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Non-violent and non-physical forms of protests

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A gathering in the Vancouver art gallery, someone is holding a microphone a top of the stairs.
ILLUSTRATION: Yan Ting Leung / The Peak

By: Phone Min Thant, Staff Writer

Gwangju, Tiananmen, Sidi Bouzid, Yangon, Bangkok, and Kyiv — these are just some places that have exemplified the efforts of ordinary people in their fight against authoritarian governments. In protests like these, citizens face off squarely against armed and equipped security forces; often we see bloodshed and casualties, and sometimes, we see change. But is the pursuit of the light at the end of the tunnel inherently violent and bloody? Absolutely no. For every large-scale protest, there are thousands of instances of non-violent expression of dissent, ranging from boycotts to sit-ins, from social media posts to music and arts. Examples of these non-violent (even non-physical) forms of protest are closer to you than you think.

Why do people protest? Protesting, at its core, is a way to challenge the current way things are done, and to advocate for change. However, that’s not their only purpose. Protests have also been used to spread shared ideals between groups of people, and inspire hearts and minds. Here, I agree with Amnesty International’s definition, which implies the aim of protests is for people “to keep hoping for a better future.” But, as much as protests are a collective strive towards something better, they are not everyone’s cup of tea. Some fear the risks involved with protests — prosecution, injuries, trauma, and death. These are risks the protests above have personified throughout the pages of history books. For others, protests are just “uncomfortable,” stemming from social anxiety and the fact protests usually involve something deviant from the normal routine. The contrast is only made stark by nonparticipants and the collective mentality of protesters. But, protests don’t have to put you in bodily harm nor force you into a space you are uncomfortable with. As someone who came from a country with quite a lot of protests, here is my selection of protest tactics that might appeal to the “risk-averse but still wants to play a part” side of you.

Boycotts
Boycotts are the personal refusal to associate with certain people, things, or businesses as a protest against the views they represent. You can see boycotts today when some people avoid Disney+ over the company’s links to Israel or when some Canadians call for boycotts of US products because of Trump’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric and threats of tariffs against Canada. Boycotts are one of the easiest ways to participate in protests. Not only are you safe from physical harm, but you don’t even have to step outside of your home — all while hitting capitalism where it hurts most by denying companies potential revenue and setting an example for others.

Strikes
Any student of SFU who has been here for the past couple of years is most likely familiar with strikes. Strikes are more physical than boycotts and there are two sides to a strike — participants and supporters. As a participant, you will most likely refuse to work for an organization that goes against your views to shut down its ability to produce anything and force it to come to negotiations. In some cases, your might set up picket lines outside of your workplaces to spread the word to your co-workers. More often than not, like many SFU students did during the recent TSSU and fossil fuel divestment strikes, you will find yourself as a supporter. In this case, don’t cross picket lines, go cheer (or honk) to support the people striking. If you can, donate to their cause and spread awareness about the protest — it’s as easy as that.

Sitting-in
Sit-ins originated out of the American civil rights movement in the 1960s. Similar to strikes, sit-ins are the occupation — literally sit-in — of space for some time to get your points across to a wide audience. They are simple, you sit in a place without having to march or face off riot control. While sit-ins are non-violent by nature, as the recent crackdowns on pro-Palestinian encampments in both Canada and the US have shown, authorities (usually the government) may respond with violence and oppression. For this reason, they carry a slightly higher risk than boycotts and strikes.

Protests do not always have to be violent or even physical.

The three forms of protest I have listed so far are non-violent but they sure are physical, in that you need someone being physically involved in the acts of protest for some time. Protesting doesn’t always have to be that way.

Arts
The closure of SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement last month provoked a fierce artistic reaction from the university’s School of Contemporary Arts (SCA). The SCA’s teach-in — a form of protest in itself — looks at the role of arts as a form of protest through films, documentaries, and artwork. Art can serve as a form of protest in symbolic ways, instilling ideas for protest in the audiences as well as directly representing opposition to oppression. Art transcends life, making protests through it a worthwhile effort that will continue to inspire future generations. 

Social media
Social media is more of a channel for protests than a form of protest itself. As a gathering place of like-minded people, social media is a great non-physical space for rallying around common goals. It also has the potential to spread protests far and wide, with some protests like the Black Lives Matter movement gathering national and global steam because of social media. This is more important in places where physical protests are crushed violently and freedom of speech is limited. But, the one downside of social media is the “echo chamber” effect — be careful not to get stuck in your bubble of like-minded activists too much. 

