Burnaby apologizes for historic discrimination against people of Chinese descent
By: Heidi Kwok, Staff Writer
On November 15, community members gathered at the Hilton Vancouver Metrotown as the City of Burnaby offered a formal apology for its historic discrimination against people of Chinese descent. This included policies that deprived them of employment and business opportunities. The “goals of these actions was exclusion,” Burnaby mayor Mike Hurley said.
“Today, we shine a light on the historic wrongs and systemic racism perpetuated by Burnaby’s municipal government and elected officials between 1892 and 1947, and commit to ensuring that this dark period of our city’s history is never repeated,” he stated. “I’ll say that again, because it’s important — never repeated.”
The earliest recorded Chinese settlers arrived in Nuu-chah-nulth territory (known colonially as Nootka Sound) in 1788 from southern China’s Macau and Guangdong province. In the 1850s, a larger flux of Chinese migrants landed in BC due to the Fraser River Gold Rush. Canada’s Chinese population boomed in 1881, when over 17,000 Chinese railway workers were recruited to help construct the Canadian Pacific Railway. Many also laboured in the mining and forestry industries, while others established flourishing businesses, including laundromats, restaurants, and most famously, Kwong Lee & Co., a major merchant surpassed only by the Hudson’s Bay Company.
When Burnaby became a municipality in 1892 on unceded Indigenous lands, Chinese residents were among the earliest inhabitants. They built the dikes and ditches bordering the Fraser River, grew produce and raised livestock that sustained communities across the province, and worked in other industries that facilitated Burnaby’s economic growth.
In 1885, when Chinese labour was deemed no longer necessary after the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the federal government imposed a $50 head tax on Chinese immigrants, a fee which increased to $500 by 1903. $500 was equivalent to “about two years’ salary or the purchase of two homes.” Rising anti-Chinese sentiment eventually culminated in the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1923. This act effectively halted all Chinese immigration to Canada for more than two decades.
The recent apology comes after city staff found three remaining discriminatory bylaws, though inactive and unenforced. Council officially repealed these during the November 15 meeting. Bylaws 14775 and 14776 prohibited the employment of people of Chinese or Asian race with the municipality or its partner contractors. Bylaw 14777 restricted the operation of piggeries, disproportionately affecting Chinese farmers’ livelihoods. These bylaws were originally adopted in 1917, 1929, and 1921, respectively.
A ceremonial service was also held to honour Chinese Canadian veterans who served in the First and Second World Wars, and whose actions and advocacy were foundational in granting full citizenship rights for people of Chinese descent.
“We accept responsibilities for Burnaby’s role in perpetuating racism and exclusion. And we commit to actions to address the ongoing legacies of historic discrimination to build a brighter future for all of our community,” said mayor Hurley.
“We denounce the actions of the past that discriminated against the people of Chinese descent.”
“We denounce the racist ideology that treated some categories of people as superior to others. Those ideas created harmful legacies that continue to shape present day racism in Canada and in our community.”
— Mike Hurley, mayor of Burnaby
“Our actions made life harder for them (first-generation Chinese Canadians) and for all community members of Chinese descent. For that, we are deeply sorry. Today, we learn from the past to forge a more inclusive future where all community members are safe, welcome, and valued.”
“Burnaby’s greatest strength is its diversity,” Hurley stated.
The City promised to promote “awareness of Chinese Canadian contributions to Burnaby’s history, including commemorating significant people, places, and events, and sharing educational resources” and foster intercultural education to “learn about each other’s cultures, histories, and traditions.” They likewise committed to promoting inclusion and accessibility by having city staff undergo cultural competency training and encouraging greater diversity of public participation “in the development of city policies and programs.” As well, “core community safety programs” will also be delivered in Chinese languages. They added that city planning policies will be guided by principles grounded in anti-racism and inclusion.
Environmental concerns lead Burnaby to reject off-campus student residence
By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer
Securing housing can be a serious struggle for university students, and those at SFU are no exception. SFU recently broke ground on a new residence building, with the additional 445 beds increasing the university’s housing capacity to around 8% of the student population. The project represents phase three of the university’s Residence and Housing Master Plan, with more housing construction in phases four and five to follow.
Still, SFU continues to seek opportunities to expand student residence. Recently, a proposal from Forum Asset Management, an “investor, developer, and asset manager,” represented such a possibility. The Toronto-based company sought to build a privately owned residential complex off campus at the base of Burnaby Mountain, at 9809–9998 Rathburn Drive. SFU said “the university has no affiliation with the recent application” and “has not endorsed individual projects.” However, “it remains supportive of off-campus student housing developments and recognizes the housing challenges faced by students.”
However, the project was denied primarily due to environmental concerns, among other issues.
