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SFU community urges university to support Palestine

By
Peak Web
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This is a photo of a person holding a sign far above their head. Their face cannot be seen, only their arms reaching into the sky. Their sign has a Palestinian flag on it, and reads, “Ceasefire now.”
PHOTO: Amrit Kamaal / The Peak

Editor’s Note: Corrections have been made to this article: the Gaza in Context event happened on October 20, rather than November 10, as previously written. The academic freedom event referenced happened on November 10.

By: Anonymous Student

Content warning: mentions of genocide and death. 

Members of the SFU community have been urging the university administration and Board of Governors to join the growing calls for a ceasefire in Palestine. SFU students have been calling for the university’s support for students, staff, and faculty impacted by the Israeli siege on Palestine and rising Islamophobic and antisemitic hate crimes (especially among anti-Zionist Jewish people). 

As of November 17, the United Nations stated Israel killed over 20,000 Palestinians, with more than 1,650,000 million Gazans internally displaced. The United Nations has warned the Israeli government’s actions against Palestine may be considered genocide. As outlined by the UN security Council and general assembly resolutions from the human rights organization B’Tselem, Gaza is currently part of the Occupied Palestinian Territories which Israel illegally occupies. Since 2005, Israel has controlled air, land, and seaports, effectively having full control and surveillance over the Gaza strip. At the time of writing, Israel has started a four-day truce, but publications report that Israel has already violated ceasefire by shooting at Palestinians returning north of Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also says the Israeli offensive will resume after their ceasefire. 

SFU faculty and staff penned a letter condemning the escalated bombardment, continued occupation, violent siege on Gaza, and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the West Bank. They state that between October 7–27, Israel dropped as many bombs as the United States did in Afghanistan. According to the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, Israel has hit Gaza “with the equivalent of two nuclear bombs.” This amounts to a relentless rain of bombs for Gaza, which is only 365 sq km. 

SFU staff and faculty are calling on the university to uphold SFU’s commitments to anti-oppression, anti-racism, and reconciliation immediately by taking the following actions:

  1. “To affirm support for free speech and academic freedom, including the right of members of the SFU community to name and speak out against Israeli apartheid, the occupation of Palestine, and the genocide in Gaza.
  2. To heed and respond to the calls in the open letter from Birzeit University in Palestine, urging international academic institutions, to ‘not be silent about genocide.’
  3. To divest immediately from war contractors, including Booz Allen Hamilton, BAE Systems, and CAE Inc.,
  4. To divest immediately from any financial relationships with Israeli companies.”

On October 20, SFU faculty and staff members organized a “Gaza in Context” teach-in series in collaboration with dozens of universities across Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Canada, and the US. The SFU Centre for Comparative Muslim Studies also organized an event in collaboration with various departments and universities across Canada titled “Academic Freedom under Stress: Israel, Palestine, and the Canadian University” on November 10. The communication department and the labour studies department at SFU published statements advocating against genocide in Palestine.

Similarly, students and youth are vocally calling on SFU to act. Over 20 groups and 700+ people signed the open letter published by SFU Students for Justice Palestine (SJP), including Palestinian Youth Movement, Independent Jewish Voices Youth Bloc, and other allied groups.

Student groups are holding art events, film screenings, teach-ins, vigils, and marches to raise awareness. In a written statement to The Peak,  SJP and independent student organizers reported 120–150 attended the vigil and protest on November 19. 

Students, staff, and faculty have expressed varying levels of distress as well, whether directly or indirectly affected. “This Nakba happened for the second time in my family,” said one community member in a post online. “In a minute, they have been stripped of almost everything they own: their homes, clothes, privacy, and everything in between.” In an interview with The Peak, students reported, “It’s been increasingly difficult to focus on [their] academics and mental health.” They elaborated, “Our posters, which call for vigils to grieve the lives of Palestinians murdered by the State of Israel and an end to settler colonialism, have been repeatedly torn down. Tearing down our posters makes us feel unsafe knowing that there are people on campus who are so strongly in favor of the massacres that the State of Israel commits.”

The SJP students’ open letter echoes the staff and faculty calls to action and emphasizes the need for specialized mental health support for those in the community who are impacted. Students also asked SFU to encourage faculty to be compassionate “in recognition of the extreme emotional distress inflicted by the violence of the state of Israel that is impacting every Palestinian family.” They are asking for the university to consider, “extended deadlines, attendance flexibility for missed classes/exams, alternatives to in-person classes, deferred coursework, and clear communication channels” as important “ways to support impacted students.”

