Trickle down Clarkonomics: Translating WNBA success to women’s sports overall

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November 27, 2024

A bunch of girls stand holding pink and purple signs reading praise for Caitlin Clark and women’s sports, including “little girls, big dreams” and “we love Caitlin.” — PHOTO: Courtesy of @indianafever / Instagram

By: Kaja Antic, Sports Writer

The 2024 WNBA season saw record-breaking numbers, both in viewership and attendance. This has been chalked up to what some have called the “Caitlin Clark effect” — regarding the impact the 22-year-old star has had on women’s basketball during her short career.

Clark was an icon in college, leading the University of Iowa Hawkeyes to consecutive NCAA championship finals appearances in 2023 and 2024. Both had record-breaking television viewership records: the 2023 final featuring Clark and the Hawkeyes losing to fellow 2024 WNBA rookie Angel Reese and the Louisiana State University Tigers peaked at 12.6 million viewers in the US; and the 2024 finals, where Iowa lost to South Carolina, peaked at 18.87 million viewers. The latter also had four million more viewers than the men’s NCAA basketball final. Clark is also estimated to have increased the state of Iowa’s gross domestic product by $14.4 to $52.3 million during her NCAA career, and generated $82.5 million in consumer spending.

Clark declared for the WNBA draft after her senior NCAA season in 2024, and was drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever in the most-watched WNBA draft in history. Clark’s WNBA debut against the Connecticut Sun on May 14, 2024, was the most-watched WNBA game since 2001. Only a month into the season, six television networks had record-breaking viewership numbers, with all but one of those games featuring Clark and the Fever. The 2024 regular season finale on September 19 had a WNBA attendance record of 20,711, as the Fever played the Washington Mystics at Capital One Arena — a venue five times the size of the Mystics’ usual home arena.

Clark helped the Fever reach the postseason for the first time in seven seasons, though they fell to the Connecticut Sun in the best-of-three first round. She was also near-unanimously named the WNBA Rookie of the Year, earning 66 of 67 votes. The lone vote against went to her college rival Reese, now with the Chicago Sky.

Overall, the 2024 WNBA regular season was the most viewed ever, while the finals between the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty were the most-watched in 25 years. The Liberty won the 2024 WNBA championship — their first in franchise history — by defeating the Lynx in overtime of game five in the best-of-five finals series on October 20.

Though the WNBA season is now over, there are still professional women’s sports leagues across the world that deserve the same level of support the WNBA gained this past year.

Next year will mark a new beginning for professional women’s soccer in Canada, as the Northern Super League (NSL) will begin playing. Vancouver Rise FC is one of the six teams debuting across Canada in 2025, a club that Sinclair has a play in as co-owner.

Overseas women’s soccer leagues have already started their winter seasons, such as the Women’s Super League in England, Liga F in Spain, and the Première Ligue in France, along with the UEFA Women’s Champion League running until May 2025.

“Though the WNBA season is now over, there are still professional women’s sports leagues across the world that deserve the same level of support the WNBA gained this past year.”

The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) begins its second season on November 30, now complete with brand new team names and logos. The inaugural PWHL season began on January 1, 2024, with 2.9 million viewers across Canada tuning in to watch Toronto host New York. Toronto later took part in an April 20 game against Montréal at the famed Bell Centre, where a crowd of 21,105 smashed the record attendance for any women’s hockey game.

The Boston Fleet, Toronto Sceptres, Ottawa Charge, Montréal Victoire, New York Sirens, and Minnesota Frost look to continue these successes in the 2024–25 season. There are nine neutral-site games planned for this season, the first being a January 19 Victoire–Charge matchup to be played in Quebec City. There are also a number of tournaments to follow, such as the ongoing Rivalry Series between the Canadian and American women’s hockey teams, and the 2025 Women’s World Championships hosted by Czechia in April.

A professional women’s baseball league is slated to begin playing in the United States in 2026, with six teams partaking in the inaugural season. This will be the first professional women’s baseball league in the US since the All American Girls Professional Baseball League folded in 1954.

Last but certainly not least, support your SFU Red Leafs! From team sports like softball, volleyball, soccer, and basketball, to individual sports like golf, wresting, swimming, and track and field, there’s something for everyone. Support women’s sports now, and the support will continue to grow in the future.

