Author: The Concordian

On Concordia’s update: 22 reported COVID cases

There is no evidence there is no on-campus transmission at this time

Well, it finally happened. On Sept. 23, Concordia let us know that there are 22 reported COVID cases from people who “may have been” on campus while they were contagious. For many, this update was expected; others, like students who have health concerns and lack a proper hybrid educational system at Concordia, feared it.

To appease our concern, the university reassured us in the manner expected by an educational institution. In bold, the email read, “There is no evidence of on-campus transmission at this time.”

“Clearly,” the email continued, “everyone’s vigilance in respecting the health and safety measures we  put in place as part of Concordia’s Return-to-Campus plan has had an impact.” After patting themselves on the back, they informed us that for every potential or certain COVID case on campus, the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) team would conduct a contact tracing plan based on public health authority criteria.

The announcement left many at the university confused and inquisitive about Concordia’s contact tracing plan. After all, absence of evidence is not the same as evidence of absence, meaning just because there’s no evidence COVID was transmitted on campus, doesn’t mean it’s proof it has not happened.

Members of the Concordia community attending in-person lectures and events are inevitably more susceptible to contracting COVID. So, how do you go about reporting if you think you have COVID?

According to Concordia’s official procedure for a suspected or confirmed COVID case, if a student feels any symptoms off-campus, they must call the COVID-19 information Line* at 1-877-644-4545 (toll free) or 514-644-4545 and follow their instructions. If instructed to quarantine, students must fill out the COVID-19 self-isolation form on the MyConcordia website. If a student was on campus 48 hours prior to developing COVID-19 symptoms, the EHS will initiate the suspected COVID-19 investigation.

Similarly, if a student feels symptoms on campus, they must call security at 514-848-3717, and security will transfer the call to the EHS, which will begin the suspected COVID-19 investigation.

The investigation includes the EHS collecting details from the person who has potentially contracted COVID, such as locations visited and names of individuals they came in contact with on campus.

Those individuals will be told to call the Public Health COVID Line for instructions; their case may be subject to an investigation by the Direction régionale de santé publique — and it is them who will make the ultimate determination if the individual who came in contact should self-isolate, get tested, or may return to campus.

It’s important to know the process in which COVID cases are reported on campus, because students not knowing how to properly report when they think they may have COVID, may very well be the reason why Concordia has no evidence there was COVID transmission on campus.

The truth is campus transmission is not only possible — it’s highly probable. Let’s give Concordia the data they need to better protect our community.

*The Public Health COVID Line is available from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Outside these hours, call Info-Santé 8-1-1 (24/7)

 

Photograph by Alex Hutchins

What having a hybrid system should mean

Welcome back Concordians!

It’s the start of a new academic year; one where we’ve renewed our STM cards, met our classmates face-to-face, and switched out our pyjamas for real pants to go to class. We’re nudging towards what once was, but with masks, sanitization, and a passport on our phones. We’re finally experiencing what was promised for adhering to health regulations, such as vaccination and quarantining for the last several months .

Which is to say, it’s the start of what we’ve all heard so many times that it’s already worn out its appeal: the “new normal.” Beyond the fact it’s been overused to placate our general anxiety of the future and justify ever-changing health safety regulations, it’s not the right term, le mot juste, to describe our collective, health and safety future.

Normal is a standard; the status quo. It implies what we find typical in our day-to-day life. But that’s impossible to define in a time when our foundation is unstable: we’re riding through, and responsibly obeying, ever changing measures based on irregular swells of COVID infections. It’s been dizzying to say the least.

Last year, isolation and Zoom fatigue took a toll on us. Our home environment molted together to form a bedroom/classroom/workplace all-inclusive space in the same quality of an infomercial gadget we’ve never wanted. For many, schoolwork piled on as teachers assigned extra video lectures and projects; we dealt with unstable internet connections and studying in different time zones. The Concordia Reddit feed was saturated with students’ comments describing suffering from increased anxiety and poor mental health.

Back then, as a solution, students demanded the option for pass/fail to return, and during the 2021 winter semester, we got it. It didn’t fix everything, but for many it was a load off our shoulders — except it only came after CSU representatives and the student community advocated for this change. However, as we return to hybrid in-person instruction, we call on the university to proactively better support students who need it most.

A few weeks ago, Concordia began increasingly executing the new hybrid learning environment to an online/in-person schedule decided by the university. While most students can adhere to this cautious approach, many international students who have moved to Montreal and students with disabilities were taken by surprise right before the semester began.

How can the university claim to adequately support students with disabilities while not enforcing any policy that would allow them to solely access classes online to protect their health?

Students who are immunocompromised must advocate for themselves and be at the mercy of different departments and professors’ willingness to help them access class material. International students who are unable to come to Canada right away are told to pick online classes; that is the extent of a “hybrid” semester. Some are paying rent in two cities, stretching their budget to pay for both the life they built in their home country and in Montreal. The total extent of a hybrid system promised to Concordians in the fall is to simply pick from the limited classes offered online.

Exercising health safety practices while overlooking students who are exponentially affected by a pandemic, both financially and physically, is failing the students who need help. That isn’t a “new normal” reality we live in; it’s an unacceptable policy failure that has to be changed.

After a year of online classes, providing a robust online alternative for students should be a given; Concordia has the capability to make education accessible for all students.

In our inaugural issue, we call on Concordia University to better support our student population who deserve a normal where they can better succeed, and survive in this pandemic.

 

Photograph by Alex Hutchins

Categories
Uncategorized

This past academic year at The Concordian has been one for the books. Between onboarding a mostly-new staff to changing up our content, we’ve made a lot of adjustments along the way — not to mention adapting to the whole COVID-19 thing. It turns out that publishing in a pandemic isn’t so easy.

The Concordian would like to sincerely thank you, the Concordia community, for your continued support during these past 8 months. This has undoubtedly been one of the most challenging years in our 38 year history — serving Concordia since ‘83, baby — and it wouldn’t have been possible without our readers. Despite the fact that most students haven’t set foot on campus for over a year, knowing that so many of you still took the time to engage with our content means more than words can express. You guys truly are the best.

A big thank you to our contributors for lending us your written words and choosing to share your stories through our platform. Our digital door is always open to new stories, new voices, and new ideas, so if you’re still around next fall, you know where to find us. We love you!

And finally, a big, huge, fat, enormous thank you to our whole staff of managers, editors, assistants, artists, and production professionals. You guys are the heart and soul of this operation. Here’s to (hopefully?) meeting in person someday. For those of you who are sticking around, have an amazing summer, and we’ll see you soon. <3

 

Feature photo by Alex Hutchins

Categories
News

14 ASFA executive candidates compete for election

One ASFA candidate accused competitors of campaign ads that look like Turning Point USA content, in an otherwise smooth election campaign

This year’s Arts and Sciences Federation of Associations (ASFA) elections are underway. In an election year like no other, candidates have put the online campaigning environment to use.

Hope and Reliability is a slate that focuses on improving student mental health and improving transparency for students regarding financial endeavors. There are seven members running under these promises, and they are the only complete slate in this election.

Student Interested, not Self Interested is a slate focused on bringing attention back to students and organizations that are important to them. The three members on the slate are all currently a part of student government, and hope to bring new ideas to the table.

