Issue 9, (Volume 144) (November 13, 2023)

November 13, 2023

THE VARSITY The University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper Since 1880

Vol. CXLIV, No. 9

SCSU marches with students for National Day of Action on education costs CFS-organized day of action calls on provincial governments to make university free James Bullanoff UTSC Bureau Chief

On November 8, the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) — a national organization established to lobby the federal and provincial governments on behalf of students — organized a nation-wide Day of Action to call on provincial governments to fund free and accessible education. Students held protests in six provinces and in cities across Ontario, including Thunder Bay, Ottawa, and Sudbury.

In Toronto, students from many universities, including U of T, marched downtown ion the afternoon of November 8. The Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) held a number of events leading up to its participation in the protest.

The protest The protest began at 12:30 pm in Grange Park.

Around 200 students from schools including U of T, George Brown College, Trent University, and Toronto Metropolitan University joined together to begin the march.

SCSU Vice- President External Khadidja Roble helped organize many of the union’sSCSU events leading up to the protest, including a banner drop, poster-making workshops, and a game-day rundown on the day of the protest. The SCSU provided breakfast for protestors and buses for students to arrive downtown and head back safely.

Amrith David, the president of the SCSU, told The Varsity that the union aimed to have as many students as possible attend the protest.

“We want to actually encourage students to understand that it is their fundamental right to protest, it’s their fundamental right to organize, and education is a human right,” he said.

Before the walk, the CFS created a circle in the park for protestors to practice rally cries and keep their energy up in the cold.

David and CFS organizers gave speeches while others beat drums and chanted.

After the speeches, the protesters began marching. Their main chants included “The students united will never be defeated” and “Fight the fees.” The street remained open, and bike cops had to intervene to keep traffic flowing alongside the protesters. The protesters arrived at Queen’s Park around 3:00 pm, where CFS organizers and Roble gave speeches, with students departing around 6:00 pm.

Protesters’ demands The CFS represents over 530,000 members from more than 60 university and college student unions across Canada. CFS-Ontario — the provincial branch of the organization — represents the SCSU, the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union, the University of Toronto Students’ Union, the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union, and the Association of Part-time Undergraduate Students at the University of Toronto.

A news release issued by CFS-Ontario ahead of the protest highlighted increasing tuition fees — particularly for international students — and decreasing government funding for education. The statement also noted students’ increasing living costs, with rising rent and food costs impacting Toronto. In his interview with The Varsity, David specifically noted the importance of the protest to form solidarity between all students, including domestic and international students.

Ultimately, the CFS-Ontario news release calls on the Ontario government to publicly fund education.

Across Canada, around half of funding for public education comes from the government — a far smaller proportion than in most other countries that are part of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, an international group of largely high-income countries.

“It is possible to have a free education system in this country and this province. Budgets are about priorities and so far what we have seen from the Ford government is that they do not prioritize education,” the release reads.

On the CFS’s national website, as a part of the Day of Action, the organization also posted a petition that demands Canadian provincial governments provide grants instead of loans, and focus on supporting students with disabilities and Indigenous students.

Some students at the protest discussed how tuition can pose a financial barrier to students.

Irene Wang, a third-year new media and arts management student, told The Varsity that she decided to participate in the protest after one of her friends couldn’t continue studying at U of T due to the high tuition fees.

Sadah Saleem, a third-year molecular biology, immunology, and disease student, told The Varsity that she decided to participate in the protest because of the barrier that rising education costs pose to low- income students. “Education, as we all know, [is] a fundamental right. It shouldn’t be something we are paying for,” she said.

The scoop on tuition The Ontario government cut tuition for domestic students by 10 per cent in 2019. In 2020, the provincial government froze tuition for all domestic students, and this price freeze has remained in place for domestic Ontario students since then. At U of T Governing Council’s March meeting, Vice-President and

Provost Cheryl Regehr said that, given these measures from the province, tuition fees for Ontario domestic students studying in the Faculty of Arts and Science were lower in 2022–2023 than in 1999, after adjusting for inflation.

The Ontario government began allowing universities to increase the tuition of non-Ontario domestic students by three per cent per year for the 2021–2022 school year and has since raised the permitted annual increase to five per cent per year.

However, the provincial government does not regulate international student tuition fees. For 2023–2024, tuition fees for a full-time international undergraduate student studying in most Faculty of Arts and Science programs amounted to almost 10 times the fees for a domestic Ontario student in a comparable program. The university has recruited an increasing number of international students, making up 30 per cent of total enrolment as of August 2023.

The university has argued that international student tuition fees reflect the true cost of providing its education. However, tuition fees for international students at U of T remain far higher than those at similar Canadian universities.

In 2019, the amount of funding the university received from international student tuition surpassed the amount it received from either provincial grants or domestic tuition. In its proposed 2023–2024 budget, U of T projected that it would receive $661.1 million in general operations provincial grants — approximately 20 per cent of its total operating revenue.

The university’s 2023–2024 budget report noted the decrease in provincial operating grants, after adjusting for inflation, since 2019. It argued that the combination of frozen provincial tuition, required domestic enrolment percentages, and decreasing value of grants posed “increasing financial pressure” on the university.

The government of Ontario did not respond to The Varsity’s request for comment in time for publication.

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The Varsity would like to acknowledge that our office is built on the traditional territory of several First Nations, including the Huron-Wendat, the Petun First Nations, the Seneca, and most recently, the Mississaugas of the Credit. Journalists have historically harmed Indigenous communities by overlooking their stories, contributing to stereotypes, and telling their stories without their input. Therefore, we make this acknowledgement as a starting point for our responsibility to tell those stories more accurately, critically, and in accordance with the wishes of Indigenous Peoples.

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The UTSU AGM was rescheduled for November 19. If you didn't pick up a copy of it in our October 23 issue, you can find this year's AGM bingo on our website! Find it at https://thevarsity.ca/2023/11/12/utsu-bingo/

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NOVEMBER 13, 2023

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Robyn Doolittle gives 2023 Harold Innis lecture on freedom of information “Nothing is more terrifying to political leaders than an access-to-information system that works properly” Carly Campbell Varsity Contributor

On October 27, investigative journalist Robyn Doolittle presented the 2023 Harold Innis Lecture, an annual event held by Innis College.

Doolittle, who covered former Mayor Rob Ford’s political and personal life for years for the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail, spoke about Canada’s Freedom of Information (FOI) system, which she argues is broken in ways that can lead to a breakdown of democracy.

The Harold Innis lecture Harold Innis joined U of T as a professor of political economy in 1927, rising to head of the department 10 years later. His works include research on Canada’s economic history and media as well as communication theory. The Innis College website characterizes him as “one of Canada’s most influential thinkers.”

The Harold Innis Foundation, established in 1969, aims to honour Innis’ work by providing scholarships and presenting the annual Harold Innis lecture, which first took place in 1974. According to the Innis College website, the foundation invites speakers whose lectures echo Innis’ work.

Past lecturers include the novelist Dionne Brand, politician David Miller, and last year, Inuit activist Aaju Peter.

In an email to The Varsity, a representative of the Harold Innis Foundation’s Board Of Directors connected Robyn Doolitle’s recent project examining FOI with Innis’ works on media and communications theories. Around 100 people attended the lecture in Innis Town Hall, according to Lina Yan — a fourth-year sociology major and work-study student who helped organize the event.

“I’m glad we could host Ms. Doolittle and raise some awareness/generate public knowledge,” wrote Yan in a message to The Varsity.

What is FOI law?

Following an introduction from city councillor Ceta Ramkhalawansingh, Robyn Dolittle began by warning that her subject matter is “very wonky.”

However, she also told the audience to be wary of their disinterest, claiming that “our governments are counting on you to be completely bored by freedom of information.”

FOI law enshrines citizens’ right to know what officials are doing, how government systems are run, and where governments direct their spending.

Doolittle explained that the United Nations (UN) sought to universalize FOI law after World War II. World leaders argued that ensuring the public could access government information could have possibly prevented atrocities such as the Holocaust. The 1946 Convention on Freedom of Information deemed freedom of information a fundamental human right.

Doolittle explains how to submit an FOI request.

ASHLEY JEONG/THEVARSITY

While Canada was one of the first 10 countries to adopt an FOI system, the Centre for Law and Democracy (CLD) — a Canadian-based non-profit corporation that aims to educate and research the human rights underpinning democracy — currently ranks Canada 53rd globally in ensuring the right to information.

Doolittle argued that the FOI system plays a necessary role in ensuring people trust their government and can hold that government accountable. “Democracy is built on trust,” Doolittle told the audience. “But what happens if that trust is lost?”

Problems with Canada’s FOI system To access records in Canada, one must submit an FOI request, which costs between five and 25 dollars. The CLD notes that the cost of collecting these fees exceeds the amount the federal government makes from them.

Although Canada’s federal Access to Information Act (ATIA) requires authorities to respond to requests within 30 days, it allows authorities to extend this wait time if they can’t reasonably complete the request within the 30 days, provided they notify the requester. The CLD noted that authorities often arbitrarily claim long delays, meaning that the wait time for an FOI request can range from weeks to months. Even then, authorities only grant 21 per cent of requests in full, according to an audit that Doolittle conducted for the Globe and Mail.

According to a document the CLD submitted before the UN’s November 10 review of human rights in Canada, the AITA also excludes many public authorities — including the prime minister and their cabinet — from having to comply with people’s right to access information.

Doolittle explained that, as an investigative journalist, much of her work relies on FOI requests, giving her firsthand experience with the system.

Among other topics, she reported on Toronto’s former mayor Rob Ford while he was in office.

Ford suffered from multiple forms of substance use disorder and initially refused to admit that he had smoked crack cocaine, even after video evidence surfaced. Doolittle filed FOI requests asking for police reports related to Ford’s multiple scandals, but she said that the police would often deny or delay her inquiries — which limited her ability to report on Ford’s actions.

Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard — an official responsible for monitoring and advising members of parliament on the access-toinformation system — has also urged the federal government to reform the FOI system, describing in a 2022–2023 report the “decline [of the system] to the point where it no longer serves its intended purpose.”

In June, the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy, and Ethics published a report entitled “The State of Canada’s Access to Information System.” The report recommends a “comprehensive review and overhaul of the access to information system.” However, parliament decided to table the report and not make any changes at this time — a choice that Commissioner Maynard has asked it to reconsider.

Comparison to the US Doolittle described the gap between the US and Canadian FOI systems through the Champlain Towers incident, in which an architecturally flawed building collapsed overnight in Florida, killing around 90 residents.

The Globe and Mail investigated the tower’s collapse, which a group of Toronto-based developers designed and built. According to The Globe, the American leg of its investigation took a few days.

The Canadian part of the investigation took four months and more than $4,000.

“We also spent thousands of dollars in fees pulling Canadian property records, incorporation documents and court filings that were either free or available for a nominal fee in Florida. In many cases, information that we found to be readily accessible in the United States was not even available here,” wrote Doolittle in The Globe’s article describing the investigation.

Even then, The Globe couldn’t find a full list of buildings developed by the group of Toronto developers responsible for Champlain Towers, limiting its investigation into the current state of the developers’ other projects.

When it comes to its information access system, Dolittle told The Varsity in an interview, “Canada is a complete international embarrassment.”

Moving forward Doolittle and her colleague Tom Cardoso decided to compile a database of declassified FOI documents on a website called Secret Canada. Users can type in a few keywords and view documents on the subject matter previously declassified through FOI requests. The project includes more than 320,000 FOI summaries from 2010 to 2023.

The website — which Doolittle and Cardoso have worked on for the past two years — also aims to educate users on how to formulate an FOI request, including a guide for writing FOI request letters. The “news” section of the website includes information on individual cases and opinion pieces about the FOI situation in Canada.

In an email to The Varsity, a communications spokesperson for the Office of the Information Commissioner wrote that Maynard has “followed the Secret Canada project” with “great interest” and spoke to Cardoso last month about it.

Doolittle explained that public ignorance about Canada’s access-to-information system influences the system’s flaws. She ended her lecture by asking the audience to spread the word about the FOI system.

Doolittle told The Varsity after the lecture, “I think if you were a student, this would feel like a very far away issue. And I totally get that. So, I think that this is something you can just be aware of and move forward with.”

Disclosure: Tom Cardoso served as The Varsity’s editor-in-chief during the 2011–2012 school year and as a design editor during the 2010–2011 school year.

Panellists discuss Canada’s Freedom of Information system, democracy.

ASHLEY JEONG/THEVARSITY

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, which oversees the ATIA’s administration, did not respond to The Varsity’s request for comment in time for publication.

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UTGSU Vice President External Neelofar Ahmed resigns ahead of vote to remove her from office Ahmed and other staff make separate allegations of bylaw violations, harassment Selia Sanchez Deputy News Editor

At 4:52 pm on November 7, the University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union’s (UTGSU) Vice President (VP) External Neelofar Ahmed sent an email resigning from her role ahead of a special Board of Directors (BOD) meeting scheduled for 5:00–7:00 pm the same day. The meeting included a motion to suspend Ahmed for violating the union’s bylaws.

The Varsity also obtained a copy of a confidential report to the BOD alleging that Ahmed harassed employees, including UTGSU Executive Director (ED) Amir Hossein Moazzami, and violated bylaws — claims that Ahmed denied.

Moazzami cited alleged harassment from Ahmed as a reason for his resignation, which went into effect on November 7.

In her resignation email, Ahmed alleged that the BOD violated UTGSU bylaws, and claimed that Moazzami and other members of the UTGSU executive team harassed her. Ahmed’s resignation leaves four out of six UTGSU executive positions vacant.

Moazzami’s resignation and allegations of harassment from Ahmed On October 27, Moazzami filed a human resources (HR) complaint against Ahmed. In it, Moazzami alleges that Ahmed had been “targeting” him by refusing to answer work emails, yelling at him, and generally showing that she didn’t approve of the union hiring him.

Moazzami also alleged that Ahmed went to the office of the Toronto Metropolitan Association of Part-time Students (TMAPS) — Moazzami’s previous workplace — and told the ED there that the UTGSU had hired Moazzami because he was Iranian. Ahmed also allegedly tried to pry into Moazzami’s past work information.

In an email to The Varsity, Ahmed claimed that she never went to the TMAPS office to confirm Moazzami’s employment status. She contended that she came across his former employer at an event, where she was notified that Moazzami was a unionized employee on temporary leave. She also claimed that cross-referencing new employees is part of standard practice and falls under her duties as a member of UTGSU’s management team.

“I took this job to serve the members and help bring the organization to achieve its goals but I am at the point where I can not sleep because I fear that Neelofar may do something more drastic like show up to my home,” wrote Moazzami in his HR complaint. He wrote that he would look into filing a human rights complaint if the HR Committee did not address the harassment he faced.

Moazzami resigned from his role, effective November 7. In his resignation email, he cites a “pattern of abuse, harassment, and human rights violations perpetrated by Neelofar Ahmed.”

Allegations of harassment and misappropriation around Moazzami’s hiring Ahmed alleged that she was excluded from meetings where the hiring committee appointed the ED and that she had concerns with Moazzami’s appointment, particularly given his position at TMAPS. She also alleged that the other executives misappropriated the UTGSU’s funds by hiring a less qualified candidate and including clauses in Moazzami’s contract that entitled him to three month’s salary if the union fired him after three months.

Ahmed alleged that on October 26, Moazzami confronted her in person and harassed her for reaching out to his previous employer to confirm his resignation status. She wrote in an email to The Varsity that Moazzami shouted at her. She also claimed that Mohammadamir (Amir) Ghasemian Moghadam — the VP academics and funding divisions 3 & 4, representing physical and life sciences — did not stop Moazzami from shouting and took Moazzami’s side.

Following the incident, she received a letter

from the HR committee — composed of Moghadam and Tawhidi — which instructed her to not communicate with Moazzami as they carried out an investigation. Ahmed raised concerns that Moghadam served on the investigation committee given his role in the incident.

According to Moghadam, the incident has not yet been adjudicated and is still under review.

He explained that Ahmed conducted the reference check on Moazzami without consent, which breached standard professional protocols. As a witness, Moghadam provided his account to the board and claimed to remain neutral during the incident.

“My intent was to invite both parties to a calm dialogue between them,” wrote Moghadam.

Motion to suspend Ahmed Ahmed wrote that she reached out to the BOD on October 31 to share her concerns about Moazzami’s hiring, his conduct when confronting her about visiting his workplace, and his simultaneous employment at the TMAPS and the UTGSU. She also claimed that she told the BOD about her claims of workplace discrimination and bylaw violations.

The same day Ahmed explained that she received notice of a special BOD meeting scheduled to take place on November 7. The primary motion on the meeting’s agenda was to suspend her from her role until the UTGSU’s Annual General Meeting.

The meeting agenda alleges that Ahmed violated UTGSU bylaws by breaching confidentiality, misusing UTGSU property, and failing to perform her duties.

A confidential report to the BOD obtained by The Varsity argues that Ahmed’s alleged violations and alleged harassment of employees “represent a direct threat to the autonomy of our union and the well-being of our staff and executives.”

The report alleges that Ahmed violated confidentiality by sharing both the password to the UTGSU president’s email and ED Moazzami’s contract with the BOD. It also includes copies of correspondence that appears to show Ahmed discussing the ED’s contract with U of T administrators and claims that the contract is confidential to the HR committee. The report further alleges that, by asking the U of T administration to intervene, Ahmed undermined the union’s autonomy by inviting an external intervention.

Article 10.2.1.4 of the bylaws allows the BOD to discipline any executive for breaching confidentiality. However, the bylaws do not clarify what confidentiality or a breach of confidentiality entail.

