Home Blog Page 4

Incorporating Indigenous knowledge into our education

0
Entrance of the Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology at SFU
PHOTO: Mason Mattu / The Peak

By: Yildiz Subuk, Staff Writer

The incorporation of Indigenous knowledge has been widely disregarded in western sciences. Due to racism and colonialism, Indigenous knowledge is often reduced to something that cannot fit within the frameworks of western pedagogy. Eurocentric education, which dominates Canadian education, often labels itself as “progressive” while constructing Indigenous knowledge as purely traditional, and unable to progress by the western standard. This construction of Indigenous knowledge has to do with the deeply-held colonial beliefs which construct Indigenous people as “primitive,” because their cultures and traditions differ from western ideals. Despite this reductive perspective, the intelligence compiled by Indigenous communities and scholars has proven to be invaluable — especially as society plunges an increasingly unsustainable path

Decentering western science

Western science is often deemedobjective” to establish its dominance, but its research approach isn’t free from bias. While it strives for objectivity, the nature and approach of research are shaped by the biases of the researchers involved, making the truth more of a construct than an absolute. Ally Greenhalgh, in their article Medicine and Misogyny: The Misdiagnosis of Women, states that misogyny in western medical practices is a common example of how biases have shaped western science. Historically, medical practices have often been developed with males as the default, as female anatomy was merely viewed as “incomplete males.” This led to the exclusion of women from medical research, resulting in misdiagnoses, as diagnostic criteria were based on male physiology. While these outdated practices have been widely challenged, their consequences persist, affecting medical treatments and diagnosis. Examples like this one undermine the claim that scientific knowledge is purely objective.

Vanessa Van Bewer, assistant professor of the College of Nursing for the University of Manitoba, wrote The importance and promise of integrating Indigenous perspectives in nursing education. Van Bewer showcases how Indigenous knowledge in nursing professions is a great example of how the patriarchal mold in healthcare can be broken. The holistic approach views sickness through the interconnectedness of “body, mind, and spirit.” Rather than isolating and focusing only on physiology, this approach ensures all three aspects of a person’s well-being are considered. The relationality approach, another example, has to do with shifting the power dynamic between caregivers and those receiving care. Rather than having caregivers solely dictating treatment, with this approach there’s mutual respect between the two parties, ensuring patients have agency over their medical needs. As a result, nurses who take a relational approach are aware of the unique needs and experiences of their patient, and are deliberate in their treatment. 

The power of storytelling

In True Reconciliation, Jody Wilson-Raybould, author and former BC parliament member, describes her understanding of Indigenous practices as rooted in storytelling. She writes, “One example of how we reveal our understanding of the truth can be found in our creation stories.” The use of stories, songs, and ceremonies isn’t purely traditional but educational, too. Storytelling is engaging and emotionally evocative, extending far beyond entertainment — by creating a human connection with the subject, storytelling contextualizes education. Stories present us with principles and illustrate their importance to our everyday practices. 

In Braiding Sweetgrass, author and botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer uses Indigenous storytelling to teach the reader about the importance of ecological sustainability. Throughout each chapter, Kimmerer highlights the different value certain components of nature — plants, crops, and fruits — bring to humanity.

The intelligence compiled by Indigenous communities and scholars has proven to be invaluable — especially as society plunges an increasingly unsustainable path.

Kimmerer opens her book with the story of Skywoman Falling, where a woman falls from a place known as Skyworld, into Turtle Island. She is aided by animals such as an otter, beaver, and sturgeon. With their help and by connecting with nature, Skywoman is able to flourish in her new land. This creation story highlights the importance of viewing nature as interconnected with humans. Kimmerer then recalls a day when she asked her ecology class to imagine the relationship between humans and nature, to which many responded negatively. Then, she questions how we can move toward “ecological and cultural sustainability if we cannot imagine what the path feels like?” 

