Home Blog Page 116

Tenants in BC need better legal protections

By
Peak Web
-
0
Vancouver skyline in afternoon light with the Burrard Inlet and skyscrapers in the foreground. In the background are the North Shore mountains with a dusting of snow.
PHOTO: Alejandro Luengo / Unsplash

By: Peter Runn, SFU Student

There’s a saying I’ve heard in Vancouver: “You can’t put a price on those mountains.” But landlords can and do. It costs two full-time minimum wage jobs to afford a bedroom in the Lower Mainland, and rent across BC “increased 30% from 2016 to 2021,” the largest jump of any province in Canada. While BC landlords’ yearly rent increase cap is 3.5% while tenants are living in a space, they can use loopholes to evade it. Rent caps don’t apply when a unit is vacant, so landlords make use of the only “legal” ways to evict contract-abiding tenants. 

Housing is the last thing anyone facing the current affordability crisis should have to worry about — and yet, this is what many of BC’s vulnerable residents are facing. There has been meaningful movement from the BC government to prevent “bad faith” evictions, and more coming to effect this summer. However, more needs to be done to urgently shut lingering loopholes and protect renters. 

One of the most common loopholes used by landlords is saying they or a family member is moving in, which is one of the only remaining ways to evict tenants. They either say this to evict them or have an excuse to coerce them into paying a much higher rent. The only condition is there is a penalty for bad faith evictions: landlords could owe tenants 12 months of their rent money if they’re found to have evicted them in bad faith — for example, lying that they’re going to move into the unit, then renting it out for a higher profit.

I was told by my landlord that if I didn’t agree to a substantially large (and illegal) rent increase, they would move their family member into my unit. While tenants have a right to refuse an illegal rent increase, I had no way to guarantee my landlord wouldn’t evict me if they didn’t get the price they wanted. Applying to file a complaint costs $100 and according to tenancy lawyer Robert Patterson, landlords have been able to evict tenants without “showing up for hearings.” The increase was way beyond my budget, but still slightly better than anything I could probably find in Vancouver’s outrageous rental market. My hands were tied. This brings me to one of the main issues with existing legal protections: they fail to consider the unequal power dynamic between tenant and landlord. 

We are just trying to survive and keep a roof over our heads, which is a basic right that shouldn’t be commodified in the first place.

I’m not saying homeowners can’t legitimately have family members who need a place to stay. As it stands, though, there needs to be measures in place that require accountability for their intentions so they can’t rely on empty threats. Increasing the penalty for bad faith evictions wouldn’t hurt, but Patterson’s recommendation is that there should be a “standard of proof” of a family member moving in before issuing an eviction. This could involve requiring official documentation stating a landlord’s intention for the space, and following up to ensure they’re being honest. Doing so would put more responsibility on the landlord, rather than putting the burden on renters to go through the work of educating themselves on their rights and paying the $100 fee to file a dispute within a 15-day period. 

There is a financial penalty for evicting tenants deceptively. However, it’s not enough to stop it. Threatening the roof over someone’s head gives landlords the upper hand in negotiations, as most people would rather suffer another expense than find themselves at risk of being displaced. As lawyer Phil Dougan points out, “A landlord loses an investment; A tenant loses a home.” 

Enforcing stricter regulations worked to reduce renovictions, which were previously done frequently to tenants when the landlord empties their unit just by saying they’re renovating. The law now requires much more thorough documentation. Yet, the burden of proof often falls on tenants when it comes to ensuring landlords are following through on their claims.

If renters are going to be displaced by no fault of their own other than not having the privilege of owning property, there at least needs to be better protection for vulnerable groups. One meaningful change in this direction that will be implemented this summer is households with babies cannot receive rent hikes. However, things are also especially dire for long-term renters like seniors, who are more likely to become houseless after an eviction. Unstable and unaffordable housing also significantly impacts disabled people, who have fewer housing options to meet their needs.

Landlords try to garner sympathy from their tenants by presenting their requests as something they had no choice in, because property taxes have increased and they have mortgages to pay off. However, it isn’t the responsibility of tenants to pay off your mortgage or property costs. We are just trying to survive and keep a roof over our heads, which is a basic right that shouldn’t be commodified in the first place.