On October 28, Burnaby city council voted “against authorizing city staff to continue working with Forum on preparation of a development plan.” The new development would have included “950 dedicated purpose-built student housing units and 450 secured purpose-built rental housing units for general rental uses,” reported Daily Hive. The student housing would be intended for those in the “latter stage post-secondary” category, since “the availability of on-campus student dormitory accommodation is significantly limited for these students.”
The land Forum Asset Management hoped to use currently comprises 16 single-family homes, and would require rezoning as part of its transformation.
While all members of city council, except Pietro Calendino, voted no on exploring the proposal further, general city staff felt differently. The group, separate from city council, put out a report supporting the “continuation of work with the applicant on the development concept,” reported the Daily Hive. The report acknowledged “the need for additional student housing options in the area,” and “the contribution purpose-built student housing has on overall housing affordability.”
The Peak corresponded with city councillor Alison Gu for more information on the decision to deny the proposal.
“I have concerns that are related to wildfire risk and flooding in this area, which a budgeted-for but not yet completed hazards mapping strategy is supposed to provide recommendations on — this was a motion that was passed in January of 2025,” she said. The proposed area is next to Stoney Creek, which contains some endangered fish species and has already suffered “ecological damage from increased sediment caused by nearby building construction,” reported the Daily Hive.
“I am all for student housing and density in transit-oriented areas, but we need to have certainty that the people who move there are not then put at risk of flooding and fire.”
— Alison Gu, Burnaby city councillor
“Not only could those who move there then be put at risk of these hazards that are increasingly likely due to climate change, they can also create an additional risk of wildfire, as the vast majority of wildfires are started by human activity. With drier forests and hotter summers, these risks are substantially elevated, even if their starts are accidental.
“The recommendation we voted on was to provide staff authority to work on advancing an application, not to approve a rezoning application outright,” Gu clarified. “There was no finalized rezoning application put in place. At this time, given the early stages of the project, my vote was a direct reflection of not wanting to presuppose any outcomes of the hazard mapping or grandfather in applications that may not ultimately are not in the best interest of the community or the future residents who will live there.
“I do not operate with a black/white approach to housing, as I believe that the nuances and details matter. As such, all my decisions are measured carefully, with considerations for economics, affordability, tenure, unit distribution, environment, and more,” she added.
Carney’s budget triggers national outcry
By: Ashima Shukla, Staff Writer
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government tabled its first federal budget on November 4.
A few months ago, he remarked that Canada is facing a moment of “rupture” — seeing “the arrival of a ‘new age of economic nationalism and mercantilism’ and described the current moment as an ‘age of adversity.’” Much of the growing economic instability stems from the ongoing US-Canada trade tensions and American tariffs. To confront these challenges, Budget 2025 proposes a major shift in Canada’s financial strategy by targeting investments at enhancing competitiveness, self-sufficiency, and resilience.
To that end, it outlines “$141 billion in new spending over the next five years,” along with “$60 billion in cuts and savings.” Major investments include expanded military funding, support for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, and capital investments into projects for new ports, mines, and LNG terminals. The budget also introduces investments for youth training and employment, while reducing targets for temporary foreign worker and international student programs. Projecting a $78-billion deficit this fiscal year, the budget has faced widespread backlash across the political spectrum. This piece outlines the key criticisms of the budget.
Unions say job cuts will hurt essential services and workers
A main point of criticism is the government’s plan to eliminate between 40–57,000 public-sector jobs. The Public Service Alliance of Canada, one of the country’s largest unions, said the proposed cuts would “eliminate vital programs and services,” “weaken Canada’s social safety net,” and “hurt workers, families, and communities across Canada.” Leaders from the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, the Canadian Association of Professional Employees, and the Association of Justice Counsel also argue that the plan does not protect jobs in sectors already vulnerable to automation, privatization, and foreign investment pressures.
Additionally, the Canadian Union of Public Employees warned that sharp reductions in staffing will exacerbate the pressure on front-line workers and “provincial and municipal services where waitlists, resource and staffing shortages, and burnout rates are already severe.” Similarly, the Canadian Labour Congress president Bea Bruske stated in a press release that “workers and their families will need more support, not less. Slashing public services in the middle of an economic downturn will only make things worse.”
The lack of funding for public healthcare, programs for the unhoused, and a national caregiving strategy for seniors has also sparked concerns. Founder and CEO of Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce Nancy Wilson told Rabble,
“Cuts to the federal service will hit women, Indigenous, and racialized workers the hardest.”
— Nancy Wilson, founder and CEO of Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce
Profit over climate commitments and Indigenous rights
Students and climate advocacy groups have also raised concerns about plans to scale back on existing environmental protections. In a press release by Change Course, students across eight campuses have criticized the proposed increases in defence spending and industrial expansion, calling on Canada’s big five banks “to stop financing fossil fuel expansion and respect Indigenous Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, particularly by rejecting new LNG projects such as the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission, which the Gitxsan and Gitanyow Nations oppose.”
