The SFU football team recently recorded their first win of the season in a blowout victory against visiting West Texas A&M. This was their first win asmembersof the Lone Star Conference — which theyjoined at the beginning of the 2022 season.
The victory is just the ninth win for the Red Leafs program since the 2013 season. Their 2012 runsaw SFU record an overall record of 5–6, which dropped to 3–7 by 2013. In 2014, the team won two out of their four conference games, but zero games against their out-of-conference opponents. Following that, the team went on a two-year stretch, from2015 until 2017, without a single victory. In 2018, SFU broke their two-year winless drought the same season that current head coach Mike Rigell joined the football program. The Peak reached out to Rigell for his perspective on the challenges SFU has faced in putting up wins over the last 10 years.
Rigell said one of his most memorable moments as head coach was the Red Leaf’s recent win on senior night atop Burnaby Mountain. Adding to what else he feels has highlighted his time as coach, he said, “Its been great to watch over and mentor our football student athletes, and help guide them to make great decisions on and off the field.”
In hoping to build momentum off the near-end-of-season victory, Rigell clearly expressed the team has no plans to slow down. “We build on this last win [by] having composure, and getting ready for the next opponent like we usually do every week.”
The seasoned head coach said that the Red Leafs “can’t get complacent and rest on our laurels.” This is especially true as SFU prepares to face the UBC Thunderbirds in the upcoming Shrum Bowl, set to take place on December 2 for the first time in 12 years.
As for what comes next for the football team, Coach Rigell laid out his expectations fordiligent offseason training after the 2022 season ends. “After the Shrum Bowl, I look forward to getting back to work hard for our winter season preparation and conditioning,” he said.
Throughout all the questions, Rigell expressed the team-first attitude that has characterized his time leading SFU. “As coaches, we love to prepare and see our kids [and] program grow as well. We are all trying to be consistent and be the best we can be everyday. We talk about ‘winning the day’ as a team everyday.”
Throughout it all, Rigell is ecstatic about the growth his players and the team have gone through since he joined the program. “In this profession, it’s not all about the wins and losses, but the journey. The comradery and relationships that have grown with not only myself, but with my staff [and] players as well.”
As a city with a leading film production industry, Vancouver often stands-in for famous real and fictional locales south of the border, from San Francisco in Planet of the Apes to New York in The Interview. Rarely, if ever, do we see Vancouver represented as itself on the screen.For this reason, Vancouver has long been known as Hollywood North. Then came Fakes, a comedy series that came out September 1. Available on CBC Gem and Netflix, both local and foreign audiences could finally see Vancouver play itself on the screen.
Fakesopens with a police raid on a lively apartment. If you’re keen enough, you’ll spot Canada Place in the background. During the melee, one of the protagonists, Rebecca, (Jennifer Tong), makes a short-lived escape. When we later meet Zoe (Emilija Baranac), the other protagonist, we find out that the two are from the affluent municipality of West Van. The show is centred around the duo’s venture into the world of white collar crime as they start a fake ID printing business.
Rebecca and Zoe quickly make a name for themselves. They go from printing fake Alaskan drivers’ licences at a self-serve printer in a tech shop, to a fully-fledged operation printing a sizable amount of BC drivers’ licences. They also have an awareness of their clients’ needs. The point is to fool a bouncer with a flashlight, but not law enforcement, ICBC, or a respective DMV.
As can be expected, this all starts with a misunderstanding, when the duo inadvertently advertise their expertise to series antagonist Tryst (Richard Harmon). When he puts word out that leaves them in a bind, trouble follows. Their benefactor, initially dealt with by Tryst and the owner of the swanky pad where they print the IDs, shoots someone right in front of his face during that encounter.
How two high school students get tangled up in such a situation is not so surprising once we look at their backgrounds. Both have cases of fractured families and absentee parents. The show, being set in one of Vancouver’s wealthiest neighborhoods, reminds us that even those behind the velvet rope can be prone to the same mishaps and experiences as those on the other side of it.
