Letter from the editor: We’ve rebranded

April 1, 2025

A monopoly board with the train figurine inside a tile priced $240 — PHOTO: joshua-hoehne / Unsplash

By: Petra Chase, Editor-in-Chief

Dear SFU community,

It’s time to say farewell to The Peak and welcome our board game magazine. The Pawn is now your weekly source for the latest news, trends, and tips in tabletop gaming on our beloved mountain (excluding table tennis, which has its own weekly campus magazine). Our new name is an homage to the fact that we needed to pawn off multiple kitchen appliances (sorry team, no more coffeemaker) to raise money for this venture. We had to buy every single board game for fact and fun checking purposes.

I understand it may come as a surprise we would choose to switch lanes after 60 years serving student issues. We will continue to cover student matters, just as long as they’re related to card or board games. For example: forgot the rules of a card game? Email your queries in the form of a Dear Peakie and wait 7–14 business days for Peakie to explain the rules in an article.

The lack of media coverage on the impact of sit-down competition on student life, dating, and international politics is why we’re tapping into this new niche. Market research revealed our target demographic includes people who solve Rubik’s cubes during lectures. The promotions team screened the student body and concluded there are 12 who study on Burnaby Mountain this semester, three in Surrey, and eight downtown. If you find any of these smug individuals hidden in plain sight among theatre seats like whimsical Waldo’s, give them a copy of our paper.

We’re still accepting student contributors, only with a few additional guidelines:

Memorize and recite Hugh Grant’s harrowing monopoly monologue from Heretic (2024) for our board of directors.
Read our 12-page manifesto about why stacking “Plus 4” cards in UNO is not allowed and sign a contract agreeing to enforce these rules in your own circles.
Use commas appropriately. For example “shuffle, grandma” implies telling grandma to deal the cards, but “shuffle grandma” incites moving grandma around.
We play Snakes and Ladders before our pitch meetings as an icebreaker, so make sure you know the rules. Also, be warned: it does get really competitive, so just don’t come if you don’t want your feelings hurt. I recommend practicing by imagining a Snakes and Ladders board on your ceiling at night and envisioning playing against an opponent to start building your strategy.

Here are a few pitches available for next issue:

NEWS: Carly Rae Jepsen, bbno$, Ryan Reynolds, Michael Bublé, Grimes, and Nardwuar were spotted playing Go Fish at the Juno’s afterparty (dream card rotation). Investigate fan-leaked footage to determine who won the game and whether or not they were properly following the rules.
OPINIONS-IN-DIALOGUE: Spinny wheel vs dice: which do you prefer when you hit the boards?
ARTS AND CULTURE: Why recreational poker players find Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” uninformed.
SPORTS: 5 signs your Twister opponent might be falling for you.

Thanks and happy reading! Don’t email me unless it’s board game related. As my new email signature says,

Don’t be dicey,

Petra Chase, Editor-in-Chief and Candy Land prodigy

For more from The Pawn, visit the Spoof section of our website.

Wayne Gretzky’s false Canadiana

Peak Web

March 27, 2025

A man in a Team USA jersey (left) shaking hands with a man in a suit (right) with a hockey rink in the background. — PHOTO: Courtesy of @nhl / Instagram

By: Kaja Antic, Sports Writer

Wayne Gretzky’s name is synonymous with the sport of hockey. His number “99” is retired across the National Hockey League — the only number retired for all 32 teams — and even wearing the two digits in a beer league game gets you chirped (I’ve seen it). In his 1,487 career NHL games, Gretzky scored 2,857 points, and still leads the league in all-time points. For reference, the second-place on that list is Czech legend Jaromir Jagr, who scored 936 less points in 246 more games than “The Great One.”

Gretzky has been in recent headlines for reasons far removed from the high numbers he put up in the late 20th century. Instead, it’s due to his political allegiances to the US, particularly President Trump and his continuous threats to the sovereignty of the country that molded Gretzky as a hockey legend.

On the night of the US federal election last fall, Gretzky, along with his family, attended an election victory party at the infamous Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. He donned a white and gold “Make America Great Again” hat, celebrating while many were planning an exit strategy from “the land of the free.”