Language
From #MeToo to “Take a Knee,” the language of protests can have a massive impact on how a protest topic is spread. Apart from these slogans, even the everyday usage of “us” versus “them” language strikes protestors apart from nonparticipants and the opposition, with important implications for spreading awareness and involvement. Another example is the fire preparedness townhall organized by SFU350 in response to community concerns over the Trans Mountain Expansion, happening on March 17 at the SUB Ballroom from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saying the right thing, using the right slogans, and spreading awareness on issues through everyday conversations or organized events is sometimes enough as a form of protest. 

Protests do not always have to be violent or even physical. Through these forms of protest, we can all participate in striving towards a better future — sometimes without even having to get out of the house or break a sweat.

Stop littering campus spaces

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This is a photo of the Terry Fox statue in the AQ courtyard, adorned with a scarf and empty beer cans.
PHOTO: Courtesy of Jonathan Hill

By: Yasmin Hassan, Staff writer

Look, we can all joke about the fact that the SFU campus may literally be one of the most damaged and maintenance-prone places, with boarded doors and safety tape galore. But, to some degree, the responsibility of keeping our community clean falls into our hands. When I came to university, I thought people would be more attentive to keeping spaces tidy as we developed more skills and knowledge. Yet, my expectations have been nothing but undermined with the ridiculous and flat-out gross things I’ve seen around campus. One example I can’t ever forget was during one summer, I was sitting in the Images Theater and looked beneath my seat to find a half-empty pink drink from Starbucks that had grown new life with various mould spores. What is university even about…?

Litter isn’t just an eyesore, it also contributes to pollution and disrupts local ecosystems. Garbage left around campus can be blown into green spaces and water systems that surround the school, especially forested areas harbouring wildlife. Not to mention the koi pond, which per my own sightings, has had chairs, safety cones, and other random debris end up lodged inside when it gets frozen over. For example, cigarette buds left on the ground and improperly disposed of can then produce leachate — a liquid pollutant consisting of water that’s been seeped through litter. This introduces harmful substances to the environment, endangering plants, soil, and animals that rely on these spaces to live and thrive. We are also exposed to microplastics “through direct ingestion, direct contact, and inhalation,” which can affect all our bodily functions and cause damage to living cells from chemical toxicity. Additionally, improperly discarded waste, such as plastic and food packaging can take years to decompose, further exacerbating environmental damage.

“With all the stressors that already exist in a university and academic setting, why reinforce it with the physical surroundings that you have control over?”

It’s also just disrespectful — for example, The Peak received a tip about recent littering of beer cans and garbage around the AQ courtyard and Terry Fox statue (pictured). Even the scarf, which seems like a nice touch at first, will only be weathered and turned to trash if left behind. This is not only disrespectful to the legacy of the athlete and cancer research activist, but disregard for what is supposed to be a communal space for everyone to enjoy. Leaving trash behind forces others to deal with it, whether it’s maintenance staff or fellow students. It creates an unfair burden and diminishes the quality of shared spaces. Everyone has a responsibility to keep the campus clean, ensuring that it remains a welcoming and pleasant place for all who study, work, and visit. Speaking of maintenance workers, this habit is especially pressing in light of the recent reduction in cleaning services by SFU. The Contract Worker Justice organization’s various rallies are advocating for SFU to hire these workers as in-house staff and not contract them through third-party companies like Best Service Pros and Chartwells Canada

A messy campus gives the impression that students and staff don’t care about their environment. When visitors see litter and unkempt areas, it alters the perception of respect and responsibility within the SFU community. As well, visibly littered areas mean people are more likely to add to the mess, creating a cycle of neglect. A study from California State University states that “locations with more litter were associated with a higher littering rate.” A clean campus encourages everyone to be more mindful of their surroundings. Personally, when faced with an untidy environment, whether it be a room or a campus space, it stresses me out. With all the stressors that already exist in a university and academic setting, why reinforce it with the physical surroundings that you have control over?

If you see someone littering, call it out; if you have litter that you cannot comfortably dispose of where you are, hold on to it until you can; and, advocate with Contract Workers Justice to encourage SFU to hire maintenance workers around campus under in-house contracts to ensure fairness as well as improved and more frequent servicing. By instilling the practice of leaving a place better than you found it, others will be more likely to do the same!

The Peak investigates: Maple Syrup Gate

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Dozens of individuals wearing hazmat suits, extracting and packaging maple syrup from large metal tins. They are in a Blusson Hall lecture hall and the maple syrup tins have American flags on them.
ILLUSTRATION: Yan Ting Leung / The Peak

By: Mason Mattu, Investigative Journalist

As an investigative journalist with The Peak, I have taken it upon myself to investigate the most harrowing and shocking secrets hiding behind the asbestos-filled halls of SFU. Let me warn you, it isn’t pretty. Last week, I set out on my latest mission after receiving a very disturbing anonymous tip: 

To whom this may concern. Every time I walk through Blusson Hall, I get a shiver down my spine. It smells peculiar — like the Care Bears on steroids. It smells like expired m-m-maple syrup. I have lost so much sleep over this. The smell just doesn’t go away! I swear to God, it’s real. 