Ultimately, preventing bad faith evictions is one piece in the puzzle of the disaster that is privatized housing. Systemic change is necessary to solve the housing crisis, like investing in more social housing and implementing harsher market restrictions. Ensuring affordable living should be a priority our government urgently addresses on numerous fronts. There are free resources available, like tenants.bc.ca or Housing BC. Vancouver tenants can also get involved with Vancouver Tenants Union, a group that brings tenants together to leverage their collective power to advocate for their rights. Learn more about your rights as a tenant through their accessible resources, available in six languages. 

The Met Gala shows us where celebrity priorities lie

By
Peak Web
-
0
Entrance to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There is a stone staircase leading up to regal pillars and arched doorways. A banner that reads “The Met” is displayed above the main door.
PHOTO: Diane Picchiottino / Unsplash

By: Yashita Dhillon, News Writer

Content warning: mentions of genocide. 

The Met Gala has always been about flaunting outfits and prestige, but it felt more surface-level than usual this year. As attendees walked the red carpet, protesters gathered outside, trying to draw attention to the ongoing genocide in Palestine. 

On the same day as the Met Gala, “Israel called on Palestinians to leave eastern Rafah amid increasing global alarm about the consequences of an Israeli ground invasion of the city.” The announcement was brushed under the carpet as celebrities paraded around in expensive attire, posing for photos and doing interviews. Some celebrities who attended the Met Gala, such as Zendaya and Dua Lipa, have notably supported Palestine in the past. Yet, at this year’s event, they were silent. 

The Met Gala is one of many examples that reminds us why we shouldn’t look up to celebrities as much as we do. For example, influencer Haley Kalil was asked to interview Gala attendees, and posted a video of herself lip-syncing to a TikTok audio clip that included the phrase “let them eat cake.” This is commonly attributed to historic French Queen Marie Antoinette regarding starving peasants, although she likely didn’t say this. Regardless of intention, while Palestinians in occupied territory are starving, it goes to show how little self-awareness some celebrities have when it comes to their privilege. 

In response to this, a “celebrity block-out” movement has circulated on social media. People have decided to block celebrities who have been silent about violence against Palestinians, especially its escalation after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. The goal is to reduce their engagement and the revenue they earn from posts to demonstrate that if you don’t use your platform to call attention to urgent issues, you will lose support. While there isn’t an official block list, Palestinian journalists like Bisan Owda shared a list on their social media, which included Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and many more. 

When celebrities choose silence over activism, they perpetuate the very systems of oppression that need dismantling.

It’s surreal to scroll through social media and see posts about people being killed and losing their homes, only to be followed by photos of celebrities flaunting designer gowns and suits. With all the attention given to these celebrity outfits and interviews, imagine how much awareness or money could be raised for Palestine if any of these figures spoke up. The price for a ticket to the Met Gala in 2024 was $75,000, and tables were at least $350,000. To think these people don’t have the power or resources to make a difference is fooling ourselves. Celebrities influence culture, and those with the most influence can determine the status quo.

Our cultural obsession with celebrities can be harmful. It distracts us from more pressing global issues and encourages a culture of escapism. We need to hold celebrities accountable for their actions and inactions. With the power we give them, it’s not unreasonable to expect them to use their influence for good. When people choose silence over activism, they perpetuate the very systems of oppression that need dismantling. Celebrities are who they are because of their audience’s support, so expecting them to speak up for the right cause — something their audience believes in — is not unreasonable at all. 

The responsibility also lies with us — the public. We must stop treating celebrities as idols and start demanding more from them. Their wealth and influence come from our support, and it’s high time we expect them to use it responsibly. We should call out hypocritical behaviour and turn our support toward those who go beyond performative activism. 

Some argue celebrities shouldn’t speak up about political issues because they aren’t educated and we should be looking to experts to speak on these topics. We need to stop using this as an excuse. It’s not difficult to stand against genocide — something the UN has already determined is taking place. It’s not that we’re looking to celebrities to provide in-depth analysis; we can turn to activists, scholars, and those with lived experience for that. It’s simply a matter of standing against human suffering, which everyone can do. Those who don’t use their platforms to mobilize such a huge population to care about an ongoing tragedy are making a conscious decision.