This reveal was not entirely surprising to some, as Gretzky unequivocally supported conservative prime minister Stephen Harper in the 2015 federal election. Gretzky, a dual Canadian-American citizen, has primarily resided in the US since being traded to the LA Kings in 1988.

The “Great One” has left Canada behind — it’s time for Canada to leave him behind in return.

The controversy surrounding Gretzky’s affiliations didn’t stop at a party attendance. Trump then continued to undermine Canada as a country, suggesting Gretzky should become “Governor of Canada,” further pushing the “51st state” rhetoric. This continued well into the NHL’s Four Nations Faceoff tournament, as Canadian fans booed the American national anthem in response to the targeted political attacks.

Gretzky made an appearance at the final game of this tournament as Canada’s honourary captain, as Canada faced off against the Americans in Boston. Gretzky, unlike American honourary captain Mike Eruzione, did not choose to wear his country’s emblem proudly. Instead, he opted for a plain suit as he gave the American bench a “thumbs up,” which he did not repeat for the Canadian bench. Even after Canada beat the US in overtime, Gretzky “gifted” red hats adorned with “Be Great” — eerily similar to the MAGA hats that have haunted North American politics for the last decade.

The seeming indifference from Gretzky at the Four Nations Final was the final straw for many Canadians. Why laud a man as a “Canadian hero” when he couldn’t give less of a shit about the country that made him? Setting records across the NHL does not make him immune from criticism. Gretzky won all four of his Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers, and yet seems to think all of his successes are American-made.

There is also the perspective that Gretzky could have only been “The Great One” because of the era he played in. If he had played in the modern day NHL, he would just be another player. The goaltender position has largely evolved, and the “enforcer” role that would be signed just to protect superstars in the Gretzky era simply does not exist anymore, or at least not in the same capacity. Simply put, if Gretzky played in today’s NHL, he’d be closer to the 2014–15 Art-Ross-winner-with-87-points Jamie Benn instead of another phenom like Connor McDavid — ironically who ended Gretzky’s favourite country’s hopes at the Four Nations Finals.

Gretzky has gone against Canada’s side time and time again. When he was appointed as an officer of the Order of Canada in 1984, Gretzky neglected to attend an investiture to receive the honour for years. When he was later promoted to a Companion of the Order of Canada — the highest honours in the Order — in 2009, he once again did not attend an investiture. As of 2025, he has still not picked up the Order from Ottawa. The Governor General’s office stated in 2015 that of the 467 Companions honoured from 1967 to 2015, only five had not come to receive their award; two being deceased, two being appointed in the prior six months, and “too-good-for-Canada” Gretzky.

The “Great One” has left Canada behind — it’s time for Canada to leave him behind in return.

The case of the missing cat

Peak Web

March 27, 2025

Illustration of a dachshund wearing sunglasses and a cat smoking an e-cigarette. The dachshund is holding a magnifying glass and the cat is wearing a detective costume. — ILLUSTRATION: Cliff Ebora / The Peak

By: Ace Ventura, Pet Detective

It was a typical afternoon scrolling through my favourite micro-influencer’s Instagram — my barber’s grandma’s neighbour’s dog Leroy, when I noticed something truly peculiar. The caption on a post from 12 weeks ago featuring a photo of Leroy in some sick shades read, “It’s a great day for some fetch. Don’t think the weather could be any better. I truly love spending my time outside. Dachshunds are out enjoying the sunshine, too. I’ve been waiting months for this. Today was a pawfect one.”

I read it once. Then twice. Wait a minute — the first letter of every sentence . . . eye dee eye dee eye tee . . . I did it. Did what? What did the dog do??

12 weeks ago . . . What happened 12 weeks ago? After some serious calculations, I came to a chilling realization. It had been 12 weeks ago to the day since my favourite YouTube shorts vlogger, my scuba diving instructor’s wedding planner’s friend with benefits’ cat had mysteriously vanished without a trace.