In western society, people are often positioned higher than plants, creating a hierarchy system instead of understanding the importance of interconnectedness. A common belief among Indigenous communities is that trees communicate. This concept was often dismissed as a baseless or purely spiritual belief, because, from a western scientific perspective, trees do not have the same biological framework as humans. However, as Kimmerer points out, trees do communicate with one another, just in different ways from humans. Trees can communicate through pheromones, which can provide different forms of information, like signifying distress when they are under attack from harmful insect species. Through what is known as a mycorrhizal network, trees are interconnected by threads of fungi. This network allows trees to communicate by exchanging signalling molecules and even sharing nutrients. Suzanne Simard, professor of Forest Ecology at UBC, published her thesis in 1997, which is considered to be the groundbreaking research that uncovered how trees communicate with one another — yet Indigenous knowledge had long recognized this concept before its validation by western science.

How we view governments

Another component in which Indigenous knowledge is crucial has to do with governance. Going back to concepts from True Reconciliation, Wilson-Raybould highlights how governance from the Indigenous perspective has to do with adopting a “communal model.” This means the top priority in governance is for the community council to reach a collective agreement. There are no attacks on politics, or campaigning — just a model of governance that focuses on discussion and common consensus. She writes, “We do not evaluate ideas on partisanship,” ensuring politics doesn’t become a competitive game. On the other hand, the western model of democracy focuses on electing leaders to represent a certain population, and these leaders run against one another. In our current cultural climate, divisive partisan politics — which has voters committing to a party’s ideology, and oftentimes forming a negative view of the opposing party — has been the foundation of government within Turtle Island (North America). Partisanship leaves populations divided and often works against the interest of the majority. The Indigenous model of governance stands out as it focuses primarily on avoiding division, serving as an antidote to the fallacy of western democracy.

The contemporary need 

Scientists are recognizing the transformative nature of Indigenous knowledge. Through storytelling, an understanding of sustainability principles, and a deep connection to the land, Indigenous knowledge offers an antidote to western pedagogy and a solution to global sustainability issues. Indigenous culture as a whole prohibits any forms of environmental degradation. For example, səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) communities employ ethical fishing practices, using sex selection when fishing to “ensure the longevity of fish stocks.” This differs from the practices of the Canadian fishing industry, which uses fish farms for selective breedings, which is a “risky” technique as it releases “parasites and toxic chemicals.”

In a world where unsustainable practices focus on value extraction, Indigenous knowledge becomes crucial in reshaping the way we think about how values are created. The incorporation of Indigenous knowledge into educational systems, on a larger scale is the rational approach to encourage people to think about how our understanding of the connection to the land is key to sustainability. 

Brighter Side: Romance novels

0
a romance novel
PHOTO: Victoria Lo / The Peak

By: Dani Santos, Peak Associate

There’s nothing like being engrossed in a good romance novel. One minute, I’m on chapter one, and the next, the author is concluding the characters’ story in an epilogue — time can go by really fast when you’re invested. Many people criticize the genre, often calling it “unrealistic” or claiming it’s “the lesser” literature, but can you blame us romance readers for just wanting a taste of a fairytale? Each page transforms a mundane rainy day or keeps me company on a sunny one spent at the beach, and that’s the best part! Each novel calls for or brings about a different mood. Just feel out the vibes!

There’s a wide variety of authors, too, each one unique in their own way. My first favourite is Nicholas Sparks. You can count on him when you need a heartbreaking read that hits you right in the feels. Surely, you’ve heard of his tear-jerker hit The Notebook. There’s also Lynn Painter, a newer author in the romance world, for when you need a feel-good, light, and fluffy storyline. Finally, there’s Taylor Jenkins Reid. Although her books classify as historical fiction, most of them include subplots of romance, mixing thought-provoking tales with heartfelt romances.

Decriminalization alone will never be enough

0
This is a close-up photo of sterilized needles provided at safe injection sites.
PHOTO: WINDCOLORS / Adobe Stock

By: Nolan Steuart, SFU Student

If you truly care about the betterment of society and saving lives, then you’ll agree BC’s adjustment to their previous drug decriminalization program was a step backward. In May 2024, the provincial government made changes to the drug decriminalization pilot project for the worse. The 2023 program allowed individuals to hold up to 2.5 grams of certain drugs (cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, and opioids) without risk of being arrested, charged, or having their drugs seized. The latest changes made by the provincial government allow police to ask users to leave spaces that aren’t private residences, seize their drugs, and/or arrest them. The program from early 2023 should be reinstated and expanded with more harm reduction services and further government intervention. Realistically, the most effective solution would be government regulation of these illicit drugs to ensure a safe supply and stop the number of acute toxicity deaths.

