Author: Candice Pye

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Concordia English professors accused of sexual misconduct

Photo by Alex Hutchins

Former Concordia student publishes essay denouncing department’s “toxic” climate

Mike Spry, a graduate of Concordia’s creative writing program, published a lengthy essay on Jan. 8 criticizing the university’s English department for fostering a toxic, misogynistic climate.

The essay, titled “No Names, Only Monsters: Toxic Masculinity, Concordia and CanLit,” was published as the sole post on a blog called CanLit Accountable. The author detailed specific allegations of sexual misconduct and corroborates a 2014 essay by writer and Concordia alumna Emma Healey.

In the essay, Spry criticized the Canadian literary industry as a whole, describing it as “a community of misogyny, toxic masculinity and privilege” that perpetuates “cronyism, bullying, abuse, sexual harassment and sexual assault.” He also described specific examples of students being subjected to misogyny and sexual misconduct at the hands of professors within Concordia’s creative writing program.

Spry claimed that, as a student, he witnessed “the normalization of sexualization of students by professors” and that romantic or sexual relationships between students and professors were not “unusual or even prohibited” at Concordia. Although his essay did not name any staff members, Spry alleged that a Concordia professor and “internationally celebrated writer” rented a hotel room during a Montreal literary festival in order to “entertain young writers.”

Spry also described another male Concordia professor who he claimed manipulated students by buying drinks for them “using the pretext of wanting to discuss their craft.” He claimed this professor would promise students mentorship and publishing opportunities if they accepted his advances, and he would “denigrate them and their writing” if they rejected him.

Many of Spry’s accusations support Toronto writer Emma Healey’s October 2014 essay, “Stories Like Passwords,” which was published on The Hairpin, a general-interest website aimed at women. In her essay, Healey alleged she was in a toxic, unhealthy relationship with one of her creative writing professors during her first year as a Concordia student. Healey wrote she was 19 when the relationship began, while the professor was 34. According to Healey, “while the relationship was consensual, much of what happened within its borders was not.”

She claimed many sexual encounters with the professor occurred while she was “blackout drunk.” Healey also described a violent encounter with the man after they had broken up. In his essay, Spry admitted he was a friend of the professor, was aware of the man’s relationship with Healey—as well as with other students—and initially supported him after Healey’s essay was published. According to Spry, this professor is still employed at Concordia.

In addition to being published on a digital platform, Healey’s essay was discussed in a Globe and Mail article four years ago. On Jan. 8, Concordia president Alan Shepard released an official statement in which he claimed he only became aware of the allegations that afternoon. In the statement, Shepard said “the allegations are serious, and will be taken seriously,” but admitted the university’s response to the issue of sexual misconduct is a “work in progress.” The statement did not name any individual staff members or list any specific disciplinary measures or policy changes the university is planning to implement.

The university has yet to release a public statement or implement disciplinary measures in response to Healey’s allegations or similar claims made by other women.

Concordia’s Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA) released a statement on Jan. 9 calling on the university to “fully investigate all allegations and put [the] students’ safety first.” The statement also encouraged students to reach out to the Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC) and the Office of Rights and Responsibilities “if they have ever experienced or witnessed cases of sexual assault and/or harassment.”

Photo by Alex Hutchins

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A pre-med club for aspiring doctors

Concordia students at a seminar hosted by MedSpecs. Photo Courtesy of MedSpecs’ Website/Facebook

MedSpecs Concordia informs and supports students pursuing a career in medicine

Although Concordia offers a variety of science majors in fields of study like biology, chemistry, physics and engineering, the university does not offer a pre-medical program. For students not currently attending preparatory years of study for medical school at universities like McGill or the Université de Montréal, the field of medicine can be hard to navigate.

Founded in 2014, MedSpecs Concordia is the university’s first and only pre-medical club. The group is dedicated to informing and supporting undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career in medicine. They help students find out more about the different careers related to medicine and ensure students take the steps necessary to achieve their goals.

“We are a club that is dedicated to helping students who are interested in pursuing a career in medicine,” said Joanne May Ramil, the co-president of MedSpecs Concordia. “Concordia doesn’t have many resources for students interested in medicine, so our group has tried to fill that gap.” The MedSpecs Concordia team offers workshops and seminars to students, focusing on information relevant to the medical school application process, such as MMIs (multiple mini interviews) and the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test).

MedSpecs Concordia also hosts lectures at the beginning of every school year, which feature students and other guests from medical and dentistry schools who discuss their experience in medicine and the application process. Last year, the group held their first networking event, bringing together Concordia students and different health professionals, such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists and physiotherapists.

Joanne May Ramil, the co-president of MedSpecs Concordia.

“It was a huge success, and we plan on organizing another one in March,” Ramil said.

MedSpecs Concordia is partnered with the ICU Bridge Program, a volunteer program that allows university students to shadow healthcare professionals in intensive care units. This year, MedSpecs Concordia is also partnered with Next Step, an MCAT preparation company, which offers courses and practice exams to help students study for the MCAT.

Sara Hojabri, a Montrealer studying medicine abroad at University College Cork, said her experience with the medical school application process was long and tiring.

“I applied to medical school three years in a row, and I can’t even tell you how many schools I applied to,” Hojabri said. “It’s also a hassle getting loads of [recommendation] letters and writing a different personal statement for each school as they all have different requirements. At some stages, it was like a full-time job.”

Hojabri said that to prepare for her applications, she read through pre-medical forums like Student Doctor Network and a pre-med subreddit. She also spoke to people studying medicine and those who had already been through the application process.

“In my case, it was a very discouraging process, receiving tons of rejection letters every year,” Hojabri said. “That’s just sort of the way it is for a lot of people, though, and the forums do help with that because it helps you see you’re not alone.”