The disappearance of Swanson really rocked the whole community. I still remember the funeral — there were literally dozens of distraught fans at the wake. After that, a lot of people promised they’d figure out who did it. Swanson was a smart cat. He wouldn’t just get lost on his own. And he was just about to launch a signature line of catnip-flavoured e-cigarettes, too, so it wouldn’t make sense for him to fake his own disappearance either. Despite everyone’s best efforts, the case ran cold. That and people got too distracted by my local grocery store’s milk distributor’s ex-fiancé’s mechanic’s duck, the new celebrity in town.

Anyway, now that I think about it, Leroy and Swanson weren’t always actually on the best terms. Of course, I always thought it was just fake internet beef drummed up to help both of them gain clout. Then again, there was that one time when Swanson won the lead role in a pet-based dental hygiene commercial over Leroy . . . and that other time when he got a smoothie named after him at the cat café. Still, I just never thought Leroy would have the heart to do something like that.

I was almost ready to give up and go back to scrolling. For whatever reason, I decided to check back on Swanson’s account. His last post, a photo of him skateboarding, read, “I love it out here. Let’s go have some fun. Let loose a little. Besides, who cares what others think? Everyone’s too concerned about people’s opinions these days. Bask in the sunshine. Act silly. Choose happiness. Knomes are pretty cool too.” OK, maybe that last one was a typo. Swanson did love gnomes though.

Again, my eyes darted back and forth across the screen. Eye . . . El . . . El . . . Bee . . . Ee . . . I’ll be back? Wait a minute, maybe Swanson wasn’t gone after all! Something caught my eye in the photo again. I had never noticed it, but was that Leroy in the background? I know that Leroy had been learning to skateboard too. I decided to go back and look at his last post again. This time, I saw something new. In the background, the outline of another board. Is it possible . . . when he said I did it he was referring to learning how to skateboard?

After further inspection, I was able to make out some letters on the bottom of the skateboard deck. Leroy Swanson, it read. Leroy Swanson? What? I went back to Swanson’s post again. Sure enough, same board, same lettering.

Swanson wasn’t gone. He was just in hiding, garnering attention so the two could come out with their new joint brand when the time was right, Leroy Swanson skateboards!

Leroy Swanson, what a name.

Case closed. Another lunch break well spent.

i dream in decay

Peak Web

March 27, 2025

A woman’s body melting into the earth with patches of grass and flowers crowning her features. — ILLUSTRATION: Sonya Janeshewski / The Peak

By: Sofia Chassomeris, Opinions Editor

this body aches for death,
a cure?
a resolution,
like it longs to rest in the muddy embrace of a grave
so that the earth may hold me as gently as my tender flesh allows.

she will unbind my muscles from the bone,
curl her fingers in my sinew
and draw me open,
feed me to her soil,
quench the thirst of her children with plasmas and cradle them in my ribs
in the dip of my pelvis
or at the joints of my limbs.

it hurts, it hurts, it hurts,
waiting for sun to pour in past her fingertips,
kiss my sternum,
and bury me,

but it will come
and so will rains,
just as they’ve come, always,
and though i dream in decay,
the seeds forged and sown in my grey matter i wish would grow
may finally,
finally,
be able to do so

Men, don’t let the manosphere ruin sex for you

Peak Web

March 27, 2025

a man laying in bed trying to sleep. word bubbles/clouds everywhere keeping him awake, saying things like "beta male", "high quality man", "sexual peak" etc — ILLUSTRATION: Winnie Shen / The Peak

By: John Easton, SFU Student

If there’s one thing the red-pilled manosphere has managed to do with stunning efficiency, it’s strip sex of its joy, intimacy, and social complexity. According to the worldview, sex is nothing more than a transactional function of evolutionary biology, the linchpin of a so-called “sexual marketplace” where men and women exist in rigid, pseudo-economic roles. Women, they argue, seek out “Alpha men” for genetic superiority while cruelly exploiting “Beta men” for financial security. As an international network of online communities, the manosphere has had a global negative influence on our generation’s men and the way we approach sex. It’s a bleak, joyless vision of human relationships — one that not only distorts reality, but also deceives men into actively sabotaging their sexual experiences or stops them from happening at all.

