THE VARSITY September 29, 2026
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U of T launches Office of Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion
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Did U of T almost shut down?
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Protecting Ontario by burning it
Why cancer doesn’t have a universal cure
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TIFF review: The Beloved
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TIFF review: Inherit
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Toronto Tempo wind down inaugural season against Caitlin Clark’s Fever
The University of Toronto’s Student Newspaper Since 1880
Vol. CXLVII, No. IV
NEWS
BEHIND-THESCENES OF U OF T COLLEGE BOOK SALES
university and victoria college give a sneak peek CELESTA MANIATOGIANNI News Editor Each fall, a number of U of T colleges host their annual book sales, where donated used books are resold to the public. The Varsity was given an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the University College (UC) and Victoria College annual fall book sales. University College The volunteers and staff of the UC Book Sale work year-round, organizing and pricing book donations in their basement workroom under Whitney Hall. The team is also in charge of stocking the UC Bookshop in UC’s main building throughout the entire year. On average, the bookshop employs 25 volunteers year-round, and 65 at the book sale. The Varsity spoke with Paula Hurwitz, the current volunteer chair of the UC Book Sale’s executive committee and UC alumna. Hurwitz has been volunteer chair for the past three years and began volunteering with the committee in 2017, after retiring from her career as a lawyer.
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The Varsity acknowledges 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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Books sold at UC’s annual book sale and Bookshop are sorted and priced in their basement workroom under Whitney Hall. CELESTA MANIATOGIANNI/THEVARSITY
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Behind-the-scenes of two U of T college book sales Continued from cover: CELESTA MANIATOGIANNI News Editor
... Hurwitz told The Varsity that this was the first year where she has “a more direct role in supervising the sale.” Hurwitz said, “We realized having all our eggs in any one basket is just a little bit too dangerous.” This prompted a reorganization of roles and how they are divided between the book sale team, which gave Hurwitz a more supervisory role. Book donations for both the sale and the UC Bookshop are accepted between mid-October and August. They are then sorted by year-round volunteers into categories and priced, with some set aside to be sold in the bookshop: “Philosophy, Greek and Roman, math. We can’t keep that on the shelves in the shop. That goes immediately,” said Hurwitz. Items in the bookshop that do not sell are brought back to the workroom, where they are stored and then sold at the annual sale in September instead. This year, approximately 750–1,000 boxes of books were donated to the UC Book Sale. Volunteers are trained “as best as possible” to recognize potentially valuable or rare books, said Hurwitz. “We try also to have people who have some knowledge [in the genre of certain books], so I’m a retired lawyer. I will price the law books. We have a retired doctor who prices the health sciences [...] the art person is somebody who’s an art professor.” Rare books will either be sold at a higher price at the annual sale, in the bookshop, or sold to libraries, including U of T’s Thomas
Fisher Rare Book Library. Almost all of the revenue generated by the book sale and the bookshop goes to bursaries — “directly into the hands of deserving [UC] students, which we really like, and which our donors really like. So it makes them more willing to donate their books, volunteer their time, because they know it’s going to a really good cause,” said Hurwitz. Hurwitz also added that trying to get “new, energized volunteers is always a challenge.” She said that UC, in addition to other college book sale teams, “suffers from an aging population,” “We do have the expertise, but eventually people slow down.” In addition to the year-round and seasonal volunteers, around 11 students this year are also hired to do the “physical labour” of the sale, including moving boxes from the workroom to the sale site, and helping customers carry their purchased books to their cars. The UC Book Sale will take place from October 1–4. Victoria College This year, the annual book sale was held from September 24–28 at Old Vic. Most of the preparation for Victoria College’s annual book sale happens in the basement of EJ Pratt Library, where a small group of volunteers price the books. The sale has been organized annually since 1992 by the Friends of Victoria University Library — a charitable organisation made up of alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends — and has generated over $3 million. The proceeds go to Victoria College student bursaries and scholarships. The Varsity spoke with Nancy Ruhnke, a Victoria College alumna who has been a
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After books have been priced, they are stored under Old Vic before being brought up for the annual sale. ERIKA OZOLS/THEVARSITY
member of the Friends since its conception and has chaired the organizing committee for the book sale since 1997. After books are donated and brought down to the basement workspace, they are moved to the “sorting room” and categorized by genre. Boxes of books will then be brought into the “pricing room” where volunteers, including Ruhnke, will assign them a price based on potential value. Retired chief librarian of EJ Pratt, Robert Brandeis, is also a volunteer for the book sale with the role of determining the value of potentially rare books. After all of the books in a categorized box have been priced, they are sent by truck over to Old Vic Alumni Hall, where the boxes are stored in the basement and later brought upstairs for the sale. There are about 10–15 year-round volunteers processing, sorting, and pricing books. Every Tuesday, “a dozen people minimum” volunteer in preparation for the book sale. “Some of us are here more than that, obviously,” said Ruhnke. She told The Varsity that it takes “hundreds” of volunteers every year to run it. The Victoria College book sale is facing the same issues as UC in terms of volunteer demographics. According to Ruhnke, the “biggest problem during the year is getting younger people [to volunteer] because, of course, they’re doing other things, like working.” Ruhnke told The Varsity that over 1,000 boxes of books end up at the book sale. Books left unsold by the end of the sale are bought back into storage, but later donated. “We figure people who are coming to the sale every year, they don’t want to see the same books,” said Ruhnke.
thevarsity.ca/section/news
SEPTEMBER 29, 2026
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UTMSU approves up to $38,000 for student programs
UTMSU BOD revisits $5 meal proposal as union plans municipal forum and walkout NGUYEN BAO HAN TRAN UTM Bureau Chief The University of Toronto Mississauga Students’ Union (UTMSU) Board of Directors (BOD) voted to approve up to $38,000 for three student programs on September 25, including $30,000 for Free Breakfast Wednesdays. The vote came as board members pushed President Adam El-Falou for an update on his campaign proposal to introduce $5 meals at the Blind Duck. The board also approved up to $2,000 for Academic Advocacy Week and $6,000 for Halloween programming. During the 2026 UTMSU election campaign, El-Falou and his IgniteUTM slate identified food affordability as one of their priorities, with plans to introduce $5 meals at the Blind Duck and increase the frequency of Free Dinner Fridays. Food affordability discussion Division II Director Maryam Zeeshan raised the $5 meal proposal during the meeting and asked where the initiative stood. El-Falou said the union is still working through the logistics and that offering $5 meals every day would not be financially sustainable. He added that the UTMSU is considering offering the discounted meals periodically instead. Zeeshan suggested limiting the discounted meals to a set number of students. Division II Director Saad Hussain suggested making them available to the first 50 students.
Free Dinner Fridays will also return, although they will not run every week. El-Falou said dates are still being determined. “It is a very expensive event because you’re serving like two [hundred] or 300 people.” The discussion expanded to the range and affordability of food available on campus when Zeeshan asked whether another vendor could operate in the Student Centre. El-Falou said limited space makes bringing another vendor into the building difficult; expanding the Blind Duck menu would be more feasible. Melissa Theodore, UTMSU executive director, said the union is also exploring ways to give student groups access to a wider range of catering vendors. She said clubs often rely on pizza because it is among the more affordable options. The Blind Duck kitchen is also expected to undergo renovations next summer. Theodore added that the renovation would increase kitchen space, help staff serve students faster, and allow for more grab-and-go items. El-Falou said the UTMSU is still working with UTM administration on the project because the union does not own the building. Academic Advocacy Week and municipal forum The board also approved up to $2,000 from its campaign budget for Academic Advocacy Week, scheduled for October 13–16.
Dana Al-Habash, UTMSU vice-president university affairs, said the money would mainly pay for prizes and refreshments. Al-Habash discussed planned programming, which is set to include a mock trial-type activity related to academic offences, and a game show. Some details, including the prizes, were still being finalized. The board passed the funding motion without recorded opposition. The week is also expected to include a municipal election forum on October 14. El-Falou said the union had begun contacting mayoral candidates and that the event would focus on issues affecting UTM students, post-secondary students more broadly, and young people in Mississauga. UTMSU prepares for a walkout The UTMSU is also preparing for a student walkout on November 5, protesting tuition increases and changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program. El-Falou said the action follows a walkout motion passed through the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), calling for participating campuses to organize walkouts. He mentioned that the UTMSU is collecting petition signatures and working to inform students about the campaign. “Our job is to engage our students and make sure that they’re aware of what’s happening,” El-Falou said. El-Falou also said that the CFS would lead engagement with the provincial government while the UTMSU focuses on mobilizing students at UTM.
26 new bidets installed across campus El-Falou also announced that 26 new bidets had been installed in private washrooms across campus. He said the union plans to continue collecting feedback and working toward further installations. “This is very good news because it’s been something that we’ve been working on for a while, even before I came to the office,” El-Falou told the board. Before becoming president, El-Falou served as a UTMSU board director, during which time The Varsity reported that he worked on installing bidets in the Student Centre. Board approves $6,000 for Halloween programming The board also approved up to $6,000 from the Student Life Commission budget for Halloween programming. Lois Ogunnubi-Oriade, UTMSU VicePresident Campus Life, outlined plans for a week of activities including pumpkin painting, crafts, scary storytelling, and a club night. The funding will help cover supplies, transportation, and tickets. Ogunnubi-Oriade also discussed an offcampus event expected to accommodate an estimated 88 students. She said the UTMSU would subsidize part of the transportation and admission costs rather than charging students the full cost of attending. The Halloween funding motion passed with three abstentions.