Throughout her undergraduate degree at McGill, Hojabri occasionally used the services provided by the Science Undergraduate Society of McGill University (SUS). Similar to MedSpecs Concordia, the SUS offers assistance with the medical school application process. While she found the group to be fairly competitive, Hojabri said it was more or less useful.

“[They] do raffle off MCAT classes, and I actually got one of them. It was super helpful because it ended up being half price,” she said.

Ramil said Concordia students should look forward to upcoming MedSpecs Concordia events.

“This year, we have a lot of fun things planned,” she said. Earlier this month, MedSpecs Concordia and the Concordia Pre-Dental Student Society hosted an event called “So You Want to Become a Doctor?” that featured lectures from two medical school students and one dentistry student who shared tips and tricks about making it in their respective fields. According to Ramil, they also discussed extracurriculars, volunteering and research.

On Nov. 23, MedSpecs Concordia is offering a free first aid workshop in collaboration with First Aid Montreal. The event will take place at 6 p.m. in room CC-308 at the Loyola campus and will give a general overview of basic first aid training, covering issues like wound care as well as bone and joint injuries.

In partnership with Next Step, MedSpecs Concordia will be raffling off an MCAT preparatory bundle, which will include a preparation course and a set of practice exams. Tickets for the raffle will be sold cash-only during the first-aid workshop for $2 per entry, $5 for 10 entries and $10 for 20 entries.

Next semester, Ramil said MedSpecs Concordia will be hosting an MMI workshop, where students will be able to participate in a variety of interview simulations.

“We are also planning on having a mock MCAT day in partnership with Next Step, where we will simulate the whole testing procedure,” Ramil said. “We have also been in contact with Friends of MSF at McGill, and we might co-host a suturing workshop in the winter semester, however nothing has been set yet.”

For more information about their upcoming events, check out MedSpecs Concordia’s  Facebook page or medspecs.concordia.ca.

Photos Courtesy of MedSpecs’ Website/Facebook

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In the run for the ASFA presidency

Former ASFA president Jonathan Roy. Photo by Alex Hutchins

Candidate advocates for sustainability, LGBTQ+ representation and mental health resources

Following interim ASFA president Julia Sutera Sardo’s announcement that she will not be running for re-election, Concordia student Jonathan Roy has stepped into the spotlight.

As VP internal and councillor of the Concordia Classics Student Association (CCSA), VP of finance of NDP Concordia and member of the Concordia Senate, Roy is heavily involved in student politics at Concordia. On Monday, Nov. 13, he announced his candidacy for the ASFA presidency.

His posters, plastered on the university’s walls, feature his campaign slogan: “Empowered together.”

“You can’t just leave the decisions of an organization to a single individual. They need to be worked through by a collective,” Roy said. “I’m doing this because I want to support the rest of the executives. I want to support all of our associations. I want to support our students. This isn’t about me.”

This sentiment is echoed in his platform of empowering the member associations (MAs) and ASFA executives to fulfill their mandates. Roy has proposed moving away from the traditional, hierarchical order of the executive.

“Yes, I’m running for the presidency but, in my mind, the spirit of that office is that of a general coordinator,” Roy said.

Roy’s other campaign promises include making ASFA more sustainable, increasing LGBTQ+ representation in student governments and a complete collaboration with Concordia’s mental health services.

In terms of environmental sustainability, Roy plans to put a compost bin in every MA lounge, if elected, and plans to continue his work with Waste Not Want Not, Concordia’s composting campaign.

As a gay man, Roy said he is all too familiar with the lack of LGBTQ+ representation in politics—especially in Concordia’s student associations. He said he plans to take concrete steps toward solving this issue.

“I want to propose setting a specific spot on ASFA’s advocacy committee aside for a representative of Queer Concordia to be a voice on behalf of our community,” Roy said. ASFA’s sustainability committee already holds a designated spot for a representative from Sustainable Concordia, which has been an extremely positive experience, according to Roy.

As for working with Concordia’s mental health services, Roy said this collaboration is deeply important to him. After suffering from severe depression and attempting suicide five years ago, he said helping people through mental illness is especially important to him.

“I was at the lowest point in my life,” Roy said. “I’m always candid about my mental health issues because it’s important to talk about it. That’s how we end the stigma around it.”

Having used the services himself, Roy said he hopes to further relations with the Concordia chapter of jack.org—a national mental health network—and ensure Concordia’s psychological services are better advertised, if elected. Roy plans to push for more open dialogue about mental health within the university so students and their academics suffer less.

“People don’t deserve to feel the way that I’ve felt, and I want to try to help them,” Roy said.

ASFA presidential candidate Jad Abi Semaan. Photo courtesy of Jad Abi Semaan

While Roy said he feels confident in his ability to win the election, he is not running unopposed. Jad-Faraj Abi Semaan told The Concordian he is also in the running for the position. Semaan is a political science student at Concordia. He said that, if elected, he plans to strengthen the relationship between ASFA and the MAs by improving communication and establishing a plan of action which will allow MAs to reach their full potential.

“In a world polarized more than ever, […] we need platforms that bring people together,” Semaan said. “I will make it a personal priority to give an equal voice to students from all backgrounds, religious affiliations and ethnicities, such as the LGBTQ+ community, Muslim students and students with disabilities.” Semaan also said he wants to ensure the ASFA community is loving, accepting and respectful.

According to Roy, Semaan has had no previous involvement with ASFA, apart from acting as a polling clerk for the association last year. However, Semaan told The Concordian he would “be more than happy to have a constructive conversation with [Roy] at any point during this campaign and put to bed all his concerns about [his] legitimacy.”

Overall, Roy said his priority throughout the campaign and, if elected, his presidency, will be to empower the student body as a whole.

“The way I see governance, especially student governance, is not about catering to the needs of one person. It’s about coming together to work to help everyone,” Roy said. “That’s something that I’m a huge proponent of and something that would be reflected in the work I would do as president.”