Paranoia that LinkedIn is watching

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November 27, 2024

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Someone is making coffee with their laptop open. Their LinkedIn page is on the screen and a man dressed in business casual is coming out of the screen to spy on the laptop user. — ILLUSTRATION: Cliff Ebora / The Peak

By: Sarah Sorochuk, Peak Associate and C Icart, Humour Editor

Do you know the feeling right after you post something online? The doubt and fear that seeps in, and feels like darkness clutching your gut? The thought that something you had posted, whether you actually believe in it or were joking, will exist on the Internet forever. The idea that someone could dredge up every and any little thing you’ve ever launched into cyberspace, even before your brain was done baking, haunts you.

We all have those moments when we are tired and spell something embarrassingly wrong on Instagram, or write something completely absurd on Twitter, or ever write a completely wild question on Quora. And we all have that recurring nightmare that we end up in a job interview and the interviewer has prepared a slideshow that contains everything we have ever posted and we’re asked to answer for all of it: the absurdist memes, the copypastas, the middle school video projects we forgot are still public on YouTube.

But I know it’s time to fight back against this hyperspecific scenario my anxiety has convinced me is possible. Everyone deserves the freedom to post and not be ridiculed by future employers on LinkedIn!

This is not a fight to allow terrible people to post terrible stuff. This is for the people scared to post anything online because it might taint their carefully curated brand image. LinkedIn people, quit judging!

Let us live our lives when we are still young. Let us believe that we can post our adventures and livelihoods, without living in fear of reprimand. We all have hobbies, loves, and interests that we want to share with the world like a 25-chapter crossover fanfic where Linda Belcher and Hannah Montana join forces with the entire cast of every season of Degrassi to ever exist to properly save Riverdale because let’s be for real Archie is really bad at it. Don’t judge our digital footprint and we won’t judge the fact that you’re not paying a living wage! Deal? Deal. OK, I admit my fingers were crossed behind my back and I’m totally judging. No takesies backsies!

The West Coast rules with Triton

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November 27, 2024

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In black and white, under a concrete bridge, a boy stands in a sweater and jeans as he leans against a pillar. — PHOTO: Courtesy of Joe Salmon

By: Yasmin Hassan, Staff Writer

While Vancouver is home to many amazing artists, I never thought that I’d find one right in my classroom! As a former classmate of independent alternative artist Triton Smith, it has always been fascinating hearing his bedroom-pop sound transition into something new in real time. His constant involvement in music, whether it be at school or on his own, was always fun to hear. He brought a nuanced sense of musicality that was different from much of the local sounds I’d heard; fresh beats from well-known alternative genres, all fused in a stylistic medley.

Smith started releasing music under the name Triton when he was 13 and later developed a different sound of music, forming his new moniker Samo T. He has put out two LP’s and various singles amid multiple live performances in Vancouver and Toronto. The Peak spoke with Smith to find out more about his person and his work.

Smith has been involved with music his whole young life, noting that his father and grandfather were both musicians, keeping music in the family. Taking music classes as a youth resulted in his first release of music in 2020, noting how self-isolating at the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic “was a great outlet” for him “during that time.” Immersing himself in Vancouver’s underground indie scene was a turning point for him.

“I started meeting other musicians who were around my area playing shows with them, meeting people working together, and that completely changed my perception on what I could accomplish,” he said.

“I stopped making rock music and it felt right to go under a different name, but I didn’t want it to be completely different.” — Triton Smith, AKA Samo T

Smith takes inspiration from Kendrick Lamar and Frank Ocean, among other artists like Beabadoobee, King Krule, Jeff Buckley, and Mazzy Star. He stated plainly his style is “alt rock,” but that’s far from all he has to offer. He fuses elements from shoegaze, alt pop, ambient music, electronic music, and more. Though it’s clear his style is grounded in the alternative fashion, none of his songs sound alike to each other. Raspy guitar, a stylistically dynamic voice, and clever allusions are what make Smith’s music stand out. Triton’s songs craft vivid moods within the brain — grainy pictures, bus rides home at night pretending you’re a character in a film, speedwalking across campus, or overthinking in your bedroom. Regardless of the image, Smith has something for you.