On March 17, Payton-Rose Mitchell, a mobilization coordinator candidate for the Student Interested, not Self Interested slate, tweeted that posters from a “slate I’m running against legit look like they could be ads for Turning Point USA (TPUSA),” a right-wing student group that is accused of propagating anti-immigration and homophobic views. Hope and Reliability and Student Interested, not Self Interested are the only slates running in the ASFA elections.

In an interview with The Concordian, Sean Smith, who is running for executive coordinator of the Hope and Reliability slate, said “We are not a right-wing group,” adding that members of his slate who are part of the LGBTQ community and who are children of immigrants were “sad and frustrated” by the comments.

Mitchell apologized for the comments in a public post. She also released a statement to The Concordian which said she “did not anticipate [the post] would cause any controversy,” because she had not identified ASFA, the Hope and Reliability Slate or Concordia in the tweet, and that her Twitter was a personal account, and not used for campaigning.

“TPUSA is infamous in meme-culture and because of this, I could not avoid recognizing the resemblance in their graphic … That being said, I should not have tweeted about it on my personal account … It was not my intention to link the opposing slate to the problematic views upheld by Turning Point USA,” reads the statement.

ASFA elections are open from March 23 to March 26 at 5:00 p.m.

HOPE AND RELIABILITY

Running for executive coordinator is Sean Smith, who decided to run this year after seeing several controversies and issues at the ASFA over the years, saying, “We need to restore the soul of ASFA.”

His platform includes increasing mental health services for students, including one-on-one sessions to help decrease the long waitlist, and helping marginalized students with special bursaries and scholarships.

To increase transparency, Smith plans on publishing ASFA’s budget, minutes, and motions. Also, he plans on better collaborating with member associations (MAs).

Nigel Jonathan Ochieng is running to be the next student life coordinator at ASFA, with the goal to establish a closer connection between the students and the association itself.

Ochieng, who is a Political Science major, plans to organize a variety of social events for Concordia students, including trivia and karaoke nights, as well as online game sessions. He believes this would be a great opportunity for students to socialize and develop their critical thinking skills.

“One thing I noticed amongst the student body is that no one actually knows what ASFA is,” said Ochieng.

As someone who has organized events for Model UN in high school, the candidate hopes to “bridge the gap between the students and their representatives,” with the help of his social activities.

Sadegh Sheikhnezhad is an Economics student, and is the current academic coordinator for ASFA. While he has achieved quite a bit in his last term, he hopes to continue in the role for another year.

Excited to be running with Hope and Reliability, Sheikhnezhad is passionate about the slate’s message. “Our promises as a slate: we want to improve the mental health services, reimagine the academic resources, and also enhance the transparency.”

He is adamant about his time not being over, and his work with ASFA not being over. He managed to help fill the positions for various ASFA committees that had been vacant for a while. “We never had the chance to actually have those individuals to sit on those committees, like the curriculum committee,” he said.

Saruul Bazarsuren is majoring in Political Science at Concordia and grew up in Mongolia. When she moved to Montreal two years ago, Concordia became her new home.

A part of the Hope and Reliability slate, Bazarsuren is running to become the next mobilization coordinator at the ASFA, and hopes to concentrate on students’ mental health if elected.

She said, “I’m sure almost everyone has been dealing with mental health issues because of all the isolation and rules and online classes. So I really wanted to make the voices of students heard and also focus on the mental health of students.”

She vows to give students better access to mental health services, create a safe space for students to communicate and support each other, and work as an advocate for students that are a part of ASFA.

Sabrina Morena is running for communications coordinator. She is in her second year in Human Relations. Her team is promising to bring back the integrity of the ASFA and increase student involvement.

She aims to, “be open and honest with the students, [be as] transparent as we can be, increase academic and mental health resources for students,” said Morena, explaining the goals of Hope and Reliability.

Morena has experience with increasing student engagement, as she worked with the Applied Human Sciences Student Association. There she learned the value of social media marketing, and how it impacts students.

Morena hopes her experience will help her have a positive impact on students as communications coordinator, ensuring that students are aware of things that are available to them, such as loans, bursaries, and scholarships.

“We pay for education, and they [students] should take advantage of everything that we have, whether it’s initiatives or workshops or events,” she said.

Noor Coll is a third-year Economics student, and is excited to be supporting the Hope and Reliability slate this coming year. Similarly to her peers, she is eager to improve mental health services for students among other ambitious goals. She said, “The most important [goal] is improving mental health for students.”

Running for internal coordinator, she believes she is uniquely qualified for the position. She said, “As somebody who’s lived in so many countries, I think that I’m really good at putting myself in other people’s shoes. And with that being said, I wanted to do something about the situation that we’re all in.”

She moved to the U.S from Iran, and came to Canada after high school.  Coll says she is ready to face any challenge. “That’s why I feel confident about running for internal coordinator — because I moved here all on my own. I’m independent. I’m responsible. I’ve lived in so many places, and speak several languages. And I just feel like I’ve had so many experiences throughout my life that I feel like I’m up for any challenge, you know, and just helping out.”

Amine Ben Arous is running for the finance coordinator position at ASFA, aiming to develop a student grant program and to increase financial literacy among Concordia students.

“We’re going to do workshops on how to [fill out] your tax forms, how to create a budget for a trip, how to manage your personal finances,” said Ben Arous, an Actuarial Mathematics major.

Besides focusing on one’s personal budget, Ben Arous also plans to increase Concordia’s overall budget by seeking sponsors and partnerships with the appropriate companies and institutions.

Finally, Ben Arous is currently “looking into a structured student grant program to help marginalized students,” as he believes that more financial support should be provided to students experiencing economic hardship.

While mostly focusing on financial matters at ASFA, he also promises to fight for transparency within the association.

STUDENT INTERESTED, NOT SELF INTERESTED

A day before elections, Alexandre Boigontier joined the slate and is running for executive coordinator; this last minute change will not be reflected on the ballots. For his campaign, Boigontier said he wants students to have a say in the issues he will tackle throughout the year.

His first campaign promise is to begin weekly meetings with associations and students, where they would be able to tell ASFA what they feel it should do. One of issues brought up on a recent poll he made for students, was for ASFA to better provide support for racism and sexual violence on campus, which he plans on addressing with input from students.

He would like to support students with mental health issues and those who are struggling with isolation with more engaging online events. Overall, Boigontier plans to “Give the students a voice and to give them hope, and also to help them have a better student life.”

In several of his campaign posts, Boigontier targeted the Economic Student Society, which caused some confusion. However, he addressed this in a later Facebook post saying he does seek to represent “all students.”

Running for re-election as mobilization coordinator is Payton-Rose Mitchell, who is looking to better invest and provide training against anti-oppression at the ASFA.

According to Mitchell, ASFA has received two human rights complaints in the last five years, which resulted in the Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations (CRARR) being mandated to develop oppression training for ASFA and MA executives.

“Over the past few years, AFSA has really lost the faith of a lot of students,” said Mitchell. She says a recent fee levy will fund a $10,000 project to pay five BIPOC students to consult on “building an ASFA specific anti-oppression training.”

Additionally, Mitchell would also hire a part-time, neutral third party to deal with allegations of harassment, discrimination, and violence against ASFA executives. She says the position would replace the current committee, which according to Mitchell is chaired by ASFA councillors and executives, and has produced a “massive conflict of interest.”

Sarah Bubenheimer is running to be the next internal coordinator of the ASFA, hoping to strengthen its bond with other MAs.