Social media ads are just one of the many ways celebrities earn money, and are often not their main revenue stream. The social media block-out movement is a great conscious effort that shows we’re starting somewhere. However, we also need to realize that the revenue earned from platforms like streaming services often supersedes the revenue from ads or social media. If we expect celebrities to put their money where their mouths are, maybe we should do the same.

Moose Hide Campaign Day combats violence against Indigenous women and children

By
Peak Web
-
0
a close-up of a tan moose hide pin on a white shirt
PHOTO: Amirul Anirban / The Peak

By: Hannah Fraser, News Writer

Content warning: references to missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and residential schools. 

May 16 was Moose Hide Campaign Day, a day organized by the “BC-born Indigenous-led grassroots movement to engage men and boys in ending violence towards women and children.” Seeing the rise of Indigenous women and children who have faced violence in Canada, the campaign has been working for over 10 years using “Indigenous ceremony and traditional ways of learning and healing” to raise awareness. The Peak corresponded with Omar Karim, national director for post-secondary engagement initiatives, for more information. 

The campaign started in 2011 when founders Paul and Raven Lacerte were hunting moose in the Carrier territory “along the Highway of Tears in Northern BC, where so many women have gone missing or been murdered.” They thought about how to “repurpose the hide for social innovation,” Karim said. The hide represents “a little piece of land medicine” for domestic and gender-based violence. “Wearing the pin signifies your commitment to honour, respect, and protect the women and children in your life and speak out against gender-based and domestic violence,” reads the Moose Hide Campaign website. 

“The first of 25,000 pins were cut by Raven and her sisters,” and the campaign has now created “over five million to six million moose hide pins distributed across this country.” According to the campaign, the hide is sourced from moose hunted for food and ceremony by traditional hunters, or from moose who have already died. “No animals are hunted specifically to supply hides for the Moose Hide Campaign,” the organization said. Synthetic pins are also available.

“We say that it’s an act of reconciliation when you wear the pin,” Omar Karim, national director for post-secondary engagement initiatives

The campaign also focuses on educating “Indigenous and non-Indigenous men and boys” to stand up “against violence towards women and children” by “addressing negative masculinity.”

According to the Assembly of First Nations, Indigenous women and girls are four times more likely to be victims of violence at some point in their lives than non-Indigenous women. Over half of Indigenous women have suffered physical assault at some point in their lives, while 46% have reported sexual harassment or assault. This is due to a number of intersecting factors including systemic racism, misogyny, and the long-term impacts of colonialism, such as intergenerational trauma from residential schools. Indigenous groups like the Moose Hide Campaign are calling to action against the rise of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls (MMIWG).

“We say that it’s an act of reconciliation when you wear the pin,” said Karim. “We encourage members to fast as a form of sacrifice to honour the people in your lives.”

The “grounding tradition” of hunting the moose for cultural purposes was knowledge passed “from one generation to the other, something the residential school system tried to erase.”

The campaign focuses on educating Indigenous communities, K-12, and post-secondary institutions, asking: “how do we educate and provide educational awareness about the campaign? About sharing love, care, compassion? About creating healthy and respectful relationships?”

“Our hope is that as people go through their next generation of their journey, that they can take that learning, that understanding and then create that change within their communities,” said Karim. 

If you or someone you know is in need of support, visit The National Inquiry into MMIWG  for a toll-free help line, resources, and outreach.

Local banner drop critiques TMX pipeline

By
Peak Web
-
0
a series of multicoloured banners draped over a freeway. The banners advocate to stop the TMX pipeline, and activists on top of the bridge cheer
PHOTO: @climate604 / Twitter

By: Kaja Antic, Staff Writer

On Wednesday May 8, grassroots group Climate Convergence Metro Vancouver organized a banner drop in New Westminster. This was to protest the recent Canada Energy Regulator (CER) decision to approve operations for the Trans Mountain Pipeline (TMX) expansion, which has its western terminus at the foot of Burnaby Mountain. The Peak sat down with Alison Bodine, a central organizer for Climate Convergence, to learn more.

