Tag: quebec

Categories
Concordia Student Union News

Abolition or reform? A new CSU position

CSU’s police brutality position is controversial in its wording

On Oct. 28, the CSU’s second meeting of the month discussed Arts and Science Representative Shivaane Subash’s police brutality position. In hopes of being added to the CSU’s Positions Book, the position highlights how the CSU does not support the SPVM in its treatment of Black and Indigenous students.

Two distinct positions were recognizable in the discussions: one for abolition, and one against. This doesn’t mean that any parties were against taking a position; rather, they had different approaches to the position.

Subash wrote in the position, “The CSU recognizes its racially diverse student population and how widely reported racial profiling experiences by the SPVM affects their educational experience. Thus, it is vital to advocate for their safety and security to ensure a safe, enriching university environment.”

This universal statement is one that most CSU representatives agree with. However, there are a handful of representatives that have issues with the last clause in the position.

The section originally read, “CSU stands in favour with defunding and abolishing the SVPM, so as to redirect those financial resources to areas such as healthcare, mental health, housing, education, jobs, and restorative-justice models that better suit the needs of our community.” After the discussion, the section of the quote in italics was removed.

Subash explained that she “looked at the Positions Book and realized there was just a small section on police brutality.”

As one of the only remaining women of colour in the CSU now that many have stepped down, she knew that someone needed to take a stand, and change the CSU’s position on these issues.

Subash is aware that abolishing and defunding the police is a controversial idea, and was expecting push back from fellow council members.

“This is natural, there was pushback and confusion from the general public and different leaders as well, so it was expected by everyone,” she said.

Despite this, she said it’s still exhausting to deal with this type of push back.

“It’s mostly tiring … especially when everyone is learning about concepts such as police brutality. They’re not new concepts, but they’re penetrating the public more nowadays.”

She stood by her ideas and statement, based on her own personal experience as a minority.

“A lot of people are against it because the police have always been there as an institution that we’ve had for ages,” she said.

So people are so used to that police presence, they don’t want to consider abolishing/ defunding the police.”

However, this isn’t the section that Tzvi Hersh Filler, a member of the CSU Council of Representatives, had issues with, but rather the word “abolish.”’

In Filler’s opinion, “In this case, seeing as [the police] is an essential service, scrapping it doesn’t make sense. Obviously, you have to fix the accountability issues.” He argues that the word “abolish” will create a sour relationship with the SPVM, which can lead to bigger issues.

Filler compares the situation to a similar one that occurred in New York City, where a group of Orthodox Jews were being harassed with bricks. According to Filler, the police failed to handle the situation properly.

He said, “The fact that the police were unable to properly handle [the situation], came down to the fact that the police felt like [the mayor] was out to abolish them, and that created this atmosphere where they couldn’t do their jobs.”

James Hanna, a Gina Cody councillor at the CSU is of the same opinion as Filler. Both agree that the SPVM is extremely problematic and needs to be fixed. However, these two don’t see how abolition is the key to this.

He said, “Without fixing society itself; without lowering the racism score, the level of [racism in] the police also won’t change because it’s the same pool of candidates, it’s still the subset of that same population, unless you radically change the population.”

As of now, the position’s 12.8 section stands as such: “CSU stands in favour with defunding and abolishing the SVPM.”

 

Categories
News

What’s been happening in the Wet’suwet’en territory?

With COVID-19, the protests’ momentum diminished, but the communities in the territory are still fighting

The Wet’suwet’en solidarity protests made national and international news in the beginning of 2020, as people across Canada occupied land and erected blockades to show support for Wet’suwet’en, who were protesting a pipeline being built on their land — yet, because of COVID-19, that momentum has since dissipated.

In February, the federal government and the Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs agreed to a memorandum of understanding (MOU); a draft agreement that will have the provincial and federal government acknowledge the Rights and Title of the Wet’suwet’en under their system of governance.

Yet the MOU does not address the Coastal GasLink (CGL) pipeline — a main reason for the social movement — that cuts across the Wet’suwet’en territory.