The quote from The Matrix pretty much sums up the basis of red-pilled perspectives: “You take the blue pill — the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill — you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.” In the manosphere, “harsh reality” refers to the belief that feminism is actually thinly-veiled female supremacy. At the core of the red-pilled ideology is the notion that attraction and relationships are dictated by an economy of sexual value, and since women have the choice to deny your advances, they have “full control.” In this twisted view, straight women are seen as hypergamous gold-diggers seeking the best possible deal, while men are victims at the whim of their affections — this is where the modern sentiment of “nice guys finish last” comes from. The truth is that most of these men aren’t nice.

“The problem is not women — it’s the rigid ideology that keeps these men trapped in resentment believing they are owed something which they have to earn.”

Within the manosphere, gender is understood to be performative in a social and cultural context specifically to attract a mate. Except, these “Alpha men” don’t perform masculinity for women. The hyper-masculine personas that they outwardly display are inherently to impress and receive validation from other men. What can I say? I’m not impressed. I’ve been asked how I “got” a girlfriend many times, and they never believe when I say that treating women like people is the absolute bare minimum. Anything remotely having to do with feelings is an invalid answer. Rather than listen to women or “Beta men,” they are essentially groomed by influencers who convince them that women are objects to compete for. The insistence on seeing it as a power struggle does nothing but drain sex of its organic spontaneity and mutual enjoyment. As one writer put it, “More than lust or hatred, the boys of The Red Pill hunger for clarity. They desire escape from confusion. They desire a system with which to comprehend desire itself.” But, in attempting to impose a rigid system, they end up losing the very thing they seek: understanding.

The Alpha/Beta dichotomy is both pseudo-scientific and self-defeating. Based on a complete misapplication of evolutionary psychology, the idea that women seek out dominant “Alpha” men ignores the massive diversity in what people find attractive and endorses harmful misogynistic behaviour. The problem is not women — it’s the rigid ideology that keeps these men trapped in resentment believing they are owed something which they have to earn. Nonetheless, this perspective dehumanizes men and women, alienating them from each other further and promoting isolation even in established relationships (if it even gets that far).

The red-pilled approach to sex doesn’t just misrepresent the dynamics between men and women, it actively poisons any chance at experiencing sex as something rich, fulfilling, and deeply human. If you want to have better relationships, better sex, and a better understanding of attraction, the manosphere is the perfect place to let those aspirations die.

Former SFU women’s basketball coach inducted into Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame

Peak Web

March 27, 2025

A woman is carried by a bunch of women basketball players in SFU uniforms. Draped over her is the netting from a basketball hoop. — PHOTO: Courtesy of Wilson Wong / SFU Athletics

By: Kaja Antic, Sports Writer

On February 21, 2025, Canada Basketball announced its Hall of Fame Class of 2024, which includes former SFU and team Canada women’s basketball head coach Allison McNeill. McNeill became head coach for SFU’s women’s team in 1988 and helped lead the team to 11 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) championship tournament appearances.

“It feels quite huge, actually, something that you don’t set out for when you start coaching,” McNeill told The Peak. “You do it because you’re passionate about it. But with that said, when they recognize your work, you feel pretty good about it.”

From 1990–2000, the team won their conference championships (with the exception of 1995–96), reaching the NAIA Elite Eight five times, the Final Four three times, and the NAIA Championship Finals in 1999 and 2000.

“The first time we qualified for NAIA Nationals, we were the first [SFU] basketball team, men or women, to qualify for the national tournament,” McNeill recounted, also noting how the team had been greeted by a sold-out crowd. “And that night we qualified for the first time. And I just remember the players lifting me up on their shoulders and running me around the gym. And I thought, ‘Oh, it can’t get any better than this.’” She added, “I’m very proud of that because at that time, it wasn’t ‘everyone watches women’s sports.’ It wasn’t that. There wasn’t the marketing and the notoriety.”

McNeill worked on the recognition of women’s basketball in Canada not only from her time coaching at SFU, but also from her decade-long tenure as the coach of Canada’s women’s national team. She led the team to four bronze medals at International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Women’s AmeriCup competitions, along with reaching the quarterfinals at the 2012 Summer Olympics after the Canadian team had not reached the Olympic Games since 2000.