Feature photo by Alex Hutchins

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Collabra-dabra-tory encourages musical spirit

Sara Shields-Rivard is a Concordia music student, a singer and a Collabra-dabra-tory executive. Photo by Alex Hutchins

Concordia’s musical improvisation club connects, unites and empowers students

“I get out of every session with so much energy and a clear mind. It feels very similar to meditation in that way,” said Concordia music student Sara Shields-Rivard. She achieves this mental clarity through a type of musical therapy—one she strives to share with the Concordia community.

Shields-Rivard is an executive of Collabra-dabra-tory, a club at Concordia that practices musical improvisation. Students from a variety of backgrounds are welcomed to sessions every two weeks to contribute to a musical creation using their voices, instruments provided or instruments of their own.

The sessions are often led by Dr. Irene Feher, a professor who teaches voice at Concordia. Feher helps guide the direction of the improvisation by controlling the flow and allowing people to solo, play all together or pass melodies between participants. Feher and Shields-Rivard came up with the idea for a musical improvisation club together during one of their voice lessons.

“I mentioned something about how the Concordia music department didn’t have enough extra-curricular stuff going on for students. I felt that most people went to class and went home,” Shields-Rivard said. “I also felt that I was becoming too focused on the academics of music rather than the fun parts of it.”

Feher spoke to Shields-Rivard about Music For People, an organization she is a member of, created by Grammy award-winning cellist David Darling, that experiments with musical improvisation. They decided it would be the perfect idea to base a student club off of.

Another one of Feher’s voice students, Olivia Charlebois-Brandvold, is now Shields-Rivard’s co-executive at Collabra-dabra-tory.

“I was feeling a bit down because it was my first year in the music program and I felt like everyone already kind of knew each other, and I hadn’t really made any friends or connections yet,” Charlebois-Brandvold said. She was looking for a way to get more involved at school when she found herself in line at the People’s Potato behind Shields-Rivard, Feher and former club executive Meghan Riley.

Collabra-dabra-tory executive Olivia Charlebois-Brandvold studies classical voice at Concordia. Photo by Alex Hutchins

“Meghan just turned around and said, ‘Hey, we’re in a lot of the same classes together, would you want to run this new club with us?’ And I was like, ‘Hell yeah!’ It was definitely one of those right place, right time moments,” Charlebois-Brandvold said.

A year and a half has passed since Collabra-dabra-tory came to be and it has since developed into much more than the co-executives ever imagined. Shields-Rivard said they started off with an average of 15 people attending each session, but since the beginning of the fall semester this year, they have doubled that number at almost every meeting.

At their bi-weekly sessions, they experiment with new ideas and methods of improvisation. Feher and the executives try to facilitate activities that are accessible to both beginner and advanced musicians and singers.

“Last [session], for example, each group picked a nursery rhyme that they were very familiar with. Each group started off by singing or playing the lullaby as they knew it, but, by the time their time was up, the song had morphed into a whole new song that sounded very different from the original,” Charlebois-Brandvold said. “It was really cool.”

Shields-Rivard said they often practice with the “ABA” structure; starting off with an idea, bringing it to a completely new place and taking back to the original idea again.

“This kind of activity is free and basic enough that it makes it accessible to all levels of musicianship,” Shields-Rivard said. “You can make your improvisation simple or very complex.”

According to the executives, Collabra-dabra-tory is the perfect place for people who are hesitant to try improvisation-based activities. Charlebois-Brandvold said she has a love-hate relationship with it herself.

“Even though it is a musical improv club, every fibre of my being recoils against improvisation. It’s really hard for me to be vulnerable in that way and not care what people think,” she said. “Because of that, the sessions have become very therapeutic for me. I really feel that, with every meeting, I am taking down another brick from this wall that we put up for ourselves.”

Collabra-dabra-tory provides a space to make mistakes—in fact, nothing is considered a mistake during their musical improvisation sessions.

“One of our club mantras is, ‘there are no wrong notes!’ That way there’s no pressure to ‘sound good.’ The focus [is instead] on feeling and intuition. We are often surprised at the beauty and freedom of atonality,” Shields-Rivard said.

For students who love music (whether they play an instrument or not) and are looking to get out of their comfort zone in a safe space that is free of judgement, the executives of Collabra-dabra-tory wait with open arms.

“Musical improv is so therapeutic,” Shields-Rivard said. “The musicians that come are really amazing—not just at their craft but as people. You really get to see everyone’s true colours in that room because of how safe we feel together, but also because of how vulnerable the music makes us. We feel connected, united, empowered.”

Collabra-dabra-tory sessions are held every two weeks on Monday nights from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Their next meeting will be on Nov. 20. For more information, visit their Facebook page or e-mail them at collabra.dabra.tory@gmail.com.

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Magic: Is it just a bunch of hocus pocus?

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth

Concordia witches explain their faith, Halloween and the supernatural

Geena Papini is just like any other Concordia student. As a communication studies major, she goes to school, does her homework and hangs out with friends. You may have walked past her many times, but there’s one detail you would not be able to gauge by simply looking at her—she is a witch.

“I do practice magic,” Papini said. “Many people think of Harry Potter when they hear ‘magic’ and, while it would be so cool if I could turn a teacup into a mouse, that’s not the kind of magic witches are referring to when they talk about their practice.”

Witchcraft means different things to different people. It can be either a spiritual expression from a variety of religions, or a secular practice performed without religion. According to Papini, it is a customizable craft.

“Witchcraft, to me, is a way to be in touch with the universe, the earth and myself. It is something I came to out of curiosity and out of a desire for spirituality that wasn’t rooted in a specific, rigid religious practice,” Papini said. “For some people, it is a structured thing, following rituals and ceremonies that are passed down from one practitioner to another.”

Witchcraft, when practiced as a part of paganism, is often referred to as Wicca.

