Issue P.45 Power

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Volume 40.2 October 2019

Power Issue p.45

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The second floor is available for festivities of all kinds. Table of Contents THE LINK 3 Volume 40, Issue 2: POWER

p. 6 GENTRIFICATION: SMALL BUSINESSES ARE CLOSING DOWN

p. 11 CONCORDIA’S ONLINE SEXUAL VIOLENCE TRAINING FACES CRITICSM

p. 15 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS PAY TOO MUCH FOR THEIR HEALTH PLANS

p. 19 A LIFETIME OF FOLLOWING YOUR PASSION: LESLEY CHARTERS COTTON

p.26 A SELECTION OF POEMS

p. 29 ESPORTS: CONCORDIA’S BEST KEPT SECRET

p. 32 ADAM VANCE’S FINAL STINGER DAYS

p. 35 THE STRAIGHTS ARE JUST FINE

p. 36 SEX ED(ITORIAL): GENDER AND FAKING ORGASMS OH MY!

p. 39 PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF CANADA: THE ASBESTOS WORKERS’ STRIKE

p. 43 COMICS!

THE POWER ISSUE

p. 46 WHAT HAS THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT DONE IN A YEAR

p. 50 LAVENDER PROJECT: CHALLENGING TABOOS WITH POWER&POISE

p. 52 WHO ARE THE PEOPLE ON THE SIGNS IN YOUR RIDING??

p. 55 THE ONLY ELECTIONS SURVIVAL GUIDE YOU’LL NEED

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Order Online EDITORIAL 5

EDITORIAL:

Politics Care About You Even If You Don’t Care About Them

From the food you buy to the rent Since you’ll probably be alive much Elections Canada site. you pay, the work you do, the art you longer than them, and with millenni- All the information you could ever consume, and even where you party— als expected to overtake the boomers as need about the big scary world of the politics are everywhere. America’s largest generation this year, electoral process is readily available. All It’s impossible to live a life devoid of it’s in your best interest to cast your you have to do is know where to click. them and whether you’re overly politi- ballot and be heard. And no, abstaining But what about those who have already cal, apolitical, or anywhere in between, from voting because elections are “bour- been voted in? Or those who hold power you exist in a system where those in geois” isn’t a good excuse. but aren’t part of the democratic process? power dictate nearly every aspect of your Don’t actually know how to vote or Collective action and protesting is life. But, it’s important to remember who who to vote for? Tere are tools to help another way of exercising your demo- gives them power: us. you out with that. cratic rights. Power is an omnipresent Last October, François Legault’s Coali- Te act of voting, while instrumental part of everyone’s life—we shouldn’t tion Avenir Québec party won a majority to the proper functioning of a democ- treat the people in power as our benevo- government despite having only won racy, is a daunting task—especially for lent overlords. about 38 per cent of the popular vote. new voters or those without a traditional Te word power implies one group If the majority of the province wanted support system—be it parents, school dominating the other, and many in posi- someone else in power, how did this teachers, or anyone else that would help tions of power do not think twice about happen? Only about 66 per cent of you fgure out the complex process of using their status to dominate—and even registered voters took to the polling sta- casting a vote. subjugate others—either politically, eco- tions—about fve per cent less than the Out-of-province students and people nomically, or socially. last provincial election. who have just turned 18 might have Tat’s why it’s so important to hold Tree electoral divisions saw less than countless questions and nobody there to those in power accountable, so they 50 per cent of their voters exercise their answer them. Elections Canada’s web- don’t prevent us from getting the most fundamental right. Montreal averaged site is an extremely efective tool and out of this life. Part of Te Link and other a 58 per cent voter turnout, where the can serve as a mechanism to quell any journalistic publications’ mandates is just CAQ’s support is at its weakest. concerns you may have about the entire that, but we should all strive to make sure Voting is one way to directly partici- process. we do not remain complacent in the face pate in our democracy and—believe it or Everything from how to check your of power. not—your vote does make a diference. In electoral riding, where to go to cast your With that in mind, even if you don’t 2015, those aged between 65 and 75 years ballot, to how you register to vote, and care about politics, they care about you. old were the demographic with the high- what kinds of pieces of ID are allowed at After all, how can you be heard if you est participation rate. your polling centre are available on the don’t speak out?

OCTOBER 2018 6 THE LINK Closed for Business How do threats to local commerce endanger the character of Montreal?

MARCUS BANKUTI

Photos Olivier Cadotte

rank Servedio—the founded by his grandfather. “I thought I linked to empty storefronts and an infux owner of Clarke Café— was going to take over the business. Te of fashy businesses with the potential to tells people he became a last day, I didn’t even want to be around alienate longtime residents. Increasingly, manFF in Mile End. When he started at his the place. It was very upsetting for me.” some fear the very character of Montreal father’s sandwich shop over 15 years ago, His uncle sold the building to Danny is being upended. he encountered an ethnic and cultural mix Lavy and Stephen Shiller of Shiller Lavy As it stands, the commercial market is he says changed him as a person. “It really Realties, a frm whose blue signs can be virtually unimpeded by regulation. Te opened my eyes,” said the self-described seen in windows around Mile End. To city recently announced that its commit- “LaSalle kid.” facilitate the deal, the business was pur- tee on economic and urban development His afection for the eclectic commu- chased simultaneously to ensure his father and housing will study the situation sur- nity helped inspire his decision to spend also profted, said Servedio. Te bakery rounding commercial vacancies, with a the rest of his life at the family business. subsequently continued its operations report to come in December and public So where is Clarke Café? It’s not tucked as a diferent company on paper, so the consultations to follow. away amongst the clothing boutiques of business itself was still family-owned, he “Almost every iconic street in a neigh- Laurier Ave., nor nestled on the Clark St. explained. bourhood is its commercial street,” said for which it is named. Boulangerie Clarke continued to pay Craig Sauvé, a member of the ruling Projet It’s not in Mile End at all—it’s in Pointe- its previous rental rate for one year, after Montréal party and Sud-Ouest city coun- Saint-Charles, 40 minutes by transit from which, said Servedio, its monthly rent cillor for the district encompassing Clarke its predecessor, Boulangerie Clarke, which would have tripled. Café. “Some of the places we cherish the closed in 2015 after 35 successful years. Te booming provincial economy has most are those long-held ‘mom-and- “I thought I was going to be there for- hastened the transformation of Montreal’s pop’ joints.” ever,” Servedio said of the establishment commercial streets, inviting speculation Sauvé’s party promotes a vision for

THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA CURRENT AFFAIRS 7 Closed for Business How do threats to local commerce endanger the character of Montreal?

Photo Marcus Bankuti

neighbourhoods it calls mixité, or mixity. Some neighbourhoods are particularly since its inception in 2007 and a former “We want different socio-economic, threatened by commercial speculation. employee of Pharmacie Esperanza, which ethnic, and religious cultures to live in “We’re not sheltered from that [in Sud- occupied the space previously. diferent neighbourhoods together and Ouest],” said Sauvé. “Mile End is probably “Te culture around Pharmacie Espe- to be able to blend together,” he said. the best example.” ranza and Le Cagibi contributed to the Tis requires a balance of businesses and Boulangerie Clarke on St-Viateur St. W. cachet that attracted the tech community services that fulfl the needs of the whole became a sushi restaurant, but the build- of Ubisoft and, in turn, attracted tourism community, something at risk in many ing again sits empty after that business and corporate real estate interests,” she areas of Montreal. closed in August. A block away, another said. “Cagibi came to represent the last “A lot of money is coming into the city, storefront has been vacant for over a year. holdout of a particular time and feeling in a lot of investment,” said Sauvé. “Tat Its interior is a husk. A wall is peeled from Mile End.” means the people that are speculating one side and on the other, a refrigerated Te building was acquired by Jeremy are thinking, ‘Oh, it’s going to go up and prep table stands askew. Te room looks Kornbluth and Brandon Shiller, the son of we’re going to invest in the main neigh- as though to set foot in it would yield a Stephen Shiller, according to the _Mon- bourhoods.’” mouthful of dust. treal Gazette_ and confrmed by Lee. Te He explained that commercial landlords In rainbow hues, the chalkboard still two men are also administrators of Patis- do not require vacancy permits, meaning welcomes you cheerfully—“Bienvenue serie et Boulangerie Clarke Inc. and are speculators have no strong disincentive to au Cagibi!” named as its shareholders in the prov- await a “jackpot” tenant willing to fork Le Cagibi was an ofbeat café and per- ince’s enterprise registry. over unprecedented sums. What’s more, formance venue. “Our space was queer, Le Cagibi had been paying around when a building sits empty, its losses can student and artist-friendly, demi-punk, $3500 plus GST and QST in rent on a be written of come tax time. easy-going,” said Jess Lee, a co-owner net lease, meaning it also paid a share

OCTOBER 2019 8 THE LINK

“Part of the problem is that the new residents ultimately displace all of the old residents unless something concrete is done to stop the process.”

— Ted Rutland

of municipal and school taxes. Te new said, is to draw attention to an issue he landlords demanded a rent of $7500 cares about. “I’m hoping that if I keep net, which would have totalled nearly screaming into the void, in a way, then $10,000 each month, according to Lee. maybe someone will listen.” She said Le Cagibi had a host of pri- He particularly worries about the orities it placed above proft margins. incursion of chains, such as the Lulule- Such high rent was a nonstarter. mon that opened on St-Viateur St. W. Te café has since reemerged as Coop in a building owned by Lavy and the Le Cagibi, a worker-owned cooperative elder Shiller, according to the Mon- in nearby Little Italy on the outskirts of treal Gazette, or the David’s Tea across Mile-Ex. from it. “[Le Cagibi] was great,” said Servedio. The person behind @shillerlavy “It sucks that they were in that situa- refers to the tapestry of local stores tion. I’m happy that they were able to and cafés as the living room of Mile relocate right away.” End. “You’re not going to get that kind Its old location is listed on Shiller Lavy’s of experience at David’s Tea,” he said. website. It is also being advertised by “And you’re defnitely not going to get Sutton Group, where its asking price is that kind of experience waiting for a $9800 per month plus tax. David’s Tea to open.” “Te space needs a major physical An unscientifc survey conducted transformation to become a proft- by the Coalition Commerces — Vie de able restaurant, and at that rental rate Quartier, an informal group that arose I can only imagine a corporate chain from the Comité des citoyens du Mile with the deepest pockets to foat the End, was presented to borough coun- vision,” said Lee. “I suspect the space cil in June. More than 100 respondents $ will remain empty for a long time.” answered a question asking which 13 Media coverage of vacancies in Mile businesses they would never visit. End has brought attention to Shiller Lululemon was ranked number one. Lavy Realties, which did not respond Te survey found Le Cagibi was the $ to a request for comment. Te company business most often missed. 12 has even inspired a parody account on Lee, who acknowledged several Twitter, @shillerlavy, which counts strongholds she believes carry for- Sauvé and his colleague Marie Plourde, ward the “old school spirit,” warned Plateau Mont-Royal borough coun- that wistful feelings about a neigh- cillor for Mile End, among its 200 bourhood’s vibe should not conceal DELIVERY followers. gentrifcation’s most vulnerable vic- The account’s operator, who tims. declined to share his identity out of fear “I think gentrifcation is a worldwide of litigation, said he was inspired by the process that has the highest impact reporting of Tim Forster of Eater Mon- on racialized, marginalized and low- treal, who has repeatedly highlighted income communities and spaces,” she the company’s role in Mile End. said, specifcally citing the impact of Te operator said he picked Shiller the Université de Montréal expansion Lavy as his target but that the frm into Parc-Ex as an example of what Order is no diferent from others follow- should be the “highest priority for folks Online ing the same playbook. Te point, he thinking about gentrifcation in Mon- THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA CURRENT AFFAIRS 9

Rent has been rising steadily in the Mile End pricing many businesses out. The message printed below can be seen on many buildings in the area.

treal today. ees in Mile End, more than 3000 can’t aford to enter, or they feel cultur- Te Cycle of Gentriﬁcation according to its website, is often cited as ally alienated from, people do really feel “Our society values poor artists in a a driver of gentrifcation. Some of them that and it’s a big deal,” said Rutland. way it doesn’t value poor people who had been among Boulangerie Clarke’s Servedio said he is aware of the French- work at Tim Hortons, unfortunately,” regular customers. speaking, Irish, and working-class roots said Ted Rutland, an associate professor Clarke Café also attracts workers of Pointe-Saint-Charles—which has a at Concordia’s Department of Geogra- from the technology sector among its history of fghting back against gentri- phy, Planning, and Environment. broader clientele. Its customers include, fcation—and prides himself on ftting He described a process by which those for example, employees of GSoft, a into the existing neighbourhood. with symbolic cultural capital but not company with between 201 and 500 “We’re not doing pear and brie sand- necessarily fnancial capital, such as employees according to its LinkedIn. Its wiches,” he said. “I’ve got customers artists or students, move into a neigh- ofce building, a 10-minute walk from that come in here that have been living bourhood and make it more desirable, the café, is home to other tech compa- here forever, and they like the place after which those with fnancial capital nies as well. because it’s not pretentious. It’s very begin to outbid and displace both the Another factor driving commercial simple. You come in here and you can “gentrifcation pioneers” and historical gentrifcation, according to Rutland, is have an afordable lunch.” working-class residents. a tendency for some new street-level He said the neighbourhood reminds “We’re also talking about corpora- businesses to seek the “gentrifcation him of Mile End when he started at tions [...] aided by the government to frontier,” where they have the chance Boulangerie Clarke and that its aford- establish in a neighbourhood,” he said. to shape a neighbourhood in their own able rent is critical to his business. “I “Mile End would have very likely gone image, he said, citing Saint-Henri, don’t want to look in somebody’s eyes through some kind of gentrifcation Petite-Patrie, and Verdun. and say $20 for a sandwich,” he said. “I process regardless, but the arrival of Te result is that longtime residents wouldn’t do it.” Ubisoft with all its capital and all its gov- may no longer see themselves refected His father’s bakery was at Clark St. ernment support played a huge role in in the community in which they live. and St-Viateur St. W. for 35 years he transforming that neighbourhood into “If you get a bunch of more fancy stores reminded me. “I want this business to one hardly anyone can aford anymore.” opening up in a neighbourhood that be here for that amount of time.” Te sheer number of Ubisoft employ- people used to call their own, but they The conditions necessary for that