“Smiles, There’s Cameras” and “Swollen Ankles” both have mesmerizing instrumental breaks near the ends of the songs. “Got My Neck” is hypnotizingly raspy with the sound of the electric guitar, upbeat drums, catchy lyrics, and its alluring alt-rock inspired melody. However, my personal favourite is probably “Saltwater,” which reminds me so much of something off of Frank Ocean’s Blonde because of its dreamy repetitive melody, synth strings, and soft vocals.

Smith’s first show at one of Vancouver’s “quintessential underground venues,” the Red Gate, was a gateway into the scene’s culture. Smith claims the indie scene in Toronto and Vancouver are more alike than not, as he says “it’s just people celebrating music together; the bands get drunk and play shitty, fuck up their equipment after.” The consistency of indie music is something I’ve always appreciated; “the culture is the same around the world,” Smith noted on the binding nature of indie and underground scenes.

When he switched to Samo T, immediately, I noticed the reference to expressionist artist Jean Michel Basquiat’s graffiti tag “SAMO.”

“I stopped making rock music and it felt right to go under a different name, but I didn’t want it to be completely different,” he explained, as it’s the “same old Triton” (but with new music). He also explained the name of his last album So Far, So Good as a reference to the 1995 crime/thriller film La Haine. The song “Hate Monologue” from his album contained the speech from a prominent scene in the film, which made me appreciate the commitment to the motif even more.

Triton Smith and his band are playing on December 21 in Vancouver at Green Auto. Tickets can be purchased at samotee.com

The importance of vegetarianism and veganism

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November 27, 2024

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Sliced oranges, broccoli, and nuts displayed in an appealing way. — PHOTO: Nathan Dumlao / Unsplash

By: Hailey Miller, Staff Writer

Content warning: mentions of animal slaughter.

I’ve been a vegetarian since I was seven years old. I love animals too much to harm them, and that was my main reason for becoming a vegetarian in the first place. My parents are also both vegetarians, but they allowed me to make my own decision when I was young. It wasn’t until one day when my grandfather asked if I wanted a ham sandwich for lunch, that I responded with, “I’ll have the sandwich, but without the ham.”

Since then, I’ve also considered myself a bit of a veganetarian — someone who is predominantly vegetarian but sometimes practices vegan, and eats many vegan meals, as well. In my teen years, I avoided a lot of dairy for personal reasons, and I still limit my dairy intake to this day. I go through phases of eating eggs, but I could take or leave them. I was one of the only vegetarian kids in school growing up, but that never stopped me from sticking to my morals and having a love for delicious, healthy food.

Practicing vegetarianism and veganism — meaning reducing our meat intake — is not only better for the sake of animals and their livelihoods, but also the environment and our overall health. From saving animals and animal advocacy to reducing our carbon footprint and creating healthier lives for ourselves, there are countless reasons why you should consider going vegan or vegetarian, if you haven’t already.

A lot of people assume that it’s difficult to go vegetarian or vegan and still get an adequate amount of protein, feel satiated, or be satisfied with meal choices. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. There are countless ways to get protein, from everything like nuts and seeds to tofu and beans, just to name a few. There’s a plethora of vegan and vegetarian recipes in cookbooks, food blogs, and websites to curb your appetite and appeal to vegans and vegetarians, whether you’re new to the practice, or you’re a seasoned pro. Plant-based substitutes can be healthier than animal products and do the trick just as well, whether you’re looking for a certain taste, texture, or consistency in a recipe. That said, be careful when looking for certain substitutes, as some may be higher in sugar or full of unnecessary fillers.

“Practicing vegetarianism and veganism is not only better for the sake of animals and their livelihoods, but it’s also better for the environment and our overall health”

There are many different types of vegetarianism and veganism. A lacto-ovo-vegetarian is someone who practices vegetarianism and still consumes eggs and dairy in their diet while completely abstaining from meat, seafood, and any by-products that involve the death of animals. Predominantly, this is where I fall in the vegetarianism categories. Some vegetarians only consume eggs (ovo-vegetarian) while others only consume dairy (lacto-vegetarian) as the only animal products. A pescetarian is someone who still consumes seafood — alongside eggs and dairy — but doesn’t eat meat. Veganism — the most stringent type of vegetarianism, in a good way — involves abstaining from all animal products and by-products. This includes the abstinence of meat, seafood, dairy, and eggs.

