Home Blog Page 87

The CRA revokes charitable status of two organizations supporting Israeli military

By
Peak Web
-
0
This is a photo of the outside of the Canadian Revenue Agency Building in Vancouver.
PHOTO: Elyana Moradi / The Peak

By: Sofia Chassomeris, News Writer

On August 10, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) revoked the charitable statuses of the Jewish National Fund of Canada and Ne’eman Foundation of Canada. Both organizations will no longer be exempt from income tax or receive subsidies as registered charities. This is because they failed to abide by the Income Tax Act. 

This action follows years of lobbying from activists such as Just Peace Advocates (JPA) for the CRA to conduct investigative audits on charities that have donated to the Israeli military. JPA claims that these organizations have been subsidizing “charity donations going to an apartheid state committing war crimes and genocide” using Canadian tax dollars. The CRA has allowed the Jewish National Fund to do so since 1967, and the Ne’eman Foundation since 2011. The Income Tax Act states that charities cannot issue tax receipts or claim tax deductions for donations that support the armed forces of another country.

In a statement to The Peak, the CRA said, “The confidentiality provisions of the Act prevent the CRA from commenting on specific cases.”

The Jewish National Fund regarded the CRA’s decision to revoke their status as “wrong and unjustified,” claiming they are focused on funding “projects to build the social infrastructure of the land of Israel.” CBC indicates that the CRA made this decision in response to “a complaint” that said the Jewish National Fund “used charitable donations to build infrastructure for the Israel Defence Forces (IDF),” including funding “infrastructure projects on Israeli army, air, and naval bases.”

Just Peace Advocates’ analysis of the Ne’eman Foundation’s tax returns shows that millions of Canadian dollars were also donated to organizations associated with the IDF between 2016–2022. JPA has criticized the CRA’s slow call to action but ultimately applauds the decision. 

The Peak interviewed Dr. Miles Howe, professor of critical criminology at Brock University in Ontario, who has written on the “phenomenon of Zionist Philanthropy” and “the synchronicity of tax-deductible gift-giving with Palestinian erasure.” In his work, he discusses how Zionism promotes and finances the elimination of “Palestinian people from the territorial boundaries of what Zionism conceives of as biblical Israel.” Zionism is a “nationalist movement” aiming to create a “Jewish national state in Palestine.”

“Don’t be intimidated by what initially appears to be a very strong movement against you.” — Dr. Miles Howe, professor of critical criminology at Brock University

Howe said living under occupation includes open-air prison conditions and Palestinians being displaced from 78% of their land. “What possible justification is there for that?” he asked.

Howe’s recent petition to parliament states that these charitable donations “may well be Canada’s most important contribution to Palestinian dispossession.” While the removal of these charities’ statuses is considered by Just Peace Advocates as a “massive shift in how Canada views the Israeli occupation,” dozens of charities continue to make significant annual contributions. The Peak also interviewed Karen Rodman, executive director of JPA, for more insight. 

“Within the movement, it’s easy to say ‘wow, we got a victory!’” Rodman added,“But we don’t usually declare victories very easily, we call them ‘partial victories.’” JPA’s open letter to the Minister of Revenue Marie-Claude Bibeau and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau brings these charities to attention as they continue to “funnel a quarter billion dollars a year to projects in Israel.”

When asked about how students can get involved in pro-Palestinian activism, Howe said, “Don’t be intimidated by what initially appears to be a very strong movement against you.” He added, “There’s going to be a need for research, legal action, healing, direct action [ . . . ] and there’s going to be a need for education.” 

On September 5, the International Day of Charity, activists across Canada rallied at CRA offices to get the attention of the federal government and further protest the use of tax dollars in funding a genocide against Palestinians.

Horoscopes: September 9–15

By
Peak Web
-
0
An illustration of a girl, stars and astrological signs strewn in her hair.
ILLUSTRATION: Marissa Ouyang / The Peak

By: Amrit Kamaal, Peak Associate

Aries
March 21–April 19
Honey, congrats on hitting 1 million views on a TikTok lipsyncing about how “demure and mindful” you are for wearing an Aritzia pantsuit to get coffee. With your newfound clout, it’s written in the stars that you should book a one-way ticket to LA and join the Creator Rewards Program. It’s practically written in the stars that you’ll become the next Charli D’Amelio (just make sure you can stomach escargot). 