SJP and independent student organizers told The Peak that president Joy Johnson has not officially responded to their calls to action. Johnson released a second statement on November 9, but students were quick to criticize the statement for its failure to address the internationally recognized settler-colonialism, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing by the State of Israel in Palestine. The organizers highlight that the City of Burnaby has joined the global calls for an immediate ceasefire, unlike SFU. Students are urging SFU to uphold the rights of Indigenous Palestinians as determined in UNDRIP, which the university committed to “recognize and honour.”

Community members have called on the university to address safety. Students who are part of SJP describe feeling “unwelcome in certain spaces” and receiving “dirty looks at stares.” In their open letter, students demand SFU take initiative to proactively ensure the safety of Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, and Jewish community members on campus. 

The Decision Is Yours.

By
Peak Web
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Directional signs in the desert.
PHOTO: Mark Neal / Pexels

By: Hana Hoffman, Peak Associate

#1

You procrastinated on a video project due in 10 hours. It’s 2 p.m., your lecture has just ended, and you need to rush home to your computer to work on the project. Oh no!

Go to 2.

#2

Would you rather call Uber to get home faster or take transit to save money?

Uber: go to 3.

Transit: go to 4.

#3

The Uber driver picks you up, but they’re new to the city and unfamiliar with the area. They follow the map instead of taking the route you recommend and end up in a construction zone where traffic is barely moving. It’s hard to predict how much of a delay this traffic jam will cause.

You think about how you could hop out of the car and walk 40 minutes to get home, but there’s also a chance it won’t take too long to get past the construction.

Jump out and walk: go to 8.

Wait in the Uber: go to 5.

#4

You hop on the bus, and there’s a seat available, so you take it. You didn’t sleep much the night before, so you fall asleep.

Read about the dream you had during your nap:  go to 7.

Continue with the story: go to 6.

#5

Your hopes were a little too high for the Uber. It took 30 minutes to get past the construction zone, and even after that, the ride took quite a while. You couldn’t even recognize the streets they were driving on. You ask the driver if they’re really taking you to 7614 Nelson St, but on their Uber app, it says 7614 Elson St. You made a typo in the app earlier today! Now, the driver has to turn around and drive another hour or two in heavier rush-hour traffic.

Go to 10.

#6

After the nap, you wake up and realize you missed your stop and travelled too far. You get off the bus as soon as possible. It would take 30 minutes to walk home, but you also see an unattended scooter in someone’s front yard, which would make it faster to get home.

Just walk home: go to 8.

Take the scooter: go to 9.

#7

You have a wild dream where someone broke into your bedroom and stole all your Halloween candy, and you later found out it was Peakie who did it. Then, you wrote a letter to Peakie asking for all the candy to be returned, and suddenly, it started raining candy and chocolates from the sky for one minute.

Go to 6.

#8

You go on that long walk, reaching your home in the late afternoon.

Go to 11.

#9

You carefully walk into the yard while looking around to make sure no one is watching. You grab the scooter, take it to the road, and off you go! You reach the end of the block, and you hear two young boys on bicycles ringing the handlebar bells at you. You turn your head to see what’s happening, and then you hear one of them yell, “Hey, that’s my scooter!”

Return the scooter to the boy: Go to 12.

Keep riding away as fast as you can: Go to 13.

#10

You get home in the late evening, so you don’t have that much time to work on your project. You turn on the computer and put minimal effort into the project to get it done as quickly as possible. Then, you submit it on Canvas right before the deadline. Although your mark for the project might not be great, at least you won’t get deductions for submitting late!

#11

The long walk was great exercise, so your brain is energized and ready to grind. You work really hard for the rest of the day and successfully submit the finished project on Canvas before the deadline. Fantastic job! The stress is over now, so it’s time for a relaxing night of binge watching Christmas movies because it’s never too early to start getting in the holiday spirit.

#12

Since you don’t want the situation to escalate, you give the scooter to the boy and tell him you were just testing it out for a minute and was planning to put it back in his front yard. Then, you start to take the long walk home.

Go to 11.

#13

You respond to the boy by saying, “Well, it’s mine now!” And you take off as fast as you can. However, the two boys on bikes end up catching up to you easily. They throw their water bottle at your head and you fall off the scooter. The boy pulls over and walks up to you, examines the scooter, and complains about the scratched-up surfaces. He tells you that if you don’t buy him a new scooter, he will call his mom to come over and deal with you. You really don’t want any trouble, so you make your way to the nearest scooter shop with the two boys to buy him a new scooter. After that you make your way home, and arrive quite late. Since you only have a bit of time left before the deadline and you’re super exhausted, you give up on finishing the project and make it a “tomorrow” problem.

