McMaster alum, four-time Grey Cup winner and Order of Canada officer has died.
David Braley, a prominent businessman and McMaster University alumnus, passed away at 79 at his residence in Burlington, Ontario. Prior to this death, he served as the owner of the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League.
Born in Montreal, Quebec in 1941, Braley moved at the age of two to Hamilton. Braley grew up in the Steel City and attended high school at Westdale Secondary. After studying a year of science at McMaster University, he began his business ventures at General Motors Acceptance Corporation, later moving to London Life Insurance. He purchased William Orlick Limited in 1969, which later became known as Orlick Industries Limited.
The City of Hamilton lost a beloved businessman, philanthropist & community champion today.
David Braley's contributions live on & continue to make our City a better place. His passion for community, arts & sport was immeasurable. My thoughts are with his family at this time. pic.twitter.com/EW3nx70iJk
— Mayor Fred (@MayorsArchive) October 26, 2020
Braley began his journey into the football world by becoming the owner of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1989. After three years, he sold the team back to its community ownership.
“I and the Tiger-Cats mourn David’s passing. He was an enthusiastic Hamiltonian and a wonderful benefactor to our community's hospitals and universities,” said Bob Young, Hamilton Tiger-Cats caretaker.
“I and the Tiger-Cats mourn David’s passing. He was an enthusiastic Hamiltonian and a wonderful benefactor to our community's hospitals and universities,” said Bob Young, Hamilton Tiger-Cats caretaker.
After a five-year hiatus, he purchased the BC Lion, which he owned until his death.
“David has been a proud and fiercely loyal owner of our team, a champion of the Canadian Football League and a leader for whom his love of our game and our country went hand in hand and spanned decades,” said Rick LeLacheur, President of the BC Lions Football Club.
“David has been a proud and fiercely loyal owner of our team, a champion of the Canadian Football League and a leader for whom his love of our game and our country went hand in hand and spanned decades,” said Rick LeLacheur, President of the BC Lions Football Club.
While serving as the owner of the BC Lions, he led the team from 8,000 to 35,000 fans at its highest point. He accomplished great things on the field as well, including leading the Lions to a combined 52-19-1 record in the 2004-2007 seasons. In that span, the Lions won the Grey Cup in 2006, one of three the team wins during Braley’s tenure.
It was heartbreaking to receive the call that David passed away. It’s a sad day for all the many people that David’s life touched. Condolences to his family. I love my friend! https://t.co/EF6uOVhmFW
— Wally Buono (@WallyBuono) October 26, 2020
While serving as the owner of the Lions, he also owned the Toronto Argonauts from 2010-2015, the first person to simultaneously own two CFL teams. During that span, they won the 100th Grey Cup in 2012. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame during the same year.
Aside from his football journey, Braley owned the then Vancouver 86ers soccer team, later known as Vancouver Whitecaps FC, from 1997 to 2000.
“When Mr. Braley made the decision, the primary reason he did it was because he knew that it was good for the community. I think that is most telling about his legacy. He will be missed,” said Bob Lenarduzzi, club liaison for Whitecaps FC.
“When Mr. Braley made the decision, the primary reason he did it was because he knew that it was good for the community. I think that is most telling about his legacy. He will be missed,” said Bob Lenarduzzi, club liaison for Whitecaps FC.
Braley’s athletic ventures advanced even further when he became a prominent voice as a director for the successful bid of the Pan-American Games to be hosted in Ontario.
From an academic perspective, Braley’s legacy continues to live strong to this very day. The David Braley Athletic Centre adopted his name in 2006 after his generous donation of $5 million to build the centre. A year later, the centre’s clinic, David Braley Sport Medicine and Rehabilitation Centre, was created after another million-dollar donation from Braley.
The McMaster community is saddened to learn of the passing of David Braley, a philanthropist, businessman, sports franchise owner, art lover and champion of all things #HamOnt. He was a generous, visionary supporter of McMaster, and he will be missed. | https://t.co/IiggbB4gSC
— McMaster University (@McMasterU) October 26, 2020
In this same year, Braley donated $50 million to build the David Braley Health Sciences Centre, a healthcare centre for the City of Hamilton’s public health services and for the Department of Family Medicine at Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine.
“Mr. Braley’s incredible generosity has allowed us to support the health of our community through exceptional health care and high-quality teaching and research,” said Dr. Paul O’Byrne, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences. The centre opened in 2015 and won the World Architecture Award in 2019.
“Mr. Braley’s incredible generosity has allowed us to support the health of our community through exceptional health care and high-quality teaching and research,” said Dr. Paul O’Byrne, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences.
Braley also served in the Senate of Canada from 2010 to 2013 as a member of the Conservative Party, appointed by then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper. He resigned in November 2013 without stating an official reason. Six years later, Braley was named an officer of the Order of Canada, recognizing his efforts as a Canadian leader to the sport of football and health research.
Braley is survived by his wife, three sons, stepdaughter and stepson.
Many, including students, are gravitating toward plants during these difficult times
Plants are known to have a number of benefits for both mental and physical health. A few of these benefits include reducing stress and anxiety, brightening living spaces and improving indoor air quality.
