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Food for Thought: Making Gnocchi

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Peak Web
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Homemade gnocchi being prepared on a baking sheet
What do you mean you don’t eat a three-course meal every night? PHOTO: Moira Nazzari / Pixabay

By: Isabella Urbani, Staff Writer

I’m half Italian, but it’s hard to feel like anything but Italian with the way I was raised — with gnocchi running through my veins and family being more important than life itself. My Nonna is my next door neighbour and my aunt is just down the street. That random Italian person I just met? Yeah, that’s my fifth cousin. When my Nonna immigrated from L’Aquila to BC when she was just 16, speaking no English whatsoever, she created her little version of Italy at home. I didn’t realize how European my upbringing was until I had friends over for dinner. The multi-course meals that I was accustomed to on a nightly basis were only reserved for special occasions for my friends. 

Almost every cultural tradition in Italy stems from family, especially the food. Breakfast consists of Italian coffee with a small biscuit or pastry. But be warned, Italian coffee is strong: one cup goes a long way. The biggest meal of the day is lunch. In Italy, shops close every single day at this time so families have the opportunity to prepare food and eat together. Most food is prepared from scratch using vegetables harvested from the garden to prepare a nice side salad and create a tomato sauce from scratch. No crumb is left uneaten. Whatever Nonna puts on your plate must get eaten. 

In Italy, dinner usually consists of light fare such as a small bowl of soup to hold you over until the next day. But since most of my family comes home in the evening from work and school, we replicate the same Italian lunch traditions at dinner. For the last few years, my family has eaten at my Nonna’s house every Monday and Tuesday. The first course always consists of a pasta or soup dish. Followed by a main course of various meats, vegetables, more carbs (obviously), and salads (yes, plural). And who could forget the dessert? Sometimes, your stomach will get lucky, and it will just be sugar-coated strawberries with ice cream or just plain fruit. Other times, it’s a full-blown cake. 

One of the most well-known Italian dishes is gnocchi. Although it’s filling enough to be its own meal, it’s typically served as an “appetizer.” Gnocchi is pasta made with potato instead of grain and originates in Northern Italy, where there is a much cooler climate. Its pasta pieces are oval shaped and bite sized enough to be compared to a petit dumpling. Traditionally, it’s served with a basil tomato sauce and is best served when made from scratch. You can buy premade packages at the store but I can guarantee it won’t quite taste the same. Also, don’t tell your Italian friends you cook gnocchi any other way if you don’t want to be accused of blasphemy. 

My Nonna likes to make big batches of gnocchi at one time so she can freeze them and pull them out when she needs them. Here is my Nonna’s recipe for gnocchi and her homemade tomato sauce. 

Nonna’s Gnocchi

  1. Cook as many potatoes as you’d like in a pot. My Nonna likes six. Once they’re done, smash them up. 
  2. Add eggs. For this recipe, two should be sufficient.
  3. Add some salt and 3 1⁄2  cups of flour. Do be wary about your flour. Too much can cause the gnocchi to become chewy.
  4. Now, you can form your dough. Roll your dough into strips. Then, cut them into small pieces, just over an inch long. 
  5. Freeze for a few hours. 
  6. Cook your gnocchi in a pot. When they begin to rise to the top of the water, wait one minute, and then take them out. The actual cooking process only takes a few minutes, since the potatoes were already cooked during step one. 
  7. Add the gnocchi to your sauce, stir it in, and serve to guests with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese.

Nonna’s Homemade Tomato Sauce 

  1. Fry onions in a pan. 
  2. Once your onions are caramelized, add in your canned tomatoes. Make sure you squash them up in the sauce. 
  3. Season your sauce: salt, pepper, and a few basil leaves. You can choose to remove the basil after the sauce is complete or leave them in. 
  4. Nonna’s tip: add in a carrot and some celery for flavour. Remove the celery but keep the carrots. 
  5. Nonna’s tip: add just a tinsy bit of sugar.
  6. Let simmer for an hour.