In an email to The Varsity, Ahmed wrote that she reached out to U of T administrators to ask for them to provide her protection after Moazzami confronted her for visiting his former workplace, given that the incident took place on campus. She also said that she had to report the ED’s contract because the executive team “allowed the ED on terms which are not in the best interest of the union.”

The report alleges Ahmed misused UTGSU property by using her UTGSU email address to share this information, for which the BOD can discipline her under article 10.2.1.5. Ahmed claims that she used her UTGSU email address so she could be identified and contacted and to contextualize Moazzami’s behaviour.

The report also alleges that Ahmed created a hostile work environment. Along with Moazzami’s HR complaint, it includes an email sent on October 27 by the UTGSU staff union steward on behalf of staff members concerned about working with Ahmed. The email alleges six concerns including providing UTGSU officials false information about the union’s past actions, falsely accusing a staff member of withholding information about the union’s health and dental plan, which Ahmed hoped to change, and general “inappropriate and unprofessional behaviour” in meetings.

Ahmed claimed in an email to The Varsity that no one told her about any concerns related to her inquiries about the health plan before the stew-

ard’s email and thus that such concerns “do not qualify as a legit complaint.”

In an email to The Varsity, Moghadman noted that although BOD did hold the special meeting on November 7, it did not proceed with suspending Ahmed given her “sudden resignation.”

Allegations of harassment and exclusion from executives Ahmed, who identifies as a brown Muslim woman, wrote that she had been subjected to workplace discrimination as well as verbal and written harassment by Moghadam, VP Finance Zoya Tawhidi, former VP Internal Aanshi Gandhi, and Moazzami.

Moghadam affirmed his stance against discrimination and harassment. He wrote that the BOD evaluated the allegations against him at its November 7 special meeting and found the allegations to be “without merit.”

“I can confirm that UTGSU upholds a strict non-discrimination policy and is committed to an inclusive environment for all its members, staff, and executive team,” wrote Moghadam.

Gandhi — who resigned as VP internal in October — wrote in an email to The Varsity that she has never engaged in any form of discrimination or harassment toward members of the executive team, including Ahmed. She wrote that Ahmed’s claims are unsubstantiated.

In an email to The Varsity, Gail Fernando — UTGSU Membership & Advocacy Coordinator — wrote that she had not witnessed “any racial or Islamophobic discrimination” toward Ahmed by the current VPs, the former VP internal, or the former ED. Ahmed wrote that Moghadam, Tawhidi, and Gandhi had excluded her from serving on several management committees, including the finance committee. She explained that on October 3, Moghadam wrote an email to the UTGSU executive team stating that Ahmed should not serve on the human resources committee due to her involvement in other committees and caucuses.

Moghadam noted that his October 3 email sharing his view on Ahmed’s committee appointments was a normal part of the “collective decision-making process.”

Tawhidi wrote in an email to The Varsity that committee appointments — such as appointments to the finance committee — are voted on democratically. Moghadam clarified that appointments require a majority vote from the executive team. Both argued that the appointment process is democratic and transparent.

Gandhi explained in an email to The Varsity that she was not a member of the finance committee during her tenure with the union. She wrote that she didn’t have the power to exclude members from committees and didn’t take any actions that would have resulted in Ahmed being excluded from any committee.

In an email to The Varsity, Gandhi wrote that she believes that Ahmed’s claims arose in the context of the ED hiring committee’s decision to hire Moazammi — who, she claimed, Ahmed refused to consider as a candidate.

Gandhi added that the majority of the executive team voted to hire Moazzami.

Ahmed’s allegations of BOD bylaw violations According to Ahmed, the BOD violated the UTGSU bylaws by calling the special meeting.

She argues that the meeting violated bylaw 13.4, which states that conflict of interests arise when the BOD determines that a director “is not acting in the best interests of the UTGSU.” Ahmed wrote that by voting to suspend her as VP External, the BOD is “damaging the UTGSU internally and leaving it at the discretion of two executive members whose lack of experience and personal agendas are harming the membership interests.”

Friedemann Krannich, a director who represents physical sciences on the BOD, wrote to The Varsity that the union hopes to hold a byelection for the vacant positions soon.

They also noted that both remaining Executive Committee members are, in their view, “doing their best to govern the UTGSU properly and I do not see them following any personal agenda.”

They wrote that they see it as “unfortunate” that UTGSU executives with seniority at the union, like Ahmed and suspended UTGSU President Lynne Alexandrova, “were acting in a way that forced the Board to discipline them.”

Ahmed wrote that the UTGSU’s legal council shared the notice of the special BOD meeting with her. Ahmed alleges that the bylaws do not specifically mention that board directors can hire legal counsel to share such notice and claims that this is “a misuse of UTGSU funds” and “a fraudulent protocol to make the procedure complex.”

Krannich wrote that normally, the VP internal, the ED, or the president would provide notice of a special BOD meeting — all positions that are currently vacant. The BOD decided to hire legal counsel to send out the notice given “the heaviness of the accusations against the VP External and to protect the board members asking for the special meeting.”

Ahmed also claimed that the BOD also breached confidentiality by sharing information about complaints against her with Moghadam.

Moghadam alleges that “no investigative report regarding Ms. Ahmed was shared with [him] that would violate her confidentiality.” Krannich explained that the BOD shared an email attachment from Ahmed that contained the president's password with the executive committee, so they could change the password. They noted that Ahmed did not indicate that the email she sent containing the password was confidential.

Amir Hossein Moazzami did not respond to The Varsity’s request for comment in time for publication.

With files from Jessie Schwalb.

Ahmed’s resignation leaves four out of six UTGSU executive positions vacant.

GABRIEL CARTER/THEVARSITY

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NOVEMBER 13, 2023

Students raise funds to address humanitarian crisis in Gaza

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Students organized bake sales, sports tournaments, and hikes to raise money for Palestinians in Gaza.

STEVEN LEE/THEVARSITY

UTSG, UTSC, and UTM groups donate proceeds to Palestine emergency aid Selia Sanchez Deputy News Editor

Content warning: This article discusses death, and recent and ongoing violence in Gaza and Israel.

Since October 7 attacks from the militant group Hamas, which currently controls the Gaza Strip, strikes from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have killed more than 11,000 people in Gaza. The Israeli government’s siege in Gaza has also caused widespread shortages of basic resources.

In response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis, U of T student groups have organized several fundraising initiatives across campuses to support Palestinians in Gaza.

Humanitarian crisis in Gaza Soon after Hamas launched surprise attacks against Israel on October 7 that killed around 1,200 people, the Israeli government began bombing Gaza — a densely populated region where more than two million Palestinians live.

The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) began imposing a siege on Gaza on October 9, reducing resources available to Gazans. Even before the siege, many resources were already limited by the Israeli government’s 16-year blockade. Many Gazans currently lack food and water, and The New York

Times reports that some have resorted to drinking salty or contaminated water.

The Israeli government continues to obstruct access to water in Gaza and has refused to allow fuel — which Gazans need to power hospital generators, ambulances, and water pumps — onto aid trucks. The Israeli government has kept an electricity line from Israel closed since the siege began, and Gaza’s power plant — its only other source of power — cannot run given the lack of fuel.

As of October 27, the Israeli government has also imposed a communications blackout on Gaza, severing phone connections and internet services.

Along with the blackout, the government also announced it was intensifying its bombing.

The same day, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly held an emergency meeting to call for an “immediate and sustained humanitarian truce leading to cessation of hostilities” — which includes unhindered humanitarian aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has so far rejected calls for a ceasefire.

IDF strikes have also damaged hospitals in Gaza, and over the last week, Gazan health officials have accused the IDF of deploying snipers around hospitals. At the moment, many civilians in Gaza are sheltering in hospitals, but many of Gaza’s hospitals lack basic supplies such as anesthetics.

The hospitals that remain open are far above

UTGSU governance discusses proposed financial changes, Israel-Palestine statement General Assembly, Board of Directors meetings show large graduate student turnout Emma Livingstone Graduate Bureau Chief

The University of Toronto Graduate Students’ Union (UTGSU) saw a large turnout at two meetings held in close succession. The first meeting on October 27 was the inaugural monthly meeting of the General Assembly (GA), which comprises course union representatives from the departments in the School of Graduate Studies. The second meeting held on October 31 was the second monthly meeting of the Board of Directors (BOD).

The official attendance of the BOD was made up of eight elected BOD members and the three sitting executives at the time — Vice-President (VP) Academics and Funding for Divisions 3 and 4 Mohammadamir (Amir) Ghasemian Moghadam, VP Finance Zoya Tawhidi, and VP External Neelofar Ahmed, the last of whom has since resigned. This meeting, however, saw a large turnout of guests in response to a series of votes in the GA meetings.

These votes included a recommendation that the BOD vote against motions on its agenda — including a motion that the BOD abstain from making large-scale financial changes while a majority of seats on the BOD remained unfilled — and a proposal for the BOD to release a statement on the conflict in Israel-Palestine to support the statement made by the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU).

General Assembly meeting The GA meeting began with an introduction from Moghadam, the meeting chair. Moghadam introduced the rules for the meeting and processes for proposing and voting on motions, including who was allowed to vote on motions. The meeting then moved on to executive updates from the VP Academics and Funding for Divisions 3 and 4, the VP External, and the VP Finance.

The GA also discussed and passed three

motions that were added to the agenda by members, who were only identified in the minutes by their first name and initial.

The first motion was put forward by Robyn L., a course union representative. They proposed that the Board of Directors not make any substantial financial changes before it holds a by-election, while the majority of the executive seats and the majority of the BOD seats remained vacant.

The motion was crafted in response to another motion on the October 31 BOD meeting agenda to alter the distribution of grant money within the UTGSU. The BOD motion proposed to divert a portion of money from graduate student fees that currently goes to the UTGSU’s services and operations, and provide it directly to the course unions instead.

The mover of the GA motion argued that while the additional money might help course unions in the immediate term, it would underfund the UTGSU itself. They expressed concerns that this redistribution would cause course unions for larger departments to have substantially more money than others, and result in unequal services for grad students. They expressed that the UTGSU might face setbacks from having a smaller pool of funding, which could result in a diminishment in services the union operates such as health insurance, bursaries, and head grants.

The motion passed the GA, which would allow it to be brought forward for discussion and voting at the next BOD meeting.

Christiana M. proposed the second motion, which the GA also passed. The motion similarly recommended that the BOD not vote in favour of changes to the union’s financial setup. It also recommended it vote against a proposal in the BOD agenda for the union to remove its issues policy statements from the UTGSU policy handbook, which include statements on education fees, democratic university governance, and the

capacity as they care for Gazans injured by the Israeli military’s strikes, and according to a briefing given by the World Health Organization (WHO) Chief to the UN Security Council on November 10, half of Gaza’s hospitals have ceased functioning, many of them due to a lack of fuel.

Egypt, the only other country that borders Gaza, has generally closed its border with Gaza. However, the Egyptian government has recently allowed aid trucks into Gaza through Rafah — a crossing that does not border Israel.

The UN has warned that current aid to Gaza is insufficient. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that 981 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza between October 21 and November 12. According to the WHO Chief’s November 10 briefing, before the recent violence began, an average of 500 trucks entered Gaza each day.

Fundraising efforts From October 23–29, on the St. George campus, the U of T Muslim Students’ Association (UofT MSA) and Islamic Relief UTSG partnered with Islamic Relief Toronto Metropolitan University and Islamic Relief Canada to participate in Charity Week.

Charity Week is an annual event promoted by Islamic Relief Worldwide — an organization that provides aid following disasters. Islamic Relief Worldfreedom of choice, among others.

This same motion also included an item that recommended the BOD avoid condemning Hamas — the militant group currently controlling the Gaza Strip — “without nuance.” This motion reacted specifically to a motion on the BOD agenda that included a proposal for the UTGSU to release a statement on the ongoing violence in Israel and Palestine.

Harshvir B. proposed a third motion that passed which involved issuing a statement in solidarity with the statement issued by the UTMSU and condemning the violence enacted by the Israeli military on civilians in Gaza. The motion read: “[Be it resolved] The GSU for a vote to stand in solidarity with our undergraduate peers in the University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU), who issued a statement on October 10th, that condemned the ongoing dehumanization of Palestinians and the atrocities committed against civilian life by the Israeli apartheid government.”

The members debated amendments to the wording, but ultimately, the GA voted in favour of the original motion with a majority.

Director Christopher Rodgers, a PhD candidate in pharmaceutical sciences, proposed adding a motion to the agenda for the UTGSU to “condemn all killings of/loss of civilian life in international conflicts.” Some assembly members discussed the redundancy of the motion given that the motion condemning the loss of civilian life in Gaza had passed, and Rodgers’ motion ultimately failed.

The three proposals passed at the GA were brought to the Board of Directors meeting for BOD members to review and vote on the motions.

Board of Directors meeting Four days after the GA meeting, the UTGSU Board of Directors met on October 31. The meeting was attended by a larger number of guests than usual.

The meeting began with an in-camera session, wherein the BOD members discussed confidential matters not privy to guests. The incamera session was motivated

by Rodgers, who explained the session was to discuss discipline

wide pledged to donate one million euros from Charity Week to its Palestine emergency appeal, which aims to provide humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Throughout the week, the student groups sold baked goods, Palestine-related clothing, and food for Jumu’ah — Friday prayer for practicing Muslims — to raise money.

As of November 1, the UofT MSA raised over $2,225. Part of these funds will be allocated toward orphans and children worldwide, while a “generous portion” of the proceeds will support aid in Gaza.

UTSC student groups — including the Islamic Relief Chapter, Muslim Student Association, Thaqalayn Muslim Association, Pakistani Students’ Association, and Afghan Students’ Association — also participated in the Charity Week campaign. As part of Charity Week, UTSC student groups organized a hike, social, soccer tournament, and Palestine Awareness event to raise funds for Islamic Relief.

The Association of Palestinian Students at UTM held a “Make Your Own Shirt 4 Palestine” event on October 25. It donated all funds to Islamic Relief Canada to provide emergency medical assistance to Gaza hospitals and food and clean water to Palestinian communities.

If you or someone you know has experienced harassment or discrimination or is in distress, see resources on page 15. issues and financial contracts.

Upon returning from the in-camera session, the BOD discussed a motion for the executive to allow the BOD “to make the findings public that led to the [Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE)] GSA to disaffiliate from the UTGSU.” Ahmed motivated the motion, stating that she wanted to make the report public to clarify misinformation surrounding the OISE GSA’s disaffiliation from the UTGSU. The BOD ultimately voted in favour of making these findings public.

In an email to The Varsity on November 12, Moghadam wrote, “We are doing our best to put [the findings] on our website as soon as possible this week.”

The BOD members also addressed the motions that had been passed in the GA and accepted the first two motions discussed and carried by the GA. The BOD discussed the third motion proposing a statement for the union to release regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Multiple guests and members raised their hands to speak on the motion, both in favour of and against it. After a few guests spoke, Rodgers called the motion to question, to go directly to a vote.

The results included three votes in favour, four against, and one abstention. The motion, which passed at the GA, ultimately failed at the BOD. The meeting ended at 7:40 pm after its extended time ran out. Before the end of the meeting, the Board passed one more motion to publish the names and email addresses of current BOD members on the UTGSU website.

ALEX DENHART/THEVARSITY

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A guide to flu season at U of T Here’s what’s up when you’re down with the flu Sharon Chan Varsity Contributor

As we enter November, you may have noticed the leaves turning red, cafés using more pumpkin spice, and the weather getting colder.

You may also have noticed the people around you getting sick. Unfortunately, the flu season is here — and it is here to stay until the spring.

What is the flu?

The flu is a viral respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. Its symptoms include fevers, chills, coughing, a sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, and tiredness. Often confused with the cold, symptoms of the latter are usually milder than the flu symptoms and generally do not result in serious health problems.

In an email to The Varsity, infectious disease clinician scientist and U of T Professor Rupert

Kaul explained that the most commonly infectious illnesses on campus are spread through one of three ways: the respiratory tract, food, or sex.

“In the winter and early spring months there is always an increase in the rates of several respiratory infections on campus and in the rest of Canadian society: these infections include influenza, RSV [respiratory syncytial virus], COVID and 4 other seasonal coronaviruses,” he wrote.

While influenza viruses spread year-round, we are more susceptible to getting the flu in the winter because of increased time spent in indoor spaces and the lack of sunlight, which leads to lower levels of vitamin D and melatonin, ultimately compromising our immune systems.

Although the average university student is at an age where their immune system is functioning at its prime, we should still take the flu season seriously. Getting sick with influenza puts you at risk of other infections — including

viral or bacterial pneumonia, which affects the lungs. Influenza also increases the risk of complications that can be life-threatening for individuals with chronic medical conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease.

U of T’s policies and accommodations U of T provides accommodations to students in cases where they get the flu. If students miss an academic obligation and wish to seek academic consideration as the result of the flu, students can either declare an absence using the Absence Declaration Tool on ACORN or contact Accessibility Services.

Students are, however, limited to one absence declaration per academic term. For absences extending beyond the seven-day period, students must submit a Verification of Student Illness or Injury form — paperwork from a medical professional confirming your illness — and contact their registrar’s office on top of declaring their absence on ACORN. Don’t worry about whether your professor will consider your last-minute absence declaration.

The university acknowledges that students may not have prior knowledge of accommodation

Students in need of an accommodation can declare an absence or contact Accessibility Services.

needs or may be experiencing symptoms that require additional accommodations for the first time. The university’s Academic Accommodations page says that “academic departments or faculty members do not have the right to state or imply that requests for accommodation after a deadline, test, or course completion (i.e. retroactive accommodation) will not be considered.”