In the press release, Natasha Ivkov from SFU350 said, “The federal budget is doubling down, watering down climate plans, putting billions into making it easier to build fossil fuels infrastructure like pipelines, while RBC keeps financing new pipelines like PRGT. Together they’re locking us into more climate chaos, more danger, and fewer futures.”
Meanwhile, Indigenous leaders and organizations like Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and National Association of Friendship Centres have spoken out on impending funding “sunsets” on key programs. Yellowhead Institute specifically criticized the lack of transparency regarding funding for Indigenous affairs: “Just six months into his term as Prime Minister, Carney has shown exactly who he plans to befriend, and it’s not Indigenous people.”
Immigration services and refugee support scaled back
The budget also unveils a major shift in immigration planning: reducing over 10,000 humanitarian spots for permanent residence, potentially cutting support for refugee healthcare, and reducing study permits in half. Doctors without Borders and Cooperation Canada warn that proposed cuts for international assistance and global health programs would “cause long-term, irreversible harm, leaving vulnerable communities without essential medical care, food, and protection at a time when global needs have dramatically risen.”
Syed Hussan, spokesperson for Migrant Rights Network, has also called attention to the budget proposing over 3,300 job cuts for Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada while hiring 1,000 Canada Border Services Agency officers and raising the recruit stipend.
“Slashing immigration numbers won’t make housing more affordable or improve services — and the data from the last year proves this.”
— Syed Hussan, spokesperson for Migrant Rights Network
Despite these wide-ranging concerns and mixed reactions from opposition parties, the minority Liberals won the confidence vote on the budget (170 to 168) on November 17, averting a winter election. As AP News noted, “the Liberals don’t have a majority of seats in the House of Commons and must rely on an opposition party to pass legislation” moving forward. “The last time a budget vote triggered an election in Canada was in 1979.”
The coverage of Global South’s news is biased
By: Niveja Assalaarachchi, News Writer
A few months ago, two news stories caught my attention. On September 3, a funicular in Portugal’s capital Lisbon derailed, killing 16 people. This horrible tragedy, caused by a steel wire breaking, was reported across the world, with sympathies pouring in for the victims. The very next day, a bus travelling near the mountainous town of Wellawaya in Sri Lanka careened off a cliff, killing 15 people and injuring 16. Two accidents, happening within days of each other, with a nearly identical death toll. Yet, I would bet that most in the West would not know about the accident in Sri Lanka. Tragedies in Western countries often get more media attention and sympathy than ones elsewhere. Why is this? Are we all not human? Do our lives not matter the same? The truth is that the way that news stories are picked up is fundamentally biased. In fact, we might not get coverage of certain stories, all together. Western bias in news coverage of the Global South (GS) sensationalizes human suffering and further aids in the marginalization and misrepresentation of the GS. This actively contributes to the continued economic harm and devaluation of non-Western life.
According to the European Journalism Observatory, the three most popular news channels in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, each dedicated more time to sports news than any GS news story in 2022. This amounted to 8.9%, 10.5%, and 10.8% of airtime from the Australian, German, and Swiss channels to the GS. As the report notes, having news reporting focus on local counties is normal, but the level to which it is skewed is staggering. It is also disgusting, when you consider these channels covered Will Smith slapping Chris Rock more than they covered stories like the Tigray war and the Sri Lankan economic crisis, which happened in the same year. While pop culture moments are notable events, clearly moments of war and socioeconomic collapse, which affect the livelihoods of many millions, should take precedence.
Even when the GS does get covered, it can be harmful as it does not accurately represent current events. According to The Guardian, media coverage on countries in Africa disproportionately report on conflict, corruption, and criminal activities, instead of something like elections — which can help readers fully understand the political landscape abroad.
This bias in reporting economically damages places in the GS, like some countries in Africa, to the tune of £3.2 billion (equivalent to CAD $5.9 billion) in additional debt repayment costs, according to the article. This is because countries that are perceived to be high risk are usually granted loans with a heightened risk premium — which is what financial institutions have been doing with GS countries at a disproportionate rate. And, as you have probably inferred, not only does this lead to a higher dependency on debt — as well as further fiscal instability — but it can severely harm the reputation of groups of people, because words matter. In some cases, the only things Western viewers know about a place are the negative eco-sociopolitical instabilities that it experiences. When a situation is reported poorly, it can often harm the economic sector of the country, as people outside will now not wish to interact with it. Of course this does not yield just negative outcomes. For example, it can be pointed out that such a situation will provide an incentive for those in the GS to start their own media networks, which allows them to be truly heard. Unfortunately, there is an issue that arises from this, as those individuals might be doing so with limited resources — ultimately, making this endeavor hard to get off the ground. But even in the Global North (GN), representation of people of colour (POC) is abysmal, where according to the Media Diversity Institute, only 5% of journalists in the UK are POC. So really, news reporting discriminates in various ways. And we, the viewers, experience a multi level integration of this bias: bias in the stories covered, and in those reporting on the stories.