While studying Philosophy, Law and Society, and Liberal Arts, Bubenheimer wants to make sure that Concordia students have strong leadership roles at ASFA.

“I’m running for students who are not self-interested. We’re a slate of former ASFA staff and executives, we’re committed to making structural changes to make sure ASFA is student-led,” she explained.

Bubenheimer’s priority is to establish leadership training, specifically for students holding lead positions at the MAs. She hopes it will bring out more confidence and organization skills from students, thus helping them to have a larger say in student affairs.

Alexandre Wolski is running for finance coordinator. He is in his third year studying Honours Philosophy. Last year Wolski was elected as chairman executive coordinator at the Students of Philosophy Association.

Wolski is running on three main points, the first of which is to make dedicated student funds for projects. He stated he wants students to immediately think of getting funding from ASFA when they have a project.

The second is to streamline the reimbursement process for all ASFA-related expenditures. Wolski aims to change the current way project reimbursement works, creating a shorter waiting period for students.

His third point is creating stricter policy to stop the chance of embezzlement.

“If students are looking for reliability, they should go for people who have mainly been involved with ASFA, because we’re not just hoping that we can be good at our positions, we know that we will be able to make these changes happen,” said Wolski.

INDEPENDENT

Andrew McLeod is running for finance coordinator and is a mature student who has been studying Statistics for a year and a half. McLeod is from Toronto and a former military member.

According to McLeod, his slate is titled Freedom to Finance, as he believes that Concordia students should not have to finance groups they may or may not agree with. McLeod’s goal as finance coordinator is to democratize finances, essentially letting students choose where their student fees go.

He clarified that students could not choose individual organizations, but choose packages to finance with their tuition fees.

The reason McLeod decided to run for finance coordinator was because he hated seeing his tuition fees going to groups and programs he didn’t agree with.

Jasmine Ramcharitar-Brown is running for academic coordinator. She is in the last year of her Bachelor of History, and she went to Vanier college for Special Care Counselling. Ramcharitar-Brown stated she had a rough childhood and wants to help students that are struggling.

Ramcharitar said the main reason she is running is because she wanted to be in a helping position, and she would like to offer better mental health and financial support for students.

She stated that she understands the difficulty students with jobs face, as it’s hard to focus on academics while also juggling employment responsibilities. She aims to create events or workshops that can help students improve their academics or find coping methods.

As it is her last year, Ramcharitar wants to make an impact before graduating, and her end goal is to support students.

Candidate for student life coordinator, Chelsea Fares, did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Fares wrote in her candidacy, “I wish to continue exciting the lives of students through fun activities and entertaining events. Since we couldn’t do much last year, let’s double the excitement this time around!”

Logo courtesy of the Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA)

Categories
Concordia Student Union News

Our next Concordia Student Union executive team

A look into the CSU’s plans for the future

The Concordia Student Union (CSU) elections are underway, and for the second consecutive general election year, the executive team is running unopposed. Eight members comprise the guaranteed winning team, led by candidate for general coordinator, Eduardo Malorni.

Their platform, Brick by Brick, focuses on COVID-19 measures and safety, community building, advocacy and accountability. The Concordian, The Link, and CJLO hosted a group interview for the candidates, to hear more about their platform and plans for the future.

General Coordinator Eduardo Malorni

Candidate for general Coordinator Eduardo Malorni aims to better help students with the difficulties they face while pursuing their degree this upcoming year.

He plans on addressing a variety of complaints students have had about online learning, including mental health concerns, higher workloads, and issues with proctoring services.

Malorni also wants to work with other student unions to demand a change in tuition fees, considering how many students “are not feeling like the quality [of education while remote] is the same as it was in the past.”

Part of their platform will also be supporting students that would not feel comfortable returning to campus in the fall, and to help with the return to in-person activities on campus, when that time comes.

Malorni, who’s been a part of the CSU for over two years, said one of the greatest things he and other members of the CSU helped to achieve was the pass/fail option for students last year. The same year, however, several councillors resigned, citing a toxic environment.

“Those were some of my friends who resigned,” said Malorni. “I think it’s very important to fix that.”

He said he will continue to push for an affirmative action program in the CSU, and have more discussions with racialized minorities for their input on what else the union could change and provide.

This year, he wants to increase student involvement in the CSU.

“By far the biggest struggle we’re going to have is trying to improve upon our recruitment,” said Malorni.

One of the ways he wants to tackle the issue of increasing student involvement is by improving the branding of CSU services on campus. Malorni said he has seen many students wrongly attribute CSU services to the university, or just outright not know that the CSU is behind several initiatives on campus.

He said he feels confident that his team can tackle these issues going forward this year.

Sustainability Coordinator Faye Sun

Faye Sun is running to be the next sustainability coordinator at the CSU, with the objective of connecting students to sustainability initiatives and resources at the university.

One of such initiatives at Concordia would be transforming on-campus lawns into food gardens. For Sun, restoring habitats for pollinators is one of the top priorities.

She added that urban agriculture and gardening will also benefit Concordia students in the long run.

“If we don’t invest in urban food security [right now], we might not have any food in 80 or so years,” the CSU candidate added.

Being an Environmental Science major, Sun also aims to focus on environmental justice and sustainability issues that specifically affect Indigenous and African American communities.

“Eighty per cent of all of the environment that’s ecologically protected is on Indigenous land, and that’s definitely not a coincidence,” she said. “That’s why I believe in Indigenous sovereignty and stewardship.”

By striving for eco-friendly policies in an urbanized metropolis, Sun hopes to put Concordia on a green path towards sustainability.

Academic and Advocacy Coordinator Hannah Jamet-Lange

Hannah Jamet-Lange aims to advocate for accessibility, anti-discrimination, sexual violence measures, better mental health services, international students, and climate justice. One of her main goals is to strengthen the code of conduct and the sexual violence policy, with the end goal of making the CSU “a more welcoming, supportive and safe environment for everyone.”

Jamet-Lange is in her third year in Communications, Sexuality Studies, and History. They got involved with the CSU in her first year at Concordia, with the Campaign Against Sexual Violence.

Currently there is a question going to referendum to change CSU bylaws, making the code of conduct and sexual violence policy easier to enforce. Jamet-Lange said that is already a great step forward, and as academic and advocacy coordinator they wants to ensure it is enforced if it passes.

Jamet-Lange stated that she also wants to create better definitions around the different forms of harassment and discrimination.

It’s crucial to have clear definitions when complaints go to the Judicial Board, so the board “doesn’t have to refer back to a dictionary or interpret what is seen as racism, what is seen as sexism,” said Jamet-Lange.

They said that the new executive team wants to work together to create a better culture around harm prevention.

External Affairs and Mobilization Coordinator Camina Harrison-Chéry

Camina Harrison-Chéry’s main goals are creating spaces for students to feel safe, specifically creating and supporting spaces for BIPOC students, tackling the lack of diversity at Concordia, and working on better mental health services.

“I think that since I’ve come to Concordia, I felt like my mission has been just to create spaces on campus and off campus where students feel safe, that they know they can contribute and that their opinions are important,” said Harrison-Chéry.

Harrison-Chéry is a Communications student and an entrepreneur of Haitian descent. She is the founder of BUYPOC, pop-ups that support BIPOC youth run businesses, and the owner of a headwrap brand called Urban Wrapper. At Concordia, she works to advance the Black perspective in the community, and is a member of Concordia’s task force on anti-Black racism.