What’s most notable about Fakes is that it’s as Vancouverite as can be. The protagonists are local actors, and familiar sights as well as cultural cues make viewers in Canada feel at home. More importantly, this allows us to explore issues within our communities. The opportunity to do this through pop culture gets lost when our cities stand in for and prop up metropolises and locales south of the border. This inspires the questions: Can this be replicated or built upon? Will Surrey or Coquitlam finally be able to uniquely play themselves? Whether there are answers to these questions remains to be seen, but Hollywood North seems to have turned a new page.
By: C Icart, Staff Writer, Petra Chase, Arts & Culture Editor, Kelly Chia, Humour Editor, Daniel Salcedo Rubio, Features Editor, Olivia Visser, Opinions Editor, Michelle Young, Editor-in-chief
Dance Fever: Florence + The Machine takes you through a journey of self
Courtesy of Polydor Records, Universal Music Operations Limited
It’s no secret Florence + the Machine has a tendency to make music with religious imagery and soaring vocals. Dance Fever embraces its listeners with familiar references to angels and devils. There is a deep vulnerability to the exploration of singer Florence Welch’s own demons, and it’s breathtakingly honest.
A standout is “Cassandra,” which upon first listen has a reverent, and plainly, scary energy. The pause in the bridge, when Welch rasps her voice to horror-like croaking, “Take me back, oh, drunken gods of slaughter,” stunned me. But as a whole, it speaks to Welch’s own vulnerabilities processing the pandemic as a singer who had lost her means of creating music and the ability to perform. The meat of Dance Fever is exploring Welch’s relationship with performing, which feels so deeply personal for her. It’s what makes the confessional qualities of the ending track, “Morning Elvis,” so compelling. Welch gives an account on the struggles of sobriety, and a dedication to her audience, and you can feel every part of that gratitude in this song, especially with the audience cheering on the album’s closing track. — Kelly Chia
Caprisongs by FKA twigs: “Apple juice for when you’re thirsty”
Courtesy of Young Recordings Limited, Atlantic Records
FKA twigs knows how to package enigmatic worlds in albums. While different from her usual conceptual approach, twigs unlocks a new, more personal dimension. Caprisongsis an entrancing collage of avant-pop hooks, groovy afrobeats, schoolhouse chants, and harp-like vocals.
With unexpected twists and turns, each one just as instantly gratifying as the last, Caprisongsis an album to get lost in. On top of her superior production, it’s her most down-to-earth album yet, sprinkled with snippets of conversations with friends. “meta angel,” which features a heartwarming pep-talk about self-confidence, has been my go-to all year. Another stellar track is “which way feat dystopia,” which opens with the two of them casually pondering the song: “It’s like elevator music for when you’re going to the 50thfloor.” It’s no wonder twigs described the album as “apple juice for when you’re thirsty.” The only thing you can expect from twigs’ art is an extraordinary vision. — Petra Chase
Loud has been at the top of the rap québgame for some time now. His new album, Aucune Promesse, reminds us why. It’s his third full-length album, and it’s a straightforward rap album that goes back to basics. His hard-hitting lyrics navigate English and French in captivating ways. His song “#10,” honouring the passing of Guy Lafleur, includes the bar, “Hometown hero, j’parle en joual, mais j’compte en Euro” (I speak in joual, but I count in Euros). This references his success in Europe and usage of the French Canadian dialect, patois. Loud’s adept wordplay takes the listener through his journey as a rapper and acknowledges those who helped him get where he is. Loud is as confident as ever in his song “I Said What I Said.” If you were at the top of your game, you would be too. The three-year wait between albums was worth it. Loud is settling into his sound and leaving a mark with his commanding lyricism. — C Icart