The UTMSU held its monthly BOD meeting on September 25. SHANNA HUNTER/THEVARSITY
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Students seek hiring opportunities at U of T career fair
The Varsity
Newswire Mama’s Best hot dog stand receives U of T Survivor’s 2025–2026 Best Food Truck Award Aida Umar, Varsity Contributor
Conversations with students and recruiters reveal hiring patterns and insights
Mama’s Best hot dog stand received the U of T’s Best Food Truck Award 2025–2026 following a vote by U of T students. The award recognizes students’ favourite food truck for the academic year. Owner Stefan Penev has operated the food truck outside Sidney Smith Hall since 2008. After immigrating from Bulgaria, Penev worked as a hot dog vendor around Toronto, then as a welder before purchasing the U of T stand. Mama’s Best has since become a familiar part of campus life, serving generations of students. In an Instagram post thanking students for their support, Penev stated that seeing familiar faces throughout the year is one of the best parts of his work.
Tri-campus Orange Shirt commemorations begin Harbanee Kaur, Lead Copy Editor
Day
U of T raised commemorative flags across its three campuses as of September 24 ahead of Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, both occurring on September 30. The flags honour Indigenous people and communities impacted by Canada’s residential school system. On September 30, U of T will lower all flags to half-mast and hold a university-wide gathering at Hart House, featuring a panel on Indigenous language advocacy and a ceremonial fire at Ziibiing. Community members are also encouraged to wear orange in recognition of residential school survivors.
Public high school teachers in Ontario set to vote on strike in November Pham Tran Phu An, Varsity Contributor On September 25, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation announced its plan to join four other major Ontario teacher unions to vote on a strike in November. This does not guarantee that a strike will occur, but rather provides the unions the “opportunity to strengthen its bargaining position” with the minister of education, wrote CBC News. The federation wants to express solidarity with the unions’ demand for better government funding for public education. Simultaneously, the minister of education confirmed they were working with the Ontario Labour Relations Board on new contracts. CBC reports that in an emailed statement, Senior Communications Advisor & Press Secretary Emma Testani warned about the effects of “premature strike threats” on students and parents.
Toronto Police issue over 1,000 tickets in 2026 back-to-school safety campaign Kayra Naz Ustabasi, Varsity Contributor Toronto Police Service (TPS) concluded its 2026 back-to-school safety campaign, issuing more than 1,000 tickets through combined traffic and parking enforcement from September 8–18. Officers issued 639 traffic tickets and warnings for offences such as aggressive driving, distracted driving, speeding, and micromobility offences. Parking enforcement officers issued 500 tickets, cautioned 665 drivers, and visited 549 schools to support safe school zones during the return-to-school period. TPS thanked the public for their cooperation and reiterated a shared responsibility towards road safety, with continued commitment to enforcement in school zones.
Hundreds of students gathered in the Conference Centre and Giovanni Room at Chestnut Residence. PREKSHAA SURANA/THEVARSITY
PREKSHAA SURANA Assistant News Editor On September 22, U of T held a career fair at Chestnut Residence that brought students and recent graduates face-to-face with employers, though a conversation at a booth did not necessarily mean an immediate job opening. According to recruiters, collecting candidates’ information for upcoming recruitment was a highlight, while attendees used the event to learn what different roles require. The fair ran from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm and was open to U of T students and alumni. Its employer roster included financial firms, public organizations, and community service agencies, giving attendees the chance to compare different career pathways in a single place. Looking for the right fit Kelly, a third-year accounting specialist and economics major student, came looking for insight into recruitment and the kind of skills employers seek — soft or hard skills, and whether they’re transferable between fields.
She spoke to a representative at the booth of Brattle Group, a financial consulting firm, and said they helped her learn what kind of transferable skills were useful for the economics and finance consulting roles. Shayari Shaukat, a recent international development graduate, hoped to practise networking and move her job search forward. She said that speaking directly with employers felt more productive than “endlessly applying online.” After researching the roster, she sought out WoodGreen Community Services and the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres for their connections to community and youth development. Shaukat added that she found relatively few booths that aligned with her interests in public policy and community development among the finance employers. “I think maybe a good variety of different employers would be nice... I’ve just kind of been having to pick and choose the few firms that are here that kind of relate to my degree,” she stated. While describing the outdoor wait, she added “I would say the wait in the beginning was... challenging, [being] out there in the cold for so long”
Hiring beyond the fair Yelena Mardoyan, a human resources specialist at the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres, said her organization had recently closed many job openings but was looking ahead to its summer program. Resumés collected at the fair are entered into a database that staff can consult when positions become available. For junior roles, she said, educational excellence and acquired skills are categories that help assess candidates with limited work experience. For Futures First, a technology-enabled services firm, the fair was an opportunity to identify people interested in trading. Olivier Rouleau, a market analyst and trader, said the company expected to recruit traders and market analysts for the following summer. He said that the company collects candidates’ information and may contact them when recruitment begins. Beyond academic performance, he said, the firm weighs applicants’ skills, personalities, and interest in the work when hiring. Neither recruiter provided a figure for hires resulting from previous U of T fairs. For attendees, the immediate outcome was a clearer view of where to apply, what to emphasize, and when an employer might be hiring in the future.
thevarsity.ca/section/news
SEPTEMBER 29, 2026
DOWON KIM/THEVARSITY
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Aries (March 21 – April 19) Leave it all up in the air. Sitting on the fence is uncomfortable for everyone, but so is walking away. Either way, someone needs to rise above it, and it might as well be you. Taurus (April 20 – May 20) Say yes this week. Something will return to you, plus interest. Do not ask where it has been; it is better left unaccounted for. Gemini (May 21 – June 20) Don’t try to figure everything out at once. A professor will give contradictory instructions. Listen to the second, not the first. Cancer (June 21 – July 22) Do not sit with your back to the door; something is approaching. Leave it unlocked. Leo (July 23 – August 22) You will have a symbolic dream this week. The last quarter Moon phase on Saturday will spotlight something in your unconscious you don’t want to see. Thankfully, you will forget it soon after waking up. Virgo (August 23 – September 22) Keep your feet on the ground. Take the week one step at a time. Just because it is now fall doesn’t mean you need to as well. Libra (September 23 – October 22) You will be tempted to skip lectures. Keep an eye on the clock; something is missing from your calendar. Everything counts a little more than you think. Scorpio (October 23 – November 21) Something you locked up will not stay that way. Starting Wednesday, Mercury is in Scorpio, bringing truth and discovery. Someone else has the key. Yes, that one. Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21) You will see the same faces on campus again and again this week, and a decision will be made without you. Participation will be noticed more this week than others — are you doing enough in your group project? Capricorn (December 22 – January 19) You will not finish something on time, and that’s okay. What’s the big deal? Pretty sure everyone else is the problem here. Aquarius (January 20 – February 18) Do not test your luck; superstitions should be heeded this week. Knock on wood. Sit in your usual seat. There is no running from it.
U of T launches Office of Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion
Pisces (February 19 – March 20) The right hand will be dealt to you on Friday. Raise the blinds; you will need to see what you are doing.
The OHREI works collaboratively across U of T’s three campuses ARUNVEER SIDHU Deputy News Editor On September 15, U of T announced the opening of the Office of Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion (OHREI). It will be the first line of contact for students, faculty, and staff who need to file a complaint, share concerns, or receive support related to experiences of discrimination and harassment under Ontario’s Human Rights Code. The OHREI will work collaboratively across U of T’s three campuses and expand the work of the Institutional Equity Office. It will also bring many currently available resources — Sexual & Gender Diversity Office, Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Office, and the Faith and Anti-Racism portfolio — together to provide more coordinated support to the university community.
The creation of the OHREI was a result of consultations regarding 2025 community feedback gathered from the review of the university’s Statement on Prohibited Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment. Complaint filing process Anyone at U of T who has experienced or witnessed a situation concerning human rights discrimination, harassment, or equity-related concerns can submit a formal complaint by completing a form that requires a UTORid to access. Community members without a UTORid can email the OHREI for an alternative form. Prior to submitting a complaint, individuals are encouraged to reach out to the office for any clarifications involving the process and may also book a consultation with the OHREI team. Remaining anonymous does not count as filing a complaint; instead, it is viewed as
“anonymous disclosure,” which typically does not start a process that results in disciplinary action. The OHREI also offers educational workshops to the U of T community, encompassing faith, anti-racism and cultural diversity, accessibility, and sexual and gender diversity. Annual reports The OHREI publishes annual reports regarding Equity, Diversity & Inclusion initiatives, accessibility, and complaints. The latest available report on Complaints of Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment reveals that the university received 250 complaints between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025 regarding discrimination and harassment. That number was broken down by the complainants and respondents categories
— students, faculty, and staff. The people students complained against the most were faculty members (43), and the people faculty complained against the most were other faculty members (26). The complaints were further categorized based on incident type, which revealed that most complaints involved a verbal comment or exchange (156). The least common type of complaint involved property and vandalism (12). The latest report on activity under the Policy on Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment for 2024–2025 revealed a total of 50 reports — 30 of which were from undergraduate and graduate students; 7 were from faculty members, librarians, and administrative staff; and 13 were categorized as “other”, meaning that none of the options for incident type reflected their experience, or they prefer not to disclose.