Four Asian bakeries for when you want to treat yourself

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Peak Web
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Kanadell’s new storefront interior, themed with green foliage and wick furniture
These bakeries each have their own unique take on sweets! PHOTO: Sara Wong

By: Sara Wong, Peak Associate

Dessert has always played a meaningful role in my life. Of course, there are special occasions like birthdays and holidays, but usually what I think of first are those “just because” moments. My parents often pick up pastries for me if they know I’ve had a tiresome day at work or school and our weekends are often full of spontaneous food adventures. For me, that’s what the four bakeries listed below represent — places you turn to on a whim because you know they’ll make your day sweeter. 

 

Kanadell Japanese Bakery

Photo Credit: Sara Wong

At Kanadell, you’ll find an array of Japanese sweets, as well as western desserts with East Asian flavour profiles. I’m most obsessed with their melon pans and black sesame nanaimo bars. It’s been incredible to see Kanadell go from an online social media sensation (you’ve probably seen their “bear bread” on Instagram) to a brick and mortar shop. But the journey wasn’t exactly a cake walk. Keiko, Kanadell’s owner, recently appeared on the Food Network show Project Bakeover, which helps struggling bakeries redesign their space and streamline their menu. Now, Kanadell has seating for customers! The mix of wicker furniture and lush greenery creates a cozy, relaxing atmosphere. I love coming here for a late lunch, where I can take the time to indulge in a crispy, savoury kare pan (curry bread) and warm hojicha latte.

 

Heritage Baking

Photo Credit: Heritage Baking

I first met Martha Naguiat-Ebro, chef and owner of Heritage, at a local farmer’s market. One taste of her “bad boy” ensaymada, a Filipinx bun tinted with activated charcoal and topped with pork floss, and I was hooked! The brioche was pillowy soft and packed with more umami than expected, thanks to a hidden sriracha togarashi smear. Heritage offers other traditional favourites, like sans rival cake and pandesal bread, but the ensaymadas are a must-order. I’m also a huge fan of their pain au chocolat, which uses 70% dark chocolate from another small, local Filipinx business, Kasama Chocolate. This isn’t on the regular menu, but stay tuned for updates. Heritage operates out of Coho Commissary in East Vancouver, so the quickest way to get ahold of their treats is to order online and pickup at the commissary.

 

Pine House Bakery

Photo Credit: Sara Wong

There’s no shortage of Chinese bakeries around Metro Vancouver, but Pine House — specifically, the one on Kingsway — will always have a special place in my heart. It’s my family’s go-to spot for gai mei bao (cocktail buns; also known as coconut buns) and char siu bao (barbecue pork buns). The quality is consistently good, with a fluffy milk bread base and rich fillings. I’ve also found Pine House more affordable than their competitors. You’ll find a good variety of classics here like cow ear cookies, swiss rolls, egg tarts, and apple turnovers. Part of the joy of going to a Chinese bakery is picking up a plastic tray and piling it with whatever piques your interest! 

 

Kourosh Bakery

Photo Credit: Sara Wong

Growing up, most of my figure skating practices were in North Vancouver, where I saw a number of Persian bakeries, including Kourosh. I recently returned to check them out and was delighted to see Kourosh’s display cases full of cookies and other delicious baked goods. When I visited with my parents, we got an assortment of just about everything. Our bakery boxes were stacked with chickpea cookies, rice cookies, and shortbread, alongside jalebi, baklava, coconut macaroons, doughnuts, and éclairs. The latter three items were quickly devoured (we didn’t even make it out of the parking lot). While everything was delicious, the coconut macaroons were on another level. Aside from the textbook qualities of good macaroons — golden on the outside, moist and chewy on the inside — these macaroons featured a sandwiched layer of pistachio cream, adding texture contrast and extra flavour. I also enjoyed the cookies, which all had that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth quality.