“It was quite clear in those conversations that the coastal gas pipeline wasn’t open for discussion,” said Karla Tait, a Unist’ot’en House member and volunteer director of clinic services at the Unist’ot’en Healing Centre. “We have the issue of no consent from our nation for this project, which is threatening to damage a cornerstone of our culture.”

According to the Unist’ot’en website, Wet’suwet’en is a territory made out of 13 hereditary house groups. The Unist’ot’en are part of the Dark House. The website states that “The Unist’ot’en homestead is not a protest or demonstration. Our clan is occupying and using our traditional territory as it has for centuries.”

In regards to the MOU, Tait said that “In terms of actual resolution, it hasn’t resolved anything.”

Tait explained that the pipeline is proposed to pass under rivers that hold cultural importance and supply the communities with salmon, which is a keystone species to the region.

She also stated that the CGL construction workers’ camps were destroying trails that were culturally important; thus, there was a push for legal action against the CGL to ensure no further historical and cultural sites were damaged.

But because of COVID-19, the court date was postponed, and by the time it was rescheduled, CGL had already expanded into the territory without any archaeological dispute. Tait explained that CGL used the cover of COVID-19 to proceed with the construction of the pipeline.

In an open letter, the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs called for the shutdown of the pipeline, as it increased the risk of COVID-19 transmission by increasing the amount people travelling in and out of the community. But like in most provinces, construction was deemed an essential service.

“We didn’t pack everything up, we are still here,” said Tait, who explained that while the Unist’ot’en are not currently blocking the pipeline, the community is still there, facilitating activities to revitalize cultural practices and reconnect to the land.

She said that those activities are collaborations in the Indigenous communities, focusing on seasonal activities like hunting and traditional medicine. But because of COVID-19, the scope of the activities has been limited, turning into either resource-videos or small in-person groups in accordance with  COVID-19 distancing rules.

Tait wanted it to be made clear that revitalizing those cultural activities was in itself an act of resistance against the colonial government.

“It is very difficult to witness the coming and going of invaders,” said Tait, “[and] sit across from them as they describe some measures to minimize the damages to places that are sacred.

“I would employ the readers to do what’s in their power [to help], because we have done more than enough. This is everyone’s future and ability to survive in a world that is approaching climate catastrophe, so do your part,” she said.

Tait explained that people see the Wet’suwet’en movement as abstract and removed from their power. Yet she said that before COVID-19 there was huge social momentum and public pressure through demonstrations and marches. Those actions by people promoted the federal government to begin the process of the MOU.

“It is a tricky context thing to do with COVID-19, but I think people underestimate their power,” Tait said. “I felt like we were at a point [before COVID-19] where things were going to shift in big ways. I hope that people will not forget that momentum.”

 

Archive graphic by Wednesday Laplante

Categories
News

Despite a recovering unemployment rate, students struggle to find jobs in Quebec

Concordia student forced to leave Canada after losing hours at his workplace

Quebec’s economy is gradually recovering from the damage brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the most recent Labour Force Survey from Statistics Canada, the province had 77,000 more people employed in September than in August.

Canada’s unemployment rate was 9.0 per cent in September, dropping by 1.2 percentage points since August. A similar situation is happening in Quebec, where the unemployment rate fell from 8.7 to 7.4 per cent over the same time period.

Despite a gradual improvement, young people still feel the impact of mass layoffs during the pandemic, more so than any other age group. Quebec youth aged 15 to 24 had a 13.1 per cent unemployment rate in September, compared to just 6.8 per cent in February before the spread of COVID-19.

José Morales, an Industrial Engineering student at Concordia University, has personally felt the effect of unemployment caused by the pandemic. In the summer of 2020, he was working full-time at the Foamextra factory, which manufactures polyurethane foam products. In September, however, his employment situation took a turn for the worse.

“The factory didn’t need me as a full-time worker anymore, so they cut my hours to a bare minimum. They’re concerned about health risks as we enter the second wave — and that’s understandable — but I really needed those hours,” said Morales.