“The CER is a government agency. The Trans Mountain Pipeline Corporation that built the pipeline is a Crown Corporation,” Bodine said, meaning a government owned corporation. “As far as oversight, it’s the government giving the government approval.” 

Bodine first got involved with Climate Convergence in 2015, while the news of the TMX expansion project was still fresh. The group works to unite volunteer organizations locally, nationally, and internationally, to build a stronger climate justice coalition overall. “I really believe that we can all make individual changes to impact our lives or the lives of our community. But really, we need to work together and have organizations that can help mobilize masses of people to build a mass movement in defense of Mother Earth.”

The pipeline project — which is now tens of billions of dollars over budget — has been resisted by Indigenous communities and climate activists since its announcement in 2013. 

“It is not safe to operate. They are not prepared for spills. They’re not prepared for fires on Burnaby Mountain,” Bodine said. To combat this, a new fire hall was built on Burnaby Mountain on University Drive. In the case of a fire near the Trans Mountain tank farm, the new location would save time for an emergency response. 

Despite over a decade of protests, the government approved the pipeline’s operation, and in 2020, the Supreme Court of Canada rejected an application from the Squamish Nation, the Coldwater Indian Band, and the Tsleil-Waututh Nation to stop the expansion. Protests against its impending operation continue, Bodine asserted.

“It is not safe to operate. They are not prepared for spills. They’re not prepared for fires on Burnaby Mountain.” — Alison Bodine, Climate Convergence

The Sacred Trust initiative of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation has been advocating against the pipeline since 2011. They say that “the Tsleil-Waututh Nation has a sacred, legal obligation

to protect, defend, and steward the water, land, air, and resources of our territory.” They found in a report that the increased risk of spills, the logistics of spill clean-up, and the effect of the pipeline on cultural activities “does not represent the best use of Tsleil-Waututh territory.”

“We wanted to have this banner drop to demonstrate, first of all, to bring people together to say: ‘this fight, we’re continuing it.’”  She added, “The world can’t handle the greenhouse gas emissions that Canada is facilitating through building this pipeline.”

The pipeline is meant to transfer diluted bitumen from tar sands in Alberta to the Burrard Inlet. Spills of this oil in the US in recent years have been very difficult to clean up due to the varying densities of the substance.

Those against the project argue it’s dangerous to residents of Burnaby Mountain, including SFU. In 2021, The Peak reported on the risk of fires and that the “expansion” of tank farms puts “larger tanks between the already existing ones.” Therefore, “any existing buffer space that was built originally to prevent the spreading of a potential fire from one tank to another will be compromised,” and makes it easier for any potential fires to spread. This is only one aspect of the pipeline, as other concerns centre around danger to wildlife and climate change.

“The top climate scientists in the world tell us [climate action is] urgent, tell us change needs to come quickly. We do have a sense of urgency, and that calls us to the streets,” Bodine said. She also mentioned the recent banner demonstration gained support from drivers passing by, as well as street actions through a postcard campaign, and virtually through their social media pages.

“There’s space in the Climate Justice Movement for everyone from many different backgrounds to participate in. There’s different ways to be involved. Street actions, banner drops, webinars. But now is the time, and we need everyone to get involved in some capacity,” Bodine said. “We know the real solution is that we put the needs of people before those of profit and that we demand that of the government of Canada.”

Gen Z learning Gen Alpha slang to beat “aging like milk” allegations

By
Peak Web
-
0
Elderly person with a middle part and a T-shirt that reads “Gen Z.” There’s a text bubble that reads “Back in my day, we didn’t say skibidi.”
ILLUSTRATION: Cliff Ebora / The Peak

By: C Icart, Humour Editor

A local Zoomer (they did not want to be referred to as such, but this is my article and I do what I want) accidentally walked into a middle school while they were looking for affordable housing and climate crisis solutions. This caused them to realize that even though they don’t include the pandemic years (yeah, all four of them) in their age, Gen Alpha does. 

“Oh my God, bestie, the oldest Gen Alphas are turning 14 this year and I suppose this means they can talk now!” exclaimed Zoomer in an interview with The Peak (no, I don’t get paid enough to be asking for my interviewees names). “I can’t afford to have children, so I’m microdosing the experience by babysitting. This invaluable experience has taught me that kids these days are saying literally anything.”