Radio silence: The SFSS shouldn’t have kept SFU’s SUB legal challenge from us

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Opinions
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Student Union Building
You can’t be selective about the type of information you share: give us the good, the bad, and the ugly. PHOTO: Allyson Klassen / The Peak

By Isabella Urbani, Staff Writer and Luke Faulks, Opinions Editor 

Boredom, if not outright animosity, is a common reaction to SFU politics. The most explicit example of our distaste for student politics is th low turnout for student elections. Case in point, the 2022 Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) elections saw just 8% of SFU students cast a ballot for their choice of president. But it’s worth mentioning there are still plenty of interesting twists and turns our politics holds — it’s just that they’re hidden from us. SFU’s potential lawsuit against the SFSS for the Student Union Building (SUB)’s closure is an example of the chilling effect withholding information from students can have. 

Let’s recap the high-level politics that were denied to us. Back in March, The Peak reported that legal action was being threatened by SFU after the previous SFSS Board voted to close the SUB from January 24–February 18 to protect staff from contracting COVID-19. The school argued the closure breached the lease agreement made between SFU and SFSS by withholding access to the SUB during normal operating hours. 

That was stated in the first of three letters SFU sent to the 2021/2022 SFSS Board starting on January 20. By the third and final letter, SFU was threatening a default on the SFSS’ lease on the SUB. Two days later, as The Peak reported, the SFSS voted to re-open the SUB. 

Now, my gripe isn’t with the SFSS for closing the SUB. It’s not with SFU for threatening a student organization. It’s with the fact that a culture of secrecy around SUB decisions stifles students’ conversations about student politics. Although this was a few months ago, the private predicament unfolded while an online petition for online learning was circulating at SFU, and just when BC had just removed capacity limits. As a student body, we were engaged on the issue of the SUB’s closure, but were denied information about issues that might have contributed Board’s decision. As constituents, we should have been made aware of factors, including the lawsuit, that might have had an influence on the process. 

The SFSS also censured three councillors, and later impeached one of them. This is another extension of the problematic culture of secrecy in student politics. The punishing of leakers, as apparently enshrined in SFSS’ bylaws, chills the dispersal of information to the student population. While letting violators get off scot-free is not a good option, impeachment ensures that potential whistleblowers will be forced to choose between losing a career in student politics and informing the student body. The SFSS has yet to release a report on the incident. The same goes for the current Council’s recent motion to remove Rea Chatterjee, vice president external and community affairs, from her position. We’ve been kept in the dark there, too,

The SFSS needs to be transparent. You may be getting sued? You’re our student representatives, let the people know! We want the good, the bad, and the ugly. Send emails! Post it on social media! List out all your concerns and conditions on a piece of paper and stick it on the SUB door! Just address the situation. Don’t let the problem snowball and then proceed to brush it under the rug. 

SFSS is supposed to be for the students. By making the factors that contribute to their decision-making public, they can better involve the student body. As it stands, the group is doing less to enhance political discourse at SFU, and more to stifle it. 

Five local BIPOC and/or queer-owned businesses

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Peak Web
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Colourful balloons forming a rainbow arch on the streets of New York
In the spirit of Pride, treat yourself and support your local queer businesses! PHOTO: Melissa / Pixabay

By: Jos Stevens, Peak Associate

With farmer’s markets and festivals popping up all over the city this summer, there is no better time to explore small local businesses. Spending your money on local businesses has a myriad of benefits over shutting yourself in a corporate mall. These benefits can include ethical material sourcing, financing the livelihoods of people rather than corporate structures, and connecting with your community. Here are five BIPOC and/or queer-owned businesses I’m excited to order from! 

For COVID-19 safety, I recommend sticking to smaller and outdoor markets in your community and showing up either right when they open or very close to the event end time. However, even these can get crowded with very few people wearing masks so this list also includes vendors who do online or social media based orders.