The engineering student could not find a job in the restaurant industry either, as all dining rooms remain closed in Montreal amid the current red zone restrictions. His only other option was to book a flight home to El Salvador.

Morales explained, “I had to leave the country since I couldn’t support myself anymore. Barely working part-time at the factory wouldn’t cover for my living costs, let alone my tuition fees. It’s unfortunate how much uncertainty the pandemic has added to the Canadian job market.”

In fact, young people are particularly vulnerable to pandemic-related restrictions because of their role in the job market. According to the Youth Employment in Canada government report in 2016, 33.7 per cent of workers aged 15 to 29 were working in retail, hospitality, and food service sectors, compared to just to 13.4 per cent of workers aged 30 and over.

Therefore, it has been particularly difficult for younger employees to find employment during the past few months, as Quebec’s shops, restaurants, and bars started to close or operate at limited capacity.

Meanwhile, the province’s educational services industry witnessed encouraging results in September. That month, it had 23,900 more workers employed compared to August, representing the highest increase out of all the industries in Quebec.

This growth was partly driven by the return of students to school classrooms at the start of the new academic year. Unlike universities and CEGEPs, elementary and secondary schools are largely staying open in Quebec. As a result, higher staffing levels are required to support in-person instruction.

Overall, the province’s unemployment rate is gradually returning to its pre-pandemic levels, showing signs of recovery following a record-high rate of 17 per cent in March. However, the impact of COVID-19 on Canada’s unemployment is still far from over, especially for university students.

 

Graphic by @the.beta.lab

Categories
Sports

Sports in Quebec are controlled differently than elsewhere during the pandemic

Soccer is one sports where the province differs in its COVID-19 restrictions

With most of Quebec in the red zone, new regulations have been put in place by the Quebec government to curb the spread of COVID-19: restricting private gatherings, access to restaurants, recreational activities, organized sports, and much more.

With these restrictions put in place, the Montreal Impact soccer club had to cease all activities for 30 days starting Oct. 8, stating on their website that they will continue to monitor the situation and support the measures of protection given by the government.

Before these new rules came into play, the Impact was the first club in Major League Soccer (MLS) to have fans allowed inside their stadium ― the Saputo Stadium, which has a maximum capacity of 20,801 ― allowing 250 fans per game following the ease of Quebec public health restrictions in late August.

With COVID-19 cases increasing since the beginning of the fall, rising from roughly 150 new cases per day at the start of September to roughly 950 cases per day at the beginning of October, the Impact quickly followed health and safety guidelines, and shut down their facility for the 28-day semi-lockdown ordered by the Quebec government.

In contrast with Quebec, Germany has fewer restrictions for its first and second division soccer leagues ― the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2. With COVID-19 cases slowly increasing, Germany has had 15,580 new confirmed cases from Oct. 8 to 12.

The restrictions there have largely stayed the same since the beginning of the pandemic: entry restrictions for many countries, and if granted entry, self-isolation until a negative test is shown.

German government officials have allowed the Bundesliga to fill 20 per cent of their stadium capacity. Despite rising COVID-19 cases, the Borussia Dortmund stadium, the biggest stadium in Germany with a capacity of 81,365, allowed a sold-out crowd of 11,500 fans on Oct. 3.

The Bundesliga has posted on their website that the German Federal Ministry of Health has given them a basic structure to follow, stating that “the Ministry emphasized that systematic compliance with the highest standards of infection protection is a fundamental requirement for allowing live crowds for football matches again. Allowing fans back in should always depend on the regional trend of infections.”

Without revenue coming in, the Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) stated in mid-April that 13 out of 36 Bundesliga clubs were facing financial problems, with Borussia Dortmund alone losing an astounding $49 million.

In comparison to these numbers, the Bundesliga had an all-time high profitable gain from 28 of their 36 clubs last season, achieving $4.7 billion in revenue, 13 per cent of which came from ticket sales.

Financially, the MLS may be thinking correctly by letting a small percentage of their fans in their stadium, but with the current state of the pandemic, shutting down activities seems necessary.