“I don’t consider myself Wiccan,” Papini said. “I think there is a misconception that to be a witch, you must be Wiccan. This isn’t true. There are many secular witches who do not incorporate the religion into their practice. There are [also] many pagans who do not consider themselves witches.”

Photo by Alex Hutchins

According to wicca.com, Wicca is a nature religion that acknowledges the cycles of nature, the lunar phases and the seasons. For many Wiccans, witchcraft is a spiritual system. While witches do hold rituals and brew potions, their craft mostly involves healing and natural remedies. For them, witchcraft is not a cult—they do not worship Satan, consort with demons, sacrifice animals or people, or use their craft to ‘hex’ or cast spells on others.

“None of us have sold our souls to Satan,” Papini said. “I promise.”

Another Concordia student who identifies as a witch is Raken Howell-Slater. Howell-Slater is Wiccan. She specifically identifies as a hearth witch, which, according to her, means most of her magic is intended to make people feel comfortable and happy in her home.

“I work with internal energies and call on elements [as well as] my Gods and Goddess for help when I need them,” Howell-Slater said. “I deal with mental illness, and I find my faith extremely helpful in combatting it.”

Howell-Slater said she had her first spiritual experience when she was 12 years old.

“I was walking in the woods when I went into a trance state and felt an extreme sense of peace, power, connection and emotion,” Howell-Slater said. “My first taste of something transcendental.”

She began to look into paganism when she was 18. When she first began studying at Concordia, she became involved with the Concordia University Pagan Society (CUPS) to meet other pagans.

“It’s really nice to hang out with a group of people who you don’t have to explain terminology or justify your beliefs to,” Howell-Slater said. “I think it’s still finding its feet, but the group definitely has a lot of potential and is a great place for curious people to get resources or answers.”

According to CUPS’s vice-president Bree Stuart, approximately half of their members are Wiccan and many of them practice witchcraft or magic on their own time. She said most of the witchcraft practiced by pagans revolves around lighting candles, burning herbs or laying out offerings. As for Stuart herself, she said she has always felt a pull towards the supernatural.

“There are few events and places in Montreal where pagans can practice their spirituality and faith, therefore we try to accommodate the broad spectrum of Pagan faiths to make sure that everyone feels welcome,” Stuart said. “As for the Concordia community, I feel our mysticism brings about a different worldview as well as open-mindedness in general.”

On Oct. 27, CUPS hosted an event at Concordia’s Multi-Faith Spirituality Centre to celebrate Samhain (pronounced sah-win or sow-in), the Pagan festival honouring the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter.

“We celebrate the eight Sabbats in the wheel of the year. They’re open to the public, so anyone can pique their curiosity and come celebrate,” Stuart said.

It is widely believed, especially in paganism, that many Halloween traditions are rooted in the Samhain festival.

Photo by Alex Hutchins

“Samhain is actually the origin of Halloween,” Howell-Slater said. “It is the Wiccan New Year and one of the two most spiritual nights of the year, when supposedly the veil between this world and the next is the thinnest. I celebrate Samhain by having my friends over and doing a private ceremony in remembrance of my dead.”

Halloween is Papini’s favourite time of year. She encourages people to celebrate and dress up as witches, but warns them to be mindful when donning a witch costume.

“Many negative depictions of witches actually come from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period, back when witches were thought of as people who had sold their souls to the devil in exchange for power, and are also rooted in anti-semitic prejudices,” Papini said. “The idea of a witch as someone with a hooked nose and green skin […] is something you should be mindful and aware of.”

Stuart agreed, and said she believes there is “no problem in donning a pointy hat and a broom.”

“That’s what I’m going to do,” she said.

To skeptics of her faith and practices, Howell-Slater has one message: “My beliefs and my gods are exactly as valid as any other god or set of beliefs you care to name. Mine just happen to be the ones that work for me.”

For more information about CUPS and their upcoming workshops on divination, herbs and the supernatural, visit their Facebook page.

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth

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New CJLO collective is a platform for marginalized voices

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

Feminist radio group to provide a space for women working in the media

The first time Safia Ahmad felt discriminated against in the workplace was through an e-mail chain. Early in her career, she had pitched a sports story to an editor and was told that she could run the story as long as she didn’t “fangirl” over it.

Ahmad is the current media relations manager for Les Canadiennes de Montreal, the city’s professional women’s hockey team. She is also a freelance journalist, a Concordia alumna with a graduate diploma in journalism and a former reporting intern for the Montreal Gazette. In the one sentence shot back at her by a male sports editor, all of her qualifications were seemingly outweighed by one detail—she happened to be a woman.

For many female journalists like Ahmad, sexual harassment, discrimination and condescension have always been consistent and frustrating obstacles in the workplace.

“Whether you’re a woman working in sports, politics, business or all of the above, you will unfortunately face some form of discrimination by virtue of your gender,” Ahmad said. “There’s not a month—or week, quite frankly—that goes by without someone questioning a woman’s intelligence or credibility.”

Ahmad said she has seen this often throughout her work in sports journalism. She said when men make mistakes in their work, they are often simply dismissed as errors. When a woman makes a mistake, however, her entire intellectual capacity is brought into question.

“A woman has to work twice as hard as a man to prove herself and it’s unacceptable,” Ahmad said. “This is a double-standard that women continue to face every day.”

Ahmad is not alone in her beliefs or experiences. Allison O’Reilly and Mackenzie Smedmor of CJLO have experienced similar hardships due to their gender identity while working in the media. This inspired them to team up and create the new CJLO Women’s+ Collective.

According to their Facebook page, the collective was developed to encourage the involvement of self-identifying women and other gender minorities in community radio. Whether they participate as programmers, hosts, producers or artists, members strive to shed light on women’s issues and diversify the voices heard on air.

