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Authentic ramen connoisseur: Recipes from dormitory expert, Guy Ramsey

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Peak Web
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A photo of a man typing angrily at his computer beside a bowl of ramen noodles
My privilege and my ramen is worthy of a Michelin star, peasants

By: Yasmin Vejs Simsek, Staff Writer

It was the year 2011 and I had just come back from a trip to Japan, and all I wanted was a smooth ramen throwback to take me back to the cherry blossoms of Tokyo. Ramen is a Japanese noodle dish, for those of you who haven’t been lucky enough to go to Japan, like myself. My favorite restaurant for ramen was this authentic cute little place with paintings of geishas adorning the walls and steaming bowls of hot ramen being served in artisanal Japanese bowls. So, longing for my favorite place in the world, I dug up this soup-er (see what I did there?) flavourful spaghetti recipe from my grandmother’s old cookbook, and have adapted it into an authentic collegiate meal for champions.

This recipe has been in my family for generations. My great-great-great-great-great grandmother used to make it for Edgar Allan Poe, and he loved it so much he wrote a poem for her — yes, To Helen is about her! I think, nay, KNOW, they would approve my twist to it though, even if they didn’t have hot sauce and instant ramen in the 1800’s. I have perfected this recipe, so of course you won’t be able to make the perfect ramen in the first go, but after 40–45 tries, you should be getting closer.

I always make this for myself if I am having a rainy day and I need a little pick-me up. Like that time my Xbox glitched and it hadn’t even saved my game of FIFA!  Or like the time I checked my bank account and hadn’t been transferred the $5,000 promised for my summer vacation to Cuba. I had to use my emergency credit card. All while actually writing a paper about Freud’s homoerotic tendencies. Ugh, relatable, I know. I’ll get ‛em next time, champs, with the best ramen in the world.

HOW TO MAKE DELICIOUS, STEAMING, TASTY RAMEN SPAGHETTI:

This gourmet ramen dish is so fluffy, squiggly, salty, mahogany (I used my essay writing skills, can you tell?) with notes of burned truffle. And best of all, it’s super simple to make and you can basically make it with things you already have in your kitchen. 

First of all, you need galangal. Who doesn’t have that in their cupboard? If you just ran out of galangal, you can substitute for ginger, but I will suggest running to the shop, it really is the best option. Other than that, you just need tapioca flour, spirulina, hot sauce, quail eggs, remoulade, three types of soy sauce and muscovado sugar — NOT BROWN SUGAR — and they’re all staples in most of our homes, right?

Oh, you want more of the recipe? Like and subscribe for part 2/7 on my ramen journey. It’s only the low, low cost of ten Maruchan packets a day!

If you make this ramen, make sure to tag me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, Flickr, LinkedIn, MySpace, etc. My handle is @EverybodyLovesRamend123. Remember to follow and leave a comment to let me know how much you liked it.

 Love,
Guy Ramsey

The Multicultural Myth: We need to stop celebrating Canada Day

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Peak Web
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Canadian flag against blue sky
You can’t champion your country’s human rights when serious inequalities remain unaddressed. PHOTO: Jp Valery, Unsplash

By: Olivia Visser, Staff Writer

Content warning: anti-Indigenous violence and discrimination, residential schools 

Canada Day is a celebration of national pride. From endless hiking trails, to universal(-ish) healthcare and Tim Horton’s, many Canadians get to celebrate their quality of life. However, not everyone shares this privilege to the same degree. And it’s due to our failure to provide those Canadian privileges to Indigenous peoples that we should cancel Canada Day in favour of a Day for National Reconciliation.

In this country, Indigenous people have historically suffered from and continue to endure systemic injustices that our government both caused and refuses to tangibly address. A celebration of a country’s history that takes place while a large segment of its citizenry is actively suffering isn’t innocent, it’s nationalistic. We’re minimizing the country’s colonial history and continuation of genocide in favour of an artificially positive vision of the country.

Canada’s history, inextricably linked, as it is, to violence and discrimination against Indigenous peoples is nothing to be celebrated — particularly when that celebration inevitably turns to talk of how Canada is uniquely multicultural. The treatment of Indigenous peoples makes the country’s claim to multiculturalism ring hollow. 