In Blusson Hall? The forgotten part of SFU where students speedwalk to and from the upper bus loop? At first, I didn’t believe what our anonymous tipper said. After all, the Care Bears are synonymous with joy, and we don’t usually get that at our school. So, I decided to chase down the only joy I know at SFU — president Joy Johnson. I ran after Johnson, who was on her way to her recently-acquired Lambo in the MBC parking garage, faster than a Rebel News reporter hunting for their prey. 

“Did you want a photo op? Perhaps we can pretend to swim in the empty swimming pool?” Johnson asked me. When I politely declined and asked her about the maple syrup in Blusson Hall, she immediately jumped into her Lambo and ran over my foot. “NO COMMENTTTTT!” she screamed while driving away with the windows down, her hair flawlessly flowing in the stinky air. Raccoons have taken over the MBC parking lot and have really stunk it up in here, but that’s another story. 

This is very typical behaviour from Johnson. Over the past year, five staff members at The Peak have been run over by her Lambo. But still, something wasn’t quite right. After hours of brainstorming and contemplating the meaning of life, it hit me. I needed to go to Blusson Hall. I absolutely had to go to save the student body from what I call Maple Syrup Gate.

With a flashlight and notebook in hand, I attempted to enter Blusson Hall from the side of the upper bus loop. After a busy student slammed the door in my face, I carefully re-opened the door. Alongside the smell of tears from distraught health science students, I could discern something horrifying. Something I never thought could be possible. I, too, smelt the maple syrup.

As I limped around Blusson Hall, the smell became more and more distinct. Students were speeding through the halls on hoverboards, bumping into each other, racing on the left side of the hall, and rushing to make the bus. 

Walking by a series of suspicious lecture halls, the faint smell of maple syrup grew even more prominent. I tried to get a student’s attention, but they ran over my healthy foot with their hoverboard instead. I heard what can only be described as metal clanking and Karen laughter. After tracing the sound to a lecture hall at the end of the Blusson Hall corridor before the stairs into the AQ, I hesitated. 

The Peak Publications Society Investigative Division, open up!” I bellowed, channeling my inner Fox Mulder or Dana Scully. I could hear the intro to The X-Files as I kicked down the door using what was left of my feet. The room fell silent. 

Here, I expose SFU’s largest underground operation — underground maple syrup trafficking to the US. Inside the lecture hall, dozens of individuals wearing hazmat suits were extracting and packaging maple syrup from large metal tins. Each tin had an American flag, obviously about to be smuggled to the US to avoid paying Trump’s tariffs

One individual approached me and took off her hazmat mask. It was none other than . . . Joy Johnson. “You absolute idiot! How do you think we were going to make up for SFU’s $20 million deficit? This was our primary source of income. And we would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn’t for your meddling newspaper!” 

SFU has since announced that the underground maple syrup syndicate will halt operations. Due to this, SFU’s deficit for the next fiscal year has been projected to raise to $800 million. 

Well, another one bites the dust, SFU. If you enjoyed this super cool investigation and want to see more, please e-transfer me $10. Investigative reporter out.

If you have any investigative tips for The Peak, please use astral projection to contact us.   

A Taste of Hong Kong is bittersweet

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A man dishes congee out from a portable pot. He is surrounded by bowls, spoons, cups, and green onion plants.
PHOTO: Courtesy of Javier Sotres

By: Izzy Cheung, Arts & Culture Editor

My dad was born in Kowloon, Hong Kong. He came to Vancouver in 1974 and has lived here ever since. But, when he boarded the plane to BC, he brought many Hong Kong traditions along with him. As a kid, I remember watching my dad return from long work days carrying little tetra-packs of Vitasoy specifically the malted ones. The wrappers of White Rabbit candies were sprinkled around my grandma’s house like grass on a lawn. And, while I never particularly liked the texture, jook(congee) was always a household staple when any of us got sick. 

All this and more were present in A Taste of Hong Kong, a cultural tasting experience put on by Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre and Pi Theatre detailing the rich and tasty culture of Hong Kong. Shown from March 6 to 15 at The Cultch, the performance starred SFU alum Derek Chan in the role of Jackie, an immigrant from Hong Kong. 