Named NAIA Coach of the Year for the 1991–92 season, when SFU went 16–0 in conference competition and 31–2 overall, McNeill held a 0.825 win percentage during her 13 seasons on Burnaby Mountain.

“I’m proud that we went through some time where women’s athletics was not really valued. I don’t think as much as certainly it is now — could probably be more — but it is now. And so I really had to fight for some things.

“And that night we qualified for the first time. And I just remember the players lifting me up on their shoulders and running me around the gym. And I thought, ‘Oh, it can’t get any better than this.’”

“One time, we contacted a shoe company, and they came back and said, ‘Well, we’ll sponsor the men.’ At that time, we actually had a better record, better graduating record, better wins-losses. And not that I was comparing, but it’s frustrating,” McNeill recounted a time during her coaching tenure at SFU trying to secure a gear sponsorship for the women’s basketball team, “They’ll sponsor the men fully and we’ll get the two-for-one while I was like, I’m not having it. No, I won’t take it.”

McNeill created a proposal and brought it to a Coquitlam Nike store, securing a sponsorship deal not only for shoes, but also bags and practice gear. “At that time, we were the only women’s team sponsored in Canada by Nike. I think it was a really pivotal moment for our team because it really helped a lot of [the players] out.” Nike has been a sponsor of SFU varsity basketball since.

McNeill has been a trailblazer for women’s basketball in Canada, which is now getting a professional team in the WNBA’s expansion side the Toronto Tempo, which begins play in 2026. “It’s like the Raptors. I mean, they’re our team, they’re Canada’s team,” she said. “I think the Tempo will be the same. They’ll be our team, the whole country’s team. I’m excited for that to happen.

“It’s been fun to be part of women’s sport for my entire life,” McNeill mentioned. “To see it go like this, I think we’re riding a wave, and it’s been well-earned.”

McNeill commented that what she was most proud of from her time at SFU was the athletes she coached. “We had just great people, and they’ve gone on to do great things.” As for advice for the current and future women’s Red Leafs, McNeill reminds these players to live in the moment.

“Be where your feet are. You don’t need to be thinking too far ahead or looking back,” she emphasized. “I think if you work hard and you’re passionate about something, opportunities can come your way, you could do something with them.”

A guide to thriving as a regular guy

Peak Web

March 27, 2025

Illustration of Justin Trudeau in a kindergarten classroom surrounded by crying children and bills. Jagmeet Singh and Pierre Poilievre are behind him laughing. — ILLUSTRATION: Yan Ting Leung / The Peak

By: Mason Mattu, Minister of Sarcastic Affairs

Dear Justin,

It’s the end of an era, buddy old pal. In your nine years in office, you put the “Justin” in every viral social media post shared by boomers who had major crushes on you. #Justinflation, #JustinPoverty, #JustinBuildingPipelinesThatWillDestroyOurPlanet. Some say you weren’t progressive enough. Others said you weren’t conservative enough . . . I say you were JustinOugh, but not good enough. You were just simply mid. I know. It’s a hard pill to swallow. But let’s focus on the positives!

Let’s recap some of your most significant achievements in office:

You legalized weed (in order to make people feel baked enough to vote for you two more times)
You encouraged Canadians to “drink box water bottles” instead of using a plastic straw (that advice has really saved me some time; thanks, Justin!)
You spent $230,000 on a vacation to Jamaica (that’s OK — we all need a little $230,000 TLC sometimes)
You gave us free insulin. (As a type I diabetic, I thank you, but what about guaranteed free unicorns? Or what about a promise of a lifetime’s worth of bottomless fries at WhiteSpot? We need those things before anything else, jeez.)
Note to editor: insert more here. I couldn’t think of anything more to say to this guy. I hope you delete this message, by the way. I wouldn’t want Trudeau to see this.

Now, Justin, or as they say on Radio Canada: Joostchen. I know you’re probably confused with your life, lost, not knowing what to do. It’s OK to take a few weeks to recover from the realization that you have given away your power (we know you love power). You take as long as you need. Wallow in self pity, like Lorelai Gilmore after she’s broken up with her 10,000th boyfriend, go ahead. Let it all out.