Taurus
April 20–May 20
Your summer consisted of so many camping trips that you consider yourself one with nature at this point. Sure, your bragging about your self-proclaimed “relationship with mother nature” and your monthly Instagram screen time being an hour during an icebreaker comes off as pretentious, but that’s OK! According to the stars, you are the ideal candidate for dealing with the future raccoon takeover. 

Gemini
May 21–June 20
You thought, “I’ll get it this summer,” but did you? Every summer, you promise you’ll finally get your driver’s licence, or at least your learner’s permit. But to this day, the only cards in your wallet are your U-Pass, an expired credit card (you forgot where the new one is), and a gift card to the SFU Bookstore (so Brat). Bestie, you’ll lock in eventually. The stars say that you will get your licence next summer. 

Cancer
June 21–July 22
“Makeup blindness” is taking over, and now strangers on the Internet are giving you unsolicited advice. Sure, your makeup routine consists of using your winter concealer that’s three shades lighter than your skin instead of foundation. But, that has nothing to do with blind people and everything to do with the fact that you can’t afford new makeup. You can totally still market this look, though. Call it “the summer I discovered concealer.” The stars predict we found SFU’s next it girl in the making. 

Leo
July 23–August 22
You’re very determined, and you’ll do anything to achieve your goals, especially if it includes dedicating hours of your life to lining up the day before the grand opening of some mediocre American fast-food chain. Maybe it’s written in the stars that you’ll use this perseverance to get a job or not have to cram your midterms this semester.

Virgo
August 23–September 22
You didn’t go out much, or at all, and just spent the summer binging shows on Netflix, Crave, and even Tubi. Even if your summer feels ruined, your semester won’t be! The stars show you re-watching your recorded lectures like a hawk; just do a split screen with a gameplay video or Grey’s Anatomy. 

Libra
September 23–October 22
You spent your summer trying to write the perfect One Direction fanfiction on Wattpad to secure a book-to-film adaptation like The Idea of You. Unfortunately, your work gave off Colleen Hoover energy instead (the bad prose part, not the romanticizing abuse part). Keep writing, though; the stars see your fanfics being used unironically for The Peak’s humour section. 

Scorpio
October 23–November 21
You were the definition of Summertime Sadness this season. You had multiple situationships trying to find the “electric feeling” Lana Del Rey described. The stars got your back though, when all else fails, you’ll be roaming the campus hand-in-hand with your ex again for a while. 

Sagittarius
November 22–December 21
You pride yourself on being the self-proclaimed mean girl of the group, so it’s totally not annoying for your friends to apologise for your out of pocket behaviour at PNE Playland because someone bumped into you. It’s OK, the heat got to you! The stars show when winter hits, your friends won’t need to excuse your outbursts.

Capricorn
December 22–January 19
Your wallet is a heck of a lot lighter from the amount of spending you did this summer, disguising it as “saving.” Sure, you got a fresh wardrobe from all the summer “sales,” but make sure you set some money aside school-wise. Your tablet is on its last legs right now, and the stars don’t exactly see it lasting one last semester.

Aquarius
January 20–February 18
I don’t care that you quit your job, put the scissors down. You wanted those Sabrina Carpenter bangs for the summer but came out looking like Emma Roberts instead. Your curtain bangs look like closed window blinds but no worries! The stars see you rocking those curtain bangs when they finally reach your chin for the fall semester of 2026. 

Pisces
February 19–March 20
You somehow managed to skip every lecture in your summer semester to the point where you don’t even know what the professor looks like. We can fix that though, the stars show you coming on campus to capture that Gilmore Girls aesthetic with your latte and the Canvas login screen open. 

SFU Pipe Band wins third overall at 2024 world championships

By
Peak Web
-
0
This is a photo of the pipe band competing in Glasglow this year.
PHOTO: @sfupipeband / Instagram

By: Caitlin Kingsmill, News Writer

The SFU Pipe Band brought home a bronze shield after placing third overall at this year’s World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on August 16 and 17. This marks their return to the top three for the first time since 2012. The group is just “one of four bands from outside the United Kingdom to have ever won first place at the championships,” which they have now achieved six times. 

The pipe band was formed in 1966 and consists of 45 players, led by pipe major Alan Bevan and lead drummer J. Reid Maxwell. In first place at this year’s world championships was Scotland’s Inveraray and District, with Northern Ireland’s Field Marshal Montgomery in second place. Pipe bands involve bagpipers, side drummers, bass drummers, and tenor drummers, with the first pipe band in Canada being formed in 1759, brought by the Scottish.