OCTOBER 2019 10 THE LINK

longevity may be an open question. Sus- where everything comes out of a freezer or view at the modern but humble Clarke taining the vision of mixity promoted by out of a box.” Café, several people who looked to be in Projet Montréal requires signifcant gov- Rutland believes most people would their early 20s fell laughing through the ernment intervention, argues Rutland. agree that longstanding local businesses door. Te café was suddenly bursting with It Takes All of Us “If you don’t use political tools to stop the shouldn’t have to close because of large life. process that’s dominated by the people rent increases. “Can we fgure out what Te youthful group took pictures of an with the most money, then you’re just not really matters to us and craft a policy that employee banging two pieces of bread going to have that mix anymore,” he said. ensures that? I think it’s possible, and together. His staf always do that before “Change in a neighbourhood can I think it’s obviously worth doing,” he making a sandwich, Servedio told me. involve new kinds of connections, new said. He cited regulations around zoning, “Tere’s nothing worse than biting into a kinds of relationships, new kinds of land use and rent control as tools we can pizza or a sandwich that has a lot of four ideas. Part of the problem is that the new use to assert democratic control over our underneath, because you get a bitter residents ultimately displace all of the old surroundings. taste.” residents unless something concrete is Sauvé said the commission studying the Te group said they were from GSoft. done to stop the process.” plight of local businesses will look at the Tey were on a scavenger hunt. He suggests those who reside in gen- possibility of commercial rent control, but Steps away, Dollar Plus Store—which trifying neighbourhoods should pay like many hypothetical interventions, it opened in 1997—is going out of business. attention to the activities of their local would be beyond the city’s authority to Samina Saboohi, its owner, is angry that housing committees. institute. He is hopeful, however, that for all the taxes she’s paid, the govern- Sauvé maintains that mixity is good policy thoroughly-studied recommendations ment did nothing to protect her from the but agrees that housing and community coming out of a mixed-party commission Dollarama that moved onto her block. As action are critical. “It’s a matter of public could carry weight with the province. she spoke, a man entered holding a plastic education, public democracy, commu- Certain actions have already been broom handle. Saboohi told me she sells nity work and community development. implemented, at least on a small scale. the same one at a lower price. Another Te whole point, I think, is that every Sauvé cited a so-called one-in-six rule customer carried a green reusable bag, neighbourhood has to have, in terms of implemented in Saint-Henri that he says and with it, the logo of the Goliath next housing, afordable housing in it, and it succeeded in stymying a rash of restaurant door. has to be of-market housing,” he said. openings there. His party’s 2019 budget He invoked suburban imitations of cut taxes on the frst $500,000 of non- Tey say big fsh eat small fsh, Saboohi urban life to illustrate his vision of an residential property values, efectively told me, that this is only natural. Tere’s interesting city neighbourhood. “If you cutting costs for local businesses whose only one problem—“We’re not fsh.” want to enjoy the real urban life, if you leases make want to see that social beauty, which is the them wholly commercial street with everybody meet- or partially ing and sitting and walking and smoking responsible for and laughing and kids playing, whatever, paying these. you’ve got to go into the city. Te beautiful “Hopefully chaos that is the city.” we can fnd a Many of the kinds of businesses that balance. I’m help sustain this kind of community not against depend on afordable commercial spaces. change,” said Servedio, who Tthe Role of Regulation came back “I don’t think you should be able to have a stronger when commercial space that’s $2000 a month, his life took an and one year to another increase it by 400 unexpected per cent,” said Servedio. “Tat shouldn’t turn. “I think be allowed to happen.” it’s a positive Montreal is one of the best places in thing for the North America to eat, he said, but high neighbour- rents threaten that distinction. “If we hood.” don’t control that, it’s going to be garbage. As I wrapped It’s just going to be a bunch of chain places up my inter-

THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA Graphic Sheida Shamloo CURRENT AFFAIRS 11 It Takes All of Us A Look Into Concordia’s Mandatory Sexual Violence Awareness and Prevention Program

BREE ROCKBRAND Bree Rockbrand and Ireland IRELAND COMPTON @IRELANDCOMPTON Compton @irelandcompton

Concordia University is dedicated to a learning and working environment, that’s free of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and other forms of sexual violence,” says a solemn looking Interim President Graham “Carr in the introductory video to “It takes all of us.” Late last month Concordia announced the launch of its new sexual violence awareness and prevention training, titled “It takes all of us”—despite having been involved in sexual misconduct mismanagement scandals over the last two years. Professors in the English and Philosophy departments had been accused of sexual misconduct, and the university refused to disclose the fndings of the complaints as per Quebec’s privacy legislations. Tis sparked student protests, like the one on April 12 demanding a stand alone policy. Something akin to a well designed powerpoint, with bright graphics, powerful facts—like how incidences of sexual violence are more likely to occur during the frst eight weeks of the semester—and questions to engage participants, “It takes all of us,” takes the user through four key sections.

Graphic Sheida Shamloo OCTOBER 2019 12 THE LINK

Graphics Paulina Dominguez

sits as the chair of the Standing Com- members, Drummond said another mittee, which has been working on the full-time facilitator will be hired training for Bill 151 for the past year. “Con- to carry out requested in-person cordia’s actually been working on training trainings, though Ostiguy said the in- since 2013. So this is more like an expan- person trainings have not flled up. From defining sexual violence and sion of what we’ve already been doing,” “Tinking abot how our popula- consent, to learning how to intervene as she added. tion at Concordia is [about] 50,000 a bystander and support survivors, “It The training was developed with people, that doesn’t lend itself well to takes all of us,” is designed to to educate student focus groups and a training sub- in-person training,” she continued. Concordia students, staf, and faculty on committee, composed of both undergrad campus sexual violence. and graduate students, according to Osti- Backlash against online training Accessible from an email sent out to guy. Ahead of time, a survey had been Concordia students, staf, and faculty published by the Task Force on Sexual “[With] online trainings, you can’t earlier this month, or by logging on to Misconduct and Sexual Violence that “had really monitor who’s not paying My Concordia, “It takes all of us” is a indicated what students were looking for attention or just clicking random mandatory program to be completed by in a training,” she said. boxes, or roll- everyone in the university before Oct. 4. Implemented in 2013, SARC ing their eyes and Students who have not completed the has been handling sexual vio- joking with their training by this date will have a hold placed lence on campus since its’ friends while on their winter registration, while faculty conception and providing in- they’re doing this,” or staf who fail to complete the training person sexual violence training said Margot Berner, will be addressed through their respective since 2015. Before 2016, the a student on the collective agreement or employment poli- center relied on its only full- standing commit- cies. Depending on these, consequences time staf member, Jennifer tee and active on may range from a letter of reprimand, Drummond, to handle claims the standing com- suspension, to potential dismissal. of sexual assault and lead the mittee for Sexual Te training was developed by for- training. Misconduct. proft eLearning platform KnowledgeOne “I think it’s a really positive “People have and Concordia’s Sexual Assault Resource thing that everyone on campus begged [the uni- Centre, in consultation with the Standing is going to have more aware- versity] to have Committee on Sexual Misconduct and ness of the issue, resources, in-person training Sexual Violence. increased knowledge, and a and they just don’t Te standing committee was formed shared language which can particularly want in 2018 with the goal of addressing and lead to more in-depth con- to put the resources implementing the University’s obligations versations about a topic that into it. You can see under Bill 151, a legislation passed in 2017, is quite challenging to talk how few people mandating post-secondary institutions in about,” said Drummond. are working at the the province to improve and implement Students, staf, and faculty SARC ofces,” she new sexual violence policies. need to know how to intervene continued. Part of this process included imple- if they see something happen, Online training menting sexual violence awareness and Drummond explained. She makes it far easier prevention training. stated it is important for them to get around actu- “It takes all of us,” which ofers mem- to know how to respond to dis- ally completing it. bers of the Concordia community the closure, know what resources On Concordia’s option to take the training either online there are, and what sexual vio- subreddit, students or in person was implemented on Aug. 15. lence consists of, so they can have been discuss- “We’ve been working on [the training] identify a situation that has the ing ways to use for years,” said Lisa Ostiguy, special advi- potential of escalating certain features of sor to the provost at Concordia. Ostiguy Now with two full-time staf the training to skip

THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA CURRENT AFFAIRS 13

room, but they don’t lenc e,” said Ostiguy. She says they also meaningfully engage elaborated more on the sexual assault with our input,” response team. she added.Ostiguy She added that a document that said she thinks “it’s further clarifes the processes and pro- unfortunate that cedures under the code of conduct and people are fnding sexual violence policy—including the through segments, absolving its use and ways to go through the training quicker, disclosure and complaint processes— importance. “I have always been very because it’s important that everyone would soon be released. concerned with the idea that the train- who’s able to do it is able to go through Some students worry that not enough ing that they’re ofering is online,” added the training.” is being done for Sophie Hough-Martin, a recent graduate the actual policy. and former general coordinator at the Begging for a Many feel that a Concordia Student Union. “Especially change o f policy lack of systematic when there was a study done in 2018 change overrides with hospital staf in emergency depart- According to the university’s ments responding to sexual violence, Bill 151, secondary attempt at a train- which showed impirically that in-person educational insti- ing. consent and sexual violence training was tutions in Quebec Though the more efective than online training for this must implement policy has been specifc topic.” a stand-alone, updated to include When she brought this up to the admin- survivor-centric, more intersec- istration, she was waved of and assured sexual vio- tional language, that online training was just as efective. lence policy, one “the complaint Tough Bill 151 states that students must “where the com- mechanism and be involved in the process of creating a plaint procedure the ways that you, sexual awareness training, Hough-Martin for complaints of as a survivor, were wishes that the Bill stipulated what that sexual violence is to pursue an inter- meant. seperate from a nal justice process, Hough-Martin sat on the standing student code-of- are exactly the committee last year, where they met only conduct or any same,”said three times throughout the year to discuss other policy,” explained Hough-Martin. Hough-Martin. the training. A policy on sexual violence has been in Last April, students rallied against “Tere wasn’t even really a meaningful place in Concordia since 2016. Updates Concordia’s inaction towards sexual opportunity for students to participate in of the policy were approved in Decem- violence. the creation of that training,” she said. ber 2018 to ft the mandate, and have Around 100 students met outside “I think Concordia is not alone in the been implemented as of this September. Concordia’s doors to protest the univer- fact that for a lot of their sexual violence “We changed some of the language sity’s lack of an action plan that would policy and sexual violence aproaches, [and] added info to clarify the process address recommendations students had they consult students by having us in the of what to do in situations of sexual vio- shared in meetings.

OCTOBER 2019

14 THE LINK

Following the 2017 Our Turn report, “We should all be collectively trying a national student-led movement that “I think Concordia is to work on this together,” she contin- works to address and end campus sexual not alone in the fact ued. “We have a network of universities violence, reviewed Concordia’s policy and CEGEPs that we work with, and against sexual violece. Rated under fve that for a lot of their we thought that this would be a perfect sections, including but not limited to opportunity to share our resources.” topics such as “formal and informal com- sexual violence policy Berner stated that she feels the shar- plaint process” and “composition of the and sexual violence ing and promoting of the KnowledgeOne review committee or decision makers” , training is a “victory tour.” She says it Concordia received a D-, the lowest grade aproaches, they con- seems as if the university is simply trying of all 14 schools whos’ student unions had sult students by hav- to get rid of bad press, ”without actually signed on to the action plan. dealing with the systemic problems”. Last year, Hough-Martin went through ing us in the room, “I feel like it’s kind of odd that they the rubric herself, to see if Concordia had should be proud of this considering there improved. It hadn’t. but they don’t mean- were protests on the streets from students “We increased in certain areas, but ingfully engage with- who were so unhappy with the way they overall, out policy is still exactly where it handled complaints of sexual violence,” was two years ago when Our Turn came our input.” Berner said. “Tey’re really doing the very out,” she said. bare minimum and it’s more and more Concordia is still one of the only obvious that anything they have done has schools in the province “that refuses to —Sophie Hough- been for the purpose of publicity.” inform students whether their complaint “It’s really just brutal, the clarity that it of sexual violence against a professor is Martin gives about where Concordia’s priorities considered founded or not,” according to are,” she continued. a tweet posted by the National Observer. Te undergraduate student believes “I don’t think an institution that holds that listening to survivors and other stu- up a hegemony at the end of the day is dents is “just not a priority for them.” She right for advocating individuals,” said reiterates the fact that SARC has only two Annika Horsford, president of the Con- full-time employees to support a student cordia Association for Students in English. body of nearly 47,000. “I feel like it’s not going to be done for the Berner said she feels one of the prob- sake of the individual, or of the students, lems with this approach to sexual violence but for how the school looks.” training where it comes from the top- Following last year’s slew of sexual mis- down is that a lot of sexual violence is bred conduct allegations, Horsford just wants within these heirarchies. When someone people in their community to feel safe. has so much power over those who are Tey state that CASE is more community afraid to complain, it’s easy for bad things minded, focussing on person-to-person to happen to people, and predators can interactions rather than policies that gravitate to these positions, she explained. “don’t always work,” they said. With information often confned within departments, those outside them won’t Sharing the training know what’s going on until it’s too late. “I understand that a lot of things are Concordia announced on Aug. 21, 2019 kept insular, and a lot of people don’t talk that it would be sharing its training on to each other, but it sucks. Cause it feels sexual violence awareness with educa- like you’re going through it alone, and tional institutions across Quebec, “and you’re really not,” Horsford said. beyond”, reads the announcement. “At the end of the day, even though Te vast majority of schools across these things are being implemented, it’s Quebec are using Concordia’s training because we had to beg for them,” they as their mandatory training, with minor added. adjustments to reflect their realities, according to Ostiguy.

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CURRENT AFFAIRS 15

Insured, But At What Cost?