PHOTO: Izzy Cheung / The Peak

When I first read the synopsis of this performance, I knew I needed to bring my dad. Despite having lived in Vancouver for the majority of his life, his penchant for Hong Kong delicacies like gaa lei jyu dan喱魚蛋 (curry fish balls) never left. From the moment we stepped into the cozy theatre and saw the classic ceramic bowls and soup spoons synonymous with dim sum, it was clear that we were in for a treat. I just didn’t know how bittersweet said treat would be. 

Jackie stepped onto the stage with the springy energy of a cartoon character. He welcomed the audience with a land acknowledgement that segued into a story of Hong Kong’s history. Dressed in the skater-like attire of tan cargo pants and a toque, his laid-back appearance contrasted the emotion that would soon hit the stage. 

PHOTO: Courtesy of Javier Sotres

As Jackie walked us through some of Hong Kong’s oral history, I watched on as my dad chuckled at subtle references to Hong Kong culture. We were elated when he introduced us to the first dish of the night — bolo bao 菠蘿包 (pineapple buns), a family favourite. The performance went on with a jovial feel, with Hong Kong classics resurfacing as theatre volunteers handed out little paper cups with gaa lei jyu dan and siu mai 燒賣(pork and shrimp dumplings). The fish paste that Jackie substituted into the siu mai recipe reminded me of my grandma’s yu bing 魚餅 (fish cake), while the smells took me back to Sunday night dinners at her house. 

Throughout the performance, Jackie occasionally broke out Cantonese phrases that my dad recognized — though I only understood bits and pieces. It was heartwarming hearing Jackie talk about jyut beng 月餅 moon cakes, another favourite of my dad’s, and watching his face light up from beside me as the performer told stories learned in Hong Kong classrooms throughout all time. 

The loud moments of the performance were loud, but the quiet moments were even louder.”

It was heartwarming until he suddenly cried “m hou daa ngo 唔好打我 (don’t hit me)!” 

The performance shifted. Jackie’s story turned from the lighter-hearted retellings of food and snacks, to how these meals connect to the broader theme of the night: the spirit of the Hong Kong people. My dad and I both watched, completely engaged, as Jackie continually cried out “lok gan jyu 落緊雨 (it’s raining)!” — a term known by protestors in Hong Kong similarly to how “elbows up” is known in Canada. The spotlights grew harsh, and the shadows even harsher, as Jackie delivered a masterful retelling of his experiences in Hong Kong during the 2019 protests. The loud moments of the performance were loud, but the quiet moments were even louder. 

You could hear a pin drop as Jackie took pauses in his storytelling, catching a deep breath with every outpour of emotion. Even with the occasional joke sprinkled in, the mood of the theatre was never the same after that. Throughout his recollection of riots filled with tear gas and unfurling umbrellas, there was one phrase sprinkled throughout his narrative — something uttered by the protestors and those who supported them — ga yau . I was too enraptured with the performance to ask my dad for a translation. 

As Jackie introduced the final dish, jook, the audience sat in a mournful silence. I had always come to associate jook with getting sick, since that was something my mom and grandma fed to us when we came down with a cold — but after having A Taste of Hong Kong, the dish has taken on a whole new meaning.  

PHOTO: Izzy Cheung / The Peak

At the end of the performance, Jackie leaned one of the tables up so it resembled a wall. On it, he posted a single sticky note with characters written on it, encouraging us to do the same. It was a reminder that no one is ever alone, regardless of the circumstances they found themselves in — from protest camps, to Turtle Island, from the river to the sea. As my dad and I examined the growing collection of sticky notes, I pointed out one specific phrase that seemed to reappear. 

“Add oil,” I asked my dad. “What does that mean?” 

Ga yau,” he said. “Keep going.” 

Check out vAct.ca and PiTheatre.com for upcoming shows. 

The Fall Kickoff wasn’t much to rave about

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This is a photo of an orange door that says “executive committee” vertically on the side of it on the window.
PHOTO: Courtesy of The Peak

By: Yildiz Subuk, Staff Writer and Michelle Young, Copy Editor

Before the beginning of the 2024 fall semester, I saw a lot of promotion for an event called “Fall Kickoff.” The promotional material seemed to be advertising the fact that SFSS is on its way to build a more “fun-filled” student social life. It all seemed to start with this — a rave-like party.

The event took place September 20 and expected around 2,000 students. The SFSS cited “this year’s festival will be the first at SFU to incorporate a variety of third-party vendors that supply food, drinks, and brand activations” to “cater to a wide audience,” in addition to music performances. Despite not attending, Fall Kickoff seemed like the most grand event to happen on campus in a long time — probably because this was the first Kickoff hosted since 2019. At that time, the event resulted in a $105,995 deficit. This type of grandeur may invoke excitement for some, but for me, it was a cause for concern. 