“Allison and I started the CJLO Women’s+ Collective because we aren’t satisfied with [the current gender representation at the station], as male hosts outnumber women on the programme grid,” Smedmor said. “We were also upset to learn about a lack of feminist student groups at Concordia, so we created one.”

O’Reilly is currently the program director at CJLO. She said that when she first got the job, she learned that only 20 per cent of the DJs at the station were women. O’Reilly said she knew something had to be done to make the numbers more proportional.

“I honestly believe that, since women are a minority in media jobs, especially technical jobs such as audio engineering and recording, they are treated negatively,” O’Reilly said. “They are seen as not being able to perform as effectively as the men in the industry, therefore making it a hostile industry for women to break into.”

O’Reilly said she has experienced this hostility herself throughout her career in radio.

“I’ve had people come to my board and try to tell me how to work it. I’ve had people try to take over while I’m setting up equipment and tell me what I’m doing wrong. I’ve had people not believe me when I tell them my profession. They are almost always men,” she said.

The CJLO Women’s+ Collective will play a large part in combatting these injustices, according to Smedmor.

“It’s very important to Allison and me to create an environment where women and non-binary folks can learn and express themselves and unapologetically fill airtime,” Smedmor said. “It’s not enough to bring media-trained women into the community—they need to feel confident that their contributions are valuable and important.”

Among other things, Smedmor and O’Reilly said the collective mainly aims to benefit the community by bringing forward feminist issues and focusing on women and non-binary artists who are usually marginalized by mainstream media. They plan to do so by hosting two shows—Yonic Youth and Femme AM—that rotate every Thursday at 2 p.m., and developing future projects that will be announced soon.

To young women entering the workforce in fields like journalism and communications, Ahmad says it’s important to stand up for what you believe in.

“There will be times when people will criticize you or make comments that target your gender. I would encourage you to speak up,” Ahmad said. “Women have been socialized to internalize and keep quiet. I think it’s time we break that cycle because we deserve as much respect as our male counterparts.”

Students interested in the CJLO Women’s+ Collective can contact Smedmor and O’Reilly by e-mail at womenscollective@cjlo.com or like them on Facebook.

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

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A variety of options for veggie-loving students

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

Concordia Animal Rights Association advocates for a vegan lifestyle

For the average university student, finding the time to eat—let alone eat healthy—during a busy school day can be challenging. For a student eating a plant-based diet, it can be downright impossible.

Lucky for veggie-lovers, Concordia University is one of the best places in the city to study as a vegan, according to the Association Végétarienne de Montréal (AVM). In 2010, the Concordia Student Union (CSU) passed a motion requiring the university to ensure all activities on campus offer vegan options. According to the AVM, the initiative was brought forward by Concordia alumnus Lucas Solowey when he was a member of the Concordia Animal Rights Association (CARA).

According to Caitlin Yardley, CARA’s current volunteer coordinator, CARA members are still “huge promoters of the vegan lifestyle.” As the university’s official animal rights club, CARA’s mission is to work towards the protection of all animals through awareness, activism and encouraging compassion towards all living beings. “[Veganism] can be a very positive lifestyle change,” Yardley said.

While she has practiced a vegan lifestyle for six years, Yardley has been a vegetarian since she was eight years old.

“I originally became a vegetarian purely out of no longer enjoying meat,” Yardley said. “As I researched more about the harm caused to animals […] and the health implications animal products can have [on humans], I eventually became vegan and have never wanted to go back.”

When she began her studies at Concordia, Yardley became involved with CARA to bring awareness to animal rights issues and encourage students to get involved with the organization.

“We get to inform Concordia about injustices animals face, which [students] may be unaware of or ignore,” Yardley said.

As a partner of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), CARA definitely cannot be ignored. PETA provides CARA with free media and goods to distribute to students attending their events. The student group also offers a variety of volunteer opportunities, such as working with Guardian’s Best Animal Rescue Foundation, Chatopia (a Montreal-based non-profit cat rescue) and many other animal-oriented organizations.

CARA holds a variety of events each semester. Earlier this month, they hosted their annual Vegan Thanksgiving, where students could enjoy vegan treats while learning more about the food industry.

“The Vegan Thanksgiving was a great success this year,” Yardley said. “People really enjoyed the food we were giving out, which included veggie sausages, mini pumpkin pies, brownies and banana bread. Even those who were skeptical about the faux meats ended up liking them.” Yardley added that many people who were already vegan or vegetarian came to the booth to express gratitude for the event.

“[It] was great to see,” Yardley said. “When I first became vegan, I knew no one else who even expressed interest in taking part in the lifestyle. Within the past few years, there has definitely been a huge shift towards people becoming vegan.”

This shift has become increasingly apparent at Concordia. With the People’s Potato, the Green Beet, the Hive, le Frigo Vert and a number of other conveniently located veggie-friendly food stops, eating a plant-based diet is becoming increasingly accessible on Concordia’s campuses.

Concordia student Sara Shields-Rivard has been a vegetarian for over two years.

“At first, I found it difficult because many of my friends at the time were not vegetarian, so when we went out to eat, we could never agree on a place,” Shields-Rivard said. “However, since then, I’ve discovered the vegetarian gems of Concordia […] These places have made being a vegetarian in university much easier.”

Shields-Rivard said, with the readily available vegetarian options on campus, avoiding animal-products is often the easier, cheaper option. “If you go to the People’s Potato, all you have to bring is a Tupperware and some change for donation.”

As a Concordia student following a mostly plant-based diet, Hannah Gold-Apel said she does not have a problem maintaining her diet at school.

“I find it pretty easy to eat plant-based at school, especially with the free vegan lunches provided at both campuses,” Gold-Apel said. “All in all, I think Montreal is a pretty good city to be a broke, vegetarian student in.”