Given all the stress and uncertainty of these last few months and the increased amount of time people are spending inside their homes, maybe it’s no surprise that people are gravitating towards plants now.
“I think planting is quite therapeutic. I think a lot of people that weren't doing it before started to take an interest in it [during the pandemic] and I think we're seeing a resurgence of the younger generation getting a little bit more interested in it,” said Kate Psota, a greenhouse supervisor at Holland Park Garden Gallery.
“I think planting is quite therapeutic. I think a lot of people that weren't doing it before started to take an interest in it,” said Kate Psota, a greenhouse supervisor at Holland Park Garden Gallery.
For many students, the pandemic was an opportunity for them to further delve into their passion for plants. For some, this has meant growing their already sizable plant collections through buying new plants, swapping with friends and family or propagating plants they already had. For others, this has meant gardening in the warmer months.
“When reflecting upon how plants have been part of my life before and during the pandemic, I think they acted as an anchor and sense of normalcy. I still get to water them on the weekends, they still grow and make me happy even though everything has changed,” said Veronica Tran, a fifth-year biochemistry student.
For other students, the pandemic is the first time that they have tried anything remotely related to plants. The growing sense of community around the planting seems to be an important aspect of the appeal for students, particularly during these times when many feel disconnected from others.
Plants can act as conversation starters, giving students something to talk about with friends and family that is not necessarily related to the pandemic. There are also groups popping up on various social media sites, where plant parents facilitate the finding and trading of plants and offer information about how to take care of them.
“I think from the sudden increase of plants and plant owners throughout the pandemic there have been a lot of Facebook groups that have sprung out due to this. And there's a lot of trading of plants, of giving away . . . It's a community but it's also kind of a game almost like trading, they’re discussing it. It’s become its own thing that I can’t even quite describe,” said Lucy Lin, a fourth-year environmental sciences student.
“It's a community but it's also kind of a game almost like trading, they’re discussing it. It’s become its own thing that I can’t even quite describe,” said Lucy Lin, a fourth-year environmental sciences student.
However, the supply of plants hasn’t necessarily kept up with the dramatic increase in demand for a number of reasons. Some of the protocols that have been put in place due to the pandemic are affecting migrant workers, who are an important part of this industry. There are also restrictions on the import of plants.
Despite these challenges though, Psota commented that people have been understanding and flexible when shopping for their plants. She also doesn’t think this should discourage people from further exploring their relationship with plants and nature, especially during these times.
“I hope that [customers] would develop more of a relationship with nature, understanding how these things work and how they interact in our everyday life. Plants are such a part of our environment. I think a lot of people just think about them for just strict aesthetics but they do have the ability to reduce stress, working with them it's been proven to reduce stress. They can improve air quality within your home. So I hope when people come here that they have an appreciation for that and maybe even learn something new that they didn't know before,” said Psota.
Given the plethora of benefits provided by plants, it seems fitting that people are gravitating towards them during these difficult times. As we move into the greyer winter months and begin to spend even more time indoors, having something bright and green around the house will become even more important.
COVID-19 inspired local potter to turn her hobby into a ceramics business
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes to our everyday lives. School is now online, some of us are staying home with family, jobs are more difficult to find and more interactions are occurring virtually.
In the summer, many of us were stuck at home due to restrictions on activities we previously enjoyed. Many have found new ways to keep busy and stimulated, such as Kelsey Burns who created the business, Too Blue Ceramics, this year.
Burns started making pottery from her bedroom in the early months of the pandemic as a way to fill time after her workplace closed. In June, Burns launched the Too Blue Ceramics Instagram page where she posts and sells beautiful creations and custom pieces.
The first part of the name was inspired by one of Burns’ favourite songs Am I Too Blue by Lucinda Williams. As the name suggests, most of Burns’ work features blue and white designs, many of which are of women and flowers, painted on ceramic coasters, vases, teapots, cups and plates.
Burns always had an interest in painting and drawing but was uncertain about whether she wanted to pursue art. It wasn’t until last year when she started taking pottery classes at Dundas Valley School of Art, an independent not-for-profit art school where she discovered a passion for pottery making. When her classes were cancelled in the spring of this year due to COVID-19, she bought a pottery wheel for her home and turned pottery into a full-time project with the help of her friend who had a kiln.
“People just have always told stories through pottery and I was just drawn to it . . . I didn’t think that I would love it so much,” Burns said.
“People just have always told stories through pottery and I was just drawn to it . . . I didn’t think that I would love it so much,” Burns said.
Burns initially gifted her ceramics to her friends and family, but later began selling as a way to cover the cost of the materials and continue developing her pottery skills. Too Blue Ceramics has quickly garnered attention from the community. In September, she and some artist friends put together a Super Small Crawl on the weekend of Supercrawl to sell their creations. Many neighbours and community members came to the event to support their work.
Her personal favourite pieces to make are vases.
“I like it when [ceramic pieces] aren’t specific . . . because [the process is] a bit more freeing. I love when I put a piece of clay on the wheel and don’t know what it’s going to be,” Burns explained.
Burns also enjoys taking on challenging ceramic projects and commissions which help her to learn more techniques and develop her own style.
Although she started in her bedroom, she now has a studio space in the basement of her and her partner’s home. She is also part of Alchemy Clay Studios in Guelph which offers shared studio space for artists.