Zoomer was adamant that they are not being “back in my day”-core when they judge Gen Alpha slang. “Our slang is normal. Theirs comes from Ohio???” After taking on Millennials in the generation wars, Zoomer and their peers are setting their sights on the baby Alphas (that’s what I’m calling them; I think it’s got a nice ring to it). 

“I was walking in the park slaying in my Y2K fit when these children yelled ‘What the sigma?!’ at me. I was so confused because I didn’t know anyone still talked about Greek life post #BamaRush.” Zoomer then used their selective memory to claim they were not this annoying when they were younger. 

“The Millennials like to bully me because I’ve made jokes about side parts and the laughing crying emoji and honestly it’s so cringe when the older generation just can’t accept that they’re no longer the new kids on the block. See, what I did there? I translated my point in Millennial-speak.” It was at this point that I realized I had lost control of this interview and that I was hungry and wanted to go home. 

My last attempt at hard-hitting journalism was asking Zoomer what they thought about Gen Alpha picking up the torch from previous generations in erroneously assuming the “new” terms they’re using are Internet slang and not just misused Black English. They gave me a blank stare and I gave them one back. I’m generous like that. Given that they weren’t ready for this conversation, I just gave them more space to dunk on children (because that’s so mature). 

“I don’t have time to look up Skibidi Toilet,” they whined, “I need to wake up early to get to Sephora while the children are still in school, and also to run because I signed up for my quarter-life crisis marathon in the fall.”  

For more information on this riveting story, do not follow us on social media, we are being C-18ed. 

Carissa Toledo – SFU Student Artists (Artist Spotlight)

By
Peak Web
-
0

Horoscopes May 27 – June 2

By
Peak Web
-
0
An illustration of a girl, stars and astrological signs strewn in her hair.
ILLUSTRATION: Marissa Ouyang / The Peak

By: C Icart, Humour Editor

Aries
March 21–April 19 

“Mr. Brightside” by The Killers

Listen, who are you trying to kid? You’re gonna show up to the bar insisting you’ll sing a different song, but you won’t. You’re a creature of habit, and the rest of us are just grateful that the song you repeatedly subject us to is at least a good one. 

Taurus
April 20–May 20

“Making Love to the Vancouver Canucks” by Ivan Hrvatska

You can spend a glorious two minutes and 16 seconds living in an alternate universe where the Canucks are still in the running to win the Stanley Cup. I mean, where else are you going to wear that $200 jersey you only bought because you wanted to be a part of something? 

Gemini
May 21–June 20

“Umbrella” by Rihanna 

In so-called Vancouver, April showers only bring May showers. You’re walking into the bar with your hair dripping even though you spent an hour curling it before. Use your platform to remind everyone they cannot afford to forget their umbrella, ella, ella at home. 

Cancer
June 21–July 22

“Tequila” by The Champs

Minimal lyrics and maximal time to show off all the extra dance moves your body only seems to remember when you have . . . wait for it . . . Tequila!

Leo
July 23–August 22

“Veggie Dance” by Gracie’s Corner

You spent half your rent buying vegetables at your local farmers market? They’ll probably go bad before you go through all of them? Time to throw it back while singing “I love my veggies!” 

Virgo
August 23–September 22

Not “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar

The stars do not care that you think you can rap after a couple Whiteclaws. You cannot. Get away from the mic and make sure you remind your non-Black friends that they still can’t say it. 

Libra
September 23–October 22

“Papaoutai” by Stromae 

You just got back from Paris so you’re basically French now right? Go prove it! Don’t forget to obnoxiously explain that the lyrics are not happy despite the upbeat music. Even though the huge hit is over a decade old, I’m sure no one at the bar knows this fun fact. Make sure to repeat it a lot to make extra friends who will be in awe of how cultured you are! 

Scorpio
October 23–November 21

“MHMM” by Glorb ft. Sandy Thee Squirrel

A random Sunday at your local dive bar is the perfect time to embody Sandy from SpongeBob. Bonus points if you wear a diving suit while rapping about how “the baddest bitches live in bubbles.”  