 

Graphic by @ariannasivira

Categories
News

28-day challenge: No friends to break COVID’s second wave

A surge of COVID-19 cases bumps several regions into the red zone

The Quebec Minister of Public Health and Social Services, Christian Dubé, announced during his press conference on Sept. 25 that he is putting all yellow and orange zones up to a 28-day challenge to limit social interactions, while the red-zones of Quebec City, Chaudiere-Appalaches and Montreal are obliged to complete a mandatory 28-day quarantine.

The goal of the challenge is to abstain from all and any social gatherings that are considered non-essential. That includes: parties, weddings, and gatherings alongside family and friends. This includes any unnecessary travels to different regions for the next 28-days.

Dubé expressed optimism in his 28-day challenge by asking all Quebec citizens to join the challenge. He explained that while this is an extra effort alongside all that citizens are already doing, he explains that with the three new regions as classified red-zones, they need to be even more restrictive in their measures. Dubé said on Radio-Canada’s talk show, “what we are going to tell people is going to be: stay home.”

“What we are asking you is to make a special effort to limit our social contacts, and I am saying it, for the next 28 days. If we do it in the time that I specify today, I think it will encourage people to understand that yes this is an extra effort, but there can be an end to this. I repeat, what we are asking you to do is a special effort to limit your contacts, what we call social contacts, for the next 28-days. This is for one month; it is not permanent.”

The implementation of this challenge came as a result of an immense surge of cases over the weekend, with Dubé confirming two cities would escalate from an orange to red alert on Radio-Canada’s talk show. According to the Quebec government’s website, as of the beginning of the red zone on Thursday the total number of confirmed cases is over 3,238 in the past three days. As of October 3, there are a whopping 78,459 total provincial cases since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March.

Dubé highly encourages all regions to join in the challenge, no matter if they are in a green, yellow or orange zone, deeming it absolutely essential to kick-start our province’s recovery process. He also took time to state that if the 28-day challenge cannot be followed, citizens should rigorously abide by the newly updated public health implementations during any and all forms of social contact.   

Categories
News

The 2nd annual climate protest took place in Montreal last weekend, and here’s what you need to know

More needs to be done to deter a climate crisis, said organizers

A protest for climate and social justice took place on Sept. 26, starting at Place du Canada. The event began with a word from the organizers about safety measures and a few speeches from different invited organizations. Then, the climate march, encased by police officers, led protesters through Montreal’s streets to the Parc des Faubourgs where closing speeches were given.

One year after the historic climate march that brought over 500,000 people to Montreal’s streets, little action has been taken by the government, said protest organizers. Carbon neutrality by 2030, a full recognition of Indigenous sovereignty on the territory and defunding the police were at the heart of the discussion.

Several social justice groups organized the protest, including La Coalition étudiante pour un virage environnemental et social (CEVES), la Planète s’invite au Parlement (LPSP) and the Defund the Police Coalition.

John Nathaniel Gertler, member of CEVES and one of the organizers of the protest, told The Concordian that the message they want to pass on is not the same as last year.

For Anne-Marie Lortie, a student in Urban Planning at Concordia, it was important to be there.

“I was there last year … and one year later, there are still no changes. I think we need to reiterate the message until someone understands.”

 

 

Intersectionality: a voice for everybody

For Elijah Olise, spokesperson for the Racial Justice Collective and for the Defund the Police Coalition, the link between racial justice and climate justice is clear.

“People who are affected by climate changes [are] the most marginalized people and that is not by accident. That is a choice made by the people who take the decisions in our communities,” he said in a speech before the march.

For him, it was important to give a voice to minorities in the fight for climate justice.

“Across Canada, toxic dumps, risky pipeline projects and tainted drinking water disproportionally curse Indigenous and Black communities. I want these people that I am talking about to be seen and heard and feel powerful,” he added.

Many other organizations walked during the protest including IRA Mauritanie, which fights against Black discrimination in Mauritania.