It’s apparent that the contemporary news cycle follows a neo-colonial cycle. Economic and political colonial systems still control plenty of facets of the societies of former colonies. In the context of the news cycles, information usually flows towards the GN’s media outlets for the consumption of sensationalistic stories, which often does not depict the full picture of the situation. And harps on details that make the GS appear in an unfavorable light, while also portraying issues in a flat manner.
Some might wonder, what’s the point of caring about the events taking place in another spot on this planet? Because these stories are just as valid and deserve to be shared.
By having biased news coverage we miss out on knowing what’s truly happening in the world; which is the whole point of the news cycle — to keep us, viewers, informed.
We should demand that the news sources we use try to break with its biases and cover subjects from throughout the world. By doing this, we all can gain a more authentic viewpoint on what’s happening and not engage in harmful, misinformed stereotypes.
What Grinds our Gears: Train to Braid
By: Nuha Maisara, SFU Student
Do you ever switch trains at Columbia, only to see the wait time for the next Production-Way line is . . . 15 minutes? And of course, we cannot forget the growing mob of similarly ill-fated individuals like yourself, who accumulate on the dingy platforms as you wait. When you finally have the privilege of setting foot onto this sought-after train, you realize that even sardines in a can have more personal space than the train’s current inhabitants. You desperately avoid eye contact with your compatriots in transit, even if you happen to be close enough to see their nose hairs.
I am all too familiar with such a scenario, much to my displeasure. And each time I wonder, what is the point of the Braid line? For anyone unfamiliar, there is little difference between the two lines — both Braid and Production-Way go through Columbia and Sapperton. However, while Braid stops at, well, Braid, Production-Way continues through Lougheed Town Centre, and stops at Production-Way. These are both major stations. I kid you not, even during the busiest hours, Braid does not hold more than a handful of people. Somehow, it still manages to stop at Columbia every 5–6 minutes, as if to taunt the poor soul waiting for the Production-Way line.
It leaves me wishing to yell into the void: “Extend the Braid line all the way to Production-Way! Extend it, you cowards!” but I know if I do that, I’ll just get dragged to the Backrooms.
Sigh. Such is life. Such is public transit.
On cannabis literacy and harm reduction
By: Ashima Shukla, Staff Writer
We might know about weed only through its either glamorized or demonized representations in media.
But what might a more mindful approach to cannabis look like? How might we hold conversations that don’t shame or police others? How might we demystify weed and come to understand ourselves a little better in the process?
The history of cannabis in Canada, like many other places, is entangled with imperialism. From seeking profit to xenophobia, we find ourselves amid a war on drugs. While the first known crop of hemp emerged in what is now Nova Scotia in 1606, Canada legalized medical use only in 2001, and recreational use as recently as 2018, becoming one of the first countries to do so.
And yet, legality doesn’t erase uncertainty.
Cannabis literacy
Get Sensible, a project by the Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy (CSSDP), offers a solution: cannabis literacy. Their website defines it as, “the knowledge and skills required to make informed choices around cannabis use.” They believe drug use is a “health and human rights issue rather than a criminal-legal issue,” which means empowering individuals with education and support rather than punishing or policing them.
It is important to acknowledge that students may gravitate to it for a variety of reasons: managing stress, sleeping better, soothing anxiety or pain, or even just to have a fun time.
In an interview with project manager Kiah Ellis-Durity, she recommends asking yourself, “What about it seems interesting to you? What are you expecting the results to be? How are you expecting it to make you feel?” As she modelled questions to consider, I realized how different informed and non-judgmental conversations can look from the traditional PSAs that use fear mongering. So what if we leaned into our curiosity?
Harm reduction
In their Cannabis 101 + Harm Reduction booklet, we can learn about the endocannabinoid system and how various cannabinoids and consumption methods can have felt effects. Most importantly, it outlines 10 principles of cannabis harm reduction: from starting slow to possible drug interactions to plans for transport home.
“We’re kind of blessed in the way that we do have a legal market with so many different kinds of products,” Ellis-Durity says. So, what if we use this opportunity to learn more? If you use cannabis, do you know which modality, concentrations, or THC amounts you prefer? Have you taken some time to learn the differences in methods of consumption? Do you know how to read the labels to understand what’s in your products? As students, we’re a demographic that is particularly susceptible to certain cannabis-related harms, including dependency and cannabis-induced psychosis. Ellis-Durity says this knowledge allows us to make informed decisions about our use and non-use.
Another basic harm reduction strategy for first timers is “having a trusted friend or two.” This, she says, can make a world of difference when you don’t know how a substance might interact with you. Similarly, it is important to check in with yourself after use. In the Cannabis in Context booklet, there is a section where people can record their thoughts and experiences: Which strain did you try? How did it feel? How long did the effects last? Ellis-Durity reminds us that journalling or verbally processing with a friend can be helpful. The Native Women’s Association of Canada’s cannabinoid calculator is another way to keep track of your experiences, for those who like metrics.