Sagittarius
November 22–December 21

“Imagine” by John Lennon 

In an era where people are very much still contracting and spreading COVID-19, it’s time to bust out your healing voice and sing “Imagine.” The world wasn’t ready in 2020, but today people love doing things that are ineffective to counter the spread of COVID-19.  

Capricorn
December 22–January 19

“Don’t Stop Believin’” by the Glee Cast 

Gather all your friends and sing like it’s the mid-2010s. Reminisce about a time where you were too young to understand that Will Schuster’s behaviour was inappropriate and you thought acappella was this cool new thing! 

Aquarius
January 20–February 18 

“Good Luck, Babe!” by Chappell Roan 

Compulsory heterosexuality and knowing when a song is above your vocal abilities are soooo out this summer. Gather all your sapphic friends and you can all get destroyed by those high notes together. 

Pisces
February 19–March 20

“Kingsgate Mall Tribute” by Ian Boothby and Vicky Van

This parody to the tune of Adele’s “Skyfall” is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Who doesn’t want to sing about the skunks at this beloved Mount Pleasant shopping destination? 

Explore the “ajeeb” in life with Asian Heritage Month at Morrow

By
Peak Web
-
0
PHOTO: Yasmin Hassan / The Peak

By: Yasmin Hassan, Staff Writer

On an unassuming street in Vancouver, I found myself at Morrow, a hidden art studio. I went in on a Wednesday just to check the gallery out, but little did I know, I’d stumbled into the studio mid-rehearsal. Despite the fact that I walked in unannounced and uninvited, I had never felt more welcome in a space. 

Ziyian Kwan, the artistic director for Morrow, Odd Meridian Arts, and producer for ahmm (Asian Heritage Month at Morrow), says “ahmm invites rupture, nurture, defiance, and bows in deep reverence, to all things queer. It’s a spirited and gently subversive multidisciplinary affair, including performances, workshops, and a gallery exhibit. A month of creative offerings that cultivate non-linear spaces of past, present, and future heritage.”  

I had the privilege of seeing Ajeeb Ajeeb, a mixture of spoken word, sound, song, and movement, performed by incredible local artists Nhylar, Anjalica Solomon, and Panthea Vatandoost. Nhylar is a queer gender non-conforming storyteller, media artist, and poet born in India who is active in events such as VancouverPride and Queer Arts Festival. Anjalica is a genderfluid Desi musician, songwriter, poet, spoken word artist, and multidisciplinary performer based in Vancouver whose poetic work “seeks to proclaim the possibilities of love and resilience.” Panthea is an Iranian actor, director, creator, and founder of managing artistic director of Medusa Theatre Society, a non-profit devoted to “supporting and producing works that engage with the immigrant and refugee community, with a focus on the Middle East.”

Ajeeb, in Farsi, Urdu, and Hindi, means “strange, odd, familiar, and wonderful,” which perfectly describes the sensations that emanated from this performance; it felt like an exploration of life, a culmination of the experiences of the artists being a part of the Asian diaspora and feeling out of place. 

The show started off with Solomon reading a poem, with the sounds of her voice being loop-peddled by an Rc505 loop station, creating an immersive sonic soundscape. After the opening poem, Nhylar began their segment of the show with a ritual, bridging the ceremony with the performance. The ritual felt like an immersive, interactive experience, making everyone in the space in some way whole and present. 

PHOTO: Yasmin Hassan / The Peak

Nhylar, after finishing their beautiful ritual, began reading out their poems. These poems ranged from various themes and experiences like alien and human duality, queer eroticism, appreciating nature, questioning life, grief, and death. I couldn’t help but think that the idea of returning to nature reminded me of pastoral poetry, which I wholeheartedly enjoy. 

PHOTO: Yasmin Hassan / The Peak

Next came Solomon, returning to read her poetry. She opened up with a poem called “Brown Girl Smoking Up,” which stunned me. Her poems touched on being far from home or never being able to return, meeting her mother for the first time, queerness, and climate change. Not only was she reciting her spoken word, but she also sang and used the loop-peddling, which truly drove it home for me; she has an commanding voice! 