If a professor fails to provide accommodations to students in a timely manner or denies an accommodation request that is reasonable, students can “request consideration through the university’s petitions/appeals committees,” the page says.

The bottom line? The Absence Declaration Tool on ACORN and Accessibility Services are your friends, and you should declare your absence and register as soon as you start feeling ill.

Lifestyle habits Protect yourself against the flu in the first place with good personal hygiene and lifestyle habits.

While we are all familiar with the 20-second rule for handwashing and etiquette like sneezing into the bend of the arm, we should be mindful that self-care plays an equally important role in boosting our immunity.

If students are struggling mentally or physically, the Health and Wellness Centre at the university provides skills-building workshops and group therapy to help students develop better coping mechanisms and time management skills.

Getting vaccinated Finally, since flu viruses can change over time and the flu shot’s effectiveness can decrease, it is essential to get your flu shots every year.

Given that COVID-19 is still circulating across Canada, medical experts in a recent Chatelaine article said “Canadians ages five and up should receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose — even if they have previously been vaccinated” — along with a flu shot.

During flu season, you can get a free flu and COVID-19 shot from your doctor or nurse practitioner; participating pharmacies like Rexall, Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaw Pharmacy; and some public health units.

SAIRA MEHNAJ/THEVARSITY

SCSU highlights collaborative vigil for Palestine at October Board of Directors meeting Amendments to referendum process and FROSH leader honorariums in the works Meeting (AGM) on November 14.

A referendum is a vote among the entire SCSU membership to approve or reject a change to the union. Currently, the SCSU’s Charter for Referenda requires at least 10 per cent of the UTSC student body to vote, and for the majority of those participants to vote in favour, for a referendum to pass. However, the PBC recommended that students at the AGM vote on lowering the required turnout to three per cent.

The PBC also passed a motion for students to vote at the AGM on changing the amount of campaign expenses advocates can spend during a referendum. Currently, the Charter doesn’t allow advocates for a side in the referendum to spend more than $250 in their campaign. The PBC passed a motion that would have students vote at the AGM on increasing each advocating group’s allowed expenses to $1,000 per referendum.

James Bullanoff UTSC Bureau Chief

The Scarborough Campus Students’ Union (SCSU) held its monthly Board of Directors (BOD) meeting on October 27. During the meeting, board members discussed plans for a collaborative vigil to remember Palestinians killed by Israel, and amendments to the SCSU’s referendum policy reducing the number of students needed to pass a referendum. The BOD also passed a motion making FROSH leaders eligible for an honorarium of up to $500.

Palestine vigil Ongoing and recent violence in Gaza and Israel has continued to devastate Palestinians and Israelis, with more than 11,000 Palestinians and more than 1,200 people in Israel killed as of November 10. Around the world and in Toronto, people have shown their outrage toward the violence, with students holding protests and vigils.

At the October BOD meeting, executives discussed an upcoming vigil to remember Palestinians killed by the Israeli military set for November 15 from 1:00–3:00 pm in front of the Student Centre.

UTSC’s Thaqalayn Muslim Association, alongside the UTSC Muslim Student Association and UTSC’s Palestinian Culture Club, reached out to the SCSU about potentially collaborating on the vigil. Denise Nmashie, the

JESSICA LAM AND MICHAEL PHOON/THEVARSITY

SCSU’s vice-president equity, told The Varsity, “We just needed to do something that actively acknowledges what’s going on in Gaza.” Nmashie mentioned that the event will feature a speaker, a reading of names of people who have been killed, a moment of silence, and tea light candles for attendees to light.

Referendum process During the BOD meeting, Vice-President Operations Akaash Palaparthy highlighted the Policy and By-law Committee’s (PBC) October 26 meeting, where it proposed several motions to change the referendum process. Students will vote on the proposed changes at the SCSU’s Annual General

FROSH leader honorariums FROSH is an orientation event for first-year students. This year, the SCSU hosted FROSH on September 2 and 3 and reported that it sold 881 tickets for the event.

To run things smoothly, the SCSU recruited a team of 21 senior leaders to spearhead the event. At its meeting, the BOD passed a motion making each senior leader eligible for up to a $500 honorarium, based on their performance during FROSH. Campus Life staff and orientation coordinators will examine each senior leader to determine the amount they will receive.

Science

November 13, 2023 thevarsity.ca/category/science science@thevarsity.ca Researchers compared the frequencies in the song “Another Brick In The Wall” to the frequencies of neural activity in patients.

ASHLEY JEONG/THEVARSITY

Resynthesizing that song stuck in your head How neuroscientists reconstructed Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In The Wall, Part 1” from listeners’ brains Ajeetha Vithiyananthan Senior Copy Editor

We’ve all been there, humming a tune to Shazam in desperate hope of finding its origin. Perhaps you overheard a song from a group of ‘cool kids’ and were scared to ask them the name in fear of being seen as ‘uncultured,’ or maybe you’ve unlocked a memory long buried, but you can’t get a hold of the lyrics.

Whatever the reason may be, a few lines of the song replay in your head again and again, but your frustration builds as your voice doesn’t do the complexity of the music justice. You think to yourself, “If only there was a device to capture the music directly from my brain...”

While such a device might sound like something out of a science fiction novella, some researchers think that in the distant future, it may indeed be possible.

Reconstructing a Pink Floyd song from brain activity In a study published on August 15 in the PLOS Biology journal, researchers described how they were able to partially reconstruct a segment of Pink Floyd’s popular rock song “Another Brick In The Wall, Part 1” using a dataset of participants’ brain activity.

The dataset was collected over six years, from 2009 to 2015, from the brains of 29 epilepsy patients at Albany Medical Center in New York State. Because their epilepsy treatment required craniotomy — opening the skull to access the brain — neurologists had the opportunity to record patients’ brain activity as they passively listened to music. “Another Brick” played in the operating room while intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) electrodes recorded neuronal activity. In total, the neurologists placed 2,668 electrodes on the brain cortices of the patients.

The researchers then decoded the iEEG data into the song’s acoustics using 128 regressionbased models. Simply put, they trained 128

programming models to find patterns between brain activity and the song’s musical elements for about 90 per cent — or 172.9 seconds — of the song. Specifically, the researchers compared the song’s audio frequencies to the frequencies of neural activity from 347 electrodes.

Out of the total 2,668 electrodes, only these 347 electrodes across different patients’ brains were identified by the researchers as significantly predictive of the song’s frequencies.

While the reconstructed music sounds muffled — like it’s glitching, lagging — and, to be frank, straight from uncanny valley, those familiar with the original song would be able to recognize the phrase “All in all, it’s just another brick in the wall.”

Brain regions involved in music perception For years, neuroscientists have worked at decoding and reconstructing people’s perceptions from brain activity using machine learning. Reconstructing what an individual sees or hears may be useful for studying cognitive processes, understanding the neural basis of consciousness, and advancing applications in fields such as medical diagnostics, human-computer interaction, and personalized healthcare.

In 2012, Robert Knight — a co-author of the Pink Floyd study and neuroscientist at UC Berkeley — and his colleagues were the first to reconstruct the words a person was hearing from brain activity alone. In 2017, researchers reconstructed images participants were viewing also solely based on their brain activity.

However, reconstructing music from brain activity presents a distinct set of challenges.

Music is a multifaceted art form, combining elements such as melody, harmony, rhythm, and emotional nuance. Unlike words or images, music often lacks precise one-to-one mappings between brain regions and the perceived experience. A single piece of music can evoke a wide range of emotions and interpretations for different regions of the brain to process, making it a rich and intricate puzzle for neuroscientists.

In the Pink Floyd study, researchers not only set out to reconstruct music but also to study which regions of the brain correspond to the perception of distinct music elements. The 347 significant electrodes were found mostly in three regions already known to contribute to music perception: the superior temporal gyrus (STG), sensorimotor cortex (SMC), and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). The STG, which is crucial for auditory processing, is tied to rhythm perception. The SMC processes and responds to sensory information, while the IFG is linked to language comprehension and production, explaining why lyrics could be heard in the reconstructed music.

The researchers also confirmed previous findings that music perception engages both brain hemispheres, although it involves more frequent engagement of the right hemisphere; this contrasts with speech processing, which tends to dominate the left hemisphere.

Neuroscientists have incentives to delve deeper into the neural mechanisms underlying music cognition, given not only the complexity of music as an auditory stimulus but also its potential benefit for clinical and therapeutic interventions.

Brain-computer interfaces for speech construction and intonation While I dream of never having to ask Gen Alpha the new song they’re listening to, the researchers have a more noble and grand goal in mind: creating brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) for people who can mentally form words but can’t physically speak — like those with ALS, short for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or locked-in syndrome — as such devices can help them communicate.

Current BCIs can translate brain activity into words but can’t capture musical elements like pitch, melody, harmony, and rhythm. Consider speech-generating devices like that of the late physicist Stephen Hawking. Though Hawking’s device was updated several times over the

years to adjust for his slowly disintegrating motor control, the voice stayed more or less the same: robotic without any indication of tone or mood.

Knight said in a press release, “[Music] has prosody and emotional content. As this whole field of [BCIs] progresses, this gives you a way to add musicality to future brain implants for people who need it… It gives you an ability to decode not only the linguistic content, but some of the prosodic content of speech, some of the affect.”

If a BCI could tune into the brain activity of musicspecific regions — like parts of the STG, SMC, and IFG — it might unearth some of the prosody and emotional weight needed for speech. Words would no longer be just words. “Instead of robotically saying, ‘I. Love. You,’ you can yell, ‘I love you!’” Knight told Scientific American.

It’ll be a long while, however, till we get fully functional mind-reading machinery. To begin with, it would be preferable not to have one’s skull opened for the devices to work. Ludovic Bellier, a postdoctoral fellow and another co-author of the study, said in the press release, “Noninvasive techniques are just not accurate enough today. Let’s hope… that in the future… from just electrodes placed outside on the skull, [researchers could] read activity from deeper regions of the brain with a good signal quality. But we are far from there.”

The researchers from the Pink Floyd study also think the reconstructed song’s quality would improve with more electrode coverage of other regions, like the primary auditory cortex. Further, the electrodes the team used were spaced around five millimetres apart. “I think if we had electrodes that were like a millimetre and a half apart, the sound quality would be much better,” Knight told The Guardian.

Hopefully, with more advancements in brain-imaging technology, researchers will be able to perfectly reverse-synthesize what our brain is seeing, hearing, and thinking about.

And, one day, maybe I’ll finally figure out what song is stuck in my head.

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SCIENCE

Can AI be creative?

Poet Polly Denny and Professor Nancy Katherine Hayles weigh in Luca Carnegie Varsity Contributor

Every day, artificially intelligent neural networks continue to astound us with each new feat they accomplish.

A particular type of neural network called large language transformer models (LLTMs) has recently garnered immense attention. These models are able to analyze massive quantities of text and spit out swathes of natural written language, with their output often being confused for that of a human.

Neural networks can now be trained to pass the bar exam, write poetry, make music, and create pictures faster than a human can — all at the swift prompt of a keyboard or input of a file.

But with these advances in computational cognition, where does that leave us humans? Twentyfour of the world’s most distinguished academics from across all fields tried to answer this question and more at the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society’s Absolutely Interdisciplinary Conference back in late June.

The last session of the conference, “AI and Creativity,” was a spicy one, delving into important and complex questions about the nature of LLTMs and other neural networks at large. The panel consisted of British poet Polly Denny and Nancy Katherine Hayles, an English professor from the University of California, Los Angeles, who discussed the technical and philosophical dilemmas that have arisen with artificial intelligence (AI) with a humanities-focused approach.

The defining question of the session was this: if a machine can create original text, is it being creative?

Is AI poetry any good?

A UK National Slam Champion, Denny’s presentation gave a practical take on large language models (LLMs) and how much they have affected her practice as an artist and poet.

Simply put: not a whole lot.

As the Cheltenham Science Festival’s first-ever poet-in-residence, Denny had the opportunity to have a neural network trained on her entire body

Parasite usually in snakes found in Australian patient’s brain Ophidascaris robertsi where it’s never been before Parasites, including roundworms, can survive for months inside the human body.

COURTESY OF HEITI PAVES - "VARBUSS"

Ashiana Sunderji Varsity Contributor

Content warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of parasitic infection in humans.

In January 2021, a 64-year-old woman from Australia was admitted to her local hospital in south-eastern New South Wales with stomach pain, diarrhea, fever, and a dry cough. In 2022, she presented with neurological symptoms such as depression and forgetfulness, and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan revealed abnormalities in her frontal lobe region. The hospital referred her to Canberra Hospital in Garran, Australia for a biopsy, which the doctors expected to indicate cancer or a buildup of pus in the brain.

None of these predictions were accurate, however. In June 2022, Dr. Hari Priya Bandi, the neurosurgeon who performed the biopsy, found an eight-centimetre red worm that was still mov-

ing upon extraction from the patient’s brain. It was an Ophidascaris robertsi, which could possibly have been alive inside her brain for up to two months.

This would be the first time that this species of roundworm was found in a human, as it is normally found in Australian snakes, specifically carpet pythons — but this definitely isn’t the first time a human has been infected by a parasite.

What are parasites?

Parasites are living organisms that depend on a host organism for survival. Humans can be infected with three types of parasites: protozoa, ectoparasites, and helminths. Protozoa are one-celled organisms that can multiply in a host. Ectoparasites are widely defined as organisms that consume human blood for survival, such as mosquitoes, and some latch onto skin for up to months at a time. Helminths, or ‘worms’ in Greek, are multicellular and large enough to be visible to humans

of work. Once trained, she began experimenting with different prompts, generating pages of poetry in just a few seconds, which she quipped as probably the fastest way for any poet to get a “really sharp and swift hit” of imposter syndrome.

However, after a bit of effort prompting the model, she had to go and edit most of the output herself. In all, she edited around 150 pages generated by the neural network down to five pages.

Interestingly, Denny said that poetry might be a great benchmark for testing creativity in LLTMs. In her eyes, poetry is very concise and subjective, and its portrayal of emotion dynamically flows, all of which need cognitive faculties that are quite beyond an LLTM’s designed specifications. She pointed out that experience living in the real world is a massive part of what makes humans creative.

The text generated by LLTMs is “a very specific sort of aggregate of what it thinks you want,” she said. However, according to Denny, aggregation is not the main goal of poetry. She expressed that collaboration through editing is really the best way you can make an LLTM’s output make sense for a human audience.

Cognition and awareness of AI Professor Hayles then took to the stage and tried to answer the question: do the outputs of LLTMs when fully grown. These include flatworms, thorny head worms, and roundworms.

Roundworms are generally found in the gastrointestinal tract, the layer of tissue under the skin, the blood, or the lymphatic system. They often lead to stomach pain, diarrhea, fever, and dry cough — the exact symptoms the patient showed in 2021.

In their larval form, roundworms can also be found undeveloped and inactive in different tissues within the body. Dr. Sanjaya Senanayake, the infectious disease doctor working on the day of the discovery, told The Guardian that they treated the Australian patient for larvae that could have potentially found their way into other parts of her body.

Parasitic infections While the discovery of Ophidascaris robertsi in a human was the first of its kind, a Global Burden of Disease study conducted in 2019 revealed that about 2.35 billion people had parasitic infections.

At the same time, in 2019, the population was 7.7 billion — which means more than 30 per cent of the world was living with a parasitic infection. That year, parasites caused about 678,000 deaths, with over 58 million healthy years of life forfeited to parasitic infections.

One example of a parasite that can be found in the brain and spinal cord, as well as muscle, among other tissues, is a larval cyst of Taenia solium, or pork tapeworm. This type of parasite causes cysticercosis, a tissue infection responsible for seizures. Individuals are infected by consuming tapeworm eggs found in the feces of

like GPT-3 actually imply cognition, and what does that mean for creativity at large?

LLTMs work by focusing their attention on a specific word of text input at a time, finding which words have the highest chances of following right after, and repeatedly inserting the most probable word until it creates full sentences. The huge advancement that transformer systems have over simple autocorrect is that they can understand the context of a sentence and infer meaning between words that aren’t right next to each other in text. That is why, according to Hayles, LLTMs are “cognitive.”

Hayles defines cognition as a process of interpreting information from one’s contexts; in other words, finding meaning. She argued that even if LLMs don’t store their conceptualization of the world like humans do, we can say that they interpret the world in their own unique way — through text. They can generate an awareness of the world, even without self-awareness.

In any case, the evolutionary paths of humans and AI are now “inextricably entwined” moving forward, Hayles said. Now, we must learn to live with other cognitive beings, both biological and artificial to ensure our survival into the future.

Ah, just some light philosophical chit-chat about life, creativity, and what it means to be human! What could possibly be better? individuals with intestinal tapeworms, or consuming pork with larval tapeworm cysts. These eggs can be spread through contact, so if an infected individual doesn’t wash their hands after using the bathroom, they can spread the eggs through door knobs and other surfaces.

What does this mean for infectious diseases?

The question arises, how did this patient in Australia become infected with a tapeworm that has up to now been found exclusively in snakes? While she did not have direct contact with any snakes, she often picked wild grass to use in cooking.

Scientists theorize that the worm came from an egg that was in the feces of a carpet python that contaminated the grass, infecting her brain upon consumption.