She also suggested peer-to-peer support via services like the CSSDP’s Vancouver chapter, where you can converse with people navigating similar experiences.
Unpacking dependency and sobriety
For many of us, dependency can feel like a scary concept. But avoiding the topic doesn’t help. Ellis-Durity says we can start this conversation by acknowledging that cannabis is a psychoactive substance, and it has biochemical effects on our brain.
According to Get Sensible, Cannabis Use Disorders (CUD) is a broad term, referring to “a problematic pattern of use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress often negatively interfering with the user’s health and social obligations.” This may look like consuming large amounts frequently, the inability to cut down or control one’s use, increased tolerance, or even withdrawal when not using. Dependence can also interfere with one’s work or school obligations, or involve missing out on socializing and hobbies because of using cannabis. The US National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicates that, within the first year of starting cannabis use, 11% of those aged 12–17 and 6% of those aged 18–25 meet the diagnostic criteria for CUD.
Ellis-Durity acknowledged, “I do think those conversations can be hard, because maybe someone could be in denial of how it might be making them feel.”
Examining our relationship with cannabis can be a starting point for building a better relationship with ourselves — with our bodies, boundaries, and understanding of the world around us.
She continued, “there’s something called a bidirectional relationship, where your mental health can impact your cannabis use, and your cannabis use can impact your mental health.” This is why, acknowledging “the reality of using a psychoactive substance” and its impact on our bodies can be a safe and non-judgmental starting point for this conversation.
At the same time, Ellis-Durity clarified, “one’s relationship with weed changes so much in your life.” For instance, sobriety is often framed as an all-or-nothing transformation. You may think you need to quit completely or you’re failing. But real life isn’t binary.
“Supporting young ones in whatever they choose is so important. Someone’s substance use doesn’t define them.”
— Kiah Ellis-Durity, project manager, Get Sensible
In their Cannabis in Context booklet, one participant said, “Using weed as harm reduction helps me get through the days I’m struggling with depression + PTSD. Even if it’s harming my lungs a bit, that’s worth it if it’s keeping me more mentally stable and able to be around day to day.”
Similarly, for those choosing sobriety, we must also remember that it isn’t linear. “You can celebrate the wins, but also it’s OK to be realistic. Sobriety also might look like reducing. It might not be completely overnight, and in fact, for some people, it’s really bad when it is a split decision,” Ellis-Durity explained.
Rooted in the “gateway theory,” that “people who use cannabis have a higher risk of trying other illegal drugs compared to non-users,” sobriety can become like a test for purity. Any deviation can become a source of shame. However, most people who use cannabis don’t transition to using other drugs. For those who do, there are often a myriad of genetic, environmental, and behavioural factors influencing their decisions. This is why, beginning with an inquisitive approach and reaching out for support can be helpful. There is no single correct trajectory, and sobriety can look like taking fewer hits, pausing to reassess, or even gently setting boundaries with others. Ellis-Durity also recommends resources like Foundry BC, that offer free and subsidized mental health support for youth, as well as the Cannabis and Mental Health project, that offers a 90-minute certificate course to learn more about how your use may impact your mental health.
The war on drugs
No conversation about cannabis is complete without acknowledging the broader sociopolitical landscape. Get Sensible sees cannabis education as its own “gateway” into more harm reduction and education for other substances. Drug use doesn’t exist in a vacuum; it is shaped by policing, policy, colonialism, stigma, and the criminalization and dehumanization of drug users.
Conversations about cannabis are rarely just about cannabis. It is about how we cope, how we relate to our bodies, how we navigate stress, and how we care for each other. It is about the harm that stigma causes, the compassion that community can offer, and the patience required to sit with our discomfort. Whether you use cannabis, avoid it, or are still figuring out where you stand, I hope you can see yourself and others with empathy. It is only then we can begin having informed and safe conversations about drugs.
Access Sensible Cannabis Education booklet, and others, as well as for free at getsensible.org/resources. HealthLinkBC also has resources available, including crisis and treatment lines. Visit the web version of this article at peak.sfu.ca for more resources.
The grand history of the spice trade
By: Noeka Nimmervoll, Staff Writer
The modern world is full of magic if you take a minute to peek under the hood. One such thing that has struck me lately as absurd is owning a spice rack as a student in Canada. Cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, these are spices that are native to countries all over the world: primarily India, Jamaica, China, and Indonesia, respectively. Since the Roman Empire (625 BCE to 476 CE), spices had been a major indicator of wealth up until the globalization of spices that occurred in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Silk Road and the Indian Ocean trade routes may now just be history to us, but their legacies exist today in subtle ways: the spice aisle in every grocery store, the PSL, and open access to authentic recipes from countries across the world. To truly understand the significance of spices being a household item, you must understand the long and complex history of the spice trade.