Business & Labour
September 29, 2026 thevarsity.ca/category/business biz@thevarsity.ca
Updates from the Business Board, Planning and Budget Committee Financial position remains solid despite lower enrolment, macroeconomic headwinds
AUDREY KIM Business & Labour Editor As the school year ramps up, the many governance boards — including the Business Board and the Planning and Budget Committee — officially convened for their first meetings of the school year. They discussed matters relating to budget, enrollment, and fundraising. These factors are critical levers to the current academic, research, and capital projects underway, as well as planning for the institution’s long-term financial sustainability and strategic priorities. The Business Board and Planning and Budget Committee held their meetings consecutively on September 23–24. They were closely related and, in large, both concerned with the state of revenues as well as the volatile macroeconomic challenges that institutions across the country are learning to grapple with. Overall state The Business Board’s meeting began with a presentation from Assistant Vice President of Planning and Budget Mike Snowdon, who shared at a broader level how finances were looking for the upcoming year. His mood was optimistic as he explained that the university is in a “solid financial position.” This was reiterated at the Planning and Budget meeting by Vice President and Provost Trevor Young. Snowdon explained that with the uncertainty around US tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and inflation, the planning environment is more constrained. He added that this would show up especially in relation to capital projects, as in higher-cost investments like buildings and other infrastructure. Government of Ontario’s funding One of the more significant changes to U of T’s fiscal planning is in accounting for the Government of Ontario’s historic $1.7 billion investment towards the postsecondary sector. This
funding will provide much-needed resources, allowing universities to host more STEM, health sciences, and education students, as well as provide the university with more flexibility in other operating areas. While specific numbers remain embargoed, Snowdon said that they are content with U of T’s allocated portion of the funding pool. Young
that projections were “freelanced” and a couple of people had their “thumb on the scale.” One can interpret these remarks as certain individuals or groups seeking to project higher revenues, perhaps to portray the institution in a more positive financial situation. Similarly, postgraduate professional programs— such as the executive MBA offered by Rotman,
JISHNA SUNKARA/THEVARSITY
noted that the investment had already positively influenced the budgets. Enrolment The investment comes at a convenient time as enrolment numbers have landed a bit softer for international and graduate students. For international students, growth remains relatively stagnant, with 400 fewer international students than expected. During the Planning and Budget meeting, underperforming international student enrolment was explored in more depth, as Young commented
professional master’s of engineering, and several Ontario Institute for Studies in Education programs— all faced underwhelming enrolment figures. On the undergraduate domestic side, the university is aiming to ramp up enrolment to meet the provincial government’s targets. Altogether, it is expected that revenues will grow between two and three per cent. However, it should also be noted that inflation and salary raises will erode the impacts of pure growth. Government backing has provided needed relief to an otherwise tense financial environment and slowed international student enrolment.
Advancement report On a different note, the Department of Advancement — responsible for fundraising and alumni engagement — presented its 2025– 2026 annual report to the Business Board for their fundraising efforts on behalf of all the divisions and colleges, with Vice President of Advancement David Palmer speaking on behalf of the department. Fundraising for the Defy Gravity Campaign, a $4 billion philanthropic target, has again exceeded expectations, as was seen in the previous update provided at the Governing Council meeting held this May. According to Palmer, as of September 2026, the department has raised $2.85 billion. They are far ahead of schedule, with the $3 billion milestone expected to be met by winter 2027. Fundraising has been surprisingly active and resilient. Palmer credits this to the active community of alumni, with 68,000 engaged through various events and campaigns. Palmer also highlighted a couple of huge donations made by the U of T community, including the Jackman family donating $80 million during the reported fiscal year last September. He also alludes to a couple of donations coming down the pipeline, including a $50 million anonymous gift directed towards PhD students, and one of equal size dedicated towards the Temerty building construction. What to look out for Institutions are feeling the burden of an economy experiencing a trade war, fluctuating prices, and shaky policy. Relatively speaking, U of T is one of the more financially robust academic institutions in the province, with a diversified revenue stream and policy support providing critical support. While things remain in a “solid financial position” for the time being, it will be important to monitor how the institution balances academic, research, and strategic priorities amidst an increasingly fluctuating pool of capital.
Did U of T almost shut down?
Breaking down the USW Local 1998 strike mandate, resulting agreement REBECCA LIU Associate Business & Labour Editor On September 4, the U of T staff appointed members of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1998 unit — the union representing 6,100 U of T technical and administrative workers — held a vote for a strike mandate, where 96 per cent of participating members voted in favour. The union’s call for a strike mandate granted them the right to legally strike whenever they deemed necessary. A strike deadline, after which the union would enter a legal strike position against the university, was set for 12:01 am on September 8 — the first day of classes. With crucial staff — such as academic advisors, lab assistants, IT technicians, and program coordinators — in a potential legal position to strike, the two parties had to reach a deal quickly in order to ensure smooth academic operations for the start of term. On the morning of September 8, hours past the strike deadline, while students prepared for courses and struggled to find new classrooms, the staff appointed members of USW Local 1998 struck a tentative deal. The agreement was ratified by a majority of 78.2 per cent of workers more than a week later, on September 18. It is set to run until June 30, 2029. What drove union members to strike? One of the key non-monetary concerns — as the president of USW Local 1998 unit, John Ankenman, explains in a media release regarding the strike mandate — is job security, particularly as previous union contract proposals the union had
made were ignored. This concern of job security had rapidly arisen after the university planned to find $20 million in savings by reducing headcount earlier this year. According to U of T’s most recent 2026–2027 operating budget, 65 per cent of costs went towards faculty and staff compensation. Proposed earlier this year, part of the institution’s plan to reduce these costs was to implement “staff complement reductions” and “slowed faculty hiring plans”— essentially a workforce reduction. This would look like eliminating existing but vacant roles and “reorganizing” administrative staff. Existing staff have expressed worry over the potential unfair increase in workload and burden for remaining employees. AI is another emerging component of job security concerns. Staff members during bargaining demanded greater protections from the technology, given the university’s increased prioritization of AI and digital investments. Specifically, $15 million of the most recent budget was allocated to implement the university’s AI Task Force’s recommendations. Another key issue raised was the possible erosion of remote and alternative work arrangements. In an October 2025 speech, President Melanie Woodin declared the need to “have a critical mass of administrative staff present on our campuses five days per week.” While Woodin assured that the university would still honour other working arrangements, the union saw these choices as an attempt to undermine staff members’ ability to organize their own work arrangements. Other union mandates included greater recognition of unpaid overtime, improved
workplace accommodation processes, more accountable investigations into workplace harassment and discrimination, greater wage increases to keep pace with inflation, and stronger health care benefits. What did the university and staff agree on? The tentative agreement reached on September 8 and ratified on September 18 addressed many issues raised by union members, including wage increases, job security, AI protections, hybrid work arrangements, and workplace accommodations. In terms of job security, employees facing indefinite layoffs will be paid in full for the last three weeks of their notice period without the requirement to continue working. This will allow workers more time to find a new job and provide some cushion in the case of loss of employment. Furthermore, workers with redeployment status — those within the organization changing roles, typically as an alternative to being laid off — will now be able to apply to jobs that are one pay band above their previous salary. To address AI concerns, U of T is introducing a Letter of Intent that recognizes the need to protect employee data, ensure humans still make final employment decisions, provide AI training and support to staff, and continuously assess AI models and systems. According to the USW Local 1998 unit, the negotiations established wage increases above the average negotiated wage raises at other Ontario post-secondary institutions. Starting in 2026, wages will increase by four per cent in the first year, followed by 3.5 per cent the second year, and then a three per cent annual increase in the third year.
Demands regarding remote and hybrid working arrangements were not fully met. Negotiations increased the minimum number of time for granted alternate work arrangements to half a year from four months, on top of making it a requirement for management to notify staff of a change in work arrangement at least eight weeks in advance. The deal also requires the university to seek union input before attempting to modify alternative work guidelines. At the same time, the union did not gain stronger contractual language that could allow them to more effectively counter the university’s broad intentions to reduce remote work. Are we back to work as normal? While the strike mandate was avoided and the tentative agreement was ratified, many underlying issues have not been entirely resolved. In particular, the disagreement surrounding remote work continues between the union and the university. The USW Local 1998 unit stated it would remain “committed to providing the resources required to have the best chance for success in the arbitration of remote work-related grievances,” suggesting the issue is not over. Furthermore, the ratification of the collective agreement was not unanimous. While 78.2 per cent voted to ratify, this still means that nearly a thousand U of T staff members rejected the agreement. This debacle showed how merely being in the position to strike influenced negotiations and strengthened the union’s bargaining power. Ultimately, while a tentative agreement was reached, contentious issues like remote work remain, and labour negotiations will likely continue into the near future.
Science
XX X, 2024 thevarsity.ca/category/science science@thevarsity.ca The 2026 Ontario wildfire season’s devastating effects have lasting health consequences. ANDREA BOOHER/THEVARSITY
Protecting Ontario by burning it
The 2026 Ontario wildfire season heats up as Ford’s government invests in fossil fuels. HAFSA HUMAIR Varsity Contributor The 2026 Ontario wildfire season officially began on April 1. By late May, 62 wildfires were reported in Ontario, with 41 of them happening in the Northwest Region. Over 2,000 Ontario residents were forced to evacuate because of this season’s wildfires. These residents, many of whom are Indigenous, remained displaced until late July. Indigenous reserves are directly impacted by wildfires because of their proximity to forests. In 2023, 42 per cent of wildfire evacuations were from communities where Indigenous people comprised more than half of the population. Protecting or hurting Ontario? Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford introduced the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, 2025, also known as Bill 5, on April 17, 2025. While its suggested aim is to prioritize Ontario’s economy, it does so by sacrificing ecological sustainability. The act decreases regulatory constraints for industries, speeding up projects like mining development, by designating Special Economic Zones. The extraction process for critical
minerals is intensely unsustainable. Under Bill 5, these projects are more easily exempted from environmental review or consent from Indigenous communities. Assistant Professor Laura Tozer, of UTSC’s Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, argues that the government backs out of environmental policy constantly, regardless of the outcome for Ontarians. In an interview with The Varsity, she said, “We’ve had consistent rollbacks of climate change policy across levels of federal and provincial government in Canada, [...] and failure to implement policies at the provincial level.” Kindling wildfires Wildfires need aridity to thrive. Aridity occurs when a climate faces water scarcity for long periods of time. Wildfires are an essential part of Canada’s forests, because they drive forest regeneration of pioneer Canadian species and provide favourable conditions for their seeds to germinate. The issue is that climate change is driving the intensity and frequency of these fires, with devastating impacts for both Ontario communities and the health of forests. As the government pushes for fossil fuel burning
and major mining projects, aridity increases. Conditions created by climate change, such as low humidity, lack of rain, and heat, create more fuel for wildfires to take place. But how have the shortcomings of federal and provincial policy led to wildfires? What are the consequences if policies remain unchanged? Fine particulate matter and its health consequences Wildfire smoke contains hazardous particles that pose severe adverse consequences for human health. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are inhalable particles too small to be seen by the naked eye. PM2.5 particles can enter the lungs while also being absorbed into the bloodstream, leading to potential heart and respiratory diseases. PM2.5 from wildfires has also been associated with more emergency department visits for migraines, and exposure to air pollution from wildfires also impacts pregnancy, since PM2.5 inhalation can enter a pregnant person’s bloodstream, crossing the placenta and impacting the fetus. Even though climate change affects everyone, Indigenous people, in particular, face disproportionate consequences that are worsened by existing systemic medical oppression.