To her, it’s clear that students see a lack of diversity in professors and the curriculum. Thus, Harrison-Chéry wants to work towards more diversity at Concordia, such as training staff to be aware of their biases.

“We [the CSU] are definitely responsible in terms of applying pressure and keeping that momentum,” said Harrison-Chéry, who explained that recently, with the Black Studies Department and the Black Perspective Office, there has been a lot of momentum in creating more Black spaces at Concordia.

As external affairs and mobilization coordinator, Harrison-Chéry plans to advance equity for BIPOC students through a number of initiatives, such as supporting the Black Studies and Black Perspectives Office, and investing in events that advance the Black perspective and centre around Black experiences.

Loyola Coordinator S Shivaane

S Shivaane is running for Loyola Coordinator at the CSU, and aims to improve learning conditions for Concordia students at the Loyola campus.

Shivaane’s top priorities include upgrading the shuttle bus service to and from the Sir George Williams campus, as well as providing healthy and affordable food options for Loyola students.

She noted that, in general, Loyola “has a lack of services and … amenities that pull students to stay there.”

Shivaane plans on laying foundations for “food co-ops,” which she expects will create more student jobs.

As for the shuttle service, she believes that the bus fleet needs to be expanded. According to Shivaane, the lack of accessibility is what makes Loyola seem like a distant campus, despite everything it has to offer.

“There are some students who are graduating, who have been here for four or five years, and they said that they’d never been to Loyola — which is so unfortunate, because it’s a beautiful campus,” Shivaane explained.

By pushing for a reliable shuttle connection, more study spaces and healthier food options, Shivaane is convinced that more Concordia students will be able to appreciate Loyola’s greenery and European-style architecture, and have a pleasant academic experience overall.

Finance Coordinator Aria Khaksar

Running for Financial Coordinator is not a small feat in a year where there have been class action lawsuits against universities for tuition rates. Aria Khaksar intends on addressing the issue head on.

He said, “I think after the year we’ve had with COVID, and of course the education level that has decreased … we need to talk to the school and to the board to lower tuition for students.”

Many students will be happy to hear this is an issue the CSU’s next financial coordinator is taking seriously.

“Tuition is something that has not decreased in forever and it keeps going up,” said Khaksar.

This is not a change that will happen on its own, since only the students are aware of the realities of online learning.

“It’s something that is very difficult for the school to understand, because for them the education that we’re getting online right now is the same that we would have in person,” said Khaksar.

Student Life Coordinator Malcolm Asselin

Student Life Coordinator is a challenging position in the midst of an academic year like none other. But challenges are what make life interesting, and Malcolm Asselin is excited to revive the student body.

He is prepared for the realities of next year, saying, “I want to be ready for both an online and in-person environment, just because I think it’s good to be prepared.” But this will not stop his goal of reaching students.

“I think a big challenge is, obviously, getting our information [on student events] to be interpreted and centralized, [because it] is key to reaching as many students as possible,” said Asselin.

Once students are informed, they can start participating in student-led events, such as Concordia’s Got Talent, an interdisciplinary event that is hosted by faculty associations collaboratively.

“It was the first time that all faculty associations collaborated together for an event, and we had an amazing engagement, students were involved. There was like some type of community being built here,” said Asselin.

For the coming year, one of his goals will be to bring together all associations at Concordia to work together in gathering the student body. He said, “I want more work like that, getting faculty associations to collaborate together for events.”

Internal Affairs Coordinator Harrison Kirshner

Harrison Kirshner is running to be the next internal affairs coordinator at the CSU, and hopes to concentrate on elevating clubs under the student association’s mandate.

Kirshner wants to help develop clubs by increasing their recruitment and getting the CSU more directly involved, “mak[ing] it easier for clubs to recruit, because that is really something that’s difficult during the online environment.”

Some of the clubs under the CSU’s mandate are Concordia Tennis Team, the Muslim Student Association (MSA), the Concordia Debate Society (CDS) and dozens more.

He is also looking into making a Facebook page for CSU clubs to post material they would like the CSU to advertise. The CSU would then be able to advertise their clubs on the newsletter, on their page, on their social media and more.

This could help get the university back on its feet when we come back to in-person learning. He said, “I believe that incorporating club recruitment into those mechanisms is something that we should do.”

 

Logo courtesy of the Concordia Student Union (CSU)

Categories
Arts

What books are on our shelves in 2021?

A glimpse at what The Concordian staff plans to read this year

 

Lorenza Mezzapelle, Arts Editor

Most of the books I plan on reading this year aren’t even new releases, but worth mentioning nonetheless. Danielle Ofri’s What Doctors Feel: How Emotions Affect the Practice of Medicine is high up on my list, along with Stephen Brusatte’s The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World. I tend to gravitate towards non-fiction and I’m hoping these two will satisfy my curiosity and craving for a good, informative, niche read.

After reading Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, I look forward to getting my hands on A Cook’s Tour: Global Adventures in Extreme Cuisines for more of his crude, yet eloquent, accounts of his gastronomic adventures. Reading Kitchen Confidential was like watching a really long episode of No Reservations; I often found myself chuckling at his (mostly) inappropriate jokes, all while being entirely enthralled by what he was saying.

I also recently bought How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence by Michael Pollan, as well as The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson, both of which I’m super eager to read.

 

Chloë Lalonde, Creative Director

In all honesty, I’ve been on a reading-for-leisure hiatus for years. University and work has left me wanting to indulge in the immediacy of audio-visual media, rather than the whimsical written world. But recently, and by recent I mean summer/fall 2020, I finished Eva Holland’s Nerve and Marie-Hélène Larochelle’s Daniil & Vanya, for reviewing purposes. It was a great reintroduction to reading for fun, and I hope 2021 can be the year I relearn to love reading. My mom gave me her second copy of the Bridgerton Prequel, First Comes Scandal, and because of TikTok, I will be seeking House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. I cannot guarantee I will actually read these, but I really, really hope I do.   

 

Michelle Lam, Social Media Manager

I’ve also been on a reading-for-leisure hiatus for longer than I care to admit, but I’ve started getting back into it during the winter break! I read 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think by Brianna Wiest over the break, and recommend it to everyone. I am currently reading The Defining Decade by Meg Jay and am pretty upset that my twenties are being spent during a pandemic.

Up next on my reading list is Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb and The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. Maybe I’ll finally finish Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari, but don’t hold me to it.

I’m open to book recommendations if you have any!

 

Aviva Majerczyk, Commentary Editor

Since quarantine and my use of social media more broadly have zapped the attention-holding part of my brain, I find I often gravitate to books of essays over full-fledged novels. With that, as a female writer in her twenties, it seemed only right to start getting into Joan Didion, so I am currently reading Slouching Towards Bethlehem. Also on my bookshelf needing to be finished is the series of essays, Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby. Irby writes in a way that is hilariously self deprecating but not pitiful, I’d definitely recommend it.

Another book I plan on purchasing is Lightning Flowers: My Journey to Uncover the Cost of Saving a Life by Katherine E. Standefer. I had the privilege of seeing Standefer read an essay of hers at a conference I worked at in 2018, and her prose moved me to tears. I’m incredibly excited to read this memoir (and probably cry again).

Last on my list is Culture Warlords by Talia Lavin. The alt-right pipeline and online radicalization are major interests of mine and Lavin has been sounding the alarm on these issues for years now. So, I’m eager to read her take on the situation.