Why were spices so highly sought after?
Many now-common spices and seasonings, like salt, were regarded as highly valuable throughout history. Phrases like “worth his salt” and “salary” originated from the Roman Empire, where salt was a common form of income for Roman soldiers. Spices were used as commodity money, a form of currency with inherent value, much like gold. In fact, nutmeg was once worth more than its weight in gold.
The consensus of their value was widespread: Alaric the Visigoth, a Roman chieftain and anti-imperialist in the fifth century, demanded 3,000 pounds of peppercorns as ransom for sparing Rome. All over Europe during the Middle Ages, spices were seen as a major status symbol. Going over to your neighbour’s house and seeing cloves in a jar on their kitchen floor might’ve been akin to seeing your neighbour’s brand new Porsche. These European houses were sure to flaunt what others could not afford. Spices had value everywhere, due to their ability to enhance the flavour of food, preserve meat (in a time before refrigeration), aid in medicinal healing, and for use in religious and spiritual practices. Beyond these practical applications, spices were mythologized by Arabic merchants who told grand stories of spices that were guarded by winged creatures on dangerous cliffs. These stories spread across countries and became all the more reason to spend a pretty penny on these luxury items.
The origin and development of the spice trade
The trade of spices began around 2000 BCE, with Austronesians, a voyaging people who originated from Taiwan, establishing sailing networks between Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka, and India by 1500 BCE. Then, spices were transported through the Middle East and Europe across land routes, including routes that were part of the Silk Road. The Silk Road was a collection of roads that connected the Middle East, Asia, and Europe in merchandise and culture. Travellers on the road were highly exposed to robbery and other dangers. Since these spices were so difficult to transport, their prices were sky high, rising in price at the hand of every intermediate merchant.
Around 1 CE Arabs, Persians, and Indians began to dominate the trade routes of the Indian Ocean, making the Middle East the centre of the spice trade. The traders had established a maritime pathway that connected from Rome all the way to China. When the Roman Empire took over Egypt, they established a major trading port that controlled the spices entering the Greco-Roman world. Still, Greece and Rome lacked direct access to spices, which advantaged the Middle East since the countries were forced to pay incredible prices through this monopolized control of the export. After the fall of the Roman Empire, spices weren’t as accessible for Europeans. In 11th century Europe, however, spices once again became an increasingly popular commodity after the Crusaders got a taste of Middle Eastern cuisine. The Crusades re-ignited the hubbub around spices for the purposes of cooking, medicine, and status.
The path to globalization
The 15th century brought the European Age of Discovery, a mass movement of Europeans travelling by sea for new trade opportunities in silk, precious metals, and spices. This was also the age of European colonization, where significant global events unfolded in a cascade: the enslavement of African people, the Spanish conquest of the Americas, and the massive wealth accrued for European people. In 1498, a Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama was the first to successfully travel around Africa to reach India. His success led to the Portuguese Empire: a merchant and trade dominance that Portugal had on ports around the Indian Ocean, often taken by force. Through their power, Portugal captured the spice trade from Venice, who had control over spices’ distribution through Europe prior to this time.
Following the Portuguese came the Spanish, the Dutch, the French, and the English, who all established major companies that removed power from the Middle East and decentralized spices completely, shifting the Indian Ocean’s control from local powers to European colonizers.
Eventually, the 18th and 19th century saw the collapse of English and Dutch companies that signified the end of the centralized trade of spice. Now, through globalization and excessive commodification, spices are easily accessible across the world. However, this widespread luxury is now built on a system that profits corporations and underpays workers severely. Often, spices are gathered from many smaller farms and sold under one corporation’s name. In this process, every intermediary merchant takes a cut, leading to farmers unfairly getting the short end of the stick. Spice farmers are underpaid and often don’t earn a living wage, with child labour being an issue in the industry. Economic insecurity from low wages leads to a high incentive for struggling farmers to use excessive pesticides for a reliable yield, increasing health risks for consumers and farmers themselves, as well as environmental concerns. Global warming already poses challenges for spice farmers in some regions, and will continue to amplify over time.
The main way for consumers to combat the unethical modern spice trade is to seek out sustainably sourced and organic spices. There is no perfect way to purchase spices in a fundamentally flawed system, but when everyone puts their money where their mouths are, the supply chain has financial incentive to focus on sustainable practices.
The history of spices is complex and global, and stands today as a powerful and problematic industry. Today’s societies may not consider spices a luxury, however, there is a newfound respect I have for these aromatic goods that comes from understanding the history of it all. Spices are not cheap today — however, if you consider what they used to be worth, modern prices pale in comparison.
Of all the times to be alive, we ended up in a time where you could make authentic chicken biryani in the home of a Canadian with a modest income.
That, in my eyes, is a modern miracle.