Unpacking International Student Healthcare Costs At Concordia

Ireland Compton Graphic Ireland Compton @irelandcompton

Graphics Paul Newcombe

Since Pauline Bosteels frst came to gration, Diversity and Inclusion and the I have to pass and it’s a vicious cycle for Concordia from France to study interna- Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and me.” tional business in 2014, she’s encountered Citizenship Canada, all international stu- To add to this stress, Bosteels said she a number of issues with the university. dents must be covered by a healthcare had to overcome roadblocks placed in First with the credit system, then with plan that meets government standards front of her when attempting to go on a program transfer, and fnally with the for the duration of their stay in Canada. exchange in Spain. Given that she was international student health plan. But with rising international tuition, unable to pay for her semester on time, “I just felt like the administration was and the most expensive healthcare plan a hold was placed on her account and not trying to help us, but going against in the country, Concordia is putting its she was unable to access documentation education,” she said. international students in fnancial jeop- required for her to complete her registra- As of 2019-2020, Concordia’s manda- ardy. tion process for the exchange. tory international student healthcare plan “Te frst year, I remember I paid $800. “I couldn’t access my [transcript], so costs international students $1,176 annu- Te second year I paid like $1000, it just I couldn’t send it to Spain on time,” she ally—making it the most expensive plan in increased more and more,” said Bosteels. explained. “I had to contact the Dean to Canada. Covered by Blue Cross, like other “It was just so expensive, and now it’s my get a letter so I could go and study abroad, universities in Montreal, Concordia’s plan last semester [...] I have to pay $1,200 and and all of this because of a hold on my is more expensive than the rest by nearly I only have one class.” account because I had like $500 to pay.” $100. Tis, for roughly the same amount Tese high prices can negatively impact “I felt that this was unfair and counter and in some cases, even less coverage. students even beyond the fnancial side to what they want us to do,” she con- Tere is no universal plan set out by of things. Financial stress can put a strain tinued. “Tey say ‘Do it, but at the same Quebec’s government to cover all union academic performance, and failure to time, don’t do it because you have some- versities in the province. Each university pay up on time can prevent students from thing to pay.’” negotiates its own plan with one of two participating in exactly the things the uni- But, why are Concordia’s rates for insurance providers—Blue Cross and Sun versity encourages them to participate in. international students so high when its Life—with the exception of Université “I don’t have help from my parents, resident student healthcare plan is among Laval, Université de Montréal, Univer- so it puts another $1,000 [on my plate],” the least expensive? sité de Sherbrooke, and Université de Bosteels said. “I had this class in account- To start, the domestic student health- Québec who negotiate a group coverage ing and I failed it like three times. Because care plan is kept at a lower cost by the fact plan under Desjardins. Under regulations I had this fnancial stress, it prevented me that it merely adds extended coverage for set out by the Quebec Ministry of Immi- from really focusing on that class, which services like dental, health, and mental

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health care specialists, and prescription health care, while stressing that more drug costs to supplement the coverage “I don’t have help questions should be asked. ofered by the Régie d’assurances mala- from my parents, “Why is most health care covered but die du Québec. International students are not dental care, vision care, or pharma- not covered by the RAMQ, and so not only so it puts another ceuticals? [...] Why do student unions must their plan cover the extra services need to have health plans in the frst covered under our Studentcare plan, it $1,000 [on my plate]. place?” the proposal prompts. must also cover basic services like medi- I had this class in ac- It called on the university not to sign cal examinations and procedures. a new agreement with a health insur- Because the plan has to cover so much counting and I failed ance provider for international students. more than a resident undergraduate Instead, they urged the university to student’s plan, it’s naturally more expen- it like three times and transfer management and responsibility sive. Tis, however, doesn’t explain why because I had this f- of the international student health plan to Concordia can’t ofer a plan at a rate com- the CSU and GSA who will then take the parable to other universities in Montreal nancial stress, it pre- necessary steps to have a plan in place for and across Canada—the reason for that September 2019. being the structure of the system itself. vented me from re- Te proposal also added that if neces- Te plan is currently under the jurisdic- sary, the CSU wants the administration tion of the university’s administration. ally focusing on that to extend the existing contract with Blue Tey negotiate the coverage and premi- class.” Cross for just long enough to provide ums every few years, and from what it international students with coverage until seems, they haven’t had much luck nego- a new CSU and GSA plan could take efect tiating for better rates or more coverage in on Sept. 1, 2019. recent years — Pauline Bosteels In the meantime, the administration “It’s a big contrast because Concor- went ahead and has already negotiated a dia international students have the most all over them,” he continued. new plan for the 2019-2020 school year expensive health and dental plan in the Te CSU believes that given their his- with input from student representatives, country whereas the Concordia Student tory of success in negotiating an afordable according to Interim President Graham Union undergrads [with resident status] plan with sufcient coverage for domestic Carr. have the least expensive health and dental students under Studentcare with Desjar- “We are just bringing into efect a new plan,” explained CSU Finance Coordina- dins, they would be able to negotiate for plan, which will be in efect for the next tor, Désirée Blizzard. a better plan for international students as two years,” he said. “Both the CSU and After hearing complaints from interna- well. the GSA were invited to participate in tional students about the fnancial burden “If you look at the Concordia Student the selection of the service provider and this plan presents and noticing the pre- Union health and dental plan for non- the details of the plan that’s coming into mium’s cost continuing to trend up, the international students, it is the best in efect.” Concordia Student Union is aiming to take Canada,” said CSU General Coordinator Carr says they will continue to include on this responsibility moving forward. Chris Kalafatidis. “If you look at the health student representatives in discussions “Based on what we’d seen around the and dental plan for international students, pertaining to the health plan, and hope to country, in the provinces that do have it is the worst in Canada. To me, it’s just hear more suggestions from international international student health plans, every common sense that we could do better.” students to improve the plan. single one of them is cheaper, some are In January 2019, ahead of the uni- “Health plans are complicated, they’re signifcantly cheaper,” said former CSU versity’s renegotiation of the plan, the important, and there are a range of fnance coordinator John Hutton. union presented the administration with options out there,” said Carr. “I feel very Manitoba’s plan costs approximately a proposal for their management of the confdent that the university is trying to $630 a year, while Ontario is compara- international student healthcare plan in provide high quality, comprehensive care ble to that. In Quebec, the cheapest one collaboration with the Graduate Students’ for international students.” hovers around $900 while Concordia’s is Association. While the administration sees the work over $1,100. Te proposal stated that the student they’re doing as enough, the transfer of “Based on what we saw with Concordia movement advocates for international the management of the plan to the CSU is not seeming to put a lot of efort into their students to receive full coverage under not of the table yet, said Blizzard. She said health plan negotiations, we thought the medicare and for expansion of medicare the CSU is aiming to take on the plan and insurance company was basically walking to include more services such as mental renegotiate for better coverage and more

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Graphics Paul Newcombe OCTOBER 2019 18 THE LINK

afordability, to come into efect in 2020-2021. While the CSU is in the hands of a new executive team, the goal remains the same. Tis year’s team will prioritize this project in order to ofer international students the better coverage for less, said Kala- fatidis. “Te CSU’s job is to be there for every student, not just non-international students,” said Kalafatidis. “International students are a very important part of this university. In fact, if you look at Con- cordia’s history, we’ve always been a university with a very active participation from international students, so it’s a no-brainer that we need to do what’s right for [them].” In March 2019, a referendum was passed with students voting overwhelmingly in favour of mandating the CSU to take on the responsibility of managing the health care plan for international students. “International students are not convinced that the cost of the health insurance is providing sufcient value to them,” reads a statement sent to the Dean of Students in late May. “With a better understanding of the process Concordia is using to manage and negotiate the plan for international students, we are more convinced than ever that there is signifcant room for cost improvement as well as improved services for all international students.” While this referendum has passed—proving this is what students want—that doesn’t mean the university is quite ready to give up control. Kalafatidis expressed that there has been pushback from the administration on this project. “Tey seem to not understand that we can do a better job with this plan, at least when we speak to them, that’s what they seem to show,” he said. “Tey seem to think that they’re more equipped, they believe they have a team that’s been there for a long time, they have the expertise, they’re adapted specifcally for international students, but I don’t see why it would be any diferent under our care.” Kalaftidis said the administration has a tendency to try and wait out executive teams from year to year in hopes the new team won’t bring an issue with the administration to the table under their mandate. Te new executive team feels they’ve done a good job dem- onstrating the importance of this issue and they won’t just go away in co-signing the statement released in May. He believes with the right amount of pressure, it’s only a matter of time before the administration gives up the plan and complies in transferring the plan to the CSU and GSA. “At the end of the day, there is only so long that you can hold onto something when it’s having a direct, negative impact on your students. If they don’t want to do the right thing, we will have to take this to the students.” While there may be hope of an improved plan moving forward, for Bosteels, her time at Concordia has left her with a sour taste in her mouth. “All of [my bad experiences] made me hate the system and institution that Concordia is. It’s a business school, they make money,” she said, explaining how all of the costs related to studying in her program here have added up. “It’s ridiculous, a ridiculous amount of money.”

THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA FRINGE ARTS 19 Lesley Charters Cotton and Street Dancing: A Story of Alchemy

“What I’ve Done Around Dance in the Last 20 Years Is Just Exploring My Limits, Figuring Out Who I Am in It, and I’m a Lot in It.” Charters Cotton’s Definition of Street Dancing: “[It] embraces many different styles: hip hop, house, reggae, popping, cardio, and stretch.” The challenges: musicality and grove. Victoria Lamas The rewards: health, confidence, and community building.

I trained to be a secretary and I head ofce. After, she worked in an But Charters Cotton never let go of learned to type with a fellow stu- architect’s ofce as a secretary. the love she found: street dancing. She “dent at the back of the room. We “Tey asked me to do the bookkeep- is prominently a house dancer, but has were not into it, and she would bring ing and I’m sure that’s probably why tried a lot of styles over the years. straight vodka to class. And we would they ran out of business because I wasn’t “If I were a two-dimensional artist,” giggle, we would type and we would very good at that,” she said. she said, “I’d be collage. It’s multi- giggle, and somehow it got us through “But that was a thrill because I worked layering, but it’s also multi-textural, so this nonsense of secretarial [studies]. We with some now internationally famous that the mood can change as it does with couldn’t imagine ourselves as secretar- architects, so I now think back to the the music.” ies.” days when they used to hang out by the Charters Cotton knows everyone in Lesley Charters Cotton didn’t stay a front desk and they would chat.” the Montreal street dancing community secretary for very long. Charters Cotton wasn’t dancing then. and they all know her. She has danced The 71-year-old Montreal street She was 12 when she got sick—with with every instructor, attended every dancer leads an exciting life. She’s trav- paralyzing migraines, body pain, loss of event. She goes to dance battles and eled, studied, followed her passions, and sensation in her extremities—and until street dancing events around the city, often circled back to being a teacher. doctors diagnosed her properly and danced in every studio. Charters Cotton bridges people and cured her at 50, she couldn’t partake in “It’s been almost 20 years since I have disciplines. dance, the medium that allows her to been doing this seriously,” she said. When she was 31, she taught a photo express who she is. “And when I say seriously, it means print making class at Concordia’s Loyola “And then I was able to dance,” said making an efort to grow with it and campus, and she’s been a teacher of Charters Cotton. “And that’s what I’ve at the same time really not necessarily Chinese medicine for decades. been doing ever since. And I thought I having a goal.” For parts of the 70s she worked for an would maybe get it out of my system, “It’s very interesting when you get in airline in Alberta, selling tickets, han- that it would last maybe three or four your sixties, and now I’m in my seven- dling luggage, communicating with years.” ties, this sense of ambition changes.”

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Courtesy Lesley Charters Cotton Nine-year old Charters Cotton performing onstage at Victoria Hall, 1957. “I think that we all live with a kind of personal chaos that needs to be ordered, that needs to be categorized, and the street dancing allows me to indulge so much into the inner chaos.”

Over the last two decades, through “It was such a magnifcent deep, deep place you’re in, and you dancing, Charters Cotton looked into experience for me. I thought, know that you’ve been moved.” — Lesley Charters Cotton herself and explored her limits. Tat introspection, that inner voyage that dancing still grants her, and a sense of instant satisfaction from putting in the efort keeps her hooked. Many days, she said, she still feels like she is beginning. Her sense of ambition is steered towards the present tense. Dance remains fresh. Charters Cotton said she grows through that exploration. “Because I’m attracted to street ‘Maybe this pain is going to kill me but Later, when she was alone, she won- dance, I think there’s chaos in me that I’m gonna do this.’ It was like a break- dered about what happened. Te answer gets explored,” she said. through in the sense that I became so was dance. “And that’s good news and bad news determined.” Despite the pain, she was compelled all at the same time. I think that we all It became a preoccupation—the desire to stick with the classes. King’s infu- live with a kind of personal chaos that to dance wouldn’t go away. She said she ence, her teaching skills, the music needs to be ordered, that needs to be was going to dance nevertheless. playing during the classes, the energy categorized, and the street dancing In some ways Charters Cotton’s life in the room—Charters Cotton wanted allows me to indulge so much into the was shaped by the pain she was living more of that in her life. inner chaos.” with, leading her to study yoga, gently “So she’s just taken of, she’s just Around 1996, Charters Cotton joined initiating her to Chinese medicine. run,” King said. “And it’s something to Dale King’s dance studio Soul Impact. She recounted teaching the fre ele- see, it’s really something to see that you It was two years before Charters Cotton ment, which governs the heart, “and can always have your dreams and never got healed. She headed into a cardio that’s about the aspect of joy in our life.” be afraid to follow them.” funk class, a style now known s zumba, “And I started to cry. And you know Charters Cotton has danced with taught by King. sometimes when you cry,” she said. everyone, but what she hadn’t done “It triggered a migraine that lasted “You just sob and you don’t know what until last June was a solo performance. for two years,” said Charters Cotton. it’s about, but you know that it’s in a She choreographed a routine that she

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Photos Aysha White

“I think that we all live with a kind of personal chaos that needs to be ordered, that needs to be categorized, and the street dancing allows me to indulge so much into the inner chaos.”

— Lesley Charters Cotton

performed at the event So You Tink Tat Was Dance at the Fringe Festival. She recalled that stepping onto the stage, she did not experience stage fright or freeze. Rather, it was just a continua- tion of a process that had been ongoing for months. She had been rehearsing nearly every day in preparation for the show. “There were moments [during rehearsal] when I was alone with the music and I just realized that I was tran- scending something,” she said. “Tis was good and bad. I wasn’t sure how it was going to come across. And I was bound and determined that no one was going to see me do it until the day of the show.” “Tat’s been very instructive because I end up wet. I balanced out. I just did a She went to a few experts for upper realized that I was trying too hard, I was couple of turns and then I went right body consultations and advice on how too engaged, and that’s what created back into the dance exactly in the right to include certain movements. that,” she said. “But I was very impressed place where I was supposed to be.” Te dance was fve minutes long, and with how I recovered. It’s more than just Charters Cotton said that in most when it was over, Charters Cotton real- the solo, it’s things like that where I’m classes, she is the only dancer over the ized she had blanked on the choreography thinking, ‘Wow, I’m good.’” age of 30. “At the beginning it was weird during the middle of the performance. “Te canoe is tipping and we didn’t for me and for them,” she said. “Now it’s

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only weird for them.” “I’m the age of their grandparents,” she said, “and they wouldn’t dream of their grandparents indulging in this kind of behaviour.” Tat is, until they see her dancing. Ten they become friends. Charters Cotton expressed that it is “healing beyond belief.” Tat close friends were once strangers, and there is no distinction when they dance together. King said that in the hundreds of people she has met and taught, very few clients become friends. She can count those on her two hands. Over the years, they became close, and Charters Cotton still attends some of her classes today. “She believed in me more than I believed in myself sometimes,” said King. “And that I will always, always cherish [...] and I humble to that.” King described a moving gift she received from Charters Cotton in the early years after they frst met—a picture of 9-year-old Charters Cotton in a little ballet outft, on stage. “Tis is what I’ve always wanted to be,” King recounted Charters Cotton telling her. “And you’ve given me the opportunity to explore it.” “She has a true sense of tranquility,” continued King. Charters Cotton got married to her pened.” “He took me bufalo [sighting] Over the past year, Charters Cotton brother’s friend in 1969. “She never in Alberta. Tat was it. We fell in love,” started teaching at the YMCA residence, tried to change him, he never tried to said Charters Cotton. that supports refugees and asylum seek- change her. He knew who he was mar- Cotton has a PhD in chemistry, and is ers. rying, and accepted every part of her. now a writer. “Teir life is arts and sci- “For one hour a week, we just dance,” It’s amazing,” King said. ence,” said King. she said, “and I try to make it fun and at In 1967, Meredith Cotton and Char- Fast-forward to the end of the 90s, at the same time challenging. So I present ters Cotton met for the frst time. From Soul Impact, Charters Cotton was on a a choreography that needs to be accom- Alberta, he was en route to Europe and path of noticing. What else was going on plished.” stopped in Montreal. Tey visited the behind those doors? She started taking Charters Cotton expressed that she Expo 67. classes with Marvin Baptiste, who was sees herself as a “liaison person,” having “He was on his way to Europe, and teaching clubbing, now called house in her skillset the ability to see strengths this was the end of the 60s, and he had dancing. It snowballed. “Seven days and build connections between things, quit his job, and was going to fnd him- a week wasn’t enough,” said Charters cross pollinate disciplines. self—he was a real hippie. He didn’t Cotton. “It’s 2019,” she said. “We’re con- know how long he was going for, and I “You can tell she loves dance,” said nected through social media. We don’t thought I’d never see him again.” Baptiste. “She’s just a ball of energy, of have to be so alone. Tere are those Te next year, when Charters Cotton’s positive energy [...] she’ll make you feel bridges that exist that we’re not even brother got married, her and her hus- better.” noticing, let alone go over. Like what band-to-be were the only ones in the Baptiste said Charters Cotton shows we’re doing today, we need to use each wedding party that weren’t attached, up for the community. She supports other a little bit more.” “so that was kind of magic that hap- dancers, events; she connects people.

THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA FRINGE ARTS 23 Decolonizing Art at Peripheral

Hours and Métèque

How Alternative Art Spaces Create a Pathway for Marginalized Voices

Bree Rockbrand

t’s hard to fnd a physi- reclaiming a space, she explained, and cal space where [people] reclaiming power in a society that does “Ican sit down and talk to each other,” not always refect her. She says it is a form “I have been said Victoria Catherine Chan, standing of self-empowerment. among renovations at Peripheral Hours. Born in Montreal to Chinese immigrant colonized all my Te alternative art space, inaugurated by parents in the era of Bill 101, Chan says she Chan in the fall of 2018, lives in a triplex. It has always been questioning her identity. life. I have to lies tucked in a residential area, between She spent her childhood assimilating homes in the Chabanel district. and integrating with Quebec’s franco- now decolonize “Because [of] the way contemporary phone culture. She learned to navigate spaces are being built, you’re just going the realms of identity politics that strike myself for the there to consume, but there’s no space for the province and learned to speak the lan- conversation or intimacy, and eventually guage. Blending into the landscape, she rest of my life.” people don’t have these moments of con- molded herself into a “Quebecer.” nection and community,” said Chan. Feeling “sucked in with a collective Te space has been under renovations identity,” Chan’s young adult years had — Victoria Catherine for the past four months. Once the work her itching for a change. is done, Peripheral Hours will come to life “I wanted to make art. But I was not Chan once again. Te space advocates for and given [the] opportunity,” she said. “I was invites BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and not given the support to express myself People of Colour) and queer artists to make creatively, to have an artistic voice.” in Quebec—they can be stifing. A lack and exhibit their art, one of the few art With immigrant parents who did not of representation means many artists— spaces in the city where minority groups support her dreams of becoming an including Chan—don’t fnd themselves are actively encouraged and supported to artist, a lack of representation in con- with an opportunity to fourish. stretch their practice as far as it can go. temporary art, and a lack of spaces that A “whitewashing” of the art world It is difcult for marginalized artists to invite and support marginalized artists, leaves POC and immigrant artists at a fnd space and representation in the con- Chan felt stuck. Te white walls of an loss. A lack of discourse about the prov- temporary art world, explained Chan. institution are benefcial to some, but for ince’s—and the country’s—colonial Creating Peripheral Hours is about others—especially marginalized voices history doesn’t allow for true symbiosis

OCTOBER 2019 24 THE LINK

of culture. to describe “people who came here yes- treated very well.” “Te system is actually very racial- terday, and people who came here 200 As part of the wave of Latinx immigra- ized—it’s systematic racism that has been years ago.” tion in the 1970s, Echeverria said that her ingrained in our colonial culture for 500 In its third year of existence, Métèque experience as a newcomer in Quebec was years,” said Chan. also provides a space for BIPOC and a positive one. Now, however, she says “What does it mean that we have not immigrant artists who have had trouble things have changed. been informed and taught history classes breaking into the local art scene. “Tere’s a growing racism and fear,” about the wrongs that have been com- “Tere’s a very perverse hiding of the she said. “Having said that, I felt like the mitted by the European settlers? What story that this land is about, especially national portrait of who we are as a soci- does it mean that we are living on an to immigrants,” said Echeverria. “You ety is so outdated. It’s not going to look occupied territory, and it’s actually an think you’re coming to Canada, but the way it looked before when everyone unceded territory?” she continued. it’s Quebec, then you think you’re in was super White, or British, or French.” Quebec, but really it’s Native land.” Te idea to start Native Immigrant, the “Quebec is very closed in terms of Echeverria, a Chilean immigrant of 33 not-for-proft project behind the atelier, gallery space, exhibition space for years, said it took her 23 years to learn she came to Echeverria back in 2013. “I come immigrant artists, and most of them was on Indigenous land. from a country that is also colonized. So, experience rejection constantly,” said “Once I understood this was Indig- you don’t want to leave something to Carolina Echeverria of Métèque, an atelier enous land, I thought, well, I have more come and become part of the problem and workshop dedicated to representing in common with Indigenous people here when you’ve already sufered that.” a diversity of artists. than with the Canadian nation,” she said. Te atelier hosts workshops and show- Nestled in N.D.G., Métèque has “As an immigrant, I understand being cases the work of both Indigenous and been focusing on fostering relation- displaced. I understand loss of language, non-Indigenous artists. Te space is strik- ships between Indigenous Peoples and I understand lost culture, I understand ing in its colour—bright portraits line the “immigrants,” a term Echeverria means being a minority, I understand not being walls, dresses full of patches and bead-

THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA FRINGE ARTS 25

Peripheral Hours hosted an art exhibition last May, exploring domesticity and consumerism

Photos Aysha White work catch the attention of people passing space was designed to create an immersive ing to Jin Heewoong, an installation artist by the window. A table full of beads lies in environment that would blend the worlds who recently moved to Montreal from the center, shiney and glimmering. of art and domesticity to explore identity Korea. Heewoong showed his installation “We are Indigenous-focused,” in a safe space. pieces at the frst exhibition, which took explained artist and workshopper Martin Te triplex had been in her family for place on Oct. 4, 2018. Akwiranoron Loft. “Being a printmaker over three decades. She was inspired by Struggling to fnd a network in a new myself, my portion of it will be on foster- the alternative art spaces in Europe and city, Heewoong felt exhibiting his work ing an Indigenous space where Indigenous in New York City, where she lived and at Peripheral Hou rs led him to meet local artists can make work.” worked during a ten-year artistic explo- artists. “We are trying to build up a com- Tough the atelier focuses on giving ration journey. munity of our own,” he said. space to Indigenous artists, it’s not exclu- “Being abroad and in a foreign land, for Aiming to fesh out the truth behind sive, he said. In the upcoming months, me, it was a neutral environment,” said colonization, Chan seeks to create a space Loft will be leading printmaking work- Chan. “Within that, I discovered a part where this narrative is explored through shops from a printing press. of my identity and individuality far away workshops, exhibitions, and intentional Te Kanien’kehá:ka, or Mohawk, artist from the Quebec identity politics.” conversation among artists. has been involved with Métèque for the Creating Peripheral Hours, a space that Colonialist patterns are part of the past year and a half. A studio like this, that embraces and encourages meaningful modern Quebec culture and are perpetu- ofers opportunities for Indigenous artists, dialogue, is part of Chan’s personal heal- ated within the society. More than just a has been long awaited in the community, ing and journey to self-discovery. “I’m one-time event, colonization is ongoing according to Loft. Tough a small step, he taking root,” she explained, “and I want and systematic. “We live in a time of rec- said, it’s an important one. to reclaim my identity.” onciliation,” explained Chan. “For me, it Peripheral Hours is striving towards the From improvisational sculptures cre- matters to decolonize art history, con- same goal of cultural diversity and inclu- ated on the spot with found objects, video temporary art, and our bodies. Our way sion. montages screened against a bedroom of living and our way of being with the In the fall of 2018, Chan made a spur- wall, to bright paintings tucked neatly others. Tat’s the frst step.” my life,” she of-the-moment decision to host a pop-up into hidden closet spaces, the frst exhi- added. “I have to now decolonize myself exhibition in the house she manages. bition space brought 38 artists, many of for the rest of my life.” A mere three weeks after her strike of whom were international BIPOC artists “I have been colonized all my life,” she inspiration, Peripheral Hours was born. A based in Montreal. added. “I have to now decolonize myself “conceptual location, a space in our col- Spaces like Peripheral Hours are integral for the rest of my life.” lective imaginary,” according to Chan, the for immigrants new to Montreal, accord-

OCTOBER 2019 26 THE LINK Please Find Attached Three Poems

“Vertus des vagues” (Carina Dumais) My heart sank and my stomach churned At the sight of waves crashing from down under, A blood bank, for clear skies I yearned, As the blistering winds made me shudder

They were cruel The way they threatened me A lackluster pool Nature’s weaponry

Nearing the edge of a forbidding precipice A sudden unfounded urge awakened; To leap into its engulfing mouth, ludicrous My will; utterly shaken

Along with a low growl The rocks stood out Fangs in a wolf’s salivating jowl A perpetually starving snout

It snarled at me in thundering crashes Almost begging through whispers A whirlpool of shoreline lashes Howling out in endless whimpers

And so I cried for the ocean I cried for its depths that would never see the light of day I cried for shipwrecks, the ones that never got away I cried for streams, gleams, scour, frown, doubt I cried for dreams’ screams that were drowned out.

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“AU TO M AT E ” (Elizabeth Pinault) Je mastiquerai le temps perdu Jusqu’à ce que mes dents s’effritent Jusqu’à ce que ma mâchoire déboîte Qu’elle craque et se disloque Cédant sous la pression des secondes gaspillées

Je ravalerai les regrets Ganglions vifs d’amertume Ignorant la douleur Je les laisserai brûler ma gorge Dans les toilettes de l’échec J’irai cracher du sang Je polirai la commissure de mes lèvres L’enduirai de peinture Camouflant la souffrance résidente de mon système immunitaire

Les jours indolents me pèsent Les secondes ternes m’engourdissent La mort est un havre Je le contemple de loint Faisant bien attention de ne pas trébucher trop proche Je ne frôle pas la ligne jaune Ne frôle jamais les rails Ne traverse jamais sans autorisation J’obéis à la vie Aux complaisances nécessaires Je fais de mon mieux Pour éviter le pire

Mais mes efforts essoufflés perdent leur sens La fatalité me rattrape dans les pauses trop longues Dans les silences trop forts Pourtant mon pouls automate persiste Son rythme ne veut plus rien dire Sauf que mon corps a bien appris Appris à persister Sans revendications Sans but

L’espoir n’est qu’un mirage Sur sable souillé On a détruit les oasis Sûrement pour construire des condos On est foutus Mais le blanc siroté au onzième étage goûte la réussite Vue panoramique sur la ville en flammes Tu apprendras à cloître les rideaux Et danser au gré des élans artificiels De ton âme mécanique

OCTOBER 2019 28 THE LINK

“projecting” (Mila Gizli) the skin on my hands is still raw from the 2nd degree burn, given by those last two matches that ignited a flame though my brain wouldn’t listen, senses heightened the warmth creeping up the nape of my neck and just like every other time: a combustion the world spins backwards on its axis before the sun hits our part of town and my palm puts out the fire now I’m left with a permanent scar, one for each might-have-been, God, it still aches to the touch

I’m twenty-one now, still made up of astral dust, floating in the middle of space like the rest of us try to spot me with a telescope, look hard enough and you might notice a blinking, orange glow like a star, I emit light in the darkness an inevitable void that surrounds us divided by gravity and air

I know it’s tempting but don’t stare for too long— cause the more that you stare, the more damage is done that I’ll leave on your feeble fingers and you just might burn past 3rd degree like the scorching sun

Graphics Caitlin Yardley THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA SPORTS 29 Concordia’s Esports Association Might Be The Best Teams You Don’t Know

Despite Space Issues Last Year, Concordia’s Esports Association is Going Strong

OLIVIER CADOTTE @OLIVIERCADOTTE

When you hear someone speak about Con- people with the same interests. It’s pretty game (or MOBA) has had strong stay- cordia having successful teams, a lot of easy to be lonely and distant in your frst ing power, both among it’s more casual things come to mind. Te Stingers’ bas- year, so having people who like the same members and as the cornerstone of their ketball teams, hockey teams, and rugby thing you do is great, especially when you competitive eforts. teams, to name a few, have all had a lot might be new to the city or the country.’’ It’s important to know your role, but of great moments and players in the past ‘’I was the same way when I started in be able to be versatile in it. few years. 2015, so we all have the same entry point, “We played against someone who was However, there is another team that even the president.’’ amazing at just one League [of Legends] has experienced success—although club New games come out every day and, champion, so we kept banning that is a more appropriate term for them: almost as often, something new is at the champion [from usage] every game and Concordia’s Esports Association. Out- forefront of popularity on social media, he did nothing at all.” going president Dimitri Kontogiannos like the massively popular streaming ser- Sports and esports have more in chalks that up to a few diferent elements, vice Twitch. Tis year alone, games like common than one may expect (or that most notably the growth of esports at the Apex Legends, Dota Auto Chess (now each would like to admit). Kontogiannos highschool and CEGEP level. Dota Underlords), and Teamfght Tactics himself comes from a sports background, “You see more and more school having have been released and have developed as he’s currently working for the Montreal their own dedicated esports clubs, their own followings and even competi- Alouettes. As president of the association, because there’s so many colleges and tive scenes. he’s been focusing his eforts on spon- universities that have these high profle While it might be tempting for com- sorships and partnerships—like for their teams, even places with their own schol- petitive players to latch onto and focus jerseys, with one having the gamertag arships. You get people who come here on on whatever the new, hot game is, it’s (the online username) of the wearer. their frst day and the frst thing they ask important to keep focus on what’s popu- Hearing Charles Morin (or Chas, his is ‘Where’s the esports team?’” lar and what you know. gamertag), their League of Legends coach Kontogiannos also says the associa- Tink of it as if an Olympic athlete and avowed sports non-enthusiast, talk tion has been pivotal as an entry point to changed sports every few months. It’s about what kind of training and prepara- frst-year students’ university lives. ‘’It’s with that mindset that League of Leg- tion his players go through, you’d almost a place where people can get to know ends, a multiplayer online battle arena forget he’s talking about a video game.