OK, so what can you do now that you’re just a regular guy? I saw that you recently went on a completely normal shopping trip to Canadian Tire to build your bunker for the American-Canadian War. #DIY goals, but still very elitist. Let’s find something else for ‘ya! What about a music career? Your son literally just became a SoundCloud artist. I’m sure you can make music too. You could form a pop duet with him and be called Trudeau & Trudeau or T&T. Maybe we’ll see you at the Juno Awards next year!! Or become a teacher. That’s enough torture for your lifetime. Maybe a kindergarten teacher. Good luck with that.

You were a very controversial guy, just like your father — Fidel Castro. But unlike him, you won’t be a dictator till your luscious hair turns entirely silver. Sorry, buddy. Although I do find it funny how you and Biden were forced out of office in the exact same way — someone ought to investigate this!!! Maybe you were coerced or scammed into giving your power up. Revenue Canada will not come after you, Justin; it was a Malaysian area code!!! It’s OK, you can come back. Come back for us. We need you.

Sike. You actually thought, LOL.

If you need any advice on adjusting to peasant life, feel free to send a message to our Dear Peakie advice column. I think you’ll find its budget tips soothing.

With best of luck for the future,

M-Dog

Hidden Gems: Budget-friendly bites

Peak Web

March 27, 2025

A restaurant with a large window and outdoor seating area. The red storefront sign says “Taqueria Playa Tropical Mexican and Restaurant” printed in yellow. — PHOTO: Amirul Anirban / The Peak

By: Izzy Cheung, Arts & Culture Editor

photo of front entrance of Frying Pan at 1101 Denman St., Vancouver — PHOTO: Amirul Anirban / The Peak

Frying Pan
1101 Denman St., Vancouver
Open Sunday–Thursday 11:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m. and Friday–Saturday 11:30 a.m.–9:30 p.m.

With a physical restaurant on Denman St. and a food truck on Burrard St. or at various markets, Frying Pan is known for their moist chicken coated with a deliciously crispy batter. Their cuisine can be best described as Korean-fusion, with tacos, rice bowls, and more appearing on their menu. Every day from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., as part of their happy hour deal, their hot crunch chicken sandwich is $8.99. Even without happy hour, you can still grab one of their juicy chicken sandwiches for under $15.

House of Dosas

1391 Kingsway, Vancouver
Open 24/7

1724 152 St., Surrey
Open Tuesday–Friday 5:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m. and Saturday–Monday 12:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m.

1188 Davie St., Vancouver
Open 24/7

With arguably the most budget-friendly meal on this list, as well as the most widespread presence throughout the Lower Mainland, House of Dosas can be found in both Vancouver and Surrey. They have specials almost every weekday at their locations on Kingsway and 152 St., with their best being their Monday dosa deal. For $5.99, you’ll get a delicious dosa accompanied with tasty sambar, coconut, and tomato chutneys. Coming on a different weekday? No worries! House of Dosas’ specials from Tuesday to Friday are still under $15.

Photo of The kitchen dada sushi bar & grill at 2535 Alma St., Vancouver — PHOTO: Amirul Anirban / The Peak

the kitchen dada sushi bar & grill
2535 Alma St., Vancouver
Open Wednesday–Monday 11:00 a.m.–9:30 p.m.

You’ll have to pay a bit of attention to get this meal deal, as the kitchen dada has a $10 take-out special that changes daily. These $10 meals can vary from grilled chicken teriyaki donburis accompanied by gyozas and miso soup to deep-fried sous-vide chicken and deep-fried prawn burritos. Keep an eye on their Instagram (@thekitchendada) for their daily meal deals!

Taqueria Playa Tropical
334 6th St., New Westminster
Open 11:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. every day

A 13-year-old establishment serving up delicious Mexican food and daily deals, Taqueria Playa Tropical is a must-try for those who find themselves in the New Westminster area. Every weekday has a lunch special to offer — $12 tostadas on Mondays, $11 quesadillas on Wednesdays, $10 tortes on Thursdays . . . the choice is yours! Even if you happen to come on a day without a deal, you can easily fill up on their $3 tacos.