Beyond having their land violently dispossessed, Indigenous people experienced cultural genocide by being forced into residential schools and forcibly stripped of their Indian Status through the Indian Act’s policy of enfranchisement. The enfranchisement process involved losing “their treaty and statutory rights as Indigenous peoples, and their right to live in the reserve community.” The Act also banned practices like potlatchs and the Sun Dance in a deliberate show of racism. The government was intentionally trying to establish its own eurocentric culture, yet nowadays people praise Canada for its public commitment to diversity. The central Canadian myth — that we value multiculturalism — is undermined by the history that we choose to celebrate every July 1st. 

Today, Indigenous people continue to suffer the consequences of Canada’s genocidal past. The last residential school was only closed in 1996, so many survivors are still alive today. New unmarked graves are continuously added to over 1,300 that have been confirmed to be discovered so far at residential schools. For most Canadians, this is a devastating reminder of our history, but for Indigenous people, it’s a traumatic manifestation of the violence that still burdens survivors and their loved ones.

Before we begin to celebrate Canadian culture, we need to address our present-day injustices. The Canadian government still violates Indigenous rights by encroaching on their lands for resource development and denying basic needs like water and healthcare. We also need to seriously address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women by moving away from performative gestures and towards measurable action. Land acknowledgments are essential but don’t generate substantial change on their own. The Canadian government can start by addressing the material well-being of those living on reserves by increasing funds for essential resources and restoring land rights. Reconciliation by our government is performative if many communities still lack access to safe drinking water, and live on land owned and controlled by the Crown.

Reconciliation isn’t as simple as holding hands and pretending everything is all sunshine and rainbows. A step as simple as adding “Reconciliation Day” to the calendar, as the country did last year, isn’t enough. It is performative in the same way Canada claims to care about reconciliation, while still actively harming Indigenous communities — because every Canada Day we still celebrate being on stolen lands. 

Reconciliation is just a word for the starting point, not the endpoint, in accounting for the trauma that’s been forced onto Indigenous communities. It involves respecting Indigenous land rights, honouring treaties, and recognizing the contributions that Indigenous people have made to our society. It’s time to ditch Canada Day in favour of an alternative that actually accounts for our country’s dark history, and celebrates multiculturalism in a genuine manner. 

We also can’t sit back and expect the government to entirely fix a problem caused in part by civilian complacency. Reconciliation involves individual as well as systemic solidarity. Canadians can donate to Indigenous-run mutual aid organizations as a way to directly support those affected by colonization. Indigenous Mutual Aid is just one organization that offers emergency funds, medicine, and community resources to Indigenous people in need. Because these funds bypass government involvement, independent organizations like this can allocate their resources more effectively, with firsthand knowledge of where support is needed.

Canada is far from meeting the mark on reconciliation, but that doesn’t mean justice is a hopeless feat. The only real way forward is for everyone to recognize their place in this system that has targeted Indigenous communities since it began. Every settler in this country benefits from contributions made by Indigenous people who were subjected to genocide. Because of this, Canada Day should be permanently replaced with a Day for Reconciliation. We should have a holiday that reflects the values our society emptily articulates and should genuinely strive toward.

What Grinds Our Gears: Two+ midterms

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Peak Web
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A flurry of midterm exams
On the problem of multiple midterm exams

By: Jerrica Zabala, SFU Student

Course selection week! The best time of the semester — when we’re all absolutely drowning in school work. I gloss over prospective course syllabi and suddenly find myself in the shits; I’ve just found out the beloved required course for my degree has midterm exams . . . Plural. This is, of course, absurd. By definition, midterm means halfway. There can’t be more than one halfway point in the term. So then how can there be more than one midterm exam!?

Seeing the course syllabus on the SFU website already gives me anxiety. How are you gonna make me write more than two tests and call it “midterms”? Here, let’s make it easier for you. “Mid” is shorthand for “middle.” “Middle-term” exam. Feeling pretty silly having two or more of them now, aren’t you? 

The only acceptable definition of multiple midterms would have to be in the MIDDLE of TWO terms. Unless I’m pursuing TWO degrees at TWO different universities, I should not be taking TWO MIDDLE term exams.

Do you know how embarrassing it is to have two midterms? Especially during a conversation when your friends ask, “What do you mean you have a midterm? The semester is done in three weeks.” Like what is that about? Oh, and why the hell are you giving out a “midterm” exam two weeks after the semester has started? I digress. 

You want students to take your class with minimal test anxiety? HumDon’t call it a “midterm exam,” just call them unit tests. Midterms are exactly what it describes. Mid. It may be the most insignificant things students complain about during our time at SFU, but don’t fucking push me on it.