As a long-standing BTS fan, I thought I knew what to expect with this album. Thinking it would be a cheerful and groovy follow-up to Hope World, I was blown away by the aggressive guitar on “MORE,” hard-hitting rap on “Arson,” and the gloomy piano riffs on “What If…” The album comes during a transitional period in BTS’ career and provides a vulnerable look into j-hope’s personal experience with fame and his creative journey. He skillfully juxtaposes doubt with ambition, passion with self-destruction, and fear with hope. Jack in the Box jumps through a variety of musical styles throughout the album, mixing old school hip-hop beats, rock, and smooth percussion. He is masterful in creating a cohesive album sound without having the tracks sound indistinctive to each other. j-hope flexes his versatility by jumping from raspy rap to bright, upbeat vocals. The album plays with j-hope’s public identity and image, deconstructs it, and puts it back together to truly provide the illusion of surprise, like a Jack in the Box. — Michelle Young
I’ve never been a Harry Styles fan. I liked “Watermelon Sugar” and like pretty much everyone, I was also obsessed with “Sign of the Times,” but that was it. In May, Harry’s Housewas released and . . . not a single flop. From the very first song, “Music For a Sushi Restaurant,” I knew this album was going to be amazing. The slow-groovy beats mix perfectly with his voice, with “Daylight” being the epitome of this “new” rhythm Styles found. Don’t even get me started with “As it Was.” While the song is fantastic, the music video goes above and beyond, including references to The Matrix, Charles and Ray Eames, and more. But the geniality of this album doesn’t end with groovy beats and catchy lyrics you want to sing and dance to; songs like “Matilda” and “Boyfriends” have the raw emotion needed to bring you to tears. — Daniel Salcedo Rubio
Mahal by Toro y Moi: Nothing but praise for the new studio album, as usual
Courtesy of Dead Oceans
Fans of Toro y Moi will agree with me when I say he never puts out a bad album. Frontman Chaz Bear is known for his experimental indie psychedelic music. He’s one of those artists that makes albums so enjoyable, you can listen without needing to skip a single song. Mahal is his seventh studio album, and it’s one of my favourites. According to an interview with NME, Chaz started thinking about this album five years ago, but didn’t find time to write until the COVID-19 pandemic hit. These songs experiment with so many different styles, and somehow still come together under Toro y Moi’s unique electro-funk sound. “Millennium” and “The Loop” are catchy upbeat electro-pop tunes, while “Déjà Vu” has classic psychedelic vibes reminiscent of The Beatles. My favourite song off the album, “Magazine,” is a melancholy song about relationships and climate change, featuring beautiful vocals from Salami Rose Joe Louis. Whether you’re looking for love songs, jazz, pop, or funk — trust me, this album has something for everyone. If you enjoy electronic music, you’ll almost certainly be drawn to Toro y Moi’s creative use of vintage sounds and dreamlike synth notes. — Olivia Visser
Arts & Culture events to catch around the city. Image courtesy of Brianna Quan
By: Petra Chase, Art & Culture Editor
Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story recollects Jewish refugee history in Canada (Tickets $45) When: December 1–11 Where: SFU Goldcorp Centre for The Arts
This love story follows two Jewish Romanian refugees in Canada in 1908. This music-theatre hybrid performance features an energetic folk soundtrack by Jewish genre-bending songwriter,Ben Caplan. The “humorously dark folktale woven together with a high-energy concert” is part of the programming for Chutzpah, Vancouver’s annual Jewish arts festival. It was developed by SFU Woodward’s Cultural Programs and 2b Theatre.
In My Day shows the multifaceted history of the AIDS crisis in Vancouver (Tickets from $29) When: December 2–11 Where: Historic Theatre
Presented by Zee Zee Theatre, a company dedicated to telling the diverse stories and perspectives of people in the LGBT2SI+ community, this “historic theatre” production recounts true stories about individuals impacted by the HIV pandemic in Vancouver. From “extraordinary victories to heartbreaking failures,” In My Day serves as a memorial for those in the community who have been impacted by the pandemic, including the stories of “women, people of colour, Indigenous folks, trans people who use[d] injection drugs, and others, alongside those of cis-gender gay men.” It’s based on a University of Victoria community-based research project conducted in 2017, in which oral accounts were collected from the community to understand this important piece of history.