Tibet Through Images highlights Tibetan Canadian voices
By: Noeka Nimmervoll, Staff Writer
As a child of immigrant parents who grew up on unceded Indigenous land, I’ve often wondered what life would be like if I grew up in my parents’ home countries. When you’re removed from your place of origin, by force or by nature, there is a longing for something you don’t know: an unnameable grief of separation from a world that is rightfully yours. This is the feeling that resonates through Entangled Territories: Tibet Through Images, the new exhibition at UBC’s Museum of Anthropology (MOA). Open from November 20, 2025, to March 29, 2026, this exhibit features archives from MOA, curated by Dr. Fuyubi Nakamura, as well as works from young Tibetan Canadian artists, Lodoe Laura and Kunsang Kyirong. Tibet Through Images is an emblem of the lived experiences of diasporic Tibetan people. I attended the opening celebrations on November 20 to learn more.
Tibet is a secluded Buddhist territory currently occupied by China. However, from 1912 to 1951, it was an independent nation, as declared by the 13th Dalai Lama, Tibet’s religious and political leader. The Chinese Communist Revolution of 1949 forced Tibet’s surrender of independence, eventually leading to the current Dalai Lama fleeing Tibet in 1959, followed by around 80,000 Tibetans. Now, these Tibetans and their lineage live widely abroad, either in Tibet’s established exile government in Dharamshala, India, or settling elsewhere, while working to keep their unique culture alive. Some Tibetan people have never set foot in Tibet. Canada is home to one of the largest populations of Tibetan people outside of Asia.
Tibet Through Images, nestled in the MOA, begins with “Colonized/Colonizer,” a photography display by Laura that visualizes her British/Tibetan heritage. Cleverly mounted in a corner, the pictures capture the artist in separated cultural identities that differ so strongly in motive — indeed, the colonized and the colonizer. Her eyes look at you from every angle, gently daring witnesses of the portraits to consider her circumstances.
Further inside the exhibition, Laura’s photographs surround the room in a personal narrative that feels like grief: these vivid frames capture her father as he looks at Tibet from Nepal, the bordering country from which he managed a monastery. Unable to visit Tibet, her father is so close to home, yet so far from it, limited by political circumstances. The portraits are intimate and quietly poetic, showing a lived reality, and not just an artefact of the past.
Two films by Kyirong were also featured: Yarlung, a short story made of both fiction and non-fiction materials focusing on loss, and Letters From Tibet, a specially commissioned work using archival materials from the MOA’s collection. Yarlung was illustrated in a swooping, dreamlike animation that made you feel as if not everything was okay. It offered simple words for big tragedies, and was felt as much as it was seen.
The rooms surrounding the two artists’ works were adorned with Tibetan zhubas (gowns), jewellery, art, and other items from the museum’s collection. In the arrangement of the room, the present day diasporic Tibetans are grounded in the history of the culture of their homeland.
The Tibetan people may now have created homes across the world, but they still remain defiant in exploring Tibet — even if they are on a different continent.
Visit Entangled Territories: Tibet Through Images at UBC’s MOA until March 29, 2026.
The dance of the diaspora: A conversation with Alvin Tolentino
By: Phone Min Thant, Arts & Culture Editor
It was a cold October afternoon for myself and many other Southeast Asian studies scholars attending the 2025 Canadian Council for Southeast Asian Studies (CCSEAS) Conference. In the momentary relief of a catered lunch, I had my first introduction to Alvin Erasga Tolentino, whose speech piqued my interest, prompting me to network with him later on. A month later, I found myself speaking to Tolentino again — this time on Zoom — to learn more about his life and experiences in dance, and about his dance company, Co.ERASGA.
This interview has been edited for concision and clarity.
Please tell me a little bit about yourself and a short history of Co.ERASGA.
I am a Filipino Canadian contemporary choreographer, dancer, and founding director of Company ERASGA Dance, based in the Coast Salish lands. In 1999, I founded Co.ERASGA, which officially became a non-profit dance company in 2000. The company reflects my interests in the work of Asian Canadians in the diaspora, especially in the performing arts, and my desire to highlight the cultural heritage of other artists in Canada working in the same intersection. A large part of our big mandate is to support artists of colour, especially the Asian artists in the community.
What are the artistic and cultural inspirations behind the Dance Society and behind your inspirations to start Co.ERASGA in 1999?
I was always drawn to dance as a child, and a lot of that had to do with the fact that dance is so embedded into the culture of Filipinos. When I immigrated to Canada in 1983, I wanted to continue the practice of dance, and it was here that I was introduced to contemporary dance. I really enjoyed the experimentation that is inherent in the work of contemporary dance, and I built the company because I felt that I was the very first Filipino Canadian who had a contemporary dance company. The company is a platform where different artists of all generations can come in and collaborate to do different kinds of work.
We’ve done huge work on community outreach that really serves the Asian diaspora, and to dismantle the notion of art as an elite thing. That’s something that I’m trying to instill in the company, to allow a space for community members and share stories of migration and immigrants.