For students interested in animal rights or a plant-based diet, Yardley said there are a multitude of events to look forward to in the near future. This Wednesday, Oct. 18, CARA will be hosting a coffee break event in the JMSB lobby, where students can sample a variety of dairy-free milks. On Oct. 26, CARA is partnering with Anonymous for the Voiceless to hold an anti-fur event called “Who Are You Wearing?” that will take place in the JMSB lobby from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For Halloween, CARA will be hosting a themed event where they will be giving out cruelty-free makeup.

More information can be found on CARA’s Facebook page or at their office on 2020 Mackay St., P-303.

Graphic by Zeze Le Lin

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A home for sustainability, community and all things green

Photo by Alex Hutchins

Since 1966, the Concordia Greenhouse has offered sanctuary and education to students

On the 13th floor of the Hall building lies a hidden rooftop oasis. The peaceful, plant-filled haven is a place of refuge and stillness in the busy city. It’s a space where the community can gather to study, socialize, sip a cup of tea and connect with nature. This student sanctuary is a strong component of Montreal’s urban agriculture scene and one of the university’s best-kept secrets: the Concordia Greenhouse.

Concordia student Shakti Langlois Ortega said she wishes she visited the greenhouse more often, as “it’s such an amazing environment.”

“When it’s cold outside, it’s a nice way to be with nature,” she added. “I love the plants and the care they give them.”

According to their website, the greenhouse’s mission is “to provide a welcoming, organic green space that fosters community by providing experiential learning opportunities within a year-round growing environment.” The non-profit also prides itself on a green space that encourages organic, sustainable horticulture students can enjoy.

Photo by Alex Hutchins

“Everyone loves a sunny, plant-filled space,” said Sheena Swirlz, the greenhouse’s services coordinator.

The greenhouse is largely supported by a fee levy, the annual collection of $0.24 per undergraduate student per credit. For a typical bachelor’s degree of 90 credits, a student contributes a total of $21.60 to the greenhouse through student fees over course of their studies. While students can choose to opt out, the greenhouse uses these funds to complete more projects, organize more events and make changes where they are needed.

Another major source of funding for the greenhouse is plant sales. While large selling days are held several times per year, the greenhouse continuously offers a variety of products to students and the community, such as sprouting kits, terrariums, houseplants, honey and medicinal herbs.

Originally built in 1966, the greenhouse was always intended to be part of the Hall building’s infrastructure. Since then, it has developed into the go-to campus hub for everything environmentally-friendly. It provides a variety of resources that promote education and research on topics of sustainability, such as food security.

The People’s Potato, a collectively-run soup kitchen at Concordia offering vegan meals to students and community members on a pay-what-you-can basis, has long been partnered with the greenhouse, especially when it comes to sourcing sustainable food. According to a testimonial by the People’s Potato on the Concordia Greenhouse website, the greenhouse “fulfills a key role in this community by providing accessible services around environmental sustainability, permaculture, composting and many others.”

In addition to providing Concordia with easy access to ecological, wallet-friendly food on campus, the greenhouse also hosts a number of sustainability-oriented events every week. Workshops, film screenings as well as community projects and gatherings are just some of the ways the greenhouse contributes to a more sustainable Concordia.

“Upcoming events and workshops are posted on our Facebook and website,” Swirlz said. “Macrame hanging planters, terrariums and indoor mushroom cultivation are our most popular recurring workshops.”

This year, the greenhouse is gearing up for a slew of new activities and old favourites. Until Oct. 31, their very own City Farm School market stand will continue to be featured at the Loyola campus urban farm every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Their stand offers fresh, organic produce, such as vegetables, fruits and herbs.

Photo by Alex Hutchins

Until Dec. 4, the greenhouse will also be offering a weekly Microgreen Community-Supported Agriculture Program (CSA). Students interested in the program would pay a discounted amount for a weekly sprout order and receive a 200 gram bag of sprouts—a “great way to save money” and “[guarantee] you receive a supply of [their] super-popular and super-local sprouts each week,” according to the greenhouse’s Facebook page.

For students interested in getting involved in the greenhouse, there are countless opportunities to learn and gain experience through workshops, internships and volunteer sessions. This year, the greenhouse is recruiting new board of directors members at their annual general meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. They are also recruiting candidates for weekly volunteer sessions and longer internships.

The best part about working at the greenhouse “is watching people’s eyes widen in delight,” Swirlz said. “They are so excited to learn about this gem of urban agriculture right in the heart of downtown.”

The Concordia Greenhouse is open to visitors on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Photos by Alex Hutchins

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Anti-black assimilation in academia

Concordia alumna and BIPOC Committee bring attention to academic racism

Concordia University alumna Sophia Sahrane has had more than enough first-hand experiences with academic racism. Her account is only one of many, highlighting a bigger problem—the anti-black rhetoric ingrained in university education across North America.

How committed is Concordia to ensuring a positive university experience for students of colour? According to Sahrane, not very. Until she hosted an orientation event earlier this month featuring Angela Davis in conversation with Robyn Maynard (both black activists, feminists, educators and authors), Sahrane said she had never seen that many black people in the same space at Concordia.

Furthermore, the event featured an unofficial priority seating policy for anyone who was black, Indigenous or a person of colour (BIPOC), despite the objection of several CSU executives.

“The [priority seating] was important because it recognized that universities were not built for us, our experiences, our realities, our identities,” Sahrane said. “We have been pushed to the margins of academia, but in this moment, we had a place in this academic space and it was in the front row.”

According to Sahrane, the proposal for BIPOC priority seating was initially made by Leyla Sutherland, the Concordia Student Union’s student life coordinator, and the rest of the CSU orientation team, but was overruled by other CSU executives before the event.

Sutherland and the orientation team pursued Angela Davis as a guest speaker and originally brought up the priority seating policy after consulting with the BIPOC Committee—a student group founded last year by Sahrane herself when she was a CSU executive.