Many people who partake in veganism or vegetarianism also don’t buy leather or other products involving harm to the animal — myself included. Instead, I make sure to only use fake leather, and preferably, my favourite type is made from recycled materials. I also avoid leather couches and clothing. I don’t eat foods with rennet — a type of enzyme produced from animal stomachs, often cows. Rennet is often present in some cheese products, so I always make sure to check the ingredients and make sure the cheese is vegetarian-friendly, or vegan.

With numerous benefits to going vegan or vegetarian, why not try it today? Start small and ease into it. For instance, you can start by incorporating more vegan and vegetarian meals into your diet, and avoiding consumption of animal products — whether food or materials. Not only will you be saving animals and reducing harm, but you’ll also be reducing carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emission. The earth and the animals will thank you!

Stop supporting the Greater Vancouver Zoo

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Peak Web

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November 27, 2024

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A tiger sitting down in a caged zoo enclosure. — PHOTO: Molnár Tamás Photography / Pexels

By: Yulissa Huamani, SFU student

Content warning: mentions of animal abuse and death.

Zoos tend to incite imagery of children being excited to see animals. However, animals in zoos are held in enclosures that are often way too small and just can’t compare to their natural habitats. Children tend to find the experience thrilling, but as adults, we should realize that the conditions these animals live in are often depressing and unethical. While there are some sanctuaries that do genuine conservation and rehabilitation work, the way most zoos cage animals for viewing purposes is far from humane. Reports of animal abuse in zoos showcase how caging causes physical and mental damage, and we should keep this in mind the next time we’re invited on an outing to the local zoo.

Being confined to zoo enclosures can lead to learned helplessness. This is a condition that affects animals’ brains due to the inability to escape when constantly exposed to stimuli that triggers their survival instincts. As a result, even if an animal is released after years of trauma, they’re unable to survive because they lost the ability to do so on their own. Living like that is not living. The damage that zoos cause outweighs any benefits for us as humans.

Profiting off someone’s pain is wrong, regardless of the species, and shouldn’t be accepted in our society. One controversial local zoo is the Greater Vancouver Zoo, where it’s been reported multiple times that animals are living in poor conditions. And their “diversity” of animals means animals that aren’t adapted to live under BC’s weather conditions are forced to do so. This October, Jenga the giraffe died at the age of eight. This is concerning due to the 25-year lifespan that giraffes usually have in the wild, and the population of giraffes in their natural habitat is decreasing. In the past, the Greater Vancouver Zoo faced animal cruelty charges for “inadequate housing arrangements” for a baby hippo they adopted. The hippo previously starred in a Telus commercial before being transferred to the zoo, where it was kept indoors with nothing but a “small shallow pool to wade in.” The charges were later dropped “when the zoo agreed to construct better hippo accommodation.” These are just a few of many examples of mistreatment or death of animals under the care of the Greater Vancouver Zoo. While the zoo did improve the housing conditions of certain animals, how much damage were they hoping to get away with before they started taking action?

Furnishing cages with branches or stumps can be compared to decorating a prison cell like a forest. It might look natural, but it’s not free. The Vancouver Humane Society reports that “enclosure space should be outfitted to meet species-specific needs.” However, the zoo has been known to not satisfy these conditions. Additionally, visitors’ reviews highlight that the animals seem to be stressed and that their overall experience was more sad than satisfactory. Seeing animals under poor conditions and showing signs of anxiety could also negatively impact children, since kids are likely to be curious about the conditions an animal is being held in. It is certainly known that zoos in general aren’t able to replicate the complexities of natural habitats, and this ends up psychologically and physically harming animals. What are we teaching children by showing them that this is OK?

It seems to be that the Greater Vancouver Zoo’s main focus is on entertainment instead of preserving species and advancing animal rights. Putting profit before animals’ well-being is unethical, and zoos that do so shouldn’t be considered a form of entertainment. These enclosures display living beings that aren’t able to escape, and are suffering as a result. This should make us reflect on what zoos suggest about our morals as a society. It is not a necessity to see an animal that is submitted to stress and frustration just for entertainment.

Zoos are unnecessary, especially in the 21st century. There are other ethical options that allow children to learn about an animal if they are curious, such as virtual zoos. The sadness that animals experience in these spaces is evident, and there isn’t an educational purpose that justifies the suffering. Zoos should only exist as wildlife sanctuaries for rehabilitation purposes, and be held to strict standards. Animals should be released once they receive the proper treatment they need and are certified to be able to live in the wild. There have to be regulations that force zoos to do so. It’s understandable that some animals can’t be released due to domestication or severe injury. However, the purpose of zoos should be to help animals and protect species first and foremost. There is no reason why animals like giraffes and hippos should be living in BC rather than wildlife sanctuaries in their countries of origin.