The Peak interviewed Robert MacNeil, president of the SFU Pipe Band Society, for more information. MacNeil began as a member of the band in 1981, shifting into an administrative role in the ‘90s. “The thing that has kept me interested all along is the pioneering things that the SFU Pipe Band has done and how it meshes so well with the mission of the university,” he said. MacNeil explained that SFU has always been a university that “sets its own path,” and so has the SFU Pipe Band.

MacNeil described the feeling of returning to the top three this year as “wonderful!” He attributed the band’s success in Glasglow to their steady improvement in competition since the COVID-19 pandemic began. In previous years, the band typically performed its best on the second day, but “this year was the reverse,” said MacNeil. “I think it gave the players [ . . . ] this feeling as if we can do this, we played two good runs, we can do it on the Saturday,” he continued.

While the world championships only last for two days, the players’ commitment to the band is year-round. “If you’re joining the band, you’re essentially reshaping your life around that,” expressed MacNeil.

“SFU as a community really has found its place over a number of decades and to represent that organization worldwide is really easy for us, and we’re really proud to be able to do that.” — Robert MacNeil, president of the SFU Pipe Band Society

Individual players are also expected to rehearse on their own and in small groups, teach in the Robert Malcolm Memorial Pipe Band youth development program, and adjudicate for competitions. The Memorial Pipe Band, also based at SFU, teaches piping and drumming to “foster the playing and performing of Scottish music by youth aged six to adulthood from all cultural backgrounds.”

The band’s youth development program plays a large part in finding committed players for the SFU Pipe Band. Since the program’s inception in 1994, many students in the program also ended up playing for the pipe band. “That’s a tremendous motivating factor for any parent that wants to get their kids involved in music work,” said MacNeil. “They can see if their child works hard and has dedication, how they can start as a beginner and eventually make it up to the SFU Pipe Band.

“There’s a lot of players playing in the SFU Pipe Band today that got that start as a beginner in our system and it’s very rewarding to be able to see these players come through.”

MacNeil also reflected on the importance of having a strong administrative team to support the band in its success: “The administration’s support has to be at the same caliber as the music that is being generated by the band, which means that if the band is operating at this top level, we have to have an administrative structure that supports that,” he said. 

“SFU as a community really has found its place over a number of decades and to represent an organization worldwide is really easy for us, and we’re really proud to be able to do that,” expressed MacNeil. “So we want to give credit also to the community up the mountain that is also doing exceptional things.”

Scotiabank subsidiary divests from Israeli military technology company

By
Peak Web
-
0
This is a photo of a Scotiabank building with the word “Scotiabank” also written in Chinese on the building.
PHOTO: Victoria Lo / The Peak

By: April Smith, SFU Student

Scotiabank recently reduced its holdings in Israeli military technology company Elbit Systems following a series of protests that took place across Canada spanning March through June. According to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, their holdings have dropped from shares valued at $237 million in May to $113 million in August. In March, 1832 Asset Management, the subsidiary responsible for making these investments on behalf of Scotiabank, also reduced its holdings in Elbit.

This comes after increasing pressure from activists across Canada. In an interview with The Peak, Tamer Aburamadan, a local Palestinian activist, described his role in the most recent series of protests as a movement organizer. He and many other organizers helped orchestrate a pressure campaign that would target several Scotiabank locations, pushing the bank to completely divest from Elbit.

“Unfortunately, Canada is complicit in many ways with the ongoing genocide in Palestine, both at the governmental level, but also the corporate institutional level. The investment in Elbit Systems is a good example of that and there should be no profit off genocide and off the murder of civilians in Gaza and elsewhere,” said Aburamadan. 

“Therefore, the need is there to apply outside pressure,” he continued, explaining the rationale behind the protests. According to their most recent quarterly financial report, Scotiabank’s total assets were valued at over $1.4 trillion as of July 31, 2024.

On March 15, protesters gathered at over 28 Scotiabank locations across the country. Protests were held in cities including Toronto, Regina, Nanaimo, and Vancouver. The most recent day of action, on June 25, saw similar protest activity.