Displacement and disruptions from wildfire evacuations prevent access to medical care. Disproportionate risk in Canada’s Indigenous communities Canada’s colonial history contributes heavily to the disproportionate risks, health effects, and evacuation complications Indigenous communities face amid wildfires. Tozer asserted that “Fundamentally, what’s needed is an Indigenous sovereignty approach and land back policies [...] we can work on the sorts of sharing that treaty relations set up in the first place that settler governments have never upheld.” Your climate action matters For U of T students wanting to further their climate action involvement, they can take ESTB04: Addressing the Climate Crisis, taught by Tozer, which explores how climate change affects communities and presents potential solutions. Tozer’s words serve as a warning to the Ontario government, and how they’ve handled climate change: “[Climate] preparedness comes down to stopping burning fossil fuels [...] if we continue to cause climate change [...] we will rapidly surpass any kind of reasonable preparedness that’s possible.”
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SCIENCE
Why cancer doesn’t have a universal cure
How biosynthetic “frankenproteins” are opening new doors in cancer research PRANASHA AMABELLA JO Varsity Contributor Cancer is not a monolithic condition. The sheer diversity in its pathways and mechanisms is why no universal cure has been found. U of T researchers are busy exploring new and innovative approaches to cancer treatment. Cancer occurs when cells in the body divide uncontrollably. During normal cell replication, cells divide, grow, and die. This process is regulated by proto-oncogenes — a set of cellular instructions that keep cell division in check. Normally, proto-oncogenes are like careful speed limit-following drivers, pressing the gas pedal at just the right speed to control the rate of cell growth. But when proto-oncogenes are mutated, they become dangerous drivers, accelerating cell growth beyond the body’s speed limit. Research into proto-oncogenes has become a promising focal point. UTM’s Shin lab, for instance, has created “frankenproteins” to target this pathway. Proteins have various domains, each of which performs a function, like grabbing onto another molecule in the cell or speeding up a reaction. Frankenproteins, like their namesake’s creation, are amalgamations made of different protein domains from various protein families. A persistent therapeutic gap Frankenproteins work by targeting Myc, a proto-oncogene responsible for various
cellular processes. The overexpression of Myc — when the cell has higher-than-normal amounts of this gene — occurs in the majority of cancer cases. Myc works through the MYC-MAX pathway. When expressed, the segment of DNA containing the Myc gene produces a family of MYC proteins. In turn, these MYC proteins bind other regions of the DNA and impact cell replication. Omomyc, the most prominent therapeutic mini-protein attempting to target the MYCMAX pathway, is currently undergoing human clinical trials. However, Omomyc degrades quickly in the body. The shape of the MYC protein also makes it a challenging target for drug delivery and design. An engineered solution Researchers in the Shin lab at UTM are now addressing these challenges by using two frankenproteins known as ME47 and MEF. In an interview with The Varsity, Jumi Shin — UTM Associate Professor of Biological and Bioanalytical Chemistry and Head of the Shin lab — explained the development process of frankenproteins. A closer look at frankenproteins “It’s known that many proteins have evolved only to interact with partners in their own family [...] We wanted to make a protein that will not interact with other proteins in your cells because then you’re going to have off-
target effects,” Shin said. Off-target effects happen when unrelated molecules or processes are inadvertently affected.
“
Frankenproteins, like their namesake’s creation, are amalgamations made of different protein domains from various protein families.
” ME47 and MEF are shorter in sequence than naturally occurring proteins, which can translate to higher efficacy. ME47, the lab’s initial frankenprotein, was 66 amino acids long. A typical protein is between 300 and 500 amino acids in length. However, ME47 had a tendency to misfold, failing to assume its normal shape. Further modifications resulted in the creation of MEF, a more stable iteration. The MEF frankenprotein mimics specific structural components of MYC and MAX,
like a spy in disguise. Molecules can only sequentially bind to the DNA region regulating cell division; if MEF binds, it inhibits MYC/ MAX from doing the same. Cells will not be bombarded with signals driving unregulated growth, thus nipping tumour growth in the bud. MEF is also stable, which is important in ensuring effectiveness over time. Shin explains that “if you’re taking a drug and you have to go in every week to be injected by nurses and doctors, it’s actually a big healthcare burden.” Its biological persistence could reduce the frequency of treatments, thus easing the strain on both patients and healthcare systems. A promising future Though still in the early stages of research and development, frankenproteins hold great promise. There are a multitude of Myc-driven cancers, and the Shin lab has begun looking into the applications of frankenproteins for ovarian and breast cancers. However, Shin emphasizes that more testing is still needed. She suggests the possibility of frankenprotein-based drugs working in parallel with other treatments, such as surgery or radiation, in treating cancers case-by-case. Ultimately, cancer’s diverse types and causes mean no single treatment is likely to be a universal remedy. However, innovations such as the Shin lab’s frankenproteins may bring us one step closer to turning cancer into a manageable disease.
CHLOE WESTON/THEVARSITY
Opinion
September 29, 2026 thevarsity.ca/section/comment comment@thevarsity.ca
U of T Law School laptop ban is beneficial for students New policy fosters a better learning environment for its future lawyers
CHLOE WESTON/THEVARSITY
WAJIHA ILHAM Varsity Contributor This summer, U of T’s Henry N.R. Jackman Faculty of Law sent an email to its students introducing a new technology policy: many of the school’s professors will no longer be allowing laptops in class. In an email to students obtained by CityNews, Associate Dean Richard Stacey writes that the policy was introduced because “the very act of type-writing comprehensive notes during class does not allow students to think deeply about the class material or to engage in discussion and argument.” Students, however, are concerned. The U of T Students’ Law Society conducted a survey which found that 85 per cent of law students at U of T disagreed that a laptop ban would be beneficial. In an interview with the Toronto Star, Society President Ishaan McLachan said that “students told us they are adults in a professional degree who have spent years developing how they study.”
I believe that restricting laptops in classrooms is beneficial for students because it creates a learning environment that fosters richer engagement with the material. By limiting distractions, removing the pressure of multitasking, and encouraging a more active style of note-taking, laptop restrictions allow students to focus more fully on classroom content.
allows you to rebuild the memory that helps you in discussions, debates, and exams. Laptop restrictions should also be accompanied by having designated notetakers in class. This relieves pressure some students may feel to note down word-for-word what the professor is saying and promotes more sincere engagement.
The harm of multitasking Allowing laptops in class leads students to constantly multitask. Note-taking on a laptop can be distracting, while handwriting notes offer a more solitary and focused way of working. At the outset, that may seem like a positive skill that would be beneficial to practice. However, multitasking is more harmful to the brain than one might expect. In a 2006 experiment led by Karin Foerde, who was a postdoctoral fellow in psychology at Columbia University, it was determined that multitasking had negative effects on “declarative memory,” a key type of memory that lets you recall what you’ve studied earlier. Removing the option for laptops, therefore,
Benefits of handwriting A study conducted by Giuseppe Marano and coworkers on the neuroscience behind writing shows that the process of writing notes by hand works areas of the brain not activated by typing, promoting memory retention and greater cognitive engagement. In addition, handwriting forces students to slow down when engaging with the content and determine what is most important to note down. This involves processing information critically and isolating important concepts, which are analytical skills lawyers need to review research and create complex arguments.
While restricting laptops may force some students to change their note-taking method, it is a change that would ultimately benefit them in the long run. It should be acknowledged that not all students should be forced to take notes by hand instead of on a laptop. Those who require laptop accommodations, despite a laptop restriction in the class, should still be allowed to use them. U of T Law School’s new policy may seem like an extreme, unfair rule to enforce on students. However, considering the distractions laptops bring and the positive effects of handwriting, it is clear to me that restricting laptops in class would help students perform at a high academic level. It may seem like a daunting shift at first, but it’s worth knowing that through this, you’re training your brain so it can perform well when in highpressure legal scenarios. Wajiha Ilham is a first year undergraduate in Trinity One’s Ethics, Society, and Law stream, seeking to major in ethics, society, & law, and criminology & sociolegal studies.
Comment-in-brief: Ford government puts profit before environmental protection Re: Ontario announces new data centre framework EMMANUELLA NWABUOKU Varsity Contributor Doug Ford’s Ontario government announced a data centre framework on August 13. The main goal outlined in this framework is to attract data centre investments to Ontario. The Ford government says that these centres will increase jobs, develop the economy, and ensure Canadians’ data remains in Canada. The framework preempts complaints about data centres’ environmental impact, arguing that the centres have to meet the Ontario government’s “strict environmental standards” by requiring that centres with a capacity above 1 megawatt “pay a higher rate than the industrial rate program for large electricity use.” This will encourage data centres to employ a closed-loop cooling system which recycles the water used. The Ford government has routinely prioritized profitable economic development over environmental protection by ignoring established laws and environmental considerations. In prioritizing economic development, the government is disregarding Indigenous and other marginalized communities’ concerns when they conflict with Ford’s economic development plans. In June 2025, the Ford Conservatives passed the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act — framed as a response
to US tariffs — which allows the provincial government to bypass some municipal and provincial laws. The Ford government was convinced the barrier to protecting the Ontario economy was environmental protections. The Ford government said Ontario needed faster infrastructure development, but that as long as they needed to abide by environmental law, Ontario would fall behind. The Chiefs of Ontario, who advocate for 133 First Nations communities in Ontario, spoke up against this action, but to no avail. Moreover, Ford’s most prominent dismissal of environmental protections was the 2023 Greenbelt scandal. Notably, the controversy consisted of attempts by the Ford government to sell off parts of the Greenbelt, a protected environmental zone, to “developers for housing development.” The environment and Indigenous communities have been treated like obstacles to economic success by the Ford government. Now the Ford government claims the environment, and the Indigenous and low-income Black and brown communities hosting these data centres, are their priority. Forgive me for doubting them again. Emmanuella Nwabuoku is a Varsity contributor majoring in political science and women and gender studies, while minoring in African studies.