“We are in the 21st century and still Black people are being killed, being dispossessed of their land and their rights. We are fighting for the independence of human dignity,” said spokesperson for IRA Mauritanie.

 

The importance of a protest even during a pandemic

When Montreal was declared an orange zone last week, organizers had a meeting to discuss the legitimacy of still holding a protest.

“The thing to keep in mind is that coronavirus is a health crisis for sure, but the things we are discussing here are just as much risks for people’s lives and livelihoods, if not more,” said Gertler.

The organizers prepared different protocols to ensure the protest met health and safety guidelines. Volunteers were on the field distributing masks and ensuring social distancing between protesters.

“A big thing we knew was that protests don’t seem to be the biggest spread [of the virus] … we are all outside, we are all [keeping] our distance,” added Gertler.

Milan Codbecq-Pérus, a volunteer at  the protest declared, “We can exercise our right to democracy despite the situation. There is a way to be safe and responsible and to maintain social distancing while demonstrating our discontent.”

 

Photos by Mina Collin

Categories
News

Zoom: a technology unable to replace lecture halls?

This has not been the smoothest start to the fall semester.

Concordia students are divided on the success of Zoom as a medium of instruction, while it has just been announced that remote learning will continue into the winter term.

The majority of courses at Concordia University have been taught online since March 2020, when COVID-19 became a serious public health concern in Montreal. Many students, however, are still having difficulties with adapting to online schooling.

For Alexander Abuzeid, a second-year student in Cell and Molecular Biology, the beginning of the 2020–21 academic year has not been as enjoyable as last year.

“I’d like to focus more on my assignments and new material, instead of worrying about my microphone not working or my Internet connection not being stable enough.”

According to Abuzeid, potential technical difficulties on Zoom are not even the biggest inconvenience.

“Instead of seeing my professor behind the screen, I’d like to be going to class and interacting face-to-face. In Biology, we need hands-on practice to truly master the concepts — and all we’re getting this semester is three in-person bio labs in total. It’s honestly disappointing.”

The lack of human contact was to be expected since the start of the pandemic, in a world where social distancing is necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Allowing all Concordia students to return to campus would go against Quebec’s regulations regarding public gatherings. Following the limit of 250 people would simply force Concordia to prioritize certain faculties over others.

Virtual communication, however, is not a downside for all Concordia students. Civil Engineering student Juanes Lucuara believes that online lectures on Zoom are a better alternative for the same reason: minimal physical interaction.

“Being behind the screen is something that is comforting to a lot of us, since people like me, who are pretty introverted, would rather help out their peers while avoiding real-life contact and the anxiety that comes along with it,” said Lucuara.

Another advantage of Zoom classes is a flexible schedule. Many professors record their Zoom lectures and upload them to Moodle, so that students who missed the live session can view the material when it is most convenient for them. This is particularly useful for international students who are currently living in a different time zone.

At the same time, however, such flexibility may lead to poor planning and a stressful pre-exam period full of lectures that have to be watched last minute.

Lucuara also addressed this issue, saying, “When you have in-person classes, you have more motivation, and a sense of responsibility for attending all your lectures. I don’t want this false feeling of freedom to affect my academic performance.”

Communication Studies student Natalia Camargo, on the other hand, is noticing more limitations than excess freedom.

She believes that Zoom lectures are generally an efficient way of online teaching, but not necessarily for her program.

“Online instruction goes well with theoretical courses, but in Communications, I would need that human interaction with my peers and my professors, let alone having access to professional filming equipment. I hope in-person classes resume in the winter, so that I can produce high-quality content once again!”

Concordia announced Monday that, like fall term, the winter term will take place remotely

 

Photos by Kit Mergaert.

Categories
News

Breaking News: Premier Franḉois Legault announces Montreal is now in “red zone”

With 797 new cases confirmed on Saturday, the city goes into high alert

 

Montreal, Quebec City and Chaudière-Appalaches have been placed in the “red zone,”  the highest-risk zone for COVID-19. New restrictions will be put into place as soon as Thursday September 30, and will last until October 28. Restrictions are subject to be extended if necessary.