Woman diagnosed with a case of being overdramatic

By
Peak Web
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Male doctor and female patient in a doctor’s office. She is speaking but he is ignoring her and there’s a thought bubble that reads “she’s so dramatic.”
ILLUSTRATION: Alyssa Umbal / The Peak

By: Saije Rusimovici, Staff Writer

To the concerned patient, 

After reviewing your symptoms and ailments, your diagnosis has been revealed to me through a number of tests and reviews of similar “nervous” cases such as your own. My colleagues and I have reached the conclusion that in addition to your irrational thought patterns and overthinking tendencies displayed regularly, you are, in fact, the perfect example of an Overdramatic Woman. I can prescribe no treatment for this particular issue. I urge you to rest and avoid strenuous activities (perhaps take a soothing bath). As for your other symptoms (headaches, difficulty sleeping, rumination), I advise you to please avoid any activity that may cause you stress. It’s quite simple, really. All you need to do is relax and stop worrying. 

Sincerely signed, 

Under-qualified, overpaid, and slightly sexist physician

 

Dearest doctor, 

How fantastic! Someone has finally told me what I needed to hear! How have I not thought about this before? It’s such a simple solution, I should have been able to come up with it on my own. I’ve been navigating my full-time job and side hustle, managing the emotional stability of my entire family (as is the obvious duty of the oldest sibling), preparing for three midterms in 10 days and, of course, and keeping up with my morning workout regimen. It will be simple to tune all that out and focus on my new goal: RELAXATION. 

It’s time to take up one of the overpriced barre classes I’ve always wanted to try (so what if I’m late on rent? I’ve heard they do wonders). Why learn how to manage my course load by talking to a counsellor when I can think my problems away? The solution to figuring out how I am going to afford to pay off my undergrad tuition loans can be completely resolved with just good thoughts! And the headaches? No need to find a long-term solution for the underlying causes when I can just sit in a dark room, close my eyes, and let relaxation find me — if my upset stomach doesn’t find me first! But even if it does, I’m sure relaxing will help fix that, too!

Of course, there is the issue of my low iron problem that naturopaths seem to insist I have. Your jokes about eating more spinach were not just insightful, but hilarious! I appreciate you sparing me the traumatizing experience of getting a blood test. I detest needles, and I detest receiving proper care as well, which is why I keep coming to you. 

Sincerely yours, 

Perfectly fine patient



Cramming in those post-strike readings you never anticipated completing

By
Peak Web
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Person wearing a red shirt and glasses surrounded by a large amount of books.
PHOTO: Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels

By: Hailey Miller, Staff Writer

Picture this: you’re that student who thought there was absolutely no end in sight to the strike, so you neglected three weeks’ worth of materials. You just figured it wouldn’t amount to anything! I bet you never anticipated an actual return to tutorials and a last-minute, unexpected need to submit your unwritten assignments after all. All this talk and no action led you to believe the strike would be indefinite, didn’t it? Some of you have never experienced a TSSU strike before, and it shows.

When the work stoppage came around, you thought nothing would be marked. So, why bother submitting an essay you didn’t even start in the first place, or finishing up an assignment that will no longer be accounted for? Since tutorials were cancelled, you conveniently “forgot” about all those supposed required readings, didn’t you? You stopped attending lectures in person whenever they were behind a picket line, so what’s the point in returning to campus now? Besides, the semester’s almost over anyway, and there’s not enough time to catch up, is there? What is this, your first strike rodeo? What an amateur you are! I bet you had no idea what was about to hit you. Little did you know, the TSSU Contract Committee had been working hard all along and did not give up until there was a tentative agreement. Lucky for you, tutorials are back in action now, but you, most certainly, are not. 

There’s no time like the present to frantically cram countless pages of readings and unfinished assignments into one week, to make it look like you did your work on time. You figured that since there was no schedule to follow, and no tutorials required, deadlines went out the window. An unprecedented level of panic set in upon the arrival of the highly anticipated email from SFU stating that a tentative agreement had been reached and a return to labs and tutorials would happen right that second. I guarantee you curled up into a ball and considered dropping out, didn’t you? You contemplated staying in bed just as you have since the start of the strike because there’s no point in getting your act together now. Nothing says strike amateur like an unprepared student.