PHOTO: Yasmin Hassan / The Peak

Finally, the last act of the show was from Panthea Vatandoost, who started off by handing out party hats to the audience. Hearing her say, “Welcome to my funeral party!” told me I was in for something amazing. Her performance was less poetry and more a conversation or a phone call with an old friend. As she moved around the room, Vatandoost talked about a range of topics — her grandma’s hands, death and its untimeliness, the idea of having an unfulfilled prophecy and bearing the weight of a legacy, and an endless cycle of indentured servitude. She finished her set with dancing and singing, looking ethereal.

PHOTO: Yasmin Hassan / The Peak

The gallery itself was adorned with beautiful and intricate installations like a tea ceremony table, a shelf for different Asian snacks, a couple of shelves for selling handmade goods (cards, books, keychains, stickers, and more), and one installation that particularly caught my eye. This mixed media installation by Sauha Lee is titled “Your Intentions Walk Towards You,” and it explores “the way she confronts her heritage and ancestry.” The combination of different objects collected over time takes the form of a sort of shrine, with a big mix of melted candle ends sitting in the middle. Beneath lies three intention-holding weights, from which you write an intention down on paper and place it underneath one of the weights. If you have a chance, do not skip out on seeing a show at Morrow. Despite its small, intimate space, Morrow isn’t afraid to explore and expose the ajeeb in and of life!

Building cities for citizens, not vehicles

By
Peak Web
-
1
People walking on gray concrete road
Photo: Jan Antonin Kolar / Unsplash

By: Hailey Miller, Staff Writer

Content warning: mentions of death.

Although there are rules in place for all road users, not everyone sharing the road is ensured the same level of safety. Vulnerable road users, those being cyclists, motorists, and pedestrians, are at increased risk of severe or fatal injuries compared to vehicle users. Street safety for them needs to be prioritized. This begins with enhancing measures related to signage, awareness of surroundings, and the implementation of stricter road rules.

Lack of safety for cyclists and pedestrians often leads to accidents that otherwise could have been avoided. The danger of taking to the streets as a pedestrian or cyclist in Metro Vancouver is alarming despite traffic-related fatalities decreasing in the past 20 years. From 2014 to 2020, two cyclists and 51 pedestrians were killed in accidents and about 50% of traffic related injuries or fatalities in 2021 were either cyclists or pedestrians. This year, a cyclist in East Vancouver lost their life from a traffic-related incident. 

Taking to the streets — whether walking or cycling — no matter what city you’re in, should be a safe and enjoyable experience. Building cities for their citizens rather than cars makes socially closer, safer, and environmentally sustainable neighbourhoods.

When thinking of cyclist cities, cities like Amsterdam come to mind. While different factors have made Amsterdam a cyclist paradise, such as flat terrain and mild weather — none of which can be attributed to Metro Vancouver — an active push of bicycle activism was required. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, groups organized public demonstrations, advocating for safety in the streets, especially for children. The city had to plan for each street to be safe for cycling, making the effort a long-term plan. And, as would be the case for most cities, many residents say they have concerns regarding street safety, as there are still people who disobey the rules, like signage and designated lanes. Still, Amsterdam has reduced traffic-related deaths significantly, 3,300 people died by traffic in 1971, to only 745 people in 2022 in the entire country.

Intuitively, cycling and walking short distances are environmentally friendly alternatives to car driving — biking reduces your CO2  per kilometer by about 75% when compared to single-use vehicles. And it’s not only the environmental benefits that should be considered, walkable cities are good for the economy. New York saw a rise in sales of 172% of local businesses in repurposed areas with pedestrians as a priority.

“Taking to the streets — whether walking or cycling — no matter what city you’re in, should be a safe and enjoyable experience.”

Building or rebuilding a city to prioritize pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit is an ongoing effort that requires different areas of urbanism to intersect. For example, measures that can be taken to improve street safety include having designated bike lanes that are separate from traffic (and that preferably have a barrier for added protection), better signage and lighting at crosswalks and throughout intersections, and proper flashing lights and signals. 