The Ford government has routinely prioritized profitable economic development over Indigenous environmental protection. COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA
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Arts & Culture TIFF review: The Beloved
Too many subplots spoil the narrative broth
Javier Bardem and Victoria Luengo in a still from Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s The Beloved, where they play father and daughter. COURTESY OF TIFF
Bardem), reuniting with his struggling actress daughter, Emilia (Victoria Luengo), thirteen years after he abandoned her.
BUSHRA AZIM BOBLAI Arts & Culture Editor This review may contain spoilers. Contains descriptions of abusive behaviour. I have always been a sucker for a good emotional father-daughter story. The Phoenician Scheme and Sentimental Value were my two favourite film releases of 2025. Reading TIFF’s premise for The Beloved, which described it as “...a darker portrait of creative control” compared to Sentimental Value, which is about an estranged director father and actress daughter dealing with their family’s historical trauma –– I was very intrigued. The latest from Goya Award-winning Spanish director Rodrigo Sorogoyen, The Beloved tells the story of a famous director father, Esteban (Javier
A confused direction The problem with a film like The Beloved is that it tries to do too many things simultaneously, and does not adequately explore anything. The premise made it seem like the feature was going to explore the colonization of the Western Sahara, the subject of the fictional production being directed by Esteban. The Western Sahara is a non-self-governing territory in North-West Africa that was colonized by Spain in 1934 and was subsequently controlled by the fascist Francoist government until 1975. The consequences of this occupation have led to the present-day human rights violations of
September 29, 2026 thevarsity.ca/category/arts-culture arts@thevarsity.ca
many Sahrawi tribespeople by the government of Morocco. Esteban’s movie also takes place during the Francoist era. However, I was disappointed to see that the colonization of the region is only a backdrop for Sorogoyen. If a viewer had never heard about the brutality of Francisco Franco, or Spain’s colonial past, they wouldn’t even know that this is marketed as such a big part of the movie. Sorogoyen commits the cardinal sin of every white director before him — romanticizing the aesthetic of the exotic colonial overseer uniform without any of the substance or the consequences. The closest he comes to addressing the West Saharan conflict is when Bilal (Mourad Ouani) — a Moroccan actor Esteban hires — has his antiSahrawi independence beliefs challenged, only for the whole subject to then be dismissed with a laugh a minute later. This sardonic non-stance is almost worse than not addressing the issue at all. The art of directing Where the film works is when it is depicting the intricacies of being a director settled into his career. Esteban, recording Blu-ray commentary for the anniversary of his cult classic movie, is charmingly portrayed by Bardem. I know the director probably meant for Esteban’s taking note of the facial tics of his actors and asking them to bring it to their performance to be seen as controlling –– but it just came across as an artist dedicated to his craft. I also enjoyed the scenes where Esteban would share the cut version of the day’s shoot with Emilia. I don’t think Sorogoyen succeeds at depicting the nuance of artistic abuse in this movie. It is easy to convey a shouting, angry person, but when the abuse is coming from a character who is not a cartoon villain –– that is a lot harder to do well. For instance, there is one scene where Esteban is directing a shot at the breakfast table. Esteban repeatedly instructs the leading male actor in his movie, César (Raúl Arévalo), to chew with more enunciation so that it shows up well on camera. As
the scene is being shot so early in the morning, and the breakfast is a fish soup, César isn’t very eager to do this. Esteban calls for repeated takes again and again, and eventually one of the child actors in the scene is driven to tears. Obviously, it is bad that male directors feel comfortable yelling at their workers in a professional setting. However, Esteban does not come across as the controlling auteur that Sorogoyen may have intended to portray him as. For one thing, César’s disdain for Esteban’s instructions is very clear; as is Emilia’s insecure need to defy the father she resents having agreed to work for. Instead of a serious depiction of a powerful artist whose demanding behaviour can become abusive, we get an old man who cannot keep up with the times. This tired stereotype egregiously makes the characters who identify this abuse –– the fictional film shoot’s original cinematographer, Pepa (Pepa Gracia), for instance –– come across as though they are overreacting. A pointless tension But the film’s most unforgivable crime? Giving us a father-daughter movie that has no resolution. I am not saying that the movie should have ended with Esteban and Emilia’s dysfunctional dynamic magically resolved. I would have happily settled for an explosive fight where all ties are severed for eternity. What we get instead is a nothingburger, openended, yawn fest. Emilia goes back to her full-time job waiting tables. Esteban vaguely tells his creative partner, Marina (Marina Foïs), that he talked with Emilia about their past. We get nothing else. Bardem is phenomenal in this movie and makes it an interesting watch. However, it was not worthy of the standing ovation that the crowd at my premiere screening gave it under the influence of the charming actor’s pre- and post-screening remarks. A confusing, disappointing mess of a movie that should never be compared to Sentimental Value.
TIFF review: Inherit
A creepy-crawly romp through a family’s gender dynamics and secrets JOSEPHINE GRAHAM Black Arts Columnist This review may contain spoilers. Mentions depiction of abusive behaviour. Banjong Pisanthanakun’s psychological horror, Inherit, tells the story of a wealthy Thai family reckoning with an ancient centipede demon that has tortured their maternal lineage for 800 years. The creepy-crawly demon’s calling card is to possess virgin menstruating girls in the family. Based on Thep Chumsai Na Ayutthaya’s novel, Tayard Asoon, Pisanthanakun brings the popular story to an international audience at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The demon appears in the form of Woranart, a non-aging octogenarian, played by 34-yearold Davika Hoorne. After the passing of her sister, Woranart visits her newly motherless niece, Sudaduang (Sinjai Plengpanich), after decades of having no contact with her. Sudaduang and her family fawn over Woranart’s youthful appearance –– which Woranart attributes to cosmetic enhancements rather than her nightly demonic rituals. Woranart bonds with Sudaduang’s teenage daughter, Oui (Thitiya Jirapornsilp), while mentally terrorizing the men in the family. Human moral failings vs a demonic anti-hero This felt like a strategic attempt to separate the men and women in the family and also a reaction to the personal disgust Woranart feels towards the men’s actions. The film blurs the lines between good and evil; it’s hard to dislike Woranart when she is presented in contrast to characters like Oui’s father, Olarn (Trin Settachoke). Olarn denies his negligence that led to a chemical leak in his factory, killing a large number of his
A still from Banjong Pisanthanakun’s Inherit. COURTESY OF TIFF
employees. He also covers up a crime committed by Oui’s brother Rangsan (Pakin Kunaanuwit) at a party, although the audience never gets the full details. How awful can an infernal centipede really be in comparison to Oui’s eldest brother Roj (Pongsatorn Jongwilas), who is the most sexually immoral of them all? As Olarn, Rangsan, and Roj attempt to protect Oui from becoming the new host, I couldn’t help but feel disgusted with myself when I realized I was rooting for these repugnant men. While I wanted them to overcome Woranart for Oui’s sake, I also hoped they would experience the demon’s neverending psychological torture as punishment for their crimes.
Additionally, Woranart must receive consent from Oui before the centipede can take over the young girl’s body –– but how moral is this truly? It’s a manipulated, uninformed consent that brings into question whether Woranart differs much from the male predators depicted in the film. The film effortlessly embraces the moral complexities that arise from the rivalry between Woranart and the wicked men of the family without trying to escape the grey area –– rather, it lets the audience writhe in their own moral discomfort. Celebrating the comic absurdity of the horror genre Despite the movie’s dark themes, I heard more laughs in the theatre than screams. The comedic dialogue and absurdity of an influencer-looking grandmother
allowed the story to maintain some levity. Woranart’s army of demons made me both laugh and cover my eyes in horror at the same time. Pisanthanakun skillfully executed his vision, which he described during the Q&A session after the screening as, “a mixed-genre [story], [and] not a horror-horror. I want[ed] it to be funny.” The film also impressed me with its costumes and acting. Woranart wears luxurious designer pieces often accompanied by a neck accessory to cover a scar. From bathing suits to ballgowns, Woranart stuns as a sexually libertine, fashionable, weedsmoking grandmother. Hoorne is truly unsettling as Woranart from the second she appears on the screen. With calculated movements and a lifeless smile, Hoorne contrasts Jirapornsilp’s wholesome portrayal of Oui beautifully. The two underlying concepts of this film are karmic consequences and anger. Woranart claims that she does not believe in Buddhism because karma always comes too late. She also explains her centipede tattoo as a symbol of her anger. I was left wondering why this demon is so angry at this particular family, and whether certain members of the family ever receive their karma. Hopefully, a future production will reveal more about the curse and subsequently, the thematic intention. Pisanthanakun has implied his desire for a sequel, asking the audience to “please stay tuned.” Inherit turns the terrified gaze towards the depravity of the human condition. Woranart is a villain, sure, but she is not the scariest part of this film for me. By subverting audience expectations of the traditional horror-demon genre, Inherit argues that the monsters are closer to us than we think. These monsters are not just ancient demons or possessed grandmas; they are the people possessing power, perversion, and legal immunity over the vulnerable.
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TIFF review: Ancestors No Survivors. Only Descendants.