“Unfortunately, Canada is complicit in many ways with the ongoing genocide in Palestine, both at the governmental level but also the corporate institutional level.” — Tamer Aburamadan, local Palestinian activist

Scotiabank stated they are not responsible for the subsidiary’s decision to divest and that it was a decision made irrespective of the protests. They said the decision was based only on “investment merit” and they do not “directly hold the shares” or “interfere in the independent investment decisions of its portfolio managers, including at its subsidiary 1832 Asset Management.” The Peak reached out to Scotiabank for a statement but did not receive a response by the publication deadline.

“We’re disappointed because we’d prefer that they acknowledge that investing in weapons manufacturers and profiting off the murder of innocent civilians is not in accordance with their values as a company and their mission and vision. But unfortunately, they decided not to go down that route,” stated Aburamadan, regarding Scotiabank. 

While the progress made to push Scotiabank to divest has been motivating to people like Aburamadan, he explained that many activists across the country will not stop applying pressure until the share is reduced to zero. Scotiabank currently holds 1.44% of Elbit shares. Aburamadan says upcoming protests to target Scotiabank are in the works.

“I would encourage all Canadians to raise their voice and join in whatever way they can because being involved, being active, and speaking on behalf of your values does work and there are things that you can do to stop the ongoing bloodshed and genocide.”  

SFU alum debuts Naked City

By
Peak Web
-
0
exterior of the play's venue, Performance Works
PHOTO: Katelyn Connor / The Peak

By: Yasmin Hassan, Staff Writer

What makes urban landscapes so unique in every city and dwelling around the world and in Vancouver? This is one of many questions that director and producer Pamela Subia prods at in her play, Naked City. The Peak had the pleasure of chatting with Subia about her play, and how it was influenced by her experiences adjusting to a new city.

An SFU alumni who graduated with a degree in engineering, Subia “always wanted to be an artist but didn’t have time.” After finishing school in 2022 and finding a full-time job, Subia was finally able to delve into the wonders of art, as she always wanted. Naked City is Subia’s first play. Having coincidentally contributed to The Peak during her time at SFU, she took interest in the arts by attending events and surrounding herself with people from arts backgrounds, like the MFA program, and joining clubs. “SFU really helped me have the resources to become more than just an engineer,” Subia said. “Kind of like seeing how I could be more than just my degree.” 

Coming from Ecuador and arriving in Vancouver at 18 years old, Subia noted that in Latin America, people are “super close and a little intrusive in each other’s lives. 

“In Vancouver, I feel like there’s a me that I am when I am in Vancouver. And then there’s like, how I become when I enter a new city.” — Pamela Subia, director and producer

“There’s a little more distance,” Subia said of Vancouver. “People are more reserved, there’s a little bit more asking before everything.” 

Subia’s play explores how the dynamics of cities change effortlessly, as if the people affect the city and the city affects the people. “People idolize cities.” She added, “When you’re in France, people talk about people from Paris. When you’re in Spain, people talk about people from Madrid. And my country, people talk about people from Quito and people from Guayaquil. So there’s kind of this idea of how people are in certain cities.

“In Vancouver, I feel like there’s a me that I am when I am in Vancouver. And then there’s like, how I become when I enter a new city,” Subia added. “What is the source? Who created that identity for every city, and why are we doing that?”  

When she first came to the Lower Mainland, Subia tended to stay on Burnaby Mountain while living in residence. “It was just: dining hall to my room, then hanging out with my friends.” Because she didn’t leave campus, Vancouver “didn’t exist” to her. 

“You meet this new group of people and it’s now interesting, and then you feel lonely and then it’s not interesting anymore,” noted Subia when relishing her self exploration of the city. Although she was enchanted by the surrounding nature we have here in the Coast Salish territories, when Subia began engaging in the social scene of the city like going to “events, going to gigs, going to theatre,” she tried something she was missing out on. 

The play all started when a friend of Subia’s told her that the Fringe Festival was a lottery, which prompted Subia to put her name in the ballot. 

The play is a medley of all sorts of literal and metaphorical ideas. Influences from the likes of Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams and the Ecuadorian tradition of los años viejos — masked dolls that are burned at midnight every year to celebrate the new year — and so much more. Though I could’ve dissected more about the influences and themes, Subia was careful not to spoil too much of the play, and for good reason! It’s one thing to read the inside scoop, but something entirely different when actually witnessing the play in all of its glory. 

Check out Naked City at Performance Works from September 5 to 15.