Federal government announces ban on open net-pen salmon farms

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November 27, 2024

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This is a photo of a large open net-pen salmon farm in BC. — Grieg Seafood operates a salmon farm at Barnes Bay off Sonora Island, British Columbia, Canada.

By: Mason Mattu, Peak Associate

On June 19, the federal government announced a ban on “open net-pen salmon aquaculture in BC coastal waters by June 30, 2029.” This comes after many Indigenous communities and environmental groups have called for its end due to environmental concerns and a decline in wild salmon. Licences for open net-pen salmon farming have also been renewed for five years for an industry transition.

Open net-pen salmon farms are “large cages and nets placed in coastal waters” by fish farm technicians holding “hundreds of thousands of fish,” which hatch from eggs within the pen. Over 90% of open net-pen salmon farms are owned by three Norwegian companies. According to the sustainable seafood partnership SeaChoice, open net-pen farms are a high-risk method of salmon farming as they do not filter what comes in or out of the farm, allowing a “free exchange of waste, chemicals, parasites, and disease.” SeaChoice “is a partnership among the David Suzuki Foundation, Ecology Action Centre, and Living Oceans Society.” This combined with the “high density of foreign fish packed into a farm pen” increases the risk of infection and contagious viruses in the water for local marine life. The farming infrastructure itself ruins sensitive coastal ecosystems, producing “the same amount of waste as a city of half a million people” and trapping wild fish in the nets.

In a draft transition plan by the federal government, they describe plans to make Canada “a world leader in innovative and clean aquaculture technology.” The transition plan aims to retrain workers currently employed by the industry, support the construction of land-based closed containment salmon farms, and work with Indigenous communities to “develop new economic opportunities that align with each community’s particular needs and values.” Land-based closed containment salmon farms help keep aquatic environments safe without causing risks to “the surrounding aquatic environment.” The estimated cost to replace BC’s current open net-pen farms “could be as high as $1.8 billion” and quite a bit of extra electric power, making some believe that the plan is unrealistic in a five-year window.

“Because of the work and dignity that comes with the salmon farming industry, we have had no suicides in my community of Klemtu for the past 18 years.” — Isaiah Robinson, deputy Chief councillor, Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation

“Our wild salmon are already facing so many risks. This is a precautionary measure, and by isolating the threats [in closed containment pens], we are taking away some of that risk to our wild salmon,” said Johnathon Wilkinson, minister of energy and natural resources, in a speech.

Fishing is “part of the culture and identity that sustains First Nations peoples.” The First Nations Fisheries Council of BC stated, “Fisheries have formed the basis of economies for many Nations, first through trade with other Nations and early settlers, and later through commercial activities.” The move to ban open-net farms is supported by the BC Assembly of First Nations, the First Nations Wild Salmon Alliance, and other environmental advocates. Over 123 First Nations in BC supported the ban in a letter to the Prime Minister citing the farming method’s “impact on their cultural, economic and spiritual way of life.” Salmon have not only long been a source of food, but an important figure in spiritual and cultural traditions.

Some Indigenous communities have raised concerns about the impact this transition will have on their livelihoods.

For one, the Klemtu community of the Kitasoo Xai’Xais Nation has a “99% employment rate with 51% of those being tied up in aquaculture.” Isaiah Robinson, deputy Chief councillor of the Kitasoo Xai’Xais Nation, requested to extend the open net-pen salmon farming practice by at least six years. “Because of the work and dignity that comes with the salmon farming industry, we have had no suicides in my community of Klemtu for the past 18 years,” he wrote in an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “It makes no sense to shut it down. There is no industry that can fill that space.”

The Coalition of First Nations for Finfish Stewardship, representing 17 Indigenous communities in the province, stated that “due to the impact of colonization on wild salmon stocks, we have had to include salmon farming alongside salmon stewardship to fill the economic gap caused by the decline of wild salmon.” During British and French colonial rule in Canada, natural resources such as salmon were exploited en masse. The group claimed that around “700 Indigenous people provincially work in salmon farming, which is a sector that brings in $133 million per year” for Indigenous communities.