The 2024 Fall Kickoff was undeniably expensive. The Peak previously reported that “total expenses were $194,388,” despite the initial budget of $65,000. The SFSS noted that $114,554 of this cost went towards “paying artists and staging.” This is absurd for one event and the SFSS reported that this may come at the cost of lowering the budget for other “large events.” 

The Peak previously reported that “total expenses were $194,388.”

The SFSS has to consider if this event is even worth it for a large part of the student body. Why is it that a rave or concert, which only expects up to 2,000 people (out of 37,000), is allotted so much funding? It is unfair to assume this is what the majority of the student body wants. In fact, the SFSS cited a “lack of ticket sales.” Instead of focusing on hype and advertising for this event, the SFSS could be using these funds to improve other student services. How is one expensive event going to have a long-term impact? This budget could have been allotted to a more diverse range of events spread out throughout the year, like Lunar New Year. In the same report for the 2024 Fall Kickoff, the SFSS noted their Diwali event “was very cost effective,” spending “under $4,900.” Here, the SFSS shows they can manage their budget well, so it has me questioning their budget priorities. 

Not everyone views raves as the antidote to lackluster campus life. While the SFSS has a budget of $100,000 for large-scale events, this money could be better used elsewhere. SFU is filled with a community of film, games, and food enthusiasts. University of Victoria has their own theatre with a large selection of films, and plays every week for students to enjoy. We could adopt something similar, such as using the Images Theatre for when classes are out of session. We can also allocate more funding for clubs so we can create a long-term basis for building community. Instead of spending all this money to platform performers, it’d be more impactful to host smaller-scale concerts with local artists or SFU’s performance groups. This would help give a platform to students themselves.

While these events still require planning and consideration, I only made these suggestions to consider instead of focusing on one “exciting night.” In an attempt to spice up campus life, it felt out of touch. As for now, the Fall Kickoff signifies a mismanagement of funds and student priorities. 

Myanmar, four years into the military dictatorship

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people wearing masks, holding banners while protesting
PHOTO: Saw Wunna / Unsplash

By: George Shwe Zin, Peak Associate

Content warning: Mentions of murder, massacres, conflict, and brief mention of mutilation.

It was the last day of January, coup rumours from the previous days were dying down and I went to bed, hoping for a normal school day the next morning — as normal as the pandemic’s online classes allowed, of course. Maybe I should have savoured that night more. 

As the sun rose upon Myanmar’s capital city, armoured vehicles and trucks loaded with soldiers pulled up to the country’s parliament, where the newly-elected civilian government was gathering. Elsewhere, the power went out, internet and communication channels were cut, and everyone was literally put in the dark, dazed and confused, but with a general understanding that the military had seized control of the country once again. That night, when the power came back, the national news aired a statement by the military. In an elaborate disguise of maintaining democracy, they cited election fraud as the reason for the takeover. “In order to perform scrutiny of the voter lists and to take action, the authority of the nation. . . is handed over to the commander-in-chief,” the speech read.

That was four years ago. For four years, the Burmese military hasn’t relinquished its control over the government and oppression has been used in consolidating this control. However, much has changed since. The military has been hit hard by armed resistance, international scrutiny, and economic woes. For the first time since 2021, we have seen the fall of one of Myanmar’s 14 regional commands, as well as many towns, villages, and a few cities into the hands of the numerous insurgencies around the country. Meanwhile, the economy has taken a nosedive, the country’s GDP has fallen by 9% while rampant inflation has limited the acquisition power of the people to buy even the most basic supplies. The leaders of the coup remain internationally shunned, desperately relying on diplomacy with authoritarian countries like China, Russia, and Belarus to stay afloat. 

If these four years have caused many changes to the country as a whole and the military, it has impacted ordinary citizens a lot harder. Unless you live in the capital — a fortified giant of empty, ghostly 20-lane highways and government buildings — and close to the generals’ mansions, you’re sure to experience electrical outages for most of the day. Four hours of electricity a day is considered the baseline, but if you’re lucky, you might get around six. This makes daily activities like cooking difficult, but that’s not the worst. In a country that experiences temperatures as high as 48 degrees Celsius, it also means no air conditioning or electric fans. Before I went abroad for my studies, I can recall many nights spent on the floor — the mattress was too hot — in the darkness, fanning myself with a simple plastic fan. Every once in a while, Myanmar people, especially those living in the cities, also experience petrol shortages. Scenes of cars queuing at petrol stations are nothing new to Burmese urbanites. Stuck between a car with no petrol and a house with no electricity amid rising inflation, ordinary Burmese citizens often turn to the black market for their livelihoods — to the disdain of tax-hungry military authorities.