Brodie Douglas gives presentation about historical perspectives on Métis health

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Peak Web
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The photo is of the Canadian outdoors. Large mountains are seen in the background. A river runs through a green forest.
The presentation was held in partnership with BC Centre for Disease Control and SFU health sciences. PHOTO: Pixabay / Pexels

By: Chloë Arneson, News Writer

On June 9, BC Centre for Disease Control and SFU faculty of health sciences hosted a virtual presentation by Brodie Douglas on the historical context of Métis health. 

Tanya Davoren, the senior director of health of Métis Nation BC, welcomed the audience by introducing Douglas. “I can think of no one better to address how colonial history of the Métis nation has impacted our nation’s health and well-being,” she said. Douglas is Fraser Health’s Indigenous cultural safety educator and a Métis Nation historian. 

“The social determinants of Métis health are not only social but are primarily and more specifically, political and historical,” he said.

For Métis peoples, current social health determinants of health, such as being a visible minority or unemployed, are stronger health predictors than behavioural factors such as smoking or obesity. Métis health can be determined by the disproportionate health risk that resulted from colonial history and modern institutional racism, such as being poor, owning a car, or living near polluted lands. The United Nations permanent forum on Indigenous Issues has identified the need for culturally specific determinants for Indigenous peoples.

Currently, health funding for Indigenous peoples does not include Métis or those who do not hold status. “The marginalisation of Métis has its origin with the non-recognition of Aboriginality by the Canadian state,” Douglas said.

Douglas explained as the government of Canada historically ignored Métis land rights, many individuals agreed to scrip certificates, which stripped them of their Indigenous title in exchange for land or money. He said these documents were difficult to navigate as most Métis did not know how to read or write. “The scrip regime defrauded Métis of our treaty and Indigenous rights,” Douglas said. “This loss has had a negative impact on Métis culture and continues to impact the health and well-being of the Métis population.”

Douglas went on to explain some of Métis peoples’ rich history and how it has contributed to inequitable access to health services. Through military and political conquest, colonizers displaced Métis peoples, resulting in demographic shifts among their population in 1885. “Métis people found themselves without a landbase. Without a landbase and without an economy, marginalised at the fringes of society,” Douglas noted. 

In the 1900s, this was often still true. “Even though there were public schools in these areas, Métis could not attend because there was such a remarkable amount of racism,” he said. Residential schools were in operation long before and after this period, with attendance becoming mandatory in 1920 under the Indian Act.

In 1936, Métis peoples were still not afforded health benefits and many lived far away from doctors or did not possess the financial means to go see one. Douglas’ presentation featured a quotation by Diedre Desmarais that noted “the colonization of Aboriginal peoples created the circumstance whereby poverty became an inevitable consequence [ . . . ] colonization created the conditions for inequitable access to health care and services.

“I joke sometimes, Métis is the best kept secret in BC, but it’s because our history is not often told,” said Douglas. “We become invisible.”

Migrant Students United hosts town hall on healthcare for international students

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Peak Web
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The photo is of the inside of a lecture hall. The lecture hall is full of students, attention turned to the front of the room where the professor is delivering a lecture presentation.
Currently, international student healthcare fees are mandatory. PHOTO: Dom Fou / Unsplash

By: Pranjali J Mann, News Writer

The Migrant Students United (MSU) chapter at SFU organized a hybrid town hall for students on universal healthcare fees on June 23 alongside the Simon Fraser Student Society. International students from SFU, other Designated Learning Institutes in BC, and students from American universities presented their thoughts on the medical healthcare and dental fees international students pay. 

The event was held in collaboration with other on campus groups and community organizations including the Teaching Support Staff Union (TSSU), Graduate Student Society (GSS), Sanctuary City Vancouver, and BC Health Coalition. 

At SFU, new undergraduate, graduate, and exchange program international students are required to have medical insurance through Guard Me. Additionally, new international, exchange, and study abroad students are also required to apply for BC Medical Services Plan coverage. 

An international student from Kwantlen Polytechnic University opened the discussion by saying he knew the pain and hardships international students faced, in addition to living away from family. He underlined the additional financial burden of any kind “adds up a lot of depression. And so I think this needs to be removed so we can help international students in a much more integrated way and in a positive way.”

A former SFU student also brought out the issue of exploitation of international students. They said, “It’s just getting worse. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is being more horrible than ever, in terms of making sure everyone is precarious. Folks mentioned the inflation rates, but really it’s just like [a] mental health crisis — you just don’t have the support you need.”