The federal government has yet to put out a final transition plan for Indigenous communities.

Council Chats: SFSS debriefs this year’s Fall Kickoff

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November 27, 2024

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This is an illustration of a graphic that reads “Council Chats.” The image also has two text boxes to symbolise messages being sent. — ILLUSTRATION: Andrea Choi / The Peak

By: Lucaiah Smith-Miodownik, News Writer

On November 13, The Peak attended the bi-weekly Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) Council meeting via Zoom. The discussion involved a debrief of this year’s Fall Kickoff Music Festival, followed by two committee elections.

Debriefing Fall Kickoff

Fall Kickoff, which took place on September 20, made its return after it was last held in 2019. The event aimed “to tackle the unique challenges of a commuter school by fostering a sense of community, creating lasting memories for students, and demonstrating the SFSS’ commitment to providing a well-rounded student experience beyond academics.” Specifically, the SFSS wanted to “bring student life back to SFU,” recognizing “engaged students are more likely to utilize services, attend events, and contribute to the overall vibrancy of campus culture.”

The SFSS also aimed to garner sponsors “to secure financial support and in-kind contributions” to lay “the groundwork for future collaborations and initiatives.” The student society also said they took this event as an opportunity to develop strategies for future events. For one, the SFSS said they learned to maintain their partnerships with sponsors to “ensure the success of subsequent events” through hosting the event. They also learned that planning Kickoff yearly would raise “student awareness” of the event. Overall, Chitransh Motwani, SFSS vice president of events and student affairs, outlined a refined approach for the next time they host Kickoff. His approach involved earlier planning, clearer stakeholder communication, “detailed operational plans,” and improved budget forecasting, among others.

Council also reported they went over their budget for Kickoff. Originally, Council approved $65,000 to be allocated to the concert from the large-scale events budget. Total expenses were $194,388, with $114,554 going towards paying artists and staging. Motwani reported the total revenue of the kickoff to be $64,343. Ultimately, a motion to cover the excess cost of Fall Kickoff was passed. While some Council members expressed concerns over the cost implications for other grants or clubs, others provided reassurance that the money spent on Fall Kickoff would not impact these other endeavours since their funding is not drawn from the large-scale events budget. The SFSS may need to lower costs for other large events planned this and next year, like Winter Warm-up and a Lunar New Year celebration.

Elections for committee positions

Elections were also held to appoint councillors to two committees. The first committee, looking to fill one spot, was the oversight committee on executive officers. Its job involves “overseeing the conduct of executive officers.” Should the group investigate the conduct of an executive officer, it also has the power to “potentially recommend disciplinary action,” such as a reduced stipend. Two individuals spoke to Council regarding their respective qualifications and abilities for the position. After a vote, Johnny Gates, SFSS public policy councillor, was elected.

The other committee with one open spot was the equity and sustainability committee. This committee is designed “to center historically-excluded students in the community at SFU within the framework of the SFSS.” The committee focuses on “work[ing] towards dismantling intersecting forms of systemic oppression.” Amrit Kullar, SFSS world languages and literature councillor, was elected for this position.

Read the full length version of this article, which covers elections for two committee positions, on The Peak’s website, the-peak.ca.

BC’s major sports teams for beginners

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November 26, 2024

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PHOTO: Courtesy of @whitecapsfc / Instagram

By: Yildiz Subuk, Staff Writer

Editor’s note: stats are taken from November 22, 2024.

Vancouver Canucks

After a remarkable playoff run in the last season, the Vancouver Canucks got off to a shaky start by losing their first three games this season. Since then, the team has accumulated nine wins, six losses, and three overtime losses, good for a 9–6–3 record. The Canucks have had a lot of success under coach Rick Tocchet, who managed to take a middling team into the playoffs. Tocchet won the Jack Adams Award in the 2023–24 season, a trophy given to the best coach in the National Hockey League (NHL).

The team is filled with offensive players who score important goals, but also create high-quality chances for their teammates. J.T. Miller currently leads forwards in points with 16, followed by Conor Garland, who has 14. Prolific goal-scorer Brock Boeser, while currently out due to an injury, is tied for the team lead in goals with six. Miller led the team in points last season (103), while Boeser led in goals with 40 in 81 games. Along with Jake DeBrusk, this offensive line is ranked second in the NHL in expected goals for.