 

Katerina Barberio, Revenue Manager

I do not own a bookshelf nor do I ever plan on having one — who even has space for one anyway? Asking a person who does not own a bookshelf which books are on her 2021 book list is quite the tall task. So, I’ll admit: I asked my peers, friends, family and co-workers what they intend to read this year.

Think Like a Monk, Jay Shetty, suggested by Amelia Barberio

Greenlights, Matthew McConaughey, suggested by myself

Institute, Stephen King, suggested by Anthony Lepore

Atomic Habits, James Clear, suggested by Sabrina Badin

What I Know For Sure, Oprah Winfrey, suggested by Joanne Erimos

The Investment Zoo, Stephen A. Jarislowsky, suggested by Giovanni Barberio

Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle, suggested by Vicki De Paoli

The Answer is…, Alex Trebek, suggested by Andrew Trombino

Becoming, Michelle Obama, suggested by Louise Starnino

Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, suggested by Jessica Trombino

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Holly Jackson, suggested by Alyssa Barberio

A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry, suggested by Caroline Chagnon

Home Body, Rupi Kaur, suggested by Julia Rinaldi

Elon Musk, Ashlee Vance, suggested by Frank Trombino

Bonus: Marc Richardson writes for Grailed, an online marketplace where you can buy and sell menswear. His style of writing takes some time to get accustomed to, however, once you do, you wish everyone wrote like him. I definitely intend to read most of his articles in 2021.

I admittedly already read Greenlights from McConaughey which was graciously given to me by my boyfriend. It’s a biography and a story at the same time. This quote summarizes the book: “We cannot fully appreciate the light without the shadows. We have to be thrown off balance to find our footing. It’s better to jump than fall. And here I am.” I mean… alright, alright, alright.

 

Lillian Roy, Editor-in-Chief 

After one two many nights scrolling endlessly through Tik Tok until 4 a.m., I figured it was finally time to ban phone use before bed. Instead, I took to reading before I go to sleep, a habit that I lost somewhere during my teenage years. So far, I’ve read Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles, a beautiful book that made me full-on weep, and Brit Bennet’s The Vanishing Half, another great book that I cannot recommend enough. Currently, I’m reading Naomi Novik’s A Deadly Education, which I haven’t been enjoying as much, but the cheesy enemies-to-friends-to-lovers plot is keeping me going.

I just ordered a bunch of new reading material, so I should be set for awhile. Here it is, with some brief descriptions:

Anthony Doerr’s All The Light We Cannot See: two children navigate the terrors of WWII

Madeline Miller’s Circe: an adaption of the story of Circe, an enchantress from Greek mythology

Adam Silvera’s They Both Die At The End: two characters find out they’re going to die by the end of the day and decide to go on one last adventure

Kate Elizabeth Russel’s My Dark Vanessa: a woman grapples with the inappropriate relationship she had with a teacher when she was a teenager

Ann Napolitano’s Dear Edward: the sole survivor of a plane crash tries to reconnect with himself after losing everything

If you can’t tell, I like to read books that make me cry. Here goes nothing!

 

Graphic by Lily Cowper.

Categories
Music

The Concordian’s albums of the year

The Concordian staff chooses their favourite albums of the year

Phoebe Bridgers – Punisher 

Louis Pavlakos – Music Editor

2020 has been an absolute mess of a year but thankfully our Lord and Saviour Phoebe Bridgers saved us with one of the most beautifully produced and deeply introspective albums of the year in the form of Punisher. From the sombre “Garden Song” to the explosive finale of “I Know the End,” Bridgers sings with a soft pain in her voice that echoes the brutality that this year has been. It sounds eerily apocalyptic — in tune with what’s been going on in the world. Truthfully there hasn’t been an album I’ve played more than this one. It’s peak “sad boy hours” music and I haven’t felt this way about an LP since Frank Ocean’s Blonde. Punisher is that good. Shoutout to Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist’s Alfredo, The Weeknd’s After Hours, Mac Miller’s Circles and Moses Sumney’s Grae, though.

Eternal Champion – Ravening Iron

Hunter Walwaski – Copy Editor

My fascination with metal music has naturally driven me to the darkest bowels of the genre, trying to find the noisiest and most ear-pummeling records ever released. Yet, as 2020 has already introduced far too much of that on its own, my ears have been longing for something a little more catchy and fun. Eternal Champion’s sophomore release, Ravening Iron, is the answer to my beckoning call. The album’s cheesy epic heavy metal concoction, filled with earworm riffs, glorious mighty vocals, and brotherhood chants, is exactly what listeners need to trudge through this pitiful time. Now grab your sword, turn Eternal Champion up to 11, and make 2021 your year.

Mac Miller – Circles

Maggie Morris – Head Copy Editor

When this album was released posthumously in January, it satisfied something I never thought I’d hear again: new music by one of my favourite artists. Not only is it a well fleshed-out album despite the circumstances, but it’s hauntingly beautiful. Mac lives on through these songs and I’m so, so grateful for it.

(Honourable mention to Taylor Swift’s Folklore which also came at a time where I desperately needed new music — unfortunately for my boyfriend it coincided with the week we started our camping road trip through Gaspésie).

Mac Miller – Circles

Victor Vigas – Staff Writer

Mac Miller was always evolving his style and that’s what Circles gave listeners, an evolution. After Swimming showed fans that Mac wasn’t afraid of singing as opposed to rapping, Circles sees Mac singing throughout most of the album with his limited vocal range. For a posthumous release this is as good as it gets, Jon Brion executed the production and tracklist on this album to perfection. Even though Mac never lived to see this album reach the light of day, a lot of the lyrics on this album make you feel like he’s still here, almost as though he’s winking at us through the music. Aside from the lyrics, this album is a different sound than what I’ve come to love about Mac. It relies more on synth and instruments such as guitar, bass, xylophone and drums are all prominently audible. Apart from the quality of the album itself, as a Mac Miller fan, I can say that this is a fitting sign off to Mac’s legacy.

Yves Tumor – Heaven to a Tortured Mind 

Adam Mbowe – Video Editor

I’ve loved Yves Tumor since their debut album Serpent Music, but when this album was released I developed an even greater appreciation for their work. From noise to ambiance to soul, Yves Tumor’s work tends to explore and blend a plethora of genres. Heaven to a Tortured Mind delves into the genre of rock with gentle ease yet is still reminiscent of all of Yves Tumors’ previous work. There are too many great songs to choose from but standouts on the album for me are “A Greater Love” and “Dream Palette”.

J Balvin – Colores

Alec Brideau – Sports Editor

I was already a huge J Balvin fan before the release of this album. Colores was, in my opinion, simply awesome. Each song on the album is named after a colour, and each song’s topic is based on its colour. It was simple, but original. I enjoyed every song and it felt like they all had their little “something.” The album’s videos are also really representative of the colours and their meanings. I really appreciated what J Balvin did there, and he exceeded my expectations by far with this album.

Fiona Apple – Fetch the Bolt Cutters

Abigail Candelora – Copy Editor

Fiona Apple’s Fetch the Bolt Cutters was my favourite album of the year. It felt oddly apropos, this year of all years, to get a new album from Fiona, a musician I admire for many reasons — including how much she prefers to be at home. Her songs are unrestricted and expressive and honest; I don’t think there’s a bad song on the album, and I’m definitely not the only one. This album is great company. Definitely give it a listen!