This form of infection could potentially be repeated, but it is highly unlikely. Zoonotic diseases, or animal-to-human transmitted diseases, are responsible for 75 per cent of new diseases found in patients globally. COVID-19 is an example. However, according to Dr. Senanayake in the interview with The Guardian, the transmission of Ophidascaris robertsi is not facilitated through human-tohuman interactions and therefore unlikely to become a zoonotic disease turned global pandemic.

In December 2022, six months after the removal of the tapeworm, the patient’s neurological symptoms improved but had not been eliminated completely. She is still being observed. Ongoing research aims to determine if she has any underlying immune system problems that could have contributed to this infection.

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9

What’s with scientists’ obsession with cats?

Schrödinger’s cat as an analogy for quantum superposition, and other ways cats impact research Lauren Vomberg Varsity Contributor

Cats, our eccentric feline friends, have been our loyal and moody companions for nearly 10,000 years. They have made their way into our hearts and homes, as well as into our research. Research using cats, either physically or metaphorically, has helped explain cultural phenomena and helped shape the advancement of many fields, such as quantum physics and human medicine.

Schrödinger’s cat: A thought experiment for quantum superposition In the twentieth century, cats played a metaphorical role in our understanding of the functioning of the universe. Perhaps the most famous of all cats in the world of science is the cat portrayed in physicist Erwin Schrödinger’s thought experiment on quantum superposition — the phenomenon where a quantum object can exist in a quantum object can exist in two or more states at the same time, and only when a state is observed does it take a single position.

The Schrödinger’s cat thought experiment is as follows: a cat is placed into a sealed steel box, along with a small amount of radioactive substance and a Geiger counter. The Geiger counter is attached to a hammer, which is precariously placed next to a vial of poisonous gas.

If the Geiger counter detects radioactive decay, it would release the hammer, releasing the poisonous gas, killing the cat.

After about an hour, there is an equal likelihood that the radioactive substance decayed or did not decay. If the radioactive substance decayed, the Geiger counter would detect the decaying substance and release the hammer, breaking the vial of poisonous gas, thus killing the cat. While the box is still sealed, there is no way of knowing whether the Geiger counter detected decaying radioactivity, and therefore, there is no way of knowing if the cat was living or dead.

In terms of quantum mechanics, this thought experiment exemplifies the idea of superposition, in that a particle — in this case, the cat

— can exist in all possible states simultaneously, both alive and dead. This simultaneous existence and its collapse into a single state when observed, referred to as the Copenhagen Interpretation, was the core concept explored in Schrödinger’s cat experiment.

that new, parallel universes are created when the box is opened — a split in the universe occurs, where the cat can be both alive in one universe and dead in another.

By using the elusive and aloof cat, Schrödinger has pointed out a way in which Newtonian

JISHNA SUNKARA/THEVARSITY

While the box is still sealed, the cat is said to be in a state of superposition: it is both alive and dead simultaneously. However, we know a cat is not a quantum object, that it follows Newtonian Laws, and that it can only be alive or dead, not both alive and dead.

By the laws of quantum mechanics, a state of superposition cannot be observed. If scientists attempt to observe a state of superposition, the superposition collapses, and all outcomes somehow occur. This theory, known as the Many Worlds Thought Experiment, states

laws and quantum principles disagree. He uses the cat to portray the absurdity of applying quantum principles to large-scale objects that operate using Newtonian laws. The cat thought experiment illustrates the obscurity of the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics.

Cats in biological and behavioural research In addition to being symbolic representations of complex phenomena or cultural regulations, cats have also made their way into the realm of

physical research. Not only are researchers interested in the social structure and behaviour of the cats themselves but analogously how cats can inform human research.

For example, Mikel M. Delgado and colleagues — in the Departments of Veterinary Medicine, Biochemistry and Biophysics, and Surgical and Radiological Sciences at the University of California — have looked at DNA sequences and proteins near the end of chromosomes, known as telomeres, of neonatal kittens to see if being separated from their mothers had an impact on their health, developmental trajectories, and lifespans. Although previous studies in other species had shown telomere length changing due to maternal separation, Delgado and colleagues didn’t find evidence for this in neonatal kittens who were appropriately hand-raised by humans.

Further, cats have also been a prime target for neurological advancements. Classic work in the 1950s and 1960s resulted in the groundbreaking discovery that the two hemispheres of the brain could function independently of one another if separated. Dr. Roger Sperry, a neuroscientist in California, performed split-brain procedures on various mammals, including cats, to identify the function of the corpus callosum — the connective fibres between the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Dr. Sperry and his team severed the corpus callosum of these animals, and the results of these surgeries indicated that the hemispheres could still function, though independently, from each other. Because of the success of this work, Dr. Sperry was able to perform the same procedure on humans who had long suffered from debilitating seizures. By severing the connection between the two hemispheres, the electrical activity of the seizures is slowed or eliminated, allowing the individual to go on and lead a relatively normal and healthy life.

In addition to the physical and behavioural research using cats, Schrödinger’s cat experiment has paved the way for other scientific metaphorical associations and clinical extrapolations. Cats have been and will continue to be interesting subjects for thought experiments and research.

Temporal relativism: Unravelling time Physicist Lee Smolin’s thoughts on time and the AI machines of tomorrow Artur Gyonjyan Varsity Contributor

On November 3, a symposium event titled “Reality was Whatever Happened: Octavia Butler AI and Other Possible Worlds,” organized by U of T Associate Professor Beth Coleman, dived into the intersection of human cognition and learning and artificial intelligence (AI). Distinguished speakers discussed the multifaceted nature of reality and potential AI perils.

One conversation in the event titled “Temporal Relativism” explored the essence of time with Lee Smolin, a theoretical physicist and co-founder of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, who was interviewed by Maurice Jones, a curator and AI regulation researcher at Concordia University.

Unravelling time: A physicist’s pursuit Lee Smolin believes that time exists at a level encapsulating the most basic building blocks of our universe, the fundamental particles, and the fundamental forces governing them.

To Smolin, exploring the fundamental nature of time has been a deeply ingrained endeavour since the age of 17. His initial inspiration stemmed from an essay by Albert Einstein, wherein the sage physicist posited that understanding quantum gravity — a theory that

aims to describe gravity at the ‘quantum level,’ as in on the smallest scale, and to provide a framework for understanding the nature of space and time — entails a dual challenge.

The first challenge involves comprehending the intricacies of quantum mechanics: the branch of physics exploring the behaviour of matter and light by establishing the properties of atoms, molecules, and their fundamental particles. The second is integrating these intricacies with general relativity: the theory describing gravitational force as the curvature of spacetime by objects.

the future is actually not yet determined. The past doesn’t completely determine the future; rather, there is room for novel events to be generated in the thick present.

The machines of the future Regarding the rise of artificial intelligence, Smolin advocates a different approach from anyone who puts emphasis on creating machines that attempt to faithfully predict what will happen in the future. Smolin suggests

constructing machines that help us build “a future that we’ve never imagined before.”

Smolin draws an analogy with how babies interact with the world. Babies, when encountering people, don’t attempt to predict who they will meet, he says. Instead, they engage in a sequential manner, asking questions like “Who is that?” after meeting each person.

Smolin suggests that this kind of iterative approach should guide our endeavours in building the AI machines of the future.

The essence of time Smolin offers two interconnected definitions of time. His perspective describes time as a fundamental, ubiquitous, and ever-evolving phenomenon, and defines time as something that generates novel events and contains, what Smolin describes as a “thick present.”

Smolin uses the term ‘thick present’ to describe how only present events have the potential to generate future events. These events are connected — as Smolin puts it, the past has exhausted its potential for generating future events.

Once an event has exhausted its potential to generate new events, it becomes the past.

Essentially, Smolin reasons that while the past is determined, as it has already happened, JESSICA LAM/THEVARSITY

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THE VARSITY

FEATURES

On August 23, 2023, people gathered to remember the importance of Line 3.

Posters and signs outside of Midland Station.

The interior of Scarborough's Midland Station after the TTC decommissioned the RT line.

The death of Line 3 How Scarborough’s transit crisis amplifies the government’s neglect Arthur Dennyson Hamdani Design Editor

government’s dismissive attitude towards improving transit in Scarborough.

“Gone, but never forgotten. RT — 1985-2023.”

This was one of many farewell messages written on paper cards and tied onto a blue railing behind Ellesmere Station — one of the six stations that made up Scarborough’s Line 3.

From among the crowd, a group of six people carried an interconnected line of blue cardboard boxes to the parking lot’s centre. As they placed the boxes on the ground, people saw a miniature version of Scarborough’s iconic blue Rapid Transit (RT) line emerge.

It was a rainy Wednesday afternoon. August 23, 2023 marked the end of my summer semester as I finished my last exam. Little did I know, it also marked the end of my time with the RT line. On my way home, I saw an Instagram post inviting the public to attend a memorial for the RT system later that evening, and I rushed to grab my camera and hopped onto the next bus to Ellesmere Station, where the memorial was being held.

Near the station entrance stood a volunteer from the TTC Riders — a grassroots volunteer-based organization advocating for better transit in Toronto that had planned the memorial. Customers held signs in tribute to Line 3. One read: 'RIP SCARB RT.’ The pathway led to the east parking lot of the station, where people dressed in black gathered to mourn the death of Line 3.

Attendees brought posters and signs that exclaimed their frustration and demands for better transit in Scarborough. Media cameras pointed toward an open microphone where representatives from non-governmental organizations, student bodies, and MPPs addressed how deeply embedded Line 3 was to life in Scarborough. “[The] RT rally was… a call to action. Because we wanted to see solutions happen to make life easier for people who use the Scarborough RT, and it’s now shut down,” said August Puranauth, a community planner with TTC Riders.

As the event became a news story broadcasted to other parts of the GTA and Canada, the word “Shame!” reverberated through the air as the crowd reflected on the municipal and provincial

The derailment On July 24, 2023, tragedy haunted the Scarborough community when an RT train car derailed.

The derailment caused minor injuries among five people with no casualties. According to a CBC article, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) CEO Rick Leary said that loose bolts on the tracks were the cause of the derailment. After the accident, the TTC launched a one-month investigation into the deterioration of RT infrastructure before officially ending Line 3’s life early.

Initially, the TTC had planned to decommission the RT in November 2023. Line 3 had been running for 38 years, since 1985 — 13 years past its design life. The extension of its lifespan resulted from the lengthy debates and indecisions between city councillors regarding how the City should build public transit in Scarborough.

As someone who lives in the heart of Scarborough, even when LIne 3 was running, a normal commute to St. George Station in downtown Toronto took me approximately an hour and 10 minutes on a good day. I would take a bus to reach McCowan Station — the terminal of Line 3 — and ride the RT to Kennedy before transferring onto Line 2. Although rickety and loud, the RT was an important link for me to reach other areas of Scarborough and the GTA. In place of the departed Line 3, the TTC deployed shuttle buses starting August 26 to take residents between Scarborough Centre Station and Kennedy Station. The TTC website says it runs up to 70 shuttle buses per hour. Unlike RT, however, shuttle buses do not have a designated path separated from road traffic.

Inevitably, commute times slowed down. Red lights, traffic congestion, and waiting times have created a loop that significantly lengthens my commute time by at least 20 minutes. With Line 3 permanently closed, residents are stuck in this loop with no other solution than to accept the circumstances of their reality.

The death of Line 3 is emblematic of a bigger issue. This aging route operated far beyond its

years — it had to be decommissioned at some point. However, the lack of a concrete plan ready to be implemented after the death of Line 3 reflects a longstanding pattern of City Hall treating Scarborough with neglect.

Shuttle buses: An inadequate replacement The barrage of shuttle buses is only a temporary solution while a subway extension is under construction. In place of Line 3, Metrolinx is building the Scarborough Subway Extension. This project extends Line 2 into the heart of Scarborough with three additional stops: Lawrence, Scarborough Centre, and Sheppard.

According to Metrolinx, the goal of this project is to provide “quick and seamless transit” for those travelling between Scarborough and downtown Toronto. This might sound like an ideal plan.

However, according to the Metrolinx website, the project only began construction in January 2023 and will not be ready until at least 2030. As of now, Scarborough residents face at least seven years where they will be forced to rely on shuttle buses.

Ruan Negi, a first-year Rotman Commerce student who grew up and lives in Scarborough,

believes that the disadvantages of the shuttle buses outweigh the advantages. Despite the buses arriving approximately every one to two minutes to mimic a subway system, their route is not separated from road traffic. Consequently, factors such as road congestion, traffic lights, and rush hour impact commuters.

“It’s more stressful now [to] commute to St. George,” Negi says. For his 9:00 am classes, Negi has to wake up three hours before and ensure he leaves home at 7:30 am. Despite leaving an hour and a half before this class, Negi has to take more precautions than usual in case of unpredictable delays on the road. As a result, he faces the likelihood of spending more time on the road than expected due to factors outside of his control.

The 70 shuttle buses do not compensate for residents’ reduced transit access. Many transit riders live in an area that does not have a direct route to a TTC station to catch a shuttle bus.

Ashley Heng, a recent UTSC graduate, takes three transit routes to get to her workplace near St. Andrew Station. Heng lives in a neighbourhood with only one bus route. When the RT was functioning, the 54 bus would take her to Lawrence

Ruan Negi, a U of T student who commutes from Scarborough to downtown.

A map of Scarborough's Line 3.

People boarding the RT at Kennedy Station in 2022.

features@thevarsity.ca

Representatives from community groups across Scarborough addressed the government’s neglect toward the transit crisis.

East Station where she could take Line 3 to reach Kennedy and transfer to Line 2. Without the RT, the 54 still runs, but the shuttle bus does not stop at Lawrence East Station. Rather, it stops less than an intersection away, and she has to walk the remaining distance.

Commuters’ waiting times have ballooned as transit timing has become more crucial. One slight delay could add up and significantly lengthen commute time. For Heng, it’s now more convenient for her to take a bus to Guildwood GO station and go from there on the GO train to Union Station.

However, transferring to GO Transit from the TTC prompts her to pay two fares.

Some could argue that driving is always an option. However, if a significant amount of people switched to driving cars, congestion and pollution in the city would only worsen. Puranauth further notes, “Many riders in Scarborough cannot afford to switch to cars.”

Although the shuttle buses have been a decent solution to compensate for Line 3, the City already had tangibly better alternatives it could have put in place. “After all the years of neglect in transit investments Scarborough has faced, this is really just a big slap in the face to transit riders in Scarborough,” Puranauth added.

“The forgotten land” Line 3’s death is not the only issue for Scarborough’s transit crisis. It only exposed the government’s dismissive attitude towards the city. Scarborough is disproportionately racialized compared to the rest of the GTA. Plenty of residents migrated to this city for countless opportunities to start a new life.

Still, Heng personally believes that most people who live downtown are still unaware that Line 3 ever existed. Something that was so integral to the residents of Scarborough is but a myth in the minds of Torontonians. “I still don’t think that people understand the full extent of all of this [neglect],” they added.

“We’ve been left to just figure it out as commuters. How do we put trust back into the TTC, if we’re being treated like this?” said Andrea Hazell.

Hazell is the MPP for Scarborough-Guildwood, who was elected on July 27, 2023. In an interview with The Varsity, she reflected on how the fallout of the SRT derailment felt like another occurrence in a long pattern of neglect. “The government only remembers us at voting time,” she said. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion. We’re the number one [part

of the] city for [diversity]. So… if we are needed by the government when election time comes around, why aren’t we important [when it comes to] living with quality?” she added.

Hazell has family members who depended on RT, like her son who goes to UTSG. Together with Heng and Ruan, Hazell expressed her concern over the unexpected delays when riding the shuttle buses. She mentions that her son sometimes takes an Uber to Kennedy “because he cannot risk waiting for the bus [to] get into Kennedy.”

Suddenly, being on time comes with an extra cost.

Commuters are left to figure it out by themselves.

“After all the years of neglect in transit investments Scarborough has faced, this is really just a big slap in the face to transit riders in Scarborough,” It’s evident that Scarborough has been going through a transportation crisis. Unfortunately, this crisis is not only impacting people’s commutes but also other parts of their lives. “Businesses want to come into Scarborough to start their businesses and invest. [But] we have a transportation crisis, and it’s impacting our economy,” says Hazell.

The LRT, and what could have been Scarborough residents were not doomed to live today’s reality. Nearly a decade ago, city councillors had started talking about replacement plans for the RT. One of these plans was a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system.

The LRT could be compared to downtown Toronto’s streetcars. “The big benefit of the Light Rail plan was that it would have more stops. It would have been cheaper overall to build [than the subway]… So, really, what that means was a lot more

A shuttle bus en route from Scarborough Centre to Kennedy Station.

A MPP Andrea Hazell at her office in Scarborough.

A protester's sign demanding the immediacy of the busway.

A protester with their sign mourning Scarborough’s Rapid Transit.

access to transit,” Puranauth said. According to a 2013 Toronto Star article, the LRT would have cost $1.8 billion to build, and span 10 kilometres with seven stations. The subway extension, however, cost $2.3 billion for 7.6 kilometres of track and three stations.

So, what happened? Why did this plan not turn into a reality?

Although the LRT would have greatly benefited Scarborough residents, Rob Ford seemed set against the concept. Under Rob Ford’s mayoralty, politicians like Ford pushed the idea that the subway system was superior to the LRT because it was entirely underground. Puranauth personally argues that this decision was not made out of concern for the future of Scarborough or for its betterment, but rather as a political decision to “[keep] transit out of traffic.”

The LRT discussion was so drawn out that the City failed to implement a solution before Line 3 permanently closed. In the end, city councillors rejected the LRT plan, contributing a manifactured transportation crisis that the government continues to dismiss. Significantly, city councillors and government members are not the ones facing the ramifications of their decisions — transit riders are.