Decriminalization’s initial establishment seemed to be the start of a new path forward in tackling the growing number of toxic drug deaths plaguing the province. The program’s goals aligned with reducing stigmatization of drug use and altering public perceptions to understand addiction as a health-based problem rather than a criminal one. Much research points to the fact that the criminalization of drugs and its policing leads to increases in overdoses alongside other social risks. Police presence and drug confiscation have a direct correlation to increase in overdose risk and continue to push stigmatization of drug users, which can result in them using alone and increasing fatal overdose risk.

“BC could expand and increase funding and support for their safe supply program (which currently has around 4,500 people receiving care) and overdose prevention sites which have proven to prevent overdose deaths, stop the spreading of diseases due to needle sharing, and reduce public use of drugs.”

A study performed by researchers at SFU, UBC, and BC Centre for Disease Control looked at how people who use drugs perceived drug decriminalization, their opinions on how the situation was being handled, and other issues within their community. Many study participants were skeptical and saw decriminalization as policy makers doing a “publicity stunt” and ignoring actual concern over the toxic drug supply. Other participants hoped these changes in drug policy would lead to further harm reduction initiatives, like a safe supply to help combat death from acute toxicity poisoning. There has also been much discussion on the miniscule limit of 2.5 grams set for someone to hold at once; professionals and users alike agree that the limit is “too low” and could be dangerous to users if suppliers increase the potency of their drugs to comply with regulations.

So what are we left with, and what option do we have to save lives and not let family, friends, colleagues, and vulnerable people die? Government regulation. Regulation of these illicit substances offers safe supply, destigmatization, a decrease in overdoses, and a decrease in deaths. The systems we currently have in store like overdose prevention sites and safe supply programs helped lessen the burden, but to rid overdose deaths entirely can only be solved with regulation. BC should expand and increase funding and support for their safe supply program (which currently has around 4,500 people receiving care) and overdose prevention sites. Both have proven to prevent overdose deaths, stop the spreading of diseases due to needle sharing, and reduce public use of drugs. Since its opening over twenty years ago, Insite, an overdose prevention site in Vancouver, has had over 4.6 million visits and prevented over 11,000 overdoses with zero deaths. 

As drug regulation is a federal matter and decriminalization only passed in BC with special allowance, there is much needed improvement, not only in policy but in communications. The BC NDP would have to work very closely with the federal government to assure a smooth transition into a regulated system, similar to how BC achieved the legal exemptions for the decriminalization program. The BC NDP have had a decent start towards their goals of saving lives, reducing stigma, and increasing treatment and recovery services. However, Eby and his team must put more time, energy, and resources into saving the lives of BC residents and realize that the course for regulation is the right one, and trying to maintain political popularity with actions like expanding involuntary care only harms British Columbians rather than heals.

Student action group launched in response to SFU VOCE closure

0
This is a photo of about 50 or 60 students sitting on the ground not facing the camera as they look toward someone distant at the front of the room. The room is very white, with a few wooden planks standing up, suggesting it is an arts showroom.
PHOTO: Courtesy of @sfucontemporaryarts / Instagram

By: Mason Mattu, News Writer

Inspired to take action after SFU’s recent closure of the Vancity Office of Community Engagement (VOCE), a group of undergraduate and graduate students at the School for Contemporary Arts (SCA) have founded Students Against Austerity, an advocacy group focused on demanding more transparency and community consultation regarding university decisions for staff and students.

On January 23, SFU announced the closure of VOCE and the Office of Community Engagement located in Surrey due to budget challenges. VOCE was based at the SFU Goldcorp Campus and “supported creative engagement, knowledge democracy, and access to arts and culture.” Alongside this, the office established connections to the arts and culture scene of the Downtown Eastside. Last summer, SFU discontinued another of their cultural hubs in the area, Woodward’s Cultural Programs.

The word austerity is usually used to express concern around spending cuts used to reduce budget deficits. SFU currently has a $49.9 million deficit. According to the university’s vice-president academic, SFU sees these challenges as “part of an opportunity for change” to “organizational operations.” They referenced their current “hiring freeze” as another example of this.