OCTOBER 2019 30 THE LINK SPORTS 30

Despite accepting differn- ent kinds of players the club is a tightly night group

Photos OlivierCadotte

First, there’s tryouts. of games to show them what they do well, you won’t last long at Concordia.’’ “We don’t just look for personal talent, and what they do wrong.’’ Despite League’s massive popularity, there’s stuf like chemistry, who can fll “It’s a lot like watching flm in hockey,’’ Kontogiannos says they aren’t afraid to what roles, and who can communicate, added Kontogiannos. “Actually, a lot of branch out into other games’ competi- too. If you can’t talk, you can’t be efec- this is a lot like the advanced practices tive scenes. Tey already have a team tive,” says Morin. that high profle sports teams have now. for Overwatch, Blizzard’s popular 2016 Individual players from diferent back- And it shows, because the practice really frst-person, team-based shooter, and grounds, coming together to become helps, especially for people who might have players who specialize in other a team sounds like every sports movie just be used to playing without taking that team-based frst-person shooters like cliche ever. Counter-Strike: Global Ofensive and However, that’s what it’s like for a club We don’t just look for per- Rainbow Six: Siege. Tey’re also looking when their version of a recruiting class is into getting players involved in the latest sonal talent, there’s stuff highly varied in terms of experience at “ genre to take gaming by storm: battle high levels of play and in terms of styles like chemistry, who can fll royales. of play. what roles, and who can com- Named after the controversial Japanese Sometimes instead of players, it’s whole municate, too. If you can’t flm, battle royales usually follow a simi- teams that come to join and are already talk, you can’t be effective.” lar formula: a group of players (often 100) formed beforehand. Tat was the case for are all put in a map where loot (armour, their League of Legends B team. “Tey weapons, etc) is dispersed. Over the were fve friends who said they wanted to —Charles Morin course of the game, the map is made play together, and they were really good. smaller and smaller, until the last player I can’t say that happens a lot, but it hap- extra step of studying outside of a match.’’ (or team, depending on the game mode) pens,’’ says Kontogiannos. Speaking of studying, they also have the alive wins. Once a team comes together, it’s time same attitude towards academics that the Gaming’s current juggernaut, Fortnite, for practice, and lots of it. “We play varsity teams do. “Te last thing we want is a battle royal, as is the previously men- [scrimmages] against other college teams, is for people to burn out of their studies tioned Apex Legends. Even traditional we play online, and my role in that is to to game,’’ says Kontogiannos. “We want frst-person shooters like Call of Duty and study the meta, which players on their people who know how to balance school Battlefeld, once the rulers of online mul- team plays what, who on our team plays and the team and the rest too, because tiplayer gaming, have added battle royal which way, it’s a whole lot of studying,’’ once those frst midterms come, if you’ve modes to their game, with nowhere near says Morin. “I make them watch replays been doing nothing but playing League, the success of Fortnite.

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Real Space for A Virtual Medium which might not have the outlets or space division would have, especially when necessary for fve to 10 computers, wires, compared to other teams around North Last year was a good year for the club, plug space, and all the people that come American campuses. Space aside, one with the start of their League of Legends with it. Esports don’t need a feld, or a underrated part of esports that gets taken intramural league being much more gym, but sometimes the logistics can be away by not having a dedicated space is successful than expected. ‘’We were even harder to achieve than something human contact. expecting a couple of teams, and we got like football or soccer. “Not having a room can make practic- eight. Tat’s thirty people, for a league “We don’t have the same monetary ing a little tougher, just because you don’t that didn’t exist this time last year,‘’ said support has other schools we’re com- get that human contact that can make Kontogiannos. peting with, especially some American teamwork so important. Putting a face Yet a familiar burden to Montrealers schools that have their own varsity to a voice and a gamertag, you wouldn’t impeded them signifcantly: construc- programs,’’said Kontogiannos. think it’s that important, but it really tion. Tey don’t exactly have their own helps build rapport,’’ says Morin. Returning students will be familiar giant, luxurious space to get together Yet, they take their position and with the Hall building’s renovations last and organize events, either. Teir club- resources (or lack thereof) in stride. year. Te construction took away the room looks more like a supply closet with “We play teams that have teams that auditorium they had used in previous a desk, complete with enough old elec- are sponsored by their school, and have years, which meant they now had to try tronics to make a Radio Shack manager scholarships—they’re pretty much paid and book space at the John Molson School blush. to play games, when you think about it. of Business building, whose auditorium is Te room, besides being cramped, And we beat them. Tat always feels really busy almost every day of the year. also ofers what can be best described as good,” said Kontogiannos. “We try to have our events on Fridays mediocre climate control. “Once there’s While it may be unlikely esports will or weekends to make it easier for people, more than four people in the room, it’s supercede conventional sports at Con- especially people who bring their own pretty much unlivable if it’s hot, and the cordia, it’s clear that esports aren’t going equipment. Getting access to space on heater doesn’t really work, so it’s not any to disappear anytime soon, not if Konto- those days, especially before breaks, it’s better in winter,’’ said Kontogiannos.” giannos, Morin, and the other members really tough,’’ said Kontogiannos. It’s nothing like the room you’d imag- and team members from Concordia Te alternative is booking a classroom, ine one of the teams in League’s collegiate Esports have anything to say about it.

OCTOBER 2019 32 THE LINK SPORTS 32

A New Challenge for the Final Chapter

Adam Vance Takes on the Role of Older Brother in His Final Year of Football

Dustin Kagan-Fleming @dustinkfeming

ou would think with and the changes are loving him. Vance’s experience and understanding of an important chapter “It didn’t take long to [form] an opin- the system gives the team a new kind of Ycoming to an end, there would be a temp- ion of him. By day two of spring ball I teacher and leader, a real asset on a team tation to look back and get nostalgic. was already sold,” said Stingers ofensive with 38 rookies listed on their roster. “Nah, stick in the moment,” said Adam coordinator Alex Surprenant, who Vance Vance’s comfort lets him take the time Vance, his usual relaxed smile across his credits with putting together on ofense to explain some of the newer and more face. that he really feels that he fts in. complicated plays and issues to younger Vance is in the midst of his fnal season Te two have already built a strong players. Learning a new ofense is hard as the quarterback of the Concordia relationship and the coordinator’s ofense for any player, learning it while adjust- Stingers. He doesn’t feel any diferent is a big reason Vance is enjoying his fnal ing to a brand new league like U Sports this year. He’s not willing to put the extra season on the feld so much. It’s a style is even harder. Surprenant has noticed pressure of treating his fnal snaps as fnal of ofense that focuses on tempo. It has the efort that Vance puts into helping on himself. He’s taking his last year day a reliance on things like run-pass option younger players. by day; no diferently than he has before. plays—where the quarterback gets to Whether it’s explaining the intricacies As tumultuous as his years at Concordia choose between throwing a pass or hand- of certain plays to young quarterbacks have been, Vance truly does seem to be ing the ball of depending on the look of or just giving them the perspective of an living day by day, enjoying every moment the defense—and just generally resembles experienced player who is on the feld, as it comes. the kind of ofense that Vance was used unlike coaches, Vance is making sure he He’s all smiles, praising his coaches, to playing in when he was in California. helps his young teammates as much as he enjoying a brand new ofense that he’s Te fact that he’s taken to the changes can. playing in, and just generally feeling at in the team so quickly and is handling “We have three rookie quarterbacks. peace with where he is. them well is a major plus for his coaches. He’s really good with them [...] he raises It would be easy for him not to be. Not “It’s paramount to what we want to do his hand sometimes in meetings to help only is it his last year but he’s suddenly here. If we didn’t have a ffth year quar- them. He has an older brother attitude,” been surrounded by an almost entirely terback it would be a lot tougher,” said said Surprentant. new coaching staff, a new offensive head coach Brad Collinson. “He loves It’s a new role for Vance, who’s always scheme, a large group of rookies, and just football, it’s important to him. I think been one of the younger players on teams a general overhaul of the entire program. he just wants to end his chapter here he’s played for. Whether at Concordia or But so far Vance is loving the changes on a good note.” It’s important because Golden West College in the U.S, he was

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Vance has spent of the season grooming the three rookie quarterbacks Photo Dustin Kagan-Flemig

OCTOBER 2019 34 THE LINK SPORTS 34

never the veteran. But just like he is with even started, Vance and his teammates his team’s situation, he’s embracing the lost two coaches. Mickey Donovan new. resigned to take his current position. His “I enjoy it so much. Tey’re a great brother Pat would succeed him as head group of QB’s. Good dudes that want to coach, only to resign shortly after as well. work. Tey all know their stuf [...] almost Collinson came in and had little to no time as well as me. Some of them might even to instill his own staf, playbook, or pre- know it better,” laughed Vance. “It’s been pare adequately for the season. Te team nice to not have to babysit them, but just was behind the eight ball from the start be able to learn and grow with them.” and would end up last in the RSEQ stand- Tis isn’t exactly how the quarterback ings, missing the playofs in the last game pictured things ending up a few years ago of the season. when Concordia recruited him though. I thought it was a joke. With all of this, it’s not hard to see why Fresh out of the American system, he had I didn’t think people up Vance is excited and optimistic about the his doubts about coming to play up north “ changes, and feeling so good about being and what Canadian football was. here took it as seriously as comfortable. “When I was getting recruited, I’m not It’s as good a year as any for the quar- gonna lie, I thought it was a joke. I didn’t we do down in the states. terback to be in a comfortable place and a think people up here took it as seriously good mindset, because he’s most likely in as we do down in the states,” said Vance. Man, has my mindset for a major change after it. “Man, has my mindset changed on that “I’m probably done with football,” said one.” changed on that one.” Vance, not without care but with a calm It took some time for him to get past acceptance. those preconceived ideas though. A hectic “If something with football did come frst year with Concordia helped that. — Adam Vance up, I would love to take it. I love the sport He got his frst meaningful game action and I want to keep playing but if it doesn’t, in a tough situation against one of the best it doesn’t. I had a good run.” teams in the country: the Laval Rouge et Vance doesn’t say that with an attitude Or. of indiference. He simply knows where His head coach at the time, Mickey he’s at in life and has reached a point of Donovan remembers the game well. enough self confdence and self awareness Stingers star quarterback Trenton that he can sit with the facts and take life Miller, who had rewritten the record as it happens when it comes to football. books for Concordia, went down with an education, but it wasn’t until a play- It’s not the kind of thing you see with injury midway through the game. Vance of matchup against the division’s other athletes at a high level very often. Tese had to come in against a top team in an behemoth, the Université de Montréal are people who have worked incred- imposing stadium and take over a match Carabins, that he really began to under- ibly hard and been a part of their sport in which Concordia was a heavy understand things. since they were children. Whether at the dog. It was a display of dominance by the university or pro level, the eventual day Vance would orchestrate a drive from Carabins and the game Vance credits with when it all ends is never easy, and many his own eight yard line, all the way to the really changing his view on both the skill fght against it to no avail. Laval ten in just a minute and 44 seconds. level in Canadian football and how seri- He also feels he’s leaving Concordia in Tey would fall just short, losing 12-8, but ously it is taken. It cemented his respect a bright spot. He believes in the path that a game in which the Stingers were long- for both the Canadian game and U Sports they’re on and is planning to continue shots, came down to the fnal play. after that. watching them travel it. “It was a hell of a job. He had a lot of Though his understanding of, and He doesn’t know where that will be potential, a lot of skill. He did a great job respect for the Canadian game improved, from yet. Maybe he’ll head back to the that frst year that we had him,” said Vance’s next season was a difcult one. states, but the California QB who once Donovan, who is now the special teams It had some highs—throwing for the thought of Canadian football as a joke coordinator for the Montreal Alouettes. second most yards in the Réseau du Sport hasn’t ruled out setting his roots down in “He’s a guy that you want as your quar- Étudiant du Québec and a last second Montreal. He’s fallen in love with the city terback.” touchdown to complete a comeback and has plenty of reasons to stay. But like Tat game would be the start of Vance’s against Sherbrooke—but before the year he said, for now he’s just sticking in the

THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA OCTOBER 2019 OPINIONS 35 Don’t @ Me: A Isn’t for Ally

Being an Ally Shouldn’t Be Your Fashion Statement

Dustin Kagan-Fleming @dustinkfleming

Everyone, Graphic Jessica Lee I have good news: The straights are throw the A in for people that don’t really fashion statement. It’s things like making going to be OK. need the letter. A stand for ally or chasing after the idea Karen will finally get the recognition Why do we need a whole letter for of having a gay BFF because it’s chic or she deserves for loudly throwing her allies? Who does it actually help? woke to seem extra accepting. bachelorette party in the Village and Look, I love allies and recognize the The LGBTQIA+ community is awesome awkwardly calling Tom from accounting need for them. I respect the work so and incredibly fun, but that doesn’t mean “one of the girls.” True justice. many do to push back against unfair you need to immediately grab a letter to Some people that have been ignored laws, day to day oppression, and plenty enjoy some of what it has to ofer the and underappreciated for too long are of other work. world. You can be a great ally by taking fnally about to be justly recognized. Many friends of mine are straight action and helping people more than by We’ve hit a point now where the most allies, as are my family members. As a bi taking some selfes in the Village with the oppressed group in the LGBTQIA+ com- man, it makes me feel happier and safer caption #truehome #gayingitup. munity is fnally being recognized. That’s to have support from so many amazing The acronym isn’t there to be the social right, I’m talking about straight allies. people who may not be members of the equivalent of a woke Supreme sticker. It’s What? Where are they in that com- LGBTQIA+ community but support me there because certain realities come with munity? Well, in the A of course. You and it without reservation. not being straight and having a commu- thought that stood for asexual? But then I’m not looking to attack or alienate nity makes that easier. what letters will straight people have? allies here. There are just some things Supporting that community and using It’s kind of mind-boggling that some that can be done better by some. a level of privilege to help as an ally is people, and companies like American Most people get that being an ally is great. Taking the spotlight and thrusting Apparel, have decided to actually rework a basic level of decency. It means you yourself into a role of importance or call- the acronym, or simply don’t know how support people and their basic human ing every gay guy you know “biiiiiitch” it works. rights. The problem is that some people when you’re not really that close and For some people, the breakdown is are less about actually being supportive don’t know if they like it? Maybe less. not lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, because it’s the right and obvious thing intersex, asexual, and +. Instead, they to do, and more about making it a bit of a

OCTOBER 2019 36 THE LINK OPINIONS 36

(Sex)Editorial: Fake It Till You Make It The Gender Politics of Feigning and Demanding Orgasms

April Tardif Levesque @AprilTardif

hen I wrote an arti- We let guys of with lighter sentences never had an orgasm. Not even once. W cle on the orgasm gap for rape because somehow too many I have spoken to older ladies, married between men and women, a number of judges and jurors have the attitude that for years, who have either never had an things happened. No, I didn’t get any somehow sex is inevitable for men. orgasm, or who did once upon a time death threats, probably because I held Sex is for men. with a lover they knew 20 years ago on of on some opinions I had—we all know Women who want pleasure from sex a vacation. women with opinions get some real or enjoy it in a context where they’re I wondered then how the men took it. spicy fan mail. not the server but the subject, are not I wondered also how, with an orgasm What did happen was that a student framed the same way. gap so huge in the studies, how the men from the psychology department, male So where does this tie in to orgasms? in their lives handle it. obviously, linked his own research to For women, they’re optional. I’ve narrowed it down to about three me on Twitter once my piece got a bit Men must always finish and they possibilities: he is too lazy to try, and of attention—probably wishing I’d con- almost always do. never asks because he doesn’t know the sulted him first about something I’ve Stats can be found by asking any orgasm exists for women; he has con- seen and heard about frsthand. psychology department about studies cluded that there is something wrong This isn’t much of a surprise, but one they’ve done—they’ll gladly oblige, but with his partner despite not ever having comment was from a woman, who went the gold is in the lived experience. That’s fgured out the “code to the safe;” or she of about how we need to take it easy where you fnd the nuance. has faked it every time, and he’s con- on the men because they have a hard In my golden days of socializing, I vinced all is well in the world. enough time pleasing us as it is. found myself in many women’s wash- Let’s unpack what’s up with this and It was phrased longer and was more rooms. Women talk to one another quite how power dynamics contribute to this. cringeworthy, but essentially that was comfortably when no men are around. If indeed he never asked and assumed the message. This is where the sauce meets the sex is accomplished and well done Think of the men. pasta. The substance. because he came, that’s enough of a On the subject of ladies being denied One woman I spoke to, who is both power dynamic in itself. equal pleasure. a sex worker and sexually active in her It’s self explanatory in that he truly Look, men treat sex like water, food, everyday life, totally enjoys sex most of believes sex is for men, and women are the need to defecate. the time. She wants it, gets it...but has but an instrument to that.