Current solutions The irony of the LRT cancellation is that the shuttle buses replacing the RT are embedded in road traffic.

City councillors have had discussions about solutions to alleviate transit commuters’ stresses. On September 3, the TTC implemented red bus lanes, a designated path for buses with the intention of separating the bus’ routes from regular traffic to accelerate commute times. This path was initially set to be completed late in November 2023, in time for the original Line 3 decommission date.

Despite the red bus lanes giving buses their own path, though, this route is still not separated from the road. Heng notes that she once took a shuttle bus to Lawrence East Station, only to be dropped off on another street due to road construction that was obstructing the red lanes.

Another planned solution by Metrolinx is an integrated fare between GO Transit and TTC. Unlike MiWay, York Region Transit, and other transit systems in and around the GTA, the TTC does not have an integrated fare system that allows riders to transfer to and from the GO for free. Instead, riders have to pay two fees, which means Heng’s alternative GO Transit route is not an accessible and affordable route for everyone.

GO Transit serves as an important link for commuters living outside the downtown core. Thus, it is ironic that the transit system of the largest city in the GTA does not have a fare system integrated with GO Transit when many riders commute from outside the city. According to a CTV article, former Associate Minister Of Transportation Stan Cho stated that the City will launch an integrated fare initiative by the end of the year. This has since been delayed to 2024.

Being able to improvise alternative routes on the go is not an ability every commuter has. If anything, it’s unfair to expect commuters to figure out transit routes when a delay happens. Heng reflects that not everyone is proficient in using navigational apps and understands their transit routes well.

A busway could be one solution for transit to be simpler, more reliable, and more convenient in Scarborough. Such a busway would completely operate separately from street traffic. Theoreti-

cally, this could save 10 to 15 minutes of commute time, according to Puranauth. Politicians like Olivia Chow have endorsed it, and Chow has committed to building one.

As convincing of a plan as the busway sounds, the provincial government has yet to fund and start such a project.

While city councillors, Metrolinx, and the TTC have been discussing the political and economic sides of Scarborough transit, freedom of movement around the GTA remains an overlooked conversation. The current 70 shuttle buses, the red bus lanes, and a possible integrated fare are great options, but they’re not enough for a quality life.

Pushing forward The seemingly constant neglect Scarborough receives from the municipal government may seem disheartening. Still, advocates are fighting to make their voices heard in City Hall and change Scarborough for the better. “[As a representative of] Scarborough, I’ve got to give that loud voice at Queen’s Park for Line 3 and the busway,” Hazell said in my interview with her. Since the start of her term, Hazell has strived to bring the voices of Scarborough onto the table in provincial parliament conversations in Queen’s Park. On October 5, 2023, during a parliament session, she posed a question to Provincial Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria on why the government won’t fund the busway plan, only for him to dodge her question.

“That was my first question. It’s not going to be my last question,” Hazell told me. She also revealed that she intends to meet with Vijay Thanigasalam — Ontario’s associate minister of transportation — to discuss the transportation crisis in Scarborough.

Puranauth explained that the Line 3 memorial that I witnessed on that rainy afternoon had two purposes: not only was it a call to action, but the rally also invited people to share stories about line three. Despite the deafening roar of the train, and the fact that it was operating on infrastructure that was truly on its last legs, Line 3 was central to life in Scarborough.

Hazell puts this importance into perspective.

She cited a 2018 report, which stated that in that year, about 35,000 Scarborough residents commuted to a different city each day. “In those 70 buses, [there were] 35,000 commuters per day.

[Doesn’t the City] care? About that massive commuter [population] in Scarborough that travel on these buses to make a living for their family?”

This, in part, is why Hazell and TTC riders fight so hard for a solution beyond the current bus service. And this advocacy has made progress for Scarborough’s transit. Puranauth notes that had it not been for the recent advocacy of TTC riders, the busway plan would not have even been considered. “The city [might] as well have just ran the buses in traffic for several years instead of building the busway, but the busway was put on the table with the help of advocates, and now we just need to get funded,” Puranauth said.

Hazell emphasized how important it is to get involved in advocacy, instead of simply toughing it out with poor transit infrastructure, like the residents of Scarborough have been forced to do time and time again. “Let’s get down to Queen’s Park and let’s [make] this happen. That’s what you do when you need to get things done. You stand up, you take action, and you get the results.”

Photography by Arthur Dennyson Hamdani

Arts & Culture

November 13, 2023 thevarsity.ca/section/arts-and-culture arts@thevarsity.ca

Museum exhibit celebrates York Region’s Chinese Canadian community U of T students and alums helped curate the Markham Museum’s new exhibit Vivian Zhi Varsity Contributor

2023 marks the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act, a law that aimed to systematically prevent Chinese immigration and economic inclusion in Canada.

Markham is home to a large Chinese diaspora population, and on the anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act, the Markham Museum opened its new exhibit Standing in the Doorway. The exhibit features cultural artifacts from Chinese Canadian communities in the region and is centred around a theme of resilience. The exhibit’s design included the efforts of several U of T Museum Studies students, and The Varsity spoke to some of the students involved about their work on the exhibit.

Abera Rajendran, who worked on the Standing in the Doorway exhibit as part of her capstone project for her Masters of Museum Studies, recalls not learning much about Chinese Canadian history in her time as a student under the Toronto District School Board. “It was rather fascinating how it was the 100th anniversary of something… we’ve never learned about,” she said.

In addition to Rajendren, fellow U of T alumni Grace Kovacs and Hanjia Li, as well as Master of Information and Museum Studies student Marie Song, also collaborated on the curation team.

Although commemorating the Chinese Exclusion Act was the starting point for the Markham Museum, the team decided to focus the exhibit on present Chinese Canadian communities.

Many of the items on display in Markham Museum are sourced from the Chinese Canadian

community in York Region. Additionally, the curation team helped collect oral stories from members of the Chinese Canadian community, from local leaders to students, about Chinese culture and experiences immigrating to and living in Canada.

Kovacs spoke to The Varsity about the importance of collecting oral histories. “In the Western tradition, people have put less emphasis on oral histories… but I think it’s important to realize that not everybody has the same access to having their stories written down,” she explained. “[As] we looked into our history books, we also didn’t find a lot about the Chinese community in Markham… so we had to rely on oral histories.”

But that doesn’t mean that they’re worth any less. According to Kovacs, oral histories are actually worth a lot more because they’re so personal. “I hope what the emphasis on oral histories does [in this exhibit] is validate them in an educational context,” she said.

While visitors may be drawn to the central paifang, the traditional-style Chinese gateway in the exhibit’s centre, the space is free-flowing and allows you to wander from display to display without directing you through a specific route. In an email to The Varsity, curators Rebekah Mitchell and Janet Reid noted that having a theme-based exhibition instead of a chronologically-based exhibition allowed for more leniency when they were designing the physical layout, which has proven especially useful when the exhibit travels across the York Region.

Mia Chen and Moyu Chen, second-year Master of Museum Studies students who interned

at Markham Museum last summer, spoke to The Varsity about the considerations they put into planning the physical space, such as the placement of the banners for when the exhibit travels, the allocation of space for the flow of crowds and mobility devices, and the protection of the display items against sunlight damage.

The exhibit is designed to allow for interactive connections with Chinese Canadian culture. There is a craft table where people can cut and fold paper rabbits, dragon boats, and bats; visitors are invited to add their reflections to prompt questions on the wall, reinforcing the exhibit’s community-sourced and community-focused ethos; and people unable to visit in person can peruse the online exhibit, which, in addition to showcasing the various cultural items on display at the Markham Museum, goes more in-depth into Chinese Canadian history.

Hanging in the Markham Museum’s front atrium are two grand 40-feet long tapestries featuring

a mosaic of designs by visual art students from Bur Oak Secondary School, who were tasked with interpreting what resilience meant to them in the context of the Chinese Canadian community.

Resilience appears as a theme throughout the exhibit, from the interviews highlighting immigration stories to the in-person displays showcasing tenacious businesses. One example is the Quan family, whose original appliance store is still open 50 years later and has since opened multiple locations across the GTA. When asked about why the curation team decided to make resilience a major theme, Kovacs said, “What I think museums want to do now is support the people they represent. And… the Markham community is such a lively, vibrant cultural centre. We want to show that in spite of all the hardship, the [Chinese Canadian] community has been resilient. More than that, they have flourished.”

Cultural artifacts from the Chinese diaspora on display.

COURTESY OF THE CITY OF MARKHAM

How to look cute without freezing this winter Master the art of layering for great fits all year round Kamilla Bekbossynova UTM Bureau Chief

As the leaves turn and the temperature begins to drop, the arrival of autumn brings with it a welcome shift in our wardrobes. Fall is a season of transformation, both in nature and fashion. The challenge is to stay both cute and warm; this guide will show you how to do just that.

The art of layering: Tips and tricks Mastering the art of layering is a skill that strikes a delicate balance between fashion and comfort.

But layering without resembling a giant bundle is definitely a struggle. Not only does the quest for warmth necessitate thoughtful layering, but it’s equally important to feel confident, comfortable, and impeccably put together.

So, let’s dissect each step, layer by layer. The goal is to equip you with the knowledge and insights needed to conquer the cold while radiating confidence and style.

Tip 1: Base layers As the chill deepens, you will need more than just a sweater and jeans. To kickstart your outfit, choose a base layer, such as thermal t-shirts or leggings. Thermal clothing is designed to provide insulation and comfort in cold conditions.

These garments are typically worn as the innermost layer, close to your body, to trap air between the clothing and your skin. This trapped air acts as an insulator, helping to maintain your body heat while also wicking away and evaporating sweat to keep you warm, dry, and comfortable.

Remember that certain fabrics like cotton and synthetic fibers are less effective at

keeping you dry, so it’s best to avoid them in your winter layers.

Uniqlo’s HEATTECH clothing, for example, offers an exceptional range of ultrathin, lightweight base layers that provide warmth and comfort. This style of clothing is form-fitting without being restrictive, making them ideal for adding an extra layer without the added bulk.

Sleeves that are intentionally a bit short ensure the layer remains hidden under your shirts or sweaters. Opt for a scoop neckline, which works well with openneck tops and remains discreet.

Tip 2: A loose middle layer On top of your thermal base, add some “regular” clothes with a looser fit, like trousers and long-sleeved tops. This layer offers additional insulation and helps maintain your body heat. Woolen fabrics like tweed and flannel are ideal, offering outstanding insulation by regulating heat and repelling cold. For those days when you crave extra warmth, layer with a jumper, sweater, or cardigan. Merino wool, in particular, is renowned for its warmth.

If you’re looking for luxury, cashmere is another fantastic choice. Its extra-fine weave excels at insulating, ensuring you stay toasty even in freezing temperatures.

Tweed, a fabric associated with old money and timeless elegance, is also thick, warm, and great for a preppier look. This season, people are particularly obsessing over classic cable-knit sweaters — the type of knits you’d see Rory Gilmore wear in the early seasons of Gilmore Girls. The “Rory Gilmore sweater” has been trending on TikTok this fall with influencers attempting to find dupes for a perfect autumn look.

But you don’t necessarily need to come from ‘old money’ to steal the look: vintage stores often sell wool or cashmere knitwear for much less than retail prices.

Compared to the quality and warmth of sweaters being sold by fast fashion brands, vintage knitwear is the way to go. Additionally, seek out seasonal sales and check online marketplaces for secondhand options. You might discover offbrand items that provide the same timeless look.

Zipper-embellished knitwear is this season’s standout trend, and it is all about embracing a sporty twist on classic craftsmanship. Adding zipped knits to your wardrobe is a stylish way to elevate your look, and they pair exceptionally well with cool jeans, striking a balance between casual and comfortable and making them an ideal choice for weekend attire.

Tip 3: The final layers For your outer layer, consider faux materials. Faux down, whether synthetic or plant-based, mimics traditional down’s impressive insulating properties. These materials trap air and keep you warm, all while being cruelty-free and environmentally friendly. Faux fur is another winner when it comes to staying warm. The tiny hairs on faux fur help keep rain and snow near the surface of the coat, providing insulation and protection from the cold.

While thick or puffy coats offer excellent protection against the cold, thanks to their insulating properties, a

well-layered outfit can allow you to opt for a thinner outer shell, such as a stylish trench coat, camel coat, or faux fur jacket, rather than relying on a bulky puffer. This way, you can maintain warmth and style without the extra bulk.

By following these layering guidelines, you’ll not only stay warm and comfortable but also exude confidence and style throughout the chilly months.

The key to warmth comes down to the fabrics you wear.

OLIVIA BELOVICH/THEVARSITY

thevarsity.ca/category/arts-culture

NOVEMBER 13, 2023

13

Taylor Swift and her fans are changing the rules of the game The underestimated power of fangirling Mehek Berry Varsity Contributor

In the music industry, few names garner as much attention and such a devoted fandom as Taylor Swift. Her catchy compositions, relatable lyrics, and endearing personality have made her a fan favourite, with followers that transcend all ages and genders — but the majority of which are young women. The substantial demand for tickets to Swift’s current world tour, which encapsulates her various artistic eras to date, has reached an unprecedented level of popularity, giving rise to the phenomenon known as “Taylormania.”

However, this fervent fandom has been subject to preconceived stereotypes over the years, from being perceived as superficial to assumptions of their lack of intellectual depth. These negative connotations associated with her fanbase overlook the complexity and cultural significance of Taylor’s work in the music industry and the social impact she and her Swifties have had in breaking traditional boundaries and revolutionizing fan culture.

Taylormania: A Swift revolution What is it about the singer that has propelled her to such extraordinary success and such an unshakeable fanbase?

Her legion of Swifties can be attributed to a variety of factors. Taylor’s lyrics frequently address universal themes such as love, loss, and human growth, which strongly resonate with the public. Her songs reflect her honesty and vulnerability, as her gifted storytelling abilities connect her with her devoted audience by allowing them to see themselves mirrored in her words and experiences.

Another testament to her exceptional versatility and artistic prowess is her capacity

to reinvent herself and remain connected with her audience. From her roots in country music to her crossover into pop and her more recent ventures into indie-folk, this chameleon-like approach to music not only keeps Taylor Swift’s sound new and exciting for existing fans but also helps her reach a larger and more diversified audience.

While she reinvents herself with each era, the stories and themes she explores keep her true to herself. Her personal journey made public transforms her from a distant pop star into a relatable and enduring figure for her fans, whether she is narrating the complexities of love and commitment, the independence gained from questioning unfair gender expectations, or the transient nature of time and nostalgia.

Since the beginning of her career, Swift’s sophisticated and strategic use of “easter eggs” to conceal secret messages, hints, clues, and teasers in her work has also allowed her to maintain an active connection with her fans. By perfecting the art of engaging with her followers via using social media platforms or incorporating easter egg details into her outfits or jewellery, Taylor reveals intimate moments and distinguishes herself from other musicians through her willingness to venture outside her comfort zone.

From “Love Story (Taylor’s Version)” to the NFL Taylor has been in the spotlight since the age of 14, and her romantic connections and relationships have piqued the interest of fans and the media alike.

Her most recent romance with Kansas City Chiefs NFL star Travis Kelce is no different, as Taylor’s sightings at his games have sparked speculation. This romance has led her following to significantly impact the world of sports.

The NFL has seen an increase in viewership as Swifties have dived into the football world in search of relationship clues, with the week five game receiving a 22 per cent increase in viewers over last

year’s week four game — the highest Sunday game numbers since the Super Bowl.

Such an unexpected convergence of Taylor Swift’s fans and NFL viewing challenges traditional notions of masculine and feminine pastimes.

As we look back on our Barbie summer, Taylor Swift’s influence on NFL viewing is yet another bold depiction of the power of womendominated fandoms. Football is predominantly perceived as a masculine domain, and the notion that women could have a significant role in determining the viewership success of this sport was regarded with suspicion and hostility on social media.

Some claim it has “destroyed football.”

Within days of paparazzi images of Taylor and Travis being disseminated on the internet, Swifties embarked on an unknowing endeavour to set cultural trends in a society that frequently undervalues and dismisses traditionally feminine interests. Our society tends to categorize and judge hobbies and interests that are frequently gendered as masculine or feminine, with feminine interests often

mocked as frivolous.

An example of such dismissal of feminine hobbies extends to fanfiction. Despite being a creative outlet for fans to create stories based on characters from fiction or celebrities, this endeavour is often the target of mockery, reflecting a societal tendency to devalue feminineperceived interests or hobbies.

Yet the singer’s mere presence at NFL games — a space traditionally dominated by men — created a wave of increased female interest in football, reminding them that one’s interests or gender should not hinder their impact in shaping cultural landscapes. The prolific songwriter’s ability to lure thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of fans to tune into NFL games demonstrates the substantial influence that traditionally belittled fangirls may have.

A reign of empowerment With over 19 years of experience in the public eye, she has remained an example of embracing one’s imperfections and remaining resilient as a young woman in the spotlight. Though her romantic relationships are frequently scrutinized, her talent and songwriting prowess have enabled the singer to shift the narrative away from being a victim of paparazzi and tabloid culture toward using her artistic expression as a form of catharsis.

Taylor Swift is more than a pop sensation; she symbolizes empowerment and community for her Swifties and is an unabashed icon of girlhood and authenticity. Her career’s trajectory from country darling to worldwide pop phenomenon and beyond exemplifies how, in a society where young women are sometimes criticized for their interests, people’s passions are multifaceted and should be honoured without placing limits on them.

Taylor Swift is currently on a world tour, performing songs from throughout her career.