An undergraduate student at SFU noted, “I realized that I have to get two jobs just to make ends meet, pay my tuition, paying rent, and groceries and everything like that [ . . . ] How I look at it is that migrant students, a lot of the time, subsidize everyone else’s education.” It was mentioned a government mandated 2% cap exists on tuition fee increases for domestic students but not for international students. Hence, for international students, “campuses can actually increase it by 10%. And students can’t do anything.”

The concern was echoed by Eshana Baran, SFSS vice president external and community affairs. Her presentation noted this healthcare fee is an unfair measure which negatively impacts international and migrant students. 

Baran stated the international student health fee as of now is $75 per month, per person. Baran called it a “violation of Canada Health Act.” The Canada Health Act contains a principle of universality, where all residents of Canada are entitled to uniform terms and conditions.

She noted this fee was a double charge, imposed due to the health care switch from Medical Services Plan to the Employer Health Tax (EHT). Explaining further with some statistics, she noted students with families are burdened with as much as “around $150 per month, per family.” 

Baran said, “In 2018, international students contributed $3.9 billion in GDP, $2.45 billion in labour income, and $392.9 billion in income tax.” According to Baran, “Essentially, Canadian universities and colleges are relying on international students to manage the budget shortfalls. 

“The institutions just rely on international students to fund post-seconday education.”

A toolkit was also shared with attendees for those interested in learning more. Follow @msu.at.sfu for campaign updates.

The Pool: The short, sad tale of Pascal Curious

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Peak Web
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Someone wandering around in the Sims with a red diamond floating above them.
Things get funky in this student’s life! | SCREENSHOT: Kelly Chia / The Peak

By: Yasmin Vejs Simsek, Staff Writer

Pascal Curious walked from the library towards the Recreation Centre with a sluggish walk. Pascal was an ordinary student: they went to class, work, watched for aliens (since you can never be too sure!) And now, they were in the LONGEST library study session. It literally felt like they aged ten years in a day! Just yesterday they felt like a spry toddler. Odd.

Honestly, Pascal was surprised they managed to actually get work done in the library. Pascal was studying with Mortimer, a study buddy they met only a few days ago. Strangely, it felt like they clicked when they met, but not anymore. All Mortimer wanted to do was say, “Sul Sul!” over and over again. Pascal could feel their embarrassment growing, especially as Mortimer peed his pants. The library was sacred and certainly no place for accidents!


So Pascal left Mortimer and his accident, striding along the campus. Proud of their achievements of the day, Pascal decided a late-night swim was well-deserved and they headed towards the pool. They felt so drawn to the pool. Nothing beat the feeling of being completely immersed in a crisp 20℃ pool after a long, stressful day. 

Normally, there would always be a few swimmers, even this late at night and on such an Gleb-forsaken Monday. Not today, though. Maybe there was a strike of some sort. Maybe the student body had decided to close or open the SUB again? Or maybe it’s the research assistants looking for employment rights? 

Huh, wonder where that thought came from. Pascal wasn’t even sure what the SUB was, other than a submarine. Pascal couldn’t keep up anymore, but they had the place all to themselves and a lovely swim was waiting ahead. Pascal decided to change right by the pool. They felt so comfortable in their birthday suit! A simple spin, and they had a sublime swimsuit. 

Pascal was ready to get into the pool, but felt quite icky. Their general needs weren’t met, they were tired, hungry, and needed to pee. A quick pee break before the pool would be wise. But when Pascal went to the washroom, they found the toilet broken. Frustratingly, they had absolutely no clue how to fix it — Pascal was a lover, not a tinker — so they decided to hold it in and walked towards the pool. Finally, Pascal stood in front of the tiny ladder leading down to the water. The lights on the walls of the pool lit up the water from underneath. Head first, they gracefully dove in.

 After a few lanes of swimming, Pascal could feel the tiredness take over. And as it did, so did the need for food, a toilet, and their warm bed. Ahh, to Gleb with it, four lanes is enough for today. Pascal swam towards the tiny ladder by the other end of the pool. The closer they got the more confused they got. 

Where was the tiny ladder? Not in this corner. Not in the other one either. 

Pascal swam along the edge of the entire pool and could not find the tiny ladder! They swore they could hear cackling. How would Pascal get out of the pool? Who took it away? 