Ceramics has taught Burns about patience and appreciation for handmade everyday objects which are both functional and beautiful.
“When we think about consuming products, we’re really used to just having things available immediately. So I think it’s nice to remember that things take time . . . because somebody is putting energy into these pieces,” Burns said.
“When we think about consuming products, we’re really used to just having things available immediately. So I think it’s nice to remember that things take time . . . because somebody is putting energy into these pieces,” Burns said.
To Burns, pottery is an imprint of where we are in history and she hopes to continue telling stories through her work.
Two Hamilton and Toronto-based artists share their excitement for fandom merchandise through stickers, pins and zines
Not all friendships are compatible for a business relationship. Many underestimate the pressure a business can put on a friendship and as a result, witness their lifelong bonds break. However, Bae and Boba co-owners Clover Thursday and Victoria Nguyen demonstrate that with proper communication and trust, a friendship can be the key to a successful business.
Thursday and Nguyen are freelance artists from Hamilton and Toronto, respectively, who met during their thesis class at the Ontario College of Art and Design. Despite having polar opposite personalities, with Thursday being more extroverted and Nguyen more introverted, they became close friends and launched Bae and Boba together in 2018.
Bae and Boba is an Etsy shop where the duo design and sell zines as well as cute and whimsical characters – from mermaids to boba bear – on stickers and pins. The name Bae and Boba was inspired by Thursday’s love for drawing cute female characters and Nguyen’s love for bubble tea. They created the business to provide more spaces for people who like anime, kawaii culture and alternative culture. Through the business, they want to encourage people’s passion and enthusiasm for fandoms.
“During quarantine and isolation . . . it’s amazing how important it is to have something to look forward to. People are excited to get that really cute sticker or a really cute pin they liked . . . It’s really nice to be able to give that excitement to people,” said Thursday.
“During quarantine and isolation . . . it’s amazing how important it is to have something to look forward to. People are excited to get that really cute sticker or a really cute pin they liked . . . It’s really nice to be able to give that excitement to people,” said Thursday.
The duo says open communication, patience, collaboration and compromise are vital to their business. It was a learning curve to figure out what they each value as artists and how to compromise on artistic differences. They are still learning how to work better together and create harmony between their different drawing styles. While Nguyen is more detail-oriented, Thursday uses more expressive linework.
During the ideation process, they constantly send each other rough drafts, ideas and feedback. This was especially important while working on the Kickstarter they created to crowdfund for their enamel pins. The Kickstarter launched in August and featured pins representing teas from around the world. In the same month, they also released their first zine together.
“[The Kickstarter project] was kind of a big testament to how we were able to compromise both of our aesthetics and styles and really figure out an even better way to work together,” said Thursday.
“[The Kickstarter project] was kind of a big testament to how we were able to compromise both of our aesthetics and styles and really figure out an even better way to work together,” said Thursday.
Thursday has previously released other zines on Bae and Boba, including Black Skin, White Masks which was published this summer and whose proceeds went toward organizations such as Black Lives Matter, Black Health Alliance and Hamilton Centre for Civic Inclusion. The illustrations are based on Franz Fanon’s book by the same name in which he discusses his experience with racism and anxiety as a Black man in 1960s France.
“[Black Skin, White Masks was] a milestone that I hit as an artist using what I can do and using my talents to try and influence some sort of change,” explained Thursday.
Nguyen shared the same sentiment about using art for social change.
“We’ve always enjoyed making cute or beautiful things, but seeing the events happening around the world, we just thought we should use our skills to do some good because we all had such a visceral reaction to George Floyd, so it feels wrong to not do something right now,” said Nguyen.
Thursday and Nguyen were both amazed by the excitement and support from customers, friends, family and the artist community. Through the business, they were able to connect with people outside of Canada from the United Sates, France and Australia.
This is just the beginning for the duo as they continue to use their work to bring excitement to people who stumble across their Etsy page or are looking for art with a meaning behind it.
A week of sustainability focused events from the MSU
Last week, the McMaster Students Union held an online event series to encourage students to pay more attention to and recognize sustainability issues. From Oct. 25 to 30, McMaster Earth Week was a week of various sustainability-themed activities.
This event was hosted by the MSU, but involved other campus and community organizations such as Nature at McMaster, the Student Sustainability Ambassadors Program, McMaster Veggie Club, McMaster Academic Sustainability Programs Office and Trees for Hamilton.
Starting off the week, McMaster Veggie Club ran a meatless Monday event on their Instagram page. The club said meatless Monday is an event series that they will be hosting once a month. For the event, a representative from McMaster Veggie Club shared a meatless recipe via their Instagram story. This week, the recipe was a meatless chilli.
On Tuesday, the MSU hosted a virtual tree planting event. This event was in collaboration with the SUSTAIN 3S03 Implementing Sustainable Change course’s solitary bees and tree planting student groups, as well as Facility Services.
As an experiential learning course, SUSTAIN 3S03 asked community members to pitch project ideas on the first night of class. The projects that they eventually work on are their focus for the rest of the semester.
Callum Hales and Crystal Zhang are students of the Solitary Bees and Tree Planting student project groups respectively. Both Hales and Zhang’s groups collaborated on this event to increase the biodiversity of plant species and the number of solitary bees on campus.