Kate Bollinger – A word becomes a sound

Lily Cowper – Production Assistant

I’ve pretty much retired from keeping tabs on the music scene but one great album that came out this year was Kate Bollinger’s A word becomes a sound. I know Bollinger through a friend at University of Virginia, where she first started playing and gained traction in the last few years. “A Couple Things” is my favourite track and I promise all the songs will make you tingle if you are an ASMR-loving freak. However good this album is, I need to be honest; I have only been listening to Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Put Your Records On” on repeat since March, to keep the mood light.

HMLTD – West of Eden

Aviva Majerczyk – Commentary Editor

West of Eden sounds like the coolest party you’ve ever been invited to. On this album, HMLTD’s glitzy gothic glam rock is in full effect, with a mix of 80s-inspired radio-friendly dance beats, as well as a couple slow-burners. The lyrics of West of Eden hold no punches either. The fist track of the album, “The West is Dead,” is a cutting critique of far-right ideology, where the band kills all these artifacts we problematically consider “western culture.” The following songs maintain that same eerie almost apocalyptic tone. Even on tracks like “Satan, Luella, and I” and “Blank Slate,” HMLTD are able to package intensely dark tones with danceable tunes. If you’re looking to have fun during this current apocalyptic hellscape, this album is definitely worth a listen!

The Weeknd – After Hours

Wesley McLean – Assistant Music Editor

Ever since Abel Tesfaye launched into pop superstardom, he’s always tried to bridge the gap between his two worlds: the melancholic and hedonistic tone of his pioneering mixtape trilogy, and the universal appeal of the pop hits that made The Weeknd a household name. After Hours is the first time he has been able to fully realize this vision, and it’s a glorious and extremely cinematic experience. The unique blend of new wave, synthpop, R&B and electronic sounds serve as the perfect score for Tesfaye as he melodically croons through tales of excess, self-loathing and loneliness. It’s an album that’s grandiose sound would fit perfectly in a sold-out stadium, but its content still lends itself to binge-listening on a lonely night at home, and it’s definitely an album that warrants several GRAMMY nominations.

(It was extremely hard to narrow it down to one album this year, so it’s essentially a four-way tie between this, Mac Miller’s Circles, Andy Shauf’s Neon Skyline and Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher for my AOTY).

The Weeknd – After Hours

Jacob Carey – Managing Editor

I hate to piggyback on Wesley’s album of the year, but you have to give credit where credit is due. While After Hours isn’t even the best album in the Weeknd’s discography, it is certainly one of the best albums of this year. And, it’s actually gotten better with time. The amount of hits that have come out of that album is ridiculously impressive, with “Blinding Lights” being one of the most successful songs in Billboard history. The Weeknd also needs credit for remaining in character all damn year, in his signature burgundy suit and banged up face — either from a street brawl or fresh plastic surgery. Regardless, some of the tunes deriving from this album will be club singalongs for years to come, as will a large majority of The Weeknd’s constantly evolving discography.

Don Toliver – Heaven or Hell

Juliette Palin – News Editor

This album provided me with all the trap moments I needed during quarantine. Fittingly, it was released on a day we will all remember as an infamous one: March 13, 2020. With a mix of well-written raps and R&B, it has been phenomenally successful. It had roaring success, in part due to the release of the album JACKBOYS, a collaboration between a group of rappers featuring Travis Scott, his DJ, Chase B, Sheck Wes, Don Toliver, and Luxury Tax. This album features some of the same songs as Heaven or Hell. I highly recommend listening to this album in your car on full blast, specifically “Company,” “Had Enough,” featuring Quavo and Offset, and — a classic — “No Idea.”  Don Toliver is one of the biggest breakout artists of 2020.

I Don’t Know How But They Found Me – Razzmatazz

Elyette Levy – Assistant Commentary Editor

IDKHow is a music duo spearheaded by two members of one of my favourite bands of all time, the now-defunct The Brobecks. I discovered them while I was in high school, and I have no shame in saying they stood by me through the entirety of my emo phase. I even spent over $50 for a CD of one of their older albums on eBay (in my defence, those albums are super rare). You can imagine my reaction when I found out about the creation of IDKHow; let’s just say I was ready to take out the black pencil eyeliner again. Razzmatazz is the band’s first studio album, a long-awaited work since their first EP came out in 2018. Adding a colourful modern indie twist to the members’ 2010s pop-punk attitude, the album blends youthfulness with nostalgia, electricity with emotivity. As a cheeky nod to their Brobecks days, they include a re-recorded version of their previously unreleased “Cluster Hug.” Beautiful chord combinations, poetic excellence, choice topics that range from politics to family; IDKHow gives us everything in this album.

It’s the little things

The Other Side was a satire column that frequently appeared in what was then called the Arts and Culture section of The Concordian in 1994. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

We all know the pandemic has negatively affected our lives in a variety of ways, and that it has disproportionately harmed some more than others. But hidden within the chaos and confusion that is the year 2020, there are a small handful of silver linings that make this “new normal” just a little more bearable.

Take masks, for example — as the cold weather begins to consume Montreal, wearing them has become less and less of a chore. We no longer have to soil our scarves with runny noses, since our trusty mandatory-masks do us the favour of keeping our lips and noses warm, while also protecting against the transmission of our least favourite virus.

Speaking of transmission, without having to commute to campus for class, there’s fewer reasons to ride the germ incubator — ie. the bus, metro or shuttle — anymore. Even when life was normal, it’s hard to say that taking the bus was ever the best part of the day. And now, for the lucky ones who don’t need to ride as much, it’s just a warm memory.

And speaking of warmth, wearing warm, comfy pajama bottoms to class seems like something we would’ve killed for before the pandemic. Now, it’s a way of life. No more social expectation to look “together” and cohesive. We all know we’re in the same boat. If that means wearing your cozy Harvard sweater, your Spongebob socks or your Roots sweatpants from your pre-adolescence, we get it.

It’s the little things.

If one thing is true, it’s that there’s plenty of time to spend alone now, and with that comes a lot of loneliness and sameness. But at the same time, these open Friday nights with nothing to do have given us the time and space to practice self-care and self-discovery. Maybe that means doing a weekly bath ritual, or having private karaoke nights or even beating your high score in Mario Kart. Whatever it is that helps you be you, do it. The biggest pandemic perk? Having the time to get to know yourself.

 

Feature photo by Alex Hutchins

Categories
News

Remembering our veterans… COVID-style

Legion members gather to honour the lives of veterans on Remembrance Day at Place du Canada, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Montreal, Quebec on November 11, 2020. Matilda Cerone/The Concordian

How Quebec held  Remembrance Day celebrations under COVID restrictions

 

Since 1919, Canadians have celebrated Remembrance Day as a way of showing gratitude for those who sacrificed their lives fighting on behalf of Canada.

This year, Remembrance Day (Nov. 11) coincided with the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. But due to COVID-19, the ceremonies originally planned were cancelled, and the poppy campaign severely limited.

The Royal Canadian Legion (RCL) and its branches had to find alternative ways to honour their veterans. Westmount’s Royal Montreal Regiment (RMR), for example, had to think outside the box when it came to selling poppies.

The RMR created the “Poppy by Mail” initiative to raise funds for local organizations while respecting social distancing measures. People could donate to the regiment through their website, poppybymail.ca, and receive their poppies right to their door.

This avoided all social contact, protecting the public and the senior veterans who usually run the poppy campaign.