Qthreadz


Photo Credit: @qthreadz
Based in Victoria, BC, this cute queer-owned thrift store handles all of your clothing needs with upcycled pieces. You can find items like shirts, pants, shoes, and backpacks on their Instagram page, all of which can be yours with a simple direct message. They ship products out to you wherever you are located in Canada, so this is perfect for folks who aren’t comfortable thrifting in person yet. They also donate a portion of their profits to other queer organizations — queers supporting queers! I try to shop as sustainably as possible, and thrifting is one of the many great ways to do this. If you like this Instagram-based thrifting style, @cerealthrifter_ on Instagram is another queer-owned Vancouver business who operates in a similar way.


Devi Arts Collective


Photo Credit: @devicollective
Created in Vancouver by Ethiopian founder Bayoush Mengesha, this BIPOC women-led jewellery brand strives to give you a little bit of soft glam that is “an expression of the bold, the confident, and the vibrant qualities in our truest selves.” Devi Arts uses sustainable materials with all of their products including necklaces, earrings, and rings. All are minimalist pieces which can be worn to compliment basically any look. I’m always on the hunt for more rings, and Devi Arts has just what I have been looking for. You can check out their website for all of their items and have them delivered to you.


Hungryminis


Photo Credit: @hungryminis
Created by hand in Langley, BC, this LGBTQIA2S+ owned Etsy business serves you earrings that look like pieces of cake. They’re incredibly cute, detailed, and realistic enough to eat! The preset cake earrings use layers of colours to depict queer flags. They also have many colour options for customization, so you can curate the perfect pair for your identity. Simply message their Etsy page, request the number of layers and colours you’d like, and you have yourself a unique pair of earrings. Mini versions of things, especially food, always excite and satisfy me, so I’m looking forward to wearing a pair of little cakes on my ears.


Munea Wadud


Photo Credit: @artbymunea
Owned and operated by a non-binary, Bengali, queer person, this little shop on Esty creates art with the purpose of making a statement. From pins to prints, their products promote LGBTQIAS2+ rights, racial equality, and body positivity to help you express your passion for advocacy in a unique and bold way. Anytime I get to view local art and prints like this, I have to stop myself from buying all of them due to how amazing it all looks. I might have to let myself cave on this one though.


Karibu Handcrafted Soaps


Photo Credit: @karibusoaps
Locally made in New Westminster by Kenyan founder Ken, these handcrafted soaps are made using locally sourced plant-based ingredients. They focus on “keeping it safe and simple, crafting each item with just basic ingredients needed for a clean, healthy product that is gentle and nourishing on the skin, long lasting, and pure.” One thing I found strikingly unique was how they use recycled items like milk cartons to mould their soaps. How crafty is that? Knowing that Karibu strives for locally sourced ingredients really sold me. Some of their soaps are available in-person at Old Crow Coffee Co. or you can place an order online through their website.

Need to Know, Need to Go: August

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Peak Web
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Blue and white calendar illustration on dark grey background with block text “Need to Know, Need to Go”
Summer isn’t over yet! Go show these community-based events some love!

By: Yelin Gemma Lee, Arts & Culture Editor

Are you also feeling like July is always the month of events and the August calendar looks a little boring? I don’t think this is fair, considering August is when students in summer courses are wrapping up and finally looking to enjoy their summer. Thankfully, I have three awesome events for you to buff up your summer and help you enjoy your break to the fullest! 

Set it Off

Vancouver Black Therapy and Advocacy Foundation is hosting their first fundraiser event! This local grassroots initiative is one I like to support on a continuing basis. They raise funds to make “Black mental health support more accessible to Black community members in the Vancouver Lower Mainland.” The event will include a flea market, merchandise and raffle ticket sales, food, and live music! This fundraiser follows a statement of truth released on their Instagram page about how their community funding has drastically decreased as the Black Lives Matter virality has died down. Connect with the community and learn about creative ways to support this amazing cause on a meaningful basis. 

Where: August 13, 2:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.  