Szepty/Whispers depicts a neurodivergent person’s mental health journey (Tickets $15 – $25) When: December 1–4 Where: Pi Theatre
Szepty/Whispers is an important account of a neurodivergent artists’ grapple with mental health and the family’s lack of openness regarding mental health issues, revealing how “culture, migration, and trauma shape generational perspectives of disability.” Using narrative devices, multimedia, and documentary media, this performance also features captions and audio descriptions for those who are deaf or blind. Support a diverse, neurodivergent, disabled, and non-binary creative team in understanding this personal experience. Learn more about their accessibilityon their website, including their COVID-19 guidelines.
Content warning: mentions of violence against women.
Pourya Sardari is an international student from Mashhad in Iran’s Razavi Khorasan province. Sardari is currently pursuing a Master’s in Biological Sciences and recently made a class presentation about his research on the illegal trade of wildlife in Iran. The Peak sat down with Sardari to talk about his work, as well as the current situation in the country following the death of Mahsa Amini.
“First of all, in Iran we don’t have any solid research to try to pinpoint what are the primary drivers of the illegal trade,” started Sardari. “It’s a complex issue and there are different factors that can motivate the illegal trade. Some would say that it’s poverty, with people using the trade as a source of income,” he added. However, Sardari mentioned that socioeconomic status might not be the driving factor to engage in the trade, highlighting its complexity as a national issue.
“It’s not one of the priorities for the government to look into this, not just the government but the Department for Environment in Iran.” This body’s main purpose is to protect and safeguard Iran’s environment; from the country’s biodiversity, to its protected areas. Sardari added that existing environmental problems in Iran, such as water shortage and pollution, are perceived as more important than illegal wildlife trade. “They have to invest resources to learn about the trade and learn about this issue before they can take action,” he mentioned. The task though, is monumental.
Sardari stressed that the trade is not a new phenomenon. “We have the physical traditional marketplace, which I would say is historical. People have been trading for thousands of years.” The trade’s proliferation both in Iran and globally has been aided by the rise of digital marketplaces. The boom in global internet use and connectivity has led to its increased popularity, enabling it to grow in the digital sphere.
By Sardari’s account, traditional and geographical factors influence the trade, with falcons being of particular interest to buyers. “In Iran and in the Middle East, falconry is part of the tradition there. So birds of prey are one of the targets of the illegal trade and you would see them more frequently being traded.” Adding on, he highlighted the global popularity of reptiles and amphibians, some of which are endemic to Iran, making them very popular amongst buyers globally. Nonetheless, the continued trade of these animals is unsustainable.
To curb the trade, Sardari said that understanding its dynamics was key. He noted the need for evidence-based research into the values and motivations driving it. Such an approach, in his opinion, will open the doors for public education and spur behavioural change in communities. “Investing in and educating people so they can enforce legislation may be a good way, but we first need to understand the trade.”
When asked if regional support for this endeavour could be secured, Sardari cited Iran’s current geopolitical isolation as an obstacle. “Because Iran’s connections with other countries and conservation organizations are really limited, it’d be hard to do some work.” Undeterred, local conservationist groups like the Iranian Cheetah Society fight on. They protect Iran’s environment and wildlife, as well as raise awareness. He mentioned that such groups always need more support for resources and funding for their projects.
Sardari believes that a vacuum of political will on the subject is due to government priorities rarely being aligned towards conservation. “Governments want to develop. They want to use their resources. It’s always this trade-off, this conflict, between development and sustainability.”
Safeguarding and protecting the rights of the people is an ongoing issue for the government of Iran. In the past years, the government has used lethal force on protestors and incarcerated peaceful activists. In September 2022, a young Iranian woman named Mahsa Amini died in a Tehran hospital following her arrest by the nation’s morality police; a unit of Iran’s police whose main objective is to enforce an Islamic dress code, mainly targeting women. Pourya opened a class presentation with a tribute to her. “It didn’t just affect me, it affected the whole Iranian community. It affected the whole world, I’d say.” Since the death of Mahsa Amini in September, there have been ongoing protests in Iran to end the “decades-long authoritarian rule of the country’s top clerics.”