A still from David Turpin’s Ancestors. COURTESY OF TIFF
JULIET PIETERS Associate Arts & Culture Editor This review may contain spoilers. Director and writer David Turpin brings a ghostly London to life in his first feature film Ancestors, which premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The film takes place in the 1980s and follows the life of Beau (Éanna Hardwicke), a gay Irish man living in South London at a time when male homosexuality was still criminalized in Ireland and heavily policed in England. Beau spends his days working at a café owned by an older gay man, Maurice (Rupert Everett) and nights with his only friend and fellow Irish immigrant, Shell (Jessica Reynolds). Maurice offers work to a young man, Tiny (Jack Wolfe), with whom Beau forms an unlikely bond. Beau eventually discovers that Tiny has AIDS and decides to take care of him in the hopes that he will get better. As Tiny’s health deteriorates, Beau distances himself from him in an effort to avoid acknowledging the reality of the disease and the threat it posed to his immediate circle. Later in the film, Beau is also diagnosed with AIDS, which forces him to confront his anxieties about the AIDS crisis and join a support group for gay men. Beau is eventually placed in hospice where Shell and Maurice stay at his bedside.
Harmful stigmatization and isolation of AIDS patients Approximately 42 million people have died of AIDS related illnesses since the epidemic began in 1981. Over 20,000 of those deaths occurred in the United Kingdom. The AIDS crisis was mishandled by Margaret Thatcher and her government and produced a great deal of misinformation. The disease was initially wrongly thought to only affect gay men, creating an overwhelming atmosphere of fear for LGBTQIA+ people and their loved ones. Many people believed that AIDS could spread by touching an infected person. This caused a severe ostracization of patients with AIDS. The film addresses this stigma with a scene where Beau overhears two women gossiping about a woman visiting AIDS patients and holding their hands. In April 1987, Princess Diana shocked the world by shaking the hand of an AIDS patient inside a London hospital. Her actions helped demonstrate that AIDS could be passed through physical touch, and helped humanize AIDS patients significantly. Turpin alludes to this incident indirectly to convey how common the stigma had been. A fixation on the unknown The crushing reality of losing so much of his community causes Tiny to contemplate what comes after death. He starts to fixate on what the afterlife will look like for “people like us,”
by which he means gay men. This question of where heaven is for him is unanswered and leads to tension with Beau. Their frustration and anxiety are palpable. It brought tears to my eyes to watch Beau and Tiny struggle to reconcile with death — and with the lives they leave behind. The most striking performance of the film is the argument between Beau and Tiny, which is told simultaneously in alternating timelines. The first follows the events of the day before Tiny suddenly vanishes, and the second is when Beau hallucinates between life and death while in hospice and relives their final confrontation. Hardwicke and Wolfe portray completely opposite personalities that are united by their shared sorrow as they search for an answer to one question: where do we go when we die? A haunting absence Because of the AIDS crisis, the gay community shrank significantly in only a few years. At points throughout the film, Beau wanders through what should be a busy city, but is completely alone. Turpin portrays this immense loss of people to the disease apocalyptically –– with his version of London resembling a ghost town. These absences distress both Tiny and Beau, but where Tiny wants answers and for his illness to be acknowledged, Beau only wants to pretend that nothing horrible is happening. Beau’s wanderings are a part of his search for
Tiny, and continue long after Tiny’s body has been found and his memorial has taken place. Tiny’s palpable absence is only resolved in the final moments of the film when Beau and Tiny reunite with each other in the afterlife. The scene is bittersweet and emotional; Beau does not want to die, but he also wants to be with Tiny. Additionally, Tiny’s character is only shown to the audience through flashbacks, and his absence in the progressing timeline stays with Beau for the rest of the film. Turpin’s fixation on absence is a recurring theme in this film. For instance, the absence of Ireland in a story that is centred around an Irishman. Beau mentions his homeland only twice: when Tiny asks why he left, and again when Tiny questions why Beau never talks about Ireland. Beau dismisses these concerns, saying that Ireland is only his birthplace and that he isn’t really from anywhere. In the next few years from when the film takes place, Ireland will undergo radical change as a country, including the decriminalization of homosexuality in 1993. Turpin has crafted a visually gloomy and melancholic world but populated it with people with passions for music, books, Hollywood divas, and the sea. Their stories are devastating and beautiful at the same time. Beau and Tiny are mesmerizing to watch as they tackle the challenges of living and coping with illness and loss. Turpin humanizes these stories of queer ancestors without reducing them to their illness.
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ARTS & CULTURE
A still from Kris Rey’s Trash Mountain. COURTESY OF METRONOME
Caleb Hearon stars as Gavin and Zooey Deschanel stars as Abbi in Kris Rey’s Trash Mountain. COURTESY OF METRONOME
TIFF review: Trash Mountain
Grief, comedy, and love at a hoarder’s house CELESTA MANIATOGIANNI News Editor This review may contain spoilers. Featured in this year’s Toronto International Film Festival’s (TIFF) Centrepiece programming was Kris Rey’s heartwarming feature, Trash Mountain. Co-written by Caleb Hearon and Ruby Caster, the movie is a charismatic and humorous representation of grief ’s complexity. The film begins on an average worknight for Gavin (Hearon), a Chicago-based comedian who emcees for drag shows. That same night, Gavin receives a call from his sister, Abbi (Zooey Deschanel), asking him to return to their hometown because their father has just died. He drives back that same night to his rural Missouri hometown and to Abbi’s home, where she lives with her husband (Kyle Marvin) and their two young children. It quickly becomes clear that Gavin has not been back in many years and has a complex relationship with his family — most of all, with his late father, who had been a hoarder and an alcoholic. The two siblings have to work together to complete the necessary paperwork to settle their
father’s estate, with the help of Abbi’s husband and their over-the-top grieving grandmother, Helen (Jacki Weaver), who is anxious about the ‘proper’ way to do things. The group must dig through the father’s entire house to find his social security card. The comedy This film has no shortage of wit and comedy, which is distributed very well throughout what is an otherwise miserable and distressing situation. The plot itself serves as an overarching joke: finding a social security card in a hoarder’s house makes for a comically difficult and ridiculous reliving of Gavin’s childhood trauma. The humour also felt natural in the dialogue between Gavin and Abbi specifically, as they reconnect throughout the film while tackling their shared grief and trauma. Something I enjoyed, as a fan of Hearon’s comedy, was getting to notice just how much of his wit shone through in the movie’s writing. There were many moments where the jokes almost felt like they were improvised between the characters –– extremely similar to Hearon’s
normal interactions with other comedians and guests on his podcast. Hearon said to People magazine at TIFF, “I started writing this film in the immediate aftermath of my dad passing away. It’s one of the first things I’ve ever written that I just started writing because I had to, and I didn’t necessarily have a conception of us ever really getting it made.” The film is a fantastic addition to Hearon’s portfolio as a writer and comedian. Identity and emotion One of the core themes of Trash Mountain is the conflict between one’s personal identity and their shared hometown identity. The film does a good job of contrasting Gavin with the rest of his hometown –– from the bright, colourful opening scene featuring drag queens to rural Missouri with its Trump paraphernalia. The film skillfully and comically conveys the idea that Gavin is a black sheep, and all the feelings that come attached to that. It captured the anxiety of having to see people you’ve been avoiding for years, but also the joyful memories that emerge from being back home,
and the guilt and sadness one would feel in only returning for a funeral. Homecoming movies are in no shortage of black sheep protagonists, however, and Trash Mountain did feel formulaic and generic in that regard. Scenes of awkward reunions, running into someone from high school, and a relatively flat arc with a love interest restricted the film to overused tropes, rather than giving the emotion and grief time to breathe. This especially impacted Gavin and Abbi’s storyline as siblings. While enough is revealed to give a baseline understanding of their relationship and what they experienced as children, a lot is left up to interpretation, which really hindered the amount of feeling that could be conveyed on screen. In that respect, Trash Mountain gave just enough for the plot to be emotionally charged, but not enough for you to really connect with and understand the characters on screen. Overall, the film was hilarious and wellpaced. Even if it felt flat in its storytelling at times, it attempts to tell a very relatable and emotionally complex story, which made it adequately endearing and poignant.
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Beyond the biggest film festival in Canada Toronto’s local independent theatres are home to a thriving, loyal audience CAMERON ASHLEY Varsity Contributor Toronto in the early weeks of September is something special. The city has yet to shrug off the last of the summer heat, and for a few days, you can walk through the middle of King Street, catch a new movie, and even spot a celebrity or two from a patio or hotel bar. Despite the annual return of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Toronto’s independent cinemas are still running as they do year-round. Revue Cinema, Paradise Theatre, Carlton Cinema, Fox Theatre, and more run both theatrical releases and curated films for their loyal viewer bases. With a large cinema-focused event like TIFF, I wondered whether Toronto’s premiere film festival had any effects on business-as-usual for local independent theatres. Were Toronto’s cinephiles drawn away from the cult classics and careful selections of its local-owned cinemas for the spectacles of director-attended premieres on King Street? Or did TIFF draw more crowds to indie cinemas by drawing attention to their shared patronage of art house, independent, and Canadian films? Toronto’s repertory scene To answer some of my questions, I talked to Rhiannon Seath, general manager at the Fox Theatre in The Beaches. Founded in 1914, Fox Theatre has been in continuous operation for over a century. On whether TIFF drew their audiences away or attracted them towards the theatre, Seath said an immediate effect on their attendance was generally inconsequential. “There are definitely people who are going to choose to go downtown to either catch a film or just be part of the environment,” Seath added. “But we’ve got a pretty core audience that’ll come out for the new releases. The same goes for our repertory audience.”