Legault announced this change only a week after placing these high-risk areas in the orange zone, the second-highest alert level.

“The situation has become critical, the number of cases are rising. If we don’t want our hospitals to be submerged, if we want to limit the number of debts, we must act strongly now,” the premier said.

The new restrictions are as follows:

  • Dining rooms and patios in restaurants will be closed.
  • Theatres, cinemas, and other similar public places will be closed.
  • In red zones, places of worship will be open, but only 25 people will be allowed inside at any given time.
  • Social distancing measures will be enforced when outside. When within two meters of other people, masks must be worn.

These measures hope to slow down the second wave, and allow schools, workplaces and our health care system to stay afloat for as long as possible.

Hospitals appear to be feeling this second wave, with 37 people already in intensive care units due to the vicious virus.

Categories
News

Journalists arrested for reporting on 1492 Land Back Lane

Ontario Provincial Police arrest journalists after tension rises at 1492 Land Back Lane

Karl Dockstader, a member of the Oneida Nation and journalist, was arrested on Sept. 2 while covering the occupation of the land development Mackenzie Meadows. Dockstader is an award-winning journalist who works for One Dish, One Mic.

The day after Dockstader’s arrest, Courtney Skye, who is Six Nations and a freelance journalist, was also arrested. The independent media outlet Azaadi Now has also made a statement that one of their production members was arrested on Sept. 9.

Since July, Land Defenders have occupied land along the Haldimand Tract, bordering the town of Caledonia and the Six Nations reserve, near Toronto. The occupation is referred to as ‘1492 Land Back Lane,’ referencing the year Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas, beginning centuries of colonization.

The Haldimand Tract was granted in 1784 to the Six Nations after they had allied with the British during the American Revolution.

“Through a series of colonial manoeuvres, the land is now slated for a housing development named Mackenzie Meadows,” noted Shree Paradkar, writer for The Star.

The Land Defenders assert that the land is rightfully theirs, yet Haldimand County Mayor Ken Hewitt claimed in a public statement that no land was stolen, and everyone has legally paid for the land they own. Mayor Hewitt stated that he believes the federal government is responsible for any mismanagement of land claims.

“I am tired of hearing about stolen land and that we are guilty of stealing land,” he wrote. “I look forward to the peaceful end to this ILLEGAL occupation, and I will not support lifting the injunctions until all roads, railings and property are completely vacated.”

The injunction was granted by the Supreme Court in July, calling for Land Defenders to leave the development. Then on Aug. 5, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) attempted to clear out the Land Defenders, who resisted by setting construction equipment ablaze and barricading roads.

This resulted in the OPP firing rubber bullets at the crowds — which can cause severe injuries and, in rare cases, death.

A press release regarding Dockstader’s arrest stated that he was arrested for mischief and failure to comply with the court order.

“He understood that as a journalist, as long as he didn’t actively assist the land defenders that his status as a journalist would protect his work,” read the statement.

Dockstader had partnered with Canadaland to explore the systemic anti-Indigenous racism in the RCMP and the OPP, and how those issues are at play at 1492 Land Back Lane, where he was arrested.

Skye, who was charged similarly to Dockstader, tweeted, “I was sitting on the banks of the Grand River with my auntie/sis. I was literally arrested within feet of our river in my homelands.”

“To me it’s fairly cut and dry that this is an overreach of the OPP,” said Alan Conter, a journalism professor at Concordia. Conter believes that the OPP overstepped and never should have arrested the journalists.

“It’s ridiculous,” he said. Conter stated that there is legal precedent from the Newfoundland and Labrador Court of Appeal ensuring that journalists aren’t barred from areas with injunctions and are safe from arrest during demonstrations.

“Another overreach by the police in terms of criminalizing journalistic behavior,” said Conter.

Conter said he will be flabbergasted if Dockstader’s appeal against his charges don’t go in his favour, yet Conter admits that it’s never a good idea to guess what will happen.

“The OPP should drop the charges and save Ontario justice from the embarrassment,” he said.