Public transit should also be included in redevelopment efforts. Taking New York as an example, dedicated bus lanes increased both bus speed and ridership, as well as a decrease in injury crashes. However, rezoning and redevelopment efforts can’t ignore the needs of people with disabilities, emergency vehicles, and the fact that cars are and will continue to be used. People with motor disabilities should be brought to the front in this conversation; designing with accessibility in mind helps both able-bodied and people with disabilities. While there haven’t been many studies about people with disabilities and walkable cities, frequent resting spots, weather-safe bus stops, accessible transit vehicles, and actively listening to requests are a must. Finally, while vehicles might be discouraged in this type of urban redevelopment, emergency vehicles such as ambulances and fire trucks still require an efficient way to move within a city. 

Proper awareness includes awareness of motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists alike. Educating yourself about the importance of safety, the risks of being on the road, and the measures that can be taken to prevent accidents and injuries are all ways that can help improve street safety. Safety gear and equipment such as wearing a helmet, reflective and vibrant clothing, and reflective stickers on bicycles and gear are all measures that cyclists and pedestrians can take to be safer — and more visible — on the streets. 

Vancouver is on the right path, being ranked as the most walkable city in Canada, but there’s still room to improve. Remember to share the road and be conscious of your actions to minimize the chance of accidents. Safer streets need to be prioritized for everyone.

Council Chats: Various committee elections held to kick off the summer semester

By
Peak Web
-
0
This is an illustration of a graphic that reads “Council Chats.” The image also has two text boxes to symbolise messages being sent.
ILLUSTRATION: Andrea Choi / The Peak

By: Hannah Fraser, News Writer

On May 15, The Peak attended the bi-weekly Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) Council meeting via Zoom. The meeting involved  committee elections and an announcement that Council meetings would be offered hybrid-style for better engagement among councillors. 

Elections for committee positions

Elections were held to appoint councillors to the accessibility committee, equity and sustainability committee, Vancouver campus committee, and an “SFSS restructuring working group.” 

While 11 other committee elections were supposed to take place, these elections were postponed to the following meeting as some nominated councillors hadn’t yet completed their mandatory membership forms. The elections that took place automatically assigned councillors onto the committees without a need for voting. There are a certain number of seats available on each committee, and because no extra nominations were called, each seat was filled with no need for a formal election. The elections that took place are as follows:

The accessibility committee monitors how the Student Society Accessibility Fund is spent, recommending changes to policy relating to accessibility. Sam Killawee, vice-president internal and organizational development, nominated Rishu Bagga, vice-president university and academic affairs, to the committee, which Bagga accepted. Bagga then nominated Ariana Shamsuddin, molecular biology and biochemistry representative, to which she accepted. No other nominations were brought forward, so Bagga and Shamsuddin automatically joined the committee. 

The equity and sustainability committee works to “dismantle intersecting forms of systemic oppression” by platforming “historically-excluded students in the community at SFU.” Self-nominations came from Grayson Barke, environmental science representative, Jasleen Dhami, gender, sexuality, and women’s studies representative, and Maryam Niaz, biomedical physiology kinesiology representative. Chloë Arneson, vice-president equity and sustainability, also nominated Bagga. Barke, Dhami, Niaz, and Bagga all automatically joined the committee. 

One representative from each constituency group, such as SFU350, a group representing climate justice issues, and the Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group (SFPIRG), an independent student society representing social justice issues are also automatically part of this committee. Emmanuel Anthony-Onuigbo, Students of Caribbean and African Ancestry (SOCA) representative, retracted his self-nomination due to automatic membership. Since SOCA is a constituency group, Anthony-Onuigbo was already a member of the committee. 

The Vancouver campus committee focuses on “issues affecting students at the Vancouver Campus,” giving Council “formal recommendations and reports” around campus engagement. Chitransh Motwani, vice-president events and student affairs, Pranay Ratan, data science representative, and Arneson all self-nominated and joined the committee.

Councillors were also nominated for a “working group,” made for the SFSS to “review and modernize its current model to improve the structure of its organization and serve the student body more efficiently.” Meha Sidhu, the business administration representative, and Landy Liu, the chemistry representative, both joined the working group as nominated by Killawee. Shoron Alam, health science representative, self-nominated and also joined the committee.

1...115116117...1,431Page 116 of 1,431

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us:
[email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024