Service Officer Georges Gohier of the RMR said that they mailed hundreds of envelopes each day since the start of the campaign.

“I basically worked on about 100 some odd envelopes myself,” said Gohier, who served 20 years with the branch.

Gohier explained that the initiative was run entirely by volunteers. From active members to veterans, and of course, their families.

“It’s all hands on deck,” said Gohier. And what do volunteers need? “[Just] some available time and a little bit of dexterity to fold the envelopes,” he said chuckling.

The bright red poppy is an iconic symbol of Canada’s Remembrance Day and is worn in the weeks leading up to the federal holiday out of respect to those who fought and are still fighting for Canada.

In addition to the alternative poppy fundraising, Montrealers paid respect to their veterans through the annual Remembrance Day Ceremony. Only this year everything was virtual.

Because regions in red and orange zones are prohibited from having large gatherings, and the average age of Quebec’s veterans is 71 years old, the Quebec Command cancelled all mass ceremonies this year.

There were small ceremonies held around the island for each branch as well as the main ceremony at Place du Canada, but spectators were discouraged from attending.

 

How did we celebrate from home?

The National Remembrance Ceremony held in Ottawa was live streamed on the RCL’s Facebook page at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11.

But even if you missed the ceremony online, Gohier said the most important thing to do was to, “put down whatever you’re doing and take a few minutes to think of the people who’ve passed. Not just the soldiers, but even civilians who were just born and raised living in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

 

Photo by Matilda Cerone

Categories
Arts

The Concordian staff’s top halloween movies

Bringing you our favorite spooky flicks

Halloween is almost here! But with distancing measures in place, participating in the festivities that many of us usually look forward to is no longer an option. So, cozy-up and grab a few snacks… here are The Concordian staff’s top movie picks to keep you busy on Halloween night.

Lorenza Mezzapelle, Arts Editor

Thriller and horror are my favorite genres, which made choosing a movie difficult. Finally, it came down to gore. I think that if you’re going to watch a movie on Halloween it should sort of be, well … gross. So, my pick is Carrie (1976). Blood! Telekinesis! What more do you want? Also, bullying is central to the plot which always makes for an entertaining film. If bloodshed is not what you’re looking for, then It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966) is a good ol’ wholesome, festive classic.

Abigail Candelora, Copy Editor

If you’re like me, a silly little ball of anxiety who is frightened of basically everything, look no further! Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge, a Disney Channel Original Movie from 2001, follows young witch Marnie Piper and her grandmother as they race against time to save their beloved Halloweentown – and, in turn, the world! This movie really has it all: early 2000s nostalgia; generations of spunky witches; an engaging, if silly, central plot; “evil” spells that are basically just normal spells but en français; Debbie Reynolds. And for my fellow sapphics: this movie has a special place in my heart (and lesbian awakening) thanks to Gwen Piper and her button-ups. All in all, you can’t go wrong!

Louis Pavlakos, Music Editor

Out of all the places to find a gory, gut-wrenching horror series, NBC is not what I had in mind — until I started watching the disgustingly beautiful Hannibal series from Bryan Fuller. If you’ve seen The Silence of the Lambs, then you know how disturbed the cannibal Hannibal Lecter can be, and this new iteration of the beloved maniac is a whole new level of insane. Mads Mikkelsen playing the titular character is one of the finest casting choices of the 2010s and Hannibal’s chemistry with opposite Will Graham, played by Hugh Dancy, is engrossing. Hannibal lasted three amazing seasons, but was ultimately cancelled due to low viewership. That started my on-going beef with NBC since it was arguably the last time they created a good hour-long series. Thankfully, it’s available on Netflix now, so no excuses! It truly is one of the best horror series ever.

Wesley McLean, Assistant Music Editor

With so many run-of-the-mill slasher and found-footage horror movies out there, I’ve always loved the original A Nightmare on Elm Street for how truly unique it is. Having a villain that exists only in peoples’ dreams opens the movie up for a lot of creative scenes and makes Freddy Krueger completely unavoidable. Just a quick power nap on Elm Street can lead to a character’s demise. The movie also has a chilling score, and Robert Englund perfectly captures the role of Freddy Krueger. Sure, the film is pretty dated by today’s standards, but the well-balanced mix of visual horror and campy humour makes it the perfect spooky season movie.

Juliette Palin, News Editor 

Recently, I struggled to find a horror movie that was able to make my skin crawl. As a horror movie junkie in the spooky season, I have watched many horrible films that immunized me to jump scares and the typical scary stuff. But then came The Shining, which kept me up for days. The scary, gloomy scenes are beautifully shot, and the soundtrack will stick to the inside of your ears, making your whole life sound eerie for days to come. I can always appreciate a slow-paced horror film. It may take longer to get to the climax, but the anticipation just makes it a whole lot better.

Aviva Majerczyk, Commentary Editor

I am completely incapable of watching scary movies. Just a trailer or DVD cover art for a horror film can keep me awake at night. So, my Halloween film pick is less spooky and more campy: The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I first saw this movie musical at a Halloween party when I was 13, and I’ve been watching it every October since. Typically on Halloween, Rocky Horror fans would get dressed up and go to a theatre to watch a screening, complete with audience participation, but I think it’s just as fun to watch at home with friends. There is nothing more exciting than initiating a first-time viewer (or so-called “Rocky virgin”) into this cult-favourite film and watching them be simultaneously entertained and completely confused. The songs are super catchy, the characters are bizarre and iconic, and the plot is gloriously raunchy. It’s an absolute kitschy fantasy distraction, but that’s sort of what we need right now.

Chloë Lalonde, Creative Director 

I had to think about this for a while. I am a big fan of thrillers, true crime and hauntings, but not horror and gore (unless it’s oldschool). I decided to go with the first, the OG, the underrated, Interview with the Vampire, starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas, and Kirsten Dunst. The movie is based on a novel by Anne Rice, and is absolutely iconic. It’s incredibly dramatic, features both zombies and vampires, provokes social and racial discussions, and has amazing outfits. Oh, and it’s set during the plague, so its relevance ensues. To add some more umph to this, I wanted to include a moment from the film that my best friend and I think is hilarious, but I couldn’t quite remember it, so I sent her a text, begging her to remind me: “Do you mean the part when Brad Pitt is chopping everyone?” she wrote, or maybe, “the gasoline in the coffins?” or this: *sends me a picture of Brad Pitt kissing Antonio Banderas* … Need I say more?

Katerina Barberio, Revenue Manager 

Halloween is my least favorite holiday — except for all the Kit Kats and Tootsie Rolls, of course. The thought of bats, black cats, and jack-o’-lanterns is not something that brings me much joy. I love movies but seldom do I watch scary ones. I remember one Halloween night in high school, my girlfriends wanted to watch a scary movie because it was an “excellent night for an exorcism.” Regan’s eyes in The Exorcist still haunt me to this day. I refuse to watch it again years later. I will stick to the type of scary movies I admire like Ghostbusters and pretend I love Halloween while eating Kit Kats.