After all, what’s mundane about young people who should have been holding pens and papers finding themselves holding AK-47 rifles and hand grenades?

Then there came the conscription law. Although inscribed long ago and forgotten by successive governments, the law was revived back in February 2024, officially aiming to draft men aged 18–35 and women aged 18–27 into the military. There are also complementary laws aimed at drafting army retirees and forming the so-called paramilitary “public security forces.” While news reports indicate the military began training conscripts in April 2024, fear of the law itself reverberated across and beyond the country. In the following months, many young people attempted to flee the country, with neighbouring Thailand being the closest and easiest destination. A staggering number of over 2 million registered Burmese migrants now reside in Thailand — with many more taking precarious routes and choosing not to register. Conditions were less favourable outside the cities, where many young citizens who couldn’t migrate abroad joined insurgencies around the country’s peripheries.

In the rural areas, these hardships are compounded by a raging war. Fighter jets routinely bomb villages and refugee camps, and soldiers murder unarmed civilians — often in grotesque ways, with mutilations and beheadings being the common way to spread their message of terror. Skirmishes and battles are a daily occurrence, displacing over 2 million people within the country. This is a war that has continued since independence, now intensified by a new dictatorship desperately hanging onto power. Over 50,000 people have been killed since 2021. I said earlier that this is the experience of ordinary people in Myanmar, but there’s nothing ordinary about what they’ve been going through. After all, what’s mundane about young people who should be holding pens and papers instead of finding themselves holding AK-47 rifles and hand grenades?

I was fortunate enough to leave the country a few years ago to pursue my studies elsewhere. While this makes me somewhat unqualified to comment on the current conditions on the ground, I can recount my experiences from thousands of miles away from home. Many early mornings have been spent trying to talk to my parents on FaceTime, only to be interrupted by a sudden loss of connection — either from an internet blackout or yet another power outage. Then, there’s the constant worry for my cousins, who are still pursuing some form of education while being knee-deep in the military’s conscription age. I’ve seen many protests in Canada by the Burmese diaspora, a motivating factor for sure, but still doesn’t shake off the feelings of anxiety and uncertainty that plague many fellow Burmese students. The instability of foreign currency and rising inflation also threaten to abruptly end our education — a fear made worse by the possibility of receiving a conscription letter, even when we’re away. There’s only so much we can do to stay away from the government, though. At some point, we’ll have to renew our passports and deal with the military-backed embassies. But perhaps we shouldn’t complain too much — many are suffering a lot more than us. 

The Burmese people are not new to military governments; we have had them since 1962. Even so, there’s still anger, anxiety, and nervousness. Anger at the international community for standing by and doing nothing to stop this humanitarian disaster. Anxiety for our futures and our families’ safety. Nervousness about where all this is leading to. Elections will be held later this year, but no one is confident they’ll be truly democratic. In the meantime, keep supporting Myanmar’s resistance movements, stay informed, and follow the news. 

The Rundown: SFU Marches through the month

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A member of the SFU softball team dressed in a red uniform swings a bat.
PHOTO: Courtesy of @sfu_softball / Instagram

By: Izzy Cheung, Sports Editor

Editor’s note: Results from these matches were taken on March 14, 2025. 

March 1 — A busy day 

March 1 was a busy day for the Red Leafs, who took part in five different events. The men’s wrestling team placed 12th in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) DII Men’s Wrestling Championships, with this being their last tournament of the season. SFU softball played Western Washington twice, starting the day with a 1–0 win and ending it with a 7–1 loss. Red Leafs women’s basketball took home an 88–79 win against Seattle Pacific, while the men’s team was defeated 73–70 by Central Washington. With the win and the loss, SFU’s basketball season is officially over. 

March 2 — Last chances at Boston University 

The Last Chance Indoor National Qualifier occurred on March 2 at Boston University, where members of SFU track & field competed for a spot at the NCAA DII Indoor Track and Field Championships. The 4x400m women’s relay team of Emma Cannan, Elizabeth Vanderput, Claire Bosma, and Marie-Éloïse Leclair broke a Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) record in order to punch their ticket to the championships, finishing their race in 3:39.78. As well, senior Andrew Thomson ran a 4:07.91 mile, breaking a personal record. In distance medley relays (DMR), performances by Aiden Good, Tyson Carr, Colton Plummer, and Jose Castro clocked the team in at 9:47.71. 