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Graphic Caroline Tran Air? Who needs it? We survive merely That’s also problematic if it’s more he has the kind of character that never by pleasing them. The belief that sex important than the partner—at what accepts criticism or responsibility and is something that men do and that it’s point is it about her or them and not she felt uncomfortable being honest something done to women is all wrong; just him? with him. one is the subject and the other is the So, the moment something challenges Which leads me to faking. object. his abilities, he would prefer to blame While many men fume at the thought Sex is a participation activity that anything but himself. of women faking and lying, because should involve mutual enjoyment. Never If that means gaslighting her into they’re terrible, I would like to explore asking your partner if they’re satisfied thinking she has a sexual dysfunction why that might be. or what they want doesn’t quite ft that. and playing both doctor and psycholo- If you’re a decent partner at all and Now, if he says something is wrong gist—so be it. you take feedback well, your partner with her because he’s never satisfied Some might say their ex could, as a would most likely feel comfortable her, it’s safe to say he has a whole pack way of saying something is wrong with giving you feedback. of problems and it doesn’t end there. their partner, but the ex could have been It’s a trust situation. If you ask and Maybe he’s lazy, or maybe he’s a nar- faking. assure someone they won’t deal with cissist who can’t accept that he can’t A wild notion I might introduce here retaliatory outbursts, gaslighting, or fgure it out. is the possibility that not all women get arrogance, they might give you an Remember, many men derive a feeling of the same way—so assuming women honest and constructive answer. of self satisfaction in making their part- are interchangeable and that there’s no But this isn’t always what happens ner satisfed that they tie deeply to their learning curve is equally absurd. when women give their male partners manhood and masculinity. Perhaps the ex was faking because feedback.

OCTOBER 2019 38 THE LINK

We tire of hearing about how actually, Sure, femme-friendly options exist it’s our fault. Or how actually, his 14 exes now, but most men consume the main- could, so he has no idea why you’re not stream and many act the part—seeing built the same. women as a means to help them achieve We tire of hearing outbursts from men their pleasure. whose masculinity feels threatened by Women have options, and why settle for the notion that maybe they can improve options that don’t provide the most basic enough to hold up their end of the bargain. of things—consideration? The power dynamic is as simple as who controls the arena. When men can redirect a conversation Sex has long been an arena where men to attack women’s self esteem when their reigned supreme, but slowly we have fabricated self image is attacked, we have a shifted. power dynamic that facilitates emotional To think, once upon a time, the vibra- and psychological abuse. tor was invented as a means to control When men refuse to accept criticism “female hysteria,” which was essentially or feedback, to the point where women pent up sexual frustration. fear even approaching discussions about Now, women can have both any partner wanting their needs met, we have a power they wish and any vibrator. dynamic that facilitates fear and that in However, as much as we have seen itself can be abusive in some cases. improvements, modern pornography still There is immense power in com- centres around the male experience, gaze, munication, but this requires an open and desires—the women merely objects to channel—free of retaliation, judgement, Graphic Vecteezy achieving male pleasure. fear, and power imbalance.

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Facebook: Andrews Pub - ofﬁcial 1241 Guy South of St.Catherine Street OPINIONS 39 How Toxic Dust Awoke a Sleepy Town

A People’s History of Canada Column

Samantha Candido

Graphic Aiden Locke

lthough they had contracting, which could lead to sufo- tos provided modernity and stability to lostA the war, as the expression goes, the cation. their community. Aworkers behind the Asbestos Strike of The Jefrey Mine was the largest chrys- Later on in the Second World War, JM 1949 in the Eastern Townships of Quebec otile asbestos mine in the world, and the included machines deep in the Jeffrey did not miss the fght in leading a nota- source of the citizens of Asbestos’ glory Mine to replace human labourers. ble effort against Johns-Manville, an and ruin. During the late 1800s, asbestos “Men with nomadic drills are busy all American resource extraction company. began being mined commercially for its the time breaking up the larger chunks In a time of workplace padlock laws fireproof and practically indestructible of rock. On the foor of the pit, a giant and divisions between French and Eng- properties. electric shovel (the largest in Canada) lish Quebecers, the strike provoked It was later integrated across a variety scoops up 14 tons [of rock] [...] it looks a surge in the political consciousness of common household products, includ- like some curious, prehistoric monster province-wide. It was the launch pad ing hair dryers, cofee pots, and potting rooting about for food. This huge electric for demands for public health reform soil. By 1920, Canada already began to shovel is mobile, and can move to any by workers facing cutthroat restrictions. take advantage of its mineral wealth, part of the pit foor to load rail cars with The 1949 strike primarily centered and was providing 84 per cent of the rock at convenient points,” said CBC around curbing the spread of a disease world’s supply of asbestos. It was in this reporter J. Frank Willis in a 1942 radio called asbestosis, which is the fibrosis after World War I era that JM bought the clip, observing the asbestos extraction (hardening) of the fluid in the lungs mine from its local owners. process that took place at the Jeffrey due to the accumulation of microscopic At frst, the townspeople of Asbestos Mine. asbestos fibres within the lungs’ lining employed by JM enjoyed the fruits of Striking became a way for them to that prevents them from expanding and their labour, as the production of asbes- bargain for benefits and rights. Miners

OCTOBER 2019 40 THE LINK

in Quebec lived in a sustained period Union Nationale that assumed ofce in agreements. of negotiation, using strikes as a way 1944. The party was anti-union, and In 1948 the workers of the Jefrey Mine to communicate their needs to JM in a brought in foreign investment by sell- began negotiating for a labour contract setting that defned workers as a hired ing Quebec’s labour force as a docile one that would take efect the next year. Part person, which meant their status was that wouldn’t rise up. of what they demanded was a $1 per inferior and temporary, at best. In 1944, Duplessis enacted the Labour hour wage, union security, a pension Asbestos was one of the Quebec towns Relations Act, which allowed the gov- scheme, and a company investigation that went on strike very little, some- ernment to approve or reject unions and into environmental hazards that were thing favourable to Maurice Duplessis’ to supervise bargaining over collective causing asbestosis.

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A report exposing the danger of By requesting Duplessis send the asbestos-related disease was published police JM brought the focus of police in Le Devoir in January 1949 by investi- and media on the violent potential of gative journalist Burton LeDoux. It was protestors and the need to control them, entitled “L’amiantose: un village de trois “Men turning attention away from the point mille âmes étoufe dans la poussière, East of the strike: the hazards to workers’ Broughton.” health. The article was printed in pamphlet with no- On March 14, an explosion occurred format as well as the newspaper and on the railway track leading into the circulated province-wide by unions. local processing plant, where JM had Many could read it and use the infor- madic hired replacement workers during the mation provided as fuel to reinvigorate strike and thereafter, a group of strik- their fght for stricter safety regulations. ers abducted and beat up an ofcial from Union leaders set up a collective drills are JM. agreement negotiation based on this Asbestos didn’t look like the usual report, and workers later used the infor- quiet, small town it had been when the mation contained within the report to busy all police intervention started during the insist on a “dust clause” that properly strike. Police gathered to break picket addressed the risks of asbestosis from lines and attacked strikers with tear harmful extraction processes. the time gas and fred warning shots. It was on Negotiations were deadlocked by May 6, 1949 that heavily armed police early February. Both parties had to enter stormed the town, arrested several men arbitration by law, and presented the breaking and severely beat them. Duplessis government an opportunity Several factors eventually spelled the to use pro-business arbitrators to their end of the strike. JM was resilient in cov- beneft. up the ering up and falsely reporting the safety Against the advice of their union lead- of asbestos dust. ers, Jeffrey Mine workers gathered at Moreover, as a result of the strike, the Saint-Aimé church on Feb. 13 and larger workers had lost more than $ 1.5 mil- voted to go on strike. While the strikes lion in wages. used to negotiate in the past have been Throughout the second half of 1949, brief, LeDoux’s work had supplied fre to chunks there were a series of arbitration meet- the workers. JM was not willing to com- ings to settle the dispute and have both promise, and Jefrey Mine workers were parties come to a solution on how to too desperate and informed in their push of rock. make the asbestos mining process safer. for stricter compliance in occupational While the JM company doctor Ken- safety. neth Smith and JM lawyer J. P. Woodard The strike was illegal, as they were vio- used evidence from studies to attempt lating the Loi sur les relations ouvrières to draw company attention towards the by not waiting for an arbitration board to health hazards of asbestos, JM sought to be established before striking. Duplessis — J. Frank hide the evidence. sent out the provincial police. The two sides agreed to a collective Willis

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Asbestos itself is now considered an outdated and extremely dangerous material when used in the insulation as a freproof material. One could say that asbestos now has a bleak existence. Once a world-class product used to protect and raise a healthy society, it is now known as a deadly monster responsible for the sickness and suffering of children, workers, and citizens alike. Whether a worker-driven initiative will see its intended political and societal changes come to fruition or not, it is an inalienable right to halt harmful corporations that hoard wealth and disregard the safety of their workers. It is imperative to keep labour conditions in check and remind these corporations that workers will always be a central consideration in labour afairs. It is the most impactful move of the working class.

Graphics Joey Bruce

While the Asbestos Strike did not produce the intended result of a highly- unionized Quebec mining industry with proper workplace-health regulations and practices in place, it set a precedent for other union-driven movements and introduced public health as a key issue at the negotiation table of workplace standards. Environmental health became the launch pad in which workers could up the ante in their struggle to improve their lives and lessen the risk of dangerous sub- stances on themselves and their families. Currently, the Jefrey Mine is shut down, and the Canadian asbestos industry is abandoned.

THELINKNEWSPAPER.CA COMICS 43

The Epic Adventures of Every-Man by Every-Man @theepicadventuresofeveryman

Hastily Put Together! by Theo Radomski

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514-848-7406 [email protected] 45 AdvertiseTHE With Us copies 5,000 The Power Issue distribution 150 points Next issue November 5 Reserve by October 22

514-848-7406 [email protected] 46 THE LINK The CAQ: One Year Into Power A Non-Exhaustive Analysis of the Provincial Government’s Achievements Since Coming Into Power

Erika Morris @thingjpg

Whether you love them or hate them, François Legault's Coalition Avenir Québec is inching towards completing their frst year in ofce. Teir win efectively ended the decade-long pattern of alternating between Liberal and Parti Québe- cois governments, and they're the frst right-wing party elected in the province since the Union Nationale in 1970. In the midst of controversy around secularism and the tight- ening of immigration and cannabis laws, other plans seemed to have fallen through the cracks. So, what has the CAQ actually accomplished since coming into power?

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HEALTH Te provincial government’s electoral platform had a plan to fnally improve Quebec’s underper- A Non-Exhaustive Analysis of the Provincial Government’s forming health system. Tey promised to pour EDUCATION money into screening children under fve years old Legault said he wanted to be known as the Achievements Since Coming Into Power for neurodevelopmental disorders, ensure every “education premier.” He campaigned on several child has a family doctor, better access to care ambitious plans, like ofering free pre-kindergarten without appointments on weekends and evenings, classes to all four-year-olds, regardless of their eco- more full-time nurses, and lower hospital parking nomic background, eliminating school boards, and fees. For seniors, they aim to enforce a mandatory ensuring elementary schools have two 20-minute two baths a week policy for seniors’ homes and to recesses a day. He also promised to create service double their meal budget. centres run by school directors, teachers, and par- As part of their health platform, the CAQ also ents, ofer more resources to schools like more promised to implement the most restrictive laws teachers, speech therapists, and psychologists around cannabis in the country, bringing the legal as well as subjecting each school to be built in an age of consumption to 21 years old—while keep- architecture competition. ing alcohol and tobacco sales available to 18 year Ofering pre-kindergarten to all four-year-olds olds—and banning smoking marijuana in most is still in the works. Right now, as these classes are public spaces. Legault pointed to studies suggest- only ofered for “underprivileged areas,” the CAQ ing cannabis use can harm the developing brain, but decided to bridge the gap and make sure everyone others—like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—argue can beneft from pre-kindergarten. He aims to free these laws would only push young people back into up as many as 50,000 spots in daycares. However, the arms of the black market, instead of giving them many schools say they don’t have enough resources access to government-approved products. for this change and aren’t confdent such a radical When looking at the bills brought forward in the change would be possible. Legault said he would National Assembly, not many plans regarding the resign if this plan failed. health sector seem to have been put in motion, but On Sept. 13, Education Minister Jean-Francois the CAQ has resumed its discussions around can- Roberge released a report saying the English Mon- nabis restrictions—known as Bill 2—in September. treal School Board was dysfunctional and should Tey plan on raising the legal age to possess and be stripped of all its powers, due to irregularities use recreational cannabis. Tey also plan on ban- in how they handle contracts and major internal ning students from possessing any while on their confict. Te Montreal Gazette reported that Legault campus. Te law also prohibits smoking cannabis said the report “has nothing to do with the reform “on public roads, on the grounds of enclosed spaces that is proposed, but maybe it is an additional argu- where smoking is currently prohibited, subject to ment saying that there’s something wrong.” certain exceptions, as well as in all other outdoor Te CAQ’s budget put aside $4 billion over 10 places that are open to the public, like parks, play- years to renovate and build schools, with $1 billion grounds, sports grounds and the grounds of day to go to the extension of pre-kindergarten. Smaller camps,” says the bill. Te prohibition against the amounts will go to everything from special-needs Société québécoise du cannabis operating a can- screening to extracurricular activities, feld trips, nabis retail outlet less than 250 metres from an and eyeglasses for students. educational institution will also be extended to all college and university-level institutions. But, for now, 18-year-olds can still freely and legally light up as the bill is still in the works.

