throw the ball around!” eg.
12. Humans and culture subj.
13. Number of supreme court judges
18. Some hard-to-find collectibles
22. Places
23. New York state capital
24. Bassist Ramone
25. “This appendage is composed of 5 digits, including a thumb” eg.
26. Organism which houses clownfish
27. Number of landscape painters in a famous Canadian group
31. Pig’s trotters
32. Abhor
34. Beck hit whose music video was given a $300 shooting budget
37. Like a net with no goalie
38. Enemy of alien in a fusion franchise
40. Popular paint producer
41. Under
44. They’re found in turbines, wheels, and lathes
46. Fixes
48. Diner potato
49. In the bible, the eldest son of 10 down
50. Toboggan
53. Suffix with salt
54. Service letters
27 Number of landscape painters in a famous Canadian group
31 Pig's trotters
32 Abhor
41. 2012 movie about a redheaded archer
42. The Beatles’ ___ Blues
49 In the bible, the eldest son of 10 down
43. Utopia
50 Toboggan
34 Beck hit whose music video was given a 300 dollar shooting budget
62. Must haves
63. Cincinnati batters
53 Suffix with salt
54 Service letters
55 Exist
Editor-in-Chief: MARIEKE GLORIEUXSTRYCKMAN editor@theconcordian.com
Creative Director: FINN GROSU creative@theconcordian.com
56 ___ Zeppelin, who had four self titled albums
Managing Editor: EMMA MEGELAS managing@theconcordian.com
37 Like a net with no goalie
57 Some MMA victories
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Opinions Editor: SASKIA WODARCZAK
55. Exist
56. ___ Zeppelin, who had four self titled albums
57. Some MMA victories
Opinions Assistant: DANYLO PERKOV
Arts & Culture Editor: MAYA RUEL Arts & Culture Assistant: GINANE DESLAURIERS
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