The bread and butter for Toronto’s independent cinemas is their focus on indie and art house productions, restored features, and curated series. While TIFF functions as a film market for hundreds of new productions, Toronto’s repertory cinemas find success outside of the current cinema zeitgeist. A repertory cinema programs films that are traditionally neglected by commercial theatres. These include films in foreign languages, older films, or films that fit a theme. Their selections are reflective of what their staff and audiences are interested in. The Fox Theatre, for example, is currently showing a “Battle of the Sexes” series that interrogates how differently gender is depicted by male and female directors. Alongside the films, audiences are encouraged to engage critically with the piece by introductions from guest critics who “unpack these complex and sometimes controversial works.” Meanwhile, across town at Revue Cinemas, their “Nightmare Alley” series of “horror, sci-fi, and cult weirdness” has titles slated into January. Steven Landry, who curates the series, also works at TIFF. Interconnected film scenes TIFF and Toronto’s independent cinemas are not entirely separate entities. The festival is a great opportunity for smaller films to gain exposure with a varied group of patrons. On the opportunities TIFF provides for Toronto’s independent cinemas to scout new and interesting programming, Seath said, “TIFF is huge for us. The team more broadly goes every year. It’s big for us to see what’s out there — some of the bigger releases but also some of the Canadian stuff that we might not otherwise see.” TIFF also offers smaller productions familiarity and name recognition to showgoers outside of a festival release. Smaller indie
and art house films that premiere at the festival can garner an audience with an appreciation for their work year-round thanks to the corresponding focus at Toronto’s repertory cinemas. TIFF’s premieres can essentially work “in tandem with what we [the Fox] have got,” Seath said. One such film that has benefited from TIFF is Nick Davis’ You Had to Be There, about the 1972 Toronto production of Godspell featuring the likes of Martin Short, Gilda Radner, Eugene Levy, and more. The documentary premiered at TIFF in 2025 as part of their “Special Presentations” lineup and is currently slated for several showings at the Fox this October. Support of Canadian cinema is a common ground between the Fox and TIFF. “There’s generally one, if not more, Canadian feature — whether it be a documentary or a narrative — that does super well, that we’re able to add to our slate,” Seath remarked while referring to the critical success of Toronto filmmaker Sophy Romvari’s Blue Heron, which also premiered at the festival last year. Considering the attention TIFF attracts from film lovers internationally, I began to wonder what the festival could do to expand its support of Toronto’s local theatres. On this, Seath suggested that local repertory theatres could work as a sort of “TIFF respite” for attendees. While TIFF functions as a temporary nexus for film lovers in Canada and around the world, cinema appreciation in Toronto does not fade away with the festival. The passion audiences have for film manifests night after night in the concession booths, the aisles, and the seats of Toronto’s storied independent theatres yearround. So, if you didn’t manage to catch a screening at TIFF this year but still want to watch a movie surrounded by film lovers, I would recommend grabbing a ticket to just about anything at one of the city’s repertory cinemas.
Art Flash Major moments in the zeitgeist this week Carly Rae Jepsen’s new album Day and Night Juliet Pieters, Associate Arts & Culture Editor Carly Rae Jepsen released her eighth project –– a double conceptual album, Day and Night, on September 18. Each album has a distinct style. One is like the soft light that comes through a window on a sunny morning, which she conveys through tracks with a slower beat and often an acoustic sound. The other is like the disco-strobe of a nightclub, which Jepsen represents through synth instrumentals and a faster beat. Tracks like “Versailles,” “Don’t Leave Me on the Dance Floor,” and “Burning Heart” encourage dancing, whereas tracks like “Soft,” “Wild Child,” and “Just a Little Walk on the Moon” paint a softer picture of life and are perfect for an early morning coffee. The double album is both exciting and peaceful, and I loved it!
Dang! is not as cringe as I thought it would be Bushra Azim Boblai, Arts & Culture Editor Although Netflix has produced some great animated TV shows, I was skeptical when I first saw the trailer for Dang! The animated sitcom is about two Chinese-American siblings, Andrew (Andrew Law) and Eunice (Poppy Liu), who are the black sheep of their immigrant family. The two of them live in the shadow of their eldest sister Ruthie (Stephanie Hsu) –– a successful attorney and their parents’ favourite. Ruthie seeks their help when she upends her conventional life and has to learn to let go of societal expectations. I expected the show to be an amalgamation of annoying neoliberal immigrant stereotypes, but the characters are developed surprisingly well. Along with the hilarious side plots and culturally sharp dialogue –– this show should be on everyone’s radar.
Accepting change with Lizzy McAlpine’s Angel Shania Rani Sukhu, Varsity Contributor Lizzy McAlpine’s latest and fourth album, Angel, was released two weeks ago. Compared to her past work, which was characterized primarily by heartbreak, Angel is a nuanced album that foregrounds acceptance of the inevitable. McAlpine explores themes of reflection, grief, and friendship. Her ability to recognize change as something bittersweet, as presented in “Two elevens,” feels especially relevant as many of us transition back into the school year, leaving behind the comforts of summer. I adored this album due to its profound lyricism in songs like “The light in the painting.” Her skillful use of figurative language allows for versatility in interpretation that makes it resonate with many of us.
Rome’s Palazzo Bonaparte twentieth-century Italian art Simona Agostino, Design Editor
explores
This past August, I had the incredible opportunity to partake in one of U of T’s Summer Abroad programs in Siena, Italy. During a course field trip to Rome, I visited the Palazzo Bonaparte during its Novecento Italiano exhibition, which ran from July 14 to August 23. The exhibit featured works from Italian artists of the Novecento, or twentieth century, and carried viewers through the progression of modern Italian art. The grand finale of the exhibit was Gustav Klimt’s “The Three Ages of Woman” (1905), a hauntingly beautiful, gilded oil painting from the height of his Golden Phase, clearly inspired by his trips to Italy. Fans eagerly waiting for a red carpet to start on King Street West during TIFF. PHOTO BY SPRING MORRIS/COURTESY OF TIFF
Sports
September 29, 2026 thevarsity.ca/section/sports sports@thevarsity.ca
Toronto Tempo wind down inaugural season against Caitlin Clark’s Fever
Tempo erase 16-point deficit, go blow for blow with WNBA powerhouse
Rookie guard Kiki Rice duels with Fever guard Caitlin Clark. WILLIAM KUK/THEVARSITY
TAIMOORE YOUSAF Sports Editor
On the surface, a 103–85 scoreline suggests that the Indiana Fever simply outclassed a Toronto Tempo that is well out of playoff contention. Dig deeper, however, and you’ll see an injuryriddled expansion team that managed to trade shots with one of the WNBA’s most potent attacks on the backs of tenacious defence and fearless offence. It’s been nothing short of a rollercoaster season for Canada’s first WNBA team. While the team initially showed flashes as a dark horse playoff contender, a brutal litany of injuries — headlined by the loss of leading scorers Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes — eventually caused the season to unravel. The Tempo lost 16 of their last 17 matches heading into their September 18 showdown with the Indiana Fever — superstar guard Caitlin Clark’s second visit north of the border. A sold-out crowd of 8,210 at Coca-Cola Coliseum packed the seats for the first Tempo game since the FIBA Women’s World Cup break.
Balanced two-way play The Tempo came into this game with hunger. The first quarter saw the team settle into their offensive groove. Ball movement was key to the game plan, and the team generated early looks from the three-point line. While shots from beyond the arc weren’t falling, the team got to work in the paint, with centre Isabelle Harrison scoring nine points in the quarter to kickstart Toronto’s offence. Rookie guard Kiki Rice was aggressive from the jump, repeatedly driving downhill and meeting defenders at the rim. As the season has progressed, the Tempo have dealt with injuries to their stars. However, Rice has thrived in a higher-usage role, blossoming into a key contributor offensively. Her relentless pressure on the defence sets the tone for the rest of the team.
Toronto’s rebounding was especially strong, keeping the Fever from establishing too much of an offensive groove and extending their own possessions. The Tempo collected eight offensive rebounds in the first quarter alone. The defence was also impressive. Toronto focused on sending help defenders to collapse the paint and prevent easy baskets for the potent Fever attack. Clark and centre Aliyah Boston form a lethal pick-and-roll duo that serves as the heartbeat of the Fever offence. Clark’s unlimited shooting range consistently attracts double teams on the perimeter. Normally, this defensive overcommitment frees up passing lanes for Boston to score easy layups around the rim. In this game, the Tempo clogged the paint and frustrated Boston, effectively shutting
down the pick-and-roll. Leading the charge was forward Laura Juškaitė, who was absolutely flying on defence. She forced a team-high three steals and regularly disrupted the Fever’s drives to the rim, limiting a normally automatic offence and generating transition opportunities for her own squad. A stunning comeback fell short The game remained tight until near the end of the second quarter, when the Fever built a 16-point lead. Things began to look bleak for Toronto, but off the back of continued aggression and tough layups, the Tempo chipped away at the score. With less than a minute left in the half, guard Julie Allemand drove the ball up the court and kicked it to Rice, who knocked down an open three and sent the Coliseum into a frenzy. Four minutes into the third quarter, Juškaitė backed up against Clark and scored a lovely fadeaway jumper to successfully erase the deficit and give the Tempo their first lead of the game. At this point, both offences were dialled in.