OCTOBER 2019 48 THE LINK IMMIGRATION Tensions surrounding immigration have been on the rise in the last few years—with the United States’ crackdown at their southern border being a prime example—and Quebec is not immune. A large part of the CAQ’s campaign was the promise to reduce immigration by 20 per cent a year, despite an increasingly alarming labour shortage in the province. Te CAQ also hopes to take over all immigration control from the federal government, impose values IDENTITY and language tests for all immigrants, and links Identity has always been at the core of Quebec immigrants’ permanent residency to their ability values and politics. Quebecers are adamant about to pass such tests. However, the federal government protecting the French language, and after years would have to relinquish all control, which isn’t of talks of separating from Canada, the province likely to happen. Legault wants to reduce immigra- clutches to its autonomy and desire to be recog- tion under the pretext of “taking in less immigrants nized as a nation (though not a state). As well, the but taking better care of those we do have.” To do Quiet Revolution of the 60s—which brought the this, the CAQ would double the amount of money separation of the Catholic Church and govern- dedicated to teaching French to newcomers and ment—cementing the value of secularism in the assisting them with integration, and the province province’s collective consciousness. will spend $466 million on assistance for immi- Te CAQ promised to pass a secularism law, limit grants. Tose who are struggling with the labour immigration to “protect the French language,” to shortage have been critical of this plan. demand more autonomy from the federal gov- At the same time as Jolin-Barrette was handling ernment and to be recognized as a nation, more Bill 21, he also was overseeing Bill 9—a proposal to francization eforts, and to appoint a commissioner reduce immigration by 10,000 people a year. Te of French language. bill was passed into law June 16, but no French or One of the biggest and most controversial laws values test was included as many members of the passed by the CAQ was a secularism law, formerly National Assembly were scratching their heads on known as Bill 21, which efectively bars those wear- how these tests would be conducted. However, ing religious symbols from working in education the province now has power to “accompany and or in the public sector, like judges or police of- verify” immigrants to assess their French skills cers. Supporters of the secularism law claim it’s and adherence to “democratic values,” though it’s important to have complete neutrality while being unclear as to what this entails. Passing Bill 9 also in positions of authority and representing the prov- meant shredding about 16,000 applications from ince. But, the bill also prompted massive outcries of hopeful immigrants, telling them to reapply in xenophobia and sexism as Muslim women wearing the new system. Tis is being contested in court the hijab seem to be targeted by the law. by immigration lawyers. But, it seems the CAQ School boards spoke out against the law—and stayed true to their promise as Quebec accepted 40 some said they would refuse to enforce it—but with per cent less immigrants in the frst half of 2019. the threat of being abolished, the boards fnally But, with business groups having implored the complied. Tere have been reports that Minister of government to raise immigration to allow 60,000 Immigration, Diversity, and Inclusiveness Simon immigrants a year due to labour shortages, these Jolin-Barrette plans to have his title changed to cuts run deep. And, fewer French immigrants have Minister of Immigration, Integration, and Fran- come into Canada since the CAQ came into power. cization, and there have been talks of Quebec Tese changes seem counterintuitive to the spirit ditching the notion of multiculturalism for inter- of Quebec’s immigration cuts—which Legault tried culturalism—which puts francophone culture at the to justify by claiming that too many immigrants centre while working to integrate minorities into a couldn’t fnd work and too few spoke French. common culture. However, these talks are not new, and similar rhetorics have recently popped up in the European Union.

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ECONOMY Being a businessman, Legault gained some foot- ing with the promise of a booming economy. As the school tax varies from region to region, something ENVIRONMENT+MOBILITY Legault deemed unfair and problematic, the pre- Te climate crisis seems to be on the mind of most mier said he would standardize the tax at its lowest Canadians, with the federal government having level in all regions. Te CAQ also hopes to take over declared a climate emergency and environmental all income tax reports from the federal government issues put at the forefront of electoral discussions. and have Revenue Québec handle all taxes—which Legault, however, had very few promises sur- the federal government isn’t likely to agree to— rounding Quebec’s fght against climate change along with bringing high-speed internet and better during his campaign. He promised to export more cellular phone coverage around the province, and “clean” hydro energy and to clean up the Saint to create “innovation zones” for new technology Lawrence River. and industries. To bring in extra revenue, the party So far, Hydro-Québec reported a surplus in also promised to export more hydro electricity to electricity sales and have hiked up their prices other Canadian provinces and the United States. outside the province, though they haven’t neces- Te CAQ came through on their school tax reduc- sarily been exporting more energy. An act pushing tion promises, which homeowners will beneft the government to comply with Quebec climate from. Montreal’s school tax used to be at $0.17832 change-related obligations—like carbon emission per $100 of evaluation, and has been reduced to limits—was introduced, but hasn’t been revisited $0.15035. It is set to fall to $0.1054 in the next four since February. Meanwhile, in November 2018, years. Te government promises to give back the Montreal began massive sewage dumps into the losses back to school boards and Finance Minister Saint Lawrence River. Eric Girard said it would not impact the fnancing Everyone—especially Montrealers—knows being of school boards or the quality of education—but stuck in trafc just sucks. Part of Legault’s platform many working in education don’t trust this. was to invest $10 billion in infrastructure to alle- Te government released the province’s ffth- viate trafc in the next 10 years, build a tramway, straight balanced budget, with spending set at $113 extend the Réseau express métropolitain light-rail, billion, 4.7 per cent more than the previous year. and build an above-ground metro line in Montreal. Te budget shows increased spending on health Te Quebec City tramway is now fully funded and education, with plans to boost home care and by all three levels of government and the project seniors’ homes, schools, pre-kindergarten, and is underway. Te REM light-rail is also under con- more care for special needs kids—but specifc plans struction. It includes a major line that runs from remain ambiguous.Tere are also reductions in Deux-Montagnes to Montérégie, passing through property tax rates and boosts in family allowances. downtown Montreal, and extending to the West Quebec’s revenue is set to grow to $116 billion, with Island and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport. the surplus going into the province’s debt repay- In March, the provincial government also adopted ment fund. Legault’s government also set aside a plan to enable them to give more assistance and $1 billion to help keep SNC-Lavalin executives in compensation to victims of disasters that threaten Montreal following their corruption and bribery human safety—especially with fooding on the rise. scandals in Libya. Despite the promising budget, Tese general compensation programs serve to Quebec’s own-source revenue will only grow by improve the efciency of compensation processes 0.6 per cent in 2019-2020. In order to keep a bal- and allocate money for temporary housing, food, anced budget, the province will rely on an increase and clothes. of 6.5 per cent in federal transfers, including a 12 per cent increase in equalization—the money Ottawa redistributes to poorer provinces.

SEPTEMBER 2019 50 THE LINK

Esther Calixte-Bea Addresses One of the Biggest Taboos: Female Body Hair

Self-Liberating Multimedia Project Lavender Is a Disruptive Celebration of the Authentic Female Body

Nanor Froundjian

Photo Aysha White n July 1, 2019, Esther Calixte-Bea’s often forget to look at ourselves and our forms and colours,” said Duveau. Oheart was beating out of her chest role in the perpetual policing of the female “Te platform shows girls, womxn, and as she posted the frst picture of her photo body.” non-binary individuals from all over the series on Instagram. Liberation had begun. “We internalize the expectations and world, emerging talents who, through A handmade lavender dress, the combi- impose it on others. When you posted your diverse mediums like photography, graphic nation of mesh and satin, exposed her chest pictures, I realized how my frst refex was design, music, fashion, express their expe- hair; the morning sun kissed her skin. Te to think you should’ve kept the hair hidden. rience, feelings, and diverse visions, freely!” response from her followers was unpredict- But after refecting on it, I felt stupid for even she continued. able, which was distressing to say the least. thinking I had any say on what you should Calixte-Bea’s work fts with the general “I removed all my notifcations, I turned do with your body,” she continued. theme of expressing personal yet uncon- [them] of so that I won’t receive anything Many similar comments came from ventional truths. because I was so stressed. I was so scared women who appreciated her bravery and For her, the issue began in her early teen- [about] how people were going to react so I ability to be so vulnerable. age years. She felt that her chest hair was a wasn’t on it all day until night time.” Lavender was shared by Calixte-Bea’s burden, an undesirable but undeniable part Lavender was born out of Calixte-Bea’s followers and exhibited in galleries as well of her. “So when I was younger, I knew I had desire to let herself live freely without the as through online platforms. more hair than other girls.” constraints of unwanted constructs. She Laetitia Duveau, co-founder of Berlin- Boys and girls in sixth grade couldn’t created a “self-liberating” project, as she based platform Curated by GIRLS, stated shake the shocked expression of their faces described it, exposing her chest hair in a in an email, “Esther sent me her pictures when they found out that a girl...had...chest brave, poised way all while embracing her and I was immediately blown away by her hair? femininity. bravery and artistic talent! Te way she is Despite trying to remove it many times Shocked reactions, admirative support, exposing her chest hair is very empowering! and getting a bad skin reaction, Calixte-Bea and ecstatic congratulations fooded her She is showing that body hair can be classy said, “My body was just rejecting that, my page @queen_esie. While some people and beautiful. And that‘s very important!” body didn’t want me to remove it. I never unfollowed her page, Calixte-Bea explained Te online platform features the work of hated it, but obviously I didn’t want it that most of the comments were positive. emerging artists, and said that it focuses on because I had never seen anyone else with With divided opinions, the controversy was “female-identifying creators.” that.” apparent. “As artists ourselves it was important,” Trough her paintings of Black women, Dorothy Mombrun, a follower of she said, referring to herself and her friend Calixte-Bea told the stories she could not Calixte-Bea’s, was very supportive of Lav- with whom she began the platform. “We all verbalize. Te leading guideline of her work ender—it led her to refect on the constraints know how hard it can be to be heard [and/ is beauty. “Tere’s always that uniqueness of imposed beauty standards. or] seen for young artists.” in people that makes them beautiful, that’s “You being so unapologetic and proud Colourful and uncensored, the projects what I like seeing. And confdence espe- of your body made me question my own featured on Curated by GIRLS showcase the cially,” she said. perception of beauty and femininity,” said value of diversity with a feminist approach. In museums and art exhibitions, she Mombrun in a message to Calixte-Bea. “We “We celebrate femininity in all its shapes, noticed that women’s bodies are very often

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painted with smooth and hairless skin. Calixte-Bea’s project accepts and celebrates the natural body Challenging that convention, she painted women through self exploration with body hair such as those in her piece Taboo: Te Hairy Woman, to normalize female body hair and change its usual negative perception. Of course, the story was personal. It was obviously about her. But she kept denying it when asked. “It was becoming really painful for me to always Self-Liberating Multimedia Project Lavender Is a Disruptive Celebration of the Authentic Female Body have to hide it,” she said, explaining that it even afected her modeling gigs when she told designers to she wouldn’t wear any clothes revealing her chest. “I felt like that was stopping me from living in a sense, although it seemed so small, but it was really afecting me a lot. So I thought, ‘How can I free myself?’” Marrying the crafts of garment design, sewing, photography, and poetry, the one-woman produc- Photo Aysha White tion unveiled a burdensome secret. “I really wanted to get a conversation started. I feel like it’s one step but I had to really get out there and keep showing people that it is normal,” she said. Te lavender dress, completed in her fbers class, was the frst one she ever made. “I struggled like crazy,” she said, laughing. After carefully choosing the colour to capture the intended mood of her project, and the many trips to Fabricville before actually picking up the fabric, the dress came into being. Equipped with a camera and tripod, Calixte-Bea went to a park near her house to take pictures on an early morning. What would become Lavender took about three hours. She posed in the grass and between trees, using her body language to convey the power and confdence of her message. Te project has inspired some of her followers to redefne their conceptions of attractiveness in relation to gender. “I even questioned myself on why I thought chest hair attracted me in men but was not attractive on women,” said Mombrun. Calixte-Bea has stepped out without hiding her chest hair a few times already and intends on continuing to do so. Challenging current beauty norms, Lavender served as a vehicle to present an unexplored territory of feminine beauty. Calixte-Bea acknowledges that modern societal trends supporting women empowerment infuenced her decision to carry out this project, saying, “I feel like we’re ready today.” “I want us to be able to live normally with that, because it is normal, in a society that has pro- Courtesy Esther grammed us to think that it wasn’t.” Calixte-Bea

OCTOBER 2019 52 THE LINK

How Did Your Candidate Get Here? Turns Out, Anyone Can Have Their Picture on a Plastic Sign

Olivier Cadotte @OlivierCadotte

Graphic Breea Kobernick and Photo Olivier Cadotte

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It’s easy to think that being a candidate requires Turns Out, Anyone Can Have Their Picture on a Plastic Sign notoriety, or a particular skill set, or even a basic background in politics the leader of the People’s Party It’s federal election of any kind. While that’s of Canada, Maxime Bernier. His season in Canada! Te time of year slogan? “If you’re not sure, then for about 8000 weird photo ops, not always untrue (more vote for both!” awkward questions from family on that later), in reality, Even I, a 23-year-old univer- members about who you’re voting sity student, could run for ofce as for in October, and the almost lit- almost anyone can run to an independent candidate in my eral overnight appearances of all be a federal member of home riding of Brossard-Saint- those colourful plastic signs with parliament. Lambert, as long as I flled out the the faces of the people running form in time. in the various ridings all over the of their head: “I have no idea who Now, here’s the caveat on why country. any of these people are.’’ that isn’t exactly a great idea. First If you aren’t familiar with Cana- of all, I’d consider it a massive suc- dian politics, or need a refresher How Did You Even Get Here? cess if I got more than exactly two after following the Democratic It’s easy to think being a can- votes, and not just because not party’s nomination process in the didate requires notoriety, or a even my parents would vote for States, here’s a quick rundown: particular skill set, or even a basic me. It’s incredibly hard for anyone instead of voting for the Prime background in politics of any kind. not running for one of the main Minister directly, you vote for the While that’s not always untrue parties to get elected. candidate seeking election in your (more on that later), in reality, Before the election, only eight of electoral district, more commonly almost anyone can run to be a fed- the 334 MPs sat as independants, known as a riding. eral member of parliament. and none of them were elected as Ridings aren’t always stable in According to Elections Canada, such. Of course, I could try to run their dimensions or the area they to be eligible as a candidate in a as a candidate for one of Canada’s cover. Tey are usually revised federal election, you only need to many diferent parties. based on the population of the area, be a Canadian citizen who is older Did you think having the as overseen by an independent than 18, and submit a nomina- Liberals, Conservatives, New commision for each province (as tion form—in which you need 100 Democratic Party, the Green Party, to avoid the problem of gerryman- people from the riding to consent the Bloc Québécois, and the Peo- dering—the partisan redrawing of for your running—either physically ple’s Party of Canada was already a electoral districts—which is an or online a mere 21 days before the lot? Tere are actually 16 diferent omnipresent issue in the United election. You also have to be admis- registered parties as of May 2019! States.) sible under part 65 of the Canadian Tese parties include, to name a Te party who elects the most Elections Act. Inadmissible people few, the aforementioned Rhinoc- representatives wins the election, include the incarcerated, provin- eros Party, the Communist Party of with the leader of the party usually cial members of parliament, and Canada, the Alliance of the North— named the Prime Minister. Inter- election ofcers, to name a few. who are as much to the political estingly enough, you don’t need a It’s a very simple process that right as their name implies—and majority government to win, just allows a lot of people to run for the Marijuana Party. the most candidates, which leads ofce, which can lead to some But, these parties usually don’t to the almost always frustrating goofy candidates. Tis includes have candidates in every riding minority government. my current personal favourite, come election time. When they do Once the signs are up, a lot of the satirical Rhinoceros Party’s run, they usually get a very small people will probably have the Maxime Bernier, currently run- amount of votes. Same thing for Graphic Breea Kobernick and Photo Olivier Cadotte same nagging thought at the back ning in the riding of Beauce against independent candidates; not being