The Peak spoke to Jeen Yi, a first-year visual arts student at SCA and organizer with Students Against Austerity. “We are demanding more of a response from [SFU’s] vice-president or the provost,” Yi commented. “They’re not really being transparent.” 

SCA director Peter Dickinson told The Peak the department has not met with SFU’s senior administration regarding VOCE’s closure. Last summer, SCA met with an independent contractor of the university following the decision to place VOCE under the temporary oversight of the faculty of communication, art, and technology as well as under the Centre for Dialogue. SCA was opposed to this move given VOCE’s operation as an independent entity.

The advocacy group started under the name Voices for VOCE, inspired by the initial teach-in protest held last month in solidarity with the office’s former staff.

“I’m very proud of the students [ . . . ] I think this initiative is the students saying that we are the core constituency of this institution,” said Dickinson in response to Students Against Austerity. “The university so far has been unaccountable to any other constituency, including its faculty. Maybe they’ll listen to the students.”  

“The opportunities that we get [as SCA students] are very closely linked to our engagement office, a lot of volunteering opportunities, even employment opportunities because students get to work with the office as well. But the closing takes away all of that. So, it’s a huge loss for us students, but from the faculty or staff point of view, they just lost very close colleagues,” said Yi. “They’ve been contributing to the community so much and that’s what they get. They just lost everything.” 

According to Yi, the advocacy group started under the name Voices for VOCE, inspired by the initial teach-in protest held last month in solidarity with the office’s former staff. One of the goals of the organization remains to call for the reopening of VOCE. However, it’s now turned into a broader movement that is calling for greater transparency of university decisions. The university closed its language learning programs in 2024 and the SFU football program in 2023. This is coupled with the recent layoffs of 100 custodians, instructors, and administrative staff in July of 2024 — many of whom were allegedly “either on or returning from medical leave.” 

Although the group currently only has four members, they are actively recruiting students with a similar objective to join the cause. Starting off by pasting “flyers and small posters” around Goldcorp with information on how to get involved, the group has also delivered “call-to-action speeches” to classes. Students Against Austerity has also been holding weekly planning meetings on Sundays via Zoom. Yi said a goal of the group is to have a rally by the end of the semester, but anticipates them holding smaller events before doing so. 

As for the next steps in expanding the movement, Yi said Students Against Austerity will be working with the student-led organization Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group (SFPIRG) to help them “get more active on campus.” This includes providing the group with more financial support to hold rallies and fund poster making. 

SFPIRG also proposed a merger of Students Against Austerity and another activist group on campus, Students, Staff, and Faculty for a Democratic University (SDU+). Most recently, SDU+ held a General Assembly in the SUB Ballroom to rally against “skyrocketing tuition, student debt, and international student caps” alongside other student issues. At the latest meeting of Students Against Austerity, members unanimously voted in favour of exploring this potential merger. 

Students raise concerns over fairness of SFSS elections voting system

0
This is a photo of the outside of the Student Union Building at the SFSS Burnaby campus. The photo is a close up of the doors. Above the doors the sign reads “Student Union Building, Simon Fraser University”
PHOTO: Afsaneh Keivanshekouh / The Peak

By: Mason Mattu, News Writer and Petra Chase, Editor-in-Chief

From February 27 to 28, SFU undergraduate students voted in the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) election. On the ballot were SFSS executive position candidates and fee increase motions. The results were finalized on March 5. However, students have questioned the election procedure’s integrity, particularly on the subreddit r/simonfraser

During the campaign period, one Reddit user claimed they could vote multiple times using the same SFU computing ID in different browsers. “I do not trust the SFSS-run [Independent Electoral Commission] (IEC) to remove duplicate votes. I do not understand why they could not use SFU’s more secure polling/voting system,” they posted, calling for a re-election. “Typical SFSS.” Others agreed, saying they could access the ballot a second time using a VPN or incognito mode.

According to SFSS bylaws, the electoral process during SFSS elections is overseen by the IEC, which is composed of a chief commissioner and “no less than four other commissioners.” These positions are paid and elected by Council on a yearly basis. While direct members of the SFSS are unable to run for the IEC, the IEC is recommended by a committee “composed of the SFSS Administrative Services Department Liaison” and “the Policy, Research, Community Affairs Coordinator.” 