Another standout player is Canucks captain Quinn Hughes, an offensively-talented defenceman. Hughes has scored four goals and assisted on 15, making him the current leader in points (19) for the team. The former seventh overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft is considered one of the best defencemen in the NHL alongside Cale Makar and Roman Josi. Hughes won his first James Norris Trophy last season, and has been compared to the likes of legends like Bobby Orr. In a 5–1 win against the Anaheim Ducks on November 5, he became the third-fastest NHL player to tally 300 assists in his career.

The Canucks have just begun their season, having only played 18 games so far. An NHL regular season is 82 games long (excluding playoffs), so there will be plenty of opportunities to catch the Canucks live.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

“Despite their newcomer status, the Whitecaps have managed to win four Canadian Championships, which is the highest level soccer tournament in Canada.”

The Whitecaps battled hard for a chance at advancing in the playoffs, but unfortunately lost their series against Los Angeles FC on November 8. They finished their season with a record of 13–13–8.

Vancouver is fairly new to Major League Soccer (MLS), having joined in 2011. The MLS hosts teams from all across America and Canada. Despite their newcomer status, the Whitecaps have managed to win four Canadian Championships, which is the highest level soccer tournament in Canada. The winner of the championship receives the Voyagers Cup. The Whitecaps won their first Voyagers Cup back in 2015 and followed that up with a three-peat, winning consecutively in 2022, 2023, and 2024. In their most recent win back in September, they beat Toronto FC in a close game which ended up going to penalty shootouts. Ultimately, the Whitecaps secured another championship in their home arena, BC Place.

Some notable players include striker Brian White, who scored 15 goals in the 2024 regular season and assisted on two, and Ryan Gauld, who is not only the team’s best player, but top-three in the category of left winger/midfielder. Gauld, who is an attacking midfielder, managed to score 10 goals and assist 15 times in the regular season. Gauld is also currently the captain of the team.

The Whitecaps have wrapped up their 2024 season (a total of 34 league games are played), and will pick back up in 2025, when the next MLS season starts.

It’s Dear Peakie again

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November 26, 2024

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Professor standing in front of a lecture hall. He is holding a laptop and smiling at the camera. — PHOTO: Yan Krukau / Pexels

By: C Icart, Humour Editor and Yasmin Hassan, Staff Writer

Dear Peakie,

I’m in my main character era. I love it when people watch me walk into lecture one hour late with my oat vanilla latte. I walk through the front door so I can strut right in front of the professor. I also make sure to make multiple people stand up so I can sit in my preferred seat in the middle of the row despite the other more discreet seats available. Anyway, I don’t really even have a question for you because I’m too iconic for that. Instead, I have an instruction: Validate me.

Sincerely,
It’s not rude when I do it

Dear It’s not rude when I do it,

I get you. People sitting around you in lecture should already know that seat is your unassigned assigned seat. You deserve as much! At some point during any semester, you stop caring about unspoken rules of showing up on time to lecture or sitting in any farther available seat as quickly as possible, and that’s alright. You’re spending your energy, time, money (because I know that oat vanilla latte cost you at least $8), and academic prowess to be at university. Your presence is probably what the lecture hall is missing, so, in all honesty, they should be thankful to be graced by your fashionably late arrival.

XOXO,
Peakie gets it

Dear Peakie,

In light of recent events, my feeds are flooded with people claiming they’re moving to Canada. But how can this be true if “Canada” is nothing but a colonial fantasy and the “border” is just lines random white men drew on a map?

Decolonially,
I’m still scared for the next federal election though

Dear I’m still scared for the next federal election though,

I’m totally with you there. Who knew fall 2024 would be characterized by TWO great migrations? One up north towards a so-called Canada run by monopolies who show up to Pride parades so you can’t criticize them. And the other from Twitter to Bluesky! Anyways, the conversation about borders might be a bit too advanced for people who think it’s acceptable to finders, keepers their way through life. It’s the natural order of things, really. First, you make up the border, and then you make up a department and name it after a meme coin!

Biting my nails with you,
Peakie

Dear Peakie,

I guess this is more of a question for the SFU Snap App, but I’m already here. When I get off the bus at the Transportation Centre and want to go to Convocation Mall, should I cross the street into the big empty space with the piano, or is there a secret way to get in through the parking lot? Don’t worry, I can keep a secret.