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under the umbrella of one of the major par- one who established themselves politically A few of the star candidates running in the ties can make it very difcult to get elected. at another level of government. Former 2019 election include Angelo Esposito—no Even candidates from the Bloc Québécois mayors, provincial elects, and even retired relation to hockey legends Phil and Tony— and the Green Party, two parties with name politicians asked to run one last time make running for the Conservatives in Laval’s recognition, struggle to get elected. up the vast majority of star candidates. Alfred-Pellan riding. He’s best known for Tere are a lot of possible reasons why Tey are also often unknown to the vast being taken twentieth overall in the 2007 being under a major political party’s majority of people outside their riding. NHL draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, then umbrella is usually advantageous for a Someone who lives in Rosemont will almost proceeding to play zero regular season NHL candidate. For example, these parties have certainly not know who a star candidate games. more money to run efective campaigns for running in Burnaby is, for example. Steven Guilbeault, an environmental their candidates. Tere is also the fact that Other times, however, parties think out- activist and one of the founders of Equi- some people vote for the party they want to side the political box when choosing a star terre—a non-proft community agricultural win, as opposed to which candidate is run- candidate, sometimes picking candidates organization—will run for the Liberals in ning. Voters can get into an electoral rut with little or no prior political experience. Laurier Sainte-Marie. Réjean Hébert, who of sorts, with attitudes like deciding that Marc Garneau, the MP for Notre-Dame-de- was the provincial Minister of Health and they’ve always voted for the same party in Grâce-Westmount since 2008 and Minister Social Services in Pauline Marois’ Parti the past, so why change now? of Transport since 2015, had no prior expe- Québécois government from 2012 to 2014, Tat means these people might vote for rience in politics before he joined the Liberal will run for the Liberal party in Longueuil- anyone the party presents in their riding. Party in 2006. What he did have, however, Saint-Hubert. Tis doesn’t mean that parties don’t try was name recognition. With the varying competency of star when selecting their candidates, but instead Before his now decade long political candidates, being able to run in basically they can sometimes choose safer or more career started, Garneau was an astronaut, any riding you want as long as you fll the conventional candidates for stronger rid- and a famous one at that. He was the frst conditions, and the vast diference between ings. For ridings that are up for grabs, or Canadian to ever go to space, in 1984 aboard the impact an MP has on their community ones where a party has been traditionally the Challenger space shuttle, and was also versus the impact the winning party has weaker, though, they’ll bring out the big the president of the Canadian Space Agency on the country as a whole, is the current guns from 2001 to 2006. He would go on to win system working as intended? Is it giving us his riding in 2008, and has since been the option to vote for the best possible A Star (Candidate) Is Born reelected twice. candidates, just the most convenient, or Name recognition is one of the most most popular at the lowest denomi- important factors in a candidate’s nator level? These are questions campaign success. For your average can- Western-style democracies, not just didate, it can come either from being up Canada, need to answer. for re-election, or by candidates put- So no matter who you end up voting ting themselves out there and making for in October, remember this: just public appearances so as to gain name because someone is running in your recognition. “Fortune favours those riding, doesn’t mean that they have who stay busy and in the public eye for any political experience, or celebrity, the four years between elections,” says or even a real platform. It’s easy to look Paul Mason, a Dundas-based organizer at the party fgureheads and think of of NDP campaigns. voting in the big picture, but remem- In that sense, someone who the public ber to think about the little picture too, at large already knows should have a big in this case the pictures of the candi- advantage in that department, right? dates that have now popped up in your Tat’s exactly what the star candidate is neighbourhood. supposed to be: someone who is already, politically or otherwise, known to the general public, or at least a large enough portion of the general public to make them theoretically electable. Te celebrity of a star candidate can Graphic Zoe Gelfant vary. More often than not, they’re some-

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A few of the star candidates running in the 2019 election include Angelo Esposito—no A Canadian Election relation to hockey legends Phil and Tony— running for the Conservatives in Laval’s Alfred-Pellan riding. He’s best known for being taken twentieth overall in the 2007 NHL draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, then Survival Guide proceeding to play zero regular season NHL games. Steven Guilbeault, an environmental activist and one of the founders of Equi- Still Confused About How, When, Where, and Who terre—a non-proft community agricultural organization—will run for the Liberals in to Vote for? We’ve Got You Covered. Laurier Sainte-Marie. Réjean Hébert, who was the provincial Minister of Health and Social Services in Pauline Marois’ Parti Québécois government from 2012 to 2014, Caitlin Yardley will run for the Liberal party in Longueuil- Elias Grigoriadis @eligrigoriadis Saint-Hubert. With the varying competency of star candidates, being able to run in basically any riding you want as long as you fll the Te federal elections are just around conditions, and the vast diference between the corner and so is all the stress that the impact an MP has on their community comes every four years. Not only do you versus the impact the winning party has have to choose the right candidate for on the country as a whole, is the current you, but how do you even cast a ballot system working as intended? Is it giving us anyway? Tere are lots of simple steps the option to vote for the best possible needed to make sure you’ll get to exer- candidates, just the most convenient, or cise your democratic right. most popular at the lowest denomi- nator level? These are questions Why Am I voting? Western-style democracies, not just Tat is always one of the frst ques- Canada, need to answer. tions to leave the mouth of those So no matter who you end up voting skeptical of the voting process. “One resources available to understand which to care about politics at times stating “ for in October, remember this: just vote won’t change anything.” “What’s candidate you prefer from 15 political It’s hard to care when everything is going because someone is running in your the point when all the candidates suck?” parties registered for the election cycle. well, and it’s hard to want to get involved riding, doesn’t mean that they have Tese and hundreds of other similar Te quickest among them are the online when you actually have to put efort, and any political experience, or celebrity, statements are not uncommon among quizzes which ask for your opinion on a put in your own research, and spend or even a real platform. It’s easy to look young voters. variety of topics and then match you to time that could be used either studying, at the party fgureheads and think of For some Concordia students like a candidate, like a sort of political dating or partying, or whatever you want. It voting in the big picture, but remem- Building Engineering major Louis app. takes time to be informed, and it takes ber to think about the little picture too, Rivest, the process of fnding which Te CBC has an extensive one that not time to make a smart, educated decision in this case the pictures of the candi- candidate to choose to run Canada for only places you on a political chart, but so it’s easier just not to make one.” dates that have now popped up in your the next four years is the toughest. shows you to what percentage you agree neighbourhood. “I’d say the lead up to the vote is with the six national parties vying for The Registration Process much harder than anything else. It’s your vote. Elections Canada has made strides to fnding out who you want to vote for Immigration, climate, health, and ensure that registering to vote ahead of that’s tough and then doing it isn’t so religious freedoms are all hot topics being time became signifcantly easier. Te bad,” said Rivest. debated this cycle. Take time to decide Voter Registration section at elections. For all those intimidated by the time which is most important to you and see ca outlines the diferent ways to make it takes to make an educated decision what the candidates have to say. sure you get no nasty surprises when on who to vote for, there are several Rivest also shares that it can be hard you show up to your polling location.

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You can also mail in your registra- Make Sure tion to Elections Canada, or go through Nobody’s Lying their section on your yearly tax return. to You Tree weeks before the election, you’ll “Algorithms and plat- One of the receive a new voter information card more dangerous with all the details and reminders to forms prioritize high- misinformation have the appropriate paperwork before engagement posts, so campaigns isn’t you leave for the polls. even one trying to If you didn’t register ahead of time, disinformation posts are get you to vote for do not worry. Voter registration is a specific candi- available at your polling station the day trying to elicit a strong date—it’s trying you go to vote. It will take longer to get to stop you from into the booth, but it’s a reliable safety emotional reaction from voting altogether. net if you don’t have an early registra- Tere are posts on tion card. you,” social media trying Your polling station will also be to trick voters into available on the same website where not having the right you can fnd out exactly when you can — Caro Loutf paperwork. come to both advanced polling as well “Algorithms and as on Election Day. platforms prioritize If taking these steps are still too by Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. high-engagement intimidating, Rivest has one last piece of posts, so disinforma- advice. “[Finding out how to register] is How to Find Help tion posts are trying a very small sacrifce to make just to be But, going out there in the world of to elicit a strong able to vote. I think it’s worth it person- election paperwork and endless bureau- emotional reac- ally. It depends on how invested you are cracy can be daunting, to say the least. tion from you,” said in politics and what you want, but if you Without any experience or people to Loutf. “[Misinfor- have the slightest interest or if you care guide new voters, a lot of mistakes or mation] creates echo in the slightest I think it’s easy enough oversights could take place. chambers that rein- that it’s worth it.” Apathy is Boring is one of the hundreds force existing values of Canadian non-partisan organiza- and perspectives, What If I Don’t Live Anywhere tions that are part of a national efort to increasing polariza- Near My Riding? improve turnout amongst voters aged 18 tion online, and can Given that Concordia had just under to 34. spread disinforma- 4,000 Canadian students who were not “We’re running our largest ever non- tion.” born in Quebec last year, a lot of them partisan get out the vote campaign for this According to Elec- intend to vote for the candidates in their upcoming Federal Election,” said Execu- tions Canada, there riding back home. Since not everyone has tive Director Caro Loutf. “We’ve also are three ways of verifying who you are the resources or the time to go all the way co-launched the Canadian Vote Coalition, once you get to your polling station. Your back to their hometown to cast a vote in which is a group of over 500 organizations frst option is showing either your driver’s person which is why Elections Canada lets and young leaders working to mobilize license or any government-issued card you vote by mail. their communities ahead of the election.” that has your photograph, your name, Te deadline to apply is Oct. 15 at 6 While this may not be the American and your address. p.m. You can do so either online at the election, widespread voter misinforma- Another option is two pieces of identi- Elections Canada website or in person at tion is still very common through social fcation that both have your name from a any of their ofces across the country. media. Loutf and the rest of her team comprehensive list that can be found on Once you’re registered, you will receive have set up multiple ways to counteract their website. Documents like your voter a special voting kit with all the informa- that such as reverse Google searches, and identifcation card, a bank statement, or tion needed including how to properly fll the manipulation of sites like Facebook a student card are accepted so long as at your ballot out and where to send it. and Youtube in order to see less purposely least one of them has your address. You have to submit your ballot before misleading information. If those two options aren’t available, Election Day since it must arrive in Ottawa do not worry. You can declare your iden-

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tity by submitting your name and address in writing along with with the rest of the Canadian Vote Coalition in order to go out another person who is assigned to the same polling station as you. and meet potential voters rather than waiting for them to come. “Our ground game involves volunteer-led street teams, going Get Involved to festivals and concerts, asking youth to vote,” said Loutf. ‘We’re Apathy is Boring will spend the entirety of the campaigning also doing community events, table topics—where we send you a period that runs from Sept. 11 until Election Day on Oct. 24 hold- box of free food with a democracy menu to talk about the election ing online and in-person events. Trough this, they’re hoping with your friends—and election viewing parties, among other to increase involvement from youth voters and build on the activities.” momentum that saw an 18 per cent increase in voters aged 18 to When asked if there was a single piece of advice she could give 24 during the last election. every young voter, Loutf asked that everyone vote with their “Te digital campaign is about providing resources and tools to conscience and encourage others to do the same. help youth get informed ahead of the election,” said Loutf. “We “Ensure your voice and the issues you care about are heard this cover everything from how our voting system works, to how to election by showing up on election day to vote. And, encourage navigate disinformation online.” one of your less-engaged friends to do the same.” When it comes to their work in person, Loutf will be working Tere are still a few weeks before the fate of Canada’s next four

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58 THE LINK masthead Ireland Compton editor-in-chief Aysha White creative director Olivier Cadotte coordinating editor Dustin Kagan-Fleming managing editor OPEN co-news editor OPEN co-news editor Erika Morris current affairs editor Nanor Froundjian fringe arts editor Victoria Lamas fringe arts online editor Elias Grigoriadis sports editor John Nagala sports online editor April Tardif- opinions editor Levesque copy editor OPEN photo editor Aysha White/Dustin Kagan-Fleming video editor Caitlin Yardley graphics editor Breea Kobernick business manager Rachel Boucher distribution Guy Landry system administrator

Marcus Bankuti Chris Michaud contributors Joey Bruce Paul Newcombe Samantha Candido Elizabeth Pinault Paulina Dominguez Theo Ramdomski Carina Dumais Bree Rockbrand Zoe Gelfant Sheida Shamloo Mila Gizli Carolyn Tran Jessica Lee

cover Paul Newcombe

Tristan D’Amours board of directors Vince Morello voting members Alexander Perez Savannah Stewart

Laura Beeston non-voting members Rachel Boucher Ireland Compton

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Volume 40, Issue 2 Te Link is published every month during the academic year by Te Link Publication Society Inc. Content is in- Tuesday, October 1, 2019 dependent of the university and student associations (ECA, CASA, ASFA, FASA, CSU, AVEQ). Editorial policy is set by an elected board as provided for in Te Link’s constitution. Any student is welcome to work on Te Link and The Link offce: become a voting staf member. Concordia University Hall Building, Room H-649 Material appearing in Te Link may not be reproduced without prior written permission from Te Link. 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W. Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8 Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters 400 words or less will be published, space permitting. Te letters dead- Editor: 514-848-2424 x. 7407 line is Fridays at 4:00 p.m. Te Link reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length and refuse those deemed Arts: 514-848-2424 x. 5813 racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, libellous, or otherwise contrary to Te Link ’s statement of principles. News: 514-848-2424 x. 8682 Business: 514-848-7406 Te Link acknowledges our location on unceded Indigenous land. Te Kanien’kehá:ka Nation is recognized as the Advertising: 514-848-7406 custodians of these lands and waters. Tiohtiá:ke is historically known as a gathering place for many First Nations.

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