Unlike honey bees or bumble bees, solitary bees are not aggressive and they do not produce honey. However, they are excellent pollinators. Hales and Zhang’s student group works to educate the McMaster and Hamilton community about solitary bees as well as inspire initiatives such as this one.
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Following the initiation of the Solitary Bees Project in 2019, 50 bee boxes are now posted around the university campus. With this event, native plant species are planted around the posts and Hales and Zhang expressed that the plants can help to support the bees.
Last year, 80 trees were planted on McMaster Sustainability Day in October. This year, a total of 100 trees were planted. In addition to the student groups, the tree planting was facilitated by Trees for Hamilton, Nature at McMaster, and Facility Services.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, the event could no longer encourage volunteers from the community to participate. Hence, the Grounds Department of Facility Services at McMaster handled the tree planting, while Abbie Little, community relations coordinator of the Academic Sustainability Programs Office, overlooked the event.
Other events included a nature bingo game on Wednesday, an eating seasonally and locally talk on Thursday morning, a sustainable art night on Thursday night and an autumn earth hour on Friday.
The nature bingo event asked participants to seek out specific items outdoors and complete a bingo card to be entered within a draw at the end of the week.
Thursday morning, in collaboration with McMaster Hospitality Services, Wellness and Sustainability Manager and Registered Dietitian, Liana Bontempo, shared a video about reasons why people should buy food locally.
Bontempo noted that buying local foods can mean great variety, cheaper and fresher produce as well as the ability to support local farmers.
Although not the first sustainability focussed initiative that McMaster has held, this is the first time the MSU is holding Earth Week. In planning for this event, Little said that the team considered how students are dealing with the pandemic.
“We know that 2020 has been a strange year and that it could be a tough time for students with midterms and adjusting to online school, so we wanted to encourage students to get outside, think about the food they eat, the nutrients they get, relax with some fun crafts and switch off their power, lights and laptop to conserve energy and unwind,” Little explained.
“We know that 2020 has been a strange year and that it could be a tough time for students with midterms and adjusting to online school, so we wanted to encourage students to get outside, think about the food they eat, the nutrients they get, relax with some fun crafts and switch off their power, lights and laptop to conserve energy and unwind,” Little explained.
Correction: Dec. 1, 2020
A previous version of this article wrote that SUSTAIN 3S03 course asked "students" to pitch project ideas, rather than "community members". This has now been fixed.
Correction: Nov. 23, 2020
A previous version of this article misstated the names of two participants. The article has now been corrected and The Silhouette regrets the error.
New provincial bill removes the option for ranked ballots in upcoming municipal elections
In October 2022, cities across Ontario will hold their next municipal election. However, with this upcoming election, the Ontario government has introduced a new bill that will prevent municipalities from using ranked ballots.
This bill was introduced along with legislation from the Ontario government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new legislation is meant to help provide liability protection for workers and businesses against COVID-19 exposure-related lawsuits.
In justification for this mandate, Adam Wilson, spokesman for Municipal Affairs Minister Steve Clark, said that the decision would help eliminate unpredictability and inconsistencies across municipalities during the pandemic.
However, people are questioning whether the provincial government’s concern is necessary and whether the mandate is instead stripping residents of their democratic rights.
why is the political class engaged in anti-democratic actions. There are over 400 municipalities in #Ontario
Why should a governing party hand down this hard decision?
Did majority of Ontario residents discuss this in their communities?#onpoli https://t.co/r4xr0v65jW— Kojo Easy Damptey (@EasyThePianoMan) October 21, 2020
Under a ranked balloting system, voters rank their preferences of candidates. In the first round, votes for first choices are added up and if someone has a majority then they would win the election. However, if no one has a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and the votes are transferred to the next choice until someone wins by a majority.
This system is also what is currently adopted by the McMaster Students Union for all of its elections.
Although London is currently the only city in Ontario that has implemented a ranked ballot system, this bill would deny all cities from implementing the system in the future.
In the cities of Kingston and Cambridge, votes from previous referendums showed that a large proportion of people are in favour of switching to a ranked ballot system.
In an interview with CBC News, Dave Meslin, the creative director of an electoral reform advocacy group known as Unlock Democracy Canada, believes that a ranked ballot system should be implemented in the province of Ontario.
“Ranked ballots have such an impact on everything from civility to diversity to having more choice, to ensuring that you have a council with a real mandate. It's such a step backwards for this option to be stripped away from cities,” Meslin told CBC News.
“Ranked ballots have such an impact on everything from civility to diversity to having more choice, to ensuring that you have a council with a real mandate. It's such a step backwards for this option to be stripped away from cities,” Meslin told CBC News.
Meslin also noted that this is the very system of voting that voted Doug Ford as the current leader of the Ontario Conservatives. When Ford ran for leadership, he was not in first place during the first round of ballots but was in second place.
News regarding this bill and the provincial government’s decision to remove the possibility of ranked ballots has resulted in fury from other provincial party leaders.
All three party leaders took to Twitter to express their discontent with the situation. NDP leader Andrea Horwarth wrote, “Mr. Ford interferes in democratic elections again and again. I'm committed to bringing back the right of municipalities to decide how to hold their own elections — including ranked ballots.”