Those of us who are well-seasoned, strike-experienced scholars know all too well that it wouldn’t be a semester on campus without a strike. A good ol’ work stoppage is just a part of the process. Trust me, this isn’t our first rodeo. The newbies, on the other hand, have never been more stressed than in the mere two seconds they’ve actually been on campus for the start of their degrees. Welcome to SFU, where you hardly attend classes but still have to pay full price. Ever heard of a discount? That’s not applicable here! If you thought you’d be reimbursed for all the missed classes, sorry, you’re out of luck. I’d suggest taking your concerns to the admin and filling out the useless survey SFU emailed. I can guarantee you nothing will happen. SFU will continue to bask in the glory of another tuition hike, yet again. 

With backpay not guaranteed, the assignments that you actually did manage to complete will most likely get a measly pass or fail with no mark given. If you strived for 100%, I hate to break it to you, but it won’t matter now. As for your anxiously awaited return to tutorials and labs, your incomplete readings and conveniently “forgotten” assignments, fear not, because the TAs are just as lost as you.



Taking the bus everywhere is my newest business strategy

By
Peak Web
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U-Pass on a pedestal
ILLUSTRATION: Jill Baccay / The Peak

By: Gyu Min Jang, SFU Student

If there’s anything I’ve learned during the three weeks I didn’t have classes but couldn’t get my tuition refunded, it’s that undergraduate and graduate students alike are constantly fighting an uphill battle against SFU and their fat wallet. Seriously, tuition fees will only get higher every year, and we still have to deal with the adults at the dinner table arguing over who gets a bigger allowance (that comes out of our broke pockets). It’d be nice to feel like our money is actually going toward our education or, at the very least, to our benefit, but that is a mere pipe dream for the penniless . . . or so I thought.

Among the list of my account activity transactions, one purchase became my only solace in a sea of student debt: the U-Pass. This was my way of exploiting the system. 

It doesn’t matter whether you have a car or if half your classes are online, because the U-Pass is a virus that has spread to all BC students, and chances are you’re infected. $180.40 (and yes, every cent matters) has gone down the drain, and it is my mission to reap what I’ve sown and more. I knew I was in for a ride (well, many, many rides). 

Before entering university, I made every effort to spend as little money as possible on transit. This wasn’t easy, of course, especially without a driver’s license (My 5-month expired learner’s license is the only form of government-issued ID I have on me). This usually meant that I was either a passenger princess in the hands of my parents or friends, or I was walking. If the kilometres were in the double digits, you best know it would be leg day that day. 

I used to have this irrational fear that I would be judged by the passengers or the bus driver if I ever took the bus for a handful of stops. I mean, okay, I could’ve walked that distance in like 10 minutes. People are going to think that I do nothing all day!!! (Too much projection? Okay, sorry). It didn’t help that whenever bus times were delayed, I would just stand there and debate whether today was the day I would get off my ass, especially if I knew I would get to my destination faster by walking. 

But now? I do a little jig as I leave the bus that took me 400m downhill. The power bestowed upon me in the form of a blue plastic card was now the only light at the end of my university tunnel. Seeing that green TransLink screen every time I hop onto my magic carpet, ready to take me anywhere, is my greatest joy. No length is too short for my legs to not be walking. Maybe it’s my frugal mindset, maybe it’s out of spite against SFU taking my money, but using every excuse to ride the bus has become more than just a benefit; it’s my lifestyle. 

People say that life is about the journey, not the destination. And to that, I say my journey will be taken on a TransLink bus, every time.



Horoscopes October 29–November 4

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

By: Kelly Chia, Emissary of the Stars

Aries 

Did anyone tell you that it’s shark week? Well, not in the way you think it might be. Prepare yourself for the onslaught of seven evil sharks during your midterm week. Defeating each subsequent shark in a battle of wit will earn you a degree arguably even more desirable than the one you are working toward. Keep at it, shark warrior.

Taurus

Have you been playing Baldur’s Gate 3 lately? Of course, everyone and their mother in the Faerûn has. Well, here’s one lesson from the game you can take with you into your week this week: maybe it is worth spending hundreds of hours doing shenanigans with your friends, than progressing your main story. It’s the side quests that make us!

Gemini

You have an evil twin: no, I’m positive that you do. Their name is Binky, and they have slowly been making sure that everything you eat causes you minor stomach pain. To deal with Binky, you must spin around three times and punch a bush — this is just because Binky hates bushes — and you can have a heart-to-heart conversation to ease your tummyaches. Aww.  