Pascal only did what any reasonable person would in that situation: flail their arms as if they were dancing! Pascal swam in circles, trying hopelessly to find the tiny ladder. Finally, they saw themself losing energy by the second as if flying above the pool. Every stroke was a battle at this point as they tried to stay above water, not being able to exit the pool without the suddenly disappeared tiny ladder. Shoo Flee!

Goodbye, cruel world, this is how we part.

“McFogg! Dinner is ready!”

Ctrl-Alt-S. Saved. McFogg would continue this game of Sims™ after mom’s lasagna — they were so proud they had gotten every detail of SFU correctly in their mod. Another successful session of anger management! McFogg thought about what to name their next character.

Opinions in Dialogue: The corporatization of Pride Month

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Peak Web
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Pride flag crossed with corporate logos
ILLUSTRATION: Stella Nguyen / The Peak

By: Yasmin Vejs Simsek, Staff Writer, & C Icart, SFU Student

Content warning: mentions of homophobia and transphobia 

Pride month merch from faceless, multi-billion-dollar corporations is among the most calculated, yet somehow weirdly personalized marketing schemes ever. Over the course of a month, companies with seemingly no relation to the movement will emblazon their logos with rainbow flags and produce cringy but supportive merchandise. But does a corporate presence at Pride represent a victory lap for a marginalized community, or is it a smokescreen that hides companies’ actual lack of loyalty to the LGBTQIA2S+ community?

Yasmin: I will be the first to admit that companies’ overtly over-the-top attempts to be allies to the LGBTQIA2S+ community are extremely performative and there’s no way the majority of these CEOs actually give a flying fuck for the community’s rights and liberation. That being said, I can’t help but see this is a huge step from where we were 50 years ago, with Stonewall being an example of raiding gay safe places, arresting folks, and police checking people’s orientation. Now, I bet you that many of these organizations have homophobic or transphobic managers who strongly disagree with Pride month messaging. But they’re forced to support the community because waving around the rainbow flag in an attempt to prove allyship has become the corporate norm. And this norm is helping silence those haters.

This is obviously looking at it from a North American point of view — unfortunately, there are still places in the world where being LGBTQIA2S+ is a crime, even punishable by death. Corporate support for North American Pride Month doesn’t extend to those countries, which is a problem. 

C: I can’t get behind the idea that this is a victory lap. There is no evidence that queer and trans folks are the people who primarily benefit from the corporatization of Pride. Even today, many people in the LGBTQIA2S+ community don’t feel safe around police, anti-trans legislation is  sweeping the US, and discrimination against LGBTQIA2S+ individuals still happens in Canada. Companies selling us overpriced rainbow everything doesn’t address any of this. These companies only participate in Pride month because they can benefit financially from doing so. Every June, we see corporate Pride logos, but generally, these same corporations do not display their Pride logos in the Middle East, for example. Only being a visible “ally” in countries where it won’t affect your business is not allyship, it’s bullshit, and we don’t need it. Seeing Pride flags pop up in more spaces makes me smile, but I think as a community, we still need so much more, and we shouldn’t be afraid to demand it just because things could be worse. 

Yasmin: No doubt about needing more. We need everything! And I think generally the white saviour complex stretches into this in terms of doing things to benefit the self, but not actually to benefit the community. Part of the problem is that corporations don’t actually ask the community what they need! As of 2022, only four CEOs in the Fortune 500 were gay, so any seemingly pro-Pride decisions are being made by people outside of the community.

I agree that pride merch shouldn’t only be offered in countries where a display of support won’t affect your business. However, I think shows of support in those regions where homophobia is prevalent, wouldn’t just harm your business, it could actually bring harm to the community. I think we should keep demanding what the community deserves, whilst still celebrating the victories along the way and picking our battles. I won’t fight corporations overcharging and overselling Pride merchandise, but I will fight their support for anti-LGBTQIA2S+ campaigns. I think those two can co-exist. 

C: I don’t believe rainbow capitalism happens because corporations are trying to help anyone. They’re trying to make money. You are right; corporate Pride logos wouldn’t help queer and trans folks in regions that are hostile to gay rights. In the same way, they don’t help anyone here. They are strictly performative. Many corporations are both Pride sponsors and anti-LGBTQIA2S+ campaign donors. This is something that needs to be called out. Companies don’t get to market themselves as an “ally” when they want to sell us things while funding our oppression at the same time. I do believe in celebrating victories along the way, but I can’t think of a single LGBTQIA2S+ victory that was corporate-led. The first Pride was a riot led by Black and brown queer and trans folks, many of whom were sex workers. Pride is about liberation, and corporate visibility does not liberate us. 