“When I heard the news, I was devastated, I was sad. I had a mix of emotions. I was angry. She was an innocent young woman who died.” Sardari said that in recent years, the institution has been emboldened in its suppression, with its main targets being Iranian girls and women. According to Iran International, at least 402 protestors have been killed by security forces and 16,813 have been arrested since the protests began back in mid-September. The Volunteer Committee to Follow-Up on the Situation of Detainees has been able to identify at least 1,600 prisoners including “969 ordinary citizens, 393 students, 145 civil activists, 42 journalists, 40 political activists, 38 women’s rights activists and 26 attorneys.” Sardari added, “It’s a violation of human rights.
“I was really surprised and happy to see all the Iranians and non-Iranians that came together in solidarity with what happened to Mahsa,” said Sardari of the worldwide protests that followed her death. “I was really happy to finally see the Iranian community coming together. I was happy to see unity in the community.”
Sardari mentioned that he himself hasn’t had a face-to-face interaction with the morality police but that his friends have to think about them. “It’s really stressful because I know from many of my friends who are mostly girls and women. They want to go out to have a peaceful evening with their friends, but they have to think about what to wear so that they don’t get arrested by the morality police.”
When asked about the ideological differences between Iran’s young population and the country’s theocratic leadership, Sardari said, “It’s not a gulf, it’s an ocean [ . . . ] With innovation, technology, the internet, people are more connected and share ideas with each other, so that’s why there’s this gap.”
Sardari added that the government seems to not want to accept the fact that the young generation is thinking differently and that they want different values in their lives. He concluded by saying that Iran’s young population is more accepting of diversity of thought, opinion, and expression.
The pandemic has been ongoing for over two years, and every possible conversation about masking has been had. All sides have expressed their reasoning, and at this point, with no mandates or requirements to self-isolate — it’s all up to “personal choice.” Now, many of us are choosing ourselves over anything else. Not even our own health, but our own comfort and “right” to go back to “normal.” I’m not looking to scare people with facts about the current, rather bleak, COVID-19 situation. This is much bigger than COVID-19 alone. I’m asking: what if we cared?
Caring for ourselves and others starts with caring about ourselves and others. The pressure to be self-sufficient tells us we can take care of ourselves alone: that healing and wellness comes from within. Mainstream mental health discourse teaches us all we need is a therapist and a warm bath. These are solutions that are inaccessible for some and simply unhelpful for others. Don’t get me wrong, self-care is incredibly important and counselling has helped so many people. But, the truth is we need each other and should show up for each other. Just because we can, and because people are born deserving of care. Care is not transactional. It’s not about what we get out of it. Some of us need more than we can give, and vice-versa. We need community care.
The pandemic has really put into perspective that health is not individual. Healthcare is communal. A community care model challenges ableist stigmas about being a burden when you ask for help, and rejects the idea that people who need care should deal with it in an individualized way that doesn’t disturb others. Activist Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha asksthe following question in their book, Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice: “How do we create care webs that are fair to all parties involved, without people being afraid to request and receive assistance?”
Unfortunately, many lives are shaped by “failures of care.” Failures of care are when attempts to provide care don’t meet individual needs. In the face of these failures, disabled, queer, trans, racialized, and otherwise marginalized folks have found ways to come together and develop care practices for survival. Exclusion from society-at-large shouldn’t shape someone’s experience of care, or lack thereof. Reimagining community care is about solidarity for everyone. That requires a shift in how we understand the concept of care.
Community care means giving what you can, when you can. It could look like volunteering with a local organization, or simply being conscious of the needs your friends and acquaintances might have. Acommunity care model encourages people to seek and give support. No one should be afraid to ask for help.
When faced with the possibility of making a space more accessible, we should take it because we care. When faced with the opportunity to wear a mask or get vaccinated, we should do it because we care. When you can donate to a GoFundMe campaign, make a sick friend a meal, or meaningfully check in with someone who’s been going through a difficult time — you should, because you care.