Teamsters union strike for railway workers’ rights

By
Peak Web
-
0
A train track
PHOTO: Suganth / Unsplash

By: Yasmin Hassan, Staff Writer

The week of August 20 saw a railway strike from the Teamsters union, halting the movement of all trains owned by Canadian National Railway Co. (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. (CPKC). After months of labour talks between the union and companies, hopes of reaching an agreement fell through on August 22. 

Teamsters had been negotiating improved offers, “with better pay, improved rest, and more predictable schedules.” CN and CPKC issued an “employer-imposed work stoppage,” leaving over 9,300 engineers, conductors, and yard workers unable to perform their jobs and pausing the progression of labour talks. 

Shortly after the lockout, members of the union were seen picketing at various locations, including railways and headquarters of CN and CPKC, in response. The Peak reached out to Teamsters but did not receive a statement by the publication deadline. 

Teamsters workers told Spring Magazine they are concerned about their health and safety, and are primarily asking for “longer periods of rest between shifts” as they carry “heavy items, sometimes even explosives,” at work. “It is not just our safety that they are neglecting by not giving us our demands, but the safety of everyone who is by those train tracks,” one worker said. Another worker highlighted the Lac-Mégantic railway accident in 2014, which occurred due to inadequate rest times of CN and CPKC workers. 

Nisha Patel, a senior reporter with CBC, described the worker “lockout” as “an aggressive bargaining tactic.” Economists have speculated that the stoppage and ensuing strike by the union will inflict considerable economic damage and delay the supply chain, as CN and CPKC both haul $1 billion worth of goods daily. The damages would also involve cut shifts and layoffs in the manufacturing industry, delay penalties, and inventory running out. 

17 hours after the lockout, CN and CPKC called for Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to enforce binding arbitration, taking away the union’s opportunity to bargain and risking an uneven settlement.

As of yet, there have been no evident developments showing major issues with trade and cargo, although Patel notes that “a one-week rail disruption can often take six weeks to get things back on track,” indicating the economy may still be affected. 

Teamsters told its members that CN is “again attempting to put profits and operational ease ahead of [their] personal safety and the safety of the public.” Paul Boucher, head of the union, claimed CN and CPKC are “willing to compromise rail safety and tear families apart to earn an extra buck.” 

In a statement to The Peak, CN said, they “would have preferred a negotiated settlement.” They added, “After nine months of attempting to reach a settlement, it was evident that the Teamsters were not looking for a resolution and were happy to keep applying pressure by inflicting damage to the Canadian economy, which started in April as traffic began diverting away from Canadian ports.” 

17 hours after the lockout, CN and CPKC called for Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon to enforce binding arbitration, taking away the union’s opportunity to bargain and risking an uneven settlement. Binding arbitration means the dispute was given over to the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) for a third party to find a solution, forcing the workers to resume work until new contracts could be created. This prevented the union from enacting its constitutional right to strike. In their statement, CN noted, “We continue to prepare to participate in the binding arbitration process. While that process is ongoing, we are focusing on our recovery plan and powering the economy.”

Apart from cargo, nearly 32,000 Canadians who rely on railway transportation for work were either forced to reroute their commute, work from home, or not go to work due to the stoppage. Railway lines owned by CPKC in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver were frozen, including Metrolinx’s Milton line, TransLink’s West Coast Express, and Exo’s Candiac, Saint-Jerome, and Vaudreuil/Hudson lines. On August 24, CPKC released a statement noting they will “restart rail operations” and are “executing its restart plan for the safe and orderly resumption of rail service across Canada.”

In a speech on August 28, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that the lockout from CN and CPKC was “unhelpful” and the decision to call for binding arbitration was made “reluctantly.” Teamsters condemned the government, with Boucher noting that it “signals to Corporate Canada that large companies need only stop their operations for a few hours, inflict short-term economic pain, and the federal government will step in to break a union.”