Cancer

The last month has been so heavy for you, Cancer. Literally! The Stars have tasked you with lifting Andromeda herself on your shoulders. We never knew you were a hero of Herculean strength, but now everyone who’s reading this will. Make sure you wear a backpack, not a tote this week: you need to balance out that weight properly.

Leo

Oh! We’re getting some very strong vibes here, telling you that you need to make the step and get your little treat from the artist you’ve been eyeing on Etsy. That craft has been in your cart for actual months. You have earned (1) guiltfree purchase, no need to think about those exorbitant export fees!

Virgo

You know how they say to never meet your idols? Well, we think that phrase belongs to the trash for you this week. We’ve heard tell from the Stars that your idols are gladly taking resumes and cover letters. Our personal idol is McFogg the Dog, and we hear he’s accepting applicants. What is the application for? Oh, don’t you want to know! 

Libra

Something unjust is in the air, you can sense it. Don a detective costume and investigate the campus for clues. You might just unravel a mystery in the RCB, and you’ll blend in just fine with the other Halloween-ers. 

Scorpio

Don’t tell Virgo, but the application they’re sending to McFogg the Dog is actually directed to you. That’s right: you are the girlboss this week. Make sure to be a responsible girlboss, and walk with pride. Your horoscope, at least, knows your worth. 

Sagittarius

If you are a Sagittarian and haven’t written for The Peak yet, we have words: coooome write for us! Join the evergrowing Sagittarian squad at our illustrious publication. We sometimes offer cookies. We need to assert our domination over the other astrological signs here in sheer number so they understand our power, okay?


Capricorn

What is with you and agreeing to ten commitments before realizing you have to cancel all of them? The Stars think you are a serial triple booker, and you deserve to not speed through everything. This week, say no to at least three people. I promise you your Google calendar will thank you. 

Aquarius

The joy growing inside of you is about to burst! We’re happy to announce that you have been chosen to break into a synchronized musical number with any people of your choosing. Will you have a fun duet, or break into a mob dance? Broadway is quaking.

Pisces

You feel feral this week. Maybe it’s the Halloween spirit inside of you, but something tells us that you are halfway to being team Jacob if you catch our drift. That’s right: look into your dog’s eyes this week. You’ll understand her on a soul-to-soul basis like you never have before. Woo!


Places to propose to your partner at SFU

By
Peak Web
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Someone proposing to their partner inside the avocado egg. Raccoons are watching.
ILLUSTRATION: Andrea Choi / The Peak

By: Izzy Cheung, Staff Writer

Have you ever thought about asking someone to marry you at SFU? No? Well, here are some reasons why you should. We’ve got a plethora of beautiful places where you can pop the question to your loved one, whether you want the perfect, Instagram-worthy proposal photo or a setting filled with deep meaning and knowledge. 

In line at the Tim Hortons in West Mall Centre 

Few places on campus are more popular than the Tim Hortons at West Mall, so where better to get down on one knee? You can celebrate (or cry about) the result of your proposal with a delicious honey cruller or even get a pack of Timbits to share with your loved one. Better yet, instead of spending all that money on some ring, just buy them a donut and stick it on their finger. Old fashioned, chocolate glazed, honey dip . . . Either way, your partner will love whatever you pick out. Your proposal will surely end up trending on TikTok if you propose at this location! 

In the reflection pond 

The trick to nail this proposal is that you can’t be on the walkway over the reflection pond, nor can you be beside it. To get the most out of this proposal, you and your partner must be IN the pond itself. I’m talking knee-deep, pants wet, koi biting at your ankles as you lower yourself into the pond to ask for your partner’s hand in marriage. When they see the lengths you’re willing to go to be with them, they’re guaranteed to say yes. 

Fifth-floor AQ bathrooms 

Yes, I’m obsessed with these particular bathrooms. I used them almost once a week for an entire semester, and it took me until the end of the year to realize that if someone wanted to, they could peek into the stall and see . . . everything. Since then, I haven’t used these bathrooms. Anyways. 

Have you ever had proposal jitters? Ever wanted to ask someone out but never did it because you were too nervous to even look them in the eye? The fifth-floor AQ bathrooms are the solution for you, whether you’re asking out your crush or proposing to a perfect stranger. Simply stick your hand through the open spot in the stall and give them the expensive diamond ring you’ve picked out to put on their hand. Listen to Beyoncé, y’all — if you like it, then you shoulda put a ring on it. 