Conter said that it’s vitally important that journalism students are taught about how the authority of police are used to block investigations, and not just for Indigenous issues. He believes that if a journalist is facing aggression and detainment from the police, the best thing to do is to comply and then take the police to court afterwards.

“It’s an attack, in civil society the media is one of the pillars of society,” said Dr. Catherine Richardson, a Métis director of the First Peoples Studies at Concordia. Dr. Richardson said that the media gives accurate accounts and informs the public on issues and events, an integral aspect of democracy.

“Arresting journalists is another way of stifling dissent,” she said. “It serves the interests of the elite to stop journalists reporting.”

Dr. Richardson believes that one of the reasons the police are becoming more militarized is because of the rise of the right wing, and that some of the wealthy elite invest in this militarization to police Indigenous movements.

When asked if she believes only Indigenous journalists should report on issues like 1492 Land Back Lane, she explained that while non-Indigeous journalists don’t have the same inside perspective as Indigenous reporters, non-Indigenous people usually have the advantage of more access to resources, money, and legal aid.

She said the most important thing that non-Indigenous journalists must do is their research to better understand the complexity of Indigenous issues.

 

Visuals by Taylor Reddam

Categories
News Uncategorized

Montreal back in “orange zone” as COVID-19 cases climb

After a spike in COVID-19 cases, Montreal takes precautions

On Sunday, Health Minister Christian Dubé announced that due to the rise in COVID-19 cases — 462 on Sunday, the highest number since May — Montreal, Quebec City and other surrounding “orange zones” are being asked to respect stricter COVID restrictions.

“The number of cases is increasing, outbreaks are multiplying and our capacity to treat the sick is decreasing,” said Dubé in a press conference Sunday. This means many things for the day-to-day operations of Montrealers:

  • Indoor gatherings are limited to six people at a time, down from 10. More than six people may gather if they come from two families or less.
  • Bars and restaurants are to stop serving alcohol at 11 p.m. rather than 12 a.m., and must close at 12 a.m. rather than 1 a.m. A maximum of six people may be seated at the same table, also down from 10.
  • Outdoor gatherings are down from 250 to 50 people across most of the province. Orange zones, like Montreal, are down to 25 people.

What this means: stay home! Now is not the time for going out and catching up. Social distancing is more important now than ever if we want to avoid confinement.

Horacia Arruda, a Quebec health public officer, added at the press conference, “I don’t want to be in a bad situation (at) Christmastime because we haven’t done what we’re supposed to do.”

Graphic by @sundaeghost

Categories
News

A Shuffle to remember

Concordia’s annual fundraiser takes on a new virtual reality with stride

Rather than the usual collective walk from Sir George Williams campus to Loyola that has been custom for 30 years at the Shuffle, participants are now being asked to enjoy this tradition by walking in their own neighborhoods.

Alexandra Louridas, the development officer for community programs, explained to The Concordian that instead of taking place on the last day of September in accordance with previous years, “this year the Shuffle is actually lasting an entire week, with an outline of activities planned on our Facebook page. It’s amazing to see how all the Shufflers and the organizing team have adapted to the virtual reality of the event.”

The Shuffle, a Concordia tradition since 1990, brings in money for bursaries and scholarships. Louridas said, “in the past couple of years, we have Shuffle teams who are created and raised funds to create new awards, but also to support various student services at the University.”

In this less structured fundraiser, organizers have had to find ways to track people’s progress and donations.

Thanks to the online tool “Strava,” “[participants] can login into Strava accounts using their Shuffle page, and they can log their kilometres travelled on their personal fundraising page. So it’s really a great way to add that exercise and difficult activity element to the fundraising element,” said Louridas.

The Garnet Key Society, a group of highly academic students that are endorsed by the university’s president. Being a part of this society is described on their webpage as, “the highest honour which may be bestowed upon an undergraduate.” As such, they are enthusiastic participants in the Shuffle.

Gabriele Zambito, a student at Concordia and a proud member of The Garnet Key Society, is very excited to participate in this year’s Shuffle.