When: Progress Lab 1422, 1422 Williams Street, Vancouver

 

Vancouver Queer Film Festival 2022

The Vancouver Queer Film Festival is returning both online and in-person from August 11–21. Their programme is diverse and vibrant this year, with many films exploring intersectional narratives in the queer community. They’ve incorporated a virtual watch platform this year to keep the festival accessible for people with disabilities and immunocompromised people. Through their watch platform, you can access the films with the “virtual” option indicated on them. The festival pass is $175 with full access to both virtual and in-person films, and an access pass of $145 for those who need financial support. The digital pass is $100 and allows you full access to all virtual films to watch at your leisure, in your jammies. Individual tickets are on a sliding scale between $5–21, depending on access needs. 

Where: Virtual and varying in-person venues

When: August 11–21, times vary

 

SFU Summer Festival 

After last year’s Twitch-streamed summer festival, SFU Anime Club is returning this year to host their 10th annual summer festival in-person! The festival aims to give locals “the opportunity to experience a Japanese ‘Matsuri’ style festival.” Matsuri festivals in Japan are held to celebrate seasons, religious ceremonies, and historical events. They often feature yukatas, street food, and traditional games. The summer festival at SFU is inspired by this model and includes games, an artist alley, food vendors, and a main stage featuring performances, panels, and a cosplay contest. Wear your culturally-respectful cosplays and go appreciate a summer festival that feels like it’s right out of your favourite shoujo anime.

Where: Convocation Mall, SFU Burnaby

When: August 27, 1:00 p.m.–late

Rogers is so “sowwy” about nationwide shortage!

By
Humour
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An illustration of a smartphone with the Rogers logo. The screen is cracked, revealing a LED sad face.
There is no God, only monopolies. ILLUSTRATION: Alyssa Umbal / The Peak

By: Kelly Chia, Humour Editor

Oh noOoOoO!!!

Hey Canada, we’re besties for-eve-sies, right? So itty bitty me is so sowwy you felt like I let you down! fiddles with tiny fingers You guys are using big scary words like “blackout,” “outage,” and “we shouldn’t let telecommunications companies have a monopoly for this very reason,” and it’s all making me so upset! Pooey!

Here’s what happened, okay? You want my full side of the story, right? I took a teensy, wittle, shmittle vacation this summer, you guys! Yeah, I really needed a break from being your number one so I can keep things fresh. Just how you guys liked me when you signed up for that two-year phone contract. Yeah, remember when you signed up for my services? We even got a cute dog together. Don’t you remember those very excellent times?

I’ve always got your back and just the sweetest, loveliest marketing skills. That’s why I think you should accept my timely marriage with Shaw. You see, when mommy Rogers and stepdaddy Shaw love each other very much, they form what’s called a harmonious marriage! In other words, a monopoly! It’ll be all me, all the time. You’ll love it!

I mean, what happened was just an itsy-bitsy slip-up! It’s just so endearingly human of me, which I must remind all of you that we all make mistakes. It’s not like there were any real emergencies, were there? You just weren’t able to communicate with your friends and family, use your debit card, or access emergency services, and go about relaxing in your day-to-day lives!

It’s like . . . oooh, what do you call it . . . like a break from your phones! You’re always telling me how you need to put your phone away, and I helped, didn’t I? Because I’m your fwiend? See, I actually don’t like the word consequences, it’s so permanent. I’m your fwiend, and fwiends don’t break each other’s hearts, right? Come on, sign another two-year contract with me! It’ll be so fun!

Oh, oh, I know! I can help! Because I’m the smartest, best, and only network in the world, I can give you just humongous credit. So much compensation you’ll nearly forget that this is a problem, which it’s not! Are you prepared?! I don’t think you are.

Because you’re my very good friend, I’m prepared to offer you a grand total of ten cents!! YAY!!!!

But . . . if you want to walk away, I’ll understand. Really, I do. Even though you’re my most loyal friend, I’ll do you right. I’ll make sure you only get two hours of hold music as opposed to the usual six, okay? I want to make sure you feel treasured as my one and only custom— I mean, friend.