– Alvin Erasga Tolentino, Founding Director of Co.ERASGA
The milestone that celebrated Co.ERASGA’s 25th anniversary was the performance of Eternal Gestures at the Dance House. Could you tell me about the performance and your experiences performing it back in October?
For the 25th anniversary, I really wanted to offer something that is quite deep in terms of my great respect and interest towards Indigenous ways of knowing and learning. I’ve had a lot of great relationships with some renowned contemporary Indigenous artists here in our community, and with them, I wanted to honour the notion of respect for mothers, matriarchs, sisters, and women. And so, I worked alongside three Indigenous female contemporary choreographers based on Coast Salish lands: Michelle Olson and Starr Muranko, directors of Raven Spirit Dance, and Margaret Grenier, the artistic director for the Dancers of Damelahamid. Eternal Gestures is also a continuation of the work that I do towards environmental stewardship in exploring how art can be a voice for climate action, and how we can take care of this land that we’re in.
Throughout your time at Co.ERASGA, what did you find the most rewarding for you personally?
I think that building relationships with fellow artists is so critical to me, because we’re all in the same pathway, but we’re also carrying very different ways of understanding the work that we do for ourselves, the community, and the international platform. And so I get to know more about people and their culture when there’s collaboration. To me, it’s really been a very fruitful, nurturing, and enriching experience building relationships and collaborations with a lot of artists. It’s a real education for me when I can collaborate with other people, because there’s always something to learn in collaboration. And I’m just amazed about that and discovering ways of working in the studio, in the theatre, and on tours. It’s also really important for Co.ERASGA to acknowledge that we have this reciprocity with the community that is really integral — that’s one of the important parts of why I make art, because I have an audience.
Are there any future events that our readers should look out for?
We are about to go on a tour in Yokohama, Japan for a three-night performance from December 8 to 10.
Keep track of Tolentino’s and Co.ERASGA’s activities in the new year by visiting their website and following them on their social media: @alvinerasgat and @co.erasga.
Be True to Your School: An Exhibition for the SCA’s 50th year
By: Ashima Shukla, Staff Writer
Be True to Your School is an online exhibition and silent auction celebrating SFU’s School of Contemporary Arts’ (SCA) 50th anniversary. Launched online on November 12, it features the work of 50 visual artists whose practices have emerged from or were shaped by the SCA. All proceeds from the silent auction will go to supporting student-led programming at the Audain Gallery.
The works on auction are rich, intimate, and politically attuned. Sena Cleave’s And Such Matter (2024) is an inquiry into the forms of care and labour that sustain life. The blue mesh used to weave this piece is taken from Cleave’s grandparents’ fruit-farming work, while the pine needles draw on Japanese symbolism, where pine, plum, and bamboo stand for resilience through the winter. As the pine needles dry and warp over time, the piece becomes a dynamic material record of both impermanence and continuity.
A different visual grammar shapes Lauren Crazybull’s Red Selfie in measuring cup (2023) of red-filtered paintings exploring the constraints placed on Indigenous representation. Crazybull reflects how Indigenous Peoples continue to be seen through projections that flatten the complexity of lived experiences. And even so, she suggests that these inherited signs can be negotiated and that colonial legacies can be transformed into space for new understandings of Indigeneity to emerge.
Some of my other favourites are Aakansha Gosh’s Rooms Inside Me 1 (2021) and Elizabeth Milton’s FPA 111 Changed My Life (2025). Susan Schuppli’s Nature Represents Itself (2018) also stands out. It is a reprinted Landsat satellite image originally part of installations examining the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Her work asks what becomes visible or invisible in a slow ecological catastrophe, and how visuals distribute attention, responsibility, and justice.
Taken together, Be True to Your School prompts a difficult question. Is this exhibition-turned-fundraiser an indication that cultural institutions are now being asked to justify their own existence? That SFU’s SCA is celebrating its 50th anniversary while also crowdsourcing support for student programming feels painfully on the nose for Canada in 2025. And I wonder, what does it mean when even the institutions historically upheld by wealth and empire now crowdsource support for emerging artists?
I see this exhibition as both a warning and an invitation, a reminder of what is at stake, and what we stand to lose if we fail to imagine more sustainable futures for cultural education. In this sense, this exhibition/fundraiser also offers possibilities: where art institutions reclaim their role not as bastions of prestige but as generative spaces for critical cultural dialogue and experimentation.
If we choose to reimagine the future of art and cultural production as a place where student-artists are supported in breaking disciplinary boundaries, and where political and aesthetic questions can be freely asked, then exhibitions like this one become more than measures of austerity.
Perhaps the value of this exhibition is not only in the funds raised but also in the questions invoked. It is an invitation for SCA and the Audain Gallery to reimagine their role in Vancouver’s cultural space.
The exhibition and auction are live online until December 13.