Canada has plans to be “net-zero” by 2050, which means cutting greenhouse gas emission rates to as low as possible. Beyond that, the country intends to cut its emissions to roughly half of 2005 levels by 2030. How is this possible given Canada’s proposed increase of domestic oil and gas production and expansion projects? In short — it isn’t possible. Canada is not on pace to reduce its emissions to stated targets. And, even if we were to meet our specific goals, the way countries count emissions is impeding our ability to reduce emissions globally.
Typically, a country’s CO2 emissions are measured based on domestic production. This means that Canada, like other countries, measures its carbon footprint by assessing only CO2 emitted at home. As a result, Canada produces oil and gas for other countries to emit, while claiming we’re reducing emissions. We see this with Canadian oil companies committing to be “net-zero,” while still producing fossil fuels for global consumers.
This system is problematic for a couple of reasons. The currently rising global temperature means we’re in store for a range of increasingly bad climate change related issues in the coming decades, and we know CO2 emissions have a direct impact on climate change. Given our government’s subpar efforts to combat carbon emissions, we won’t be able to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5C compared to pre-industrial levels. There’s also a problem with the incentive structure of “going green:” since oil and gas will be produced on smaller levels in the coming years, corporations are rushing to be one of the last few producers. Because other countries have lower emissions targets, companies will provide them with fossil fuels for as long as possible.
Allowing fossil fuel producers to misrepresent the full scope of their emissions by excluding global exports incentivises production and expansionprojects. This system encourageseveryoneto continue producing fossil fuels, and even expand their production, as long as their emissions on the production side of things decrease dramatically. When individual oil and gas producers all have this same incentive, the sum total of these emissions will be disastrous for the planet.
Why are we doing things this way? Surely it’s not lost on policymakers that emissions in one region affect the entire planet’s climate. We may be in this situation in part due to the fossil fuel industry lobbying governments for more friendly policies for themselves. For example, there’s been an increasing number of fossil fuel lobbyists at the annual UN Conference of the Parties (COP) climate conference, with over 600 in attendance this year at COP27. Regardless of the causes, we need to rethink the way we measure emissions globally. The current system doesn’t do enough todisincentivize fossil fuel producers from continuing and expanding production. Instead, corporations should be incentivized to move away from fossil fuels entirely. This could be achieved by phasing out government fossil fuel subsidies and replacing them with renewable energy subsidies.
A radical shift away from fossil fuels will be necessary if we want a livable planet. This will be difficult, especially for countries whose economies rely on fossil fuels. That being said, it’s hard to see what other options we have. Anything other than a radical shift towards renewable energy, and global downscaling of oil and gas, will leave our planet in an unrecognizable state. The fossil fuel industry’s lobbying power needs to be addressed. Canada also needs to take responsibility for the emissions we produce, whether they’re emitted at home or abroad. Failure to do so will leave future generations paying heavy costs so current generations can continue living comfortably. None of the options here are easy, but the current path we are on is not sustainable — the sooner we admit this, the better.
SFU’s 4D LABS and Big Data Hub are set to receive a research investment of $2.6 million. The investment will provide new equipment and facility upgrades to support research in “clean technologies late-stage testing.” This comes from the Government of Canada’s agency, PacifiCan, situated in BC to improve innovation and growth in the province’s economy.
Under the Regional Innovation Ecosystem program, the funding prioritizes “innovation and inclusive growth.” This means the project will provide specific support to “hiring and training of under-represented groups, including Indigenous peoples, women, and youth.” The announcement ceremony saw in attendance minister of international development, Harjit Sajjan, and member of parliament and parliamentary secretary minister of finance, Terry Beech.
As outlined in theSFU News, a sum of $600,000 will go towards core facility building, increasing the “capacity of the university’s Supercomputer Cedar, including 12 high-performance computers for its computing lab.” Cedar is one of Canada’s largest advanced research infrastructure for data-intensive research and data mining.
This investment will work to enable more employment and help “small and medium sized BC businesses increase productivity and remain competitive.” Sajjan said, “Universities, like Simon Fraser University, are often the birthplace of ideas, such as innovations that leverage the power of clean technology. The government’s support for the Centre for Environmental and Food Analysis will support the local clean technology ecosystem and help municipalities and Indigenous communities adopt green technologies.”