Long Story Long: What I learned from my four empty glasses of water

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Humour
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0
A photo of an empty glass on a pink bedsheet
My life is changed, and my table is not. PHOTO: Pixnio

By: Kelly Chia, Humour Editor

Dear readers,

I’ve had an epiphany so devastating, so special, so simply metamorphic that I must share it with you immediately. We often have small moments in life that feel much bigger than they actually are, almost as though they were extended to force a poetic metaphor through. Well, I can assure you that this realization is not that. It was profound, life-changing, and truly so unique that if I didn’t share it with you now, I would feel guilty. Well, here it is: my life was changed by the wisdom stored in my liquid-storing accoutrement — cups, mugs, glasses — on a humble July afternoon.

Sure, you can laugh, I hear you.“Oh, this is just another long-winded narrative about how a simple event can make you appreciate life!” But this is so much better than that! It’s about appreciating the little things in life, not the big . . . living part. That’s what makes my piece better. Yeah.

Well, let me tell you about the moment, and then you’ll really be able to picture the revelation: I walked into my room to sit down to study, I turned to my right, and I saw my cups. That’s right. They all stored different volumes of liquids, telling different stories. My mug containing a day’s old worth of Earl Grey? That was the story of an attempt to make my hydration habits a bit more classy. Yes, it had been steeped in the wisdom of my attempt to try. Why, only the most noble thing a human being can do. What’s classier than that, you ask?

Take a look at my glass that’s been fully drained. That’s my glass that has water for when I wake up at three in the morning. To me, that represents how I adore myself so much that I make the effort to have the glass available for when I want water, but not so much that I constantly have water in the glass available for when I need it. See, I’m still trying.

Next, you may even be curious enough to peruse my IKEA glasses. Those are cool because they are tinted a turquoise green and a cool blue. They represent my desire for a trip to the beach far away, where I can pour more water on my face.

So you see, it’s not that I’m forgetful. My cups, mugs, and glasses tell a beautiful story: they reveal my desires, my efforts, even my dreams of frolicking at White Rock. I was so thoughtful when it came to myself, I realized. But I also realized how I needed to love myself enough to take them downstairs. Nasty.

 

Horoscopes: July 25–31

By
Humour
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0
An illustration of a girl with long flowing hair. Astrological signs and stars shine around her.
ILLUSTRATION: Marissa Ouyang / The Peak

By: Hannah Kazemi, Peak Associate

Aries

You go to enroll and all of your courses are full except for one, so you choose three alternate courses that are not at all anything that you’re interested in. You suffer all semester, and end up with an even shittier enrollment date for the next one. Sucks to suck. Have fun in MACM 101!

 

Taurus

Somehow you always manage to get every class you want without having to waitlist, which by SFU standards, is magic.

 

Gemini

The stars are unsympathetic to your need to graduate. You come up with three possible schedules two weeks before your enrollment date, all of which are made up of different courses, but still somehow have to pick two replacements because most of your alternates are already full.

 

Cancer

You’re used to being hurt. You just know that you’re going to pull the short straw by the time your enrollment date comes around, so you already start emailing profs and advisors to ask for permission to enrol in courses a week before you even can. They all say no.

 

Leo

Enrollment is a breeze for you, Leo. You’re one of the lucky ones. But don’t get too comfortable — your luck will probably run out by the time next semester’s enrollment comes around.

 

Virgo

Hahahahaha, oh, Virgo. Nothing matters anymore. Are schedules even real? Is there even any point in trying to plan your classes ahead of time?! There should be a class called “The Secret To Course Enrollment At SFU” where all they teach you is that there isn’t one and it’s all a trap.

 

Libra

No issues to report for you, Libra. Easy, breezy, beautiful, Covergirl.

 

Scorpio

Your friends ask you what classes you’ve enrolled in because your enrollment date was days ago. You tell them you haven’t looked yet, and that you’re sure PSYC 300W will have spots left. Do you even go here??