Lily Cowper, Production Assistant

Because I need to get my yearly dose of Christopher Walken and refuse to watch Hairspray for the 50th time, The Dead Zone is my go-to spooky flick, about a psychic man who can predict tragedy using the power of touch. The film, based in wintery New Hampshire, has all the markers of a 1980s classic (eerie soundtrack, dramatic one-liners, and oversaturated colors), and is also incredibly picturesque. Another Stephen King adaptation, Children of the Corn, casts a similar vibe. The movie features stunning vistas of the American Midwest, where a couple driving cross-country happen upon a rural town where all of the children have been corralled by a demon to revolt by murdering all the adults. If you like corn, and you’re uncomfortable around children, you should find this film sufficient. While you’re at it, why not throw The Happening into the mix? Zooey Deschanel stars in this modern classic with ol’ Marky Mark himself. The plot follows a group of people bonded together in an apocolyptic world where all the plants have begun to release gas that triggers a person to commit suicide. Seriously, these are three of the most unsettling, cringiest films I have ever watched — make it a movie marathon if you’re in the mood for some bleak nightmaring.

Jacob Carey, Managing Editor

As a kid, I always loved going to watch horror movies in theatres. Of all the flicks I have seen, I always remember being most frightened by The Grudge and The Amityville Horror. There are some jump scares that were so perfectly executed and petrifying that I still remember them to this day (the under-the-covers scene in The Grudge and the mirror scene in Amityville, to be specific). Admittedly, nothing that’s been released in recent years stands out to me as much as these two do. Getting older has made me appreciate creepiness over a temporary jump scare in horrors. Midsommar is the most recent movie that stands out to me as a truly great horror movie, although it’s definitely more eerie than scary. In retrospect, I don’t know why my parents allowed their nine-year-old kid to watch all these terrifying and brutal slasher movies…

Maggie Morris, Head Copy Editor

I was somewhat of an adrenaline junky as a 12-year-old, and spent the summer between grades seven and eight becoming well-versed in horror movies. My girlfriends and I spent many evenings huddled up on each others’ basement couches, forcing ourselves to sit through the fear. While my love for horror films has dwindled, I still catch the occasional new fear flick in theatres. To this day, though, nothing has spooked me quite like Paranormal Activity did. I was probably one of few people on earth who actually bothered to watch the sequels — all the way up to Paranormal Activity 4, and honestly, they did get worse, but some of those jump scares have stuck with me to this day.

Lillian Roy, Editor-in-Chief 

For someone who really, really, really loves Halloween, I sure hate horror movies — too many jump scares for my frail heart to stand. While my movie pick isn’t a classic Halloween movie, it certainly has Halloween energy: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Wizards and witches? Check. Werewolves? Check. Crazed mass-murderers on the loose? Check. Freaking dementors??? Check. Teen angst? Check. Crookshanks? Check.

 

Graphic by Lily Cowper.

The red zone blues

The Other Side was a satire column that frequently appeared in what was then called the Arts and Culture section of The Concordian in 1994. Photo by Alex Hutchins.

This lockdown feels different from the last

Back in March, when lockdown first began, a little something called self-reinvention came into vogue. For many students, early quarantine was characterized by at-home workouts and loaves of bread baking in the oven. We video chatted with friends and family, took long walks in the cool spring mornings, and finally cracked open the dusty books we’d been meaning to read. We did anything and everything we could to make the days go by faster and to drown out the anxieties that come hand-in-hand with global pandemics. Whether this actually worked or not is still up for debate.

It’s October now, and while many things haven’t changed, lockdown feels different this time around. These past few weeks at The Concordian, we’ve been having discussions about COVID fatigue and how a lot of us are feeling burnt-out and uninspired lately. Our pandemic-induced hobbies have fallen to the wayside, only to be replaced by an incessant consumption of Netflix and the ordering of box after box of takeout (granted, we did all this back in March, too, just with more exercise and soul-searching in between).

In retrospect, the pressure we put on ourselves in those early days of quarantine was unrealistic and unfair. It turns out that worldwide catastrophes are not particularly conducive to awe-inspiring, all-encompassing self-improvement. Who knew?

As we wait out the second wave of this storm, let’s embrace a slightly different approach to personal growth. If it made you happy the first time, take up baking and yoga again, and incorporating some more morning walks into your routine couldn’t hurt. But keep in mind that not every step you take needs to be an Instagrammable moment. Sometimes improvement looks like eating a vegetable for the first time in days; sometimes it’s taking a breather on the balcony; sometimes it’s calling your grandma; and sometimes it’s asking your professor for an extension.

So, if you’ve been feeling blue lately, you can try what many of us at The Concordian will be practicing in the coming weeks: treating ourselves with tenderness and care, and trying to drink more water.

Resources:

 

Feature photo by Alex Hutchins

Categories
News

Primary schools in Quebec — how’s it going?

In the midst of the second wave, schools and parents struggle with how to protect the children from the second wave of COVID-19

Montreal has been experiencing a full-fledged second wave of COVID-19, and has gone into lockdown since Oct. 1. With the number of cases rising, the provincial government has put new measures in place.

Dining rooms, libraries, museums and theatres have closed, and home gatherings are now banned. Additionally, social distancing is being reinforced, and masks are now mandatory during any demonstration or protest.

However, primary and secondary schools have remained open. When Premier François Legault addressed the province in a press conference at the end of September, he made his goal clear: “Our objective is first of all to protect the schools.”

Santé Montreal shows that there are currently 616 cases in the 5-9 age group, compared to Sept. 12 when there were only 376 cases, representing a 63.8 per cent increase. For older children, aged 10-19, there are currently 2,459 cases, compared to 1,321 cases from a month ago.

There has been plenty of controversy over the decision to keep schools open, and if the government should give parents a choice when it comes to their children’s education.

Charlotte Fritsch, an after-school caretaker at École Saint-Joseph in the Plateau, explained that it’s important to give kids the normalcy of going to school.

“Let [the children] go to school, see their teachers, see their friends in their class … these are formative years in their development when they are so young.”

The primary schools typically operate in smaller groups. Every classroom is a bubble, meaning children can play and interact normally with others in their bubble. Only the adults are required to wear protective gear such as masks and safety goggles or a visor. Fritsch explained that even though safety measures are in place, some gaps still remain.

“But as employees, educators, teachers, we really do our best to remind them of the rules, [such as] to take different paths and avoid colliding with another person,” said Fritsch.

Katrina Chionidis, a mother to an 11-year-old, is struggling with the second wave. After losing her job in the service industry due to COVID shutdowns, she now has nothing but time to homeschool her kids.

She said, “Second lockdown I found has hit me, my staff, and my family a lot harder than the first one. And the first one was a lot longer.”

However, a common misconception is that parents in Quebec are allowed to remove their kids from school for remote learning, similar to Ontario. Quebec does not allow for kids to be taken out of school unless justified by a medical cause.

Chionidis said, “We don’t have a choice … If I had the option, [the school] wouldn’t call the Directeur de la Protection de la Jeunesse on me, which is what they threatened to do when I asked if I could keep him out of school.”

Chionidis explained that in her case, she should have that choice, since online learning was successful for her family in the past.

“Every class in my son’s school has smart boards. So what would it cost [to install] a webcam so he would be able to do the home schooling like we did during the first lockdown,” asked Chionidis.

Although there is a lot of concern over the loss of normality in childrens’ lives, Chionidis believes that this isn’t an issue.

“This isn’t normal [either]. Let’s say you have a five [or] six year old year old, kindergarten or grade one. You are now asking this child to sit at a desk for seven hours a day. That’s not normal.”

However, there are many parents who don’t have the ability to stay home and care for their children full time in addition to providing for their family.

According to these parents, it is important for schools to remain open, and respect the safety guidelines that come from the Quebec national institute of public health.

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