Best,
Trying to reduce my step count

Dear Trying to reduce my step count,

Going up those flights of stairs humbles me every time I try to get to Convocation Mall from the bus stop. However, legend has it that a pack of raccoons will sometimes scamper through the Central Parkade, trying to forage for thrown away trash and whatnot. While our furry friends may seem unsuspecting, if you bribe their leader with a half eaten farmer’s wrap while continuously making eye contact with them, they will escort you through the parking lot all the way to the flights of stairs that lead directly into the mall. These valiant beasts are like SFU’s version of Minecraft dolphins.

Sincerely,
Peakie

Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement — establishing a cultural voice

By

Peak Web

-

November 26, 2024

0

Five individuals, all dressed in colourful robes, hold hands and dance in a circle. — PHOTO: Courtesy of Tadashi Nakamura and Quyên Nguyen-Le

By: Yildiz Subuk, Staff Writer

Content warning: mentions of internment camps.

The Vancouver Asian Film Festival premiered brilliant films and documentaries this year. One that stood out was Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement, which tracks the life of third-generation Japanese immigrant Nobuko Miyamoto. As an artist and storyteller who decided to break away from the white gaze to create powerful performance art and music, Miyamoto has established a legacy of using art to unite communities and creating spaces to tell the stories of the unheard.

During her childhood, Miyamoto and her family were part of the 120,000 Japanese Americans forced to relocate in internment camps during World War II. They spent most of the war in crowded concentration camps, facing discrimination from American society during a time of mass anti-Japanese sentiment. After the war, Miyamoto, who had found music as a way to lull the isolation she felt, went into performance art.

Miyamoto’s voice, soft yet powerful, radiates in every minute of the documentary as she presents her reflections on art and the importance of creating community through her craft. She is not simply answering questions about her life, but providing a narrative. The film provides decades of archived footage edited together to effortlessly give audiences a visual progression of her life, allowing her to have full agency over her story.

“Miyamoto’s voice, soft yet powerful, radiates in every minute of the documentary as she presents her reflections on art and the importance of creating community through her craft.”

The early years of Miyamoto’s career had her working in musicals like West Side Story and Flower Drum Song. As an upcoming star, she realized there was something problematic in the way her culture was being represented when she performed “Chop Suey” on stage for Flower Drum Song. She realized the audience she performed to had no actual knowledge of her culture, and the authentic representation she thought she would be a part of was, instead, a cheap watered-down attempt to fetishize East Asian cultures. She was performing for the white gaze, a concept that obscured the story of her people through stereotypical caricatures of her culture. “There was something in the way those delighted folks looked at us. In a flash I realized, WE were “chop suey,” she said. The white gaze notes how stories are made to keep white audiences at the center of viewership. As Miyamoto walked away from the mainstream, a spark was lit. She didn’t want to be used as a prop in cheap attempts at multicultural storytelling — she wanted to create spaces for underrepresented voices to thrive.

Miyamoto’s dedication to merging art and activism, a process known as artivism, started with performing songs during advocacy campaigns. She did not perform in venues, but in open areas amid large groups of people who were vocal about change. In her early years, she was involved with the Black Panthers and protested the Vietnam war. These experiences, as well as her desire to create spaces for Asian communities to learn and engage with art across America, show her belief in the transformative power of art. These spaces include empty studios and Buddhist temples, where she taught performative art and spent a lot of her early years as a mother.

A Song in Movement not only captures Miyamoto’s story from a personal lens, but also a communal one. We see the impact her art has on the Asian communities she gets involved in, and we see how she uses music and performance as an instrument for revolution and breaking the mold of white-dominated storytelling through music. The documentary captures how Miyamoto starts a performance project called FandangObon. This dance project turned into many different communities collectively dancing in a circle and playing their music. It’s a dynamic form of performance that not only links communities together, but also invites many to engage in it.

The beauty and empowerment permeating in songs like “We Are the Children” could only be created by someone who not only understands the importance of authentic storytelling, but has devoted genuine care and taken action throughout her life. It’s a testament to the rich thoughts behind A Song in Movement, as well as the impact it has on storytelling within localized communities. A Song in Movement is the perfect example of a story that connects the audience with a past that laid the foundations of decentering art that only focuses on the white gaze.

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