This year, the SFSS election was conducted over the platform SurveyMonkey. In July 2024, SFU decommissioned the use of the survey platform WebSurvey and officially made the switch to SurveyMonkey, citing “cybersecurity” and “data protection.” SFSS bylaw 13.20 states the IEC must use the platform the university uses at the time of the election which explains why the election was conducted on SurveyMonkey. This chapter of the by-laws also gives power to the IEC to decide whether the election is held using paper ballots or an electronic form. 

On March 1, a Reddit user made a post titled “SFSS Referendum is Illegitimate — Proof They’re Probably Rigging Your Vote.” In screenshots of the backend of the form, the user analyzed session cookies, which they said did not include “persistent user tracking,” meaning it allegedly treated two submissions from the same voter as separate votes. Alongside this, they claimed the form itself did not embed student IDs or emails in the submissions, thus leaving identity unchecked.

The Peak reached out to SFSS media relations, the IEC, and vice president internal to respond. The SFSS responded with a joint statement with the IEC. They wrote, “While it did appear that multiple votes were submitted, the election system has safeguards in place to ensure each student gets only one counted vote.”

The SFSS and IEC stated while they had the anonymous setting on, this “does not mean that the software does not collect your data.” They explained that “to the user, the survey is anonymous because it did not ask for any personal information. 

While it did appear that multiple votes were submitted, the election system has safeguards in place to ensure each student gets only one counted vote.” — SFSS and IEC joint statement

“When one casts their votes, the software creates a unique collector ID, records when you started the vote and when you ended it, your IP address, and your email address. Since the authentication for voting was through your SFU email address, this made it easy to track and discard users who voted more than once. According to SurveyMonkey, “When someone takes your survey, their IP address is recorded as metadata with your survey results by default.” Additionally, SurveyMonkey said that “The Anonymous Responses collector option lets you choose whether or not to track and store identifiable respondent information in survey results. SurveyMonkey records respondent IP addresses in backend logs.”

The joint statement further explained the verification process after voting closed: the email addresses of all the voters were cross-checked with the SFSS’ “list of registered SFSS members that is updated through SFU on a monthly basis” to ensure only current SFSS members’ votes were counted. “Since the software already records email addresses, start and end time of vote; it became fairly easy to check how many times a verified voter had cast a ballot using their email address.” They said this process was done by the SFSS’ privacy officer, who is “the only person with clearance to protect the privacy and confidentiality” of SFSS members. “This ensured that the data was filtered without bias as the department does not have any vested interest in the outcome of the elections,” according to the SFSS and IEC.

The SFSS and IEC stated inauthentic student IDs, including those who were “not current students” were filtered out. 

The statement added, “The original voting data was stored separately before any cleaning of the data was done. Once the invalid votes were removed, the final data and results were verified and published by the IEC. A copy of the original data was stored separately to ensure that at any time, if the results were being contested, anyone could retrace the steps taken to reproduce the same outcome thereby ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the election results.” The Peak could not verify this process as we could not access confidential data to confirm this.

The IEC also addressed formal complaints “related to candidate misconduct.” While they didn’t share the details due to confidentiality, “decisions were made impartially based on the evidence available.”

Currently, there is a petition circulating to prohibit SFSS executives from receiving a salary. The writer of the petition said this would “lower the SFSS’ deficit without raising the membership fee, and be budgeted toward initiatives that benefit the majority of students.” In order to make this a referendum question, 5% of SFSS members would need to sign. It is unclear how many signatures the petition has.

The petition cited the fact that SFSS executive and Council members “earned a combined $386,627 in fiscal year 2023.” To break this down, this includes 62 Council members and seven executives. The average yearly stipend for Council members in 2023 was $2,962 for ten hours biweekly, and for executives, who work full time, $28,900. 

“I do not trust the SFSS-run IEC to remove duplicate votes. I do not understand why they could not use SFU’s more secure polling/voting system.”  — Reddit user

In response, the SFSS and IEC stated, “The SFSS executives understand and appreciate the circumstances that might have prompted such a petition. Subject to good governance, these stipends remain a core accountability mechanism as all stipends are dependent on executives and Councillors carrying out their duties effectively.” They also acknowledged that having stipends in place helps address “the barriers to participation that currently exist for qualified students who want to contribute to the management of our institutions. These positions should not be limited to a privileged few and these stipends are an essential mechanism to reduce barriers to accessing these roles.”