Mr. Ford interferes in democratic elections again and again. I'm committed to bringing back the right of municipalities to decide how to hold their own elections —including ranked ballots. Thanks @meslin, and all those fighting this attack on democracy, for speaking out. https://t.co/S0v9cClrBX
— Andrea Horwath (@AndreaHorwath) October 23, 2020
Liberal leader Steven Del Duca said that the Liberal party will be finding a way to restore the option of ranked ballots if elected in 2022.
“Ranked ballots were originally brought in under an Ontario Liberal government. Not only would I bring back the ability for municipalities to choose to use them, but Ontario Liberals will introduce a Private Members Bill to attempt to restore them in the meantime,” said Del Duca.
“I’m disgusted that the Premier would take a sledgehammer to local democracy yet again. This Doug knows best game has got to end. Ranked ballots improve democracy and the people should have the right [to] determine local elections, not the Premier,” wrote Mike Schreiner, Green party leader, in a tweet on Twitter.
In Hamilton, Ontario, city councillors voted 8-7 following the 2018 election against the option of using ranked ballots for 2022. While ranked ballots were voted down, this motion demonstrated that there was high consideration amongst the city’s leaders for a ranked ballot system.
During this motion, Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger was one of the seven who had voted in favour of using ranked ballots.
Maureen Wilson, councillor of Ward 1 in Hamilton, was another one of the votes in favour of ranked ballots. Speaking to the Silhouette, Wilson said that she would still recommend ranked ballots today and does not understand the provincial government’s decision.
“I’m perplexed by it. I would think that the provincial government should be focussed on covid and covid recovery and why they would tuck it into an omnibus bill is perplexing. This is a government that used ranked ballots for its own leadership race. I know Mr. Ford was elected leader on a ranked ballot so if they're good enough for his party, surely they're good enough for the residents of Ontario,” said Wilson.
“We have choices that we as different municipalities make across a great number of things, so I’m not sure I understand the inconsistencies argument and I also don’t understand the argument that this will create confusion on behalf of residents. I think that’s really underestimating the intelligence of electorates. It’s not confusing at all,” Wilson added.
Wilson also adds that the provincial government’s justification for this mandate does not make sense to her.
“We have choices that we as different municipalities make across a great number of things, so I’m not sure I understand the inconsistencies argument and I also don’t understand the argument that this will create confusion on behalf of residents. I think that’s really underestimating the intelligence of electorates. It’s not confusing at all,” Wilson added.
Online school has led to a disjointed and difficult experience for first-year students
By: Madeleine Harvey, Contributor
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, first-year students anticipated beginning university. As we imagined ourselves attending campus events, studying in campus libraries and socializing with our peers in campus restaurants, the excitement of attending university mounted with each passing day. Campus life brought promises of enrichment of the mind and soul. We would be able to curate lifelong connections with our peers and our professors, discovering our passions through one-on-one interaction and investigation.
Unfortunately, with the onset of the pandemic, these dreams were squandered as we learned that in-person education would be impossible for the 2020-2021 academic year. Instead, many students now define university life as a lonesome affair with an intense workload. This has a profound impact on the mental health and morale of first-year students at McMaster University.
One of the most important aspects of campus life is socialization. With the onset of online education, students are physically isolated from one another and unable to cultivate lasting friendships. While Zoom lectures can be effective for providing some semblance of a normal classroom through face-to-face visibility, the limited class time is not enough for constructive socialization in a discussion setting. Body language and facial expressions can be extremely difficult to gauge — and this is assuming that everybody has their camera turned on. As a result, Zoom lectures provide a very impersonal experience for students, rather than connecting them with their peers.
Instead, many students now define university life as a lonesome affair with an intense workload. This has a profound impact on the mental health and morale of first-year students at McMaster University.
This lack of connection is exaggerated for first-year students. While the upper-years have already had opportunities to bond with their peers in-person, first-year students have not been afforded that same luxury. Instead, we have to navigate the world of Zoom in order to meet friends. With constant interruptions, screen freezings and awkward silences, the technological barrier can be extremely difficult when trying to befriend others.
Outside of the virtual “classroom,” many students are hesitant to interact with their cohort. Even in usually tight-knit communities, such as Arts & Science, students are finding it difficult to make friends. Some students point to the fact that they do not want to do their schoolwork on a screen and also attempt to make friends online because of ever-impending Zoom fatigue.
Outside of the virtual “classroom,” many students are hesitant to interact with their cohort. Even in usually tight-knit communities, such as Arts & Science, students are finding it difficult to make friends.
Navigating WhatsApp group chats and other non-educational forms of interaction cannot replace the value of face-to-face interaction. Many students are unable to fully convey their personality online and make connections with like-minded individuals. Sarcasm and humour that would be perceived during in-person conversation cannot be read as easily in digital message form. When one single text can be interpreted to have multiple meanings, charisma is almost non-existent. As a result, it can be extremely tedious to make friends in a group chat and students become reluctant to reach out across cyberspace to other individuals. This can exacerbate loneliness when working remotely.
Coupled with reduced social interaction, the intensified workload relative to high school is taking its toll on the first-year student body. For many students, working from home is not the ideal situation. The home can be a place of distractions and other obligations that students must fulfill during their day. Many students find themselves working upwards of 10 hours per day with little time to unwind and relax.