The Tempo and Fever face off in a packed Coca-Cola Coliseum. WILLIAM KUK/THEVARSITY
thevarsity.ca/section/sports
SEPTEMBER 29, 2026 17 Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell was catching fire from beyond the arc while Clark began to find her chances. The Tempo kept it close with timely threes and continued pressure on the rim. Rice scored a nifty finger roll layup to level the score at 63–63 with less than six minutes left in the quarter. The teams traded shots well into the fourth quarter, but the short-handed Tempo eventually began to spiral as they couldn’t keep up with the Fever’s relentless three-point shooting. Clark and Mitchell combined for 18 points in the quarter and put the game to bed as Toronto simply ran out of gas. Parting thoughts The Tempo’s effort was admirable in this game as the clear underdog, but the team’s lack of squad depth — in no way helped by the extensive injury list — inevitably contributed to the eventual collapse. While Toronto did a good job protecting the paint, the energy required to sustain the strategy caused a late imbalance which allowed the Fever to drain several threes. “I thought we were slow in some of our rotations out when we overhelped, particularly off [Mitchell], and that was obviously not the game plan,” head coach Sandy Brondello told
Rookie forward Laura Juškaitė backs down her defender.. WILLIAM KUK/THEVARSITY
The Varsity in a post-game media availability session. “We call it ‘X-ing out’ — making sure we’re getting the big back in and the guard out,” she shared in reference to the team’s defensive tactics. While the Tempo’s inaugural season has now wrapped up in bittersweet fashion, their marquee showdown with the Fever showed exactly why there is immense potential in this squad heading into next season. The team plays with the level of grit and tenacity that Toronto craves in its sports teams. We already know what Mabrey and Sykes can do on any given night when healthy. Central to this team’s eventual success, however, are Rice and Juškaitė. The rookies have excelled with the ball in their hands as both bucket-getters and defensive leaders. “I think it’s about stepping into whatever role I’m needed on this team,” Rice said to The Varsity. “I’ve had to have the ball in my hands more […] it’s about taking every opportunity that I’m given and trying to learn through it.” The Toronto Tempo will be back stronger. With an established mix of star veterans and young stars, and backed by an incredible fanbase, the foundation is in place for the team to break out in 2027.
Blues split close doubleheader to Gaels
Blues follow up narrow 4–5 loss with walk-off homer to win 7–5 over Queen’s
Photocap.
PHOTOCRED
Toronto with a gritty showing against Queen’s. NATHAN ORIBHOR CC VARSITY BLUES MEDIA
CAMERON ASHLEY Varsity Contributor On a rather cold Saturday, September 19, the U of T Varsity Blues baseball team hosted the Queen’s Gaels for a weekend doubleheader. Going into the two-game series, the Blues had an impressive 6-0 record in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) games and were cruising onto the field fresh off 11–3 and 6–2 routs of the TMU Bold the Sunday prior. What happened? The Gaels gained an early one-run lead in the top of the first inning, but a few ground balls and some good plays from Toronto’s infield kept the score from getting out of hand. The Blues had a three-up, three-down bottom of the inning, freezing the score at 0–1 after the first. In the second inning, the Blues continued to showcase solid infield defence to keep the Gaels from scoring, including an inning-
ending double play. In the bottom half, the Blues stayed persistent on offence. After a Queen’s fielder’s choice to tag out the runner heading home, a two-out base hit from catcher Matt Fischer brought in the gametying run, and the Blues were officially on the board. The Blues offence continued to click in the bottom of the third inning. Outfielder Diego Fuentes brought infielder Marcus Santos home from second base with a run-batted-in (RBI) single, pulling the Blues ahead of the Gaels, 2–1. The slim lead quickly evaporated. In the fourth inning, the Gaels clawed back into the contest with a game-tying RBI double into centre field. The tables turned as the Gaels picked up offensively in a long fifth inning where they scored two more runs. The first came on an RBI single, and the second followed on a successful squeeze play where a bunt single brought home the runner from third base and pushed the score to 4–2.
Blues starting pitcher Jonathan Onderisin’s afternoon wrapped up after issuing a walk to load the bases. This brought in southpaw reliever Taisei Hihara, who subsequently ended the Gaels’ inning with a ground out to third base. The Blues rallied in the bottom of the fifth inning, bringing the score back to within one run on an RBI base hit from infielder Elias Rubio-Reyes, but were unable to level the score again. The game volleyed back and forth in the later innings, with the Gaels pulling ahead and the Blues working hard to close the gap. Queen’s brought the score to 5–3 in the top of the sixth off a sac fly to centre field, and the Blues answered with an RBI double from Fischer — his second hit of the game. Despite an offensive push where Toronto loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh, the game ended with a flyout from Blues left fielder Peter Zidros, with a final score of 5–4 in favour of Queen’s.
What’s next? This game marked the Blues’ first loss in the OUA standings. In the second game of the doubleheader, they got back into the win column with a 7–5 push over the Gaels, thanks to a tworun walk-off homer from Aidan Vivaldi. On the following Sunday, Toronto played another doubleheader against the York Lions at home, resulting in the second series split of the weekend. The Blues won a close 6–5 opener but fell 4–12 in the second game. The OUA baseball regular season wrapped up on September 26 with a third split doubleheader against the Laurentian Voyageurs. The Blues finished with an impressive 9-3 record in the OUA standings and will now prepare for the OUA championship, which will be played as a double-elimination tournament for the first time this year. Toronto aims to bring home a fourth straight banner. The OUA Baseball Championship will be hosted by Brock University at Welland Stadium from October 9–11.
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SPORTS
Good news Leafs fans: The only way is up 2026–2027 Toronto Maple Leafs season preview DIBA HEYDARY Varsity Contributor Cleaning house is common after a disappointing season, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are no exception. A lamentable 4–1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on April 2 eliminated the Leafs from playoff contention, capping a miserable season where they finished last in the Atlantic Division. Leafs fans frequently bemoan the team’s lack of playoff success during the Auston Matthews era, but missing the playoffs entirely was a pain that Toronto had not experienced for nine years. Corporate restructuring On March 30, the Leafs announced the departure of general manager Brad Treliving, eventually appointing John Chayka in his stead on May 3 after their season ended. The move came with controversy. Chayka had been inactive in the NHL for six years prior to the appointment, after his resignation from the Arizona Coyotes and subsequent 2021 suspension from the NHL for “conduct detrimental to the league and game.” Leafs legend Mats Sundin was also brought in to work alongside Chayka as Senior Executive Advisor of Hockey Operations. While fans may be glad to see a familiar face, there are questions about Sundin’s qualifications, as he has no managerial experience in the NHL. Regardless of skepticism, the pair quickly got to work gutting the Leafs organization, letting go of head coach Craig Berube on May 13 and eventually replacing him with Jim Hiller on June 17. Hiller previously worked as an assistant coach for the Leafs from 2015–2019 during an
era that saw the Leafs develop into a playoff mainstay. As head coach of the Los Angeles Kings from 2024–2026, Hiller accrued a 93-58-24 record across 175 games. Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, the Leafs’ parent company, furthermore saw the exit of over 30 staff members, from doctors and physiotherapists to strength coaches and social media personnel. Rookies and tendies If there were any queasy feelings about the managerial restructuring, they were quickly forgotten when Leafs fans watched NHL commissioner Gary Bettman pull the glorious number 12 ball at the Draft Lottery that granted the Maple Leafs the magical number one draft pick. The Leafs had just an 8.5 per cent chance of winning the lottery, but once it was in hand, there was no doubt that forward Gavin McKenna, the top prospect in the 2026 draft class, would soon be donning the blue and white. The young phenom from Whitehorse, Yukon, recorded a stunning 244 points in just 79 games in the Western Hockey League from 2022–2025, before spending one year playing college hockey with Penn State, where he racked up 51 points in 35 games. A significant headline of the Leafs’ offseason was the acquisition of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky in free agency. The Leafs have long suffered from instability between the pipes. For some time, it seemed like the tandem of Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll would be the answer to their prayers. However, as both suffered from injuries and underperformance over the past year, the team opted to re-evaluate the goaltending situation.
Ultimately, the Leafs signed the 38-yearold veteran and two-time Stanley Cup winner Bobrovsky to a three-year, $21 million contract. Bolstering the defence even further was the acquisition of Ontario local Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning, adding much-needed depth to the Leafs’ blue line. In the 2025–2026 season, Raddysh scored a career-high 22 goals, and his elite slap shot could add a new dimension to the offence. The Marner predicament It’s difficult to discuss the woes of the 2025– 2026 season without acknowledging the Marner-shaped hole in the lineup. At risk of losing the superstar for nothing in free agency, the Leafs dealt Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights on July 1, 2025, in exchange for forward Nicolas Roy. In the year that followed, Marner would go on to record 80 points in the regular season and 29 playoff points for the Golden Knights in their run to the Stanley Cup Final. On the flip side, the Leafs struggled to replace Marner’s role as the team’s primary playmaker. While William Nylander and Matthew Knies provide elite talent on the wing, neither could truly replicate Marner’s unique profile that combined defensive instincts with playmaking vision. Ultimately, the hope is that McKenna can help fill this playmaking void, and there are certainly reasons for optimism. McKenna recorded a respectable three shots on goal in the Leafs’ preseason opener against the Montreal Canadiens and set up two goal-scoring opportunities for linemates John Tavares and Bo Groulx. Speaking with reporters after the first practice of the season,
Tavares said of McKenna, “The playmaking is elite. You can already see times when he gets out there, and you think he doesn’t have much room… the puck control [and] puck skills are off the charts.” The beasts in the east What would be a good result for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the upcoming season? For many ardent Leafs fans, anything short of winning the Stanley Cup is considered a failure. Such fans should keep in mind, however, that most teams coming off a poor season plan for years of turmoil before breaking into the playoffs again. The Leafs are spared from a complete rebuild, having kept most of their elite core players, but fans ought to realize how formidable competition has become in the Eastern Conference in recent years. The landscape of the Atlantic Division, in particular, has changed drastically over the last two years. The long-awaited rebuilds of the Canadiens and the Buffalo Sabres seem to finally have come to fruition as both teams stormed up the standings last season — the Sabres won the division title for the first time in over 15 years. With usual suspects in Florida, Tampa, and Boston expecting to contend, fans should celebrate if the Leafs manage to return to the playoffs. There is much to be hopeful for on the eve of a new season of Maple Leafs hockey. It remains difficult to ignore the infamous ghost of 1967, but there is no doubt that a revamped roster full of fresh faces will bring renewed excitement to the team as it aims to finally return to glory and bring the Stanley Cup back to Toronto.
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