Beech, an SFU alumni, also appreciated this announcement and noted its long-term positive community impacts. He stated, “Supporting environmentally friendly initiatives will build our economy while creating high-skilled, well paying jobs. The government is committed to making Canada a world leader in sustainable innovation, science, and technology.”
The 4D LABS will use the investment to establish the Centre for Environmental and Food Analysis. In combined efforts between local municipalities and Indigenous communities, the Centre for Environmental and Food Analysis will work in commercialization and utilization of clean and green technologies. The idea is to innovate technologies provincially, with the possibility of expanding into global markets.
SFU’s vice-president, research and international, Dugan O’Neil welcomed the investment. “The new Centre for Environmental and Food Analysis will train researchers with valuable skills for the agritech, clean tech, and clean resources sectors, while expansion of our big data capacities will serve the growing Canadian research community.”
A recent study conducted by SFU health sciences assistant professor, Julia Smith, found women in health care experienced increased moral distress during the pandemic.
During COVID-19, staffing shortages and a lack of access to necessary equipment — like personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and masks — was found to increase moral distress in 2020 and 2021. The study also indicated that “at home, women experienced moral constraints related to inability to support children’s education and well-being.”
Moral distress, a central theme of the research, pointed to a situation “when you know the ethically correct action to take, but you are constrained from taking it.” According to the study, women in the healthcare industry were constrained in their ability to provide quality care to COVID-19 patients due to existing flaws in the health care system like worker shortage and “increasing privatization and marketization of health care.” These factors left them feeling distressed with the inability to cope with crises.
The researchers mapped out four forms of participant challenges “related to moral events which were categorized as constraints, conflicts, dilemmas, or uncertainties.” The study data was gathered through individual and focus group interviews among 88 health care providers in British Columbia. The research was published last month in Nursing Ethics.
The study implements framework analysis methodology. This qualitative research method is used in public and health policy research where research findings from interviews are categorized into a “corresponding participant and theme.” Through the interviews, Smith and the research associates found that women health care providers feel “double distress.” This dilemma comes from the many responsibilities women in health care face — they often also provide care for their families at home, in addition to the their care-oriented professions.
To find out more about this research, The Peak interviewed Smith. She underlined the importance of studying the case of women health care workers in the pandemic.
Smith said, “We focused on women because the majority of healthcare workers identify as women and also we recognize that women in Canada tend to do more unpaid care work.” Women healthcare workers simultaneously provided a workforce and cared for families, thus doing “two to three times more unpaid care work than men.”
She also identified a lack of research in this field — understanding moral distress, constraints, and unpaid labour provided by women health care providers. Unpaid labor includes “work required to maintain the household — from chores such as grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning, to taking care of the children, sick, and elderly within the family.” This kind of work is usually not compensated by wages andoften expected to be performed by women.
She illustrated the participants felt moral distress because they were required to work overtime in COVID-19 related shortages. This resulted in less family time for child care, mental burnout, and physical exhaustion. “It’s the multiple burdens that have this dramatic effect,” said Smith.
According to SFU News, “supervisors or managers were too distanced from the realities of care work” and were not flexible for working conditions as childcare closures occurred at the height of the pandemic. Uncertainty was also key during this time as correct ways to care for the patients was unclear.
Smith called for systemic changes to increase investment in health care as a whole, along with other industries like childcare. She suggested some individual coping strategies as well. She said, “Not all the healthcare workers we spoke to had access to counselling, had the resources to pay for counselling, for example. So I think what we need to see in terms of broader changes would be policies to ensure adequate staffing including increased pay raises, better conditions of work in order to attract people to these sectors.”
To learn more about Smith’s study, visit the Nursing Ethicsjournal.
There are many different sources that provide the country with information on COVID-19. In some cases, announcements about COVID-19 from different officials and politicians contradict each other. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer, is talking about bivalent vaccines and staying up to date with booster shots. Meanwhile, the government dropped COVID-19 border requirements for anyone entering Canada. On one end, the message is to stay vigilant. On the other hand, it appears Canada is dropping their guard against COVID-19. How is the population supposed to stay informed when the government and public health officials are taking two very different approaches?