Those with part-time jobs have difficulty finding a balance between work, school and relaxation. While this is certainly not a first-year exclusive experience, the effects of an increased workload online are amplified as newcomers to the higher expectations of university.
For many students, working from home is not the ideal situation. The home can be a place of distractions and other obligations that students must fulfill during their day.
Last week, real human interaction occurred purely by accident when a Zoom malfunction stranded me and three classmates in a breakout room for the remainder of a lecture. Not wanting to return to the lonesome affair of Zoom university, my classmates and I carried out a conversation about how our lives had adapted to online school. This simple conversation soon drifted into other various topics and eventually, the banter turned humorous. For the first time since the beginning of school, I felt that I had made true connections with my classmates — a rarity in the face of online learning. All of us caught a whiff of what our first-year experience may have been without the pandemic.
The concerns expressed in this article only scratch the surface of the abundance of detrimental effects associated with online school. Due to these unprecedented circumstances, it can be difficult to place blame on the university for this unfortunate first-year experience. Unless first-years are willing to take the extra step to reach out to members of the community in an attempt to curate lasting friendships, loneliness is inevitable.
As for the workload, students will need to devise a strategy so they can manage their studies while still taking time for themselves during this circumstance of global calamity. Perhaps, a solution could include scheduling breaks away from screens in-between lectures, organizing Zoom study groups or venturing out into nature if the weather permits. Likewise, professors should be receptive to feedback and be willing to adjust their teaching methods to suit the needs of the online environment. Online school is far from perfect, but in order to avoid hopelessness and despair, students need to make the best of this sad imitation of the first-year experience.
Local artist explores Indigenous identity and resurgence with her beadwork
Art has long been a way for artists to create a space for themselves in a world where they feel one doesn't exist. It’s a way of carving out a tangible space to explore and reclaim who you are. For several Indigenous artists, including Kanien'kehá:ka beadwork artist Darien Bardy, art is an act of expression as much as it is an act of resurgence.
Bardy was born and raised in Hamilton. Growing up, she struggled with her Indigenous identity and history. She regularly faced racism and often had to act as if she didn’t know much about her culture in an attempt to avoid such encounters.
As she got older, Bardy became involved with a number of groups for Indigenous peoples, including the Hamilton Regional Indian Centre, the Aboriginal Health Centre and the Native Women’s Centre. It was through this work that she was first introduced to and became interested in beadwork.
Beading is a traditional Indigenous art form with a long history. The final pieces are considered a manifestation of the artist's good intentions. It’s also an art form that has gained a lot of attention recently for its prominence in projects supporting Indigenous resurgence.
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For Bardy, beading served as an important connection to her history and she didn’t expect it to grow into something more. People began to ask her where they could purchase her pieces, she made her Instagram page Beads in the Trap and things really took off.
“It really just took on a different shape because at first I was like, “this is going to be my page for just documenting my beadwork journey and see how I'm improving over the months”. . . But then it just kind of turned into something bigger,” said Bardy.
“It really just took on a different shape because at first I was like, “this is going to be my page for just documenting my beadwork journey and see how I'm improving over the months”. . . But then it just kind of turned into something bigger,” said Bardy.
Now Beads in the Trap has almost 4000 followers and Bardy’s products sell incredibly quickly, often on the day she posts them. But even as her business continues to grow, Bardy’s personal connection to beading has not diminished. If anything it has grown and taken on a larger meaning. It is no longer solely about helping her connect to her own history and understand her identity, but it is also a way for her to help other Indigenous youth do the same.
“I describe it as Indigenous resurgence in contemporary colonialism because my stuff is not very traditional but I think it represents a lot of urban Native youth or Native youth in younger generations that don't necessarily conform to the traditional ways, but still are influenced by traditional ways,” explained Bardy.
This is seen even in the name of Bardy’s business, which is a reference to the Nicki Minaj song Beez in the Trap. For Bardy, these pieces are another way in which she reconciles the different aspects of her identity.
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“In our culture, it's like when you're touching the beads…the good thoughts that are happening in your mind come out through your fingertips and into the beads. So while you're beading, you're literally creating a physical piece of your good thoughts and your good intentions. Those intentions and those good words and thinking good thoughts and wanting good things for whoever wears them – that’s in every single piece that I put out. So, even though my pieces aren't traditional looking . . . the intentions and the good mind is still behind it,” explained Bardy.
Bardy also sees her business as a starting point for conversation about Indigenous histories and resurgence. Especially because many of her pieces can be worn, people often ask her — or her friends and family — about them, creating an opportunity and an opening for these important conversations.
“What I want people to get out of it is just a symbol of like, we're still here, you can be an ally to us by supporting Indigenous artists . . . [I want people to] walk away with a sense of we're still here. Indigenous people are still here and we’re still trying to figure out where to go from here. We're still trying to figure out what it means to be Indigenous in the world now. Now that we're not a targeted people all the time. Now that we actually have space to breathe and be who we are, who are we?” said Bardy.
"[I want people to] walk away with a sense of we're still here. Indigenous people are still here and we’re still trying to figure out where to go from here," said Bardy.