2900 Maggie Benston Centre 

Isn’t that . . . The Peak’s office? Yes, friends, The Peak is offering to host your proposal (just don’t talk to anyone in management about this; they don’t know about it yet). You’re bound to get all the privacy you need if you propose here. Why is that, you ask? Because no one comes here. Like, no one. I don’t even think the janitors come to this side of the building. It’s also eerily quiet here, so maybe bring a speaker to play some music. Your partner is bound to enjoy the sound of the parking lot right beside us as you get down on one knee in front of our beloved office. Who knows, if you’re extra nice, maybe we’ll give you a free sticker. 

Inside the avocado 

Be honest — you knew this was going to be on this list. The avocado is an SFU staple, arguably more iconic than anything else about this school. So, of course, we had to include it on this list. If people can engage in other . . . romance-related activities in the avocado, you can certainly propose in there as well! 

The lows that led to the Canucks’ best start in franchise history

By
Peak Web
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photo of Quinn Hughes and JT Miller celebrating after Hughes’ OT game winner.
PHOTO: Courtesy of the Vancouver Canucks' Instagram

By: Kaja Antic, Sports Writer

After years of turmoil, it’s time to back Canada’s leading team. It’s time to believe in the Vancouver Canucks again.

Since the team was eliminated from the second round of playoffs in game 7 against the Vegas Golden Knights during their surprising stint in the modified 2020 NHL postseason, it seemed like the Canucks were on an ongoing downward spiral. 

The following year, during the 2020–21 COVID-shortened season, instead of taking another step forward, the Canucks finished last in the first-ever all Canadian North division — due largely to tighter border regulations during the pandemic. 

In 56 games, the Canucks scraped together a mere 50 points, with a losing record of 23–29–4. After playing 37 games, the team’s season was temporarily halted on March 30, 2021, after former Canucks forward Adam Gaudette was pulled from practice after testing positive for COVID-19.

COVID-19 infections proceeded to spread quickly throughout the organization, with 21 players and four Canucks staff members contracting the virus since Gaudette’s case was made public. The puck was finally dropped for another Canucks game on April 18, 2021, after not playing a game since March 24. The team finished the season after conflicts with the NHL, being forced to play 19 games in 31 days — 12 of them resulting in losses, and being eliminated officially from the post-season.

These dropped points were not the worst of the outbreak’s consequences, however, as players continued to struggle with the aftermath of the virus. Most notable was former Canuck Brandon Sutter, who retired in October 2023, after not playing a regular season game since 2021 due to the effects of Long–COVID. 

The bad luck followed the Canucks into the 2021–22 season, holding an 8–15–2 record through the first 25 games. The drama heightened on December 4, 2021, after a fan tossed their jersey onto the ice, and chants called for the firing of then-general manager, Jim Benning, during a 4–1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The next day, Benning was fired along with then-head coach Travis Green, who led the Canucks in their playoff run two seasons prior. 

The Canucks then hired Bruce Boudreau as head coach, who finished the season 32–15–10, and nearly led the team to the playoffs, before they were eliminated in the second to last game of the year. Despite Boudreau’s success in his first few months, the 2022–23 season would not be as forgiving, as the Canucks started the year winless through their first seven games.

The bad luck mounted for the Canucks, with all-star goalie Thatcher Demko missing months due to injury, rumours of medical malpractice with forward Tanner Pearson, frustration boiling out onto the ice, and Boudreau himself being fired after 13 months behind the Vancouver bench.

Just over a week after Rick Tocchet was brought in to replace Boudreau, Canucks captain Bo Horvat was traded to the New York Islanders after months of rumours, as his contract with Vancouver was set to expire that offseason.

Under Tocchet, the Canucks improved slightly, earning a record of 20–12–4 with the new bench boss, but ultimately missing the playoffs for the third season in a row. Despite the adversity, Demko had a strong return late in the season, Quinn Hughes reached 200 assists faster than any other defenceman in league history, centreman Elias Pettersson reached 102 points, and breakout Russian winger Andrei Kuzmenko earned an impressive 27.3 shooting percentage.

These impressive achievements have certainly carried into the 2023–24 season. Hughes was named the 15th team captain in franchise history, and the Canucks have achieved a 12–4–1 record over 17 games thus far, with no real sign of slowing down. The team has yet to lose in regulation at Rogers Arena, picking up a point in an overtime loss on October 28 against the New York Rangers.

The team has the highest positive goal differential — goals for minus goals against — in the league, with the number at the time of writing being +31 on the season. This can be credited to the many dominant offensive performances the team has had early on, from winning their first game of the season 8–1 against the Edmonton Oilers to an eye-popping 10–1 win against the San Jose Sharks. 