“Universities are not built to welcome racialized people, but student movements, associations and spaces aren’t built for it either,” Sahrane said. “I was lucky enough to occupy a position of privilege within the community, so I decided to create the BIPOC Committee in an attempt to balance out the lack of resources for BIPOC folk.”

While she wanted to ensure that racialized students could have a voice at Concordia, Sahrane said attempting to end institutionalized racism in universities is a much loftier goal. However, she said she believes the creation of a black studies program at Concordia would be a step in the right direction.

“Course curriculum at Concordia doesn’t even scratch the surface of discussing BIPOC individuals’ roles and contribution in history, politics or society,” Sahrane said, referring to her experience in the Faculty of Arts and Science. Throughout her four years of study at Concordia, Sahrane was never taught by a black professor. “Even black history and black literature is taught by white people,” she said.

According to Sahrane, she and many other Concordia students and scholars have advocated for the creation of a black studies program, but have been met with a severe lack of action by the university.

Concordia spokesperson Mary-Jo Barr said that while there are many conversations happening on campus about diversity issues in course curriculum, “at this point, nothing specific has been proposed” regarding a black studies program.

Despite the lack of progress, Sahrane said a black studies program would drastically alter a black student’s university experience.

“I don’t think assimilating or integrating black students within a white-dominant framework will ever work,” Sahrane said. “We should make sure that the black experience [is] never forgotten or dismissed within existing academic structures.”

Graphic by Alexa Hawksworth

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Carrying fentanyl’s kryptonite at Concordia

Graphics by Zeze Le Lin

Should student leaders have access to naloxone, the opioid antagonist?

As the infamous fentanyl crisis begins to slither its way into Montreal, many Canadian university students fear deadly substances could be lurking in the drugs recreationally consumed at back-to-school parties and orientation events. Combatting the possibility of fatal opioid overdoses is a priority for many student associations.

Recently, student association executives and frosh leaders across Canada have expressed interest in carrying naloxone kits at university orientation events to prevent drug-related deaths. Naloxone, commonly known by the brand name Narcan, is an antidote medication used to counter the effects of opioids. According to the government of Ontario, a kit typically includes two vials of naloxone, two syringes with needles, two devices to open vials safely, a pair of non-latex gloves and a card identifying the trained owner of the kit.

Allowing student leaders to have access to naloxone is tricky territory, according to McGill University nursing student Nathalie Wong. Based on what she has learned in her nursing courses, she said the signs and symptoms of opioid overdose can often be mistaken for cardiac arrest. In the event of someone suffering from a cardiac arrest (rather than respiratory arrest—a very common symptom of opioid overdose), Wong said the victim would be in need of immediate CPR, not naloxone.

“If a student leader isn’t trained to see opioid overdose on a regular basis, then it can become very difficult to assess and distinguish [from] another health issue,” she said.

According to Wong, she only began learning about these topics after about 30 weeks in nursing school. She said she did not feel capable of properly diagnosing an opioid overdose until she had  participated in clinical rotations at the hospital. Even today, Wong said handling powerful antidotes and overdose victims is no small task.

“If I, as a student nurse, needed to administer [naloxone] to a patient, I would have my [instructor] with me,” Wong said. “So, even as a student nurse, with three years of study and training, administering [naloxone] is a very big deal.”

Wong said she is pleased that paramedics in Quebec are finally beginning to carry the drug with them when they respond to calls, as opioid concerns continue to rise across the country, especially among university-aged students.

When it comes to orientation events and the possibility of dealing with overdoses, Concordia student and ASFA frosh leader Immanuel Matthews said he was not trained to administer any sort of antidote, but he was thoroughly educated in prevention and intervention.

“We had two two-to-three hour long trainings to prepare us to handle situations concerning alcohol, drug use and just to provide a safe, enjoyable experience for freshmen during frosh,” he said.

According to Matthews, frosh leaders were also instructed to call paramedics in case of an emergency and to immediately report any incidents to Concordia security and ASFA executives. As for naloxone, Matthews said he believes administering it is a job better left for those with proper training.

“I think that first responders should be able to administer it,” he said. “Sometimes an overdose victim has minutes that decide whether they live or die, and I think that first responders are in responsible enough positions to be granted that authority.”

While doctors and nurses on campus are technically authorized to administer naloxone, director of public relations and official university spokesperson Mary-Jo Barr said having specially trained paramedics would be much more efficient.

“Due to the nature of a drug overdose, where heart rates can drop dramatically and leave one immobile, it’s far better to place naloxone in the hands of the front-line first responders who are closer to the scene,” Barr said.

She added that Concordia is closely monitoring the situation regarding naloxone in Quebec and across Canada.

“The province is considering allowing certain people with special training to administer it,” Barr said. “If such changes are adopted, our front-line responders would be well placed to administer the drug. At this time, we are waiting to hear about the government’s next steps.”

Graphics by Zeze Le Lin

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Consent workshops for freshmen at Concordia

Graphics by Alexa Hawksworth

For many freshmen, frosh is considered the ultimate social event to kick off university life. With everything from friends to beer to sex to textbooks on students’ minds, the question of consent often falls to the wayside.

“Frosh is here to make you feel like you’re included and accommodated for, but we’re also here to make sure that that happens in a really safe way,” ASFA president Julia Sutera Sardo told The Concordian.

As sexual assault is prevalent across university campuses, ASFA has made it clear to students that Concordia’s frosh events are no exception when it comes to prevention. For the past few years, ASFA has required mandatory consent training workshops for all students attending frosh events. Currently, ASFA and CASAJMSB are the only two Concordia student associations requiring these workshops.

“Sexual assault happens frequently at universities, and we have to be mindful of that,” Sutera Sardo said. “If [students] don’t do the training, they don’t come to frosh.”