Brady’s art, the histories and traditions it merges as well as the conversation it encourages are very much an act of expression and resurgence on both a personal and a community level.
Although we live in Canada, this election will have a huge impact on Canadian students
By: Saad Ahmed, Contributor
In 1969, the late Pierre Trudeau told Richard Nixon, the 37th president of the United States, “Living next to [the United States] is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, one is affected by every twitch and grunt.”
Now more than ever, this phrase resonates with Canadians — particularly students. With a high-stakes American presidential election around the corner, Canadian students should be concerned about its implications.
Up and down the ticket there are stark differences in political ideologies, governing styles and personalities. Many issues have clear implications for Canadians, as candidates Donald Trump and Joe Biden offer some strikingly different policy positions.
With carbon pricing, a progressive Pan-Canadian Framework and billions of dollars invested in green infrastructure, Canada has become a global leader in the fight against climate change. However, because the US produces such a large share of global greenhouse gas emissions, regression in their climate policy could have more of an impact on Canada than Canada’s own climate policies.
With a high-stakes American presidential election around the corner, Canadian students should be concerned about its implications.
Recently, many Canadians in British Columbia felt the harsh effects of the smoke from the Oregon and Washington wildfires — a reminder of the inextricable climate link between Canada and the United States. Trump pledged to expand oil drilling, increase pipelines and decrease environmental regulations. On the other hand, Biden planned to invest heavily in clean energy, rejoin the Paris Agreement, implement green tariffs on countries that fail to cut emissions and even “transition from the oil industry” — a statement from the last debate that was met with plenty of controversy.
Besides personal changes to mitigate climate change, civic engagement and policy support by Canadian students are effective in bringing light to climate consequences, even if these policies aren’t Canadian.
In terms of trade, platforms from both candidates are mostly unfavourable to Canadians. Biden promises to increase “Buy American” policies and continue disputes regarding commodities like softwood lumber. However, he has said that he would consider dropping Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs that Premier Doug Ford notably called a “slap in the face” to Canadians.
Recently, right as Canada was about to unveil plans for retaliation with $3.6 billion in tariffs of its own, Trump walked back the 10 per cent tariff. However, he has indicated that he may “reimpose the tariff” as early as the end of this year. Overall, the Trump plan promises a more aggressive trade policy that includes more tariffs and duties if he wins the upcoming election — a move that is sure to cause continued chaos.
With Ontario as a major supplier of steel and automobiles and Quebec as a key supplier of aluminum, Canada is the largest exporter of both commodities to the US. Thus, Canadian output is affected by these tariffs, having an effect on economic activity, jobs and consumer price inflation. For Canadian students, the economic implications of these trade policies will be felt as they enter the job market — and for years to come — making it all the more important to care about this election.
For Canadian students, the economic implications of these trade policies will be felt as they enter the job market — and for years to come — making it all the more important to care about this election.
Between the two candidates, immigration is one of the more polarizing topics of discussion. If Trump wins, he has pledged to continue restrictive temporary work programs like the recent overhaul of H1-B visas. The H1-B visa allows foreign workers, including Canadians, to work in specialized roles in American companies. Overhauling this visa will cut off Canadians from the American job market, even if they have excellent job qualifications.
Trump’s immigration policies have also resulted in an influx of international students to Canada. From the election of Trump in 2016 to now, the number of study permits issued to international students by Canada jumped up by a whopping 50 per cent. According to Reuters, this is a major economic plus, as foreign students contribute approximately $21 billion annually to Canada’s gross domestic product.
On the other hand, Biden has promised to reverse Trump’s H1-B visa freeze, meaning that the prospect of working in a specialized job in the United States when it is reopened to Canadian students and those looking for work. However, this means that Canada could potentially lose some of the international students and skilled foreign workers it attracted. Though, this also means less competition for Canadian students applying for these competitive positions – something to keep in mind.
For American students studying in Canada, voting is imperative. Given the United States’ role as a global superpower, the policies and decisions that are made by American leaders — such as the travel ban from predominantly Muslim countries — can have devastating international impacts.
While issues such as controlling the current pandemic and cooperating on a COVID-19 vaccine become increasingly discussed in the international world, Americans abroad are getting more involved. Steve Nardi, the chair of Democrats Abroad Canada, stated that membership in Democrats Abroad Canada has grown by 73 per cent since 2016, with 35 per cent of this growth occurring in the seven-month leadup to this election. Canadians that volunteer with this organization help out with digital canvassing — using their social networks to make sure that Americans and dual citizens in their communities vote from abroad.
To get more involved, students at McMaster can strengthen their knowledge of U.S. politics and history by enrolling in classes like POLSCI 3I03: Topics in American Politics, HISTORY 4JJ3: U.S. Foreign Relations, HISTORY 2RR3: U.S. History Since the Civil War and HISTORY 2IS3: Scandal and Intrigue in American Political and Social History.
Joining politically-affiliated organizations on campus like Democrats Abroad can offer students a chance to meet and discuss issues with others that share their views and help with voter outreach. Clubs and local political organization chapters also engage in activities to get out the vote for each election cycle. With the number of Americans living in Canada, voter outreach efforts can genuinely make the numerical difference for victory in close down-ballot races.