COURTESY OF RONALD WOAN CC WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

COMIC: Overnight at Robarts Library

Artemis Riedmueller Varsity Contributor

Business & Labour

November 13, 2023 thevarsity.ca/category/business biz@thevarsity.ca

Can our universities’ search for profit align with sustainability goals?

Because of the climate crisis and political volatility, investments are more than financial choices Anuj Manchada Varsity Contributor

The abbreviation ‘ESG’ stands for “environmental, social, and governance.” ‘ESG investing’ is a strategy that some investors have started using to filter potential stocks through environmental, social, and governance considerations.

ESG investing is an approach that looks past short-term gains to sustainable future prospects.

It brings in considerations outside the traditional, purely financial measures in investment analysis.

The environmental aspect reviews a company’s green actions — like fighting climate change or saving resources. Socially, it checks how a company supports its employees, culture, and the affected communities. Governance looks at how companies are run, ensuring fair pay and protecting shareholder rights.

Independent rating providers also score companies on how well their portfolios align with ESG values. The number may influence investors on where to put their money.

Those in favour of ESG argue this strategy is not simply about feeling good — it’s about stable returns and more sustainable investments. They think this approach can spot business sustainability risks that typical financial analyses might overlook.

Others vehemently disagree with the idea of using ESG investing for a surprising variety of reasons.

How does U of T score?

A press release from the Rotman School of Management declared that Rotman’s mission is to

shape the discourse and drive progress in sustainable finance across all business pillars — from individual firms to global markets. Examples of its work include Rotman Professor Sarah Kaplan’s framework for navigating corporate decisions through stakeholder interests, helping to forefront considerations like environmental impact in corporations’ actions.

Beyond thought leadership, U of T has made headlines in the past few years for its divestment action. Victoria University, a U of T federation member, recently sold a property in Saskatchewan, home to an active oil well. The Presidents of Victoria, Trinity, and St. Michael’s Colleges have committed to divesting from fossil fuels by 2030, aligning with the broader university’s sustainability goals.

Yet, these announcements have met critical eyes from students, such as Climate Justice UofT members, who demand more transparency and continue to demand that the administration ensure that the profits from such sales fund future sustainability efforts.

Growing support Investors are increasingly recognizing ESG factors as integral to risk management. ESG assets are on a path to exceed $53 trillion globally by 2025.

Considering the risks related to climate change is a prime example of this risk management model — investors must contend with the physical implications of climate change and regulatory shifts in response to the climate crisis that can affect a company's bottom line. For example, the EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR)

Artists’ worst enemy, or their new favourite assistant?

AI image generators could steal art jobs, but their potential remains untapped Ziyanna Safraj Varsity Contributor

As artificial intelligence (AI) tools like DALL-E and Midjourney AI stun the public with their seemingly endless potential, artists are starting to wring their hands.

These tools are capable of generating complex art in a variety of styles with only a written prompt.

They have become notorious, however, for their untraceable sources of inspiration. Some popular models train their algorithms on many artists without their consent. They also threaten to pose longterm harm to labour within creative industries.

An impossible perspective However, artists have responded to new developments in AI in many ways. Sanaz Manzinani, an associate professor of studio art at U of T, has created a captivating exhibition at the Stephen Bulger Gallery, combining traditional-made human art with AI-generated images.

Within her exhibition, An Impossible Perspective, Manziniani focused the subject matter on plants.

Using her own photographs of plants, alongside Midjourney and DALL-E generated images, she accumulated upwards of 17,000 images. She then enlisted the help of Millan Singh Khurana — a computer programmer, recent U of T graduate, and one of her former students. Together, they created some custom code, allowing them to train a neural network to analyze and differentiate between real images and AI-generated images.

The exhibit takes place at the Stephen Bulger Gallery in Toronto and has been extended until

November 11.

“I wanted to learn more about AI and understand more about what we can do, how we can use it, in what ways, and how we can have more insight into it.” Manzinani said in an interview for The Varsity. “I learned that AI is a really great tool for making art.”

The use of AI art careers and business With the ease of use of many artificial intelligence models, it has never been easier to turn any idea into a tangible piece of work. Art made by AI could greatly help businesses and industries develop their brands, products, or ideals.

“It might make some people's lives easier and faster. Just like autocorrect spelling makes life easier,” Manzinani said. She proposed the example of an advertising agency pitching to a whisky company, with the idea of a dog holding a glass of whisky.

The logistics of representing such a pitch without AI requires paying an artist, sourcing reference images, and other costs that could potentially prove prohibitive. However, employing the use of AI to generate the pitch idea could drastically cut down on resources needed. In Manzinani’s eyes, using AI tools in this way is comparable to tools such as Adobe Photoshop or Canva.

Ethical limitations of AI in the industry There has been a lot of fear surrounding whether artists have the potential to lose their jobs to AI. One of the points of contention of the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) concerns the use of artificial intelligence in the writer’s room. This is one of the main reasons why the WGA, along

PIPER LEPINE/THEVARSITY

was founded to encourage funding toward more sustainable investments, and has the power to impose compliance costs on companies. Considering the effects of climate change when choosing how to invest money may benefit an investor’s return.

Academic institutions like McGill University are pushing these efforts, advocating for transformative government and corporate reforms that enhance sustainability and economic growth. McGill’s CIBC Office of Sustainable Finance has proposed amendments to the Canadian Income Tax Act to bolster ESG-focused corporations and to develop special tax statuses for organizations adhering to ESG standards.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission — an independent federal agency for preventing market manipulation — is currently refining its rules to target greenwashing in investment funds and enhance the disclosure requirements for ESG investing strategies.

Is ESG investment greenwashing?

One Forbes article cast doubt on the true aims of some ESG funds, explaining that it can often be greenwashing — a chance for businesses to seem eco-friendly without making a real impact. Greenwashing may offer false comfort while inadvertently distracting the public from more effective environmental actions a company could be taking.

According to a writer in the Financial Times, the ESG scores of various investing portfolios are arbitrary. Rating agencies use a variety of methodologies to score companies’ investing portfolios, from corporate disclosures to third-party reports, to determine their ESG score.

This article discusses the debate about whether ESG strategies conflict with the fundamental investor objective of maximizing returns, potentially breaching fiduciary duties when investment firms manage investors’ investments. Similarly, it describes the argument that asset managers waving the ESG flag may prioritize ideology over profitability objectives, contradicting their job’s inherent purpose.

Paradoxically, it argues that divesting from poorranking ESG firms, such as those in the oil industry, may backfire. The argument says that without the capital to invest in transitioning to greener practices, these firms might resort to corner-cutting measures that could exacerbate environmental damage. Proponents of this argument say the challenge in creating greener investing lies in figuring out how to assist high-emitting firms in the shift toward sustainability rather than excluding them from access to funding.

Whether you are for or against using ESG scores and investing strategies, the evidence seems clear that they are not a magical cure for climate change and social equity.

with the American Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, have been striking in recent months.

AI models like DALL-E and Midjourney have been trained on an extensive collection of the internet’s art. This collection allows them to be able to reproduce this art. However, users can currently get little information about any specific art pieces a generative model has taken from after an image is generated. This means that though AI-generated art is composed of traditional and human-made art, the original creators of the art pieces do not get any credit.

Visual artists across Canada have struggled to keep up with the sudden influx of AI-generated art.

Toronto creator Sam Yang found people within an online Reddit forum creating AI-generated images that mimicked his exact style and subjects without his consent.

“Who knows if something that I made is in [an AI model’s training] or not. Maybe [an AI-generated image] is a combination of my image and Van Gogh’s picture — no one asked, no one’s getting paid for it,” Manzinani explained.

Exposing and addressing systemic racism within AI Another glaring issue with the use of AI in any business endeavour is the amount of bias that AI holds. The use of generative models often portrays reductionist stereotypes of various cultures and ethnicities.

As Manzinani and Khurana worked to create code to train a neural network, Manzinani wanted to unpack AI’s inherent bias and racism. “If it’s mostly being trained by tech workers, who are in Silicon Valley, and most of them are from a certain ethnic background, what are the biases that they generally hold?” asked Manzinani. By examining the values and biases held by the people who train the AI, she believes it may be possible to eliminate stereotypes and biases used within generative models.

As AI applications continue to expand, increased scrutiny and regulations could pave the way for a more ethical use of AI in art. By adopting precautionary measures and a cautious approach to AI, it has the potential to become a widely used tool for accelerating progress in both the business and art sectors.

"Red Flowers (Inanimate)" and "Deep Fake (Waterdrops)"

COURTESY OF SANAZ MAZINANI

Comment

November 13, 2023 thevarsity.ca/category/comment comment@thevarsity.ca

The media blockade of Palestine is a bombardment against freedom of expression Don’t shoot the messenger — especially not when Palestinians are at “grave risk of genocide” Charmaine Yu Comment Columnist

Content warning: This article discusses death, genocide, antisemitism, anti-Palestinian racism, and recent and ongoing violence in Gaza and Israel.

In response to Hamas’ October 7 attack, Israel destroyed Gaza’s Al-Watan Tower, which housed several media outlets and telecom service providers that supplied internet access, thus leading to an internet outage. On October 27, after a continued onslaught of Israeli air strikes, Gaza’s already delicate connectivity was further snuffed out as Israel began its ground operations. And, between the drafting and publication of this article, on November 5, Gaza lost communication another time as Israeli troops encircled Gaza City.

Erika Guevara-Rosas, senior director of research, advocacy, policy and campaigns at Amnesty International, emphasized that a “communications blackout” makes it difficult to ascertain “evidence about human rights violations and war crimes being committed against Palestinian civilians.” Additionally, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) warned that the “news blackout” could lead to the spread of “propaganda, dis- and misinformation.” Combined with the scarcity of water, food, and medicine, the clampdown on Gaza’s internet only puts Palestine at what a group of independent United Nations (UN) special rapporteurs referred to on November 2 as a “grave risk of genocide.”

I believe that alongside Israel’s internet blockade, Meta’s suppression of online content about Palestine and assaults against journalists by Israeli forces all create a concerning pattern where freedom of expression balances on the brink of complete annihilation.

Political discourse and media giants — a sticky web The blockade of communication severely interferes with journalistic processes. With no safe spaces to do their job while struggling against internet outages, Palestinian media has been largely fronted

by Gazan journalists reporting from the ground on platforms such as Instagram. Among others, journalists Motaz Azaiza, Plestia Alaqad, and Bisan Owda have caught the attention of international viewers.

However, even the voices of journalists on social media seem to be stifled by media giants. Users are accusing Instagram, owned by Meta, of suppressing viewership on pro-Palestinian posts, removing these posts, or even ‘shadowbanning’ — obscuring content without official notification — Palestinian content creators. Yet, the October attacks are not the first time that media giants have shown prejudice against pro-Palestinian content.

Meta published an internal review which showed that their 2021 policies had an “adverse” impact “on the rights of Palestinian users to freedom of expression” and that there was an over-enforcement of Arabic content.

In an interview, Mariam El-Rayes, a Palestinian student at U of T, told me that users are not seeing her Instagram stories when she posts about Palestine. When she posted random images in between her stories about Palestine to increase the chances of her stories being visible to her followers — a method known as an ‘algorithm break’ — she discovered something strange. She provided screenshots to show there was a significantly higher number of views on her ‘algorithm break’ stories than on her previous stories about Palestine — 32 versus 51 views — despite the fact that the stories were all public and that Instagram stories must be viewed in the chronological order of posting.

Accusations of platforms suppressing Palestinian news have led people to find ways to trick the algorithm, including posting ‘algorithm breaks’ as above or adjusting keywords, like ‘P@lestine’ or ‘Isr*el’, to avoid triggering censorship. The media siege can only serve to compound the humanitarian siege in Gaza, smothering the news before it can reach an international audience.

Responding to user complaints, Meta released a statement clarifying that “Hamas is designated by the US government as both a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and Specially Designated Global Terrorists. It is also designated under Meta’s Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy. This means Hamas is banned from our platforms, and we remove praise and substantive support of them… while continuing to allow social and political discourse — such as news reporting, human rights related issues, or academic, neutral and condemning discussion.”

While Meta is entitled to create its own guidelines about organizations it judges to be dangerous, any censorship of content that condemns the killing of Gazan civilians without mentioning Hamas dangerously conflates advocating for Palestinian human rights and supporting of militant groups. Hamas’s killing of 1,200 Israelis is reprehensible, but so is the Israeli Defense Force (IDF)’s killing of over 12,000 Palestinians since October 7, as of November 11.

Shooting the messenger in a big blue vest An even more direct interference with freedom of expression and the press is when journalists are killed and assaulted. As of November 10, 35 Palestinian, five Israeli, and one Lebanese journalists have been killed since October 7. The CPJ reported that BBC journalists who showed their press cards were “dragged” from their vehicles marked with ‘TV’ on October 12 and held at gunpoint by the Israeli police.

Dissenting Israeli journalists are not safe either.

At least a dozen people surrounded the home of an Israeli commentator who expressed concern about Gazan civilian deaths, shouting “traitor” and firing flares at him, The New York Times reported.

On October 16, Israel proposed emergency regulations that would grant its Communications Minister the ability to halt media broadcasts that harm military or national morale. Under Israel’s proposed rule, officials have threatened to close the local offices of Al Jazeera, a Qatari news organization. Just nine days later, Al Jazeera reported that an Israeli air raid killed the family of its Gaza bureau chief, Wael Al-Dahdouh, despite their being in Gaza’s ‘safe area.’ No major news outlets have suggested it was an act of intentional punishment, but the IDF has come under fire for its treatment of Palestinian journalists prior to this incident.

The United Nations concluded that in 2022, Israeli soldiers killed Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh “without justification under international human rights law,” despite the IDF denying responsibility for a year and even accusing Palestinians of the murder. She was murdered

while wearing a protective vest labelled “PRESS.” Simultaneously, the CPJ found that the IDF systematically evaded accountability in 20 journalists’ deaths over two decades, launching investigations that never resulted in prosecution or punishment.

Although it is unfortunately common for journalists to get caught in the crossfire during armed conflict, journalists are specifically protected under the Geneva Conventions. An intentional killing of a journalist is a war crime. It feels almost banal to be writing a Comment piece where one of the central opinions is that killing journalists is bad. But, troublingly, it is difficult to actually charge a state with this crime when it claims journalists were killed “accidentally,” as the IDF did in the case of Akleh.

The freedom of the press and freedom of expression are core tenets of international human rights. In an age when media giants can covertly censor certain political stances and when journalists are under attack, I ask readers to be extra conscientious of the content they consume. And, in solidarity with Palestinian students at U of T and everyone else involved in human rights advocacy, I urge you to keep posting about what is happening.

If we have an online platform, we should use it as a flicker of light within the darkness of Palestine’s media blackout.

Charmaine Yu is a third-year student at Trinity College studying political science and English. She is an editor-in-chief of The Trinity Review and the What’s New In News columnist for The Varsity’s Comment section.

If you or someone you know has experienced harassment or discrimination based on race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship and/or creed at U of T, report the incident to the Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity office: https:// antiracism.utoronto.ca/help/.

You can report incidents of anti-Muslim racism through the National Council of Canadian

Muslims’ Hate Crime Reporting form at https:// www.nccm.ca/programs/incident-report-form/, and antisemitic incidents at U of T to Hillel U of T at https://hillelontario.org/uoft/report-incident/.

If you or someone you know is in distress, you can call: • Canada Suicide Prevention Service phone available 24/7 at 1-833-456-4566 • Good 2 Talk Student Helpline at 1-866925-5454 • Connex Ontario Mental Health Helpline at 1-866-531-2600 • Gerstein Centre Crisis Line at 416-9295200 • U of T Health & Wellness Centre at 416978-8030 If you or someone you know has experienced anti-Muslim racism and is in distress, you can contact: • Canadian Muslim Counselling at 437-8866309 or info@muslimcounselling.ca • Islamophobia Support Line at 416-6138729 • Nisa Helpline at 1-888-315-6472 or info@ nisahelpline.com • Naseeha Mental Health at 1-866-6273342 • Khalil Center at 1-855-554-2545 or info@ khalilcenter.com • Muslim Women Support Line at 647-6222221 or gbv@ccmw.com If you or someone you know has experienced antisemitism and is in distress, you can contact: • Hillel Ontario at counselling@hillelontario. org • Chai Lifeline Canada’s Crisis Intervention Team at 1 (800) 556-6238 or CIT@chailifeline.ca • Jewish Family and Child Services of Greater Toronto at 416 638-7800 x 6234 • The Hamilton Jewish Family Services at info@hamiltonjfs.com

I ask readers to be extra conscientious of the content they consume.

ZEYNEP POYANLI/THEVARSITY

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THE VARSITY

comment@thevarsity.ca

COMMENT

The snowfall teaches us about Toronto’s urban planning Sneckdowns show us the space wasted on roads Emily Carlucci Comment Columnist

As the cold winds begin to sweep through Toronto and bring with them inevitable snowfall, a unique phenomenon is unveiled on our city streets. Fallen snow reveals the true extent of our urban planning missteps in the form of the sneckdown.

Sneckdowns — born from the convergence of snow and streets — reveal the staggering amount of space we squander on roads, particularly for cars. They’re a wake-up call that I believe we can no longer ignore.

What is a ‘sneckdown’?

The sneckdown phenomenon, short for snowy neckdown, is a tangible representation of how we can potentially reconfigure urban spaces. Sneckdowns refer to the snowbanks accumulated on paved spaces where people don’t drive or park — typically sidewalk extensions or street islands designed to damper drivers. They highlight places where we should give precedence to human activity over vehicular transit.