Yasmin: See, I think corporations at Pride help folks here; not directly, not financially, but by raising awareness and making the rainbow the norm. On funding anti-LGBTQIA2S+ campaigns, I completely agree, that’s why I pointed it out. It’s a huge issue and they need to be called out! But I think we can do that without stopping corporate Pride awareness, performative as it is, because I think it’s better to have it than not to have it. It can’t be compared to the liberation that Pride itself gave us, but I think there is a level of liberation. I don’t know that it would be possible to make statistics on the decrease in homophobia due to the over-awareness of Pride that corporations contribute to, but I do believe it might be the case. 

We are allowed to be angry and there are a lot of things we need to fight for. I just think we will get further not by fighting the performative rainbows, but by fighting the rest of the shit these companies do. We need to target their support to anti-LGBTQIA2S+ campaigns rather than the flags themselves. As hypocritical as these corporations can be, the corporatization of Pride helps silence homophobes by making Pride the status quo.

C: I think the impact of general “awareness” of the LGBTQIA2S+ community is overrated. I’m concerned that the corporatization of Pride may be normalizing empty acts of allyship. When people use the Pride flag, it should mean something. It should be attached to a real commitment toward queer and trans liberation. Corporations being performative may be better than corporations actively contributing to harm in the community, but I still think corporations being performative while simultaneously harming the community is an extra level of twisted that we should not stand for. 

To be fair, rainbow washing criticism is not new. In response to the charge of “hypocrisy,” some companies contribute to charities with the profits they make from Pride campaigns. Rainbow washing remains an issue for the community issue because it obscures the real needs that LGBTQIA2S+ folks have. I’m not targeting the flag; I’m targeting corporations co-opting an important symbol, diluting its meaning, and selling it back to us. If you want Pride merch, I encourage you to get it from queer and trans folks! Vancouver Pride Society has a helpful list of local LGBTQIA2S+ producers.

Jenn Edwards’ journey from figure skating to professional dance and back again

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Peak Web
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Professional headshot of Jenn Edwards, a Caucasian woman with reddish-brown hair and light blue eyes
Edwards making moves as a multidisciplinary performer. PHOTO: Garrett Kling

By: Sara Wong, Peak Associate

When someone asked me whether I miss my figure skating days, I usually summarize with, “I miss performing. I don’t miss the pressure and intensity of it.” In an interview with SFU alum and former competitive skater Jenn Edwards, I was comforted in discovering I wasn’t alone in this experience. Now, Edwards has found a place to skate again with Le Patin Libre, a Montréal-based company. Over email, Edwards described what led her to return on the ice.

“Looking back, competing made me pretty anxious,” said Edwards. “I didn’t love being out there all alone in front of the judges. And as I got more advanced and the jumps got harder, I started to realize it was the dance element of skating that I really loved.” 

Sadly, there are few ways for figure skaters to make it professionally outside of competing. As Edwards said in an interview with Dance International, she “wasn’t interested in being a coach or in dressing up as a Disney character.” So, at 18, Edwards put away her skates and began her studies at SFU.

“I came to SFU not really knowing what I wanted to do as a career,” Edwards admitted. Since she enjoyed AP English in high school, she started working towards an English degree. But athletics were still important to Edwards. 

“My plan was to do a minor in dance, because I had just quit skating and wanted something to keep me moving,” she said. “But then I became obsessed with modern and contemporary dance, and ended up getting concurrent degrees.”

After graduating, Edwards’ career as a performer and choreographer took her around the world. She is currently based in Newfoundland and Labrador, where she also works as a yoga, barre fitness, and off-ice movement instructor. She contributes to dance magazines and tours with a local band called Ptarmageddon. Despite these successful ventures, figure skating remains Edwards’ first love. Thanks to Le Patin Libre, she has a place to revisit and express joy on-ice. 

“I first became aware of Le Patin Libre in 2017, when The Cultch presented their show Vertical Influences in Vancouver,” Edwards said. While The Cultch hosted Le Patin Libre, their performances took place at the Britannia rink. Being in a familiar environment, but seeing figure skating like never before, Edwards “knew pretty much immediately it was something [she] needed to be a part of.” She approached Le Patin Libre’s artistic director, Alexandre Hamel, and learned they were quietly holding auditions. Despite being about a decade out of practice, Edwards tried out and earned a spot in the company.