March 6 and 7 — Home matches for the softball team 

SFU softball hosted two afternoon matches on Thursday, March 6, both against Northwest Nazarene. The first match, which started at 2:00 p.m., went to SFU with a final score of 8–4. Neither team had to wait very long for a rematch, as the next game commenced at 4:42 p.m. SFU took a 5–3 loss to round out the day. On March 7, the softball team picked up from where they left off the day before, hosting another two games against Nazarene. This time, SFU took both matches decisively, winning 10–2 and 8–0 to wrap up their homestand. 

March 7 and 8 — Wrapping up the wrestling season

Meanwhile, in Iowa, the SFU women’s wrestling team took part in their final tournament of the season — the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships (NCWWC). They placed 21st out of 64 participating teams. 

March 10 and 11 — A swing for fifth 

Both of SFU’s men’s and women’s golf teams travelled to California for tournaments on March 10 and 11. The men’s team took part in the East Bay Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout, placing seventh of 17 after both tournament days concluded. The women’s team, participating in the San Marcos Fujikura Invitational, placed fifth out of 14 other schools. 

Behaviours I refuse to take part in

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Black man wearing a white t-shirt making the stop gesture with his hand.
PHOTO: Monstera Production / Pexels

By: C Icart, Humour Editor

YouTube keeps recommending I watch this video essay about how hobbies are the new commodity/fashion trend, but I cannot be asked. It’s probably an excellent commentary video, but I’m too busy engaging in my favourite hobby these days, puzzling pretending I am not at all worried about the state of the world. In the spirit of staying distracted so I don’t spiral, here are random topics I’ve decided to feel really strongly about. 

Increasing the thermostat when not even wearing a sweater 
Emotion this elicits in me: confusion, sometimes rage 

Is it cold, or are you dressed for Caribbean weather in a Canadian basement in March? Y’all have gotten soft! You crank the heat up to 24 degrees in your house because you’ve never paid for utilities in your life. 

Asking the bartender to make your drink “strong” but you don’t want to pay for extra liquor
Emotion this elicits in me: embarrassment 

Leave the poor bartender alone. The menu lists how much alcohol is in the drink. It’s not some sort of secret. They cannot give you extra for free just because “last time [you were] here, the drink tasted like juice.” If you can make it better, there are multiple BC Liquors on the way home. Now, I need to tip 25% to compensate for your shenanigans.  

Patronizing restaurants that are not open seven days a week
Emotion this elicits in me: hunger (for the purposes of this conversation, hunger is an emotion)

This one is fully my fault. The restaurant website does, in fact, say they’re closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. BUT (hear me out) WHYYYYYY. I don’t stop wanting a little appetizer-main-dessert-two cocktails moment just because some guy at some point in history made up the days of the week. It’s raining, I’m already here, OPEN THE GODDAMN DOOR. 

The capitalist prioritization of profit has murdered artisanship

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this is an aerial-view photo of the Curtea de Argeş cathedral in Romania. The castle is square shaped and has five spired towers.
PHOTO: Courtesy of nob

By: Ana Maria Tofan, SFU Student

The capitalist goal is simple: maximize profit by spending less on materials and labour. This has had a drastic impact on the quality of material goods. The pursuit of this goal has replaced the need for specialized artisans, whose goods once required craftsmanship, years of apprenticeship, and most importantly, time. 

I had the honour of seeing the Curtea de Argeş cathedral (pictured) with my own eyes on a trip to Romania, and the complexity of the detailed architecture was fascinating. Cathedrals like this were built in the time of artisans, meaning that each element of it was crafted by an individual specialist. For example, there was someone who dedicated their lives to stained glass mosaics, painting, tile making, and even door crafting. Just looking at the spiraled towers of the Curtea de Argeş cathedral ignites a sense of awe at the craftsmanship. Cobblers, modistes, watchmakers, and other artisans have been replaced by assembly lines and sidelined by corporate greed. The average person does not have the time (nor the means) to create high-quality goods when their competition is a billion-dollar industry that can make thousands of items in the time it would take them to make one or two.

The average person does not have the time (nor the means) to create high-quality goods when their competition is a billion-dollar industry that can make thousands of items in the time it would take them to make one or two.”

The departure from artisanship began after the emergence of the industrial revolution in the late 18th century. Mass production techniques allowed for efficient factory manufacturing, which slowly took the place of artisanship. This shift in manufacturing led to the overwhelming popularity of mass produced goods not only among producers, but among consumers as well. The appeal of mass production lies in decreased prices for consumers and increased profit for corporations. Cheaper prices are possible through sourcing cheaper materials and sacrificing the labour costs of trained craftsmanship. As a result, consumers must frequently replace their items. Of course, before industrialization there was much less competition for artisans, and products were higher quality because they needed to be. There were no factories to mass produce consumer products and artisanship thrived through necessity.