One Reddit user argued against the petition, saying “removing stipends won’t suddenly inspire Councillors and executives to spend hours writing reports.”

“There are always opportunities for improvement and for greater transparency,” the SFSS and IEC’s statement read. “Whether this petition leads to a future referendum or not, we acknowledge the calls for greater accountability and will continue working on addressing this.”

This is a story that The Peak will continue to cover. To submit a tip on the SFSS elections or any student-related matter that you’d like The Peak to investigate in the summer semester, email news@the-peak.ca.

Read the full statement by the SFSS and IEC on our website.

To see the results of the 2025 SFSS election, visit sfss.ca/2025-sfss-general-election-and-referenda-results

Staying active when everything feels expensive

0
Two badminton racquets laying against a black background. Three birdies are sprawled around them.
PHOTO: Glen Carrie / Unsplash

By: Yildiz Subuk, Staff Writer

Staying active on a regular basis is a major priority for me. Balancing work and student life can become even trickier when you add physical activity into the mix. It can often feel like adding another ball to juggle on top of an already packed act. As students, we’re already worried enough about finding the time or expenses to stay active. Fortunately, I’ve had the opportunity to keep myself active on a budget here’s a list of a few cheaper alternatives for those who are interested in doing the same.

Minoru drop-ins

Minoru Centre for Active Living is one of the most dynamic areas, not just for fitness, but also for studying. If you live in Richmond or near a SkyTrain station (especially along the Canada Line), Minoru is quite accessible. Minoru is not only a few minutes walk from the Richmond Brighouse station, it also hosts many facilities. During the summer, you’ll catch plenty of people playing pickup soccer. They also have a 400m track and a library to do your work at, with both amenities free to use. Minoru also has one of the largest hot pools in the province. An $8 drop-in session gives you access to their upstairs gym and the pool, which also includes a sauna, steam room, cold plunge, and two large hot tubs. There is also a $65, 10-session pass for those who plan on coming more consistently. Aside from the pass, monthly payment plans are also available. Minoru is just one great example of a multifaceted community center; others that are similar include Guildford Recreation Centre, John Braithwhite Community Centre in North Vancouver, Kitsilano Community Centre, and Christine Sinclair Community Centre in Burnaby. 

SFU intramural leagues

Organized sports are another crucial component of the fitness agenda; however, they can arguably be the most inaccessible. Team sports require equipment, management, and most importantly, people. While there are many leagues for sports in the Lower Mainland, some great options for SFU students are the school’s intramural leagues. If you’re paying tuition, then joining an intramural recreation league is free. You have the option to gather some friends and create your own team, or list yourself as a “free agent,” letting other teams consider you for their roster. Sports include futsal (indoor soccer), volleyball, and basketball. Students have the option to play competitively or for recreational purposes. These intramural leagues are great for if you are interested in trying out a new sport or getting back into an old hobby, especially since it’s covered in tuition. Intramural schedules can be found at sfu.ca/recreation.

Check out adultsplaysports.com for more options for recreational leagues. 

Racquet sports/ volleyball with friends

For those interested in racquet sports, it can be difficult to find the right area to play. The hurdle of finding the proper space can be difficult to navigate, especially for those wanting to play squash or badminton. An option worth considering is gathering a group of friends and renting an indoor gym at a nearby community center. Each community center will vary in pricing and hours. For context, my friends and I rent an indoor space where we set up nets and play volleyball. This area is also ideal for badminton, and costs $11.65 for 45 minutes of rental time. My specific gym (South Arm Community Centre) allows for up to ten people to use the space at once, which means the more people we get, the cheaper the cost!

Some indoor court rental options include: Steveston Community Centre (Richmond), Bonsor Recreation Complex (Burnaby), Pinetree Community Centre (kʷikʷəƛ̓əm / Coquitlam), and Guildford Recreation Centre (Surrey).

Non-violent and non-physical forms of protests

0
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

0
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

0
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

0
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.