What makes Le Patin Libre stand out from traditional skating clubs is the focus on movement and theatricality, elements that aren’t prioritized as much in competitions, or even showcases. The elimination of elitism allows for a more welcoming creative atmosphere. Edwards shared she feels more connected to a figure skating community now with Le Patin Libre. “I love how authentic we’re encouraged to be in performance. There’s no pretense, we don’t have to jazz anything up or paste smiles on our faces,” she added. And because Le Patin Libre is a group, moving as one on ice, Edwards doesn’t have to skate alone anymore.

Le Patin Libre’s latest show, Murmuration, presents the same principles but on a whole new scale. “There are 15 skaters, whereas all the previous pieces have had only five,” Edwards explained. With more emphasis on a large ensemble, the idea is to emulate a flock of birds. 

Watching the trailer, I got chills almost instantly. Aside from the visual of one skater being showered in ice crystals, the group’s collective movements felt haunting and edgy. They glided so gracefully, yet with such sharp precision. I’ve rarely seen this kind of choreography in a figure skating routine before.

“When we’re moving together, we’re constantly making these minute adjustments and calculations to create the overall picture you see on the ice. It’s really fun to perform, because it forces you to be so present, and connected with everyone in the group,” Edwards said.

After a two year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the group recently debuted Murmuration in Paris. Though no other shows have been announced on their website, Edwards revealed that “a presentation in the Lower Mainland is definitely in the works.”

For more from Jenn Edwards, follow her on Instagram @jjedwards. And check out Le Patin Libre on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Top cafés in Burnaby to work or study at this summer

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Peak Web
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Cartoon drawing of a person sitting at a two-seater table at a cafe. They have their laptop, papers, and coffee scattered on the surface of the table.
Burnaby has top-tier student-friendly cafés. ILLUSTRATION: Alyssa Umbal

By: Yelin Gemma Lee, Arts & Culture Editor

Most Vancouverites can appreciate the summer because of our city’s rainy disposition. So, it can feel unfair to have to work or study in front of a screen all day while your friends are stockpiling Vitamin D exposure. At least once a week, I like to work long hours in a cozy café because I can focus better outside my apartment and I get to treat myself at the same time. These are my most frequented study spots in Burnaby, with reliable wifi and plenty of wall plugs to charge up. 

 

Hiel Cafe (7885 6th Street, Burnaby)

This is arguably the best café to study at that I’ve found so far in the Greater Vancouver area. It has it all — high-quality food, delicious drinks, and an airy atmosphere with lots of natural light. The café seating area is well spaced out which is nice for COVID-19 related concerns. The food and drinks here are something to look forward to, with plenty of savoury and sweet homemade goods! They have an awesome selection of made-to-order sandwiches, poké bowls, and giant soufflé pancakes. If you’re more so in the mood for a sweet treat, their homemade cookies and cakes are swoon-worthy. Hiel has take-out options for their food and drinks, and they are on Uber for delivery as well.

I haven’t had issues with feeling like I was overstaying, even when I stay for five hours at a time on some heavy work days. This might be because the café is in a rather quiet neighbourhood near the New Westminster/Burnaby city limits. I guess the awkward location is the one downside, but because of this, it’s never been overcrowded when I’ve gone in. 

 

Juillet Cafe (206-4341 North Road, Burnaby) 

If you’re looking for a café with great Korean music and immaculate vibes, Juillet is the place to go. The large windows of this café overlook the North Road Koreatown which is a short walk from Lougheed Station. It has a wood-based design concept, with plants sporadically incorporated into the space. When you enter the building to access the café entrance, you are greeted with flowers and essential oils spilling over from Aromatears, the neighbouring fragrance and flower store. To your left, you’ll find a jewelry kiosk with affordable hypoallergenic jewellery from Korea and a photobooth. You can really feel the warm and interconnected environment of the plaza community as soon as you walk in. 

Juillet Cafe has lovely homemade pastries and cakes, and their coffee tastes great. They offer a couple of sandwiches now but I haven’t tried them as I usually leave the cafe for lunch across the street at Kimbap Cheonguk, a casual Korean street food joint. The downside of this cafe is that it can be hard to find a seat depending on the time you go. To combat this problem of potential customers leaving after seeing the place packed with camped-out students, management recently applied a two-hour maximum seating limit. If you find the place full when you arrive, there’s another cute café in the plaza beside Hannam Supermarket called Standing Egg Coffee. 