Visualizing Rising Grocery Prices

By
Peak Web
-
0

Horoscopes July 30 – August 4

By
Peak Web
-
0
An illustration of a girl, stars and astrological signs strewn in her hair.
ILLUSTRATION: Marissa Ouyang / The Peak

By: Cam Darting, Peak Associate

Aries
March 21–April 19 

I can smell the confidence oozing out of you as you read this. Aries my friend, you better work. It’s almost August and I know you have been doing jack shit this summer. Put the sluttiest thing you have on and PARTYYY. Whether it’s going to the beach wearing almost nothing, or dancing on a yacht, you need to get yourself out there. Show the world that beautiful face God gave you. #bratsummer

Taurus
April 20–May 20

It’s time you took the reins of your life back. How are you letting everyone walk over you?!?! Are you not ashamed of being a doormat? Being a Taurus is not an excuse for having no self-respect. Get up, and say no for once. Your people-pleasing days are over. It’s time you realized how much of a bhaddie you really are.

Gemini
May 21–June 20

How do I say this nicely, turn it down. Turn it all down. Sometimes you are too much. Not too much like there’s no such thing as too much cheese, but too much as in omg there is too much spice in my food; somewhat wanted, but not to this caliber. But hey, it’s better than being nothing at all so I guess a win is a win?

Cancer
June 21–July 22

If you yell at one more person this week, you’re gonna need to get treated for anger management. Why don’t you let Anger stop steering the wheel and let Joy take over for once huh? I bet as you read this you’re probably getting angry…If it makes you less mad, you have a beautiful soul <3 (just not when you’re yelling 24/7😇)

Leo
July 23–August 22

You’re a star baby. Keep doing you because your energy is amazing. Kinda annoying sometimes and you always wanna show off, but besides that, a star! People are just jealous of you since you’re so perfect but like valid no?

Virgo
August 23–September 22

Knock knock. Who’s there? Nobody because everyone is tired of hearing you complain. I get it, you are expressive and that’s great! But sometimes it’s a bit much, even for you Virgo. In the wise words of Rihanna, Shut up and drive. Actually in this case, just shut up pls and ty <3 (shoutout my Virgo sisters tho love y’all)

Libra
September 23–October 22

Hey Gorgina, the bhaddest of all the signs. Babes I’m gonna need you to step out of that house of yours for once okay? It’s hot girl summer and the rose toy is getting old. You need some real **** in your life. Or kitty cat if you’re into that.

Scorpio
October 23–November 21

I thought I was weird till I met you Scorpio. You’re actually weirder than me. You’re so weird Robbie Shapiro looks at you and says “wow, Scorpios are so weird”. And you know what, that is okay. It is time to embarrass this trait Scorpio because in 2024, we don’t give a f***.

Sagittarius
November 22–December 21

It’s time to wake up babe. Sagittarius, you are the most loyal person I know. You’re more loyal than Beyoncé when Jay Z cheated on her and she still stayed. Is this a good thing? IDK. I sense that there are people who wronged you multiple times yet you continue to be their friends. You and Beyoncé both are too good for this! Cut the fake bitches off and THRIVE.

Capricorn
December 22–January 19

Silence . . . radio silence since I have nothing to say. The elite star sign, keep doing you mama. You are the reason why happiness exists in this world. The day you stop existing is the day mankind is doomed.

Aquarius
January 20–February 18 

My favourite nerd. Sometimes you are too smart for your own good. It’s okay to look dumb. Sometimes it’ll even get you further than being smart. I bet you’re doing research on this rn to see if what I’m saying is true. Sometimes, just trust me okay?

Pisces
February 19–March 20

Everyone wants to either be you or in you. You ms thang, are the ideal. You are the mold. You are the basis of everyone’s desires. You are the Beyonce of all the signs. Pipe it down. Leave some for the rest of us okay? 

The Book Nook: A collection of queer literature to buy at Cross & Crows

By
Peak Web
-
0
A collage of each book cover. From left to right: it was never going to be okay has an orange cover decorated with pink and dark-green outlines of flowers. Coexistence has two arms joined together against a white-ish blue background. This Arab is Queer has the title centered and surrounded in a floral-like pattern with the colours of the rainbow. Our Work Is Everywhere shows two drawn individuals yelling into megaphones that emit smog.
ILLUSTRATIONS: Courtesy of Angela Yee, Steven Beckly, Saqi Books, and Syan Rose (left to right)

By: Izzy Cheung, Arts & Culture Editor

Nestled in a quaint corner south of Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain station is Cross & Crows Books. This cozy haven is “the friendliest, queerest bookstore in East Van,” and features a variety of queer literature for all to explore. On Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., they offer mask-mandatory shopping and reduced lighting. Buy their books at their store, or online with shipping or local East Vancouver-based deliveries. Here are some of our suggestions for your next summer read. 

it was never going to be okay

it was never going to be okay has an orange cover decorated with pink and dark-green outlines of flowers.
ILLUSTRATION: Courtesy of Angela Yee

jaye simpson’s moving poetry and prose book navigates her intergenerational trauma as a trans woman. simpson is an Oji-Cree Saulteaux writer and poet, and also goes by her drag queen name, Persephone Estradiol. The book features lush poetry such as “sea glass,” a poem comparing the speaker to sea glass that cascades down the page like drops of water down a windowpane. 