It has certainly been a team effort, with many players contributing to the winning performances. Brock Boeser seems to finally be on pace to hit the 30-goal mark this season, with 13 already on the season. In just 17 games, Boeser has earned 21 points, with Hughes and forwards JT Miller and Elias Pettersson tied for the team lead with 27 points each.

Goaltending has also been a high point for Vancouver. In 11 starts, Demko is 8–3–0, with two shutouts, a .932 save percentage, and a 2.04 goals against average. Backup goaltender Casey DeSmith has made six starts so far, with a .917 save percentage, 2.89 goals against average, and a solid 4–1–1 record.

The Canucks are currently second in the Pacific division, only behind the reigning Stanley Cup Champions, the Vegas Golden Knights. With 25 points so far, the Canucks are on pace for 121 points this season — more than enough for a bid to the postseason. 

Sports quiz: fact or fiction

By
Peak Web
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photo of a baseball player at the plate, swinging their bat.
PHOTO: Chris Chow / Unsplash

By: Kaja Antic, Sports Writer

True or False: The Los Angeles Kings drafted a future Baseball Hall of Famer in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft.

True! Tom Glavine, who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a pitcher for the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets, was first drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1984 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft. Glavine was drafted in the fourth round, two rounds before future Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Brett Hull and five rounds before future inductee Luc Robitaille. 

The Atlanta Braves had drafted Glavine five days earlier in the second round of the 1984 MLB amateur draft. Ultimately, Glavine chose baseball over hockey — which worked out decently, as he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 in his first year of eligibility.

True or False: A basketball player with only nine fingers won the 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

True! During his time with the Boston Celtics, shooting guard/small forward Gerald Green won the dunk contest at the 2007 National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game. When Green was in the sixth grade, a freak accident while dunking on a makeshift hoop led to half of his right ring finger being amputated.

True or False: All Grey Cup team winners have been Canadian.

False! During the early 1990s, the Canadian Football League (CFL) experimented with United States expansion. While most of the American teams were unsuccessful, the Baltimore Stallions won the 83rd Grey Cup in 1995, defeating the Calgary Stampeders 37–20, shortly before the league officially ended the American trial run.

True or False: During World War II, the US Army purposefully designed their grenades to be the same size as baseballs so it would be easier to throw.

True, but with the opposite effect. The BEANO T-13 hand grenade had the same measurements as a regulation baseball, as US Army officials assumed that most draft-eligible men in the United States would be able to pitch a fastball, due to the popularity of baseball on the home front. Though the grenades were rarely used outside of testing, the BEANO T-13 was said to have caused more casualties for the Allies than the Axis Powers. 

True or False: There are two MLS teams in New York.

False! While there are two clubs with “New York” in the name, only one of them actually plays in the Big Apple. New York City FC is the only Major League Soccer (MLS) team to actually play in the state of New York, sharing Yankee Stadium with the MLB’s New York Yankees. The New York Red Bulls play at Red Bull Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, within 10 miles of the New York–New Jersey border. 

True or False: The 1905 Stanley Cup Champions, the Ottawa Senators, kicked the cup into the Rideau Canal.

Most likely false. While a long-standing legend has said the highly successful Ottawa Senators of 1905 (or, occasionally, 1906) kicked the historic Stanley Cup into Ottawa’s Rideau Canal, the tale is most likely false. There has never been a clear story of the night the Senators won against the Dawson City Nuggets, and it’s been denied by the family of the Senators players, as well as the NHL’s first president Frank Calder.

Nevertheless, the story lives on. While there may not be solid evidence or reports of this incident actually occurring, it’s still a funny anecdote in the history of the cup. Many odd incidents with the Stanley Cup have transpired since then, like in 1924 when members of the victorious Montreal Canadiens accidentally left the trophy on the side of the road.

True or False: Two NFL teams are tied for the most Super Bowl wins.

True! The Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots are tied for the most Super Bowl wins in the trophy’s history, with six apiece. Pittsburgh’s victories came in 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 2006, and 2009. New England’s victories all came within 20 years, in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017, and 2019. 

True or False: David Beckham led to a rule change in the MLS.

True! Mr. Posh Spice was a member of the LA Galaxy from 2007–2012, appearing in 98 games for the MLS team. In order to allow for superstar Beckham to play in the league, the MLS created the “designated player” rule in 2007, which allowed teams to sign three high-value players to their roster on contracts that would exceed their salary cap. 