According to Sutera Sardo, the consent workshops are organized primarily by the student associations and Terry Kyle, who is ASFA’s manager of student life. The training includes modules on harm reduction, consent, sexual assault, bystander intervention, gender and several other related issues.

Another Concordia organization that is heavily involved in sexual assault prevention on campus is the Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC). According to coordinator Jennifer Drummond, SARC provides many services, such as delivering workshops and working with students to create campaigns on the topic of sexual violence prevention. The centre provides support services to survivors of sexual assault through one-on-one appointments, a drop-in centre and weekly group meetings. Drummond said SARC also works with the university to develop and implement policies on sexual violence prevention and response.

Drummond said she believes the implementation of mandatory consent training for students attending frosh has an impact on reducing the number of cases of sexual violence.

“I think the more people are knowledgeable about consent and how to have respectful relationships and communication, the better,” she said.

For students who might experience sexual violence at frosh, Drummond said there are many options.

“Those options can include calling the police, going to a designated centre or coming to SARC,” she said. “If someone witnesses something, I encourage people to intervene safely, when possible, and to check in with the person being targeted.”

Second-year Concordia students Erin Dunlop and Ben Fraser said they attended last year’s ASFA frosh and appreciated the mandatory consent training.

“You hear so many stories of sexual assaults happening at university events around the world. It was nice to see Concordia doing something about it,” Dunlop said. “Making it a mandatory prerequisite for attending the frosh events made me feel safer.”

Fraser said much of the training revolved around the presence of alcohol as a factor in sexual violence, as frosh events often entail a fair amount of heavy drinking.

“It was mostly focused on what to do in situations where consent is in a grey area,” he said. “People do stupid things at frosh.”

Dunlop agreed, saying she definitely sees the link between binge drinking and sexual assault.

“Predators prey on people who are vulnerable, and when there is alcohol involved, consent is compromised,” she said. “I was very lucky to have had a positive frosh experience, but I know that isn’t the case for everyone.”

While both of their frosh experiences involved being surrounded by binge drinking culture, Dunlop and Fraser said their frosh leaders were always checking in with them and making sure they were comfortable. They said they never felt forced to drink more than they wanted, and the leaders kept them out of trouble. However, Dunlop also noted there is always room for improvement in the trainings.

“Consent workshops are a good start, but there is always more that we can do,” she said. “There needs to be harsh penalties for people who commit sexual assault. It’s super important to focus on prevention, but we have to be careful to make sure the message is ‘don’t rape’ and not ‘don’t get raped.’”

While ASFA is constantly working to improve their workshops, Sutera Sardo said the most important thing Concordia can do right now is to implement university-wide consent trainings before frosh.

“I just hope that everyone is going to have mandatory consent training in the future,” Sutera Sardo said. “The more people get on board and talk about it, the better it is. Destigmatizing is what we should all be working on.”

Graphics by Alexa Hawksworth

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NDP Concordia strives to boost student engagement in politics

NDP Concordia and leadership candidates at McKibbins during Saturday night’s meet-and-greet. Photo courtesy of Instagram / NDP Concordia (@ndpconcordia).

Student group says NDP leadership candidates need to inspire youth to vote

Members of NDP Concordia, the party’s on-campus student group, held a leadership candidate meet-and-greet at McKibbin’s Irish Pub on Bishop Street on Saturday, Aug. 26. The group organized the event in the hopes of engaging students in the party’s leadership race and giving them the opportunity to speak with the candidates before Sunday afternoon’s debate.

To encourage students to voice their opinions and eventually cast their votes in October’s NDP leadership election, the group has remained active over the summer. Members said they have continued to grow in popularity by focusing their efforts on producing social media content — such as live-tweeting Sunday’s leadership debate — and planning events to help the Concordia community become more familiar with the candidates.

With the NDP leadership election rapidly approaching, the student group is also seeking to lift the youth voter turnout.

“Youth participation needs to be improved,” said Patrick Quinn, NDP Concordia’s vice-president of external affairs. “We have the power to make decisions in our democracy. We should be using it as a tool to promote a Canada that we want.”

According to Elections Canada, voter participation for Canadians aged 18 to 24 surged from 38.8 per cent in 2011 to 57.1 per cent in 2015. Despite the large increase, the 18 to 24 age group has the lowest voter turnout of all the nation’s demographics.

“There is a disconnect,” Quinn said. “[It is] caused primarily because parties tend to focus less on youth issues.”

This year’s NDP leadership race has featured one youth-centred debate. However, it took place significantly early in the race, in March, long before candidate Jagmeet Singh had entered. While NDP Concordia believed the youth debate was beneficial, they mentioned that bad timing could contribute to young voters not feeling like valid members of the electorate.

However, in terms of engaging youth in politics and focusing on issues that matter to students, one leadership candidate stands out from the rest. Niki Ashton, the Churchill—Keewatinook Aski MP, prides herself on being a millennial. Much of her campaign has been focused on youth and student issues, such as providing free postsecondary education.

“Inequality has different faces in our country, but one face [is the] intergenerational inequality and, particularly, the kind of marginalization the millennials are facing,” Ashton told The Concordian. “If we tackle some of these key areas […] we would be making a huge difference in terms of bringing up the standard of living of young people.”

Ashton has also put forward the idea of creating a national student advocate position to work with LGBTQ+ youth in particular. She told The Concordian she recognizes “so many young LGBTQ+ folks are disproportionately affected by mental illness and suicide” and that “it’s a national issue” requiring proper leadership.

While NDP Concordia will not collectively endorse a single candidate, Quinn expressed that Ashton’s impression on Canadian youth is undeniable. However, he also pointed out that he believes leadership candidate Guy Caron’s policies would be more beneficial to students and easier to implement than Ashton’s proposed elimination of post-secondary education fees.

For more information about NDP Concordia, meet the team at the Concordia Clubs Fair on Sept. 6 or follow them on social media.

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