“It’s something we always do because we’re raising money for [any] undergraduate student who is remarkable, doing really well in school. Someone who kind of embodies what it means to be a Garnet Key,” he said.

With community engagement as a priority for the student society, Garnet Key has pledged to raise $500.

“We really wanna push community involvement because it’s something that we care about … so we set a goal of $500 for ourselves this year, and already we’ve surpassed it. We’re nearly at $1000,” said Zambito.

Although students won’t all be walking together, this fundraiser is about community and supporting one another. Louridas made sure Shufflers have a way of doing just that, saying, “Students and all Shufflers are invited to post pictures of their Shuffle and their walk to our Facebook Shuffle page. All you really have to do is use the #CUshuffle, and tag us @ConcordiaShuffle. So this is a great way to interact virtually with every participant in this year’s event.”

Pledging to supply us with daily stories, The Garnet Key Society is keen to share ‘walking stories’ with the various hashtags.

“We’re gonna be wearing our masks, not just because it’s mandatory, but also to set out a good image, and encourage people to wear their masks,” said Zambito.

Categories
News

Anti-mask protest or freedom conspiracy rally?

They’re protesting their displeasure about COVID-19, but it seems like there’s more than meets the eye.

Thousands of people gathered on Sept. 12 in downtown Montreal to share their displeasure with the Quebec government’s handling of the COVID-19 virus.

One of the largest anti-COVID-19 restrictions protests in Montreal to date started outside Premier François Legault’s office. At its peak, the estimated 8000 person crowd spanned through more than five blocks of downtown Montreal.

Protesters young and old not only attempted to share their displeasures with how the province has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also other issues that aren’t usually highlighted in the public spotlight.

From 5G deniers to Trump supporters to anti-vaxxers, the message was clear: in their eyes, their freedoms have been violated, and patience is wearing thin.

“Listen, it’s about free choice, I’m not against the mask, I just want us to have the right to choose whether or not we can wear it,” said Daniel Klein, one of the protestors.

“If you’re at risk or scared, put a mask on. But for kids, where we have seen no deaths in that age group in Quebec, there shouldn’t be a reason for them to be wearing a mask,” said Klein.

Few people were willing to be interviewed on the record, as the majority did not want to be questioned, especially from journalists.

With every thud of the drums and tap of the tambourines, the crowd loudly chanted “Liberté,” which echoed throughout the dense crowd of protesters. While the protesters marched down Sherbrooke Street, a countless amount of Trump and Patriotes flags waved in the wind behind them. With no masks in sight, attendees were clearly not worried about contracting or spreading the COVID-19 virus.

“When the vaccine comes out, I will not be taking it and no one can force me to take it either, I’m a free person,” said Steve, who preferred not to disclose his last name. “When it comes to the government threatening people in their own homes with these new laws, it’s unethical. It’s a small percentage! Is there a virus? Yes, there is, but there are viruses everywhere around the world that kill people that are even worse than COVID-19,” said Steve.

Many protesters were seen Saturday with QAnon signs and flags. Often distinguished by the capital letter ”Q,” QAnon is an American alt-right website promoting theoretical, non-factual and sensationalized stories. With a tacit endorsement from President Trump, the website is known to share unverified information to an absurdly wide audience. Before their admin was revealed and the website was ultimately shut down, they amassed over 10 million visitors in the month of July alone.

The march ended in front of the Radio Canada building. Speakers accused the government of exaggerating the dangers of the disease to spread fear amongst the public, as well as blowing the virus out of proportion altogether.

The most recognizable amongst the speakers was actress Lucie Laurier, known for her brief role in Bon Cop Bad Cop; she is one of the major front runners for the anti-mask movement in Montreal.

“Yes, there are people who won’t like us, and our words will bother some,” said Laurier. “We’re causing a stir because we’re telling the truth!”

On the day of the protest, Quebec public health recorded 244 new COVID-19 cases in Montreal, the highest number of new active cases in the city since June 4.

 

Feature photo by Gabriel Guindi.

Exit mobile version