Beckham was the first to utilize a designated player spot, signing a five-year contract with LA Galaxy worth over $292.6 million CAD in 2007. Other players who have since used this rule include superstar Lionel Messi, who signed a deal that could be worth more than $207 million CAD over two and half years with Inter Miami FC, and the Vancouver Whitecaps’ 2023 Player of the Year, Ryan Gauld.

True or False: The Toronto Raptors were the first NBA team in Canada.

False, kind of. The Raptors joined the NBA in 1995 along with the ill-fated Vancouver Grizzlies, who moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 2001. However, the first professional basketball team in Toronto actually pre-dated the NBA.

The Toronto Huskies played one season, from 1946–1947, in the Basketball Association of America — which eventually became the NBA. The Huskies folded after only one year, with a 22–38 record. Professional basketball returned to Canada’s largest city 48 years later, with the Raptors we know today.

The Lebanese Burger Mafia is a breakthrough in Arab Canadian cinema

By
Peak Web
-
0
A burger-shaped restaurant sign behind a clear sky that says “The Lebanese Burger Mafia” with a yellow arrow underneath and Arabic text underneath.
PHOTO: Courtesy of Backroad Productions

By: Omar Nsouli

Living in Calgary for most of my life, I would often go on road trips to Edmonton with my family for long weekends to get a change of scenery. Midway between both cities is Red Deer, a small rural town with many restaurants and gas stations for people to take a break from driving and fuel up their cars. One restaurant, however, always stood out to me. 

The Burger Baron was a modest burger shack off the highway with a sign presenting a small, stout, and cartoonish knight as their logo. I never paid close attention to the restaurant, though, thinking it was an average mom-and-pop shop in rural Alberta. However, I didn’t know that the little Burger Baron was a symbol of Lebanese accomplishment in Alberta until I saw The Lebanese Burger Mafia. 

Writer and director Omar Mouallem attempts to decode the mystery behind the chain’s trademark rights. He does so through numerous testimonies of Lebanese immigrants telling their sides of the story. The Burger Baron started off as a regular burger chain, but after it filed for bankruptcy, the chain and its intellectual property were up for grabs. The film doesn’t deal with a real mafia; it gets the name from the family hustle associated with mafia hustle culture.

As a Lebanese Canadian individual, I highly appreciated this film. I learned a lot more about Lebanese culture in rural Alberta, which is “home to one of Canada’s most concentrated Lebanese communities,” and laughed at the relatable experiences the interviewees spoke of. The film did well in capturing the nuances of Lebanese identities and effectively using animation to retell the experiences of the business owners.

The animated retellings of stories were a delight to watch. Led by animator Lee Nielsen, the animation used for the retellings is a blend of expressive 2D scenes with some 3D effects. Animation has the power to evoke distinct feelings in individuals and the film used it appropriately. Mouallen treated the harsh realities of the immigrants in a poetic way through animated sequences. This allowed for productive and healing expressions of emotions rather than using abrasive and destructive archival footage from the past. 

A statement that spoke to me was when the director’s mother explained that Lebanese individuals are very generous people but have difficulty co-operating with other individuals. Sal, a retired Burger Baron owner, also discussed how Lebanese people can’t have a person in charge of them — it’s “against their genes.” This quality comes from the numerous obstacles Lebanese people have faced in history, as being their own leader aids in their survival. These two moments, among numerous others, did an accurate job reminding Lebanese viewers of our personalities while explaining it to non-Lebanese people as well. I could never explain to my white friends why us Arabs go through comical trials and tribulations to voluntarily pay the bill at a restaurant, or why there is always trivial discord at family game nights, but this film explains these personal nuances that many Lebanese people experience.

The film also highlights the entrepreneurial spirit many Arab people carry with them. The burger “godfather” and style icon, Rudy Kemaldean, showed proof of that with his strong work ethic. He got his nickname from his love of cigars, hustler spirit, and mafia-esque fashion, though now he rocks a much more subdued look of a suit with a paisley tie and Hermès belt. By owning his own restaurant and supporting his family members from abroad, he demonstrates the strong work ethic and generosity of the Arab diaspora. 

Overall, the film was a highly enjoyable and educational experience. It dealt perfectly with what Lebanese culture in Alberta looks like while giving a bit of history about the Burger Baron chain. I highly recommend this film to anyone wanting to gain more perspective about immigrant life on the prairies or any fast-food aficionados wanting to know more about the great stories behind their favourite foods. 

The Vancouver theatrical release date of The Lebanese Burger Mafia has not yet been confirmed. Follow the movie on Instagram at @burgerbaronmovie for updates.

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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