Trudeau’s ingenuine approach to being deemed progressive

Peak Web

March 27, 2025

This is a photo of former prime minister Justin Trudeau standing before a Canadian flag. — PHOTO: Courtesy of @justinpjtrudeau / Instagram

By: Yildiz Subuk, Staff Writer

In a recent speech, ex-prime minister Justin Trudeau firmly declared he is a Zionist. There was no hesitation, just offensive, misinformed statements spewing from his mouth. He began his atrocious speech with a completely botched definition of Zionism — he said it is the belief that enables Jewish people to “determine their own future, like all people.” He followed this with the claim, “No one in Canada should ever be afraid to call themselves a Zionist.” There is a haunting irony in the leader of a settler-colonial state like Canada, which claims to be reconciling with Indigenous Peoples, supporting another state doing the exact thing they condemn.

Contrary to Trudeau’s definition, Zionism is the belief of creating a Jewish nationalist state specifically through the occupation of Palestine. It is an ideology rooted in settler colonialism, dating back to 1897. Theodor Herzl, the man often championed as the founder of Zionism, had plans to colonize Palestine in 1895 as he theorized a Jewish state was the only way to fully get rid of anti-semitism. It’s important to note, however, that many Orthodox Jews oppose Zionism, viewing it in its earliest form as an opposition to “God’s will.” Many Jews believe God was to unite Jewish people in a promised land, but this cannot be accomplished through a forced establishment of a Jewish state where Palestinians reside. A passage from Herzl’s diary explicitly states the intent to displace Palestinians by securing employment for them “in the transit countries,” and “denying [them] employment in our own country.” This process was to be carried out in a “discreet” manner.

Palestinian historian Rashid Khalidi outlines in his book The Hundred Years War on Palestine that Herzl’s approach to Zionism parallels colonial talking points of using settler colonialism to increase a country’s economic value. The specific terminology of “discreetly” transporting the poor population across the border is described by Khalidi as grasping the need for the Palestinian population to disappear “in order for Zionism to succeed.” Similar tactics have been used in Canada’s settler-colonial project leading to the overwhelming number of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and the continued violence against them — erasure of history is a crucial narrative device of colonialism. From its conception, Zionism has been about the displacement of Palestinians to establish Israeli superiority, clearly differing from Trudeau’s deliberately uneducated definition.

From its conception Zionism has been about the displacement of Palestinians to establish Israeli superiority, clearly differing from Trudeau’s deliberately uneducated statement.

Trudeau continued the speech by implying that anti-semitism is on the rise due to anti-Zionist sentiment. While he does not clearly state it, he immediately follows his endorsement of Zionism with the importance of combatting anti-semitism. Being anti-Zionist and anti-semitic are two different things. Anti-semitism is a set of prejudiced beliefs towards Jewish people as a religious or ethnic group which aim to persecute and scapegoat them. This definition notably differs from critique of Israel and its political-military actions.

Since October 7, the Israeli Offensive Forces have killed 46,000 Palestinians and displaced millions. Trudeau issued a half-hearted statement about a ceasefire in Gaza (which Israel has since violated), barely mustering up two sentences about the situation. He has failed to recognize the decades of suffering Palestinians have faced or condemn Israel for its war crimes. Trudeau recently celebrated recognizing the Haida Aboriginal Title agreement, which allows the Haida Nation in BC to have ownership over their land. He claimed this “marks a move away from an era of denial,” making his hypocrisy crystal clear as he continues to ignore the rights of another Indigenous community.

In his book, Khalidi goes on to illustrate the fact Israel is not only founded on the settler-colonialist belief of Zionism, but the ideology has played a crucial part in reinforcing the need for ethnic cleansing of Palestinians. For a prime minister who has previously established a National Day of Truth and Reconciliation to acknowledge the dispossession of Indigenous lands by Canada, to say he is a Zionist with such assurance feels not only hypocritical, but like a blatant disregard for those facing the harsh realities of colonialism.