 

Sagittarius

You register in all of the courses you want, but that means you’re on Burnaby Mountain once a week, Vancouver once a week (on the same day you’re in Burnaby!), and Surrey twice a week as well. The courses may be interesting, but seriously, is the commute really worth it? And why does SFU schedule stuff this way??!!

 

Capricorn

You are the single most unlucky person when it comes to course enrollment. Like ever. The one (one!!!) class you need to take to graduate had one (one!!!) spot left ✨literally✨ten minutes before your enrolment appointment, but when you went to enrol somehow that spot had been taken and two people were already on the waitlist. Seriously, it’s a cruel joke.

 

Aquarius

Aquarius, you are yet another lucky one. You only have to waitlist for one course, but you’re second in line and the rest of your courses have you on campus twice a week. Life is sweet for you, babe.

 

Pisces

How is it that all of your upper level seminars are full and enrollment isn’t even halfway over?? You give up after three semesters of trying to take the same four courses and register in a completely distance education schedule. Fuck it.

Cooling centres are not a solution to climate change

By
Peak Web
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Flooded traffic sign
We are watching the world burn from the comfort of a cooling centre. PHOTO: Kelly Sikkema, Unsplash

By: C Icart, Peak Associate

Are you ready for an extreme heat wave? Last year’s heat dome made many British Columbians painfully aware that they weren’t. Upwards of 600 people died in what was deemed “the deadliest weather event” in Canadian history. As a response, cooling centres began to pop up around the Lower Mainland. That those centres are so necessary is hugely dispiriting. They’re a sign that we’ve accepted warming as a factor in our day-to-day lives, and have resigned ourselves to middling strategies aimed at making the summer season livable. 

Projections show that temperatures rising above 30°C will only become more and more common in the coming decades. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report also warned the rate of warming is outpacing our response. What this means is we won’t be able to adapt our lives and infrastructure quickly enough to prevent climate change from dramatically changing the ways we live our lives. In essence, cooling centres will not save us from climate catastrophe. And while they’re an important initiative that will save countless lives, they’re still flawed for reasons outside of climate action.

Not everyone is at the same risk during warmer weather. People with pre-existing health conditions, limited mobility or other disabilities, and people who are poorly housed are among the most at risk from extreme heat. For these people and others, cooling centres aren’t the silver bullet. A 2022 report to the BC Climate Action Secretariat on the need for mitigation strategies isolated a number of hurdles to cooling centres’ effectiveness. These barriers to the service include poor awareness of the facilities, limited accessibility, worries about discrimination, and a lack of guarantee that visitors could bring belongings and pets with them. Cooling centres, far from being a climate solution, aren’t even widely deployable enough to protect the most vulnerable.

If we’re resigning ourselves to climate catastrophe, there are some mitigation strategies that could be more effective than cooling centres. Preventing buildings from overheating needs to be considered in the design stage. For instance, using lighter coloured materials helps reflect the heat off buildings. Ensuring that trees surround buildings also helps reduce in-building temperatures. The restoration of urban tree canopies helps improve heat resiliency. Air conditioning will save lives in the short term. Still, it will significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate change, ironically increasing the frequency of extreme heat events. These are just the beginning of cooling alternatives that should be applied across the province.

Members of our communities are dying, and the longer our governments remain inactive, the more it signals that the most vulnerable members of our communities are disposable. The City of Vancouver recommends frequently checking on “older adults, people with chronic illness, people living alone, and vulnerable neighbours” to ensure they are safe in the summer heat. I will follow those recommendations; however, like cooling centres, it’s the tip of the iceberg when it comes to climate adaptation, and a call to action to address the more pressing and critically necessary task of mitigation. We don’t have to resign ourselves to a future where cooling centres are the only things keeping a large contingent of the population from dying. We can, and should, demand better.