With the number of Americans living in Canada, voter outreach efforts can genuinely make the numerical difference for victory in close down-ballot races.
Fewer than 80,000 voters in three swing states decided the U.S. election in 2016 and it is becoming increasingly apparent that this election will again come down to only tens of thousands of votes. Outside the United States, Canada has the most Americans eligible to vote — 620,000 — which is more eligible voters than in Vermont, North Dakota, Alaska, Wyoming or the District of Columbia. However, data from the 2016 election indicated that only about five per cent of these 620,000 voters in Canada exercised their civic duty.
The implications of the American election extend far beyond domestic issues. As the leaders of tomorrow in a neighbouring country, Canadian students should do their part in staying informed regarding policy in the United States. Undoubtedly, much of it will affect us in the long run.
New employment contract for sessional faculty members and addressing out-of-province TA exclusion concerns
At McMaster University, the Canadian Union of Public Employees 3906 is a union that works to improve the working conditions of academic workers at the university. The union currently represents about 3,500 workers at McMaster and includes three units.
Unit 1 includes teaching assistants and research assistants in lieu. Unit 2 includes sessional faculty, McMaster English Language Development sessional faculty and hourly-rated sessional music faculty. Lastly, Unit 3 includes post-doctoral fellows.
A key responsibility of the union is to negotiate and enforce an employment contract for each of the three units. The contract includes all benefits, rights and responsibilities of union members, and the responsibilities and obligations of the employer, McMaster University.
Recently, several issues have arisen between the union and the university. The previous collective agreement for Unit 2 members expired on Aug. 31, 2020, which prompted negotiations with McMaster to develop a new agreement.
Sharoni Mitra, president of CUPE 3906, said that the new agreement entails various concerns from sessional faculty members such as better job security, benefits, working conditions, teaching assistant training and compensation for the extra technological support required in a remote environment during this time.
From Oct. 14 to 16, the union held a strike vote amongst its Unit 2 members. Members voted 81 per cent in favour of a strike mandate for the bargaining committee if negotiations with McMaster fail.
This does not necessarily mean that a strike will occur, but votes from members signal to the union that members are prepared to strike should negotiations with McMaster fail to meet members’ needs.
Other recent negotiations with McMaster include the university’s exclusion of out-of-province teaching assistants from the bargaining unit. This means that out-of-province teaching assistants lose rights, privileges and protections that are a part of their membership with the union. They are excluded from the union’s dental plan, healthcare spending account, Gender Affirmation Fund, worker protections and other benefits.
Mitra expressed that the union was not consulted by the university about this decision and that the university justifies their exclusion of out-of-province TAs due to the wording within their collective agreement.
The previous collective agreement between TAs and the university denoted that teaching assistants of Ontario are recognized by the university as part of the agreement. However, Mitra said that this was largely interpreted by the union as teaching assistants who are working for McMaster, an institution located in Ontario.
The union argued that they are teaching assistants of Ontario, regardless of where they live.
The union argued that they are teaching assistants of Ontario, regardless of where they live.
This decision has been met with much criticism from the union, especially due to the change to the online environment that teaching assistants have to face during the COVID-19 pandemic. The union has sent the university a letter of understanding in hopes of resolving the matter internally but was not met with a satisfying response from the university.
In the LOU, the union asked that the university agree to recognize out-of-province TAs as unionized TAs at least for the time being, while courses are being offered online.
“Our preference would have been to find a solution without causing worry for our members; however, the University has made it clear that this won’t be possible,” the union shared.
“Our preference would have been to find a solution without causing worry for our members; however, the University has made it clear that this won’t be possible,” the union shared on their website.
As a TA living out-of-province during this school year, Angela Kruger expressed that it is frustrating for them to know that they have been excluded from the union by the university.
Kruger said they enjoy teaching and being able to share their knowledge with students; however, it’s unfortunate that the institution is also benefiting from this relationship while making things more difficult with the power they hold.
“If I wanted to say this is too much work for me, I don’t know what I would do and I don't know what grounds I would have. I do know who to talk to but I don’t know what they could do for me since I’m not considered part of the union,” said Kruger.
Kruger said that they have now had to postpone activities such as dental visits due to the lack of coverage they now receive following the exclusion.
Kruger also added that being able to organize TAs together has such immense value as TAs are often in a rather vulnerable position between the power dynamic with the university. Although it is important for them to stand up to power, circumstances from the pandemic such as rent and living expenses limit their options in negotiating with McMaster.
“To sacrifice a TAship or jeopardize your relationship with the university when you are trying to build a career in the university, is a relatively serious thing to consider doing. So yeah, I do think that it’s important to organize but I do think that as TAs there are multiple intersections of precarity that will necessarily inform whatever kinds of organizing efforts we are able to exert,” said Kruger.
The union has now filed a policy grievance, which is an official complaint, but this was denied by the university.
"Basically, McMaster found a loophole to exploit us,” said Mitra.
“It’s just completely unconscionable that the employer would use the pandemic to push people out of the union to weaken our collective power and to directly strip them of those benefits and protections. Basically, McMaster found a loophole to exploit us,” said Mitra.
The situation has been referred to arbitration and the union is working with CUPE National’s legal department to prepare for any next steps that might occur in the negotiations with McMaster.