With sneckdowns, I see an opportunity to redefine the contours of Toronto by reclaiming surplus road space for pedestrians.

Empirical evidence from cities that have implemented pedestrian-centric initiatives attests to the viability and efficacy of such urban planning endeavours. Notable examples in places that face similar winters include New York’s iconic Times Square and the Seine Riverbank in Paris. These urban locales have successfully executed pedestrian-oriented design principles, yielding benefits of enhanced livability and economic vitality.

Reducing winter accidents Using sneckdowns, we can mark paths for walking and biking, which can help people see better

in the snow. Studies have demonstrated that clear distinctions between cleared pathways and snowcovered areas serve as effective visual markers for pedestrians and cyclists, thereby reducing the likelihood of accidents.

Furthermore, incorporating reflective materials — such as reflective sheeting in pavement markings and signs — is a well-documented strategy to enhance visibility, particularly in low-light conditions. Research has also consistently shown that reflective surfaces significantly improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, particularly during winter evenings when natural light levels are diminished.

Additionally, raised retroreflective pavement markers have been shown to enhance pedestrian safety. By implementing these principles into urban planning, I believe cities can create environments that offer clear visual guidance and ultimately reduce the likelihood of missteps or collisions — particularly in areas influenced by sneckdown patterns during challenging winter conditions.

A pedestrian’s paradise Environments that prioritize pedestrians over cars contribute to improved mental well-being and social interaction. Spaces designed for leisurely strolls and outdoor activities foster a sense of community and social cohesion. Vibrant public spaces like outdoor cafés have been associated with increased social interaction and a sense of belonging.

Pedestrian-friendly environments also have economic benefits, as they lead to increased economic activity and business viability. When people have the opportunity to explore their surroundings on foot, they are more likely to patronize local businesses, contributing to positive economic impacts for the community.

Finally, prioritizing pedestrians over cars reduces negative environmental impact by minimizing reliance on personal vehicles, lowering emissions, de-

Letter to the Editor: Jewish fears on campus are real Re: Students at U of T hold protests, vigils amid ongoing violence in Gaza and Israel James M. Levinsohn Varsity Contributor

Content warning: This article discusses antisemitism, genocide, and recent and ongoing violence in Gaza and Israel.

The Varsity’s recent article on pro-Israel and Palestine protests on campus made some attempts at even-handedness by seeking to balance its discussion on antisemitism alongside Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism.

However, I am disappointed that the only Jewish student interviewed about his experiences with antisemitism on campus after the war began on October 7 was Joshua Heuberger, a Conservative Party activist. As part of the U of T Conservatives, Heuberger organized a “pro-Israel” event on October 17 that was actually a thinly-veiled partisan rally.

Heuberger and the rally’s speakers do not fully represent the diversity of Jewish students at U of T. As Jews, we have a wide variety of different backgrounds, levels of religious observance, and political beliefs. We also have a diverse range of opinions on Israel and its relationship to Jewish identity, the occupation of Palestine, and the current war in Gaza. Some of us consider ourselves Zionists, which can colloquially mean anything from believing that a Jewish state should exist in some form to believing that all diaspora Jews should aspire to settle in Israel or displace all Palestinians. Others, like me, do not — partly because of the term’s ambiguity.

However, regardless of our particular beliefs, Jewish students at U of T face an environment on campus now that has become hostile at best and

outright threatening at worst. Since the events of October 7, I have avoided the St. George campus unless absolutely necessary. Reportedly, this has been a common decision by Jewish students in the US and Canada for self-protective purposes.

I do not want to condemn pro-Palestinian activism at U of T overall. It is not antisemitic or proterrorist to be outraged by the human rights abuses faced by Palestinians under occupation or during the current siege and invasion of the Gaza Strip.

Nonetheless, much of the language printed on innumerable pro-Palestine flyers posted across the St. George campus — or spoken at pro-Palestine rallies held on the steps of Sidney Smith Hall — has frightening implications for Jews distinct from calls for Palestinian justice and self-determination.

Most troublingly, I have seen posters on campus in the past few days expressing support for the “victory” of an ongoing “third intifada.” I believe “intifada” — meaning “tremor” in Arabic — has lost its

Sneckdowns highlight places where we should give precedence to human activity over transit.

COURTESY OF MATTHEW IN BOSTON CC WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

creasing traffic congestion, and mitigating a city’s overall carbon footprint. Overall, I see this vision of urban transformation through reclaiming excess road space to be substantiated by empirical evidence, offering a pathway to an inclusive, accessible, and sustainable urban future.

Safe, dedicated bike lanes A 2020 study showed that physical separation between cyclists and motor vehicles in Toronto significantly decreased the risk of collisions. Bollards — the posts that are placed along roads to keep vehicles away — serve as an effective deterrent against vehicles encroaching into the bike lane, providing an added layer of safety.

Moreover, wider bike lanes — especially those situated away from parked cars or equipped with protective barriers — mitigate the risk of ‘dooring’ incidents, a significant hazard for cyclists. Research supports that broader cycling lanes with physical barriers substantially reduce such accidents.

Sneckdowns show where we can potentially expand bike lanes, which would lead to safer and more comfortable cycling environments. By incorporating elements of comfortability into urban planning, cities can create cycling infrastructure that not only promotes safety but also encourages active modes of transportation throughout the cold months.

Rediscovering community Remember the outdoor patios that remained open throughout the winter during COVID-19? That sense of community does not need to go away!

Plaza development and outdoor patios in urban environments contribute significantly to the overall quality of life for residents and visitors alike, and this is equally important in winter.

Engaging in outdoor activities and dining promotes positive social interactions and leads to original nonviolent connotations since the second intifada that began in 2000. This is different from calls for a ceasefire, a free Palestine, or an end to the occupation. I cannot interpret support for a “third intifada victory” other than as a celebration of the massacre of over 1,200 civilians in Israel last month and an endorsement of the goals of Hamas: the elimination of the Israeli state within internationally agreed-upon pre-1967 boundaries and the seven million Jews living there.

A representative of Hamas recently said that his movement would repeat the October 7 massacre endlessly to accomplish this nakedly genocidal aim. Previously, Hamas officials have propagated views of nearly all Jews in the diaspora as extremely broadly defined Zionists who are complicit in Israel’s existence and deserving of its brutality.

This notion of collective Jewish guilt and deserved punishment was also seemingly held by a UTM student who was arrested for alleged hateful threats, rumoured to be antisemitic. The staggering, very real rise in threats, hate speech, and physical attacks targeting diaspora Jews since October 7 mean our fears of violence are merited.

Both October’s massacre and the subsequent rise in anti-Jewish hate bring back some of our worst and most deeply-seated communal memories as Jews. This is not only true for students, like

improved mental well-being and a stronger sense of community. Additionally, plaza development and outdoor patios have been shown to stimulate local commerce and economic activity. When outdoor spaces are used for dining and entertainment, they create opportunities for extended periods of patronage, benefiting local businesses and the overall economy — as seen in New York where road closures to promote outdoor dining significantly benefited the city’s restaurants during the pandemic.

Sneckdowns visually demonstrate where we can repurpose excess road space into public areas, which can include plazas and outdoor patios.

This not only enriches the urban experience but also contributes to economic vitality, especially for businesses reliant on foot traffic. Overall, I believe dedicating larger pedestrian commerce spaces aligns with evidence-based urban planning strategies focused on creating inclusive, accessible, and dynamic urban environments.

Real change: How do we get there?

By using these natural snow formations as blueprints for Toronto’s actual use of space, we can strategically reallocate excess road space to create wider sidewalks, protected cycling lanes, and vibrant outdoor spaces. This shift prioritizes pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users, fostering a more inclusive and dynamic cityscape.

As we brace ourselves for the impending snowfall, let’s use the sneckdowns as a powerful reminder of the untapped potential beneath our tires.

Toronto deserves a downtown core that thrives on the energy of its inhabitants, not the exhaust fumes of its vehicles.

Emily Carlucci is a third-year student at Trinity College studying political science and English. She is the Traffic Tango columnist for The Varsity’s Comment section. me, who descended from Holocaust survivors and refugees but also migrants who left their homes in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa partly due to pogroms — brutal incidents of communal violence which October 7 recalled — and founded most present-day diasporic communities worldwide. There has been a decade-long rise in fatal terrorist attacks at synagogues and other Jewish institutions globally. Given this history, existential fear is an understandable reaction to calls for a “third intifada victory.”

I hope this letter encourages greater empathy for the fears of Jewish students at U of T. Parts of our student body, as well as many faculty and staff, seemingly lack this empathy. In my opinion, The Varsity has also not adequately covered the fears of Jewish students, hopefully out of ignorance rather than contempt.

While I disagree with some arguments in recent Comment pieces in The Varsity on the Israel-Palestine conflict, all three authors spoke movingly to the dehumanization of Palestinians under the occupation and their anger that Palestinian and Muslim life feels less valued in the West than Israeli and Jewish life.

Pro-Palestinian activists at U of T and their sympathizers should consider whether they want to encourage a competitive race to the bottom in terms of dehumanization. Words and their meaning matter, even when deployed in pursuit of causes one considers urgent and just. Is the proper response to the devaluation of Palestinian life the devaluation of Jewish life? Do Jews deserve collective punishment because Palestinians have been collectively punished?

If you think so, you should have the honesty to say so openly, rather than hiding behind the abstractions of academic theory and ambiguous slogans.

James M. Levinsohn is a fifth-year PhD candidate at U of T’s Department of Art History.

I hope this letter encourages greater empathy for the fears of Jewish students at U of T. CAROLINE BELLAMY & JESSIE SCHWALB/THEVARSITY

If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, please see resources on page seven.

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NOVEMBER 13, 2023

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Trudeau’s promises at the Climate Ambition Summit are falling short Canada is projected to remain one of the world’s biggest fossil fuel producers Urooba Shaikh Comment Columnist

The United Nations (UN) held its Climate Ambition Summit on September 20, inviting countries whose leaders have been proactive in creating plans and policies to battle the climate crisis.

When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was invited to speak, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming noted that “Canada was one of the largest expanders of fossil fuels last year.”

Trudeau’s response to Fleming was optimistic, yet since the Summit, the government continues to show a lack of proactiveness. I am dismayed that, once again, the federal government has failed to deliver on climate action promises.

Perspectives at the Summit In his address to the Summit, Trudeau claimed that his government will be announcing a “framework to cap emissions from the oil and gas sector,” while it “[keeps] investing in the technology that will support people’s jobs for years to come.”

Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault wasted no time patting the Canadian government on the back just for this promise, and for the fact that they were invited by the UN to speak at the Summit at all, considering that the US and China were not. After the Summit, Guilbeault said, “I think if we were to ask the question if Canada would have been here 10 years ago under a Stephen Harper government, the answer is, obviously, no… We’re also the only large oil and gas producer who has committed to put in place a cap on the oil and gas sector.”

Guilbeault spent most of his career as an activist and claims to have joined the Liberal Party to make change, despite not agreeing with all their policies. Yet, I find it difficult to ignore the partisan and boasting nature of these statements.

While Trudeau and Guilbeault offered placating promises on the world stage, climate activists who were present at the Summit were skeptical, and rightfully so. A report released by the Pembina Institute on September 14 stated that Canadian oil sands companies are on track to have their second-highest profits in a decade this year, but that these companies are making no significant moves to invest in reducing emissions and energy transition.

Julia Levin, associate director of the environmental organization Environmental Defence, called on Trudeau to be more proactive in mandating companies to work towards emission re-

What now?

I find it disappointing, yet not surprising, that since the Summit, the federal government seems to still fall behind on its promises to cap oil and gas emissions and divest from fossil fuels.

An article released by Canada’s National Observer on October 26 revealed that Canada’s planned fossil fuel production represents 10 per cent of the world’s expansion plans. We are now on course to become the second-largest fossil fuel expander by 2050, behind the United States, and the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that these fossil fuel expansion efforts will peak this decade.

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duction and energy transmission. In an email to CBC, she wrote, “Real leadership means holding oil and gas companies accountable for the damage and destruction they are causing… It means finalizing the rules to cap and cut oil and gas emissions and ending all government support for the industry, while planning for a just transition off of fossil fuels."

Guilbeault promised an end to fossil fuel subsidies by this year and released a plan for this goal in July. Still, this fails to address what the majority of the federal government’s support for the fossil fuel industry is: crown corporations. These are commercial entities created and owned by the government to provide services it deems neces-

sary for national interest that are not being fulfilled by the private sector, and include corporations directly within the fossil fuel sector. Environmental Defence reported that the crown corporation Export Development Canada alone contributed $19 billion to fossil fuel financing in 2022.

Most of the federal government’s support for crown corporations in the fossil fuel sector comes from commercially viable loans: credit given to companies to support commercial activities such as acquiring property and equipment.

These are not considered fossil fuel subsidies under the current framework, so, once again, the biggest contributors to Canada’s fossil fuel use are left alone by the federal government to continue worsening the climate crisis as they please.

Guilbeault has stated that the government will announce a plan on identifying and phasing out remaining subsidies in 2024, but whether this will actually happen as scheduled remains to be seen.

While the federal government applauds itself for being allowed a platform on the world climate stage, I see their progress to be crawling at best.

With the IEA reporting that renewable energy will make up half of global electricity production and that electric heating technologies will outsell fossil fuel boilers globally by 2030, caps on the oil and gas sector need to come faster if Canada wishes to remain a major player in climate change action.

In the meantime, the prospects of seeing a change from Trudeau’s promises to cap emissions and divest from fossil fuels at the Climate Ambition Summit remain low, and I, for one, remain skeptical about them being fulfilled anytime soon.

Urooba Shaikh is a third-year student at UTSC studying molecular biology, immunology, and disease. She is a Climate Crisis columnist for The Varsity’s Comment section.

Toronto Police Service need to work harder to combat the city’s car theft crisis Examining Toronto’s escalating problem with grand theft auto Rubin Beshi Comment Columnist

The past few months have seen a disturbing increase in car theft across Toronto and the wider GTA, according to police. Over the past year, close to 10,000 vehicles have been stolen in Toronto alone, with Toronto police being able to recover around 1,000 of them. Perhaps more alarming, however, is what the Toronto Police Service (TPS) describes as the rise of carjackings. In 2023, there were over 300 carjackings in the GTA. For legal reasons, it’s important to understand the distinctions between car theft and carjackings.

Car theft occurs when a vehicle is unattended and doesn’t involve direct confrontation with the owner. In contrast, carjacking is a more violent crime where a thief uses force or intimidation to steal a vehicle when the owner is either inside or near the car. Carjacking is the more serious offence because it often involves weapons and physical aggression.

Both crimes typically occur overnight or in the early morning. There are certain areas in the city that have seen more car theft than others. For example, Toronto’s division 32, which includes the Bathurst Manor and Bedford Park neighbourhoods, has seen the most thefts with over 1,000 cars being stolen in 2023. Another high-profile area is division 23, which has seen over 500 thefts.

Additionally, York Regional Police have claimed that some of the most targeted vehicles for theft include the Lexus RX350, Toyota Highlander, and Dodge Ram 1500. In general, the Équité Association has found that, in Canada, common and popular vehicles are more targeted than expensive ones.

TPS has characterized this recent rise in theft as a “new and evolving public safety threat.” It has responded mainly by pairing up with the Ontario Provincial Police to lead the Provincial Carjacking Joint Task Force. This task force, which includes surrounding municipal police forces, is addressing the situation by launching collaborative investigations for auto crimes aimed at disrupting criminal networks. These efforts are being funded by the Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario and the provincial government.

Although this new initiative is a good start, I believe the TPS needs to do more to address this crisis. Simply increasing police presence probably won’t be enough. The TPS needs to invest in more modern data analysis technology to better identify theft patterns and allow for more targeted deployment of resources. It also needs to start implementing more bait cars around the city. This practice involves equipping cars with tracking and surveillance equipment, then leaving them unattended in order to attract thieves and catch them in the act of stealing.

I believe the Toronto Police Service needs to do more to address this crisis.

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Some of my proposals were touched on during the 2023 Toronto mayoral election. For example, mayoral candidate and former chief of police Mark Saunders outlined a five-point plan to combat this issue during his campaign. In addition, his plan described the importance of creating an effective online process that speeds up the reporting process. Saunders also discussed getting the federal government involved since the overseas shipping of cars affects Canadian borders. I believe taking these steps would drastically reduce the number of stolen cars from the GTA and help keep residents safer.

Following these steps is especially important considering how the TPS has noted that younger people are becoming more involved in these thefts. Among other attacks, the prevalence of teenagers’ carjacking is evident in recent attacks in Markham. On July 13, two people in a Mercedes CLA45 were the victims of a carjacking when two suspects approached them with a handgun and demanded their vehicle, wallets and phones. Six teenagers, aged 15 to 18, were charged with various crimes in relation to the incident, including

possession of firearms and possession of stolen property. This attack is consistent with the recent trend of teenagers getting involved in violent carjackings.

It is important to stay safe in these turbulent times. Halton Police have recommended car owners a series of safety tips to follow in order to prevent being targeted. These include making sure to keep car doors locked at all times, installing safety cameras and proper lighting in driveways, and reporting any suspicious activity.

Halton Police also advise against confronting the perpetrator in the case of a carjacking. Instead, victims should avoid the perpetrator and contact the police immediately.

Let’s hope that the TPS takes further steps in addressing this crisis to ensure the safety of car owners among both U of T students and the wider Toronto population.

Rubin Beshi is a third-year student at Woodsworth College studying political science and English.

