colonialism

A photo of English Ivy. The leaves are forked three ways, and abundant. White veins highlight the pale, heavvy green of the leaves.
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Environmental imperialism: invasive species

Opinions February 11, 2022

By Luke Faulks, Staff Writer While BC has made some important steps on Indigenous reconciliation, the process has been slow. BC’s apparent reticence to pursue reconciliation becomes more galling once one realizes there’s a piece missing from the conversation: environmental imperialism. Environmental imperialism can roughly be defined as the process of altering a native landscape to suit a colonial project. Alongside land usage in agriculture and energy sourcing, invasive species are a way colonies solidify their presence on foreign land. Historian Alfred Crosby argues much of the influence of colonizers was due to their ability to alter native ecosystems. This…

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The Canadian flag waves in front of a clear blue sky. The top of a Canadian Parliament building spears the sky in the background.
3 min 0 3295

The “nice Canadian” stereotype distracts from our colonial shame

Peak Web January 18, 2022

By: Kitty Cheung, Assistant Production Editor Content warning: mentions of Indigenous genocide  I say this as a Canadian — one with maple syrup flowing through my veins and icicles hanging off my Timbit-loving ass — we are morally vile. The “nice…

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4 min 0 1578

Food for Thought: Coffee’s complicated history

Arts July 10, 2021

By: Nancy La, Staff Writer It is a universally acknowledged truth that many students wishing to perform their best require caffeine’s help. Coffee is one of the most popular caffeinated beverages, yet it is a product that leads to dangerous…

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7 min 1 2125

Cecelia Reekie discusses mourning in the Indigenous community after discovery at Kamloops

News June 16, 2021

Written by: Karissa Ketter, News Writer Content warning: descriptions of residential school abuse, anti-Indigenous racism, and genocide  The remains of 215 Indigenous children were found near a residential school in Kamloops on May 27, 2021. Their identities are not yet known.…

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Land acknowledgements should reflect actionable commitment by settlers

Opinions November 9, 2020

by Serena Bains, Staff Writer Land acknowledgements have become more commonly recited in recent years, with many meetings, classes, and emails including whose unceded lands we are currently situated on. In most cases, however, land acknowledgements only serve as a…

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4 min 0 3128

Trickster is a darkly compelling watch with plenty of rich storytelling and Indigenous folklore

Arts October 14, 2020

By: Meera Eragoda, Arts & Culture Editor All those headlines you’ve been seeing about Trickster being the must watch show of the fall? They’re not wrong. Trickster just aired the first of its six-episode season on Wednesday, October 7 and…

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New Westminster plant talk digs into historical roots of local humans and plants

Arts September 6, 2020

By: Emma Jean, Staff Writer In my current home on W̱SÁNEĆ (Saanich) land on Vancouver Island, I’m surrounded by trees, flowers, and trails as far as the eye can see, but I’ve hardly paid any attention to the deeper history…

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4 min 2 2378

Anti-Indigenous racism in healthcare should have been addressed years ago

Opinions July 5, 2020

By: Nicole Magas, Opinions Editor There are a lot of conversations going on right now about the issue of over-policing and ongoing police brutality in Canada — particularly against Black and Indigenous folks. While this issue is important and absolutely needs…

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Museums need to be updated to reflect integrated rather than segmented histories

Opinions July 15, 2019

By: Kelly Chia, Staff Writer Museums are crucial cultural depictions of history. To represent history responsibly, they should be updated to reflect a more inclusive history. Recently, Victoria’s Royal B.C. Museum has planned to modernize its building to address structural…

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The Canada 150 and colonial legacies: views from the university

EIC February 10, 2017

As Canada prepares to celebrate its sesquicentennial year, it seems that the fervor of national pride has also reached the university. Simon Fraser University has put forth a number of specially curated courses and invited the community to experience Canada…

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