Williams Lake First Nation to restore former residential school area on its own terms

Peak Web

March 27, 2025

This is a photo of Chief Willie Sellars looking off to the right with a smile on his face. He is wearing a black button-up shirt and there are trees in the background. — PHOTO: Courtesy of Williams Lake First Nation / Facebook

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer

Content warning: brief descriptions of residential school violence and cultural genocide of Indigenous Peoples, mentions of burial sites.

“I grieve for all who never made it — the children who never made it home and for survivors and their families who could not keep carrying the pain.”

These words come from Phyllis Webstad, member of the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation (St-wet-lem hight-lem), founder of Orange Shirt Society, and survivor of the St. Joseph’s Mission Indian Residential School. Orange Shirt Society started Orange Shirt Day as a holiday “designed to commemorate the residential school experience, to witness and honour the healing journey of the survivors and their families, and to commit to the ongoing process of reconciliation.”

In 2021, the Williams Lake First Nation (WLFN), or the T’exelcemc (teh-huwl), began investigating the St. Joseph’s Mission site for “deaths and disappearances.” Less than 300 kilometres away, at what was the Kamloops Indian Residential School, around 200 possible burial sites were discovered the same year. “For decades, the Elders in our community had whispered about the dark secrets of life at St. Joseph’s Mission. There were stories of neglect, sexual assault, disappearance, and deaths of children,” wrote WLFN Chief Willie Sellars (pictured) in a press release.

In 1981, St. Joseph’s Mission shut its doors. For nearly 100 years before that, it was part of the broader Canadian residential school system. Across the country, First Nations youth were forcibly removed from their homes and made to attend these schools and assimilate into Christian, Euro-settler culture. For the WLFN, cultural genocide was carried out “just kilometres” from T’exelc, the centre of WLFN territory (St. Joseph’s Mission).

WLFN is located in the interior of BC, north of Vancouver in the Cariboo Regional District. It is one of 17 bands that make up the Secwépemc (or Shuswap) Nation, which share a common Secwepemctsín language containing four dialects, three of which remain. Traditionally, each band has existed “as a self governing Nation.” Currently, WLFN is in the process of BC Treaty negotiations, designed to “recognize and reconcile pre-existing Indigenous sovereignty.”

“How can people heal if they can’t safely gather at the place where their family members suffered for generations?” — Willie Sellars, Williams Lake First Nation Chief

This year, “WLFN has completed survivor interviews, archival research, community engagement, and the geophysical investigation of more than 470 acres of property surrounding the site of the former residential school,” announced a WLFN Facebook post. The post explained that “ground penetrating radar has revealed 159 reflections that show characteristics indicative of human burials.”

Amid this investigation, WLFN purchased the St. Joseph’s Mission site in 2023. Now, the William Lake First Nation is seeking help from the federal government to restore the land. St. Joseph’s Mission “needs to be a place of closure, of gathering in a good way, of honouring our ancestors and survivors,” Chief Sellars told CBC. While WLFN sought funding from the federal government in December, it has yet to receive a response. “People want to go to the site [ . . . ] but right now, it’s a crime scene. We can’t gather here,” Sellars continued. “How can people heal if they can’t safely gather at the place where their family members suffered for generations?”

Ultimately, the First Nation’s “vision is to transform this site into a place where people can gather, honour those who attended this facility, and learn more about the legacy of Canada’s residential schools,” shared Whitney Spearing, lead investigator for the St. Joseph’s Mission project, via the press release.

While the country has funded WLFN under its Residential Schools Missing Children Community Support Fund, the Nation said “there has been no support offered by the government of Canada toward either the acquisition of the St. Joseph Mission’s property or the commemoration of the site.” Sellars noted, “It is profoundly disturbing to me that we are not receiving any support from the government of Canada toward any property-related initiative.”

Next steps may be uncertain, but the process of finding these potential burial sites and uncovering their stories has “forced Canadians to acknowledge the reality of residential schools,” Sellars said. “There can be no reconciliation before there is truth.”

The documentary Sugarcane chronicles a deeper look into abuse at St. Joseph’s Mission.

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