When faced with the choice between an expensive handmade item and a cheap, mass-produced one, the average person would likely prefer the cheaper option. Although it seems more logical to invest in handmade products that will last a lifetime, think of all the times you have opted for fast fashion for the sake of affordability and convenience. Let’s be honest, most of us do not or cannot spend $128 on a shirt. For the average consumer, the shift away from artisanship means that goods we consider essentials are manufactured at a much lower standard of quality. It feels like everything is made of the cheapest materials available and products are engineered with shorter lifetimes so we will return to the seller over and over again. 

Additionally, artisan trades have become either obsolete or niche hobbies. Hobbies that include textiles like knitting, crochet and sewing, as well as carving, painting, metal working, glass art, and more have lost their viability as professions. Their labour isn’t valued by the capitalist system because mass production is immensely more efficient for generating profit. If you long for the time of artisanship, take up these hobbies or support a local business owner, and bring the beauty of handcrafted items into your home. 

Canada’s 2025 Express Entry system updates stall the government from solving its own problems

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photo of a Canadian passport
PHOTO: Puneet Aulakh / The Peak

By: Phone Min Thant, Staff Writer

The government of Canada is no stranger to using immigration to exploit foreign labour and distract from the source of the country’s domestic woes. They have done it again with the new year’s changes to the Express Entry system. Since 2015, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has relied on the Express Entry program to sort out so-called “skilled workers” who wish to immigrate to the country and attain a permanent residency (PR) status. This system pools together applicants and ranks them according to a “points-based system” which looks at criteria including “skills, education, language ability, work experience.” The newest changes, however, reflect the neocolonial nature of the Canadian labour market and ignore the real cause of these shortages in the first place. Neocolonialism is the current continuation of colonialism’s violence, only repackaged and strategically unassuming. 

Just three weeks ago, IRCC announced changes to the program. The Express Entry draw now focuses on getting more workers in the education sector, scrapping the transport category, and adding new roles in social and healthcare services. There is also a larger emphasis on trade jobs such as contractors. Outside of these specific categories, the changes also reflect a strive towards having more French language users in the workforce. In announcing these changes, Canada’s immigration minister, Marc Miller said, “Canada’s Express Entry system is evolving to meet the country’s changing needs. By addressing labour shortages, strengthening our economy, and increasing Francophone immigration, we are building a more dynamic workforce with workers and professionals from in-demand fields.”

Unannounced, however, were the implications of these changes. Why Canada needs more immigrant workers in the education sector is a mirror image of why the sector is facing shortages in the first place. From extremely unbalanced teacher-student ratios to lengthy procedures in getting certifications to teach the K12 curriculum, Canadian teachers face burdensome work conditions that make education an increasingly unattractive career path. Then, there is the issue of money. Canadian teachers, on average, earn only “slightly above the average wage earned by other jobs that require similar training. Even Alberta — the province that boasts the highest salaries for teachers — has not given any raise to this salary in close to 10 years. The pay for Canadian teachers remains well below their living expenses.

With rosy promises of work permits and PR, the government is perpetuating neocolonialism by introducing immigrant labour only when they need it.

Similar problems also plague healthcare and social workers. From BC to PEI, a shortage of social workers have followed issues of burnout and stress caused by the scale of social issues these workers face today, many of which are a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, cities like Regina and Winnipeg saw healthcare workers leading strikes for better pay last year. It’s no wonder all these jobs are facing shortages in Canada. 

Instead of solving the root causes of the shortage — or even the mere offering of a mundane, lip-service acknowledgement — the government’s quick fix is to put the same burden (and more) on the backs of immigrants. With rosy promises of work permits and PR, the government is perpetuating neocolonialism by introducing immigrant labour only when they need it

In theory, the Express Entry program emphasizes merit — skills, experience, and abilities are the only criteria upon which candidates are judged, without any references to ethnicity, race, and nationality. However, regular changes to the system show that the job sector needs of Canadians trump any objective measure of immigrants’ skills and talents. In addition, the guarantee of permanent residency essentially traps these skilled immigrants in sectors that are low-paying, with stressful conditions, restricting success of livelihood and social mobility. This is proven by significant rates of poverty among recently-arrived immigrants and racialized minority communities. The journey to becoming a permanent resident also comes with being a part of the largest community living below the poverty line.

It’s time we realize that immigrant workforces cushion Canada’s problems by carrying them instead of the government. Far from opportunities, the changes to the Express Entry program serve to highlight the neocolonial structures still in place in the Canadian immigration apparatus. This not only distracts the Canadian government from solving its domestic problems, but also sets up thousands of immigrants to work in the same burdensome positions that Canadians are leaving.