Coexistence 

Coexistence has two arms joined together against a white-ish blue background.
ILLUSTRATION: Courtesy of Steven Beckley

This collection of fiction, published on May 21, highlights “intersecting stories of Indigenous love and loneliness.” It follows a range of Indigenous voices as they explore their own paths towards finding love and seeking comfort within themselves. Written by Billy-Ray Belcourt, a member of the Driftpile Cree Nation and an associate professor at UBC’s School of Creative Writing, Coexistence reminds readers of the message it intends to spread — the beauty of coexistence. 

This Arab is Queer 

ILLUSTRATION: Courtesy of Saqi Books

Featuring stories from writers such as Khalid Abdel-Hadi, Saleem Haddad, and Tania Safi, This Arab is Queer brings together the stories of 18 queer Arab writers. These retellings of personal accounts bring to light experiences that uplift their intersecting identities as well as remind readers of the personal challenges faced by them. Follow along as these writers describe memories such as “touring overseas as a drag queen to a concert in Cairo where the rainbow flag was raised to a crowd of thousands.” 

Our Work Is Everywhere 

Our Work Is Everywhere shows two drawn individuals yelling into megaphones that emit smog.
ILLUSTRATION: Courtesy of Syan Rose

Comic artist Syan Rose and writer Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha combined their artistry to create Our Work Is Everywhere, a graphic novel amplifying the history behind queer and trans resistance. Elements of “Black femme mental health, Pacific Islander authorship, fat queer performance art, disability and health care practice, sex worker activism, and much more” find themselves imbued within the narratives. The pages are beautifully oriented with chunks of text circling around richly patterned drawings of individuals like Ceyenne Doroshow and Geleni Fontaine. 

All books can be purchased at crossandcrows.com

In Case You Missed It: Happy Together captures a vast picture of loneliness

By
Peak Web
-
0
A grainy shot of two people walking down a street at night holding hands. The street is lit up by soft lights and decorated with cars.
PHOTO: Courtesy of Christopher Doyle Bye

By: Zobia Khalid

With its mesmerizing cinematography, Happy Together (1997) artfully emphasizes societal issues that 2SLGBTQIA+ people still deal with today. It unravels the feelings of loneliness, desperation, and identity through its underlying theme of searching for a place to belong. The film follows a gay couple from Hong Kong, Lai Yiu-Fai (Tony Leung) and Ho Po-Wing (Leslie Cheung), as they travel to Argentina. Lai works diligently as a doorman, while Ho lives carefreely and takes  multiple romantic partners.Their relationship shows the emotional and mental aspect of loneliness despite being physically together. 

The film captures Lai’s complex burdens — the struggle of making a living, coming home to nothing, and grappling with feelings of intense loneliness. Through intimate shots of their lives, such as Fai taking care of Po-Wing when he’s injured, a light shines on the couple’s struggles. The film questions whether having the presence of someone else who understands the other is the only reason why they are together. This dependence on one-another is also shown in their breakup, when Ho is crying in Lai’s apartment. Instead of the camera zooming in on his facial expressions, the scene is shot from far away, emphasizing the fact he is alone. The physical absence of someone else being there is all that we can see. 

Happy Together also explores the intersection of being an immigrant and 2SLGBTQIA+ couple in a foreign area. Most shots in Argentina are taken from far away and watch the protagonists from above, focused on their relation to the environment more than the people themselves. 

Happy Together reminds us that finding a safe place to express oneself is an ongoing struggle to many people today. Despite current progressions towards 2SLGBTQIA+ people,  there are still individuals who can be protecting parts of themselves to fit in — like Fai at his job. The desperation of holding onto a toxic relationship for the sake of having someone to quench the loneliness is a complicated and emotional struggle, masterfully portrayed in the film.

1...868788...1,417Page 87 of 1,417

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us: [email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us:
[email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024