He is the Local Affairs columnist for The Varsity’s Comment section.

Sports

November 13, 2023 thevarsity.ca/category/sports sports@thevarsity.ca

Should athletes be allowed to use marijuana?

The World Anti-Doping Agency still claims marijuana is a performance-enhancing drug Ahmad Khan Associate Sports Editor

In late September, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Committee on Competitive

Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports recommended the NCAA remove cannabinoids from its banned drug classes. The recommendation came after the 2022 Summit on Cannabinoids in College Athletics last December provided a better understanding of marijuana usage at the college level.

The summit’s consensus was that cannabis was not a performance-enhancing substance.

Allowing marijuana usage in sports garnered support after several prominent athletes received suspensions and bans for using marijuana. A prominent example was when American sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson was suspended from the US Olympic track and field team for a month in 2021, which meant that she could not compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Despite Richardson’s success in winning the 100-metre dash at the US Olympic trials, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) list of prohibited substances, her efforts were for naught thanks to the supposed unfair advantage she received and the poor example she purportedly set for the sporting world.

Since 2004, the WADA has continued to publish a list of banned substances each year chosen based on three criteria: their potential to enhance athletes’ abilities, their potential to pose a health risk, or if their use violates the “spirit of sport.” Yet, the WADA’s criteria can be used to re-examine its ban on marijuana and other substances, ultimately proving the ban’s invalidity.

Flawed criteria A 2011 journal article published in part by the WADA found marijuana to aid athletes in reducing stress before and during competition, and thus found that it allowed them to perform better under pressure. However, more recent research, such as a 2017 systematic review published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, has reviewed 15 articles examining the effect of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and found no evidence of athletes’ improvement in aerobic performance as a result of marijuana use. If the WADA’s argument centres around marijuana’s anxiety-alleviating qualities as the sole reason it is considered performanceenhancing, it brings into question why cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabinoid within marijuana, has been exempted from the prohibited substance list. While CBD lacks psychoactive properties, it is anxiolytic and thus may reduce stress for some athletes.

Cannabis is also considered a health risk by the WADA, which found it slows reaction times, causes poor decision-making, and increases risk-taking.

This finding also relates to the third criterion — that it could violate the “spirit of the sport.” The impaired judgement associated with the presence of cannabis and the potential for it to compromise the welfare and safety of other participants is one of the reasons why the WADA argues that marijuana violates the “spirit of the sport.” Other factors in the WADA’s decision include respect for laws — as cannabis is illegal in several countries — and guidelines on athletes’ characters, as these athletes are expected to behave like role models.

With countries across the world moving toward

Unmasking Iñaki Alvarez: His basketball journey Alvarez discusses his recovery and plans for his basketball career Jana Ellahham Varsity Contributor

Iñaki Alvarez is a goal-oriented, courteous, and ardent graduate student-athlete, who plays as a guard with the Varsity Blues men’s basketball team. He graduated last year with an undergraduate degree in kinesiology and is now studying for his master’s at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

After tearing his meniscus — the cartilage separating the femur and tibia — Alvarez is currently going through a long and arduous rehab journey.

Nevertheless, he sat down with The Varsity to discuss his basketball career at U of T and his plans for the future.

His childhood “I didn’t discover [basketball]; I was truly born loving basketball,” Alvarez said. He knew he loved this game and belonged on the court since day one. He grew up cherishing every second he played basketball, watching a lot of games, and being invested in all the news regarding the famous players and the sport itself. In addition to his coaches, teammates, and family, Alvarez models his game after the Argentinian basketball star Facundo Campazzo.

He went from playing around in a mini hoop in his childhood home to becoming a key player with the Varsity Blues, which is truly impressive.

Although he was the only basketball player in his family, it never stopped him from growing and developing his game to become the indefatigable player we know and watch today.

The Blues family As a young adult, entering a competitive team like the Blues tremendously helped Alvarez develop the skills we see him portray today.

“When I came in, I was 17, and the guys I was with… were in their mid-20s,” Alvarez said. “So, being that super young guy and making that transition into now being the older guy… [is] definitely an experience I’m grateful for.”

Alvarez has a busy schedule, as his day mainly consists of basketball and studying, so when he has some free time he hangs out with some classmates. Still, most of his social time is absorbed by the time he spends off the court with his teammates. “[They’re] like my family. Those [players] are really my brothers,” Alvarez explained. “So it just makes it easier to come in [to university] every day.”

The family dynamic and aura among the players have helped boost Alvarez’s self-esteem. He felt safe, sensing belonging and community, which in return has helped develop chemistry and communication with his teammates.

On the court Even though Alvarez will not be playing this season due to his injury and operation from the summer, he still practices with his team, shows up daily to lifting and scrimmages, and on top of that, he is focused on physiotherapy and getting ready for surgery soon.

Regardless of his current injury, Alvarez is one of the star players on the team; he has a great work ethic, and all his time is dedicated to improving his game and enhancing his skills on the court — evident in his past season with the Blues.

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cannabis legalization, these factors come into question. If legality is no longer an issue, would cannabis still be considered a detriment to theiran athlete’s character? Why are athletes evaluated based on being a role model in the first place?

And if marijuana compromises the safety of other participants, why are athletes in the Olympic Village allowed to drink alcohol?

A consequential and hypocritical ban The WADA’s questionable criteria influence many sports, as it employs third parties for drug testing who test based on the WADA’s list. The purpose of drug testing is to prevent performance enhancement and ensure the safety of athletes, yet it can end up damaging their careers when the reasoning behind punishments is flawed.

A prominent example of this is the aftermath of the 2015 mixed martial arts bout between Anderson Silva and Nick Diaz, which was overturned to a no-contest. Diaz tested positive for marijuana, which resulted in a five-year ban for the veteran.

Silva also tested positive, but not for cannabis — instead, he tested positive for drostanolone and androsterone, two anabolic steroids.

Anabolic steroids boost athletic performance by helping build muscle and increase body mass.

Last season, Alvarez had a tremendous careerhigh game on the road against the Queen’s Golden Gaels, a nationally-ranked team. His hard work paid off and he managed to help his team by scoring a remarkable 40 points.

However, Alvarez didn’t just help his team statistically. He also elevated his teammates’ mentalities and mindsets on the court. In that game, the team kept pushing till the last second and managed to keep a tied game most of the time. Unfortunately, the team lost after the Gaels hit a three-point buzzer-beater.

Despite the loss, he whole-heartedly enjoyed playing the game, as he felt that sense of urgency to keep pushing “all the way to the wire [against a] good team.” Additionally, seeing him thrive led to his teammates placing more trust in him and having faith that they had a chance to win the game.

In a way, Alvarez’s excellence helped lift all of his teammates’ spirits.

“Keep your foot on the gas” One of Alvarez’s greatest strengths is his work ethic and that is the number one reason why he is the player he is. “I welcome [failures] the same way I welcome success,” he explained. “I review what I did [badly] or could have done better. I just put my head down, working the same routine, implementing any changes, tweaks to fix that failure [or] weakness, whatever it is.”

“I have that attitude where nothing’s done until it’s done,” Alvarez explained. Furthermore, his head coach told him something that has stuck with him for years: “Don’t get bored of being great. Don’t kick your feet up. [If you’re] on a good streak, keep your foot on the gas and keep doing what you’re doing.”

This phrase taught him an important moral lesson: to “try to always give more than you take.”

The future This past summer, Alvarez coached an under-14 basketball team. He’s hoping to continue doing that, as he greatly benefitted from it. “I’ll take [a] player on my team and I kind of coach him as

When compared to marijuana, one would assume the punishment for the use of anabolic steroids, which do improve athletic performance and present greater health risks — such as kidney failure, liver tumours, or strokes — would be more severe.

But Silva was banned for only a year.

The reasoning provided for Diaz’s longer suspension was that it was his third offence. Yet, naturally, this would imply that when Silva tested positive again — this time for the anabolic steroid methyltestosterone — in the lead-up to his bout against Kelvin Gastelum in late 2017, he should have received a harsher punishment. However, he was only suspended for a year.

The severity of punishments for cannabis use, regardless of the actual harm and performance-enhancing capabilities of the substances consumed, reiterates the issue with the WADA’s criteria. Ensuring athletes’ safety by banning substances that could harm them is a great cause. However, involving factors such as the “spirit of the sport” puts unnecessary and undeserved pressure on athletes to be role models and only serves to discredit the prohibited substance list. This stops athletes from using substances like marijuana — which they may depend on for medical reasons, in turn undermining the WADA’s goals regarding athlete safety. if it was me,” Alvarez explained. He hopes to ingrain in the players the important lessons he was taught when he was their age.

Furthermore, Alvarez aspires to represent and play basketball for his country, Spain. “It’s been a dream of mine since I [started to] watch basketball,” he said. We hope to see him play for Spain soon and excel, continuing as the remarkable player we perceive him as today.

For now, Alvarez will continue his rehab journey, so he can come back stronger than ever, while also supporting and hoping his team can accomplish great things and hustle together for a victory. “I think one of the main goals we’ve established, especially before starting the year, was definitely [a] championship, the playoffs, and [really] try to go as far as possible,” Alvarez said.

We cannot wait to watch Alvarez back on court.

Alvarez is one of the star players on the Blues men’s basketball team.

COURTESY OF NEIL PATEL CC VARSITY BLUES MEDIA

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NOVEMBER 13, 2023 19

Blues women’s volleyball team lose 3–2 to Western Mustangs in home opener The Blues were close to a victory yet couldn’t seal the win

Bruno Macia Varsity Contributor

The November 10 game at the Goldring Centre between the Varsity Blues and Western Mustangs women’s volleyball teams could not have been better as a Friday night plan. In their second game of the 2023–2024 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) season — and their first at home — the Blues played amazingly against the Mustangs despite their eventual loss.

Last season, the Blues finished with a wins record of 9–11 and missed the OUA playoffs for the first time in over a decade. This season, the team started the race for the Quigley Cup with a loss, falling in 3–2 sets in a thrilling match against the Mustangs.

What happened The Blues took the lead during the first set but

were closely chased by the Mustangs. A service ace from the Mustangs tied the set at 9–9, but the Blues immediately claimed back the lead. A late timeout from the Mustangs wasn’t enough to stop the Blues from taking the first set 25–21.

The Blues started the second set strong and dominated the game just up to the end of it.

Blues setter Robin Melnick contributed with 26 impressive assists. However, close to the set’s end, a timeout from the Mustangs helped them strategize and take the lead over the Blues for the first time. The set closed 26–24 for the Mustangs, tying the game 1–1.

Changing sides for the third set, the Blues took the lead in the beginning with the Mustangs following right behind them. Melnick sprained her ankle in the middle of the set, forcing Blues Head Coach Kristine Drakich to substitute in setter Jenna Peters. Nevertheless, with solid blocks

Blues men’s volleyball topple Mustangs 3–1 in home opener The Blues set the tone for the new season with the early triumph Bruno Macia Varsity Contributor

An autumn Friday night with delightful hip-hop music warmed the audience for the Varsity Blues men’s volleyball team on November 10 in their home opener against the Western Mustangs.

The crowd witnessed the Blues’ second game of this Ontario University Association season, where they played an unforgettable match, winning the game 3–1.

What happened The first set started slow for the Blues. Thanks to a collective effort, they made a comeback after being down 8–5 a few minutes into the set. Outside hitters Jayden Talsma and Hunter Arulpragasam dominated in the set – both finishing the game with

14 and 16 overall kills. The initial set ended 25–21 for the Blues.

In the second set, the story was similar to the previous one. Although the Mustangs took the lead early, the Blues won point after point to pass the Mustangs by one and take the lead 10–9. The Blues held the difference until the game was 20– 20. Recognizing the change in momentum, Blues veteran head coach John Barrett called a timeout.

Yet, soon after, the Mustangs scored four straight points, winning the set 25–21 and tying the match 1–1.

As the third set kicked off, the volleyball must have known where to land, as the Blues took the lead and didn’t let it go. A service error from the Mustangs, followed by an ace from outside hitter Jack Li, put the Blues up 17–11. Western called a much-needed timeout to calm down the energy of

Influencer boxing is here to stay The Prime Card is just the latest example of the rapid rise in popularity of celebrity bouts Mason Chang Varsity Contributor

On October 14, 21,000 fans and supporters of internet mega-stars Logan Paul and Olajide ‘JJ’ Olatunji — professionally known as KSI — filled a packed Manchester Arena to witness six rounds of boxing. Millions worldwide purchased the match with pay-per-view (PPV) on platforms like DAZN, YouTube, and ESPN to see the two YouTube personalities square up against mixed martial artist Dillon Danis and professional boxer Tommy Fury. Overall, the event’s card — dubbed the “Prime Card” — also included multiple other influencers who were set to fight each other.

With Fury already posting an impressive 10–0 professional record with four knockouts, the general public assumed that at the very minimum, there would be one fighter on the Prime Card who would demonstrate a glimpse of boxing skill. As for the Paul-Danis fight, neither was expected to display a newfound talent for the sport, as Paul’s skillset aligns more with wrestling and Danis’ with jiu-jitsu.

Ultimately, many viewers walked away severely underwhelmed. Mid-fight, Danis attempted to put Paul into an MMA-style chokehold, an illegal move

that got him disqualified and helped serve as an unfortunate paradigm of what influencer boxing cards have come to.

Influencer boxing has cemented itself as a significant part of the boxing scene. Many credit the YouTube personalities Theo Baker and Joe Weller for introducing the celebrity boxing era, with the two British content creators uploading a video of them fighting in an amateur bout in 2017. This resulted in KSI accepting a challenge from the winner of the fight, Weller. Though unconventional, the internet sensations promoted their fight through what they were most familiar with: social media and YouTube videos.

After KSI won, he challenged other social media personalities — this time, Ohio natives and brothers Jake and Logan Paul. KSI challenging arguably one of the biggest American YouTube personalities at the time, Logan Paul, created a unique marketing opportunity by pitting the US against the UK. Influencers’ fights began garnering more attention than most professional-level fights, as evidenced by the 1.3 million PPV purchases in the first fight between Paul and KSI. By using social media platforms to constantly promote “beef” be-

The Blues fought hard in their home opener against the Western Mustangs.

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and attacks, the third set ended 24–17 for the home team, with the Blues taking an overall 2–1 lead.

During the fourth set, Drakich observed the match closely while taking notes on her white notepad. She made the necessary substitutions, but despite the team’s effort, the Mustangs came back stronger, closing the set 25–20 in their favour. With the game now in a 2–2 tie, the Blues and Mustangs were set to face off in a dramatic fifth set to end the game.

The final set started with a sense of fear as the visiting team took the initial lead 6–0. Attack and

serve errors were fatal for the Blues, who saw the game dissipate in front of their eyes. The set closed with a 15–8 victory for the Mustangs, who took the game 3–2.

the Blues. But, despite the Mustangs’ efforts, the home team put a foot forward in the score by closing the set 25–22, reclaiming the lead in the game 2–1.

Right into the fourth set, the Blues started off solid. After the Mustangs scored the first point, the Blues put themselves in the front of the score, and the team kept it so for most of the set, unwilling to receive any more shots. The Mustangs did get dangerously close to catching up to the Blues near the end of the set when the game was tied 20–20. However, there was nothing more they could do, as Toronto won the set 25–22 and ended the game 3–1.

In a post-game interview with The Varsity, Barrett said he’s looking for improvement. “Playing at home for the first time this year… played on [our]

nerves. So we weren’t capable of showing our best level of volleyball,” he admitted. “[Tonight], we’re gonna go rest… and get ready to play without being so nervous.”

When asked about the team’s expectations for the season, Barrett said he expected the Blues to “compete every single day.”

“We [want to] make the playoffs, and we [want to] make the top three to go to national championships,” he added.

What’s next On November 11, the Blues had their chance to get revenge on the Mustangs. In another thrilling game, the Blues defeated the Mustangs 3–2, earning their first win of the OUA season. Now, the Blues will travel to Thunder Bay to play two games against the Lakehead Thunderwolves on November 17 and November 18.

What’s next Both teams played each other again on November 11, but the Blues lost 3–1. Next, the Blues will play back-to-back games against the Nipissing Lakers on November 24 and November 25 at home.

The Blues grabbed a dominant win in their first home game of the season.

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tween the fighters, these YouTubers, who already shared tens of millions of followers between them, saw their following climb to unforeseen levels. A new era of boxing had officially started, but was it here to stay?

When looking at just the numbers of the recent Prime Card, it’s difficult not to admire the amount of success the event garnered. From PPV sales alone, revenue for the event is estimated to be around $32 million. This figure excludes other major revenue streams, such as merchandise, ticket sales, and various advertising deals. On the surface, people would infer that the two headlining fights were must-see TV, similar to Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao’s bouts over the past two decades. Yet, the event was just the opposite: an ugly mix of poor technical skill, controversial judges, and even a brawl between security guards and the fighters themselves.

It existed as a harsh reminder that watchers were ultimately consuming a giant marketing scheme, consisting of outlandish hostility and product promotions instead of good, old-fashioned boxing. However, if history repeats itself, the next event that influencers headline will garner even more attention and money.

The rising success of influencer boxing has led other celebrities in other industries to try and become part of the scene. Some names include NBA star Nate Robinson, hip-hop artist Blueface, and even Mayweather, who toyed with Logan Paul in their 2021 bout. With UFC legend Conor McGregor making announcements that he wants to box KSI as well, it’s safe to assume that this influencer boxing era wasn’t merely a trend. It’s officially merged into the heart of the sport of boxing, and could be here for a long time to come.

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NOVEMBER 13, 2023