On September 26, the Government of Canada announced they would drop multiple COVID-19 measures related to the border, masks, and vaccines on October 1st. However, hospitalizations this year are largely higher than 2020 or 2021. New variants that are better at evading immunity make us question the abandoned precautions. Canada is in a new phase of the ongoing pandemic, but many have asked why we are lifting restrictions on social media in light of the evolving situation. Twitter’s “#BringBackMasks” hashtag speaks on why mask-wearing and booster shots are still necessary for personal and public safety, especially as we shift into the flu season.
Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix discussed their strategy to keep COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations as low as possible through the flu season. But isn’t this contradictory? They’re saying they need to prepare for a rise in cases while not providing preventative principles to do so. If they had determined it was safe to stop COVID-19 precautions, why should there be concern for the rising cases? This summer already saw BC’s emergency rooms struggle with staff shortages and closures. This is causing confusion.
It was recently reported that Dr. Henry knowingly downplayed the threat of COVID-19 transmission in schools. So how are we supposed to trust the current guidelines are in the best interest of our health?
Since the pandemic began, the Government of Canada has gone from requiring proof of a negative COVID-19 test and a two-week quarantine to requiring travellers to use the ArriveCan app prior to entry. This app was originally used to compile data from travellers entering Canada, to verify their vaccination status.
Now, they have dropped all restrictions to allow people to cross the border without the ArriveCan health declaration, proof of vaccination, random testing, and quarantine or isolation. In addition, health checks and masks are no longer mandatory on trains, flights, and cruises. In March 2020, the idea of isolation to help slow down the spread of the virus and make COVID-19 tracing much easier was introduced to the public — we now know isolation and mass testing are proven strategies to reduce transmission.
Throughout the past year, the Omicron variant dominated the majority of infections. As COVID-19 mutated, vaccines became less effective against this new variant. Measures like reinstating the requirement for negative PCR results for travellers, as well as almost doubling on-arrival testing were taken. This constant back and forth, switching from semi-lockdowns to calms, has caused those affected the most by the pandemic to lose trust in the public health officers and compromised the ability for the general population to stay informed.
The House of Commons health committee is preparing for a possible mutant that could dodge all current vaccines. Transmission and infection is one of the dangers of a constantly mutating virus, as current COVID-19 vaccines do not grant sterilizing immunity, therefore we can still transmit and be infected with COVID-19.
The consequences don’t end at a COVID-19 infection. Those who didn’t present any symptoms while infected might still develop long COVID — which causes long-term symptoms experienced weeks or even months after first getting sick. This causes a different set of issues than the flu-like symptoms of COVID-19. Long COVID can affect the organs and the immune system long-term. It is capable of affecting people of all ages, regardless of previous health and vaccination status. CTV News interviewed Adriana Patino, someone who has suffered from lung damage, heart damage, and fatigue after her infection. Even as a former 37-year-old competitive swimmer with a healthy lifestyle, she still needs treatments and therapy.
Canada’s public health services state there is no cure for long COVID at the moment, and Statistics Canada has counted almost one and a half million adults in Canada experiencing this. Plus, it is predicted that out of everyone who has gotten the virus, between 10–20% of them are prone to acquire long-term conditions, according to the World Health Organization.
Whether or not Canadians are aware of how likely it is to suffer from long COVID, the government should consider informing them — and easing restrictions would do the opposite of trying to prevent it.
Why did the government suddenly drop all of these precautions and make it seem like we are now safe from the virus? Especially when at the same time, other health officials are warning us about possible new waves and variants. How do they expect the population to listen to their advice and recommendations? This causes continuing confusion and mixed feelings for the public. Many are tired of having to follow restrictions after being in this situation for almost three years, and it doesn’t help if the government isn’t clear or transparent about the pandemic. Canada needs to prioritize a strategy that includes clear communication, information to the public, and measures to truly protect the public.