 

Cafe Sweets and Beans (5152 Kingsway, Burnaby) 

A quick walk from either Royal Oak or Metrotown Skytrain stations, Cafe Sweets and Beans offers exactly what its name suggests and more. They have a fairly large space and it is clean and quiet. They are so consistent in this that I held my tutoring lessons here for two years and never worried about not finding a seat. They have a tiffany blue theme going on with their branding which I find strangely calming. Cafe Sweets and Beans calls itself a “cafeteria-style restaurant,” and although they serve pasta, pizzas, and sandwiches, I definitely consider it to be a café environment. You won’t feel uncomfortable pulling out your laptop or readings here, and I’ve had no problem staying for several hours at a time. 

Their cheesecakes are my favourite in the city, and I always order an iced injeolmi latte, which is based on a traditional Korean rice cake. I haven’t seen this specialty drink anywhere else and I’m obsessed. If you’re getting hungry as you study, their truffle oil pasta is delicious. You can also head right upstairs to Sushi Oyama, one of my go-to sushi places in a “converted heritage house.”

Monday Music: Groovy tunes to blast on your way to a beach day

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Peak Web
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“Monday Music” in orange block text on a yellow rectangular background with rounded corners and an orange border.
Monday Music: your weekly themed playlist. Image courtesy of The Peak.

By: Yelin Gemma Lee, Arts & Culture Editor

To be honest, I’m not a huge beach person because I’m a wimp when it comes to direct sunlight. If I want a tan in the summer, I want to be outside doing sports rather than lying there in my bathing suit and feeling like the UV rays are eating me alive. But when I do go a few times in summer it has to be a whole production and I end up having a great time. These are some of my favourite songs to hype me up while getting ready and driving to the beach with the windows down.

 

“Put You On” by Amber Mark, Shelley FKA DRAM

Photo Credit: PMR Records & Virgin EMI Records

This song never fails to brighten my mood. Whether you’re listening to this while packing for a weekend trip, doing some seasonal cleaning, or listening to music at the beach, you won’t be able to resist the urge to dance. Amber Mark’s strong androgynous voice in this song is paired with Shelley FKA DRAM’s old-school slower rap in this song. A catchy beat will immediately have you grooving and the lyrics are easy to sing along to. 

 

“Body Count” (feat. Normani & Kehlani) Remix by Jessie Reyez

Photo Credit: Universal Music

If you’re looking for a new queer bop about woman empowerment for the summer, these singers have come together to bring you one groovy jam. Jessie Reyez has such a unique and dynamic voice, which sounds like she is both rapping and singing at the same time. Remixed with Normani and Kehlani’s voices, this song takes several level-ups. The lyrics sound like one big roast on controlling and insecure men. One of my favourite lines is when Normani sings, “You think you made me? You funny, you know that? You funny, boy / You were birthed by a woman, show some fucking respect.” 

 

“Everybody Watching” by Snoop Dogg, Raphael Saadiq, Miguel

Photo Credit: Death Row Records

This song is sunshine and summertime encapsulated. The lyrics are so simple but the vibes make me picture myself biking along the beachside somewhere with palm trees, where it feels like summer all year long. This is a power trio of some of my favourite artists of all time. My favourite part of the song is when they sing, “Is it the sun on your skin? / Or the light in the wind? / Who knows.” I love this song not for its lyrics in particular but for how these simple words are sung. The production of the song gives off a breezy and carefree vacation vibe. The song closes with Snoop Dogg’s iconic voice saying, “Yes sir, I hope you’re enjoyin’ this music brought to you by,” which is just the cherry on top of this sweet refreshing sundae of a song.

 

“Nothing’s for Sure” by Nao

Photo Credit: Little Tokyo Recordings

Nao has such an amazing vocal range and a beautiful charismatic voice. I love everything she puts out into the world, but this song has a special place in my heart. “Nothing’s for Sure” is a groovy philosophical song about letting go of things you can’t control and going with the flow of life. A great principle for life in general but paired with production that has a tropical-island vibe it feels perfect for summer. I can picture myself reading a book at the beach or drinking sangria on a patio to this song. Nao croons in the chorus, “Nothing’s for sure / Just let the moment take you on its wings / Nothing’s for sure / Just go with the flow, let your spirit run free.” These lyrics feel therapeutic to hear from her sweet voice: it’s the perfect song to help me chill out. 

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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