Women’s Center organizes solidarity rally for Roe v. Wade

By
News
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Roughly 35 students sit on the grassy hill at the SFU Burnaby Campus. They are collected, smiling for the camera. They hold signs that read, “No Bans,” Reproductive Justice for all,” “Reproductive Rights are human rights,” and more.
The rally took place around the Burnaby campus from Convocation Mall to Cornerstone. PHOTO: Pranjali J Mann / The Peak

By: Pranjali J Mann, News Writer

On July 13, the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) Women’s Center organized Bans Off Our Bodies, a solidarity rally in the wake of  the US Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) verdict to overturn Roe v. Wade. The verdict overturned this precedent set in 1973 which constitutionally protected the right to abortions in the US.

This rally stood in support for those who do not have access to safe and legal abortions worldwide. It ran from 11:30 p.m.–1:00 p.m., followed by refreshments and food at the Women’s Center in the Student Union Building (SUB). 

Nimrit Basra, Women’s Center Collective Council representative, opened the march by saying SCOTUS’ decision “is steeped in gendered, economic, and racialized oppression, and those from historically excluded and marginalized communities will face the brunt of this oppressive legislation.” 

As mentioned in the rally’s press release, 24 countries completely prohibit abortion and over 90 countries only allow abortion in case of health risk to the mother or medical complications.

The rally route began at Convocation Mall and marched throughout the campus until ending at the Terry Fox statue at the Reflection Pond. This was accompanied by march chants such as, “Our body, our choice.” 

Various community organizers and student led committee heads gave speeches at the end of the rally. This included a speech from SFSS president Helen Sofia Pahou. She noted prejudices on abortions “got us a male-dominated and patriarchal-infused stack of US Supreme Court justices who cannot separate their politics from the goodwill of accessing safe and legal abortions.”

She emphasized the overturning of Roe v. Wade is a “systematic oppression and invasion against the bodies, the rights, the choices [ . . . ] perpetuated by the state.” 

She continued, “The SFSS upholds the precedence in our issues policies that support anyone seeking access to abortion and their reproductive rights and condemns any entity that chooses to intimidate anyone from utilizing their rights. Anyone who enters our SUB building and goes to our Women’s Centre in need of safe space — please know that you are always welcomed.” 

Nebula Shen, a Board member of Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group and member of the Out on Campus collective, discussed the importance of having bodily autonomy. Critiquing current policies in place, they stated, “Colonially known as BC, Canada, there are politicians in this province who are against abortion [ . . . ] But it’s not OK for them to ever force that on anyone else’s body.”

Allyson Soriano, organizer for SFU350, laid a direct link between climate change and reproductive justice. She asked, “What does it mean if anyone with a uterus will be forced to bear [a] child when we are experiencing unprecedented heatwaves, floods, landslides, and forest fires?” She added, “Indigenous, Black, and brown peoples’ homes are being used as sites for dumping toxic waste. Many Indigenous communities across Turtle Island still live without access to clean running water [ . . . ] Are these the conditions that we should be raising children in?” 

To find out more on the organization of the rally, The Peak interviewed Basra from the Women’s Centre. 

She shared the planning and creation of the rally started in late May. “There was unanimous support [ . . . ] every single committee in our collective stepped up and did their part [ . . . ] because we were frustrated and we were upset, and we had to channel that frustration into something.” She quoted Mariame Kaba: “Let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair.”

Basra was inspired and grateful to see the turnout and support from attendees in creating a space with shared solidarity. She reported 50 people attended the rally. 

Highlighting the goals of the initiative, she noted that while the issue seems distant from home, it is present for people around the world, “including here at home.” Through the rally, they aimed “to really give folks a space to channel their passion and their anger and their hurt.” 

She added, “Even during our speeches, it was a circle. It was really important to us that everybody was looking at each other and everybody was able to see each other and hold that space with each other.” 

Through this solidarity rally, she hoped to signify that people are “not alone in this fight, and they’re not alone in how they’re feeling right now.

“This is something that is worth fighting for, and it’s something we need to fight for, not only for ourselves, but for others as well,” she said. 

Basra reiterated this is a collective and ongoing effort. She noted events and information sessions will be held moving forward. “This is something that we’re going to be working on and fighting for and keeping the momentum going.” 

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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